She began her career in the banking sector within traditional Brazilian institutions such as Unibanco and Itaú Unibanco. This experience allowed her to gain in-depth expertise and a better understanding of the workings and limitations of Brazil’s banking sector, which is known for having the highest banking fees in the world.
In 2013, after meeting David Vélez, a Colombian entrepreneur, and Edward Wible, an American engineer, they decided to found a digital bank in order to address the challenges of Brazil’s banking industry: high fees, bureaucracy, and lack of transparency. Together, they secured initial funding from Sequoia Capital to support the company’s development. As a former executive in the Brazilian banking industry, Cristina brought a crucial perspective to Nubank’s founding team. Her intimate knowledge of the local banking sector’s flaws and her attention to detail played a key role in designing Nubank’s initial products, tailored to the specific needs of Brazilian users.
From the very begenning of the company in 2014, Cristina focused on developing an initial product: a no-fee credit card managed entirely through a mobile app, offering unprecedented transparency and simplicity to Brazilian consumers. This groundbreaking service in Brazil achieved immediate success with both the press and consumers. Driven by this early enthusiasm, Cristina quickly convinced investors to inject additional capital. These funds allowed her to invest in cutting-edge technologies and refine a customer experience that became Nubank’s hallmark. She leveraged AI, virtual assistants, voice recognition, and predictive analytics to automate tasks, enhance security, analyze customer behaviors and needs, and provide instant responses to users. This enabled Nubank to stand out and become an essential service in Brazil.
Nubank launched NuConta, a digital banking solution designed to offer Brazilians a more accessible, transparent, and advantageous banking experience in response to the limitations of traditional banking services. NuConta enabled many Brazilians, previously excluded from the traditional banking system, to access basic financial services at no cost. In 2019, Nubank expanded its services to Colombia and Mexico, as Cristina Junqueira remained committed to this fintech’s primary mission: financial inclusion in Latin America. Through her vision and leadership, she successfully introduced the company to new markets, adapting to local specifics while maintaining a strong focus on quality customer service to ensure the same high standards across all regions.
The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, gaining access to a broad network of private and institutional investors and cementing its credibility as a key player in Latin America. This milestone demonstrated that a Latin American company could become a unicorn and then introduce on a major global stock exchange, competing with the world’s leading tech and fintech companies. This success has inspired hope among entrepreneurs and investors in the region, proving that innovative business models can be transformed into globally successful enterprises. Today, Nubank is one of the leading digital banks in the world (>100M clients).
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Navigating the fintech world as a female leader has been a challenge for Cristina Junqueira. In a sector often dominated by men, she initially faced skepticism from investors and partners accustomed to more traditional founder profiles. However, Cristina turned these challenges into a driving force and fostered an inclusion culture within Nubank, where women now hold strategic roles. By sharing her experiences and supporting mentorship programs, she is paving the way for a new generation of women in finance and technology. As a leader at Nubank, Cristina has implemented policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and increase female representation. She fosters flexible working hours and encourages employees to take the time they need for personal priorities, including parenting. Cristina also collaborates with educational institutions to develop fintech training programs.
Based in São Paulo, Cristina Junqueira balances her leadership responsibilities at Nubank with her family life alongside her husband, Rubens Pereira, and their three daughters. This provides her with the ideal framework to harmonize her professional ambitions with her personal aspirations.
In a few figures :
Headquarter in Sao Paulo
Founded in 2013
+100M clients
2Q2024 Revenu : $2,8 bn a +65% compared to 2023
Market cap : $66 bn
Loans increased by 47% year-on-year, reaching $21 bn in Q3 2024.
Digital Banking sector in Latine America :
Between 2017 and 2021, the bank account ownership rate in Latin America and the Caribbean increased from 55% to 73%.
Digital Banking market in Latin America is estimated at $2.1 bn in 2024, with a CAGR of 7% projected to reach $3.3 bn by 2029
$2.3 bn invested in fintech in 2023
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