Stephen Alsace has over 20 years’ experience providing advice on financial crime, AML and sanctions issues. He assumed the role of Global Head of Sanctions at RBC in May of 2022 and is responsible for all aspects of the Global Sanctions Program. Prior to joining RBC, Stephen was a Director in the Global Investigations and Compliance practice of Guidehouse consulting since 2018. While at Guidehouse, Stephen led projects relating to AML and sanctions gap assessments for global financial services and digital asset clients, and was embedded as a Senior Leader on the Compliance Team for a global payments service provider. Stephen also spent over 18 years at CIBC, starting in the Legal Department as the lead lawyer on AML and Sanctions, then as the Global Head of Sanctions and Terrorist Financing. Stephen has spoken at numerous conferences in Canada and the US on sanctions matters, provided sanctions and terrorist financing instruction to the RCMP, FBI and MI-5, and has testified as an industry expert on sanctions matters before Canadian Parliamentary and Senate Subcommittees.  Stephen has law degrees from the University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy and a Masters degree on European Integration from the University of Strasbourg.