AFB Financial Crime Masterclass: Managing Sanctions Risks (Identifying the Risks in Transactions and Trade)

This Masterclass is a programme of instructor-led learning that has been designed for all risk and compliance employees who wish to develop an advanced understanding of how to manage financial and non-financial sanctions risks with an emphasis on assessing and mitigating the risks of sanctions evasion techniques.

The course, developed with the assistance of a former enforcement officer from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), offers a helpful update on sanctions evasion techniques, and tips on how to manage risks, and meet regulatory requirements of UK, EU, and USA sanctions authorities.

Delegates will be supported with practical notes, working templates and risk assessment exercises to ensure that the session is highly interactive, and outcomes focused.

Course content

1. The aims, objectives, and hierarchy of global sanctions including a review of the work of the UN, UK, EU, and USA sanctions bodies including the Security Council, OFSI, OTSI, and OFAC.
2. The latest key sanctions developments including legislation for Russia, DPRK, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and new developments relating to Human Rights and Corruption.
3. Assessing the risks in client relationships and the risk-based approach to identify higher risks in trade and transactions. 
4. The importance of leveraging and managing technology to manage the risks, including analysis of key regulatory failures in the UK.
5. Identification of current and emerging sanctions evasion techniques, and the use of ‘red flags’ to identify activity posing a high sanctions risk.
6. Reporting and escalating concerns to OFSI and OFAC and managing the relationship after making a report.

Course structure

• In person and instructor led
• 3 hours of learning
• Case study analysis
• Working templates
• CPD credits for any session attended

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Define sanctions and the aims and objectives of key UN, UK, EU, and US legislation
• Describe some of the key international sanctioning bodies including the UN Security Council, Financial Action Task Force, OFSI, OTSI, and OFAC
• Explain the prohibitions that are in place for Russia, Iran, DPKR, Syria and Cuba, other activities including human rights abuses and corrupt officials
• Describe higher risks in customer relationships and outline some of the more common new and emerging sanctions evasion trends techniques
• Define ‘red flags’ in transactions and trade-transactions to identify higher risk activity and relationships
• Define the reporting requirements for positive matches to designations and other applicable laws, including the Terrorism Act 2000

Who should attend?

• All financial crime risk professionals who are responsible for assessing and managing FCC risks
• Customer due diligence analysts and transaction monitoring officers
• Senior FCC risk management professionals, including MLRO, DMLRO and nominated officer
• FCC professionals with responsibility for drafting and maintaining policy and procedures
• FCC professionals with responsibility for conducting FCC and sanctions risk assessment

Logistics

Venue:        In-person, Central London venue
Date:          Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Time:          09:00 – 12:30 (Registration and light breakfast from 09:00)
Price:          £400 plus VAT

For further information including any questions around booking please contact secretariat@foreignbanks.org.uk