Wolf&Grayson EditorialLarge-scale infrastructure projects and mergers worth billions can fail not because of engineering miscalculations or financial oversights, but due to compliance gaps that surface beneath the radar. These regulatory blind spots and cultural mismatches often derail even the most promising ventures. Akin Oni, a mega investment compliance and governance expert with decades of experience across oil, natural gas, LNG and mining sectors, has witnessed this pattern repeatedly and developed strategies to transform compliance from obstacle into competitive advantage.
Understanding Compliance Beyond Box-Checking
Compliance represents far more than legal requirements or regulatory hurdles. “Compliance, at its core, is about aligning how a business operates with the legal, ethical and regulatory expectations of the markets it serves and the communities it touches,” Akin explains. He describes it as “the discipline of doing the right thing in the right way each time every time, across jurisdictions, partners and project phases.” This perspective shifts compliance from a defensive function to a strategic enabler. When done correctly, compliance doesn’t impede ambition but creates the foundation for sustainable growth. The distinction matters significantly in today’s business environment where regulatory landscapes shift rapidly and capital moves at unprecedented speeds.
The consequences of compliance failures extend far beyond immediate financial losses. “The earliest phases of a deal or a project ripple for decades in financial returns, community relations and corporate reputation,” he notes. He has observed how major initiatives stumble when compliance becomes an afterthought rather than a core consideration. His experience spans projects across every continent except Antarctica, providing unique insights into how compliance challenges manifest globally. “I’ve always been drawn to the crucible moments where big strategic ambition meets operational complexity,” he reflects. These moments reveal why compliance expertise has become increasingly valuable as businesses expand across borders and regulatory frameworks.
Navigating Cultural Complexities
One area consistently underestimated involves cultural and jurisdictional nuances of compliance. “When deals or projects cross borders, compliance is not and should never be a one-size-fits-all matter,” Akin emphasizes. What appears acceptable in one country may violate laws elsewhere, while technically compliant actions might still be viewed as unethical by local communities. Many organizations focus heavily on financial and legal due diligence while under-investing in understanding how compliance expectations play out on the ground. “Cultural compliance intelligence is as critical as technical or financial due diligence,” he argues. Without this understanding, the social license to operate can erode before projects even begin.
Akin recommends three practices for embedding compliance into large-scale transactions and infrastructure projects.
Make Compliance Part of Your Strategy, not an Add-On
“Make compliance a core pillar of deal and project strategy, not something that you just bolt on,” Akin emphasizes. Too many organizations hear “compliance” and immediately think of the legal department. However, he argues this approach misses the bigger picture. “At the outset of any major M&A or capital project, compliance must have a seat at the strategy table, not just the legal table.” This integration should span from opportunity screening through due diligence, integration planning and project controls.
Spread Ownership Beyond the Compliance Officer
“Compliance works best when it is owned beyond the officer in charge of compliance,” he explains. The problem occurs when only the compliance team feels responsible for regulatory adherence. Instead, he recommends that “business development leaders, project directors, procurement heads, operations executives must all be compliance champions.” Cross-functional training and shared KPIs help create collective ownership. “It’s all about collective ownership, owning it collectively so that you are not just waiting until when the compliance officer sanctions you.”
Build Resilience into Your Governance Framework
“Build compliance resilience into project governance and execution,” he advises. He draws parallels to safety protocols that everyone understands. “Just like we do with safety, we know that once there’s a safety incident, there are regulations around what you must do within the hour, what you must do within 24 hours, and what you must do within one week… and so on” Governance frameworks should include rigorous controls, transparent reporting, third-party oversight where needed, and clear escalation mechanisms for non-compliance issues.
Leveraging AI in Compliance
How will artificial intelligence change compliance work? “The role of compliance professionals will evolve from compliance enforcers to strategic risk architects and trusted business partners,” Akin predicts. “AI and advanced analytics will take over much of the transactional monitoring, flagging anomalies in contracts, procurement data and third-party engagements faster than human teams can.” This shift will free compliance professionals to tackle bigger challenges. “Until an organization practices compliance from a behavior-based standpoint, they are just checking the box,” he notes. “But when it becomes part of the way they function, it becomes part of their internal processes, then they are getting somewhere.” He sees AI as a partnership opportunity, not a threat. “AI will be their co-pilot, not their replacement,” he states. “When you access AI the right way, when you try not to be afraid of AI, you actually will realize that AI becomes a co-pilot, not your replacement.”
He leaves organizations with three questions to consider: “Is compliance truly embedded in your strategy and culture or is it just a line item in your risk register? Are your project teams empowered and equipped to act as compliance leaders in the field? Are you using emerging tools like AI not just to automate monitoring but to elevate ethical decision making?” His final message focuses on effectiveness versus efficiency. “Effectiveness means doing the right things. Efficiency means doing things right. If you are doing things right, but you are doing the wrong things, you are still going to be wrong. Compliance becomes the vehicle for forcing you to think effectiveness before you think efficiency.” “Those who elevate compliance from a defensive stance to a strategic strength will set the standard for integrity-driven growth,” he concludes. “Let’s build that future together.”
To learn how compliance can become your competitive edge, visit Akin Oni or connect with him on LinkedIn.
