Insights

Politicians are often rightfully accused of speaking in generalities, or of not being consistent in the plans they put forth. But in at least one narrow aspect of financial services policy, US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is neither. On three separate occasions in recent months, Biden’s campaign has pledged to establish a government-financed and -operated…

The pandemic and its economic fallout may have put Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China (CPC) under enormous pressure, but it has also allowed Xi to tighten his grip on power and widen the party’s role in the Chinese economy. He has done this by launching two campaigns: one that focuses on rooting out corruption in law enforcement, and one that seeks to strengthen…

Controversies over ‘chlorinated chicken’ and ‘hormone-injected beef’ in the US/UK trade deal talks are at the centre of a heated debate on UK food standards. The debate is putting the spotlight on a fundamental issue facing the UK after Brexit: the country is taking back control of its regulatory framework - but to do what? And while the…

Simon Case, who was appointed permanent secretary of 10 Downing Street this May, has been confirmed as the next cabinet secretary. At 41, he is the youngest person in the position since Lord Hankey, for whom the role was created in 1916, during the middle of the Great War. Like Hankey, Case will sit next to the prime minister at meetings of the Cabinet and assume ultimate…

The once-vigorous debate around the bond-ratings agencies has faded along with memories of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08. In the crisis’ aftermath, many critics focused on the role the giant credit rating agencies (CRAs) Standard & Poor’s (a unit of S&P Global, ticker SPGI) and Moody’s (ticker MCO) played in failing to anticipate the rapid deterioration…

Many businesses are feeling their way towards a new balance between remote and office-based working. That partly involves responding to the preferences of customers and staff. It also involves responding to what competitors are doing. The forces of innovation and competition will likely mean the perimeter of the virtual office expands outwards over time. This will have…

Although round four of US-UK trade negotiations are slated for September, negotiators have yet to indicate any major signs of progress. Despite earlier signalling that a trade agreement could be concluded by the end of the year, politicians from both sides have publicly recognised that this is not a feasible timeframe. So, what does this mean for UK negotiators who could…

Phil Hogan’s stepping-down yesterday from his role at the helm of EU trade policy is sending shock waves through political and policy communities in Europe and globally. Many will argue, in hindsight, this was inevitable in light of his lack of contrition for breaches to Irish covid lockdown guidelines and quarantine rules in the so-called GolfGate. The affair highlights,…

The nationwide protests and industrial strikes that followed the controversial presidential elections in Belarus continue. The outcome of this unprecedented expression of public dissatisfaction with President Alexander Lukashenko and his grip on the country is, however, not yet clear. Lukashenko may still cling on to power – at least for the time-being - relying on his…

Togo’s president has done it this year. Burundi’s resisted the temptation. Guinea’s just decided to do it, while Côte d’Ivoire’s president said he wouldn’t, but recently changed his mind - the issue at hand is “third termism” or a president’s attempt to stay in power beyond the originally envisioned number of terms. These constitutional coups tend to lead to significant…

This US election cycle, GC team members in the Washington, DC and London offices are holding a series of conversations on the elections and wider US policy issues, and how each might impact investors and companies on both sides of the Atlantic. Below is a brief extract from the tenth conversation in the series, which unpacked yesterday’s long-awaited announcement that US…

Covid-19 is likely to accelerate pressures for the meaningful integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into the private equity (PE) industry. The twin dynamics of a greater public focus on investors’ ESG credentials and an increased scrutiny of the PE industry writ large could combine to encourage greater use of existing integration tools. With…

On July 28th, Global Counsel hosted a technical discussion between food policy experts looking at what is at stake for UK food and agriculture after the landmark Agriculture Bill as the UK pursues and negotiates trade agreements in the lead-up to exiting the European Union. We were joined by Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University of London and Emily Lydgate…

After the difficult negotiations of the longest ever EU summit, EU leaders agreed last week on a €750 billion recovery fund and at least one new EU tax. Some called it a “Hamiltonian moment” for the European Union. Practice Lead Denzil Davidson and Senior Associate Ana Martínez examine what was agreed, the politics that got us here, the disputes that still haven’t been…

Governments’ support measures for businesses hit by covid-19 have focused on maintaining liquidity through provision of emergency credit. In the UK, government-backed loan schemes have been the main protection over the past few months – but it should be equity, not debt, that revitalises the economy and pump-primes the recovery.

This US election cycle, GC team members in the Washington, DC and London offices are holding a series of conversations on the elections and wider US policy issues, and how each might impact investors and companies on both sides of the Atlantic. Below is a brief extract from the ninth conversation in the series, which unpacked two key policy developments - Joe Biden’s…

The House of Lords European Union Committee published its report Treaty scrutiny: working practices. This was prepared by its International Agreements Sub-Committee. Global Counsel Senior Director Stephen Adams gave evidence to the Committee on treaty negotiation and trade agreements. You can read the report and review its linked evidence here. 

Director Erin Caddell sits down with Alex Collins, Strategy Consultant at UNC Health Care (North Carolina’s largest health system), for a perspective on the impact of covid-19 on public health practices in North Carolina, and an outlook for recovery in the state given the recent uptick in cases there and in a number of other US states.