Rakesh Patel is the Head of Sanctions Oversight & Export Controls at HSBC, responsible for the bank’s global sanctions and export controls policy and framework. With over 20 years of experience in financial crime, Rakesh is a recognised subject matter expert in sanctions and export controls.

Rakesh joined HSBC in 2014 during a critical period of reform, playing a key role in strengthening the bank’s Sanctions and AML programme, which led to the successful lifting of a US Deferred Prosecution Agreement in 2017. Since then, he has been instrumental in enhancing HSBC’s controls, positioning the bank as an industry leader in managing financial crime risk. Prior to HSBC, Rakesh spent 14 years at Deloitte, specialising in financial crime investigations across sanctions, AML and Bribery & Corruption. He began his career as a management consultant in the oil & gas sector.

In addition to responsibilities at HSBC, Rakesh also currently serves as Chair of the UK Finance Sanctions Panel and is a Sanctions Committee member. He is a frequent speaker at industry events, where he shares his insights and experience of best practices in financial crime prevention.