The Allen & Overy Podcast archive

Ako hodnotíme výsledky rebríčka najväčších advokátskych kancelárií na Slovensku?

Aj tento rok priniesol magazín Právo v spolupráci s FinStatom a The Slovak Spectator komplexný prehľad o trhu právnych služieb na Slovensku. Čo tento rebríček hovorí a ako sme sa v ňom umiestnili? Čo napovie študentom práva? Ponúka korporátny právny svet priestor aj pre nezištných právnikov? Pozývame Vás vypočuť si ďalšiu epizódu nášho podcastu, v ktorom Vám naša marketingová koordinátorka Monika Nagyová, spolu s partnermi našej kancelárie, Martinom Magálom a Renátusom Kollárom, dajú odpovede nie len na tieto otázky. 

Great Fund Insights: Perspectives on ESG in the Middle East with ESG consultant, Vasuki Shastry

This timely discussion is part of a series of Allen & Overy conversations to explore different perspectives on ESG in the Middle East with key industry players in the region.

Funds and asset management counsel, Kamar Jaffer is joined by Vasuki Shastry, ESG and Strategic Communications Advisor. They discuss the role consultants can play in identifying and managing ESG factors within the Middle East.

Topics discussed in this podcast include:

• Private equity managers commitment to ESG in the Middle East
• The approach to integrating ESG related principles into systems and processes
• The approach on ESG from the due diligence phase through to the post-investment assessment
• Common themes across the Middle East, Europe and Asia
• Areas of focus of private equity managers with portfolio companies
• Outlook for ESG in the Middle East for the coming year and beyond

This Great Fund Insights podcast will be of interest to sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, family offices, fund managers and portfolio companies with a focus on the Middle East.

Podcast #7: Insights for Trustees & Agents in Asia Pacific – Considerations for an exit strategy and dealing with bond defaults

In our latest edition of Trust Us, a podcast addressing hot topics for trustees and agents in Asia Pacific, Holly Hart from our Corporate Trust & Agency team moderates a discussion on the key considerations for the retirement or substitution of trustees and agents in the context of bonds, and a best practice guide to dealing with bond defaults.

Exit Strategy – Key Considerations for the Retirement or Substitutions of Trustee and Agents

There are various reasons why a trustee or agent may wish to exit a current role – it could be due to a regulatory or licensing regime change, because of a commercial decision, or sometimes it may be the consequence of a bond default, when the issuer has been drawn into court-sanctioned on-shore restructuring proceedings. Holly Hart and Katherine Signy share their thoughts on the steps trustees and agents should take when considering extracting themselves from matters that are commercially or practically untenable. The speakers also highlight a range of possible scenarios and share tips on how to deal with potential pitfalls and successfully navigate an exit.

The Defaults Playbook – Best Practice for Trustees and Agents

Given the significant uptick in bond defaults over the last two years, Tim Beech, Head of our APAC Corporate Trust & Agency team provides listeners with a detailed guide to bond defaults in Asia. Tim covers: 

• The process of a bond default and any actions that may occur
• The role of trustees
• Considerations when notifying and communicating with bondholders
• Dealing with conflicting instructions from bondholders
• The importance of indemnification and pre-funding.

The Trust Us series presents succinct overviews of hot topics for trustees and agents in APAC, and these podcasts are based on webinars hosted for clients. Please note this episode was recorded on 16 November and references developments occurring at that time.

UK and EU prospectus and listing regulation: Where next?

In this podcast, Amanda Thomas, partner and Jennifer Cresswell, counsel in our International Capital Markets practice, share a short round-up of UK and EU prospectus and listing regulation developments post-Brexit, and what we expect to see in the near future.

With Brexit now nearly a year ago, the UK authorities are taking steps to move away from EU regulation that was onshored at the end of the transition period.  A “summer of consultations” saw the UK authorities busy on various fronts. HM Treasury consulted on possible changes to the UK prospectus regime and the Financial Conduct Authority tackled the questions of listing and primary markets effectiveness, and will inevitably be involved in further UK prospectus-related developments down the track.  With the European Commission also gearing up to report on the application of the EU Prospectus Regulation, it seems that the slew of consultations may turn 2022 into a year of divergence.

The Listing Act consultation referred to briefly in the podcast was published by the European Commission on 19 November, after the podcast was recorded.  We will be reviewing the consultation ahead of its closing date of 11 February 2022.

#Employmenttalk: 3G am Arbeitsplatz - Was Arbeitgeber jetzt beachten müssen

Der Bundesrat hat am 19. November das neue, von den Ampel-Parteien vorgelegte, Infektionsschutzgesetz beschlossen, über das am 18. November bereits im Bundestag abgestimmt wurde. Für die Arbeitswelt bedeutet das ab dem 24. November 3G am Arbeitsplatz.

Zu folgenden Themen geben wir Ihnen als Arbeitgeber Antworten:

• Dürfen Arbeitgeber jetzt nach dem Impfstatus der Beschäftigten fragen und diesen speichern?
• Wie können Arbeitgeber 3G kontrollieren? Muss der Betriebsrat involviert werden?
• Wer zahlt die Tests? Reichen Selbsttests aus?
• Gehört das Testen zur vergütungspflichtigen Arbeitszeit?
• Wie sollen Arbeitgeber mit Arbeitnehmern umgehen, die sich weigern, einen 3G-Nachweis vorzulegen
• Müssen alle Arbeitnehmer ins Homeoffice?

Great Fund Insights: Perspectives on ESG in the Middle East with Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)

Funds and asset management counsel, Kamar Jaffer is joined by Emmanuel Givanakis, Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority at the ADGM. They discuss the role regulators can play in identifying and managing ESG factors within the Middle East.

Topics discussed in this podcast include:

ADGM’s approach to regulatory requirements in respect of ESG

• Regional and national policy options to reinforce best practices and grow green finance
• Key areas of focus from a regulatory perspective
• How ADGM are supporting ESG roadmaps nationally and internationally
• ADGM’s sustainability goals for harmonisation

This Great Fund Insights podcast will be of interest to sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, family offices, fund managers and portfolio companies with a focus on the Middle East.

Great Investor Insights: You can‘t buy that! - What an investor needs to know about sanctions

In this podcast MaameYaa Kwafo-Akoto, partner in the Institutional Investor practice, discusses with Kuang Chiang, Senior Counsel in the Sanctions & Regulatory Group, issues relevant to institutional investors on sanctions and what to consider before investing into a fund. 

The discussion explores topics such as:

• What are sanctions?
• The important factors an investor should consider before investing into a fund
• What is a block or frozen payment?
• What does it mean to be a U.S. person

Series 3 Episode 6 - Pro Bono 101

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses A&O’s pro bono work with Aditi Kapoor, one of A&O’s pro bono managing lawyers, and Frances Beddow, a newly-qualified associate in the litigation and investigations group (Litigation, L&I) who also did a trainee secondment in the pro bono team. 

APAC M&A Insights: Japan’s shifting attitudes change M&A market dynamics

Driven by changing attitudes and economic priorities, Japan remains a powerful outbound investor and is becoming an increasingly popular destination for inbound transactions. Despite economic, social and political uncertainties, Japanese investment into the U.S., increasingly in the technology sector, is thriving. In this short podcast, our partners discuss the following key topics:

• The diversification of Japanese investments in the U.S., from the traditional manufacturing sector, into the technology and green energy spaces.
• How earn-outs are structured and why this makes a deal more attractive for both the Japanese buyer and the U.S. counterpart, but be warned – earn-outs are not without their risks and complications!
• How the Biden administration has affected the regulatory hurdles facing Japanese investors. Jumping these hurdles can be a time consuming task and Japanese companies must factor this in to their timelines.  Over the past year, over 300 transactions, particularly in the computer manufacturing and software development spaces, were subject to CFIUS.  The CFIUS risk profile of a target should be carefully considered by Japanese investors.    The podcast is moderated by Japan based partner Nick Wall, with discussion from New York based Dario de Martino and Japan based Tokutaka Ito. 

Series 3 Episode 5- ICM 101

 In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses what it is like to work in A&O’s International Capital Markets (ICM) department with Andrew Enga, a senior associate in the debt capital markets group (ICM, General Securities Group/GSG), and Ruby Avison, a one-year qualified associate in the same group (ICM, GSG).For more information about Nivaura, the legal tech company mentioned in this episode, see Series 2 of this podcast, Episode 4 (Solicitor Diaries: Life In A Tech Start-Up).