As regulation continues to increase in both volume and complexity, compliance evolved over the past years from a “check-the-box process” to a core pillar of business strategy. At Vialegis, we like to stay in touch with our network of experienced professionals. Our colleague, Caroline Fabri, who focuses on compliance matters at Vialegis, interviewed several seasoned compliance professionals and their message is clear: the opportunities are huge, but so are the challenges.
🔍 Expertise is rare — and hard to build
With only a small percentage of candidates passing the Certified Compliance Officer exam, the talent pool remains limited. Most professionals enter the field through alternative routes, from internal audit, legal or business advisory. This diverse background is an asset, but the depth of regulatory knowledge required and the complexity of the new regulations is pushing compliance professionals into ever-narrower specializations.
🧠 Important soft skills
It’s not just about knowing the regulatory framework. Strong communication, critical listening, and the ability to translate complex regulation into hands-on and pragmatic advice are must-haves for compliance professionals. As a compliance professional you do not operate in a vacuum and it is key to always align with other departments (sometimes a difficult push and pull play), otherwise your internal credibility as a compliance professional might be at risk.
💡 The need for tech-driven compliance
While compliance teams aspire to be more data-driven, legal conservatism and limited IT affinity remain barriers. Truly multidisciplinary teams, where legal encyclopedias with IT minds are blended and operational compliance is automated, are the future.
📉 Budget vs. expectation paradox
Compliance is expected to do more, but often with too little. Tight budgets hinder innovation and limit growth. At the same time, demand for specialists drives up salaries.
📈 What’s next?
The compliance leaders of tomorrow will be those who can combine legal in-depth expertise with strong strategy and communication skills. A good compliance professional connects the dots across departments, disciplines, and data.
Bottom line: compliance is about enabling and helping the business move forward, while at the same time staying cautious and avoiding potential risks.
* * *
Are you a compliance professional looking for a new challenge or a business in need of strong compliance professionals? Or do you want to learn more about working as a compliance professional and/or discuss market trends in the compliance sector? 👉 Feel free to reach out to us (info@vialegis.be or caroline.fabri@vialegis.be).
At Vialegis we love to connect the right people through a personal, tailored, and dedicated approach that truly makes a difference.
