Inside the Circles

“If you want something, reach for it.” A long career in male-dominated spaces forged Mastercard’s Vice Chair Ann Cairns’ personal credo, and continues to fuel it in her work to champion women in business.

In the latest episode of “Inside the Circles,” Mastercard’s podcast about the future of work and the topics of now, host Latoya Bennett-Johnson sits down with Cairns to discuss her longstanding commitment to inclusion, diversity and mentorship, and the experiences that led her to this role.

Cairns worked as a research scientist in the field of offshore oil and gas drilling before moving into international banking and finance, where she was often the only woman in the room.

“It’s not all negative,” she says. “If you look different to everyone else, you get noticed.” She also saw that having different people at the table produced a greater array of opinions and ideas, sparking her passion to advocate for gender equity in business.

Game show music: “Milton Intro Remix” by Timbre