Top 10: Women in Fintech in the UK & Europe

In March 2024, FinTech Magazine recognised International Women’s Month with the launch of our Top 100 Women in Fintech supplement, championing female leaders and pioneers driving innovation across our industry. 

In this Top 10, we highlight the leading Women in Fintech based in the UK and Europe, shining a light on their incredible careers and the work they perform for leading financial organisations. 

10. Françoise Ly

Françoise Ly is Chief Digital Officer at MGEN. With a career specialising in digital roadmap definition and implementation, business partnering with business units and business model evolution, Françoise’s career has seen her excel in several different industries. This includes aviation, where she spent over nine years working for Air France, rising through the ranks to the position of Revenue Controlling Director. Now at MGEN, her responsibilities include delivering on the organisations digital strategy, digitisation programme management, internal digital expertise development and data valuation. 

9. Milena Mondini de Focatiis

A leading consultant and financial services leader, Milena Mondini de Focatiis has been with Admiral Group since 2007, and today she is Group CEO. With a career spanning leading positions at organisations such as Bain & Co and Accenture, Milena rose through the ranks at Admiral, starting out as a Business Development Manager in 2007. Becoming Head of European Insurance in 2016, she soon forked out a path for herself as CEO, a position she secured in 2021.

8. Ana Salcedas

A specialist in banking and insurance business risks, Portuguese regulatory requirements, and internal control and risk management, Ana Salcedas is Managing Partner (Financial Services) at EY in Portugal. Having spent an incredible 32 years at EY, Ana’s experience is vast. Today, she can be considered an expert in the coordination and execution of audit and advisory engagements for several entities in banking, asset management and insurance sectors in Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique.

7. Eva Montoro Candela

A seasoned professional in data and risk management, Eva Montoro Candela has 20 years of experience in change and transformation strategies. Currently Group Vice President and Global Head of CDO and Data Science for Santander Corporate and Investment Banking, Eva has now been at Santander for over 11 years. In her role, she is responsible for supporting data quality and data governance, using advanced analytic models and AI to generate client and business value, manage risks, increase efficiency in operating processes and support innovation.

6. Joanna Pamphilis

Joanna Pamphilis is the Chief Digital & Information Officer at UniCredit, leveraging over 20 years of experience in financial services, M&A, and consulting. She has worked globally with institutions like State Street, KCG, UBS and Northern Trust. Known for her transformational leadership, Joanna is a recognised thought leader, particularly in digital transformation across the financial sector. She serves as Managing Director of the Management Board at UniCredit Austria.

5. Sophie Heller

An experienced consultant, financial service, and technology leader, Sophie Heller is the Chief Operating Officer of Group BNP Paribas. In her role, Sophie ensures that at the group level, BNP Paribas is collectively able to identify customers and the internal team's needs. Sophie focuses on enhancing customer experience through digital transformation. She previously worked at ING Direct, where she was responsible for retail banking transformation and growth strategies. A graduate of ESSEC Business School, Sophie has extensive experience in digital banking sales and marketing​. 

4. Wendy Redshaw

Wendy Redshaw serves as the Chief Digital Information Officer of Retail at NatWest Group, where she plays a pivotal role in driving digital innovation and transformation. Wendy's leadership focuses on enhancing customer experiences through digitalisation, emphasising seamless and integrated service delivery across banking channels. Her work includes significant advances in conversational AI and mobile banking, reflecting her commitment to fostering an agile and innovative culture within the bank​ (CIO Look)​​ (Industry-Era)​. She has worked for many leading financial services companies including Halifax, Lloyds TSB, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Deutsche Bank.

3. Elena Maria Recher

Elena Maria Recher is today Managing Director and Partner at Accenture. A digital entrepreneur based in Munich, Elena has worked for leading consultants such as Deloitte and Capco – in addition to Accenture. She has been at Accenture for close to five years now and has experience as founder of a startup in time spent in Silicon Valley. It was here she understood the key role of human-centred design and learned how crucial it is to put customers at the centre of what companies do when it comes to digitalisation.

2. Archana Jain

Archana Jain is the Group Chief Technology Officer at Zurich Insurance Group. In this role since 2022, Archana previously spent over 16 years at telecommunications giant Verizon, where she led planning and technology in Verizon’s Consumer group. Today, she is an Advisory Board Member at Steven’s Institute of Technology and an Advisory Board Member for Customer Experience at Rutgers University. Speaking on her inclusion in FinTech Magazine’s Top 10 Women in FinTech supplements, Archana says: “This accomplishment is not only personal but also a testament to Zurich Insurance's commitment to supporting women in STEM. It is a cause that is very close to my heart.”

1. Claire Calmejane

As Group Chief Innovation Officer at Société Générale, Claire Calmejane is passionate about driving enterprise-wide transformation, launching and scaling teams and new business models, and leveraging technology and innovation to better serve clients. In a career dedicated to delivering growth and operational efficiencies, Claire’s role at Société Générale sees her responsible for leading AI and data transformation, crypto, group digital steering and SG Ventures. She is also charged with heading the group’s startup fund for retail banking, investment bank and mobility activities. Assuming the role in 2018, Claire’s appointment to Société Générale’s management committee made her its youngest member at the time, at only 36 years of age. Beyond her executive responsibilities, Claire is committed to fostering diversity in STEM, mentoring women entrepreneurs and championing women in tech through angel investments and international competitions.

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