DHL Express has announced that it is expanding its Asia Pacific Export Compliance Centre in Malaysia, and will increase the workforce there by 40 percent by the end of the year. The centre currently has more than 90 employees, suggesting that the company is hiring for around 40 positions.

Rachel Bae, Director, Asia Pacific Export Compliance, DHL Express, told People Matters that the company is looking in particular for compliance analysts and managers. “They play a vital role in ensuring that we continue to ensure our operations remain compliant to export regulations, despite the growing volume of shipments,” she said.

The APECC, located in Kuala Lumpur, is one of three centres globally that ensure that DHL's shipments comply with international shipping regulations. The demand for its services has grown recently, driven partly by the e-commerce boom and partly by import and export restrictions that countries in the region implemented when the pandemic broke out.

“Shipping across borders is a complex process involving regulations and requirements that are applied by different countries and agencies,” noted Raymond Yee, Vice President of Customs and Regulatory Affairs, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “This is made more complex where some countries have laws which apply extra-territorially.”

According to DHL, compliance staff at the centre will need to understand current rules and new sanctions from both origin and destination of the shipment. They will also help customers understand the import and export process, among other duties.

Bae said that staff will receive training on the job to help them stay abreast of regulatory requirements, including professional certifications. “Our export compliance officers at the APECC are globally certified by the International Compliance Association, the leading professional body for global regulatory and financial crime compliance. We also organise regular training sessions to keep our team abreast of new sanctions and regulations.”