FCA compliance consultants appoint Sugar PR
A specialist Manchester-based advisory firm has appointed Sugar PR to handle public relations and media as it grows awareness of its services.
B-Compliant is gearing up for further growth by serving finance professionals eager to comply with ‘red-tape’ laid down by regulators.
Launched in 2018 by business partners Vicky Pearce and Jeremy Smith, B-Compliant helps financial services firms comply with thousands of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations aimed at protecting consumers.
Jeremy Smith and Vicky Pearce of Manchester-based FCA compliance consultants B-Compliant.
Clients include IFAs, wealth management firms and discretionary fund managers who outsource essential compliance activity to the firm meet FCA requirements.Greater Manchester has the largest number of professional and financial services advisers outside of London and this has already led to the company expanding its existing premises in Sale. It plans to create more jobs in 2020.
We’ll be managing all press, social media and public relations for the business and securing media profile (such as this media coverage we’ve already generated in financial trade media Money Marketing, this in Professional Adviser and this in key regional business media Manchester Evening News Business and North West Business Insider) and content marketing for the brand like this creative video PR.
B-Compliant is a member of the Association of Professional Compliance Consultants, (APCC), the industry body for compliance consultants who advise firms regulated in the UK.
Vicky Pearce, managing director of B-Compliant (pictured above), who is also shortlisted in the Professional Adviser ‘Women in Financial Advice Awards 2020’ and is a committee member of the Personal Finance Society, said:
The FCA is responsible for the conduct of around 58,000 businesses and it is placing a sharp focus on the behaviour of financial advisers and fund managers in particular after the wave of pensions mis-selling and investment scandals in recent years. Complying with increasing levels of ‘red tape’, especially since the 2015 reforms to pensions, means many small and medium-sized financial advisers face compliance challenges and risk massive fines or even suspension if they get it wrong.
Financial advisers are happy to outsource this ‘non-fee earning’ side of their practice to us. It means they can focus on advising their clients, growing their businesses and ensure they remain compliant should the regulator come knocking.
We are delighted to appoint Sugar PR to handle our public relations, content marketing and brand strategy as we continue to raise awareness of our business, people and services for IFAs and wealth management firms across the UK.
Pete Davies, managing director of Sugar PR in Manchester, said:
B-Compliant believes that good personal finance advice can be life changing for people and that FCA compliance is its foundation. The introduction of more new regulations to protect consumers means we are confident there will be a growing demand from IFAs and wealth management firms looking to outsource their FCA compliance service providers.
There’s also a strong demand in the media for experienced compliance professionals like Vicky Pearce who can articulate and explain the impact of regulations on IFAs and wealth management firms to journalists who cover the sector. We are really excited to be working with the team at B-Compliant and we are looking forward to supporting them as they grow the business during 2020 and beyond.