Women in the investment industry: Why I left my high-flying career in trading to join a fintech start-up by Roxane Sanguinetti

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Roxanne Sanguinetti: Increasing the Representation of Women in Tech and Finance

Today I'm excited to share my journey from Wall Street dreamer to Head of Strategy at a fintech business. My hope is to provide you with some key insights on how we can increase female representation in tech and finance.

A Change of Plan: From Wall Street to Fintech

At 14, I read a book about a woman working on Wall Street and it became my obsession. Fast forward 20 years, and I've spent my career in London, head of strategy for a 40-people fintech business. My initial plan was to work in New York on Wall Street, but plans change and mine did after my stint at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London.

Though I enjoyed living my dream at Merrill, the pace of tech innovation within the bank left me discontented. So, I left to join a very early-stage capital markets fintech called Hubbe. With an initial painful pay cut and as employee number four, my journey in the world of startups began.

The Thrill of Startups, Investment in Women and a Return to Trading

Working at a startup is like being on a roller coaster, but the thrill of it all and the freedom to lead projects left me excited. This exploration opened my eyes to a whole world of new possibilities and opportunities in the tech ecosystem. As a woman in tech, one thing that I feel strongly about is to see more wealth in the hands of women. More wealth equals more freedom.

To support this, I joined Alma Angels – an inclusive community of investors supporting female founders. In recent years, I've learned that less than 2% of VC funding goes to female founders. This is a huge discrepancy considering how beneficial female-built businesses are for society.

Principal Lessons For Women in Tech

  1. Speak up and leave toxic environments: Stand your ground and speak up for your rights. If a work environment is hostile, consider leaving for a more inclusive organization.
  2. Make career choices based on opportunities: Consider opportunities that could emerge from your choices. Look out for companies and programs like Code First Girls that are looking for women to join.
  3. Visibility is key: To get found, you have to be visible. This is particularly important as recruiters tend to reach out more to men. Use your male networks to your advantage.
  4. Invest now :The best time to invest is now. Women retire with 34% less pension savings than men in the US and 40% less in the UK, which makes investing as early as possible vital.

In conclusion, the one key takeaway from my journey and this session is to 'take the plunge'. Be it career-wise or with money, embrace the opportunities and you'll be amazed at what can develop.

Questions and Answers

During a Q&A session of the conference, I offered some advice on investment platforms and financial products for women, particularly those based in the US and UK.

In the US, start with Ellevest, they cater to women's unique financial needs. In the UK, there are businesses building female-focused investment platforms.ETFs are a great way to diversify your investments. If you're keen on angel investing, consider a community like Alma Angels that support female founders.

Conclusion

In summary, my journey from a Wall Street wannabe to a fintech professional has been thrilling and enriching. The path has had its ups and downs, but the learning experiences have been invaluable. I hope my journey inspires more women to venture into the world of tech and finance. Together, we can forge a more inclusive future in these sectors. See you at the top!


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