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Episode Description:

In this episode, Julia speaks with Susana Lopez, a seasoned leader in private equity, about navigating one of the most high-pressure and competitive industries. Susana shares her cautionary tales from years in the field, offering insights on the challenges of trust, authenticity, losing sight of the big picture and overcoming fear in hostile environments.

“Fear is our worst enemy, but it’s also unavoidable. The key is to act despite it, step by step, without letting it paralyse you,” said Susana.

Susana reflects on the importance of staying true to yourself, avoiding the trap of blending in, and knowing when to observe quietly and when to take decisive action. She candidly discusses how over-relying on allies and internal systems can lead to disappointment and why resilience and self-reliance are critical for success.

Listen to this episode to discover how to stay true to your purpose in challenging environments, strike the right balance between patience and action, and build a career defined by resilience, courage, and integrity.

About the Guests

Susana Lopez

Susana Lopez is a private equity professional with nearly 20 years of experience in fund formation, fundraising, and investments in the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors. Passionate about combating climate change, she has led efforts to mobilise private capital at scale for sustainable projects, particularly across Latin America, focussing on innovative blended finance and impact-driven solutions.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.