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FCPA Compliance Report

FCPA Compliance Report – Ethical Decision-Making in Times of Change

Welcome to the award-winning FCPA Compliance Report, the longest-running podcast in compliance. This is a very special episode. Tom Fox is joined by Lisa Fine, Ellen Hunt, and Hemma Lomax from the Great Women in Compliance podcast for our annual GWIC/FCPA Compliance Report cross-post podcast. We recorded this at Compliance Week 2025.

In this year of uncertainty and change in compliance, we discussed the need to revisit and emphasize foundational ethics amid the evolving compliance landscape, seeing uncertainty as a chance for professional growth and deeper ethical reflection. We also discussed integrating ethics into compliance functions and advocating for a community-oriented approach that respects diverse viewpoints and fosters global perspectives; highlighted the importance of innovative strategies and understanding human behavior, advocating for creative approaches like podcasts to foster a speak-up culture and stressing the use of technology and coaching to enhance ethical decision-making, ultimately contributing to a robust corporate culture capable of navigating international compliance challenges.

 

Key highlights:

  • Ethical Decision-Making in Times of Change and in a Global Business Arena
  • Global Training Program for Anti-Corruption Enforcement
  • Promoting Ethical Culture and Fair Treatment
  • Harnessing Collective Energy for Compliance Excellence

Resources:

Lisa Fine on LinkedIn

Ellen Hunt on LinkedIn

Hemma Lomax on LinkedIn

Tom Fox

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

For more information on the use of AI in Compliance programs, see my new book, Upping Your Game. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.com

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Exploring the Future of Compliance: Key Takeaways from Compliance Week 2025

This episode of Great Women in Compliance is very special. Tom Fox joins Lisa Fine, Ellen Hunt, and Hemma Lomax for our annual GWIC/FCPA Compliance Report cross-post podcast, which we recorded at Compliance Week 2025.

Key highlights:

  • The Vibe at Compliance Week 2025
  • Opportunities for Growth in Compliance
  • The Importance of Ethical Decision Making
  • Global Perspectives on Compliance
  • Practical Advice and Takeaways

Our discussion centers around the current state of compliance, emphasizing the importance of community and collaboration. The panelists reflect on the vibe of Compliance Week 2025, highlighting keynotes and sessions that underscore the need for ethical decision-making, innovation, and professional growth amidst regulatory changes and uncertainties.

We took a deep dive into practical advice and creative ideas from the conference, such as compliance chronicles and internal podcasts, to foster a strong compliance culture. We discussed the global perspective on anti-corruption enforcement and the potential role of state attorneys general in the U.S. With a focus on community support and continuous improvement, this episode provides valuable insights and inspiration for compliance professionals.

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Great Women in Compliance

Creating Space to Speak Up: The Story Behind Psst.org

In this episode, Hemma and Ellen visit Jennifer Gibson and Rebecca Petras, two of Psst.org’s three co-founders, to discuss Creating Space to Speak Up and the organization’s story.

Together, they discuss revolutionizing whistleblowing by collectivizing information and providing support for insiders in high-risk environments. They also share insights into building trust, the importance of clear reporting channels, and the crucial role of leadership in fostering a culture where people feel comfortable speaking up. This episode explores the challenges faced by whistleblowers, the importance of transparency and accountability within organizations, and the living legacy of Psst.org.

Highlights include:

  • How Building Trust and Safe Spaces for Whistleblowers
  • Challenges in Corporate Whistleblowing Culture
  • The Role of Technology in Whistleblowing
  • Challenges and Solutions in Whistleblowing
  • A Call to Action for Compliance Professionals.

Resources:

https://psst.org/

Biographies

Jennifer Gibson

Co-Founder and Legal Director, Psst.org

Jennifer most recently ran the Whistleblower Protection Program at The Signals Network. She is a US lawyer with over fifteen years of experience investigating, litigating, and advocating for human rights. Previously, Jennifer worked for Reprieve, where she led the organization’s work on extrajudicial killings carried out under the guise of national security. She worked closely with civilian victims of drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Libya, and elsewhere, investigating their cases to secure accountability. Her work involved litigation before both domestic and international courts and public and political advocacy aimed at holding powerful governments and corporations accountable for their abuses. Jennifer has a JD from Stanford University and is barred from California.

Rebecca Petras

Co-founder and Principal Officer, Psst.org

Rebecca has a long career in building start-up non-profits from the ground up. Before Psst, she was the Director of Operations of The Signals Network, handling strategy, development and communications. She previously served as director of the Geneva-based H2H Network, overseeing the network’s inception, strategy, and sustainability and its fund for small humanitarian technical agencies. From 2010 to 2019, she served as deputy director of Translators without Borders (TWB), overseeing global operations of the international NGO, of which she was a founding board member. Before her humanitarian work, Rebecca was a journalist and a marketing executive. She holds an MS from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a BA in Philosophy and German from the University of Michigan.

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Roundtable on The Future of Financial Crime Prevention

In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, hosts Dr. Hemma Lomax and Lisa Fine bring together Patricia Marinho and Maria Luisa Signorini to discuss the future of financial crime prevention. The conversation delves into their extensive backgrounds in financial compliance, the role of technology and AI in anti-money laundering (AML) controls, and the challenges and advancements in the field. They also reflect on the importance of human oversight in AI-driven systems and share their visions for the future of AML technology.

Highlights include:

  • A tour of the guest’s deep experience in financial regulation and risk management
  • Key challenges in financial crime detection and prevention
  • The role of innovation and emerging technology in compliance
  • Trust and the expectation of regulators when it comes to AI in financial services
  • Advice for compliance professionals leveraging community and mentorship

 

Biographies

Patricia Marinho is a highly accomplished Executive Global Head of Compliance, legal professional, and senior compliance strategist with over 25 years of experience in regulatory affairs, risk management, and corporate governance across the United States, Latin America, and global markets. She specializes in developing and leading high-impact compliance programs, aligning financial institutions with international regulatory frameworks, and advising executive leadership on governance and risk oversight.

As Executive Global Head of Compliance at Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB), Patricia is responsible for shaping and implementing the bank’s global compliance strategy to support global growth and ensure adherence to international financial regulations. She is pivotal in positioning HRB for long-term regulatory success and global expansion, working closely with executive leadership to strengthen governance, mitigate risks, and enhance operational resilience.

Maria Luisa Signorini is the Vice President of Global Financial Crimes for Bank of America in Brazil. She has over 30 years of experience as a Legal professional in Litigation, Banking, Asset Management, and Financial Services, having worked for leading players in Brazil’s law firms, banking, and the financial services industry. She started her career as a civil litigator in major Law Firms in São Paulo – Brazil, and afterward transitioned to Compliance, Anti Money Laundering (AML)/Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF), fraud, corruption, and bribery Areas. She has extensive knowledge of Brazil’s legal, compliance, and regulatory matters through senior positions in major global financial institutions located in Brazil, such as HSBC, UBS, Western Union, and now Bank of America.

Maria Luisa’s extensive expertise includes supporting the business by defining strategic compliance and reputational risks, having a deep understanding of Brazil’s regulatory environment, having experience working with local regulators, and having strong project coordination and management skills.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite platforms, the Compliance Podcast Network and Corporate Compliance Insights

♥️ Thanks as always to our wonderful #GWIC community for your support. Have an idea or suggestion? Drop a note to Lisa Fine or Hemma Lomax.

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Insight from a Great Gentleman in Compliance with Andrew McBride

In today’s episode, Lisa speaks with a Great Gentleman in Compliance, Andrew McBride, the CEO and founder of Integrity Bridge.

Andrew shares his journey in compliance, from private practice to becoming Chief Compliance Officer at Albemarle to starting Integrity Bridge.

At Albemarle, Andrew built a new ethics and compliance program against the backdrop of an FCPA investigation. The work of Andrew and his team and their cooperation with the US Department of Justice led to a 45% penalty reduction decrease. The program was also awarded Compliance Week’s “Program of the Year” award.

He highlights the importance of having a multifunctional approach to building compliance programs, working closely with various departments such as sales, procurement, and finance. He also emphasizes how ethics and compliance teams are best positioned to succeed if they have different backgrounds and skill sets.

Andrew shares his experience building Integrity Bridge, a consultancy focused on helping companies design and implement holistic compliance programs to proactively use technology and address constantly evolving risks.

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – The Compliance Playbook: Best Practices for M&A Success

Hear from M&A veterans @Allison Riter of nVent and @Barbara Petitti of Alstom on the importance of having a Compliance Playbook to ensure the success of compliance program integration. From having a seat at the due diligence table to conducting a risk assessment to deciding the best model for #ComplianceProgram integration, this roundtable will discuss these topics and much more.

Listen in here to learn practical tips, red flags, insights, and how to deal with culture clashes from those who have been on the M&A journey.

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – GWIC X Everything Compliance

Welcome to the Great Women in Compliance podcast on the Compliance Podcast Network, sponsored by Corporate Compliance Insights. Today’s episode is a special episode cross-posted with Everything Compliance.

In this episode, host Kristy Grant-Hart joins Everything Compliance panelists Karen Moore and Karen Woody to team up with the Great Women in Compliance regulars Hemma Lomax and Lisa Fine to dissect current issues in the compliance landscape. They look into the implications of the U.S. Constitution’s 10th Amendment on state rights amidst federal executive action, affecting data privacy and ESG regulations. The panel also explores the shifting terrain of DEI programs under recent executive orders, shedding light on both opportunities and challenges for compliance officers in advocating for ethical practices and maintaining organizational morale during these turbulent times, considering the role of the SEC going forward and the current chaos coming out of Washington. The episode concludes with their signature rants and raves, highlighting frustrations and positive notes from the compliance field.

  • Karen Woody on change to require SEC Commission approval to launch investigations.
  • Karen Moore on the importance of the 10th
  • Lisa Fine on morale, destruction, and confusion.
  • Hemma Lomax on change management and employee engagement.
  • Rants and Raves

You can join the LinkedIn podcast community Or the Great Women in Compliance podcast community here.

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Holiday GWIC – tacular

Happy Holidays from the Great Women in Compliance podcast.  For the last episode of 2024, we wanted to share insights and some holiday cheer.  We all share some of our thoughts about the trends and developments in 2024, and of course, there is a focus on AI.  Sarah brings some news about CCI and their next phase, and Ellen reiterates her ongoing commitment to organizational justice.  We also shared some thoughts about 2025, and Lisa raised the challenges that global organizations will face with the various – and sometimes contradictory – regulations and laws from different countries.  The group shares some of our favorite GWIC moments of the year.

We also answered some pressing questions for the holiday season, including when to start playing holiday music and decorating; spoiler alert, there needed to be more consistency.  We share some of our favorite family holiday traditions, which include everything from listening to the Beach Boys Christmas album and updating a holiday Spotify playlist (Lisa), bringing British traditions for the family (Hemma), opening presents on Christmas Eve, and a chill day (Ellen and Sarah).  There were many laughs, and we offer a huge thank you to all of you, the #GWIC community.  We are so grateful for you all.

See you in 2025.

Thanks, as always, to our sponsor, Corporate Compliance Insights, and our wonderful #GWIC community.  You can join the Great Women in Compliance community on LinkedIn here.

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Blog

Lisa and Mary Changed the World: The Great Women in Compliance Community

In the world of compliance, where incremental victories often measure progress against pervasive risks, it’s rare to witness a revolution. Yet Lisa Fine and Mary Shirley have achieved just that. Through their groundbreaking podcast, Great Women in Compliance (GWIC), they did not just host conversations; they redefined what it means to foster a community. Alongside their book Sending the Elevator Back Down, they have created a legacy of empowerment, collaboration, and celebration in a field that thrives on shared knowledge and collective strength.

Lisa and Mary were recently honored for their work in creating GWIC, the GWIC community, and leading the development of an entire movement of women supporting other women in the worldwide compliance community. The Compliance Podcast Network named Lisa and Mary the co-winners of its first annual Agora Award for Excellence in Podcasting.

The Birth of Great Women in Compliance

The idea for Great Women in Compliance was sparked at an SCCE Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) event in 2018. As the story goes, Lisa and Mary approached compliance podcasting veteran Tom Fox with a simple yet bold observation: the Compliance Podcast Network needed more diverse voices. Tom, true to form, responded with a challenge: “When will you start a podcast?”

The rest is history. With no prior experience in podcasting, Lisa and Mary leaped, driven by a shared vision of showcasing women’s stories, insights, and challenges in the compliance profession. With support from mentors like Matt Kelly and colleagues across the compliance community, the duo recorded their first episodes. What began as a grassroots effort quickly became a cornerstone of the compliance industry.

Building a Legacy: The Podcast, the Community, and the Book 

  • The GWIC Podcast: Amplifying Women’s Voices

From its inception, the GWIC podcast stood out for its authenticity and relatability. Lisa and Mary adopted an informal yet insightful interviewing style, allowing their guests to shine. The podcast featured diverse voices, from seasoned compliance leaders to rising stars, and explored various topics, including leadership, career development, and the unique challenges women face in compliance. Their approach was not simply about storytelling but about creating a platform for empowerment. The podcast became a hub for listeners to gain practical advice, discover new perspectives, and connect with a broader network of professionals.

  • The Community: A Network of Support

The GWIC podcast inspired not only listeners but also catalyzed a movement. Recognizing the need for a dedicated space for women in compliance, Lisa and Mary launched the Great Women in Compliance LinkedIn group. This online community became a vibrant forum for networking, mentorship, and resource sharing. Through this community, women found mentors, job opportunities, and a sense of belonging in an isolating field. It also spurred the creation of dedicated women in compliance sessions at significant conferences, highlighting the widespread impact of Lisa and Mary’s vision.

  • GWIC: The Book – Sending the Elevator Back Down

In October 2020, Lisa and Mary released Sending the Elevator Back Down, a book that encapsulated their philosophy and amplified women’s voices across the compliance field. The book featured stories of triumph, resilience, and lessons learned from compliance professionals worldwide. The book was published by Corporate Compliance Insights and headed by Sarah Hadden, an early supporter of GWIC who continues her support of and participation in GWIC to this day. The title reflects their core belief: success is most meaningful when shared. By “sending the elevator back down,” Lisa and Mary encouraged readers to uplift others as they rise, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support.

Overcoming Challenges: Lessons from the GWIC Journey 

Lisa and Mary’s journey has not been without its challenges. As they readily admit, neither had technical experience when they began podcasting. They leaned on mentors and allies to navigate the technical aspects, demonstrating the power of community in achieving ambitious goals. Additionally, their differing styles, Mary’s free-form conversational approach, and Lisa’s structured format might have posed a challenge in less harmonious partnerships. Instead, they embraced their differences, allowing their unique strengths to complement each other.

Their journey also highlights the importance of perseverance and adaptability. From launching the podcast to publishing the book during a global pandemic, Lisa and Mary consistently turned obstacles into opportunities.

The Impact: Changing the Compliance World

It is impossible to overstate the influence of Great Women in Compliance. Through representation and recognition, they have spotlighted the achievements of women in compliance. Lisa and Mary helped reshape perceptions of what leadership in this field looks like. GWIC has been a clearinghouse for professional development within the compliance community, as listeners and community members have reported finding mentors, gaining new insights, and even landing jobs thanks to connections made through GWIC.

Finally, GWIC, both the podcast and the community, has fostered a culture of inclusivity and support in compliance.

The Next Chapter

With 250 podcast episodes and a growing community, Great Women in Compliance shows no signs of slowing down. Mary has retired her co-host microphone and is now the ‘OG’ of GWIC. The GWIC podcast has expanded to include co-hosts Hemma Lomax, Ellen Hunt, and Sarah Hadden, ensuring the platform remains dynamic and inclusive. Lisa and Mary are also exploring the possibility of a second book, aiming to continue telling the stories that inspire and empower their community.

A Call to Action: Be the Change

For those who think you cannot change the world, I point you to Lisa Fine and Mary Shirley. They have proven that two women with a vision can. They built a legacy that empowers not just women in compliance but the entire industry worldwide. Their work serves as a reminder that creating meaningful change does not require a perfect plan, just passion, perseverance, and the courage to start.

Celebrating their achievements, we should all take their message to heart: success is amplified when shared. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or simply lending a listening ear, we all have the power to lift others as we rise. Lisa and Mary have sent the elevator back down. Now, it’s up to the rest of us to ensure it keeps moving.

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Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Reflections and Resilience Through a Compliance Career with Karen Bertha

Welcome to the Great Women in Compliance podcast with Hemma Lomax and Lisa Fine, sponsored by Corporate Compliance Insights.   In today’s episode, Lisa speaks with Karen Bertha, who has built world-class programs throughout her career, most recently at V2X.   She has significant acquisition and post-acquisition due diligence expertise, including at V2X.  After that acquisition, she was at a crossroads and needed time to take stock and pause.

Karen reflects on her work with due diligence, including how and when compliance should be involved in due diligence.  They also discuss strategies for post-integration, even if compliance is brought at some point later.  Karen has worked in highly regulated industries, such as government contracting, and those not in highly regulated industries. She shares her experiences and lessons learned.

Karen left V2X after the acquisition when she needed time for herself and other parts of her life.  She talks about how the “power of the pause” has been helpful to her.  She talks about reflecting on her work in the Ethics & Compliance profession, increasing her learning, specifically in compliance-adjacent fields like Human Resources and audit, with time to focus.  She also shares what she has enjoyed during this time, which we at #GWIC hope can inspire those thinking about your next steps or between roles.

Join the Great Women in Compliance community on LinkedIn here.