ISECS appoints Juan Carlos Medrano Castro as Board Director and Regional Ambassador for South America

With over 25 years as an anti-money laundering expert in the international financial sector, Juan Medrano Castro is set on his next mission. As the new ISECS Regional Ambassador, he will bring together the compliance community in various Central and South American countries and ensure they get top-notch training through the ISECS network. In Spanish!

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Over his career, Juan has served as a compliance officer for various financial institutions and held the position of bank director and member of the board of directors, approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States. He has also served as an examiner.

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Today, he is the president and founder of J&A Global Compliance, a firm specializing in regulatory matters, specifically for the Bank Secrecy Act, AML, and Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations, where he conducts independent reviews.

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We sat down with Juan to discuss his vision for the work he will lead at ISECS.

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“My goal is to help. There are sanctions programs directly against Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti. Programs against Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran also impact the region and businesses strongly. Yet, sanctions and export controls are little understood in Central and South America. At the end of the day, everyone will have to comply, no matter where they are located,” Juan says right out of the gate.

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Juan Medrano Castro was invited to join the ISECS board of directors precisely because of his vision and passion to be of service to industry, governments, and enforcement. He brings along his unparalleled connections and expertise in the Central and South American markets for the benefit of the global ISECS community.

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“We need to raise awareness and develop educational programs on sanctions and export controls. I am already leading several initiatives in the region, including the creation of the Latin American Association for the Study of Sanctions Foundation (ALPES), organizing the first Regional Symposium for the Prevention of the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Control of Dual-Use Goods, and developing a certification program in Spanish. All of this creates a perfect synergy with my work at ISECS.”

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Juan Medrano Castro has advised financial institutions in the United States, particularly in Florida, as well as in Latin America and the Caribbean on the design and management of their compliance and sanctions programs. He serves as an advisor on the Bank Secrecy Act, AML, and OFAC regulations for financial institutions in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Latin America.

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“At ISECS, I envision myself as an active ambassador, creating programs and activities in support of the association's objectives and aiming to develop an entire network in South America that positions us as a vehicle to contribute to a better understanding and comprehension of Sanctions and Export Control,” Juan says.

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With Juan leading the outreach in Central and South America, ISECS is launching its first training programs and Working Group in Spanish.

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“There is lack of information and advice ?in South America, both in the private and public sector. We have lacked a vehicle to do it. ?Furthermore, we mustn’t forget that South America as a region is vulnerable to issues such as international organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and violations of human and political rights, among other topics that are closely linked to the subject of sanctions and export controls.”

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Juan is a prominent speaker at industry conferences. In addition to ISECS, he is a member of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), the Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS), the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS), and the National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP) in the United States.

“Next, we will create a network of ISECS ambassadors in South America and develop training and development programs to increase comprehensive knowledge of sanctions and export controls in the region,” Juan says at the end of the interview.

We at ISECS are delighted to welcome Juan and look forward to his leadership.

Interview by Kristiina Helenius, ISECS

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