DEI PAY360 Special Episode
02 May, 2025
Driving Inclusion Through Tangible Action in FinTech
In this illuminating episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions, recorded live at Pay360 2025, host Nadia sits down with Helen Owen, VP of Marketing at BR-DGE, for an honest, passionate, and insightful conversation about workplace inclusion, resilience, community, and leadership in the payments and wider FinTech industry.
As a FinTech recruitment business, Harrington Starr is deeply invested in promoting inclusion across the sector — not just through the candidates we place, but also through the insights we share with our clients and the industry at large. This episode is a timely reminder that inclusion doesn’t just happen. It’s built through action — small and large — and requires commitment from every level of an organisation. Helen’s candid reflections and practical advice offer real value for FinTech leaders, hiring managers, and job seekers alike.
Career Progression in FinTech: Finding Purpose Through Freelancing and Leadership
Helen Owen’s journey to becoming a senior marketing leader in FinTech has spanned over 25 years in marketing and nearly two decades in the payments space. Her entry into payments came during her time at First Data, and since then, her career has seen her take on multiple transformative roles across different companies.
A key part of Helen’s journey was her decade as a freelancer, a time she describes as a privilege that enabled her to explore a variety of businesses and roles. This experience helped her discover her “sweet spot” — the intersection of marketing expertise and the rapidly evolving FinTech and payments sector. It also exposed her to different work cultures, leadership styles, and operational models — all of which shaped her inclusive, people-centred approach to leadership.
Today, as VP of Marketing at BR-DGE, Helen plays a vital role in guiding startups and scale-ups through growth and transformation. Her journey highlights the varied paths that can lead to senior positions in the financial technology space and reinforces the importance of supporting talent throughout all stages of their careers — a cornerstone of Harrington Starr’s work in FinTech recruitment.
The Power of Community in the FinTech Industry
Much of Helen’s DEI work stems from her active involvement in industry communities, particularly the European Women Payments Network (EWPN). Her relationship with EWPN began during her freelancing years, when she worked with Nadja Van der Veer, one of the organisation’s co-founders. From there, Helen became a Goodwill Ambassador, then UK Country Ambassador, and is now serving as co-chair of EWPN’s 2025 annual conference in Amsterdam.
This leadership role gives Helen the opportunity to shape the conference agenda, curate speaker line-ups, and ensure that the most relevant and underrepresented topics are brought to the stage. For the upcoming event, the core focus will be on financial education and financial inclusion — two critical elements in building a more equitable financial services sector.
Helen emphasises that being able to use her skills in marketing and communications to serve a mission she deeply cares about is what makes her involvement with EWPN especially meaningful. It reflects a wider truth about FinTech: when leaders are passionate about inclusion and have the opportunity to act on that passion, real change is possible.
Challenges in the Payments Industry and FinTech Job Market
Helen and Nadia dive into the very real challenges facing the FinTech job market in 2025 — an area where we at Harrington Starr have observed significant disruption and change. Helen offers a clear-eyed view of the landscape, highlighting how economic caution, funding issues, and market fragmentation have created a difficult environment for both jobseekers and employers.
For candidates, particularly those trying to break into or progress within the payments and FinTech space, the job market is highly competitive. Roles are scarce, application processes are longer, and resilience is a must. On the employer side, Helen points out that companies are often overwhelmed by high application volumes, which can make it challenging to identify the best fit — even when exceptional candidates are applying.
This dual challenge — of too many applications and not enough open roles — is affecting hiring quality and career development alike. Helen describes how many individuals in the sector are being stretched thin, taking on additional responsibilities without corresponding increases in support, resources, or opportunities. This pressure can be demoralising, particularly for those trying to build or rebuild their careers.
The key takeaway for FinTech recruitment firms and employers? We need to approach hiring and talent support with empathy and intention, understanding the complex realities professionals face in today’s job market.
Small Acts, Big Impact: Supporting Inclusion Through Community
One of the most powerful elements of this episode is Helen’s emphasis on the power of small, consistent actions to drive inclusion. From boosting someone’s post on LinkedIn to making an introduction or suggesting a candidate for a role, Helen illustrates how everyone — regardless of title or seniority — can contribute meaningfully to someone else’s career journey.
She shares how, after facing a difficult patch in her own career, she’s now in a position to give back and is actively paying it forward. Whether it’s sharing opportunities, elevating others online, or simply listening to their stories, Helen is committed to using her platform to support others in the industry.
This concept of “community as a career catalyst” aligns perfectly with the work Harrington Starr does in FinTech staffing. We often see how networks, connections, and referrals lead to new opportunities and long-term success. Helen’s story is a reminder that supporting others doesn’t require a formal initiative — it can start with a comment, a share, or a kind word.
Inclusion in FinTech: More Than a Buzzword
When asked what inclusion, equity, and equality mean to her, Helen delivers a thoughtful and layered response. She defines inclusion as bringing as many diverse perspectives, personalities, and backgrounds to the table as possible. Without this, the sector will struggle to truly innovate or serve its full range of customers.
Helen references Project Nemo, which made a major impression at the recent MPE conference by showcasing the lived experiences of people with visible and invisible disabilities. Their work, which highlighted the barriers many individuals face in accessing basic financial services, created impactful “aha” moments for attendees. It’s a powerful example of how storytelling and visibility can shift mindsets and drive change.
Inclusion, as Helen sees it, must be about more than regulation or minimum standards. FinTech companies should not aim to simply “tick the compliance box.” Instead, they should strive to go beyond it, embedding inclusion into their culture, practices, and strategies.
As a FinTech recruitment agency, this insight is invaluable. It reinforces our mission at Harrington Starr: helping companies see that inclusion is not a separate initiative, but a lens through which all hiring and leadership decisions should be made.
Practical Steps for Driving Equity in FinTech Hiring
Helen is a strong advocate for tangible, practical inclusion, especially within the workplace. She encourages professionals at all levels to take responsibility for creating more equitable environments, emphasising that you don’t need to be in the C-suite to make a difference.
One of her top recommendations? Listen. Whether you’re a CEO or a new joiner, the act of asking thoughtful questions and truly hearing the answers is where inclusion begins. While staff surveys can be helpful, Helen cautions against relying on them as a tick-box exercise. Instead, she advises organisations to seek out meaningful data, understand where diversity gaps exist, and take action based on that intelligence.
Moreover, she urges companies to start small — rather than attempting sweeping changes that may be difficult to sustain, organisations should focus on doing a few things well. Over time, these initiatives can become part of the culture and lead to larger-scale transformation.
For recruitment companies like Harrington Starr, Helen’s advice reinforces our belief in strategic, incremental change. Whether it’s diversifying shortlists, redesigning interview processes, or advising clients on inclusive job descriptions, we know that even small shifts can have lasting impact.
How FinTech Professionals Can Support Career Progression in Others
Helen’s reflections on career support are some of the most inspiring moments in the podcast. She highlights the fact that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility, not just HR’s or leadership’s. Whether you’re endorsing someone’s work online, putting forward their name for a new opportunity, or offering mentorship, your support can shape someone’s journey.
She notes how often professionals are squeezed on both sides: increased workload on one end, and limited growth opportunities on the other. In such an environment, it’s even more crucial to create structures of support and visibility for emerging talent.
Helen herself continues to offer that support through her engagement with industry communities like EWPN and Women in FinTech. Her leadership by example demonstrates how generosity, advocacy, and empathy can become everyday workplace practices — not just talking points at diversity panels.
Inclusion Starts With Us: A Shared Responsibility Across FinTech
As the episode wraps up, Nadia asks Helen one final question: what can each of us do to make our workplaces more inclusive?
Helen’s answer is both simple and profound: ask questions, listen to the responses, and then act. She urges companies to go beyond compliance and instead seek real understanding of the people within their teams — their identities, challenges, and aspirations.
Importantly, she notes that action must follow listening. Gathering insights from staff and then failing to act on them can be damaging to morale and trust. Starting small, being consistent, and building from those small wins is the most effective way to create lasting cultural change.
For FinTech recruiters, this wisdom offers a roadmap: the future of hiring isn’t just about finding the best technical skills. It’s about understanding people, building diverse teams, and helping companies cultivate inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.
Conclusion: Inclusion in FinTech Must Be More Than a Mission Statement
This episode of FinTech’s DEI Discussions with Helen Owen, recorded at Pay360 2025, is more than just a conversation — it’s a call to action for anyone working in or hiring for the FinTech sector.
From her rich professional experience to her advocacy work with EWPN, Helen offers practical, heartfelt advice on how to build a more inclusive financial technology industry. Her insights on leadership, community, and everyday inclusion reflect the values we hold at Harrington Starr as a FinTech recruitment business.
For FinTech companies aiming to thrive in a competitive market, prioritising inclusion is not optional — it’s essential. And for candidates navigating their careers, knowing that there are leaders like Helen who are willing to listen, support, and advocate makes all the difference.
