#7 – Randy McFarlane – The Transformative Power of Allyship and Inclusion in Leadership

What does it take to drive meaningful transformation in business, culture, and leadership?

Randy McFarlane, Global Partnerships Lead at Thought Machine, a leading force in banking tech, joins us to share his journey through 25+ years in FinTech. But this conversation goes deeper than deals and strategy.

As co-lead of Thought Machine’s Inclusion Council, Randy opens up about the personal experiences that shaped his leadership, the power of true allyship, and how inclusion must be embedded, not bolted on.

In this episode, we talk about:

(05:47) Growing up unseen in South London

(07:19) A turning point: journey into tech

(12:19) How fintech is shaping the world

(15:02) Why gender inequality in investment still exists

(19:15) What allyship really looks like

(20:11) Using privilege with purpose

(24:08) Building an inclusive workplace culture

(26:37) Staying aware in a divided world

(32:01) Arrogance, youth, and learning the hard way

(33:40) Embracing growth at every stage

Randy’s heartfelt journey from a South London council estate to a senior leadership role in global FinTech is proof that inclusion isn’t just an HR slogan – it’s momentum for personal transformation and organisational progress. Tune in for an episode rich with actionable advice, inspiring reminders, and a hopeful vision for the future of leadership.

About the host

Sarah Perugia is an expert women-in-leadership coach and whole-person leadership transformation specialist, dedicated to empowering female leaders to thrive. With 20 years of experience, she partners with organisations across the globe to develop and retain top female talent, strengthen the female leadership pipeline, and promote gender equality in senior roles. Drawing on her background in acting, neuro-linguistic programming, and Positive Psychology, Sarah empowers leaders to advance their careers, build confidence, enhance performance, and ultimately flourish and thrive. Her offering includes one-on-one executive leadership coaching, group workshops, and bespoke programmes.

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her work with women in leadership, you can find out more here: https://www.sarahperugia.com/women-in-leadership/

In this show, we cover

Allyship, Inclusion, Diversity in FinTech, Leadership Transformation, Curiosity, Resilience, Authenticity

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more!

Contact and Connect

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-perugia-leadership-coaching/

Connect with Randy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randolph-randy-mcfarlane-2a2a5915/