The WorldECR Export Controls and Sanctions Forum 2025

PARADIGM SHIFTS IN TRADE CONTROLS

Join fellow trade compliance professionals and thought leaders in London this November for a deep dive into critical current issues in sanctions and export control compliance, including developments in UK, EU and US legislation, AUKUS, the changing nature of dual-use — and the geopolitical threats and related sanctions impacts that lie on the horizon.

With speakers from OFSI, Google, Cisco Systems, BAE Systems, KPMG, Hogan Lovells, Hillspire, RUSI, Baker Hostetler, Mayer Brown and more, the 2025 Forum is a must-attend event on the global trade compliance agenda.

Sponsors:

Sessions to include:

Keynote address

Daniel Drake, Deputy Director, Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI)

We are delighted that Daniel Drake, Deputy Director of OFSI will be giving a keynote presentation on OFSI’s view on how businesses should set their compliance priorities and key takeaways from enforcement actions – setting UK sanctions into the wider picture of international sanctions and financial crime regulation.

Lateral thinking: managing the new export control landscape

Claire Rivington-Kuhns, Regional Export Compliance Counsel, EMEA, Google, and Karla Haynes, VP and Deputy General Counsel for Trade Compliance, Cisco Systems, Inc.

Against a backdrop of new geopolitical pressures and global power competition, the primacy of the multilateral export control regimes is being overtaken by new, bilateral and plurilateral agreements on technology sharing – and countries making new additions to their export control lists that exceed the requirements of the Wassenaar Arrangement.

This poses new challenges for technology supply chains especially – demanding greater attention to national requirements and control lists. How should trade compliance teams operationalize overlapping requirements in this new era?

Sanctions in the court room

Maya Lester KC

In her presentation, leading sanctions barrister Maya Lester KC sets out the role of the courts in interpreting the application of sanctions – both in disputes between counterparties, and where designations have been challenged by listed persons and entities.

Holding it together: Brussels, sanctions and the ‘bloc’

Dr. Gerd Schwendinger, Partner, GvW Graf von Westphalen

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been Brussels’ prime consideration since 2022. In response, the European Union has imposed unprecedented sanctions (18 packages as at writing time) on Moscow. In doing so, it has sought to centralise sanctions policy and practice across the EU, imposing new thresholds and expectations for enforcement and penalties, and extending its authority to third country subsidiaries of EU companies — with long-term repercussions for sanctions compliance. In this session, Dr. Gerd Schwendinger reviews the sanctions progress to date and looks to the horizon for the EU’s possible next steps.

AUKUS update

Aline Doussin, Partner, Hogan Lovells, and Arthur Bottles-Browne, Export Control Senior Manager, BAE Systems

AUKUS — the three-way security pact between Australia, the UK and the US — has considerable implications for export controls. Understanding the underpinnings of AUKUS (and associated licensing regimes) creates opportunities for industry, as Aline Doussin and Arthur Bottles-Browne set out.

US enforcement: valuable lessons for UK and international companies

Steven Brotherton, U.S. & Global Export Controls & Sanctions Leader, KPMG LLP

Each enforcement action tells a story – and is a goldmine of compliance learning for businesses. This session takes stock of the big-ticket enforcement actions in 2025 from the US agencies (such as the OFAC settlements with GVA Capital, Unicat, and Interactive Brokers and BIS’ agreement with Cadence), peeling away the layers to reveal key takeaways, and how they can be applied to daily compliance best-practice.

EU and UK export control enforcement comes of age

Jason Hungerford and Edouard Gergondet, Partners, Mayer Brown

Collectively, EU member states as well as the UK were once seen as laggards in export control enforcement – but increasingly (if not always consistently) EU and UK enforcement agencies are stepping up to the plate – against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine, and sensitivities around China.  How are they being investigated and prosecuted, and what kinds of violations do agencies have in their sights? These are among the key issues explored in this session.

Acts of Emergency? Potential new frontiers in national security legislation

Barbara Linney, Partner, Baker Hostetler

By using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act as a justification for the imposition of tariffs, Donald Trump has redefined perceptions of IEEPA, its scope and its application, while recent comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggest that the administration might be considering tariff payments in lieu of export control authorisations in some cases. At a time of unprecedented dynamism in US national security legislation, Barbara Linney explores the changes.

The future of defence is dual-use!

Tracy Gronewold, Director of Global Trade Compliance, Hillspire

Traditional export control regimes distinguish between controls on military, USML goods subject in the US to ITAR, and dual-use, CCL goods subject to the EAR. But recent conflicts have revealed critical flaws in many traditional defence platforms. They are too big, too slow, and too expensive. Methods of waging conflict are changing, and new, differently controlled technologies are emerging: Artificial Intelligence (running on advanced semiconductors); tiny, attritable drones; and commercial software. Indeed – is the future of defence dual-use?

Banking on change: How FIs are responding to developments in sanctions

Holly O’Callaghan, Manager Economic Crime Policy & External Engagement, Santander UK, and Louie Vargas, Founder, Network of Financial Crime Prevention

Financial institutions are at the frontline of economic crime and sanctions, with responsibilities not only to comply with sanctions, but to detect and report breaches in a way that exceeds the obligations of other, non-regulated industries.

In this session, leading FI compliance professionals share experience and best practice on a range of current sanctions challenges, including circumvention and evasion, heightened knowledge expectations regarding export controls and critical goods, crypto currencies – and evolving geopolitical situations. Panellists will also address how FIs take into account the client impact of their own compliance policies and procedures. A must-attend session with relevance for all sectors.

Sanctions, the shadow fleet and shipping

Gonzalo Saiz Erausquin of RUSI leads a panel discussion on Maritime Sanctions

A major component of both UK and EU sanctions lies in the oil price cap and related guidance from London and Brussels. This panel sets out the circumvention threat posed by the ‘shadow fleet’ and how policy makers are addressing it, red flags and recent developments — together with suggestions for industry best practice.

Communicating compliance

Keith Huffman, Chief Legal Counsel Export Control & Head of Export Control, SAP, and Paul Coady, Principal, Compliance LND

When events occur that have major implications for trade controls, it is imperative that there is common company-wide understanding of their significance – communicated both internally and stakeholders.

Communication failures can lead to reputational damage, poor compliance policies and mixed messaging to customers and investors – and yet, though critical, this is an often-overlooked area of compliance. Drawing on case-studies and hypotheticals this session sets out the key lines of communication – and organisational responsibility.

Additional presentations and breakout sessions to be announced.

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Terms and conditions

Please note, by registering for this event you accept the terms and conditions below.

Registration Fee
Your fee includes the attendance at both days of the conference; programme materials; and stated refreshments and access to networking receptions.

Registration policy
Delegates may not ‘share’ a registration without the organiser’s authorisation.

Payment policy
Payment must be received in full by the conference date. ‘Additional delegate’ prices are only available to delegates from the same organisation as the original full-fee delegate.

Cancellations and Refunds
You must notify the conference organiser 48 hours before the conference if you wish to change the delegate.

If you wish to cancel your registration, you can do so incurring the following charges:
Cancellation more than 28 days before the event – full refund less 33% admin fee.
Cancellation between 27 and 6 days before the event – full refund less 50% admin fee.
Cancellation between 5 days before and the day of the event – no refund.

Change of venue
The organisers reserve the right to change the venue should attendance numbers so demand.

Change of speaker and presentation
The organisers reserve the right to change speakers and/or presentations.

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