Female Executive in Fintech Talks: TopFX's Maria Meramveliotaki on Sex Differences in Leadership - Being A Good Leader Is not A Matter of Gender

It appears that men and women really are different in characteristics, values, judgements, and more other things as a result of both nature and nurture. The differences between the two sexes mean that men and women are generally better at different things. That's why there are male- and female-dominated occupations and industries.

But does this suggest that men will certainly outperform women in a male-dominated industry, or women outperform men in a female-dominated one? Obviously not, since there are a large number of women who have a proven track record of driving strategic growth and operational excellence in many men-dominated industries, such as the fintech industry, and vice versa.

Fazzaco has recently planned and implemented an event to look at women's energy and contribution to the fintech sector. 

Maria Meramveliotaki got into the finance industry by working as a Senior Content Writer at TopFX, a prime broker with over 10 years of presence in the FX & CFD industry, in 2017. After a short time span of one and a half years, she was promoted as the brokerage firm's Head of Marketing. Maria is currently responsible for directing all marketing activities for TopFX for both the institutional and retail offering.

Today, we sit down with Maria and discuss multiple topics including the gender differences in leadership styles.

​Fazzaco: Hi Maria! Thanks for joining us at Fazzaco today! Could you please share with us your experience so far as Head of Marketing at TopFX?

Maria: Hello and thanks for having me. I joined TopFX about 4 ½ years ago and both the company and I have grown in so many different ways since then. At the time I entered, TopFX was primarily focused on institutional FX. The last 2 years however, we have expanded our offering to serve all clients. The marketing team has worked hard to establish new websites, create our retail brand identity and penetrate local markets. We aim to provide the best possible customer experience because this is how we retain existing clients, increase LCV and attract new prospects. Due to the Forex industry being a mature one, it is hard to reinvent the wheel. Most marketing strategies being deployed have already been used before and the competition is harsh. However, you can always be exceptional at what you do. You don't need to settle for mediocrity and you don't need to let the financial industry restrictions kill your creativity. All great projects begin from uncompromising minds.

Fazzaco: What are the main challenges when expanding different markets as a Marketing Executive?

Maria: The industry, particularly outside Europe, is still very much reliant on Introducing Brokers and network building. Our challenge in the marketing front is to understand the cultural differences of each region and create offers that make us competitive in an already crowded market. This is why at TopFX, we focus on brand building for the particular local market and secondly on practical elements that optimise the client experience. Effective market penetration is a collaborative effort that's why marketing can never stop in mere advertising; it has to be a holistic experience ranging from the way you speak to a certain audience to your onboarding process, transactions' smoothness etc.

Fazzaco: In your opinion, what skills are the most important for women to stay competitive in a men-dominated region, such as the finance industry?

Maria: When you know what you are doing, it doesn't matter if you are a woman in a male dominated industry or a man in a female dominated industry. Just know your objectives and implement strategic planning at every step of the journey. We can't let stereotypes dictate our future.

Fazzaco: What trends are you currently seeing in the forex industry?

Maria: I see the need for quality education by traders. At TopFX, we invest a lot in webinars, seminars and have recently launched our exclusive market analysis section. Traders' demand for quality education has been steady over the last few years and today's trader is much more informed than before.

We are constantly upping the game with better services and better customer experience. Actually, "good" is not good enough anymore, you have to be exceptional.

Fazzaco: Do you have any female role model that has always been inspiring you over the years?

Maria: I have no role models as such. I am primarily motivated by values and not necessarily individuals. So what inspires me is building a project from scratch and morphing it into something that adds value to the world. I am motivated by integrity, innovation and the achievement of goals I set.

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

Maria: I love spending time with my daughter and going out with friends. I also practice meditation and have recently started yoga.

Fazzaco: What advice would you give to girls and young women who want to get into the finance industry?

Maria: My advice would be to know why they want to enter the industry, because it sounds like a cool job to have isn't a good enough incentive. What do you want to offer to this industry?  How can you use your skills to provide value? The financial industry has on average higher salaries than other industries in Cyprus and we all need money but still,  this shouldn't be your only reason to consider it.

Also, my advice for women would be to never hold back because it is easier to do so. Girls are nurturing and receptive by nature. We are also taught to accommodate other people's needs before our own. In a professional environment, go all in and claim what you deserve.

Fazzaco: As a minority female leader, what is the major differences between men's and women's perspectives when making a strategic decision？

Maria: I believe that women have some very strong attributes like receptivity, empathy &  good intuition which are part of their female nature. But we also possess grit, strength and tenacity. Compared to men, women leaders might be more risk averse and need more evidence to support a strategic change. However, being a good leader is not a matter of gender, neither is the ability to make tough decisions.