ACSS
UAE Chapter
About Chapter
Come join us to promote sanctions awareness and create a community for sanctions professionals in UAE! The mission of the ACSS UAE Chapter is to serve, inform, and promote sanctions professionals in the UAE Area. We hold regular events centred around hot topics in the sanctions industry that impact sanctions compliance professionals.
All ACSS members can join their local Chapter for free. If you are already an ACSS Member, all you need to do is update your membership profile. Click here to access your membership profile.
NOTHING LIKE OUR CHAPTER EXISTS TO PROMOTE SANCTIONS AWARENESS IN UAE. COME BE A TRAILBLAZER WITH US!
Board Members
Abubakr Ebrahim
Financial Crime Compliance Leader
EY (Dubai)
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Abubakr is a Partner in EY’s Forensics and Integrity Services team for the MENA region and serves as the regional Financial Crime Compliance Leader. Having developed and implemented comprehensive compliance programs that address sanctions, AML, fraud, and corporate governance, Abubakr is highly skilled at helping clients manage financial crime risks, while ensuring that they comply with local and international sanctions regimes. His leadership at EY includes advising clients on sanctions compliance, fraud investigations, AML, and risk management, thereby enabling organizations to thrive while effectively mitigating financial crime risks. Abubakr’s career spans multiple industries, including finance, technology, and security, and he has contributed to shaping policy and advancing risk mitigation strategies in these sectors. Prior to his roles at EY and ACSS, he has held various leadership positions in renowned global organizations, solidifying his reputation as a thought leader in the fields of financial crime compliance and governance. He is also dedicated to empowering professionals through mentorship and knowledge-sharing, particularly in the areas of financial crime, sanctions compliance, and risk management.
Jonny Bell
Director, Financial Crime Compliance Strategy
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions
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With 10+ years of experience working in financial services, technology, compliance risk and strategy consulting, Bell applies his extensive project management expertise and experience towards driving business profitability and maintaining effective organic growth.
Bell began his career working with top global financial institutions focusing on horizontal functions including risk, compliance and technology. Following four years of consulting, he went on to work for London Stock Exchange Group (Refinitiv), where his most recent role was as head of business operations and strategy for the risk division.
Bell holds a degree in archaeology and ancient history from the University of Nottingham, where he was also athletic union president. A keen sportsman, Jonny is a professional rugby league player with the London Skolars Rugby League.
Today Bell lives in Dubai with his wife. In his free time, he enjoys playing most sports, reading and travelling.
William G. Rich, CSS
Global Head of Banking Client Risk Advisory and Risk Management in Sanctions Compliance
Citi
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Prior to Citi, Will was Senior Vice President of Kharon, a technology company focused on data analytics in finance national security, and Managing Director of its Dubai office. He spent more than a decade in the U.S. government, including as a U.S. Treasury Attaché, a senior policy advisor at the Treasury Department, and in a variety of intelligence and counterterrorism roles domestically and overseas. In 2019, Will was a visiting fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and his analysis and commentary were been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and WIRED. During this time, he was also an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University and a visiting scholar in the international relations program at New York University. Will completed his undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is originally from Santa Monica, California.
Aidan Wells
Senior Head of Sanctions Advisory Group Compliance
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)
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Throughout his career, Aidan has championed the development and implementation of robust sanctions compliance frameworks, making significant contributions to the financial sector’s ability to interpret and meet international regulatory obligations. Notably, he has worked with the United Nations to enhance its approach to sanctions designation interpretation for the financial community ensuring clarity, consistency, and effectiveness in operationalizing global sanctions requirements.
He was privileged to be part of the UAE’s representation during the FATF mutual evaluation and its final interviews, where he played a key role in articulating the financial community’s commitment to effective AML/CFT & Proliferation Financing standards. Further, Michael’ commitment to public-private collaboration is evident in his ongoing work with the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation Financing (EOCN) as part of the UAE’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.
Michael’ background includes direct leadership of high-stakes targeted sanctions investigations, cross-border due diligence, and the integration of advanced compliance technology all contributing to resilient risk management programs that serve both local and international standards.
Gabriel Yuen CXS, CSS
Vice President, Legal & Compliance
Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL)
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A lawyer with an ever-growing interest in trade compliance as well as international trade and transportation, his previous roles include counsel and company secretary at the commodity trading arm of the most valuable oil company in the world at height of the Russo-Ukrainian war, as well as practicing transactional maritime law at the largest law firm in the Middle East, where he advised on ship sale and ownership structures, ship re-flagging, ship mortgage mandates, as well as port concessions and logistics.
Gabriel is a Singapore-qualified lawyer, and is certified by ACSS and ACAMS as a specialist in export controls, sanctions and anti-money laundering. He also holds a Diploma in Ship Financing and Vessel Ownership, and a Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (B2). He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Manchester.
Gabriel is grateful to have called the UAE home since 2017.
ACSS CHAPTER FAQs
Who can join an ACSS Chapter?
Anyone can join an ACSS Chapter! Our Chapters are a place for our members to form a community on the ground, network, and share knowledge with like-minded sanctions professionals. If you are an ACSS Member, and there is a Chapter in your location, you will be automatically added as a Chapter Member.
Is there a Chapter Membership fee?
If you are an ACSS Member, Chapter Membership is included as one of your many benefits! If there is a Chapter in your location, you will automatically be added to that Chapter as an ACSS Member.
What if there is no Chapter in my location?
If you don’t currently see a Chapter in your city/state/country, let us know! We are always very interested to hear from you if you and your colleagues believe there may be a need for a Chapter in your location. Just email: helpdesk@sanctionsassociation.org.
I'm not sure if I want to become an ACSS Member, what are the benefits?
Chapter Membership is one of the many benefits to being an ACSS Member. To find out about all the benefits ACSS membership has to offer, click here.