OUR EXPERTISE 

LICENSING ADVISORY  

Licensing is the critical starting point of any financial services business. 

Licensing admission is granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in accordance with the licensing criteria in the statutes pertaining to each financial service (“regulated activity”). 

Our licensing advisory encompasses: 

  • assisting our clients in understanding the full licensing criteria pertinent to their intended business model,  
  • assistance in the application submission,  
  • addressing queries from MAS. 

Our aim is to ensure that our licensing clients submit an accurate and comprehensive application to MAS, and to satisfactorily address any post-submission queries from MAS.   

We advise our clients from end-to-end so that our clients are well-positioned to receive their license promptly to commence their financial services business. 

We have a track record and long experience of having successfully advised numerous financial services license applications. 

We also advise on seeking regulatory approvals to acquire existing financial services licensees. 

RISK MANAGEMENT 

The central governance mechanism in an organisation* is a Risk Management Framework.

(*Financial regulations require that financial institutions design and implement install a Risk Management Framework to guide the organisation in managing its key risks.) 

We aim to provide managements with a comprehensive, strategic and in-depth perspective on their organisation, with a focus on key risk areas such as board & senior management oversight, technology risk management, regulatory compliance, AML/CFT, transitions to net-zero and more. 

As trained risk management professionals, we bring expertise in designing practical risk management solutions for our clients’ organisations, which are tailored to their business environment. 

INTERNAL AUDIT 

Financial institutions must enhance their operational controls to ensure business success in a complex regulatory landscape.

Operational controls are critical through the entire chain of operations in an organisation; from human resource to capital ratio maintenance to compliance financial advisory delivery to cybersecurity, and more. 

As qualified internal auditors, we can assist our clients to review their operations to ensure compliance with regulations, alignment with best industry practices and/or in line with Singapore and international internal audit standards. 

CAPACITY BUILDING 

Structured training is no longer an option and cannot be mostly on-the-job.

We have developed a rich library of proprietary training materials around essential risk and compliance subjects for various financial services sectors, based on our extensive practice experience. 

We have trained more than 500 financial services staff and managements in a range of regulatory topics.  Our regular sectoral subject-matter training is delivered online and in-class, in seminars and workshops for our clients. We also provide customised training according to our clients’ business needs.  

COMPLIANCE RESOURCING 

With rapidly increasing and complex regulations, financial institutions are increasingly challenged in managing their compliance operations. 

Our Compliance resourcing solutions are one of the most comprehensive and yet flexible. With extensive experience in risk management and financial regulatory compliance, we are able to provide bespoke compliance resourcing and administrative support to our clients.  

Our aim is to provide our clients with stable and reliable support in one of the most critical parts of a financial services business, so that the clients’ business leaders can focus on top-line growth with confidence. 

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING    

Law enforcement against financial crimes is now a major government function around the world. 

Our Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) capabilities have been developed and honed over a long practice history, where we have assisted financial institutions with individual and corporate customers with a spectrum of AML/CFT risk profiles, from all over the world. 

Our Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) solutions comprise: 

  • a complete set of deliverables from training and assessments,  
  • “agreed-upon procedures” audits, in accordance with Singapore laws and regulations and international standards. 
  • AML/CFT controls and gap remediations.
BUSINESS CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT 

Business Continuity Management (BCM) is a fundamental safeguard for any business enterprise.

With the issuance of the MAS Guidelines on BCM in June 2022 – in which a standalone BCM audit for financial institutions is mandatory, regulators have effectively elevated BCM to a critical function in all financial services organisations.

Our BCM team is ISO Internal Auditor-trained, in addition to having advised and reviewed numerous financial services companies on their BCM functions for over 10 years.  

We can assist our clients on BCM implementation or assist them with the BCM audit in accordance with the MAS BCM framework.

POLICIES & PROCEDURES   

Policies and Procedures (P&P) are a necessary operating guide in all organisations.

Through over 10 years on advising on risk and compliance, we have a assisted numerous 

financial institutions on their P&Ps.  

Our P&P solutions involve: 

  • Consultations with Board and Senior Management on best-practices 
  • Advice on P&Ps for regulatory compliance 
  • Advice of P&P composition  
  • Deployment and Training  

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT FOR FUND MANAGERS 

SINGLE-FAMILY OFFICE    

TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING 

Technology is fundamental to financial services. We partner with a strong panel of reputable technology players, to provide our clients with technology solutions that can enhance their GRC functions.

SECTORAL COVERAGE 

SINGAPORE EXCHANGE – LISTED COMPANIES 
  • Risk Management 
  • Corporate Governance 
  • Sustainability Management 
  • Sustainability Reporting 
PROPERTY DEVELOPERS 

REAL ESTATE AGENTS  
  • Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Terrorism Financing 
REGULATORY INSPECTIONS
  • Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Terrorism Financing 
  • Regulatory compliance 
FINANCIAL ADVISORY
  • Licensed Financial Advisors 
  • Exempt Financial Advisors 
CAPITAL MARKETS SERVICES 
  • dealing in capital markets products – broker-dealers 
  • (including securities-based crowdfunding (SCF) operators) 
  • advising on corporate finance; 
  • fund management (including Registered Fund Management Companies) 
  • real estate investment trust management; 
  • product financing; 
  • providing credit rating services; 
  • providing custodial services. 
INSURANCE BROKERAGE 
  • Direct insurance brokers 
  • General reinsurance brokers 
  • Life reinsurance brokers 
PAYMENT SERVICES 
  • Major Payment Institution 
  • Standard Payment Institution 
VARIABLE CAPITAL COMPANY  
  • VCC  
  • Permissible Fund Manager 
  • Sub-Funds 
FAMILY OFFICE 
  • Single Family Office 
MARKETS & EXCHANGES 
  • Approved Exchange  
  • Recognised Market Operator  
LICENSED TRUST COMPANIES 

Companies offering trust services in 

  • Creation of an express trust; 
  • Acting as trustee of an express trust; 
  • Arranging for any person to act as trustee of an express trust; and 
  • Providing trust administration services to an express trust. 
  • APPROVED TRUSTEE of a COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT SCHEME