Tariffs are back - and compliance is on the front line

Описание: Leonid’s Jamie sits down with Nicholas Bentley, Head of Global Legal Sanctions at Novartis, for a practical conversation about how trade compliance and sanctions have really changed over the last decade - and why the job has become harder than ever.

Drawing on Nicholas’s experience working across multiple countries and complex global organisations, they talk through what’s driving today’s sanctions environment, where regulation is becoming more fragmented, and what that means for companies trying to operate at speed without getting it wrong.

The discussion covers how sanctions regimes are evolving faster and being enforced more aggressively across the US, EU, UK, Switzerland, Canada, and China, and why compliance teams are having to rethink how they work. From closer collaboration with legal, finance, and commercial teams to stronger governance and better judgment calls, the role is no longer just about knowing the rules.

They also dig into the return of tariffs as a political and strategic tool, what recent enforcement actions are really telling us (including the growing focus on individuals, ownership structures, and advisors), and where strong trade compliance functions should be spending their time next.

00:00 Introduction to Nicholas Bentley and Novartis

01:32 The Importance of Trade Compliance at Davos

02:40 Current Trends in Sanctions and Trade Compliance

06:52 Navigating Tariffs and Trade Compliance Challenges

08:53 Balancing Compliance and Business Agility

11:18 Collaboration Across Functions in Trade Compliance

18:17 Recent Enforcement Actions and Lessons Learned

24:43 Key Skills for Trade Compliance Professionals

31:11 Looking Ahead: Future of Trade Compliance