Secretariat Staff

The APG Secretariat consists of 11 permanent staff members as follows:

• Executive Secretary;
• Deputy Secretary;
• Executive Assistant;
• Principal Executive Officer I;
• Principal Executive Officer II;
• Director, Technical Assistance and Training;
• Executive Officer I;
• Executive Officer II;
• Project Officer, Technical Assistance and Training;
• Project Officer, Business Support and Events;
• Administrative Assistant. 

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

Role and Responsibilties of the Secretariat

The Secretariat's general responsibilities include:

• Supporting the APG Co-Chairs in performing their functions;
• 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 (TA & T) strategy including the effective coordination of  those services with donors and providers;
• Providing expertise and research on money laundering and terrorist financing and other emerging issues (such as proliferation financing) to members and other interested parties;
• Organising and conducting the APG's Annual Meeting and other inter-sessional meetings, such as Project Working Groups and the Implementation Issues Working Group;
• Preparing, conducting and chairing the Annual Typologies Workshop for law enforcement and regulatory specialists to share information on methods, trends and case studies and conduct projects on emerging typologies;
• Reporting to APG members at Annual Meetings and Working Groups;
• Attending FATF Plenary meetings as an Associate Member and liaising regularly with the FATF Secretariat;
• Providing advice and information to and linkages between international and regional agencies (especially financial, legal and law enforcement agencies) on anti-money laundering matters;
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with relevant international and regional organisations, including the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, Egmont Group, OECD, APEC, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, ASEAN and other related regional anti-money laundering bodies, including the Offshore Group of Banking Supervisors, in order to advance the APG's work and its regional strategy;
• Providing information and education to private sector agencies including private sector outreach in relation to the global AML/CFT standards. 

In discharging these responsiblities, the Secretariat supports over 350 delegates from its 41 members and 28 observers (jurisdictions and organisations), as well as providing policy and administrative support to the APG Steering Group, individual Working Groups, and other committees and projects groups including the jointly chaired FATF/APG Asia-Pacific Review Group on International Cooperation.

Dr Gordon Hook, Executive Secretary

The APG Executive Secretary is Dr Gordon Hook who practiced criminal law in Canada and with the government of New Zealand.   In New Zealand his work included AML/CFT and anti-corruption policy with the Ministry of Justice as the Manager, Criminal and International Law.   Gordon Hook is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Manitoba Queen's Bench (Canada) and the High Court of New Zealand. He has a PhD (Law) from Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand).    

For further information about the Secretariat or to enquire about careers with the APG please contact the offices at the address above.

Click on the "documents" button above and follow the links to download copies of the APG's Strategic Plan and Annual Business Plan as well as other key documents which establish the organisation.