AFB Complimentary Workshop: Navigating a Conduct Crisis in the UK Office of an Overseas Bank

AFB, in partnership with BCLP, FTI and KPMG is convening an exclusive, interactive workshop to discuss evolving best practice approaches when navigating a conduct crisis in the UK office of an overseas bank. This complimentary workshop is aimed at senior representatives from legal, compliance and communications teams.

The increasing regulatory focus on culture, governance and conduct, evident through the FCA’s recent consultation on new non-financial misconduct rules and guidance, assertive supervisory interventions by the FCA and PRA, as well as regulatory enforcement actions, is driving ever greater collaboration between HR, Compliance, Communications, Legal and Forensics specialists within firms.  This workshop will support regulated firms as they consider how best to manage their employment, regulatory and reputational risks holistically.

Why attend?

This workshop will be an opportunity to discuss with leaders from BCLP, FTI and KPMG on the topic of navigating a crisis in the financial services sector. As well as sharing (on a carefully anonymised basis) learnings from their firms’ recent work in this area, they will use a fictional case study to stimulate discussion.  The case study will also help to illustrate practical strategies that firms can use to identify and manage the diverse risks arising in these challenging situations.  

The Chatham House Rule will apply to this event to encourage open dialogue and discussion.

Who should attend?

This workshop is aimed primarily at senior representatives from Compliance, HR, Legal and communications teams of AFB member banks who would oversee or manage any conduct crisis arising.

Speakers

Lisa Mayhew, Partner and Chair Emeritus, BCLP

With a long and distinguished background in business leadership, law and regulatory oversight spanning over 30 years, Lisa is a prominent figure in the field of corporate reputation protection and crisis management advisory services.

As a recent head of a large international law firm for almost 10 years and one of just four employment lawyers for employers in the UK ranked as an “Eminent Practitioner,” Lisa brings unparalleled expertise and breadth of perspective in navigating complex challenges that go to the heart of an organisation’s reputation. Her strategic counsel is sought after by many organisations, including financial and professional services firms and in the private equity sector, seeking to proactively manage reputational risks and mitigate potential crises.

Lisa also leverages her experience as a board member of a national regulator of professional services to strengthen clients’ appreciation of making commercial judgments with a sharp focus on good governance and decision-making.

This breadth and powerful combination of experience, combined with her expansive network, equips Lisa with a unique ability to advise organisations with precision and foresight on how best to protect their reputation on an enduring basis.

Polly James, Partner, BCLP

With a career in financial services regulation spanning decades, Polly James is known in the market as a highly effective “regulatory troubleshooter”. She has successfully defended clients in regulatory enforcement investigations and supervisory interventions, including s166 Skilled Person Reviews.

A former member of the FCA’s Enforcement Division, Polly has excellent instincts for the regulator’s likely perspectives and next steps. She advises boards and executive committees on non-financial misconduct incidents, working alongside other professional advisers to ensure calm and measured assessments of all legal and non-legal risks. Polly is consistently recognised as a leading individual for contentious regulatory work by the Legal500 and Chambers & Partners, where she is ranked in Band 2 for both corporate and individual work.

Polly co-chairs CityHR’s Legal and Regulatory Change Special Interest Group and serves on the advisory board of the Financial Services Lawyers Association (FSLA). These roles further strengthen her ability to provide strategic insights on regulatory developments.

Combining hands-on regulatory expertise with a proven ability to navigate complex enforcement and supervisory challenges, Polly delivers pragmatic and insightful advice to protect clients’ interests and reputations.

Joseph Hesketh, Senior Director, FTI Consulting

Joseph is a specialist in strategic communications and crisis management, with expertise and experience in managing high profile legal proceedings and reputational crises. Joseph advises clients on strategies to help clients protect their reputations while managing complex and high-stakes moments.

Joseph’s experience includes advising a sovereign state on its response to one of the largest arbitration awards ever to be issued, and guiding businesses and executives across the finance, telecommunications, energy, and mining sectors facing crises.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Joseph was a Director at global advisory firm Panterra, formerly Project Associates, where he advised international clients including Heads of State, Ultra High Net Worth Individuals, and CEOs on reputation management, crisis communications, and complex cross-border disputes.

He is ranked by Chambers & Partners as a leading litigation communications practitioner.

Kevin Shergold, Partner, KPMG

With a career spanning 28 years in forensic accounting and corporate investigations, Kevin is a widely recognised expert and one of the leading names in the UK for businesses seeking reputation protection amid suspected regulatory or financial wrongdoing.

An expert in analysing corporate records, open-source information and witness testimony, he has worked across sectors on complex fraud and regulatory investigations, financial misstatements, employee misconduct, and ESG inquiries. Kevin is recognised as “a highly impressive and rigorous professional; his work is to the highest standard,” someone who “shows thoroughness and an ability to build the big picture,” and who is “clearly thrilled rather than daunted by challenging mandates.”

Over the past ten years, Kevin has been a partner at large accounting firms, serving as Head of Investigations for Grant Thornton UK and leading KPMG’s London Corporate sector. He has helped boards navigate complex, high-stakes matters under tight reporting deadlines and regulatory scrutiny. His expertise has also been acknowledged through appointments by senior State offices to lead forensic audits on high-profile cases of significant public interest.

With a deep understanding of how companies operate—from the boardroom to the back office—Kevin knows where critical information resides and how to extract it. This enables him to build the factual briefs that equip legal and reputation strategies with the insights needed to protect companies and drive successful outcomes.

Logistics

There are just 30 places available at this event, and we have limited to one representative per member to ensure as many firms as possible can benefit from the discussions.  However, given the event focuses on collaboration across different functions, we may be able to accept two senior representatives from different functions, depending on interest.

Please email ilza.javed@foreignbanks.org.uk with any requests.

Fee:           Included in AFB membership
Date:          Thursday 27 November 2025
Time:          08:30 – 10:30 (arrivals & breakfast from 08:30)
Location:    BCLP, Governors House, 5 Laurence Pountney Hill, London EC4R 0BR

If you would like to submit a question that you would like the session to address, please send them to the AFB at secretariat@foreignbanks.org.uk You will receive details on how to join this session a week before the event.