As noted by SWIFT, FinTech is revolutionising the financial services landscape at breakneck speed. It is a global phenomenon, with cities such as Paris, Singapore, Nairobi, Jerusalem and Sydney becoming FinTech hubs, and joining the established hotspots of London, San Francisco and New York.

And while technology and business models are changing fast, the issue of gender diversity – particularly at senior leadership levels – is still lagging behind.  A Financial News analysis reveals that, of the 20 European FinTech companies that received the largest venture capital investments in 2014, none had a female chief executive.

In 2014, the Digital Finance Institute partnered with SWIFT’s innovation arm, Innotribe and with Sam Maule from Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group to research, write and publish findings on this topic in a new research paper: “The Power Women in FinTech Index, bridging the Gender Gap.”

The paper draws upon existing research to highlight the reality of today’s situation in FinTech, and it provides recommendations to achieve and accelerate greater gender balance within the industry.

The paper was launched at Digital Finance 2015, the first Canadian FinTech conference, in Vancouver. It can be downloaded and is a compelling read for anyone involved in the financial industry.

The question for the FinTech community on gender diversity is ‘if not now, when?’