Thistle Initiatives
HQ Address
4 St Paul’s Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AY, United Kingdom
Website Address
Business introduction
Financial services compliance, without the complexity
Guiding you through compliance
Thistle Initiatives, part of the Thistle Group, is a multi-award-winning compliance consultancy, providing advice and support to regulated and unregulated firms both internationally and across the UK.
Since launching in 2012 we have become one of the largest members of the APCC and proudly supported over 1000 firms to become FCA authorised.
Our 70+ team of financial industry specialists, compliance officers, ex regulators and lawyers is dedicated to providing support with FCA authorisations, acquisition due diligence, audits, supervision and enforcement and ongoing compliance advice and support, to sectors including investments, payment services, credit, mortgages, digital assets and general insurance.
With a strong focus on financial crime compliance, we support firms to navigate the complexities of financial crime regulations, including anti-money laundering, anti-bribery, counterterrorism and tax evasion.
We are guided by a principle to be much more than a compliance consultancy, our philosophy of providing a world-class service and hands-on approach, with problem-solving and a commercial focus, means we strive to be trusted by the regulator and our clients alike.
Thistle Initiatives Solutions
Compliance Solutions
A starting point can often be a simple health check where we can assess your needs and the key areas that you need to address. This could be part of a broad strategy as wide ranging as helping you to manage your overall compliance solution or a very specific tailored......
business needs
view solutionEnforcement
The FCA has sweeping enforcement powers which range from an initial letter challenging a business practice to the very serious including penal sanctions. In recent years, the FCA has been far more proactive and it is clear that this more intrusive approach is going to be stepped up. Thistle Initiatives can......
business needs
view solutionFCA Authorisation
At Thistle Initiatives our experience of managing a large number of FCA Authorisations suggests that a well thought through application leads to a much faster and generally hassle free conclusion. We can advise you on whether or not your firm needs authorisation – this is not always as clear-cut as it......
business needs
view solutionGDPR
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect in May 2018. The Regulation is wider in reach than the current Data Protection Act; it confers more rights on subjects and more obligations on those controlling and processing personal data. Given the potential impact on businesses of these changes, it is essential......
business needs
view solutionMiFID II
In April 2014, the European Union approved MiFID II, an updated version of the original Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), implemented in 2007. MiFID II is set to take effect on 3rd January 2018, so firms don’t have long to get up to speed with this new regulatory regime. MiFID......
business needs
view solutionPSD2
The revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) is required to be implemented in the UK by 13 January 2018. The Treasury has transposed PSD2 into UK legislation in the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (PSRs 2017). The FCA will continue as the competent authority responsible for authorising and supervising payment service providers......
business needs
view solutionResourcing
As well as the health checks, consultancy and advisory work that Thistle Initiatives undertakes on behalf of clients, in the world of compliance a matter can arise unexpectedly, needing urgent attention. These issues maybe outside the business plan or beyond the experience of an in-house compliance team, this is where......
business needs
view solutionRoboAdvice
Automated financial solutions such as RoboAdvice are expected to become the standard for the younger digitally savvy investors. In particular, they are able to offer investment solutions with typically lower cost fees and lower account minimums enabling consumers easier and quicker access to the investment industry. RoboAdvice is the use by......
business needs
view solutionSenior Managers Regime
The Parliamentary Committee on Banking Standards (PCBS) was appointed to consider and report on professional standards and the culture of the UK banking sector. In its June 2013 report, entitled ‘Changing banking for good’, the PCBS criticised the Approved Persons regime stating that “a lack of personal responsibility has been......
