Melissa Watras

After obtaining an anthropology degree from Binghamton University, I decided to pivot to working in financial markets and have been building my career in the space since 2010. Starting in Operations at Morgan Stanley, I moved into a Compliance role in the UK which eventually led to running Global Trade Surveillance strategy. I have since found myself back in New York running the Surveyor team, a regtech solution specializing in market and trade surveillance within Trillium Labs.

What makes you a Risky Woman?

As a believer in capital markets, I’ve spent most of my career both advocating and ensuring the safety of our global marketplace. Even when not always popular, my integrity remains uncompromised while making an impact. Outside of work I’ve dedicated time to mentoring opportunities both to women and underserved communities championing equal opportunities.

Name your top 3 achievements

Motherhood
NYC Marathon (and a second time as a Hope for Achilles guide!)
Running a regtech product in a predominately male-dominated field

What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?

A year ago I transitioned from my role at a well-established Institutional bank to an emerging fintech startup. Leaving behind the comforts of a major institution was risky, but the excitement and privilege to grow and lead product I believe in won out.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

Professionally, that I can be shy in networking situations (but I go for it anyway). Personally, that I’m an improv comedy nerd.

What is the best quality for successful leaders in Risk?

To keep pace with the ever-evolving nature of the risk space, it is imperative to get stakeholders bought into your roadmap, vision, and mission to eliminate red tape needed to make meaningful decisions. Effective and frequent communication, reporting and metrics, and strong values need to remain top priorities to ensure success.