At Thistle Initiatives we provide expert compliance advice and support right across the financial services sector. Our clients range from niche start-ups to long-established market leaders, from investment specialists to insurers and capacity providers.
Our team is structured into specialist practices. So, you’ll always be talking to people who know your market and the specific regulatory challenges you face.
We operate in six areas of expertise:
• Investments
• Payment Services
• Fintech
• Credit
• General Insurance
• Regulatory Technology
We offer comprehensive advice and support on FCA and PRA regulation and on legislation that affects financial services firms – from GDPR to anti-money laundering.
We handle everything from helping start-ups seeking direct authorisation and firms transitioning from AR to DA status, to advising on capital adequacy, regulated accounting (including CASS), and Section 166 issues.
We provide training, locum compliance office services, audits, due diligence, and ongoing support and advice, by phone or face to face.

• Advice pre regulatory risk assessment or supervised visit
• Authorisation - FCA
• Authorisation - PRA
• Client Assets
• Complaints Handling
• Complaints Handling Reviews
• Compliance Advice
• Compliance Support
• Compliance Training
• Contracting / Interim
• Documentation
• Due Diligence
• EU / International Compliance
• Expert Witness - AML and Payment Services
• Expert Witness - Financial Services
• File Reviews and/or Monitoring
• Governance
• Health Checks
• Information Security / Data Protection
• Mis-selling reviews
• Money Laundering / Financial Crime
• Payment Services Compliance
• Pension Reviews
• Regulatory Hosting / Incubation
• Regulatory Relationship Management
• Regulatory Returns
• Regulatory Updates
• Skilled Persons Panel - Off FCA Panel

• Authorised Professional Persons
• Banks Deposit Takers
• Building Societies
• Claims Management Companies
• Collective Investments Funds
• Company Service Providers
• Consumer Credit Providers
• Corporate Finance Firms
• Crypto (Capital Markets)
• Crypto (Payment Services)
• Custodians/Depositaries
• Discretionary Fund Managers
• Electronic Money Issuers
• Fintech / Regtech
• High Cost Short Term Credit
• IFA - Financial Institutions
• IFA's - Wealth Managers
• Institutional Investment Management
• Insurance Brokers - General
• Insurance Brokers - Pure Protection Products
• Insurers
• Investment Banks
• Lead Generation Firms
• Lloyds
• Managing General Agents
• Money Service Businesses
• Mortgage Brokers
• Mortgage Lenders/Administrators
• Multi Lateral Trading Facility
• Payments Services Institutions
• Pension Advisers
• Pension Scheme Operator/Provider
• Private Client Investment Management
• Restricted Financial Advisors
• Retail Investment Management
• Secondary Intermediaries
• Securities and Futures firms
• SIPP providers
• Stockbrokers
• Trust Service Providers