Read on for a recent press release from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) on Sturgeon’s corporate supporter partnership.
“…Pioneering regulatory incubator Sturgeon Ventures has confirmed Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) corporate supporter partnership status, Sturgeon Ventures uses the CISI training for all its certified persons and approved persons within Appointed Representative Firms”
Sturgeon Ventures, founded in 1998, is the pioneer and the most established regulatory incubator also known as regulatory host, for start-ups in the wholesale markets and foreign firms setting up in the UK, coining the phrase ‘regulatory incubator’ in 2001.
Since 2000 it has incubated 200+ start-up and emerging companies, including corporate finance boutiques, capital introduction companies, family office advisers, and emerging fund managers.
The arrangement confirms CISI Affiliate Membership for Appointed Representatives, Approved Persons and Certified and Senior Management Function persons within over 35 different firms that fall into Sturgeon Ventures established Regulatory Hosting Solution.
Seonaid MacKenzie, founder of Sturgeon Ventures, is a CISI Chartered Fellow, and has been a CISI member for 18 years. She has worked for over 40 years in the financial services sector as a stockbroker, corporate financier, fund raiser and portfolio manager, as well as an entrepreneur building both Sturgeon Ventures, Sturgeon Compliance Services, Sturgeon Design Studios and Sturgeon Talent.
Seonaid is a Citizen and Freeman of the City of London since 2008, a member of the Corporate Finance Faculty of the ICAEW
Seonaid is a frequent guest speaker at several London secondary schools under the speakers4schools.org scheme, regarding careers in financial services and female entrepreneurship, promoting CISI where possible during this programme.
Seonaid is proud of Sturgeon’s predominantly working parents, with more than 50% of the team mothers, creating work life balance, with flexible hours, a philosophy and management practice she has had in place at Sturgeon since the beginning in 1998.
Sturgeon also endorses the CISI keeping a public register of its members to be a second reference to the FCA’s new Directory.
Seonaid said: “The link to CISI as a Corporate Supporter was a decision to evidence the commitment of Sturgeon to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, launching for investment firms on 9 December 2019 and the firm continues to support this leading educational organisation, evidencing fitness and proprietary across our Certified Persons and Senior Management Function Persons, whilst maintaining the Approved Person Regime within our Appointed Representative Firms.
“Our CISI staff members will be encouraged to complete between 10 and 35 hours of CISI’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through its dedicated portal, depending on their status, featuring over 500 videos on the CISI TV channel, over 180 Professional Refresher modules to update sector knowledge and the opportunity to attend CPD events.
“In addition, in 2025/26 Sturgeon will be sponsoring a select number of school aged pupils to take the CISI Introduction to Finance Course. This adds to the Sturgeon commitment of mentoring as part of our Statement to the Women’s Charter in Finance, set up by the UK Treasury, to encourage more women into financial services.”
Jim Winter in 2020, CISI Regional UK Director said: “We are delighted to welcome Sturgeon Ventures as a CISI Corporate Supporter. We would also like to thank Seonaid in particular for all the fantastic work she and her team do to promote CISI to schools to nurture the next generation of financial services professionals.”
To read more on the CISI and Sturgeon’s sponsorship, please visit the CISI website.
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