The Long Game: Finance, Policy, and Leadership in Infrastructure with Sara Alvarado

What does it take to thrive in the highly complex and male-dominated financial industry? This episode of Master Builder highlights the journey and achievements of Sara Alvarado, a powerhouse in infrastructure finance whose career has spanned continents, crises, and industry and policy overhauls. 

With co-hosts Riccardo and Shormila, Sara shares how her experience as an immigrant shaped her resilience. She details her role in defining infrastructure as an asset class in Canada and describes the unique combination of ever-growing policy and risk expertise that has kept her on a steady career trajectory for more than 30 years. From spearheading early renewable energy financing deals to helping shape global UN guidelines on digitalization and gender equality, Sara reminds us that success is driven by more than technical skills—it calls for hard work, curiosity, and passion.

This conversation is an opportunity to explore the interplay of finance, infrastructure, and social impact. Sara recently received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her sustainable finance contributions and is a true Master Builder—one who has already begun to shape her legacy.

Key Takeaways

• How Canada’s early renewable energy boom helped define infrastructure finance as we know it;
• The impact of the 2008 financial crisis on infrastructure as a stable, long-term investment;
• Why policy, finance, and technology need to move in tandem to shape meaningful change;
• The one trait Sara prioritizes over everything else when building successful teams;
• A behind-the-scenes look at how UN working groups are driving global change.

Quote:

“I ​think ​there's ​a ​catalytic ​point. ​It ​is ​in ​our ​brains ​and ​we ​feel ​the ​need to ​do ​more. ​​So ​it's ​either ​moving ​into ​something ​different, ​moving ​into ​a ​much ​more ​senior ​role, ​decision ​maker, ​leader ​position, or ​you ​can ​move ​into ​boards. ​And ​that ​will ​come ​at ​different ​times ​for ​different ​females. ​But ​what ​I ​want ​them ​to ​know ​is, ​yes, ​there ​is ​a ​second ​career ​curve. And ​it can ​be ​hard ​because ​you're ​learning ​something ​else. But ​it ​is ​very ​rewarding. ​And ​it ​happens ​at ​a ​time ​where ​females ​are ​much ​more ​confident.” - Sara Alvarado

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:

• Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/
• Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/
• Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   
• Follow Shormilla Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/
• Follow Sara Alvarado: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-alvarado-mba-cfa-b8315764/

Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.