Mariam Ogunbambi

Head of Card Operations at Starling Bank

Why we chose Mariam

Mariam has been making waves in the FinTech industry. She helped Starling to become the first bank to enable users to use Apple Pay prior to receiving their physical card, and has been named as a winner in the We Are Tech Women Top 50.

What’s your ‘why’? How do you balance work and life responsibilities to fulfil it?

My ‘why’ is simply that I enjoy seeing customers' financial lives change for the better thanks to Starling’s accounts and the innovative features that come along with them. I really enjoy what I do because I can see how we help people every day, so I tend to get very carried away when I am at the office and work longer hours than necessary. Now, I make the conscious effort to leave the office by 18:30 in order to get more involved in extracurricular activities like dance, so that I can maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Can you explain an initiative you've implemented that has made an impact in your workplace?

A few years ago, I led the project for the launch of Apple Pay at Starling. I positioned us as the first UK bank that enabled users to use Apple Pay before their physical card arrived as they could use this feature within the app.

As a female leader, what have been the most significant barriers in your career?

As you can imagine, Tech isn’t full of people who look like me, so I’ve faced many barriers and challenges over the years. But, I’ve also had the privilege of having the support of specific people that have helped with my career development and overcoming such barriers. I am reminded that there is a lot we can do to ensure equality in all industries.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

I would advise the next generation of female leaders to take risks, work hard and own their success.