Mathu Jeyaloganathan's drive to make a positive impact on society is fueled by her personal experiences and supported by her Ivey education. As Head of Investments for UnLtd, Mathu is committed to improving EDI and challenging homogenous worldviews.
Finding Purpose Through Personal Inspiration
Every individual has a story of why they chose the career path they did. For Mathu Jeyaloganathan, HBA ‘13 graduate, it was her family’s journey as a refugee from Sri Lanka to Canada. The lessons instilled by that journey have fueled her determination to seek solutions that benefit the many in society, rather than the privileged few.
During her HBA experience, Mathu was inspired by professors like Bob Andersen, Niels Billou, and Oana Branzei who brought conversations surrounding social enterprises and sustainability to the business school classroom. Mathu also met a network of like-minded individuals who shared her eagerness to launch a career that would prioritize positive societal impact.
"Even a small support network makes or breaks your passion. Finding your people that want to pursue passions in the same space has helped my experience immensely. I still find ways to update my peers from Ivey and support them in any way possible."
After building the core business skills needed to excel in the industry in a variety of different traditional business roles, Mathu decided to take a leap of faith and seek out a job in the United Kingdom (UK) that had values that aligned with her own. Her gamble paid off as this decision opened the doors to a wealth of opportunities.
Currently, Mathu works as Head of Investments for UnLtd. The organization finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs in order to scale their impact. She manages UnLtd’s investment funds and oversees future investment strategy. One of the most exciting projects Mathu is working on is moving toward improved Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the UK.
Mathu shares UnLtd's belief that individuals who have lived experiences of problems they are trying to tackle are best placed to find solutions to those problems. Given the stark reality that only 0.2% of early-stage funding in the last 10 years in the UK is directed towards Black funders, UnLtd's commitment to challenging traditional norms resonates deeply with her.
Broadening Perspectives
As Mathu reflects on the social impact sector, she emphasizes that although her efforts are well-intended and create good in the world, they are coming from a narrow and limited perspective. For equity to truly progress, Mathu believes more diverse representation is essential. She notes that decisions informed by lived experiences will ultimately result in faster movement and greater change. However, for this change to occur, individuals must be willing to have tough and courageous conversations in both their personal and professional lives.
“By confronting the realities of underrepresentation, we can create the impetus for change, rather than allowing progress to stagnate.”
When encouraging students to get involved in the social impact space, Mathu pushes individuals to think outside of the norm and challenge their worldview. She believes this is the key to diverse perspectives and backgrounds, which will ultimately help candidates stand out in their career search.
To connect with fellow alumni, join Ivey's LinkedIn Sustainability Community.
Related Articles
