Navigating The UKs Financial Services Regulatory Landscape

The regulatory environment is a fierce one, but the risks can be managed if investors focus on four imperative issues: culture, regulatory relationships, governance and people

The UK city of London has taken full advantage of its membership of Europe’s single market to become the pre-eminent financial services’ center in Europe, possibly in the world. It would though be no surprise if Brexit (the UK’s departure from political Europe) caused Indians to view investment into the UK with caution. But despite that, the UK’s Office of National Statistics has said that in 2018, Indian investment into the UK was up 321% from the year before. And the financial services sector attracted more Indian investment than any other sector, accounting for 28.8% of the total.

While the timing may seem surprising, the UK and India have always viewed each other as sympathetic jurisdictions in which to do business. The UK is respected for its open and non-discriminatory business environment, the quality of its legal system and its ability to combine a rigorous approach to customer protection with enough pragmatism and flexibility to provide comfort to business owners and managers that their needs will be met. India is viewed by the City as its first choice for the outsourcing of a range of operational and technology activities. Many people in the UK are enthralled by the dynamism and flexibility of the Indian commercial community.

As we hope to explain below, City institutions are likely to remain attractive businesses for Indian investors, but there are traps for the unwary and issues that need to be carefully considered.