An agent fighting against financial crime

Evany van Wyk
Over the last few decades financial crime has increasingly become a concern to financial institutions.

It has become widely recognised that the prevalence of economically motivated crime is a substantial threat to the development of economies and their stability.

Financial crime such as identity theft and card fraud puts financial institutions and their customers at risk, and if left unchecked, criminals will continue to use the financial system to try to profit from illegal activity.

To further ensure the financial safety Nedbank’s customers, Nedbank’s financial crime risk officer, Hennie du Plessis, who sits within the bank’s financial crime unit, recently completed the anti-money-laundering (AML) compliance certification from the Association of Certified Compliance Professionals in Africa (ACCPA).

The ACCPA AML certification is unique in that the programme is specifically designed for AML professionals in Africa. “The certification has equipped me with techniques to interpret global AML regulations in the ‘African reality’, and has helped me appreciate the nature of the profession, as well as my role at Nedbank, and in turn, the role which financial institutions play to protect Namibia against money-laundering and terrorist financing,” Du Plessis explained.

He was born in Windhoek. However, due to his father’s work as a banker, his family stayed in several towns over the course of his childhood, including Otjiwarongo, Walvis Bay and Outjo. After completing school, Du Plessis followed in his father’s footsteps and also pursued a career in banking. He started with Nedbank in 2002 in the internal audit department and later moved to compliance. “Due to my experience in foreign exchange control and operations in the global business environment, I was asked to join the financial crime unit at Nedbank in 2017.”

Du Plessis describes himself as loyal employee and a loving father. “The job satisfaction of being involved in the daily quest of protecting Nedbank and the financial system of our country against the abuse of money-laundering is immeasurable. I am proud to be in the fight to ensure Namibia’s development and a prosperous future for our children’s children,” he added.

Photo: Contributed

Cap1- Hennie Du Plessis ia a loyal employee and loving father.