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Annual Report 2009
Corporate Governance & Compliance | Competitive Advantage
ContentsOur CEOScott Lane, CEO
Our Difference
An Interview with Our Executive Leadership CoachKent Porter, Executive Leadership Coach
Innovations in 2009
Due Diligence Report Martin Jungclaus, Director of Due Diligence
Technology Report Andrew Henderson, Vice President
Case Studies : Hitachi Data Systems
: Juniper Networks
Meet Our People
Focus in 2010
3
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9
11
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14
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20
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Our CEOWelcome to the inaugural annual report for The Red Flag Group.
Some might ask, “Why are we producing such a document when we are not a public company and you have no legal obligation
to do so?” The answer is simple. As an entirely employee-owned business, we believe in engaging our stakeholders. We believe in
transparency and keeping all our stakeholders informed on our focus, the development of our products, and our future direction.
As more and more global companies become clients and invest in our governance and compliance solutions, it is essential that we
communicate with and engage our clients as business partners and true stakeholders. Transparency, openness, customer focus, quality
and innovation, after all, are our corporate values.
There is no doubt that 2009 was a significant year for The Red Flag Group. Having built a strong revenue-generating business in
2008, this year was all about acquiring and developing people and expanding our technology products. We expanded our talent pool,
increased our bench strength, and removed single points of failure from the group. While other companies were cutting headcount
and reducing spend, we invested in our existing people and made new hires, with our numbers doubling in 2009. We ended the year
with a team of highly dedicated and skilled leaders and managers that are positioning the company for continued growth in 2010
and beyond.
Our suite of products and solutions developed considerably in 2009.
Our advisory team worked on several significant projects involving the development of complete compliance programmes for
companies, improvement of US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and anti-corruption practices and procedures, through to
advising some of the world’s largest private equity firms in acquisitions in emerging markets. Our team helped global companies in
rolling out third-party compliance programmes where our mix of advisory work, due diligence and the ComplianceDesktop®
Technology Platform added significant value to developing the channel programmes of clients, and reducing their operational and
compliance risks.
Our ComplianceDesktop® Technology Platform went from its first application in 2008, (Policy Portal), to over twelve applications
launched or under development in 2009. Our Policy Portal, Questionnaire Tool, Due Diligence Manager, Conflicts Tool, Certifications
Tool, Gifts Tool and Travel Tool have all been successfully launched in client sites.
Our due diligence team went from strength to strength. In 2009, the firm did enhanced “on- the- ground” integrity analysis in over
95 countries. The team developed their skills, enhanced the quality of our products, shortened client delivery times, and managed to
deliver volumes almost ten-fold on 2008.
There is no doubt that the firm in 2009 did extremely well, achieving revenue growth of over 30 percent in a recession-led market.
In doing so, we doubled our client base, our headcount, and our office space. We also released over ten new products, and built the
two essential elements of any successful business – the leadership team and process infrastructure.
Of course, without our dedicated staff, our partner firms, our suppliers and vendors, and especially our clients, we would never be in
this position.
To all our clients, thank you for your support. We value our relationships and will always strive to be a thought leader to your
business adding significant value along the way. When we miss the mark, know that you have a direct line to all our leadership team
and myself to address any concerns. May each of you have a great 2010-2011 and we look forward to working with you.
Best,
Scott Lane
CEO
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 3
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 4
Our DifferenceOur firm is different from mainstream consulting, law, or security and risk firms.
Integrated Solutions
We offer a rich, integrated set of compliance-related solutions. We provide our clients with a range of solutions that meet their
needs, rather than require clients to build it themselves. We appreciate that much of the challenges of managing compliance
infrastructure is time. As a result, our focus is to provide pre-built, pre-tested solutions that reduce the delivery risks of our clients.
Experienced People
Our professionals concentrate on solving complex governance and compliance problems and executing specialised risk
management strategies. We strive to maintain and enhance our base of highly talented professionals, and pride ourselves on
being able to offer clients more senior-level attention than may be available from many of our competitors. Most of our senior
management team has worked as in-house counsel or as chief compliance officers in major international companies. Their
background and experience means that we have actually practiced what we preach, and we learned the hard way how to
implement compliance programmes. Our experience is practical and real – not theoretical. This experience, combined with the
accumulated experience of our consultants, means that you get real experience from real practitioners, not first-year or mid-level
consultants who need constant guidance and direction.
Speed
We pride ourselves that we move fast. We have a flat management structure that allows us to make decisions fast, act quickly and get
solutions implemented quickly for our clients. We recognise that having this structure gives enormous value to our clients who often have very
limited “headspace” to deal with issues as they arise.
Independence
We are an independent firm, free of many of the conflicts that can arise at larger consulting institutions as a result of their varied audit, inves-
tigation, research and other divisions.
Reputation
Our firm has established its brand in a matter of years. We are focused on providing world-class professional advice in complex strategic and
governance and compliance assignments, utilising both our global capabilities and deeply-rooted, local know-how.
Focus
We are focused on three primary businesses - governance and compliance advisory, due diligence, and technology - rather than on a broad
range of advisory services. We believe this focus has helped us attract clients and recruit professionals who want to work in a firm where these
activities are the central focus.
Global Presence with Local Relationships
We believe that linking our talented indigenous professionals, deep local roots and industry expertise across offices enables us to be a global
firm while maintaining a local identity. This approach enables us to build close, local relationships with our clients and to develop insight into
both local and international commercial, economic and political issues affecting their businesses. We do not regard any single jurisdiction as
our home country.
Balance
Our governance and compliance advisory business includes both our due diligence practice, and our investigatory/remediation practice, which
historically have been countercyclical to each other, thus helping to stabilise our revenue stream. Our technology business helps provide
further stability, principally because we generate significant recurring client business from year to year.
Strong Culture
We believe that our people are united by a desire to be a part of an independent firm in which their activities are at the core, and by a
commitment to excellence and integrity in their activities. In our opinion, the strength of our many long-term client relationships is a
testament to our distinctive culture and approach to providing thought leadership advice to our clients.
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 5
“We pride ourselves that we move fast“ - Speed
“We offer a rich, integrated set of compliance-related solutions“ - Integrated Solutions
An Interview with Our Executive Leadership Coach
How did you get involved with The Red Flag Group?
I met Scott early on and we had a relaxed dinner where Scott explained his concept and vision to met unfulfilled needs. He captured
my attention with his commitment, ability to listen and willingness to dialogue. A rare combination which answered a criterion for
potential clients, “Is the person both coachable and committed to long term growth?”
Do you get involved with new hires?
Yes. The leadership team believes that if you focus on people first then the results will follow. That said, how do you select the best
people? This may sound harsh but I think we hire people for what they know and fire them for who they are. The team focuses mainly
on the person’s knowledge and skills. I focus on their emotional intelligence, such as willingness to learn how to deal with conflict. I
use three self assessment instruments and questions such as, “Describe your most difficult work-related interpersonal situation” “What
made it so difficult?” “How did you resolve the situation?” “What did you learn?”
After I’ve finished the interview I share my impressions with Scott. I also review the results of their self assessments. Candidates are of-
ten pleasantly surprised to get such honest feedback so quickly. In addition, I tell them Scott has given me permission to review his self
assessments and compare with theirs to point out potential disconnects as well as how they add value. I also make them aware that I
know Scott well and that they can ask any question that comes to mind.
The process of openness sets the tone and models what they can expect should they join the company. Candidates express their ap-
preciation for the feedback and insights into Scott and the company’s culture.
What do you enjoy about working with The Red Flag Group leadership team?
I like commitment and expect to see results. My twice a month one-on-one coaching calls give me insights as I hear how they handle
challenges, barriers and frustrations.
Here are two examples of what coaching sessions reinforce and what I hear being implemented.
A. They have done a mind shift and now know their job is to stop an employee venting about another employee. Instead they coach
them to deal directly with that person. Direct conversations create trust, whereas triangulation and back channeling create distrust
and spread a cancer within any organisation.
B. This sounds easy but only through repetition is this skill developed. They know that if they keep silent when someone frustrates
them that productivity will drop. By being silent they are the problem, not the other person. The other person can’t read minds.
The key is to learn to tell others how their behaviors are frustrating, in a way that can be heard. You do this by telling them how
their behavior is impacting you. This breaks down barriers and saves time.
An interview with our executive leadership coach, Kent Porter.
“It might sound unusual for a small private company to invest in an
executive leadership coach. However, we had an executive coach
before we had our first employee. Our leadership coach, Kent Porter,
has worked with the firm literally before the company was started,
guiding us through the early years and the intellectual and emotional
challenges of running a small business. Kent now works with me and
various members of the leadership team to provide executive level
coaching and guidance on leadership and management. Kent is,
without doubt, our secret weapon.”
Scott Lane
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 6
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 7
What would you say are the key benefits to customers of having this focus on leadership?
The Red Flag Group’s culture builds trust and creates a safe environment for the team to give each other continuous feedback which breaks
down silos and foster cross function collaboration. The on going feedback creates a quality control loop, speeds delivery and fosters cus-
tomer satisfaction.
This all sounds very detailed and “big company” … is it all necessary?
Smart leaders invest in people regardless where they are on the growth curve. They have learned there is a direct correlation between people
growth and business growth.
Kent Porter is the Chairman of Porter Leadership, a firm that provides executive leadership coaching to CEO level executives globally.
Third Parties
Our firm continued to see a focus on anti-corruption
and anti-bribery efforts in 2009 – with an ever increasing
number of clients developing and implementing corporate
compliance programmes around FCPA and local
anti-corruption laws. At the same time, we are seeing
increased interest in relation to corporate governance
issues particularly in emerging and growth markets.
Business areas are also being assessed in the context of
business and operational risk and clients are pushing for
advisory services and solutions to be provided in a way that
is practical, thoughtful and business relevant.
Clients are strengthening and expanding their third-party
compliance programmes. There has been a definite trend
towards stronger, more comprehensive and effective third-party
compliance programmes. Clients are looking at new ways to push
these programmes out (e.g., using technology) as well as better
ways to reach different types of third parties who may represent
very different risks. Whereas there was reluctance previously to
push compliance outside an organisation and the focus was
internal, third-party programmes are now a normal practice in
many industries and are seen as critical to the success of an
organisation’s compliance programme. This has meant our
advisory practice has been involved in creating solutions around
third-party compliance closely with in collaboration with our
due diligence and technology practices. The ability to be able to
work together and collaborate across those practice areas has
translated into better results and more effective solutions for our
clients, both from a cost and time perspective.
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 9
InternationalisationMore clients outside the US and UK are developing corporate
compliance programmes. We have completed an increased
number of projects for non-US or UK clients in different
industries. Whilst the motivators for this trend varies, it has
created a need for us to be able to develop programmes and
policies that take into account international best practice and
requirements but, at the same time, are designed to be locally
relevant, reasonable and acceptable. This has resulted in the
innovation in compliance programmes and products that are
becoming more flexible for global and regional operations, more
focused on real business and operational risks, and more likely to
be successful in implementation. It also means that we are now
particularly attuned to what will work in a variety of different
client organisations and cultures – be they global, multi-national
and regional corporations – across various industries.
Technology EnablementCorporate governance and compliance programmes are
increasingly supported by a single “one stop” software platform
and infrastructure. This is being seen as essential to ensure
consistency, provide global access and effectively deliver the
programme as well as on-going training and communication.
We are seeing clients integrating older and dispersed technology
and paper systems into new easy to access single compliance
infrastructure. Again, collaboration between the advisory and
technology practices has enabled us to offer innovative advisory
and technological solutions to our clients whilst at the same time
ensuring our technology solutions are constantly being reviewed
and attuned to the needs of clients. This ensures a great result for
our existing clients and also potential new clients.
Integrated TrainingGovernance and compliance training is changing from a flat
single-focus approach to a multi-tiered and faceted
methodology. Clients are no longer relying simply on a suite of
e-learning courses or traditional face-to-face training sessions that
centre on legal and theoretical principles. They are working with
our advisory practice to look at different ways to offer training as
an integral part of compliance programmes – whether through
just-in-time training linked to a policy, or increased
communication tools and resources distributed via technology
solutions. They are also increasingly pursuing interactive sessions
to discuss key compliance examples and dilemmas, brainstorm
and resolve concerns, as well as share challenges and experience.
Business EngagementClients are holding facilitated meetings and workshops to more
effectively develop and implement their corporate governance and
compliance programmes. Rather than developing and
implementing policies, procedures and training in a siloed
environment without input from other areas of the business,
more clients are seeking support from us to ensure that they are
involving all areas of the business in the governance and
compliance development and implementation process. They are
taking the time up-front to look at what can be done, how it
should best be done and what solutions will work best – through
interactive, multifunctional brainstorming sessions at facilitated
meetings and workshops. This has resulted in our clients seeing
increased buy-in at all levels throughout their organisations, more
risk-focused and practical solutions, and a true understanding of
what is needed and will work.
Innovations in 2009
Due Diligence Report
Perhaps it may come as a surprise that during the fragile economic recovery that has taken place around the world in 2009
businesses around the world have had found a growing awareness of the dangers of fraud, and have increased their demand
to conduct ever-more thorough due diligence of their business partners, be it customers, suppliers, channels, subcontractors or
agents. This has not been something that is limited to the financial services sector, which was hardest hit by the subprime crisis in
2008. Our experience has shown this awareness has been across all business industries, from hotels and property management,
through to retail, mining and education.
One factor that has undoubtedly driven this increase in awareness has been the continuing pressure put on companies by
anti-fraud enforcement authorities around the world. Take, for example, FCPA enforcement in the US. In 2009, the US
Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission brought enforcement actions against 11 organisations,
resulting in fines and penalties of US$641 million. This was comparable to 2008, where 11 organisations were also brought
under the spotlight and settled for a total of US$890 million.
We are also seeing an increased demand for holistic third-party integration processes rather than simple due diligences. Clients
want the a map of the whole process on the way they are supposed to deal with third parties, rather just a bunch of due diligence
reports on a hard drive. They want risk-based, auditable, defensible, programmatic due diligence. They also want easy oversight
over their global third-party due diligence process. They want a plan which identifies all their vendors, ranks them by risk, and
which will deliver different due diligences depending on how risky they are, and in the order of their riskiness.
In line with market expectations, we have continued to develop our due diligence products. Innovations we have introduced
include special screening for state-owned enterprises, and politically exposed persons. Many of our clients were also very
concerned whether their customers could be defined as a foreign government official, and therefore the provision of gifts and
entertainment could be construed as bribery under FCPA. To address their concerns, we are developing new products which will
help our clients make that decision.
On the advisory element of due diligence, we are also increasingly guiding our clients through the global process of structuring
their due diligence programmes to meet their business type, risk profile, and budget. What we have been able to do is to take
into account the individual client’s due diligence scope, time frame, as well as risk and costs, and provide them with software to
manage the entire process. Finally, we are also supplementing our off-the-shelf due diligence products with more custom options.
We are also seeking to strengthen the overall stable of our due diligence products as a whole.
In 2010, one of our main goals is to continue to integrate our due diligence products and services with our flagship Technology
Platform, ComplianceDesktop®. We will also seek to continue to develop our holistic approach to due diligence and to highlight
due diligence as a business advantage as well as part of a company’s overall compliance solution. We will partner closely with
legal, compliance, and business divisions of client firms to deliver an end-to-end due diligence solution that meets their specific
needs and can seamlessly integrate due diligence with all other elements of a defensible third-party compliance programme.
These include conflicts of interest, compliance communication, compliance training, certifications, and access to policies and
codes of conduct.
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 11
Martin Jungclaus, Director of Due Diligence for The Red Flag Group is based in Hong Kong and advises multi-national companies on
effective FCPA due diligence. He guides them through the process of ensuring they have defensible global due diligence programmes.
Technology Report
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 13
Andrew Henderson is the Vice President of Corporate Development for The Red Flag Group and acts as the firm’s Chief Technology Officer.
All around the world in every industry, businesses have turned to technology to drive increases in productivity in the unending
pursuit for higher profits. This is true for compliance as it is in other business functions. In 2009, we saw in the marketplace
greater interest to use technology to support basic compliance activities. Leveraging on the economies of scale that technology
investments bring, businesses are expanding the scope of compliance programmes from their home markets to remote regions
in which they are operate. They are also using it to manage huge volumes of compliance activity that would not have been
possible with paper-based or simpler technologies such as email.
Companies understand that the information being generated by these compliance programmes need to be centralised and
shared with other applications in different departments across its entire information technology infrastructure. Compliance
technology products need to be able to work with other applications, from finance and sales, to travel and expenses and
internal security.
To this end, we have sought to continually improve our technology products, as well as develop new applications which satisfy
our clients’ needs. In 2009, they included enhancements to our due diligence product line, as well the launch of partner
on-boarding, and gifts, travel, and entertainment tracking products.
Finally, we have sought to complement our technology products with our advisory services. We use information gathered by
our compliance applications to aid our advisory team in the development and implementation of best-practice compliance
programmes. We also use the actual applications themselves to streamline at the advisory process, by recommending the use
of the appropriate technology solution in the design of clients’ comprehensive compliance solutions.
For 2010, we will seek to continue to develop new compliance applications which meet the business needs of our growing
portfolio of customers, as well as support our firm’s advisory services. We will engage with our partners and clients to better
understand their businesses in order to find out where we can best refocus our application development efforts.
There are currently a large number of new applications which are under development, and which are expected to come online
in 2010. We expect 2010 will be the year when our flagship product, ComplianceDesktop®, achieves critical mass and shows
its strength as a combination of tools, rather than a single enterprise governance, risk and compliance solution.
ComplianceDesktop® Dashboard Reports Snapshot
Case study:With the recession spreading across the globe, businesses became increasingly aware of the need to conduct proper and in-depth due
diligence on business relationships. In this space,The Red Flag Group was selected by Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Japanese electronics giant Hitachi, as its preferred supplier of reseller and distributor due diligence and advisory services across the
globe. Hitachi Data Systems also appointed The Red Flag Group as its provider of technology solutions to manage compliance across the
company.
The Red Flag Group was appointed to conduct Hitachi Data Systems’ channel due diligence, as well as to improve the company’s channel
partners and ensure that they meet stringent compliance requirements. We were chosen on our strength on providing FCPA due diligence
consistently in the over 140 countries in which Hitachi Data Systems does business. We were also chosen because of our successful
ComplianceDesktop® Technology Platform, which enables the efficient and effective management of due diligence requests and
approvals, as well as our on-the-ground experience in both industrialised and developing nations around the world – with our offices in
the US, Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore, London, and Dubai.
The global compliance system project was rolled-out over a period of 12 months, and focused on adding value to the channel business
through selecting and developing resellers that meet and exceed Hitachi Data Systems’ basic business and compliance requirements.
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 14
“As Hitachi Data Systems increases its
international presence and its development
of its channel business, it was important that
we align with a company with a strong
international reach and a reputable due
diligence product.”
David Karas Senior Director of Compliance Hitachi Data Systems
Hitachi Data Systems
Case study:
Underscoring the success of The Red Flag Group’s technology solutions, ComplianceDesktop® was selected in 2009 by global information
technology and networking products maker Juniper Networks to drive the automation of the company’s gifts and benefits policy across its
offices in Asia.
Our flagship technology platform was chosen on the strength of its versatility and powerful features. ComplianceDesktop® consisted of a
set of compliance-centric applications designed to help companies manage their legal and compliance functions cheaply and efficiently.
Juniper’s solution consisted of three modules of the anti-corruption compliance suite, including the Gift and Benefits, Entertainment,
and Travel Management tools. The solution was initially implemented across Juniper Networks’ offices in Asia, including China, Australia,
India, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. It will eventually be extended to the company’s 3,000 employees across the globe.
The solution, which requires no new installation of hardware or software, automates a company’s gift and entertainment policy, and
manages the giving or receiving of gifts, the payment of third-party travel, and for entertainment. It allows employees instantaneous
access to advice on whether particular gifts or entertainment can be provided to prospective customers, anytime and anywhere. Using
the tool, employees can access the tool 24/7 using a computer web-browser or a web-enabled mobile phone. By answering simple
questions, the tool calculates whether a certain gift can be given according to the company’s internal policies, as well as any additional
rules or procedures that must be followed.
The user-friendly tool also allows for automatic approval of gifts and expense items which meet pre-set criteria, thereby freeing up a
company’s compliance personnel to deal with more strategic matters. Details of gifts that are given out and received can be recorded,
including company affiliation, department, and contact information. Finally, powerful reporting features generate tailored reports on gift
amounts, country details, or employees’activities.
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 15
“We chose their solution because of
its ease of use, the firm’s willingness
to customise the tool to meet our
objectives, as well as their proactive, positive,
and professional attitude in helping us
implement a solution that worked for us.”
Juniper Networks
Scott Weber Director for Legal Affairs & Assistant General Counsel Juniper Networks
Meet Our People
Alison Hill
Before The Red Flag Group, you worked for a long time in an in-house legal role. You must have seen a
lot of changes in how compliance is viewed by multinationals?
Having worked across a variety of industries (insurance, IT and coffee) over the past ten years, it has been
interesting to see how the role of compliance has changed. However, it has been even more interesting to see the
way that different people approach the role and respond to those changes. The ability to focus on risk, practical
solutions and to listen to the challenges that businesses face is critical. Although I am a lawyer, the key to
successfully developing, implementing and adapting an in-house governance and compliance programme is to
partner with the business, and to help them balance their risks. We rarely talk about the actual law.
You were one of the co-founders of The Red Flag Group. What are your thoughts on how the business
has grown?
It just amazes me how far the company has come since we first started. We are incredibly lucky to have such a
great team of people who have worked hard to build a company that has so much potential and is providing
innovative solutions and services to our clients. We are also privileged to have a loyal client base who continues to
support us and provide us the opportunity to do what we do best – thought leadership in corporate governance
and compliance.
The advisory business can be complicated, what with dealing with so many personalities, what kind of
challenges do you face on a daily basis?
If only it were just personalities. In providing advisory solutions and services, we are constantly taking into account
differences between industries, company cultures, and countries. We also balance expectations between
corporate, regional and local offices, as well as different legal and compliance requirements. The key is having done
it before. Having worked in-house (across different industries) provides great experience not only in balancing the
personalities but also managing all of those other things. To be able to draw on and apply that past experience is
really helpful, although ultimately it is about finding the best approach for the client and the business.
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 17
Alison Hill, Vice President of The Red Flag Group, is a lead advisor to multi-national companies on compliance and is based in the firm’s Sydney office.
“In providing advisory solutions and services, we are constantly taking into account differences between industries, company cultures, and countries.”
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 18
Meet Our People
Randa Almomani
What is your role in The Red Flag Group?
My role is to manage business in the region and support localised business expansion and growth. This includes
analysing markets, identifying and communicating unique localised product needs, as well as establishing
connections and maintaining relationships with the clients. It is an exciting time to work on providing
cutting-edge products to suit today’s business continuity needs.
How do you see the Middle East rebounding from the global financial slow down?
The general outlook for regional rebound is optimistic especially with new innovative strategies being imple-
mented that promise excellent growth prospects for the region. The region is starting to become responsive to
global rebound demands. Current initiatives are focused towards retaining the region’s future economic viability.
A key element that would decide the future of the region is business strategy. That is why the region is focused
on marketing itself as remaining a comfortable and secure environment for investment despite the downturn. To
this end, we are seeing an increase of regulations designed to help business weather the economic storm.
How do The Red Flag Group products compare with others in the market?
Our products take global standards and expertise, and they package it into a service that suits local needs. The
products enjoy a degree of flexibility that enables it to meet the demands of developing markets as well as
companies with highly specialised vertical supply chains. Our focus has been, and, always will be to provide
leading solutions to our clients that are practical, globally applicable and locally relevant.
Randa Almomani, is the Director of Business Development and Head of the Middle East for The Red Flag Group. She is based in Dubai.
“We are seeing an increase of regulation designed to help business weather the economic storm.”
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 19
Meet Our People
Achilles Poon
How long have you worked at The Red Flag Group, and what do you enjoy most about working here?
Having joined The Red Flag Group IT team eight months ago, one of the things that I enjoy the most is the team
spirit that comes with working in such an organisation. We work together and play together. The company periodically
organises informal events and gatherings where we can socialise. This provides opportunities for us to better understand
each other’s roles, and to work collaboratively and think of how to get things done better within the company.
Your role in the development team means you work closely on ComplianceDesktop®. From a user’s
perspective, do you think it is easy to use?
If nothing else, our company’s star technology platform, ComplianceDesktop® Technology Platform, is a collaborative
work, one which we spent countless hours each week looking at its functions to order to improve its ease of use from
a user’s perspective. I think, with what we have learned so far, we will continue to develop it to make it a more versatile
tool for compliance professionals. This includes finding ways to improve the transformation of raw data into useful
management decision-making information, improving the level of flexibility and customisation on contents and
workflows, and improving integration among the different applications within the platform.
What do you think of the quick growth The Red Flag Group has seen in the past year?
I think that investing in cutting-edge technological products such as ComplianceDesktop® has enabled us to
differentiate ourselves from the rest of the market. Moreover, by making incremental improvements to our
technology products in a systemic way, we are making sure that customers are getting the best possible solution
that suits their needs.
Achilles Poon is a Programmer with The Red Flag Group’s Technology Group. His role has been to develop and build applications for
the ComplianceDesktop® Technology Platform.
“I think that investing in cutting-edge technology products like ComplianceDesktop® has enabled us to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the market.”
Focus in 2010
The Red Flag Group Annual Report 2009
Page 20
Transparency We believe:
Our clients should know our focus, our plans for growth and our
corporate direction
Our shareholders, directors, and leadership team should be listed in our
external corporate directory
Bios of our senior staff should be made available and accessible on our
website that clients should have access to information on our business
at all times
People We will continue to develop our leadership team and global support,
further develop and train our advisory team, and expand our due
diligence coverage into more African countries and deeper within
Latin America.
Process We will seek ISO9001 and ISO27001 certification, as well as Six Sigma
Process Development and Measurement certification for due diligence
production and development. We will expand our project management
competencies, and support across all product lines 24/7.
Products We will expand the ComplianceDesktop® Technology Platform with
new applications in the governance space to help manage boards
and corporate governance. We plan to launch over six new applications
directly designed to manage compliance with FCPA and other
anti-corruption legislation.
Offices We will launch our new office in São Paulo, Brazil in the first half of 2010
to manage our Latin American operation. There will also be the launch
of a new office in New Delhi, India, as well as expanded coverage on the
east coast in the USA.
USA / AmericasSan Francisco
228 Hamilton Avenue, 3rd floor, Palo Alto,
San Francisco, California, USA
Telephone: +1 213 365 0155
Email: Collin.Wilson@redflaggroup.com
USA / AmericasSeattle
1100 Dexter Avenue North, 1st and 2nd
floors, Seattle, Washington, USA
Telephone: +1 206 369 6880
Email: Kareen.Smoke@redflaggroup.com
Europe / AfricaLondon
Level 3, 5 Maidstone Mews,
72-76 Borough High Street, London, UK
Telephone: +44 207 193 0218
Email: Andrew.Henderson@redflaggroup.com
Middle East / GulfDubai
205, Wing A, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 5 6651 1006
Email: Randa.Almomani@redflaggroup.com
North AsiaHong Kong
2204-06, Bonham Trade Centre,
50 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan,
Hong Kong, China
Telephone: +852 3185 0700
Email: Jessica.Tse@redflaggroup.com
South AsiaSingapore
No.14 Robinson Road #13-00, Far East Finance
Building, Singapore
Telephone: +852 9665 4881
Email: Scott.Lane@redflaggroup.com
OceaniaSydney
Level 12, 1 Pacific Highway, North Sydney,
NSW, Australia
Telephone: +61 40 197 4782
Email: Alison.Hill@redflaggroup.com
The Red Flag Group | contact@redflaggroup.com | www.redflaggroup.com
| HONG KONG
| SINGAPORE
| DUBAI
| LONDON
hongkong@redflaggroup.com
singapore@redflaggroup.com
dubai@redflaggroup.com
london@redflaggroup.com
sanfrancisco@redflaggroup.com
sydney@redflaggroup.com
seattle@redflaggroup.com
boston@redflaggroup.com
| SAN FRANCISCO
| SYDNEY
| SEATTLE
| BOSTON
USA / AmericasBoston
470 Atlantic Avenue, 4th floor, Boston,
Massachusetts 02210, USA
Telephone: +1 617 322 1381
Email: Michael.Bonner@redflaggroup.com
USA / Americas USA / Americas
Europe / AfricaLondon
Level 3, 5 Maidstone Mews,
72-76 Borough High Street, London, UK
Telephone: +44 207 193 0218
Email: Andrew.Henderson@redflaggroup.com
Middle East / Gulf North Asia South Asia
OceaniaSydney
Level 12, 1 Pacific Highway, North Sydney,
NSW, Australia
Telephone: +61 40 197 4782
Email: Alison.Hill@redflaggroup.com
Dubai
205, Wing A, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 5 6651 1006
Email: Randa.Almomani@redflaggroup.com
Singapore
No.14 Robinson Road #13-00, Far East Finance
Building, Singapore
Telephone: +852 9665 4881
Email: Scott.Lane@redflaggroup.com
USA / AmericasBoston
470 Atlantic Avenue, 4th floor, Boston,
Massachusetts 02210, USA
Telephone: +1 617 322 1381
Email: Michael.Bonner@redflaggroup.com
San Francisco
228 Hamilton Avenue, 3rd floor, Palo Alto,
San Francisco, California, USA
Telephone: +1 213 365 0155
Email: Collin.Wilson@redflaggroup.com
Seattle
1100 Dexter Avenue North, 1st and 2nd
floors, Seattle, Washington, USA
Telephone: +1 206 369 6880
Email: Kareen.Smoke@redflaggroup.com
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