In 2007, Majdouline Melhaoui was finishing a master's degree in finance in France when the subprime mortgage crisis hit. "It was getting a lot of attention, especially in response to its impact on the economy, so I was really interested to understand more about the interconnectivity, between banks and the financial market and the economy in general," she said.
Melhaoui was required to take a 12-month internship in order to finish her master's and ended up interning in the liquidity department at a French bank. She fell in love with liquidity, and when she graduated, she went to work for BNP Paribas as a liquidity analyst.
She worked in the head office in Paris and helped to manage the liquidity and interest rate risk for the bank for nine years. In 2017, the risk management department at BNP was looking to expand in its New York office, and the bank thought she was an ideal candidate for the position.
In New York, Melhaoui was a vice president in risk management for nearly three years when the head of risk announced in 2020 that he was leaving the bank. Melhaoui was one of three candidates for his job, and not only was she the youngest, but she was also the only woman.
"It was the most challenging time in my career. My son was 3 and my husband was also extremely busy because he works in health care. So I had to manage taking care of a toddler while my work was being judged for being a potential replacement [for the head of risk]," she recalled.
Today, Melhaoui leads a team of 11 and is responsible for overseeing the bank's liquidity and interest rate risk for the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina.
"I love being a risk manager because you need to have a kind of different mindset — always questioning, challenging and thinking critically," she said.
She strives to be a role model for women within her group and the bank at large. In 2023, she created a mentorship program for women, and paired 60 women with managing director level mentors. The first cohort ran for six months, and the second cohort this year will run for eight months with the same number of participants.
Melhaoui advises younger women to not wait for someone else to be their advocate. "Don't be afraid to showcase your talent. Your voice matters. Your opinions matter. Step out of your comfort zone, because if you're not challenging yourself, you will not grow and evolve."
Outside of work, Melhaoui works to promote financial literacy for all ages and economic backgrounds. She volunteers monthly at the Manhattan Business Academy, helping high school students develop business plans.
