Imposter syndrome, or self-doubt, is something that we all experience in our lives and careers. But how can we turn this often negative experience into a positive one? Natasha Vernier believes you can make it your superpower and has used it to build her own business. Natasha is the co-founder and CEO of Cable, a financial crime compliance platform. Before founding Cable in 2020, Natasha was the Head of Financial Security at Monzo, the fastest-growing bank in UK history. In that role, she was...

Many expert women decide to take the plunge into entrepreneurship - but what are the realities of this decision? For today’s guest, Molly He, CEO and co-founder of Element Biosciences, it was never her dream, but something she saw as a means of pushing the groundbreaking scientific work she was doing forward. Molly grew up in an economically disadvantaged village in rural China. She studied hard while at the same time developing her skills as a professional sprinter. At the end of high...

This week on In Her Element, we're bringing you Fintech Files, a podcast from BCG Platinion. A show where we delve deep into the dynamic landscape of Fintech, NeoBanks, and the Digital Banking world, sparking insightful conversations with industry disruptors from around the globe. In this episode, we ask the question: “How many globally lack access to banking?” Astonishingly, one in three. In this insightful conversation, Vera Futorjanski, former Head of Communications at Rocket Internet and...

In this special episode, we’re taking you back to Season 2 for Suchi’s conversation with Professor Anjana Sursala, Professor of Responsible AI at Michigan State University - Eli Broad College of Business In this episode, she talks about her journey to becoming one of the leaders in her field, her work advocating for more inclusive AI models, and how she successfully juggled family and work during the pandemic. Anjana’s story is truly remarkable. After suffering financial hardship, Anjana’s...

Leadership puts you in the spotlight. Others will scrutinize everything you do, and you must challenge yourself to remain honest and authentic throughout. This is something that today’s guest, Emily Miner, learned by trial and error. Emily is Vice President of Partner Science and Business Operations at Starbucks Coffee Company. She started her career in the academic world as an anthropologist. However, an early career experience switched her on to the idea of large data sets being a force for...

A career in technology isn’t usually associated with flexibility. But Sharon Mandell, CIO of Juniper Networks has managed to carve out an incredible career that has allowed her to also spend time with her family. But how did she do this? Sharon almost became a professional ballet dancer but switched suddenly to a degree in computer science. Her father might not have been happy, but it was the start of a career that took her across several high-profile organizations and roles. Her advice to...

Adi Zolotov began her career in astrophysics as an academic but decided to broaden her horizons by transitioning to the private sector. In her current role as managing director and partner at BCG X, Adi focuses on building AI and digital solutions that unlock value and insights in aerospace, defense, and the public sector.  There have been many times in Adi’s career where she has been the only woman in the room. However, when faced with this situation now, she focuses on bringing her wealth...

We need more allies at all levels in tech. But what does allyship mean if you’re in a leadership role? Sometimes it’s about being honest and vulnerable. Bhavesh Dayalji is the CEO at Kensho Technologies, an artificial intelligence solutions provider. Bhavesh also has a second role - Chief AI Officer at S&P Global. So how does he balance all of this with his family life? Bhavesh says that it’s hard. The truth is, very few people find the right balance for them. But he’s learning and...

In this episode, we're excited to introduce our new co-host, Kamila Rakhimova, managing director, and partner at BCG. Kamila takes us on a journey from her native Tajikistan to the USA and through a career that she has mapped out on her terms. Every few years, Kamila gets the itch to try something new. Back in her home country, her proficiency in English and her qualifications in international relations made her an asset in her field. She quickly discovered that microfinance could have a...

Our confidence levels can change over time. They can also be influenced by "life events": the stuff that happens outside of our career that we have no control over. Despite her years of experience, today’s guest, Deanna Lanier, CSO of Icertis, doesn’t feel confident all the time. Deanna began her career in technology in sales. When she moved into a leadership role, she would often find that she was the only woman in the room. This can be an isolating experience for anyone, and Deanna...

In this special holiday episode, we’re taking you back to Season 2 for Corin Lines’ conversation with Dr Erin Young, Research Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute. How do you carve out a way to follow your passions in your own way? Dr. Erin Young has followed her professional interests across disciplines, and the world. As a Research Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute in the UK, Erin co-leads the Women in Data Science and AI project, examining AI and gender bias. Starting her career...

What do you do when you don’t have a big-picture goal in mind? You ‘micro-optimize’ and follow your passions wherever they take you. Cat Miller has built an amazing career off the back of micro-optimizations and now works as the CTO of Flatiron Health. Cat began her technology journey at MIT. One of her modules centered around AI and how it can be used to problem-solve. Throughout her career, Cat never knew exactly what she wanted to do, but was always comfortable following her interests to...

Sometimes we doubt ourselves, and forget to trust what our inner voice is telling us. Charlotte Degot wishes she had begun listening to hers earlier in her career, but believes the journey to this understanding takes time. Charlotte is the CEO and founder of CO2 AI, an AI platform that helps the world's largest organizations successfully manage their end-to-end net-zero journeys.  She started her career at BCG and rose to the level of managing director. When she discovered the boundless...

If you raise your hand, what's the worst that can happen? You'll either get a yes or a no. Naba Banerjee is Airbnb’s Head of Trust and Safety, and she has made it her mission to raise her hand and put herself forward for all the opportunities she can. Naba was born and raised in India and has a father who encouraged her to apply for an engineering course as soon as she was able. Naba moved to the US after her graduation and began working for Walmart in various roles. At Airbnb, Naba is best...

We’re back for Season 3 of In Her Ellement, a podcast from BCG! We’re going to be doing something a little different this time. We’re spending a little time at the start of Season 3 talking to women leaders at the forefront of the AI revolution. Join AI and digital expert Suchi Srinivasan and product lead Corin Lines for more meaningful and vulnerable conversations with women leaders and allies in who live AI in business, digital, and technology.  Episode 1 of In Her Ellement Season 3 is out...

In 2023, AI entered the collective consciousness like never before. In Season 3, we want to hear from the women who have a deep knowledge of the space and who might even be able to tell us where it's heading. In true In Her Ellement style, we're not just going to be speaking to technologists, but also with women who are using AI to augment their business practices, help their communities, and advocate for a better future. To kick off the season, Corin and Suchi want to lay the foundation for...

Dr. Tarika Barrett is the proud daughter of immigrant parents who, through generations, instilled the value of education in her. Taika lives this legacy every day in her work as CEO of Girls Who Code. Fighting for education equity is Tarika’s life mission. She spent her early years traveling between Jamaica and the US; a learning experience that she credits with opening up her worldview. At college, she became involved in grass-roots activism and began her journey as an advocate of a...

Many assume that senior career women with impressive resumes have a plan that they’ve stuck to without fail. Yvonne Wassenaar is here to tell you that that's not always the case. Things can happen to you that you don’t expect. Yvonne is the former CEO of Puppet and Airware and now serves on a number of boards, influencing change from the top down. Yvonne had a difficult start in life and set herself the goal early on of giving herself financial independence. She started working at the age of...

In this special episode, we’re taking you back to Season 1 for Corin Lines’ conversation with Kesha Williams, Senior Principal at Slalom. Kesha shares how she became an expert across Java, cloud technologies, artificial & machine learning, and AWS. Kesha is a lifelong learner, a passionate mentor, and advocates for more diversity in tech. She firmly believes in paying your experience forward, no matter your seniority or skill level. Since beginning her coding journey in high school, Kesha...

How do we encourage more women and girls into cyber security? Kara Sprague is Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at F5, a multi-cloud application services and security company. She believes that we need to re-brand cyber-security to make it more appealing to women and girls. Kara began her fascination with STEM when her father brought home the family's first computer. She quickly became the go-to person at school for any computer-related issues. Kara started her career in a...

Starting her career as an ER doctor has taught today’s guest that “so long as no one is dying, it’s not an emergency”. Dr. Sophie Chung is the Founder and CEO of Qunomedical, an organization that helps patients navigate often complicated healthcare systems to get the treatment they need.  Sophie may have started on the path to cardiology, but she decided to pivot into management consulting. In this role, she soon realized that she could create a digital solution for many of the problems that...

How can you harness your strengths and understand your weaknesses? FYLD’s CEO Shelley Copsey has spent her extensive career figuring out just that and has some great advice for anyone that is hard on themselves about their perceived shortcomings. At FYLD she spends time with junior colleagues, unlocking their potential and expanding their horizons. When she was thinking about her future, Shelley’s dad told her that she should keep her options open. That meant she studied a variety of subjects...

When women are asked about their experiences at work, what challenges do they face and what are their significant milestones? Neveen Awad is a Managing Director and Partner at BCG and leads the Women in Technology Initiative in North America. This wide-ranging study surveys a diverse range of women, bringing their career experiences to life through data. When Neveen completed her Computer Science BSc at Yale, she was the only woman to graduate. There have been many other times in her career...

May Habib has been a CEO for the past decade and always knew she wanted to build a company. She currently heads up Writer, an enterprise AI platform, and has an incredible support system that allows her to do her best work and also hang out with her two children. May is truly a global citizen. She was born and raised in Lebanon and moved to Canada when she was little. She went on to study in the USA and has worked across the world. Her parents worked incredibly hard and May recognizes that...