The Adviser Issue 5 | Page 9

TECHNICAL TALK
Jennifer Peaty , Head of Regulatory Consultancy Regulatory Consultancy Our Regulatory Consultancy Team offers a wide variety of compliance solutions to support your firm in meeting its regulatory obligations . We have an experienced , highly qualified ( minimum DipFS ) team , with members located throughout the UK , able to assist you in supporting your business needs . Our consultants will work with you , gain an understanding of your firm , and provide a personal service to ensure that your firm ’ s compliance arrangements and systems and controls are both compliant and in line with FCA expectations . Our services include a mixture of on-site and remote-delivery and we will work with you to achieve a suitable balance . Importantly , our consultancy is designed to help you run your business and as such presents ‘ advice and recommendations ’ rather than ‘ prescription ’ and acts as a discussion framework to help you helping you to achieve the best results for your business . We also offer a comprehensive , flexible programme of support , with a number of services designed to focus on specific business areas , including :
• Governance , Risk and Control Audit : a review of internal systems , controls , and procedures to ensure that the compliance and risk management systems and compliance controls in place are suitably robust .
• Supervision Audit : a focused review of recruitment , monitoring , and supervision arrangements .
• Advice Process Audit : a detailed look at the end-to-end advice process , from client origination and onboarding through to advice suitability and annual reviews .
Following these reviews , you will receive a personalised RAG rated audit report containing a breakdown of the findings of the day , along with any recommendations that your consultant has made . If you are initially looking for a lighter touch , we also offer a remote Compliance Healthcheck , which reviews key focus areas and provides a RAG rated dashboard and an action plan to allow you to focus your attention on key areas . These are available in Mortgage or investment focus . If you would like to know more about our services , please visit the ‘ Consultancy Services ’ page in the ‘ Compliance ’ area of the site , or get in touch on 01484 443419 or at compliancevisits @ simplybiz . co . uk
Karl Dines , Head of Business Consultancy Business Consultancy Services Our Business Consultancy proposition is a menu-based subscription service , split into a range of options from which you can select , dependent upon your requirements .
• Charges Proposition : We explore your charging structure and document the thought processes you go through to construct them . This includes establishing your cost of manufacture , setting charges and assessing value .
• Centralised Investment Proposition : FG12 / 16 sets out the regulator ’ s expectations when designing a CIP . We explore your investment philosophy and document how you create investment solutions for your clients .
• CIP testing : When building a CIP we will include selection
OUR CONSULTANTS WILL WORK WITH YOU , GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR FIRM , AND PROVIDE A PERSONAL SERVICE TO ENSURE THAT YOUR FIRM ’ S COMPLIANCE ARRANGEMENTS AND SYSTEMS AND CONTROLS ARE BOTH COMPLIANT AND IN LINE WITH FCA EXPECTATIONS .
processes , which can be incorporated into Centra using templates and panels ( if that is your preferred advice and research tool ). We will test your filters to make sure that the output is as expected , and useable .
• Consumer Duty Proposition : The Consumer Duty sets the standard of care that firms should give to consumers in retail financial markets . The Regulator expects Firms to demonstrate that their services provide fair value .
• Annual Review Service : We will review and update your documents on your annual review . If there are any major regulatory changes throughout the year , we will let you know .
Our objective is to support you and ensure you have a fully documented approach to charging clients , creating investment solutions , or your practical approach to The Consumer Duty . The highly qualified and experienced Business Consultancy Team will work with you in a way which is wholly collaborative , and designed to fit your needs , and those of your firm . If you would like to know more about our services , please visit the ‘ Consultancy Services ’ page in the ‘ Compliance ’ area of the site , or get in touch at bc @ simplybiz . co . uk
Gareth Johnson , Co-Head Signature , Head of Investment Management Compliance Discretionary Investment Management Consulting Discretionary Investment Management consulting for DFMs and Wealth Managers is carried out by our dedicated discretionary team . Whether it is for a start-up DFM , an advice firm adding discretionary permissions , established businesses , or rapidly expanding consolidators , Signature ’ s lead consultants offer decades of experience as board and director level practitioners in high growth and successful DFM / wealth management businesses . Our consulting focus is on regulatory , risk , governance , business , and distribution support . Where it makes sense for our clients , we are also a gateway to the products and service of Fintel . Signature consulting is intensely practical – we don ’ t simply tell clients the rules or make high level recommendations – we are about rolling sleeves up and helping our clients bring about meaningful , productive change at the day-to-day level . Because we ’ ve spent many years on the same journeys as our DFM and WM clients , we are in the position to act as guides for ‘ what comes next ’. We introduce real world best practices and help our growing clients avoid the perils and pitfalls on the road ahead . Entering or perfecting discretionary services is highly complex . We ’ re here to simplify that complexity and provide practical , direct , support . For further information please get in touch at g . johnson @ signature-support . co . uk
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