ARQ Group and Malta Bankers’ Association conference on the need to align growth strategies with the national financial crime compliance agenda

“Aligning Growth Strategies with the National Financial Crime Compliance Agenda” is the theme of this year’s joint ARQ Group – Malta Bankers’ Association conference, which will be held on 21 June 2022, at the Westin Dragonara Resort.

This year’s event will be the third AML and FCC conference which is being organised jointly by the ARQ Group and MBA. The event will focus on the challenge of pursuing growth opportunities and innovation within the context of an increasingly intense Financial Crime Compliance (FCC) landscape. The conference takes place within the context of the grey listing of Malta by the FATF in 2021 and the steps that have been taken since then to increase the effectiveness of the necessary reforms.

“The next task ahead of us is finding a way to maintain a healthy balance between pursuing growth opportunities and ensuring that our financial institutions and the country at large remain safe. As we look forward to the publication of a new National Risk Assessment and as we move towards a new era of a Single EU AML/CFT Rulebook, with regulatory technical standards being rolled out by the new EU AML Authority, we will be looking at the opportunities and emerging challenges that lie ahead and ask how the country can reap the benefits of the efforts undertaken over the past three years,” said Karol Gabarretta, Malta Bankers Association, Secretary General.

During the conference, supervisors, senior bankers, professionals, representatives from the financial services sector and other subject persons as well as policy makers will be invited to reflect on the positive changes that the drive towards a higher level of compliance has brought about but also the need for more coordination and harmonisation.

ARQ Group Managing Partner Dr Manfred Galdes said: “We have seen quite a few improvements over the last year, mainly in those areas mentioned in the FATF Public Statement on Malta. The next step for banks and other subject persons is striking the right balance between implementing a robust FCC culture and effective practices, while at the same time pursuing growth at a time when the economic and geo-political situation is particularly challenging. We look forward to a meaningful debate between all stakeholders on possible ways to achieve this balance of supporting economic growth while at the same time maintaining the highest level of compliance.”

The conference will feature keynote speeches, an update on the National Risk Assessment as well as three panel discussions covering of the following themes: the challenges of managing FCC efforts in a constantly changing landscape, striking a balance between effective supervision and growth, as well as the shaping of the national agenda following the June 2022 FATF plenary decision.

More details on the speakers, participants and agenda will be published in the coming days.

This year’s conference starts at 1.30pm and ends at 5.45pm. To register for the event and obtain more information visit https://bit.ly/38Ul5cS