Headlines
UK's Serious Fraud Office appoints interim boss
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 26, 2026
Quick Summary
Britain's SFO named Graham McNulty interim director effective April 6, replacing retiring chief Nick Ephgrave. McNulty, SFO COO since Sept. 2024, has led new case systems and AI use as the agency pursues faster, tech-driven fraud prosecutions.
Serious Fraud Office Names Graham McNulty Interim Director from April 6
SFO Leadership Transition and Context
LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Britain's Serious Fraud Office said on Thursday that Graham McNulty would take over in early April as interim director to lead the investigator and prosecutor.
Succession and Timing
McNulty, a former senior police officer who joined the SFO as chief operating officer in September 2024, will take over on April 6 from Nick Ephgrave, who is retiring after two-and-a-half years in the role.
McNulty’s Stated Priorities
"It is a tremendous privilege to lead the Serious Fraud Office," McNulty said, adding that he aimed to build on recent progress at the agency.
Technology and Case Management
McNulty has overseen the rollout of the SFO's first case management system and its adoption of new technologies, including further uses of artificial intelligence.
Policing Background and Expertise
Before joining the agency, he spent 31 years in policing, including senior roles tackling serious and organised crime, economic crime and major investigations.
Attorney General’s Office Response
The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking further details about the interim appointment.
Ephgrave’s Tenure and Departure
Ephgrave, the first non-lawyer to run the SFO and a former senior police officer too, said in January he would retire at the end of March after 38 years in public service.
Disclosure Challenges and Criticism
When he took over at the SFO, it was facing criticism over abandoned prosecutions because of disclosure failures.
Faster Cases and Crypto Capability
He said the agency had made significant progress during his tenure, citing faster cases, improved disclosure using AI and the creation of a crypto-asset capability.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti. Additional reporting by Kirstin Ridley. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Key Takeaways
- •Graham McNulty will become interim director of the SFO on April 6.
- •He succeeds Nick Ephgrave, who retires after roughly 2.5 years in the role.
- •McNulty joined as SFO COO in September 2024 after a 31‑year policing career.
- •He oversaw rollout of the SFO’s first case management system and expanded AI use.
- •Agency cites faster cases, improved disclosure and new crypto‑asset capability.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK's Serious Fraud Office appoints interim boss
1What is the main topic?
The article reports that Graham McNulty will become the UK Serious Fraud Office’s interim director on April 6, succeeding Nick Ephgrave, who is retiring after roughly two and a half years.
2Who is Graham McNulty?
McNulty is the SFO’s chief operating officer since September 2024 and a former senior UK police officer. He has overseen new case management and expanded use of AI at the agency.
3Why is the leadership change significant?
It comes as the SFO emphasizes faster investigations, improved disclosure using AI and a growing crypto‑asset capability, making continuity and technology adoption central to its strategy.
