She co-founded Nubank, which is now the world's largest neobank, with a focus on providing digital financial services through a user-friendly app, in 2013.
[3] As cofounder of Nubank, she has led the company's policy on inclusivity programs and fought to increase female representation in both tech and finance.
[9][10][8] After obtaining her MBA, Junqueira returned to Brazil and worked as the head of the small-and-medium-sized enterprises sector at Unibanco, the largest private banking group in the country.
The next year, a merger took place between Unibanco and Itaú, the second-largest private banking group in Brazil, and Junqueira was offered the position of portfolio manager.
[6] After the merger, Junqueira transferred positions and served as the Head of Marketing and Products at Luiza Cred, a credit card provider owned by Itaú Unibanco, from 2009 to 2012.
After five years at Itaú, Cristina Junqueira sought to revolutionize its offerings by proposing commission-free credit cards and improved client communication.
Her ideas, dismissed by Itaú and reflective of the industry's broader neglect of financial inclusion, prompted her bold decision to leave her role as a product manager.
[4] By late 2023, Nubank had surpassed 90 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, cementing its status as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital financial institutions.
With a valuation of $23 billion, Nubank continues to expand its market share in Latin America, challenging industry giants like Itaú for dominance.