SMF Capital has launched as a specialist recruitment practice for Senior Manager Function (SMF) appointments at FCA and PRA-regulated firms.
-- UK, 26 September 2026: SMF Capital has launched at smfcapital.co.uk as a specialist recruitment practice for Senior Manager Function (SMF) appointments at FCA and PRA-regulated firms. It is the fifth practice in the network founded by Adrian Lawrence FCA, alongside FD Capital, Exec Capital, NED Capital and Accountancy Capital.
Under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR), anyone performing a Senior Manager Function must be approved by the regulator before taking up the role, and carries personal accountability for their area once appointed. SMF Capital was set up because these appointments differ from ordinary senior hires. The regulator assesses every candidate against its fit and proper test. Approval can take up to three months once a complete application is submitted. A candidate who struggles at approval can leave a firm with a gap in one of its most important roles.
SMF Capital covers permanent, interim and fractional appointments across the Senior Manager Functions, from Chief Executives and Chairs to compliance oversight, money laundering reporting, risk and operations roles. Before any candidate reaches a shortlist, the practice tests them against the regulator's requirements, including prior approvals, regulatory history and regulatory references. Its services also include:
- support for firms seeking FCA authorisation
- coordinated searches for firms building several Senior Manager roles at once
- governance and Responsibilities Map reviews
- support for overseas firms establishing UK branches
The launch comes as regulated firms adjust to the most significant changes to the regime since it was extended to all FCA solo-regulated firms. These include the April 2026 reforms to how firms cover an unexpected Senior Manager vacancy.
Adrian Lawrence FCA, founder of SMF Capital, said:
"A Senior Manager appointment is the one hire where the regulator has a view on your shortlist. Too often, firms find a strong candidate, make an offer and only then discover questions the regulator will ask that could have been spotted in the first interview. SMF Capital works the other way round. We build the fit and proper assessment into the search from day one, so firms meet candidates who are ready for approval as well as right for the role."
Alongside its recruitment services, SMF Capital publishes a free library of guides covering every Senior Manager Function, the fit and proper test, regulatory references, the Conduct Rules and the 12-week rule. The practice has also launched SMF Unlocked, a podcast on the SMCR and regulated hiring now available on Apple Podcasts, and a programme of free online briefings, round tables and candidate clinics booked through Eventbrite. In-person events are planned for London, Birmingham and Bristol.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About SMF Capital. SMF Capital recruits Senior Manager Function holders for FCA and PRA-regulated firms, including payment institutions, investment and wealth managers, consumer credit lenders, insurers and intermediaries, banks and overseas firms with UK branches. Every search is led personally by Adrian Lawrence FCA.
About Adrian Lawrence FCA. Adrian is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW who holds a practising certificate in his own name. He is a former listed-company Finance Director and holds a BSc from Queen Mary College, University of London. He founded FD Capital in 2018 and has since built Exec Capital, NED Capital, Accountancy Capital and SMF Capital, giving firms specialist coverage at every tier of senior appointment.
About the Senior Managers and Certification Regime. The SMCR applies to firms authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. It requires the individuals performing designated Senior Manager Functions to be approved by the regulator, to hold a Statement of Responsibilities setting out what they are accountable for, and to comply with the Senior Manager Conduct Rules.
Media contact
SMF Capital
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0203 137 2496
Web: www.smfcapital.co.uk
Contact Info:
Name: Adrian Lawrence
Email: Send Email
Organization: SMF Capital
Address: 167-169 Great Portland Street, London
Website: https://www.smfcapital.co.uk/
Release ID: 89204481
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