Sarah has over 20 years’ experience of complex, often cross-jurisdictional investigations, including financial crime, regulatory issues and accounting irregularities. She has worked across a range of industries including oil and gas, mining and construction, with a particular focus on Financial Services.
Prior to joining FRA Sarah was the Africa and Middle East Regional Head of Financial Crime Intelligence and Investigations for Standard Chartered Bank, based in Dubai. Sarah led the bank’s investigation response in the region to global financial crime issues generating media and regulatory scrutiny, such as the ‘Panama Papers’, the ‘Russian Laundromat’ and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) allegations. This involved identification of complex networked activity and funds flow analysis. Her team also developed proactive intelligence on emerging financial crime themes covering money laundering and predicate offences, terrorist financing and economic sanctions, in order to identify and mitigate risk to the bank. Through investigations she identified enhancements to the bank’s control environment.
Prior to that, Sarah was with the Forensic team at EY for 11 years. Working closely with corporate clients and legal counsel, she led investigations into corporate and procurement fraud, embezzlement, potential sanctions breaches, accounting misstatements and bribery and corruption. She assisted clients respond to enquiries from their regulators. She has drafted risk policy documents and investigation methodologies for clients. Her experience covers investigations undertaken across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia. Sarah also delivered technical training for the forensic team across the EMEIA region. Sarah was seconded to the Wholesale Enforcement team at the Financial Conduct Authority throughout 2009.
Sarah is a UK qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).