Safeguarding Client Assets: Practical CIF Compliance & Governance Essentials (C2511)
This interactive 8-hour CPD seminar r is designed for professionals directly or indirectly responsible for safeguarding and regulatory compliance provides practical application on how to safeguard clients assets.
Table of Contents Of Safeguarding Course
- About the Course
- For Whom Is This Safeguarding Course
- What You Will Learn on This Safeguarding Live Course
- This Live Safeguarding Course Curriculum
- Meet the Trainer
- Course Participation Fees
- FAQ Answered
- You Might Be Interested
About the Course
Safeguarding client funds is not a compliance formality — it is a core regulatory obligation and one of the clearest indicators of a firm’s integrity and internal discipline. Under the MiFID II framework, as transposed into Cypriot law, investment firms must implement and maintain clear, robust, and demonstrable arrangements to protect client money.
In Cyprus, this obligation is now under sharper regulatory focus. CySEC has launched a thematic review (as announced in Circular C651) on the safeguarding of uninvested client funds, interest arrangements, and internal control environments. While findings are pending, regulated firms are expected to take proactive steps to assess their readiness and align with regulatory expectations.
Separately, firms must support the work of their external auditors, who are required to issue a Limited Assurance Report (ILAR) confirming compliance with CySEC’s safeguarding rules. This includes evaluating segregation of funds, reconciliation procedures, and the adequacy of internal controls and documentation.
This seminar provides the regulatory insight and practical structure needed to support both daily operations and external audit obligations, while preparing for heightened regulatory scrutiny.
Register via the Ermis Portal using the course code: 532466
Timetable:
22 September 2025, Monday | 09:00 – 13:15
23 September 2025, Tuesday | 09:00 – 13:15
For Whom Is This Safeguarding Course
This seminar is designed for professionals directly or indirectly responsible for safeguarding and regulatory compliance:
- Compliance Officers and Heads of Risk
- Finance, Treasury, and Operations Managers
- Internal and External Auditors
- Regulatory Advisors and Legal Counsel
- Client Fund Administrators and Reconciliation Specialists
- Executive and Non-Executive Directors with oversight responsibilities
What You Will Learn on This Safeguarding Live Course
By the end of the seminar on Safeguarding Clients Assets, , participants will be able to:
- Understand the full scope of legal and regulatory obligations related to client fund safeguarding
- Identify and correct weaknesses in internal procedures, reconciliations, and account segregation
- Prepare for CySEC’s thematic review and understand what the regulator is examining
- Support their external auditors in conducting ILAR engagements through proper documentation and control demonstration
- Review and strengthen the treatment of uninvested funds and disclosures related to client interest
- Ensure alignment between client categorisation, ICF contributions, and fund protection practices
- Promote better coordination between compliance, finance, operations, and senior management
This Live Safeguarding Course Curriculum
The seminar agenda for this online CPD seminar on Safeguarding Clients’ Funds is divided into 8 modules. More specifically:
Module 1 | Safeguarding: Regulatory Context and Current Priorities
- The importance of safeguarding under MiFID II and Cypriot law
- CySEC supervisory priorities and common issues in inspections
- Enforcement trends and what they mean for CIFs
Module 2 | Thematic Review: What Firms Need to Know
- Scope of CySEC’s announced thematic review (Circular C651)
- Focus areas: uninvested client funds, interest disclosure, internal controls
- Practical steps firms can take now
Module 3 | ILAR and External Auditor Assurance
- Understanding the ILAR framework and CySEC’s expectations
- How to prepare documentation, walkthroughs, and evidence for auditors
- The impact of audit opinions and CySEC’s follow-up actions
Module 4 | Segregation and Reconciliation: Building a Compliant Framework
- Establishing and monitoring separate client accounts
- Performing daily and monthly reconciliations that stand up to scrutiny
- Internal escalation and exception handling
Module 5 | Uninvested Funds and Interest Management
- Treatment of idle balances and alternative fund arrangements
- Disclosure expectations and client communication practices
- Monitoring and reviewing third-party financial institutions
Module 6 | Enforcement Case Reviews
- Extracting practical insight from real-world failures
Module 7 | Investor Compensation Fund (ICF): Compliance Integration
- ICF eligibility, classification, and reporting obligations
- Fund treatment and capital implications
- Aligning ICF records with safeguarding procedures
Module 8 | Governance, Communication, and Cross-Departmental Roles
- Appointing and empowering a safeguarding officer
- Internal education for operations and finance staff
- Creating a documented, controlled, and transparent safeguarding culture
*This training program is designed to support continuing professional development (CPD). Participants are encouraged to verify with their professional body or regulatory authority whether the training meets their individual or institutional CPD requirements.
Course Participation Fees
FAQ Answered
What is the focus of the “Safeguarding Client Assets” seminar?
Who should attend this CIF compliance and safeguarding workshop?
How does the seminar help firms prepare for CySEC's thematic review (Circular C651)?
This seminar focuses on helping Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) comply with CySEC’s regulatory expectations on the safeguarding of client funds. It covers MiFID II obligations, segregation of accounts, ILAR preparation, uninvested fund treatment, and internal governance practices. It’s especially relevant following CySEC’s thematic review as outlined in Circular C651.
This training is ideal for compliance officers, financial and operations managers, internal/external auditors, legal advisors, and client fund administrators. It’s also essential for directors and anyone with oversight or audit preparation responsibilities in a CIF.
Participants will gain practical tools to align with CySEC’s review focus areas: safeguarding uninvested client funds, managing client interest disclosures, and ensuring robust internal controls. The course offers step-by-step guidance on readiness checks, internal documentation, and auditor collaboration.
