22 November 2019
Will there be cultural change in the financial and professional services?
The call for cultural change in the financial and professional services sectors is not new. This has arguably been gathering pace since the financial crash of 2008. Could we though now be on the cusp of real change?
15 November 2019
The role of a Financial Director – a life in the spotlight
BBC news alerts on our phones seem to be constant these days. There is of course the small issue of Brexit which is keeping journalists occupied. However, the state of the economy also features heavily in the news: large corporate collapses have dominated the headlines in recent times.
10 July 2019
What have we learned from the Senior Managers and Certification Regime?
With the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR) due to be extended to all regulated financial services firms in six months’ time (9 December 2019), we reflect on three key learning points from the regime which has already been in place for banks, building societies, credit unions and PRA- designated investment firms since March 2016.
10 May 2019
Credibility of witness evidence justified dismissal under FCA’s ‘fit and proper’ test
A recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) case has highlighted that if a court or tribunal criticises the credibility of witness evidence from a regulated financial services executive, then they are at risk of failing the fit and proper test, and being dismissed.
2 May 2019
FCA Business Plan 2019-20: A reflection of recent enforcement action
The FCA’s annual Business Plan sets out its main areas of focus for 2019/20. As well as being a look to the year ahead, the Business Plan reflects areas of focus of FCA enforcement action over the past year. This blog discusses four such priority areas and examples of recent enforcement action taken by the FCA in relation to: culture and governance; operational resilience; financial crime and money laundering; and the treatment of customers.