ACSS Training
Taskforce
Our Mission
To this end, the Training Taskforce members share and contribute subject matter expertise and best practices from their respective industry viewpoints to identify current and emerging trends in sanctions-related risks, regulatory developments, and operational challenges. The members of the Training Taskforce play a vital role in developing, enhancing, and keeping current all training content offered by the ACSS. This can include webinars, courses, the CSS exam, or any other training that the ACSS offers.
Members
Owais Arshad
Director
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
Owais is a Director at RBC and provides strategic advice to its Global Economic Sanctions program. Mr. Arshad’s advisory work at RBC encompasses capital markets, wealth management, investment custodian services and, block chain enabled digital assets. He has written widely on sanctions related topics, and regularly presents on geopolitics, and the evolution of global sanctions regimes.
Rebecca Andersen, CSS
Associate Member,
Six Pump Court, Barristers’ Chambers
Rebecca is a Certified Sanctions Specialist based in London. She is also an arbitrator/arbitration counsel, specialising in International commercial arbitration. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Wales and obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) with Merit from Queen Mary University of London and University College London. She is an associate member of one of the leading set of Barristers’ Chambers in the UK, Six Pump Court, London. At the same time, she is a law tutor/lecturer in the University of Buckingham, England. Rebecca has about 20 years’ experience as a compliance lawyer, advising on sanctions regimes of US OFAC, UK OFSI, United Nations, and the European Union, international trade, export, import and cross border transactions. She started as a litigation and corporate lawyer with the Global Ernst & Young Law. She then went on to become the General Counsel & Head of Compliance (including Sanctions) in various public listed corporations; listed in United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Richard Craig, CSS
Financial Sanctions Data Manager
Bloomberg LP
Rich is a Financial Sanctions Data Manager at Bloomberg, where he is responsible for the acquisition, validation, maintenance, and quality assurance of ten jurisdictions, including US OFAC, UK OFSI, United Nations, and the European Union. Rich has led the efforts of the sanctions teams in Bloomberg’s Data department since the implementation of sectoral sanctions in 2014. He is Data Management Capability Assessment Model (DCAM) Certified V2 and a member of the Association of Certified Sanction Specialists.
Rohan Mishra
Sanctions Data Specialist
Bloomberg
Rohan is a Sanctions Data Specialist at Bloomberg based in London. As a Specialist, Rohan identifies entities and financial instruments impacted by economic sanctions. In addition to acquiring and ensuring the quality of Bloomberg's sanction data Rohan has worked on product enhancements bringing greater transparency into the way issuers and securities are impacted by sanctions restrictions. Rohan specializes in sanctions from the US, EU, UK, Switzerland & the United Nations.
Jeff Nielsen
Ramboll
Jeff Nielsen is a sanctions and export controls lawyer with over 20 years’ experience representing clients in diverse industries, both at law firms and in-house. His expertise is in both United States and European Union sanctions and export controls laws.
Jeff Teahan
BigTXN
Jeff Teahan is a Product Specialist at Big TXN, a regtech company based in London. With a background in Law and Politics, he specialises in UK, EU and Swiss sanctions and has an interest in global supply chain networks. Jeff has led projects developing sanctions software and import/export restriction databases.
Katrina Vessie
Schaeffler
Katrina Vessie is a Senior Regional Export Control Professional at Schaeffler, responsible for overseeing Export Control and Sanctions compliance across the company’s Canadian operations. As a Designated Official of the Controlled Goods Program, Katrina is also charged with maintaining site security at Schaeffler’s Stratford locations. With over 15 years of experience in trade compliance, Katrina has built her expertise across land, air, and weapons platforms, beginning her career at a leading U.S. defense prime contractor. At Schaeffler, she works primarily with the Aerospace division, ensuring compliance with complex multinational export controls and sanctions applicable to cutting-edge motion technology in sectors such as aviation, industrial automation, wind energy, and defense. Katrina’s broad industry experience and commitment to regulatory excellence make her a trusted partner for enabling global business while protecting national and international security interests.