ACAMS Malta Chapter April 2026 Virtual Event: Navigating Sanctions: New EU Directive, Requirements and Challenges

Gonzalo Saiz is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI, specialising in sanctions and counter-threat finance.

Gonzalo leads the research of the Sanctions and Illicit Finance Monitoring and Analysis Network (SIFMANet) and RUSI’s sanctions taskforces on EU and UK sanctions, maritime sanctions, and cyber sanctions, which include representatives from national authorities and industry from over a dozen jurisdictions. His research focuses on strengthening sanctions design and implementation, countering financial and maritime sanctions evasion tactics, and enhancing sanctions enforcement.

Raymond Bartolo is the Head of Sanctions, Anti-Bribery and Corruption and Tax Transparency at HSBC Bank Malta plc, a position held since October 2018.  In his role Ray is responsible for ensuring compliance with International Trade and Economic Sanctions and to maintain a robust financial crime framework covering Anti-Bribery and Corruption and Tax Transparency. He is a senior banking professional over 37 years’ experience in the banking industry.  Through these years Ray has held a number of leadership roles particularly in relation to Risk Management and Financial Crime and is currently the Deputy Chair of the Malta Joint Economic & Financial Sanctions Implementation Task Force.  Ray is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and holds ICA qualifications in Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Compliance as well as qualification in Operational Risk Management with the Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA).

Ms. Gabrielle Caligari Conti is the Assistant Director for Transnational Threats and Sanctions within Malta’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism. She provides support to the Sanctions Monitoring Board Secretariat in the coordination of national sanctions implementation, working with local authorities and private sector operators to clarify sanctions compliance expectations and evolving threat dynamics. She also contributes to Malta’s representation in international fora focused on sanctions policy and transnational threats.

Matt Zweig is Managing Director of Policy at FDD Action.

Previously, Matt served as Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. From July 2019 to December 2020, Matt served as the Senior Sanctions Advisor in the Office of the Special Representative for Syria Engagement. He worked with bureaus across the State Department, interagency partners, multinational counterparts, and others to help implement the anti-Assad economic pressure elements of the administration’s Syria strategy.

From 2001 to 2018, Matt served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, including for more than 10 years as Senior Professional Staff, where he was responsible for sanctions and illicit finance policy. Matt managed the successful negotiation of multiple pieces of legislation including the North Korea Policy and Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2016 (including 2017 revisions); the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (including 2018 revisions); the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, and the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012. He also managed negotiations regarding hundreds of foreign policy provisions within successive National Defense Authorization Act reauthorizations.

Matt holds a BA in History from the College of Charleston, an MA from the University of London King’s College, and an Executive MBA from George Mason University.