GACO Webinar: The ethical importance of Conflicts of Interest - How to navigate the pitfalls

At its core, a conflict of interest arises when an individual or entity is involved in multiple interests, and these interests could potentially compromise or even appears to compromise, their objectivity, professional judgment, or decision-making. Such conflicts can manifest in various forms, including financial, personal, or professional relationships that might interfere with one’s ability to act in the best interest of a particular party. But here’s the kicker: it doesn’t need to be intentional to do damage. A conflict left unchecked can destroy trust, fuel scepticism, and wreak havoc on relationships, businesses, and institutions alike.
 
Conflict of interest can’t be underestimated in today’s world where trust, integrity, and transparency aren’t negotiable—they’re the currency of success. Conflict of interest isn’t a hurdle to avoid; it’s an opportunity to lead by example. Whether you’re in business, healthcare, academia, or beyond, proactively addressing conflict of interest sends a powerful message: we stand for ethics, fairness, and accountability.
 
Ethical businesses avoid conflicts of interest that can negatively impact the business as a whole and its employees, customers, partners, and stakeholders. Unfortunately, not all the employees will disclose potential conflicts of interest that can impact a business, so it's up to leaders to provide clear guidance and help staff understand the potential consequences.
 
Crucial questions in said context could be:

• Why is it important to address conflicts of interest?
• What are common examples of conflicts of interest?
• What happens if conflicts of interest are ignored?
• How can organizations manage conflicts of interest effectively?

Therefore, GACO is happy to have engaged Clive Kelly for an interactive webinar, where he will share his views on the most relevant questions around this subject and discuss some strategies on how to effectively manage Conflicts of Interest and ensure that your business behaviour remains ethical at all times.

Speaker: Clive Kelly

Clive is a former President of the Compliance Institute, the leading global compliance association.

Clive has worked in International Financial services for 38 years for leading global insurers and reinsurers and has held the following roles over that time CEO, independent non-executive director, Head of Risk, Head of Compliance and Chief Underwriting Officer.

Clive is an industry-recognized expert in culture, ethics, risk management, compliance, insurance and reinsurance in the financial services sector.

Clive is a lecturer, author & examiner at masters level and in senior executive education in Culture, Ethics, Risk management, Compliance, Financial Markets, Bank Directorship and Governance. He teaches on programmes for University College Dublin, Institute of Bankers, Chartered Accountants Ireland, Central Bank of Ireland, Irish Department of Finance and Compliance Institute

Clive speaks both nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics such as Culture, Ethics, Risk management, Compliance, Governance and has published both in industry journals and in the national press on the topic of Compliance.

Date: 4th June 2025
Time: 9.30hrs - 11.00hrs
Type: Online Webinar
Fee: £25 GACO Members; £40 Non-Members