AFB Virtual Seminar: Strengthening Stress Testing Practices as Basel 3.1 Approaches

As the UK deadline for compliance with the Basel 3.1 requirements approaches, regulators have sharpened their focus on stress testing. Banks are being asked to demonstrate their judgement with clearer methodologies and more robust governance.

As banks prepare for implementation, AFB, in partnership with Katalysys, is pleased to invite members to a virtual seminar focused on how to develop stronger stress‑testing practices. The seminar will explore five key themes that have emerged consistently across supervisory reviews, SREP feedback, and Basel Committee commentary, representing the areas where expectations are rising most sharply.

Why attend?

This virtual seminar will provide members with a practical overview of the themes attracting the greatest regulatory scrutiny, why they matter, and how firms can respond proportionately.

The session will focus on:

• The top five regulatory themes: how the themes were identified and why they are shaping supervisory dialogue (scenario design & severity calibration; risk coverage & model completeness; data quality & governance; use‑test & integration; proportionality & senior challenge)
• Where firms are currently falling short: common weaknesses observed across ICAAP submissions, model reviews, and stress‑testing frameworks
• Why regulators are concerned: the supervisory rationale behind each theme and what “good” looks like under Basel 3.1
• Proportionate approaches to improvement: practical steps for foreign banks operating in the UK to strengthen their frameworks without an unnecessary additional burden.

Who should attend?

This virtual seminar is aimed at Risk and Finance teams at AFB member banks, including those responsible for capital planning, ICAAP, governance, and those seeking clarity on supervisory expectations and pragmatic ways to enhance their stress‑testing capabilities.

Speaker

Anindya Ghosh Chowdhury, Chief Growth Officer

Anindya has c.15-years’ experience in financial services. He is a former PRA regulator, where he supervised a number of international banking subsidiaries and payment firms. He also led the Prudential Risk Advisory team at Forvis Mazars, and was the external auditor for several banks whilst at PwC.

Ravi Patel, Vice President, Advisory

Ravi has specialised in the end-to-end production of ICAAP, ILAAP and Recovery Plans for over 9-years and has assisted many non-systemic firms in carrying out stress testing, evaluating the thoroughness and precision of regulatory submissions, and in crafting regulatory policy documents. He has contributed significantly to the design of Katalysys’ proprietary capital and liquidity stress testing solutions (k-alm®), focussing on stress assumption frameworks, scenario calibration and ensuring outputs are practical and meaningful for Board-level decision-making.

Logistics

Fee:      Included in AFB membership

Date:     Tuesday 09 June 2026

Time:     09:00 to 10:15

Format:  Online via Zoom

There will be opportunity for questions throughout the session; however, if you would like to submit a question before or have any areas that you would like the session to address, please send them to the AFB at secretariat@foreignbanks.org.uk  You will receive final event details a week before the event.