Editorial: The show must go on!
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-01-2023-279 |
| Published date | 02 January 2023 |
| Date | 02 January 2023 |
| Pages | 1-3 |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & finance,Financial risk/company failure,Financial crime |
| Author | Christoph Wronka,Barry Rider OBE |
Editorial: The show must go on!
The Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime took place at Jesus College,
Cambridge from Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 September 2022. Now in its fortieth year, it was
conceived to promote understanding of the issues related to the prevention and control of
economically relevant crime and misconduct and thereby facilitate better co-operation and
interdiction. Sponsored by a number of governmentaland academic institutions around the
world, it provides a unique network of those concernedto better protect their economies and
institutions from the threats presented directly and indirectly by economically motivated
crime. Although initially primarily focused on the Commonwealth, over the years, it has
grown into a truly internationalcommunity, this year attracting participants from over 100
countries rangingfrom the USA to Fiji, from Taiwan to Trinidad.
The thirty-ninth symposium had as its overarching title “Selling status –insider crime
and abuse of trust”; however, as in previousyears, while this was the focus of most plenary
sessions, there were nearlya hundred parallel workshops and programmes that addresseda
great variety of issues ranging from the development of intelligence to financial abuse in
domestic settings and heritage property. There were parallel one-day programmes on
environmental crime,irregular migration and organised crime, crypto-currencies,protecting
investors in Islamic financial services, philanthropy and financial crime, the role of
education in preventing economic crime, promoting integrity in the financial sector, risks
facing the offshore financial centres,China’s one belt one road strategy and whistle-blowing.
The symposium has never been just another conference. It is organised by a number of
institutions from around the world on a non-profit making basis. Thisyear there were over
500 speakers, including senior judges from a number of legal systems, including the
International Criminal Court, leading politicians and legislators, senior officials from
numerous law enforcementand intelligence agencies, prosecutors, regulators, thoseworking
in compliance and the professions such as lawyers and accountants. While in the past, we
have expressed a degree of regret that the academic world has not been as involved as
perhaps it should be, it was gratifying to see an increased number of academicians and
researchers from aroundthe world and especially from developing countries.
At the start of the symposium, the UK was waiting to learn who would be its prime
minister after the resignation of Mr Boris Johnson MP. Consequently, a number of the
ministers who were initially scheduledto participate in the keynote addresses had ceased to
be in office. Indeed, the announcement of Mrs Truss MP’s appointment as prime minister
occurred at the time of the formal commencement. Nonetheless,the organisers were pleased
that Mr Richard Fuller MP, the Economic Secretaryto the Treasury, was able to attend and
express the UK government’s commitment and support. Indeed, the opening keynote
session included notonly the minister and Lord Mayor of the City of Londonbut a further 25
high officials and judges from around the world. As has already been mentioned, in the
intensive programmesthat followed, there were over 500 other leading experts.
Two years ago, the symposium had to be postponed due to the COVID-19pandemic. Last
year it took place as a hybrid with a smallernumber of participants in Cambridge and many
others online (see www.crimesymposium.org). This year we returned to a face-to-face
programme, although certain workshops were conducted partly online, such as those
relating to environmental protection, cybercrime and cryptocurrencies. At the thirty-eight
symposium, HM Queen Elizabeth II’s representative “challenged”the organisers of this
year’s symposium to address how attitudes to economically relevant crime had changed
Editorial
1
Journalof Financial Crime
Vol.30 No. 1, 2023
pp. 1-3
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1359-0790
DOI 10.1108/JFC-01-2023-279
To continue reading
Request your trial