Joanna Scott
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
After completing my studies at the University of Edinburgh, I moved to London—more years ago than I’d like to admit! I began my career at Morgan Stanley in Canary Wharf, back when the area was a far cry from the vibrant financial hub it is today. My next move took me to Mayfair and the hedge fund world, a complete shift that exposed me to a different side of finance. One of my earliest experiences there was a firm-organised ski trip to Gstaad—quite the contrast to my only previous skiing attempt in Aviemore, Scotland. Let’s just say I was more ‘Bambi on Ice’ than Olympic hopeful, but I survived!
With over 20 years of experience in compliance, operations and middle-office roles, I have developed a well-rounded and extensive knowledge of regulatory frameworks and financial operations. As CF10/11 at Ferox, I played a key role in leading the firm through regulatory changes, including AIFMD, FATCA, MiFID & MiFID II, UCITS, ESMA, ERISA, and EMIR. My experience spans compliance monitoring, governance, risk management, and investment fund and product expertise, particularly in fixed income, equities, and complex financial derivatives. I have also been deeply involved in AML, market abuse prevention, financial crime compliance, and KYC processes, ensuring strong regulatory adherence and operational efficiency.
What excites you about working for Cosegic?
No day is the same, and there is an eclectic mix of clients and great colleagues to bounce thoughts and ideas off.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of the job is getting a good job done, gaining client satisfaction and receiving positive feedback.
What areas do you see as the biggest challenges, and what opportunities come with them?
A number of my clients straddle differing jurisdictions and keeping up to date with interpretating regulatory and geopolitical change can often be challenging. This challenge is also very rewarding as I enjoy the opportunity to build my cross border knowledge.
What are you working on at the moment?
All things to do with funds. I hold a couple of SMF16/17 roles that involve being part of a group compliance team structure and working in different jurisdictions (EU/EEA and US).
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Everyone cannot know it all, so do not make it up or if something has gone wrong hold your hands up.
Describe yourself in three words.
Approachable, bit bossy, compassionate, good sense of humour.
Outside of work, what keeps you busy?
Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor swimming, watching sport (mostly rugby) and horse riding. I have grown to love my garden and one of my favourite things is my sit on lawnmower (how life changes). Not sure that family should be a hobby, but helping teach my nephews and niece to sail better is my current challenge as we sail every year at home in Scotland.
