Helen Murphy

Principal

Helen Murphy, Principal

Helen is married with two (mostly charming) teenagers and a gorgeous Siberian cat. She loves travel and is thrilled to be going on big adventures again now that her kids are old enough to join the fun.

She’s a strong advocate for the benefits of exercise on mental health, so in her spare time you’ll often find her running, lifting weights, or playing tennis. When she’s not staying active, she’s likely watching cricket at The Oval or a football match at Plough Lane or St Mary’s with her son.

Helen enjoys good food, theatre, and the occasional margarita—or two—with her husband or friends. A keen reader, she’s a proud member of three book clubs, although readily admits that the focus is sometimes more on drinking wine and less on literary discussion.

Meet Helen

Helen is a Principal at Avyse Partners and leads the Financial Crime team. With over 20 years experience in financial crime, she brings a wealth of knowledge gained across a range of senior roles within major financial institutions, consultancy firms, and through a secondment to the regulator.

Her extensive background spans assurance, governance, reporting, policy, and advisory, and includes acting as a MLRO.  Helen is known for her attention to detail and strong technical expertise, which she applies to help clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes and strengthen their financial crime frameworks.

Experience:

  • Helen brings extensive industry experience and a pragmatic approach to financial crime compliance, balancing regulatory expectations with practical implementation.

  • She has acted as a Skilled Person on multiple Section 166 (s166) reviews for Avyse, consistently delivering high-quality reports on time, within budget, and fully aligned with the scope set out in the Requirement Notice. Having previously been on the receiving end of a s166 review, Helen appreciates the pressure firms face and is committed to conducting reviews that are proportionate and fair.

  • Helen was seconded to a leading UK challenger bank as a senior advisor to the MLRO, where she played a key role in developing and enhancing the firm’s financial crime framework.

  • In addition, Helen has led numerous audits for Avyse, evaluating the design effectiveness of firms’ financial crime policies and procedures, and performing operational effectiveness testing to ensure controls are being implemented in accordance with internal protocols and regulatory requirements.