UK companies should be aware of the increasing focus on corporate culture by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic. By Nathan H. Seltzer, David Berman, Stuart Alford QC, Christopher M. Ting, and Nell Perks In a recent speech that has garnered significant attention, US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco highlighted several important changes in … Continue Reading
By Paul A. Davies, Tom Evans, Nicola Higgs, Farah O’Brien, David Walker, Michael Green, Hannah Berdal, Anne Mainwaring, and Catherine Campbell Green shoots emerge as PE firms consider new ways to incorporate ESG into dealmaking. Market sentiment and the increasing importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) to firms’ competitiveness across the market, combined with … Continue Reading
Proposals reflect growing investor focus on the ESG performance of listed companies. By Chris Horton, James Inness, Rob Moulton, Anna Ngo, and Johannes Poon The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a consultation setting out proposed changes to its Listing Rules (LRs) and Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (DTRs). The proposals seek to: (i) … Continue Reading
By Rob Moulton, Nicola Higgs, Anne Mainwaring, Becky Critchley, and Anna Lewis-Martinez The latest edition of our Private Bank Briefing provides a roundup of legal and compliance issues impacting private banks and their clients from Q1 2021. In this edition, we cover some of the key regulatory announcements relating to MiFID II and the impact … Continue Reading
The UK government signals a diversion from the onshored regime towards a more flexible financial services regulatory framework. By Rob Moulton, Anne Mainwaring, and Anna Lewis-Martinez HM Treasury has published a consultation paper marking the start of Phase II of its financial services review, which will focus on the broader regulatory framework for financial services … Continue Reading
French Competition Authority orders Google to negotiate remuneration with press publishers and news agencies under Article 15 of the Copyright Directive (as implemented in France). By Deborah Kirk, Elva Cullen, Rachael Astin, and Grace Erskine Background In April 2019 the European Parliament officially adopted Directive (EU) 2019/790 on Copyright and Related Rights in the Digital Single … Continue Reading
Companies and investors must consider the impact that poor corporate culture may have on their potential to achieve an exit, in particular an IPO. By David Berman, Richard Butterwick, Chris Horton, Robbie McLaren, Anna Ngo, Nell Perks, Catherine Campbell, and Charlotte Collins It is now apparent that no institution or business unit, whatever its geography, … Continue Reading
Buyout firms planning an acquisition or preparing a portfolio company for exit must consider the impact of poor corporate culture, particularly on a potential IPO. By David Berman, Chris Horton, Robbie McLaren, Anna Ngo, Nell Perks, Charlotte Collins, Catherine Campbell, Tom Evans, and David Walker No institution, whatever its geography, industry, sector, or size, is … Continue Reading
The taskforce continues to receive and monitor complaints about unfair practices in relation to cancellations and refunds and potentially unjustifiable price rises. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai On 21 May, the CMA released a further update setting out the work of its COVID-19 Taskforce in responding to complaints regarding competition and consumer protection … Continue Reading
UK regulators announce a further package of measures to ease the burden on issuers. By Chris Horton, James Inness, Rob Moulton, Koushik Prasad, Connor Cahalane, and Charlotte Collins In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UK regulators have published further measures affecting issuers, to try to preserve the flow of information to investors and support the … Continue Reading
A Call for Input reveals that the FCA is planning for a post-EU future and examining ethics with regard to MAR. By Rob Moulton On 9 March 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a Call for Input on the way that wholesale market participants access and use data in the UK. A Call for … Continue Reading
Latham explores the primary legal developments for issuers and their advisers in the year ahead. By Chris Horton, James Inness, and Connor Cahalane The regulatory regime and disclosure requirements for listed companies in the UK will continue to evolve in 2020. Issuers and their advisers should be aware of the key legal developments that will … Continue Reading
Insights from Latham’s flagship event: Managing the risk and promise of digitisation in financial services Authors: Andrew Moyle, Nicola Higgs, Christian McDermott, and Kirsty Watkins. The financial services industry is leading the way in outsourcing, with contract values in excess of US$10.7 billion in 2018, causing regulators to focus more than ever on the associated … Continue Reading
All firms should take note of the FCA’s latest feedback on SMCR implementation. By Rob Moulton, Charlotte Collins and David Berman In its latest piece of feedback on firms’ implementation of the SMCR, the FCA indicated that firms must improve their implementation of the Certification Regime and, most particularly, the Conduct Rules. While the FCA’s … Continue Reading
10 Key Regulatory Focus Areas for UK/European Wholesale Markets in 2019 By David Berman, Carl Fernandes Nicola Higgs, Rob Moulton, and Charlotte Collins The fourth post in this 10-blog series considers the latest developments in relation to the Market Abuse regime. This is taken from our wider publication: 10 Key Regulatory Focus Areas for UK/European Wholesale Markets in 2019 – Progress Report. … Continue Reading
10 Key Regulatory Focus Areas for UK/European Wholesale Markets in 2019 By David Berman, Carl Fernandes Nicola Higgs, Rob Moulton, and Charlotte Collins This blog post explores developments relating to the EU Benchmarks Regulation and the transition away from LIBOR. This is the third blog of this series, which has been taken from our wider publication: 10 Key Regulatory Focus Areas for … Continue Reading
10 Key Regulatory Focus Areas for UK/European Wholesale Markets in 2019 By David Berman, Carl Fernandes Nicola Higgs, Rob Moulton, and Charlotte Collins In the second post of this 10-blog series, we examine recent and upcoming developments relating to MiFID II. This is taken from our wider publication: 10 Key Regulatory Focus Areas for UK/European Wholesale Markets in 2019 – Progress Report. … Continue Reading
By David Berman, Carl Fernandes Nicola Higgs, Rob Moulton and Charlotte Collins In our January publication, we highlighted what we were seeing as the top regulatory focus areas for our clients during the year ahead, focusing on wholesale market structures and conduct risk. In a series of 10 blog posts, we will take a closer look at … Continue Reading
The rules will echo ESMA’s temporary measures, however the FCA will extend the CFD restriction to capture closely substitutable products (such as turbo certificates). By Rob Moulton, David Berman, Charlotte Collins, and Gabriel Lakeman The FCA has launched two consultations on: Banning the sale, marketing, and distribution of binary options to retail consumers (CP18/37) Restricting … Continue Reading
Examples of good and poor practices provide helpful guidance, and a reminder of supervisory expectations. By Frida Montenius, Jonathan Ritson-Candler, and Charlotte Collins The FCA has published TR18/3, setting out the findings from its thematic review of the anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) systems and controls in 13 Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs). Although the … Continue Reading
The “Dear CEO” letter underlines the FCA’s open and pragmatic approach in the context of Brexit. By Nicola Higgs and Charlotte Collins The FCA has published a “Dear CEO” letter to firms, advising them of its position in relation to the use of cross-border booking models in the context of Brexit. Firms commonly use remote … Continue Reading
FCA Chair hints that new regulation addressing data ethics in the FinTech space may be on the horizon. By Nicola Higgs, Fiona Maclean and Terese Saplys Will societies of the future be ruled by algocracy, in which algorithms decide how humans are governed? Charles Randell, Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Payment Systems … Continue Reading
The Financial Conduct Authority has published final rules creating a new category within its premium listing regime for companies controlled by a shareholder that is a sovereign country. By James Inness, Claire A. Keast-Butler, and Koushik K. Prasad From 1 July, 2018, an issuer with a sovereign state as its controlling shareholder will be eligible … Continue Reading
Many auto advisers and automated discretionary investment managers risk poor outcomes for customers by falling short of FCA expectations. By Nicola Higgs and Brett Carr The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a statement outlining its expectations of firms providing automated online discretionary investment management (ODIM) services and retail investment auto advisers (auto advisors). The … Continue Reading
