Maria Psarra, Founder of Iris Wealth Management, believes every professional journey is shaped long before success becomes visible. She reflects on her own path with a sense of clarity that comes from experience and introspection. “We all have a story. And we are all unable to truly understand any other person unless we know their own story,” she says. In her view, the financial industry often overlooks the human journeys behind professional titles, creating assumptions that ignore the effort, setbacks, and persistence that define real careers.
Her entry into the City began 16 years ago under challenging circumstances. Graduating with a Master’s degree in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, she faced a job market where opportunities were limited, and competition was intense. “I graduated filled with hope and, in hindsight, the false expectation that I would immediately get a job,” she recalls. After applying to approximately 200 roles without success, she encountered a reality many graduates still face today. Employers prioritized experience, and internships had become a prerequisite she did not have.
Rather than accepting defeat, Psarra chose a different approach. She began reaching out directly to professionals across the industry through professional networking platforms, emails, and phone calls. “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no,” she says, recalling the philosophy that guided her persistence. This belief continues to shape her leadership today, influencing her decision to respond to messages from young graduates even when she cannot offer roles. She places a high value on ambition and initiative, describing desire as the true force behind progress. “I believe that desire is what moves the world around,” she states.
Her determination was tested during a pivotal interview for a graduate trading role. After progressing through multiple assessment stages, she reached the final round only to face a moment that would leave a lasting impression. Following an extensive technical interview, she was asked how many women she had seen on the trading floor.
“The interviewer answered his own question and dismissed my candidacy based on gender expectations. I cried for days and could not get out of bed after this,” she recalls. “Yet that experience became a turning point for me. I decided I don’t care what anyone thinks. I am going into trading.”
Psarra’s entry into proprietary trading marked the beginning of her professional foundation. She credits this environment with shaping her understanding of markets, investor behavior, and self-discipline. “They trained me and gave me a home,” she says, emphasizing the importance of support and merit-based opportunity. Over time, she progressed into advisory trading, managing equities and derivatives portfolios, and eventually leading teams. Her career expanded to include speaking engagements, media appearances, and authorship, establishing her as a recognized voice in the field.
Despite these achievements, Psarra identified a deeper purpose that would guide her next transition. “What I truly wanted was to make a meaningful positive difference to my clients’ and their families’ lives,” she explains. This realization led her into wealth management in 2016. The move introduced a different set of challenges. “The environment was heavily male-dominated and governed by rigid expectations around appearance and conduct. We were given guidance on allowable colors, makeup, and even shoes,” she notes.
While she chose to adapt in order to build her career, she never lost sight of her identity. “My favorite color is red. I love wearing jewelry. What I wear means something,” she says. That sense of individuality became symbolic of a broader ambition to create change within the industry. Six years later, she founded Iris Wealth Management, building a firm that reflects her values and vision.
“Today I wear red dresses again and a lot of jewelry. I still have red nails, but only because I want to,” she says.
Psarra’s perspective on the future of wealth management is grounded in both data and lived experience. She points out that women currently represent only 18 % of financial advisers in the UK, a figure that remains significantly below what is needed. At the same time, global wealth trends indicate a major shift, with a growing proportion of assets expected to be controlled by women in the coming years. She believes this imbalance presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
“In my experience, women make great financial advisers,” she says. She highlights qualities such as communication, empathy, analytical thinking, and a genuine interest in understanding clients’ goals as essential to effective advisory relationships. From her vantage point, increasing female representation is not simply a diversity goal. It is a strategic necessity for the industry’s evolution.
Reflecting on her journey, Psarra acknowledges that the transition from a young graduate to a founder did not happen in a single moment. “Sometimes inside me, I am still that young woman who had nothing but her desire to build a career,” she says. Her story spans multiple phases of growth, from entering trading with no experience to leading teams, and from starting again in wealth management to building a firm that serves as a professional home for clients and colleagues alike.
Gratitude remains central to her outlook. She recognizes the opportunities she has had while maintaining a strong commitment to supporting the next generation. “I am very passionate about molding young people, and especially women, having the opportunities they deserve because I remember being them,” she explains.
For Psarra, success is defined by more than professional milestones. It is measured by impact, resilience, and the ability to remain authentic in environments that often demand conformity.
She says, “To all those who said I could not make it, thank you.”
