Sejal advises founders, senior executives and boards across payments, digital assets and broader FinTech verticals to identify and attract top leadership talent in C-suite and management team roles.
Prior to Odgers, Sejal spent 12 years in management consulting, starting at McKinsey & Co and subsequently in FS and strategy consulting at PA consulting working across UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Following that, as Director at HSBC and then Fluidly, Sejal focused on digital innovation through establishing partnerships between banks, FinTechs and the wider digital ecosystem.
As fintech companies race to innovate and scale, many are still failing to tap into one of their greatest untapped assets: women.
While mentorship has long been championed as a strategy for nurturing female talent, it’s no longer enough. To truly advance women into leadership roles within fintech, the conversation must shift from guidance to advocacy, and from mentorship to sponsorship.
Mentorship vs. Sponsorship: Understanding the Difference
Mentorship involves offering advice, sharing experiences, and acting as a sounding board. It’s valuable, but passive. Sponsorship, on the other hand, is active. Sponsors are senior leaders who use their influence to advocate for high-potential individuals, opening doors to key opportunities, stretch assignments, and visibility at the executive level. In fintech – a sector known for its high-stakes innovation and rapid change – women don’t just need encouragement; they need sponsors.
Too often, women in fintech are over-mentored and under-sponsored. They receive support but remain on the sidelines of leadership conversations. Women occupy just 18.2% of executive committee roles in fintech, and only 4% of fintech CEOs are female. Although women make up approximately 44% of the financial services workforce, their presence at senior levels has barely shifted – rising only from 28% to just under 30% since 2017.
Without someone in the room actively putting their name forward for career-defining opportunities, even the most capable women can stagnate. For fintech to deliver on its promise of transformation, it must also transform how it elevates talent, and that starts with sponsorship.
Building Sponsorship Programmes for Mid-Career Women
Mid-career is the most common drop-off point for women in fintech. At this stage, the path to leadership becomes more political, more networked, and less structured. A well-designed sponsorship programme can provide the bridge women need to cross this career chasm.
Widespread research confirms that sponsorship directly improves promotion rates: participants in sponsorship programmes are often promoted five to six times more frequently than their peers. This makes it one of the most powerful levers for shifting the leadership landscape.
Sponsorship programmes should be intentional, transparent, and data-informed. Track who gets sponsored. Track outcomes. And, importantly, provide training to sponsors themselves – many of whom may not realise the subtle biases that shape who they advocate for.
Backing Women Before They’re “Ready”
The fintech industry often prides itself on bold thinking. Yet, when it comes to talent, many leaders still default to conventional markers of readiness. This includes years of experience, a certain communication style, and a proven track record in leadership roles. The problem? These markers often exclude women, who may have the skills and ambition but lack the visibility.
Sponsorship can correct that. By encouraging executive leaders – men as well as women – to back women before they meet every criterion, fintech firms can widen their leadership pipeline and tap into a more diverse set of perspectives. This is particularly important in a sector where disruptive thinking and customer-centric innovation are essential to staying ahead.
It’s not about lowering the bar. It’s about recognising that potential often looks different depending on the lens through which it’s viewed – and that talent doesn’t always announce itself.
Sponsorship Is a Leadership Imperative
Fintech firms can’t afford to let half its talent go under-leveraged. If the sector is to thrive, leadership must reflect the diversity of its users, customers, and communities. Sponsorship, not just mentorship, is the mechanism through which that transformation can happen.
By embedding sponsorship into organisational culture, fintech leaders won’t just create more equitable workplaces. They’ll unlock innovation, performance, and growth powered by the full spectrum of talent.
