Quote: “One thing we can start with as women, is being nicer to each other and to support each other. We need to change the pictures in our heads first. How can we change the picture in men’s heads if we don’t change ours first?”

“I think as leaders, we are not only there for targets but to support, motivate and empower our employees.”

#diversity #femaleleaders #leadership #technology #finance #womeninfinance #Visa #D&I #gendergap

In the sixth episode of the Leaders Talk podcast, host Mahdis Gharaei is joined by Stefanie Ahammer, the Country Director of Visa in Austria. Stefanie reveals her superpower, the benefits of supportive mentors and struggles she has experienced in her leadership career. She shares with us her passion for innovation in the financial sector and providing services that work to connect tech, finance and people all together, so that people can pay and get paid wherever they are in the world. She reveals her mantra of “clarity before harmony” and how this helps her perform her role successfully. Additionally, Stefanie walks us through her journey of overcoming self doubt and self consciousness to become a confident leader and what more we can do to change the images we have in our heads of certain sectors being male dominated. She also openly discusses her experience of motherhood and the support she received from Visa, including the story of finding out she was pregnant just two weeks after being offered her current position as Country Director.

Stefanie Ahammer: Stefanie Ahammer is the country director of Visa in Austria. Stefanie has held various leadership positions in the financial service industry for over 12 years. Before joining Visa in 2019 and moving to Vienna, she worked at American Express in Germany for 10 years. She is passionate about driving online payments, contactless payment and other financial innovations forward in Austria.

Mahdis Gharaei: Mahdis is the cofounder and co-ceo of the global career and HR platform the female factor. Prior to that she was the youngest and only female general manager of an airline in Austria & Germany. She’s a passionate diversity advocate, business woman and opportunity maker by heart. Her TEDxtalk around female leadership in business has been watched over 40.000 times.

About the female factor: The female factor is a global community for the next generation of female leaders, enabling them to get their seat at the table. The brand recently launched Europe’s first job platform connecting female job seekers with inclusive companies.

About Senate of Economy: As an independent business network, the SENATE OF ECONOMY is a driving force in shaping a sustainable society and a global eco-social market economy. We offer concrete and practice-oriented know-how for entrepreneurs and political decision-makers.

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This podcast is produced by PODLET.