Finastra is open: whoever you are, you are welcome!
It’s been a year since I made the move to Finastra, a growing company that provides a broad portfolio of financial services software. It is also building a platform for open innovation to accelerate collaboration in financial services, creating better experiences for people, businesses and communities.
My objective is to make Finastra the most inclusive employer in software, truly enabling our 9,000+ people to reach their full potential. I spoke to one of our team, Laura Benson, who is a Global Sales Training Specialist, to find out why she joined the Finastra family and what she thinks about working for the company.
Her positive experience started as soon as she arrived: “I remember my first day at Finastra. I had imagined a large company with lots of people, but no one really knowing each other. I pictured everyone wearing suits, with serious faces, and days full of meetings and project deadlines.
“Finastra really surprised me. It was a place full of opportunities, be it travelling to new places or settling into the right team. Not only this, but I’ve always felt connected at Finastra: I know what the bigger picture is and that I’m a part of it. We are encouraged to be individuals, playing to our own strengths – regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.”
London represents freedom to Laura: “Living in London is liberating in itself. But Finastra has also changed my perceptions about how large businesses operate in London – I thought it would be all about putting on a professional façade and adopting a persona, but I have found I can just be myself.”
Now that Laura has settled into her role, she believes strongly that she has made the right choice, not just because of the work she is involved with, but because she feels part of such an inclusive team.
“When I joined Finastra I knew I was joining one of the world’s leading fintechs, but I didn’t realise the special culture that I would become a part of,” she explains. “The collaboration and diversity in action is what sets us apart, bringing ideas to life and, most importantly, bringing us all together. You will find people from many different nationalities, with different religious beliefs, from all walks of life.”
Finastra’s open culture extends into giving people autonomy in their roles, Laura adds: “You are given the tools to do the work, but how you get there is up to you. It’s like being given a canvas then deciding yourself which art to produce. That’s something really special.
Like Laura, I’m convinced that the combination of our open culture, partnerships and customers, together with our open banking platform, will deliver meaningful success for all of us moving forward.
Sharon Doherty
Sharon is Finastra's Chief People Officer, as well as a mother, author and champion of equality and inclusion. Her mission is to empower people to achieve their goals and, together with them, create a culture that attracts and inspires Finastra's people to disrupt the sector.
