Covid-19 has significantly impacted the global economy, resulting in severe financial and operational repercussions for many organisations. In addition, the pandemic has also created new challenges to financial institutions regarding their fraud risk management and compliance programmes.

Ms. Annie Chan, Managing Director, Forensic and Regulatory Compliance Services at Mazars in Hong Kong, will share with Members her insights about the challenges that financial institutions may face and how fraud risks can be mitigated amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Annie Chan has specialized in forensic accounting, regulatory compliance consulting, fraud investigation, dispute consulting, anti-money laundering, and corporate recovery services for over 20 years. Her specific focus and expertise are in the areas of forensic accounting, internal control review and litigation support. She has also been a Senior Manager, Enforcement Division, at the Securities and Futures Commission and a partner and Managing Director of a Big Four Accounting firm.

Annie has substantial experience in litigation support – working with lawyers on civil and criminal cases in a wide range of disputes, involving accounting and financial issues in loss of profits claim, shareholders disputes, matrimonial and probate disputes.

She was jointly appointed by parties in a divorce case to perform a forensic investigation and acted as the joint accounting expert and commented on the financial accounts of two companies in China and Hong Kong. She investigated the allegation of diversion of funds from various bank accounts of the two companies and the individuals. She traced the funds flow involved and adjusted the revenue, profits and indebtedness of the individuals and various related companies in the financial accounts of the two companies by reviewing the available books and records for ten years.

Annie was also engaged by the Department of Justice in Hong Kong to perform a funds flow tracing exercise involving 11 entities using bogus sales and purchase invoices to apply invoice loans of over HKD200 million from 7 banks. Over 30 bank accounts and bankers’ affirmations were examined. She prepared an expert report to present the funds flow and quantified the scheme proceeds involved. She also testified as an expert witness in Court. One of the defendants was convicted and imprisoned.

She assisted a US multinational company in performing a forensic investigation into alleged irregular payments and improper business conducts relating to the former managing director of its local operation in Asia. She had interviewed the management and staff of the local office, performed background searches of various suspicious companies and related parties and reviewed accounting records and relevant documentation. She collected evidence on misappropriation of funds and assets as well as identified deficiencies in internal control. She also quantified the loss suffered by the company.

She also assisted the Audit Committee of a US software company to perform an in-depth forensic investigation in identifying and assessing the validity of allegations of falsification of revenue and business misconducts violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of USA. She works closely with the client, attorneys in US, Europe, Hong Kong and China to complete the investigation.

In addition, Annie has prepared expert witness reports involving analysis of suspicious financial transactions, false accounting, securities market misconduct and provision of false information to regulators. She has also prepared reports on the conduct of company directors for regulators to consider taking legal proceedings on disqualification of directors.

She is an experienced public speaker and has made numerous presentations on forensic accounting, fraud investigation, expert testimony, and on regulatory updates for clients, solicitors, bankers and accountants. Annie speaks fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Participants are entitled to receive 1 CPD (TMA) credit upon completion of the webinar. TMA is the administrator for the Enhanced Competency Framework on Treasury Management (ECF-TM) and a recognized institution of Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for providing continuing professional development (CPD) activities. The CPD hours can be used to meet the CPD requirements of the ECF-TM and the SFC.  To qualify for the CPD credit or attendance certificate of the webinar, all participants have to show their registered full names (same names in the registration form) for attendance check. We regret that neither CPD nor attendance certificate will be given to those who are late for the webinar or leave early. TMA Office will update TMA Individual Members’ CPD record after the webinar is held.