Meet UNSW’s 2025 Women in Business Ambassadors

The UNSW Business School is committed to gender equity and inclusion by embracing the principles of UNSW's first Gender Equity Strategy to enshrine inclusive practices and enable students and staff of all genders to feel valued, respected and able to be their authentic selves.

To this end, each year UNSW Business School appoints Women in Business Ambassadors (WIBA) annually to support and uplift female-identifying students across the undergraduate disciplines where females are typically underrepresented:

• Banking and Finance
• Economics
• Information Systems and Technology Management
• Risk and Actuarial Studies

This is an exciting leadership development opportunity for 2nd or 3rd-year female-identifying undergraduate students who are studying either Risk and Actuarial Studies, Information Systems, Banking and Finance, or Economics and have a passion for the promotion of young female participation and educational development in these areas.

UNSW Business School believes it crucial for the student voice and experience to be incorporated into the work the UNSW Business School Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team carries out throughout the year and the WIBA play a leadership role within our student engagement, representation, and advocacy as part of the UNSW Business Schools 2030+ strategy.

The UNSW Business School EDI is honoured to introduce you to one of our 2025 Women in Business Ambassadors: Caitlin Mock, Bachelor of Commerce, specalising in Finance and Business Analytics.

Dream career or industry to work at: Career within structured finance, involving data analytics.

Why did you choose a Business Degree? And what led you to study at UNSW?

During my HSC, Economics was one of my favourite subjects. Growing up in a finance household, I was surrounded by conversations about markets, financial institutions and the flow of money throughout the economy, so when it came to studying Economics, I found myself particularly drawn to understanding how financial institutions grow and shape the world around us. This curiosity led me to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW.

What drew me to UNSW specifically was the flexibility of the Commerce degree itself. I loved that the first-year integrated courses gave me a real taste of the different majors before I had to commit to a direction. This was something I found invaluable as it helped me decide on a double major in both finance and business analytics. This combination was the perfect balance between my passion for understanding financial markets and my quantitative analytical thinking skills.

How has your experience helped you make a positive impact in your degree, career and/or community?

Some of the most meaningful contributions during my degree have come through my roles as a director for two business societies.

Particularly during my role as Marketing Director for the Women in Technology Society, I led a team of subcommittee members to deliver flagship publications like the First Years Guide and the Careers Guide. Seeing those resources help students navigate university life was rewarding and is what inspired me to apply for the Women in Business Ambassador role, where I could continue to create resources that encourage more females to undertake business disciplines.

How has UNSW prepared you to lead in the workplace and community once you graduate?

When I think about how UNSW has prepared me to lead in the workplace, the experience that stands out the most is the Industry Consulting Project (COMM2233) with PwC. Having worked on a real client brief as a Student Project Consultant and being mentored by a PwC professional provided a hands-on learning experience beyond theory. Collaborating with a team, navigating different working styles, synthesising data into clear recommendations and presenting findings to industry professionals was the kind of challenge that built not just capability, but the confidence to lead and communicate in a professional environment.

What I have come to appreciate about UNSW Business School is how deeply connected it is to industry partners. The opportunities to engage with companies and mentors

extend well beyond Work Integrated Learning opportunities. Joining case competitions, taking on director roles in societies or participating in programs like co-op are invaluable opportunities that challenge yourself to grow as a leader and build the interpersonal skills that matter in the workplace.

How is UNSW Business School helping to improve female representation in business?

The UNSW Business School has a strong support network in encouraging and advocating for greater female representation in business. Each year, outreach programs like Girls in Business Camp, Empower Her and Headstart are designed to collaborate with high school students to build their confidence, spark curiosity and open doors to a business degree.

During my time as a director for the Women in Technology Society, I saw how much confidence and clarity the right resources and community could give a female student who was just starting her degree. Being part of that experience made me want to extend that impact beyond university and reach women even earlier in their journey.

What inspires you to champion gender equality and female representation?

Throughout my Commerce degree, I have sat in finance lectures, attended networking events and walked into professional spaces where the gender balance was hard to ignore. What struck me most was not the numbers themselves, but the ripple effect that imbalance quietly creates. I have watched friends and peers begin to question whether they truly belonged in these spaces, not because of any lack of ability, but simply because they couldn't see enough of themselves reflected in the room.

What inspired me to encourage greater female representation and join as a Women in Business Ambassador was attending industry panels where women in senior finance positions spoke openly about their roles and experiences. That is what drives me to champion gender equality, because I have seen firsthand how much of a difference it makes when a woman feels seen, supported and encouraged, and I want to be that moment of encouragement for someone else.

Why did you apply to be a Women in Business Ambassador and what do you hope to achieve?

Having experienced firsthand the confidence and sense of community that comes from being part of a society that champions female representation, my time as a Director for the Women in Technology Society inspired me to provide that same opportunity for female students studying Commerce.

As a Women in Business Ambassador, I want to go beyond simply representing the Business School. I hope to contribute to new initiatives that make the Business School feel more visible, accessible and welcoming for the next generation of female students.

One idea I am particularly passionate about is establishing a dedicated Women in Business Ambassador social media page, a space that promotes flagship events, shares the stories of current ambassadors and gives first-year students a genuine insight into everything a Commerce degree at UNSW has to offer.