An anti-money laundering manager and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) graduate has won a prestigious award recognising her achievement as a top financial investigation student.
Gulmeena Rehman, 40, is the fourth annual winner of the Martin Kenney Award (for Outstanding Contribution to the Study of Financial Investigation), which is presented to one outstanding student each year studying MSc in Financial Investigation at UCLan.
Gulmeena was awarded a distinction for her Masters dissertation, completing her project whilst working full-time and despite undergoing a premature birth following an unexpected pregnancy (after being told she couldn’t have any more children), leaving her with significant health problems.
"Martin Kenney is one of the world’s leading asset recovery lawyers. To be presented with the award by someone that I admire and look up to makes it all the more special."
— Award winner Gulmeena Rehman
The Martin Kenney Award is sponsored by Martin Kenney, Head of Firm at British Virgin Islands law firm Martin Kenney & Co (MKS), a specialist anti-fraud and asset recovery lawyer who is also a Visiting Professor in UCLan’s School of Law and Policing.
Gulmeena Rehman said she was delighted with her award: “I’m grateful and honoured to have won such a prestigious award. Martin Kenney is one of the world’s leading asset recovery lawyers. To be presented with the award by someone that I admire and look up to makes it all the more special.
“I really enjoyed getting to grips with my Masters at UCLan, in what were sometimes quite difficult circumstances. I still feel emotional when I think about it now. Being officially recognised by the best in the industry makes the sacrifices during the past 18 months a bit easier.
"Being officially recognised by the best in the industry makes the sacrifices during the past 18 months a bit easier."
— Award winner Gulmeena Rehman
“None of this would have been possible without the excellent support of the staff at UCLan, and in particular the generous contributions of world-class experts like Martin Kenney, who share their knowledge and expertise to develop a new generation of financial investigators.
“The knowledge and experience I have gained at UCLan will stand me in good stead as I move to the next stage of my career.”
Martin Kenney said he was proud to present Gulmeena with this year’s award.
“I extend our whole team’s congratulations to Gulmeena. She is an outstanding example of determination and perseverance in the face of adversity. Her dedication to her work and study is a lesson for us all, particularly given the difficult circumstances she’s had to overcome. We’re very proud that she’s won this year’s award and have no doubt she will excel in her field in the years ahead.
"“The Financial Investigation MSc at UCLan has also more than proved its worth as an extremely valuable resource for those wishing to undertake a career in compliance, investigation or asset recovery work. "
— Martin Kenney, Head of Firm at British Virgin Islands law firm Martin Kenney & Co (MKS)
“The Financial Investigation MSc at UCLan has also more than proved its worth as an extremely valuable resource for those wishing to undertake a career in compliance, investigation or asset recovery work. In fact, it’s been so good we’ve employed two students direct from the course ourselves in previous years.
“With students of the calibre of Gul Meena and those we’ve employed graduating each year, we’re sure it will continue to go from strength to strength.”
Janet McClements, MSc Financial Investigation course leader at UCLan, added: “Gul has been a credit to herself and her family. She has navigated some significant personal hurdles to succeed and pass her Masters.
"I have sought to combine academia and practitioner-based input to prepare our graduates for the workplace. Gul is a prime example of what hard work here can achieve."
— Janet McClements, MSc Financial Investigation course leader
“In this increasingly regulated financial world, we are seeing an increasing demand from employers for those with the skills and knowledge that our course brings.
“My aim is to see more UCLan undergraduates joining this postgraduate course, which has already proven to be very popular with our foreign students, many who come from far and wide to study with us.
“Given my own policing background as an experienced fraud and financial investigator, I have sought to combine academia and practitioner-based input to prepare our graduates for the workplace. Gul is a prime example of what hard work here can achieve.”