Working with Sovereign Wealth Funds

We didn’t set out to build generic compliance software — we built Themis Search alongside the risk, compliance, and investment teams of some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds.

From early conversations about cross-border complexity and reputational exposure, to live testing across multi-asset portfolios, our platform has been shaped by the realities that sovereign investors face every day.

These organisations operate at scale, under scrutiny, and across jurisdictions where regulation, sanctions, and ESG expectations are in constant motion. Off-the-shelf tools didn’t work. So we built something better.

Themis is AI-first by design. It combines deep domain expertise with intelligent automation, giving your teams the clarity, speed, and control they need — without compromising on context or nuance.

We now work with clients across sovereign capital, development finance, and institutional investment — helping them assess risk faster, monitor exposures globally, and make decisions with confidence.

If you're looking to future-proof your governance, enhance transparency, and protect long-term value, Themis is ready to support you.

Why Financial Crime Compliance Can’t Wait

The stakes for sovereign capital have changed.

Sovereign Wealth Funds once operated with quiet authority — backed by scale, long-term horizons, and national mandates. But today, that same scale brings exposure. Global scrutiny has intensified, and expectations around transparency, ethics, and ESG alignment are no longer optional — they’re assumed.

Sanctions regimes shift overnight. ESG due diligence is no longer a tick-box exercise. Stakeholders — from regulators to reputational risk monitors — expect sovereign investors to lead, not follow.

This means SWFs now face risk on multiple fronts:

  • Indirect exposure to sanctioned entities or high-risk jurisdictions

  • Reputational fallout from opaque investments or weak governance

  • Heightened ESG scrutiny around land use, modern slavery, and corruption

  • Growing demand for real-time risk visibility across increasingly complex portfolios

Financial crime compliance isn’t a back-office concern — it’s now central to protecting sovereign capital, ensuring geopolitical neutrality, and safeguarding long-term licence to operate on the global stage.

Themis helps SWFs meet that challenge — not reactively, but strategically.

Latest Publication

Money Laundering And The Gold Trade

In this Themis briefing note, we analyse what makes gold so alluring for money launderers and explore what is being done to regulate the global gold trade. With dirty gold circulating through the global economic system in ways that are often difficult to trace, it is imperative for businesses and consumers alike to be aware of the risks associated with this glittering commodity.

Our Approach

A multi-layered, intelligence-led partnership tailored to sovereign capital

We combine technology, human analysis, and jurisdictional expertise to deliver insights that go far beyond red flags. Our approach is scalable, confidential, and fully aligned with global compliance and ESG standards.

Portfolio-Wide Risk Intelligence

We combine technology, human analysis, and jurisdictional expertise to deliver insights that go far beyond red flags. Our approach is scalable, coWe help SWFs identify financial crime risks across both direct and indirect holdings, providing an audit-ready, defensible view of portfolio exposure. Our services include: nfidential, and fully aligned with global compliance and ESG standards.

  • AML/CTF & sanctions screening across portfolio companies and JV structures

  • Ownership and control analysis to identify ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) and layered entities

  • Jurisdictional risk mapping to highlight exposure to FATF grey- and black-listed countries

  • Sectoral risk benchmarking to assess compliance maturity by industry

This assessment supports internal decision-making, board-level risk oversight, and regulatory engagement.

ESG and Governance Risk Mapping

We conduct thematic mapping of corruption, labour rights violations, environmental crime, and greenwashing risk across your portfolio — aligned with international frameworks such as:

  • The FATF Recommendations

  • OECD Guidelines

  • EU AML Directives

  • The UN SDGs and PRI principles

Our governance screening helps future-proof investments against emerging ESG-financial crime convergence and reputational exposure.

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and Strategic Deep Dives

When higher-risk counterparties, transactions or sectors are involved, we deliver targeted analysis through:

  • Investigations into sensitive acquisitions or third parties

  • Reputational intelligence including litigation, adverse media and enforcement actions

  • Country - and sector - specific risk reports

  • Pre-transaction risk reviews for new or high-profile deals

Each EDD report is tailored to your risk appetite, governance model, and transparency expectations.

Ongoing Monitoring and Alerts

We offer continuous screening for:

  • Sanctions

  • Politically exposed persons (PEPs)

  • Adverse media

Our systems provide automatic updates across portfolio assets with optional analyst oversight, and can be integrated into your internal compliance tools or run as a standalone service.

Custom Reporting and Risk Dashboards

We create board-ready reporting frameworks and visual dashboards to ensure risk oversight is accessible, digestible, and actionable. Our models support prioritisation by jurisdiction, sector, and regulatory exposure, helping you allocate resources effectively and demonstrate due diligence to stakeholders.

Supporting SWF Teams: Legal, Investment, and Compliance

Themis works directly with in-house teams through:

  • Bespoke training and workshops tailored to sovereign fund structures

  • Capability building aligned with regional and global regulatory developments

  • On-call support for high-risk transactions or board-level queries

We bring clarity to complexity, making financial crime and governance risk understandable across your organisation — not just for compliance officers.

Why Sovereign Wealth Funds Choose Themis

  • MENA-rooted, globally aligned — with deep insight into SWF structures, geopolitical sensitivities, and international regulatory trends

  • Flexible delivery — whether integrated into your internal systems, delivered as a managed service, or offered through hands-on advisory

  • Trusted by banks, regulators, and sovereign entities — from the GCC to the UK

  • Human-driven, tech-enabled — combining proprietary risk tech with expert-led analysis

Protecting Sovereign Capital for the Long Term

In today’s environment, protecting capital means protecting reputation, regulatory alignment, and long-term value.

Themis is committed to helping Sovereign Wealth Funds build frameworks that reduce exposure, increase transparency, and uphold the highest standards of compliance and ethical investment.

Let’s future-proof sovereign capital - together.

Want to find out more? 

Book a meeting with our Senior Business Development Manager