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To celebrate Women’s History Month once again, we are reigniting our Women in Finance campaign, sharing the stories of four different, incredibly talented and accomplished Women of Monex. To start the month off, with today also marking International Women’s Day, we hear from Elena Doblado Patiño – a Director and Head of Compliance for our Canadian-based sister company, Monex Canada Inc.
Having been with Monex for over a decade now, I have had the pleasure of working with a growing team of exceptional people to develop crucial policies and procedures, provide guidance and support on regulatory requirements and liaise with regulators and auditors to keep the business running smoothly.
Back to the beginning…
Born and raised in Madrid, Spain, I developed a fascination for economics and finance very early on, being specifically drawn towards the impact that economic decisions have on society. This ultimately drew me to study economics in my education, whilst at the same time making the huge decision to move to the UK to learn English and explore other parts of the world.
It was in the UK that I first started my journey with Monex, working at the UK-based entity Monex Europe Limited, where I then discovered my passion for anti-money laundering, while also honing my skills in financial crime prevention and transaction monitoring.
More importantly, in those 4 years with Monex Europe, I found my intense passion for the financial services industry.
Intrigued by the ever-changing regulations and amazed by the fast-paced environment, I felt it was an industry worth exploring further.
Fast forward some years, I seized an opportunity to relocate and move to Toronto, Canada, ultimately bringing me to where I am today.
Working as a Woman in Finance
The financial services industry, while still predominantly male-dominated, is undergoing a welcome transformation. There’s a clear movement towards greater accessibility and inclusivity for women, shaking off outdated stereotypes and celebrating female leaders across a variety of market-leading organisations far and wide.
Throughout my time at Monex, I have been continuously inspired by the strong female voices across the global business, and I’ve benefited directly from their great mentorship and collaboration.
One great example of this is with my previous manager at Monex Europe, who had a profound impact on my career, professional development, and personal growth. Her supportive leadership empowered me to confidently own my expertise and pursue great opportunities to excel in my career.
Making a difference
It’s through this confidence that, somewhere along the line, I added the CAMS, CGSS and CFCS credentials after my name.
Eager to broaden my knowledge in the field even further, I embarked on a journey to expand my horizons in anti-money laundering, sanctions and financial crime, giving me a wider appreciation for the sector and further fuelling my passion for the industry. This thirst for knowledge also led me to explore unexpected territory, like obtaining the C4 certificate in cryptocurrency.
Outside of these certifications, I was also a mentor for the digital networking platform, Monday Girl, that specializes in connecting ambitious, like-minded women to offer one another real, relatable career advice.
Mentoring with Monday Girl Social Club was an enriching experience.
I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to mentor members through one-on-one coaching sessions and witness their growth and development firsthand. It has been incredibly rewarding to see their hard work and dedication pay off, and both empowering and inspiring to see them challenge themselves and achieve their goals.
“Where there is a will, there is a way!”
There is no doubt that I have, and always will, love finding new opportunities that push me out of my comfort zone and force me to use my out-of-the-box thinking to overcome complicated situations and solve critical problems. It’s this mindset that drives me to continue expanding my portfolio of achievements and taking the plunge to explore new areas of this diverse industry.