In an industry defined by pace, innovation and precision, compliance isn’t just about meeting standards — it’s about setting them. At Zodia Markets, that responsibility sits with Hema Patel, Head of Compliance for the UK & Europe and Anna Bettencourt, Director and Head of Compliance.

Between them, they oversee global regulatory jurisdictions shaping a single, harmonised compliance framework designed for speed, safety and scalability. Together, they’ve built what they call “one framework, two lenses”: a system that balances the FCA’s focus on market integrity and operational resilience with the JFSC’s precision around governance, fiduciary duty and client asset segregation.

In this joint spotlight, the pair discuss how they bridge jurisdictions, transform compliance from a perceived constraint into a growth enabler, and why clarity, courage and coaching define their approach to female leadership in institutional finance.

With you being based in the UK and Jersey, how do your roles complement each other in shaping Zodia Markets’ compliance framework?

Think of it as “one framework, two lenses.” The UK gives us the pace-setter, FCA expectations on market integrity, consumer duty, surveillance and operational resilience. Jersey adds precision, JFSC’s governance discipline, span-of-control and a strong fiduciary culture.

Practically, we run a single group policy set with local addenda: the UK view drives baseline controls; Jersey stress-tests governance, board reporting and segregation of client assets. We co-chair a regulatory intel loop and we avoid the “lowest common denominator” trap by harmonising to the higher standard where it’s proportionate.

Net effect – consistent, scalable controls that satisfy both regulators, with enough local nuance to keep us safe and fast.

What are the biggest similarities and differences in your regulatory environments and how do you bridge those in practice?

Both regimes are principles and risk-based with strong expectations on governance and financial crime detection and prevention. Differences show up in accountability models and permissions language. We bridge that with a single policy library, plus jurisdictional clauses, a shared controls matrix and MI that tags issues by rule source. Where rules diverge, we build to the stricter requirement.

Compliance is often seen as about “box-ticking,” but in digital assets it’s at the heart of building trust. How do you see your work enabling innovation rather than holding it back?

Ultimately, the business and its Boards own the risk and the outcomes, full stop. Compliance’s job is to make that accountability workable: we design the framework (policies, controls, risk taxonomies), wire it into the product and operations and provide timely challenge and support. We enable “safe speed” with risk-based green lanes and clear escalation for edge cases. In short: the Board decides, the business delivers and compliance equips them to do it, confidently and compliantly.

What have been some of the biggest challenges, and opportunities, of building compliance infrastructure in a sector as fast-moving as digital assets?

Biggest challenges include evolving rulebooks, uneven vendor maturity and data lineage on/off-chain. As to opportunities, to name a few, on-chain transparency improves monitoring; tokenisation gives stronger asset controls; automation upgrades KYC and ongoing monitoring. We translate those into clear playbooks the business can actually use.

How do you collaborate day-to-day and what does that cross-border teamwork add to the business?

Daily huddles, a shared work board, and ongoing consultations on higher-risk clients and new products. Each jurisdiction retains its own approvals and accountability, but our decisions are informed by a common view of risks and standards. The cross-border rhythm sharpens horizon scanning, strengthens bench cover during surge events and delivers a consistent client experience.

What does strong female leadership in compliance look like and why does it matter in institutional finance?

We define strong female leadership in compliance as three things: clarity, courage and coaching.

Clarity means we turn complex rules into simple, non-negotiable standards and embed them in processes so teams know exactly what “good” looks like. Courage is holding the line when commercial momentum tests risk appetite, escalating early, challenging assumptions and taking decisions that protect clients, licenses and reputation. Coaching is how it scales: we build capability through feedback, mentoring and clear ownership so sound judgment isn’t dependent on one person.

It matters because diverse leadership reduces blind spots and strengthens speak-up cultures, both essential for high-quality risk decisions in fast-moving markets. In practice, that looks like setting pre-trade controls before launching a new product, insisting on evidence for risk acceptances and creating forums where analysts can raise concerns without fear.

Bottom line, effective compliance leadership doesn’t slow the business; it enables sustainable growth by giving the organisation confidence to move fast within well-defined guardrails.

What advice would you give to other women considering careers in compliance, particularly in new sectors like digital assets?

Pair regulatory depth with technical curiosity. Learn how wallets, custody, settlement and on-chain data actually work, then translate that into clear, one-page decisions with trade-offs. Put your hand up for complex launches; that’s where credibility is built. Find sponsors, build cross-functional allies and choose teams that bring compliance in at design, not after the fact.

Looking ahead, where do you see the most important developments coming in regulation and how are you preparing Zodia Markets to meet them?

Looking ahead, we expect three shifts: regulatory standards bedding in, a fuller perimeter for stablecoins and promotions and greater emphasis on market-abuse style surveillance. Our approach is simple: build credibility with controls that run in production, keep an evidence pack ready and ensure our roadmap never outruns the permissions perimeter. Practically, supervisors don’t have to take our word for it, we run the controls, track effectiveness and maintain audit-ready evidence, so when rules tighten, we’re already operating to that standard.