RQC Group recently welcomed Bridget Garcia to our US team, whose career has been shaped by a love of securities law and a talent for helping firms navigate complex regulatory expectations. We sat down with her to learn more about her journey, what motivates her, and what she’s discovered since becoming part of the team.
Bridget spends her days strengthening clients’ SEC compliance programs – from Form ADV filings and policy development to monitoring, annual reviews and mock audits. But what especially energises her is the cross‑border nature of the work.
“Working with international clients and cross-border regimes has always been something I’ve aspired to,” she says. “At RQC, I’m excited that this is our bread and butter.”
Her journey into compliance wasn’t entirely planned, but it has been a natural route. While studying law and working at an international financial services firm, Bridget realised she was drawn to securities law and wanted a path that used both her academic and practical experience. Moving into the compliance department became the perfect fit – and it quickly proved to be her most fulfilling work. That early start paved the way to advisory roles, outsourced CCO responsibilities and consulting.
Leaving the comfort of an institutional compliance department to enter consulting was a defining moment for Bridget. “It was scary, but it broadened my understanding of global regulatory regimes and how they overlap. I don’t regret it for a second.”
From CCO insights to RQC impact
Stepping into an Outsourced CCO role earlier in her career taught Bridget the importance of truly understanding a firm’s business – its risks, transactional detail and day‑to‑day operations. “When your name is on public filings, you can’t afford to just scratch the surface,” she explains. “Even if you are working in-house on a compliance team and not serving in the CCO capacity, the onus to have a ground-level, 360 degree understanding of a firm’s business and risks is still there. That level of understanding shapes how you work forever.”
It’s also one of the reasons her transition into RQC felt so seamless. Since joining, she has been struck by the depth of US regulatory knowledge across the team. “Understanding any regulatory regime is like learning a language – and in the US we have a lot of languages! Seeing how our UK and US teams work together and navigate them so fluently is genuinely impressive.” It’s a strength that benefits clients who rely on RQC for cross‑border compliance support, whether they operate under the FCA, SEC, CFTC/NFA, or a combination.
When starting with a new client, Bridget dives into the fundamentals: the compliance manual, Form ADV, and the risks and conflicts inventory. Those documents instantly reveal how mature a program is, and whether it needs refreshing, restructuring, or rebuilding. It’s exactly where RQC’s services come into play, helping firms build resilient, exam‑ready frameworks through annual reviews, ongoing monitoring and practical regulatory advice.
Understanding intent, not just rules
Bridget was also keen to challenge a long‑standing misconception: that SEC exams are designed to “catch firms out.” Her experience tells a different story. “They’re much more like a health check. Examiners want to see that your compliance infrastructure is healthy, not penalise you unnecessarily. With the right preparation – and good advisors – it’s completely manageable.”
It’s a reassuring perspective for firms, and one RQC supports through robust mock audits and pragmatic guidance.
Compliance can sometimes be perceived as “the department of no” but Bridget prefers a collaborative approach.
“I want clients to see me as a partner in their business. If I can help them find solutions that keep them compliant and competitive, then I’ve done my job.”
Before compliance and law, Bridget studied History – something that still shapes how she analyses risk. She sees clear parallels: history offers warnings from the past, legal cases show where things went wrong, and enforcement actions follow the same pattern. Understanding these stories, she says, helps her explain regulatory intent to clients in a meaningful way. “Paying close attention to enforcement activity helps me understand regulatory intent so I can better advise my clients on why a certain regulation is important. “
Outside of work, Bridget finds balance in the things that ground her most: reading, writing, and spending time with her family. She’s especially drawn to biographies and historical fiction – stories that explore the decisions, motivations, and turning points that shape people’s lives. It’s no surprise that the same curiosity about how stories unfold is woven through her approach to analysing risk and regulatory intent.
