GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference, 11 – 12 November 2025, Riyadh, KSA
GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference, 11 – 12 November 2025, Riyadh, KSA
With new export controls, sanctions, and anti-corruption rules from the US, UK, EU, China, and local authorities in the Kingdom, compliance is more complex than ever. The GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference is designed for compliance professionals working directly in the field, providing practical advice and real-world insights from both global experts and respected local leaders.
The US, UK, EU and now China have far reaching export controls, sanctions and anti-corruption initiatives, match this with developing local regulations within the Kingdom and you have a perfect storm of compliance to navigate through. GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference is the one place where you, as a local compliance specialist, can find a way through.
‘Culture beats Compliance’ is well known maxim but carries no weight with Regulators. So how do you not only build leading compliance programs but also ensure their take up and the buy in of the workforce ?To quote ‘Tomell Da Silva of The Middle East and Africa Compliance Association ”you may have the right ‘Tone from the top’ but what about the ‘Mood in the middle’ and the ‘Groove on the ground” ?
Best Practice is commonly called for but does one size fit all ? How can you ensure you are compliant with conflicting international regulations at the same time as ensuring local regulations are adhered too?
This conference has been produced with you the compliance specialist ‘on the ground’ in mind. It is designed specifically for those in industry to allow you to learn from your peers and benchmark your program with not only the global leaders but also with local prominent companies from within the Kingdom. This is the must attend conference in the region where you will interact in an intimate, open and candid setting with eminent speakers from The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as other GCC and leading global specialists, we look forward to meeting you.
- Mr. Mohamed El Sadany, GRC Director, BOD and Committees Secretary, Mowah
- Dr. Saleh M. Alshunaif, Director Legal, Contracts, & Global Trade Compliance, Alsalam Aerospace
- Dr. Syed Abid Hassan, Head of Compliance, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, Dallah Pharma
- Ms. Lauren Talerman, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
- Ms. Zahra Mashhood, Counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
- Eng. Ali Alghamdi, GRC Director and Cybersecurity Advisor, Confidential Government Authority
- Eng. Rzgallah Alzahrani, Cybersecurity GRC Director, Confidential Government Authority
- Ms. Hanna Al Melhi, AVP – Business Conduct & Advisory, PIF
- Mr. Ibraheem Alkahtani, Head of Logistics & Trade Compliance KSA & PYB Cluster, Schneider Electric
- Mr. Mohammed Al Ghafly, Regional Regulatory Affairs & Trade Compliance Manager, Ecolab
- Mr. Fahad Al-ali, Senior Counsel; Labour Law, Ethics and Compliance, BAE Systems Saudi Arabia
- Ms. Fai Alawad, Governance, Compliance and Board Relation Lead, NEOM
- Ms. Ghada Al Ghamdi, People & Business Integrity Director, Eisai EMEA
- Mr. Jefferson Fabbio, Compliance Officer – MEA, IBM
- Eng. Nawaf Albeajan, AVP – IT Governance, Saudi Investment Bank
- Mr. Yasser Aboismail, Regional General and Counsel and Compliance Officer, Thales Arabia
Should you wish to join our esteemed speaker panel at this event, please contact If you are interested in speaking at this conference, please contact Mr. Henderson Huang on henderson.huang@nielsonsmith.com.
The agenda for the GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference is prepared by and for industry professionals, and includes the most interesting topics, currently pertinent to the field.
Day One
08:15 – 09:00 Registration opens with early morning refreshments
09:00 - 09:15 Chairman’s welcome and opening address
09:15 – 10:15 GRC Integration in the Public and Private Sectors
10:15 – 11:15 Sanctions Compliance in the Gulf: Adapting to U.S., EU, and Local Frameworks
11:15 – 11:35 Morning refreshments and networking
11:35 – 12:00 The Fast Five – 5 solutions – 5-minute interviews
12:00 – 12:50 Supply Chain Due Diligence: Managing Trade Risks Across Tiers and Borders
12:50 – 14:00 Prayer Break and Networking Lunch
14:00 - 15:00 Governance in Action: Elevating Risk Management to the Executive Agenda
15:00 – 16:00 Combatting Bribery in MENA: From Internal Allegations to Enforcement Lessons
16:00 – 16:25 Afternoon refreshments and networking
16:25 – 17:25 Panel Discussion: Building Ethical Business Culture in High-Growth Markets
17:25 – 17:30 Chairman’s closing remarks
17:45 – 18:45 Conference Drinks reception
Day Two
08:30 – 08:55 Early morning refreshments and networking
08:55 - 09:00 Chairman’s opening remarks
09:00 – 10:00 Export Controls in Practice: Screening, Licensing, and Red Flags
10:00 - 11:00 GRC Strategic Direction in the era of AI and emerging technology
11:00 – 11:20 Morning refreshments and networking
11:20 – 12:20 Panel Discussion: Future Challenges in GRC Across the GCC
12:20 – 13:30 Prayer Break and Networking Lunch
13:30 – 14:30 Research Security and Export Controls – How to Assess Research and Control Risks.
14:30 – 15:30 Post-Acquisition Ethics & GRC Integration: Aligning Governance After Mergers
15:30 – 15:50 Afternoon refreshments and networking
15:50 – 16:50 Interactive Roundtables on topics brought up by the delegates on the day
16:50 – 17:00 Chairman’s remarks
End of Conference
If you are interested in speaking at this conference, please contact Mr. Henderson Huang on henderson.huang@nielsonsmith.com
Veuillez contacter votre représentant NielsonSmith pour discuter plus en détail du programme.
Meet Our Media Partners:
AGRC est une organisation mondiale à but non lucratif d'accréditation et de certification professionnelles, ainsi qu'une plateforme de mise en réseau, qui a été fondée en 2020 et a commencé ses activités un an plus tard. Nous avons développé une série de qualifications professionnelles de niveau 3 sur des sujets tels que l'AML, l'ESG, le KYC/CDD, la conformité, la gestion des risques, la gouvernance d'entreprise et les sanctions économiques internationales, qui ont toutes été accréditées par le London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF) au Royaume-Uni.
Nous facilitons également l'échange de connaissances et le partage d'expériences entre les professionnels de la gouvernance, du risque et de la conformité (GRC). Nous soutenons notre communauté de professionnels GRC multi-juridictionnels dans l'industrie des services financiers et au-delà en partageant leurs valeurs communes, leurs expériences, leur expertise et leurs opportunités de développement commercial.
Vous pouvez en savoir plus sur nous à l'adresse suivante www.agrc.org.
Meet Our Event Partners:
Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq: DSGX, TSX: DSG) is a global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions designed to enhance the productivity, performance, and security of logistics-intensive businesses. The company’s solutions make it easier for organizations to access and analyze global trade data, offering insights that help businesses improve trade compliance, reduce duties paid, minimize transactions with sanctioned parties, and identify potential customers and supply chain resources.
As the world’s largest collaborative multimodal logistics community, Descartes serves a broad range of industries. Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Descartes operates with a global network of offices and partners. More details are available on their website at www.descartes.com.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (Akin) is a leading global law firm with more than 900 lawyers and advisors, who pride themselves on dedication to their clients and their communities. With offices worldwide, we are renowned for numerous market-leading practices. Our international trade practice is highly regarded as a top-tier practice providing counseling and advice to companies, industries and governments across the globe as they navigate detailed trade regulatory processes. We have extensive experience guiding companies across various industries through the detailed trade regulatory processes in areas including export controls, economic sanctions, customs and import controls, global investment review, anticorruption, anti-money laundering, trade remedy litigation and trade policy. We regularly advise clients based in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region seeking regional and international representation, as well as international clients headquartered in the United States, Europe and Asia, on their investments and other commercial interests across the MENA region. This includes regulatory and compliance aspects of all transactions with cross-border dimensions, and a wide range of other trade compliance issues, as well as trade policy and WTO matters. www.akingump.com
Control Risks is a global specialist risk consultancy that helps to create secure, compliant and resilient organisations. Combining unrivalled expertise, experience and reach with the power of data and technology, we provide the insight and intelligence needed to stay on track, realise opportunities and grow.
Si vous souhaitez devenir notre partenaire lors de cet événement, veuillez contacter M. Reyhan Perera à l'adresse reyhan.perera@nielsonsmith.com.
1 physical 2-Day pass and the Company-wide Post-Event Microsite license for 1 year with access to conference recordings – 999 USD
L'événement en personne comprend des sessions, un déjeuner, des rafraîchissements et la documentation disponible. Merci de bien vouloir contact pour les groupes. Remarque : les entreprises "vendeuses" ne peuvent participer qu'en tant que sponsors.
Lieu de la conférence
Fairmont Riyadh, Area, Business Gate, Qurtubah, Riyadh 11552, Saudi Arabia
Attribution de logement
Arrival Date: November 10, 2025 (Check-in from 3:00 p.m.)
Departure Date: November 11, 2025 (Check-out by 12:00 noon)
Booking: Room rates are subject to the hotel’s website and availability. Please book directly through the hotel.
Informations
Les billets de délégués sont réservés aux participants internes. Les vendeurs de conformité ne peuvent participer qu'en devenant sponsor, veuillez demander un prospectus en cliquant sur le bouton ci-dessous. Les vendeurs qui achètent des billets n'auront pas accès à l'événement et ne recevront qu'un remboursement 70%.
