In this series of blog posts, we talk to members of the LSB to understand more about what brought them to the organisation and the role they play within it. Previously we have spoken to Communications Manager Olivia Bamber, Compliance Manager Mark Walker, Insight Manager Jess Roberts, Policy Manager Justin Protts, and Chief Executive Emma Lovell.
Today, we are speaking to Louise Allemagne who is the LSB’s Compliance Manager for Interim Registration. Louise is responsible for supporting applicant firms during the registration process, and for raising awareness of the LSB. As part of her role, Louise supports firms to interpret and adhere to the Standards, guiding them in achieving the best outcomes for their customers.
How long have you been at the LSB and what was your background before?
I joined the organisation in October 2021 and have worked in financial services for over 10 years. Initially I worked in debt purchasing and then SME commercial finance. My role has always been customer focused and I have typically worked in conduct risk and compliance. This has involved working with different teams to achieve their commercial goals whilst balancing the delivery of fair customer outcomes.
What does your average day look like?
My days really vary but I am usually working with non-registered firms who are either exploring registration for the first time or are in our interim registration process. Typically, I will hold early engagement meetings with firms, to understand more about their business and why they are interested in LSB registration. This is always a great opportunity to better understand what is happening in the industry and to explain how our Standards and Codes can support firms and their customers.
A normal day also involves working through our interim registration process with applicant firms. This means understanding their processes, controls, and procedures for customer treatment and then assessing how aligned they are currently to the Standards. I then guide these firms in taking any action necessary to help them achieve full adherence.
You might also find me speaking at events or conferences, to help disseminate the insights and best practice guidance that is produced by our Insight team.
What do you most enjoy about the role?
I really think that the work we do at the LSB makes such a positive impact on firms and, most importantly, customers. Financial service firms have so much to offer their customers, especially in a market where there are such a diverse range of customer needs. However, we also exist in an ever-changing and complex world and one that requires firms to adapt quickly to ensure good outcomes. The Standards help with this by setting a best practice level of what should be done. Assisting firms in joining the LSB to delivering those Standards is a really satisfying feeling and different to other roles I’ve done before.
So for any non-registered firms that are reading, why should they register with the LSB?
For lending to SMEs and businesses, the Standards provide protection where no statutory regulation exists. For consumer lending, they go above statutory regulation and help firms deliver the best possible outcomes. By being a registered firm, you can have the confidence you’re taking the right steps to deliver the best you can for your customers. If you are interested in learning more, please get in touch either through our enquiry form or by email.
