Promoting equality in crypto and finance — Interview with OANDA

cointelegraph.com:

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, it is important to highlight the achievements and contributions of women in various industries, including finance. In this interview, Jessica Beckstead, managing director, North America, and CEO, US, shares her experiences and insights on gender equality in the sector.

Her advice for women starting out in finance and her efforts to promote more equality and acceptance across the financial sector are particularly relevant on this day as the world celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while also recognizing the work that still needs to be done toward gender equality.

It all started when I was in college studying international politics and economics. I began day trading. I found it really exciting, so I made the decision to go into finance and trading, but the stock market didn’t really appeal to me — I wanted a more global view. In 2004, I started as a sales trader at FXCM and began to work my way up, eventually to managing director and CEO of FXCM Australia before joining OANDA in September last year. My first role when I started as a sales trader was covering Asian markets, so my hours were from 2:00 pm until 2:00 am, which wasn’t a great way to meet people in a new city, but we all have to start somewhere. It was amazing for me to be able to follow a passion and combine that with what I learned in college.

Find a female mentor that’s already in the space who can guide and lead you through some of the hurdles that you’re going to face and give you a sense of what you’re up against. There are so many organizations now that are dedicated to women in tech and finance, so that would be my advice to anyone starting out. You see that female