Ashley Kovas
Ashley Kovas has been involved in financial services regulation since the implementation of the Financial Services Act 1986, at which time he was at the Department of Trade and Industry. Subsequently he worked for several fund management companies before joining the FSA in 2000 where he worked on both wholesale and retail policy issues. His last role at the FSA was as Manager of the Collective Investment Schemes Policy Team where he was responsible for almost all aspects of the COLL Sourcebook. He also took an active role as a member of the CESR (now ESMA) Investment Management Expert Group, as well as representing the FSA at IOSCO Standing Committee 5 (Investment Management), giving him a great opportunity to negotiate on behalf of the UK regulator.
After eight years at the FSA, Ashley became Head of Group Compliance (Funds) in the Prudential PLC Group Compliance Department. After a period as Director of Strategy for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Ashley was Head of Group Compliance Policy at the Royal Bank of Scotland where he introduced a suite of Conduct Risk Policies having effect across the RBS Group as a whole. Most recently he was Head of Funds at Bovill, a boutique regulatory consultancy.
Ashley holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Law from the University of London. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute. He is a member of the CISI European Regulatory Interest Group and assists the Institute in reviewing many of its Course texts.
Ashley’s broad experience in regulation and compliance gives his a unique perspective on what the FCA is looking for from firms. He assists firms in the development of approaches to conduct risk, the interpretation of the FCA rules in areas such as Systems and Controls, Conduct of Business, Complaints, the Approved Persons Code, Collective Investment Schemes, AIFMD, Treating Customers Fairly, Client Money and Assets, product governance processes, authorisations and many other areas.
He presents and lectures regularly, including to boards on regulatory issues including Personal Liability for Significant Influence Function Holders and conduct risk.
