Kroll, an independent provider of global risk and financial advisory solutions, today released its 2023 Fraud and Financial Crime Report which found that 69% of executives and risk professionals worldwide expect financial crime risks to increase over the next 12 months.
Cybersecurity and data breaches are expected to be the primary drivers of increased financial crime risks, followed by financial pressures on organizations.
A survey of 400 senior leaders and risk professionals across four continents found that to counter a potential uptick in financial crime risks, two-thirds (67%) of respondents globally are planning to invest more in technology, with nearly half of the respondents (49%) citing data integrity as the biggest challenge when implementing new technologies.
David Lewis, Global Head of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Advisory at Kroll, said: “The survey results show that firms face a perfect storm as financial crime risks increase and get more complex. They are not fully confident in the effectiveness of their defenses and will undoubtedly rush to embrace technology to solve all their problems.”
Key findings from the eight countries represented in this survey include:
- The financial crime risk posed by cryptocurrency is a source of concern for 78% of participants.
- Fifty-six percent say that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been implemented into financial crime compliance programs, though relatively new in the majority of cases.
- Although survey respondents appear to feel confident in the accuracy of their ESG stories, 61% cited lack of standardization and limited data as the main challenges with reporting their ESG story.
- In Europe, sanctions compliance poses a significant concern for respondents, with 48% of respondents in the UK, Germany and France identifying geographic consistency as the top challenge for sanctions compliance.
- Seventy-two percent of surveyed companies in Brazil are expecting an uptick in regulatory enforcement actions in the next 12 months, slightly higher than Mexico (70%) and the U.S. (70%).
- Seventy-eight percent of surveyed companies in the UAE and Singapore plan on dedicating more time towards enhancing supply chain controls or due diligence due to potential exposure to sanctions.
Haydn Jones, Global Head of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Solutions at Kroll, commented: “In the face of this dynamically evolving landscape, the role of the compliance function remains more crucial than ever. As we look toward the future, the complex interplay between technologies of all types, geopolitics and financial crime means specialist skills will be required to navigate what is essentially a data-based future.”
Commenting on the findings of the survey, Ed Shorrock (pictured), Managing Director, Financial Services Compliance & Regulation, Kroll in Jersey, said that firms in the Channel Islands will be facing similar challenges and will also need to consider greater investment in technology to counter the increasing threat from cybercrime and address human resource constraints and regulatory expectations. It is evident from the increasing use of technology revealed in the report that specialist skills training in digital will remain crucial.
He added: “One of the findings shows how quickly the finance industry is turning to AI and machine learning to support their financial crime compliance operations and local firms will need to address this and ensure they keep pace with developments.”
