Fiona Daniel is a leading advocate for diversity and inclusion, serving as the CEO and Founder of FD2i Inclusion Business Partners. With a career spanning nearly 25 years in the financial services sector, Fiona made a significant career shift to become a prominent business leader in her own right. Her expertise in fostering inclusive cultures and strategic consulting has made a considerable impact on the organisations she works with. In this interview, we explore her journey from aspiring solicitor to CEO, the challenges she overcame, and her thoughts on reclaiming narratives for black CEOs during Black History Month.
Is this a role that was always on the cards for you?
Most definitely not. I always thought I would be a solicitor. I did a degree in Law and went to work in a bank, only intending to stay for 2 years to save enough money to study for the Legal Practice Course. I stayed in the financial services sector for almost 25 years in a variety of roles. In all that time, being a CEO of a business or my own business never entered my plans. I had a career plan and I learnt early on the importance of having a plan, but having a plan that evolves and grows alongside my own growth and experience. It wasn’t until late in my career that I began to seriously consider being a CEO of my own business.
What did you have to overcome or master to get here?
The biggest thing I had to overcome was my own inner thoughts, which ranged from can I do it? how will I manage financially after a monthly income for almost 25 years? what if I don’t have any clients? What if it doesn’t work? Should I go it alone or work for another company? I invested in an executive coach when I left the safety of my organisation to help me make sense of the inner thoughts and it was the best thing I did. After only two sessions, I had the answers to my own questions and my business was born. The key question for that unlocked my inner thoughts in a different direction was “What if it worked out and what would the impact be?” The reality has exceeded my expectation and almost five years later I am still the CEO of my own business.
What about your role makes you the most proud?
Being able to demonstrate different styles of leadership in different situations but always having people and our values, vision and mission at its heart. The role is focused on running the business, growing the business, leading the business and I am proud of the opportunity to be able to do that and continue to learn while I do it. I always feel proud though when what we do has made a tangible impact, it’s hard leading a business but when what you do makes a difference and clients come back, that for me is the ultimate icing on the cake that makes me beam with pride.
Reclaiming Narratives is the theme for Black History Month. What narrative do you want to reclaim about black CEOs?
I think there is often a myth that black individuals tend not to do well as CEOs or in senior positions. This is not the case at all; there are many businesses, large and small, being led by amazing black leaders. What we need to do is raise the visibility of black leaders in business. They exist across many sectors, making a huge difference in many different ways. If we perpetuate the message they don’t exist or simply focus on the FTSE CEOs (which is lacking), we miss out on the bigger business picture and paint a narrative to others, particularly school-age black individuals, that the business world is not for them.
What’s the one quote, phrase, maxim, or adage that keeps you going?
I have so many quotes and phrases, but the one that keeps me going is “You have to become the author of your own script, one written by your heart, not one directed by society.” I am not sure who said it, but it keeps me going.