myGwork chats with Yong Ren about why allyship is so crucial in the workplace
BY DYLANN MANN-HAZELL, IMAGE BY @VLADIMIRSUKHACHEV
In this candid interview with myGwork, Yong Ren from Wise shares his career highlights and experiences, including his perspective as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. He also offers insights into Wise’s efforts to inspire an inclusive and open workplace for all.
Could you tell me a bit about your background and career journey leading up to your current position at Wise?
You could say I’m a mathematician who ran away to see the world. After growing up in China, my studies took me on a bit of a tour – a Master’s in Saudi Arabia and a PhD in Italy. I finally landed at Wise in 2017 as a treasury data analyst. My job was basically to be the wizard behind the curtain of global money transfers, using numbers to solve puzzles around liquidity and foreign exchange – the kind of complex stuff that sends most people to sleep. Since then, I’ve continued my world tour but inside Wise, moving from pricing to my current home in marketing and global product, where I get to play with our referral programs.
Can you tell me about your childhood – where did you grow up? Did you have any hobbies?
I grew up in Chengdu, China. Like a lot of kids in China, my childhood was a frantic mix of exams and mountains of homework. I was born into a tough situation, financially and with violence at home, so my escape was music and a dream. I had a good voice, even became the lead singer in the school choir, but my biggest dream was to see the world. We couldn’t afford to travel, not even a little bit. So, my mother gave me a world map. It was my most prized possession.
I would trace journeys with my finger for hours, wearing out one map after another. My mother, bless her, would just quietly replace it. That silent belief from her was everything. It’s what pushed me to earn a full scholarship to go abroad. Now, having travelled to over 100 countries and lived in 10, I know every trip I take is for that little boy with his worn-out map, and for the mother who showed me that a simple piece of paper can hold the entire world.
Can you share your personal journey with the LGBTQIA+ community?
This part of my journey took a while to load! I knew I was attracted to men when I was a kid, but in that environment, you just don’t talk about it, you just bury it. My first real, “Oh, this is it” relationship didn’t start until I was 23, while I was travelling solo in Iran, of all places. I was studying in Saudi Arabia at the time, so we somehow managed a long-distance relationship for two years, which involved me visiting Iran about eight times. It was complicated, but it was real.
What has been a standout moment in your career so far?
My baby! That would have to be the Analyst Academy I got running at Wise. It’s a program for anyone in the company who wants to become a data analyst. We built courses and self-learning tools, and it’s actually worked! Some of our “graduates” have become seriously good analysts, which makes me feel like a proud father. Plus, it gave me an excuse to travel to our other offices in Singapore, Japan, and Hungary to lead training sessions about data. I love teaching, so getting to turn my colleagues into proper data nerds has been a highlight.
How does Wise strive for inclusivity and provide an open space for LGBTQIA+ employees?
We are very serious about this. It’s not just some posters and a rainbow cake in June, no. We have an amazing DEI team backed by actual data from surveys, and we provide proper training, awareness campaigns, and case-by-case support.
The most personal example? Wise sponsored my husband’s relocation from Argentina to London. That process was a beast – legally and emotionally – and Wise saw it through. I saw Wise as a place that’s more than a policy, that’s really taking it seriously. It’s in the small things too, like getting pronouns right in all our communications and making sure every new leader is trained on this from day one. We have specific LGBTQIA+ training and excellent wellbeing support, which makes a huge difference.
Throughout your career, have you noticed any developments in attitudes towards the importance of diversity and inclusion?
It’s like night and day. When I moved to London with Wise in 2021, the vibe in the city and our office felt completely different compared to my home country. I was just more comfortable being “out” without constantly overthinking it. Here’s a funny story: my first-ever Pride was in 2022, and guess who I went with? Five of my straight colleagues from Wise. We had an absolute blast. The fact I’m even doing this interview and talking so openly is something I couldn’t have imagined before I joined Wise. I genuinely believe the working environment here has been central to this process, as it fosters a safe place for everyone, right from day one.
What immediate improvements would you like to see being made for LGBTQIA+ equality in the future – both in the workplace, and wider society?
There are so few places on this planet where LGBTQIA+ or gay couples like us are allowed to marry, for instance in my home country it is not included. This essentially marks our relationship legally invisible, or we could be sentenced to jail simply for the “crime” of being who we are. This has to change from urgent reform, to fair immigration policies, as well as access to mental health support for a community under constant pressure.
My partner and I eventually made it through after long months of forced separation due to family law and immigration investigation and more, trying to keep a long-distance relationship alive while navigating a bureaucratic maze designed to scrutinise our every move. The whole ordeal involved several enhanced checks and a deep financial burden that felt incredibly unfair, all just for the right to build a life together. We were lucky, but our struggle shows just how far we have to go.
Is there anything we haven’t discussed already that you would like to include?
It all comes down to mental wellbeing, doesn’t it? The world puts so much pressure on you, from your family, from society, and even from within yourself. Let’s be honest, most of the world is not a safe or easy place to be queer. Living as a gay couple abroad comes with hidden judgments, cultural hurdles, legal barriers, and real danger in some places. There is still such a long, long way to go. But seeing companies like Wise start this work, seeing the change in my own life… It’s a start. And a start is a powerful thing.
Wise is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ business community. Find out more about LGBTQ+ inclusive job opportunities at Wise.
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