Her Story
About Andrea
Andrea R. Shaw, Esq. is a Risk and Compliance Executive with extensive experience across financial services, fintech, payments, banking, and digital asset regulation. She currently serves as an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, where she leads efforts supporting digital assets strategy, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk governance. She is recognized for her ability to bridge legal, regulatory, and operational priorities in highly complex, fast-evolving financial environments, helping organizations strengthen compliance while enabling innovation.
Her career began in public service as a prosecutor in New York shortly after graduating from law school during the 2008 financial crisis. In this role, she developed a strong foundation in litigation, legal analysis, and public sector accountability. She later transitioned into the financial services industry in 2009, joining Morgan Stanley in Purchase, New York, where she supported litigation related to the financial crisis. Despite entering the industry without prior business experience, she quickly developed deep expertise in regulatory compliance, BSA/AML programs, audit, and governance, advancing into progressively senior leadership roles.
In 2018, Andrea transitioned into fintech and digital asset innovation, where she focused on building payments infrastructure, regulatory licensing frameworks, and crypto-related compliance programs. Her experience includes serving as Chief Executive Officer of a Japan-based cryptocurrency exchange operating in San Francisco, where she led strategy, regulatory alignment, and operational development. Today, she continues her work in financial services and digital assets while also serving as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Albany Law School, contributing to legal education and industry thought leadership in fintech regulation and compliance.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Andrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success is rooted in a strong work ethic shaped by my upbringing as a first-generation New Yorker and the resilience demonstrated by my family, particularly my mother who persevered as a single parent after the early loss of my father. As the first in my family to graduate from college and earn a law degree, I learned early the value of discipline, perseverance, and education as tools for advancement. Throughout my career, I have remained committed to authenticity, embracing my identity as a Black and Brown woman in spaces where I have often been underrepresented, while refusing to diminish myself to fit external expectations. I attribute my success to passion, resilience, and a deliberate choice to pursue meaningful work aligned with my interests and values rather than conforming to prescribed narratives.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to lead with authenticity and confidence in your abilities. Do not diminish your voice or presence to fit into environments where you may feel outnumbered or underestimated. Instead, recognize the value of your perspective, expertise, and lived experience, and allow those strengths to shape how you contribute and lead. It is important to remain grounded in your passion, stay committed to continuous growth, and trust that your individual path and experiences are assets, not limitations, in building a meaningful and successful career.
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