Zemfira Khisaeva, co-founder and President of yWhales, is a renowned leader in technology and finance, with extensive experience in corporate governance, strategy creation, and execution. She was recently recognized by Women We Admire as one of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Toronto for 2022. With expertise in transitioning businesses to Web3 platforms, Zemfira advocates the adoption of blockchain, smart contracts, and the Metaverse. Zemfira's vision is to empower businesses with Web3 strategies, revolutionizing how we work and interact.
Can you tell us about your current leadership position and what your company does?
I’m the co-founder and President of yWhales. Our mission is to help businesses and business leaders to transition to Web3 by advising, investing, and creating solutions to accelerate its adoption. We are currently focused on developing solutions in the enterprise blockchain space, as well as creating B2B/B2E metaverse operating systems through yWhales Labs. Additionally, we are working on building a strong foundation to support yWhales’ investment arm and are consistently dedicated to educating and collaborating with communities to advance the adoption of Web3 technologies.
How would you describe your leadership style, and what do you focus on most?
I’d describe my style generally in a few ways: intuitive, hands-off, and direct. I like to understand people before figuring out how to work with them: their background, their motivation, and communication style. I'm a good listener and like to influence rather than instruct.
What were some of the challenges you faced during your career? How did you overcome those challenges?
When I was at the Bank, my biggest challenge was navigating internal Bank’s politics: how do I make a real difference and do what is best for the bank while navigating all the different personalities and interests? I think that is the time when my ex-consulting “go and get it done no matter what” approach shifted to “listen and navigate” approach. That challenge, and how to navigate it, is actually one of the reasons that brought me to founding yWhales – to create an environment where we are one team, and there is no motivation other than overall company success.
Did you have a role model to emulate? What attributes did they have that you found most impressive?
I’ve been fortunate to have multiple role models throughout my life that have made an impact at how I do things and how I see myself. They all taught me about perseverance and navigating complex situations while keeping a positive outlook. Most importantly, I really admire people who are able to fail – then stand back up and just get back to it. I've tried to surround myself with people like that, and emulate that resilience.
What advice would you give to women who are early in their careers seeking to make a name for themselves?
Sit at the table, never think that you're less worthy than the man across from you, and speak up no matter how uncomfortable it feels. Over time, you will not even notice that you are surrounded by men.