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​​Working closely with AUB, subject matter experts from the MENA FCCG and GCFFC led the development effort of the CTBFC certificate program.   MENA FCCG Member banks involved included: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Arab Bank, Bank Audi, Emirates NBD, Mashreq Bank, and National Bank of Egypt.  In addition, the MENA FCCG TBFC Working Group will serve as an Advisor to ̩����Ʊin ensuring the curriculum is reflective of the latest regulatory developments and criminal exploitation techniques, including those relying on advanced technologies. A few of the key contributors included:

Michael Matossian

Founding Member & Deputy Chair MENA FCCG

Vice Chair GCFFC - MENA​

EVP and Chief Compliance Officer - Arab Bank

Mr. Matossian joined Arab Bank plc in November 2005 as EVP and Global Head of Group Regulatory Compliance. Mr. Matossian has more than 35 years of experience in Regulatory Risk Management, Anti-Money Laundering, and Corporate Governance. Mr. Matossian participates on several national and international task forces addressing combatting financial crime and compliance matters and is the Founding Member and Deputy Chair of the MENA Financial Crime Compliance Group and Vice Chair of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime - MENA Chapter.  Mr. Matossian is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).​

 

Nishanth Nottath

 EVP - Head AML, ABC and RegTech - Machareq Bank

With 23 years overall experience including 18 years in the Financial Crime arena, Mr. Nottath leads the AML, ABC and Compliance Technology function in Group Compliance at Mashreq Bank. Prior to this role, he was the Global Head of Transaction Monitoring at HSBC and held a number of leadership roles in anti-financial crime covering the Middle East and Africa at HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG. Mr. Nottath is a Chartered Accountant (India), Chartered Management Accountant (UK), and PGP holder in Data Science / Business Analytics from University of Texas, Austin, US. Mr. Nottath represents Mashreq Bank as a Member of the UAE Public Private Partnership Committee. He is also Chair of the Digital Working Group under the UAE Public Private Partnership Committee. Mr. Nottath was part of the project team that authored the TBFC Reference Guide released by MENA FCCG and GCFFC – MENA Chapter. ​

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Sameer Kuvvakkattayil

Executive Head - Financial Crime Compliance and Group MLRO -   Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

Mr. Kuvvakkattayil is a seasoned Compliance professional with over 19 years of experience in Financial Crime Compliance covering multiple roles & responsibilities including Anti Money Laundering/ Counter Terrorist Financing, Sanctions, Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Regulatory Compliance and Client Due Diligence. Mr. Kuvvakkattayil has extensive experience in combatting trade based financial crime; he has also participated as a speaker in a number of regional conferences. He is the Executive Head of Financial Crime Compliance and Group MLRO at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB). He holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing and is Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS). 

Amjad Batayneh

Trade Finance Regulatory Lead - Arab Bank

Mr. Batayneh has more than 18 years of compliance experience in banking and previously held numerous senior positions in Sanctions, AML Investigations, and Trade Finance in different local and international banks in Jordan. He holds several international certificates including CAMS, CGSS (Certified Global Sanctions Specialist), and several London Institute for Banking and Finance, UK (LIBF) certificates including CTFC (Certificate in Trade Finance Compliance), CDCS (Certificate for Documentary Credit Specialists), CSDG (Certificate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees), CITF (Certificate in International Trade and Finance) and QTFS (Diploma for Qualified Trade Finance Specialists). Mr. Batayneh holds a master's degree in Financial Management from Arab Academy for Banking & Financial Sciences and is an authorized trainer for ACAMS and the Institute of Banking Studies in Jordan. Mr. Batayneh was part of the project team that authored the TBFC Reference Guide released by MENA FCCG and GCFFC – MENA Chapter. ​

Ihab El Masry

Chief Executive Officer Compliance and Corporate Governance 

National Bank of Egypt (NBE)

Ihab El Masry is the Chief Executive Officer Compliance and Corporate Governance at National Bank of Egypt (NBE). He leads NBE’s compliance group as he oversees the regulatory compliance program including financial crime, sanctions, regulatory affairs, customer protection, compliance assurance, and corporate governance. Mr. El Masry background includes over 30 years of experience at multinational and public sector banks in Egypt and North Africa. This includes with Credit Agricole Egypt (formerly Egyptian American Bank) and Arab Bank Plc Egypt & Algeria. Mr. El Masry received his Bachelor Degree in Accountancy from Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University. He is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, Certified Fraud Examiner, Member of the Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists and is also Certified under the Corporate Directors Certification Program.    
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Victor Matafonov

Group Chief Compliance Officer

Emirates NBD

Victor Matafonov is the Group Chief Compliance Officer at Emirates NBD and is responsible for all regulatory compliance matters. Mr. Matafonov has more than 30 years of international experience in the finance industry covering Australasia, Europe, Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.  An Accounting and Economics graduate, he started his career with Coopers and Lybrand in Melbourne prior to moving to ANZ Bank in Melbourne and later to ANZ Grindlays Bank in London. During his time in London he joined Standard Chartered Bank where he worked in various risk and compliance roles, with 10 of those years in the Dubai regional office. His career experience has been in the audit, risk and compliance areas.  This includes more than 17 years in compliance / financial crime risk both at group and regional levels (covering the Middle East, South Asia and Africa).

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Instructors

Rania Uwaydah

Financial Management & International Accountacy Specialist​

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Rania Uwaydah is a Senior Lecturer at the Olayan School of Business at ̩����Ʊ (AUB) and a PFM expert / advisor to the United Nations Development Programmer's (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Arab States and had previously served as a consultant to the UNDP's Anti-Corruption and Integrity in the Arab Countries (ACIAC) program. Rania is a member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) (January 2023-present). Additionally, between 2013 and 2020, she was heavily engaged with TI Lebanon, a chapter of Transparency International (the global anti-corruption movement) as an Audit Committee Member, its Treasurer, and finally its Vice Chairperson. She started her career in assurance at Ernst & Young (EY), Beirut office. Rania holds a BBA (with Distinction, 1996) and an MBA in Finance (1999) from AUB. She is a CPA licensed in California and Lebanon, and is certified in public financial management, fraud examination, and corporate governance.