Compliance Program Development and Enhancement

Navigate the changing risk and compliance landscape

As new rules and regulations are adopted and the regulatory landscape evolves your compliance programme must keep pace or risk leaving your firm exposed.

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Our solutions

In additional to ongoing compliance manual maintenance support, our ACA compliance cycle management team can assist you with a range of topical compliance challenges, including:

AIFMD Consulting & Support

Drafting of your documentation, policies, procedures and controls for AIFMD impacted EEA-based investment managers of alternative investment funds, and also non-EEA advisers who wish to market such funds into the EEA.

Stay on top of financial crimes-related threats and regulatory concerns with AML consulting support. We can support with independent testing and risk management, as well as, development of AML, KYC/CDD, FCPA and anti-bribery, and cybersecurity policies and procedures.

Updating of policies, procedures and compliance manuals for firms with a UK-based presence, reflecting new rules and regulations following the exit of the UK from the European Union.

Policy and procedure development and program management including carbon footprinting, climate risk scenario analysis, net-zero management, DEI baselining and training, portfolio performance assessment, reporting (UN PRI, TCFD, SFDR), and marketing and disclosures reviews.

FCA Marketing Abuse Regulation (MAR) Solutions

Focused and cost-effective assessment of your firm’s policies, procedures, monitoring program, surveillance techniques, and controls environment. Our ACA compliance cycle management services can also provide a deep-dive review, benchmarking, and testing of your firm’s market abuse arrangements.

LIBOR

Assistance in devising your LIBOR transition plans, assessing and reviewing your firm’s reliance and usage of LIBOR, or performing a gap analysis review of your transition work to date.

Our investment company team will help you to navigate the SEC’s liquidity risk management program rule through educational resources and alerts, benchmarking insight, help with program management and development of policies and procedures, annual assessments.

MiFID II Consulting & Support

Our post-implementation review is designed to review, test and benchmark your MiFID II program to identify gaps and reduce your regulatory risk for compliance enhancement.

Our prudential team are on-hand to help provide regulatory oversight of your firm’s capital monitoring and forecasting, and regulatory reporting processes. This includes support with the upcoming Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR).

Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) and Form CRS

Our ACA compliance cycle management experts can help broker-dealers understand the compliance and operational issues presented by Reg BI as they relate to their retail business. Our consultants can assist in designing customized procedures that will detail the steps needed to address Reg BI’s requirements as they relate to your firm.

SM&CR Compliance Solutions

Post-implementation reviews of your documentation, framework and internal process, gap analysis, as well as senior manager and conduct rule training for compliance enhancement.

Policy and procedure development and thematic project support to help make sure your trade and transaction reporting is in line with MiFID/MIFIR and EMIR regulatory requirements.

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Latest insights

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FCA Reminds Firms of their New Conduct Rules Reporting Obligations under SM&CR

The FCA recently added a webpage reminding solo-regulated firms of their obligation to report breaches of its conduct rules (and ensuing disciplinary action) as required under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR).

Compliance Alert
  • Compliance
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Public, Private or ‘Private Private’: Do you have the right information barriers?

Throughout the lockdown, the FCA and SEC have voiced thier expectation that private information is handled appropriately and that firms maintain adequate and appropriate information barriers. Firms should revisit what is considered “private” information and how that can get a little grey and nuanced in the private markets sector.

Report
  • Compliance
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New Guidance for Characterizing Certain Broker-Dealers Under the SEC’s Customer Protection Rule

The SEC and FINRA issued updated guidance on the characterization of U.S. broker-dealers under the Customer Protection Rule. This new guidance states that Non-Covered Firms that solely engage in Non-Covered Firm activities are no longer subject to any Rule 15c3-3 requirements.

Compliance Alert
  • Compliance
Compliance Alert

SEC OCIE Issues Risk Alert on COVID-19-Related Compliance Risks and Issues

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has issued a risk alert on the COVID-19-related risks, issues, and challenges faced by SEC-registered investment advisers and broker-dealers, including those resulting from the widespread use of telecommuting practices and pandemic-related market volatility.

Compliance Alert
  • Compliance
  • BCP
  • COVID-19
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FINRA Guidance for Retail Communications Concerning Private Placement Offerings

FINRA issued Regulatory Notice 20-21 on July 1, 2020 providing guidance for complying with FINRA Rule 2210 “when creating, reviewing, approving, distributing, or using” retail communications concerning private placement offerings.

Compliance Alert
  • Compliance
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2020 Investment Management Compliance Testing Survey Results: BCP Related to COVID-19 Now Top Compliance Concern

From April 20 – May 31, ACA Compliance Group, Investment Adviser Association, and BrightSphere Investment Group ran the 15th annual Investment Management Compliance Testing Survey.

Survey
  • Compliance
  • BCP
  • COVID-19

News

ACA Group Acquires Financial Compliance Firm, FINOP Consulting

Acquisition strengthens ACA’s outsourced financial operations offering for broker-dealers.

ACA Group Recognized on ESGFinTech100 Among Top Industry Innovators

We are thrilled to announce that ACA Group has earned a spot on the prestigious 2024 ESGFinTech100 list, joining the ranks of the world's most innovative ESG technology providers.

Financial Services Firms Lag in AI Governance and Compliance Readiness, Survey Reveals

The 2024 AI Benchmarking Survey by ACA Aponix and NSCP reveals that, despite enthusiasm for AI, financial firms lack formal AI governance frameworks, testing protocols, and third-party oversight.

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