Did you know that our CEO, Matthew Friedman, has spent over 40 years of his career addressing modern slavery and human trafficking? In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, he shares his experiences and insights on this global crisis. Tune in to learn more about the scale of the problem and how the private sector can make a difference. #RegulatoryRamblings #ModernSlavery #HumanTrafficking
In episode #59 of Regulatory Ramblings, Matthew Friedman, CEO of The Mekong Club and a former US and UN diplomat, reflects on over 40 years battling modern slavery and human trafficking. With experience in 40+ countries and expertise that spans governments, banks, and corporations, Matt brings unique insights into tackling this global crisis. He unravels why this dark trade is everyone’s concern, with a particular focus on the private sector’s unique ability to drive meaningful change. He highlights the scale of the problem—50 million people trapped in slavery, with 27 million in forced labor, much of it tied to supply chains. Matt also addresses the alarming rise of scam centers, where victims are trafficked into schemes like “pig butchering,” tricking people out of their life savings while enduring brutal conditions themselves. Key topics include: 👉 The evolution of trafficking into elaborate scams like pig butchering and scam centers 👉 Why $236B in crime profits dwarfs the $400M spent fighting trafficking 👉 How financial institutions can identify red flags and protect themselves 👉 Building changemakers within the private sector Matt’s candid insights offer a sobering yet inspiring call to action. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation for insights - 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. #RegulatoryRamblings podcast is brought to you by The University of Hong Kong's Reg/Tech Lab (Building Better Financial Systems), HKU-SCF Fintech Academy, Asia Global Institute, and HKU-edX Professional Certificate in FinTech, with support from HKU Law. The program is led by Douglas Arner and hosted by Ajay Shamdasani.