Episode 75 — UK FinReg Focus Areas in 2024: Enforcement Against Firms

Two new Joint Executive Directors of Enforcement and Market Oversight appointed by the FCA in 2023 will settle into their roles over the year ahead. Following a period of enforcement defined by increased investigations and a willingness to push the envelope of legal interpretation, firms will look toward the coming year to resolve which areas of focus the FCA will prioritise. Recent activity suggests that the FCA aims to align its enforcement with its broader strategy, expedite the resolution of legacy cases, and improve its data and monitoring capabilities, while also addressing non-financial misconduct and maintaining a focus on retail conduct and market abuse. While the PRA has historically been less active in enforcement, PRA-authorised firms will look to see whether the regulator’s new early account scheme makes a difference to the enforcement process.

In this episode of Connected with Latham, the latest in a 10-part series complementing Latham’s “10 Key Focus Areas for UK-Regulated Financial Services Firms in 2024” report, London partners Rob Moulton and Andrea Monks address the key issues expected to emerge on the radars of the FCA’s joint heads of enforcement, and the potential impact of the PRA’s changes to its enforcement process. They also discuss the regulators’ data strategy and potential “quality over quantity” approach to investigations.

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