Beyond Intent: How Leadership Opens Doors

Author: Calypso Harland, Founder, Fintech Fringe


Earlier this week, I had the privilege of attending Leadership That Opens Doors, hosted by Harrington Starr at Plasterers’ Hall. What incredible energy in the room - wow!

The theme was crystal clear: most leadership conversations stop at intent, but true progress requires a focus on impact. Access isn’t accidental; it is designed.

The event moved away from standard panel discussions to feature four powerful, perspective-shifting talks.

My key takeaways from the session

1. Strategy and Confidence: The Chessboard Metaphor
Lorin D'Costa and Alisha Vyas from She Plays To Win opened with a startling statistic: only 8% of chess players are female. Alisha shared her journey of competing in male-dominated arenas, teaching us that "the volume of your voice does not equate to your competence." The lesson? We need to teach the next generation to be comfortable with risk and strategy early on.

A detail I loved from this was that each table had a chess board, won by a lucky person with a winning ticket who then was charged with giving that chess board to a girl who could become a new chess enthusiast and maybe a newcomer to our industry in future.


2. Be "Comfortably Uncomfortable"
Suki Fuller, Founder of Miribure, used a brilliant analogy about penguins. Penguins survive diverse environments because they adapt and get on with it. Suki challenged us to stop seeking out "our tribe" at events and instead embrace being "comfortably uncomfortable." Growth happens when we engage with people who don't look, speak, or think like us.

3. The Rules are Different (So Navigate Them)
Lynda Clarke (Nayax) delivered a raw and honest talk about the barriers women face, noting that while women make up half the workforce, they represent a fraction of the C-Suite. She offered four actionable points:

  • Balance starts at home: The "second shift" of unpaid labor contributes to burnout. We must negotiate balance domestically to thrive professionally.

  • Own your success: Women often attribute success to luck or teams. We need to say, "I did that."

  • The Readiness Myth: Men apply for roles when they meet 60% of the criteria; women wait for 100%. Don't wait until you feel ready.

  • Build your network: Advocacy and sponsorship are how doors actually open.



4. The Automatic Door of AI
Sumathi Menon (Women Defining AI) closed the event by reframing the narrative around Artificial Intelligence. She pointed out that while the "architects" of AI are predominantly men, the door to building AI is now automatic—it opens for anyone willing to step forward. She shared how women with no tech background built functional prototypes in just 8 weeks. The barrier isn't technology anymore; it's the belief that we need permission to be creators.


The Ripple Effect
The recurring theme was the "ripple effect." When a leader opens a door for one person, that person eventually opens doors for others. As we left, we were asked to look at the people around us and ask: Who can I open a door for next?



A huge thank you to Harrington Starr, Nadia Edwards-Dashti, and the sponsors (Nayax, SteelEye, Delta Financial Systems) for a truly impactful International Women's Day kickoff.

Sensational!