COMPLIANCE & MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Andrew Smith Managing Partner
Paxen Group Limited
Tel: +44 (0)800 994 9215 andrew@paxen.co.uk www.paxen.co.uk
Paxen Group Limited is a boutique compliance and management consultancy firm. Our areas of expertise revolve mainly around obtaining and or retaining FCA permissions in Consumer Credit, Lending, Mortgages, Debt Services, Motor Finance, Leasing and Hire. Most importantly, we do all this in plain English. After nearly 25 years in the industry, we have seen many changes to how firms are regulated, how they are run and managed, and how their products have had to evolve to keep up with the changes in consumer use. Coming from a practitioner background, we have developed methods of applying regulatory rules and guidelines, but in a way that “enables”, rather than “stifles”, productivity, creativity and overall success.
Our Approach
Why Us?
Unlike most other consulting firms, we don’t have an endless list of services. We like to keep things simple. FCA Compliance can be confusing; let us help you see things in a much clearer and easier way.
External or outsourced support services are a vital part of modern business. We want to give each of our clients the time and guidance they deserve.
From obtaining Consumer Credit Authorisation to managing your GABRIEL returns, we have a bespoke solution right for you. Firstly, we start with a free initial consultation to get to understand you and your business, and what you perceive the key objectives of our partnership to be. From this initial basis, we look at three core objectives: 1) Identify the issues 2) Fix the issues
Whether you’re looking for one-off advice or support, or an ongoing retained trusted advisor, call us today. Together we will create and refine your plan for success. We didn’t get there alone, and neither will you.
After nearly 25 years in the industry, we have seen many changes to how firms are regulated, how they are run and managed, and how their products have had to evolve to keep up with the changes in consumer use.
3) Help prevent reoccurrence
COMPLIANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Product Partnerships
Nigel Wray Director Tel: +44 (0)1274 921234
nigelwray@ productpartnerships.com www.productpartnerships.com Established in response to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) taking over regulatory responsibility for consumer credit activities, Product Partnerships has developed a firstclass reputation for solving both complex and day-to-day compliance issues. The business has developed best practice online systems to assist firms, whose primary business is often not financial services, easily manage their compliance requirements. Nigel Wray, the firm’s Managing Director, commented: “We are a multi-award-winning compliance business committed to business improvement. This was recently recognised by our inclusion in the Parliamentary Review, which highlights firms achieving best practice in their sector. We are also members of the Association of Professional Compliance Consultants and the Consumer Credit Trade Association, enabling us to keep up to date with the views and thoughts of the regulator and other leading compliance experts. Focusing solely on consumer credit regulation
26
Global Awards 2021
allows us to develop in-depth knowledge and expertise in our chosen field and invest in technology and people more effectively.” Because of the reputation built over recent years, law firms, venture capitalists, finance providers and even other compliance firms now call on our services to assist businesses with their ongoing compliance requirements and help start-ups or acquisitions become regulated. Our involvement in large multimillion pound deals, through our support in ensuring the new owners or new entities get the required regulatory permissions as soon as possible, has been pivotal in enabling the business to proceed and be successful. We now work with some of the largest brands in the world, including US-based businesses. We work with these multi-national firms who are looking to enter the UK market but unsure of the regulatory requirements in relation to consumer credit. Often, consumer credit is a cornerstone for these businesses successfully entering the UK market, and we have been instrumental in enabling them to gain a strong
foothold in the UK whilst also ensuring they are fully compliant. Our business is structured so we can both support directly authorised FCA firms and, as an authorised business ourselves, subject to due diligence, we can apply for firms to become our Appointed Representative. This structure, together with our online compliance and training systems, allows us to support businesses in the way that best suits their operation. Our team of compliance experts can then engage with the business, either onsite or remotely, to review operational procedures, financial promotions, sales processes and complaints handling. Our business continues to grow through building an excellent reputation within our sector; most of our new business comes from referrals from current clients or intermediaries. Our focus remains on improving the customer experience, developing first-class innovative systems and a team that is seen as the ‘go-to experts’ in the consumer credit regulatory sector.