Meet UNSW’s 2026 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 2026 Women in Business Ambassadors: Hritika Ghosh, UBachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Bachelor of Law. 

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

Business is the foundation of everything; it drives economic development, shapes communities, and ultimately impacts individual lives. For me, studying it was never just about a career, but about understanding the world. My curiosity was first sparked studying Economics in high school, where I discovered how businesses and markets shape the world around us. I initially came to university planning to pursue Law, stemming from my love for the humanities. But I wanted to pair my legal education with something more quantitative, analytically rigorous, and with direct real-world application. What started as a complementary degree quickly became my true passion.

UNSW excited me for several key reasons. Ranked the best Business School in Australia and consistently placed in the global Top 20 universities, its practical approach to teaching blends theory with real-world application, reflected in its nationally leading graduate employability outcomes. However, what particularly drew me in was the supportive ecosystem. The thriving society landscape, case competitions, and industry programs represented the perfect environment for me to not only develop professionally, but grow personally, and gain a well-rounded education.

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

My university experiences have prepared me for a truly global career. I have had the incredible opportunity to pursue an exchange semester at The University of Edinburgh, which has broadened my academic perspective and exposed me to Finance through an international lens. I have also had the privilege of representing UNSW across 3 continents at international case competitions (ICCs), placing 1^st against 12 universities in the BI Norwegian Business School ICC in Oslo, 1^st against 16 universities in the HKUST ICC in Hong Kong, and presenting in the Global Finals of the Cornell PropConnex Real Estate Competition in New York.

These experiences have equipped me with fundamental skills, bridging the gap between education and execution. I have built competence tackling real-world problems for global organisations such as HSBC and Equinor, confidence presenting with conviction on the world stage, and commerciality in communicating recommendations directly to executives and C-suite. Alongside this, I have had the privilege of applying these skills through internships in investment banking, management consulting, and private equity at some of the world’s leading firms.

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

My time at UNSW has been defined by real, hands-on leadership experience. Holding Vice President roles across 3 societies, 180 Degrees Consulting, FMAA, and UNSW Consulting Club (UCC), I have strived to step up in every leadership capacity possible, seeking to give back and support younger students, and hoping to be the person I once needed.

180 Degrees Consulting is the world’s largest student-led consultancy for non-profits and social enterprises. In my role as Vice President Consulting, I led more than 80 student consultants across 16 social impact projects spanning market entry plans, revenue and funding models, operational frameworks, and stakeholder engagement. At FMAA, Australia’s largest professionally focused student organisation, I led a team of 22 directors to organise 8 flagship keynote events, connecting more than 200 students with over 60 industry sponsors. My role as Vice President Education at UCC has also been a highlight, as I have had the privilege of overseeing the ICC training program and coaching the next generation of students representing UNSW on the global stage.

The culture of the Business School, which rewards curiosity, initiative, and giving back, has shaped my leadership capabilities and instilled a deep sense of purpose and passion for creating positive change in the world.

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

The UNSW Business School drives meaningful change in female representation starting at a grassroots level, through early outreach programs such as the Girls in Business Camp and Gateway Initiatives. These programs shape students' experiences before they even arrive on campus. As a Girls in Business Camp alumna myself, I experienced firsthand how exposure to current students, honest conversations about pathways, and visible representation can demystify traditionally male-dominated disciplines and give students the confidence to pursue them. This early intervention is powerful because it addresses inclusion at a crucial inflection point where many students, especially young women, begin to self-reject.

The Women in Business Ambassador program is a powerful extension of this work, bringing visibility and advocacy beyond the university and into high school classrooms, where it can genuinely shape the choices young women make about their futures.

What inspires you to champion gender equality and female representation?

I grew up at a school where the empowerment of young women was woven into everyday life, entrenched in our school values, echoed at assemblies, and even embellished on our school buses. Growing up in this supportive environment, I felt deeply encouraged and motivated to be an ambitious woman of confidence, character, and conviction to make a difference in the world.

However, coming into university, where I was first exposed to the world of Finance, I was confronted by how male-dominated these industries still are. I quickly realised how my belief, that women can "do or be anything”, did not always translate in the real world.

Someone I am incredibly inspired by is Shemara Wikramanayake, CEO of Macquarie Group. As a South Asian woman, and a UNSW Commerce/Law graduate, I resonate deeply with her journey, and am in admiration of how she has achieved at the highest level within such a male-dominated industry as Finance. Her words, "You can't be what you can't see" from a UNSW alumni panel event, are etched in my memory.

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

This role matters deeply to me because I am now able to look back and recognise just how much the UNSW Business School has shaped my journey.

I have had the privilege of exploring competitive, male-dominated industries through roles as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at UBS, Business Analyst Intern at Kearney, Private Equity Intern at Five V Capital, and as a Financial Advisory Cadet at PwC. I have seized every opportunity that has been available to me, and having accepted a graduate role at McKinsey & Company, I have a deep sense of gratitude to the UNSW Business School for giving me so much. I now have a sincere impetus to give back and inspire other young women.

In my Year 12 Yearbook, I wrote: "I will continue to cultivate my diligence, curiosity, passion for learning and ambition to play my part (along with the other 26%!) in breaking the glass ceiling of women in business. Why fit into a glass slipper when you were born to shatter the glass ceiling?"

This is a belief that I hold very closely in my heart today, and the WIBA role is the perfect opportunity to fulfil this promise I made to my younger self.