Rupert Evill’s background is in investigations, which led him to become a CFE. He now spends as much (maybe more) time working on the preventative side of risk and compliance. Located in Singapore, Rupert started his own company, Ethics Insight, in early-2019, with the mission to democratize access to ethics and compliance support and advice. He has received guidance from others throughout his career and joined the ACFE Mentoring Program to pay it forward.

Lena Lin, CFE, has years of experience in fraud risk management and internal controls at an international bank based in Hong Kong. She has examined internal and external fraud cases, conducted analysis and supported internal enhancements. But other areas have started to interest her, including Regulatory Technology (RegTech), anti-fraud applications and financial crime compliance strategies. She didn’t have too many criteria when she joined the mentoring program, but she knew she wanted someone who understood the culture and region where she does her work.

Here’s how the ACFE Mentoring Program brought these two together and what they’ve both learned and accomplished over the six-month session.

Why was it important for both of you to join the mentoring program?

Rupert: When I started my own company, I was fortunate to get advice and support from others further along that journey. I recognized that I would have loved that guidance earlier in my career. So, I decided to see if I could be of service or use to others.

Lena: I was looking for transformation and advancement. I had several years of investigation and fraud risk management experience and hoped to discover more possibilities. The ACFE Mentoring Program seemed promising to obtain quick and effective career development advice.

Rupert, how did you know Lena would be the right mentee for your experience and skill set?

I hoped more than knew! I had worked with people in similar roles to Lena, and I’d also built a few teams here in the Asia-Pacific region. Beyond that, I had an open mind; I feel most people know deep down what they want. The job of anyone supporting or providing guidance is to ask questions, listen and occasionally shine a light down a path they might not have considered.

Lena, what were you looking for in a mentor? And what inspired you to request Rupert?

I hoped to have someone who had successful stories in compliance and consulting, as well as exposure in Asia-Pacific countries. Rupert was very approachable. I messaged him, and he immediately replied with a structured set of questions which made me reflect.

What advice do you have for anyone who wants to join the ACFE Mentoring Program?

Rupert: I guess both parties should come with an open mind and be flexible. We’re all unique, learn and communicate differently, and our needs change. Lena has also been fantastic at staying in touch, which has kept up the momentum.

Lena: Be curious enough about yourself and find out what your needs are. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Mentors.

What has been the most rewarding part of your journey together?

Rupert: Lena has taught me more than she will ever realize. She asks some profound and tricky questions, making me examine my logic and test assumptions I’d made. Her incisive mind has made the process very fun and exciting. However, the most rewarding part is seeing Lena work through these questions and come up with clever solutions to whatever challenges she is facing. Some people have the tenacity, personality and humility to live many lives in one lifetime. Lena is like that, and it’s motivating to be around someone like her.

Lena: I was only looking for career advancement advice, but Rupert helped and encouraged me to dig further for my real needs and passion. He is very supportive, not only connecting me to his personal resources but also sharing plenty of effective methodologies and experiences. His way of confronting problems is very inspiring to me, which somehow simplifies the crux, quickens the solution-finding and eases the problem-solving process. Rupert is very good at making mentee’s life easier! He pushes for further exploration, but also reminds me of the necessity for a step-back review and target-hitting experiments. I appreciate tremendously Rupert’s guidance throughout the process.

Enrollment for the upcoming session of the ACFE Mentoring Program is now open. Visit the mentoring program homepage for more information. Or, if you’re ready to enroll right now, click the one of the buttons below.

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