Hywel leads the contentious financial services regulatory team in London, acting for banks, insurers, asset managers and other regulated firms.
Recognised as a Leading Partner in Legal 500 and ranked in Chambers and Partners for Contentious Financial Services Regulatory, he advises clients on all aspects of their interactions with the FCA and PRA, from notifications through to Enforcement, and has led a wide variety of firms through complex regulatory, skilled person and internal investigations, securing optimal outcomes with an efficient use of time and resources. Hywel also advises on issues involving consumer redress which often accompany regulatory interventions, with particular expertise in complaints handling and matters involving the Financial Ombudsman Service. Hywel provides a strategic approach for managing high volume issues as well as technical advice on key individual cases. His experience includes managing cases where the FCA uses or threatens use of its redress power under section 404F(7) FSMA and restitution powers under section 384 FSMA.
Hywel is also known for his governance work, advising a number of banks, insurers and asset managers on the implementation of the senior managers' regime and issues arising post-implementation from the focus on individual accountability, including attestations. He also advises on conduct and accountability investigations into individuals, including in relation to non-financial misconduct, and the firm's regulatory obligations arising.
He is the consultant editor of the Thomson Reuters Practitioner's Guide to the UK Financial Services Rulebooks.
Clients note that he " is a superb lawyer who is very easy to talk to and who understands things from a client perspective." (Chambers UK, 2026), and that he "has deep experience, a practical orientation and a measured approach that is valued by clients." (Legal 500 UK, 2026).
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- a UK bank in relation to regulatory and independent investigations arising out of high profile IT issues arising from migrating its banking platform
- an authorised corporate director in relation to FCA investigations into various investment funds following suspension and investor losses
- a UK retail bank into an investigation by the Payment Systems Regulator (which resulted in no action being taken)
- a number of firms in relation to the regulatory obligations arising from misconduct investigations, including sexual misconduct allegations, dealing with FCA notifications, regulatory references and fitness & propriety assessments
- a UK subsidiary of a global banking group, on a governance review, including advising in relation to applications for approval as a senior manager and remedial steps arising from a skilled person review
Sectors
Background
Hywel read PPE at Exeter College, Oxford between 1998–2001 before gaining distinctions from Nottingham Law School in both the graduate diploma in Law (2002–03) and LPC (2003–04).
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