I am always asked by our clients what is the single most important attribute a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) must have. My response? The ability to sell. Sell what you ask? Sell ideas, concepts, vision…..after all the CCO is charged with developing a strong ethical/compliant environment. He or she is charged with educating, shaping and influencing the entire company to buy into the benefits of the ethics/compliance program.
What are the benefits to a strong ethical/compliant environment? Well, for starters companies must comply with certain government regulations and industry standards. Additionally, a well respected E & C environment helps retain employees, attract top talent, attract vendors and attract investors — all contributing to a stronger bottom line.
While I have always appreciated the significance of having a CCO with a strong sales mentality I actually have of a client that chose a Global SVP of Sales to head up the compliance department. After one year at the helm it still appears to be a good fit.
— Maurice Gilbert, Conselium CEO
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
