Analysis and practical guidance on the regulatory developments, enforcement patterns and market trends that actually shape SMF appointments — beyond what any single designation guide covers. If our SMF Designations section explains what each role requires, this is where we cover how the framework itself is moving, and what that means for firms hiring into it right now.
FCA Enforcement Trends: What SMF Holders Need to Know
What recent enforcement action against individuals actually tells firms about how supervisors assess accountability in practice.
Consumer Duty and the SMF Framework
Where Consumer Duty accountability actually sits across the SMF structure, and where it doesn’t.
Operational Resilience: Where Supervisory Expectations Stand Now
How resilience maturity expectations have moved on since the original transition deadline, and what that means for SMF24.
The Certification Regime Explained
The “C” in SMCR — who needs certifying, how it differs from an SMF designation, and why firms conflate the two.
What Actually Goes Wrong in Form A Submissions
The specific, recurring reasons Form A applications get delayed or queried, and how to avoid them.
Diversity and Inclusion on Regulated Boards
What the FCA and PRA’s D&I expectations actually require of board composition and SMF9/14 searches.
Interim and Fractional SMF Appointments
When a fractional SMF16/17 or interim arrangement genuinely works, and when it creates more risk than it solves.
The Authorisation Journey: Building an SMF Team From Scratch
What newly authorising firms actually need to have in place, and in what order, before their SMF applications go in.
Adrian Lawrence FCA — Founder, SMF Capital
Adrian is a Fellow of the ICAEW and holds an ICAEW practising certificate in his own name. He founded FD Capital in 2018 and has since built out Exec Capital, NED Capital and Accountancy Capital alongside SMF Capital. View Adrian’s ICAEW profile.
Have a Question About a Specific Development?
Call 0203 137 2496 or email recruitment@smfcapital.co.uk if you’d like to talk through how a regulatory change affects a specific appointment you’re planning.