No more excuses: there is now a woman in the fintech speaker index

by James · August 30, 2022

Alternative lendingDigital bankingSavings and investment

Savvy PR manager Chantal Swainston has set up The Heard to bring together women and non-binary people in fintech.

Image source: The Heard.

There is a problem of representation in fintech.

Hopefully, the issue of gender diversity in fintech is getting a little better.

Too often women are not represented on 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 it to increase, more of the 30 percent must make the platform speak and be seen.

And while there should be equal representation in the industry, even at just 30 percent that still leaves around 23,000 women in fintech.

It’s never been a good excuse for not having better representation, but now it really isn’t.

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

The Heard brings together women and non-binary people in the fintech space who have distinguished themselves 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 hear more from these women, and while you may not have heard much from them before, we all will in the future,” Swainston said AltFi.

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

Now the page is being launched with 14 women ready and available to share their thoughts and expertise.

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

“I look forward to growing the community, and hearing more from all of them in the future.”

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

Organizers can use the website to find spokespersons, with each speaker’s expertise and availability listed.

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

“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 the investment app YourJuno

· Gwera Kiwana, Principal of 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 the Fintech Alliance