Sanctions, AML and CFT for Banking and Finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 21 – 22 of October 2025
Sanctions, AML and CFT for Banking and Finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 21-22 of October 2025
‘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 buy in by your colleagues? 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'' ?...
Our Sanctions, AML and CFT for Banking and Finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the one place where you, as a local compliance specialist, can find a way through.
Mr. Mubashir Hassan, Director Risk Management, Awaed
Ms. Faten Alshehri, SVP – Head of Sanctions, The Saudi National Bank
Ms. Mishael M. Almishari, Executive Manager Sanctions High Risk Client Acceptance and KYC, Alrajhi Bank
Mr. Mishal Al Ismail, Head of Compliance & AML, Albilad Capital
Mr. Muhammad Shakil, Head of Governance & Control, SAB
Mr. Christos Christou, Director of Compliance, Lulu Financial Holdings Limited
Mr. Sumit Sakar, Senior Vice President, Head of Sanctions, Mashreq
Mr. David Pije, Head of Compliance (Senior Vice President), Commercial Bank International
Mr. David Lim, Partner, White & Case
Mr. Brent Wible, Partner, White & Case
Ms. Sara Wahba, Compliance Manager, Visa
Ms. Batoul Assi, Head of Regulatory Compliance, Lulu International Exchange
- Ms. Rasha Saleh, Head of Middle East Compliance & FCC, BNY Mellon
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 Miss Isra Mahmoud on isra.mahmoud@nielsonsmith.com
The agenda for the Sanctions Compliance, AML & CTF for Banking & Finance Conference, is prepared by and for industry professionals, and includes the most interesting topics, currently pertinent to the field.
Day One
09:00 – 10:00 Registration opens with early morning refreshments
10:00 – 10:20 Chairman’s welcome and opening address
10:20 – 11:00 The Geopolitics of Economic Sanctions: Trends, Challenges, and Global Impacts
11:00 – 11:40 Global Trends in Sanctions, AML, and CTF: A Middle East Perspective
11:40 – 12:00 Prayer Break
12:00 – 12:15 Morning refreshments and networking
12:15 – 13:15 Sanctions Screening Best Practices
13:15 – 14:00 Leveraging data, technology and AI in Sanctions Screening
14:00 – 14:55 Networking lunch
14:55 – 15:15 Prayer Break
15:15 – 16:15 Panel Discussion: The Rise of Virtual Assets and Fintech: Compliance Challenges and Opportunities
16:15 – 17:15 Strategic Overview of regulatory priorities of 2025
17:15 – 17:20 Chairman’s closing remarks
17:25 – 17:40 Prayer Break
Day Two
09:00 – 10:00 Early morning refreshments and networking
10:00 – 10:05 Chairman’s opening remarks
10:05 – 10:55 Counter-Terrorism Financing: A Regional Perspective
10:45 – 11:40 Comprehensive Compliance: Gap Analysis, CB KSA Integration, and Global Reporting Standards (FATCA & CRS)
11:40 – 12:00 Prayer Break
12:00 – 12:15 Morning refreshments and networking
12:15 – 13:15 Leveraging Advanced Technologies: AI and Blockchain for AML/CTF Compliance
13:15 – 14:00 Emerging regulatory Compliance Risks in MENA financial sector
14:00 – 14:55 Networking lunch
14:55 – 15:15 Prayer Break
15:15 – 16:15 Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML): Detecting and Preventing Complex Schemes
16:15 – 16:20 Chairman’s remarks
Please contact your NielsonSmith representative to discuss the programme in more depth.
In Collaboration with:
The Middle East & Africa Compliance Association (MEACA) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven professional body committed to advancing transparency, accountability, and ethical governance across both public and private sectors in the Middle East and Africa. Established to address the growing need for structured compliance frameworks in the region, MEACA serves as a central hub for compliance professionals, offering resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy to promote integrity in business practices.
Mission and Vision:
Vision: To be the leading professional association in the Middle East and Africa, promoting transparency, accountability, and a culture of integrity in both private and public sectors.
Mission: To empower compliance professionals with the skills, resources, and knowledge to be effective ambassadors of goodwill within their respective companies and communities. MEACA seeks to foster and nurture a business context where good governance, adherence to laws, ethics, and transparency are the international norm, not the exception.
Core Activities:
- Professional Development: MEACA offers training programs, workshops, and seminars aimed at enhancing the competencies of compliance professionals.
- Networking Opportunities: The association organizes events and conferences to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices among professionals in the field.
- Advocacy and Thought Leadership: MEACA engages with policymakers and industry leaders to advocate for robust compliance standards and ethical business practices.
- Mentorship Programs: Committed to nurturing the next generation of compliance professionals, MEACA provides mentorship opportunities to guide and support emerging talent in the industry
Through these initiatives, MEACA aims to build a resilient compliance culture that supports sustainable economic growth and enhances the global reputation of the Middle East and Africa as regions committed to ethical business conduct.
Event Partners:
White & Case is a global law firm with longstanding offices in the markets that matter today. Our on-the-ground experience, our cross-border integration and our depth of local, US and English-qualified lawyers help our clients work with confidence in any one market or across many.
We guide our clients through difficult issues, bringing our insight and judgment to each situation. Our innovative approaches create original solutions to our clients’ most complex domestic and multijurisdictional deals and disputes.
By thinking on behalf of our clients every day, we anticipate what they want, provide what they need and build lasting relationships. We do what it takes to help our clients achieve their ambitions.
Should you wish to become our Partner at this event, please contact Mr. Reyhan Perera on 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
The in-person event includes sessions, lunch, refreshments and available documentation. Please contact us for Groups. Please note: “Vendor” companies may attend as sponsors only.
Venue
Area, Business Gate, Qurtubah, Riyadh 11552, Saudi Arabia
Information
Delegate tickets are for in-house participants only. Compliance vendors may only attend by becoming a sponsor, please request a prospectus via the button below. Vendors purchasing tickets will not gain access to the event and will receive only a 70% refund.
