Monday marked International Women’s Day – a day which celebrates the many triumphs of women and our ongoing journey towards gender parity. However, it is also a day to acknowledge the gaps we still have in equality, and encourages us to take action in whichever ways we can. This year’s theme, #ChooseToChallenge, is all about challenging ourselves to do better and aim higher.
Diversity and equality are integral to our culture at First AML – we love celebrating all walks of life and showcasing the amazing talent we have here that’s helping drive our company forward. We speak to some of the incredible women in our business about what IWD means to them.
Today we chat to our office administrator Ale, to hear about her journey so far and her take on this year’s theme.
What does a typical day look like for you?
With my job, every day is different from the previous one, so it’s quite hard to describe a typical day. Normally I’d just get to the office, try and make sure everything is in its place, check my emails and then solve situations as they arise. On my days off, I would start the morning with a big breakfast and nice coffee on our deck, and spend the rest of the time reading, or doing household chores, nothing too glamorous!
What motivates you to go to work everyday?
Being able to help and make a difference to someone else’s day at work is what keeps me motivated. I think work is a huge part of most people’s lives and I enjoy being able to influence, and hopefully improve their experience in the office.
What is your biggest achievement that you’re most proud of?
I guess I’m most proud of my courage when it comes to trying something unknown. I’m thinking about how I lived in 3 different countries in the past 4 years, or even how I ended up getting a job in a start-up after getting used to the big corporate environments and strict protocols.
What importance do you place on gender diversity in workplaces?
I think diversity of any kind in the workplace is very important. I’m hoping someday we won’t need to think much about it and it’ll just happen by default.
How did you end up doing what you’re doing?
I studied psychology and was always interested in people’s wellbeing and mental health. Being aware that going to the psychologist might still carry some stigma in some parts of the world, I ended up shifting my attention to HR and organisational psychology, since that allows me to impact a larger number of people. Then a series of life events led me into being part of an awesome operations team here at First AML.
What do you like about the tech space?
The city where I’m from – Cluj Napoca – is considered to be the tech capital of Romania so I’ve always been surrounded by people interested in tech and I’m probably biased! However, I’ve personally always been interested in tech because developments in technology (on a broader scale) are shaping our lives and lifestyles, which I find fascinating.
The theme for IWD this year is #ChooseToChallenge. What does this mean to you?
I would relate the theme to women empowerment and choosing to challenge what needs to be changed, instead of just accepting it the way it is.
Tell us about a woman who inspires you and why it is you think they’re awesome.
If I were to choose a famous woman, that would be Simone de Beauvoir.
However, I think it’s only fair to give a shout-out to my mom. She has been encouraging me to be independent ever since I can remember and always made sure I know she’s proud of me.
And if you could ask them a question, what would you want to know?
If I were to ask Simone de Beauvoir a question, I would probably ask how she dealt with all the negative views on feminism, both from men and women!
What’s your favourite book, movie and song?
For books, I love anything by Sally Rooney, my favourite movie is Wild Tales, and it’s very hard to choose just one song (my answer would probably be different tomorrow!) but at the moment it’s Good Life by ZHU.
About First AML
First AML simplifies the entire anti-money laundering onboarding and compliance process. Its SaaS platform, Source, stands out as a leading solution for organisations with complex or international onboarding needs. It provides streamlined collaboration and ensures uniformity in all AML practices.
First AML transforms an otherwise complex and manual process into one that is simple, cost-effective, and compliant for businesses. By delivering efficiency and time savings, it protects reputations and enables companies to stay on the right side of history in the face of global threats.
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