PIMFA Financial Crime Conference 2026

Daren is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution and Litigation team and has over 30 years experience in acting for financial institutions, large corporations, Governments and individuals in relation to complex investigations, litigation, regulatory enforcement proceedings and legal and regulatory compliance.

Daren regularly advises clients on matters relating to fraud, bribery, corruption and money laundering.

He assisted the Ministry of Justice in drafting the Guidance on the Bribery Act 2010. he has also advised the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group on the Guidance Notes for the financial services sector.

Simon joined PIMFA in November 2017 as a Senior Policy Adviser with a focus on public policy and long term savings. He has previously worked at the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) and the Treasury in a variety of roles working on a number of issues including automatic enrolment, pension freedoms and the UK’s response to the financial crisis.

Simon has a strong interest in long term savings issues with a particular focus on overcoming behavioural barriers and the support structures that can be put in place in order to help and encourage a thriving savings culture in the UK.

Katarina Helde Cook, Head of Financial Crime Compliance and MLRO for Handelsbanken Wealth and Asset Management, is passionate about the role of financial services in the fight against financial crime –to protect our society, victims, businesses, and the wider economy.

Laura Lehane joined AJ Bell in June 2024 as the Head of Financial Crime and MLRO, where she leads the development of financial crime frameworks and ensures compliance with AML, CTF, Market Abuse and fraud regulations.

Since joining AJ Bell, she has been advocate in data sharing and collaboration across sectors to prevent, detect and deter financial crime.

Laura spent 20 years at NatWest, with the last 12 in financial crime roles across both first and second lines, including operations, controls, transaction monitoring, and oversight.

Charlie Morrison is an Inspector in the City of London’s Cyber Crime Unit. In his career he has also worked in response policing and in intelligence.

He built and now leads Cyber Griffin, the joint City of London Police and Corporation programme which protects the Square Mile from cyber-attack. This work has origins in both policing and private industry defence practices.

His team have responsibility for police taught cyber protection work in the Square Mile.

David joined PIMFA in November 2022 as Government Relations and Policy Director. He is responsible for PIMFA’s relationships with governments and regulators and regulatory and supervisory policy.

Before joining PIMFA, David spent 16 years working across financial services change and policy, including four years as the Director of Technology and Operations at the Association of Financial Markets Europe (AFME). Earlier in his career, David worked at PwC in investment management and technology advisory.

Alex joined PIMFA in June 2017 as a Policy Adviser, where she works on a wide range of regulatory matters, engaging with policy makers and the regulator to promote members’ interests.

She previously worked for the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) in the same capacity. APFA merged with the Wealth Management Association (WMA) to form PIMFA.

Alex has a legal background, having studied law at Cambridge University and was called to the Bar in 1997. She was a tenant at Lamb Chambers, Temple where she specialised in personal injury claims, contractual disputes and professional negligence. Alex has experience of advisory, drafting and court work including appearances in the Court of Appeal, the High Court and county courts.

Marit Rødevand is the co-host of The Laundry podcast and the CEO of Strise, a Norwegian technology company leading the way in innovation for AML automation.

Strise’s advanced platform has become a critical tool for compliance teams across Europe, with 70% of top-tier Nordic banks relying on its services. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024, Strise continues to set the standard for AML solutions by streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, and significantly reducing the time and cost of AML compliance.