the 6th annual Women in Finance Asia Awards.

Ms Azila Abdul Aziz, is Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director & Head of Listed Derivatives at Kenanga Futures Sdn Bhd, a Listed Derivatives Brokerage Company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Azila has been with company for more than 18 years and from the year 2012, she serves as the CEO. An accomplished Executive equipped with leadership, management and entrepreneurship & intraprenuership capabilities.

Azila currently leads the overall running of the Listed Derivatives Broking Company that includes both in-bound & out-bound businesses overseeing the entire Front Office Sales to Back Office Operations.

She sits on the Board of Kenanga Futures Sdn Bhd as an Executive Director, an appointed member of Senior Management Team for the Group Executive Committee and a member of several other committees within the Kenanga Group.

Prior to joining Kenanga Futures Sdn Bhd, Azila held the position of Institutional Sales at RHB Securities Sdn Bhd from 1996 – 2000.

She was involved in sales role for both regional equities and futures markets with clientele base includes international institutions, banks, global hedge funds, domestic institutions, state funds and various asset management companies.

Azila holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Finance and a Diploma in Investment Analysis from Malaysia’s MARA University of Technology (UiTM).

In addition to her present role in the company, Azila has diverse industrial participation where she has been appointed for various roles: President of Malaysia Futures Brokers’ Association (MFBA), Member on the FTSE Russell Bursa Malaysia Index Advisory Committee, Member of the Market Participants Committee (MPC), Principal Representative of the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Advisory Group, Committee member of the task force for Professional Certificate Investment and Finance (PCIF) program developed by PNB Investment Institute Sdn Bhd (PNBI/I) and an Associate Member of Palm Oil Refiners’ Association of Malaysia (PORAM).

Puja Bharwani is a Senior trader at Fidelity International, where she is focused on trading Hong Kong and China equities, she joined Fidelity in 2018. Prior to joining Fidelity, she worked on the trading desk at Blackrock where she gained exposure to both fundamental and systematic trading across multiple markets.

Puja also has experience from the sell side at HSBC where she worked in program trading. With a total of 10 years of trading experience across buy side, sell side and operations, Puja has the built up the knowledge across the various execution channels from Low touch to working with sell side partners in sourcing block liquidity.

Puja holds a Bachelors of Arts in Economics and a Minor in Business from Boston University, Boston, MA.

Belinda Boa, Managing Director, is the Head of Asia Pacific Active Investments & Chief Investment Officer of Emerging Markets Fundamental Equities. As the Head of APAC Active Investments, her role encompasses all areas of the Portfolio Management Group within the region, including Fundamental Equities, Fundamental Fixed Income, Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions, Private Credit, and more. As the CIO of EM Fundamental Equities, Ms. Boa is responsible for delivering investment excellence across the team’s various strategies to clients and internal stakeholders. Additionally, she oversees regulated activities of active investors in the region and is a member of BlackRock’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee.

Prior to assuming her current role in 2015, Ms. Boa was BlackRock’s Head of Risk and Quantitative Analysis for the Asia Pacific region, where she was responsible for all areas of risk across APAC including investment risk, credit and counterparty risk, and corporate and operational risk. She has worked in quantitative finance for over 15 years in London, South Africa, Hong Kong, and now Singapore, where she is currently based. Ms. Boa is a qualified Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the London Quant Group. She earned her degree with honours in Finance and Statistics from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa in 1995.

Carrie Cheung joined Principle Partners Hong Kong to lead their expansion in the Greater China region and Japan.

She has extensive experience in electronic and systematic trading and has worked at global financial institutions including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan and BNP Paribas.

Prior to joining Principle Partners, Carrie was COO for APAC systematic trading at Citadel Securities and before that, was Head of Electronic Trading APAC at BNP Paribas. 

She has over 20 years in the industry and is recognised in the buyside and sellside for her expertise in electronic and quantitative trading. Carrie was also the first female and foreign co-chair of the Japan FPL chapter. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and is a certified executive coach from The Coach Partnership. 

Mel Cooper, Associate Director, Macquarie Futures

Mel Cooper is an Associate Director, Futures Division at Macquarie Bank. Mel has over 25 years experience trading financial markets, across equities and futures markets.   At Macquarie Mel is responsible for the Sales and implementation of Electronic Futures trading and Clearing businesses. Interestingly, Mel commenced her career with Macquarie Futures trading on the open outcry SFE trading floor, reflecting her career evolution. Prior to joining Macquarie, Mel was Director, Electronic Equities Trading at Credit Suisse where she was instrumental in building the number 1 ranked electronic trading desk in the Australian equity market. During this time Mel’s achievements were recognised with the Excellence in Sell Side Trading, Women in Finance Asia Award, 2021. Mel’s career also spanned time at the ASX where she helped increase equity market share through her Business Development role and successful promotion of ASX’s trading capabilities across APAC with buy-side and sell-side participants.

Beyond her career, Mel is deeply passionate about driving progress for women in financial markets. As the former Chair of the Credit Suisse Women’s Network and a dedicated member of diversity, equity and inclusion committees across each company she has worked with, she actively champions gender diversity and equality in the workplace. Mel’s commitment extends to nurturing the next generation of talent, actively engaging in mentoring and recruitment initiatives to showcase the rewarding opportunities within financial markets. Despite demanding professional endeavours Mel finds joys spending quality time with her husband and 3 children.   She finds solace in running and excels as a natural networker, effortlessly connecting with peers and forging meaningful relationships within her industry and beyond.

Nasrine Ghozali re-joined Oasis as Chief Risk Officer & Member of the Strategies Group in February 2016 and is based in Hong Kong.

She was previously a Convertible Bonds Strategist and Equity Derivatives Trader for Oasis between January 2006 and March 2010. Prior to re-joining Oasis, Ms. Ghozali co-founded Silver Tree, an Asia-focused event driven hedge fund, in June 2010, and served as Principal Portfolio Manager and Responsible Officer until January 2016.

Prior to joining Oasis, she was Co-Head of Convertible Bond Arbitrage at Natexis Arbitrage, Group Banques Populaires in Paris from August 2001 to December 2005. Before that, she was a Convertible Bond Trader with BNP Paribas Arbitrage in Paris between August 2000 and August 2001.

Ms. Ghozali received a Master of International Finance & Economics, a Master of Economics majoring in Bank Finance Insurance, and a Bachelor of Economics majoring in Applied Economics from University Paris IX-Dauphine.

Ms. Ghozali co-founded the Board Diversity Hong Kong Investors’ Initiative, which aims to improve gender diversity on boards of Hong Kong-listed companies, and she is a member of the steering committee of the 30% Club Hong Kong Chapter and of the investor group of the 30% Club Japan Chapter.

Joel Hurewitz is Managing Director, Head of Sales & Global Head of Broker Dealer Strategy and Product Development for Instinet. He is responsible for sales of the group to buy and sell side clients across the Asia Pacific Region as well as the broker dealer strategy globally. Joel joined Instinet in 2008 to run broker dealer sales, but in the course of his 8 years with the firm has held a number of positions including Head of Product Strategy and Head of Electronic Trading.

With over 20 years equities experience in Asia, Mr. Hurewitz has been an active member, pioneer, and supporter of FIX Trading Community since the early days of electronic trading in Asia.

Prior to joining Instinet, Joel held roles within Deutsche Bank, HSBC, and CLSA where he built electronic businesses, products, and teams.

Vivian Peng, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Vivian Peng, specializes in systematic and quant driven trading on APAC equity trading desk at JP Morgan Asset Management. Vivian Peng joined the APAC equity trading desk at JP Morgan Asset Management in year 2016 and is responsible for automation and establish quant driven trading on JPM’s Hong Kong desk.

Vivian started her career working in Lehman’s equity division in New York. Subsequently, she moved to Hong Kong and joined Barclays Asia where she spent five years to buildout their electronic trading business across APAC markets. She then joined JPM investment bank to work on their equities algorithmic product and electronic sales trading before moved into JPM Asset Management world. Vivian studied in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Statistics.

Emma Quinn
President, CBOE Australia

Emma Quinn is President, Cboe Australia at Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe). A proven leader with significant experience in global capital markets, she is responsible for defining and executing the company’s strategy and increasing adoption of its products and services.  

In 2023, Emma joined Cboe from AllianceBernstein, where she was Global Co-Head of Equity Trading. Previously, she served as head of Asia-Pacific Trading, head of Asia-Pacific Fixed Income and Australia Equities Trading, and head of Trading for Australia and New Zealand for the firm. Prior to joining AllianceBernstein in 2001, she worked as an equity trader at AMP Henderson Global Investors.  

Emma also provides strategic leadership and participation on a number of boards and committees to help drive innovation and influence industry development. She is currently a Director and Chairperson of FIX Protocol Limited and FIX Protocol Trading Limited boards. She was previously an advisory board member of Quorum 15; a member of the Markets Advisory Panel for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission; a member of Asia Trader Forum; and a member of various Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association committees.  

Emma holds a Bachelor of Business in finance and business law from the University of Technology, Sydney. 

Managing Director
Global Client Development
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (“HKEX”)

Mr. Kevin Rideout joined HKEX in April 2015 as Head of the Global Client
Development. He is principally responsible for the International and Mainland client
relationship management and marketing services.

Mr. Rideout joined HKEX from Citigroup Global Markets where he served 5 years as
Head of Wholesale Execution Services Asia. He was also Chief spokesman on the
implementation of Stock Connect program launched by HKEX. Prior to this he was
Global Head of Market Infrastructures based in London for 5 years where he led a
global team to harness commercial arrangements with stock exchanges, clearing
houses and depositories around the world. In addition he founded and led a new
business group for Citigroup in clearing HFT/Prop trading business.

Prior to joining Citi, Mr Rideout spent 10 years at Thomson Reuters. He held various
positions in Thomson Reuters, including Regional Manager Hong Kong, Regional
Director Japan and Korea, Managing Director Asia in Singapore and Managing
Director – Global Head of Relationship Management and Sales in London for the
Omgeo (DTCC) Division. Mr Rideout holds a Bsc (Hons) Environmental Chemistry
from the University of Hertfordshire UK.

 Kitty Li, Managing Director, Head of APAC Agency Electronic Trading at UBS.

Kitty Li is Head of APAC Agency Electronic Trading in UBS. Before she relocated back to Hong Kong, she was Head of Client Trading and Execution for UBS Securities, based in Shanghai.

Kitty has over 18 years of experience in both APAC and global equities markets, With expertise in electronic trading and equities trading in Hong Kong and A-share market. Kitty Li held positions in both buy-side and sell-side across regions globally and gained deep understanding of the equities-trading structure and regulation in the global markets.

Kitty was previously Deputy Head of Trading in SAFE investment company in Hong Kong, where she was responsible for global equites trading.

Prior to this Ktty was in UBS Hong Kong for 6 years. She joined UBS as a quant analyst in

2007, and ater moved into Electronic Trading business where she was responsible for Electronic sales trading for Asia-ex Japan markets. Before joining UBS, Kitty worked in Deutsche Bank in New York.

Sue Lee, Managing Director, Head of Markets, Asia South at Citigroup.

Ms. Lee is Head of Markets for the Asia South cluster at Citi as of November 2023.

Prior to this, she was co‐head of Financial Institution Sales and Solutions for Asia Pacific, with a focus on growing private side Markets opportunities across all asset classes with Financial Institutions.

Sue joined Citigroup in 2012 to build up the Strategic Equity Solutions group for Asia Pacific. She grew the Citi SES team and business in Asia Pacific from nil to a Top 3 franchise on the street.

In May 2019, Ms. Lee was appointed co-Head of Equity Derivatives Distribution and Multi Asset Group for Citi Equities, Asia Pacific.

The team comprised of multiple sales and structuring teams, that originate, structure and distribute Equity Derivatives and Hybrid products for Asian clients, including private side Strategic Equity Solutions for hedging, financing and accumulation of strategic shareholdings.

Apart from building teams and new businesses, her expertise is in risk assessment and management; especially in originating and structuring customized equity financing transactions and multi asset solutions.

Her passion outside her business requirements are Diversity and Inclusion and developing female talent.

Ms. Lee has held positions as a board member of Citigroup Global Markets Hong Kong Ltd., and externally, as a member of the Advisory Board for Morrow Sodali, Asia Pacific.

Prior to joining Citi, she was at Credit Suisse, Lehman Brothers and JPMorgan, originating structured equity transactions in Asia Pacific.

Ms. Lee is an alumni of the Hong Kong University Women's Directorship Program (Masters equivalent certificate) and received her Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Ewha Women's University in Seoul, Korea.

Kristina Martinez, Managing Director, People – APAC

 Mr Rama Pillai 

Managing Director 

Global Head of Sales 

SGX Group 

Rama Pillai is Managing Director and Global Head of Sales at Singapore Exchange (SGX Group). 

He oversees the marketing and sales of the full suite of SGX Group’s products and services to its members and clients. Together with his team, he manages the exchange’s business relationships with its broking members and key institutional clients. He works closely with the business units to grow SGX Group’s derivatives, commodities and securities’ business lines. He also represents SGX Group at several international forums and industry associations and is currently a Board Member of FIA Asia. 

Rama has been with SGX Group for over 33 years, during which time his responsibilities have included marketing, business development and product development efforts for the exchange’s derivatives and securities business.