Walk Away

Beyond Lean In: Choose Yourself

"…Sheryl Sandberg the COO of Facebook with her book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead (2013), inspired many women (including myself) to “lean in.” The narrative has changed over the last thirteen years; there is now a “lean out” movement…"

— Alice Chen, Co-Founder and General Counsel Investax and IX Swap, Top 10 Fintech Leader

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“Walk Away is a tribute to the power and insight of many voices, and to making more meaningful choices as we navigate life’s journey.”
— Pinky Lilani CBE DL, is a food guru, author and Chair of the Women of the Future Awards, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and the Women of the Future Summit

Walk Away Overview

In Walk Away, Clarke and Overdeput reveal the rarely told stories of high-achieving women who took the bold decision to leave roles that no longer served them. They discovered stepping away was the beginning of something far stronger.

“On my career journey, I wrestled with decisions about whether to engage or not, to lean in, or step back—and through this, I learned resilience and the power of choice.”
— Maha El Dimachki - Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub, Singapore Centre Head and Author, Fintech Regulation in Practice

From C-suite executives to founders of game-changing companies...

...from Mumbai to New York women share their experiences on the leadership path. Some stayed longer in their roles than they should have; others leapt early, trusting their instincts. Each chapter captures the moment they reconnect with who they truly are—even when the road ahead is uncertain—and the lessons they have learnt.

“This book is not about telling you what to do. It is about showing you what’s possible.”
— Nicki Gilmour, Founder and CEO, Evolved People Media LLC, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, The Glass Hammer

Walk Away
will empower you to:

Spot the subtle signs that a role or culture is holding you back

Recognize when you have outgrown your position and plan your next move

Develop a clear, considered exit while protecting your values, energy, and relationships

Make career decisions with confidence, even when the way forward is unclear

“Sometimes the bravest and wisest choice is to step away.”

In Walk Away
leaders reflect on what truly matters

when a position no longer supports their career growth. Each candid story shows that leaving is not an ending, but a powerful beginning.

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“Walking away wasn’t about avoiding risk. It was about protecting value.”
— Gayatri Bhatia, Founder Elevate Foods, Angel Investor

Why knowing when to leave is the most powerful leadership skill of all

Authors of Walk Away:

Sally J. Clarke | Award-winning author and global executive

Deborah Overdeput | Fintech COO and growth leader

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Paperback

USD 19.99

Hardback

USD 24.99

Digital

USD 5.99

Author's Perspective

As you read Walk Away, you will hear recurring refrains: the necessity of mentorship, the importance of building networks and lifelong learning, and the value of defining success on your own terms. You will also hear a challenge to the well-worn narrative of “leaning in.” Sometimes, the bravest and wisest choice is to step away—to redraw the map and write your own definition of success.

– Sally J. Clarke

“Walking away isn’t giving up.
It’s walking toward the place where you belong.”
— Deborah Overdeput, Chief Operating Officer Innovative Systems

At its heart, Walk Away is a clarion call for equity: equal pay for equal work, equal opportunities to progress, and a level playing field. Our hope is that you experience these stories not as distant case studies, but as conversations with trusted friends or mentors—women who have been where you are, who have stumbled, endured, and triumphed. If their journeys inspire you to rethink your own path, challenge outdated norms, or simply imagine new possibilities, then we have achieved our goal.

– Deborah Overdeput

Our Story

Our shared story began in 2005 at SunGard (now FIS). Deborah and I were both divisional Chief Marketing Officers, each leading global teams, managing multimillion-dollar budgets, and building reputations as high-impact executives. We encountered one another in the thick of corporate life—where strategy met execution, and where laughter, curiosity, and a shared drive to deliver results created a bond that went beyond job titles. We quickly recognized something in each other: the same energy, the same instinct to challenge the status quo, and the same ability to turn ideas into action.

By 2007, our career paths had diverged. Sally joined Markit, and Deborah joined Publicis Sapient. In the years that followed, our professional lives ran in parallel. We reconnected at conferences in New York, London, and Sydney—comparing notes, trading stories, and often sketching ideas on napkins about what we might one day create together.

In late 2024, that “one day” arrived when we were discussing Lean In. It is our joint belief that the narrative has changed, and we joined forces to write Walk Away.

– Sally and Deborah

“I received the advice that you should be learning or earning. My view is that you should do both, and if you cannot, perhaps it is time to move on.”
— Dr. Leda Glyptis, Fintech executive, Nonexecutive Director and Author, visiting Professor Loughborough University

About the Authors

Sally J. Clarke

Sally J. Clarke was born in Britain and has lived in Spain and Singapore, shaping a global perspective that informs both her writing and professional endeavors. She has held global leadership roles in marketing and communications at FIS and Markit, served as a director at the Institute of International Affairs, and is an award-winning writer. Her work has appeared in Art Republik, The Financial Times – The Banker, and The Markit Magazine, where she served as Managing Editor from 2007 to 2011. Her journalistic assignments have taken her across the Middle East and Central Asia, from the bustling souks of Oman to the historic landscapes of Iran, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Her debut novel, Ringside Gamble, made an immediate impact upon its release in November 2023, reaching the number one spot in Asian Literature and becoming a bestseller in fantasy, combat sports, and young adult fiction. In September 2025, Ringside Gamble won the Ink Prize Award for Best Debut Novel and was runner-up in the Young Adult Fiction category. Beyond her literary achievements, Clarke has played a pivotal role in business and the arts. She was awarded the 2014 La Salle Incubator Fund Award and is a company founder. She has also served as a board advisor to The Substation, Singapore’s renowned contemporary arts platform, where she curated thought-provoking conferences and exhibitions in both visual arts and poetry. Clarke holds master’s degrees from the University of Barcelona in International Finance and Commerce and the University of London in Modern Asian Art Histories, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Economics and Politics. In Singapore, she has further honed her craft through advanced writing courses with literary luminaries such as Clare Keegan, Jeanette Winterson, Darryl Whetter, and J.C. Hallman at the Asia Creative Writing Programme at Nanyang Technological University. She is also a Curtis Brown alumna. She lives in Singapore with her family.

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Deborah Overdeput

Deborah Overdeput serves as Chief Operating Officer at Innovative Systems, a global leader in data quality and anti-money laundering (AML) solutions. In this role, she has been instrumental in positioning FinScan, the company’s flagship AML platform, as a market-leading and award-winning solution in the fight against financial crime. Under her leadership, FinScan has received numerous accolades, including the 2025 Finovate Award for Best RegTech Solution, the TABBForum NOVA Award, and the Datos Impact Award. Prior to her current position, Deborah was Chief Marketing Officer at Innovative Systems, where she played a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth and market presence. She founded DO Marketing Services, a fractional marketing consultancy specializing in fintech and consulting sectors, helping mid-sized businesses achieve brand awareness and revenue growth. With more than two decades of experience, Deborah has held senior leadership roles at Publicis Sapient, Asset Control, SunGard (now FIS), and Unitil. Her expertise spans demand generation, brand development, and go-to-market strategy, consistently delivering double-digit revenue expansion and building high-performing global teams. Beyond her corporate achievements, Deborah has served as Chair of the Homeland Heroes Foundation and as Chair of the Advisory Board for the University of New Hampshire’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire.

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“Walking away from a thriving, well-paid career, wasn’t easy… But walking away from the truth would have been harder. If there’s one thing my life and parents have taught me, it’s that systems, no matter how respected, can fail.”
— Dr. Entela Benz, Chief Executive Officer, Intensel Limited, Adjunct Associate Professor at Hong Kong UST, Department of Finance

Contributors

Walk Away exists because a group of remarkable women said yes—yes to sharing their stories, their doubts, and the moments when they chose to walk away from something that no longer felt right, as well as the lessons learned.

Each chapter is an honest, entertaining, and generous reflection, told without polish or pretense.

We’re incredibly grateful to every contributor for their trust, their time, and their willingness to speak so openly, giving readers the opportunity to learn from their incredible growth.