Sentio

Using Cognito, the AI-based knowledge retention platform, Sentio ensures knowledge retention of employees on critical financial compliance issues.

Sentio provide proactive strategic and corporate finance advisory services to its clients, their clients include major corporations, financial institutions, owner-managers and management teams, all of whom benefit from Sentio’s ability to lead and manage their transaction, providing advice they can rely on and trust.

Sentio is widely recognised as one of the leading independent corporate finance firms in the UK, the business over the years has completed many transactions, ranging in size from £1m to more than £200m, and covering all forms of corporate finance activity and as a result, the company has had to ensure complete compliance with UK financial regulators, such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

With the recent introduction, into UK law, of the EU’s Fourth Money Laundering Directive (4MLD), the Criminal Finances Act 2017, and updated guidance from the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG), there is increased pressure on businesses, like Sentio, to put everything in place to counteract financial crime.

Sentio has always taken compliance issues very seriously but wanted to do more. Rather than undertake annual ‘tick box’ compliance assessments and training in areas such as money laundering, criminal finance and anti-bribery legislation, the business wanted to ensure that these topics were front-of-mind for their employees every day of the year.

Using Cognito, every member of the team is now asked two questions a day, via a message on their mobile phone or PC, based on content from the three core training areas. The results are analysed and logged for audit purposes. Over time, this approach has been embedded as BAU within the company and has increased both interest and knowledge retention in the core compliance topics. It has also improved employee engagement.

Sentio, using Cognito, has achieved two tangible and real benefits. Firstly, its whole team are now actively interested in the compliance issues, where often before they weren’t, and secondly, team members wish to learn more to improve their individual rankings, against their peers, which has also improved employee engagement.

“Cognito is simple to implement and, most importantly, frees up the management team to help with difficult issues, not just compliance topics. We can change questions easily too. We also plan to develop our unique suite of questions to our processes which will enable us to be more efficient and effective while ensuring our regulatory compliance”.

Rory Wade, Partner