Build resilience, reduce errors, and design a strong control environment
Financial institutions need robust risk and control frameworks to satisfy regulators, pass audits, and operate efficiently. Our practice designs audit-ready control environments that reduce operational risk and strengthen governance across the enterprise.
Is this you?
- ❌ Frequent breaks in fees, brokerage, cash, trades
- ❌ Audit findings and repeat remediation cycles
- ❌ Regulatory scrutiny from ECB, PRA, FCA
- ❌ Lack of controls around key processes
- ❌ No clear risk assessment of critical operations
- ❌ Weak data quality causing downstream issues
Regulators expect strong control environments. Our firm delivers them.
What we deliver
Risk Assessments & Heatmaps
- Inherent risk - What could go wrong
- Control effectiveness - How well you're protected
- Residual risk - What remains
- Heat maps - Visual risk landscape
- Priority actions - What to fix first
Control Design (Preventative & Detective)
- Preventative controls - Stop errors before they happen
- Detective controls - Catch errors quickly
- Manual vs. automated - Where to invest in automation
- Control frequency - Daily, weekly, monthly checks
- Control ownership - Who executes what
Control Library for Operational Processes
- Standard controls - Reusable across processes
- Control descriptions - What, why, how
- Test procedures - How to validate effectiveness
- Evidence requirements - What auditors need
Break Analysis & Root-Cause Reports
- Trade breaks - Confirmations, settlements, allocations
- Cash breaks - Nostro, payments, FX
- Fee breaks - Brokerage, commissions, fees
- Root cause analysis - Why breaks happen
- Remediation plans - How to fix permanently
Market/Transaction/Fee Reconciliation Risk Analysis
- Reconciliation processes - Front-to-back review
- Break patterns - Where issues cluster
- Control gaps - Missing or weak controls
- Automation opportunities - Reduce manual effort
Audit Readiness Documentation
- Control testing evidence - What auditors require
- Control narratives - Written descriptions
- RCSA documentation - Risk & Control Self-Assessment
- Audit response packs - Pre-prepared materials
Data Quality Metrics & Dashboards
- Completeness - No missing data
- Accuracy - Correct values
- Timeliness - On-time delivery
- Consistency - Same across systems
- KPIs & dashboards - Monitor data quality
What this solves
Frequent Breaks (Fees, Brokerage, Cash, Trades)
Identify root causes of breaks and implement preventative controls to stop them happening.
Audit Findings & Repeat Remediation
Close findings permanently with strong control design, not quick fixes.
Regulatory Scrutiny (ECB, PRA, FCA)
Provide audit-ready documentation that satisfies regulatory expectations first time.
Lack of Controls Around Key Processes
Design comprehensive control frameworks covering all critical processes.
Deliverables
You receive audit-ready risk and control artefacts:
✅ Risk assessments with heatmaps
✅ Control library (preventative & detective)
✅ Control design documentation
✅ Break analysis reports
✅ Reconciliation risk analysis
✅ Root-cause analysis for operational issues
✅ Data quality metrics & dashboards
✅ Audit readiness pack
All in Excel, Word, PowerBI, or your preferred format.
Who this is for
- Investment Banks - Trading, settlements, reconciliations
- Commercial Banks - Payments, cash management, treasury
- Asset Managers - NAV production, fund accounting
- Broker-Dealers - Trade processing, clearing, settlement
- Custodians - Asset servicing, corporate actions
Typical engagement
Week 1-2: Risk & Control Assessment
- Process walkthrough
- Existing control review
- Risk identification
- Break analysis
Week 3-5: Control Design
- Control design workshops
- Control library development
- Test procedures
- Documentation
Week 6-8: Validation & Handover
- Control testing
- Stakeholder validation
- Audit readiness review
- Final documentation pack
Pricing
Risk & Control Assessment: £15k - £40k
Duration: 6-8 weeks
Scope: 5-10 key processes
Break Remediation Programme: £20k - £50k
For complex break analysis and control uplift
Ongoing Control Support: £10k/month
Continuous control testing and improvement
Real results
Global Investment Bank (FX Trading)
Challenge: High FX confirmation breaks, PRA audit finding
Delivered: Root-cause analysis, control uplift, automated checks
Result: Breaks down 75%, audit finding closed, PRA satisfied
European Asset Manager (Fund Accounting)
Challenge: Data quality issues causing NAV delays
Delivered: Data quality framework, controls, dashboards
Result: Data accuracy improved 90%, NAV production on time
Start here
Complimentary: Control Gap Analysis
Share a description of your key processes and current control environment. Our team will provide an executive assessment covering:
- Critical control gaps and weaknesses
- Key operational and regulatory risks
- Priority actions to strengthen controls
Consulting Engagements
Control Health Check (£12k-£18k, 3-4 weeks)
- Risk assessment for 3-5 processes
- Control gap analysis
- Quick wins report
- Recommendations
Full Risk & Control Programme (£25k-£40k, 6-8 weeks)
- Comprehensive risk assessment
- Control library design
- Break analysis & root-cause
- Control testing procedures
- Audit readiness pack
- Data quality framework
Ongoing Support (£10k+/month)
- Continuous control testing
- Break analysis
- Control effectiveness reviews
- Audit support
Why partner with us
✅ Tier-1 bank experience - Designed controls for global banks
✅ Regulatory knowledge - Understand ECB/PRA/FCA expectations
✅ Practical approach - Controls that work in reality
✅ Audit-ready quality - Auditors and regulators approve
✅ Break resolution - Fix problems permanently
What makes controls effective
Weak controls:
- ❌ Manual, error-prone processes
- ❌ No clear ownership
- ❌ Inconsistent execution
- ❌ Missing evidence for audits
- ❌ Reactive, not preventative
Strong controls:
- ✅ Preventative AND detective
- ✅ Clear ownership and frequency
- ✅ Automated where possible
- ✅ Evidence captured
- ✅ Tested and validated
- ✅ Audit-ready documentation
Next steps
- Complimentary Gap Analysis - Share your control environment
- Discovery Session - 45-minute discussion with our leadership team
- Proposal - Tailored engagement with clear deliverables and success criteria
- Mobilization - Rapid programme startup within one week