Business Continuity - Financial Institution

What our client needed, what we created, how it worked

What our client needed

Within the financial services industry, increasing Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations now drive many management processes. In particular, requirements for Business Continuity Planning have been greatly increased in order to ensure that clients’ money and transactions are unaffected by detrimental events. Our client, a leading London fund management firm, wished to review their entire continuity planning arrangements, both to meet the stringent FSA requirements and protect themselves from events that had previously damaged their operations.

What we created

Having previously worked with a number of publicly listed security firms, our client contacted us in order to deliver a focused and specialist package of analysis and continuity planning services. We performed an extensive analysis of their business operations and the threats to their operating procedures. Our client had particular concerns about the effects of terrorism, having previously been affected in North America. We were able to address both the direct effects of such a threat and also the consequential damage caused by terrorism even when directed at other institutions.

We created and implemented a comprehensive business continuity plan covering the complete range of detrimental events facing the firm. The plan was implemented at board level with appropriate sub-sets of the plan issued to the remainder of the organisation. In particular our client was extremely concerned for the wellbeing of their staff, and so we issued appropriate procedures and guidelines to all their 250 personnel.

We developed a comprehensive training package for the client, lasting two weeks, which included threat awareness training, specialist training for staff with key appointments, media handling and board level decision making. The culmination of the training period was a two-day exercise simulating a terrorist incident in a neighbouring building with impacts upon their telecommunications, site access and reputation.

How it worked

Our client successfully met the regulatory requirements of the FSA, has now established a set of procedures that will enhance its resilience to disruption, and has an enthusiastic and experienced workforce able to successfully manage detrimental events.

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