Catherine Wright | Director HSBC Innovation Bank UK
Catherine Wright is a Director in the Corporate Banking team at HSBC Innovation Bank UK, where she leads the Consumer Internet, Deep Tech and Climate Tech sectors. She is responsible for originating and executing innovative debt funding solutions for both listed and private mid-market technology businesses. Her role sits at the centre of innovation and capital, supporting companies from early growth stages through to scale, profitability and exit. She works closely with founders, CEOs and CFOs to structure debt solutions that extend runway, fund expansion and enable strategic acquisitions, allowing businesses to grow without unnecessary dilution. At EliteX, we are proud to have Catherine Wright as part of the edition: Impactful Women in Finance, 2026.
Catherine joined HSBC Innovation Bank in 2021, having previously built her career at Bank of Ireland in Corporate and Markets. There, she managed a portfolio of FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and AIM-listed TMT companies, developing strong sector expertise and commercial judgement. Her transition into technology-focused banking marked a deliberate step toward supporting high-growth, innovation-led companies that are redefining industries. She has since become a trusted partner to ambitious management teams operating in fast-evolving markets.
Growth begins the moment you step beyond your comfort zone.
Her journey into finance was shaped early in life. Growing up in North London in a hardworking and values-driven household, she witnessed resilience and determination first-hand. Her mother built a successful finance career while raising a family, progressing into senior leadership despite language barriers and bias. Watching her navigate challenges planted an early awareness in Catherine that meaningful change was needed within the industry. Her father, who left a corporate graduate role to build his own business, demonstrated entrepreneurial courage and strong male allyship at home. Together, her parents instilled grit, optimism and ambition, values that continue to define her leadership style.
Catherine studied Business and Economics at Brunel University before beginning her career in corporate banking. From the outset, she was fascinated by how businesses scale and how access to capital can accelerate innovation. She became particularly drawn to the technology ecosystem, where funding decisions directly influence the speed at which ideas become impactful companies. She believes finance sits at the intersection of innovation, growth and societal progress, and this belief continues to fuel her professional purpose.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Catherine has built a strong reputation as a champion for gender equity in finance. She is Co-Chair and Founding Member of HSBC Innovation Banking EMEA Gender Employee Resource Group, engaging colleagues across the UK to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Earlier in her career, she established similar initiatives, building structured platforms that promote education, allyship and measurable progress. Leading employee networks of more than 650 members required courage and conviction, particularly at a young age, but it reinforced her belief that sustainable change requires collective action and senior sponsorship.
She is also the Founder of the Women in Business Society, an international professional development community serving over 1000 women across more than 55 countries. Through monthly training sessions, mentorship programmes and networking events, she has created a trusted space where women can build confidence, access sponsorship and develop strategic networks. The community has published over 30 magazine editions and profiled more than 150 women, elevating female voices and personal brands across industries. For Catherine, visibility is not about recognition alone, it is about expanding what leadership looks like.
As an accredited coach, she has mentored and coached more than 100 women over the past six years. Her coaching focuses on practical action, confidence building and accountability. She believes mentorship is not simply about advice but about actively removing barriers and creating conditions for advancement. Many of the women she has supported have secured senior promotions, significant pay increases and new leadership opportunities. She views these outcomes as shared achievements that strengthen the wider ecosystem.
Catherine’s professional milestones reflect both commercial success and leadership growth. Completing her first origination deal marked a step-change in confidence and technical capability. Moving to Silicon Valley Bank UK, later acquired by HSBC, deepened her exposure to global innovation banking and positioned her within a leading platform for high-growth companies. Being invited to interview a global CEO at a conference of over 2000 employees strengthened her visibility and credibility. Speaking at the House of Lords on improving access to capital for female founders further expanded her influence beyond corporate walls into national policy conversations.
Access to capital should depend on potential, not gender.
Her impact has been recognised across the industry. She was named number one in the Top 100 Future Female Leader HERoes List by Yahoo Finance, YouTube and Involve in 2025. She won the Great British Businesswoman Awards Banking and Finance Businesswoman of the Year in 2024 and was recognised as a WATC TechWomen100 winner in 2022. She has also been featured in the Top 200 Most Influential Women in Tech for three consecutive years. While she values these honours, she sees them as a responsibility to continue driving inclusion and excellence within finance.
As a leader, Catherine is guided by integrity, authenticity, resilience and empathy. She believes leadership is most visible during times of uncertainty. During periods of organisational change, she has prioritised clear communication, steady judgement and cultural stability. In financial decision-making, she understands that discipline sometimes requires saying no. Protecting long-term value and governance is as important as pursuing opportunity. Her leadership philosophy centres on stewardship, strengthening teams, building trust and enabling others to succeed.
Looking ahead, Catherine remains focused on scaling high-growth technology companies, expanding access to capital for female founders and supporting the next generation of women in finance. She is also entering a new chapter of motherhood, which she views as an opportunity to model that senior leadership and family life can coexist. She believes normalising this balance is essential to evolving workplace culture.
Her message to young women aspiring to enter finance is clear. Anchor yourself in your values, take measured risks and step outside your comfort zone. Build networks intentionally and invest in coaching and mentorship. Communicate with confidence and lead with integrity. Success in finance is not defined by conformity but by clarity of purpose and the courage to act. Through her work, Catherine Wright continues to demonstrate that financial leadership can drive both commercial growth and meaningful societal change.
Leadership is not about fitting into old systems, it is about building better ones.