As the fintech industry continues to evolve, women are taking on increasingly influential roles as both leaders and innovators. There are numerous women who have made significant contributions to the industry, including Anne Boden, the founder and CEO of Starling Bank, and Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Ellevest. Mar Bezanilla Sal is also a notable fintech expert who has established a reputation as a growth-focused executive with extensive experience in successfully directing overall operations in fast-growing companies, particularly in the small and medium businesses segment.
Life outside of the workplace
Northwestern Spain’s Cantabria is where Mar Bezanilla Sal was born. She pursued a career in mathematics at university. In high school, she preferred math more than any other subject. The summer after she finished her studies, she celebrated by traveling to Barcelona with her best friend. There, she met her partner, fell in love, and decided to move to Barcelona. With her partner, three children, and two cats, she has a lovely family.
Mar loves diving, amazing locations where she has done diving include Bali, Los Roques and the Maldives. She is in awe of the fantastic marine life. She also used to play padel, practicing many times per week, and for a number of years, she actually joined a women’s team.
Path to achieving Expertise
Mar tries to grow by expanding her knowledge and stepping outside of her comfort zone. Throughout her career, she asked to work in numerous fields that were outside of her purview, which is how she accumulated a very transversal background. “I think that staying in a position for at least three years is important to learn it properly, but then it is good to try to find your new challenge”, suggests Mar. She believes that staying loyal to one employer and waiting patiently for an opportunity to present itself within that organization can give you access to as many opportunities as switching jobs.
Mar encourages women who want to pursue careers in leadership not to be afraid of “asking for things“. In her professional career, she has managed men and women. She noticed that men constantly request things (such as a promotion, a pay raise, more resources, a budget, etc.), while women are more cautious.
“In the end, the “NO” we already have so, if you ask in an assertive way, there will be a very productive conversation, I am sure, even if the final answer is NO.”- Mar conveys.
A Career in Fintech
Mar has specialized in digital consumer finance as she has grown her career in fintech. Technology has significantly altered the sector since the 2008 financial crisis. In 2011, she joined a startup whose mission was to lend money online with a non-friction application process for the user. In 2011, there was a dearth of information that might be used to confirm the applicant’s identification in the absence of documents, and the few services that were offered lagged behind and couldn’t deliver the data in real time to ensure a smooth online loan application process.
Technology to deliver data in real time and regulatory modifications have advanced significantly during the past ten years. Nowadays, a highly smooth service with a great customer experience can be provided when people apply for loans online, thanks to all these advanced technologies. However, Mar feels there are still issues, particularly when loan amounts increase, where the data is insufficient to provide loans with a frictionless procedure and effectively control risk. Therefore, more technological and regulatory advancements are required in order to successfully digitalize all consumer finance-related activities.
Leading from humility
Mar is a very humble person. At work, she is a leader who is approachable and always willing to help. She sees herself as a “guide who enables them to communicate their best, most knowledgeable selves.” A leader who gets the most of her team through supportive teamwork and staff empowerment. She is an assertive person who can hold stimulating conversations while always respecting their point of view.
An advice for Success
Mar thinks her perseverance has contributed to her success. She puts a lot of effort and focus into pursuing her goals. The happiest part of Mar’s daily routine is when she sees the impact of her work in the businesses. She is a very result-oriented person, and “seeing how little changes and decisions make little impact in any metric of the company is what I like the most. At the end of the day, if you are capable of delivering little improvements in a constant way, that is exponential gains at the end of the year.”- says Mar Bezanilla Sal
The ideal candidate
The most important quality that Mar looks for in a candidate is their way of thinking. She wants people who can simplify complex problems, but more importantly, she wants people who have critical thinking. In her opinion, the best candidates will be able to solve problems simply and communicate clearly, while all applicants will eventually have experience in a similar position.
Mar is really keen on internal promotion. Her finest hires have come via internal promotions. The majority of the time, employers search outside the company before looking internally. Mar encourages organizations to look internally first. This demonstrates to the other employees the company’s clear commitment to investing in the team.
Disconnexion during Parental leave
Mar has three kids. A lot of women asked her a bit of advice on how to face parental leave and work. In her opinion, having a baby is a unique moment in life so it deserves your full attention. Her advice is to take your time during your parental leave, disconnect from work for that unique period of your life and then you will be back at work with more energy than ever.
Note for the Leaders
Mar advises spending time getting to know each team member. You can’t manage everyone the same way; you need to manage everyone a little bit differently if you want to get the best out of them all. Mar considers communication to be crucial. Make sure you stay in constant communication with your staff so they can work in accordance with the goals and objectives of the organization.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
