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Diego Fernando Vargas-RuizDF

Diego Fernando Vargas-Ruiz

Ethics, Integrity & Compliance

€810/day
Stockholm, SE
15+ years

Average response time: 1 hour

About Diego Fernando

I help organisations strengthen integrity, comply with regulations, and build resilient governance ecosystems across multiple jurisdictions. With 19+ years of experience in Compliance, Financial Crime Investigations, AML/CFT, Cyber-Risk, and IT Auditing, I bring a rare mix of technical depth, investigative capability, and strategic leadership.

My background includes Big-4 consulting, corporate compliance in the energy sector, and international advisory roles supporting banks, fintechs, and multinational companies. I’ve led complex investigations, built and enhanced compliance programmes, driven digital-risk initiatives, and advised executive teams on regulatory expectations, internal controls, and ethical business conduct.

I also bring engineering management experience from the tech sector (Candy Crush Saga), that gives me the ability to bridge governance, risk, technology delivery, and AI-driven change, translating regulatory and technical issues into clear and actionable strategies.

I support organisations with:
• Compliance frameworks, codes of conduct, risk assessments, internal controls
• Fraud, corruption & misconduct investigations
• AML/CFT, sanctions, KYC/EDD and financial crime investigations
• Cyber-risk governance, ISO/IEC 27001, NIS2, digital trust & AI-risk oversight
• IT audits including AI implementation and regulatory compliance
• Executive advisory, training & cross-cultural compliance coaching

What differentiates me is my ability to make complex regulatory and technical topics understandable, enabling leaders to make informed decisions and strengthen organisational resilience. Comfortable working across cultures and jurisdictions, I adapt quickly to diverse regulatory environments.

If you’re looking to enhance compliance, investigate a high-risk issue, assess digital risk, or elevate your governance maturity, I’m always open to meaningful conversations and collaboration.
  • English

    Native or bilingual

  • Spanish

    Native or bilingual

  • Swedish

    Basic

  • Portuguese

    Conversational

Remote only
Primarily works remotely

Experience

  • Kroll
    Director – Forensic Investigations and Intelligence
    CONSULTING AND AUDITS
    March 2021 - April 2023 (2 years and 1 month)
    Bogotá, Colombia
    • Led cross-border investigations and risk advisory projects across regulated sectors in four Latin American markets.
    • Designed and implemented compliance programs (AML/CFT, anti-fraud, data privacy) aligned with global standards (ISO37301, FCPA, GDPR).
    • Directed complex cases involving fraud, cybercrime, and data loss using forensic tools and advanced analytics.
    • Oversaw AML frameworks including KYC, PEP screening, and risk-based due diligence.
    • Managed full investigation cycles and delivered executive-level reporting.
    • Strengthened client relationships and enhanced Kroll’s regional reputation through consistent delivery excellence.
    Key projects:
    • Grupo SURA (Colombia): Led a forensic audit to investigate complaints of possible fraud in Financial Statements.
    • Viva Air (Colombia, Peru): Led a forensic investigation to determine internal and external fraudsters in customer fraud.
    • Grupo Energía Bogotá – GEB (Colombia, Peru, Guatemala): Consulting on fraud and corruption prevention and detection.
    • Grupo Energía Bogotá – GEB (Colombia): Led internal corporate investigations from reports and complaints received in the ethics hotline.
    • Confidential client (Colombia, Spain): Led a forensic investigation to determine fraud typology and misconducts in an alleged occupational fraud.
    • Schlumberger SLB (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador): Led the design and implementation of improvements to the Compliance Program to strength the ethics and integrity culture.
    • Confidential client (U.S.A.): Led the background check verification to mitigate risks in M&A process.
    • Confidential client (Ecuador): Led the background check verification to mitigate risks in M&A process.
    • Confidential client (Colombia, Spain, France): Led the background check verification to mitigate risks in M&A process.

  • PricewaterhouseCoopers
    Manager – Forensic Services
    CONSULTING AND AUDITS
    December 2018 - February 2021 (2 years and 2 months)
    Bogotá, Colombia
    • Led cross-border investigations and compliance projects for major clients in regulated sectors across Latin America.
    • Designed and implemented end-to-end compliance programs (anti-fraud, anti-bribery, AML/CFT, data privacy) aligned with FCPA, UKBA, CFPOA, GDPR, ISO 37301, ISO 27000.
    • Directed complex cases involving fraud, corruption, cyber incidents, and misconduct using forensic tools, e-discovery, and data analytics.
    • Delivered financial crime risk assessments and built AML frameworks including CDD, PEP screening, sanctions compliance, and risk modeling.
    • Managed full investigation cycles—from strategic scoping and data analysis to executive reporting and stakeholder engagement.
    Key Projects:
    • Upfield (Colombia, Netherland): Led a forensic investigation to determine fraud typology and misconducts in an alleged occupational fraud and collusion with customers.
    • World Bank Group (Honduras): Led the assessment of the AML/CFT program with local and international regulations for three banking institutions.
    • Grupo Argos (Colombia): Led the design and implementation of the corporate compliance model aligning subsidiaries compliance programs.
    • Transportadora de Gas Internacional – TGI (Colombia): Led the implementation of ethics and compliance program, focus on timely detection of financial fraud.
    • Sociedad Minera de Santander – MINESA (Colombia): Led the design and implementation of the Anti-Corruption Program for Social Responsibility Programs, aligned with local and international regulations and standards.
    • Productos Ramo (Colombia): Led the design, implementation, and operation of the ethics hotline.
    • Kellogg Colombia (Colombia): Led the assessment of the AML/CFT program with local and international regulations and standards.
    • Fondo Nacional de Ahorro - FNA (Colombia): Led the assessment of Cyber risk management program with local regulations and international standards (ISO 27001, NIST).

  • KPMG
    Manager – Forensic Services
    CONSULTING AND AUDITS
    October 2016 - January 2018 (1 year and 3 months)
    Bogotá, Colombia
    • Directed end-to-end compliance program development (anti-fraud, anti-bribery, AML/CFT) aligned with FCPA, UKBA, CFPOA, and regional regulations.
    • Led complex investigations into fraud, corruption, and misconduct using computer forensics, data analytics, and e-discovery tools.
    • Designed AML systems including CDD, PEP screening, sanctions risk assessments, and transaction monitoring.
    • Delivered risk assessments on reputational, financial, and legal exposure for clients in financial services, energy, and telecom.
    • Acted as primary liaison for clients, legal teams, and regulators, ensuring strategic delivery and reporting excellence.
    Key Projects:

    • SUEZ Colombia (Colombia, France): Led a forensic investigation to determine fraud typology and misconducts in an alleged occupational fraud by senior management.
    • NETAFIM Colombia (Colombia, Peru, Israel): Led a forensic investigation to determine fraud typology and misconducts in an alleged occupational fraud by senior management and some suppliers.
    • Grupo Energía Bogotá – GEB (Colombia, Peru, Guatemala): Led the design and implementation of the corporate ethics & compliance program, including subsidiaries.
    • Depósito Centralizado de Valores – DECEVAL (Colombia): Led the cyber risk assessment in the implementation of dematerialized promissory notes, aligned with international frameworks (ISO 27001, COBIT, NIST).

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