ACAMS has appointed Jen Calvery, Group Head of Financial Crime Risk and Compliance at HSBC and former Director of the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, to its Board of Directors as the organization expands its focus on technology-driven financial crime risks.
Calvery brings experience spanning law enforcement, regulation and financial services, giving ACAMS additional practitioner expertise as artificial intelligence changes both the nature of financial crime and the tools institutions use to combat it.
At HSBC, Calvery leads the bank’s Financial Crime Risk and Compliance group, overseeing strategic efforts to equip professionals with new technologies and skills to address fraud and other financial crimes.
She also serves as a Non-Executive Director of HSBC Private Bank, where her responsibilities include governance, risk management and regulatory and compliance matters.
Before joining HSBC, Calvery served as Director of FinCEN, the U.S. Treasury bureau responsible for safeguarding the financial system from illicit activity and combating money laundering and related financial crimes.
She previously spent 15 years at the U.S. Department of Justice. Her roles included Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section and work as a federal prosecutor focused on fraud and organized crime.
ACAMS said Calvery’s appointment comes at a particularly important moment for anti-financial crime professionals as AI creates both new risks and new opportunities.
Financial institutions are increasingly using advanced analytics and AI to detect suspicious activity, while criminals are also adopting new technologies to scale fraud, evade controls and create more sophisticated schemes.
Calvery’s experience across the public and private sectors is expected to help ACAMS shape training, certification and intelligence offerings for professionals adapting to those changes.
Her appointment also strengthens practitioner representation on the ACAMS board.
Calvery joins Bill Fox, another former FinCEN director who previously served as Bank of America’s Global Head of Financial Crimes. ACAMS said their combined experience will help the organization understand what financial crime professionals need as regulation, technology and operational risks continue to evolve.
The board appointment follows ACAMS’ recent addition of four senior industry executives from Citi, TD Bank, Generali and Truist to its Advisory Board, further expanding the range of financial services perspectives contributing to the organization’s strategy.
ACAMS provides certification, training and intelligence to professionals working across anti-money laundering, fraud prevention, sanctions compliance and other financial crime disciplines.
The organization said it is trusted by 70% of the world’s leading banks along with government agencies, law enforcement organizations and fintech companies. ACAMS has more than 120,000 members across over 200 countries and territories and operates more than 65 chapters globally.
Calvery’s appointment gives ACAMS another senior financial crime executive with experience operating on both sides of the regulatory relationship as institutions confront increasingly complex fraud, money laundering and compliance challenges.
KEY QUOTES:
“Few leaders have shaped the fight against financial crime from as many vantage points as Jen. Her depth of experience as a prosecutor, regulator, and practitioner has distinguished her as a leader amongst leaders across the global AFC community. Jen brings invaluable experience to ACAMS’ Board to help us navigate this moment of unprecedented technology and geopolitical change. Her contributions will help our community of AFC professionals stay ahead.”
Neil Sternthal, CEO of ACAMS
“ACAMS uniquely unites practitioners, policymakers, law enforcement and technology leaders. I am delighted to join the Board at this pivotal moment and support ACAMS and its leadership as they equip the next generation of financial crime practitioners to harness innovation responsibly and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats.”
Jen Calvery, Group Head of Financial Crime Risk and Compliance at HSBC
“Jen brings a perspective that is exceptionally rare in our industry. She understands the priorities of regulators, the realities facing financial institutions, and the opportunities that emerging technologies create for the profession. That breadth of experience will make her a valuable voice on our Board as ACAMS helps shape the future of AFC.”
Harper Mates, Chair of the ACAMS Board of Directors
