The International Compliance Association (ICA), the leading professional body for the global regulatory and financial crime compliance community, has partnered with IFE Istanbul Institute of Finance (IFE) to offer ICA’s professional qualifications, including courses in anti money laundering (AML), financial crime prevention, and counter-terrorist financing in Türkiye and neighbouring countries.
Undertaken by over 170,000 professionals globally, ICA qualifications are designed to equip industry professionals with the knowledge, skills and behaviour they need to detect and mitigate financial crime risk more effectively, combining global best practice, case studies, and practical skills. This new partnership will allow compliance and AML professionals at all levels in Türkiye to join this growing community of changemakers.
ICA President, Bill Howarth, commented: 'We’re pleased to partner with IFE Istanbul Institute of Finance (IFE) and combine ICA’s two decades of experience delivering high quality compliance and financial crime prevention education globally with their established reputation in the region. I look forward to working closely together to develop best practice risk management and equip individuals, government institutions and firms with the right knowledge and skills they need to combat financial crime in Türkiye.'
IFE CEO, Çetin Altay,had this to say “the partnership agreement signed with ICA will lead to significant gains in terms of preventing financial crime. Both the public and private sectors, including banking, insurance, and other financial institutions, are concerned about money laundering, and IFE will contribute to the education of certified professionals in this field with ICA.”
Altay emphasized that Istanbul's successful efforts to become an important financial center are crucial in terms of the applicability of anti money laundering standards.
‘The partnership between ICA and IFE is a step towards building a secure financial environment in Turkey and the surrounding regions. With trained professionals and robust compliance measures in place, the financial industry can protect itself against illicit activities. ICA and IFE are committed to working together to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing in the region and look forward to a fruitful partnership,’ he added.
ABOUT IFE
IFE ISTANBUL INSTITUTE OF FINANCE (IFE) was established in 2010 as an independent educational institution aimed at developing financial literacy and professional human resources in the field of finance, and enhancing knowledge and skills at all levels for banking and non-banking financial institutions. The institution is dedicated to meeting the high-quality and qualified human resources needs of the financial workforce, and offers the first and only "financial education focused on private sectors" in Turkey. It prioritizes the development of human resources in these areas by targeting banking and other financial institutions.
The institution is committed to continuous improvement and actively supports and contributes to the development of the Istanbul International Finance Center by keeping up with the latest developments in finance. IFE offers various certificate programs such as Financial Risk Management, Banking, Financial Analysis, and AML. As a representative of the financial sector in Turkey, IFE has joined the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The institution's future plans include micro-certificates, digital and green finance, and qualification frameworks.