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Fifty delegates attended the BVRLA’s first Compliance Forum of 2026 yesterday (16 March), hearing from legal, regulatory and industry specialists, including speakers from both the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
The half-day event began with a keynote session from Matthew Gregory and Katie Stephen of hosts, Norton Rose Fulbright. Together they explored the approach to complaint handling following the FCA redress scheme, and the key considerations this creates for leasing members.
This was followed by a panel discussion on Compliance and Governance: Raising Industry Standards, featuring the BVRLA’s Mark Pow, Phillip Garlick of Product Partnerships, Steve Tongue of Select Car Leasing, and Mark Holland from FOS. The panel examined how the sector can strengthen governance and compliance frameworks as regulatory expectations continue to evolve.
Andrew Jones, Manager, Consumer Finance at the FCA provided a dedicated session on regulatory data, focusing on the regulator’s Data Strategy and why it matters for the industry, offering members insight into how the FCA is using data and what firms should expect going forward.
A further session explored the role of Senior Management Functions (SMF) and the importance of building a strong compliance culture, delivered by Julie Ampadu, Owner and Director of Chameleon Consulting.
Additional contributions from Marcus Evans, Matthew Gregory and Peter McBurney of Norton Rose Fulbright on implementing AI compliantly, and Sharp IT’s Matt Riley on cyber security provided further perspectives and practical considerations for firms operating in today’s regulatory environment.
The forum was chaired by Shashi Maharaj, BVRLA Legal and Compliance Director, and concluded with a networking lunch.
Two more Compliance Forums will take place through 2026, members wishing to get involved should visit the Compliance Forum webpage.
