This October at The Fintech Times is all about shining a spotlight on the incredible women working in the fintech industry, sharing their greatest achievement, their biggest challenges and their hopes for the future.
Though progress has been made to reduce the gender gap in fintech, the industry still has far to go until it hits true representation and champions full equality.
To help highlight the influential and significant contributions of women to the industry, here are six incredible women from the industry highlighting their greatest achievement in their careers (so far).
Rewarding experiences
Amanda Reierson, CMO at credit-first fintech Avant, said:
CMO at Avant
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a variety of companies across different industries – from financial services and tech to entertainment and media. And within these unique fields, my work, which is focused on marketing, has included marketing to other businesses, as well as to consumers. I’ve been fortunate to have had the most rewarding experiences when I have been able to build new capabilities within these segments.
“For example, my work at Farmers Insurance included building their digital programs (from media to the website and app); this was incredibly rewarding in that I was able to create something new and impactful for a historic financial services brand to help them adapt and grow in a digital world with changing consumer preferences and expectations. I was awarded the Insurance Networking News (now known as Digital Insurance) Top 10 Women in Leadership award in 2016 as a result. I’m also thrilled to be working in financial services again at Avant, where the true allure is how mission-driven we are, reaching an underserved consumer market and helping people move their financial lives forward.”
Solving problems
Maya Sudhakaran, head of growth & acquisition at Plynk, a B2C mobile app designed to help make investing easier for beginners, said:
“I have been very fortunate to be part of various organisations that have been at the intersection of driving a mission forward while building a business. Being able to contribute to these initiatives and solving problems in these roles has been a huge point of pride and accomplishment for me!”
Preetha Pulusani, CEO of AI digital marketing platform, DeepTarget, said:
“My greatest accomplishment is not a triumphant event or feat, but rather the diverse and enriching journey I’ve embarked on throughout my career.
“Each experience, whether it was a challenge overcome, a skill acquired, or a goal achieved, has been a stepping stone in my professional growth. The people that I’ve encountered and worked with, along with varied experiences have shaped the professional I am today and continue to propel me forward.”
Constantly evolving
Kelli Hobbs, VP of business development at Valuedynamx, provider of global loyalty commerce and personalised offer networks.
“My greatest achievement in my career so far has been my ability to thrive in an industry that’s constantly evolving, while consistently contributing to innovation and building meaningful relationships along the way.
“I take great pride in having nurtured a diverse and comprehensive path within the field of loyalty over the course of my career. It has been an incredibly fulfilling experience to be part of an industry that has a profound impact on consumers’ lives while constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been the opportunity to surround myself with truly inspiring individuals who continue to educate and challenge me daily. Even after two decades in this field, I find myself continually learning and growing. I’ve had the privilege of not only adapting to the evolving landscape of loyalty and fintech but also actively leading and contributing to innovations and thought leadership. Staying at the forefront of technology and strategy has been a driving force in my career.”
Positive Change
Andrea Berry, head of business development in Theta Labs, one of web3 largest decentralized video streaming projects, said:
“The decision to pivot into the web3 space was undoubtedly daunting, but it’s one I’m immensely proud of.
“Today, I am an active participant and witness to the future of positive change. For most of my career, I dedicated myself to video technologies, working closely with clients to develop and execute their video strategies. My experience in this field exposed me to the inherent challenges and limitations of today’s antiquated systems within the streaming industry, as we now know it today as “The Streaming Wars.”
Eliza Arnold, founder at full service 401k provider, Arnie, said:
“In my career, my greatest achievement has been the creation and launch of Arnie, a new way to 401k. Our aim was to bridge the retirement knowledge gap for entrepreneurs and founders and provide retirement investment options that empower everyone to make informed financial decisions. The platform, now serving hundreds of members, stands as a testament to the importance of tailored retirement solutions and resources for different demographic segments.”
Nuture great talent
Sheri Chin, chief marketing officer at card issuing, payments and digital banking platform, Galileo Financial Technologies, said:
“My greatest achievement has been the opportunity to nurture great talent and partner with inspiring leaders to build successful businesses. There’s nothing more exhilarating than assembling a great team to deliver amazing results.
“At Galileo, I was hired to spin up a marketing centre of excellence and in two years we’ve built a growth engine firing on all cylinders, expanded to six countries in Latin America, modernised and relaunched the Galileo brand – all of which helped triple account growth and revenue. Prior to Galileo, I worked at early-stage companies and helped B2B, B2C and B2B2C companies to successfully launch, scale and grow. With each role, I’m proud not only of the outstanding business results, but most importantly of the teams and collaboration I helped create to deliver those results.”
