Spotlight: Risk & Compliance Voices - Anthea Tsang, Risk & Compliance Manager, Boodle Hatfield

What does a career in Risk & Compliance actually look like in practice? It’s a function that’s grown significantly in importance in law and accountancy firms.

In this Spotlight: Risk & Compliance Voices series, we speak with professionals across the market to share real insights into the role, career development and hiring expectations.

For anyone building a career in Risk & Compliance, hearing directly from those already in the role is invaluable. Each interview offers an honest and practical perspective of the profession for those looking to progress in the field.

In our latest interview, we hear from Anthea Tsang, Risk and Compliance Manager at Boodle Hatfield LLP, a specialist UK law firm. She shares honest reflections on her career journey spanning Hong Kong and London, her step into management, and the realities of building confidence in a modern risk and compliance function.

How did you get started and have there been any turning points or career defining moments?

My career in Risk & Compliance grew quite organically from studying law in university and internships at law firms. Although I hadn't initially considered it a long-term career path at the time, it seemed relevant to my legal background, sounded interesting and I was keen to start work. My first role was in Hong Kong at a corporate services firm that exposed me to work across a range of offshore jurisdictions. That experience showed me how central risk management is to the integrity of legal and corporate services, and how much analytical depth and judgment the field requires. The role also made me realise how much I enjoyed problem-solving, developing technical expertise, and strengthening my analyst skills.

One major turning point was moving to London. The role allowed me to combine my international compliance experience while developing new skills in stakeholder management, project work, and eventually team leadership. Taking on progressively senior roles made me realise that I also enjoyed driving change, improving processes, and supporting people’s development.

Joining Boodle Hatfield in 2024 gave me another defining moment: it gave me a role that required more strategic responsibility and more direct involvement in shaping a firm’s risk and compliance culture. It’s been the most challenging but also the most fulfilling role in my career so far. Since joining, my role and responsibilities have expanded, and I have become heavily involved in team structuring and resource planning, upskilling and developing the team, and coordinating a range of systems and processes improvement projects. The combination of day-to-day management and strategic development is demanding but it was exactly what I was looking for.

Things no one tells you about moving into risk and compliance leadership are…

The biggest shift is realising your success is no longer measured by how technically strong you are as an individual contributor, but also by how effectively you enable others to work well. In my current role, I am able to apply my technical knowledge but my focus is on creating structure in our processes, building confidence in the team and providing the space for people to grow. You need to balance quality assurance with trust: that's being clear on expectations and creating an environment where people feel accountable, but also making them feel supported to take ownership and grow. People often underestimate how much emotional intelligence is required. For me, that often means knowing when to step in, when to coach, when to challenge, and when to give someone the space to work through it themselves. Each person might need something different, whether that's clearer structure, more autonomy, or more support, so a big part of the role is reading cues and adapting your approach. The technical expertise helps open doors, but it's the leadership skills that are key and what keeps you effective once you’re there.

What’s one thing that made the biggest difference to your confidence in the role?

The biggest boost to my confidence has come from having strong mentors and being part of a genuinely supportive environment. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with leaders who encouraged me, trusted my judgment and gave me space to make decisions, even before I fully believed I was ready. What’s most impactful is being able to observe people who modelled the right behaviours: calmness under pressure, clarity in decision-making, and balancing technical expertise with commercial awareness.

Confidence also grows naturally when you are surrounded by colleagues who genuinely want the team/one another to succeed. That trust makes it easier to step into more challenging responsibilities.

I’m fortunate that I’ve found myself in a firm and a team that are committed to forward-thinking, continuous improvement, and collectively striving for excellence. That environment, combined with the support of good leaders and a team who care deeply about doing things well, has made all the difference in helping me grow into a more confident and effective compliance professional.

Senior roles – what separates strong senior professionals from average ones?

Consistency and judgment: The strongest senior compliance professionals don’t just know the rules and regulations, they apply them proportionately, consistently and with commercial awareness.

The ability to influence, not just advise: senior roles require more than technical expertise, it is also about engaging partners, fee earners and senior stakeholders. The strongest professionals can confidently advise, can communicate complex issues in a practical and diplomatic way, and build trust across the business, which is key to embedding a healthy risk and compliance culture.

Continued improvement: The best people I’ve worked with are curious, proactive and solutions-driven. They don’t wait to be told something is inefficient; they identify issues, propose suggestions, and care about strengthening processes.