Bernadette Smith
About Bernadette Smith
Bernadette Smith serves as the Head of Financial Crime and MLRO at Starling Bank, where she has implemented innovative strategies for financial crime prevention. With extensive experience in regulatory risk and compliance, she has held various roles in notable financial institutions and possesses multilingual capabilities.
Work at Starling Bank
Bernadette Smith serves as the Head of Financial Crime and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) at Starling Bank, a role she has held since 2022. In this position, she focuses on implementing innovative strategies for financial crime prevention. Her responsibilities include designing and executing preventative measures to manage risk effectively within the financial services sector. Her leadership in this area contributes to the bank's commitment to maintaining regulatory compliance and safeguarding against financial crime.
Education and Expertise
Bernadette Smith has a solid educational background in risk management. She studied at the Institute of Risk Management, where she completed a Diploma in International Risk Management from 2013 to 2016. Additionally, she studied Finance at The University of Manchester, earning a Certificate in Anti Money Laundering Awareness in 2012. Her education has equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to advise on regulatory risk and contribute to the development of industry standards.
Background
Bernadette Smith has extensive experience in risk management and compliance within the financial services industry. Prior to her current role at Starling Bank, she worked at Cynergy Bank as Director of Compliance and MLRO from 2019 to 2022. She also held positions at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Risk and Compliance Manager from 2017 to 2018, and at Lloyds Banking Group as a Manager from 2010 to 2011. Her career includes significant roles at Nationwide Building Society as a Senior Risk Manager from 2012 to 2017 and at Cynergy Bank as Head of Enterprise Risk Management from 2018 to 2019.
Achievements
Throughout her career, Bernadette Smith has demonstrated expertise in advising on regulatory risk and implementing risk management strategies. She has contributed to the development of industry standards and has designed and implemented preventative measures for optimal risk management in the financial services sector. Her multilingual capabilities enhance her effectiveness in diverse regulatory environments, allowing for improved communication and compliance across various jurisdictions.