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Webinar: What is left to do with the Leeds Reforms?

Understanding the post–Mansion House landscape for FCA-authorised firms

On-demand | 45 minutes | Online
 

The Chancellor’s Mansion House speech set out an ambitious vision for modernising UK financial services, with the Leeds Reforms at its centre. But months later, many firms are still asking what has genuinely changed, what remains in motion, and where regulatory expectations are heading.

This webinar provides a clear and practical walkthrough of the reforms to date. Our experts will break down the implications for governance, oversight, SMCR responsibilities, customer outcomes and financial promotions. You'll gain straightforward, actionable guidance to help your teams prepare for the next phase of change, with a live Q&A to close the session.

 
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Key Takeaways

1. Leeds Financial Reforms: The Leeds reforms aim to reposition the UK as the world's leading financial center by 2035, focusing on simplified regulation, faster approvals, and boosting retail investment.

2. SMCR Hiring Ease: The SMCR proposals include streamlining certification requirements and reducing the approval time for senior managers, potentially easing the hiring process for firms.

3. Ombudsman Complaint Simplification: Changes to the Financial Ombudsman Service include reducing interest rates on complaints and clarifying the "fair and reasonable" test, aiming to simplify and speed up complaint resolutions.

4. Digital Market Overhaul: The wholesale markets digital strategy includes ending paper share certificates by 2027 and tightening client categorization rules, impacting professional status assessments.

5. Growth Competitiveness Strategy:: The government's growth and competitiveness strategy includes reviewing the ring-fencing regime, enhancing cross-border trade, and appointing an AI champion for financial services, aiming to boost the sector's global standing. 

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Meet the speakers

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Katharine Leaman

CEO, Leaman Crellin | Advisory Board Member, Skillcast

Katharine has worked in financial services for over thirty years in insurance claims, giving investment advice, regulation, and banking compliance. Katharine has been European Head of Regulatory Compliance at Standard Chartered Bank and spent over a decade at the UK's regulator, the FSA (now FCA in senior policy and supervision roles. 
 
Katharine’s expertise is in technical areas of the rules such as Market Abuse, CASS, SMCR, and Outsourcing. As well as issues that have a broader regulatory focus such as market conduct, non-financial misconduct, conduct risk, operational resilience, and consumer duty. 
 
At Leaman Crellin Katharine regularly provides compliance advice to the C-suite as well as to front-office trading and salespeople around the world. 

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David Kenmir

Advisory Board Chair, Skillcast

David Kenmir has 35 years Regulatory Experience including 5 years as a Managing Director of the FSA and 14 years as a Risk and Regulatory Partner at PwC. Having recently retired from PwC he is starting a plural career as part of which he will become Chair of Skillcast’s new Advisory Board.

David has broad regulatory experience and has worked on many aspects of Financial Crime including s166 reviews, and Enforcement cases. David is known for speaking and writing about many aspects of regulation and its unintended consequences.