News

March 27, 2026 - Clarity co-founder Claire O'Neill McCleskey spoke with the FT's Alice Hancock about how Iran is seeking cash through its new Strait of Hormuz "toll booth."  “They have a ready-made system of ‘shadow banking’ to sell their oil, access controlled technology, and fund weapons programmes."  Read more here.

March 24, 2026 - Clarity co-founder Claire O'Neill McCleskey joined Jos Standerwick of the Baltic Exchange for a webinar on exploring the implications of the evolving maritime sanctions landscape around the world and what it means for shipping compliance and risk management. Watch the recording here.

March 16, 2026 - WISTA NY/NJ hosted an event featuring the founders of Clarity Compliance Consulting. Clarity offered insight into how OFAC evaluates sanctions risk and what companies in the maritime, insurance, and energy sectors should think about in today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical environment. Learn more about WISTA here.

February 15, 2026 - At this year's ACI conference in Toronto, Claire McCleskey will join AXA's Deputy Chief Compliance Officer Bob Walsh to discuss the Russian oil price cap, Canada's role in energy sanctions, and  Venezuela developments. The conference will be held February 25-26, and registration is available here.

January 29, 2026 - Claire Grunewald joined David Tannenbaum of Blackstone Compliance Services to discuss evolving Dark Fleet dynamics and sanctions risks for those involved in Russian energy transactions for over 450 participants, hosted by the Association of Certified Sanction Specialists (ACSS). Recording is available for ACSS members here. 

December 31, 2025 - Claire McCleskey will co-chair ACI’s Flagship DC Sanctions Conference, which  marks its 20th Anniversary on April 29–30, 2026, returning to the National Press Club for this milestone year. For two decades, this event has stood as the definitive gathering for sanctions and compliance professionals. Register here.

December 19, 2025 - On this episode of Miller and Chevalier's EMBARGOED! podcast, Claire McCleskey joins host Tim O'Toole and Collmann Griffin to discuss sanctions compliance in the shipping industry. Tim, Claire, and Collmann cover how companies in the shipping industry should protect themselves from sanctions risks and how to prepare for uncertain in 2026. Listen here.

October 30, 2025 - Half of Russia’s oil is now sanctioned and the world’s energy flows are shifting overnight. If you’re trading, insuring, or shipping, you might already be exposed without even knowing it. In this Windward webinar, Claire Grunewald and other shipping industry experts provide essential guidance in a moment when the rules have changed and the map of global trade is being redrawn in real time. Watch here.

March 25, 2026 - Clarity co-founder Claire O'Neill McCleskey spoke with Lloyd's List Intelligence for their new piece on Iran's "Toll booth system" for Hormuz traffic. “Under US law, providing ‘material support’ to a designated FTO carries not just civil and regulatory risks but the risk of criminal prosecution." Read more here.

March 17, 2026 - Moody's Corporation will be hosting a discussion with ACSS, featuring Claire, Moody's Director Richard Graham, Crowell & Moring's Anand Sithian, and Citi'ss Howard Spieler, on evolving sanctions dynamics at their NYC office. The event will be held in person on March 26th in the evening. Register to attend in person here.

March 5, 2026 - Join Claire at @FTLive’s Commodities Global Summit on 20th - 22nd April 2026! Claire will speak alongside top industry executives in the Commodities sector, diving into the profound shifts, including the race for critical minerals and the intersection of energy security and geopolitics. Registration is available here.

February 4, 2026 - The 32nd Annual HACC-NACC Shipping Conference in New York, "U.S. and Shaping the Future of International Shipping". Claire Grunewald will be joining a conversation with Tomer Raanan from Lloyd's List Intelligence and Matthew Thomas from Blank Rome to discuss "Sanctions and Shipping in Turbulent Times". Registration is available here.  

January 20, 2026 - Clarity's co-founders were featured on Maritime TV for an interview with New York Maritime Inc's Executive Director, Sophia Brown, regarding the founding of Clarity Compliance Consulting and the biggest sanctions risks for the shipping industry. View the interview on Maritime TV here.

December 30, 2025 - As the year came to a close, the Kharon Brief reached out to leaders across policy, law and private industry to ask each of them the same two questions: What storyline or moment defined 2025 in your domain, and what is its most pressing issue for 2026? Read Claire McCleskey's brief on Lukoil here.

November 5, 2025 - Claire McCleskey joined the Kharon Global Summit in Washington, DC, participating in a panel titled "From Old Threats to New Frontiers: The Evolving Demands of Financial Crimes Compliance." Moderated by Zachary Goldman of Wilmer Hale, Claire and other experts discussed today's challenges in sanctions compliances and what companies need to know. Learn more here.

October 23, 2025 - Senior leaders convened in New York City for the Lloyd’s List Intelligence 2025 Outlook Forum, exploring how shifting geopolitics and sanctions are reshaping global trade. Claire McCleskey joined Tomer Ranaan and Eric Orsini for a fireside chat on sanctions and shipping, while Claire Grunewald joined a panel on "Navigating evasion, enforcement, and emerging risks." Learn more here.