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Why is the goal of better gender balance in the senior ranks so elusive? And what can we do about it? Some of our Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance weigh in.

One of the things that struck me in getting to know the women in our rankings better is that some of them have had significant career setbacks along the way. But they exude confidence anyway, because they have learned how to be fearless.

Confidence, accountability and a willingness to take risks are common traits among highly motivated executives. But true power comes from execution, says HSBC's North American CEO, who advises women to "be in it to win it."

Successful. Influential. Innovative. These women are driving results at their institutions, and paving the way for the female talent behind them.

Whether newcomers to the power scene or bank industry veterans taking on a new challenge, these women bear keeping an eye on.

From capital markets to card networks, businesses in the finance sector are benefiting from these women's efforts.

In a new book, PayPal founder and former exec Elon Musk argues that big thinking is missing from PayPal and payment startups. Put another way, NFC and QR codes won't repair the global economy. The problem is Musk’s big picture approach is it would challenge interoperability and ultimately stagnate the very industry he’s trying to save.

Mobile carriers would seem a natural fit for mobile payments in face-to-face sales, but the phone companies may be better suited for a long-distance relationship with retailers.

Can true innovation happen when so much of the industry is still working on systems built in the 20th century?

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