Different Minds, Better Outcomes:
How Diversity of Thought DriveS SuccesS
With Melanie Mills – CRO at Caxton
On March 6th, 2025, just ahead of International Women’s Day, we hosted another impactful edition of Women in Power: Different Minds, Better Outcomes—a conversation that explored how diversity of thought fuels innovation, resilience, and leadership success.
This event brought together inspiring female leaders and change makers to discuss the real challenges of leadership, from overcoming perfectionism to self-advocacy and driving meaningful change in our careers.
At Different Minds, Better Outcomes, we had the privilege of hearing from Melanie Mills, CRO at Caxton and Melissa Bruno who shared powerful lessons on leadership, resilience, and diversity.
The standout themes from our Women in Power event was the importance of leaning into our differences and embracing a creative mindset in leadership. Leaders who embrace an authentic creative approach and growth mindset ask better questions, find new solutions, and reimagine what’s possible in their careers and industries.
Yet, too often, we’re encouraged to fit into existing structures rather than challenge them—but as Melanie Mills shared in her journey from fashion and beauty to fintech leadership, it’s often our unique backgrounds, perspectives, and ways of thinking that set us apart and drive real impact:
Key Takeaways:
💡Diversity of thought is more than a buzzword—it’s a business imperative. Research proves that diverse teams drives better performance, innovation, and retention:
- Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity see 27% better performance (McKinsey)
- 69% of Millennials & Gen Z stay five+ years in companies that actively embrace diversity
- 30% more women in the workforce = 30% higher company outperformance
💡”Your biggest USP is being yourself” – Your background, no matter how different, can give you an edge in unexpected ways. lean into their unique strengths instead of trying to fit into a predefined mold.
💡Challenges can be a game-changer – “The hardest times have always propelled me to something better.”— Melanie Mills
💡Listening is a superpower – Creativity isn’t just about bold ideas; it’s about absorbing insights from diverse voices and using them to shape smarter strategies.
💡While diverse teams have a multiplying effect, leading them can be challenging and exhausting. Give yourself time to reflect, be aware of your specific needs, lean on your network and delegate!
Why diversity of thought matters?
Research has shown that diversity of thought isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a business imperative:
- Companies with diverse executive teams are 9% more likely to outperform their peers financially. (McKinsey)
- Teams with cognitive diversity solve problems up to 60% faster, driving more innovative and strategic outcomes. (Harvard Business Review)
- Organisations with diverse teams see a 19% increase in innovation-driven revenue, demonstrating the power of fresh perspectives. (BCG)
Despite these advantages, many industries still face significant challenges in leadership diversity. This event will delve deep into the unique advantages diversity of thought brings to leadership and how female leaders can leverage their differences to make a meaningful impact.
About Melanie Mills, CRO at Caxton
Melanie Mills is the Chief Revenue Officer at Caxton Payments Ltd, where she focusses on leading the B2B division by providing the strategic vision to deliver long term success through partnerships, scalable processes, and a relentless focus on client needs.
Previously, Melanie served as the Director of Revenue for PayDashboard, which was acquired by Experian in May 2022, and as the CEO of sister company Moneysmart. Over her 20-year career, she has built six-figure revenues in B2B and B2C start-ups and scale-ups, establishing herself as a recognised and progressive senior fintech leader operating at Board level.
Melanie has an impressive reputation for fostering trusted relationships, driving commercial growth, and leading with high standards. Having spearheaded the Caxton Career Collective to allow industry leaders to connect with rising stars, Melanie is passionate about fostering mentorship, empowering the next generation of women in leadership.
As a strong believer in action and delivering against expectations, Melanie supports facilitating continuous personal development both for her teams and herself. Melanie completed a mini-MBA in Business Leadership and works with a business coach to refine her skills– knowing that leadership is a journey of growth, not a destination.
https://caxton.io/connact/melanie-mills
Introduction by Melissa Bruno
Melissa Bruno is a lead Partner within BDO’s People Advisory Services team with over 20 years’ experience in People, Talent and HR Strategy. She is passionate about designing effective organisations, developing leaders, people and teams, assessing people risk and transforming functions. Melissa starts from advising on what is impacting businesses today and anticipating what will in the future enabling organisations to focus on what matters and to prepare effectively.
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