International Women's Day 2021 - Neat
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International
Women’s Day
2021
#ChooseToChallenge
Welcome
At Neat, we believe in enabling small businesses
with the payment capabilities normally reserved
for multinational corporations. We are building
a product for young and diverse businesses run
by entrepreneurs from different backgrounds
and so it is important that our workforce also
represents that diversity. International Women’s
Day 2021 celebrates how far we have come with
gender equality and a reminder that we all have
to work together to do more.
As a father of two young girls, I like to inspire
them. International Women’s Day is a fantastic
opportunity to do so by celebrating our female
employees and continuing to foster an
environment of diversity, where all voices are
equal and heard.
We interviewed some of our employees on what
this year’s theme #ChooseToChallenge means
to them and how we can continue to encourage David Rosa,
diversity within financial services and technology. CEO and Co-founder of Neat
2 | International Women’s Day 2021
Hear from some of our employees
on how they #ChooseToChallenge
Jasmine Liu Stutee Saxena Kyungseo Lee
Chief Compliance Team lead, Customer Product Owner
Officer Solutions
Annalise Haigh Jackie Law Emily Westwood
General Counsel Product Design Lead Business Development
Manager, Affiliates
Jasmine Liu
Chief Compliance Officer
How do you think the financial services/ The theme for this year is #choosetochallenge
technology industry has changed to foster - how do you choose to challenge?
female talent? “Challenge the status quo” - at Neat, I organised
It’s improving but women still represent fewer an initiative to set up the R&D lab - hopefully
than 1 in 5 positions in the financial services we can have a new product launch very soon.
C-suite. There is much work that needs to be On a personal front, I’ll have my yoga teacher
done to achieve gender parity in the financial certification soon and will launch a new product
services/technology sector. for my own wellbeing business inspiring people
to live happier and more balanced lives.
“
About Jasmine What has helped you get to where you
are today?
I am a ENFJ (16personalities.com). I stay motivated, keep up with a curiosity of
Sports lover - while sometimes
love spending time with myself.
picking up new things and experience life!
We’re not going to create
Why is it important to create a culture where greater opportunities and
women are in a diverse range of roles?
To have diversity of thoughts. Having a
diversity of thoughts if we
diverse team (including different gender, are all acting exactly the
culture, nationality, skill set, etc) is important
as there’s clear evidence showing diverse same!
”
teams are smarter, better at assessing facts and
being innovative and working together in a
constructive way. We’re not going to create
greater opportunities and diversity of thoughts
if we are all acting exactly the same!
4 | International Women’s Day 2021
Stutee Saxena
Team lead, Customer Solutions
What has helped you get to where you are today? talent in the workplace. I believe an initiative like
I’ll never be able forget the myriad of events that flexible working enables women to still remain in
made me who I am today and out of these there are the organisation, follow their dreams and work on
a few major things that really helped me become a their careers. Also, if not all, most organisations have
better, independent and confident person are: started addressing gender diversity as a priority,
which has definitely encouraged skilled and talented
• I’ve grown up amongst women who are women to take more risks, opportunities and to
so independent and have always been reach leadership positions.
my guiding light, my mom, my aunts and
my teachers. The most influential person in Why is it important to create a culture where
About Stutee
my life is my mom who always encouraged women are in a diverse range of roles?
I am an easygoing, friendly me to do things that I always wanted. Female employees in the workplace or leadership
person and I love working in entrant roles always seems to be a top agenda but ideally
companies as it gives a lot of exposure • My Alma mater : The only objective of my it shouldn’t matter who is running the firm. The
and lets you wear multiple hats at school is to prepare its students to lead in more diverse the workplace is, the more flourishing
the same time. Love to spend my time any discipline they choose. It has immensely a business or any industry will be. Diversity is a
with people who actually listen to helped me become more disciplined, great force towards creativity. With gender diverse
me and understand me well without focused and self-reliant. teams, businesses will be able to bring different
forming judgements. viewpoints, perspectives, ideas and insights to
• I have never been too easy on myself industries especially focused on women thus
and always challenged myself in one or the acting as a catalyst for growth. Not just for the sake
other way. of fairness or men vs. women in different roles,
we need equal opportunities for both genders.
How do you think the financial services/ Companies with only men or women cannot
technology industry has changed to foster benefit alone.
female talent?
Time has changed a lot, and most companies The theme for this year is #choosetochallenge
have started to endorse the benefits of a remote - how do you choose to challenge?
work friendly environment which has played a I choose to challenge gender equality and stereotypes
significant role in promoting and retaining women in the workplace.
5 | International Women’s Day 2021
Kyungseo Lee
Product Owner
“
How do you think the financial services/
technology industry has changed to foster
female talent?
It’s hard to answer with my limited experience in
Challenging the status
this industry but I definitely see more emphasis quo would be one thing
or effort on introducing diversity into hiring and
team culture in general. As a product person,
that I want to do more
empathy is a value I consider the most critical to this year
”
build a good product. Therefore, an environment
surrounded by a diverse team to learn and
About Kyungseo
understand different perspectives indeed is a
I pursue a religion called
good ground for innovative products to thrive. force/society. It not only enriches the teammate
product management. I believe dynamics but also the outcome of a business.
that cooperation is what What has helped you get to where you are
has got us all here today and today? The theme for this year is #choosetochallenge -
will get us to tomorrow. Reaching out to people (and people who have how do you choose to challenge?
responded to me) is definitely what helped I choose to challenge by asking the question
me to get to where I am today. I didn’t have all “Why”. There are so many things in our lives that
the resources, network, and confidence I have are how they are because that’s how they have
now at the beginning of my career. I want to been for many years. I’ve run into these situations
thank their willingness to help me throughout at work too - “Why do we do it this way?” “Well,
my career and I want to be that person for that’s how we’ve been doing since early days.”
someone in need as well. I think by getting to the core reason of why we
do things, the way we do, helps us realise that
Why is it important to create a culture where sometimes, we are doing things unreasonably,
women are in a diverse range of roles? inefficiently, or for no good reason. So yeah.
I guess it doesn’t just apply to women but anyone Challenging the status quo would be one thing
that is under represented in our current work that I want to do more this year.
6 | International Women’s Day 2021
Annalise Haigh
General Counsel
How do you think the financial services/ This impact has a lot of carry on effects as well
technology industry has changed to foster - profitable business equals a successful team,
female talent? equals great culture, equals greater passion for the
The huge increase in Fintech and drive for business’ purpose, equals innovation, equals action,
innovation over the last few years has enabled an equals a profitable business!
environment of change where talent is put before
gender. It’s well established that diversity is a key The theme for this year is #choosetochallenge -
enabler of innovation and growth. Ultimately, the how do you choose to challenge?
industry has seen the success of these more Unconscious bias. It’s actually something that
About Annalise
diverse Fintech’s and wants to tap into the talent. exists for both male and females, and I think we
Australian born, I joined Neat all still have a long way to go to understand the
about a year ago. I started my What has helped you get to where you are impacts of our own actions and dialogue in terms
career at an international law firm today? of gender equality and diversity. It’s a hard one
in Sydney. After 6 years, I decided I always loved Sheryl Sandberg’s take on working as “unconscious’’ is by definition hard to see, but
to take a break and went sailing ‘careers aren’t ladders, they’re jungle gyms”. I think as a group working together we can definitely
this describes my take on careers well. My career break it down to create consciousness and
and snowboarding for two years
so far has been a pretty epic jungle gym, with change the action.
in France. Then, an opportuni-
“
many leaps of faith. It’s exciting to see where the
ty came up in Hong Kong and I twist and turns will take you. A few years ago, I
jumped at it. I’ve now been living would never have thought I’d be General Counsel
here for 5 years. at a Fintech, but I jumped at the right opportunity The ultimate aim of
when asked if I was interested and here I am! My
advice to others is “carpe diem - seize the day”.
a business is to be as
profitable as possible,
Why is it important to create a culture where
women are in a diverse range of roles? and diversity drives
It’s pretty simple… diversity drives growth. The increased profits.
”
ultimate aim of a business is to be as profitable as
possible, and diversity drives increased profits.
7 | International Women’s Day 2021
Jackie Law
Product Design Lead
How do you think the financial services/ values?”, “Why have they chosen to hire people so
technology industry has changed to foster different from me to manage my finances?”. The
female talent? importance of seeing diversity reflected in the
Definitely the accessibility to join the playing field sector cannot be underestimated as implicit gender
- technology has enabled more people, women, bias must be challenged.
in particular, to learn and hone new skills that
would allow them to enter job markets, where The theme for this year is #choosetochallenge -
traditionally they would’ve been overlooked. how do you choose to challenge?
A lack of self-belief/confidence hinders women
About Jackie What has helped you get to where you are from stepping up, leaning in for fear of being
today? judged. I choose to aspire to be a leader that I would
Native Hong Konger - with detours Find a mentor who you can confide in when want to follow, to prove to myself and fellow ladies
by way of Vancouver, New York, and imposter syndrome kicks in when you’re that you can “have your cake and eat it too”.
London, made a boomerang move
“
navigating less trodden paths. Or when you need
back here 3 years ago. Dog mom to to be reminded of where you’re at because of
@waitwhereskate. Keen onlooker of what you’ve already achieved.
pop culture. Amateur seamstress, The importance of seeing
Why is it important to create a culture where
baker & maker of things. Tinker-er of women are in a diverse range of roles? diversity reflected in
all things revolving user experience at
@Neat_App. Can be found anywhere
Fintech is a growing field where top talent is
needed, but where female representation is still
the sector cannot be
with sun, sea, and snacks. too low. It’s important that we see more women underestimated as implicit
take up senior roles across organisations to break
the stereotypical male-dominated industry. Lack
gender bias must be
of representation could potentially create distrust challenged.
”
for customers - “Do they really understand my
problems?”, “Does this company really reflect my
8 | International Women’s Day 2021
Emily Westwood
Business Development Manager, Affiliates
How do you think the financial services/ diversity are more profitable. For example, London
technology industry has changed to foster listed companies where at-least 1/3 of the bosses
female talent? are female have a profit margin 10x greater than
There is still a long way to go, I think I speak for those without!
the majority of women in tech when I say I am
usually the only woman on the team! However, The theme for this year is #choosetochallenge -
open communication around difficult topics such how do you choose to challenge?
as pay has gotten much better in recent years and The 3 S’s - Speak Up, Stand Up and Support Others
this is a step in the right direction.
About Emily
What has helped you get to where you are today?
I have led Business Development First and foremost networking! Speaking to as
for fast-growth start-ups for many people as possible via LinkedIn and events It is really important
6 years as well as being the has brought me so many opportunities. Cheesy as
it sounds, it is also really important to believe in
to believe in yourself
founder of a non-profit Ladies
Who Lead and an angel investor
yourself and your abilities or why would anyone and your abilities.
else - in the words of Ru Paul - if you can’t love
”
into female-founded startups. yourself how are you going to love somebody else!
Why is it important to create a culture where
women are in a diverse range of roles?
It is a well-known fact that companies with more
9 | International Women’s Day 2021
About Sahara Jones, Senior Designer
I’m a passionate Designer based in London
with a love for branding and typography.
When I’m not working you can find me at
design related webinars, going for long walks
or playing video games. I choose to challenge
by leading in a way that I hope is an example
for those that will come after me.
Hong Kong London
10/F, China Hong Kong WeWork, 70 Wilson Street,
Tower, 8 Hennessy Road, London, EC2A 2DB,
Wan Chai, Hong Kong United Kingdom
neatcommerce.com
#ChooseToChallengeYou can also read
