2026 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
James Clements named Chief Compliance Officer of the Year
Last year was an especially demanding one for James Clements’ compliance team at Carson Group, which started adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
Iberdrola wins 2026 Compliance Program of the Year
Over the past six years, Iberdrola – Europe’s largest electricity company – digitized the company’s compliance processes for its global footprint in 20 countries.
Joe Murphy named CW’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement in Compliance Award Winner
Joe Murphy has been guiding the conversation on corporate compliance for longer than the field has existed. Really.
Laura McNamara Awarded CW’s 2026 Compliance Mentor of the Year
Laura McNamara began her career in the healthcare industry as a front desk receptionist, a job that would serve as the first of many stepping stones, paving the path of her healthcare compliance journey.
Colgate-Palmolive’s Shelina Ajani wins Compliance Week’s Rising Star 2026
Shelina Ajani’s keen knowledge of ethics, management, and compliance inspired more than 500 managers at Colgate-Palmolive to embrace an ambitious ethics and compliance outreach program she created.
PG&E’s Alex Vallejo Is Compliance Week’s 2026 Innovator of the Year Award Winner
Alex Vallejo joined Pacific Gas and Electric 17 days after a gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California, killing eight people and destroying dozens of homes. The company faced scrutiny from local, state, and federal agencies, as well as losing trust with its customers.
2025 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
CCO of the Year: Farzin Firooznia, Global Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer, PepsiCo
Compliance Program of the Year: Ukrainian Red Cross Society
Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Ellen M. Hunt, Principal Consultant and Advisor, Spark Compliance Consulting
Compliance Innovator of the Year: Adam Ennamli, Chief Risk, Compliance & Security Officer, General Bank of Canada
Rising Star in Compliance: Fatima Almarzooqi, Senior Compliance Specialist, ADQ
Compliance Mentor of the Year: Lisa Fine, Senior Director of Global Ethics & Compliance, Pearson
2024 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
CCO of the Year: Gina Nese, Head of Compliance and Privacy, Align Technology
Compliance Program of the Year: Albemarle
Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Felecia Bowers, Chief Compliance Officer
Compliance Innovators of the Year: Sharon Johnson, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer & Heather Sudo, Corporate Paralegal, MODE Global
Rising Star in Compliance: Giovanni Corrado, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, BBVA Global Wealth Advisors
Compliance Mentor of the Year: Melanie Sponholz, Chief Compliance Officer and Director of Responsible Investing, Portfolio Operations, Waud Capital Partners
2023 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
CCO/CECO of the Year: Bill Burtis, Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Juniper Networks
Compliance Program of the Year: American Express Global Business Travel
Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Haluk Ferden Gursel, United Nations
Compliance Innovator of the Year: Bianca Forde, Senior Director and Counsel, Head of Ethics and Compliance – Americas, Otis Elevator Company
Rising Star in Compliance: Anastasia Savvateeva, Deputy Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Continental Europe, Fidelity International Luxembourg
Compliance Mentor of the Year: Rachel Simon, Vice President – Privacy, AT&T
2022 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
CCO/CECO of the Year: Kelly Maxwell, Chief Compliance Officer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Compliance Program of the Year: Snap
Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Tamar Frankel, Professor of Law Emerita, Boston University
Rising Star in Compliance: Boon Kim Fam, Legal Director of Compliance, Asia Pacific, PVH
Compliance Mentor of the Year: Mary Shirley, Head of Culture of Integrity and Compliance Education, Fresenius Medical Care
2021 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
CCO/CECO of the Year: Justin Ross, Chief Compliance Officer, FedEx Corp.
Compliance Program of the Year: Tenneco
Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Emmanuel Lulin, Chief Ethics Officer, L’Oréal
Compliance Innovator of the Year: Sarah Partington, Senior Compliance Officer/Director of Compliance Operations, The MetroHealth System
Compliance Mentor of the Year: Ellen Hunt, Vice President, Compliance Operations & Chief Privacy Officer, LifePoint Health
Rising Star in Compliance: Jennifer Newton, Founder and CEO, National Association of Black Compliance & Risk Management Professionals
Compliance Consultant/Advisor of the Year (Individual or Company): VANTAGE, from Control Risks
2020 Excellence in Compliance Awards winners
CCO of the Year: Duane Holloway, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, U.S. Steel
Lifetime Achievement in Compliance: Carrie Penman, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, NAVEX Global
Compliance Comeback of the Year: Joshua Drew, Group Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, VEON
Compliance Innovator of the Year: Alicia Schwarz, Deputy Chief Compliance Counsel (Global), Walt Disney Company
Compliance Mentor of the Year: Jay G. Martin, Senior Counsel, Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Rising Star in Compliance: Vera Powell, Senior Corporate Counsel, Delta Air Lines
Excellence in Compliance—Anti-Corruption: Alan Gibson, Assistant General Counsel, Compliance & Ethics, Microsoft
Excellence in Compliance—TPRM: Robert Seibel, Director of Legal Compliance, Abercrombie & Fitch
Excellence in Compliance—Cyber-security: David Kessler, Public Sector Counsel, Verizon
Excellence in Compliance—Data Privacy: Kalisa Barratt, Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, Atrius Health
Excellence in Compliance—Training: Cindy Merlino, Global Compliance & Ethics Specialist, Pearson
Best Consultant/Advisor—Large Company: Duff & Phelps
Best Consultant/Advisor—Small Company: Bart Schwartz, Chairman, Guidepost Solutions
Best Technology Partner—Large Company: Refinitiv
Best Technology Partner—Small Company: LogicGate
