We equip and enable Fintechs and smaller financial services firms to embrace regulatory compliance and financial crime prevention by providing a balanced and plain-English approach. Our methodology is to work closely with you to understand yours and your customers’ needs, allowing the development of a proportionate approach to regulatory maturity. Equipping and enabling Fintechs and smaller financial services firms to navigate regulatory compliance.
From initial FCA registration or authorisation, to policy development and risk management maturity, through to on-going retainer services that can be dialled up or down as needed, we provide the reassurance and resilience to navigate regulatory expectations and regulatory change.
Book a free consultation →Full support with FCA applications including Payment Institution licensing, and e-money registration and FCA interview preparation.
Providing fractional / part time MLRO and or Head of Compliance services where, depending on the current size of firm, a full time appointment is not financially viable or necessary.
Drafting and reviewing compliance policies, procedures, and controls that satisfy FCA expectations while remaining practical and proportionate for your firm.
Proportionate risk frameworks — compliance risk registers, risk appetite statements, and business-wide risk assessments tailored to your FCA obligations.
Independent compliance reviews, FCA gap analyses, and health checks to identify control weaknesses before they attract regulatory scrutiny or enforcement.
Tailored training, depending on role, suitable for all employees, covering such topics as AML & Fraud awareness, Consumer Duty, and Operational resilience.
We understand the challenge smaller financial services firms face: the FCA expects the same standard of compliance as a major bank, but you don't have the same resources to achieve it alone.
Clarionet Consulting brings deep expertise drawn from many years working within the regulatory ecosystem; from the Regulator itself, to major financial institutions, and smaller financial services firms — providing commercially aware, guidance and support that works in tandem with you.
Whether seeking FCA authorisation for the first time, strengthening AML controls, developing regulatory policies, or needing a fractional MLRO / compliance officer alongside your team — we deliver expert, proportionate support at a scale that makes sense for your business.
The FCA's requirements can feel overwhelming for smaller firms. Clarionet Consulting breaks them down into clear, manageable steps — so you stay compliant and focus on growing your business.
We guide you through every stage of the application process, helping you present your business model clearly and compliantly to the regulator — reducing the risk of delays or rejection. Payment Institution and Small Payment Institution registration, Electronic Money Institution authorisation, Open Banking compliance, and Payment Services Regulations.
Whether you're launching a payment product or scaling an existing service, we ensure your regulatory framework keeps pace with your business.
Discuss your authorisation →Part-time MLRO / Head of Compliance services — providing support, guidance, and oversight without the cost of a full-time senior hire.
Ideal for growing firms that need experienced compliance leadership on a flexible, cost-effective basis as they scale.
Find out about fractional support →Continuous regulatory support, monitoring, and advice to ensure firms maintain pace with regulatory change and expectations.
From policy development, to proactive compliance monitoring, to training and advisory services.
Explore retainer options →Anti-money laundering programme and sanctions screening frameworks review. MLRO advisory, and National Crime Agency SAR reporting requirements.
From developing your business-wide risk assessment to supporting your MLRO function, we focus on financial crime controls that are robust and proportionate.
Strengthen your AML controls →Consumer Duty implementation, fair value assessments, customer outcomes monitoring — meeting the FCA's higher standard of consumer protection.
We help firms move beyond tick-box compliance to genuinely demonstrate good outcomes for consumers.
Get Consumer Duty support →Our structured approach ensures nothing falls through the cracks — from initial assessment through to ongoing FCA compliance support.
We learn about your business model and objectives. No charge, no obligation — just plain-English conversation.
A thorough review of your compliance position against FCA requirements and the Money Laundering Regulations.
A prioritised roadmap addressing compliance gaps, with clear ownership, timelines, and deliverables.
Hands-on support drafting policies, preparing FCA submissions, and embedding controls into your operations.
Retainer or ad-hoc advisory to keep pace with FCA regulatory change and maintain a strong compliance posture.
Last updated: May 2026
Clarionet Consulting is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights. We do not collect, sell, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.
Clarionet Consulting is a regulatory compliance consultancy based in the United Kingdom. Our website is www.clarionetconsulting.co.uk. You can contact us at info@clarionetconsulting.co.uk.
We only collect personal data you voluntarily provide to us:
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We use the information you provide solely to:
We will never use your data for unsolicited marketing, nor pass it to any third party without your explicit consent.
We process your data on the basis of legitimate interests (responding to your enquiry) and, where applicable, contractual necessity (delivering agreed services). We do not rely on consent for our core processing activities.
We retain enquiry and correspondence data for up to two years, after which it is securely deleted. If we enter a client relationship, we retain relevant records for six years in line with standard professional practice and legal obligations.
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@clarionetconsulting.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure.
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on this page with the date it was last updated.
Gary Watson's perspectives on FCA regulation, financial crime, and the issues that matter to fintechs.
Read articles →Live updates from the FCA, FATF, and HM Treasury — curated for smaller financial services firms.
View news →Answers to the questions we hear most from fintechs navigating FCA authorisation, AML, and Consumer Duty.
Read FAQs →Book a free, no-obligation consultation with Clarionet Consulting. We'll discuss your regulatory challenges and explain exactly how we can help — in plain English, with no jargon.
Former Head of Compliance and MLRO with over 20 years of experience in financial services regulation.
With over two decades of experience — including nine years as Head of Compliance and MLRO for a bank — Gary brings extensive regulatory understanding gained through senior governance and oversight roles.
A trusted and influential leader in financial crime and compliance risk management, he helps firms implement logical, compliant solutions that are pragmatic and aligned with their business objectives.
Gary founded Clarionet Consulting to give fintechs and smaller financial services firms access to the same quality of expert compliance guidance previously only available to large institutions — delivered in a way that is proportionate, practical, and commercially aware.
Gary Watson's perspectives on the regulatory issues that matter most to fintechs and financial services firms.
The regulator is entering an important phase of transitional change — crypto regulation, BNPL, consumer protection, economic growth. Gary Watson examines how the FCA is navigating competing pressures as it matures.
Read on Global Relay →
Gary Watson explores the themes and tensions raised in the FCA's Dear CEO letter — asking whether the drive for economic growth and the obligation to protect consumers can genuinely coexist.
Read on Global Relay →
The challenges of combining the SMF16 and SMF17 roles are significant. Gary Watson reflects on the growing expectations placed on Heads of Compliance and MLROs in an increasingly demanding regulatory environment.
Read on Global Relay →Answers to the questions we hear most from fintechs and smaller financial services firms navigating FCA regulation.
Answers to the questions we hear most from fintechs and smaller financial services firms navigating FCA regulation.
Most firms carrying out regulated financial activities in the UK require FCA authorisation or registration. This includes payment services, e-money issuance, consumer credit, investment services, and insurance distribution. Clarionet Consulting can assess your business model and advise on the exact permissions you need before you apply.
FCA authorisation (under FSMA 2000) is required for firms conducting regulated activities such as investment services or consumer credit. FCA registration applies to payment institutions and e-money firms under the Payment Services Regulations and Electronic Money Regulations. Both involve FCA scrutiny of your business model, controls and key personnel. Clarionet Consulting advises on the right route for your firm.
Depending on the complexity, FCA approval typically takes between three to 12 months from the date of submission. Well prepared applications can move faster. Clarionet Consulting help you prepare applications to minimise delays with the regulator.
A Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) is a senior individual responsible for overseeing AML compliance and submitting SARs to the National Crime Agency. Most FCA-regulated firms within scope of the Money Laundering Regulations are required to appoint a nominated officer. Clarionet Consulting provides MLRO advisory and support for smaller firms.
A fractional MLRO is an experienced compliance professional who provides part-time MLRO services to smaller firms where a full-time appointment is not yet financially viable. They fulfil the same regulatory obligations as a full-time MLRO — overseeing your AML programme, maintaining your risk assessment, and handling SAR reporting — on a flexible, cost-effective basis. Clarionet Consulting offers fractional MLRO and Head of Compliance services tailored to your firm's size and stage.
A compliance retainer provides ongoing regulatory support on a monthly basis — covering policy reviews, regulatory change monitoring, compliance advisory, and access to expert guidance as your business evolves. It gives smaller firms consistent compliance oversight without the cost of a full-time hire, and can be scaled up or down as your needs change.
The FCA's Consumer Duty sets a higher standard of consumer protection across four areas: products & services, price & value, consumer understanding, and consumer support. It applies to most FCA-authorised firms in the retail distribution chain, regardless of size. We support Consumer Duty gap analysis, implementation, and outcomes monitoring.
A business-wide risk assessment (BWRA) is a core requirement under the Money Laundering Regulations. It requires firms to identify, assess and document the money laundering and terrorist financing risks specific to their business — covering customers, products, delivery channels and geographies. Clarionet Consulting helps firms develop proportionate, FCA-ready BWRAs that satisfy regulatory expectations.
Fees depend on scope and complexity. Clarionet Consulting offers fixed-fee project work, day-rate advisory, and monthly retainer arrangements — making expert compliance support accessible and cost-predictable. Contact us for a free initial consultation and indicative fee proposal with no obligation.
Former Head of Compliance and MLRO with over 20 years of experience in financial services regulation.
With over two decades of experience — including nine years as Head of Compliance and MLRO for a bank — Gary brings extensive regulatory understanding gained through senior governance and oversight roles.
A trusted and influential leader in financial crime and compliance risk management, he helps firms implement logical, compliant solutions that are pragmatic and aligned with their business objectives.
Gary founded Clarionet Consulting to give fintechs and smaller financial services firms access to the same quality of expert compliance guidance previously only available to large institutions — delivered in a way that is proportionate, practical, and commercially aware.
Gary Watson's perspectives on the regulatory issues that matter most to fintechs and financial services firms.
The regulator is entering an important phase of transitional change — crypto regulation, BNPL, consumer protection, economic growth. Gary Watson examines how the FCA is navigating competing pressures as it matures.
Read on Global Relay →
Gary Watson explores the themes and tensions raised in the FCA's Dear CEO letter — asking whether the drive for economic growth and the obligation to protect consumers can genuinely coexist.
Read on Global Relay →
The challenges of combining the SMF16 and SMF17 roles are significant. Gary Watson reflects on the growing expectations placed on Heads of Compliance and MLROs in an increasingly demanding regulatory environment.
Read on Global Relay →Answers to the questions we hear most from fintechs and smaller financial services firms navigating FCA regulation.
Answers to the questions we hear most from fintechs and smaller financial services firms navigating FCA regulation.
Most firms carrying out regulated financial activities in the UK require FCA authorisation or registration. This includes payment services, e-money issuance, consumer credit, investment services, and insurance distribution. Clarionet Consulting can assess your business model and advise on the exact permissions you need before you apply.
FCA authorisation (under FSMA 2000) is required for firms conducting regulated activities such as investment services or consumer credit. FCA registration applies to payment institutions and e-money firms under the Payment Services Regulations and Electronic Money Regulations. Both involve FCA scrutiny of your business model, controls and key personnel. Clarionet Consulting advises on the right route for your firm.
Depending on the complexity, FCA approval typically takes between three to 12 months from the date of submission. Well prepared applications can move faster. Clarionet Consulting help you prepare applications to minimise delays with the regulator.
A Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) is a senior individual responsible for overseeing AML compliance and submitting SARs to the National Crime Agency. Most FCA-regulated firms within scope of the Money Laundering Regulations are required to appoint a nominated officer. Clarionet Consulting provides MLRO advisory and support for smaller firms.
A fractional MLRO is an experienced compliance professional who provides part-time MLRO services to smaller firms where a full-time appointment is not yet financially viable. They fulfil the same regulatory obligations as a full-time MLRO — overseeing your AML programme, maintaining your risk assessment, and handling SAR reporting — on a flexible, cost-effective basis. Clarionet Consulting offers fractional MLRO and Head of Compliance services tailored to your firm's size and stage.
A compliance retainer provides ongoing regulatory support on a monthly basis — covering policy reviews, regulatory change monitoring, compliance advisory, and access to expert guidance as your business evolves. It gives smaller firms consistent compliance oversight without the cost of a full-time hire, and can be scaled up or down as your needs change.
The FCA's Consumer Duty sets a higher standard of consumer protection across four areas: products & services, price & value, consumer understanding, and consumer support. It applies to most FCA-authorised firms in the retail distribution chain, regardless of size. We support Consumer Duty gap analysis, implementation, and outcomes monitoring.
A business-wide risk assessment (BWRA) is a core requirement under the Money Laundering Regulations. It requires firms to identify, assess and document the money laundering and terrorist financing risks specific to their business — covering customers, products, delivery channels and geographies. Clarionet Consulting helps firms develop proportionate, FCA-ready BWRAs that satisfy regulatory expectations.
Fees depend on scope and complexity. Clarionet Consulting offers fixed-fee project work, day-rate advisory, and monthly retainer arrangements — making expert compliance support accessible and cost-predictable. Contact us for a free initial consultation and indicative fee proposal with no obligation.
Live updates from the FCA, FATF, and HM Treasury — curated for fintechs and smaller financial services firms.
Live updates from the FCA, FATF, and HM Treasury — curated for fintechs and smaller financial services firms.