Emerging Payments Association (EPA), the representative trade body advancing payments innovation, is calling for nominations to join its new advisory board, following a survey conducted at the UK’s first Women in PayTech event on 6^th July 2016.

Respondents from across the payments chain revealed 90% of attendees are in favour of a dedicated female Advisory Board. Participants indicated that the intended purpose of this board would be to represent the interests of women across the industry through lobbying and events, along with influential industry meetings to help shape the future of payments. The EPA survey also showed that 100% of participants felt that there was a lack of available mentors to women in the PayTech industry.

Tony Craddock, Director General of the Emerging Payments Association comments: “The EPA is here to inspire, enable and challenge people to be the best they can be. Sometimes that means removing obstacles preventing this from happening. At the EPA, we recognise that women want to get on and get ahead, and that the community would benefit from this too. We’re excited to be the catalyst for what we hope leads a profound change in the composition of our emerging payments community, and which recognises the phenomenal contribution of women to our innovative industry.”

Anne Pieckielon is Director of Product and Strategy at Bacs Payment Schemes Limited, the company behind Direct Debit in the UK. She adds: “The EPA's Women in PayTech event was a wonderful opportunity to share my experiences and lessons learned in my career with a like-minded audience - women are still in a minority in the financial sector, and that creates challenges. It’s a challenge this initiative is taking on and the reason Bacs has signed up to the Treasury's Women in Finance Charter, which I am proud to champion within our business.”

Founder of the initiative Andrea Dunlop CEO of Acquiring and Card Services at Paysafe says: “Almost half of the respondents said they have faced challenges with their own personal development and brand and over a third with negotiating equal pay. We want to be able to provide our members, especially those who are perhaps just starting their careers in PayTech with a supportive community of mentors like myself and Anne, to help them face these often complex and sometimes daunting situations. I know first-hand the benefits to having the right support network which I have found invaluable in my own personal and career development.”

To nominate your chosen candidate to be a part of the new EPA Advisory Board our board please fill in the form on our website. Details of our finalists will be announced on the 15^th of August.