Compensation survey finds average annual CCO pay jumped above $400K
A new compensation survey found base pay for chief compliance officers has risen 36 percent since 2021 to an average of more than $403,000.
Risk visibility striking fear in companies onboarding new customers
A lack of risk visibility is causing companies to reject customers–and potentially lose money–over fears they might be in danger of violating rules around anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations.
DOJ orders Prysmian unit to pay $920K over alleged fabricated tests to military
Prysmian Cables and Systems USA agreed to pay $920,000 to settle allegations it falsified tests and compliance certifications concerning cable it sold to the U.S. military for use in vehicles, the Department of Justice said.
OFAC sets Aug. 2 deadline for firms to report Russian sovereign assets
Financial institutions holding Russian sovereign assets that have not reported them to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control are now required to do so by Aug. 2.
French bus part supplier CBM to pay $2.4M to settle DOJ fraud allegations
A French bus parts supplier will pay more than $2.4 million in penalties, disgorgement, and restitution to settle charges that it fraudulently misled its U.S. customers about the source of some of its parts.
Survey tackles aligning cross-generational views of ethics in the workplace
Companies may need to examine employees by age group to find out how likely some workers might be to ditch compliance to complete tasks.
Mina Foundation announces general counsel
Mina Foundation, a public benefit corporation servicing zero-knowledge blockchain Mina Protocol, announced the appointment of Daniel Schoenberger as general counsel.
Lithuanian DPA orders Vinted to pay $2.6M over GDPR violations
The data protection authority of Lithuania levied a fine of 2.4 million euros (U.S. $2.6 million) against Vinted UAB, an online clothing trading and exchange platform, for alleged violations of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.
European Commission informs X it may be in breach of Digital Services Act
The European Commission informed X, formerly Twitter, that it may be the first company found to be in violation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act in areas “linked to dark patterns, advertising transparency, and data access for researchers.”
De-risking trend threatens global financial markets, Treasury official warns
As the United States and other Western countries turn the screws on criminals, hackers, terrorist organizations, and sanctions evaders attempting to access global financial markets, financial institutions could respond by reducing their connections to risky sectors, according to Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson.
Deutsche Bank names compliance chief and anti-financial crime officer
Deutsche Bank’s supervisory board appointed Laura Padovani as chief compliance and anti-financial crime officer.
Allegion announces general counsel
Global security products and solutions provider Allegion appointed Stacy Cozad as senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary, effective Aug. 5.
Q&A: Seaco general counsel, compliance head on environmental regulations
Dominic Buckwell, general counsel and compliance head at global marine container leasing company Seaco, discussed key themes including anti-money laundering, sanctions, and why the industry needs common environmental reporting standards.
FATF removes Jamaica, Türkiye from watchlist; adds Monaco, Venezuela
Jamaica and Türkiye made “significant progress” addressing deficiencies in their anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) programs, warranting their removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list.
Mondo TV reaches $538K settlement with OFAC over N. Korea sanctions violations
Italy-based Mondo TV agreed to pay $538,000 to settle charges with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control over 18 apparent violations of North Korea sanctions regulations.
OFAC sanctions nearly 50 entities for ‘shadow banking’ benefiting Iranian military
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned nearly 50 entities connected with so-called “shadow banking” networks that help Iran’s military evade U.S. sanctions and to sell the country’s oil and petrochemical products.
Heidelberg Materials appoints CSO
Heidelberg Materials appointed Katharina Beumelburg as a new member of the managing board and chief sustainability & new technologies officer, effective Oct. 1.
Credit Suisse unit inks deal with OCC over BSA/AML obligations
The New York branch of Swiss bank Credit Suisse reached a deal with the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) over compliance with its Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering obligations.
Outokumpu appoints general counsel
Sustainable stainless steel provider Outokumpu appointed Juhani Ristaniemi as executive vice president, general counsel and member of the Outokumpu leadership team.
Panelists break down robust sanctions landscape at TPRM Summit
Sanctions compliance officers face myriad challenges as complex geopolitical situations heighten risks worldwide, experts discussed during Compliance Week’s Third-Party Risk Management & Oversight Summit.
BSM announces chief sustainability officer
Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement announced the appointment of Bjoern Sprotte as chief people and sustainability officer.
EU agencies examine efforts to identify and monitor examples of greenwashing
The European Securities and Markets Authority, European Banking Authority, and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority issued reports on greenwashing in the financial sector, describing how they plan to call out examples of false or misleading sustainability claims.
UBS announces group chief risk officer
Swiss bank UBS announced Damian Vogel will be appointed group chief risk officer.
Ericsson completes DOJ-imposed compliance monitorship
Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson announced the conclusion of the independent compliance monitorship imposed on the company following its 2019 settlement for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Stellantis adds ex-Saint-Gobain CECO as corporate office head
Automaker Stellantis announced that Clara Ingen-Housz, who was previously Saint-Gobain’s group legal counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer, will be appointed head of the global corporate office and public affairs.
BaFin relaxes growth restrictions on N26 following AML improvements
German financial regulatory authority BaFin lifted growth restrictions on N26, after the digital bank made improvements to its anti-money laundering program.
N26 fined $9.6M for not timely filing AML reports to BaFin
Germany’s financial supervisory authority issued a fine of €9.2 million euros against mobile bank N26 for “systematically” submitting late anti-money laundering reports.
Senate report cites VW, BMW, JLR for potential forced labor violations
A U.S. Senate report found three European automakers—Volkswagen, BMW, and Jaguar Land Rover—sold cars in the United States with parts sourced from a supplier suspected of using forced labor from China’s Xinjiang region.
ESMA guidelines tackle greenwashing via fund names
The European Securities and Markets Authority published its final report containing guidance for the use of environmental, social, and governance- and sustainability-related terminology in fund names.
KfW names chief sustainability officer
Development bank KfW announced Jürgen Kern will be its chief sustainability officer.
FACC AG appoints chief sustainability officer
The supervisory board of German aerospace company FACC AG appointed Tongyu Xu as a new member of the FACC board of directors in the role of chief sustainability officer.
DOJ orders Hahn Air to pay $27M over travel fee false claims
Hahn Air Lines and its U.S. subsidiary agreed to pay $26.8 million to settle alleged violations of the False Claims Act over knowingly failing to provide remittance for travel fees it collected from commercial airline passengers flying into or within the United States.
EU charts green path forward with ECT withdrawal, new regs
The impending decision by the European Parliament to withdraw from the international Energy Charter Treaty and adopt further climate rules sets a clear direction for green regulations in the region.
What’s the problem for GDPR repeat offenders?
The General Data Protection Regulation has been in force for nearly six years. Some industries—and some companies—have been more prone to fall foul of the rules than others.
Wirecard whistleblower laments EU speak-up protection inconsistencies
The European Union’s strong stance on whistleblower protection has been undermined by member states’ wildly different approaches to punishing organizations that fail to safeguard people who raise concerns, says Wirecard whistleblower Pav Gill.
TikTok scrutiny mounts across globe amid EU, U.S. crackdowns
TikTok is suspending new features amid an inquiry by the European Commission into its compliance with the Digital Services Act, all while responding to a U.S. ban just signed into law.
Czech DPA fines Avast $15M over GDPR violations
The Czech Republic’s data protection authority issued a fine of 351 million Czech koruna (U.S. $15 million) against antivirus software vendor Avast for alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation.
Accountancy bodies urge ethical behavior amid exam cheating scandals
Trust in the integrity of corporate finance and auditing is vital, but repeated scandals over exam cheating at the largest multinational firms are denting faith in the system globally.
Amundi announces chief compliance officer
French asset management firm Amundi announced the appointment of Marc Noel as chief compliance officer.
BaFin fines Commerzbank $1.6M over supervision, AML lapses
Germany’s financial supervisory authority issued total fines of €1.45 million (U.S. $1.6 million) against Commerzbank AG to settle allegations of inadequate monitoring and anti-money laundering controls.
EDPB decision sparks ‘consent or pay’ debate for Big Tech firms
Big Tech firms might need to rethink their plans to charge users for not selling their personal data for behavioral advertising following a decision by Europe’s primary data regulator.
Focused on consumer privacy? Don’t forget employees’ rights
The implications of a privacy rights case involving a U.K.-based Uber Eats driver underscore a popular belief that companies prioritize protecting the personal information of their customers over the data rights of their employees.
ECHR ruling opens door to climate change litigation on basis of human rights
By holding the Swiss government accountable for failing to do more to limit climate change, a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights might have significant implications for legislators and organizations in other countries across the European Union.
KPMG Netherlands fined record $25M by PCAOB for exam cheating
KPMG Netherlands agreed to pay a record $25 million penalty levied by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for allegedly allowing widespread cheating by employees on internal training exams and misinforming regulators about the misconduct.
Experts: ESG gone mainstream, but new regs still create headaches
Environmental, social, and governance goals have gained acceptance from senior leadership because of upward pressure from employees, investors, and customers, according to compliance leaders speaking at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
U.K. border controls on EU goods evoke supply chain disruption concerns
The imposition of full border controls on goods entering the United Kingdom from the European Union will affect importers and their EU suppliers, and both are advised to prepare for increased checks, possible delays, and new charges.
SEC concludes VW emissions case with $48.8M judgment
Volkswagen Group of America Finance was ordered to pay $48.75 million as part of a final judgment obtained by the Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve historical violations related to the automaker’s emissions scandal.
CW2024 leadership panel on navigating scrutiny, prep for more change
The global political landscape should be high on the risk radar of compliance officers in 2024, according to compliance leaders speaking at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference, along with increased regulatory scrutiny toward forced labor, ESG, and M&A.
Ex-OneCoin compliance head jailed 4 years for fraud role
The former head of legal and compliance at OneCoin was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges regarding her role in a cryptocurrency marketing scheme.
DITF appoints sustainability chief
The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research appointed Thomas Stegmaier as chief sustainability officer.