Hello, I'm James.
Director of Scion Compliance.

A bit about me

Hi, I’m James Eastham – a financial services compliance specialist with expertise spanning risk management, financial crime prevention, and regulatory compliance. Over the last 10 years, I’ve built my career from the ground up, starting in background screening and progressing through pivotal roles at some of the world’s leading fintech unicorns, including Monzo and eToro. Each step has sharpened my skills and set the foundation for the consultancy I run today.

At Monzo, I thrived as the senior member of their overnight financial crime team, where I managed high-pressure situations in real-time transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and enhanced due diligence. This hands-on experience in a fast-growing digital bank taught me how to navigate complex challenges while keeping a finger on the pulse of day-to-day operations.

At eToro, I stepped into a global role as a Senior Financial Crime Analyst, collaborating with teams across Cyprus, Israel, and Australia. I tackled complex investigations, liaised with law enforcement, and represented the company in industry forums. I also played a key role in implementing advanced compliance systems like Actimize, ensuring eToro stayed ahead in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

At Algbra, I joined a growing team tasked with building a compliance function. While there was a solid foundation in place, my work helped transform it into the comprehensive and effective function it needed to be. I developed risk assessments, enhanced transaction monitoring frameworks, and refined policies and procedures to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements. I also took on a leadership role in onboarding and training, ensuring the team was equipped to handle the demands of a scaling fintech. It was during this time that I realised my passion for refining compliance strategies and decided to launch my own consultancy.

Today, as the founder of Scion Compliance Ltd, I work with organisations to design and strengthen their compliance frameworks. I’m proud to partner with innovators in financial crime prevention and compliance tech, including Castellum AI for sanctions screening, WILTY AI for deepfake detection, and HAWK for transaction monitoring. My goal is to provide businesses with practical, risk-based solutions that not only meet regulatory requirements but also support their growth and success.