Tag Archives: Simon Witney

UK Financial Conduct Authority Issues Near-Final Rules on Extension of Senior Managers and Certification Regime and Introduces New Financial Services Directory

by Karolos Seeger, Simon Witney, and Andrew Lee

Following the consultation papers published in July and December 2017, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) on 4 July 2018 provided responses to the industry feedback it received and issued near-final rules on extending the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (“SMCR”) to almost all FCA-regulated firms.[1] Notably, the FCA has confirmed that the new rules will apply from 9 December 2019. We summarise below the limited changes from the FCA’s initial SMCR proposals, the main features of which have been covered in our previous client updates.[2]

In addition, the FCA has published a consultation paper regarding the introduction of a new directory of financial services workers (the “Directory”).[3] This will be available from 10 December 2019 for banks, building societies, credit unions and insurers, and from 9 December 2020 for all other firms. The key aspects of the Directory and firms’ significant related notification obligations are outlined below. Continue reading →

UK Financial Conduct Authority Publishes Details on Extension of Senior Managers and Certification Regime

by Karolos Seeger, Patricia Volhard, Simon Witney, and Andrew Lee

On 13 December 2017, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) issued three new consultation papers[1] providing further details on its extension of the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (“SMCR”) to almost all firms regulated by the FCA. Some of the FCA’s key proposals are summarised below. We have previously published a client update outlining the main features of the extended SMCR.[2] Continue reading →

UK Financial Conduct Authority Outlines Extension of Senior Managers and Certification Regime to All Regulated Firms

by Karolos Seeger, Andrew Lee, and Simon Witney

On 26 July 2017, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) issued its first consultation paper on extending the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (“SMCR”) to almost all of the approximately 50,000 firms regulated by the FCA.[1] The SMCR represents an important pillar of the FCA’s continuing efforts to promote individual responsibility and improve senior management accountability across the entire UK financial services industry. It will replace the current Approved Persons Regime.

The FCA has requested responses to the consultation paper by 3 November 2017, and there will be further consultation papers on particular aspects of the SMCR. It is anticipated that final rules will be published in the summer of 2018, and firms should expect to have to implement these by the end of next year. The SMCR has three main components: the Senior Managers Regime, the Certification Regime and the Conduct Rules. The key features of each are summarized below. Continue reading →