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AT: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. I’ve enjoyed our previous conversations and the podcast we recorded. I’m glad we have some extra time to get into things. You’ve had an interesting career, working in multiple industries and around the globe. What’s driven your career path? Were you looking for something different, or did the opportunities just arise?
TF: My career path has been a blend of curiosity, opportunity, and a passion for building trust through governance and compliance. I never set out with a rigid blueprint, but I was always driven by the belief that compliance can be more than a safeguard; it can be a genuine differentiator for organizations.
I’ve worked in industries like pharmaceuticals, travel, and the public sector, and I now work for a company that does healthcare, consumer goods, technology, and performance materials. Each company gave me the chance to see compliance through a different lens.
These shifts weren’t random. They were opportunities that aligned with my desire to understand how compliance can be applied across different contexts, not as a one-size-fits-all solution but as a tailored framework that fits the business’s DNA.
What tied it all together was my fascination with people, culture, and innovation. Moving across geographies and industries taught me that compliance isn’t about building walls; it is about building bridges between rules, culture, and business strategies. That’s what ultimately led me to DKSH, where I’ve been able to bring all this experience together on a multinational scale.
AT: Given the range of industries you have seen, from your perspective, how different are industries when it comes to compliance? Obviously, there may be different regulations and risks, but are you finding compliance programs to be largely the same or very different?
TF: On the surface, industries can look very different. The healthcare industry is highly regulated with strict frameworks around clinical trials, patient safety, and interactions with healthcare professionals. Consumer goods involve supply chain complexity, responsible procurement, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements. Travel is about safeguarding customer data, ensuring transparency in pricing, and complying with cross-border regulations. The public sector focuses on ethics, accountability, and proper stewardship of resources.
But when you dig deeper, I find the core challenges are similar: how do you embed compliance into the business’s DNA and turn it into a competitive advantage rather than a burden?
The real difference is in the nuance. For example, in the healthcare industry, the question may be, “How do you make sure interactions with healthcare professionals are ethical?” In travel, the question might be, “How do you design a data privacy program that builds customer trust across multiple jurisdictions?” In consumer goods, it’s, “How do you ensure suppliers meet sustainability and human rights standards?”
This is why tailoring compliance programs is so essential.
The principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability are universal. But the way you operate them must adapt to the industry context.
The principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability are universal. But the way you operate them must adapt to the industry context.
AT: In addition to the differences by industry, each company — as you have seen from your time at DKSH, Teva, and Agoda — is different. What is the key to designing a properly tailored compliance program?
TF: The key is listening, but really listening to the organization. Too often, compliance programs fail because they are transplanted from one company or region into another without adaptation.
When I joined DKSH, I didn’t start by rewriting policies. I started by asking, “What does this organization value? Where are the pain points? How do our employees and leaders see compliance today?”
At DKSH, we are a Swiss company with strong European governance standards; however, we primarily operate in the
Asia–Pacific region, where cultural norms and business practices can be very different. To design a tailored program, I had to bridge that gap. That meant creating policies and processes that met global standards but were practical and realistic in local markets.
For me, tailoring means three things:
- Alignment with strategy: Compliance must enable growth, not slow it down. If the business is expanding into new markets, the compliance framework must be scalable and proactive.
- Cultural resonance: Training, communication, and even how we talk about compliance must fit the local culture.
- Technology enablement: We use digital tools to embed controls into business processes, making them seamless and efficient. We also use technology to do proactive compliance, which helps us discover gaps and issues before they arise.
In short, the key is not imposing compliance on the business but co-creating compliance with the business.
AT: You have spent the last four years at DKSH and six years in Bangkok. What have been the keys to making the program relevant locally?
TF: The first key is cultural sensitivity. In Asia, compliance cannot be a simple copy-and-paste of Western frameworks. For example, hierarchy and respect for authority play a strong role in how employees behave. That means our speak-up program must reassure people that raising concerns is safe and respected, not seen as disrespectful.
The second key is local ownership. We have built a network of local compliance officers who understand both the global standards and the local culture. They are the bridge that ensures compliance feels relevant on the ground.
The third key is integration into the business. We made sure compliance is not a standalone function but embedded in commercial processes. For example, approval systems for healthcare professional interactions are integrated into our financial systems, so compliance is part of the workflow — not an extra burden.
Finally, it’s about communication in plain language. Legal jargon doesn’t resonate with everyone. We translate policies into simple, practical guidance. That’s how you make compliance relevant locally.
AT: How much customization have you had to do around Asia? It’s a large continent with many cultural differences.
TF: A lot. Asia is incredibly diverse. What works in Japan may not work in Indonesia. What resonates in Singapore may not resonate in Myanmar.
Customization comes in several layers:
- Language: Communications must be in local languages. Otherwise, you lose impact.
- Format: In some countries, employees prefer interactive workshops. In others, they prefer e-learning modules.
- Examples: Real-life case studies must reflect local realities. Talking about gift-giving during the Chinese New Year will resonate strongly in markets like China or Malaysia. Likewise, in India, a scenario of managing public procurement processes is far more relatable than abstractglobal examples. So yes, we customize extensively. But at the same time, we keep the backbone consistent. The ethical principles are the same; delivery is what changes.
AT: One of the areas where companies often struggle globally is in fostering a speak-up culture. In some countries, past history with denunciation lines or just cultural barriers makes it difficult to get people to raise their hands when they see an issue. What have you found that can overcome resistance?
TF: The first step is building trust. People need to believe that if they raise their hands, two things will happen:
1. They will be protected.
2. Their concern will be taken seriously.
At DKSH, we focused on making our integrity line and reporting channels anonymous, independent, and accessible. But we also realized that’s not enough. Employees must see real cases being handled with fairness and confidentiality. Otherwise, the system looks like a black hole.
The second step is leadership role-modeling. When leaders openly thank employees for raising concerns, it sends a strong message. We made sure managers know how to respond constructively when employees come to them. We also make sure our leaders openly speak about compliance cases and integrity dilemmas during town hall meetings and other large gatherings.
The third step is cultural adaptation. In some markets, the word “whistleblowing” has a negative connotation. So, we rebranded it as “Speak Up,” framing it as protecting the business, our customers, and each other.
Finally, closing the loop is essential. When someone raises an issue, they need to know what happened. Even if the details are confidential, letting them know it was addressed builds credibility.
AT: Let’s go back to training, which you touched on a bit earlier. How do you design training and communications that work across multiple cultures?
TF: At DKSH, we take a holistic approach to training through our program called “License to Operate.” It goes beyond the code of conduct to cover areas such as fraud prevention, financial controls, human resources (HR) policies, workplace safety, and data privacy. From day one during onboarding, employees are informed that completing this training is essential; it is what grants them the license to operate at DKSH.
In addition to onboarding, we run an annual refresher training with rotating topics. This ensures employees stay up to date on the latest changes in our compliance program, including our various channels for raising concerns, and reinforces their understanding of emerging risks and requirements.
Our global training modules set out the key principles. But then we adapt them with local examples, case studies, and even cultural references. For instance, a training on conflicts of interest in Thailand might include scenarios about family businesses or online businesses that sell goods, which are very common here.
We also diversify the format:
- Digital learning for scalability,
- Live training for employees who do not have access to computers,
- Workshops for deeper discussion,
- Town halls for building leadership visibility, and
- Micro-learning (short videos or infographics) for reinforcement.
Communication must also go both ways. It’s not just about pushing messages out; it’s about listening to employee concerns and feedback. That way, training evolves with the organization.
AT: In our profession, we talk about compliance being a business enabler. In our past conversations, you’ve said that’s very much the case at DKSH. Can you share with our readers how DKSH has come to value compliance?
TF: At DKSH, compliance is not a cost center; it’s a differentiator. Our clients, global companies from the industries we serve, choose DKSH because they trust us to represent their brand responsibly in Asia–Pacific, Europe, and North America.
We’ve demonstrated that compliance can actually win business. For example, when competing for distribution contracts, our strong third-party due diligence program gives clients confidence that we can manage risks in high-risk markets.
Internally, compliance also drives efficiency. By embedding approvals into automated systems, we reduce manual work and delays, making compliance seamless and improving speed to market.
As head of governance, risk, and compliance at DKSH, I personally participate in commercial discussions and client pitches. Being a Swiss-listed company with a global presence, we operate to the highest international compliance standards. This gives potential clients the reassurance that we know how to do business in this region, the right way, and the ethical way.
For us, compliance is part of the value proposition. It protects the company, while also enabling growth. That’s why our CEO, our executive committee members, and our board actively champion it.
Our global training modules set out the key principles. But then we adapt them with local examples, case studies, and even cultural references.
AT: Every time I have heard you discuss this, I wonder why more companies don’t see things similarly. What do you think makes DKSH different, and what makes it different now?
TF: Three things:
1. Tone from the top: Our leadership genuinely sees compliance as a strategic advantage and a value proposition. It’s not lip service.
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2. Integration into operations: Compliance is embedded in systems and processes, not just policies.
3. Continuous innovation: We don’t see compliance as static. We constantly look for ways to improve through technology, analytics, and automation.
This combination makes compliance part of DKSH’s DNA. And that’s what sets us apart.
AT: We’re seeing a lot of change in compliance with the growth of AI. We are also having to manage fast-changing laws, regulations, and enforcement priorities. What do you see as the key to keeping up with it all, if not getting ahead?
TF: The key is proactivity and agility.
Proactivity means monitoring regulatory trends and preparing before they become urgent. At DKSH, we track emerging regulations in areas like ESG, data privacy, and responsible procurement, so we’re ready.
Agility means using technology to adapt quickly. AI tools can help us scan regulations, flag risks, automate due diligence, and even help us with complex investigations.
But just as important is collaboration. Compliance cannot operate in a silo. We work with legal, HR, finance, IT, and business leaders to make sure we are aligned and ready.
AT: Do you think that this will require compliance professionals to develop new skills? If so, where should they invest their efforts to be part of the new era?
TF: Absolutely. The future compliance professional must be more than a lawyer or auditor. They must be data-savvy and able to analyze dashboards, spot patterns, and use analytics tools. They must be tech-curious, comfortable exploring AI, automation, and digital platforms. They must be business-oriented with an understanding of how compliance adds value to growth, not just how it avoids fines. But most importantly, they must be change leaders — skilled in communication and change management — because technology is only effective when people adopt it.
In short, compliance professionals must be multidisciplinary. That’s what I encourage in my own team at DKSH.
AT: Traditionally, compliance people have come out of legal, or secondarily, HR, internal audit, and a few other disciplines. Is it time to look to others? I’m not just thinking about AI but also the growing demand for data analytics. That’s a different skill set than before.
TF: Yes. Compliance is no longer a purely legal discipline. We need people from IT, data science, behavioral psychology, and even marketing.
For example, designing effective training is a communications challenge.
Data analytics is increasingly critical for monitoring. Behavioral science helps us understand why people might cut corners and how to influence ethical choices.
At DKSH, we’ve recruited compliance professionals with backgrounds in business operations and IT. That diversity of perspective makes our program stronger.
AT: Finally, what do you see as coming next for compliance programs?
TF: I see three major shifts:
1. From reactive to predictive: Using data and AI to identify risks before they happen.
2. From siloed to integrated: Compliance embedded into every system and process, seamless and invisible. If it’s finance, HR, customer relationship management, or other systems, compliance must be part of the process.
3. From policing to enabling: Compliance as a trusted adviser that helps the business grow responsibly.
The compliance program of the future will be digital, data-driven, and human-centered. It will use technology for efficiency but also focus on culture and trust.
That’s the vision we are building at DKSH, and I believe it will define the next era of compliance globally.
AT: Thank you, Tal, for sharing with our readers!
CEP Magazine | March 2026