Alumnus Billy Hult '83, president and board member of Tradeweb Markets, a global leader in electronic trading, shared his business expertise and insights at Saint David’s Networking event Wednesday evening. Billy credited Saint David’s, which he said, “leads with empathy and compassion, while also being results-driven,” with having inculcated in him recognition of the importance of balancing the two in business. “I learned at an early age what it takes to succeed,” he said. He also recalled fondly his experiences in sports at the school and the many Saint David's teachers who made a positive impact on him.
In 1997, when the Internet was a new phenomenon, Tradeweb was founded with the idea that it would provide a more efficient alternative to trading treasury bonds by phone. Hult joined the company in 2001 as a product manager and directed its entrance into electronic trading of mortgages. The now publicly traded company operates in 40 markets, providing access to data, electronic markets, analytics, and digital trading, and has a trading volume averaging $1 trillion per day. Billy's advice to young alumni starting out was to prioritize the potential for future growth and advancement in a desirable organization over compensation when considering a job offer, and to always be accountable and able to voice your perspective when faced with disagreement.
He also noted that Saint David’s helps boys develop the skills they are good at and improve in areas that are more challenging. He uses this approach at Tradeweb, always interested in employees’ offset skills--their ability to compensate for weaknesses and capitalize on strengths.
Remaining close with several of his 1983 classmates, Billy has turned to this core group of friends for connection and companionship during the stress of the pandemic, saying, "They were with me, and we were there for each other. The power of that network has a way of shining through in moments like this."
We thank Billy for speaking from his heart and providing such a special evening for our community. Thanks also to Alumni Council Chair Will O’Boyle ’94 and the Saint David’s Development Office for making this evening possible. The Alumni Networking event provides a unique opportunity for alumni to get together with faculty, staff, current families and the alumni community for a talk given by a leader in a particular field.