Behind every trade on the world's major exchanges, there's a system working to detect financial crime. That system is Nasdaq Market Surveillance - the most widely used market surveillance platform globally.
Sarah Bradley develops and leads its AI and machine learning function, building the models that surface market manipulation and insider trading, and developing the AI-powered investigative tools that help investigators bring perpetrators to account.
As Director of Data Science & AI at Nasdaq, Sarah and her team are evolving how AI and machine learning are applied to the platform - work that sits at the heart of Nasdaq's purpose as the trusted fabric of the global financial system.
“Nasdaq is the global leader in surveillance technology, and we're excited to enhance those capabilities with AI and machine learning," she explains. "Innovation is at the heart of what we do, as is the integrity and trust of markets worldwide. That's what drives the work."
What makes Sarah's role unique and deeply motivating is how close she sits to the outcomes of her own work. "I get to collaborate with the people that investigate these cases, and they're using the tools we've developed to find perpetrators," she explains.
It's incredibly rewarding to see that real-world impact - often the victims of financial crime are society's most vulnerable, and holding perpetrators of financial crime accountable has a profound effect on the trust we all place in the financial system.
Sarah Bradley, University of Sydney alumna
Back to the beginning
Having studied a Bachelor of Computing with a major in Computational Data Science, Sarah believes it was the focus on software engineering, AI skills, data science and statistics that opened doors she never anticipated.
"I got involved in research through the SCS lab (Sensors, Clouds and Services Lab), working on drone research that led to a published paper in an IEEE A* journal," she says. "That publication took me to Atlanta to present at an international conference - it was an incredible experience." The SCS Lab focuses on disciplinary research areas of internet of Things (IoT), cloud, and service computing.
With the structure and support of the university, Sarah was able to achieve things she never thought possible. "University creates a kind of external accountability that’s difficult replicate through self-learning," she explains. "It pushes you through things you probably wouldn't put yourself through alone - and that's particularly true for something like programming, where the learning curve is steep and you need that structure to keep going."
Woman to watch
As a Women in AI award winner for Finance across the Asia-Pacific and a VOGUE Codes speaker, Sarah has quickly become a highly visible and respected figure working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and financial integrity.
Beyond her role at Nasdaq, she spends considerable time advocating for coding, programming, and AI education in schools, having delivered countless talks and presentations to school-aged girls interested in programming and technology. At Amazon Girls Tech Day in 2025, she spoke to 500 girls alone. “The energy in the room was incredible… For me it's about being another data point - showing girls that they can belong in this space. If even one or two leave thinking 'maybe that could be me,' that's an absolute win.”
As a board director with Tech Futures Australia, Sarah is also contributing to building something more structural for the future – a national AI literacy program designed to reach K-12 students across the country, equipping them with technical skills, and confidence to use AI well.
Sarah, pictured speaking at the 2025 Vogue Codes Summit, has quickly become a highly visible and respected figure working in AI. Image: provided
50
automatic
LinkA lot of people are saying, 'if AI is going to code, why learn how to code?’ But you learn to code for the same reason you learn anything genuinely difficult.
Sarah Bradley, University of Sydney alumna
The skills that never go out of date
In a market where tools are continuously evolving, Sarah believes the most important skills are still the ones that are transferrable – those that allow us to recognise patterns, draw connections across disciplines and inform systems thinking. "The tools change, the critical thinking skills don't," she says. "Pattern recognition, systems thinking, the ability to draw connections across disciplines - these are what make you relevant regardless of what the technology looks like next year or in ten years."
Whether it’s through her daily role at Nasdaq or her considered work with children, Sarah’s scope of influence reflects a career built on the understanding that technology serves us best when it’s in service of something real.
"A lot of people are saying, 'if AI is going to code, why learn how to code?’ But you learn to code for the same reason you learn anything genuinely difficult," she says. "It expands your thinking and develops an ability for rigorous problem-solving that transfers everywhere. You’re challenging yourself and increasing your problem solving capacity, which is so important in a world that’s constantly changing.”
Header image: provided