Stay up to date with the latest in financial advisory and wealth management regulation. Each week, we break down key regulatory changes, compliance trends, and industry insights to keep you informed. Whether you're a financial adviser, wealth manager, or compliance manager, our expert analysis ensures you stay on top of the rules that matter. Tune in for clear, concise, and actionable updates - because compliance should never be an afterthought.
Title: Beyond the Buzz: Less Red Tape, Same Responsibility?
Hosts: Vicky Pearce & Rachel MacRae
In this episode of Beyond the Buzz, Vicky Pearce and Rachel MacRae unpack another busy week of regulatory developments, from a potential shake-up of the Certification Regime to the FCA’s latest thinking on consumer investing, financial crime and AI governance.
Vicky and Rachel move past the headlines to explore:
Could the Certification Regime Be on Its Way Out? The FCA’s latest SM&CR proposals could see the Certification Regime removed altogether, fewer roles requiring FCA approval and less ongoing regulatory paperwork. But if the formal framework gets lighter, how do firms make sure accountability, supervision and oversight remain clear?
Rethinking Consumer Investing: With the FCA highlighting the amount of investable wealth still held in cash, attention is turning to whether risk warnings and financial promotions are helping consumers make informed decisions or simply creating more noise. The FCA is also reviewing high-risk investment categorisation and appropriateness assessments.
Financial Crime, Outsourcing & Emerging Technology: The FCA is proposing updates to its Financial Crime Guide, with a focus on fraud, sanctions, third-party screening, AI, deepfakes and synthetic identities. The key message for firms? Outsourcing an activity doesn’t mean outsourcing accountability.
What Good AI Governance Actually Looks Like: New FCA examples of good and poor practice bring some welcome proportionality, particularly for smaller firms. Vicky and Rachel look at why simply saying “a human checked it” isn’t enough, and what meaningful oversight of AI should look like in practice.
Selling Your Firm? Know Your Buyer: A warning from the FCA for advice firm owners considering an exit, as criminals look to gain access to the regulated market by acquiring existing businesses. Due diligence on a potential buyer needs to consider more than the price and deal structure.
Whether you're a compliance officer, adviser, wealth manager or firm director, this episode looks beyond the promise of lighter regulation to ask the practical question that really matters: if the rules become less prescriptive, can you still demonstrate who is responsible, how risks are being managed and where effective oversight sits?
15 Oct 2026
Culture, Challenge & The 90-Day Clock
Title: Beyond the Buzz: Culture, Challenge & The 90-Day Clock
Hosts: Vicky Pearce & Rachel MacRae
In this episode of Beyond the Buzz, Vicky Pearce and Rachel MacRae delve into four major regulatory updates, breaking down what happened, why it matters to the FCA, and what firms need to be doing in practice.
Vicky and Rachel move past the technical jargon to explore:
The Human Face of Whistleblowing: Reflecting on the personal toll of speaking up following the FCA’s review into interactions with whistleblowers. Why having a policy hidden away in a folder isn't enough, and how firms must cultivate genuine psychological safety and empathy.
Does Compliance Have a Real Voice in Your Firm? Examining the findings from the FCA’s corporate finance review. With 64% of firms having nine or fewer staff and 90% outsourcing support, how can small firms ensure compliance provides meaningful, early challenge rather than a rubber-stamping exercise?
Transaction Reporting Overhaul (CP26/34): What the transition to MAR 13–15 and the new Transaction Reporting User Pack means for wealth managers and discretionary managers ahead of April 2028—and why advice-only firms can breathe easy.
The 90-Day Notice for Illiquid Funds: The FCA’s proposal to end liquidity mismatches in NURS property and illiquid funds. How a mandatory 90-day notice period will impact client portfolios, platform operational plumbing, and quarterly rebalancing under the Consumer Duty.
Whether you're a compliance officer, wealth manager, or firm director, this episode offers practical, grounded insights to keep your firm ahead of the regulatory curve.
8 Oct 2026
What’s Changing at the FCA and What Advisers Need to Do Next
In this episode, Vicky Pearce and Rachel MacRae discuss:
• The FCA’s finalised UK Sustainability Reporting Rules and what the move to UK SRS means for listed companies
• How the new ‘comply or explain’ approach could influence investment research and due diligence
• Findings from the latest FCA and Practitioner Panel survey, including improving firm sentiment and Consumer Duty understanding
• Ongoing concerns around regulatory burden and the FCA’s plans to simplify reporting requirements
• The FCA’s consultation on new transaction reporting guidance and the operational considerations for firms in scope
• The upcoming Great Wealth Transfer adviser event and the compliance and suitability challenges of intergenerational advice
The discussion explores what these developments mean for advisers, wealth managers and compliance professionals, highlighting where firms may need to monitor future changes, review responsibilities and begin planning ahead.
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