About APG

Dr Gordon Hook, Executive Secretary

Dr Gordon Hook, Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary is Gordon Hook. Gordon is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Manitoba King’s Bench (Canada), previously the Queen’s Bench when he was admitted, and the High Court of New Zealand. He practiced criminal and civil law in both countries commencing in the early 1980s. Prior to his current role, he led the Criminal and International Law team at New Zealand’s Ministry of Justice which included policy work in AML/CFT, criminal procedure policy and international criminal law. In his current role, he has participated and led numerous mutual evaluations of APG member jurisdictions, including joint FATF/APG members.

Gordon holds a PhD in law from Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand, and has published and edited articles on AML/CFT and other legal topics in books, law journals and magazines. Recently in 2022 he completed a comprehensive research project on beneficial ownership and common law express trusts in the FATF standards at the University of Sydney (Australia).

Role and Responsibilities of the Secretariat

The Secretariat's general responsibilities include:

  • Supporting the governance framework of the APG, including Co-Chairs and Governance Committee;
  • Providing secretariat services to and serving as a focal point for the APG;
  • Coordinating and leading AML/CFT mutual evaluations of APG members;
  • Implementing the APG's technical assistance and training strategy including the effective coordination of those services with donors and providers;
  • Providing expertise and research on money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing in relation to weapons of mass destruction as well as other emerging issues to members and interested persons and organisations;
  • Organising and conducting the APG's annual meeting and other inter-sessional meetings, inlcuding committee meetings and project working groups;
  • Organising the Annual Typologies Workshop for law enforcement and finance sector specialists to analyse and share information on methods, trends and case studies, and to conduct projects on emerging typologies;
  • Reporting to APG members at Annual Meetings and Committees;
  • Contributing to global AML/CFT policy-making including attendance at FATF meetings;
  • Participating in the FATF's Joint Regional Review Groups on International Cooperation;
  • Providing advice and information to, and linkages between, international and regional agencies (especially financial, legal and law enforcement) on money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing matters;
  • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with relevant international and regional organisations, including the UN, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, Egmont Group, OECD, APEC, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, ASEAN, the Group of International Finance Centre Supervisors and other similar bodies to advance the APG's strategic goals;
  • Providing information and education to private sector agencies, including Universities and other tertiary education institutions, in relation to the global AML/CFT standards under the APG's private sector outreach programme.

In discharging these responsibilities, the Secretariat supports over 400 official delegates from its 41 member jurisdictions and 36 observers jurisdictions and international organisations.

Secretariat Staff

The APG Secretariat consists of 22 permanent staff members organised as follows:

Governance 

  • Executive Secretary
  • Deputy Executive Secretary
  • Deputy Director, Governance and Policy 
  • Executive Officer, Governance

Adminstrative Support

  • Policy Officer, Corporate Events 
  • Policy Officer, Finance Support
  • Policy Officer, Adminstrative Support

Mutual Evaluations

  • Director, Mutual Evaluations (Coordination & Support)
  • Director, Mutual Evaluations (Quality & Consistency)
  • Deputy Director, Mutual Evaluations 1
  • Deputy Director, Mutual Evaluations 2
  • Deputy Director, Mutual Evaluations 3

Research and Implementation

  • Director, Research and Implementation
  • Deputy Director, Research and Implementation 1
  • Deputy Director, Research and Implementation 2
  • Policy Officer, Research

Technical Assistance and Training

  • Director, Technical Assistance and Training
  • Deputy Director, Technical Assistance and Training (Asia)
  • Policy Officer, Technical Assistance and Training (Asia)
  • Deputy Director, Technical Assistance (Pacific)
  • Policy Officer, Technical Assistance (Pacific)
  • Policy Support Officer, Technical Assistance (Pacific)

 New Zealand Funded Pacific Technical Assistance Cell

The Secretariat has a dedicated cell within the Technical Assistance programme, responsible for delivering technical assistance and training solely to the APG's Pacific Island members. The Pacific cell and its business programme are fully funded by the Government of New Zealand under a substantial grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for a period of five years from July 2017.

The Secretariat is hosted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on behalf of the Australian Commonwealth Government and its offices are located in the central business district of Sydney, Australia.

China Funded Research Officer

The government of China provided funding to the APG in 2020 to engage a research officer in typologies and ICRG-related issues for a period of three years. 

For further information about the Secretariat or to enquire about careers with the APG please contact the offices using the 'Contact Us' link at the bottom of the page.