8th October 2020

Compliance Trends In The US

BIG NEWS

FinCEN Files – It is important to note that a lot of the stories that were leaked in these reports are already at least three years or more old. While the regulators are aware of these events and in some cases have already issued penalties and remediations, the impact this will have on the public’s trust of the big banks, is very damning.

Citi Group Hires Jane Fraser As CEO – The first woman to lead a major financial institution in the US. This is big news for our industry and a positive sign that we could (and should) be seeing more women at the CEO level in the bulge bracket segment.

JP Morgan – Faces a $920m fine for market manipulation. This is the largest fine ever issued for spoofing.

TRENDS IN COMPLIANCE ACROSS THE US

HIRING

Compliance hiring has remained steady despite the general uncertainty during lockdown. The industry adapted quickly to virtual interview processes and as lockdown rolled on, firms became more comfortable with hiring people remotely.

The industry has remained buoyant, so the need for critical hires in compliance has not been negated by the pandemic. In fact, as the third quarter ended, we saw an uptick in recruitment activity like we have seen in previous years for this period.

RETURN TO THE OFFICE

While many firms are now bringing back senior management to the office, on a staggered basis, remote working continues to be the “norm” for most people in the industry, across the United States. While some firms seem eager to bring broader teams back to the office, the majority of our clients are erring on the side of caution and maintaining the WFH arrangement for the majority of employees until at least January.

CHANGES TO FUTURE WORK ARRANGMENTS

No one knows how the pandemic will play out in the US over the next few months, of course, and this uncertainty is reflected in work arrangements within the industry. Remote working has been fully embraced by some of our clients, with some suggesting that WFH will be a permanent fixture for certain Compliance roles. Others, however, have remained quite conservative, suggesting that as soon as it is safe to return to the office, they will ask their staff to do so.

From a candidate perspective, this is actually a great time for new opportunities, but we suggest that you have a thorough understanding of your own WFH expectations over the next 6-12 months. It is important to be clear on specific needs or restrictions with regards to going into an office, let us know so that we can be clear with our clients when making introductions. When learning about a new role, make it a priority to get a clear understanding of that company’s “Return to Work” policy before being put forward.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Valerie-Leila Jaber, Head of Financial Crime, leaves Credit Suisse for Coinbase.
Millennium Trust names Jason Lomax as CCO.
USAA names Bob Johnson as its Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel.
HSBC US appoints Christine Lowthian as CCO.
Wells Fargo announced that CCO Mike Roemer announces departure after two years.
Chad Fentress steps down as CCO at SoftBank and they appoint Tim Mackey as Group CCO. Visa announces new CCO Obiamaka Madubuko.

THE OUTLOOK

While it is difficult to predict the future, given the uncertainty around the pandemic and the US election, we feel that the hiring outlook for Compliance remains strong and will remain so, well into next year. We are basing this on the aggressive regulatory environment and the steady hiring trends so far this year.

As we look forward to 2021, we feel that remote working will continue to be a consideration for every new hire. Given the success of remote working for some companies, it is likely that at least some roles could be fully remote, even when it is deemed safe to return into the office. Still, as a candidate, it will be important to be flexible on this arrangement as it is subject to change at any time.