Female Executive in Fintech Talks: FINXFLO’s Anca Ioana Ionescu - Never Allow Something So Natural As Gender to Stop You from Pursuing the Right Career

From our talk with her, only once though, it's obvious that Anca Ioana Ionescu is the kind of leader who is well-read and wise, speaks softly but perceptively, and respects all her people, male or female.

Anca joined FINXFLO as Head of HR & Talent Acquisition 6 months ago. She has deep experience in human resources management in the finance industry. This interview with Anca involves multiple topics on women in the male-dominated finance industry. Full interview details appear below.

Fazzaco: Tell us something about yourself that's not on your resume.

Anca: I read books ( loads of them), I design Feng Shui spaces and I paint very chance I've got.

Fazzaco: What are the anticipated stories that led you to your current profession?

Anca: My journey into HR started 25 years ago when I have discovered how Leadership Training for employees, applied strategically, had the ability to take a Company from barely breaking even to thriving in less than 2 years. My transition into my current profession was not planned, but it came as a natural manifestation of understanding the power of understanding people. Businesses are run by people and therefore the challenge for me was to be able to combine the strategy of the business with the way I approach my staff. It is fascinating to witness employees' professional growth and their personal change over time, and the impact it has on the bottom line. 

Fazzaco: As a female leader, do you think it's a challenge to get into the majority-male finance industry?

Anca: I have personally never allowed something so natural and trivial as my gender to stop me from what I felt it is right to pursue as a career. I discovered that I could do carpentry work with the same soft hands I'm caressing my child's forehead. I do not believe it is a challenge to get in the game of a male dominated industry. I believe it is an artform to stay and play the game without losing your mission and your feminine power. I never tried to "harden" my approach during a meeting with my male colleagues. I believe male dominated boardrooms need a feminine voice. Or more.

Fazzaco: Reportedly, the first year of the pandemic knocked 54 million women around the world out of work. Of the women who lost jobs in 2020, almost 90 percent exited the labor force completely, compared with around 70 percent of men. As an experienced female leader, what's your advice for those women who are striving for excellence in the workplace?

Anca: Women have always had multiple roles and sort of strove to achieve excellence in everything they do, from building a career to nurturing their family and keeping the shop up and running 24/7. Life happens to all of us. Sometimes we need a break from our careers to balance our personal lives. Sometimes we need time to mend relationships that are vital for us. Sometimes we just need more "me" time. And if this break comes in the form of a pandemic, or in a form of a sickness of a loved one or even a personal health challenge, it is time to see it as an opportunity to regroup and refresh our inner strength. Our second to none intuition will always guide us through challenging times and we will be able to serve others with excellence after we learned how to serve ourselves and give ourselves a bit of love.

Fazzaco: As a minority female leader, have you found any differences between men's and women's perspectives when making a strategic decision or a decision related to profession?  

Anca: Gender differences in leadership effectiveness are usually not aligned with gender differences in leadership emergence. And research showed us over and over again that the prevalence of male senior leaders is not a product of superior leadership talent in men. It is obvious, however, that both genders have their strengths when leading. The challenge is the capacity to validate the other half and respect their natural competencies. I would encourage decisions makers to focus only on talent and potential when choosing their senior leadership team & to strive to form a gender – equal leadership team, if they want their business to succeed.

Fazzaco: Could you give some advice on how to improve career development in an organization?

Anca: Know your people to their core: who they are, what they love doing, where they want to go, how fast they want to get there, what challenges them, what scares them, what motivates them. And then give them the tools, the guidance & the right opportunities to do just that. By mirroring their intrinsic motivators and staging the best environment for them to grow in, you have improved your people, their careers and you probably tripled your profits in the process.  

Fazzaco: Tell us your secrets to balancing work and personal life.

Anca: There is no secret. My personal philosophy is: find out what you love doing ( career/ business) , find out who are the people you love to have around you ( family, partners, friends)  and how you love spending your personal alone time ( hobbies). And then just go through the day doing what you love, loving who you love and loving yourself. There is no separation.

Fazzaco: What do you want to achieve this year?

Anca: 22 new books to read ( or finish reading) . Embracing at least 9 new good habits. Rescuing and training a puppy. Getting a certificate in something that I'm not professing in.