Maria Ariza won CEO of the Year at Markets Media Group’s inaugural Women in Finance Latin America Awards, which was held in Mexico City on March 6.

Markets Media spoke with Maria after the event to learn more.

What are the main challenges in your role as CEO?

Being a CEO comes with constant challenges, both strategic and emotional. You’re responsible for making difficult decisions that aren’t always popular, but are necessary for long-term growth and sustainability. That kind of leadership can feel isolating, especially when you can’t always share concerns or vulnerabilities. You carry pressure from all sides: your team, shareholders, regulators, competitors, and the broader market.

Managing diverse teams adds another layer of complexity. Different personalities, incentives, and work styles require empathy, strong communication, and the ability to resolve conflict constructively. It’s also about inspiring confidence and maintaining motivation, even during moments of uncertainty.

In Mexico, there are added challenges. You’re navigating market pressures, regulatory expectations, and broader uncertainty. At BIVA, we’ve seen this as a historic opportunity to help transform the financial ecosystem. From the start, we set out to challenge the status quo and build a more inclusive, accessible market—one that supports companies of different sizes, regions, and industries. Most people didn’t think it was possible. We were out there talking about democratizing capital, attracting new retail investors, and growing the market, and the general reaction was, “That’s not going to work.” But we believed in the vision, and we’ve started to see real momentum.

On the personal side, one of the biggest challenges is balance. I’m a mother, and my daughters need me just as much as my team does. You have to manage your time and energy carefully, stay focused, and avoid burnout. For me, it’s not about doing everything at once—it’s about being present in the moment, wherever I am.

What challenges have you faced in your career that a man might not have experienced?

One of the biggest challenges is that women are expected to give 100% both professionally and personally, as if we’re working full-time in both roles. I’m a mother, and my daughters need me in every sense. That takes time, effort, and sacrifice. At the same time, I’m leading a company, navigating pressure from the market, the media, and the business community. You’re constantly trying to meet expectations from every direction and still be present for the most important moments in your children’s lives.

Motherhood connects women in a very real way—whether we’re mothers ourselves or not. That sensitivity and sense of responsibility shows up in how we care for others and how we carry ourselves. It adds another layer to the balancing act. We’re expected to lead, to perform, to keep growing and learning, and still find time for ourselves—for rest, for growth, for the things that make us whole outside of work and family. Reconciling all of that at once is one of the biggest challenges we face.

What was your reaction to winning the CEO of the Year award?

It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. To be able to share that experience with my parents and my daughters meant everything to me. I’ve learned so much from both of them—my father’s leadership, my mother’s dedication—and to have them by my side that night was truly special.

I felt honored, proud, and incredibly grateful. These awards matter. If another woman sees this and thinks, “Maybe I can do that too,” then it’s already had an impact. That’s how we inspire future generations. Young women are watching us closely, seeing what we do and how we do it. The more we lead by example, the more space we create for others to follow. If we work hard, prepare ourselves, and say yes to opportunities, we can get there.

Do women in Mexico and Latin America have good opportunities to pursue financial careers?

Yes, absolutely, but we still have a long way to go. As more women step into leadership roles, we help change expectations—not just about what women can achieve, but about what leadership in finance should look like.

It’s like a pyramid: if you can help from the top, you can start to cascade opportunities for the women who are still behind or not yet included. That’s why it’s so important for women to be in decision-making roles, because when we’re there, we think about how to bring others in.