Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI)

A groundbreaking international event designed to address the unique anti-corruption challenges of the region. Benchmark and learn how to develop anti-corruption compliance policies that can withstand increased scrutiny by foreign and local regulators.

Foreign companies doing business or investing in the Middle East face a number of unique anti-corruption compliance challenges. The propensity of third parties to be used as conduits for payments to government officials, complex civil service structures, and the utilization of various forms of “quasi-governmental” entities in business roles that blur public/private lines all increase exposure to liability under US, UK and local bribery laws.

Several recent bribery investigations and enforcement actions are emblematic of the increasing corruption risks companies and individuals face in the region. A number of high profi le US and UK enforcement actions, many involving individual prosecutions, have touched the Middle East including the Oil for Food scandal, York, Textron, HealthSouth, Latin Node, Control Components, Balfour Beatty, Mabey and Johnson, and BAE Systems.At the same time, local authorities, particularly in the last year, have taken steps to better enforce bribery laws, and several local companies in the UAE are reportedly under investigation for alleged bribery violations. Moreover, a number of recent regulatory changes including the new corporate governance guidelines in Abu Dhabi are placing more stringent ethics requirements on local companies.

With enforcement of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act at an all time high, increased local enforcement, and a broader international agenda to combat bribery, recently embodied by the new UK Bribery Act, the importance of ethics and compliance programs has never been greater. If your company is doing business in the Middle East, you need to ensure the international reach of your anti-corruption compliance program, adequate local training and an understanding of local laws and customs.

Following the success of its inaugural Dubai Conference in 2009, American Conference Institute is pleased to present the Abu Dhabi Summit on Anti-Corruption. This one-of-a-kind Summit brings together an exceptional faculty of senior corporate ethics and compliance executives, attorneys, accountants and government officials. They will provide a comprehensive update on the anti-bribery landscape in the Middle East, the intersection of local and international anti-bribery laws, and how to implement robust anti-corruption policies. This year’s brand new agenda will include the latest information on:

• Probing for red and green flags when hiring local agents or “partners”
• Minimizing corruption risks in mergers and acquisitions
• Responding to requests for bribes and facilitating payments when obtaining regulatory approvals
• How bribery investigations differ in the Middle East and what particular considerations are pertinent in the region
• Weaving local law requirements into your global anti-corruption compliance program

This unique and insightful conference is the only event of its kind on the market. Learn what it takes to implement an effective anti-corruption compliance program in the Middle East and benchmark your program against those of industry leaders. Register today by calling 1-888-224-2480 in the US or +44 20 7878 6888 outside the US; faxing your registration form to 1-877-927-1563 in the US or +44 20 7878 6896 outside the US; or registering online at www.americanconference.com/AbuDhabi.htm