By Isavella Frangou, VP of Sales and Marketing, payabl.
As our world is constantly evolving, it’s easy to believe we have made great progress when it comes to women in business, but have you ever heard the saying ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’? Unfortunately, that remains true in FinTech. Only 5.6% of all FinTech CEOs globally are women.
While a significant amount of people are under the impression that gender bias is gone, I would argue that it most definitely is not. With less than four percent of women holding the title of chief innovation or technology officer, I think it is fair to say that issues of gender diversity within the FinTech industry are still very much present.
Being a female leader, in a male-dominated industry, I’m proud to work with inspiring women – at payabl. the team is 65% female, with 60% of the management team made up of talented female business leaders. I am passionate about encouraging women into the industry that I love, to change it for the better.
The business case
Did you know that diverse companies enjoy 2.3 times higher cash flow per employee, and diverse management has shown to increase revenue by 19 percent? At payabl., we believe to build an inclusive workplace, both female and male leadership is needed to encourage creative thinking and expertise. We do not only embrace diversity; we value and celebrate it.
Failing to include women can potentially affect product development if there’s no female voice or perspective in the room or make you a less attractive prospective employer. Think about it, if your team is all-male, you’ve already excluded half the population, and with it, half your potential market.
Innovation
It’s not just about the bottom line. Research also shows that diverse teams create more innovative solutions. The FinTech industry is booming and with so much competition and opportunity, innovation is business-critical for surviving.
A diverse workforce that celebrates differences, fosters teamwork and productivity, will unearth new perspectives, creative ideas, different ways of thinking and unique approaches to problem-solving. I advocate for more women in FinTech because I believe it is a competitive advantage to innovation.
Invaluable leadership skills
Women bring unique talents to the table, valuable to any organisation. Playing a variety of roles in society, women have long been the backbone of nations’ economic success. It’s fair to say we wear many different hats on a daily basis. Each hat requires something different from us, whether that’s running a household and looking after children or running a global business. All of these hats require us to be excellent problem solvers, have fantastic people skills and multi-task, qualities which I believe are invaluable in a leader.
Effective communicators
Leadership and communication go hand in hand. Communication is undoubtedly the most critical skill found in a successful leader. If asked about women’s top skills, I’m sure many would mention communication. Women leaders who communicate effectively tend to provide their employees with useful guidance, ask questions, and seek feedback. In fact, the top three communication skills for women are reading body language, listening and displaying empathy. Communicating and delegating are key factors in creating a work-life balance and effective workload distribution. Being transparent in communication also helps reduce the risk of misunderstandings and confusion.
I genuinely believe that our gender-diverse leadership team is one of the biggest contributors to making payabl. more profitable, productive, and an overall better place to work. Turning enhanced productivity and staff morale into customer benefits, I’m proud to be part of a company that genuinely values female leadership while inspiring female leadership and change across the globe.
Many women tend to underestimate their abilities and qualifications, making us overlook leadership role opportunities. My advice for fellow women looking to enter the FinTech industry is to believe in yourself and your unique insights. Join a team that embraces diversity instead of fearing it, where your knowledge and experience will not be underestimated.
Despite plenty of talented women working in the industry, it’s only in recent years that more of them are starting to be recognised for what they do. Unfortunately, however, the financial sector, and by extension, the FinTech business is still something of a boys club.
I believe being a great female leader isn’t about leading like a man. Instead, it starts by embracing your own potential and qualifications and claiming your space in the industry.
