Seung Earm, partner and co-founder of Ibex Compliance, is a highly regarded compliance professional in the investment banking, insurance and asset management industries with over two decades of experience in major global investment banks including Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas.

She is a dynamic and versatile professional with broad expertise across banking; research; sales and trading; regulatory change and affairs; central compliance; car/equipment leasing; real estate; consumer lending; invoice financing and asset management. Seung has been a FCA-registered Chief Compliance Officer and an MLRO.

Tell us about yourself and how you came to reach this stage in your career

I have always wanted to be a diplomat or work in the foreign office/GCHQ, hence studying exotic languages and international relations. Whilst studying my Master’s degree, my interests in finance grew through people I met, then I got an internship at Merrill Lynch and ultimately a job offer at Goldman Sachs in Investment Banking. When I moved from Investment Banking to compliance, it was the beginning of the rapid growth of compliance function in the industry.

I have never looked back since choosing compliance.

I have never looked back since choosing compliance. I was lucky enough to experience and learn many different aspects of compliance, central compliance, control room, research, sales, and trading in FICC and later asset management, insurance, consumer lending, car leasing, and real estate in global financial institutions.

Learning how the business evolves, how the regulations and regulators evolve, I have enjoyed all the changes I have gone through in my career. I have had the most fantastic teams, managers, mentors, and sponsors who enabled me to grow and develop and I would not be where I am without them.

Most of all, to be able to leave a very good job to a riskier setting my own business up has been my highlight of my career. It has been daunting and scary initially, but I know that I have a fantastic business partner who joins me on this incredible journey.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Change is good and do not be afraid of taking risks or making mistakes. I think I have been too scared to make certain decisions in life but every decision you learn and grow from.

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

Starting my own business is definitely at the top. It was the most scary decision I had to make in my career and definitely a most rewarding one too.

Change is good and do not be afraid of taking risks or making mistakes.

Tell us an amusing anecdote about your work

When I was working in the control room at GS, we used to get a call about air conditioning often. The receptionist thought the control room was in charge of adjusting the air conditioning in the building.

What “gift” would you like to find from the regulator under your Christmas tree?

More open and pragmatic regulations, making London/UK the centre of financial services again.

What’s your New Year’s wish?

A broader client base on a number of interesting regulatory matters across different financial sectors.

Can you recommend a good book?

• Conflict by by David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts – The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Gaza, interesting look back and analysis on all major warfare history and superpower struggles.
• The Trading Game by Gary Stevenson – Insightful day to day stories of a trader in the City.
• Outlive by Dr Peter Attia – Interesting facts about body, science, life, and longevity.
• The 5am club by Robin Sharma – How regular morning routine helps to maximise your productivity.
• Open by Andre Agassi – Biography of his story of family, passion, resilience, and love.