Fabienne Fernandez, CFO and VP Finance at UnderwriteMe, is a trailblazer in a traditionally male-dominated field. Believing that a motivated team is key to success, she has built a finance department driven by clarity, collaboration, and empowerment. Reflecting on her leadership journey, Fabienne emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations. She ensures her team understands their roles and responsibilities and how their contributions fuel the company’s growth. By defining objectives transparently, she fosters a shared sense of purpose and direction. Through regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and weekly stand-ups, she ensures every voice is heard. This proactive approach strengthens team cohesion and resolves challenges before they escalate. A recent open forum she introduced led to key process improvements, highlighting the power of open dialogue.
Fabienne is also a firm advocate of recognition, knowing that celebrating achievements fuels motivation. She participated in the launched of a quarterly award program at UnderwriteMe to honor both individual and team contributions. This initiative has boosted morale and reinforced a culture of appreciation and excellence. Beyond immediate success, she is committed to her team’s long-term growth. She actively provides access to professional development opportunities—courses, workshops, and industry conferences—ensuring they have the tools to excel. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
A strong proponent of collaboration, Fabienne has strengthened ties between Finance and the Line of Business management teams. This initiative has proved invaluable—finance professionals feel more engaged, while the business benefits from expert financial guidance in decision-making. Empowerment is at the heart of her leadership. She entrusts team members with ownership of projects, ensuring even junior employees take on meaningful responsibilities. By exposing them to change management and strategic thinking, she is shaping the next generation of financial leaders. A recent initiative gave junior team members ownership of an automation project, enhancing both efficiency and their professional growth.
Fabienne recognizes the importance of representation. She is not just managing a team; she is reshaping the narrative of leadership in finance. Through her vision and dedication, she continues to foster an ecosystem where talent, hard work, and collaboration—not gender—define success. By championing inclusivity and excellence, she epitomizes the quintessence of meritocracy: extolling accomplishments, surmounting adversities, and engendering a legacy for posterity.
Trailblazing Finance: An Uncharted Ascent to CFO
Her journey in the finance industry was not a serendipity, and when asked what led her to her current role at UnderwriteMe, Fabienne ruminated on the pivotal experiences that shaped her path. She launched her career in External Audit at Deloitte in Madrid, Spain, before immersing herself in the tech sector with Unitronics, a trailblazer in VoiceIP and telepresence. This role, a fusion of financial stewardship, corporate finance, and commercial acumen, later proved pivotal in her transition to UnderwriteMe.
Her expertise flourished across diverse industries, from EADS-CASA, where she orchestrated financial control for military aircraft, to Domestic & General, an insurance titan, where she commanded the European FD role. Upon relocating to the UK, Fabienne honed her prowess in the insurance sector, collaborating with CFO offices to spearhead financial leadership and transformation. She mastered the intricacies of technology-driven finance, championing cloud-based ledgers, EPM tools, and regulatory frameworks like SII and IFRS17.
Determined to ascend the “path to CFO,” Fabienne sought an innovative, entrepreneurial arena where she could sculpt financial strategy while leaving an indelible mark on business operations. UnderwriteMe became her proving ground, propelling her from Head of Finance to CFO, where she now wields full autonomy and a commanding voice in the leadership sphere. The astute finance luminary remains invigorated by the leadership at UnderwriteMe and Pacific Life Re. “Being part of a wider group brings so much benefit from a diversity standpoint,” Fabienne expresses, “Working every day with talented individuals from different backgrounds and career paths.”
The Alchemy of Leadership: Fabienne’s Financial Odyssey
Ranked among the Top 10 Empowering Women Leaders to Follow in 2025, Fabienne’s tenure as CFO and VP of Finance at UnderwriteMe has been a masterclass in transformation—of numbers, strategies, and most importantly, people. To her, leadership is not about authority but about cultivating an ecosystem where talent flourishes and strategy drives progress.
Her evolution from finance specialist to visionary leader sharpened her ability to blend precision with foresight. She champions data-driven decision-making, ensuring every financial move strengthens the company’s ambitions. Yet, she knows numbers alone don’t drive success—people do.
One of her defining revelations has been the paradox of control. Like many leaders, she once hesitated to delegate, fearing a loss of insight. But she discovered that structured autonomy—clear accountability combined with seamless communication—transforms teams into self-sustaining powerhouses. In an era where finance is no longer just transactional but transformational, Fabienne embraces innovation. From AI-infused reporting to digital finance ecosystems, she ensures her team stays ahead of the curve, turning disruption into opportunity.
Yet, beyond technology and strategy, she sees leadership as the art of influence. She nurtures a culture where transparency, integrity, and mentorship are not mere ideals but living principles. By investing in people, she ensures expertise, wisdom, and ambition cascade through generations of leaders. For Fabienne, finance is more than ledgers and forecasts—it actively shapes the future. And as her team knows well, her unshakable mantra remains: “Cash is Queen!”
The Compass of Leadership: Principles That Forge Success
Like a master sculptor chiseling marble into a masterpiece, Fabienne knows leadership isn’t just about setting goals—it’s about breathing life into values, shaping every decision with purpose and conviction. Integrity is paramount. She believes transparency and candor are essential for building trust. She readily accepts accountability, knowing that owning decisions cultivates a culture of shared responsibility.
For Fabienne, ethical leadership isn’t just about following rules—it’s about demonstrating the right path. She encourages collaboration, recognizing that the best solutions emerge from open dialogue and diverse viewpoints. Equally steadfast is her commitment to customer focus. “This is particularly close to my heart in my role as Customer Duties Champion: I want to make sure protection insurance is accessible to everyone and the customer gets the best possible process and outcome when it comes to purchasing cover.”
A strong proponent of lifelong learning, she considers continuous development vital. While she values the resources UnderwriteMe provides, she emphasizes self-driven growth as the cornerstone of a resilient and progressive organization.
Finding Her Rhythm: Approach to Work-Life Integration
Fabienne isn’t chasing the elusive “work-life balance” so often discussed. Instead, she’s cultivating something richer: work-life harmony. It’s a subtle yet profound shift in perspective. For her, it’s about integrating career, family, and personal well-being into a cohesive whole. She recognizes that a rigid 50/50 split isn’t always realistic—or even desirable. Life is fluid, requiring a flexible approach.
At the core of her philosophy is open communication—clearly articulating her needs and priorities at work and home. Equally important is self-care, which she considers not a luxury but a necessity. Running is a vital part of this routine, a way to clear her mind and recharge. It’s her personal rhythm within the larger symphony of life.
The Power of Purpose: Secrets to Staying Driven
Maintaining peak performance as a CFO hinges on balancing rigor, vision, and ardor—an equation Fabienne solves with ease. She sets crystal-clear, outcome-driven goals, breaking them into smaller milestones to maintain momentum. Feedback fuels her growth—she actively seeks insights from peers and leadership, refining her approach with every challenge.
Time is her greatest asset, and she wields it wisely. Through structured planning, time-blocking, and trimming meeting lengths, she ensures efficiency while carving out essential moments to recharge. But motivation extends beyond structure—it flourishes through connection. Fabienne finds energy in mentorship and coalition, drawing fresh insights from advisors and industry peers.
Above all, she anchors herself in purpose. Knowing finance plays a pivotal role in UnderwriteMe’s success keeps her passion alive. She sees challenges as opportunities for growth, trusting that resilience paves the way for lasting excellence. “I am not suggesting the road is easy by any means,” Fabienne underlines, “but acknowledging the challenges and implementing strategies is crucial.” By balancing personal drive with a dynamic, supportive environment, she continues to lead with persistent focus and impact.
Driving Transformation: Fabienne’s Proudest Achievements at UnderwriteMe
Fabienne’s tenure at UnderwriteMe is marked by two key initiatives, each a testament to her impact-driven leadership. First, she spearheaded the company’s ambitious foray into the U.S. market, deftly establishing a subsidiary within just four months—a feat of both strategic vision and rapid execution.
Second, she revolutionized UnderwriteMe’s financial reporting. “SAASifying the reporting!” she explains, “When I joined UnderwriteMe, the Management Information reporting was very much one of a standard small service company, lacking key metrics and data insights for a modern B2B InsurTech business.” Recognizing the need for a more nuanced approach, she transitioned from traditional financial statements to a SaaS-centric framework. By introducing metrics like ARR, MRR, CAC, and TCV, she empowered decision-makers with the financial clarity essential for strategic expansion.
These ventures reflect her ability to blend swift influence with lasting, transformative progress.
From Struggle to Strength: Bold Leap into Finance Leadership
When Fabienne uprooted her life to the UK at 31, she found herself at a crossroads—balancing the dream of starting a family with the challenge of navigating an unfamiliar job market. With English as her third language and no professional network, she refused to let circumstances dictate her path.
Determined, she launched a limited company specializing in Finance Change services, gaining access to CFO offices where she spearheaded high-stakes transformation projects. Each challenge she conquered expanded her industry network and honed her leadership prowess, proving her mettle in senior roles.
What began as a necessity became a defining chapter in her career, equipping her with the confidence and credibility to transition back into a permanent leadership position in the financial sector.
Art of Turning Setbacks into Sanctum
To Fabienne, setbacks are not mere stumbles but raw material for transformation. Mirroring Arianna Huffington’s belief that “Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success,” she treats obstacles as crucibles for growth. Her approach is meticulous—embracing challenges with poise, fostering candid dialogue, and dissolving the culture of blame to unearth fresh perspectives.
She curates debriefs like a scholar collects wisdom, distilling lessons into actionable insights. Every misstep refines her team’s resilience. Every flaw unveils an opportunity for reinvention. Through incisive strategies and adaptive solutions, she ensures that errors don’t repeat but instead propel progress.
Her leadership thrives on continuous improvement, accountability, and celebrating even the smallest victories. “Recognizing progress fosters a sense of achievement and motivation,” she believes. These elements keep teams engaged, energized, and primed for virtuosity.
Mastery in Financial Strategy as UnderwriteMe’s CFO & VP
As CFO and VP of Finance at UnderwriteMe, Fabienne steers financial strategy across the UK, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and North America. A Board director for all company entities, she shapes business strategy as part of the UMe leadership team. Beyond managing numbers, she architects growth—securing funding, fortifying operational pillars, and cultivating top-tier talent. With a keen eye on expansion, she transforms financial blueprints into compelling narratives, ensuring the company’s ambitions are not just envisioned but powerfully realized.
They say life begins at 40—but what if success gets there first? For Fabienne, stepping into the CFO role wasn’t just a career milestone; it was the perfect crescendo to her professional evolution. As she approached this pivotal decade, everything aligned with her ambitions, proving that timing, strategy, and vision create the ultimate power move.
Forging Financial Titans: Fabienne’s Creed for Future Leaders
Aligning with Abigail Johnson’s words—“Finance is not just about numbers; it’s about making informed decisions that empower people and drive positive change,” Fabienne champions the inextricable link between financial acumen and transformative leadership.
She urges aspiring leaders to fortify their expertise through education, certifications, and hands-on experience, evolving into trusted advisors. Lifelong learning sharpens strategy, while emotional intelligence strengthens collaboration. Networking unlocks opportunities, and exposure to diverse finance sectors fosters adaptability—an edge in an ever-shifting industry.
Integrity cements credibility, and clear communication builds trust. Ethical leadership isn’t optional; it’s the foundation of lasting influence. Fabienne advocates mentorship and knowledge-sharing to shape future leaders. She also reminds them that finance is a high-stakes field requiring resilience and work-life balance to thrive without burnout.
For those who seek to lead, curiosity, adaptability, and an unyielding drive for growth are non-negotiable.
Navigating the Fin-tastic Future: A Perspicacious Vision
This prescient C-suite executive envisions a finance sector revolutionized by technology, shifting regulations, and evolving customer needs. She endorses digital transformation—automation, AI, and blockchain—to boost efficiency and user experience. A data-driven culture is paramount, using analytics for strategic choices and risk mitigation.
Passionate about empowering women in finance, Fabienne supports initiatives fostering economic independence through career growth. She advocates bridging the education-experience gap via internships and apprenticeships, emphasizing mentorship and lifelong learning to promote intergenerational knowledge exchange. Fabienne aims to shape an inclusive, tech-savvy, data-informed financial world, embracing change and fostering growth for all.
