Ahead of Financial Crime 360 Event: The Human Side of Modernising AML

Inclusion, Innovation, and Modernising AML Ahead of Financial Crime 360 2025

In a powerful pre-event episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions, host Nadia sits down with Shani Golov, VP of Sales – EMEA at ThetaRay, for an inspiring conversation that explores inclusion, leadership, and innovation within the global fight against financial crime. Recorded ahead of Financial Crime 360 2025, hosted by the Payments Association, this episode delves deep into how purpose, technology, and collaboration can drive both business growth and societal impact.

As a leading FinTech recruitment business, Harrington Starr is committed to highlighting the stories of those shaping the industry through innovation, inclusion, and ethical leadership. This discussion with Shani embodies exactly that, showing how career diversity, strong company culture, and a mission-driven approach can empower individuals and organisations alike.

Building a Career in FinTech: From Financial Crime to Leadership

Shani Golov’s career journey is anything but traditional. Rather than following the standard path of a salesperson, she began her career in financial institutions nearly 20 years ago, working within back-office operations at Citibank. It was here, handling local and cross-border payments, that she developed her foundational understanding of financial crime and compliance, a focus that would later define her professional mission.

Over time, Shani transitioned into more technical roles, becoming a system analyst and project manager, before joining a local bank in Israel as a business relationship manager for the innovation division. These experiences gave her a uniquely holistic perspective, combining operational expertise with technological insight and business strategy.

When she joined ThetaRay, a global leader in AI-powered transaction monitoring and AML solutions, she started as Director of Product. That product-first mindset now underpins her work as VP of Sales – EMEA, where she prides herself on acting not as a traditional salesperson, but as a trusted advisor to her clients and colleagues.

Her journey illustrates the value of diverse experience within the FinTech ecosystem, something we at Harrington Starr see reflected across the industry, where professionals with multidisciplinary backgrounds bring new depth and perspective to financial technology roles.

The Mission Behind ThetaRay: Empowering the Global Fight Against Financial Crime

ThetaRay’s mission, as Shani passionately explains, is clear and powerful: to empower the global fight against financial crime while helping banks and FinTech companies grow safely. It’s a purpose-driven goal that aligns technology innovation with social good, creating positive impact across society.

This mission is what drives Shani every day, the feeling that her work contributes to making the world a safer, more transparent place. As she tells Nadia, “This is one of the reasons why I wake up in the morning with a big smile and strong feeling of purpose.”

At its core, ThetaRay helps institutions detect and prevent illicit financial activity through AI and data-driven solutions that make compliance more intelligent and less reactive. For professionals working in financial crime prevention, AML technology, and FinTech compliance, this alignment between purpose and performance is crucial.

ThetaRay’s company culture also reflects this commitment. Shani highlights six core values that guide the organisation, with three standing out most strongly for her: being purpose-driven, collaborative and empowering, and bold, authentic, and humble. These values are not just words, they inform how teams work together, how clients are supported, and how innovation is achieved.

Inclusion in FinTech: Beyond the Workplace

Inclusion, as Shani explains, has many dimensions. Within the workplace, it’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender, background, or role, feels seen, valued, and heard. But in her world of financial crime and payments, inclusion also takes on another form: financial inclusion.

“Inclusion has so many meanings,” Shani tells Nadia. “At one hand, inclusion in the workspace, women inclusion in more leadership positions, and in general, diversity. But in my daily work, there is another definition, financial inclusion.”

This perspective highlights how compliance and inclusion intersect. When financial institutions use advanced compliance technologies, they can onboard customers with greater confidence, expanding access to financial services for underserved or high-risk populations.

By ensuring better risk management and transparency, FinTech innovation enables more people to participate in the global financial ecosystem. This is a key example of how diversity and inclusion in FinTech extend far beyond internal company policies, they’re fundamental to the industry’s impact on society at large.

For FinTech professionals and recruitment specialists, this broad understanding of inclusion is essential. It reflects the industry’s responsibility not only to diversify talent pipelines but also to design systems that make finance itself more equitable and accessible.

Building Better Workplaces: People, Culture, and Collaboration

At ThetaRay, people are viewed as an asset, a competitive advantage rather than just a resource. Shani underscores that both policy and culture play vital roles in creating an inclusive, empowering work environment.

Flexibility, transparency, and collaboration define how teams operate. Every opinion matters, and learning is constant, from peers, from training, from the industry, and even from competitors. This approach fosters a culture of professional excellence and continuous improvement.

In many ways, this mirrors what makes great FinTech companies thrive, an emphasis on culture-first leadership, supported by values that drive engagement, innovation, and retention. As a FinTech recruitment business, Harrington Starr has seen first-hand how such cultures attract the top 1% of talent and create workplaces where people want to stay and grow.

Shani’s reflections on ThetaRay’s people-first policies reveal why culture is such a critical differentiator in today’s competitive FinTech landscape. Empowered, trusted, and valued employees create better outcomes, not only for clients but also for the broader financial ecosystem.

Modernising AML: From Reporting Obligations to Intelligent Risk Management

As part of Financial Crime 360 2025, Shani will be speaking on one of the most anticipated topics at the event: Modernising AML – From Reporting Obligations to Intelligent Risk Management. She will be joined by Catlin Rome Babu, VP Compliance and MLRO at Shift4, for what promises to be a thought-provoking discussion on how AI and data-driven technology are transforming compliance.

In her conversation with Nadia, Shani offers a glimpse into what attendees can expect. “The main question every compliance leader asks themselves,” she says, “is how can we move from just ticking the regulation box to actually mitigating risk?”

This shift, from reactive reporting to proactive risk management, is fundamental to the next era of financial crime prevention. Leveraging AI allows compliance teams to automate routine tasks, identify patterns invisible to manual review, and focus resources on genuine threats.

Shani summarises this transformation perfectly: “Less work, better compliance, and more growth.” It’s a succinct vision for how technology can make compliance smarter, faster, and more strategic.

For those hiring in FinTech compliance, AML technology, or data analytics roles, this represents an exciting frontier. The demand for professionals who can bridge regulation and innovation is higher than ever, a trend we’ve observed across the FinTech recruitment landscape in both London and New York.

Collaboration and Connection: Why Industry Events Matter

When Nadia asks why events like Financial Crime 360 are important, Shani’s response is immediate and heartfelt: “Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation.”

She explains that true progress requires collaboration between all parts of the ecosystem, regulators, technology providers, banks, FinTechs, and professionals at every level. Events like these create the space for open dialogue, debate, and the exchange of diverse perspectives.

Shani shares that she always leaves such events full of new ideas, some about improving internal processes, others about helping clients achieve better results. “These events are where everyone can speak and share their thoughts,” she says. “It also gives us the opportunity of hearing diverse voices and perspectives, and this is the only place where we can grow from.”

For anyone working in FinTech, from leaders shaping compliance frameworks to those building AI-driven solutions, these conversations are vital. They foster not only technical innovation but also the cultural and ethical foundations that keep the industry accountable and inclusive.

As a FinTech recruitment partner, we see the same principle at work in hiring. The best results come when diverse voices and perspectives come together to collaborate, challenge, and inspire.

The Power of Purpose in FinTech Leadership

Throughout the conversation, one theme stands out above all others: purpose. Shani’s approach to leadership is deeply grounded in the belief that financial technology can and should be a force for good. Whether it’s fighting financial crime, promoting inclusion, or fostering workplace empowerment, every action ties back to a sense of purpose.

Nadia highlights how Shani’s passion shines through in everything she says, from describing her company’s mission to reflecting on how inclusion drives innovation. In a sector that often focuses heavily on data and regulation, Shani brings humanity back into the conversation.

For aspiring leaders and professionals across FinTech, this is a powerful reminder that career success is not just about performance metrics, it’s about impact. By combining technology, empathy, and purpose, individuals can make meaningful contributions to their teams, their clients, and society at large.

At Harrington Starr, we see this purpose-driven mindset as a defining trait among top FinTech talent. It’s what fuels long-term success, resilience, and innovation in an industry where the stakes, and opportunities, have never been higher.

Looking Ahead to Financial Crime 360 2025

As the episode closes, Nadia expresses her excitement for Shani’s upcoming session at Financial Crime 360 2025, highlighting how important these conversations are for the future of compliance and financial technology.

The event will bring together the brightest minds from across the financial ecosystem to explore how technology, regulation, and culture intersect to fight financial crime and foster inclusion. Shani’s contribution promises to offer both strategic insight and actionable inspiration.

Her final reflections capture the spirit of the entire discussion: progress comes from connection. “Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation,” she reminds listeners. “We need each other to grow.”

It’s a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the values of both ThetaRay and the wider FinTech community, collaboration, inclusion, and innovation working together to create a safer, more transparent financial world.

About FinTech’s DEI Discussions

FinTech’s DEI Discussions, hosted by Nadia, is an award-winning podcast powered by Harrington Starr, the global FinTech recruitment business. The show celebrates inclusion, leadership, and innovation across the financial technology sector, featuring candid conversations with industry leaders who are walking the talk for change.

This episode with Shani Golov, VP of Sales – EMEA at ThetaRay, ahead of Financial Crime 360 2025, is a must-listen for anyone passionate about FinTech innovation, financial crime prevention, and the ongoing journey toward a more inclusive industry.