Women in Finance: Challenge Stereotypes Through Performance

Menas Saleh is a finance professional with over 18 years of experience across corporate and startup environments, specializing in Supply Chain Finance, Controllership, Internal Audit, and agile transformation. An ICF-accredited career coach since 2016, she is passionate about fostering authentic career success and personal growth.

In an insightful interaction with Global Woman Leader Magazine, Menas shares her insights on overcoming the challenges of transitioning from a junior graduate to a regional director in a male-dominated industry, balancing career growth with authenticity, and using her ICF coaching skills to guide women in finance.

With the ongoing global economic shifts, how do you perceive the role of women in finance leadership evolving, and its impact on decision-making & strategy?

As the global economic landscape shifts, the role of women in finance leadership, particularly in manufacturing, is evolving significantly. Women bring unique strengths such as empathy, collaboration, and inclusive decision-making, which are crucial in navigating complex financial landscapes. Their ability to foster communication across departments and support organizational change makes them valuable assets in driving strategic decisions. As an ICF-accredited coach, I see firsthand how supporting authenticity, promoting self-awareness, and challenging limiting narratives empower women in finance to lead confidently and drive impactful strategic outcomes.

How did you overcome the challenges of transitioning from a junior graduate to a regional director, especially as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry?

Transitioning from junior graduate to regional director came with constantly evolving challenges throughout the years. For example, at stages I was perceived as too young, too nice, or labeled as a “diversity agenda hire”. With a particular team I remember their early days of resistance just for being led by a female for the first time.

What I focused on is gradual change management rather than a quick fix or a top-down approach. Practices that helped me included focusing on making an impact that can add value to the team’s output, supporting my subordinates shine & grow, having candid one-to-one conversations with those most resistant, and also giving people time to adapt. It takes time for any new team to find their collective collaborative flow. I also didn’t shy away from asking for mentorship from other senior leaders who had so much wisdom to share.

Looking back now, what also helped me grow faster is not following the crowds. When I felt a certain career ladder was too crowded, I made multiple less popular choices which ended up in allowing me to grow faster. Finance sub-functions are so diverse that there are truly multiple paths to the top.

As a woman in senior finance leadership, how have you balance between career growth and maintaining authenticity in high-pressure environments?

I believe it’s very important to be self-aware and focus on making one’s leadership style strength-based. In high-pressure environments, I try to avoid the more popular, less useful approach of creating conflicts or placing blame. I focus on using my own strengths & leadership style to deliver results and stay focused. I find that transparency, being solution oriented, and promoting team harmony is what helps me achieve the best results. However, it’s important to remember that one cannot be winning all the time. Sometimes we would stumble on the path but what matters is that one keeps looking forward towards the end goal.

During your experience with agile transformation in finance, how have you found women leaders contribute uniquely to driving organizational change in an industry like manufacturing?

In my experience, women leaders bring unique strengths that positively contribute to organizational change. Most women have a natural ability to foster collaboration, empathy, and inclusive decision-making which creates a supportive environment for teams and allows for smoother change management specially while transitioning to a more agile mindset. Women often excel in communication, enabling them to bridge gaps between departments and drive alignment on goals. By leveraging these strengths, women can effectively support organizations through transformation journeys, ensuring that diverse perspectives are valued and integrated.

In your career, how have you navigated biases or stereotypes commonly faced by women professionals in finance, and what strategies helped you thrive?

It’s important to acknowledge that women are not the only ones facing stereotypes and biases in the workplace (whether conscious or unconscious biases). Personally, few key strategies helped me navigate this throughout my career journey. First, I challenge stereotypes through performance. I refuse to be told what I can or cannot do but rather set my own limits and challenge myself constantly beyond my comfort zone at a pace that allows me to constantly keep growing. I also seek mentorship & analyze feedback to allow me to further develop my leadership style and see my blind spots. Finally, I focus on building relationships and networking with diverse colleagues. This always helps in creating a supportive environment.

How has being an ICF accredited coach enhanced your ability to guide other women professionals in finance, particularly in overcoming the challenges of their career progression?

ICF accreditation emphasizes the skills of active listening, powerful questioning, and fostering self-awareness. This allows me to create the safe space for women to be able to define their clear goals, explore multiple strategies then set a uniquely tailored action plan of next steps. I was privileged to work with many women after my accreditation to support them through various career challenges whether individually or in a group set-up. I was also on the receiving end of coaching from others throughout my career. Having the support of a coach or a network of professional women can really help keep us focused on progress& accountable for the actions we set for ourselves allowing for meaningful career progression and personal growth.