Chika Nwafor, Assistant Vice President of Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities at Tradeweb, won Rising Star at the 2021 Markets Choice Awards.

Markets Media caught up with Nwafor to learn more.

What is your reaction to winning Rising Star at the 2021 Markets Choice Awards?

I feel truly honored and blessed to be able to join the distinguished group of individuals who have won this award in the past. Tradeweb invests a lot in their talent and I think this award goes to show that investment is paying dividends.

Briefly describe your background and career to date. How did you get into finance/financial technology?

My educational background is in finance, but I did not take a traditional route into the financial sector. I’ve always had an interest in technology and upon graduating college I decided to pursue my interest in technology which led me to become a programmer/systems designer for a point of sale technology company. Seeing the size, scope, and blend of technology in finance, I decided to leverage my finance and now technology background into a more client-facing finance role focusing on technology.

What is your current role and how do you excel in the role? 

I am currently one of the product managers for our mortgage-backed securities platform here at Tradeweb. Creative problem solving and the desire to build great products are what help me excel in my current role the most. Although mortgages are one of our more mature product offerings, the launch of our new specified pool platform has given me and my team the ability and freedom to build a product that completely revolutionizes how specified pools are traded today. Naturally, because we are breaking new ground, we are facing a whole subset of questions with which we can think of innovative and inventive solutions.

How is Tradeweb as an employer in terms of supporting its younger employees? 

Tradeweb provides countless initiatives to support and drive engagement from younger employees. These initiatives range from mentorship and career development workshops to networking opportunities with senior-level management and external educational opportunities sponsored by Tradeweb. Tradeweb places high importance on making sure all of its younger employees feel included and empowered by the resources available to them to succeed.

What are your goals for the future?

I am currently studying for my CFA. After completing my CFA, I would like to attain my MBA and eventually open up an infrastructure-focused fund with projects fixated on assets and projects in emerging markets and developing economies.