Dr. Dominique Abrokwa
Global Compliance & Integrity Counsel
Lawyer and Global Head of Integrity at Hitachi ABB Power Grids, with over twenty years of experience in corporate governance, compliance and integrity in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, comments on the current KICG study from the perspective of international compliance practice in global corporations:
The guide “Compliance & Integrity as a Leadership Task and Culture Shaping” by the Konstanz Institute for Corporate Governance (KICG), authored by Prof. Dr. Stephan Grüninger, Melanie Altmeyer and Quirin Kissmehl, provides a conceptually significant impetus for the further development of Compliance & Integrity Management (CIM) – and hits a nerve that experienced compliance practitioners know from everyday global business.
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The study's central finding – that compliance effectiveness depends significantly on the dimensions of leadership and corporate culture – aligns with experiences gained in operational compliance work at globally operating companies such as Siemens, SNC-Lavalin, and Hitachi ABB Power Grids . Programs that are technically sophisticated but not culturally embedded regularly fail – particularly in high-risk regions where formal regulations clash with informal decision-making structures and local institutional realities.
The authors' proposed expansion approach is technically convincing: The established approach of "compliance as a staff function" is not discarded, but rather functionally enhanced – by defining the perception of compliance and integrity risks and their integration into daily decision-making as a core component of the leadership role. For practical application in international corporations, this means a realignment of the compliance function: away from reactive regulatory control and towards the proactive empowerment of managers to deal with ethical dilemmas and integrity risks – across hierarchical levels, cultural boundaries, and regulatory regimes.
This perspective is particularly relevant in the complex corporate structures of global companies, where local and regional units bring their own cultural, regulatory, and institutional contexts. Effective corporate integration management (CIM) must be compatible with these contexts—not only normatively, but also culturally and operationally. The KICG guidelines provide a valuable conceptual framework for this, but their practical implementation requires context-specific adaptation—and therein lies the real leadership challenge.
That is why the continent of Africa is in the best hands with Dr. Abrokwa.
Dr. Dominique Abrokwa is an internationally experienced lawyer with over 20 years of expertise in corporate governance, integrity, and compliance. His career spans several continents, including Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with a particular focus on high-risk countries.
Current position
Since February 2021, Dr. Abrokwa has been Global Head of Integrity at Hitachi ABB Power Grids in Zurich, Switzerland. In this role, he leads a diverse team of compliance professionals and is responsible for the development and implementation of global integrity and compliance programs. His work focuses on the prevention, detection, and resolution of integrity and trade risks.
Previous professional positions
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Pohlmann & Company, Frankfurt, Germany: As an attorney, he was responsible for corporate compliance and compliance investigations in Africa. He worked as part of a global team of compliance experts as part of a monitorship under a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.
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SNC-Lavalin, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Dr. Abrokwa held several positions, including Head of Compliance Operations, Oil & Gas Sector Compliance Officer, and Regional Compliance Officer for the Middle East and Africa. He led the implementation and operational execution of the SNC-Lavalin compliance program across various business units and regions.
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Siemens LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates: He served as Compliance Officer & Subject Matter Expert for oil and gas-related compliance issues, as well as Regional Compliance Officer and General Manager in Nigeria. In these roles, he led the implementation of the Siemens compliance program and supported internal investigations into ethical and compliance-related issues.
Areas of expertise
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Development and implementation of compliance programs
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Advice on preventive compliance measures to minimize risks
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Assessment of third-party compliance processes
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Conducting investigations into compliance violations
In addition to his work at Hitachi ABB Power Grids, Dr. Abrokwa also serves as a director of Brighter Purpose, an organization focused on ethical corporate governance and integrity.
Dr. Abrokwa is known for his pragmatic and results-oriented approach to complex compliance challenges and has established himself as a leading expert in his field.
Contact
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