Consulting Meets Law: Squire Patton Boggs Adds Financial Crime Specialists Taccogna & Webb

Squire Patton Boggs has expanded its Financial Services Practice Group in London by welcoming two seasoned professionals, Federica Taccogna and Nigel Webb, both formerly co-heads of the Governance, Risk and Regulation practice at Interpath Advisory. Taccogna joins as a principal, while Webb takes on the role of senior advisor.

Taccogna brings over two decades of experience in regulatory compliance and financial crime prevention. She has held senior compliance roles at institutions such as Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Scotland, and ICICI Bank in the UK. Her expertise includes leading investigations into complex financial crime schemes across various jurisdictions, advising regulators and law enforcement agencies, and serving as a strategic advisor to the Malta Financial Services Authority and the Malta Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit.

Webb offers a 40-year career spanning senior roles in industry and consulting across all major continents. His experience includes serving as a partner at Andersen and Deloitte, Global CIO at Interdealer Broker ICAP, and Head of Risk and Technology for JP Morgan’s Global Derivative Services. He has also held senior positions at Interpath Advisory, where he co-led the Governance, Risk and Regulation practice.

Both Taccogna and Webb specialize in advising financial institutions, regulators, and governments on conduct matters, particularly in sectors such as gambling, online gaming, crypto, and payments. Their expertise encompasses financial crime regulation, including anti-money laundering, sanctions, market abuse, fraud, and anti-bribery and corruption, as well as product and client governance.

Jim Barresi, global head of the Financial Services Practice Group at Squire Patton Boggs, stated, “Having held senior positions at some of the world’s leading consultancies, Federica and Nigel bring extensive experience assessing and remediating financial crime concerns for institutions, regulators, and governments around the world. Their arrival brings together consulting and legal services under one roof to help us provide a full range of services to resolve disputes and inquiries our clients receive from industry regulators.”

European managing partner Jonathan Jones added, “Federica and Nigel’s experience and wealth of connections are synergistic with the work of our regulatory, Public Policy and Government Investigations and White-Collar teams, and their arrival will help us develop our offering across a number of practices.”

This move follows several senior hires into the firm’s Financial Services Practice Group this year, including Global Trade Finance partners Philip Prowse and Jameel Tarmohamed in London, and senior advisors Daniel Rudder and Nathan Romano in New York. Additionally, financial services lawyer Mona Ma was promoted to partner.

Rimes Appoints New Chief People Officer

Rimes has appointed Kelly Samrai as Chief People Officer, bringing her extensive experience in scaling teams and driving organizational culture in high-growth environments. Her role will focus on aligning talent strategy with business objectives, leadership development, and fostering an inclusive, high-performing workplace.

Samrai previously served as Chief People Officer at Luno, where she played a key role in global team expansion and improving employee engagement. Her leadership experience also includes roles at WorldFirst and Stemcor, where she contributed to major organizational transformations.

Brad Hunt, CEO at Rimes, highlighted the significance of her appointment: “I am thrilled to welcome Kelly to Rimes. Kelly brings a unique approach that blends a human-centric mindset with commercial outcomes, which will be invaluable to us as we continue to grow around the world.”

Reflecting on her new role, Kelly stated: “I’ve heard incredible things about Rimes, and I am hugely excited to join as they embark on their next stage of growth. I am a big believer in aligning people strategies with business goals through teams that are engaged, motivated and set up for success – I see this in action at Rimes and look forward to helping to drive our performance and expansion globally.”

This appointment underscores Rimes’ commitment to building a strong people-focused culture as the company continues its global expansion.

Muinmos Appoints Powerful Advisory Board to Drive KYC Growth

Digital onboarding and perpetual KYC solutions provider Muinmos has created an Advisory Board comprising four highly experienced professionals known for their work across RegTech, Big Data Analytics, and Digital Transformation. Each brings a record of scaling businesses and supporting growth, particularly in financial services. Their combined expertise is expected to inform Muinmos’ development of its client onboarding platform.

New Advisory Board Members

Sander Daniels (Chair) has previously helped design and launch Salesforce Financial Services Cloud in EMEA, creating a new revenue stream. He focuses on scaling companies, with specialized knowledge in Cloud Platforms and Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy. Having sold a Big Data platform to JP Morgan in 2013, Daniels will guide Muinmos on its ‘customer first’ strategy and help build relationships with larger financial services prospects.

Liz Hughes has over 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech, providing compliance and operational transformation expertise through her consultancy, The Other Consultancy. Her background includes senior roles at Kantar and the London Stock Exchange Group, as well as advisory positions at ionStar, Kaupthing, Singer & Friedlander, Lehman Brothers, and Alliance Bernstein. She will advise on operational excellence and strategic initiatives, especially in the MENA region.

Edward Lane brings 28 years of experience in sales and sales leadership, focused on providing technology solutions to financial institutions. Currently serving as SVP of Global Sales at Kantata, Lane has also held leadership positions at nCino Inc, Salesforce, Oracle, BEA Systems, and Computer Associates. His approach emphasizes challenging the status quo and devising creative strategies, drawing on a proven background in client-facing and GTM roles.

Thomas Vollmer leads sales for the Nordics at Boost.ai. His career spans roles at Salesforce, Google, Capgemini, Microsoft, and Dell, reflecting a focus on sales leadership, business growth, and key account management within technology. With a particular interest in AI-driven innovation, Vollmer aims to contribute to Muinmos’ success in an evolving digital landscape.

Executive Comments

Muinmos Founder & CEO, Remonda Kirketerp-Møller, explains how the Advisory Board will strengthen the company’s global potential: “This is a significant development for the business. We have strengthened our exceptional team with an outstanding Advisory Board who will help us to capitalise on the extensive market potential for our client onboarding platform. All members of the team have been carefully selected for their strong track record in scaling tech businesses, their expertise in go-to-market strategies, and their customer-centric focus.”

She adds: “We are fully committed to delivering excellence to clients, expanding our global client base and providing an unrivalled platform which not only empowers the Compliance function but also immensely benefits Sales and Operations. It’s a huge endorsement for Muinmos that industry experts of this calibre have chosen to join our team.”

Looking Ahead

According to Sander Daniels: “Muinmos offers an exceptional platform for continuous compliance of Financial Institutions. There’s huge potential for global growth and I am very pleased with the team we were able to attract.” The Advisory Board’s combined knowledge is expected to support Muinmos in refining its platform, targeting new market segments, and ensuring a resilient approach to long-term growth.

Senior Leadership Appointments at CSC Funds and Capital Markets Division

CSC has taken a step to strengthen its global compliance and risk management capabilities by appointing two seasoned leaders to key roles. With extensive experience in compliance, logistics, and regulatory strategy, Mark Calandra will now lead CSC’s Corporate and Legal Solutions (CLS) division, while Ian McConnel becomes the company’s chief legal officer overseeing Legal, Risk, and Compliance.

Calandra brings two decades of experience within CSC, most recently growing the Digital Brand Services division into a recognized provider of domain security. Industry observers suggest his blend of operational expertise and deep understanding of regulatory demands will help CLS navigate a complex compliance landscape.

On the legal front, McConnel’s background spans private practice, public service, and senior corporate roles. His appointment, according to company representatives, signals CSC’s continued focus on robust legal and compliance frameworks. Over his tenure at CSC, McConnel has cultivated a reputation for balancing governance requirements with practical solutions—experience that positions him to guide the Legal, Risk, and Compliance teams effectively.

“We’re dedicated to helping clients navigate an ever more challenging regulatory landscape,” says Rod Ward, president and CEO of CSC. “These two leaders will be instrumental in that effort. Both appointments reflect our commitment to delivering exceptional value and creative, pragmatic answers to our clients’ biggest business challenges.”

These leadership changes follow similar moves in CSC’s newly combined Funds and Capital Markets (FCM) division in December, with John Hebert expanding his responsibilities to lead the FCM business, while Venkat Srinivasan has been named global head of funds and enterprise capabilities.

These changes come on the heels of CSC’s integration of the Intertrust Group—originally acquired in November 2022—and its incorporation into the CSC brand. With a global presence spanning more than 140 jurisdictions and a team of over 8,000, CSC aims to deliver broader services to fund managers, asset owners, lenders, and advisors under a unified FCM structure.

In his new role as executive vice president and president of FCM, Hebert will direct CSC’s worldwide offerings across multiple asset classes and geographies. He previously oversaw CSC’s Global Capital Markets business and led initiatives that saw a 250% increase in capital markets and funds revenue over five years.

Srinivasan, appointed as global head of funds and enterprise capabilities, is credited with more than two decades of experience in private equity and the funds sector. He co-led the funds business at Intertrust Group prior to its acquisition and will now focus on developing integrated, centralized solutions for clients navigating an increasingly complex financial landscape.

“We are excited to welcome John and Venkat into their new roles as we continue to drive growth across our core markets,” Ward noted on the December appointments. “They have already demonstrated exceptional leadership capabilities at CSC and together will be invaluable in setting the strategic direction for our FCM business.”

By strengthening its leadership bench, CSC appears poised to develop new approaches for clients aiming to stay ahead of global compliance demands.

Corlytics Names Graham Howell as Chief Financial Officer

Global RegTech consolidator Corlytics, has appointed Graham Howell as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to support its ongoing global expansion. This move follows the company’s recent growth in the United States and strategic acquisitions, including Deloitte UK’s RegTech platform, ING’s SparQ, and Clausematch. These developments aim to enhance Corlytics’ capabilities in addressing the increasing complexity of global regulatory requirements.

With 35 years of experience in finance within the software industry, Howell has served as CFO for various SaaS companies, including Nextlane, TraceOne, and Ullink, all backed by private equity firms. His expertise in managing acquisitions and integrations is expected to be instrumental as Corlytics continues its growth trajectory.

CEO John Byrne highlighted Howell’s extensive experience, stating that his background in high-growth software companies will be a valuable asset to Corlytics.

Howell expressed enthusiasm about joining Corlytics, noting the company’s mission to leverage analytics beyond compliance and risk management to provide business advantages for clients.

This appointment is part of Corlytics’ broader strategy to strengthen its leadership team, as evidenced by the recent addition of three C-level executives: Steve Barnes as Group Technology Officer, Dr. Oisín Boydell as Chief Data Officer, and Ray O’Donnell as Chief Tech Architect.

Corlytics Ramps Up US Presence with New Leadership Team

Global RegTech consolidator Corlytics is ramping up its presence in the US market with a new leadership team for its North America operations.

Industry veteran Aidan Houlihan, will head the new team, bringing a wealth of expertise in financial services with over 15 years in senior roles at Napier.ai and BNY Mellon.

The leadership team brings a deep bench of industry experience together in the US and includes Freddie Frith (formerly global head of sales at Clausematch), as vice president of sales, and Lana Chan, (previously with Fenergo), leading customer success. Other senior appointments include Chad Schaefer, overseeing professional services, and Rory McGrath, leading product consulting.

CEO and founder John Byrne noted that this expansion reflects a strategic focus on the US as a key market, where the company aims to enhance its leadership and service. “We have restructured to create Corlytics Group, integrating our industry-leading regulatory and compliance intelligence businesses,” said Byrne.

This move follows recent executive appointments at the C-level, including Steve Barnes as Group Technology Officer, Oisin Boydell as Chief Data Officer, and Ray O’Donnell as Chief Tech Architect, further signalling Corlytics’ commitment to scaling its operations and enhancing its product offerings in regulatory intelligence.

SAIFR Hires Hutnyan as Head of Sales

Due diligence, surveillance and marketing communications compliance specialist Saifr has appointed Micheal Hutnyan as Head of Sales. Enterprise sales veteran Hutnyan brings an impressive record of sales leadership and building SaaS revenue streams with stints at Tamr, Trillium Software and DataKitchen. You can hear more from Saifr at the upcoming A-Team Group RegTech Summit in New York on November 21st. 

Delta Capita Appoints Caroline O’Sullivan as Head of Ireland

Global financial services consulting, managed services, and technology provider Delta Capita has appointed Caroline O’Sullivan as its new Head of Ireland. Based in Dublin, Caroline will lead the company’s regional business strategy, focusing on sustainable growth across all core service lines, client relationship management, and overseeing business operations. She will report to Philip Freeborn, Co-Head of Global Markets and Wholesale Banking Services. In her previous role as Chief Operating Officer at Delta Capita, she was responsible for the delivery of the company’s assignments in Ireland. Her extensive background includes significant positions at leading investment banks and financial markets industry groups. 

ESG Book Names RegTech Veteran Fitzpatrick as New Chief Executive

ESG Book has named Justin Fitzpatrick, the founder and executive of several UK-based RegTech companies, as its new chief executive replacing global sustainability leader Daniel Klier.

The Germany-based data and tech company, which made headlines in 2021 when it put a large part of its ESG database on a free-to-use platform, said Fitzpatrick has “deep expertise in scaling and accelerating growth in investor-backed software companies”.

This will benefit ESG Book’s “global expansion and deliver its future success as a leader in sustainability data and technology”, said Nazo Moosa, an advisory board member at the company.

ESG Book, which was founded in 2018, operates a SaaS-based platform that delivers data on more than 200,000 corporate disclosures worldwide. It is part of the Arabesque Group, which also operates an asset management business. Its free database was launched in December 2021 backed by an alliance of institutions, including HSBC and Deutsche Bank, to help corporates, investors and standard setters with their sustainability operations.

Partnerships

Fitzpatrick joins ESG Book from FullCircl, a RegTech software provider that he co-founded and where he was chief operating officer. Before that, he co-founded and headed RegTech research firm DueDil. He is also a founder and non-executive director of UK FinTech industry group Innovate Finance.

“This is a business extremely well positioned to meet the fast-growing need for sustainability solutions across capital markets,” Fitzpatrick said, adding that he would continue to expand ESG Book’s “partnerships with financial institutions, reduce the friction for corporates in meeting ESG disclosure requirements, and deliver market-leading analytics and tools to help our clients achieve their sustainability goals.”

He replaces Klier, who has become an ESG leader following high-profile appointments as global head of sustainable finance at HSBC, where he devised the bank’s net-zero target, and as chair of the Bank of England’s Climate Working Group. He sits on the boards of the global sustainability reporting standard GRI and the international organisation Sustainable Energy for All and recently took the chief executive role at climate consultancy South Pole.

Encompass Names Neil Acworth Chief Information Security Officer

Encompass Corporation, a provider of real-time digital Know Your Customer (KYC) profiles, has appointed Neil Acworth as chief information security officer (CISO) as part of its focus on delivering gold-standard information security processes to global banks. Acworth joins Encompass with extensive experience in the technology space and will oversee the company’s information security team and drive its ongoing commitment to promoting best practices in fighting financial crime and contributing to business growth.

Stuart Barnard, vice president of finance and business operations at?Encompass, comments: “Compliance is at the heart of what we do. Hiring Neil Acworth as our CISO brings this to life, in terms of how we operate internally and externally. For banks, we know security isn’t just about ticking a box, it’s business critical, and we’re focused on being the proactive and trusted partner that our customers need.”

The appointment follows Encompass’s recent acquisitions of CoorpID and Blacksmith KYC.