At Hello Clever, we work on celebrating the talented women in our team all year round, but naturally, International Women’s Day calls for something just a little extra.

In past years, we’ve taken massive strides with core policy introductions like paid menstrual leave, and ensuring team members on parental leave don’t miss out on superannuation. The flow-on effect from these initiatives has been incredibly positive, so we’re keeping that momentum up.

In 2026, we’re looking inward. Hello Clever has an incredible female CEO in Caroline Tran, and 50% of our senior leadership roles are filled by women who come from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds. This diversity of experience has always been a strength of ours, and it shows in our approach to growth, development and responsibility.

But let’s be brutally honest. That kind of representation level is disappointingly rare in fintech, with a 2024 study from the University of Manchester finding that just 4% of CEOs and 18% of executive committee members in fintech are women. For a disruptive industry, there’s still a long way to go in disrupting that status quo.

This year, we worked to identify the biggest barriers that women in our team had to overcome in order to rise up the ranks. From pay gaps to social stigma, it came as no surprise to learn that often the path was paved with a series of institutionalised hurdles.

We’re calling them the ‘hidden fees’ of becoming a female leader in fintech. Think unpaid domestic labour, the “pink tax” on professional development, and the 50 extra days worked to match male pay.

The biggest hidden fee of all? Access; to resources, funding, support. Access to mentors who know exactly what it’s like to function as a woman in the industry, and to the tools that helped them get there in the first place.

So that’s exactly what we’re going to provide.

Introducing the Access Allowance

One of the most important things a leader can do is recognise that there’s always more to learn. Whether it’s your first gig out of school or your tenth, professional development and up-skilling can go a long way in accelerating your path towards leadership.

That’s why we’re introducing an annual Access Allowance, designed to give the women in our team access to important leadership training and skill-building courses in-office (without having to crack open their wallets).

From March 9, 2026, female members of the Hello Clever team will be granted $2000 each year to spend on professional development courses of their own choosing, providing ample opportunity to up-skill and empowering them to ditch some of the barriers that have been blocking the way.

This means our team won’t be stuck wishing there were more hours in the day, or more dollars to stretch towards professional goals. Instead, they can spend that energy where it has the most valuable impact on their goals, skills and ambitions.

“In fintech, we focus on removing friction and hidden fees for our users, yet we often overlook the ‘hidden fees’ women face in their own career progression. This $2,000 Access Allowance is a direct investment in our team’s future. Our goal is to ensure that at Hello Clever, your growth is determined by your ambition rather than your access to professional resources.”

Caroline Tran

Our commitment to the women in our team is simple: We refuse to gate-keep when it comes to learning and leadership. We’re also committed to sharing our existing knowledge, with weekly Clever Learning sessions that give all members of the team a chance to provide insight, education and ideas to the wider group, no matter their rank or tenure.

Oh, and that’s not all

With a renewed focus on learning and an eagerness for expansion, we’re upping our own numbers in 2026.

Over the past month, we’ve had the great privilege of welcoming two new talents to our growing leadership team: Alex Thompson as our new Head of Marketing, and Keira Kwek as Global Head of Compliance.

Both Alex and Keira have joined us at a pivotal time. With ambitious goals for 2026, we sought out formidable, innovative thinkers that would grow alongside us as we usher Hello Clever into its next era of success.

At just a few weeks in, Alex has already made an impact, breathing new energy into the Marketing team and opening up a dialogue with other departments to ensure every new product, process or person is given their due.

Coming to us from a background spanning FMCG Unilever to Australian unicorn Immutable, Alex’s experience in brand building and disruptive start-ups means she’s perfectly positioned to shake things up, Hello Clever style. Whether adding support by way of structure, or value by way of experience, we’re keen to see what she turns her hand to next.

“It’s been a huge privilege to join Hello Clever and work with such a dynamic team,” she said. “I’m so excited to see how we grow, and what we can build together in the months to come.”

Meanwhile, with a strong background in finance and a knack for analysis, Keira is a highly experienced Team Lead whose skill-set and approach have made her an invaluable asset already. As Global Head of Compliance, her duty is to ensure that everything stays by the book as we scale internationally and reach new markets and currencies. It’s a big gig, but we’re confident it’s in safe hands.

“I’m thrilled to join Hello Clever as Head of Compliance, supporting responsible growth where innovation and trust scale together,” she said. “It’s been amazing to be surrounded by brilliant minds and in an environment where people actively support your success.”

Happy International Women’s Day

We’re not the type to rest on our laurels, and there’s still a long journey ahead when it comes to equality in this industry. But if providing this access eases the financial and social stress of even one future female leader, we reckon that makes it worthwhile.

Whether it’s ditching hidden fees, forging new access pathways, or adding wildly talented Clever Humans to our roster, Hello Clever is working to rewire what fintech expects of women.

Just wait ‘til you see what we come up with next year.

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