Financial Intelligence Centre Director appointed as Chair of Egmont Group

Adv XJ Khanyile

The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) is pleased to announce that Adv Xolisile Khanyile, the FIC’s Director, has been appointed as the Chair of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.

Made up of financial intelligence units from across the globe, the Egmont Group assists its 166 members to improve their capability for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. In this endeavour the organisation provides a platform for the secure exchange of expertise and financial intelligence. Working groups within the Egmont Group draw on the experience and knowledge of the members to find cutting edge solutions for combating financial crime. The FIC has been a member of the Egmont Group since 2003 and has been working consistently with financial intelligence units on the continent to assist them to become members.

“I am honoured and excited about leading the Egmont Group and look forward to working closely with all the member financial intelligence units,” said Adv Khanyile.

“I believe globally, financial intelligence units cannot make inroads into fighting crime on their own. We need to work collaboratively and cooperatively, with reporting entities and law enforcement agencies with the end goal in mind, to build knowledge and increase capacity in the fight against financial crime.

“At the FIC I have focused on strengthening partnerships and collaboration with various role players within government, the private sector, with other financial intelligence units and with our neighbouring countries. I look forward to bringing that approach to bear as Chair of the Egmont Group to build capacity, share expertise, improve bilateral and multilateral joint analysis, and knowledge among the members.

“Criminals are not deterred by geographical borders in pursuing crime, so we need to be as agile in helping to ensure that financial intelligence units around the globe and other role players work seamlessly together to assist in identifying, disrupting and combating financial crime.”

The Director’s term as Egmont Group chairperson is for a period of two years and came into effect in July 2022. Prior to this, Adv Khanyile served as one of two vice-chairs of the Egmont Group for a period of two years.