Matthew Willard
EVP, Head of Financial Crimes Compliance & BSA Officer
Professional Overview:
Matthew Willard is a seasoned financial compliance executive with over 15 years of experience in developing and implementing robust anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crimes prevention programs. As the EVP, Head of Financial Crimes Compliance & BSA Officer at Apple Bank, he is responsible for overseeing the bank's enterprise-wide compliance framework, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, and mitigating risks related to financial crimes.
Experience Summary:
Current Role:
In his current role at Apple Bank, Matthew is accountable for managing the bank's BSA/AML compliance function, which includes monitoring and reporting suspicious activities, performing enhanced due diligence on high-risk customers, and maintaining comprehensive policies and procedures. He also serves as the bank's BSA Officer, providing strategic guidance to the executive team and ensuring the institution's compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and related regulations.
Career Progression:
Prior to joining Apple Bank, Matthew held several senior compliance roles, including Head of Financial Crimes Compliance, Process Advisory for Correspondent Banking at HSBC, Compliance Director of Anti-Money Laundering Investigations at JPMorgan Chase, and SVP, Director of Financial Intelligence & Corporate Security at Webster Bank. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong ability to enhance compliance programs, mitigate regulatory risks, and drive operational efficiencies.
Academic Background:
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Delaware and a Master of Business Administration from New York University's Stern School of Business.
Areas of Expertise:
- Anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crimes compliance
- Know Your Customer (KYC) and customer due diligence
- Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) filing and investigations
- Regulatory reporting and compliance monitoring
- Risk assessment and mitigation
- Compliance program management and governance
Professional Impact:
During his tenure at HSBC, Matthew led a team of compliance professionals in the successful remediation of the bank's correspondent banking operations, resulting in significant improvements in customer onboarding, transaction monitoring, and investigative processes. At JPMorgan Chase, he spearheaded the implementation of advanced data analytics and machine learning tools to enhance the bank's AML detection capabilities, leading to a marked increase in the identification and reporting of suspicious activities.
Conclusion:
With his extensive expertise in financial crimes compliance and a proven track record of driving operational excellence, Matthew Willard is a valuable asset to Apple Bank. In his current role, he is committed to ensuring the bank's compliance with all relevant regulations and maintaining the highest standards of integrity in its financial crimes prevention efforts.
