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OTB

Off The Books Summit logo

Overview

 

South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has sent shockwaves through its economy and global standing. The greylisting, a result of the country’s failure to adequately address financial crime, money laundering, and terrorism financing, threatens to increase the cost of doing business, limit access to international markets, and further strain an already struggling economy.

 

The Off the Books Summit, organised by Public Interest SA, will convene industry leaders, policymakers, financial experts, and civil society stakeholders to engage in critical discussions aimed at addressing the systemic issues that contributed to South Africa’s greylisting. This high-profile event will serve as a platform for developing solutions that strengthen compliance, transparency, and accountability across both public and private sectors.

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"True integrity isn't what you show on the books, but what you uphold when the books are closed."

Why Attend?

 

The Off the Books Summit is designed to tackle the multifaceted challenges facing South Africa’s regulatory and financial environment. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

 

  • Engage with Thought Leaders: Hear from experts on money laundering, financial regulations, governance, and anti-corruption practices.

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  • Shape the National Dialogue: Join the conversation on how South Africa can accelerate its efforts to meet FATF requirements and restore confidence in its financial systems.

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  • Learn Best Practices: Discover strategies employed by other countries that have successfully navigated greylisting and improved their global financial standing.

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  • Network with Key Stakeholders: Build connections with leaders in government, business, and civil society to foster collaboration on critical financial and governance reforms.

Event Highlights

  • Keynote Addresses: By leading experts in financial governance and international regulation.

  • Panel Discussions: Featuring diverse voices from government, business, and civil society.

  • Interactive Workshops: Focused on practical solutions for strengthening compliance and accountability.

  • Networking Sessions: Opportunities to connect with stakeholders committed to ethical financial governance.

Key Topics

 

The summit will cover a wide range of pressing issues, including:

 

Greylisting and Its Economic Impact

  • Understanding the consequences of greylisting on South Africa's financial institutions, businesses, and economy.

 

Strengthening FICA Compliance

  • How institutions can enhance their adherence to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) to prevent financial crime and ensure compliance with global standards.

 

Restoring Trust in Financial Institutions

  • What financial services companies can do to rebuild public trust following notable, serious breaches of regulatory standards.

 

Public Procurement and Financial Transparency

  • Tackling corruption and improving transparency in public procurement processes to ensure ethical spending of public funds.

 

Digital Access and Privacy in Financial Services

  • Balancing innovation in digital banking with robust measures to safeguard privacy, security, and compliance.

 

The Role of Whistleblowers in Financial Accountability

  • How whistleblowing can be empowered as a tool for exposing financial crime and promoting ethical governance.

 

Collaborative Action to Exit the Greylist

  • Exploring the role of public-private partnerships in meeting FATF’s 22 conditions and driving South Africa’s exit from the greylist.

Let's make our democracy work

Join us at the Off the Books Summit 2025 and be part of the solution to South Africa’s most pressing financial challenges. Together, we can create a roadmap for restoring trust, enhancing compliance, and building a more resilient economy.

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There are a variety of sponsorship and partnership opportunities available for the event.

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