Over the next two decades, trillions of dollars will pass between generations in what has come to be called the Great Wealth Transfer, and an unprecedented share of it will flow to women.

This may be a turning point for many women, as new capital could help them overcome invisible barriers at work or start their own business. However, there is still the question of whether capital ownership will actually reshape the financial system and its privileges, or simply reproduce what already exists.

The Drofa Comms team asked finance leaders what it would actually take for the Great Wealth Transfer to become a turning point for women. In this article, we will share their visions as part of our Women Leading the Way initiative.

Why Ownership Doesn't Mean Agency

In a recent article, the World Economic Forum argued that incoming transfers won’t change the financial system without decisive action by new owners, as capital will flow into the same people as before. Thus, it will only reinforce existing patterns and block women's access, even if they’re supposed to inherit wealth.

In the eyes of Laura Henson, Founder and CEO of HVM Communications, this claim is correct because old structures are still dominating the market. "Wealth flowing to women does not automatically translate into a different financial system because ownership and agency are not the same thing," she says. “More women will inherit capital, but the underlying rules for getting funded and gaining access to new projects and opportunities are likely to remain unchanged.”

To change that, Laura argues that inherited wealth has to come hand in hand with what she calls inherited confidence. It means trusting your own voice and redirecting capital toward different founders. "Sitting in the room is one thing, but having the final say is something else entirely," she adds.

Throughout history, she notes, there have been many times when those who received power simply rebuilt the same old structures. The only way to do this is to create a community of women investors who share ideas and want one another to succeed. "When women make money and then deploy it with intention, the ripple effect is significant," says Laura.

How Women Can Move Capital Toward Different Values

Today, many women have sufficient capital but lack networking and visibility to allocate it.

To address this issue, Hillary Stanfield, Senior Vice President at Truist, says there must be changes inside the system. As a financial leader with years of experience, she sees how investment decisions are actually made and how often they rely on existing relationships, while they should rely on merit.

This reliance, she explains, is often the consequence of women’s fear to lose money, which is why they prefer not to invest in projects that could actually change the course. They choose to invest in the existing projects, which, in her view, isn’t the most rational choice.

“True change occurs when capital owners intentionally expand who receives access to funding, mentorship, and opportunity,” Hillary explains. “The most meaningful shift will occur when more women move beyond wealth ownership and into positions where they actively manage capital.”

Why Are Women Investing Differently?

Thomasina H. Williams, Founder of Sankofa Legacy Advisors, explains that the scale of assets women will inherit is much smaller than what women are already building on their own. The data show that inheritance accounted for just 25% of women's wealth, while the largest share, 30%, came from entrepreneurship.

Many women, she points out, are already investing differently, and they do so better than men, as their accounts over the years show lower volatility and higher risk-adjusted returns. More importantly, almost half of women consider it critical to invest in companies whose values they share, which is what already distinguishes women's financial behaviour.

For Thomasina, the Great Wealth Transfer is an opportunity to boost women's performance and expand their opportunities. "The original meaning of the word 'wealth' is 'well-being,' the fullness of a life well-lived, not the size of a portfolio," she states. “Women often follow that old-fashioned idea and prioritise their ‘inner wealth,’ believing that money comes with responsibility.”

In the end, society will see a shift in values from ownership to stewardship, helping women use their capital for the better.

Conclusion

The experts we spoke with agree that great wealth is heading towards women, and its size is exactly what poses a new challenge. As all our speakers pointed out, owning capital and directing it are separate things, so women will need to allocate this new money wisely.

The Great Wealth Transfer will reshape finance only if women build communities and share experiences, directing capital toward different founders and different values. We already see that women invest differently. If they continue this way, there is a strong chance that, in the near future, the world will be a much more open and inclusive place.

Acknowledgements: Drofa Comms is thankful to Laura Henson, Hillary Stanfield, and Thomasina H. Williams for lending their expertise to this Women Leading the Way article.