UK Retail Bank Financial Crime Transformation PMO & Audit Remediation 18 months

Standing up the Financial Crime PMO and closing 15 external audit findings

The challenge

A UK retail bank was running a Financial Crime Transformation Programme to modernise its sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, and customer identification capabilities. The programme had no dedicated PMO, was operating under FCA scrutiny, and carried fifteen open external audit observations that required remediation. Implementation spanned multiple regulated technology systems, each with their own delivery partners and integration requirements. The bank needed senior delivery leadership to stand up the PMO, coordinate the technology rollout, and lead the audit remediation through to external auditor sign-off.

Our approach

We established and led the Financial Crime Transformation Programme PMO, designing the operating model, governance structure, and reporting cadence required for a programme operating under regulatory scrutiny. We coordinated the implementation of Fiserv FCRM for sanctions screening and transaction monitoring, alongside Experian Authenticate and Hooyu for customer identification, managing the delivery partners and integration points across the programme. In parallel, we led the remediation of the fifteen external audit observations, structuring the response, owning the evidence pack, and managing the dialogue with the external auditors through to formal sign-off.

15 of 15External audit observations remediated and signed off
3 platformsFiserv FCRM, Experian Authenticate, and Hooyu implemented and integrated
FCA recognitionProgramme received formal recognition from the regulator
PMO liveOperating model, governance, and reporting cadence designed and embedded
FinTech Transformation Programme 10 jurisdictions 18 months

Modernising a forex trading platform across mobile, web, and back-office

The challenge

A FinTech operating a forex trading platform across ten regulated markets needed to migrate from a legacy technology stack to a fully modernised platform spanning mobile, web, and back-office systems. The transformation required tight coordination across offshore engineering teams, in-house product and operations, and external technology partners. Each jurisdiction carried its own compliance requirements, and the migration had to be sequenced without disrupting live trading flows. Leadership needed a senior delivery owner working alongside the Chief of Staff and the executive team to land the transformation end to end.

Our approach

We embedded directly with the Chief of Staff and the executive leadership team, leading delivery of cross-functional initiatives spanning technology, regulatory, and digital change. We directed the end-to-end modernisation of the forex trading platform across mobile, web, and back-office, coordinating offshore engineering teams with in-house product and operations. We sequenced the rollout jurisdiction by jurisdiction, mapping regulatory requirements ahead of each migration, and managed the parallel running and cutover for each market.

8 of 10Markets migrated onto the new platform
End to endMobile, web, and back-office modernised in a single programme
Multi-teamOffshore engineering, in-house product, and operations coordinated through launch
RegulatedCompliance requirements aligned and met market by market
Investment Fund PMO Set-Up & Framework Pre-launch venture 6 months

Standing up the PMO and delivery framework for a regulated investment fund

The challenge

A newly established investment fund had no project management infrastructure in place. There were no frameworks, no PMO function, no delivery templates, and no defined cadence for governance or reporting. The fund's flagship initiative, the build-out of a neo-digital bank serving Money Service Businesses, was scheduled to start alongside parallel foundational programmes including HR and payroll system implementation. The fund needed senior delivery capability stood up rapidly, capable of running multiple workstreams under regulatory scrutiny, before any of the initiatives could safely progress.

Our approach

We designed and implemented the fund's project management framework from a blank sheet, including standard operating procedures, delivery templates, and governance cadence, all hosted on Notion to keep the framework accessible and easy for delivery leads to adopt. We initiated the neo-digital bank programme, defining the delivery approach and shaping the supplier strategy across technology and operations. We led the implementation of Rippling for HR and payroll, completed end to end within eight weeks. We managed supplier relationships across the programme and led contract negotiations on commercial terms and functional scope.

From scratchPMO, framework, and SOPs designed and operational from a blank sheet
8 weeksRippling HR and payroll rolled out end to end
LiveNeo-digital bank programme initiated and supplier strategy set
Multi-vendorContract terms and functional scope negotiated across the supplier base
Automotive Programme Delivery & Governance 800+ users 2 years

Implementing SAP CRM and the governance to make it stick

The challenge

The same governance discipline we bring to financial services applies wherever delivery failure is costly. A large automotive organisation needed to replace its existing lead and order management capability with SAP CRM, rolling out to more than 800 users across business teams, technology, and external delivery partners. The programme required end-to-end coordination across functions that were typically working to different cadences and priorities. There was no consistent governance structure in place to make decisions across workstreams, which risked the programme becoming a set of disconnected delivery efforts rather than a single integrated rollout.

Our approach

We led delivery of the SAP CRM rollout across more than 800 users, coordinating business stakeholders, technology teams, and external partners through a single integrated delivery view. We designed and implemented the programme governance structure from the outset, defining decision rights, escalation paths, and reporting cadence across workstreams. This gave leadership a clear line of sight into delivery and ensured material decisions were taken at the right level and at the right time. We managed business readiness and adoption activity in parallel with the technical rollout to support take-up from day one.

800+ usersLive on SAP CRM across business and operations functions
End to endLead and order management integrated under one platform
GovernanceDecision rights and escalation paths designed and embedded
Multi-teamBusiness, technology, and external partners aligned to a single delivery view
Recommendations

From people who have worked with us.

Mark brings structure, clarity and momentum to complex projects. His stakeholder management and influencing skills are particular strengths. He builds trust, manages expectations, and keeps teams focused on delivery.
Director of Change, Automotive Group
Mark is an excellent transformation programme leader. He drives change in challenging circumstances, working across technology, operations and front offices. He will always be one of the first selected to lead a programme.
CEO, Consultancy
Mark is an exceptional project manager and project leader. I worked with him over a number of years across challenging delivery roles. Thoughtful, driven, pragmatic, and a team player.
Chief Consulting Officer, Consulting
Mark is a very capable, reliable and diligent individual with a wealth of experience in the Project and PMO space. I would highly recommend his services.
Project Manager, Financial Crime
Mark is exceptionally strong at understanding client needs, translating them into technical solutions, and ensuring delivery on time and within budget. A trusted and consistent performer who delivers with integrity.
Chief of Staff, FinTech
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