Innovate Finance, an industry body representing UK FinTech, has appointed Yvonne Bajela as its newest board member.
Bajela brings a wide range of expertise as an investment specialist, as well as being a strong and active advocate for promoting diversity and inclusion.
Bajela is an Investor at Impact X Capital, an early-stage investment firm. Impact X’s mandate is to invest in underrepresented entrepreneurs across Europe. Her expertise in diversity and inclusion will reinforce Innovate Finance’s mission of ensuring that access to financial services is fair and equitable for all.
Prior to Impact X, Bajela was a Senior Investment Manager at Japanese investment giant, Mitsui, where she managed over USD200 million in investments in various countries including Israel, Kenya and Japan. Before becoming a venture capital investor, Yvonne worked as a strategist, where she advised fast growing companies on scaling into highly competitive international markets.
In addition to this, Bajela recently had exposure on the FTSE 250 listed, HarbourVest Global Private Equity board and is a Non-Executive Director and Audit & Risk Committee Chair at City Gateway. Yvonne was last year listed as a rising star on the Black Powerlist, along with a position on Forbes’ 25 Leading Black British People to follow. She was also selected as a Standout35 in Innovate Finance’s own Women in FinTech Powerlist earlier this year.
Bajela says: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining the Innovate Finance team as a board member and look forward to working closely with Louise, Janine and the wider team at a time when UK FinTech continues to grow from strength to strength.
“I’m excited to share my expertise on capital and investment, and also contribute to the diversity and inclusion aims that Innovate Finance has set out to encourage the FinTech sector to incorporate these values – from the earliest stage startups to more mature scaling firms.”
Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance, says: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Yvonne onto our board at a time when the UK Fintech sector is benefitting from increasing investment and continued growth.
“Yvonne brings vital experience and expertise to the role as Innovate Finance continues to support its members and work with industry, government and the regulators to build on the UK’s global leadership in financial innovation, and move towards a fairer, more democratic and more inclusive financial services sector for all.”
