Biography

Huda Ismail is a seasoned financial analyst with over 12 years of experience at the Central Bank of Egypt, specialising in money laundering and terrorist financing investigations. She supervises the conduct of investigations related to Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs)/Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and provides crucial cross-functional support to Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), foreign competent authorities, and international bodies. Her role involves extensive communication and coordination with external and internal stakeholders.

Actively engaged in global initiatives, Huda has collaborated with esteemed organisations such as the OECD and UNODC, participating in programmes focused on combating financial crimes, particularly in crypto asset investigations. She is recognised as an expert speaker and trainer in blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), adept at making complex financial concepts accessible to diverse audiences.

As a Policy Leader Fellow, Huda will focus on the "Regulation of emerging digital payments to combat Financial Crimes in the Middle East." Her project aims to assess the regulatory challenges facing central bank digital currency (CBDCs), Decentralised Finance (DeFi), and the broader blockchain industry in the Middle East and globally. Huda will explore how regulatory frameworks are evolving to address these challenges effectively and promote compliance within the dynamic landscape of digital finance.

Fields of expertise