You’ve Started in a Senior Compliance Role - Where Do You Begin?

There is no universal playbook for stepping into a senior compliance role. Each organisation is different - its regulatory history, risk culture, leadership dynamics, and commercial strategy all shape the environment the new compliance leader is entering. However, a structured approach can provide the clarity and confidence needed to navigate those crucial first months.

The three phases outlined in this article - Diagnose and Understand, Own and Stabilise, and Vision and Change - offer more than a sequence of tasks. They provide a leadership framework, which balances listening with action, stabilisation with ambition, and credibility with strategic intent.