What Gem Compliance Consulting does

Gem Compliance Consulting Limited is a UK-based, founder-owned compliance consultancy founded in Edinburgh in 2005 by Gillian Gallacher. The firm provides outsourced regulatory compliance services to small and medium-sized regulated financial services firms, principally across four verticals: investment managers (MiFID and AIFMD compliance), corporate finance and advisory firms, general insurance brokers, and professional firms carrying out incidental regulated activities. Its service offering covers the full compliance lifecycle, from initial regulatory perimeter advice and FCA authorization applications (including variations of permission and change in control) through to ongoing monitoring, annual compliance healthchecks, quarterly reviews, helpdesk support, and ad hoc project work. Regulatory advisory is supported by a catalogue of six online CPD-accredited training courses covering SM&CR Conduct Rules, Financial Crime/Market Abuse, Financial Promotions, Conflicts of Interest, Introduction to Financial Services Regulation, and Complaints and Breaches, plus bespoke in-person training. The practice is delivered by approximately eight compliance professionals operating from offices in Edinburgh (Hudson House, 8 Albany Street, EH1 3QB) and London, with the firm's APCC membership, Cyber Essentials certification, and senior staff holding FCA-approved SMF16 and SMF17 statuses serving as credibility signals. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is human advisory supplemented by an online training portal. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees (project-based and retainer-based consulting) and training, with pricing quoted per engagement and not publicly disclosed. The company has no external institutional shareholders, no disclosed funding rounds, and no subsidiaries, and operates as a Scotland-registered private limited company (SC 294346).

Name

Gem Compliance Consulting

Legal name

Gem Compliance Consulting Limited

Website

https://gemcompliance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gem Compliance Consulting is a UK-based, founder-owned advisory firm providing outsourced FCA regulatory compliance, authorization, monitoring, and CPD-accredited training to small and medium-sized investment managers, corporate finance firms, insurance brokers, and professional firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regulatory Compliance Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory Compliance Advisory (BPAHAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting (BPAHACAJ), Financial Crime Compliance Program Management (Policies, Controls, Training) (FSAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Compliance consulting services
• Regulatory advisory
• FCA authorization support
• Financial services compliance
• Compliance training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Compliance Consulting Services: Provides outsourced compliance advice, monitoring, training and project related services to financial services firms. Services include FCA authorization support, ongoing monitoring, helpdesk support, and regulatory developments advisory.
2. Regulatory Training: Interactive regulatory training courses delivered online or in-person. Includes SM&CR Conduct Rules Training, Financial Crime including Market Abuse, Financial Promotions, Conflicts of Interest, Introduction to Financial Services Regulation, and Complaints and Breaches courses. Certificates provided upon completion contributing to CPD hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Gem Compliance Consulting is an independent UK financial services compliance consultancy that provides outsourced compliance advice, monitoring, training and project-related services to regulated firms. Its core work spans FCA authorization applications, ongoing compliance monitoring and helpdesk support, regulatory developments advisory, compliance healthchecks, and a portfolio of online and in-person regulatory training courses.

Product overview

Gem Compliance Consulting provides regulatory compliance consulting services rather than a software product. The company offers a portfolio of services including FCA authorization support, ongoing monitoring and helpdesk support, regulatory developments advisory, compliance healthchecks, and training. Their training offerings consist of six online courses: SM&CR Conduct Rules Training, Financial Crime including Market Abuse Training, Financial Promotions Training, Conflicts of Interest Training, Introduction to Financial Services Regulation Training, and Complaints and Breaches Training. Additionally, they provide bespoke in-house training on specific topics such as Prudential Supervision. These services are tailored to meet clients' specific circumstances, business model and compliance risks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FCA Authorization Services Assistance with FCA authorization applications, including project management of the application process, variations of permission, and change in control applications. Targeted at firms seeking regulatory authorization in the UK.
• Ongoing Monitoring and Helpdesk Support Post-authorization services providing helpdesk support for technical compliance queries, annual compliance healthchecks, and quarterly reviews for regulated firms.
• Regulatory Developments Advisory Advisory services covering regulatory developments and thematic reviews such as AIFMD, MiFID, the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, and the Investment Firm Prudential Regime.
• Compliance Support and Guidance Ongoing compliance support including policy and procedure reviews, documentation, and tailored training courses for regulated firms.
• Compliance Monitoring and Healthchecks Compliance monitoring visits, systems and controls healthchecks, and periodic reviews to assess regulatory compliance for client firms.
• SM&CR Conduct Rules Training Online training course covering the Senior Managers and Certification Regime conduct rules, including a short quiz and downloadable CPD certificate on completion.
• Financial Crime including Market Abuse Training Online training course addressing financial crime and market abuse regulations, with quiz and CPD certificate on completion.
• Financial Promotions Training Online training course on financial promotions compliance requirements, with quiz and CPD certification on completion.
• Conflicts of Interest Training Online training course on identifying and managing conflicts of interest, with certificate on completion.
• Introduction to Financial Services Regulation Training Online introductory course on UK financial services regulation suitable for staff needing foundational knowledge, with quiz and CPD certificate on completion.
• Complaints and Breaches Training Online training course on handling complaints and regulatory breaches, with quiz and CPD certificate on completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful FCA authorization applications

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Association of Professional Compliance Consultants (APCC)coreOthersGem Compliance Consulting is a long standing member of the APCC, which acts as a professional body to enhance and endorse the professional standards of compliance consultants throughout the UK. The Managing Director Gillian Gallacher is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (Chartered FCSI).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bovill: Bovill is a UK-based financial services compliance and regulatory consulting firm providing FCA authorisation, ongoing compliance support, and regulatory change advisory to small and mid-sized FS firms — directly comparable to Gem's core service lines and target market.
• Optima Compliance Services: Optima is a UK compliance consultancy supporting investment managers, advisers, and intermediaries with FCA compliance, authorisations, and ongoing monitoring — directly overlapping with Gem's investment management and advisory client segments.
• Thistle Initiatives: Thistle Initiatives is a London-based regulatory and compliance consultancy serving FS firms with authorisation, compliance, and financial crime services — a direct UK boutique peer with similar client profile.
• Brookwood Compliance Services: Brookwood is a UK compliance consultancy offering FCA authorisation, ongoing monitoring, and training to regulated firms — closely matching Gem's boutique, advisory-led service catalogue.
• Purely Compliance: Purely Compliance provides outsourced compliance, FCA applications, and training to UK financial advisers and investment firms — directly comparable target customers and service mix.
• CIL Management Consultants: CIL is a London-based consultancy specialising in financial services regulation, compliance, and risk for asset managers, advisers, and insurance firms — a comparable UK boutique with adjacent regulatory focus.
• Elucidate Compliance: Elucidate is a UK compliance consultancy serving wealth managers, advisers, and principal firms with authorisations, monitoring, and regulatory support — directly overlapping in segment and service scope.
• Clarity Compliance: Clarity Compliance is a UK firm providing outsourced compliance, FCA applications, and training to advisers and investment firms — a peer in the SME compliance outsourcing segment.

Emerging players

• ClearGlass Compliance: ClearGlass Compliance is a UK compliance support firm serving investment managers and fund platforms with outsourced compliance and marketing approval services — overlapping in client base but with a more technology-enabled delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Regulatory Solutions Group (now part of Broadstone): Regulatory Solutions Group was a UK compliance consultancy serving advisers and wealth managers; now part of Broadstone, it represents a scaled, broad-incumbent comparable with overlapping service lines and similar target market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gem-compliance-consulting-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gem Compliance Consulting