Gem Compliance Consulting Ltd is a established independent compliance consultancy that provides outsourced compliance advice, monitoring, training and project related services to financial services firms. This includes firms across a number of different sectors but specialising in small to medium sized investment managers (both MiFID and AIFMD), corporate finance firms and other advisory firms, general insurance brokers, and professional firms carrying out regulated activities incidental to their main business.
The firm was established in 2005 by Gillian Gallacher, an experienced compliance consultant. Gillian has worked in the financial services industry since 1986 and has focused on regulatory compliance since 1993. The firm is supported by a team of compliance consultants from a number of different sectors including investment advisory, fund management, mortgage and general insurance, consumer credit and banking organisations.
Gem Compliance has offices in Edinburgh and supports financial services firms throughout the UK. We specialise in supporting firms with applications for FCA authorisation and providing tailored compliance support for existing authorised firms.
Gem Compliance is a long standing member and supporter of the Association of Professional Compliance Consultants, which acts as a professional body to enhance and endorse the professional standards of compliance consultants throughout the UK.
Prior to starting Gem Compliance in 2006, Gillian worked in the financial services industry since starting as a graduate trainee with Scottish Widows in 1986, having obtained a law degree (LLB) at Aberdeen University. She has specialised in compliance roles since 1993 and has held various senior management positions including approved persons roles (both Compliance and Financial Crime) at a range of regulated firms.
She also worked on the regulatory side of the industry when at Lloyd’s of London and has indepth experience both of FCA and Payment Services regulations and pre-FCA regulatory regimes. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (Chartered FCSI), having previously obtained her CISI Diploma in Investment Compliance in 2008. She also has other CISI qualifications including Investment Operations and Global Financial Services Risk.
Gillian is the Managing Director of Gem Compliance. She also acts as a senior consultant to regulated firms, specialising in advice on FCA applications (authorisations, variation of permission, change of control) and regulatory perimeter issues and guidance.
Outside of work, she enjoys watching many sports including rugby and otherwise spend time entertaining and walking her dog.
Laura started working in the financial services industry in London in 2001 and has worked in compliance since 2004. Her compliance roles have focused on investment banking, research and securities divisions.
After having lived in Hong Kong for eight years where she worked for Morgan Stanley and then Goldman Sachs, Laura returned to the UK with her husband in 2018, choosing Edinburgh as their new home.
Laura joined Gem Compliance as a part-time compliance consultant in February 2019 and advises on marketing approvals, fund closes, onboarding of appointed representatives and approved persons as well as market abuse and MNPI.
In her spare time Laura hosts a radio show “Vinyl Voyages” with her husband which is broadcast in Edinburgh. Laura also enjoys cycling, swimming, running and acting.
Andrew entered the financial services industry in 2000 as a graduate trainee with National Australia Group, following a number of years as a professional cyclist and obtaining a business degree.
After an initial couple of years spent in business banking, Andrew has since been employed in a broad variety of risk, compliance and regulation roles with blue chip and global corporates, across the banking, wealth management, asset management and energy sectors.
Andrew specialises in compliance monitoring and general risk management advice.
Andrew’s qualifications include the industry recognised CISI Diploma in Investment Compliance, the Investment Management Certificate, and banking specific awards including Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland, the Diploma in Business and Corporate Banking, and the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice.
Andrew joined Gem Compliance Consulting Ltd in July 2017 as an independent consultant.
In his spare time, he is entertainment to three children, and when feasible runs competitively.