The Institute Annual Conference 2026

Turning Intelligence into Action: The Future of Financial Crime Prevention
18 June 2026 | Hosted by Eversheds Sutherland, London

The Institue Annual Financial Crime Conference returns this June, bringing together leading practitioners, regulators, investigators and industry specialists for a full day of insight, challenge and practical discussion.

Set against an increasingly complex and fast-moving risk landscape, this year’s conference explores how firms can move beyond process and policy to deliver genuinely intelligence-led financial crime prevention. From the role of AI to the realities of onboarding high-risk clients in a world of hidden information, the agenda is designed to provoke debate, share experience and offer practical takeaways.

The programme features a mix of expert panels, case studies and interactive sessions, with speakers drawn from across financial institutions, law firms, consultancies and specialist providers. Speakers are currently being confirmed.

Programme

09:10 to 09:15 | Introduction: Welcome and Introduction
Eversheds and IMLPO.

09:15 to 09:35 | Keynote
Ray Blake – why there’s never been a better time to be a financial crime compliance professional

09:35 to 10:25 | Session 1: Information Sharing: A Call to Action
Starting with a practical explainer, we’ll cover all the basics of the new information sharing provisions under ECCTA and how AML-regulated firms can use them to prevent, detect and investigate economic crime and get ahead of criminal launderers. We’ll examine how to operationalise the provisions and hear from senior industry panellists who are sharing information to great effect. This will include real-world examples of how information sharing has detected and disrupted significant criminal networks and led to the seizing of millions of pounds of criminal proceeds.

10:25 to 11:15 | Session 2: Joining the dots: Plausibility and Spotting Red Flags in Financial Crime
A detailed look at the role of plausibility in effective financial crime detection, focusing on critical curiosity as an essential tool in identifying red flags, behavioural indicators and risks such as company impersonation. The session will cover warning signs that are commonly overlooked in practice, and why seemingly isolated anomalies are too often dismissed, equipping attendees with practical approaches to “join the dots” and build a more holistic, intelligence-led view of suspicious activity.

11:15 to 11:30 | Break: Coffee break

11:30 to 12:20 | Session 3: Onboarding High Risk Clients: A Dissection
A deep dive into the onboarding of high-risk clients, breaking down each stage from initial risk assessment through to enhanced due diligence and approval. Hear from specialist EDD providers and industry experts on how to marry commercial opportunities with defensible risk mitigation strategies. The session will expose where processes typically fail and how firms can evidence robust decision-making.

12:20 to 13:10 | Session 4: Companies House Hacks: the due diligence features most firms overlook
Most compliance teams treat Companies House as a verification source: confirm a name, check a director, move on. With the recent reforms, there is a growing temptation to assume the register is now somehow “clean”. It is not. This session addresses both problems. We’ll spend a few minutes debunking the idea that the reformed regime has materially reduced risk, then get to the real point: Companies House is far more powerful than most firms realise, if you know where to look. Through live worked examples, we’ll explore under-used features and search techniques that can transform a routine company check into genuine intelligence. We’ll look at filing pattern analysis and cross-referencing techniques that surface connections, implausibility and red flags that standard screening and verification checks will miss. You’ll leave with a practical toolkit of advanced techniques you can apply to your next onboarding case on Monday morning.

13:10 to 14:10 | Lunch

14:10 to 15:00 | Session 5: AI vs Humans: Who is more likely to catch out the criminals?
A lively, evidence-driven session exploring where AI genuinely adds value in detection and where human judgement remains irreplaceable. We’ll test real-world scenarios, challenge common assumptions about automation, and examine regulatory expectations around explainability, governance and accountability.

15:00 to 15:45 | Session 6: Howlers. The Top Five Ways Firms Get It Wrong
A candid and engaging session highlighting recurring and often avoidable mistakes seen in enforcement actions and regulatory reviews. Each “howler” will be unpacked with examples and practical takeaways to help firms avoid similar pitfalls.

15:45 to 16:00 | Break: Coffee

16:00 to 16:45 | Session 7: Balloon Debate
A fast-paced, interactive debate of two opposing views across three hot topics. The speakers will duel to persuade you that theirs is the right take on a burning issue in financial crime. Who will you throw out of the balloon? The audience decides.

Topics include:

• Who Should Control Financial Crime Risk
  Should compliance have a veto? This debate will focus on whether business lines can own financial crime risk, and whether regulators expect too much. The audience participates in voting and shaping the outcome.

• KYC Refresh: Risk-Based Reality vs Periodic Orthodoxy
  A critical examination of periodic review cycles versus a risk-based trigger-only approach. The session will explore whether firms are over-refreshing low-risk clients and under-focusing on emerging risks, and what regulators are really expecting.

• The Ultimate Transaction Screening Dilemma: Stop the Clock v Connect the Dots
  One side focuses on real-time screening and the other is more focused on post-event behavioural monitoring. Which is to be preferred?

16:45 to 17:30 | Session 8: Fraud and AML: Closing the Gap

Fraud and AML are often handled in separate teams, but that split can create real blind spots that criminals are quick to exploit. This session looks at why keeping them apart is more than just inefficient and how it can lead to missed warning signs and weaker reporting. The panel will talk through how insights from fraud cases can strengthen AML work, from spotting patterns to deciding when and what to report, and share practical examples of what it looks like when everything is joined up properly. The panel will put forward simple, workable ideas which will help firms connect the dots and stay one step ahead.

This event is complimentary to attend. Early registration is recommended as spaces are limited.

Our Sustaining Members

Our Sustaining Members and supporters make a significant contribution to the work of The Institute, and demonstrate a deep commitment to financial crime prevention. Their support enables us to provide developmental resources for our community, conduct research, promote industry standards and raise awareness of financial crime.