Women leaders are transforming the world one innovation at a time. Across science, technology, and business, they are spearheading initiatives and ventures that aim to address global issues and create positive impact on many lives.
By bringing fresh perspectives and their unique experiences to the table, women in leadership positions are finding new ways to tackle and solve long-standing problems in society. For Shivani Siroya, CEO & founder of global financial infrastructure company Tala, that particular problem is the lack of access to essential financial services among underserved populations, resulting in broader gaps in financial inclusion.
She didn’t just wait for a seat at the table– she created her own space. Shivani Siroya joins the ranks of Forbes 250 Greatest Innovators as Tala also Tala marks its 10th consecutive year on the Forbes Fintech 50 list.
Her Brand of Leadership
The path that led Siroya to establish Tala started from her innate passion for numbers and people’s stories. She founded the company in 2014 while working a full-time job, taking on the challenge of building it from the ground up with a small but dedicated team sharing the same goals.
Now, Siroya is leading over 600 employees across three continents with the mission of providing the global majority with access to financial services through innovative solutions that empower them to unleash their economic potential. Her approach to leadership is strategic rather than just tactical, focusing on long-term growth for both Tala customers and employees. She also prioritizes expanding her network, developing expertise, and listening for insights to further unlock global capital markets.
Being a CEO and a mother of two, Siroya makes sure to maintain the right balance between her personal and professional life. Family time is strictly protected on her calendar. She also allots quiet moments to herself, whether it’s to journal, read or take her dog for a walk, to pause and reflect. This is her way of staying grounded and ensuring she shows up present and clear-headed every day whether as a top executive at Tala’s Santa Monica headquarters or a mom at home.
As the CEO & founder of Tala, Shivani Siroya bridges the gap between financial systems and those who need it most. With years of influence and a heart for community, she continues to improve lives through leadership with a purpose.
Driving Innovation in Financial Access
Siroya’s experience working as an analyst and microcredit researcher with the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) gave her first-hand knowledge of the barriers that small business owners face in Africa and Asia, including the lack of access to capital and the absence of financial services that cater to their needs. By interviewing people who belong to the global majority—the world’s financially underserved that comprises over half of the global population or nearly four billion people, she also found that their lack of credit score and financial identity prevented them from formally saving and borrowing through traditional institutions.
Tala was designed to address these challenges. It uses customers’ alternative data and machine learning to modernize credit assessment, moving beyond the traditional barriers of legacy finance to assess an individual’s creditworthiness. Consequently, applying and getting approved for a loan through the Tala app becomes a quick and hassle-free process.
The intensive work that Siroya has put into understanding the global majority and their financial needs has led to what Tala is today—disrupting lending through its proprietary technology and mobile application. With this, she earned the recognition as one of Forbes’ 250 greatest innovators.
“I’m honored to be recognized by Forbes alongside such visionary leaders. Innovation is only as powerful as the impact it creates. And at Tala, we will continue to leverage technology and trust in driving our mission of providing the global majority access to credit that can help them grow, thrive, and become more financially resilient,” said Siroya.
From its establishment 12 years ago, Tala is now operating in six markets: Kenya, Mexico, Philippines, India, Panama, and Guatemala; delivering seven billion USD in credit to more than 13 million people worldwide. According to a global study conducted by impact measurement firm 60 Decibels in 2025, 82 percent of Tala customers saw improvement in their overall quality of life, reporting better financial management and decrease in financial stress.
Tala was also named one of Forbes’ top 50 fintech companies for the 10th consecutive year, a strong testament to its leadership in making financial services accessible and tailored to the global majority. These achievements ultimately align with the vision of Siroya when she first started Tala: to shape a financial system that truly works for everyone.
