Event report • Committees
Meet the Leader series - Elisa de Martel
Full replay available at the bottom of this page.
Behind every breakthrough technology lies a series of strategic decisions, long-term investments, and leaders capable of balancing vision with execution.
As part of its Meet The Leader series, our Women Leadership Committee welcomed Elisa de Martel, Chief Financial Officer at Waymo, for an inspiring conversation on leadership, finance, and innovation in one of today's most transformative technology sectors: autonomous mobility.
The session offered attendees a unique opportunity to hear from a senior executive operating at the intersection of finance and cutting-edge technology, while exploring the challenges and opportunities of building businesses in emerging industries.
A Career at the Heart of Technology Innovation
Throughout the discussion, Elisa de Martel reflected on her professional journey and the reasons she chose to build her career in the technology sector.
Working in technology requires navigating environments characterized by rapid change, continuous innovation, and long investment horizons. Her experience illustrated how finance can play a critical role not only in managing resources but also in enabling innovation and supporting long-term growth.
The conversation provided valuable insight into how financial leadership evolves alongside technological transformation.
Financing the Future
A central theme of the discussion was the unique nature of operating within a nascent industry such as autonomous vehicles.
Unlike more mature sectors, emerging industries often require substantial investment in research, development, infrastructure, and talent long before large-scale commercialization is achieved. This creates a distinctive set of opportunities and challenges for finance leaders, who must balance disciplined resource allocation with ambitious innovation goals.
The discussion highlighted the strategic role finance plays in supporting breakthrough technologies and helping organizations navigate uncertainty while pursuing long-term value creation.
Building a Career Across Borders
As a French executive working in the Bay Area, Elisa also shared perspectives on navigating an international career in one of the world's most competitive technology ecosystems.
The conversation touched on the advantages of combining diverse cultural perspectives, the importance of adaptability, and the opportunities available to professionals willing to embrace new challenges and environments.
For many attendees, this aspect of the discussion offered valuable insights into building a successful career across industries, geographies, and cultures.
Advice for the Next Generation of Leaders
A key component of the Meet The Leader series is creating opportunities for emerging professionals to learn directly from experienced executives.
During the session, Elisa reflected on the skills and mindset needed to build a successful career in finance and technology, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, resilience, continuous learning, and the confidence to pursue ambitious opportunities.
The discussion also explored the role of women in leadership and the importance of encouraging greater representation across both finance and technology sectors.
While finance is often associated with analysis and performance metrics, the conversation highlighted the broader dimensions of leadership: guiding teams through uncertainty, supporting innovation, and helping organizations make decisions that shape their future.
Attendees gained a deeper appreciation for how financial leadership contributes to the development of transformative technologies and the growth of industries that are redefining the way people live and move.
