Women in fintech, how are they shaping the future?

In this special episode of Good Question, we kick off a new series spotlighting women in fintech risk and leadership with an empowering conversation featuring Camilla Matias, COO at Brex, and Angela Apinyavat, Head of Customer Success at Inscribe. Hosted by Bri Valleskey, Head of Marketing at Inscribe, the episode dives into Camilla and Angela’s unique journeys into fintech, their rise through leadership ranks, and the biases they’ve overcome along the way. 

They share candid reflections on navigating imposter syndrome, advocating for themselves, and building high-impact careers in a fast-moving industry shaped by AI. With practical advice on decision-making, self-promotion, and doubling down on your strengths, this episode offers a powerful message for women aiming to lead in fintech—and the allies who want to support them.

Fintech origin stories ‍

Camilla didn’t start in fintech; instead, she began in private equity and then joined Kraft Heinz before making the leap to Brex. What pulled her into the startup world was the opportunity to work with impressive founders and leaders, even before Brex was a household name.

“I didn’t know where the company was going,” Camilla shared, “but I knew I wanted to work and learn from those people.”

Angela’s entry into fintech was similarly serendipitous. After meeting Inscribe’s co-founders, she was drawn to the company’s mission and the strong team behind it. What’s kept her in fintech? The pace of innovation and the opportunity to be part of an industry leaning into AI faster than most.

Climbing the fintech leadership ladder

‍Both Camilla and Angela talked candidly about what it takes to grow into leadership, especially within rapidly scaling companies. Camilla has grown with Brex, evolving her role as the company matured and emphasizing the importance of adaptability and self-belief.

“You have to be willing to bet on yourself—to say ‘yes’ to things you haven’t done before, then prove you can do them,” she said.

Angela spoke to the challenges of imposter syndrome and the importance of advocating for yourself, especially as a woman of color in an industry where leadership representation is still limited.

Facing bias and rewriting the narrative

‍The conversation tackled some of the key biases women face in leadership:

• Being seen as “aggressive” rather than assertive
• Assumptions about motherhood limiting long-term commitment
• Double standards around visibility and self-promotion

Camilla emphasized the need for women leaders to be visible and vocal, not just for their own growth, but to support the next generation.

“If we don’t put our face out there, we’re doing a disservice to the community,” she said.

Angela echoed the need for allyship and uplifting others: “I’m always calling out the good work of those around me, especially folks who might not always be in the spotlight.”

Key skills for women rising in fintech‍

The group explored what it really takes to succeed in fintech leadership. Their top recommendations included:

• Build decision-making frameworks so you can act confidently, even without perfect information.
• Invest in your strengths, not just shoring up weaknesses.
• Develop a risk mindset: study what went wrong for others to become a stronger operator.
• Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and take ownership of high-impact decisions.
  
  

Camilla’s advice? “Don’t get lost trying to be average at everything. Double down on what makes you special.”

AI, adaptability, and what's next

 When it comes to staying adaptable, the group highlighted curiosity, hands-on experimentation, and a growth mindset. At Brex, Camilla carves out time to personally test AI tools and encourages her team to do the same.

From internal chatbots to customer-facing assistants, Brex is already using AI to streamline operations: from matching receipts to meetings, to automating reimbursements at scale.

At Inscribe, AI agents help with document fraud detection, web-based corroboration, and simplifying the work of compliance teams.

Final advice for women in fintech

• Camilla: “Be yourself. Invest in your strengths. You grow by being exceptional at something, not by being average at everything.”
• Angela: “Put yourself first. Advocate for yourself. Build skills and trust by delivering results.”
• Bri: “Don’t give up. Every step forward you take makes it easier for the next woman behind you.”

Sources cited 

• Women’s Leadership in Fintech: Cross-Country Evidence
• 50 Female Leadership Facts & Statistics [2025]

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