2018 Scottish Enterprise Awards

SME NEWS / 2018 Scottish Enterprise Awards 11 , Compliance First is Scotland’s leading specialist provider of compliance and business support services, tailored to meet the specific business needs of directly authorised financial advisers. We profile the firm to find out more and explore how far the firmhas come over the years. Best Financial Advisory Compliance & Support Firm 2018 Established in 2000 and later becoming part of The SimplyBiz Group in 2007, the Compliance First team prides itself on supporting advisers based across Scotland, the North of England and Northern Ireland with a personal service that meets their business requirements, also supporting them in achieving their longer- term goals. Since inception, Compliance First has continued to grow year-on- year and now supports over 530 advisory firms across a variety of areas including investments, pensions, mortgage, GI provision and workplace benefits. It does this through access to highly qualified technical support helpdesks, regular on-site visits from dedicated compliance consultants and a range of professional development events spread across the regions. This also includes an extensive and easily accessible website, offering an array of compliance documentation, guidance and manuals. Today, the firm employs a team of highly experienced and qualified staff. This committed team works with each firm to create a specific programme tailored to meet their needs, in addition to providing them with access to a range of support, tools, and technology that underpins their independence and enhances their proposition. At the start of every project, this client-focussed approach is employed, and as such, the team engage with prospective clients at every step of the way, whether that is to take them through the direct authorisation process with the FCA, or to get their compliance support programme up and running as quickly as possible. It is essential that clients receive the right service at the right time, every time. Whilst there is a considerable amount of structure in compliance and meeting the regulator’s requirements, Compliance First’s team has the ability to provide flexible solutions in respect of the business support required. Offering a unique service, unlike its competitors, who have had to actively adapt their core service provision to meet the need of the Scottish markets, Compliance First’s solutions are built from the ground up, taking into account all the intricacies of dealing with a different taxation and legal system. This is something that is highly relevant to the firm’s clients; specifically, those dealing with customers based north and south of the border, where it is essential that their recommendations have taken into account the services they are offering. As such, Compliance First is able to position itself as a vital partner for those clients working in both England and Scotland. As it looks to the future, the team at Compliance First understand that regulation is only set to increase over the coming months and years and as this escalates, those firms that take their compliance and growth responsibilities seriously will be looking for support from one organisation or another. As such, the firm is constantly adding to and adapting its services to meet the needs of its clients and ensure they remain at the forefront of their respective regulations and markets. Compliance First now has the benefit of its SimplyBiz Group position to be able to benefit from negotiated arrangements due to the sheer size of the operation and the fact that, in total, the firm supports one quarter of the directly authorised market, and therefore the future looks bright for this dynamic and innovative company. Compliance First SCO18024 Company: Compliance First Contact: Tracy McLeish Address: First Floor, 2000 Academy Business Park, Gower Street, Glasgow, G51 1PR, UK Phone: 0141 616 416 Web Address: www.compliancefirst.co.uk