Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
In an industry where only 30% of the workforce is female, and even fewer hold executive positions, Qian Yun (Tina) Chen has contributed to financial technology. Her journey from a first-generation Canadian immigrant to a founding member of Forage, a Series A startup that raised $20 million in investor funding, highlights the challenges and opportunities facing women in fintech.
Armed with dual degrees in business administration and organizational studies, Ms. Chen has architected her career at the intersection of technical innovation and business strategy. Her move from Canada to Mastercard’s New York headquarters marked the beginning of a successful trajectory in shaping payment solutions.
“Meaningful innovation stems from thoughtful iteration,” Ms. Chen often emphasizes a philosophy that has informed her development of financial systems for prominent tech platforms. From expanding Uber‘s rental marketplace to architecting Spring by Citi‘s payment infrastructure, Ms. Chen’s technical expertise has led to scalable, market-ready solutions.
Ms. Chen’s role as a founding member at Forage demonstrated her ability to simplify complex financial systems. There, she led the development of a unified API for payment processing, a solution that has become increasingly crucial as digital commerce continues to evolve, and helped the company secure millions in annual recurring revenue.
What sets Ms. Chen apart in the competitive fintech landscape is her unique approach to system architecture. Rather than viewing technical and business challenges as separate domains, she has developed frameworks that address this traditional divide. Her work in modernizing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) payments exemplifies this approach, combining technical innovation with a deep understanding of user needs.
“The fintech industry isn’t just about building new technology,” Ms. Chen notes. “It’s about making financial services more accessible and inclusive.” This perspective has proven particularly valuable in her work on digital banking platforms, including PC Financial’s online app, where she helped reshape how users interact with their financial services.
Ms. Chen recently joined Airwallex, a rapidly growing global payments platform, to continue expanding her impact on the fintech industry. Her appointment reflects a growing recognition in the industry of the value of technical expertise and diverse perspectives.
Ms. Chen’s success in navigating and reshaping the traditionally male-dominated fintech space offers insights for the next generation of leaders. Her journey highlights the importance of both technical expertise and the ability to bridge cultural and organizational divides in financial technology.
Looking ahead, Ms. Chen’s influence extends beyond her technical contributions. As an advocate for diversity in fintech, she represents a new model of leadership that combines technical expertise with a commitment to making financial services more accessible and inclusive. In an industry that’s rapidly evolving, Ms. Chen’s approach to innovation and leadership could influence the future direction of fintech.
The impact of Ms. Chen’s work resonates beyond individual projects or companies. As financial technology continues to reshape how we interact with money, leaders like Ms. Chen are demonstrating the importance of diverse perspectives in creating inclusive financial systems that meet the needs of all users.
