Noteworthy Women in Wireless Infrastructure – 2023

Kristen Whealon

Managing Director & Chief Compliance Officer
DigitalBridge

“As a global digital infrastructure investment firm, DigitalBridge invests in companies that provide infrastructure solutions focused on next-generation mobile and internet connectivity – digital real estate that delivers a converged network experience for an increasingly connected world. We currently have 27 portfolio companies across more than 25 countries on five continents, and our mission is to deliver value to our stakeholders by integrating sustainability and diversity across all aspects of our business. Against this backdrop, our compliance team is dedicated to ensuring not only that DigitalBridge operates with a best-in-class compliance framework, but also that the companies in which we invest do the same. This is fundamental to our commitment to being a good steward of capital for our shareholders and limited partners, and it is the most rewarding aspect of my work.

Our culture of ethics and compliance provides the foundation for all our business operations, and I am incredibly proud of our success in sharing our best practices and spirit of integrity across our portfolio. To cite one example, in 2021 we launched EdgePoint, a large operator of tower infrastructure sites in Malaysia, Phillipines and Indonesia. Following our acquisition, we worked closely with EdgePoint’s management to implement and enhance corporate governance best practices, including a detailed compliance framework, employee code of conduct and due diligence policy, among other initiatives.

Another rewarding part of leading the compliance function at DigitalBridge is empowering our teams across the organization. Empowering people is one of our core values – underpinning our commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion and to providing training programs and opportunities for people to grow and advance professionally. Compliance training plays a critical role in this, and the strong foundation we provide to all team members is particularly meaningful to me.

Additionally, as DigitalBridge has significantly grown assets under management and added to our family of portfolio companies, we have likewise expanded the compliance team, adding dedicated professionals in Europe and APAC. I could not ask for a stronger group of colleagues, all of whom strive every day to ensure that interactions with all DigitalBridge stakeholders and communities reflect our mission, vision and values.”