The Compliance Files

Season 6: Episode 2 - The European Accessibility Act (EAA)💡

The European Accessibility Act, approved in 2019, will come into effect on 28 June 2025, and will mark a significant shift in the EU. In this week’s episode of the Compliance Files Podcast Series, Patrick Erhard, Compliance Specialist, Mercer and Member of Compliance Institute's Consumer Protection Working Group speaks with Cormac Chisholm CEO, DevAlly about the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

Cormac provides an overview of the EAA including it’s importance and objectives. Cormac details the impact of the EAA and the specific sectors and services that the Act covers. Cormac outlines the common barriers that organisations encounter when trying to meet accessibility standards and describes the steps that organisations must take to comply with the EAA. Finally, Cormac provides the best practices that organisations can adopt to ensure they meet the EAA requirements.

Season 6: Episode 1 - The Voice of an Independent Non-Executive Director (INED)

In this week’s episode, Kathy Jacobs, former President of Compliance Institute and Chair of the Institute’s Sustainability Working Group speaks with Alan Holmes, Advisor & Independent Non-Executive Director, Board and Audit Chair on the topic of the Voice of an INED.

Alan takes us through his career to date and he outlines the core purpose of an Independent Non-Executive Director (INED) and how it differs from that of an Executive Director. Alan describes how INEDs help balance the interests of stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, and customers. Alan describes how INEDs ensure strong governance and accountability while still fostering innovation and growth and what qualities or skills make someone an effective INED in today’s corporate environment. Finally, Alan outlines what he thinks the future holds for INEDs, and how their responsibilities continue to shift in a rapidly changing business landscape.

Season 5: Episode 11 - Central Bank of Ireland's Regulatory and Supervisory Outlook Report - Risk Management

In this week’s episode, Deirdre O’Reilly, Independent Non-Executive Director and Member of Compliance Institute’s Prudential, Regulation and Governance Working Group speaks with David Corrigan, Chief Risk Officer, AIB Merchant Services, Eoin Shields, European Chief Risk Officer, Squareup International Limited and Conor Walsh, Independent Consultant and former Chief Risk Officer at KBC Bank Ireland.

The Central Bank of Ireland released their Regulatory & Supervisory Outlook Report in February 2024. The aim of this report was to outline their perspective on the key trends and risks that are shaping the operating landscape of the financial services sector. Within this context in our second part series, we look at the theme of Risk Management.

In this week’s podcast our guest speakers cover the Central Bank of Ireland’s assessment of the key risks facing regulated firms over a two-year time horizon which more broadly are captured under three thematic headings of the:

- Macroeconomic and geopolitical environment

- How regulated entities are responding to a changing world

- Longer term structural forces at play

They unpack each of these themes and discuss risk governance best practice more broadly. 

Season 5: Episode 10 - Talent Retention

In this week’s episode, Kathy Jacobs, former President of Compliance Institute speaks with Kelly-Anne Rainey, Senior Recruitment Consultant Compliance, formerly of Robert Walters on the topic of Talent Retention.

Kelly-Anne outlines what she is seeing in today’s market for Compliance Professionals and what is making them think about moving employer. Kelly-Anne describes what she sees as the main challenges for firms in attracting talent into their organisations and what organisations can do to retain their staff.

Kelly-Anne provides examples of good effective employment retention practices and outlines the impact that diversity policies and practices have on recruitment and retention and discusses the role that skills play in recruitment and retention given the proliferation of regulation and regulatory expectations.

Finally, Kelly-Anne gives her top tips for employees thinking about the next stage in their career and some pointers for employers.

Season 5: Episode 9 - Central Bank of Ireland's Regulatory and Supervisory Outlook - The Implication of Strategic Risks.

The Central Bank of Ireland released their Regulatory & Supervisory Outlook Report in February 2024. The aim of this report was to outline their perspective on the key trends and risks that are shaping the operating landscape of the financial services sector. Within this context on this week’s episode, Gustavo Pregoni, Member of the Institute's Prudential Regulations and Governance Working Group speaks with Professor Simon Haslam, Programme Lead - Strategy, Institute of Directors to discuss implications of strategic risk as one of the key risks considered by the regulator in this report.

Professor Simon Haslam discusses the Importance of Strategy, how to set a Business Strategy and outlines what a good strategy looks like. Simon describes how to ensure your strategy meets the expectations of the different stakeholders and how to ensure strategic decisions are proactively aligned with organisational capability and risk appetite of the entity. Simon also discusses Strategy Governance: Roles and Responsibilities and Board Reporting.

Season 5: Episode 8 - Politically Exposed Person's (PEPs)

In this week’s episode, Rachel Woolley, Head of Financial Crime Regulation, Palantir Technologies and Chair of the Institute's Financial Crime Compliance Working Group with the Compliance Institute speaks with Ed McDonnell, MLRO and Head of AML at TD Securities and Member of the Institute's Financial Crime Compliance Working Group, and Shane Keyes, MLRO and Head of AML at Carne Group on the topic of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

In this week’s episode, Rachel is joined by two seasoned experts in financial crime to help us unpack the intricacies of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs). They look at the risks they pose, the regulations governing them, and the practical challenges faced by institutions in managing PEPs related risks.

Season 5: Episode 7 - AI in Financial Services

In this week’s episode, Siobhain Ivers, Senior Director & Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, Etsy Inc.and Chair of the Institute’s Fintech and Payments Working Group speaks with John O'Connor, Partner, Technology & Data and co-Head of FinTech at William Fry LLP, Claire O’Connor, Senior Associate, Technology & Data Protection, Fintech at William Fry LLP, Member of the Institute's Fintech and Payments Working Group and Chair of the Institute’s Southwest Regional Chapter Committee and Greg James, Senior Manager, fscom and Member of the Institute’s Fintech and Payments Working Group on the topic of AI in Financial Services.

The guests on today's episode have specific experience of navigating the challenges faced by financial services firms who have implemented or are in the process of implementing Artificial Intelligence solutions to empower their business. In this episode they explore some of those use cases, the provisions of the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act and the practical legal considerations when regulated financial institutions are procuring AI solutions.

Season 5: Episode 1 - The Lexicon of ESG

In this weeks episode of the Compliance Files Podcast, Kathy Jacobs, former President, Compliance Institute speaks with Ann Shiels, founder of sustainable finance regulatory firm, FinLexSus and Ann is also the Program Director for the Compliance Institute’s Professional Diploma in Sustainable Finance for Compliance Professionals delivered in partnership with the IOB. 

 

In this episode, we revisit a familiar topic, and that is ESG Sustainability. There is a language and vocabulary growing up around sustainability. So in this episode, we are taking a helicopter view by doing a stock take on the regulation, and to explain some of the terms, acronyms to come to an understanding of the current position, and we  explore what a Compliance Framework for sustainability look like. Since the podcast was recorded, the CSDDD has been endorsed by the European Council in March 2024.

Season 5: Episode 6 - Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

In this weeks episode, Kathy Jacobs, former President of Compliance Institute speaks with Greta Koch, Policy adviser and press officer to Axel Voss, MEP, European Parliament on the latest addition to Sustainability Regulation the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

Greta describes how she became an advisor to Axel Voss in the European Parliament and her role. Greta explains where her interest in sustainability started. Greta discusses why the EU considered that an EU-wide supply chain due diligence legislation is required and what the process was for bringing the CS3D from a Proposal through to final approval. Greta explains what the changes were and why they were made and what the main provisions and the timelines of the CS3D are. Greta outlines what she anticipates will be the major challenges in the roll-out and implementation of CS3D across the EU and what she thinks will be the major challenges for in-scope organisations.

Season 5: Episode 3 - Payments Regulation

In this week's episode, Kathy Jacobs, former President of Compliance Institute speaks with Jessica Ramos, Head of Regulatory Oversight and Financial Affairs, EBA Clearing, to discuss the state of payments regulation in the EU today.

In this episode, Jessica describes who EBA Clearing are and her role within the company. Jessica advises why she works in the payments industry and what she enjoys about the industry. Jessica outlines the current challenges and opportunities in payments and what role regulation plays in payments. Jessica paints a picture of the current payments EU regulation landscape and what challenges regulation has brought to the payments industry and the industry has responded. Jessica describes the role the customer plays in shaping the agenda for payments and what she sees the future holding for the industry