Doing your best isn’t just for when things are easy. And life in the compliance world has rarely been harder.

For years, we had become accustomed to the double pile-on of new compliance risks being added to our remit, and prosecutors continually elevating expectations of existing programs. This year brought even more uncertainty, with changing political winds in the U.S. prompting an unexpected pause on corruption enforcement, and an initial sense of whiplash.

Andrew McBride’s work as former chief risk and compliance officer at chemical company Albemarle Corp., helped his team win Compliance Program of the Year in 2024. He is now the founder and CEO of Integrity...