Anti-corruption week for me!

7am . . .

I have just started a new job working in London. In some ways, it's very strange because its the first time I have had to get up in the mornings and go to work in London for nearly six years!! Having spent close to four years in Dubai where the sun almost always shines and it's either very warm or hot, the dark London mornings with rain and wind are a major contrast. 

However, i'm fortunate to have taken on a great new Director role with Forensic Advisory Services in the City of London. We are providing clients with a range of fraud investigation and fraud risk management services. Not only for the firm's traditional base in Insurance where it is one of the leading players, but now also to the corporate world, public sector including local authorities, education and health and to charities and NGOs. Having been very lucky during my preceding career to have had the chance to work with some of the world's largest multinationals and in many countries, I'm sure this new role is going to present some interesting and exciting new challenges.

Catching up?

I look forward to working with some excellent clients in the next few years, perhaps many of you reading this article? Helping you to understand why and how fraud or corruption may have occurred, how to take proactive steps to prevent it happening, and how to ensure that any damage is s limited if, unfortunately you should fall victim. My tip of the day? A good fraud response plan is vital!!

I'm looking forward to re-acquainting myself with many of my friends and colleagues in the UK. Do feel free to make contact and say hi. If I can provide you with advice or assistance - all the better.

Corruption - an assault on democracy?

But onto my main theme of this post . . . anti-corruption. The UN has declared tomorrow, Wednesday 9th December, International Anti Corruption Day and the theme for 2015 is, "Break the corruption chain". 

I can do no better than quoting words taken from the UN Anti-Corruption Website - "Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the "start-up costs" required because of corruption."

The words about the distorting of the electoral process ring true even here in the UK. My own borough Tower Hamlets has had a rough ride in the press over the last year or two due to the affairs of our former elected mayor (and recent bankrupt) Lutfur Rahman and concerns over what could be termed his assault on local democracy. I've been a co-opted member of the Standards (Advisory) Committee of Tower Hamlets Council since the Autumn of 2015 so hopefully can play some small part in providing scrutiny over the application of standards, local democracy and functions of the council such as the use and application of its powers under RIPA - the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. 

I should also say here, that despite all the bad press; as a lifelong resident of Tower Hamlets - born, bred and still living in Whitechapel / Wapping, it's an amazingly wonderful place. 

So why is it Anti-Corruption all week for me? 

I am off to two events on Thursday - one a Panel Discussion being run by Mazars, Norton Rose Fulbright and the The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Anti-Corruption (APPG) and the second a booked-out event where Margaret Hodge the former chair of the UK Public Accounts Committee will be the key speaker at the annual Transparency International Anti-Corruption Lecture in Canary Wharf. These will be two excellent events and I may see some of you there - again, say hello if you spot me.

The following day - I head off on a piece of work to the Far East which is again about taking a proactive stance against corruption. My work is about helping a client to enhance their ability to identify and respond to red flags that may be indicators of fraud or corruption.

I'm being circumspect about the detailed nature of the work, but, what the client does is important and among the sort of activity where as much as possible the elimination of corruption benefits nearly all of us. 

I'm pleased therefore that my week, and next week are absolutely about being involved in activities that go a long way to meet the theme of the UN's Anti-Corruption day 2015 to "break the corruption chain". 

Want to know more? - contact me.