Sharmila Manokaran
About Sharmila Manokaran
Sharmila Manokaran is an Associate Director of Product Management at FINRA, with a strong background in electrical and electronics engineering. She has extensive experience in the financial services sector, having held various roles at notable companies including Vanguard, M&T Bank, and SEI.
Current Role at FINRA
Sharmila Manokaran serves as the Associate Director of Product Management at FINRA, a position she has held since 2022. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing product management initiatives and leading cross-functional teams to enhance financial services. Her expertise in managing large-scale projects contributes to the organization's mission of ensuring market integrity and investor protection.
Previous Experience in Product Management
Prior to her current role, Sharmila worked at SEI as a Senior Product Manager from 2020 to 2022. She also held the position of Product Owner at Vanguard from 2014 to 2019, where she contributed to product development and user experience. Her experience at M&T Bank as a Technical Product Manager from 2019 to 2020 further solidified her skills in product management within the financial sector.
Educational Background
Sharmila Manokaran studied at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, where she earned a Master's degree in Engineering. Her academic focus was on Electrical and Electronics Engineering, providing her with a strong technical foundation that supports her career in product management and development.
Expertise in Financial Services
Sharmila possesses extensive expertise in managing end-to-end large-scale cross-functional initiatives specifically within the financial services sector. She has demonstrated her ability to create innovative user experiences and design solutions that prioritize quality and growth. Her work has led to significant increases in user engagement and operational efficiencies.
Notable Achievements
During her career, Sharmila has achieved notable milestones, including increasing the user base by 300% for a platform managing $350 billion in assets under management. She also developed a platform for RegOps users projected to save $363K annually and reduce processing time by 50% for specific workflows in its first phase. These accomplishments highlight her impact on product development and user experience.