Female Executive in Fintech Talks: Elena Krutova, Global HR Head at Exness - A Diverse Workplace is Where Differences are Respected

What Elena impressed us the most as Fazzaco contacted her was her professional ethics and executive force. We believed that as the global HR head of Exness, a world renowned broker, Elena would have little time for us because her schedule would be fully packed. Astonishingly, she still managed to make time for us, and presented this interview of high quality with us.

In the interview, Elena shared her profound opinions on a number of women-related topics.

Fazzaco: Hi Elena! Thanks for joining us at Fazzaco today! How's everything?

Elena: First of all, I want to thank Fazzaco for this opportunity to talk about important things. Everything is going really well, Exness is growing fast and my team is working hard to meet expectations. 2022 is "year of the people" in Exness, so my team and I will be busier than ever, ensuring that our people are at the top of the business.

Fazzaco: Which female is your role model that has always been inspiring you over the years?

Elena: There are many wonderful women in the business world and many of them are very inspiring. Nowadays, women have all the chances to embrace opportunities and moreover, to support other women.

For me personally, the most important women are those who surround me on a daily basis: my manager, my colleagues, my teammates. I see how hard it is for them to balance their job priorities, family obligations and time for themselves. And they are doing their best to keep their female identity at the same time.

I am very thankful to my first manager who showed me HR the way it should be. I am very lucky to have our COO as my manager, who teaches me not to give up and to always strive for the best. I do not believe that any public person can have the same influence on us as the people around us. Finally, true honesty and integrity are not in public speeches at global conferences, but in our daily job where we are called to make the right choices.

Fazzaco: Tell us about the story that led you to your current position.

Elena: My story started almost twenty years ago when I made the choice to study HR. And every day I find the topic of people even more fascinating. I truly believe that successful businesses are built around and for people, therefore the role of HR and leadership will only continue to grow over the years.

Before Exness I had a number of positions in global companies in Moscow: my roles had covered recruitment, general HR, and work with business leaders. One day, as the story goes, I wished to find a job abroad, in a different culture and better climate. You know, if you dream of the right things, they will happen. So, Exness appeared in my life, and I am very happy that I made the choice to join it.

Four years later, I have held different roles in Exness: first I managed a talent acquisition team, then I was heading the Cyprus HR team and since last year my team has been responsible for all people-related topics in Exness. Yes, this is a challenging role and a huge responsibility, but I never let other people down and I try to do my best every day.

Fazzaco: Reportedly, the first Covid year knocked 54 million women around the world out of work. Of the women who lost jobs, almost 90 percent went completely unemployed ever since, compared with 70 percent of men. As an experienced female leader and Global Head of HR at Exness , what's your advice for those women who are striving for excellence in the workplace, and those who are out of job, especially in the financial business?

Elena: I agree that the pandemic has had a huge impact on the business environment, and it is a sad truth that many people lost their jobs. It has not been easy for working people (regardless of gender) - they experienced increased pressure on multiple fronts, many families suffered from Covid, and home schooling was another challenge families experienced.

The pandemic changed everything, however it was not necessarily the end of the world for those who lost their jobs. New opportunities appeared: online shopping, delivery services, and other digital businesses grew very fast during the pandemic and such businesses always need good people. Professionalism is always demanded, and skillful experts are always in shortage.

And for everyone my advice is simple: never give up, life is full of opportunities and we just need to be open to them. Our families, our health, our own well-being - these things matter the most, and by remembering this we can always make our lives better.

Fazzaco: You had some impressive points in a LinkedIn post about work life balance. For women, especially those who have little kids at home, it is particularly difficult to achieve an ideal state of equilibrium. What is your advice for them?

Elena: Yes, it is a huge delusion that working from home with your kids around will help you establish the right balance. In reality, every woman has to manage two jobs simultaneously: to perform her own tasks and to take care of her kids. And probably to cook lunch and dinner while having a conference call.

I have a child, a wonderful, intelligent daughter, and I cannot work with full attention when she is around. My husband helps me a lot and we share the responsibility (and pleasure) of taking care of our child. So my main and only advice: everyone should have enough support to handle all their duties well. There is no such thing as a "woman's obligation to take care of the family". Every family member should take care of the family, and only then can we have a healthy balance.

Many employers, including Exness, are more mindful now: we offer flexible schedules, kindergarten programs, in some rare cases you can even bring your child to work (of course, if this will not disturb others). And I call for every employer to add even more flexibility to work conditions.

Fazzaco: You are managing a global team, have you noticed any difference in workplace among women from different countries?

Elena: Cultural differences do play a part in the workplace: in the HR team we have people from more than ten nationalities, with different backgrounds and cultures. From one side, it is not easy to manage such a diverse team, when we are so different in the ways we see the world. When my Asian colleagues are silent, it only means that they need a bit more time to express their concerns; when my Russian colleagues say "no", it does not mean we are rude, it only means that we disagree. Acknowledging diversity helps us to be more mindful of why other people act a certain way and be a bit more efficient in working with each other.

In a female environment, culture influences even more: girls are taught to behave, not to express their feelings and not to argue when they disagree. In some cultures, these traditions are very strong, and women suffer in business later trying to be assertive and not to break the unwritten rules of female behavior. Finding the balance is not always easy, but I am sure that by being "gentle" many women can achieve more than if they were to shout their opinion out loud all the time.

Finally, the diverse environment means that we respect each other's differences: gender, cultural, professional or age-related. If we share common goals, it does not matter from which culture we are. The only thing that matters is our desire to make this world a better place.

Fazzaco: Do you think it is a challenge to get into a male-dominated region, such as the finance industry, as a female?

Elena: Exness is a unique company in many senses, our COO is a very intelligent woman, and we have quite a few female leaders in our leadership team. It is true that many traditional companies in the finance industry are struggling to find gender balance. As a result, official KPIs to have women on the board of directors are established, or there are rules created to have female candidates for every position.

This looks very superficial to me. Instead of following formal KPIs and later leaving women without a voice, companies should focus on real professional expertise. You trust a female doctor, or female teacher, so why is the corporate environment any different?

In Exness we care about expertise and ethical behavior only. If we have a good candidate for any role, it is not important if it is a female or not: we will do our best to select the best possible experience for us. Only by leading by example and focusing on professional qualities can we build a healthy business environment and be role models for others.

Fazzaco: How do you usually enjoy your time when not working?

Elena: I study a lot. I do a number of online courses, and also attend classes for an Executive Master in Change program, and regularly read leadership literature. I also write articles and case studies to explore more topics I like.

Then of course, I spend time with my family. We go out, travel, or just watch movies. We call it "quality time" when nothing else matters but the family.

Lastly, I save some time for myself. I like crocheting and can spend hours making a quilt or a new dress for my daughter.