Best Rails Foundation Podcasts (2025)

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Ep 83 - Hong Kong’s New Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance 53:56

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5d ago53:56

53:56

Episode 83 with Wendy Chow, Nicky Au, and Pierre Malgorn 🎧 Hong Kong is stepping into a new era of cybersecurity regulation with the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Computer Systems Ordinance, set to take effect on January 1, 2026. What does this mean for businesses, and how will it reshape the city’s role as a global hub? In this episode of …

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The Cracks in Our Foundation: Housing Insecurity and National Resilience 37:48

4d ago37:48

37:48

In this compelling episode of Public Purview, Olivia and James confront one of the most pressing issues facing the UK: the crisis of housing insecurity and its profound impact on national stability. They begin by highlighting the alarming statistic that 1 in 200 Brits is now homeless, questioning how a nation built on the promise of stable homes ha…

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Kayla Reopelle: What Your Rails App Is Trying To Tell You 1:02:09

6d ago1:02:09

1:02:09

In this episode of On Rails, Robby is joined by Kayla Reopelle, a lead software engineer at New Relic, where she works on both the Ruby Agent and OpenTelemetry RubyGems. They explore what observability means for Rails developers—not just as a debugging tool, but as a way to build clearer, more reliable systems. Kayla explains OpenTelemetry's vendor…

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The Railroads of National Resilience 24:04

11d ago24:04

24:04

Olivia and James continue their exploration of the principles that underpin a strong and resilient Great Britain, shifting focus to the practical realm of railway infrastructure. They argue that the debate over rail ownership has often been mired in ideological rhetoric, but true national strength lies in pragmatism, stability, and accountability. …

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Ep 82 - Enter Dubai: Digital Dreams in the Desert 1:12:19

17d ago1:12:19

1:12:19

Episode 82 with Syed Musheer Ahmed, Mark Nuttal, Jame DiBiasio and Charles d'Haussy 🎧 Dubai has emerged as a global powerhouse for digital assets, but what makes the UAE’s approach so distinctive? In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, host Ajay Shamdasani explores the meteoric rise of Dubai and its neighbors as hubs for virtual assets, agile reg…

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Rail Chaos – Privatisation’s Broken Promises 24:35

18d ago24:35

24:35

Is our fragmented rail system a relic of the past or a blueprint for the future? Olivia and James reveal how one British model is proving that common-sense solutions can rebuild a network that truly serves the people—and why the current chaos may be costing us more than we realise. Olivia and James delve into the crumbling state of Britain’s railwa…

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Sustainability in the Shadows: The Pret A Manger Workers’ Fight for Stability and Dignity 25:09

25d ago25:09

25:09

In this episode, we unpack the evolving challenges of the modern British workforce through the lens of a high-profile campaign by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain. Focusing on Pret A Manger, the conversation delves into the realities of zero-hours contracts, unpredictable income, and the erosion of the traditional “fair day’s work fo…

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Miguel Conde & Peter Compernolle: Inside Gusto’s Rails Biolith 1:32:34

27d ago1:32:34

1:32:34

In this episode of On Rails, Robby is joined by Miguel Conde and Peter Compernolle from Gusto, where they work on a "biolith"—two distinct Rails monoliths serving 600+ engineers. Peter leads the HIPAA-compliant benefits domain, while Miguel is extracting the time product from the main monolith. They explore how Gusto identifies boundaries, manages …

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Ep 81 - Regulation and Risk: Digital Assets, Wealth Migration, and the Compliance Frontier 1:06:17

1M ago1:06:17

1:06:17

Episode 81 with Donald Day and Philippa Allen 🎧 In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, we explore two timely and insightful conversations on the evolving regulatory landscape in Asia - from digital assets in Hong Kong to compliance challenges in Singapore and beyond. These discussions highlight how innovation, geopolitics, and risk are reshaping …

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Co-Op Britain Rising 29:03

1M ago29:03

29:03

Join Olivia and James as they explore the enduring power of the co-operative model—a distinctly British approach to building resilience, fostering community, and prioritizing people over profit. From the storied legacy of The Co-op Group, rooted in the Rochdale Pioneers’ 1844 revolution against exploitative capitalism, to modern innovations like th…

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Alexander Stathis: Scaling a Modular Rails Monolith at AngelList 1:28:51

1M ago1:28:51

1:28:51

In this episode of On Rails, Robby is joined by Alexander Stathis, a Principal Software Engineer at AngelList, where Rails powers complex investment, accounting, and banking business logic across a modular monolith structure. They explore how AngelList maintains conceptual boundaries in their codebase, uses gradual typing to influence their Ruby st…

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the crisis of student loan debt: Scotland’s Free Tuition Secret 31:47

1M ago31:47

31:47

A bold and often overlooked policy solution to one of the UK’s most pressing issues: the crisis of student loan debt. While many focus on fiscal austerity and market-driven approaches to education, they turn their attention to Scotland—a nation that has eliminated tuition fees for its residents since 2008. Unpacking the deeper implications of this …

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Ep 80 - Breaking Barriers in Global Payments: From Legal Frictions to Digital Rails 1:11:04

2M ago1:11:04

1:11:04

Episode 80 with M. Konrad Borowicz, Syed Musheer Ahmed and Monica Jasuja 🎧 In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, we explore two transformative conversations shaping the future of global payments. From Swift’s bold move into tokenized finance to the legal complexities of cross-border payment systems, this episode dives deep into the forces redefi…

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The Student Debt Crisis: A National Albatross? 27:23

2M ago27:23

27:23

In this episode, we confront the escalating student debt crisis, a silent crisis burdening an entire generation. With average loans now reaching £45,000–£50,000, they explore how a once-accessible path to opportunity has transformed into a financial trap, delaying homeownership, family formation, and economic growth. From the 1998 introduction of t…

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Who Truly Saves Communities? The Battle Between Global Commerce and Public Libraries 26:41

2M ago26:41

26:41

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Florent Beaurain: Optimizing Rails Tests at Doctolib Scale 1:18:09

2M ago1:18:09

1:18:09

In this episode of On Rails, Robby is joined by Florent Beaurain, a longtime Rails engineer at Doctolib, home to one of the largest Rails monoliths in Europe with over 3 million lines of code and 400+ engineers. They explore how Doctolib’s team tackled massive test suite performance issues, including cutting one engine’s test time from seven minute…

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Ep 79 - Beyond the Divide: Crypto, Compliance, and the Future of Finance 1:11:58

2M ago1:11:58

1:11:58

Episode 79 with Stanley Foodman and Viktoria Soltesz 🎧 In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, we explore two critical conversations shaping the financial and compliance landscape. Part 1: Viktoria Soltesz on Banking Flows and Payments We kick off with Viktoria Soltesz, founder of PSP Angels and the Soltesz Institute, who explains why businesses m…

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How Iceland Jailed Bankers—Why Can’t We? 27:39

2M ago27:39

27:39

While the UK faced a taxpayer-funded bailout of "too big to fail" banks and largely spared high-profile executives from legal consequences, Iceland took a bold, divergent path. With its own economic collapse, Iceland nationalized failing institutions, imposed strict capital controls, and prosecuted over 30 bankers and executives—including CEOs of m…

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Ep 78 - How Well Does AML Work? | Spotlight on Rethinking AI Regulation 1:22:16

2M ago1:22:16

1:22:16

Episode 78 with Oonagh van den Berg, Prof. Peter Reuter, and Dr. Mirko Nazzari 🎧 In this episode, returning guest and compliance expert Oonagh van den Berg discusses why current AI regulation approaches fall short, based on her LinkedIn article, “Rethinking AI Regulation: Why Current Approaches Are Falling Short.” She highlights the limitations of …

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The Austerity Experiment: Did Britain Choose the Right Path? 39:24

3M ago39:24

39:24

Olivia and James revisit the profound impact of Britain’s 15-year austerity era, launched in 2010 in response to the 2008 financial crisis. They challenge the narrative that austerity strengthened the nation, examining its human and systemic costs—such as the 165% surge in rough sleeping, strained NHS waiting lists, and deteriorating infrastructure…

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Ep 77 - Banks Without Borders: Re-Linking De-Risking, Open Rails | Legal & Compliance Hiring Trends 1:07:45

3M ago1:07:45

1:07:45

Episode 77 with Lotte Schou Zibell, Ian Morrison, and Raoul Montgomery 🎧 In this episode, veteran international expert on financial sector development & digital transformation Lotte Schou-Zibell unpacks why correspondent banking links have thinned in smaller markets - and why the fix isn’t “more rules” but smarter, cheaper, more consistent complian…

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Who Runs Your Workplace and Why It Matters for National Stability 29:25

3M ago29:25

29:25

In this episode, Olivia and James explore a critical yet often overlooked question: Who truly runs your workplace, and how does its governance structure affect the stability and prosperity of our nation? They begin by contrasting two iconic UK examples: John Lewis Partnership, a century-old model rooted in shared ownership and collective responsibi…

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Hilary Stohs-Krause: Scaling Rails with Small Wins 1:27:38

3M ago1:27:38

1:27:38

In this episode of On Rails, Robby is joined by Hilary Stohs-Krause, a Senior Software Engineer at Red Canary. They explore how engineering teams approach everyday performance work, from small Active Record optimizations to larger architectural decisions. Hilary shares insights from Red Canary's journey switching from React to Rails' native Hotwire…

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The Hidden Impact of School Meals: What can Finland Teach Us 27:37

3M ago27:37

27:37

In this episode, Olivia and James delve into the surprising story behind school meals and their role in shaping national resilience. From the post-World War II era, when Britain prioritized nutrition as a cornerstone of rebuilding its future, to today’s struggles with stigma, bureaucracy, and reliance on food banks, the discussion uncovers how a on…

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Ep 76 - The US GENIUS Act + HK Stablecoin Ordinance | HK Web3 Blueprint 1:05:40

3M ago1:05:40

1:05:40

Episode 76 with Joshua Chu, Syed Musheer Ahmed and Sean Lee 🎧 The common theme for this episode is FinTech and Web3 writ large – with an eye towards digital assets and virtual currency. In Spotlight segment, we’ll be speaking with a returning guest and a dear friend of the program – Syed Musheer Ahmed of Hong Kong-based FinStep Asia on the recently…

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Burnout Britain: The True Cost to Our Nation 28:53

3M ago28:53

28:53

In this episode, Olivia and James confront the growing crisis of work-related mental ill-health across Britain, revealing how it impacts productivity, public services, and national resilience. With a 42% rise in mental health claims tied to work since 2019, they explore the pressures of the gig economy, blurred work-life boundaries, and the erosion…

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The Hidden Tax of Being Poor in Britain 28:40

4M ago28:40

28:40

In this episode, Olivia and James delve into the systemic challenges that quietly erode the financial stability and national resilience of Britain’s most vulnerable citizens. They explore the concept of the hidden tax of being poor, a term that captures the disproportionate burdens faced by those in economic hardship—burdens buried within everyday …

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Ryan Stawarz & Austin Story: Inside Doximity’s 15-Year Rails Monolith 1:11:54

4M ago1:11:54

1:11:54

In this episode of On Rails, Robby is joined by Ryan Stawarz and Austin Story from Doximity, where Ruby on Rails has powered the core of their platform for over 15 years. The trio digs into how a single Rails monolith has evolved to support 100+ engineers and a mobile-first experience for millions of healthcare professionals. From front-end framewo…

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S1 E5: When Data Matters... And When It Doesn’t 42:41

4M ago42:41

42:41

In this episode of The Resident Table, our team of elite athletes and coach sit down to explore the complex relationship between data and performance. From power meters to heart rate variability, VO2 max tests to sleep tracking, we share candid insights on how data can drive success—or distract from it. You'll hear real-life examples from our prepa…

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Ransoming the NHS: Private Finance Initiative 26:52

4M ago26:52

26:52

In this episode, Olivia and James dive into the hidden financial crisis undermining the NHS, focusing on the long-term fallout of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts. Introduced in the 1990s as a way to build infrastructure without upfront debt, PFI has instead created a staggering £199 billion in future payments across public services, with…

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Ep 75 - Rethinking Hong Kong’s Startup Ecosystem and Its Legal Foundations 1:03:24

4M ago1:03:24

1:03:24

Episode 75 with David Cameron, Syed Musheer Ahmed and Joshua Chu 🎧 This episode of Regulatory Ramblings takes a deep dive into the current state of Hong Kong’s startup environment - exploring how conducive the city’s legal, commercial, and policy infrastructure is for startups to not only launch, but also to scale. We begin with a spotlight convers…

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Facing the Pension Crisis: Going Dutch 23:40

4M ago23:40

23:40

For generations, retirement in Britain was seen as a guaranteed reward for a lifetime of work—a stable pension ensuring dignity in later life. But what happens when that promise begins to crumble? In this episode, Olivia and James explore the quiet transformation of the UK’s pension system, from the security of Defined Benefit schemes (where employ…

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The Value of Hard Work: Lessons from Japan and the UK 34:56

4M ago34:56

34:56

In this episode of The Curious Potential, hosts Olivia and James tackle a pressing question: How do stark pay disparities between UK CEOs and everyday workers impact national stability and prosperity? With the average FTSE 100 CEO earning 109 times more than their employees—compared to Japan’s far more balanced ratio of 16 to 1—the conversation exp…

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S1 E4: Risk: The Price of Greatness 45:52

4M ago45:52

45:52

In this episode, the team explores the uncomfortable, unpredictable, and undeniably essential role of risk in the pursuit of greatness. From daring equipment changes before the Paralympics, to gut-check moments mid-race, to emotional risks like believing you can win it all—this conversation pulls back the curtain on the hard choices behind elite pe…

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Nadia Odunayo & Scaling Rails for Millions of Users as a Solo Dev 54:10

4M ago54:10

54:10

In this episode of On Rails, Nadia Odunayo, founder and solo developer of The StoryGraph, joins us to share what it really takes to build and maintain a Rails application used by over four million readers across web and mobile. We discuss lessons from launching a PWA, shifting to Turbo Native for cross-platform support, and navigating challenges li…

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Housing Crisis: What Went Wrong and What We Can Do About It. 31:08

4M ago31:08

31:08

In this episode, we explore the growing challenge of housing affordability in the UK, particularly in London, where the dream of living in the place you grew up feels increasingly out of reach. The discussion delves into the rising costs of urban living, the long-term effects of historical policies, and how these factors threaten the stability of f…

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Intro 0:34

4M ago0:34

0:34

Why is life harder than it should be? We navigate rising costs, endless work, and communities shifting beyond control. Public Purview uncovers the systems behind these struggles—and how people are redesigning them. From worker-owned businesses to towns reviving neighborhoods through collaboration, we find practical solutions in plain sight. No jarg…

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Ep 74 - Global Women in AI / Corporate Director Liability: Discretionary, Not Fiduciary 1:06:24

4M ago1:06:24

1:06:24

Episode #74 with Tram Anh Nguyen and Professor Marc I. Steinberg 🎧 In this episode, we feature two conversations exploring different frontiers of finance and technology. In our opening spotlight, we welcome back Marc Steinberg, professor at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law and a leading voice in securities and corporate law. His…

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S1 E3: Shenanigans, Sh*t Talk, and the Stuff That Makes It All Worth It 44:32

5M ago44:32

44:32

In this episode, we’re getting real about what makes a team thrive—not medals, not training blocks—but connection, laughter, and the kind of dark humor that gets you through the hardest days. From spontaneous jokes on the pool deck to long van rides, prank emails, white elephant gift fails, and team bonding over burritos and broken prosthetics, we’…

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Jean Boussier & IO-Bound Misconceptions 1:05:16

5M ago1:05:16

1:05:16

Jean Boussier, Senior Staff Engineer at Shopify and member of the Rails Core team, joins Robby to dig into the performance realities behind modern Rails apps. They explore what it means to be IO-bound or CPU-bound, how Ruby’s Global VM Lock affects concurrency, and why "fast" is too vague to be useful. Jean explains why instrumentation is often the…

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Ep 73 - Geopolitical Risk: Thailand Tensions, Sanctions & Smart Compliance in a Shifting Asia 58:07

5M ago58:07

58:07

Episode #73 with Christopher Cottrell, Richard Butler and Haider Mannan 🎧 This episode of Regulatory Ramblings explores how shifting geopolitics is reshaping regulation, investment, and compliance across Asia. In the first segment, veteran Indo-Pacific journalist Christopher Cottrell joins us from Thailand to discuss rising political tensions follo…

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S1 E2: Trust: The Foundation of High Performance 48:55

5M ago48:55

48:55

In this episode of The Resident Table, our team of elite para-athletes and their coach dive deep into one of the most powerful forces in sport—and in life: trust. From overcoming self-doubt to building belief through failure and shared struggle, this raw, honest conversation explores what it takes to truly trust yourself, your teammates, and the pr…

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Ep 72 - Cultural Roots, Belonging, and the Fear of Change: What’s Next for Inclusion? 1:02:11

5M ago1:02:11

1:02:11

Ep #72 with Ritu Bhasin and Jeiz Robles 🎧 At a time when DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts are being challenged in parts of the world, our guests in this episode make a compelling case for why inclusion still matters - and how it must adapt to remain relevant. Through two rich, regionally grounded conversations, this episode explores h…

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Rosa Gutiérrez & Solid Queue 1:11:02

5M ago1:11:02

1:11:02

In this episode of ‘On Rails’, host Robby Russell (@planetargon) chats with Rosa Gutiérrez, Principal Programmer at 37signals, about the technical decisions behind Solid Queue - a database-backed job queue replacing Resque in their Rails apps. Rosa dives into why her team built Solid Queue, how it improves reliability, visibility, and maintainabili…

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S1 E1: Welcome to the Resident Table 38:42

6M ago38:42

38:42

Before it was a podcast, The Resident Table was exactly that—a literal table in the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center cafeteria where a group of para-athletes gathered after grueling swim sets to swap stories, decompress, and build something bigger than themselves. In this premiere episode, we bring you back to where it all began. You’ll meet th…

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Ep 71 - Sanctions, Fragmented Global Trade, Crypto Fault Lines, and the Fight for Regulatory Clarity 1:05:28

6M ago1:05:28

1:05:28

Episode #71 with Joshua Chu, Melizza Anievas, and Lucas Har 🎧 In this episode, we explore the intersecting challenges of financial regulation, geopolitics, and the evolving crypto landscape. The initial Spotlight segment features Lucas Har (Risk & Compliance Product Manager, Dow Jones), joining us from Singapore to discuss the shifting dynamics of …

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Ep 70 - Security, Strategy, and Compliance: A View from Two Veterans 1:08:03

6M ago1:08:03

1:08:03

Episode #70 with Mark Nuttal and Steve Vickers 🎧 In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, two distinguished guests offer rare, experience-based insights into the global forces shaping today’s regulatory, security, and compliance environments. The first segment features Steve Vickers, former head of the Criminal Intelligence Bureau of what was then …

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Ep 69 - Human Intelligence vs. Machine Judgment 59:42

7M ago59:42

59:42

Episode #69 with Nigel Morris-Cotterill and Patrick Dransfield 🎧 In this two-part episode of Regulatory Ramblings, host Ajay Shamdasani is joined by two seasoned professionals who examine artificial intelligence from very different, yet deeply complementary angles: cultural, philosophical, and ethical on one hand; legal, compliance, and technical o…

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Ep 68 - Why Geopolitical Risk Matters to Compliance and Legal Staff 1:07:06

7M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

Episode #68 with Chad Olsen and Mark Nuttal 🎧 In a world where politics and regulation intersect, compliance and legal professionals can no longer afford to ignore geopolitical risk. From the fallout of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the global regulatory landscape has been reshaped by conflict, sanctions, inflatio…

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Ep 67 - Selective Enforcement & Global Risk: A Tectonic Shift in AML 1:04:32

8M ago1:04:32

1:04:32

Episode #67 with Nigel Morris-Cotterill, Oonagh van den Berg and Malcolm Nance In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, the panel tackles the Trump administration’s controversial move to suspend enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)—a key anti-money laundering (AML) initiative passed under the Biden administration. The decision, annou…