All Westpac articles
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ArticleEffective collaboration key to fight against financial crime
The Fintel Alliance—a partnership involving AML regulator AUSTRAC, Western Australia Police, and analysts from a handful of large banks—provides an example of the positive outcomes of collaboration in fighting financial crime.
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ArticleReport: Westpac New Zealand progressing on risk culture improvements
An independent report ordered by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand into Westpac New Zealand has found the bank is “moving in the right direction” in addressing risk culture deficiencies.
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ArticleWestpac combines risk, compliance leadership; hires Ryan Zanin as chief risk officer
Australian bank Westpac announced it will combine the leadership of its risk and compliance divisions into one position under Ryan Zanin, who joins after most recently serving as executive vice president, chief risk officer at Fannie Mae.
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ArticlePandemic not slowing rising AML fine totals, report says
Kroll’s latest annual enforcement review identified $2.2 billion in AML fines in 2020 compared to $444 million in 2019. The first six months of 2021 indicate a similar pace to last year.
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ArticleWestpac warned over continued AML failings
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand issued a formal warning to Westpac’s New Zealand branch for failing to report certain transactions as required under local anti-money laundering regulations.
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ArticleThe importance of transaction monitoring, and the cost of getting it wrong
Transaction monitoring has evolved to the point where the emphasis is now on the requirement firms carry out ongoing monitoring of client relationships. Recent enforcement actions provide lessons on pitfalls to avoid.
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ArticleAustralia’s NAB cited for ‘serious and ongoing non-compliance’ with AML laws
Australia’s financial regulator has identified “serious concerns” with National Australia Bank’s compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing rules but indicated it won’t fine the bank—for now.
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ArticleWestpac considering New Zealand unit demerger amid risk review
Westpac is assessing a demerger from its New Zealand business after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand ordered the unit to commission two independent reports concerning the bank’s liquidity and risk governance processes.
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Article
Westpac general counsel to step down
Australia-based financial institution Westpac announced Group General Counsel and Enterprise Executive Rebecca Lim has decided to step down and move to a part-time advisory role.
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ArticleWestpac set to pay record $912.6M civil penalty for AML failures
Westpac is bracing for a record AUD$1.3 billion (U.S. $912.6 million) civil penalty issued by Australia’s financial crime regulator related to a money-laundering scandal and the facilitation of child exploitation in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
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ArticleAnalysis: When clean money is used for dirty purposes
There are times when it is a necessary to consider where clean money is going to as much as where dirty money may have come from, writes financial crime expert Martin Woods.
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ArticleAnalysis: Let Westpac’s missteps be a cautionary tale
By balking at original allegations, Westpac opened itself to infinitely more harm, writes financial crime expert Martin Woods.
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ArticleWestpac outlines compliance failures that led to AML breaches
An internal report outlining compliance failures by Australia-based financial institution Westpac that led to 23 million breaches of the country’s AML/CTF laws concluded “a mix of technology and human error” were to blame.
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ArticleWestpac announces more executive changes amid investigation
Amid a money-laundering investigation and faced with allegations of facilitating child exploitation in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, Westpac has appointed a new head of financial crime compliance.
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ArticleLesson from Westpac: If you can’t do the simple things correctly, watch out
If a bank or a firm cannot execute on the simple things, such as cash transaction reporting, there is little reason to be confident of compliance in other more complex and challenging areas.
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ArticleWestpac sets aside $570M to resolve money laundering violations
Westpac has set aside AUS$900 million (U.S. $570 million) for a potential fine with Australian enforcement authorities related to a money laundering scandal and for allegations of facilitating child exploitation in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.