01 June, 2026
#61 Portret van een vrouw in de financiële sector: Noémie Vanneste
“Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make.”
My journey in the financial sector has been shaped by a strong conviction: finance should not be reserved for an elite or a specific profile. From an early stage, I was drawn to investment, strategy, and the tangible impact that financial decisions can have on people’s lives. Today, working in this field allows me both to support clients in their projects and to help shift the way people think about finance.
The real turning point in my career came when I realized that my role went far beyond numbers or financial products. I understood that finance could be a tool for empowerment, particularly for women. That’s when everything began to make sense to me, when I saw that I could build confidence, share knowledge, and help people take their place in a world that had sometimes felt inaccessible to them.
What gives me a sense of strength and empowerment today is precisely this ability to support, advise, and equip others to make financial decisions with confidence. Financial knowledge provides a form of freedom. Understanding investment, managing one’s assets, and preparing for the future all contribute to greater independence and peace of mind.
The financial sector has made progress in recent years in terms of inclusion. More women are reaching positions of responsibility, and companies are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of diversity. However, there is still work to be done. Certain perceptions persist, particularly around female leadership and the role of women in investment and wealth management.
Beyond inclusion within companies, I believe it is essential to broaden this approach to our clients and society as a whole. Personally, I would like to contribute to further democratizing investment for women. Even today, many women invest less than men, not due to a lack of ability, but often because of a lack of confidence, representation, or accessible financial education.
There are many barriers: a culture in which money can still be a taboo subject, a lack of visible female role models in finance, communication that is often too technical, and the fear of taking risks or “getting it wrong.” Yet women often take a thoughtful, disciplined, and long-term approach to investing. It is therefore essential to provide them with more tools, support, and visibility so they feel fully legitimate.
If I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her never to wait until she feels “perfectly ready” before daring to act. In finance, as elsewhere, confidence is built through experience. I would also encourage young women who wish to enter this sector not to limit themselves and to claim their place with ambition. Competence has no gender.
To my older self, I would ask a simple question: “Have you achieved the impact you wanted to make?” Because ultimately, what matters to me today is not just professional success, but also the ability to inspire, share knowledge, and open doors for others.
To me, inspiring and inclusive leadership is leadership that listens, values differences, and creates an environment where everyone can express themselves freely and grow. A good leader does not try to mold people but to reveal their potential.
Allyship, to me, means using one’s position, voice, or influence to actively support others, especially those who are less represented or less heard. It is not just about supporting an idea in theory, but about taking concrete action to create more equity and opportunity.
In the future, I would like to see a financial sector that is more accessible, more transparent, and more representative of society. A sector where everyone feels legitimate, regardless of their gender, background, or level of financial knowledge.
I also believe that initiatives like Wo.Men in Finance Belgium play a key role in positively changing the perception of the sector. By creating spaces for exchange, visibility, and mentorship, we can show that finance is a human, innovative field full of opportunities.
For me, inclusion means allowing everyone to have their place, their voice, and equal opportunities to grow. Inclusion is not just about being present at the table, but about being truly heard and valued.
Finally, there is a phrase that particularly motivates me:
“Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make.”
I find that it perfectly sums up my journey and my vision of finance: confidence, knowledge, and boldness are often the first forms of capital we build.
