Regulatory Visits & Interviews
A regulatory visit is a very particular style of examination with only a limited opportunity to put over what your firm does well.
The regulatory method of sampling and extrapolation means that issues can develop from staff accidentally mis-speaking or not coming over well. Regulators are also going deeper into organisations (interviewing more middle management and junior staff) than ever before.
We have experience of many thousands of regulatory meetings from the perspective of interviewer, interviewee and assisting others.
We help you prepare and practice for a specific visit through coaching and mock interviews so that your firm and staff come over at their best. Guidance is given in putting over areas of comparative weakness and making sure your strengths come through.
This support can be provided in combination with the online training course “Successful Regulatory Meetings”.
Regulatory Documents & Authorisations
Whether is it a capital or liquidity assessment or another key regulatory document submission, we can review it with the mindset of the regulator and with the experience of other firms.
We have experience of authorisations from the perspective of both the regulator and firms. We support regulatory authorisations assisting, reviewing and providing quality assurance on applications to the UK regulators.
Firm authorisation experience includes:
- conversion of an investment firm to a bank (which follows a similar regulatory process to a start up bank)
- authorisation of investment firms and consumer credit institutions
- variety of variations of permissions to expand business.
We help you structure and shape your documentation or authorisation application, identifying areas where you might unnecessarily raise concerns, giving you guidance on putting over areas of comparative weakness and making sure your strengths come through.
Regulatory Management Through Business & Legal Entity Change
Through experience of mergers and acquisitions, disposals, and legal entity restructuring and Brexit planning we have great knowledge of the mechanisms used in significant business moves.
We know the potential pitfalls of regulatory management through business and legal entity change and the areas of concern regulators may have. We combine this with extensive experience of cross border issues and cross border applications (both passporting and bilateral licences available in Europe). We can advise on the regulatory perspective on booking models, “back to backs”, intra-group outsourcing, governance and other change related issues.
We help you manage the regulatory interactions (be they meetings, documentation or formal applications) to ensure the change process is as smooth as possible. We focus on identifying potential pitfalls and areas where you might unnecessarily raise concerns, giving you guidance on putting over areas of comparative weakness and making sure your strengths come through.
Governance and Board Advice
Our knowledge of governance issues is from the perspective of a regulator, board director and advisor.
We have experience of developing governance frameworks, carrying out board effectiveness reviews, acting as executive board director on active financial services companies, and advising NEDs and board chairs on governance and regulatory issues.
As well as implementing governance enhancements in a range of different financial services contexts, we have carried out work in the charitable sector, developing risk policy and processes, and carrying out an assessment against the Charity Commission’s “Charity Governance Code”.
We have the knowledge and experience to apply good governance practices in a wide range of contexts in a way that is workable and effective. We can assist you in ensuring governance strengthens your firm.
Lydia Bailey is also available for NED / senior advisor to board positions.