March is globally recognized as Women’s History Month. This year, there has been a notable push to address the need for substantial change. This effort involves confronting realities such as the findings of the UK report “Sexism in the City.” The report has been an eye-opening insight into women’s significant workplace barriers. This included references boys’-club cultures and lack of fair progression. Similarly, revelations from Wall Street have shown that 45% of financial companies in the S&P 500 still lack female representation among their top executives.
Recently, I participated in a discussion on the topic of slow progress at FinovateEurope. I learned the importance of supporting each other in our varying quests for gender equality within each of our ecosystems. I saw examples of how every person can take on their own environment and sphere of influence to drive change. It’s clear that when we collaborate for gender equality and raise each other up, we achieve greater progress.
Representation and Visibility
Katie Gwyn-Williams is the organizer for all thre Finovate Global Events. She stands out as a shining example of someone who has taken a firm stance to bring about positive change within her industry. She has achieved a “50/50 speaker gender ratio,” a feat few can claim. Describing her efforts as a “labor of love,” Katie has championed this cause for over five years. She attributes her success to making gender balance a “non-negotiable priority.”
During the event, Chantal Swainston shared her journey dedicated to advancing women in the sector. She boldly decided to leave her stable fintech job in PR to establish her venture called ‘The Heard.’ This initiative serves as an index highlighting women in fintech who seek more public opportunities.
Chantal’s experiences have aided other women in their career growth and personally enriched her. She emphasized that by striving to elevate women’s profile in the industry, she “indirectly gained” valuable tips and advice. She found their “encouragement was vital” in giving her the confidence to embark on her entrepreneurial journey. She said, “amazing doors open for you when you do good things for others.”
Government and Policy
Wincie Wong is Head of Digital X Technical Workforce Capability at NatWest Group. She has utilized her position to champion large-scale and highly impactful pipeline programs. At the event, she described a career switching reskilling program in collaboration with partners like Code First Girls (CFG) and Capital City Partnership as “her pride and joy.” It aims to teach displaced Ukrainian women how to code for free through training. If they apply for and successfully complete a more intensive CFG Degree programme, they are given permanent roles as software engineers at the bank.
Wincie’s influence extends beyond the organizational level; she actively engages at a macro level. She has worked internationally with G8 countries and the EU Commission on policies to support female founders globally. They facilitate access to funding and financing for individuals from diverse backgrounds. In advocating for more female founders, Wincie spoke of sustained support through policies like the Investing in Women Code published by the Department for Business & Trade in conjunction with HM Treasury with tangible consequences. These ensure that women and underrepresented groups have the opportunity to realize their entrepreneurial aspirations. She is also a founding member of Tech She Can, a charity which provides resources to encourage young girls to take up careers in tech. She said, “Enough is enough. We can all do more” to make equality a reality.
Funding and Opportunity
During the panel discussion, Vivi Friedgut, the Founder of Blackbullion, drew attention to the gender bias that women encounter while seeking funding. She stressed action over mere rhetoric on gender equality in the sector. She said, “If there’s no action, then frankly, it’s all nonsense, and I think we’ve been doing enough nonsense.” She called on individuals, policymakers, and business leaders to drive any change they could in their sphere of influence.
Drawing from her personal experience with fundraising, she said, “Asking for funding is actually the trick to getting funding.” She noted that women need to speak to a “hundred investors and men need to speak to sixty investors.” She said the results “are different too, from the check size to the opportunity.” Despite these hurdles, Vivi said that advocating for herself has resulted in more opportunities. It has also paved the way for other women in business, creating a more inclusive environment for future generations.
Each one of us can create a positive impact on the people and environment around us. This can range from inspiring individuals to driving policy changes. Vivi urges the focus to be on collective “progress” over divisive “distractions.” She challenges us to strive for continuous improvement and to support others in doing the same. Working together and leveraging collective strengths can create a more inclusive and prosperous future for all.
