UK Streamlines Senior Managers and Certification Regime for Compliance Teams

Many organisations still underestimate the true business risk of financial crime. It is often viewed as a niche concern handled quietly within compliance, audit, or legal teams, treated as though it sits far from mainstream business operations. That thinking is increasingly outdated. Financial crime is no longer simply a regulatory issue or an internal control matter. It has become a strategic business risk with the ability to disrupt operations, damage reputation, erode stakeholder trust, and expose organisations to significant financial and legal consequences. The organisations most vulnerable are often not those with no controls, but those that believe basic controls alone are enough. In today’s environment, financial crime should not be viewed as someone else’s departmental responsibility. It is an organisational risk that leadership teams can no longer afford to overlook. #RiskManagement #FinancialCrime #Compliance #CorporateGovernance #Leadership #BusinessStrategy

Anton Krause Advisory / "Directors Must Interrogate, not Assume." In today’s corruption risk environment, oversight is no longer enough. Relying on anti-corruption reports, dashboards, or compliance assurances won’t protect a board. The real question is: Have you challenged whether the controls actually work? Directors are now expected to: ➡️ Probe, not passively receive ➡️ Test assumptions, not trust them ➡️ Demand evidence, not summaries Because when things go wrong, “we assumed it was handled” is not a defence. Active governance isn’t optional anymore - it’s accountable! #CorporateGovernance #Leadership #BoardOfDirectors #RiskManagement #Compliance #LegalRisk #Accountability #Section34A

Centralized ownership and outdated risk strategies are falling short in dynamic business environments. Uncover the emerging trends that are reshaping compliance leadership and enabling proactive change: https://bit.ly/4cphcJk Gartner for Legal, Risk & Compliance | #GartnerLegal #Compliance #TopPriorities

Centralized ownership and outdated risk strategies are falling short in dynamic business environments. Uncover the emerging trends that are reshaping compliance leadership and enabling proactive change: https://bit.ly/4cphcJk Gartner for Legal, Risk & Compliance | #GartnerLegal #Compliance #TopPriorities

Centralized ownership and outdated risk strategies are falling short in dynamic business environments. Uncover the emerging trends that are reshaping compliance leadership and enabling proactive change: https://bit.ly/4cphcJk Gartner for Legal, Risk & Compliance | #GartnerLegal #Compliance #TopPriorities

Beyond the Checklist: The New Era of Board Oversight “Compliance is no longer a checklist; it’s a governance culture.” Recent regulatory shifts from SEBI and the RBI signal a clear end to management-driven comfort. By tightening the LODR framework and strictly excluding MDs/WTDs from Audit Committees, regulators are mandating structural independence over paper-thin compliance. The message is clear: The Audit Committee must be a governance anchor, prioritizing credibility through third-party reviews and forensic rigor. It is no longer about just following the rules—it is about fostering a culture that actively challenges management to ensure true transparency. How is your board adapting, both organizationally and culturally, to these evolving independence norms? #CorporateGovernance #AuditCommittee #RegulatoryUpdate #SEBIRegulations #RBIGuidelines #BoardIndependence #RiskAndCompliance #GovernanceCulture #BoardOversight #AuditLeadership

Easter is over… but are we still sleeping on accountability? Let’s have an uncomfortable conversation, in our industry, when something goes wrong i.e. a compliance breach, a mis-sold product, a client complaint the first reaction is rarely ownership, It’s positioning. >The FSP points to the Representative: “They executed the advice.” >The Representative points to the system: “That’s how we were trained and monitored.” >The Key Individual points to governance structures: “We had policies in place.” And just like that… accountability disappears into thin air. This is what I call “structured diffusion of responsibility.” Not accidental. Not rare. Structured. Let’s be honest about the real issue: We’ve built compliance frameworks that look robust on paper, policies, monitoring plans, Fit & Proper controls…but in practice? They often fail at the exact point where accountability should become personal. Regulatory expectation vs operational reality, regulators expect: clear lines of accountability, active oversight, real consequence management. But operationally, we see: delegation without true supervision, tick-box monitoring, accountability diluted across layers. So, when the regulator asks, “Who is accountable?” The industry responds with… a diagram. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: If everyone is accountable, no one is accountable. And that is the single biggest risk sitting inside many FSPs today, not fraud, not market conduct, but the illusion of control. Here is a thought to sit with: Accountability is not: a policy, a committee, a reporting line. It is a decision made daily by individuals who either step into responsibility… or step away from it. So, here’s the challenge to the industry: Before the next audit, the next FSCA South Africa request, or the next client complaint…Ask yourself:  If something goes wrong in your business today. Can you clearly, confidently, and honestly name the accountable person? Or will you also default to… the system? Let’s stop designing structures that spread responsibility, and start building cultures that own it. #Compliance #Governance #Accountability #FSCA #RiskManagement #Leadership #FinancialServices

Excited to be speaking and co-chairing next week at the 𝗖𝟱 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 in London (21–22 April), together with Imogen Haddon, Bapsy Dastur and Simon Airey. As U.S. enforcement priorities continue to evolve, the real challenge for compliance leaders is no longer just understanding the rules — but 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 “𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱” 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲. Benchmarking is no longer a static exercise; it is becoming a strategic tool to reassess risk, challenge assumptions, and ensure programs are truly aligned with where enforcement is heading. I’ll be joining Raja Chatterjee to explore how these shifts are reshaping risk assessments — and what this means for compliance programs in practice. Looking forward to the discussion and to exchanging perspectives with peers navigating the same challenges. #compliance #anticorruption #riskmanagement #governance

Regulatory scrutiny across UK listed markets continues to intensify, particularly around narrative clarity, consistency and transparency. Boards are being asked tougher questions about risk, governance and forward-looking statements. Reporting is no longer purely a compliance exercise. Presentation and precision now carry reputational weight. Structured workflows and disciplined document management reduce exposure at this level of scrutiny. If increased regulatory focus is shaping your reporting cycle, visit www.blackandcallow.com to find out how we can support you. #BlackAndCallow #RegulatoryScrutiny #CorporateReporting #UKListed #Governance #PLC #InvestorRelations #FinancialReporting #Compliance #CityOfLondon

Before the regulator steps in and it becomes news, the organisation has usually had multiple opportunities to step up. ◾ The internal memo no one escalated. ◾ The audit query quietly deferred. ◾ The compliance red flag explained away as “not material.” In my experience, governance failures are less about the absence of policies and more about the absence of a proper response. Strong organisations don’t just have controls: they respect signals and treat early warnings as decision points, not inconveniences, understanding that by the time a breach becomes visible, it is no longer a compliance issue but a leadership failure. Reviewing your governance structure and strengthening your internal response systems this quarter is a good place to start, before issues escalate. Board members and executives who listen early rarely have to defend themselves later. Have an impactful week; start early and respond better. #LegalConsultant #CorporateGovernance #MQLawstream