AFB Masterclass: Culture, Behaviour, and Compliance in International Banks

Culture in financial services is no longer viewed solely through the lens of policies, frameworks, or stated values. UK regulators increasingly focus on the lived experience within firms; how decisions are actually made, how people behave under pressure, and whether staff feel able to speak up, challenge, and act in the best interests of customers and markets.

AFB, in partnership with Willow Ethos, invites members to this new masterclass, designed for senior leaders and practitioners with responsibility for culture, conduct, governance, or people outcomes.

Why attend?

For international banks operating in the UK, this challenge is often amplified. Global policies and governance frameworks must translate effectively into local behaviours, across different leadership styles, cultural norms, and organisational structures. UK regulators expect boards/senior management to set and lead culture, and for their governance, systems and controls to translate into consistent behaviours on the ground. For cross-border groups, the PRA places particular emphasis on effective supervision of their UK business, including clear information flows, cooperation and appropriately robust risk management, because misalignment between intent of headquarters and UK lived experience can crystallise into conduct, reputational and performance risks.

This half-day masterclass explores organisational culture through a behavioural science and organisational psychology lens, equipping leaders and practitioners with practical tools to understand, assess, and positively influence culture in a UK regulatory context.

Now open for booking – to see the course content and the full brochure, please see here.

Who should attend?

• Senior Managers and Directors
• Non-Executive Directors (INEDs) and Board members
• HR and People leaders
• Compliance, Risk, and Audit professionals
• Culture, Conduct, and Governance leads
• Individuals accountable for shaping, assessing, or influencing organisational culture within UK-regulated entities

Given the limited spaces and expected interest, places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Logistics

Venue:       In-person at Bank of Ireland, 45 Gresham St, London EC2V 7PG

Date:          Thursday 19 March 2026

Time:         09:00 – 12:00 (Registration and light breakfast from 08:30, lunch from 12:00 – 13:00)

Fee:            £410 + VAT

Places:       Maximum of 25 participants

If you have any questions, please contact Ilza Javed at ilza.javed@foreignbanks.org.uk