To mark International Women’s Day and the theme this year, “Break the Bias”, STACS had the pleasure of inviting remarkable women across various industries in the FinTech space, both from within the STACS team and our partners and clients, to share their wishes, experiences, and advice on this special day with us.
It is no secret that women are widely underrepresented in business, and females equate to less than 30% of the FinTech workforce. Not just in Singapore, many female leaders and founders across the globe have made significant impact in proving that FinTech is not just for men.
Let’s take this time to celebrate the women who are making a difference in advancing opportunities in the FinTech space and hear how they have broken the barriers and emerged as empowering female leaders.
Sharon Yuen — Chief Commercial Officer at STACS
For me, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the many strengths of women and the perspectives they bring to technology. As a sector devoted to innovation and connectivity, it is important for the tech industry to continue creating opportunities where women not only enter the industry but break the gender ‘norms’ to lead. For women in technology, be available for the women in your organization to support, mentor and appreciate each other as much as possible because when we encourage and empower each other, it can result in amazing things for the future of tech.
Siew Chiun Tan — Senior Vice President, Group Channels and Digitalisation at UOB
I would like to take this opportunity to toast to all women in the world for making a difference to the world! Let’s continue to bring smiles, positivity and warmth to everyone around us, and make the impossible, possible.
To ladies navigating the tech space, always stay curious, be hands-on (nothing beats experiencing it yourself), and keep learning so that you are always ready to ride the waves!
Happy International Women’s Day!
Tracy Thanda Aye — Technical Lead at STACS
Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done.
Being a leader in the tech industry is quite challenging and yet exciting. We have to be constant learners and stay on top of trends. Working at STACS is a truly rewarding experience because of the opportunities, transparent culture, and the freedom to explore what we believe. I am grateful to work with amazing co-workers from different diversity.
Many women believe that they can hardly make it to the top in technology. That is not true. Our skill sets, backgrounds, and experiences can bring a unique perspective to innovative solutions. My advice to women interested in pursuing a technology career is to leap and not be intimidated. Seek out new experiences, give your best and dare to fail; take the initiative and ownership of what you do. It will open up more opportunities. We can achieve so many things and go as far as our ambition takes us!
Wishing all the incredible women, Happy International Women’s Day!
Lisa Schröder — Business Management at vestr. Women in FinTech Sub-Committee at Singapore FinTech Association (SFA)
Happy International Women’s Day!
Today shall serve as a reminder that businesses, communities, and networks thrive because of diversity and inclusion. We all have a part to play to turn today into a day like any other. I am proud to represent vestr in Singapore and receive the support from my managers and colleagues. That is why I serve as a member of Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) and SwissCham to add a female voice to many discussions and I hope to inspire you to do the same: support, empower, and listen whenever you have the chance!
Shi Mei Chin, Chief Financial Officer at Spark Systems. ExCo Treasurer at Singapore FinTech Association (SFA)
Do not doubt yourself and stop selling yourself short of your abilities and capabilities, you are more than what you think! Do not limit your potential, be fearless to take on challenges and push boundaries in order to learn and grow.
Jace Er — Senior Manager, Business Analyst at STACS
At times, we can feel uncomfortable and uncertain with our skillsets and question ourselves, especially in an industry where change is constant, and breaking boundaries is the norm.
Fortunately, STACS offers a supportive environment that allows us to experiment, learn, and grow whilst giving us opportunities to strive forward to continuously innovate for our clients.
For all ladies, I strongly urge you all to be courageous, set your own limits, and always be striving to learn new things and challenge yourself to deliver above and beyond.
Eelee Lua — Chief Revenue Officer at AsiaVerify. Women in FinTech Sub-Committee at Singapore FinTech Association (SFA)
Every step counts, I am committed to continuing to be the voice, empowering and encouraging more women to take a seat at the table. Regardless of your gender, age, race, you deserve the respect and opportunity to do what you do best. Happy Women’s Day!
Research shows, only 37% of tech startups have at least one woman on board of directors and c-suite executive positions. As the Chief Revenue Officer of AsiaVerify, a fast-growing RegTech company in Asia, I am extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity to make a difference in the tech space. I lead a diverse team with diverse cultural backgrounds as a diverse team performs better and generate better results for the business.
I encourage females in the tech space to surround themselves with the right group of people. It is helpful to join a community that gives you support from time to time. Other than my role at AsiaVerify, I’m also a committee member of the Women-in-FinTech subcommittee at Singapore FinTech Association (SFA). It is a wonderful community; we organise many activities to support women in the FinTech space.
Let us pave the way for the next woman in tech and be encouraged to “Break the Bias” collectively.
ICYMI, watch the full panel of “Women in FinTech Singapore: A Panel Discussion with Female Leaders in Digital” from STACS Showcase 2021 last November here.
Have a listen to the leading women from Singapore FinTech Association (SFA), UOB, vestr, AsiaVerify, Amazon Web Services, and STACS as they share perspectives on what professional women are facing today. Through their stories, learn how they have navigated the tech space and the value of diverse teams and inclusive work environments.
The future of FinTech is female. Happy International Women’s Day!
About STACS
STACS (Hashstacs Pte Ltd) is a Singapore FinTech company focused on ESG FinTech, in partnership with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for the Project Greenprint ESG Registry. STACS serves as the Nexus of ESG Finance with its live blockchain infrastructure that enables effective Sustainable Finance, and unlocks value in Asset and Wealth Management and Digital Securities. Its clients and partners include global banks, stock exchanges, asset managers, and corporates. STACS is The Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2021 FinTech Start-Up of the Year, an Award Winner of the MAS Global FinTech Innovation Challenge Awards 2020, and also a two-times awardee of the Financial Sector Technology and Innovation (FSTI) Proof of Concept (POC) grant, under the Financial Sector Development Fund administered by the MAS.