Articles 
Gender diversity has a profound impact on an organization, from greater productivity to enhanced collaboration. With this in mind, The SaaS Report recently celebrated the accomplishments of women in SaaS by honoring the Top Women Leaders in SaaS of 2018, a list that includes Avature Chief Financial Officer Ana Laura Darino.
“By shining a light on these leaders, we can help inspire and encourage today’s younger generation of women to aim high and achieve,” according to a press release from The SaaS Report.
The Top Women Leaders in SaaS of 2018 are accomplished executives who were selected from more than 3,500 nominations. Those who made the list were chosen based on their professional achievements and key factors that include current and prior positions, company performance, industry recognition and influence, and impact on the organizations where they’ve held leadership roles.
“I enjoy working in SaaS because it’s a fast-paced industry with so many things to develop and do better from the financial, accounting and tax perspectives,” Darino says. “It’s a lot of pressure, the bar is high. But it’s also so much fun.”
From Childhood Interest to CFO
As a child, Darino was drawn to the business world. “I found the work of banks and exchanges fascinating,” she recalls of visiting her father’s office. “I also loved the big desks, the computers, and the cool pens and pads.”
What was once a childhood interest has evolved into a notable career spanning two decades. During the past 12 years at Avature, Darino has guided Avature through financial and regulatory challenges as the company has expanded rapidly across the U.S., Europe and Asia. She has fulfilled countless customer requests, managed Avature’s financial processes, and built a strong global team of financial professionals.
“Ana has developed a very interesting Saas accounting strategy and a profound understanding of execution,” says Cristian Dujmovic, SVP of Business Operations. “She is a great leader and a team player.”
Darino has overseen five years of positive cash flow and company growth in the high double digits. Utilizing the Avature CRM platform, she developed customer-oriented data tracking methods to gather improved financial metrics that feed analysis. “As the growth of our organization is exponential, this is no small task as our purchasing needs are getting bigger and more sophisticated by the minute,” Darino says.
Colleagues close to Darino describe her as a role model for her notable career achievements, both within Avature and beyond.
“Ana Laura demonstrates a high level of integrity and is an excellent team leader,” says Silvina Maeso, VP of Legal Affairs. “She has a natural gift for identifying talent and bringing out the best in everyone around her. It is an absolute pleasure to work with someone with such extraordinary professional and personal capacities.”
Women in Leadership
“Organizations can consider women for leadership positions and then let them lead in their own way,” Darino advises. “Avature is a great example of this, and this is one of the reasons I am proud to work here.”
Forty percent of senior leadership roles at Avature are held by women, higher than the number at other leading tech firms. Avature also beats the industry average by having women in 26 percent of technical service positions.
For girls interested in pursuing careers in SaaS leadership, Darino offers some words of wisdom: “I would tell her to study hard, work hard and speak up: ask for opportunities, put yourself out there and have confidence in your abilities.”