Throughout history, women have had to push through barriers to gain inclusion, recognition, and equal rights—to work, lead, and stand alongside men as equals. International Women’s Month (IWD) is the perfect occasion to reflect on how far women have come and the challenges that remain.

IWD has been celebrated for over a hundred years, recognising the power and achievements of women across all industries. Despite the significant progress made in many areas, fintech remains a sector where women are underrepresented, making up only 7.69% of (co-)founders, 18.2% of executive committee members, and just 4.04% of fintech CEOs. These figures raise an important question: What barriers continue to limit women’s representation in leadership, and what can be done to create a more inclusive and equitable fintech industry?

We spoke with our partners and female leaders, Leena Kalani, Consulting Partner at Wipro, and Elena Ionela Maloș, COO at Victoriabank, to share their beliefs on the impact women have in the fintech industry, the challenges they face, and ways the industry can better support women in fintech.

Workplace evolution in supporting women’s careers

Leena Kalani, Consulting Partner at Wipro, shares, “Today, more women entrepreneurs and CXOs are leading the fintech space, and that’s great to see. These changes are largely due to increased awareness and advocacy for gender equality, ERP programmes and training about unconscious bias.”

Elena Ionela Maloș, COO at Victoriabank, echoes this sentiment, sharing that progress is evident in the banking sector as well: “At Victoriabank, 74% of our workforce are women, and women hold 59% of middle management roles – a clear sign that professional development is based on competence rather than gender.” She further highlights that “… a fair work environment is not just about access to opportunities and opening career paths, but also about concrete policies that support work-life balance.”

Women’s role in shaping the future of financial services

Elena emphasises that fintech is no longer merely about systems but fundamentally about people and their needs: “Looking at current trends, the future of fintech will see more women in leadership positions, with a clear focus on financial inclusion and accessibility. Before joining Victoriabank, I coordinated operations across various regions for the largest bank in Romania. There, I witnessed how technology is becoming increasingly customer-centric, with women playing a key role in developing intuitive and inclusive digital products.”

Balanced and inclusive perspectives

Both Leena and Elena Ionela believe that women bring valuable new approaches to fintech, particularly in enhancing user-centric solutions and financial inclusivity.

“Women in fintech bring diverse perspectives to launch inclusive financial solutions. For example, catering to unserved or underserved communities with poor or thin credit history, understanding the financial goals of the female customer base, and creating personalised investment portfolios,” points out Leena Kalani.

Fintech needs a diversity of thought. Women naturally bring a more user-focused approach, which is essential when discussing digitalisation and accessible financial solutions. “At Victoriabank, 52% of colleagues in technical and operational departments are women, proving that innovation has no gender. In my experience, mixed teams are the ones that succeed in building more effective solutions”, highlighted Elena Ionela Maloș.

Challenges still remain

Despite progress, women continue encountering visibility challenges and stereotypes about leadership roles. “Data suggests that the percentage of women in senior roles is still very low. Personally, I often find myself as the only female in leadership meetings, and I want to see more women in these positions,” states Leena.

To help women overcome challenges and retain them in leadership and technical roles, Leena suggests that:
“Fintechs need to implement supportive policies such as flexible working conditions – offering periods/menopause leaves, bringing children to work in emergencies, offering paternity leaves, etc. Fintechs should also design programmes to elevate profiles of female professionals, providing visibility and recognition.”

Driving diversity and inclusion

Wipro and Victoriabank are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that supports women professionally and personally.

Wipro’s initiatives:
“At Wipro, we firmly believe that our strength is our people. As part of the ‘Women of Wipro’ network, there are several flagship initiatives to support women, including:
– Programme Enrich, aimed at sponsoring high-potential women leaders; 
– Wow Moms for returning mothers;  
– #HerCode, to support women in tech with the right resources.
The journey towards diversity and inclusion is an ongoing process at Wipro, and we are committed to creating and nurturing a sense of belonging through policies and equitable practices”, shares Leena Kalani, Consulting Partner at Wipro.

Victoriabank’s approach
“Diversity is not just a concept for us; it is part of our DNA. In operations and technology, we have mixed teams that reflect the reality of society and help us create relevant financial solutions. Whether it’s about equal pay, development programs, or flexible policies, we ensure every employee has an equal opportunity to grow.”

“As a leader in this industry, I believe it is essential to foster an environment where every colleague—regardless of gender—feels valued and has the chance to develop and innovate. Only this way can we move forward,” points out Elena Ionela Maloș, COO at Victoriabank.

There is still work to do

The commitment to supporting women in their careers and leadership journeys should extend beyond Women’s Month, becoming a continuous effort to create a genuinely equitable industry. Inclusion and diversity are not just ethical values – they are business fundamentals. A diverse workplace allows companies to better understand their customers and their needs and develop innovative solutions through unique perspectives that can significantly contribute to the organisation’s overall success.

This International Women’s Month, Salt Edge extends its warmest wishes to all women worldwide. May your strength and resilience inspire change and empower you to achieve your purposes. Let’s continue to break barriers, foster diversity, and create equal opportunities today and every day.