Trade is critical in advancing economies, including those in the MENA region. At the same time, trade finance presents unique opportunities for criminal exploitation, also referred to as Trade Based Financial Crime (TBFC).
Michael Matossian joined Arab Bank plc in November 2005 as EVP and Global Head of Group Regulatory Compliance. Mr. Matossian has more than 30 years of experience in regulatory risk management, anti-money laundering, and compliance. Prior to Arab Bank, he served as Chief Compliance Officer, as well as SVP and Director of Regulatory Risk Management, Director of Anti-Money Laundering, BSA Officer, and General Auditor at three different leading U.S. financial institutions; Mr. Matossian also spent 10 years working at a “Big Eight” public accounting firm, and two years with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Mr. Matossian is the Founder of the MENA Financial Crime Compliance Group (MENA FCCG) and Vice Chair of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime (GCFFC – MENA), and participates on several national and international task forces addressing corporate governance, AML/CTF, Anti-Corruption, and compliance matters. In 2017, he joined a new Senior Advisory Group to help steer SWIFT’s initiatives in the area of Sanctions, AML and KYC. He holds the following certifications: Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Risk Professional, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.
Trade is critical in advancing economies, including those in the MENA region. At the same time, trade finance presents unique opportunities for criminal exploitation, also referred to as Trade Based Financial Crime (TBFC).