An expert in financial crime is to be the keynote speaker at the Bermuda Compliance Summit in late September.

Dr. Chizu Nakajima, director of the Centre for Financial Regulation at the Cass Business School, City University, London, will speak at the event, which will take place on September 28 and 29.

Dr. Nakajima is also the director of the annual Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime. She specialises in financial services law, corporate law and governance, comparative law and the control of financial crime and has written widely on these subjects. She edits The Company Lawyer, Journal of Financial Crime and the Journal of Money Laundering Control.

The summit, organised by the Association of Bermuda Compliance Officers (ABCO), is aimed at those in the financial services sector who must be aware of anti-money laundering, compliance and regulatory risks. The theme is 'Conquering Compliance Challenges'. The gathering will allow banks, fund administrators, lawyers, accountants, insurance professionals, trust specialists, investment advisors, and real estate brokers to exchange ideas on best practices in compliance, risk management and corporate governance.

International regulatory pressure is set to increase after the massive loss of wealth on the markets last year and a string of large-scale frauds that have come to light, headed by the Bernard Madoff scam.

ABCO president Lindsay McCann said the event aimed to build on the success of the first Bermuda Compliance Summit two years ago by bringing together internationally renowned speakers, from Bermuda and elsewhere.

"The varied and interesting topics and debates on the programme have been chosen to amplify the theme of Conquering Compliance Challenges by applying a risk based approach.

"Risk management is now coming into sharp focus as we must deal with a broadening range of perils in order to serve our customers well. Ultimately, developing a strong framework to manage regulatory compliance is critical for all regulated Bermuda companies.

"This September our expert speakers will shine a light on this vital organisational task and will add crucial tools to the compliance officer's toolbox. "

Some topics to be discussed are: Understanding and Building a Risk-based Compliance Program; Transaction Monitoring; Tax and Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA's), Filing of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), The FIA - Its Powers and Duties and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.

Ken Rijock will close out the Summit and continue the saga of 'Tales from the Dark Side'. Mr. Rijock has more than 25 years experience in the field of money laundering; and made a successful transition from money launderer to reformed financial institution compliance consultant, and trainer/lecturer to law enforcement and the intelligence services of both the US and Canada.

The cost of the conference is $950 for early registration on or before 1 September, and $1,200 thereafter. The fee includes all sessions, breakfast, lunch and refreshments on both days, and a cocktail reception with dinner on the Monday evening.

The conference will offer continuing education credits approved by many professional associations for regulatory purposes. A certificate of attendance will be issued to all attendees. Volume discounts for more than three attendees are available.

For more information, see the conference website at www.abco.bm or contact conference organiser Jacinta Baptiste-Jones at 236-2305 or by e-mailing conforganizer@abco.bm