Deriv’s Joanna Frendo has been named Chief Compliance & Risk Officer of the Year at the Women in Forex awards during the Forex Expo Dubai 2025. The win highlights the growing influence of female leaders setting standards for integrity and innovation in the industry.
Since joining Deriv over two decades ago, Joanna has led the development of group-wide compliance frameworks and fraud-prevention systems across multiple jurisdictions. Her remit has included market-entry readiness, ongoing supervision, and controls designed to support scalable, secure operations.
A recent focus has been the UAE, where Joanna led Deriv’s successful application to secure Deriv’s UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) licence. This crucial regulatory milestone strengthens Deriv’s presence in the Middle East and enables more localised trading offerings for regional clients.
“The UAE has set a global benchmark by pairing high standards for governance and investor protection with a genuine drive for fintech innovation. Our SCA licence reflects our promise to uphold both, and our mission that anyone, anywhere, should trade securely,” Joanna said.
Apart from overseeing licenses, she has overseen the development of advanced solutions that streamline the management of regulatory requirements and risk assessments across diverse jurisdictions. Through the integration of AI tools, her team has enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of compliance processes, allowing for deeper analytical focus and more informed decision-making. Her approach reflects thoughtful innovation and continuous improvement in global risk and regulatory management.
Reflecting on her award, Joanna Frendo said, “I'm honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects the commitment and hard work of our entire team at Deriv. I strive to lead by example, empowering my team to build robust compliance systems that encourage a culture of integrity and trust. Together, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth and continuous innovation.”
Separately, Deriv was also recognised as Most Innovative Online Trading Platform 2025 (Global) at the event. For Deriv, both honours together point to its focus on pairing product innovation with regulatory discipline.
About Deriv Group
Deriv is a global leader in online trading, offering a wide range of financial instruments, including forex, commodities, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. With 26 years of experience, Deriv is committed to providing its 3m+ clients with innovative trading platforms, exceptional customer support, and a secure trading environment.
For more information about Deriv and its services in the UAE, please visit deriv.ae.
