Dear TIPS Member,
Welcome to our March 2019 Newsletter!
We are delighted to announce the publication of the TIPS Website – www.tipsnetwork.org. Take a look and do submit your feedback on the Contact Us page on the website. Going forwards, it is envisaged that you will sign up to TIPS events through the website directly and can also sign up to and/or follow the latest updates on our social media feeds from the website.
Our next TIPS Networking drinks event will take place on 29 April. Please register for the next TIPS Networking drinks through the Events page of our website.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
- the TIPS team
1. Upcoming Events
TIPS Networking Drinks
29 April 2019 | 6.30-8pm | London Wall Bar & Kitchen, EC2Y 5HN
We look forward to seeing you at our next informal networking drinks event. We will circulate an article with some discussion questions before the event to help spur what we hope will be some engaging discussion.
Many thanks to Hannah Burrows for organising this event! Please register on our website here!
2. Upcoming TIPS Affiliate Events
15th Annual AML and Financial Crime Seminar
25-26 March 2019 | 9am to 5pm | Herbert Smith Freehills
Hosted by the Anti-Money Laundering Professionals Forum, speakers include HMRC, HM Treasury, the Law Commission, law enforcement and industry experts. The programme for the event can be found here. Register here.
Women in Compliance Conference
27-28 March 2019 | 8am - 5.30pm | Le Meridien
Topics, with a host of international speakers, include lessons learned Post #MeToo, speak up scenarios and gender pay gap reporting. Register here.
Fighting Fraud and Corruption in a Shrinking World
3 April 2019 | 1pm | RUSI Whitehall
A lecture by SFO Director Lisa Osofsky on the challenges posed by globalisation, sophistication of communications technology and growth of data for law enforcement. Register here (RUSI membership required).
5th Annual GIR Live
4 April 2019 | 9am - 5pm | Allen & Overy
Global Investigations Review is a leading name in anti-bribery and corruption. Sessions at this year’s event include an overview of the AML landscape, compliance, and a Question Time style debate on current hot topics in investigations. Register for the event here
3. TIPS Recent events
TIPS Networking Drinks | Summary
On 11 March 2019, a diverse group of TIPS members representing more than 10 organisations met at The Bootlegger near Monument for an evening of engaging discussion of the merits and demerits of Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs).
Rebecca Wheeker gave a short presentation on the recent decision by the SFO to drop investigations into senior management at both Rolls Royce and GSK.
This was followed by a lively discussion around whether DPAs represent the proper administration of justice or at least shift the risk matrix for corporates to effectively change behaviours. A wide range of views were presented, perhaps most interestingly, an economist’s reflections on the short and long-term challenges presented by the existence of DPAs.
It was a hugely engaging evening. Many thanks to James Ford and Rebecca Wheeker for organising.
4. Other items of interest
TI-UK Article: Troika Laundromat signals a different kind of financial crisis
The Troika Laundromat investigation shines a spotlight on new and familiar characters in the ongoing saga surrounding flows of dirty money through the world’s financial system.
This time, new findings have been released in respect of more than US$470 billion that was transferred between companies and individuals between 2006 and 2012. Read more here.
House of Lords Report on the Bribery Act
On 14 March, the House of Lords Select Committee on the Bribery Act 2012 published a post-legislative scrutiny report. Among other things, peers called for speedier bribery investigations. See a summary here.
News update: SNC-Lavalin & the need for fresh thinking around independence and interference
The Conversation has some interesting reflections on the corruption scandal around SNC-Lavalin that has called the conduct of Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau into question. See here.
TI-UK Blog: 8 female anti-corruption fighters who inspire us
To mark International Women’s Day, TI-UK highlighted the work of eight remarkable women around the world who are setting a positive example in the fight against corruption. See here.
Breaking news: largest US college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the DOJ
Around 50 individuals were charged on 12 March in a ground-breaking alleged admissions bribery scam that illustrated how wealth and fraud enabled students with mediocre grades and unremarkable accomplishments were admitted into some of America’s most elite academic institutions. Read more here.