Andres Caceres

Tell us your story:

"I’m a FinTech marketer with a background in business administration and experience working for B2B software providers. I started my journey in the FinTech space in 2022 at the PayTech scale-up Tribe Payments, where I currently have the role of Junior Marketing Manager.

I began my career at a B2B company in the higher education market, supporting sales and marketing while completing my bachelor’s degree in Colombia. My path shifted when I received a scholarship to work on the digital strategy for a social project in Germany for a year. After returning to Colombia, and once I finished university, I joined a marketing agency, where I gained hands-on experience in event marketing. Eager to return to the software space, I worked as the sole marketing professional for a B2B company in the public tendering sector until the opportunity to move to the UK became a reality.

While I wasn’t initially aware of the job dynamics in London, I soon discovered that the landscape was broad, with many opportunities in financial services. Although I hadn’t considered finance to be the most exciting path, my interest grew when I found an open position at a FinTech company, Tribe. At that point, “FinTech” was a term I had barely encountered in Colombia, and I had little understanding of what it entailed.

As I explored the opportunity further, I came across a podcast from the FinTech Marketing Hub featuring Tribe’s VP of Marketing, and that’s when everything clicked. I devoured as many episodes as I could and immediately applied for the Marketing Executive role that was open at the time.

Since working at Tribe, a PayTech founded in 2018 that specialises in issuer and acquirer processing, I’ve gained a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships between the stakeholders in the financial ecosystem and the technological needs they require to serve constantly evolving markets. This complexity and interconnectedness has deepened my appreciation for the FinTech industry, where diversity and disruption are at the core of its drivers.

It's this very multiplicity of perspectives that excites me about FinTech, as it provides fertile ground for fostering innovation. I haven't experienced another industry where women are actively leading discussions, where LGBTQ+ networking spaces like InterBank are thriving, and where I have the opportunity to share my story as a gay person in a professional context like the one Innovate Finance is opening to everyone in the sector.

I've found that working in FinTech means being part of an evolving and inclusive space. This openness to change and innovation makes the industry not only dynamic but also a place where diversity is celebrated and leveraged to drive progress.

Impact:

"My contribution to creating a more inclusive financial services sector comes from living authentically and integrating my identity as a queer person into everyday conversations. For example, I intentionally use the word "husband" when talking about my personal life, rather than using "partner." I introduce these aspects of my life as naturally as possible, knowing it might disrupt preconceived notions, while also seeing it as a way to normalise my experience and invite openness. This creates space for others to feel comfortable talking about the LGBTQIA+ community.

Growing up in Colombia, a conservative society with rigid views on masculinity, embracing my queer identity was a significant personal challenge that forced me to develop a more authentic self, both personally and professionally. This journey taught me the importance of deconstructing societal norms and embracing individuality. Combined with my experience in the financial sector, it has made me realise that being queer in a working environment should be as seamless as invisible payments: the less friction, the better the experience.

Across Tribe’s three offices - in London, Lithuania and Moldova - I am pleased that being openly gay is not a topic of concern, but rather a natural part of our conversations. This allows me to focus on my work while also building strong personal connections. It isn’t something I take for granted and I know that as the company expands to new territories, there may be instances of homophobia in more socially conservative countries. But I feel comfortable in my own skin and with my colleagues, and, combined with my formative years in Colombia, this will give me the strength and confidence to continue being who I am and help educate and enlighten others if and when called upon.

I would like to be featured in Pride in FinTech 2024 because I believe in the power of visibility and dialogue. By sharing my journey and being open about my identity, I hope to inspire others to embrace their own identities and contribute to creating a more inclusive and frictionless financial services sector."

Advice:

"FinTech is the result of people challenging the status quo of how financial services work. It's an industry built for those who question conventional approaches, and there's no stronger catalyst for change than diversity.

Bringing diverse perspectives to the industry not only fosters inclusivity and safe workspaces but also expands the reach of products to serve diverse needs. Diversity is the driving force behind FinTech's success. The FinTech industry offers not only professional growth opportunities but also a platform to blend your personal background with your career, making diversity a central motor and catalyst for innovation."