Empathy Is the New Strength — Alpari’s Nahid Yousefi on Women Redefining Forex Leadership

At Forex Expo Dubai 2025, the discussion on “Women in Forex: Leadership Beyond Boundaries” wasn’t about counting how many women are in the room.It was about redefining what leadership means — and why the industry’s future depends on a different kind of strength.Speaking on the panel, Nahid Yousefi, Regional General Manager at Alpari, offered a perspective that turned the common question on its head.When asked whether women are underrepresented in the financial sector, she replied:“This industry isn’t lacking women. It’s shaped by the very qualities women bring — empathy, connection, and perspective. Forex is about understanding human behavior under pressure. And that’s where women naturally lead.”Empathy as an Edge, Not a WeaknessYousefi’s message echoed what leadership researcher Sally Helgesen identified more than three decades ago in “The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership.”Helgesen argued that women’s relational, empathetic, and inclusive ways of leading were not soft skills, but the blueprint for the future of leadership itself — a future where emotional intelligence would be as essential as strategy.Yousefi expanded on that idea, noting that empathy isn’t just a moral value; it’s a competitive advantage in today’s market.“Traders need to feel understood. They trust brokers who listen — not just to their trades, but to their fears and motivations. Empathy builds the kind of loyalty data alone can’t measure.”Redefining Leadership for a New EraThroughout the discussion, Yousefi emphasized that leadership in Forex is genderless — but the qualities often associated with women are exactly what the industry needs most today: relational thinking, emotional balance, and collaborative strength.“Leadership isn’t about dominance,” she said. “It’s about stability, perspective, and the ability to make others feel safe. Women bring that energy naturally — and it’s time to see it not as an exception, but as the norm.”Her words resonated with the audience — many of whom noted that, in an industry built on risk and reaction, empathy and composure may indeed be the ultimate edge.A Vision Aligned with Alpari’s PhilosophyFor Alpari, Yousefi’s message reflects more than personal belief — it’s part of the brand’s DNA.The company’s 2030 vision emphasizes transparency, education, and empathy as pillars of sustainable growth.It’s a philosophy that sees trust as the real currency of the market — and empathy as the skill that keeps it in motion.As the session closed, Yousefi summed it up in a sentence that drew spontaneous applause:“This isn’t a man’s industry or a woman’s industry. It’s a human one — and the future belongs to those who lead with empathy.”
This article was written by IL Contributors at investinglive.com.

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