Event: How to protect your company from World Bank and IFI exclusion risks – 26th September 2024

We invite you to join our expert panel for a specialist workshop on The Sanctions & Debarment Frameworks of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), taking place on Thursday 26th September 2024.

MDBs and IFIs have a fiduciary duty to protect their funds and projects from prohibited practices such as fraud and corruption. Are you fully aware of how your company may be at risk of exclusion or debarment from the World Bank even if a minor fraud by a subsidiary, subcontractor or agent is committed? Do you know how to protect your company? Or how to conduct any subsequent investigation?

Join our team of international experts for this specialist MDB workshop on Thursday 26th September to understand the MDB/IFI frameworks, learn how to mitigate risks, reduce exposure and for some invaluable guidance on navigating internal investigations and sanctions.

Book your place at this unique event to join experts from across the UK and Europe who will discuss:

Topic I (The Framework): The sanctions and debarment frameworks – overview, process, and key texts

MDBs and IFIs have a fiduciary duty to protect their funds and projects from prohibited practices such as fraud and corruption. This workshop will guide you through the MDB/IFI frameworks – focusing on the World Bank Group – to equip you with the understanding and knowledge of how the system operates in practice, from Show Caure Letters all the way to Sanctions Board hearings.

Topic II (Compliance): The impact of debarment following a compliance programme failure and compliance in negotiations and post-debarment situations

Did you know that your company may be at risk of exclusion or debarment from the World Bank? Even a minor fraud by a subsidiary, subcontractor or agent can expose you to sanctions. When targeted by audit requests from MDBs, it’s essential to be assisted by experienced counsel to negotiate the best possible outcome for your company. A debarment by the World Bank can also lead to exclusions by many other MDBs, and increases the risk of prosecution (including criminal!) in your home jurisdiction and abroad. This workshop will help you mitigate such a risk and reduce exposure.

Topic III (Investigations): The practicalities of internal investigations following self-referral and as part of post-settlement investigations, including sanctioning conditions

If you find yourself in the uncomfortable position of instigating an internal investigation, what are the key considerations? This workshop will consider, amongst other topics: (i) how you can protect whisteblowers, (ii) how you can effectively secure electronic data, (iii) the immediate legal and data privacy factors, and (iv) how to establish the appropriate investigations team.

Register your place

Please note that this is an in-person-only event and places are limited. To reserve your place, please register at communications@outertemple.com.

Speaker bios

Alex Haines is a barrister called to both the English and Irish Bars and a US-qualified attorney admitted to the Bars of New York and Washington DC. He is a specialist in international law and sanctions, with rare expertise in the law of international organisations (IOs). Alex litigates before international courts and tribunals, mostly in Washington DC, New York City, London and the regional hubs for IOs such as Geneva, Vienna, Jeddah and Addis Ababa. The cases he has been instructed in have involved more than 40 IOs.

Sophie O’Sullivan is a specialist in business crime and professional regulation. Her core practice areas are: sanctions; business crime; commercial fraud; asset forfeiture; financial regulation and compliance; professional discipline; and health and safety. She is appointed to the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown and the SFO’s International POCA panel. 

Salomé Lemasson is admitted to practice in France and Germany, she has extensive cross-border experience from her previous work at major US law firms in Paris and Berlin. Salomé’s practice focuses on representing top tier companies and high net worth individuals in sensitive, high-stakes matters involving international Sanctions, fraud, corruption and money laundering. As a seasoned and highly versatile lawyer, she has deep substantive knowledge of various countries’ legal systems and regulatory regimes.

Paul Nash is a managing director with Baker Tilly’s forensic, litigation and valuation services practice. He has extensive experience in leading complex, cross-border government-focused corruption investigations in emerging and frontier markets, and he has recently led publicly reported investigations in Liberia and Mozambique. Paul has broad experience of working with international financial institutions, international development agencies and global corporations to develop and implement pragmatic remediation strategies to address fraud and corruption risks.

Prior to founding STB Integrity, Sârra-Tilila Bounfour spent over 12 years working with global law firms and international organizations such as the World Bank and the World Food Programme to tackle integrity & ethics issues, especially fraud & corruption, from the policy, investigative, and judicial angles. She has conducted dozens of independent investigations for international organizations, national development agencies, and governments into allegations of integrity & ethical misconduct.

Mohamed El-Maini is Senior Investigations Officer for the European Investment Bank (EIB). Mohamed specialises in anti-fraud and corruption, anti-money laundering, inspection and compliance. Prior to joining the EIB, Mohammed worked for the World Bank Group for over 15 years investigating fraud and corruption in World Bank-funded projects in developing countries.

Events, News 29 Jul, 2024