Success story: ZISHI

Founded in 1999, ZISHI is a global financial training, learning, and performance technology company.

Delivered by a global network of trainers, consultants and practitioners, ZISHI provides professionals, corporations and leaders with financial training and education courses, along with Artificial Intelligence tools and personal development technology.

With over 600 financial training and education experts, ZISHI has offices in Dubai, India, Poland, China, Hongkong, and the United Kingdom.

In 2021, Governance, Risk and Compliance training experts, FSTP, were acquired to enhance ZISHI’s offering across all financial service sectors.

ZISHI is part of OSTC Group, a global derivatives trading, education and performance business.

Unicorn – who was acquired by The Access Group in 2019 – had a longstanding partnership with FSTP as the subject matter expert for their Governance, Risk & Compliance solutions. These solutions focus on digital learning technology and eLearning content specifically designed for the financial services industry.

“Access Group has a great reputation – as did Unicorn– so the partnership we have creates a strong proposition in the market. From our initial conversation nearly two decades ago, we’ve had a healthy, easy, and honest working relationship,” says Philippa Grocott, Head of Regulatory Sales and Apprenticeships at ZISHI.

Since both acquisitions, ZISHI and the Access Learning team have continued to work together to ensure that the Governance, Risk and Compliance for Financial Services and Mortgage and Home Finance catalogues remain current and up to date with the continuous external compliance and regulatory changes.

The Governance, Risk and Compliance catalogue provides all the regulatory compliance learning for all professionals working in the financial services industry.

The Mortgage and Home Finance catalogue provides evidenced CPD to mortgage professionals. The tailored content upskills and satisfies Mortgage Credit Directive (MCD) requirements for knowledge and competence.

Find out more about Access Learning’s Financial Services eLearning courses.

As subject matter experts, ZISHI identify new titles that are needed to educate and enhance the skillset of financial services professionals. Research is taken from third parties, such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Prudential Regulation Authority and HM Treasury which identifies key focuses.

ZISHI then collate the findings to supply Access Learning with the technical, regulatory and compliance information needed to produce and update their course content and technology.

“Without our partnership with ZISHI, it would be challenging to stay up to date with the continuous external influences and changes within the financial services industry. Within the industry there are many different sectors, all with different compliance requirements that need to be met. We provide content to all of these sectors, so ZISHI’s knowledge, credibility, and connections are invaluable to us,” says Richard Whittington, Senior Product Manager at The Account Group.

From this information, the Access Learning team create technology and content through their Learning Solutions, which ZISHI review and approve.

“The content that the Access Learning team create is video-led, human-centred, bitesize, engaging and covers all the technical requirements under the regulations in an informative way. So much so, that we use the eLearning courses internally. From a subject matter expert point of view, we also act as a reference point for the content, as well as recommend and supply it to our clients,” says Philippa.

ZISHI also support with reviewing scripts, roadmaps, and maintenance schedules.

View our 2023 maintenance schedule and script for Financial Services: Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) and Mortgage and Home Finance Content Catalogues

Consumer Duty module

The Financial Conduct Authority’s Consumer Duty represents a major shift in what’s expected of financial services firms.

Recognising how transformative this regulation is, ZISHI and Access Learning collaborated to produce an engaging, video-led course. The learning

ZISHI, as the subject matter expert, provided the credible source materials. The Access Learning team then designed and developed the learning content.

Throughout the development ZISHI reviewed scripts and provided valuable updates on changes and developments to Consumer Duty.

“All, myself included, have been impressed with the Consumer Duty content and the effort made to convey the information in a novel, yet engaging format” - Nicolas Koureas, Compliance Manager at ADM.

View our Financial Services: Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) – Consumer Duty update, October 2022

Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR)

Access Learning has technology and content solutions to help firms with their administration and training requirements for the Regimes.

The tools and eLearning delivered through Access’ learning management system (LMS) enable firms to upskill in the requirements of the regimes, allocate Senior Manger Functions, Prescribed & Overall Responsibilities plus create Responsibility Maps and also enable ease of tracking Fitness & Propriety and help you keep the FCA directory up to date.

ZISHI provided consultancy advice and guidance to the Access Learning development team to ensure the tool continues to be fit for purpose.

Advice Matters – the CPD solution for financial services professionals

Many roles within financial services now require CPD. In fact, most firms and regulators would agree that it’s paramount for anyone working in the industry to complete a certain level of CPD to remain competent in their role.

Advice Matters is designed as an effective and accessible resource, accredited by the LIBF, accessed through the Access Learning solutions.

With up-to-date regulatory and technical knowledge in topics such as:

• Advising and giving recommendations on products within financial services;
• Dealing with and overseeing financial service products;
• Managing investments and insurance products, especially where you will be required to complete CPD;
• Senior managers and certified individuals where a broader understanding of financial service sectors is required - not just the one you work in.

ZISHI produce the content for this accredited publication, which the Access Learning team design. It is then distributed to all customers who subscribe to the Governance, Risk and Compliance for FS catalogue.

“It goes down well with clients knowing that it has been produced and delivered by both parties. The publication is a true collaboration, and the joint proposition is definitely more compelling,” says Philippa.

The Governance, Risk and Compliance for Financial Services and Mortgage and Home Finance catalogues can be purchased as part of Access People’s learning management system (LMS) or as standalone

The Access Group's HCM division, Access People, offer an unrivalled suite of solutions for businesses, including HR and Payroll, Absence Management, Workforce Management, Compliance, Recruitment, Talent, Learning, Employee Benefits and Engagement, Health & Safety, all of which are underpinned by the powerful Access Workspace platform. 

The Access Group is one of the leading providers of business management software to small and mid-sized organisations in the UK, Ireland, and Asia Pacific. We help over 100,000 customers across commercial and not-for-profit sectors become more productive and efficient.