K2 Intelligence Names Sepideh Rowland Financial Crimes Risk VP, Compliance; Thomas Bock, Chip Poncy Quoted

K2 Intelligence Financial Integrity Network has appointed Sepideh Rowland as vice president of its financial crimes risk and compliance practice, the company reported on Wednesday. 

"Today's organizations are facing unprecedented pressure on risk and compliance models, alongside tightening budgets and human capital challenges, yet compliance operations are not something that can fall to the wayside," said Thomas Bock, Co-Head of the firm's Financial Crimes Risk and Compliance practice. "Managed services help entities design and maintain customized, nimble, scalable compliance solutions that are thorough and cost-effective. We are pleased to welcome Sepideh to the team to help drive this effort."

Rowland will bring more than 20 years of regulatory compliance experience, including leadership positions at money services businesses, large financial institutions and community banks. In her new role, Rowland will expand the firm's managed services offerings and partnerships.

Managed services partnerships help clients organize and operate their businesses in a cost-effective manner while safeguarding against a range of risks that are monitored under AML, Know Your Customer (KYC), and Counter Terrorist Financing (CFT) regulations and various sanctions programs. 

"She brings deep experience in financial crimes compliance, including as chief compliance officer at several of the financial community's most respected institutions. Sepideh's understanding and experience with Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/Anti-Money Laundering (AML) programs; development and management of large transaction monitoring teams,” said Chip Poncy, Co-Head of the firm's Financial Crimes Risk and Compliance practice.

Rowland has a large range of experience that she will use at K2 Intelligence, including the implementation of state-of-the-art compliance systems, the management of consent and enforcement actions and the establishment of governance oversight programs. 

Prior to her role at K2 Intelligence FIN, Rowland served as principal vice president, BSA and OFAC Officer at Burke and Herbert Bank. She also worked with The Bancorp Bank as senior vice president and chief compliance officer as well as vice president and global head of Compliance and Ethics at American Express. 

As chief compliance officer for Travelex Global Business Payments she helped develop valuable partnerships and managed services. Additionally, Rowland served as general counsel of the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade and senior compliance counsel for BSA/AML at the American Bankers Association.  

Rowland has a J.D. from Michigan State University School of Law and a B.A. from The George Washington University. She is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and in Michigan, and is a member of the American Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association. 

She earned the Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer designation from the Independent Community Bankers of America, and a Certified Fraud and Anti-Money Laundering Professional designation from the American Bankers Association.

Rowland currently serves as co-chair of the U.S. Capital Chapter Advisory Board for the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), as co-chair of the Advisory Board for the ABA/ABA Financial Crimes Enforcement Conference and as an advisory board member for the American Bankers Association Certified AML and Fraud Professional certification program.

"We are excited to welcome Sepideh to our team at K2 Intelligence FIN… [her] keen understanding of what an institution needs from its external partners makes her an invaluable addition to our best-in-class team," added Poncy. 

About K2 Intelligence Financial Integrity Network (FIN)

K2 Intelligence is an industry-leading investigative, compliance, and cyber defense services firm founded in 2009 by Jeremy M. Kroll and Jules B. Kroll, the originator of the modern corporate investigations industry. The Financial Integrity Network (FIN) is a premier strategic advisory firm dedicated to helping clients achieve their financial integrity goals. 

By merging resources and expertise, we seek to revolutionize how organizations and jurisdictions manage risk, gather intelligence, protect themselves from illicit activity, and enhance business opportunities. Together, our newly combined firm sits at the intersection of the public and private sectors as a trusted source of expertise and sound judgment.