The Trusted Voice In the Room
When It Matters Most
The Trusted Voice In the Room When It Matters Most
AKW delivers strategic clarity and expert execution
across regulated industries in the UAE and beyond.
Globally Recognised Locally Trusted.
Accredited by leading international institutions across compliance, tax,
audit, finance, and risk management.
Globally Recognised
Locally Trusted.
Accredited by leading international institutions across compliance, tax, audit, finance, and risk management.
Our Story Is Not About Services.
It's About SERVICE.
Our Story Is Not About Services. It's About SERVICE.
AKW was built not from theory, but from decades of real-world leadership in global AML compliance, forensic investigations, and regulatory transformation.
We are operators turned into advisers; experts who’ve led audits, dismantled corruption networks, built compliance structures from scratch, navigated regulatory scrutiny, and stood before regulators on behalf of clients when the stakes were the highest.
Our story spans industries, jurisdictions, and regulatory landscapes, but it’s always anchored in one goal: to deliver real intelligence when it matters most, with the courage to speak up and the clarity to move forward.
We Don’t Just Advise.
We GUIDE. And We STAY.
WE EMBED
reality, not from the sidelines.
WE SOLVE
not templated services.
WE EMPOWER
become smarter and more
self-reliant.
We empower businesses to manage risk,
navigate change, and lead with clarity
through strategic insight, real expertise,
and execution that delivers.
We aim to transform compliance from a
regulatory burden into a strategic
advantage so businesses can grow with
confidence, credibility, and clarity.
We empower businesses to manage risk, navigate change, and lead with clarity through strategic insight, real expertise, and execution that delivers.
We aim to transform compliance from a
regulatory burden into a strategic
advantage so businesses can grow with
confidence, credibility, and clarity.
OUR CORE VALUES
The Foundation of AKW
We take pride in our core values that shape how we think, lead, and create impact for our people, clients, and community.
Trust & Integrity
We protect your business as if it were our own.
Agility & Innovation
We anticipate, adapt, and lead with informed insight.
Expertise With Purpose
Every recommendation is tied to a measurable business outcome.
Impact Through Empowerment
We don’t create dependency; we build capability.
People-First Collaboration
We prioritise partnership over process.
Major Achievements & Milestones
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Our Founder & Leadership Team Didn’t Start With a Business Plan.
They Started With Experience Earned across London, Dubai, Emerging Markets, and High-Stakes Industries.
Leadership Team
Kenneth Khalkho
Director
Sustainability & Responsible Business
Financial and non-financial performance aren’t separate; They reinforce each other to build lasting value.
Kenneth Khalkho is Director of Sustainability & Responsible Business at AKW Consultants, bringing nearly 30 years of global experience in ESG, supply chain compliance, and responsible growth advisory.
At AKW, Kenneth leads ESG strategy and Responsible Business initiatives, advising clients across a broad range of sectors including metals and mining, retail, manufacturing, energy, government, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, automotive, education, and not-for-profit. He helps organisations embed governance, transparency, and sustainability into their core operations to meet increasingly complex regulatory standards and stakeholder expectations.
Kenneth has conducted over 3,000 non-financial audits across four continents: Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe, shaping compliance frameworks for multinational corporations. His expertise spans responsible supply chain due diligence, compliance and governance assessments, fraud investigations, ESG and SDG advisory, social impact assessments, and designing global responsible sourcing frameworks and training programmes aligned with international standards.
He began his consulting career with KPMG and has held senior roles at EY, Grant Thornton, and Protiviti. Prior to joining AKW, Kenneth served as Chief Operating Officer at Safeducate India, leading a team of over 450 professionals in supply chain logistics training and skill development.
Kenneth combines deep cross-cultural insight with operational fluency, making him a trusted adviser for organizations navigating responsible sourcing, ESG complexity and striving for ethical, sustainable growth.
Strong financial governance isn’t just about compliance; it’s about enabling sustainable growth and building stakeholder trust.
Manali Chopra is Director of Regulatory Compliance & Tax Advisory at AKW Consultants, bringing over 16 years of cross-border experience across the UAE and India. A Chartered Accountant and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), she leads AKW’s financial governance, compliance, and tax advisory services with strategic precision.
At AKW, Manali advises clients on corporate tax planning, international accounting standards, and AML compliance. She has spearheaded IFRS transition projects, led over 100 AML inspections, and served as Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) for entities regulated by the UAE Central Bank and Ministry of Economy. She is also an approved outsourced MLRO for firms regulated by the DFSA & FSRA, providing end-to-end compliance oversight in high-risk environments.
Manali’s expertise spans corporate tax strategy, regulatory audits, financial reporting under IFRS, and risk-based AML frameworks across sectors including fintech, investment, real estate, and precious metals.
She actively contributes to the regulatory and tax dialogue as a Board Member of the Dubai Auditing and Accounting Group under Dubai Chambers, ICAI Pakistan, as well as several AML and Corporate Tax industry events in the UAE.
Manali combines technical excellence with a solutions-focused approach, enabling clients to navigate complex financial and regulatory landscapes with clarity, control, and confidence.
Manali Chopra
Director
Regulatory Compliance & Tax Advisory
Sadi AHMED
Director
Regulatory Strategy & Compliance
Financial integrity is more than compliance. It’s the foundation That builds trust, enables growth, and defines market leaders.
Sadi Ahmed is Director of Regulatory Strategy & Compliance at AKW Consultants, bringing over a decade of experience in transforming compliance frameworks into strategic business assets.
At AKW, Sadi leads regulatory transformation projects across banking, fintech, crypto, and precious metals sectors. He advises clients on developing robust compliance programmes that promote resilience, scalability, and competitive advantage.
He previously led legal and compliance operations at one of the UAE’s leading gold refineries, establishing governance structures aligned with international standards and served as the outsourced Global Head of Compliance at MLRO. In 2021, he also built the regulatory foundation for the country’s first licensed crypto/VARA (OTC) company, established in DMCC, setting industry benchmarks for compliance within the virtual assets sector.
Sadi’s expertise spans AML/CFT, responsible sourcing, ESG frameworks, and supply chain governance, ensuring that clients remain aligned with evolving global and regional regulatory expectations.
He is an active contributor to national policy development through the UAE AML/CFT Partnership Forum’s DNFBP Working Group and is recognized as a leading voice in the financial crime compliance ecosystem.
Sadi holds a master’s degree from University College London and professional certifications including, Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS), Certified Compliance Professional in Cryptocurrency Financial Crimes (CCPC), and ICA Certified Money Laundering Reporting Officer (ICA MLRO).
The best solutions don’t just solve today’s problems. They create the resilience to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Michael Wharton is Director of Business Strategy & Growth at AKW Consultants, bringing over 16 years of international experience across regulatory advisory, fintech, crypto, real estate, and precious metals.
At AKW, Michael leads the firm’s business development and digital innovation initiatives, working with leadership teams to transform compliance and governance into strategic advantages. His approach combines commercial insight with technology-driven execution, enabling clients to achieve scalable, sustainable growth.
Michael’s career spans senior advisory roles at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the founding of successful ventures in the Edtech and deep tech sectors. He has led transformation projects across the GCC, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and India, supporting organisations in enhancing operational efficiency and meeting evolving regulatory expectations.
With a dual academic background from Cornell University and IIT Madras, Michael specialises in embedding AI, blockchain, cloud, and data analytics into business frameworks. His track record includes building responsible technologies such as ERP systems that reduce environmental impact, and sustainability-focused platforms in solar energy and wastewater recycling.
Michael combines strategic foresight with technical expertise to deliver practical, future-proof solutions for clients operating in complex and regulated markets.
Michael Wharton
Director
Business Strategy & Growth
WE MIGHT NOT BE THE BIGGEST, BUT WE’RE DEFINETLY THE MOST TRUSTED.
AKW isn’t built to be the biggest; we’re built to be the most trusted. We left the bureaucratic layers behind to build something sharper, more personal, and more impactful. Today, AKW is a globally recognised boutique advisory firm with deep roots in compliance, risk, and transformation. We serve with discretion, lead with intelligence, and operate with precision.
Because That’s What Our Clients Expect When Everything Is on the Line.