AML SUMMIT 2026 Schedule
See the presentations across the two days of the AML SUMMIT
Day One Agenda - 11 May 2026
8:00am | Registration opens
You are invited to register your attendance and pick up your name badge at the Pullman Hotel & Events Centre, Auckland CBD, prior to the start of the conference.
8:45am | Welcome | Richard Manthel, CEO, AML Solutions
The AML SUMMIT 2026 begins with a welcome from your host, AML Solutions.
9:00am | Keynote: International Developments in AML/CFT and the Impact on New Zealand | Tim Goodrick, Partner, KPMG
Global AML/CFT standards are shifting rapidly, and New Zealand reporting entities are feeling the effects. This keynote will address the latest international developments, including changes to FATF expectations, beneficial ownership transparency, sanctions expansion, and evolving crypto regulation. Get a clear understanding of how global regulatory trends are influencing New Zealand’s AML/CFT framework, supervisory focus, and enforcement landscape, and what this means in practical terms for compliance professionals, boards, and senior leaders.
10:10am | Morning Tea
Join fellow conference delegates and presenters for refreshments and networking.
10:40am | Ministry of Justice Update | Andrew Hill, Manager AML/CFT System Stewardship, Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice will provide an update on reforms to the legislation, outlining key regulatory priorities, recent developments, and what businesses should be preparing for.
11:05am | Supervisor Update and Q&A | Serge Sablyak, Director AML/CFT, Department of Internal Affairs
In this session, the Department of Internal Affairs will outline its key focus areas for the year ahead, including supervisory priorities, emerging risk themes, and the expectations it has for reporting entities across all sectors. The DIA will also provide insights into its upcoming guidance, planned regulatory work, and the roadmap for strengthening AML/CFT oversight in New Zealand.
11:45am | Panel: The Voice of the AMLCO | Ashleigh Henderson, AMLCO, Barfoot & Thompson; Sarah Henderson, AML Manager, Unity Credit Union; Genelle David, AML Manager, Fonterra; Rob Vaudrey, Financial Crime Advisor
AML Compliance Officers face the pressures of upholding the AML regime in their organisations. Join this panel of industry AMLCOs from a range of business sizes to hear how they manage expectations and challenges, and share learnings from their time in the hot-seat.
12:20pm | The Grey Areas of Compliance | Alix Boberg, Partner, Bell Gully
We look at high-risk issues in AML compliance - both the hard lines and the grey areas - and discuss how to comply with the Act and satisfy your Supervisor, especially where it's unclear what needs to be done.
12:55pm | Lunch
Join fellow conference delegates and presenters for lunch and networking.
1:55pm | Breakout Session: National Risk Assessment Overview
1:55pm | Breakout Session: Banking
An interactive workshop focused on the most pressing AML/CFT challenges facing banking delegates. Online and in-person participants will be invited to submit their key issues for discussion beforehand, with the presenter addressing the top five during the session.
2:30pm | AML Leadership and Accountability | Nicola Ponsonby, Financial Services Director, Ernst & Young; Anisha Anantharaman, Partner, Ernst & Young
Strong AML outcomes rely on leadership setting the tone from the top. This session outlines how senior leaders and boards can shape culture, governance, and clear accountability so AML is understood and supported across the organisation. We’ll cover practical ways to embed AML into everyday decision-making and build organisational confidence in meeting AML obligations.
2:30pm | Breakout Session: Professional Services (Law & Accounting) | Alix Boberg, Partner, Bell Gully
An interactive workshop tailored to the AML/CFT challenges facing accounting and legal practitioners. Online and in-person delegates will be invited to submit their key issues for discussion, with the presenter addressing the top five during the session.
3:05pm | Afternoon Tea
Join fellow conference delegates and presenters for refreshment and networking.
3:35pm | Breakout Session: Case Study - AML Remediation in Practice | Rob Vaudrey, Financial Crime Advisor
Following a High Court AML/CFT penalty, a reporting entity was required to address significant systemic compliance gaps across its AML framework. This session will examine the process undertaken to rebuild and strengthen compliance, what worked well during the journey, and what proved more challenging than expected. An honest and practical discussion, focusing on real-world lessons that other organisations can apply within their own AML programmes.
3:35pm | Breakout Session: Finance | Lyn McMorran, Executive Director, Financial Services Federation
A solutions-focused discussion shaped by delegate concerns across lending, investments, and emerging delivery models. Online and in-person participants will be invited to raise their key AML/CFT challenges, with the presenter addressing the top themes during the session.
4:10pm | Breakout Session: Internal Assurance for Large Organisations | Tijana Misur, Head of Audit & Training, AML Solutions
Larger organisations face complex AML environments, multiple business lines, and higher volumes of activity. This session explores how to structure internal assurance at scale — from setting clear lines of accountability to coordinating reviews across teams and systems. We’ll cover how to use assurance findings to sharpen oversight, spot gaps early, and give senior leaders confidence in the performance of the AML programme.
4:10pm | Breakout Session: Internal Assurance for Small to Medium Organisations | Shane Cox, Senior Consultant, AML Solutions
Small to Medium organisations need internal assurance that is practical, achievable, and right-sized. This session focuses on simple, effective ways to review your AML controls without heavy resources or specialist teams. Learn what to prioritise, how to document your checks, and how regular assurance can bring clarity to your AML obligations and support stronger decision-making in a lean environment.
4:45pm | A special presentation from our Platinum sponsor
5:00pm | Close and Networking Drinks
Enjoy the opportunity to relax with presenters and fellow delegates over drinks and canapes after the conference.
Agenda is subject to change.
Day Two Agenda - 12 May 2026
8:45am | Welcome | Richard Manthel, CEO, AML Solutions
The second day of the conference begins with a welcome from your host, AML Solutions.
9:00am | Breakout Session: Terrorism Financing: Emerging Trends and Red Flags
Terrorism financing (TF) continues to evolve, with new channels, behaviours, and typologies appearing across both traditional and non-traditional sectors. This session explores the latest trends in TF activity and provides practical guidance on how to recognise it in real time. We’ll look at case studies, behavioural and transactional indicators, and the subtle patterns that matter most for banks, DNFBPs, and remitters. Attendees will leave with clear, actionable ways to identify and escalate potential TF activity within their own customer base and monitoring environment.
9:00am | Breakout Session: Real Estate | Ashleigh Henderson, AMLCO, Barfoot & Thompson
An interactive session focused on the AML/CFT challenges facing real estate professionals. Online and in-person delegates will be invited to submit their key issues for discussion, with the presenter addressing the top themes during the workshop.
9:35am | Staying on top of your Risk Assessment | Fiona Hall, Practitioner, Fiona Hall Law
A Risk Assessment is a living document that must reflect the changing risks your business faces. As the regulatory landscape, customer behaviour, and industry threats shift. In this session, you’ll learn practical ways to keep your Risk Assessment current, including how to identify relevant updates, where to find reliable information, and what to consider when reviewing and adjusting your documentation. You'll also learn how to approach internal communication: who needs to know about changes, how to share them effectively, and how to support ongoing compliance across your organisation.
10:10am | Morning Tea
Join fellow conference delegates and presenters for refreshments and networking.
10:40am | Roundtable Challenge
Each table will be given an AML challenge to discuss, then share back key insights to the room. Facilitated by AML professionals.
11:00am | Breakout Session: Workshop - Customer Due Diligence (CDD) | Bek Fazilov, Operations Manager, AMLHUB
This masterclass explores practical approaches to managing higher-risk clients. Delve into red flags for politically exposed persons (PEPs) and beneficial ownership, triggers for ongoing monitoring and periodic reviews, and how to clearly document your Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) rationale. The session includes real case studies from regulator feedback in New Zealand and the Pacific, plus a look at tools and technologies that support efficient, high-quality EDD.
11:00am | Breakout Session: Advanced AML Strategies for Mature Programmes | Brandon Stanaway, Head of Consulting, AML Solutions
Designed for experienced AML professionals, this session explores how mature programmes can evolve to address emerging AML/CFT risks. Dive deeper into ongoing CDD, EDD, and trigger events, and learn how to fine-tune transaction monitoring systems for accuracy and efficiency. Gain insights from experts and peers on balancing operational performance with regulatory expectations.
11:45am | Workshop: Implementing Risk-Based Compliance Processes | Tijana Misur, Head of Audit & Training, AML Solutions
This session outlines how customer risk-ratings can guide the depth of CDD, the frequency of ongoing reviews, and the level of account monitoring required. We’ll cover practical ways to use risk-ratings to set targeted controls, such as transaction limits or senior management approval, and discuss simple versus more detailed risk-rating models depending on your business size and complexity. We’ll also touch on aligning risk-ratings for existing customers to support a consistent, effective risk-based approach.
12:25pm | Close of the Conference | Richard Manthel, CEO, AML Solutions
Closing remarks from your host, AML Solutions.
Agenda is subject to change.
Alix Boberg
Partner
Bell Gully
Alix is a Partner in the litigation department at leading law firm Bell Gully, where she acts for clients facing regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings. She has specialist expertise in financial crime and regulation, and routinely advises clients on their engagement with AML/CFT supervisors, particularly when enforcement action is threatened.
She is known for her thoughtful, timely advice and clear judgement in managing relationships with regulators.
Ashleigh Henderson
AML Compliance Officer
Barfoot & Thomspon
Ashleigh is an experienced and agile AML Compliance Officer with a proven track record in New Zealand's Real Estate sector. With extensive expertise in AML frameworks and regulatory obligations, she brings a mature, pragmatic approach to ensuring compliance in a dynamic industry landscape. AML maturity isn't just about ticking the right boxes - it's about building a culture that genuinely understands and manages risk.
Ashleigh has successfully led AML initiatives across large real estate brands, supporting both operational teams and senior leadership to embed robust risk management practices. Her work focuses on balancing regulations with commercial practicality, providing strategic guidance and delivering targeted training.
Brandon Stanaway
Head of Consulting
AML Solutions
Brandon is an experienced AML/CFT professional with a strong background in accounting, risk and compliance. He brings over a decade of AML/CFT experience in New Zealand, dating back to before the establishment of the AML/CFT regime. Throughout his career, Brandon has worked across multiple sectors, including banking, payments and managed investment schemes. Prior to joining AML Solutions, he served as the AML/CFT Compliance Officer for several large and mid-sized reporting entities.
Brandon has led numerous AML/CFT remediation projects and has extensive experience coaching businesses through the practical challenges of complying with the AML/CFT Act.
Fiona Hall
Practitioner
Fiona Hall Law
Fiona Hall is a commercial barrister and solicitor based in Auckland’s CBD. Building on extensive early commercial law experience gained from roles with leading New Zealand and UK law firms, General Counsel for various financial institutions and senior counsel for the Commerce Commission, Fiona’s practice is now very regulatory based. She is highly focussed on assisting clients meet the ever increasing, changing, and challenging demands of regulatory obligations whilst delivering effective and efficient services to clients.
Widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s leading AML/CFT experts, Fiona’s practises extensively in this complex area of law. She combines her legal experience with the practical experience of having herself been an AML Compliance Officer to help clients understand their obligations and successfully implement compliant programmes. Fiona assists clients to prepare for audits or supervisory on-site inspections, and increasingly, to manage remedial work and engagement with their supervisor, including when enforcement action is being taken.
Lyn McMorran
Executive Director
Financial Services Federation
Lyn McMorran is the Executive Director of the Financial Services Federation, the industry body representing specialist lenders in New Zealand. Prior to that she was Area Manager for Westpac’s Private Bank in the Lower North and South Islands running a team of Private Advisers and support staff providing comprehensive financial planning advice to portfolios of private banking clients. Lyn has been a financial services professional for over 30 years with a particular interest in ensuring that all New Zealanders have access to appropriate financial advice and finance products provided responsibly.
Rob Vaudrey
Financial Crime Advisor
Rob Vaudrey is a New Zealand based financial crime specialist with extensive experience across intelligence, AML regulation, fraud prevention and strategy and policy work. Having worked as both a regulator (in the UK) and within industry, he brings a dual perspective combining supervisory insight with operational pragmatism.
He has established a specialist consultancy supporting small and medium sized organisations across New Zealand in strengthening their financial crime risk management and compliance capability, particularly in areas of risk assessment design, remediation strategies typology analysis and control frameworks. He is particularly interested in building data centred risk models and helping organisations develop practical controls.
Sarah Henderson
AML Manager
Unity Credit Union
Sarah Henderson is a highly experienced AML/CFT professional with more than a decade of specialised expertise in the NonBank Deposit Taker sector. Her career spans New Zealand and United Kingdom.
Her role as AML Manager (AML/CFT Compliance Officer) at Unity Credit Union, Sarah has led major compliance transformation initiatives including unifying AML/CFT policy’s and implementing an integrated transaction monitoring systems across four reporting entities.
Driven, knowledgeable, and proactive, Sarah is committed to contributing to a strong and future focused AML/CFT environment that empowers organisations to meet evolving regulatory expectations with confidence.
Shane Cox
Senior Consultant
AML Solutions
Shane is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), with extensive experience across compliance, risk management, and financial technology. He supports reporting entities throughout New Zealand to strengthen and embed effective AML/CTF compliance frameworks.
Shane has worked across the payments and finance sectors in roles that have built deep expertise in the practical implementation of AML/CFT obligations. His work includes conducting AML/CFT audits and assurance reviews, developing and enhancing compliance documentation, delivering targeted training, and providing tailored advisory services that respond to an entity’s risk profile.
Tim Goodrick
Partner
KPMG
Tim is a Director in KPMG’s financial crime practice where he specialises in leading projects to design and implement effective systems to combat financial crime, with a focus on financial crime transformation. Tim works with clients in the financial and gaming sectors across the financial crime ecosystem including customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, targeted operating models, technology, data, remediation, and sanctions.
Tim joined KPMG in 2019 from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) where he spent 5 years based in France and South Korea. At the FATF, Tim led projects to develop policy on beneficial ownership, anticorruption and virtual assets, and assessed countries against the FATF standards. Most recently, Tim was the acting Director at the FATF’s Training and Research Institute in South Korea. Tim also spent 2 years with KPMG in New Zealand (2016-2017) in between stints at the FATF. Prior to joining the FATF, Tim worked in the Australian Government (2007-2012) as the Director of Financial Crime at the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, and previously at AUSTRAC in policy and compliance.
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