News > Fed-Up Banker Quit for a Startup, and Now She’s a Billionaire

Fed-Up Banker Quit for a Startup, and Now She’s a Billionaire

Cristina Junqueira knew she needed to make a change. Shortly after, she met David Velez, a Colombia-born private equity executive who was trying to start a digital bank to compete with Brazil’s behemoth lenders. But he was in need of someone with inside knowledge.

“I knew the industry and saw the perfect opportunity to prove them wrong, to build something people actually wanted,” Junqueira said. Fast forward eight years, and the 39-year-old Brazilian is on the cusp of joining an extremely small group of self-made female billionaire bankers.