Victoria Shanks hails from Lurgan, Co. Armagh. Her story is rooted in resilience, ambition, and a deep Irish heritage, which was instilled in her by her mother, one of 16 children.

She joined First Derivatives in 1998 when the company had just five employees. Over the course of two decades, she helped scale the business to over 3,000 people and a valuation of over £ 1 B, playing a lead role in building KX’s professional services division and forging partnerships with major players, including AWS. Last year, FD was acquired by the American firm EPAM.

A recognized leader in capital markets and fintech, Victoria has held executive roles across operations, financial engineering, sales, marketing, and global account management, working closely with many of the world’s top investment banks and hedge funds. Beyond titles and milestones, Victoria is most proud of the people she has championed. She has mentored countless young professionals, opening doors to careers in the U.S., APAC, and beyond. She has stayed connected with many of them as they’ve grown into leaders themselves.

Now Managing Director, Sales and Account Management, she’s leading First Derivative’s growth across EPAM’s 60+ locations. She holds an Engineering degree from Queen’s University Belfast and an MBA. Victoria still lives at home in Lurgan, balancing international business with raising three young children.