The challenges of addressing COVID-19, government closure orders, the Paycheck Protection Program, Main Street Lending Facilities and digital banking made this past audit season more challenging than most. Not surprisingly, it has given rise to quite a number of potential significant deficiencies.1 Significant deficiencies that are not addressed will no doubt become “material weaknesses ...
Back in 1999, a law was adopted renovating an autonomous regulator and putting in place a modern regime to govern securities and capital markets in Panama, placing the local regulatory environment very much in line with legislation in force in more developed markets such as the United States (including, for example, the creation of the indirect holding system) ...
A recent Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) disciplinary action is a reminder of the need for managers to ensure there are systems and procedures in place to meet the short position reporting obligations of the funds that they manage. The SFC reprimanded and fined an asset manager HK$3 ...
Slovak Investment Holding, a.s. (“SIH”) has launched the SIH Anti-Corona Guarantee as a new financial instrument employing European Structural and Investment Funds to help small and medium-sized enterprises (the “SMEs“) in Slovakia to overcome the financial difficulties and liquidity problems caused by the COVID-19 crisis and to help preserve employment and retain jobs ...
The immediate crisis caused by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (‘SVB’) in the US has been averted with US regulators stepping in to help customers there, and HSBC buying SVB’s UK subsidiary (‘SVB UK’). But the collapse of Silvergate Capital, SVB and Signature Bank in quick succession has somewhat sharpened focus on the potential risks in the finance industry (notwithstanding the increase in regulation, particularly over recent years) ...
The Chambers Global Guide ranks law firms and lawyers in more than 200 jurisdictions in selected disciplines. All subject areas are part of Chambers Europe, published in March. SVW is ranked within Banking and Finance, Corporate M&A, Oil and Gas, Dispute Resolution, and International & Cross Border Capabilities. SVW has two new lawyers entering the rankings, Sunniva Kinsella and Mathias Teir, as up and coming, as well as defending last year’s placements ...
In the guide, Chambers notes: «I choose to work with them because they are the most active in the scale-up and startup community; they have compassion for new market entrants; and are passionate and know all the domain experts for money and payment institutions.»» says an interviewee. Another interviewee adds: «They are able to quickly understand the technological, economical, and legal aspects ...
In the guide, Chambers notes: «It’s the leading tech law firm and has now become the leading FinTech law firm,» says an interviewee, who adds: «It’s the only law firm to enhance their FinTech offering consistently.» Our partners Espen Tøndel and Morten Winther defend their individual Band 1 rankings ...
In the guide, Chambers notes that Simonsen Vogt Wiig is a highly respected firm in Norway with significant expertise in payments law. The firm acts for large banks and start-ups on corporate matters, regulatory compliance, data privacy and cryptocurrency issues. It has further capability in intellectual property and crowdfunding ...
Frank C. Aase has more than 16 years of experience assisting companies facing financial challenges, providing support to banking and company clients. He is regularly appointed as a trustee in bankruptcy and serves as the leader of the Norwegian Bar Association’s legal committee for bankruptcy, composition, security rights, enforcement, and debt collection. Frank comes from Brækhus Advokatfirma, where he previously served as managing partner ...
How does Singapore's business environment make it an attractive location for foreign law firms? Anthony McKenzie: Singapore is considered a favourable destination for doing business due to its political stability, strong legal framework, well-regulated financial sector, competitive tax rates, excellent infrastructure and pro-business policies that attract foreign investment. It has a highly skilled and educated workforce with a strong emphasis on innovation and technological advancements ...
At its Singapore 2006 AGM, ISDA announced the publication of a new set of definitions – the ISDA 2006 Fund Derivative Definitions (Fund Definitions). The Fund Definitions are intended to provide basis terminology for use in confirmations of derivatives transactions linked to interests in various types of pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds and mutual funds, for which a liquid secondary market may not exist ...
Disruption. Possibly the most overused word in today's global lexicon, it refers to the upheaval that is created when a new business (these days, usually founded by a smart alec entrepreneur) uproots an established method of delivering a product or service. Think Spotify, a music-streaming business that has sounded the death knell of CDs. It has, as its most vocal opponent, pop star Taylor Swift, who felt that it did not adequately value her art ...
Last week's news reports from Slovenia are letting us know that the Slovenian state holding company (SDH) decided to privatise Nova Ljubljanska Banka (NLB), the country's biggest bank, through initial public offering (IPO) ...
There is encouraging news for those with plans of getting involved in a start-up project in Slovenia, as theSlovenian Enterprise Fundhas announced almost EUR 5 million to support innovative start-ups this year ...
The Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (“POPIA”), South Africa’s privacy or data protection legislation, applies to the processing (which includes collection, use, receipt and destruction) of personal information, such as names and contact details, of individuals and juristic persons, in South Africa ...
On May 19, 2021, Superintendent Resolution Nº 045-2021-SMV/02 was published, apdopting the Regulation of the Financial Participative Financing Activity and its Management Companies (the “Regulation“), which clarifies the provisions of Emergency Decree Nº 013-2020 – Emergency Decree that Promotes the Financing of MSMEs, Entrepreneurships and Startups ...
This is a question we often find clients asking. For many business founders and entrepreneurs the step of recruiting a senior non customer facing individual represents a huge move. Our advice is almost always to get on; take the plunge and make that investment. Looking at the key objections that are often raised: Why do I need a score keeper? Any finance function has a role to play in reporting the past and in identifying areas for improvement ...
In Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada v. Entertainment Software Association1 (the ?SOCAN Decision?), the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on the obligation to pay a royalty for making a work available to the public on a server, where it can later be streamed or downloaded ...
A trubunal has ruled that an employee was fairly dismissed for makng vulgar comment to female colleague on his facebook page while at home. A recent decision from a tribunal in Northern Ireland held that an employee was fairly dismissed because comments which he posted on his Facebook page amounted to harassment of a female colleague and was in breach of the employer’s Dignity at Work Policy ...
The Algarve has been seriously affected by the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, on 29 July 2020, the Portuguese Parliament published Resolution no. 51/2020 in which it recommend the adoption of a social and economic emergency plan for the Algarve (“Plano de emergência social e económico para o Algarve”) by the Portuguese Government. The recommended measures set out in Resolution no ...
Social bonds, which raise funds for new or existing projects seeking to address social issues, continue to soar in popularity among investors – but how is “social bond” designation achieved? The primary criteria for social bond designation is established by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) ...
There are numerous internet-based interactive platforms that may be referred to as social media outlets, for example Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter. It is hard to spend any time online without coming across some form of social media platform. Many retail websites will have a section for user feedback and reviews, such message boards are themselves a form of social media ...
Writer, Margaret Rouse, describes a social media policy as “a corporate code of conduct that provides guidelines for employees who post content on the internet, either as part of their job or as a private person”. Underestimating the significance of a sound social media policy may lead to dire consequences for an organisation ...
