We’re delighted to have been recognised by Consultancy.uk as one of the UK’s Top Consulting Firms in 2026 across financial services, risk and compliance, and the insurance sector.
This recognition reflects the quality of our work and the consistent outcomes we deliver for clients operating in highly regulated environments. Across each of these areas, our focus remains the same: helping firms meet regulatory expectations while continuing to grow with confidence.
With more than 15 years of experience supporting financial services firms, we have built a reputation for delivering pragmatic compliance and transformation solutions.
In the last year, we have further strengthened our leadership team with the appointment of Katie Fox as Managing Director, bringing additional depth to our Regulatory Compliance offering. Alongside this, our Insurance practice continues to grow under the leadership of Nikki Bennett, whose sector expertise supports intermediaries and insurers navigating increasing regulatory scrutiny and change.
Consultancy.uk’s ranking is one of the most comprehensive benchmarks of the UK consulting industry. The assessment covers more than 40 areas of specialism across 40 sectors, with over 500 firms evaluated on criteria including reputation, track record, analyst insights, industry recognition and thought leadership.
Katie Fox, Managing Director, remarked on the news:
“We’re pleased to be recognised by Consultancy.uk. Compliance should enable better, faster decision-making rather than create unnecessary friction. Our role is to help firms meet regulatory expectations in a way that supports their growth ambitions.”
Whilst Nikki Bennett, lead and Partner in our Insurance practice, said:
“The insurance sector continues to face sustained regulatory focus. Being recognised in this category reflects the strength of our team and the practical support we provide to our clients across the insurance sector, as they respond to evolving expectations and a commercially exciting market.”
If you’d like to read more about our compliance work, you can read our case studies here. Or if you’d like to learn more about our work in the Insurance sector, you can read more here.
Get in Touch
If you are navigating regulatory change, planning for growth, or looking to embed compliance more effectively into your business, we would be happy to talk.
Get in touch with the Thistle team to discuss how we can support your next stage of growth.
Meet the Team
Katie Fox, Managing Director 
Katie is a senior transformation specialist with deep expertise in regulatory interpretation and end to end implementation across the financial services sector. With over 15 years’ experience delivering complex, multi-year programmes, she has led major regulatory change initiatives, guiding firms through the full lifecycle from rule interpretation and impact assessment to operating model redesign, systems change, governance uplift and BAU embedding.
Nikki Bennett, Partner
Nikki Bennett has re-joined Thistle Initiatives as a Partner in the Insurance team, working alongside Matthew Williamson. Formerly Managing Director at UKGI, she brings extensive expertise in Delegated Authority markets, MGAs, InsurTech and product development, with a proven record of delivering practical, solutions-driven outcomes for insurance firms. Nikki also continues to serve as a Director at the Association of Professional Compliance Consultants (APCC).