UK Head of Compliance

As a leading provider of insurance and reinsurance with worldwide operations, we recognise that our success is derived directly from those who matter the most: our people. At Sompo International, our values of integrity, collaboration, agility, execution and excellence underpin our culture and our commitment to providing an employee experience that attracts and engages the best talent in the industry. Our compensation and benefits programs are market driven and competitive, with excellent family friendly policies and flexible working provisions.

Sompo is a global specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Sompo companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Sompo Holdings, Inc., one of the largest property and casualty insurance groups in the Japanese domestic market. Through our operating subsidiaries, Sompo International underwrites professional lines, property, aviation, marine and energy, financial and political risks, casualty and other specialty lines of insurance and reinsurance.

Following Sompo’s recent acquisition of Aspen Insurance, the Sompo UK platform now includes multiple regulated insurance entities and a Lloyd’s presence alongside Endurance Worldwide Insurance Limited (EWIL). As the UK business continues to grow and evolve, we are seeking a highly experienced UK Head of Compliance to lead the UK Compliance function and oversee regulatory compliance across the Sompo UK platform. This London based role carries regulatory accountability as SMF 16 (Compliance Oversight) for EWIL, Aspen UK Insurance UK Ltd, Aspen Managing Agency Limited and Aspen UK Syndicate Services Limited. The role operates on a dual reporting basis to the CEO of Sompo UK and the Group Chief Compliance Officer and forms part of the Sompo UK Executive Leadership Team.

Responsibilities include:

• Regulatory Oversight and SMF Accountability
  • Act as SMF 16 Compliance Oversight for WIL, Aspen UK Insurance UK Ltd, Aspen Managing Agency Limited and Aspen UK Syndicate Services Limited under Senior Managers & Certification Regime.
  • Take reasonable steps to ensure the firm complies with all applicable UK regulatory requirements.
  • Maintain effective oversight of compliance risk across the UK business.
  • Act as a key point of contact for UK regulators including the PRA, FCA, Lloyd's and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
  • Support regulatory engagement, supervisory interactions and regulatory reviews.
  • Ensure appropriate governance and documentation to demonstrate reasonable steps under SMCR.
• Compliance Framework and Governance
  • Lead and maintain the UK Compliance framework, including policies, procedures, governance structures and regulatory reporting.
  • Provide clear and timely regulatory advice to the UK business on applicable laws, rules and regulatory expectations.
  • Support boards and relevant governance committees through regular reporting, risk assessments and regulatory insight.
  • Ensure compliance risks are appropriately identified, assessed, monitored and escalated.
  • Maintain oversight of the UK regulatory calendar and regulator returns.
  • Ensure compliance policies and procedures remain up to date and aligned with regulatory developments.
• Compliance Advisory
  • Provide strategic and practical compliance advice to the UK leadership team and business units.
  • Support key business initiatives, new products, distribution arrangements and strategic projects from a regulatory perspective.
  • Ensure regulatory considerations are embedded within business decision making.
• Monitoring, Testing and Assurance
  • Oversee the design and execution of the UK Compliance Monitoring Programme.
  • Monitor the effectiveness of key controls and ensure appropriate remediation of identified issues.
  • Provide independent second line assurance on the effectiveness of regulatory compliance arrangements.
  • Work closely with Risk Management and Internal Audit to support a coordinated assurance framework across the organisation.
• Financial Crime Compliance
  • Oversee the UK financial crime compliance framework, including sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption and other financial crime controls.
  • Ensure the business maintains effective systems and controls to prevent financial crime.
  • Support regulatory reporting and escalation of financial crime risks.
• Conduct and Culture
  • Support the business in maintaining strong conduct risk management and good customer outcomes.
  • Promote a culture of integrity, transparency and ethical behaviour across the UK organisation.
  • Provide training and awareness programmes to support regulatory understanding across the business.
• Regulatory Change
  • Partner with Global Legal and Compliance colleagues to assess and implement regulatory developments.
  • Ensure the UK business remains responsive to evolving regulatory expectations.
• Leadership
  • Lead and develop the UK Compliance team, fostering a culture of collaboration, professionalism and continuous improvement.
  • Act as a trusted partner to the UK leadership team in navigating regulatory challenges.
  • Serve as a member of the Sompo UK Executive Leadership Team, providing regulatory insight to support the organisation’s growth strategy.

Experience:

• Significant experience in UK insurance regulatory compliance, ideally within commercial or specialty lines insurance and the London Market.
• Experience operating in a Senior Management Function role (SMF16 Compliance Oversight) or equivalent senior compliance leadership role.
• 10+ years’ experience within the UK insurance sector covering regulatory compliance and governance.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with UK regulators (PRA, FCA and Lloyd's) with credibility at Board and senior executive level.
• Strong understanding of key compliance risk areas including conduct risk, financial crime, anti-bribery and corruption, trade sanctions and data protection.
• Experience in compliance risk assessment, monitoring and control effectiveness testing.
• Experience leading and developing compliance teams within complex international insurance organisations.

Skills and Personal Attributes:

• Strong regulatory judgement and the ability to translate complex regulatory expectations into practical business guidance.
• Credible and confident communicator with the ability to engage effectively with regulators, boards and senior management.
• Collaborative leadership style aligned with Sompo’s culture and values.
• Strong analytical, organisational and project management capabilities.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving international business environment.
• High levels of integrity and professionalism with a strong commitment to ethical standards.

Sompo UK offers a competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience. Sompo UK is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce.