Joanne Yoo, partner, Development Partners International

Joanne Yoo attributes her success to "having a mindset that anything is possible" as well as to having determination and resilience despite setbacks.

"I paid very little attention to what most people were doing and just focused on using my imagination to create my opportunity set," said Ms. Yoo, London-based partner at Development Partners International LLP, a private equity and venture capital firm with $3.1 billion in assets under management that invests primarily in Africa. "This enabled me to thrive and accomplish things that had never been done before." She explained that the private equity path was not clearly defined, and definitely not populated with diverse individuals. "One example of a unique experience was following my entrepreneurial desire and launching my own investment firm, Watermark, following my New York Common experience," she added.

While she had a strong interest at the beginning of her career to become an institutional money manager, a pivotal moment occurred when she got an opportunity at the $254.1 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund, Albany, as a senior member of the alternative investments team.

"This was a transformative opportunity that shaped my understanding of how the investment ecosystem worked on a global scale, how capital flows, and the nature of LP-GP relationships," she noted. "This experience fundamentally shifted my views and the level of impact I aspired to have."

Throughout her career, Ms. Yoo said she has been lucky to have the support of accomplished pioneering women, including former Connecticut Treasurer Denise Nappier, among others. Ms. Nappier was the sole trustee of the state pension fund, which now has about $49.3 billion in assets.

"Early in my career, I sought the advice of accomplished industry veterans such as Bess Weatherman, formerly of Warburg Pincus, and Carla Harris of Morgan Stanley, who were both generous with their time and advice," Ms. Yoo noted. "At DPI, I feel fortunate to currently work alongside another woman of color, co-founder and CEO Runa Alam."