Sophie Condie has spent over two decades in financial services, starting out in retail banking and working her way through corporate banking into fintech. She’s now CEO of Shieldpay, a fintech company on a mission to bring transparency and trust to complex, high-value payments.

We spoke to Sophie about her journey into leadership, the transition from traditional finance to fintech, what it really takes to thrive in a startup environment, and why her team knows not everything needs a process (even if she secretly thinks it does).

‍

‍Let's start with your career journey. How did you end up as CEO of Shieldpay?

‍

I’ve been in financial services for just over 20 years. I started out in retail banking at 19, mainly because I wanted a “reputable” job. From there, I discovered corporate banking, and that’s where I really found my feet, especially in payments.

I joined RBS and got deep into the world of transaction banking, particularly domestic and international payments. That’s where I started to understand just how complicated moving money really is. It was also where I took on my first leadership roles.

After that, I stepped away to become a business mentor. That coincided with having our first child, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic brain disorder. It was a tough but rewarding time as I was figuring out motherhood, running a business, and adapting to a new reality all at once.

Later, I joined Barclays in their transaction banking team, and not long after that, I had the opportunity to join a fintech (Form3) from the ground up. That was my first proper step into fintech. I helped build the operational infrastructure from scratch and completely fell in love with the space.

I joined Shieldpay in 2020 as Operations Director, was promoted to COO within a year, and then became CEO in August last year.

‍

What was it about Shieldpay that made you want to join?

‍

The mission. Shieldpay is all about bringing trust and transparency to complex, high-value payments. We are constantly evolving and crystallising our position as leaders of complex legal payments within the UK. As a result, we’re always open to new opportunities within different industries, especially those that involve, multiple parties, or longer holding periods. Think M&A, litigation, property deals, cross-border transactions etc. Ultimately, we are set up to scale, which makes it an exciting business to be part of.

We do three things really well: verify, hold, and disburse funds. This end-to-end capability has helped clients reduce operational costs and accelerate deal timelines, directly impacting their bottom line. That might sound simple, but doing all three with strong compliance, risk controls, and scalability is actually very rare. Most businesses need two or three different providers to handle that journey, but we do it end-to-end.

We’re increasingly supporting law firms as the SRA moves away from allowing firms to hold client money, which is a big shift in the market that we’re well placed to support.

‍

You went from COO to CEO, what did that transition look like?

‍

It came off the back of a wider restructure. I’d been COO for a couple of years by then, leading our operating rhythm, scaling the business, and working closely with the executive team. So stepping into the CEO role felt like a natural next step.

Under this leadership, Shieldpay has seen a 40% increase in transaction volume and a 25% growth in client acquisition year-over-year. I’m very process-driven (sometimes too much - my colleagues remind me not everything needs a process!).

But that mindset helps when you’re leading. You need to think holistically, not just about operations in your lane, but about commerciality, scalability, sustainability. This mindset has been instrumental in driving Shieldpay’s revenue growth and market expansion. That’s what sets you up to lead an organisation.

‍

You spent years in traditional banking. What was the transition to fintech like?

‍

It was a shock to the system. In corporate, everything’s already set up. You walk in and the process, systems, teams - it’s all there. In fintech, day one I was given a laptop, a phone, and told, “Figure out how we onboard people.”

It probably took me six months to adjust. Some days I’d come home thinking, “This isn’t for me.” But once I got over the initial discomfort, I realised: this is my environment. You have to be scrappy, tenacious, self-starting, but that’s where I thrive.

I also think women - especially those who've worked in male-dominated industries - bring a huge amount of resilience to fintech. You’re often subconsciously proving yourself, so you already know how to dig deep, pick yourself back up, and keep pushing forward. That’s exactly what this space needs.

‍

What are your core leadership principles?

‍

Treat people how you want to be treated. Simple as that.

I’m big on transparency and authenticity. I show up as myself, every day. I believe in empowering people to be the best version of themselves. I don’t want to step into their lane, and I don’t want them in mine. We succeed or fail together.

And I always remind the team: we are not a family. We are a business. That doesn’t mean we’re not kind or human, but it does mean decisions are made with clarity and professionalism, not emotion.

I’m also very focused on being transformational; driving change, staying curious, being uncomfortable. Change is constant in our world, so you have to lean into that. Looking ahead, we’re exploring new product lines and market entries that align with our globalisation and profitability goals.

‍

How important is visibility and voice to your career?

‍

Very. I haven’t done loads of public speaking, but I do think visibility matters. Not just on stage but actually in the room and at events, and generally how you show up. I always think about how I make people feel. That’s the lasting impression I want to leave.

I always approach people I connect with after a panel or event. I’ll message them, introduce myself, and make sure to keep in touch. That’s where my network has come from, not necessarily from being the loudest voice, but from being intentional about connection.

You don’t have to be on the stage to build visibility. But you do have to show up. And you do need to find your tribe.

‍

And finally, what advice would you give someone looking to build a career in fintech?

‍

Be yourself and get out of your own way.  Especially for women, I think we tend to ‘cap ourselves’ in terms of what we think we’re capable of. I’d encourage everyone to challenge that thinking early.

Go in with your eyes wide open. Fintech isn’t a safer, softer version of finance, it’s demanding, it’s intense, and it moves fast. But if you’re curious and believe in the mission, it can be incredibly rewarding.

Also: know why you’re joining a company. What’s their USP? What are they building? Do you care enough about it? Because if you don’t, you won’t enjoy it and you won’t last.

And finally: set boundaries. You won’t get it right all the time, but keep checking in with yourself and course-correcting.

‍