Can you tell me about your journey into the securities finance industry?
My journey began at university when I completed an industrial placement at BNY, which gave me firsthand exposure to the financial services ecosystem, and led the way to join BNY’s Market and Wealth Services graduate scheme.
The programme was a great opportunity to explore the industry from multiple angles, through four distinct rotations. Throughout the programme, I worked in various BNY platforms — including Treasury Services, Global Clearing and Collateral, Markets, and Pershing — and took various roles in product, sales, and strategy.
This experience helped me appreciate the breadth of the industry, and inspired me to pursue a product role in our global collateral platform. I find this role particularly exciting because it is at the intersection of product innovation, problem-solving, and strategy, and involves working with both internal and external stakeholders.
As a young professional, what aspects of your role or the industry do you find most exciting?
I find my current role particularly rewarding. I am lucky to be involved in a project at a point in time where there is a lot of growth and opportunity. This is an important moment for our collateral platform.
Central clearing is evolving rapidly, and being part of a team that ensures efficient and secure operation of government securities markets is incredibly fulfilling. It requires knowing the fine-grained detail, technical problem-solving, partnering with various stakeholders, and helping our clients navigate the upcoming changes. The sense of accomplishment that comes from “figuring things out” is what makes it unique.
I have also had the chance to do many exciting things alongside my job. I was part of BNY’s 240th anniversary bell-ringing celebration at the London Stock Exchange, I have travelled to our global offices, and as part of a trip to our New York headquarters, I experienced BNY’s Cyber Technology and Operations Center (CTOC), which has huge screens displaying our advanced business monitoring through AI and machine learning.
In parallel to my rotations, I worked on an exciting infrastructure project, and attended several executive-level meetings, where I learned how to articulate our strategic pillars and principles to our clients.
Many companies offer various training and development opportunities for their employees. How has your company supported your growth?
BNY’s graduate scheme was key in my development. It provided me with rotations across different BNY platforms, each with a distinct focus. This diversity of experiences helped me build both technical and soft skills, equipping me with a well-rounded foundation in the industry and a good understanding of how the bank operates.
And of course, you meet people along the way. I have had great opportunities to work with experienced professionals who have acted as my mentors and sponsors, encouraging me to step into new challenges and think boldly and strategically. Our employee resource groups and volunteering initiatives are great for networking and meeting people in an informal setting.
Beyond on-the-job training, there is the BNY learning portal, which has extensive content for all levels — including AI capabilities and its application in finance, which is a hot topic for us.
What misconceptions about working in the financial industry have you encountered, and how do you address these challenges?
One common misconception — that I also had myself before joining — is that working in finance is purely numbers-driven. There is actually a strong human element to the industry — it is about relationship-building, innovative problem-solving, and getting things done.
Another misconception is that young professionals have limited opportunities to contribute meaningfully. BNY wants fresh perspectives and new ideas. Of course, it is up to the company to create an environment where people can thrive, but if the culture is there and the individual is up for the challenge, great opportunities are there to be taken. BNY focuses on creating an environment that is both high-performing and human-centric.
I have tackled these various perceptions by proactively taking ownership of projects and attending leadership meetings, which has helped me build on my confidence and content. By asking thoughtful questions, staying adaptable, and passing on the knowledge I have attained through the rotations, I have been able to demonstrate my value within my teams.
Looking ahead, where do you see yourself in the next five years in terms of your career goals and aspirations?
I plan to continue growing my knowledge and staying up-to-date with market direction, while continuing to build cross-functional and international experience. My goal is to remain adaptable and gain skills that allow me to make impactful contributions to the industry. I have found that becoming an expert is invaluable, and I really admire it — but remaining open-minded and flexible is key.
I would love to explore leadership positions. I am particularly interested in roles that focus on creating solutions that harness technology and being part of a team with a strong vision that is passionate about driving change.
What advice do you have for other young professionals aspiring to pursue a career in your industry?
Build a solid foundation. It enables you to follow the vast and constantly evolving financial services industry. Take the time early on to explore and really understand different concepts, and develop expertise, strong technical skills, and soft ones as well. A strong foundation will give you both confidence and flexibility as you advance in your career.
Embrace opportunities that push you outside of your comfort zone, whether that is a new role, a challenging project, or even relocating to a different country.
Seek out mentors. They will help you see opportunities and provide invaluable guidance along the way from their own experience.
Be a mentor and a reverse mentor. Share your experience and learnings. It pushes you to reflect on your own journey, gives perspective to others, and helps you develop your listening and leadership skills.
Lastly, have fun — it is rewarding to figure things out and get stuff done.
Sofia Pavlidou Bio
Sofia Pavlidou is a product owner at BNY’s Global Collateral platform, where she focuses on the implementation of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule on mandatory clearing — developing new central clearing solutions and enhancing the platform’s connectivity to US-based CCPs.
Prior to that, Pavlidou completed the BNY Market and Wealth Services graduate scheme, and worked in Treasury Services, Global Clearing and Collateral, Markets, and Pershing. She also worked in BNY’s Depositary Receipts division as part of an industrial placement year.
Pavlidou is a member of BNY’s Future Leaders group, a PRISM ally, and a member of the Heart employee resource group.
Born and raised in Greece, she holds a bachelor-of-science degree in management from the University of Bath, where she received dean’s list recognition.
In her free time, Pavlidou loves travelling, mediterranean food, and working out. She is a dancer and takes acting classes on the weekends to embrace her creative side.
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Image: Sofia Pavlidou 
