Heidy M. Duarte is a Principal in Kaufman Rossin's Risk Advisory Services practice. With over 16 years in the Financial Services industry, she has extensive experience in forensic accounting, risk management, and regulatory compliance matters, helping clients identify and mitigate risks. Heidy is a highly-skilled professional with international experience in public accounting, financial services, and other private sectors with a proven track record in assessing risks combined with extensive knowledge of BSA/AML/OFAC, IFRS, COSO, GAAP, GAAS, and SOX (“Sarbanes-Oxley”). She has experience working with Banks, Broker-Dealers, Money Service Businesses, Insurance, and other non-bank financial institutions. Heidy is recognized as an expert in BSA/ AML/CFT, having served as a panelist at major anti-money laundering conferences, webinars, and round tables. She also possesses expertise in fraud risk assessments and investigations, leading to the development and strengthening of fraud prevention and detection procedures.
Prior to joining Kaufman Rossin, Heidy was the director of the National Forensics Practice of a large global international accounting and consulting firm. She led the development of the AML practice in Puerto Rico, LATAM, and the Caribbean. In addition, she participated in multiple projects assisting foreign financial institutions, reviewing, testing, and enhancing their regulatory compliance programs in connection with their application or maintenance of their correspondent banking relationship with the USA. She also led numerous Forensic accounting investigations, AML & Compliance reviews, AML assessments, Enhanced Due diligence, M&A, lookbacks, and Gap Analysis, amongst others.
Previously, Heidy served as the BSA/ AML/ OFAC Officer and Head of the Corporate Financial Fraud department at a national financial institution, where she was responsible for promoting and implementing compliance standards and minimizing BSA/AML/OFAC and fraud exposure through the development and implementation of robust Anti-Money Laundering, Bank Secrecy Act, and OFAC programs. Heidy also has extensive experience working with Bank examiners, Internal Audit, Board of Directors, and Regulatory agencies.
Heidy is serving her third consecutive year as an Executive Board Member of “Women United,” a sub-committee of United Ways. She also serves as an instructor in the executive program in Anti-money laundering and accounting for the University of Granada in Spain (virtual Program); she is also the instructor of the FIBA Foreign Correspondent Bank Certificate (In Spanish). In 2021, Heidy received the South Florida Hispanic Miami Chamber of Commerce Award. “Women of Leadership Award” Business/ Accounting.
Heidy earned her Master of Accounting from Florida International University. She also completed a Risk Management for Corporate Leaders program from Harvard Business School Executive Education. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.
A Puerto Rico native, Ella brings 20 years of experience in strategic marketing and management consulting to strengthen Invest Puerto Rico’s endeavors. She played an instrumental role in the organization’s creation, helping establish InvestPR’s mission, objectives, and roadmap to accomplishing them. A true believer in the island’s potential as a world-class investment destination, Ella ensures that all internal and external stakeholders align with InvestPR’s vision of being a transformational and results-oriented accelerator of economic development in Puerto Rico. Her 20-year career spans successful runs working with Fortune 500 companies in strategic sectors like financial services and life sciences, as well as counseling various leading public and private sector clients. Ella is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Founder and CEO of Arbol, an insurtech business which has scaled up rapidly to serve clients across countries and industries looking to manage weather and climate risks affecting their supply chains or revenues. Management experience of teams spanning technology, blockchain, AI, data science, sales, and legal. Responsible for managing and deploying dedicated risk capacity exceeding $1BN.
Prior in depth experience in portfolio management and quant research across markets including commodities and interest rates.
Published author of “Interest Rate Markets”. Graduated Harvard B.A Applied Math/M.A Statistics.