Sebastiaan’s practice focuses on strategic export controls, complex economic sanctions and other compliance matters. Sebastiaan enjoys a stellar reputation as a leading lawyer in the international trade law community being one of the first practitioners of his generation in the EU to specialise in this area of the law. Sebastiaan represents clients in the Netherlands and internationally, having vast experience in providing pioneering technical and strategic advice in cutting-edge national and cross-border trade law related matters to clients operating in a wide range of industries and jurisdictions.

Sebastiaan advises clients on the full spectrum of export controls and economic sanctions issues and also assists clients on other compliance-related matters. Sebastiaan conducts internal investigations, prepares voluntary disclosures and frequently represents clients in regulatory enforcement actions with national and foreign competent authorities.

Clients highly regard Sebastiaan’s direct, clear and practical advice, as well as his sharp legal analyses, his result-driven approach and in-depth knowledge of their business. He has unrivalled experience the advanced technologies sector.

“Sebastiaan has exceptional knowledge of export controls and sanctions and has a great ability to break down the most complex legal challenges into a readily comprehensible advice.”

Sebastiaan lectures on economic sanctions and export controls and is a regular speaker at (inter)national conferences and seminars about these and other compliance-related topics. In addition, Sebastiaan frequently publishes articles in legal magazines and is regularly quoted in various (inter)national media outlets. Sebastiaan serves as the Vice Chair of the Export Controls & Economic Sanctions Committee of the American Bar Association.

Sebastiaan regularly participates in discussions regarding sanctions and export control policy. In 2022 he was invited by the Dutch House of Representatives to address the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the application and enforcement of the EU Russia sanctions regime in the Netherlands. He is also regularly invited by various organisations to discuss the latest developments in the advanced technology sector in light of the current international geopolitical developments.

Sebastiaan is mentioned in Who’s Who Legal as Global Leader in Trade & Customs – International Sanctions and in 2022 and 2023 Sebastiaan was named

Nicolas Burnichon is a Counsel based in the firm’s Paris office. Nicolas advises on the full range of economic sanctions and export controls matters, assisting clients when creating and deploying tailored-made compliance programs, conducting investigations and audits, as well as interacting with the relevant government authorities (voluntary disclosures, licensing, and other regulatory requests).

Nicolas has significant external and in-house experience advising companies of all sizes, including multinational corporations, from various sectors, such as energy, aviation, retail, luxury, insurance, and finance, which enables him to have a transversal view a and pragmatic approach.

Nicolas is a founder of the French Chapter of the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists. He is a regular contributor on sanctions topics to the International Review of Compliance and Business Ethics.

He started his career in the sanctions team of a major French bank in Paris and New York, dealing with U.S. and EU sanctions and export control issues before working several years at other international law firms in this field. Prior to joining Bennink Dunin-Wasowicz in 2024, Nicolas was an associate in the sanctions and export controls practice group of a New York law firm, based in Paris.

Adam Butschek is a Lead Senior Legal Counsel for Export Control at SAP SE. He has been with SAP since February 2023, focusing on export control and sanctions issues in the EMEA region. Prior to joining SAP, he served as a Compliance Specialist in the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance (DTCC) at the U.S. Department of State where he reviewed voluntary self-disclosures and oversaw consent agreements between industry and the United States Government. He also previously worked in the Law Enforcement Liaison Division, assisting law enforcement agencies in criminal enforcement cases. He has presented to audiences foreign and domestic, in industry and government. In his free time, he enjoys trivia contests, riding his bike through the Dutch countryside, and is thinking about taking up pickleball.

Francesco Candeago is an experienced legal counsel and sanctions compliance professional currently working as Sanctions and Export Control Manager at Airbus’ headquarters in Toulouse, France. Before joining Airbus, Francesco practiced law in Milan, Italy, and acquired extensive experience in complex cross-border transactions involving countries subject to restrictive measures. Francesco’s experience includes advising commercial operators and financial institutions on the development and implementation of internal compliance programmes, as well as on a wide range of matters from contract negotiation, corporate governance, and transactional due diligence. Francesco holds a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Pavia and an LL.M. in International Commercial Law with Distinction from the University of Glasgow, Scotland (UK).

Coline Cauvin is an international lawyer with experience in sanctions regulations and compliance.

Prior to joining ACQUIS, she worked for major law firms in Paris, including Ernst & Young Société d’Avocats, specializing in international sanctions and anti-money laundering regulations.

Her career has been primarily focused on international sanctions, advising clients in the financial sector, including international financial institutions and development organizations, on complex issues of sanctions compliance and financial security. Additionally, she assisted clients operating in the pharmaceutical, food, and energy sectors at Vasco Avocats, helping them navigate complex transactions involving countries under sanctions.

She holds an LL.M. from the University of Illinois, where she received CALI Awards in Criminal Law, Evidence, Contract Law, and Professional Responsibility. She also holds a Master in Law and Business Ethics from CY Cergy Paris University and a Master in Business Law and Taxation from the University of Bordeaux.

She is a member of the French Bar and the New York Bar.

Her native language is French. She is fluent in English and has an intermediate level in Spanish.

Beth Davies is a Deputy Director in HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), leading on strategy, engagement and policy.

Beth has extensive civil service experience having worked in trade, devolution and constitutional affairs, across the UK Government, Devolved Administrations and Jersey before joining OFSI. Based in the Darlington Economic Campus, Beth is a champion for HM Treasury’s regional presence in the Northeast.

David has over 15 years of experience within the Sanction Industry. He currently leads the Solution Experts team within Lexis Nexis Risk Solutions Professional Services and has worked globally supporting the industry on their sanctions compliance journey. As well as technical advice on how to implement sanction compliance solutions, David also focuses on the practical configuration of the detection engines to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of the industries compliance programs.

Tatjana Dobrovolny is a Senior Subject Matter Expert for Compliance programs and system solutions for the prevention and detection of financial crime. Her expertise includes AML and CTF/FiSa topics, particularly in the context of transaction monitoring and data analysis across the Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) Group. Tatjana is the senior advisor for design and implementation of global RBI Group standards, procedures, and efficient and effective IT systems with focus on innovative solutions. She is also a member of the advisory board of the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS) and member of the SWIFT Financial Crime Compliance Advisory Group (FCC-AG). Tatjana is with Raiffeisen Compliance for almost 20 years serving also in sensitive data analytics and forensic investigations, having a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade. Before joining RBI, Tatjana worked for almost 10 years in the IT development as a program manager for the implementation of a banking product for reconciliation of Nostro payment and custodial accounts.

Jan’s practice focuses on cross-border compliance and enforcement, multi-jurisdictional internal and government investigations, as well as international dispute resolution. Fully trained in the civil and common law systems and with a background in policy, Jan has significant multi-sectoral experience advising on compliance with economic sanctions and trade controls from both EU and U.S. perspectives. Jan is a thought leader in EU sanctions. He was named among the best investigations lawyers in the world to Global Investigations Review (GIR)’s 2024 40 under 40 list.

Jan advises clients on the full spectrum of regulatory compliance, implementation and enforcement matters, including risk assessments, design and evaluation of sanctions and export control compliance programs, merges & acquisitions, contractual negotiation and reviews, transaction due diligence, licensing, internal investigations, remediation and related disputes.

Jan has particular experience with enhanced sanctions and export controls due diligence, particularly in the context of detecting and preventing circumvention risks or evaluating other high-risk projects or transactions. He has unique experience preventing sanctions violations in third countries. Jan also has experience assisting clients in connection with pre-litigation matters and disputes arising out of sanctions and export controls, including in international arbitration.

Concerning his anti-corruption practice, Jan has experience navigating the multi-jurisdictional and international aspects of compliance assessments and internal investigations. He has designed and audited compliance programs, performed internal investigations and due diligence reviews on third-party agents and joint-venture partners around the world, including in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), the French Parquet National Financier (PNF) and anticorruption agency (AFA), the U.K. Serious Fraud Office (SFO), as well as multilateral development bank (MDB) and export credit agencies (ECAs) inquiries.

Jan speaks and writes extensively on subjects related to sanctions and export controls. He has been quoted and has appeared in several leading media. Jan is an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)’s Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies (CFCS) and engages with the authorities in the EU on sanctions policy. He has lectured on EU

Kristin Fabbe is a full-time professor at the EUI, holding a Chair in Business and Comparative Politics at the Florence School of Transnational Governance. Professor Fabbe is also Director of Florence STG Executive Education. Fabbe formerly served as Jakurski Family Associate Professor in the Business, Government, and International Economy Unit at Harvard Business School. At Harvard, she taught “Globalization and Emerging Markets”, and “Business, Government and the International Economy” in the MBA curriculum. She has also taught in several executive education programmes. Prior to Harvard, she was a professor in the Government Department at Claremont McKenna College, where she taught on Middle East Politics.

Her primary expertise lies in comparative politics, with a deep regional focus on the Middle East and southeastern Europe, and a particular emphasis on Turkey. In her research portfolio, Professor Fabbe explores the intricate relationship between state-driven development strategies and identity politics as well as the determinants of social cohesion and societal ruptures.

In her first book, “Disciples of the State: Religion and State-Building in the Former Ottoman World” (Cambridge University Press, 2019), she examined the role of religious elites, institutions, and attachments in state-building and modernization initiatives in Greece, Turkey, and Egypt. She is currently researching social cohesion and crises, particularly economic shocks, severe austerity measures, and large demographic changes.

She also works on issues of migration management and the geopolitics of human mobility. She regularly consults for national governments, the private sector and international organisations on these issues.

Martijn Feldbrugge, Director of BSCN BV (Business & Sanctions Consulting Netherlands), studied business administration and worked for various financial institutions for over 20 years.With a background in ICT, broad financial industry knowledge, strong analytical capabilities and a business administration education, he implemented solutions for complex situations. Since 2005, he set up and executed sanctions and export control compliance functions for two major Dutch financial institutions after they were subject to enforcement action by US authorities. In 2011, he founded BSCN, which supports financial and non-financial institutions and companies in developing and implementing policies, processes and procedures related to compliance, sanctions and export controls. Clients value him for his enthusiasm, analytical skills, broad network and out-of-the-box views.

Working within the Market Planning function, Vincent is responsible for monitoring and analyzing global trends and developments in financial crime regulations, to help guide the LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ product strategy and support customers in managing sanctions & AML/CFT risks.

With more than 12 years of experience in compliance functions, Vincent provides exceptional expertise on sanctions and AML/CFT regulations. He regularly speaks at international and regional financial crime conferences, sharing regulatory insights in events organized by ACAMS, ACFCS, ACSS among others.

Vincent is the author of the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Sanctions Pulse, a recurring in-depth evaluation of the global sanctions landscape. He is certified by ACAMS as a Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS) and holds master’s degrees in international and European relations from Linköping University, Sweden and international business from INSEEC, France.

Emanuel Ghebregergis advises clients on international trade controls, white collar, and Business and Human Rights (BHR) matters under both European and German laws. His trade controls practice has included advising clients in a wide variety of industries on UN, EU and German sanctions and export controls matters. Emanuel has also advised clients on a range of compliance issues and has also been involved in the review and assessment of trade controls compliance programs.

Emanuel’s BHR practice focuses on advising organizations across industry sectors on national and international standards for human rights and environmental due diligence in their supply chains. He has particular expertise advising clients on the new German Human Rights and Environmental Supply Chain Due Diligence Law.

Prior to joining Covington, Emanuel worked for the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, where he dealt with human rights law as well as humanitarian law questions in response to complex emergencies.

Paulis has 8 years of experience in anti-financial crime and sanctions compliance, having worked as a lawyer at Deloitte and since 2019 – at the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Latvia.

In 2023, Paulis was appointed the Deputy Director of FIU in charge of core financial intelligence functions, including operational analysis, strategic analysis and public-private partnerships for combatting money laundering and sanctions evasion.

In 2024, Paulis was assigned with setting-up the framework for FIU becoming the national competent authority for sanctions implementation. Since April 2024, Paulis is the Deputy Director of FIU Latvia in charge of FIU’s functions related to international sanctions. Paulis was a member of the Steering Group of the Europol Financial Intelligence Public Private Partnership (EFIPPP) until 2023. He has a Master’s degree in law and he is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS).

Dr. Lukas Lobnik is legal counsel in the legal department of Oesterreichische Nationalbank (the Austrian National Bank) and a lecturer in business law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Previously, he was a researcher, writing his doctoral thesis at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and also worked for the Austrian Supreme Court. He regularly publishes articles and gives lectures in various legal areas like banking law, corporate law, and sanctions law.

Myra Makarchuk, Legal and Compliance Expert at the EU Sanctions Helpdesk

Myra Makarchuk is a legal and compliance expert at the EU Sanctions Helpdesk. Based in Amsterdam, she supports small and medium-sized enterprises across the EU in navigating and complying with restrictive measures imposed by the European Union.

Myra has extensive experience in sanctions and financial crime compliance across both the public and private sectors. She has worked in regulatory, banking, and corporate service environments, advising senior stakeholders on high-risk clients, complex transactions, and the implementation of effective internal controls.

Kester Meijer, a key member of the KLM Cargo management team, is recognized for his profound expertise in the air cargo transportation sector, particularly in the areas of international sanctions and trade restrictions. With an extensive Air Cargo Supply Chain Logistics, Compliance, and ICT background, Kester excels in leveraging this unique skill set to engage effectively with global stakeholders and drive innovative concepts.

His work extends beyond traditional logistics; Kester advocates for the transformative power of Data, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Blockchain in the industry. He foresees a future where Smart Borders and advanced pre-check systems revolutionize the air cargo journey, ensuring efficiency and compliance with international regulatory standards.

Kester’s leadership was instrumental during the Covid crisis. Collaborating closely with the VP of Worldwide Ops and the Director of the Cargo Control Center, he played a crucial role in rapidly transforming global operations. He is responsible for the shift towards a more pre-emptive risk-based approach based on shipment and entity data, linking it to sanction regulations in multiple jurisdictions, which has been widely recognized by industry and international enforcement agencies like Dutch Customs, US CBP, BIS, OFAC, and the UN.

His areas of responsibility include compliance and safety and a deep involvement in customs, sanctions, security, and environmental issues. Kester is actively engaged in combating challenges like Counterfeit goods and Wildlife protection. He plays a vital role in the Cargo Knowledge Center and represents the industry in various forums, particularly in pioneering Artificial Intelligence Risk Advisory innovations. His expertise and actions in strategic, military, and dual-use goods, along with his keen insights into the latest developments in Sanctions, mark him as a leading figure in navigating the complex international landscape of trade restrictions in air cargo transportation.

Kester is an active member of ACSS, contributing to the ACSS Benelux Chapter and as a speaker at ACSS conferences. In addition, he promotes the ACSS membership, certification, and services at other critical international industry events and with his peers at other airlines. Within his company, multiple colleagues have become members (Benelux, Singapore) and acquire certification. He participated in the ACSS 5th Annual International Confere

H.E. Mr Ulf Melgaard currently serves as the Ambassador of Denmark to the Netherlands, a role he assumed in August 2024. A seasoned diplomat and legal expert, he brings over 15 years of experience in international law, multilateral diplomacy, and European affairs.

Prior to his current post, he was Director for International Law and Human Rights at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2024. His career also includes senior positions in the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and multiple roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including postings to the Danish Mission to the United Nations in New York. Throughout his career, he has led complex legal and policy initiatives at the intersection of international law, EU law, and human rights.

Ambassador Melgaard holds a strong reputation for his commitment to multilateralism, legal diplomacy, and international cooperation.

Jeff Nielsen is a sanctions and export controls lawyer with over 20 years’ experience representing clients in diverse industries, both at law firms and in-house. His expertise is in both United States and European Union sanctions and export controls laws.

Mrs. Maria Oliveira is an Export Control and Sanctions Specialist (CXS), currently serving as a Senior Officer in the Licensing Department of the Portuguese Customs and Tax Administration.

Since 2005, she has been working in the field of strategic trade controls, commercial restrictions, and sanctions. She represents Portugal as Delegate to the Dual Use Coordination Group of the European Commission and as Assistant Delegate to the Dual Use Working Party of the Council of the European Union.

Mrs. Oliveira has delivered several training sessions for customs officers on dual-use items trade and contributed to the European Commission’s outreach initiatives on EU restrictive measures concerning Russia. She has also participated in Portuguese missions to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Currently, she is also engaged with the EU P2P Programme, supporting capacity-building initiatives in third countries on export controls for dual-use items

Valerijus is the managing partner and head of the sanctions and export control practice of ACQUIS. He has extensive experience advising clients – leading multinational companies and foreign governments – on UN sanctions, EU sanctions and export control rules, as well as various other aspects of EU trade law and policy. He has advised European and international companies from a wide range of sectors on compliance with EU sanctions against Russia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somali and other jurisdictions, and assisted clients in designing and implementing compliance sanctions and export control compliance programmes. Valerijus is recognised by clients and peers for his in-depth knowledge of sanctions and export control rules and his practical, clear, and business-oriented advice regarding the application of these rules to specific transactions and activities in a wide range of sectors.

Valerijus also regularly represents clients in cases involving complex legal questions of EU law before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Commission. He also advises and represents clients from a wide range of sectors, including technology, transport, tobacco, banking and finance and manufacturing, chemicals and fertilizers – in EU legislative and policy-making processes.

Starting in 2019, Marlon has held different sanctions roles in the banking industry. In his current role at Rabobank, he heads up the team in their FEC Tech department that drives innovation for sanctions screening controls. In this capacity, he combines regulatory insights with a team of expert data scientists in order to create cutting-edge sanctions detection solutions.

Pilvi Pusa is a Policy Officer in the Sanctions Unit in Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets union (DG FISMA) at the European Commission, which she has been part of for almost 6 years. Currently Pilvi works especially on the Russia sanctions anti-circumvention and trade measures teams but also covers a multitude of other files such as counterterrorism sanctions and monitoring the reporting of EU Member States, including on aspects related to financial sanctions. In addition Pilvi has a key role in the Commission’s initiatives to support effective and uniform implementation of EU sanctions via accessible tools and guidance. Before joining the Commission Pilvi worked for instance in the Finnish public administration.

Saskia is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS), a professional membership body for sanctions professionals worldwide. She is a Certified Sanctions Specialist (CSS) and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and an industry leader in financial crime topics. Saskia has over 15 years of Sanctions/AML experience in the U.S., Latin America and Europe. Her global footprint enables Saskia to apply valuable expertise and insight into international training and financial crime compliance projects.

She is a frequent speaker in English, Spanish and Dutch on a variety of financial crime topics.

She earned law degrees from Leiden University (Netherlands) and Universidad La Católica (Lima, Peru), and was admitted to the Lima Bar Association. She also holds an international MBA from Florida International University. She speaks fluent Dutch, English and Spanish, as well as basic German.

Gagik Sargsyan is the Founder & CEO of Polixis, a Geneva based RegTech and Risk Advisory firm. Gagik has over ten years’ experience as a consultant in political, regulatory and AML risk analysis with various international banks and organizations such as HSBC Group Private Banking, where he co-headed the Group Due Diligence Operations for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and BNP Paribas (Switzerland) where he was in charge of compliance risk assessment for the Middle East desk.

Since 2004, Gagik has provided consulting services on an ongoing basis for various United Nations bodies in Geneva. Gagik is also an active member of the Swiss Compliance Officers Association. Gagik is fluent in English, French, Russian and Armenian.

Anna is a double qualified lawyer, being both a U.S. Attorney and a Solicitor of England & Wales. Before becoming a sanctions consultant for the ACSS, Anna spent over 10 years working within the financial crime sector in the City of London.

Her experience includes:

U.K. financial watchdog – the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), where she assisted on a variety of high-profile financial crime investigations;

Law firm – Eversheds-Sutherland, handling ad hoc sanctions advices and compliance audits for multinational clients; and

Audit giant – Mazars, where she provided sanctions risk assessments as well as reviews of client’s sanctions compliance programs from top to bottom.

Earlier in her career, Anna gained experience working for the commercial litigation departments of law firms in Paris, London, and New York. Anna speaks Polish fluently and is also well-versed in French.

With over 8 years of experience in the legal field, since the beginning of 2024 Marta holds the position of the Head of Sanctions Implementation Division at FIU Latvia. Since the FIU became the competent authority for sanctions implementation, Marta has made a significant contribution to the fulfilment of the FIU’s new functions and to enhancing the public and private sectors’ understanding of sanctions-related matters.

Before joining FIU, Marta worked as an auditor in the AML and Sanctions Compliance Department at the Financial and Capital Market Commission, and as the Senior Supervisory Expert in the AML Department at the Bank of Latvia.

Marta has a Master’s degree in law and she is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)

Mr. Eric (M.R.) Vennekens (1963) has a masters degree in Tax Law from Leiden University and started his career working for the Dutch Tax authorities back in 1986. Via position as auditor at the tax office, investigator and team lead at the investigation branch of the Dutch Tax authorities (FIOD) he moved to the other side of the table as a tax consultant at Deloitte focusing on indirect taxes and customs.

In 2000 Eric assumed a position in the tax department of ASML in Veldhoven where he became globally responsible for indirect taxes, customs and export controls. After various functions within ASML he is now a member of the ASML Legal & Compliance team as Director Export Controls & Sanctions with a focus on Europe.

Next to his role at ASML, Eric is a deputy-judge at the Customs Court of the Rechtbank (Court) Noord-Holland, a frequent guest speaker at Rotterdam School of Management of Erasmus University and an examiner of the EVO-FENEX Course Manager Trade & Customs.

Bob Walsh is the Deputy Chief Compliance Officer and Global Financial Crime Officer for AXA Group. AXA provides insurance, investment management and banking in over 50 countries. His main focus is ensuring compliance with international laws on anti-money laundering, international sanctions, bribery and cross-border tax evasion.

His outside activities include:

1.  Industry consultation to the Financial Action Task Force and the US Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group
2. The Financial Crime Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors
3. Chairing the Sanctions in Insurance Roundtable, comprised of most major global insurance companies

Bob started his career at an international bank, and had subsequent roles as a securities regulator, and as an executive at an innovative technology firm.

Bob has a Political Science degree from McGill University, a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. He is based in New York.

John has his own consultancy practice, MJ Trade Advisory Ltd advising clients on many aspects of compliance to export controls and trade sanctions regulations.

He has a good understanding of the requirements of the UK, the EU and the US jurisdictions, having worked for a number of multinational organisations in his career including General Electric, JaguarLandRover (JLR), and FTI Consulting.

Hannah Zarkar is a Director and the Head of Global Standards & Advisory Sanctions at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt, Germany. In this role, Hannah is the global functional lead for sanctions-related standard-setting, regulatory and business advisory efforts at the Bank. Hannah joined Commerzbank in January 2019 as a Vice President and Senior Sanctions Advisor. Prior to that, Hannah was an Associate in the Washington, DC, and London offices of Baker & McKenzie LLP, focusing her legal practice as a US-qualified attorney primarily on US sanctions, export controls, anti-boycott laws, and general corporate compliance matters.