A conversation with Marcial Boo about building better regulation

When Marcial Boo talks about rules, there’s a reason he sounds like someone who has thought hard about their absence.  

“One of the reasons I believe in regulation,” he says, “is that there are some countries close to me where rules have been broken – or they’re not complied with in quite the same way. And it has a massive impact on people.” 

Boo, whose father is Argentinian, has spent time in Latin America, where he saw first-hand how brittle compliance regimes and overlapping bureaucracies could undermine basic public trust.  

That conviction has shaped a career in public service that now spans over three decades, from Whitehall to Westminster to watchdog roles across four regulatory domains. Today, he serves as CEO of the Insolvency Practitioners Association and Chair of the UK’s Institute of Regulation (IoR), which he co-founded in 2021. 

The Institute is the UK’s first professional body dedicated to regulators themselves. Boo’s mission for it is clear: “We’re here to promote a compliant, rules-based society – which I think everybody can benefit from.” 

“We’ve built a regulatory community so people don’t feel isolated. It can be a lonely job, overseeing a sector and taking decisions that impact people’s livelihoods.” 

A profession takes root 

Boo’s career began in the UK civil service during the reform-heavy years of the late 1990s. He worked in education, counter-terrorism, and public service delivery, including a stint in Tony Blair’s Downing Street Delivery Unit. But it was in regulatory work that he found the blend of independence, public accountability and systemic impact that would define his later career. 

Over time, a pattern emerged: despite their importance, regulators were disconnected from one another. “There was nowhere regulators could go to learn, to improve their skills, to meet others doing similar things in different sectors.” 

That insight led to the founding of the IoR. What began as a volunteer-run initiative has grown into a membership organisation representing nearly half of the UK’s regulators. The IoR now offers networking, peer support, and training ranging from introductory workshops to board-level masterclasses. 

“We’ve built a regulatory community so people don’t feel isolated,” Boo says. “It can be a lonely job, overseeing a sector and taking decisions that impact people’s livelihoods.” 

From community to capability

The Institute’s second pillar is professional development. “We’ve developed a two-hour online introduction to regulation geared towards new staff – often people from civil service or service delivery backgrounds who’ve never worked in regulation before.” There’s also a “masterclass” programme for senior executives and board members, many of whom may have sectoral expertise but lack regulatory training.

“They were a banker and became a financial regulator. Or a headteacher who became an education regulator,” Boo explains. “We help them think about regulation as a regulator.” 

The third long-term goal is to promote better understanding of what good regulation looks like – not as a think tank, but as a platform to support shared learning across the profession. 

Beyond the spreadsheet 

One area where Boo believes regulators urgently need to raise their game is digital capability. “Modern regulation means being data-driven,” he says. “I’m not even talking about AI – I’m just talking about moving away from spreadsheets onto proper digital platforms.” 

Boo describes digital maturity in three stages: basic enablement (single platforms, CRM/CMS systems); analytical capacity (understanding and deploying data); and advanced tools (like AI) to drive proactive, risk-based regulation. 

While some UK regulators – such as the Civil Aviation Authority and MHRA – have earned reputations for digital capability, Boo says most are still in the early stages. “All regulators are aware of the challenge. But they’re moving slower than the sectors they regulate. And they’re moving slower than the technology.” 

At the IoR, a special interest group on digital and data brings together senior leaders from across regulators to share lessons and supplier contacts – one example of how cross-sector collaboration is already helping regulators move faster. 

Trust and the referee’s dilemma 

Boo is clear-eyed about the challenge of maintaining legitimacy in a political climate where regulators are often targets of suspicion. “You won’t be liked as a regulator,” he says. “But if you’re respected, people might roll their eyes – and still accept your decisions.” 

He draws a familiar analogy: regulators are like referees. “Sometimes the ball is in or out, someone stays on the pitch or gets sent off. Someone’s always going to be unhappy.” The job, then, is to make decisions based on evidence and the law, and explain them well – again and again. 

That challenge is magnified when regulators come under pressure, whether from the public, politicians, or their own staff. “You need resilience. And you need to be cautious. Don’t shoot from the hip.” 

That caution, Boo says, is a strength. “You have to base decisions on evidence, consult often, and understand the consequences – especially when those decisions carry weight.” 

What good looks like 

Asked what digital readiness looks like in practice, Boo’s answer is both pragmatic and aspirational. “First, a good regulator is digitally enabled: an online interface, a single platform, staff who can use and collate data. That’s basic. Then you build from there – analysing data, deploying it efficiently, and using tools like AI.” 

He’s optimistic about the potential for technology to improve outcomes – but sees risk management as essential. “AI itself is neither good nor bad. It’s how it’s used. The key is to understand its application in a specific sector – whether medical diagnostics, financial services, or elsewhere.” 

For Boo, the ultimate goal is not just more efficient regulators – but more coherent regulation. That means sharing data across regulators, reducing duplication, and recognising when rules are outdated. It also means a more sophisticated political discourse around the role of regulation. 

“There’s a challenge for regulators to work better with politicians – and for politicians to understand what good regulation is. It’s not all bad. Regulation can be a tool for achieving political goals.” 

The next decade 

When asked to imagine regulation ten years from now, Boo is cautious but hopeful. “Ten years isn’t a long time. But I’d like to see regulation thought about systemically, not piecemeal. Regulators collaborating. People seeing regulation as a profession – with qualifications and career pathways.” 

He also envisions shared standards across borders, particularly in professions like law, health, and accounting. “We need to think more globally – and we need better mechanisms for withdrawing outdated rules, not just adding new ones.” 

The IoR, for its part, will continue to champion this agenda – with Boo at the helm. “We identified a gap, and we’ve filled it with a professional body that cares about regulation and improving it.” 

In his words, “That’s what we’re doing.” 

Also read: Q&A: Marcial Boo on regulation, digital readiness, and leadership under pressure