Rick Small joins the EY Financial Services Organization as Executive Director focusing on anti-money laundering and financial crimes

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Apr 27, 2015, 10:00 ET

NEW YORK, April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EY announced today that Rick Small, most recently senior vice president of Enterprise-Wide Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Corruption and International Regulatory Compliance for American Express, has joined the professional services firm's Financial Services Organization as Executive Director.

In this role, Small will bring leading insights on the challenges, strategies, regulatory expectations and future focus areas for anti-money laundering and financial crimes at a global level.

Steve Beattie, EY Global Anti-Money Laundering Services Leader, says:

"Having a top-tier professional in Rick join EY further expands the value and deep insights we can bring to our clients. His long, recognized history and impact on the global AML agenda is unprecedented in the industry. Rick's experience in policy formulation; regulation and compliance; sanctions; anti-corruption practices; and global antimoney laundering can provide invaluable perspective to our clients through a trusted advisor. We're very excited to have Rick on the team."

Throughout his entire career, Small has had a position of influence and responsibility for shaping the anti-money laundering landscape. He is one of a very few individuals who has extensive AML knowledge and expertise from both regulatory and industry perspectives. Small was at the forefront of developing AML regulations, policies and procedures as a senior official with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. He parlayed his years of government experience into a successful career of creating, reinvigorating and managing AML and financial crimes programs for Citigroup, GE Money and, most recently, American Express.

As a senior vice president for American Express, Small oversaw the company's anti-money laundering, anti-corruption and sanctions programs. Previously, he was the Global Anti-Money Laundering Leader for GE Money, as well as a managing director responsible for the Global AML efforts at Citigroup.

In addition to Small's tenure at the Federal Reserve, he also has held other positions with the United States Government, first as a Federal Prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice in the Antitrust Division and the Organized Crime Strike Force and then with the United States Department of the Treasury as the Senior Counsel for Law Enforcement.

Small said, "I am truly honored and excited to join the financial services practice at Ernst & Young LLP. With the ever-increasing focus on anti-money laundering and financial crimes compliance and practices, there is a greater need for professionals that have the experience and expertise to assist financial institutions in meeting their obligations. Over the years, my experience as an EY client has proven to me that the EY team is extremely capable of delivering the necessary professional services. I am looking forward to adding my knowledge and experience to this team."

Small earned his Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University, as well as his Bachelor's degree in Commerce from Rider College. He currently is Chairman of the Advisory Board of Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) and serves on the ABA/ABA Money Laundering Enforcement Conference Advisory Board Guidelines. He has also served on the Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

About EY
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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of EY serving clients in the US.

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