No more excuses: there’s now a women in fintech speaker index

There is an issue with representation in fintech.

Hopefully, the problem with gender diversity in fintech is about to get a bit better.

All too often, women are not represented at panels and events or in podcasts and articles.

Less than 30 per cent of the UK’s fintech workforce, 18 per cent of senior roles and five per cent of CEOs are women.

For that to increase, more of that 30 per cent needs to be given the platform to speak and to be seen.

And even though there should be equal representation in the industry, even at just 30 per cent that still leaves around 23,000 women working in fintech.

There has never been a good excuse for not having better representation, but now there really isn’t.

As a side project from her role as a PR manager at Wise, Chantal Swainston has founded The Heard: a women in fintech speaker index.

The Heard is bringing together women and non-binary people in the fintech space who have put themselves forward as open to public speaking and other media opportunities.

The list so far includes founders and CEOs, editors and directors and experts in diversity, equity and inclusion, crypto, web3 and product.

“We need to be hearing more from these women, and while you might not have heard much from them before, we all will do in the future,” Swainston told AltFi.

Earlier this year, Swainston sent out pitch emails to women she had met over her almost eight years in fintech PR and asked if they would be interested in joining an index.

Now the site is launching with 14 women ready and available to share their thoughts and expertise.

“The calibre of women who have already joined shows just how many fantastic voices there are, who actively want to be part of the fintech conversation,” she said in a statement.

“I can’t wait to grow the community, and hear more from them all in the future.”

The mission of the Heard is to help bring more women in fintech into the spotlight across a range of platforms.

Organisers can use the site to find spokespeople, with each speaker’s areas of expertise and availability listed.

“The Heard addresses clear problems on two sides of the coin,” Fintech Alliance managing editor Olivia Minnock said.

“As a woman in the fintech industry, I understand how important it is to find the right platforms and be encouraged to share our views. Done right, this can be hugely beneficial in gaining confidence and experience, hearing new ideas, and building connections.”

Current listed speakers include:

· Nina Mohanty, Co-Founder and CEO of Bloom

· Margot + Alexia De Broglie, CEOs and Founders of investment app YourJuno

· Gwera Kiwana, Principal at Thrive Africa Community

· Ruby Hinchliffe, Senior Reporter at FTAdviser

· Jihan Ahmed, Employer Brand and DEI Consultant

· Tessa Byrant, Head of Brand and Comms at Lightyear

· Flora Somogyi, Head of UX Research at Lightyear

· Roisin Levine, Head of UK and European Partnerships at Wise Platform

· Nadia Costanzo, Head of Banking and Expansion - MEA & LatAm at Wise

· Madhvi Mavadiya, Head of Content at Finextra

· Olivia Minnock, Editor of Fintech Alliance