Meet the team: Fiona

This month we had the chance to speak to Compliance Monitoring Manager, Fiona. Her job is to ensure that not only do we provide high-quality products and services and put customers at the heart of what we do, but that in doing so we also meet our various regulatory obligations. Outside work, Fiona loves nothing more than binging on Disney movies with her daughters, lifting heavy weights and chasing the Northern Lights- what a combo!

 

Tell us about your role at FWG?

In financial services, as well as doing the right thing for customers, firms have to operate within rules set out by a number of different regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). As Monitoring Manager, we are a ‘safety net’ – keeping an eye on what we do and feeding back on where we could do more – as well as highlighting examples of best practice.

What led you to this role?

I have been working within Financial Wellness Group for many years and have had the benefit of experiencing different roles, both customer-facing and support, such as colleague training and development. My niche training area was helping colleagues understand the legal and regulatory aspects of their role, coupled with a number of qualifications in relation to financial advice, and financial services regulation and ethics, made a career in compliance a natural choice.

What is your favourite part of your role?

My own personal values are aligned to those of Financial Wellness Group: a desire to ensure that what we do is always in customers’ best interests drives me every day. Reading and interpreting financial services rules, regulations and guidance and keeping on top of changes and developments within the regulatory world may not be to everyone’s taste!!!….. but I enjoy the challenges it brings and that I can use my knowledge to help shape the way in which we support customers.

What was your dream job growing up?

I actually wanted to be a pathologist…. with hindsight I’m better off in financial services, I’m far too squeamish!

What’s your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?

Either relaxing, watching a film with my daughters (we are total Disney addicts), or lifting weights in a BodyPump class…. No middle ground here!

If you could only eat one item of food for the rest of your life, what would you eat?

Gerkins (don’t judge!)

Last book you read?

In a bid to raise my wine knowledge game I read Helen McGinns – ‘A Knackered Mothers Guide to Wine’. I could proudly hold my own at any wine tasting event now! (just waiting for the invites to flood in)

If you could be anywhere now, where would you be?

Despite visiting Iceland many times, I have never got to see the Northern Lights, which is right up there on my bucket list! So, I’d like to try my luck in Finland, one of those glass-topped igloos right now, in the midst of the season for the Northern Lights, would be incredible.