The Purse Podcast

Hosted by Jana Hlistova

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Episodes

162

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

At The Purse: Women and Capital, we explore how women are transforming the architecture of finance. From angel investors to institutional leaders, from fintech founders to capital allocators, this is where women, wealth and power intersect to influence what gets funded — and what gets built next.

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June 16, 202637 min

#164: From scientist to founder: Building Zonova and raising capital with Dr Georgia Fleet

Dr Georgia Fleet is a scientist turned entrepreneur on a mission to tackle one of healthcare's most persistent challenges: hospital-acquired infections. She founded Zonova on International Women's Day in 2023 and is as CEO & Co-Founder. A materials scientist by training, Georgia spotted how medical devices drive hospital infections, and how few commercial solutions exist to address it. Three years on, the company's Z-ROS® antimicrobial materials platform is in active commercial discussions with global device manufacturers to make hospital-acquired infections a problem of the past. Georgia is a 2024/25 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award winner, named Most Disruptive at Women in Tech EU 2025 and was listed #1 in TechRound's Top 50 Women in Startups & Tech in 2026 - recognising her commitment to impact, innovation, and women in STEM. We cover the following in our conversation:01:59 Why hospital infections persist04:40 Breakthrough: The "aha" moment06:50 Pivot to platform model08:25 Founder market fit11:05 Fundraising reality check17:20 Pitching platform and hiring CCO19:43 Women investors 27:30 Fundraising experience30:06 IP and impact strategy31:44 Looking ahead: Ten year vision33:51 Advice for new women investors36:38 Final thoughts

May 16, 202648 min

#163: (Repost) Money and love: how to make important life decisions with Abby Davisson

Abby Davisson is an award-winning Fortune 200 leader-turned-author and entrepreneur. Prior to founding the Money and Love Institute, her social impact career included nearly a decade at global retailer Gap Inc., where she served as president of the Gap Foundation and co-founded the company’s employee resource group for working parents. Abby’s prior professional experience includes strategy-focused roles across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, as well as a stint (alongside her day job) as an alumni career advisor and coach at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Abby holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University. We cover the following in our conversation:02:37 Why focus on money and love?08:09 A lesson learned the hard way10:46 Why decisions feel zero sum12:57 Clarity and the "Five Cs"16:41 Scenario 1: choosing a mate23:09 Scenario 2: family and career34:54 Scenario 3: breakup or divorce39:02 Courage and better communication44:46 Final advice.****

April 24, 202627 min

#162: Empowering women, financial planning, cash ISAs, economic shifts, and inclusive advice with Shaz Bishop

Shaz Bishop is a wealth manager at RBC Brewin Dolphin. With over 21 years of expertise in financial services, Shaz advises private clients on comprehensive wealth strategies, including tax-efficient investments, pension planning, inheritance tax mitigation, trusts, and international investments. Her holistic approach empowers individuals and families to navigate complex financial landscapes with confidence.Beyond her advisory role, Shaz is a dedicated advocate for financial literacy and women’s empowerment in wealth management. As a mother to two young daughters, she champions diversity and inclusion in the industry, striving to create a future where equitable representation is the norm. She’s passionate about educating underserved communities and breaking down barriers to financial access, ensuring the next generation inherits a more inclusive financial ecosystem.We cover the following in our conversation:02:22 Money origins story03:24 Cash ISA changes explained05:04 Women and investing shift08:05 Retirement barriers for women10:37 Choosing the right adviser11:45 One size policy limits13:50 Cashflow planning tool15:18 Risk and advice framing17:57 Reviews and life events18:59 Family planning and pensions22:37 Measuring success beyond markets24:02 Industry gaps and wealth transfer26:54 Closing ***

April 12, 202633 min

#161: Why culture matters in growth, AI's market impact, and US growth investing with Kirsty Gibson

Kirsty Gibson is an Investment Manager in the US Equity Growth Team and has been a portfolio decision maker since 2016. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2012 and became a partner in 2025. Prior to joining the US Equity Growth Team, Kirsty also spent several years in the small and large-cap global equities departments. She graduated MA (Hons) in Economics in 2011 and MSc in Carbon Management in 2012, both from the University of Edinburgh.We cover the following in our conversation:01:57 Kirsty’s path to investing04:49 Why culture matters in growth06:52 Foundational vs created culture09:27 When founders return11:47 Architecting culture on purpose14:49 Shopify’s AI pivot19:06 Stripe’s culture in execution20:47 Acquiring Bridge and the opportunity in stablecoins 22:38 AI shockwaves and market panic29:31 What winners look like by 203031:34 Final takeaways.See: "The cultural architects: how great founders shape exceptional companies in changing times", written by Kirsty Gibson. ***

March 16, 202650 min

#160: (Repost) Navigating gender bias: insights and strategies with Dr Amy Diehl

Amy Diehl, PhD, is an award-winning information technology leader, currently serving as Chief Information Officer at Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She is also a gender equity researcher and author of the new book Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work. Her writing has appeared in numerous scholarly journal articles and book chapters as well as in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine. She is also a sought-after speaker, consultant, and lawsuit expert witness. Her passion is universal gender equality so that society and organisations can thrive and women can succeed.We cover the following:01:50 Defining gender bias02:52 How gender bias affects money and power05:15 Six barriers overview06:11 Male privilege and constraints07:20 Support and devaluation08:36 Hostility (including female hostility)13:35 Acquiescence and opting out16:19 Business case and examples21:00 Leadership accountability and ERGs22:44 Measuring bias 24:44 Gender bias incident example26:55 Don’t internalise gender bias29:13 Build support networks30:06 Toxic workplaces33:15 Leaders must own change34:03 Stories that wake up leaders36:59 Male norms and work design39:24 Allies taking action40:45 LinkedIn as safe space43:29 Kamala Harris double standards48:21 Progress and hope.***

February 14, 202618 min

#159: Investment infrastructure, women's financial power, and tech innovation with Symmie Swil

Symmie Swil is the UK General Manager of Europe’s leading investment infrastructure provider, Upvest. With nearly twenty years of banking and fintech experience, Symmie is passionate about broadening access to investing. Symmie has previously held positions as Deputy Chief Operating Officer & Chief of Staff at Investec, and Head of SME Banking at Starling. We cover the following:01:09 Symmie Swil: From banking to building investing infrastructure02:41 What still holds women back from investing? 04:14 The gender wealth & gender pension gap explained. 07:41 What UpVest actually does (The ‘Stripe for investing’ behind the apps)09:33 Fractional investing 101: Why lower minimums change everything11:33 Trust in embedded investing: Transparency, security & regulation12:53 UpVest’s UK expansion: The opportunity, the data, and responsible scaling14:28 Five to ten year vision: Women designing the future of wealth tech16:28 Final thoughts.

January 16, 202654 min

#158: Rethinking early-stage investing for diverse founders with Simon Glass

Simon Glass is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Qodeo, a platform created to address the challenges he observed while working across the venture ecosystem. Qodeo matches venture and private equity investors with entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on founders from diverse, regional, and female communities.Simon has previously worked at two UK venture capital firms, including Amadeus Capital Partners, the first backer of ARM Holdings. His broader career includes roles at EY in academia and media, at WPP as Deputy Chair of a publishing house, and in project finance where he supported Roy Hill, the world’s largest private iron ore mine, in raising $9 billion.Simon has written for the Financial Times, holds a BA, MA, and MBA from the University of Cambridge, and completed training in corporate finance at London Business School.We cover the following:00:11 Meet Simon Glass: CEO of Qodeo01:13 Exploring the venture ecosystem02:35 Challenges for underrepresented founders05:55 Platform: matching investors and entrepreneurs14:05 Addressing unconscious bias in investing19:32 Comparing UK and US startup ecosystems28:40 Entrepreneurial boom in Europe32:01 Cultural shifts in entrepreneurship32:38 Moving the needle in who VCs invest in36:58 Challenges with angel investors49:28 Improving the startup funding ecosystem53:43 Final thoughts.***For more information on Qodeo, see: https://qodeo.com/ ***

December 12, 202548 min

#157: Investment in health, AI-driven biotech, women's healthcare, long-term vision with Julia Angeles

Julie Angeles is an Investment Manager, Partner at Baillie Gifford. She has been a member of the International Growth Portfolio Construction Group since 2017. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2008 and became a Partner in 2022. She previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising firms in Denmark, Russia and Hungary. Julia obtained a BSc in 1999, an MSc in 2001 and a PhD in 2005 in Economics from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. She is fluent in Russian and Danish.We cover the following:00:56 AI and long horizon investing in healthcare05:24 The evolution of Moderna and platform science13:19 AI's impact on healthcare access and efficiency21:45 The untapped potential of women's health24:27 The need for more women in investing24:59 The disparity in female health investment25:29 Male allies in women's health26:53 Gameto: revolutionising fertility28:15 The science behind Gameto's innovations29:42 Ethical considerations in biotech31:14 The future of female longevity31:45 Brain health: the next frontier32:42 Progress in neurodegenerative disease research36:21 The role of AI in healthcare37:30 Addressing gender disparities in health research42:13 The promise of personalised medicine43:15 The future of human health: prevention and early detection47:18 Final thoughts and optimism for the future.

December 4, 202554 min

#156: Women, economics & power: challenging history's myths with Dr Victoria Bateman

Dr Victoria Bateman is an economic historian whose latest book is Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth and Power. Victoria has twenty years’ experience teaching macroeconomics and economic history at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and has spoken extensively on radio and television, including as resident economic historian for BBC Radio 4’s “Understand: The Economy". In her spare time, Victoria also works as a historical consultant for period dramas, including The Forsytes (which is currently airing in the UK and comes to PBS America in 2026).We covering the following:00:11 Meet Dr. Victoria Bateman02:20 Victoria's journey to feminist economics05:08 The myth of male-dominated economic history07:22 Women in economic history: key figures and contributions10:11 The impact of excluding women from economic narratives20:12 Historical examples of women in finance26:26 Non-Western female economic pioneers32:51 Modern financial systems and women38:31 The backlash against women's economic progress50:34 The importance of rewriting economic history51:55 Final thoughts***

November 20, 20251 hr 1 min

#155: Mismanaged decline, economic shifts, and UK's future resilience with Vicky Pryce

Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Visiting Professor at King's College London.She was previously Director General for Economics at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and Joint head of the UK Government Economic Service. Vicky has held senior roles across the private sector, including senior managing director at FTI consulting, Partner and Chief Economist at KPMG, and Partner at London Economics, following earlier positions in banking and the energy sector.She's also co-founder of Good Cooperation, a frequent media commentator, and the author of many books, including Women versus Capitalism. Her latest book, Mismanaged Decline, co-authored with Andy Ross, will be published by Biteback in November of 2025. We cover the following:01:16 Discussing 'Mismanaged Decline'02:51 The UK's economic challenges04:41 Policy missteps and industrial decline07:09 Service sector and underinvestment11:15 Industrial strategy and government role16:26 Impact of Brexit and COVID25:04 Honesty in economic policy32:25 Regulatory developments in the UK and Europe33:58 The role of UK leadership in crypto adoption34:45 Concerns about crypto and global positioning37:09 The politics of economic growth39:20 Challenges in economic policy communication50:11 The importance of gender inclusion in economic strategy56:57 The need for long-term industrial strategy01:00:12 Final thoughts on building a resilient economy***