On April 28, 2025, the Compliance Champions Forum 2025 was held online. This event became the first and one of the most prominent and significant gatherings dedicated to compliance in Central Asia and the Caucasus. The forum was also supported by the Center for Progressive Reforms (CPR) under the partnership memorandum signed between the Institute of Chartered Compliance Professionals (ICCP CAC) and CPR.  It brought together leading specialists working in key areas such as compliance, ethics, AML/CFT (anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism), sanctions, ESG, auditing, fintech, and anti-corruption.

The three-day forum gathered experts from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. One of the main goals of the event was to discuss existing challenges and develop concrete, regionally adapted solutions. Participants shared their experiences and engaged in dialogue focused on collaboration and knowledge exchange to help define future professional standards in the compliance field.

The forum created a space to reassess the technical, social, and cultural dimensions of the compliance profession. In a thought-provoking expert session, Kodir Kuliev, International Anti-Corruption Expert, the ICCP Central Asia Representative in Uzbekistan, and CPR's non-resident fellow, challenged participants to move beyond traditional anti-corruption models toward practical innovation and measurable impact. Kodir’s talk highlighted anti-corruption efforts' global and regional landscapes, critically examining enforcement challenges, fragmented legal frameworks, and the need for deeper integration of ethics into governance. 

At the end of the forum, participants created concrete proposals focused on strengthening the regional compliance community, training skilled professionals, and improving institutional strategies. This forum represents a significant milestone in shaping the future of the compliance profession.