Any acquisition of 10% or more of the shares or voting rights in an FCA-authorised firm — or any transaction that results in a person gaining significant influence over the management of an authorised firm — triggers the FCA’s Change in Control notification process under Section 178 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). The FCA has 60 working days to assess the proposed acquisition and may approve, conditionally approve, or object to the change of control.

Acumen Global Compliance manages the complete FCA Change in Control process on behalf of both buyers and sellers, covering the preparation and submission of all required notification forms, gathering and presenting evidence of the acquirer’s fitness and propriety, managing FCA queries and requests for further information, and advising on the regulatory risk factors that may affect the FCA’s assessment. Our experience in managing numerous Change in Control applications gives you the best possible chance of a smooth, timely approval.