Editorial: The show must go on!
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMLC-01-2023-152 |
| Published date | 02 January 2023 |
| Date | 02 January 2023 |
| Pages | 1-3 |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & finance,Financial risk/company failure,Financial compliance/regulation,Financial crime |
| Author | Barry Rider OBE |
Editorial: The show must go on!
The Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime took place at Jesus College,
Cambridge from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th September 2022. Now in its 40th 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 39th symposiumhad as its overarching title “Selling status - insider crime and abuse
of trust”, however, as in previous years while this was the focus of most plenary sessions
there were nearly a hundred parallel workshops and programmes that addressed a great
variety of issues rangingfrom 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. Nonethelessthe 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 not only the minister and LordMayor of the City of London, but 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 crypto-currencies. At the 38th
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 Money Laundering
Control
Vol.26 No. 1, 2023
pp. 1-3
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1368-5201
DOI 10.1108/JMLC-01-2023-152
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