Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Additional Information
Computer Literacy
References
Timeline
Generic

Gershon Theunissen

Legal / Attorney
Johannesburg

Summary

I am currently a Policy and Regulatory Management Anti-Money Laundering Specialist at Absa Group Ltd., with 8 years of experience in corporate and regulatory compliance and risk management. I am an admitted Attorney of the High Court and completed my Practical Legal Training at the University of Cape Town. I hold an LLB Law degree from the University of the Western Cape, which I obtained in 2015. I pride myself on being a knowledgeable, hardworking, and innovative legal professional. My diverse work experience has made me tenacious, assertive, and flexible, and has equipped me with a broad range of skills. I plan to pursue my career in Corporate Compliance, with a focus on Regulatory Risk Advisory and Anti-Money Laundering.

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience
3
3
Languages

Work History

AML Policy & Regulatory Management Specialist

Absa Group Ltd
12.2022 - Current
  • RMCP management: Manage and lead the review process of the RMCP landscape of documents, draft new requirements, check, and challenge with business, preparation of documents for approval of RMCP and policy and standards by the GACC and ERC. Ensure enhancement of the RMCP considering learnings from inspections, new local, regional, and global regulatory developments, and best practice. Unpack any amendments to the legislation to assist the policy updates. Research, identify, assess, and analyse the internal and external threats, risks, and vulnerabilities that the Bank is exposed to from a Financial Crime perspective. Develop enhance and maintain the following risk assessments: Customer Risk Assessment, Product Risk Assessment, Country Threat and Risk Assessment, Business Risk Assessment, Channel Risk Assessment
  • FCC Ecosystem: Initiate and run Ecosystem meetings where financial crime stakeholders collaborate to identify, assess and mitigating external threats and risks. Determine and agree end to end mitigants to reduce the financial crime risks to acceptable residual levels. The application of proportionate and effective risk and controls through an up to date, effective and relevant Risk Management and Compliance Programme including Policies and Standards.
  • Review of threat profile: Update and maintain the Risk Based Approach (RBA) methodology. Ongoing maintenance of the accuracy and effectiveness of the information lists.
  • SME support and advisory: Provide advice, guidance and steer to BU aligned FCC teams, business and Tech on the AML Policy and supporting Standards to ensure understanding and compliance with the RMCP. Partner with the key stakeholders within Absa to ensure that we provide strong support to the businesses in the day-to-day management of financial crime risk.
  • Policy maintenance and governance: Continuous reviewing, updating, and amending of the RMCP, which includes policies, standards etc. Policy and Standards content and requirements developments and review considering regulatory, international AML risk and obligations and business specific requirements. Partnering with the Project teams and Business aligned FCC teams to ensure effective embedment of the RMCP and aligned Policies and Standards. Using data and analytics to maintain and update the RMCP as appropriate. Provide advice and recommendation to assurance providers that monitor the effectiveness of the RMCP across the Group. Collaborate with ARO and International teams regarding the relevant and appropriate localization of Policies and Standards.
  • Responsible to review and approve all dispensations, waivers and breaches against the AML Policy and supporting Standards.

Legal Consultant- Financial Crime: Specialised Ops

ABSA Group
04.2017 - 11.2022
  • Investigating high-risk clients - both entities and individuals (retail/politically exposed clients/cryptocurrency investigations) who have been recommended by various business units within the organization e.g. (Fraud and Forensics/Financial Crime Investigation Unit, Financial Crime Centre).
  • Project subject matter expert (“SME”) / Project lead and Quality Assurance Analyst of CIB (Corporate & Investment Banking – Entity compliance).
  • Project tracking, identifying Key Risk Indicators (KRI’s), productivity reporting to senior management.
  • Providing recommendations to Managing Executives as well as Retail and Relationship Banking Committees in respect of whether to retain or exit the client relationship based on reputational or financial crime risks identified.
  • Analysing and recording of customer information and ensuring entity document packs are compliant in terms of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) and Absa Internal Know Your Customer “KYC” policies.
  • Daily stakeholder engagement.
  • Monthly/weekly reporting in terms of SLA delivery and turnaround times.
  • On-boarding of new to bank individuals/entities in respect of the bank’s electronic platforms.
  • Providing extensive input within the department with Quality Assurance Methodology and process flow.
  • Continuously provide innovative thinking to intelligence processes, system functioning and management of responsibility.
  • Organize and subject to objective, qualitative and quantitative analysis of all information collected.
  • Liaise with the financial crime community to track the outcomes of EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence) reports delivered on prospects and clients and use this analysis to inform the financial crime risk profile.
  • Ad hoc: Occupational Health & Safety Committee member and Evacuation Leader 2018-2020.


CA | Attorney- Mahomeds Incorporated Attorneys

Mohameds Incorporated Attorneys
03.2016 - 04.2017
  • Civil litigation skills
  • Strong negotiation skills and engaging with clients
  • Portfolio management-debt review
  • Good draftmanship
  • Liaising with and instructing senior counsel in respect of High Court matters
  • Interpreting and understanding various legislative statutes
  • Time management skills, research skills, leadership skills and awareness of operational practices.

Education

No Degree - Absa Compliance Labs

Henley Business School Africa - Absa Compliance
Johannesburg, South Africa
04.2001 -

Legum Baccalaureus(LLB) Degree - Law

University of The Western Cape
Cape Town, South Africa
04.2001 -

Law Society of South Africa – LEAD Practical Legal - Legal Studies

University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
04.2001 -

Skills

Risk management & compliance

Data analysis and data informed decision making

Legal

Risk mitigation

Risk detection

Investigative skills

Collaborative skills

Teamwork and collaboration

Meticulous

Good draftmanship

Additional Information

Marital Status: Married

Gender: Male

Race: Coloured

Computer Literacy

Computer: Microsoft Office   (Excel, Power Apps, PowerPoint, Word, Sharepoint, Shared Drive.) Lexus Nexis. Law Explorer. Thomson Reuters World-Check, Factiva, AJS, XDS.  Absa front-end systems

References

Ms Aneesa Kalla: Current designation: Head of Policy & Regulatory Relations Africa – Financial Crime Compliance: Current direct line manager, Absa Group Ltd, 0795091125

Mr Bruce Chetty: Current designation: Senior Manager: RB Sales & Enablement: Former line Manager ABSA Group Ltd, 0723305610

Mr Mogammad Salie Martin: Current designation: Head of RB Centre of Excellence (RB COO): Former line Manager ABSA Group Ltd, 0662949132

Mr Hoosein Mahomed, Director (and principle) , M Incorporated Attorneys, South Africa, +27 (0) 21 815 2000

G Kemp, Director, LSSA LEAD (Law Society of South Africa), South Africa, +27 (0) 21 650 441

Timeline

AML Policy & Regulatory Management Specialist

Absa Group Ltd
12.2022 - Current

Legal Consultant- Financial Crime: Specialised Ops

ABSA Group
04.2017 - 11.2022

CA | Attorney- Mahomeds Incorporated Attorneys

Mohameds Incorporated Attorneys
03.2016 - 04.2017

No Degree - Absa Compliance Labs

Henley Business School Africa - Absa Compliance
04.2001 -

Legum Baccalaureus(LLB) Degree - Law

University of The Western Cape
04.2001 -

Law Society of South Africa – LEAD Practical Legal - Legal Studies

University of Cape Town
04.2001 -

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Gershon TheunissenLegal / Attorney