Rabbe Tech & Financial Services Expert and Benjamin Head of a Financial Compliance Unit to speak at 4th AML & Gaming Forum this week

The 4th Dutch Caribbean AML (Anti-Money Laundering) & Gaming Regulation Forum regional-international conference will kick-off on Tuesday at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa at Maho. The Forum is from June 4 – 7.

Speakers from all kinds of professions are lined up to speak at the 4th Dutch Caribbean AML (Anti-Money Laundering) & Gaming Regulation Forum including Lisa Rabbe, Tech and Financial Services Policy and Regulation Expert, and Derek J. Benjamin, Senior Financial Analyst and head of the Financial Compliance Unit of Antigua & Barbuda.

Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Sunday that the country will be in the spotlight this week as it hosts the 4th Dutch Caribbean AML & Gaming Regulation Forum.

“We are proud to welcome more than 100 participants to the 4th Dutch Caribbean AML & Gaming Forum this. AML is a key issue to ensure the continued functioning of the global financial system including that of Sint Maarten.

“Our Parliament just recently passed very important legislation to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. Sint Maarten as a country is taking the necessary steps to guarantee its national economic development in compliance with international standards as brought forward by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.

“There will be much discussion and deliberations over the next four days regarding global regulatory standards and strategies to reduce the risk of criminal activity and increase compliance & transparency. By working together, we learn from each other best practices which in turn strengthens our national economic and financial security,” Hon. Minister Stuart Johnson said on Sunday.

Lisa Rabbe is a globally recognized expert on Tech and Financial Services Policy and Regulation and is the Founder and CEO of Stratosphere Advisors LLC, a political risk and public policy consultancy, and of Stratosphere Analytics LLC, a regulatory analytics start-up.

Photo: Lisa RABBE

The Stratosphere group of companies assess political, policy and regulatory changes and identify opportunities and risks for clients. Lisa is a senior advisor to Visionary Future, which advises clients on the application of Blockchain, Data Analytics and Machine Learning to financial, investment and other industry sectors.

Prior to this, Rabbe was Managing Director and Head of Public Policy for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region for Credit Suisse and Managing Director and Head of Government Affairs EMEA region for Goldman Sachs International, leading government and regulatory strategy and relationships for both banks.

Rabbe also advised their corporate and investor clients around the world. Ms Rabbe is an instructor on the Oxford Saïd Business School’s Future of Finance (FinTech) Course. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Oxford MSc in Law & Finance and has been a member of the Advisory Board of the European Corporate Governance Institute since 2012.

Derek J. Benjamin is the Senior Financial Analyst and head of the Financial Compliance Unit (FCU) at the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP), Antigua.

Photo: Derek BENJAMIN

Benjamin joined the ONDCP in 2006, first working as a financial analyst in the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) before moving to the FCU in 2012. With over 20 years’ experience working in the domestic banking sector, he has pursued formal training and is certified in the areas of Risk Management, Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Terrorism Financing, Cyber Crime Detection and AML/CFT Compliance.

He is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Prevention Specialist (CAMS and CAMLFC) and a certified Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Financial Examiner having served as a member of the CFATF 3rd Round Mutual Evaluation team to Belize.

Benjamin is also a member of the CFATF Risk, Trends and Methods Group (CRTMG) and the point of contact member of Antigua’s National Money Laundering & Financing of Terrorism Risk Assessment Coordinating Group.

The Government of Sint Maarten via the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (TEATT) and GovRisk, a UK-based Training & Consultancy specialising in Financial Crime Prevention and Anti-Corruption, are the organizers of the Forum this week which will promote compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, New technologies and Exploring the Future of Business Risk.

This regional event will bring together this week over a four-day period key stakeholders such as: Banks – Compliance Officers & Internal Risk Managers; Central Banks, Regulatory & Supervisory Bodies; Financial Intelligence Units, Treasury & Revenue, Law Enforcement; Casinos, Lotteries, Slot & Arcade Operators; Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) such as: Law Firms, Auditors & Accountants, Insurance Firms, Real Estate Agents, Car Dealers, Jewellers, Credit Unions & Charities.

PHOTO: Minister Stuart Johnson

PHOTO: Lisa Rabbe

PHOTO: Derek Benjamin