Chris Hill

Experienced Head Financial Crime (1st and 2nd line), MLRO and Independent Financial Crime compliance and optimisation consultant.

London Area, United Kingdom

About

Commercially focussed and strategic Financial Crime Consultant, trouble-shooter and interim Financial Crime Director, supporting businesses through: • Building effective long-term relationships with Boards / C-Suite Execs through clarity of advice and consistent delivery. • Mentoring new MLROs and Execs with prescribed responsibility for FC (or those subject to regulatory enforcement or review for the first time). • Shaping dynamic global FC strategies and action plans aligned to firms' wider business objectives. • Developing proportionate, efficient, and customer-centric FC control and governance frameworks, aligned to each firm's unique culture and operating model. • Leading the design, recruitment and optimisation of high-performing 1st and 2nd line FC Teams. • Reducing cost / customer-friction / risk, through technical innovation and process simplification. • Supporting the development of compliant new products and services. • Shaping effective responses to: regulatory enforcement / major incidents / S-166 Reviews. • Fixing broken or underperforming Financial Crime Frameworks. Experience covers: FinTech, Payments, Retail and Commercial Banking, Credit Cards & Merchant Acquiring, Private Banking & Wealth Management, Corporate Banking, General Insurance, Money Services, Investment Banking and Corporate Advisory, Correspondent Banking.

Experience

  • Head of Financial Crime (Contract). at Esoterik Associates
    May 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 2 mos

    Financial Crime consulting and senior interim assignments, including: 1) ClearBank - Interim Head of Financial Crime Operations (8 months) responsible for: - BAU management of the Bank's 1LOD FC Operations - Stabilising and optimising the 1LOD Financial Crime Function - Reviewing, enhancing and simplifying the firms CDD and FC risk assessment frameworks, - input to the agile development of compliant new products. - Advising on the future structure and Target Operating Model of the 1LOD FC Function. 2) WorldPay - Financial Crime Optimisation Consultant (6months) responsible for: 1LOD: Leading the re-design and enhancement of the firms Global Financial Crime Customer due diligence and customer risk-assessment frameworks, and advising on the future state structure and target operating model of the Global Due Diligence Function. Mentoring the new Head of 1LOD Financial Crime. 2LOD: Updating and enhancing key sections of the firms Financial Crime Policies and Standards, to reflect emerging industry good practice, regulatory expectations and exploiting opportunities for simplification/risk based approach. Business profiles: FinTech, Payments, Merchant Acquiring, Correspondent Banking.

  • Career break, studying for a Masters Degree at The University of Law
    Dec 2022 - Apr 2024 · 1 yr 5 mos

    Course completed Feb 2024. Research / dissertation topic: The legal and regulatory implications of biometric-based customer authentication and identity verification solutions. During 2023, I also supported The International Compliance Association with the conception and development of their new MLRO certification qualification.

  • Tesco Bank (5 yrs)
    • Financial Crime and Customer Security Director (& MLRO / SMF 17)
      Jun 2018 - Nov 2022 · 4 yrs 6 mos

      Bank-wide lead for AML / Sanctions / Fraud / Customer Security related: strategy; policy; planning; risk-assessment; compliance oversight and reporting, business advisory, system optimisation, MLRO function, Nominated Officer function and AML operations. Business profile: UK Retail Banking, Payments, Credit Cards.

    • UK Finance - Member of the Economic Crime Planning Committee
      Jan 2021 - Oct 2022 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Setting the Financial Crime agenda for collective action by the UK Banking & Finance Sector.

    • Financial Crime Strategy Director
      Dec 2017 - May 2018 · 6 mos

      Responsible for the Bank's end-to-end financial crime strategy, governance and operating model. Board level buy-in obtained for all key recommendations, and new model implemented.

  • Specialist Financial Crime Consulting & Advisory at Esoterik Consulting
    Nov 2015 - Nov 2017 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    Engaged by: The UniCredit Group, Sainsbury's Bank and Tesco Bank to support a range of assignments including: • Reviewing and enhancing firms financial crime strategies, control frameworks and operating models. • leading the design of bespoke financial crime risk & compliance solutions. • Leading the planning and initiation of major financial crime change programmes. • Presenting formal proposals and business cases to relevant Boards, ExCos and Risk Committees. Business profile: Retail, Commercial and Corporate Banking.

  • Global Head of Financial Crime (& MLRO / CF 11) at Coutts
    Sep 2013 - Oct 2015 · 2 yrs 2 mos

    Global lead for the RBS Groups Private Banking, Wealth Management, Asset Management and Offshore Banking Businesses across 15 jurisdictions. Remit covered AML / Sanctions / Anti-Bribery & Corruption related: strategy; policy; planning; risk-assessment; compliance oversight, reporting, exceptions management, Nominated Officer function and business advisory. Business profile: Private Banking, Commercial Banking, Wealth Management, Asset Management and Offshore Banking.