Simon Merry

Background

About Simon Merry

An experienced Senior Leader in the UK Financial Services industry. I have previously held roles such as Compliance Director, Head of Compliance & Chief Risk Officer. I am a former SMF 4, 16, 17 holder, possessing a proven track record in regulatory compliance, risk management, and financial crime prevention. Key achievements include: Regulatory Compliance- Held SMF16 (Compliance oversight function)- Developed Compliance oversight, assurance & regulator engagement frameworks - Experienced across a range of products including mortgages, consumer credit, insurance & banking - Secured full FCA approval for a non-bank mortgage lender - Managed Variation of Permission submissions, SMF applications and regulatory notifications - Provided key advisory support for the implementation of significant regulatory changes, including Consumer Duty, Customer Outcome Testing, SMCR, Operational Resilience, and Mortgage Credit Directive. Enterprise & Operational Risk Management- Held SMF 4 (Chief Risk Officer function)- Responsible for developing and deploying the firm's Enterprise Risk Management Frameworks - Strong management of non-financial risks such as conduct, operational, and regulatory risks - Executive sponsor for the procurement and deployment of a Risk Management software system, leading to enhanced internal control and risk reporting. Financial Crime Prevention- Held SMF17 (MLRO)- Responsible for the firm's financial crime risk assessment and the development of AML policies - Managed a team of financial crime and fraud investigators. Corporate Governance- Former Company Secretary, responsible for Companies House reporting - Coordination of Board-level committee meetings - Reported to Board, Audit, and Risk committees on risk and regulatory matters - Member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Executive Risk Committee.