Senior manager of regulation | Asociacion de Bancos Multiples de la Republica Dominicana
Lidia Ureña Cedano
Senior manager of regulation | Asociacion de Bancos Multiples de la Republica Dominicana
What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?
From the Legal Department of ABA, I represent the country’s multiple banks and serve as a technical liaison between them and the main regulatory entities, as well as with other key actors in society. I coordinate high-impact regulatory initiatives, including inter-institutional working groups with the Financial Intelligence Unit (UAF), the Superintendency of Banks, and the General Directorate of Internal Taxes, proposing and promoting regulatory improvements and more efficient supervisory practices, while fostering ongoing and constructive institutional dialogue.
I promoted the signing of an agreement between ABA, GAFILAT, and FELABAN that facilitated access for more than 500 collaborators from multiple banks — member institutions of ABA — as well as regional financial institutions affiliated with FELABAN, to the training platform Campus GAFILAT. This tool, specialised in the prevention of money laundering, terrorist financing, and associated risks, has significantly strengthened technical capabilities both nationally and regionally.
I led the organisation of the III Latin American Congress on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (COPLAFT), in partnership with FELABAN, marking its first in-person edition in the Dominican Republic. The event brought together more than 200 national and international participants, including regulators, financial institutions, and non-financial obliged entities, consolidating its position as a regional benchmark space. As President of the COPLAFT Committee, I structured a strategic agenda that brought together more than 20 high-level experts to address key topics such as artificial intelligence, virtual assets, and the informal economy, strengthening public-private dialogue in the compliance field.
Additionally, I was elected First Vice President of the Latin American Trust Committee (COLAFI) of FELABAN, from where I lead technical cooperation initiatives among associations and actors of the Latin American financial system. This participation contributes to consolidating ABA’s leadership in strategic spaces for regulation and compliance in the region.
How do you manage legal matters during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the resilience of the organisation?
Institutional resilience begins with a solid regulatory analysis, constant dialogue with regulators, and a strategic and coordinated response. In crisis or uncertainty scenarios, my approach is based on three pillars: anticipation, coordination, and clarity. From the Legal Department, we promote early reading of regulatory trends and emerging risks, and we strengthen the internal documentary framework to support well-founded decisions. We coordinate joint responses with other sector actors and competent authorities, avoiding fragmented approaches. In complex contexts, legal communication must be clear, practical, and solution-oriented, ensuring decisions remain aligned with the legal framework and the strategic goals of the organisation.
What is a cause —business-related or not— that you are passionate about? Why?
I am deeply committed to strengthening anti-money laundering frameworks in Latin America from a strategic perspective with real impact on the economic stability of our countries. Demonstrating efficiency in managing these risks not only meets international commitments but also ensures access to correspondent banking, attracts foreign investment, and reinforces international trust. Non-compliance, on the other hand, can lead to sanctions, financial isolation, or disruptions to key products.