Witad Awards 2025: Legal/compliance professional of the year—Devi Shanmugham, Tradeweb

What is your position within your firm?
Devi Shanmugham: I am global head of compliance at Tradeweb.

How long have you worked in the financial services industry?
Shanmugham: I have been in the industry for over 15 years.

How did you get into the industry? Was it a conscious decision or did you “fall” into it?
Shanmugham: I started off my career as a patent attorney in New York City, but that inevitably meant I would touch the financial services sector in some way. I’m glad that it did!

What does your day-to-day role entail?
Shanmugham: No two days are ever the same, which is wonderful. Our team moves quickly across a wide range of challenging yet extremely interesting issues. We consistently try to balance the need of pushing a strategic initiative forward while managing issues in real time and mitigating risk. I enjoy viewing problems from multiple angles to achieve the best solution.

Embracing continuous learning not only keeps us ahead of regulatory shifts but also fosters innovation, resilience, and professional growth. A mindset of curiosity ensures we evolve with the industry rather than simply reacting to it

What are you currently working on and what makes it significant in the context of your position?
Shanmugham: I continue to focus on integrating technology solutions and automation into our compliance framework to enhance efficiency and accuracy. As the global head of our compliance team, in order to support business initiatives across the firm, our team needs to continue to leverage technology to manage complex regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and ensure seamless oversight in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

To what extent were you helped during your career by a mentor/role model within the business?
Shanmugham: Mentorship is very important, and I have been fortunate enough to have extraordinary mentors throughout different points in my career. They have often acted as a sounding board, pushing me to think above and beyond what I thought was possible. The changes I have made throughout my career are in many ways directly attributable to these mentors, and I try and seize every opportunity to give back as a mentor as well.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome during your career in the industry to date?
Shanmugham: Having to make decisive choices without complete information—challenging for a historically detail-oriented person in a high-stakes industry. I have had to navigate these expectations while ensuring my voice is heard, which in the long run has strengthened my confidence, adaptability, and leadership, and has enabled me to make informed, strategic decisions while fostering a strong culture of compliance.

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far during your career?
Shanmugham: The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that the only constant is change. In a dynamic industry, adaptability is essential, and the greatest gift we can give ourselves is an innate desire to learn and be intellectually curious. Embracing continuous learning not only keeps us ahead of regulatory shifts but also fosters innovation, resilience, and professional growth. A mindset of curiosity ensures we evolve with the industry rather than simply reacting to it.

What would you advise women just entering the industry?
Shanmugham: Be patient and impatient; be patient with yourself as you learn your craft, and generally speaking, every experience is a good learning experience. Be impatient to the extent that you should actively seek out opportunities—don’t wait for something to fall into your lap.

What does this award mean to you?
Shanmugham: This award is particularly meaningful to me because it highlights the growing recognition of compliance as a critical function in the technology space. The fact that this category exists underscores the evolving role of compliance professionals in driving innovation. I am proud to represent the impact that compliance leaders can have in this rapidly changing landscape.