The International Compliance Association (ICA), a leading professional body for the compliance community, announced its first MENA 2022 Regulatory and Financial Crime Compliance Conference on June 23 at the Fairmont Hotel, Dubai. Delegates will be able to join in person as well as via a livestream from any part of the Middle East and North Africa region or the globe.

The one-day event will bring together thought leaders and senior compliance professionals from around the world and the MENA region to address global and local best practice in managing the changing world of financial crime and regulatory compliance.

Her Excellency Maryam Buti Al Suwaidi, chief executive officer, Securities and Commodities Authority, Dubai, UAE, will deliver the keynote address. Key speakers at the conference include:

  • Deepa Chandrasekhar, chief compliance officer, United Gulf Bank
  • Tarek Howayek, head of compliance policy and oversight, HSBC Bank Middle East
  • Sumit Sarkar, senior vice president, head of sanctions, Mashreq Bank
  • Lori Baker, vice president, legal and director of data protection, Dubai International Financial Centre
  • Peter Smith, managing director, head of strategy, policy, and risk, Dubai Financial Services Authority
  • Richard Chudzynski, PwC Legal Middle East data protection and privacy leader, PwC
  • Fadi Al-Shihabi, IMPACT - ESG Leader, KPMG

Key themes to come under the spotlight include environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and its fundamentals; managing sanctions risk; data privacy; virtual assets; conduct; the role of a compliance function in 2022 and beyond; and more.

“Due to its status as a renowned global financial hub and the tax-free regime in certain jurisdictions, the MENA region is at an increased risk of financial crime threats,” said ICA President Bill Howarth in a press release. “It is therefore particularly important to keep up to date with the latest trends in regulatory compliance and financial crime prevention if the region is to maintain its status as an attractive investment and financial services destination worldwide.”

The International Compliance Association is a sister company to Compliance Week. Both organizations are under the umbrella of Wilmington plc.