Marie-Helene Kennedy-Payen, senior director of operations and community at New York Life Ventures, was highlighted on Global Corporate Venturing's list of 30 outstanding women working in corporate investment.
The article highlighted Kennedy-Payen's leadership and involvement in the FWA: "Throughout her career, Payen developed a passion towards advancing women in financial services and has taken on multiple leadership roles, including acting as a Board Member for the Financial Women’s Association, a New York-headquartered female professional networking organisation dedicated to promoting the advancement of all women across the financial sector."
As the UAE continues to grow as a global financial & investment hub, women are increasingly helping shape decisions at the highest levels of business and governance.
When people think about leadership in the UAE, the public sector is not always the first in mind - yet it's a powerful example of women shaping the nation’s future.
In finance, precision, rigor, and discipline are essential, and they will always remain core to how we operate and make decisions. At the same time, there is an important distinction between maintaining high standards and allowing the pursuit of perfection to slow progress, dilute impact, or prevent action altogether, particularly in moments that require speed, adaptability, and judgment. One of the most valuable leadership lessons I have learned is that waiting for perfect conditions often means missing the opportunity to act when it matters most. Markets move quickly, organizations evolve in real time, and the world rarely presents us with complete information or ideal circumstances. If we wait until every variable is known and every detail refined, we often find that the moment has already passed. Perfection is the enemy of the good. Progress, especially in complex and dynamic environments, rarely comes from flawless execution. It comes from informed decision making, from moving forward with intention, and from being willing to adjust as new information emerges. Most meaningful advances are not perfect at the outset, but they are good enough to create momentum, learn from experience, and evolve into something stronger over time. This mindset is particularly important for leaders, and it is especially relevant for women in leadership. Too often, women are conditioned to believe that we must be fully prepared, fully qualified, and fully certain before stepping forward or making decisions. That expectation, often applied more harshly to women than to others, can slow progress and limit both individual and collective impact. Agility is not about lowering standards or acting without care. It is about being responsive, thoughtful, and decisive in the face of uncertainty. It requires confidence in our judgment, trust in the teams we lead, and the willingness to course correct when circumstances change. Moving fast does not mean moving blindly, it means recognizing that learning and improvement often happen through action rather than delay. At the Financial Women’s Association, we strive to lead with this balance in mind. We are committed to excellence, but we also value momentum. We move forward deliberately, but without paralysis. We test new ideas, listen closely to our community, and continuously refine our approach, understanding that progress is an ongoing process rather than a final destination. As leaders, our responsibility is not to eliminate uncertainty, because that is rarely possible, but to navigate it with clarity, courage, and a bias toward action. When we choose progress over perfection, we create space for innovation, growth, and meaningful change. Let us continue to lead in this way, with confidence, adaptability, and purpose, supporting one another as we move forward together.
The UAE is often recognized for its rapid growth, innovation, and global influence - what’s less widely known is the powerful role women play in driving success.
