In treasury, the numbers don’t move without the people who move them. Behind every forecast, every liquidity model, every risk strategy, there’s someone balancing precision with intuition, discipline with empathy and data with purpose.
When I first entered this field, the room didn’t always look like me. Treasury was defined by process, structure and certainty, but rarely, by diversity. Over the years, that’s begun to change. Today, women are not just participating in treasury; we’re shaping it. We’re not fitting into the framework, we’re redesigning it. Bringing emotional intelligence to financial intelligence. Redefining what leadership looks like not through hierarchy, but through humanity.
In the early days of my career, I made a quiet promise to myself: that I wouldn’t just take a seat at the table, I’d help build a new one. And I learned that confidence doesn’t come before the move; it comes from the move. You don’t wait to feel ready, you take the step, you learn, you adapt and then you lead. That mindset of action before assurance is what keeps treasury leaders relevant in a world that changes by the minute.
Women in treasury understand balance better than anyone. We don’t just manage liquidity we manage life. We juggle what I like to call the five ‘balls’ of leadership: work, health, family, friendships and spirit. Work may bounce when it falls, but the others are made of glass. And over time, we’ve learned to protect them. Because true sustainability in leadership isn’t about doing it all, it’s about knowing what not to drop.
There’s strength in awareness. I’ve seen brilliant women lose themselves to perfection and others rise simply because they paused, recalibrated and realigned. I’ve had the honour of sharing this perspective across multiple platforms in conversations, panels, and leadership forums where treasury professionals come together to challenge norms and reimagine what leadership looks like.
What strikes me most is how similar the conversations have become across industries and borders: women are no longer asking for space, we’re taking it by leading with a blend of intellect and intuition, logic and empathy by being the best partner in the strategy.
In the Middle East, the treasury landscape is changing at remarkable speed. Digital transformation, advanced data analytics and regulatory modernisation are reshaping how organisations manage liquidity, risk and growth.
But the most powerful transformation is cultural. Treasury is evolving from a back-office function to a strategic command centre, influencing everything from policy to purpose and in that evolution, women are standing right at the centre. Inclusion isn’t just the right thing, it’s the smart thing.
Diverse leadership doesn’t only reflect society; it refines strategy. Different perspectives challenge assumptions, reduce risk, and increase innovation. The more inclusive treasury becomes, the more intelligent it gets.
As we look towards 2026 and beyond, I believe the future of treasury will be defined by agility; the ability to turn data into direction and uncertainty into opportunity. Future treasurers won’t simply manage cash; they’ll manage confidence. They’ll serve as the bridge between finance and foresight, blending analytical precision with human intuition.
And women are naturally wired for that balance – the ability to read beyond numbers, to sense undercurrents, to lead with both head and heart. The world of treasury is watching women lead differently – not by imitating what came before us, but by innovating what comes next.
Khaloud Alhammadi is director of treasury at AD Ports in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and winner of the ACT’s Middle East Treasury Professional of the Year 2025 award
Ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day, join the ACT and Forvis Mazars for an inspiring conversation that brings the theme “Give to Gain” to life – showing how sharing knowledge, visibility, and mentorship doesn’t just change individual careers, it transforms treasury teams and the future of the profession.
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