The Standard Formula Podcast | Developments on the Horizon for the UK Change-in-Control Regulatory Regime
Brexit & Financial Services: Preparing for the End of the Transition Period
In the UK, it has not historically been part of the fabric of our legal and regulatory system to pay whistleblowers who provide evidence to authorities who are investigating potential breaches of law or regulation....more
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Director Nick Ephgrave has consistently touted the benefits of offering financial rewards to whistleblowers. With the FCA also considering its position on financial incentivisation, and a supportive...more
Katten's Financial Markets and Funds Quick Take is a monthly newsletter highlighting key noteworthy developments potentially affecting financial markets and funds....more
On 13th February 2024, in a wide-ranging speech, the Director of the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Nick Ephgrave, publicly stated his provisional support for financial incentives to whistleblowers in allegations of...more
Recent legislative developments in the United Kingdom, public remarks from the new director of the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO), and recent parliamentary hearings on the Post Office Horizon scandal put a spotlight on...more
On 13 February 2024, Nick Ephgrave gave his inaugural public speech as the new Director of the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO). With a background in law enforcement, including as assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan...more
Overview - A survey conducted by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in early 2022, but published only in 2023, has revealed the stark reality that the regulator is not doing enough for whistleblowers. 15...more
UK Financial Insights from Katten is a monthly newsletter highlighting key noteworthy developments potentially affecting financial markets and funds in the UK and Europe....more
Last week, the FCA published its Annual Report for 2022/23, which included the usual FCA annual enforcement performance data. Below we have selected 10 key points from the Annual Report that are interesting from an...more
The UK Upper Tribunal (Tribunal) has overruled Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) decisions that three former employees of Julius Baer International Limited (JBI) lacked integrity and should be prohibited. The Tribunal’s...more
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced plans to keep whistleblowers better informed about the way in which information provided to the FCA is being used and, in particular, the FCA’s rationale for taking or...more
It is well known that one of the biggest frustrations for whistleblowers is the lack of feedback. Having taken the difficult step to report wrongdoing, they are then left out of the process, and have little or no idea whether...more
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) recently published the findings from its 2022 whistleblowing qualitative assessment survey, together with the steps it intends to take to improve whistleblower confidence. The FCA...more
While there are a number of ways in which organizations may become aware of potential wrongdoing internally, perhaps the most significant for its legal and compliance teams is internal reporting, or “whistleblowing,” by...more
Many sectors, including financial services, have encountered a discernible increase in whistleblows in recent times — a trend that shows no signs of abating. Indeed, some whistleblowers have seen fit to publicise their...more
We were delighted to interview Kevin Parle – Fellow of the International Compliance Association (ICA) and Deputy Chair of the Data Protection Forum – for insights and observations of whistleblowing roles within U.K....more
Key Points - The SEC and the FCA each publish annual reports, which can offer a useful insight into their enforcement actions. The data in the reports only represents a snapshot of the regulators’ activities, but is...more
Observed every 23 June, World Whistleblowers Day was created by a group of non-governmental organisations to raise public awareness of the rights and protections of whistleblowers, and to tackle global corruption....more
On 7 April 2022, changes to DIFC Regulatory Law 2004 and the DFSA Rulebook came into force, to implement proposals concerning a whistleblowing regime that were consulted on by the DFSA in 2021. The Regime applies to all...more
Over the past decade sport globally has had a number of high-profile public scandals, namely in doping and abuse. In the UK, British Gymnastics has been placed under the microscope for reports of abuse; a doping scandal has...more
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has recently announced that it is considering adding a sixth question on diversity and inclusion (D&I) to its five conduct questions (5CQs). The significance of D&I has long been...more
CMA 2021/22 annual plan - The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its annual plan for 2021/22. In 2021/22, the CMA will focus on the following themes...more
Confidence - The FCA has just upped the ante with regard to whistleblowing with its latest campaign “In confidence, with confidence”, designed to encourage individuals working in financial services to report potential...more
COVID-19: FCA proposes additional guidance for insurance and premium finance firms on customers in financial difficulty - The FCA has published draft additional guidance for insurance and premium finance firms, setting...more
On 7 October 2019, the Council of the European Union formally adopted a new Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law. The Directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on...more