Liz Collery, a Case Controller at the Serious Fraud Office, has been named Outstanding Female Economic Crime Professional at the Tackling Economic Crime Awards. The accolade, announced on GOV.UK, recognises casework that has shaped UK enforcement in recent years and the people who deliver it.

For investors, lenders and boards, the interest here is practical rather than ceremonial. Recent SFO outcomes linked to Collery’s work show how Deferred Prosecution Agreements and record penalties now carry direct consequences for cashflow, borrowing costs and reputation, pushing compliance from policy binder to board agenda.

In 2021, Collery led the case against Amec Foster Wheeler that concluded with a £103 million Deferred Prosecution Agreement. As set out in the Government announcement, the settlement addressed the misuse of corrupt agents in the engineering sector and sent a clear message on third‑party risk, from onboarding through to payment controls and oversight.

The following year she co‑led the SFO’s investigation into senior‑level bribery at Glencore Energy (UK) Ltd. The case resulted in the largest penalty imposed following a corporate criminal conviction in the UK, underscoring the prosecutorial rigour now brought to complex, cross‑border conduct and the scale of potential liabilities when controls fail.

The TECAs also reward collaboration. According to the SFO, Collery leads and mentors a team of around 25 investigators and lawyers, with an emphasis on ethical judgement and strategic case design. Those skills increasingly mirror what effective in‑house compliance functions need to prevent problems before prosecutors arrive.

Three SFO colleagues - Andrew Grieve, Sarah Goudarzi and Simon Daniel - were also nominated at the ceremony. SFO Director Nick Ephgrave QPM praised Collery’s determination and integrity in high‑profile fraud and bribery prosecutions, a public signal that the agency intends to maintain pressure on complex economic crime.

For corporates, the lessons are familiar but non‑negotiable. Third‑party intermediaries remain a recurring weak spot; gifts, hospitality and commission structures demand clear thresholds; and oversight must extend to high‑risk jurisdictions and joint ventures. The Amec Foster Wheeler outcome shows how inadequate agent management can become a balance‑sheet event.

Finance directors should treat DPAs as an operating assumption in risk planning rather than an edge case. Effective cooperation, accurate books and records, and prompt internal investigations materially influence outcomes if an issue arises. The Glencore case demonstrates how failings at senior level can rapidly crystallise into nine‑figure liabilities.

This award is ultimately a reminder that UK enforcement is becoming more assertive and methodical. For SMEs and listed groups alike, next year’s budgets should ring‑fence resource for due diligence, training and whistleblowing channels - modest outlays compared with the cost of remediation and sanction.