Global Financial Regulatory Blog

Category Archives: Individual Accountability and Governance

Subscribe to Individual Accountability and Governance RSS Feed

FCA Issues Final Notice to Former Banking CEO Over Anti-Money Laundering Failures

The case provides instructive practical examples of the “reasonable steps” companies can take according to the FCA and a reminder of the FCA’s cultural expectations of CEOs. By David Berman, Jonathan Ritson-Candler, and Sean Wells On 16 November 2022, the FCA issued a final notice (Final Notice) to the former CEO of Sonali Bank (UK) … Continue Reading

SEC Proposes Stricter Requirements for the Rule 10b5-1 Affirmative Defense

The Proposal would have a significant impact on current practices surrounding the use of Rule 10b5-1 plans by public companies and insiders. By Joel H. Trotter, Stephen P. Wink, Naim Culhaci, and Deric Behar On December 15, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a set of proposed amendments (the Proposal) regarding the adoption … Continue Reading

Private Bank Briefing – September 2021

By Rob Moulton, Nicola Higgs, Anne Mainwaring, and Charlotte Collins The latest edition of our Private Bank Briefing provides a roundup of legal and compliance issues impacting private banks and their clients from Q3 2021. In this edition, we include a summary of the latest sustainable finance developments, and pinpoint areas of post-Brexit regulatory divergence in relation … Continue Reading

Climate (and ESG) Risk: The Growing Focus on Board Accountability

Board members are expected to have adequate knowledge and understanding of climate-related and ESG risks. By Nicola Higgs, Paul A. Davies, and David Berman Legislators and regulators around the world have long recognised that one of the most effective ways to drive change is by focusing the minds of management — specifically by attaching individual … Continue Reading

Insider Trading in Commodities Markets: An Evolving Enforcement Priority

The CFTC and the DOJ both now pursue enforcement actions against trading in commodities based on misappropriation of confidential information. By Douglas K. Yatter, Sohom Datta, and Cameron J. Sinsheimer Among the many changes resulting from the Dodd-Frank Act, one that has been slow to develop, but broad in its significance, is the assertion of … Continue Reading

Key Regulatory Developments in Hong Kong and Singapore: September 2020

Regulators consult on anti-money laundering guidelines and issue guidance on cybersecurity, best execution, and senior management accountability. By Farhana Sharmeen, Simon Hawkins, Kenneth Y.F. Hui, and Marc Jia Renn Tan This blog post summarizes key regulatory developments in Hong Kong and Singapore during September 2020, including: (i) the SFC’s consultation on enhancements to its Guideline on … Continue Reading

FCA and PRA Statement on SM&CR and COVID-19: Expectations of Dual-Regulated Firms

UK Regulators announce new measures after acknowledging firms affected by COVID-19 will need to keep their governance arrangements under review. By Rob Moulton and Anna Lewis-Martinez On 3 April 2020, the FCA and the PRA released a statement announcing several new governance measures for dual-regulated firms amid the COVID-19 outbreak under the Senior Managers and … Continue Reading

UK Government Temporarily Suspends Wrongful Trading Rules to Assist Company Directors

Proposed changes to UK insolvency laws aim to support companies under pressure due to COVID-19. By Rob Moulton and Anna Lewis-Martinez On 28 March 2020, the UK government announced a number of reforms to UK insolvency laws: The temporary suspension of existing wrongful trading rules retrospectively from 1 March 2020 for three months, so that … Continue Reading

FCA Issues Guidance on Key Workers in Financial Services

The FCA has clarified which people working in regulated financial services firms will meet the definition of a “key worker”. By Rob Moulton On 19 March 2020, the UK government published guidance setting out which “key workers” will be permitted special status as regards to educational provision for their children. (It is possible that this … Continue Reading

US Baseball Scandal Provides Valuable Lessons on Corporate Culture

The Commissioner held senior leadership accountable for illegal “sign-stealing”, even though the conduct generally involved players and low-level operations employees. By Nathan H. Seltzer, David Berman, Christopher D’Agostino, and Nell Perks On 13 January 2020, the Major League Baseball Commissioner handed down significant punishment (including fines and suspension) to the Houston Astros baseball team and … Continue Reading

FCA Warns of ‘Significant Weaknesses’ in Firms’ Implementation of the Conduct Rules

All firms should take note of the FCA’s latest feedback on SMCR implementation. By Rob Moulton, Charlotte Collins and David Berman In its latest piece of feedback on firms’ implementation of the SMCR, the FCA indicated that firms must improve their implementation of the Certification Regime and, most particularly, the Conduct Rules. While the FCA’s … Continue Reading
LexBlog