Aaron Nicodemus named Compliance Week’s Editor-in-Chief

I’ve learned that you can’t cover compliance in a vacuum. Yes, compliance is about regulations and processes and navigating corporate bureaucracies. Sometimes it requires telling people hard truths, saying, “That’s not allowed. That’s not OK.”

But more than anything else, compliance is about people. At its core, compliance is about showing employees how to behave ethically, to follow the rules, to learn where the red lines are, and how to avoid them. Once that baseline is established, compliance helps companies to be more successful and more profitable—not less. Studies have shown this to be true.

As a journalist, I’ve found that if you approach the compliance community with equal parts humility and curiosity, they are eager to share their knowledge and insights. There is a generosity of spirit among compliance officers. They are always willing to help their fellow compliance officers with lessons learned. It’s what makes compliance unique and special, and it’s likely why Compliance Week’s annual Inside the Mind of the CCO survey consistently finds that compliance officers love their jobs.

It is in that spirit that I am proud to announce that I have been named Compliance Week’s Editor-In-Chief. I’m thrilled to be leading an organization whose goal and mission are to provide compliance officers with the information, analysis, tools, and resources to be successful.

Since I joined Compliance Week as a staff writer, the publication and its readers navigated the Covid epidemic and all of the stress and strain that it placed on organizations—as well as the remote work trend that it spawned. We’ve covered sea changes in enforcement, the rise of cryptocurrency, and how changes in leadership at U.S. law enforcement and regulatory bodies affected compliance’s day-to-day responsibilities.

It’s been fantastic to have been in the room during so many “lightbulb moments” of understanding, of connection, of community during these five years. It is not hyperbole for me to say that covering the compliance community has been the most rewarding experience of my 30 years in journalism.

And the future of Compliance Week is bright. In February, Compliance Week was acquired by Verdian Insights. Compliance Week’s new CEO, James Lindstrom, has mapped out an exciting path for the future of Compliance Week.

More recently, Verdian acquired the Ethics and Compliance Institute (ECI), specifically its membership, training and certification, and advisory programs. It’s an exciting opportunity for these two compliance organizations to work together.

”Aaron—and the editorial team he leads—have built a strong foundation of trust by focusing on what matters most to our members: credible insights, practical guidance, and a deep understanding of the compliance profession,” said Lindstrom. “His appointment as Editor-in-Chief reflects our commitment to elevating that work. With Compliance Week soon incorporating ECI’s research and benchmarking data, we’re deepening our ability to deliver the intelligence compliance leaders need to navigate risk, strengthen culture, and lead with confidence.”

Ian Sherr provided valuable leadership for Compliance Week as Editor-in-Chief over the past year, and I thank him for that. May our paths cross again.

All that said, I want to hear from you. What’s keeping you up at night? What’s working well? What could use improvement?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, email me at aaron.nicodemus@compllianceweek.com, or post a question for me in Compliance Week’s new network for compliance professionals, CW Connect.

Let’s keep the conversation going.