Post by anenro on Nov 27, 2019 14:08:52 GMT 4
Westpac removed the compliance officer who reported the breach.
Westpac Banking Corp’s experienced anti-money laundering chief was told she didn’t have the skills for the job and would have to take a more junior role after informing the bank that it faced the largest fine in corporate history, industry sources said.
Amanda Wood, Westpac’s money-laundering reporting officer, led the bank’s response to the AUSTRAC investigation over 10 months, working with managers from the global transaction services business to understand what happened and provide explanations to AUSTRAC in person and in writing.
The former senior AUSTRAC official was also one of the Westpac managers who first informed the senior echelons of the bank that it had failed to notify AUSTRAC of millions of transactions with foreign banks. All international money transfers must be reported to the money-laundering investigator.
She regularly briefed the board’s compliance committee, which had given itself the responsibility for overseeing anti-money laundering and terrorism-financing policy and procedures.
Then in May this year, senior AUSTRAC officials, including chief executive Nicole Rose, met the Westpac board to discuss the breaches.
Ms Wood was not invited. Approximately 30 minutes after the meeting ended, Ms Wood held a “debrief” meeting with her supervisor, according to a source. She was told that AUSTRAC had informed the board it regarded the breaches as very serious.
Each of the 23 million contraventions could, theoretically, incur a fine of $17 million to $21 million.
Ms Wood was also told that the bank wanted a money-laundering reporting officer who had more international experience.
She was offered a different position with the same pay but less responsibility. Instead of managing an operational team of 50, she would oversee fewer than 10 staff and manage policy and communication with regulators.
Rather than take the job, she took a redundancy payout.
She was replaced by T. Scott Saunders, a former head of compliance at Macquarie Group. Mr Saunders was given the title global head of financial crime.
Westpac spokesman David Lording said the bank wouldn’t comment on previous or current staff.
Above-average bonuses
According to Ms Wood’s LinkedIn profile, she joined Westpac in May 2017 from Commonwealth Bank, where she was head of financial crime compliance.
Ms Wood had received above-average bonuses during her two years at Westpac, and no complaints had been raised about her performance, according to a person familiar with her employment record.
Before joining Commonwealth Bank Ms Wood was the general manager of compliance at AUSTRAC for seven years and seven months, according to LinkedIn.
Westpac Banking Corp’s experienced anti-money laundering chief was told she didn’t have the skills for the job and would have to take a more junior role after informing the bank that it faced the largest fine in corporate history, industry sources said.
Amanda Wood, Westpac’s money-laundering reporting officer, led the bank’s response to the AUSTRAC investigation over 10 months, working with managers from the global transaction services business to understand what happened and provide explanations to AUSTRAC in person and in writing.
The former senior AUSTRAC official was also one of the Westpac managers who first informed the senior echelons of the bank that it had failed to notify AUSTRAC of millions of transactions with foreign banks. All international money transfers must be reported to the money-laundering investigator.
She regularly briefed the board’s compliance committee, which had given itself the responsibility for overseeing anti-money laundering and terrorism-financing policy and procedures.
Then in May this year, senior AUSTRAC officials, including chief executive Nicole Rose, met the Westpac board to discuss the breaches.
Ms Wood was not invited. Approximately 30 minutes after the meeting ended, Ms Wood held a “debrief” meeting with her supervisor, according to a source. She was told that AUSTRAC had informed the board it regarded the breaches as very serious.
Each of the 23 million contraventions could, theoretically, incur a fine of $17 million to $21 million.
Ms Wood was also told that the bank wanted a money-laundering reporting officer who had more international experience.
She was offered a different position with the same pay but less responsibility. Instead of managing an operational team of 50, she would oversee fewer than 10 staff and manage policy and communication with regulators.
Rather than take the job, she took a redundancy payout.
She was replaced by T. Scott Saunders, a former head of compliance at Macquarie Group. Mr Saunders was given the title global head of financial crime.
Westpac spokesman David Lording said the bank wouldn’t comment on previous or current staff.
Above-average bonuses
According to Ms Wood’s LinkedIn profile, she joined Westpac in May 2017 from Commonwealth Bank, where she was head of financial crime compliance.
Ms Wood had received above-average bonuses during her two years at Westpac, and no complaints had been raised about her performance, according to a person familiar with her employment record.
Before joining Commonwealth Bank Ms Wood was the general manager of compliance at AUSTRAC for seven years and seven months, according to LinkedIn.