After studying chemistry at university, Richard became involved in financial services regulation. He worked as a Securities Regulator at the International Stock Exchange in London and at the Securities and Futures Authority for six years. Richard then moved into the industry and worked as a Compliance and AML Specialist for 17 years at a range of financial services institutions, including international banks and asset managers. He was the Compliance Lead for the UK operations of four different banks. Richard also had a three-year stint as a Regulatory Advisor specialising in conduct issues at PricewaterhouseCoopers

He has various industry qualifications including the Securities Industry Examination Diploma and the Registered Representative exam