Liz Collery, a Case Controller at the Serious Fraud Office, has been named Outstanding Female Economic Crime Professional at the annual Tackling Economic Crime Awards. The awards recognise innovation, collaboration and measurable impact across law enforcement, the private sector, academia and the wider public sector.
According to the government announcement, judges highlighted Collery’s leadership on major SFO matters. She oversaw the Amec Foster Wheeler settlement in 2021, which resulted in a court‑approved Deferred Prosecution Agreement valued at £103 million and addressed the use of corrupt agents in the engineering sector.
Collery also co‑led the SFO’s investigation into senior‑level bribery at Glencore Energy (UK) Ltd. That case culminated in the largest penalty imposed after a corporate criminal conviction in the UK, underlining the agency’s capacity to prosecute where the evidence warrants it.
A Deferred Prosecution Agreement suspends a prosecution against a company in exchange for conditions such as a financial penalty, disgorgement and improvements to compliance, all overseen by the court. The mechanism is designed to secure cooperation and remediation while delivering a visible deterrent effect.
Taken together, the Amec and Glencore outcomes show the SFO’s ability to deploy both settlement and conviction routes in serious bribery and corruption cases. For boards and general counsel, the message remains consistent: third‑party intermediary risk and controls around agents continue to attract scrutiny.
Collery was also recognised for workforce development. She leads and mentors a team of around 25 investigators and lawyers, emphasising ethical standards and strategic case building required for public prosecutions. Building that capability is essential to sustain complex corporate investigations.
SFO Director Nick Ephgrave QPM said Collery’s leadership on complex fraud and bribery prosecutions reflects the determination and integrity needed to hold offenders to account and protect the UK’s financial system. The recognition aligns with the agency’s mission to deliver results in high‑stakes cases.
Three further SFO colleagues-Andrew Grieve, Sarah Goudarzi and Simon Daniel-were also nominated at the ceremony, indicating broader recognition for the agency’s casework teams and specialist expertise.
For compliance, legal and investigations professionals, the recognition offers a clear read‑out of enforcement themes: early cooperation, robust oversight of third parties, and credible remediation programmes under court‑supervised agreements. Firms active in higher‑risk markets should expect sustained attention on payments, agents and supply‑chain controls.