On 19 February 2025, Llinks partner, Dr. David Pan was invited to speak at the Annual Investigations Meeting MENA 2025, hosted by Global Investigations Review (GIR), a leading global platform for cross-border investigations and compliance. The event convened legal practitioners, in-house counsel, and government representatives to address key challenges in anti-money laundering (AML), internal corporate investigations, trade wars, and export controls across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The conference focused on critical issues, including the UAE's evolving AML expectations, the impact of technological advancements on internal investigations, trade war dynamics and export controls affecting MENA businesses, and strategies for ensuring supply chain integrity in complex cross-border operations.
During the panel "Trade Wars: Impact of Export Controls and Sanctions on Middle Eastern Operations", Dr. Pan offered a dual perspective from Chinese and U.S. regulatory frameworks. He analyzed China's anti-foreign sanctions regime, its export control system, and the strategic interplay of AI competition between China and the U.S., providing actionable guidance for navigating compliance challenges in the MENA region under escalating geopolitical tensions.
GIR is a premier platform delivering in-depth insights and practical resources for legal and compliance professionals specializing in cross-border investigations, anti-corruption, AML, and sanctions. This year's event featured prominent industry leaders including Mark Fearick (Compliance Officer, Siemens Energy), Fady Dawood (Head of Corporate Investigations, MEA, Ericsson), Arvind Sharma (Senior VP of Compliance, DP World Dubai), Gabriela Gutierrez (Head of Ethics & Compliance, VEON Group), and Santosh Noronha (Senior Investigations Manager, EMEA, Kenvue), who engaged in robust discussions on pressing compliance challenges.
Dr. Pan's participation highlighted China's proactive role in shaping global trade compliance practices, offering fresh perspectives to MENA legal and compliance strategies. His contributions were widely recognized by attendees for bridging regulatory divides and fostering pragmatic solutions.
