FSA unveils new financial crime division

The Financial Services Authority has today unveiled a new division to tackle the risks posed by the evolution of financial crime.

Speaking at the FSA's Annual Financial Crime Sector Conference, John Tiner, FSA chief executive, said that the new Financial Crime and Intelligence Division would further raise the FSA's game – and the UK's – by creating a recognised centre of excellence to provide the leadership, tools and expertise needed to meet the increased challenges ahead and maintain the integrity of the UK's financial sector.

Tiner said: "All of us involved in the fight against financial crime have to recognise that risks in this area inevitably evolve quickly and our responses have to match them. This is a continuing challenge: as we react to the most recent attacks, so the criminals move onto new ways of achieving their objectives. We have to keep raising our game and the FSA is responding to this by creating the Financial Crime and Intelligence Division."

Amongst the tasks facing the new division, which is led by director Philip Robinson, and came into effect on 1 January, will be examining the risks facing consumers from increasing information security and hi-tech crime, working closely with other regulators.

The division will also be working with a broad range of economic experts from inside and outside the FSA to create an effective means of measuring the real scale of the problem posed by financial crime. It will also work closely with law enforcement and other regulators to identify, assess and manage criminal threats in the UK's financial sector.