Infrastructure for Success
“Like thousands of women working in male-dominated industries, I often found myself as an ‘only’ or ‘one of the few,’” said Anna Brighton (MBA ’16), Director of Power, Utilities & Infrastructure Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets.
With over a decade of experience in capital markets, the majority of which has been in infrastructure, Anna has built a solid reputation as a leading force in the industry. Honoured with the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN) Emerging Leader Award last year and the Women in Capital Markets (WCM) Emerging Leader Award in 2019, Anna hopes to shine a light on the industry as not only a viable career path for women, but a trajectory to success.
Committed to empowering women in infrastructure, Anna is contributing toward the establishment of a scholarship to benefit students in infrastructure at the Schulich School of Business, in collaboration with Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN), as way of paying forward for her alma mater.
As a former part-time MBA student, Anna said she enjoyed the countless opportunities for thought-provoking conversations and constructive debates with her fellow classmates and top-notch faculty at Schulich. Among her most cherished Schulich memories, Anna counts her participation in the Global Leadership Program in 2014 as the best by far: “Travelling to Israel, creating a North American market entry strategy for a local water management company, and working with an international team of talented individuals who think very differently, brought many sleepless nights and lots of fun. It also gave me a lifetime of lessons on many levels.”
When asked to give her advice to the next generation of female business leaders, Anna circled back to the support she herself received from her Schulich family – support that inspired her to push her limits and achieve her goals.
“Schulich has an excellent track record of inspiring phenomenal women, some of whom I’m fortunate to know as today’s business leaders. As we celebrate International Women’s Day this month, I encourage our incredible female student population to reach higher, to aim farther, and to go after projects that are just beyond your current skills, knowledge, and abilities. This will keep you energized and fully immersed or, as known in positive psychology, in a state of flow,” shared Anna.
To find out how you can help lay the groundwork for student success through award, scholarship, or bursary creation at the Schulich School of Business, click here.
The Schulich School of Business is proud to announce that two nominees for the 2021 Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN) Awards are closely associated with the School. Julia Stefanishina, Senior Vice President at EY Canada, who teaches in the ILN (Investor Leadership Network) Fellowship program and in the Creative Workshop class for MREI students, is nominated in the Outstanding Leader category; and Sherena Hussain (BBA ’08, MBA ’12), Associate Professor in Infrastructure at the Schulich School of Business, who also serves as Academic Director of the ILN Fellowship program, is nominated in the Emerging Leader category for her work in the ILN Fellowship program. Congratulations, Julia and Sherena.