About Aperio

Adriana Vasilica — Analyst

Adriana is part of Aperio’s Russia, CEE & Central Asia team.

Prior to join Aperio in 2021, she worked for over two years as a business analyst at a global professional services provider, where she performed enhanced due diligence reviews of companies mainly across Russia and Europe.

Adriana holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Management from Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca.

She speaks Romanian and Russian.

Ana Junghiu — Analyst

Ana is an Analyst in the Western European regional team, based in Bucharest.

Prior to joining Aperio in January 2022, Ana worked as a researcher for an international regulatory and financial crime, risk and compliance company. Ana’s responsibilities included conducting customer due diligence, identifying deficiencies, discrepancies and escalating any risk factors across various jurisdictions.

Ana received a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Bucharest, with a focus on archeology and paleoanthropology.

Ana speaks Romanian, French, Spanish and Italian.

Adnana Matis — Analyst

Adnana is an Analyst within Aperio’s Latin America and Iberia practice supporting the due diligence team.

Prior to joining Aperio, Adnana was a researcher for an international professional services provider offering consultancy, analytics, and data management services. Prior to that she worked several months for an association in Spain providing therapeutic intervention in prisons.

Adnana holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and a specialisation degree in mediation and conflict resolution from King Juan Carlos University in Spain.

She is fluent in Spanish and Romanian.

Jacquelene Goh — Analyst

Jacquelene is an Analyst supporting Aperio’s work in the Asia-Pacific region.

Prior to joining Aperio in December 2021, Jacquelene worked as a consultant at an enhanced due diligence firm, focusing on Chinese language research and analysis. She was also previously an analyst at a risk management services company, where she worked on a wide range of due diligence assignments, including pre-IPO and citizenship by investment.

Jacquelene graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Coventry University and a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Investment from Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

She speaks Chinese and has intermediate knowledge in Malay.

Kijade Choong — Senior Analyst

Kijade is a Senior Analyst at Aperio Intelligence, having joined the team in December 2021.

She has over 9 years’ experience in the due diligence industry. Prior to joining Aperio, she was with a multinational risk management services company where she led a team of enhanced due diligence research analysts based in Penang, Malaysia. She is experienced in managing due diligence assignments in Asia Pacific.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Curtin University, Australia.

Yuen Yuen Cheah — Senior Analyst

Yuen Yuen is a Senior Analyst at Aperio Intelligence, having joined the team in December 2021.

With over 6 years of experience in the AML and financial risk industry, she has worked extensively on enhanced due diligence and background screening projects with a major focus on the APAC region.

Yuen Yuen has a background in journalism and has full proficiency of Chinese and Malay languages.

Nina Penzel — Analyst

Nina is an Analyst in the Western Europe team, specialising in the German-speaking sub-regions of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Nina graduated from the University of Durham with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and a master’s degree in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding.

Nina is bilingual in German and English.

Bianca Hanganu — Content Writer, Financial Crime Digest

Bianca is a Content Writer for Aperio Intelligence’s Financial Crime Digest.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Law and a master’s degree in Public International Law from the University of Bucharest.

Bianca speaks Romanian and English, and has intermediate knowledge in German.

Agnes Nicolescu — Junior Editor, Financial Crime Digest

Agnes is currently a Junior Editor for the Financial Crime Digest.

Prior to her role with Aperio Intelligence – Financial Crime Digest, Agnes worked as an Advocacy Project Manager with Habitat for Humanity Romania and as a Senior Associate on Sustainalytics Romania’s Enhanced Research Corporate Governance team.

Recent research interests include corruption, economic regeneration issues as well as land rights and associated challenges in the Global South.

Agnes has authored articles and op-eds for national and international policy magazines, including for the Centre for European Policy Studies’ Institutes Network (CEPS- EPIN).

Agnes is fluent in English and French, and has working knowledge of Italian, in addition to her native Romanian.

Oana Irimia — Analyst

Oana supports Aperio’s Africa desk.

Between 2020 and 2021, she was a Content Writer for Aperio’s monthly Financial Crime Digest. Prior to joining Aperio, she worked for a Bucharest-based legal publisher as a legal editor.

She holds a MA degree in Development Studies from the University of Bucharest and a BA degree in European Law from the Nicolae Titulescu University in Bucharest.

She is fluent in Romanian and French, with intermediate knowledge of Spanish.

David Shoup — Associate Editor, Financial Crime Digest

David is the Associate Editor of Aperio Intelligence’s Financial Crime Digest.

David has previously worked as a freelance journalist, taught English in Japan, served as editor of a Romanian news magazine, and directed a documentary film in Vietnam on reconciliation between US and Vietnamese veterans.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Tulane University and a master’s degree in cultural history from Leipzig University.

Călin Căciuleanu — Content Writer, Financial Crime Digest

Călin joined the FCD team in January 2021 as a Content Writer, supporting the publication’s news coverage by reporting on daily events, breaking news as well as on a number of complex cases.

Prior to joining Aperio, he worked as an online editor for a national newspaper and a political consultant with a small firm, conducting thematic research and writing speeches for several Romanian elected officials.

Călin holds a BA in International Relations and European Studies and an MA in Political Theory and Analysis from the National University of Political Science and Public Administration in Bucharest. Since October 2020, he has been working on a PhD thesis in political philosophy with a focus on work in contemporary capitalism at the same university.

Diana Vasile — Content Writer, Financial Crime Digest

Diana joined Aperio Intelligence in January 2021 as a Content Writer for Aperio Intelligence’s Financial Crime Digest.

Prior to joining Aperio, Diana worked as an European affairs counsellor for the Ministry of Environment of Romania. She contributed to the decision-making process at the European Union and international level by representing the Romanian state during meetings on international environmental issues of European institutions and of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

Diana holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Bucharest and a Master’s degree in European Union Law.

Oana Gurbanoaia — Junior Editor, Financial Crime Digest

Oana is a Junior Editor for the Financial Crime Digest, having joined the company in 2019.

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Bucharest, and with a master’s degree in Criminal Sciences from the Romanian Police Academy.

Roger Hamilton-Martin — Financial Services Journalist, Financial Crime Digest

Roger joined Aperio as a London-based reporter in the Financial Crime Digest team in 2021.

He has worked as a journalist for several publications in New York, London, and Washington DC since 2013, with reporting focussed on international politics, corruption and finance.

Veronika Konečná — Head of Russia, CEE & Central Asia Practice

Veronika is the head of Aperio’s Russia, CIS and CEE team. She leads complex due diligence projects with a focus on politically exposed individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and sanctions. She has worked on numerous investigations and due diligence projects covering state-owned entities and individuals close to local political elites.

Prior to joining Aperio in March 2017, Veronika worked for an NGO in Slovakia, focusing on democratisation and development in Eastern Europe, and previously for a multinational financial services corporation. She has on-the-ground experience in Russia, where she worked as a consultant for a global development institution.

She holds a master’s degree in Russian Studies from University College London and a bachelor’s degree in Russian and East European studies from Comenius University. She is fluent in Russian, Czech, and Slovak. Veronika is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Larissa Normanton — Head of Middle East & North Africa Practice

Larissa Normanton leads Aperio’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) practice, having joined the company in May 2019 as a Senior Associate. Larissa manages and conducts a wide range of primarily MENA-focused but multi-jurisdictional investigations, strategic intelligence projects and due diligence assignments for corporates and financial institutions.

Larissa has spent a considerable amount of time living and working in the Middle East, including in Amman, Muscat, Dubai and Jerusalem, and speaks Arabic. Prior to joining Aperio, Larissa acted as a geo-political, security and intelligence consultant supporting both UK entities operating in the Middle East and Middle Eastern entities operating in the UK – including the UAE Embassy in London with a geopolitical consultancy, and the British Embassy in Jordan with a security and risk management firm. Larissa started her career on the Middle East desk of a private bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Cambridge. Larissa is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Felicia Alexandru — Senior Associate

Felicia is a Senior Associate leading the Romania-based due diligence team. Between 2019 and April 2021, she was an associate editor working for the company’s Financial Crime Digest team, producing and editing content for compliance professionals in financial institutions on all aspects of financial crime.

Prior to joining Aperio, she worked for the British Embassy as a senior political officer. Her main responsibilities included justice reform, rule of law and anti-corruption work. She also spent two years managing the public integrity and anti-corruption programmes of a leading Romanian NGO.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science for the National School of Political Studies in Bucharest and a master’s degree in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University in Hungary.

Belinda Teh — Senior Associate

Belinda is a Senior Associate at Aperio Intelligence, having joined the team in October 2021.

She has over 14 years’ experience in the due diligence industry. Prior to joining Aperio, she was with a multinational risk management services company where she headed the Asian enhanced due diligence research team that was based in Malaysia. She is experienced in managing due diligence assignments in Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.

Sir Mark Rowley — Senior Advisor

Sir Mark has had a distinguished career with the UK police force.  From 2014 to 2018, he was Assistant Commissioner, New Scotland Yard, and National Police Lead for Counter Terrorism. Sir Mark previously led the Metropolitan Police Service’s specialist crime and operations group (2011 to 2014) and served as Chief Constable of Surrey Police (2008 to 2011), having first joined the police in 1987.  Amongst other roles, Sir Mark is a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute and a member of the Independent Expert Group to the Commission for Countering Extremism.

Sir Mark is a regular commentator about security and counter terrorism matters.

Sir Mark joined Aperio’s advisory board in January 2020.

Alexander Kottke — Senior Associate

Alex leads Aperio’s Western Europe practice, having joined the company in 2018. His sub-regional specialism is the German-speaking DACH countries and he has worked on various enhanced due diligence projects in support of transactional activity for DAX 30-listed companies. Among other notable experience, Alex has worked on a complex multi-jurisdictional litigation support case with investigative research across Northern and Southern Europe. He is fluent in German, with intermediate knowledge of Dutch and Spanish.

Prior to joining the company, Alex spent several years working as an analyst focussing on the consumer goods and services industries. He holds a first-class BA in German & History from the University of Sheffield as well as an MSc in International Relations & History, awarded with distinction from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Simeon Birkett — Associate

Simeon joined Aperio in July 2019 as an associate member of the due diligence team.

Prior to joining Aperio, Simeon spent three years in the Philippines as an independent consultant, providing research and analysis to corporate research firms on subjects across Europe, Asia Pacific, and Africa. He previously worked for five years as an analyst and senior analyst at a boutique corporate investigations firm in London, where he worked on a broad range of research projects, including pre-IPO due diligence, asset tracing, and country risk investigations.

Simeon holds a bachelor’s degree in Ancient History from The University of Birmingham.

Valentin Munteanu — Associate

Valentin supports Aperio’s work in the Central and Eastern Europe region, as well as Russia/CIS.

Valentin holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Bucharest and has BA/MA degrees in History and International Relations. He has published papers on international relations, particularly concerning EU-Russia relations. He is also a researcher and member of a number of think tanks in Romania. Valentin speaks English, Romanian and some Russian.

Zsuzsánna Deák — Associate

Zsuzsánna supports Aperio’s work in the Central and Eastern European and Southern Europe regions.

Prior to joining Aperio in November 2016, Zsuzsánna worked for a number of NGOs and was a teaching assistant at the Department of Hungarian Literary and Linguistic Studies at Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB).

She holds two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree in Hungarian literature and linguistics from UBB, where she is also currently reading for a doctorate in the same subject.

Zsuzsánna Balázsi — Senior Analyst

Zsuzsánna is a Senior Analyst within Aperio’s due diligence team. Since joining Aperio in January 2019, Zsuzsánna has conducted a number of complex public record and human source due diligence projects involving companies, financial institutions and individuals across various jurisdictions. Her recent work at Aperio has also included assisting with an internal investigation of a financial institution in connection with employee misconduct.

Prior to joining Aperio, Zsuzsánna worked as a project coordinator at a Romanian company specialised in investment management and grant management. Prior to that she spent several years working for one of the largest youth organisations in Romania.

Zsuzsánna holds two bachelor’s degrees: one in Law and one in International Relations and European Studies from Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj. She speaks Hungarian and Romanian and has a working knowledge of German and Swedish.

Radu Ciurba — Senior Analyst

Radu joined Aperio in 2018 as a member of the due diligence team. He supports the company’s work in multiple jurisdictions. His responsibilities include developing the internal apparatus associated with the research processes and optimising the tools utilised in day-to-day business.

Prior to joining Aperio, Radu worked at a US multinational BPO provider. Before that, he worked on various research projects related to energy policies, civic education, and democratisation with Cluj-based think-thank Center for the Study of Democracy. He also studied electoral behaviour as part of a sociological research start-up.

Radu holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj. He speaks Romanian and has intermediate knowledge in French.

Kärt Botos — Senior Analyst

Kärt performs enhanced due diligence reviews of high-net-worth individuals and companies mainly across Russia, CIS, and Europe. She has a strong regional interest in the Baltics and the Western Balkans. Her work at Aperio has included assisting with an internal investigation of a multinational financial institution in connection with its operations in the Baltics as well as human source-led due diligence in Serbia.

Prior to joining Aperio in April 2019, Kärt worked as chief specialist at the Estonian Land Board and as an editor for a Romanian company.

Kärt holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from the University of Tartu, Estonia. She speaks Estonian, Romanian, and Russian.

Luis Losada Simón-Ricart — Analyst

Luis is an Analyst within Aperio’s Latin America and Iberia practice. Prior to joining Aperio in September 2020, he worked for a political international business risk and intelligence company. Luis has also worked for the UN in East Africa and Central America in anti-corruption and anti-human trafficking projects.

Luis holds a bachelor’s degree in Law and Political Science from University Complutense of Madrid and a master’s degree in International Conflict Studies from King’s College London.

Luis is fluent in Spanish, with working knowledge of Portuguese.

Alina Badea — Analyst

Alina supports Aperio’s work in the Africa region.

Prior to joining Aperio in January 2020, Alina worked as a content review specialist and researcher for an international regulatory and financial crime, risk and compliance company, conducting multi-lingual international public records research for a wide range of corporate and financial clients.

Alina graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Literature from the Transilvania University of Brasov and also holds a master’s degree in Thematic Journalism from the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences.

She speaks Romanian, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Vidu Gunnooa — Office Supervisor/PA

Vidu is in charge of the day-to-day running of the London office, providing first hand support to the team and client assistance. With over 12 years’ experience in various industries, Vidu previously worked at a London corporate law firm and at the French Embassy in the UK.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Sunderland.

Sophie Cameron — Editor, Financial Crime Digest

Sophie is the editor of Aperio Intelligence’s monthly Financial Crime Digest.

Prior to joining Aperio in July 2018, Sophie spent seven years managing and developing a suite of specialist legal publications for a London publisher.

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Scott Travis — Head of ESG Services

Adrian Ford — CEO

Adrian is the CEO and founder of Aperio Intelligence.

Prior to establishing Aperio in August 2014, Adrian spent over 20 years at KPMG LLP, including over 15 years’ experience with KPMG’s Forensic team in the UK. At KPMG, Adrian pioneered the creation of technology-supported, global due diligence services.

Adrian has significant experience in conducting corporate intelligence and forensic investigations. This includes some of the largest ever asset tracing investigations, contentious disputes work, forensic and fraud investigations, and advising on a large range of complex regulatory matters. He has worked for high net worth individuals, leading global corporations and governments.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Leeds and is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Christopher Peters — COO

Christopher joined Aperio in March 2018 as a director and Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Christopher has substantial experience in the corporate intelligence field, having previously worked for Veracity Worldwide, G3 and The Risk Advisory Group. Christopher also has particular expertise in the real estate market, having worked for CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield. He spent 7 years in Moscow (2005 – 2012) and is a fluent Russian speaker.

Prior to joining Aperio, he was a partner at Citrica LLP, where he was involved in undertaking integrity due diligence in relation to the real estate and local authority sectors. Christopher holds an MA Hons in Russian with International Relations from the University of St. Andrews, and a postgraduate Masters in Transition Economics from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, UCL. His early career was in investment banking. Christopher also has an interest in sub-Saharan Africa, having lived for ten years in Sierra Leone and Zaire (DRC) as a child.

Oliver Brind — Head of Business Development

Oliver joined Aperio in April 2018 as Head of Business Development.

Oliver was previously at GPW, where he was responsible for business development and case management. Oliver began his career at Cazenove, where he first worked in the institutional sales and research department, before being appointed Managing Director of Cazenove Australia. On his return to London, he was responsible for Cazenove’s relationships with the private equity industry. Oliver worked for The Prince of Wales as Director of Development for The Prince’s Charities Foundation (2004 – 2010), with particular responsibility for its international programme. In 2010, Oliver joined Credit Suisse’s private bank in the UK, where he was responsible for managing private clients’ assets and leading a team of relationship managers, and then moved to Walker Crips, an independent investment manager in 2012.

Oliver has an MA in History from the University of Cambridge. He has a working knowledge of French and Italian. He knows Africa well, having lived in Uganda, Mauritius, Somalia and Malawi.

Yan Li — Head of People

Yan is Head of People Development and Innovation at Aperio Intelligence, having joined the team in September 2017.

She has over 15 years’ experience in the business intelligence industry. Prior to joining Aperio, Yan was based in Hong Kong for 10 years where she headed due diligence and research teams for Hong Kong’s largest non-for-profit organisation and for Asia’s largest enhanced due diligence company. She has also worked in London for a Forensics team of a leading advisory firm and a business intelligence and investigations firm where she conducted and managed various global corporate intelligence, litigation support, asset tracing and integrity assignments.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

George Voloshin — Head of Branch (France)

George is the head of Aperio’s Paris branch, having joined the firm in December 2016.

Prior to joining Aperio, George headed the Russia/CIS coverage at a leading French corporate intelligence firm and previously collaborated with a number of UK-based advisory and analytical organisations as well as government clients. He is the author of two books on the geopolitics of Central Asia and over a hundred articles on international affairs, with a focus on Russia and the former Soviet Union which are the primary areas of his specialisation.

George holds a master’s degree in public administration from École nationale d’administration (ENA). He also holds a second master’s degree in European politics from Sciences Po Strasbourg.

Pompiliu Tamas — Operations Director (Romania)

Pompiliu serves as Operations Director for the Cluj-Napoca office. Prior to joining Aperio in September 2017, he worked for ten years as a Senior Political Officer at the British Embassy in Bucharest. He has gained significant experience in economic and political analysis with a particular focus on financial services and EU affairs.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Economics from the University of York and a master’s degree in international studies from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

Tom Ready — Head of Strategic Intelligence

Tom leads Aperio’s Strategic Intelligence and Political Risk practice. Tom provides intelligence and analysis to help clients enter new markets, navigate complex commercial situations, and respond to political crises.

Prior to joining Aperio in January 2017, Tom worked for ten years as a diplomat in the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, specialising in the Middle East region. He is a fluent Arabic speaker who covered the Arab Spring while posted to the British Embassies in Jordan and Riyadh. He has experience of dealing with some of the most challenging areas of UK foreign policy and counter-terrorism. He is half-Italian and also has advanced French and Spanish.

Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic from the University of Cambridge and a master’s degree in International Conflict Studies from King’s College London.

Paul Doran — Director of Investigations

Paul Doran is the Director of Investigations at Aperio Intelligence. He is responsible for delivering high-quality investigative solutions to clients across asset tracing, litigation support, regulatory breaches and complex internal investigations into employee misconduct.

Prior to joining Aperio, Paul was global head of investigations for one of Scandinavia’s largest multinational companies and has also held senior regional investigations roles in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In these roles Paul conducted complex cross-border investigations typically focusing on corruption and bribery, high-level fraud and embezzlement, industrial espionage and IP theft, and competition law breaches. Paul also worked for the UK government in the field of security and intelligence with a specialisation in South Asian affairs.

Paul is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the International Security Management Institute and the Royal Institution for International Affairs (Chatham House). Paul holds a Bachelor’s degree in modern languages from the University of Liverpool and a Master’s degree in intelligence and international relations from the University of Salford. Aside from his native English, Paul speaks fluent French, Portuguese and Spanish and operable Italian and Norwegian.

Gunita Thethy — Associate Director and Head of Due Diligence

Gunita joined Aperio in August 2020 as a Associate Director and Head of Due Diligence.

Prior to joining Aperio, Gunita was based in New Delhi for three years where she led the business intelligence team for a global risk management firm. Gunita was responsible for delivering on a range of complex assignments across due diligence and litigation support in South Asia. She also worked in Tokyo and Singapore for five years with a US-based business advisory supporting clients on reputational and integrity concerns. Gunita has also worked in journalism and market intelligence with a focus on the Asian markets.

Gunita holds a Master’s degree in Asian Pacific Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chinese and Japanese Studies from the University of Leeds.

Kim Gozzett — Senior Advisor

Kim currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Pension Insurance Corporation Plc, where she is responsible for the operations of the company. Kim joined Aperio’s advisory board in May 2018.

She has substantial industry experience, having previously served as Managing Director of SG Hambros Trust Company for 17 years, where she was responsible for the Corporate Private and Charitable Trusts, including their accounting, tax and investment management. She also established SG Hambros Financial Services Limited and was a Board Director of many of the Bank’s subsidiaries and client companies. She latterly ran the Bank’s London Human Resources. Kim has held a wide range of non-executive director roles across multiple sectors, and has led negotiations on M&A transactions to successful conclusion.

José Ugaz — Senior Advisor

José Ugaz is a lawyer by training and the former chair of Transparency International (2014-2017). He is a founding partner of Benites & Ugaz, a first-class white-collar and criminal law practice in Peru. José has served as a legal adviser to a series of Peruvian governments and led various special anti-corruption commissions as an ad-hoc state attorney. Notably, he served as the special prosecutor in a string of successful high-profile cases for corruption and human rights abuses against the former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori. José has also taught at the law faculty of La Católica, Peru’s foremost university, for several years and retains a seat on its board of governors.

José is currently a member of Proética, the national chapter of Transparency International in Peru. He is also a member of the Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (The Institute for Press and Society), a leading NGO in Latin America promoting independent investigative journalism, and regularly writes op-ed articles on corruption in Spanish and English language news outlets. José joined Aperio’s advisory board in May 2018.