Michael joined our team following 16 years at the FCA, most recently as a Technical Specialist in Consumer Investments supervision.
During his time at the FCA Michael designed, led and delivered over a dozen thematic reviews; oversaw a number of sector/firm mitigation and redress strategies; inputted to a range of key policy initiatives, and helped develop the regulatory strategies for the financial advice and Consumer Investment sectors.
Michael has an in-depth understanding of the regulatory frameworks governing advised and non-advised pension/investment sales, product governance, complaints and redress. Key areas of expertise include:
- Product governance: Michael has significant experience assessing product governance from his time leading thematic reviews and helping implement the Consumer Duty within the retail investment market.
- Risk identification and assessment: Michael is comfortable developing methodologies for assessing risks and undertaking consumer outcomes testing across retail investment distribution models. During his time at the FCA he led thematic reviews and linked mitigation strategies on pension switching advice; complaint handling; D2C/at-retirement guidance models; structured investment products; banks’ lump-sum investment advice; retirement income advice, and financial adviser charging/service disclosure and ongoing services.
- Innovative business models: Michael has extensive experience of innovative investment distribution models from his time working on The Financial Advice Market Review, setting up the FCA Advice Unit (a new function providing individual support to firms developing innovative advice/guidance models), helping develop the Core Investment Advice regime and leading thematic reviews assessing innovative advised/non-advised models.
- Mystery shopping and consumer research: Michael has experience using mystery shopping and consumer research to help assess the efficacy of financial advice models.
