Redesigning Recruitment for Equity in FinTech

Redefining Inclusive Hiring in FinTech

In the latest episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions, host Nadia welcomes a leading voice in inclusive hiring: Chloe Seeley, Senior Director and Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Checkout.com. With over 20 years of experience in the recruitment space, including a significant career start in the Big Four and transformative roles at Amazon Web Services and now Checkout.com, Chloe offers an insightful and pragmatic lens on what inclusion really means within FinTech recruitment. This conversation is not just a celebration of achievements but a call to action, exploring practical strategies to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) across the sector.

This episode is a masterclass in FinTech hiring, offering strategies that any business looking to build diverse and inclusive teams can adopt. As a FinTech recruitment business, we at Harrington Starr are proud to spotlight voices like Chloe’s, leaders walking the talk and driving sustainable, meaningful change in the way companies hire and retain talent.

Transforming Talent Acquisition in the FinTech Industry

Chloe Seeley opens the conversation by giving a broad overview of her career journey. With more than two decades in talent acquisition, her experience spans across early careers hiring at the Big Four to operational roles at AWS, and now, a transformative leadership position at Checkout.com, a global payments solutions company. At Checkout.com, Chloe leads a global hiring strategy that covers everything from employer branding to recruitment delivery. Her mission is clear: build inclusive processes that foster fair opportunities for all candidates, regardless of background.

Her role touches every element of the talent lifecycle, and she is particularly focused on hiring for engineering and commercial roles, two areas that have historically lacked diversity in the wider FinTech recruitment landscape. Chloe’s passion for DEIB is not theoretical; it is embedded in the recruitment frameworks she champions and the day-to-day practices of her team. She is backed by a strong support system at Checkout.com, which has enabled her to innovate and deliver measurable results when it comes to inclusion.

A FinTech Leader Committed to Inclusive Hiring

The data speaks volumes. In a recent year, 47% of Checkout.com’s hires were women, a statistic that stands out in an industry often criticised for gender imbalances. Nadia references this achievement early in the podcast, noting that it reflects a strategic and deliberate focus on inclusion. Chloe acknowledges this milestone with pride, but is also quick to stress that the work doesn’t stop at the metrics. For her, real progress is about building scalable, sustainable hiring processes that are inclusive by design, not just by exception.

Checkout.com’s mission to simplify and optimise online payments offers a backdrop for Chloe’s work. Their goal is to enable businesses to thrive by giving them efficient, seamless, and secure payment tools. But just as important is their internal mission: to ensure their teams reflect the diversity of the world they serve. In Chloe’s view, inclusive hiring isn’t a side project; it’s central to high-performance business operations in today’s tech-driven financial landscape.

FinTech Recruitment and the Real Meaning of Inclusion

When asked what inclusion means to her, Chloe offers a definition rooted in respect, empowerment, and access. To her, inclusion means creating environments where people feel truly valued and have the freedom to contribute in authentic ways. It’s about more than just hiring from diverse pools, it's about levelling the playing field so that individuals from all walks of life can succeed, thrive, and lead.

This ethos is reflected in the way Chloe and her team approach recruitment. They’ve moved away from rigid checklists of qualifications and pedigree. Instead, they focus on identifying transferable skills, potential, and lived experiences. This commitment allows them to tap into broader, more diverse talent markets and support career pivoters, returners, and individuals with unconventional professional paths, groups that are often overlooked in traditional FinTech hiring.

Unlocking Hidden Talent through Career Pivots and Transferable Skills

One of the most powerful insights in the episode comes when Chloe discusses the importance of recognising transferable skills. She challenges the notion that success in a role can only be predicted by previous job titles or degrees from top universities. Instead, she advocates for a more nuanced view, one that sees value in unique career journeys and personal resilience.

This philosophy is particularly important for career returners or those pivoting into FinTech from other industries. Chloe explains how individuals with customer service experience, for example, often bring valuable problem-solving and communication skills that are crucial in client-facing tech roles. Whether it’s someone re-entering the workforce after a career break or switching industries, Chloe believes that tapping into this hidden talent pool can be a game-changer for organisations looking to innovate.

As a FinTech recruitment business, Harrington Starr has also seen the benefits of expanding the scope of what makes a "great hire." By focusing on capabilities over credentials, companies can uncover candidates who may not fit the conventional mould but are exactly what’s needed to build future-ready teams.

Early Careers Hiring as a Catalyst for FinTech Inclusion

Chloe’s commitment to early careers hiring is both personal and professional. It’s where she began her own journey, and it remains a critical area for driving long-term change. At Checkout.com, she has led the development of their first internship programme and significantly expanded their graduate scheme. The goal is not only to attract early talent but to ensure that opportunities are accessible to all, regardless of their university, geographic location, or socioeconomic background.

By partnering with a range of universities, including those outside the traditional Russell Group network, Chloe’s team opens doors for students who might otherwise be overlooked. She shares an example of candidates who’ve gained valuable experience working in supermarkets, highlighting how this kind of experience can cultivate customer empathy and resilience, both of which are highly transferable into FinTech roles.

This inclusive approach to early careers hiring aligns with our strategy at Harrington Starr, where we encourage clients to consider non-traditional talent pipelines as a way to futureproof their teams and broaden their cultural intelligence.

Role Models and Behavioural Leadership in FinTech

In addition to formal processes and programmes, Chloe stresses the importance of role modelling inclusive behaviours at every level of the organisation. While senior leaders like Checkout.com’s COO, Jenny serve as visible champions of diversity, demonstrating that it’s possible to thrive as a woman and a parent in a senior FinTech role, Chloe emphasises that everyone has the power to influence workplace culture.

She believes inclusion starts with how we show up every day: collaborating with integrity, listening actively, and creating environments where people feel safe to speak up. Psychological safety, she notes, is built on consistent behaviours that signal respect and openness. This principle informs not just how teams work internally but how they recruit and retain diverse talent in an increasingly competitive market.

At Harrington Starr, we’ve also seen that candidates are increasingly drawn to workplaces where inclusion is not just an HR initiative but a lived value. Businesses that prioritise behavioural leadership are more likely to attract top-tier, purpose-driven professionals.

Creating Space for Inclusive Recruitment in Fast-Paced FinTech Environments

As the conversation draws to a close, Chloe provides some of the most practical advice of the episode, particularly around the operational side of inclusive hiring. She acknowledges that in fast-moving environments like FinTech, the pressure to fill roles quickly can sometimes lead recruiters to opt for the “easy win”, the candidate who fits the mould and is ready to go.

To combat this, Chloe has pushed for structural changes that give her recruiters more time and space to do inclusive sourcing properly. That means re-evaluating the entire recruitment process, from who is involved in interviews to how candidate success is assessed. It also means investing in training to mitigate bias and encouraging hiring managers to engage in honest conversations about what they’re looking for in a hire.

This isn’t just lip service. The fact that Checkout.com achieved nearly 50% gender-balanced hiring in one year is a clear sign that their processes are working. They’re taking the time to find diverse talent, support them through the process, and build a brand that reflects their values.

For clients in the FinTech recruitment space, this episode is a reminder that real inclusion requires structural commitment, not just good intentions. At Harrington Starr, we support our clients by helping them design and implement recruitment strategies that align with their DEIB goals without sacrificing speed or quality.

Why FinTech Must Walk the Talk on Inclusion

This episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions is more than just a spotlight on an inspiring leader; it’s a practical guide for companies that want to do better. Chloe Seeley brings a powerful combination of strategic insight, lived experience, and operational know-how that makes her an invaluable voice in the ongoing conversation about diversity in FinTech.

As Nadia concludes the podcast, she reflects on the importance of challenging the status quo, especially when it comes to assumptions around hiring, promotions, and workplace interactions. Inclusion, she notes, is everyone’s responsibility, and Chloe’s story proves that when you commit to doing the work, the results follow.

At Harrington Starr, our mission as a FinTech recruitment business is to help our clients and candidates thrive by building teams that reflect the diverse world we live in. This conversation with Chloe Seeley reinforces our belief that the future of FinTech is inclusive, and it’s up to all of us to walk the talk.

If your organisation is ready to transform its approach to talent acquisition, listen to this episode and take notes. The insights shared are not just relevant, they’re essential for any company looking to lead in the evolving FinTech landscape.