The Allen & Overy Podcast archive

Perspectives on the future of banking: In conversation with e-commerce pioneer Nick Ogden

This podcast series features topical conversations with leading figures in the global banking industry about current and emerging strategic issues facing banks.

In this first episode, financial services entrepreneur Nick Ogden, founder of ClearBank and WorldPay, talks to Richard Cranfield, senior advisor and former chairman of A&O’s global corporate practice, about innovation in banking, his new venture RTGS.global, a cross-border liquidity network, and what it takes to be a digital innovator.

Nick shares his thoughts on a range of issues including the role and impact of ‘atomic settlement’ on cross-border interbank payments, central bank digital currencies, the future of work and his personal approach to identifying opportunities for innovation and change.

This episode was recorded in August 2021

Great Fund Insights: Perspectives on ESG in the Middle East with Fajr Capital

Corporate partner David Foster is joined by Iqbal Khan, Chief Executive Officer at Fajr Capital. They discuss the role private equity can play in identifying and managing ESG factors within the Middle East.

Topics discussed in this podcast include:

• Identifying and managing ESG factors within investment and portfolio management processes
• Examples of ESG factors in fund investments
• ESG and the post-investment phase
• Areas of convergence between Shari’a and ESG
• Outlook for ESG in the Middle East for the coming year and beyond

Series 3 Episode 4 - Disputes 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 Disputes department, as well as the impact of Covid-19 on the way in which hearings are conducted, with Helen Biggin, a counsel in the litigation and investigations group (Litigation, L&I), and Edward Levy, an associate in the same group (Litigation, L&I).

Series 3 Episode 3 - Corporate 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 Corporate department with James Roe, a corporate finance partner specialising in equity capital markets and governance (Corporate, C8), and Athena Chuang, a newly-qualified associate in the same group (Corporate, C8).

Series 3 Episode 2 - Banking 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 Banking department with Dominique Crowley, a senior associate in the restructuring and insolvency group (Banking, B4), and Obinna Mezu, a second-seat trainee who did his first seat in the leveraged finance group (Banking, B3).

What business needs to know about the EU’s Taxonomy Regulation and its reporting requirements

The European Union’s Taxonomy Regulation, which provides a common classification framework for defining the environmental sustainability of business activity, is intended to help promote ‘green’ investment and help the EU to accelerate its transition to a sustainable economy. In practice, it has created a set of formidable challenges for companies, banks and the broader investment community on how to identify, align and report their activities. 

In this podcast, Shruti Ajitsaria, partner and head of Fuse, A&O’s tech innovation space, is joined by Matt Townsend, partner and co-head of A&O’s global environment and climate law group, Elizabeth Gillam, head of EU government relations and public policy at Invesco, and Alexander Stevens, CEO of Greenomy, to discuss the goals and scope of the EU’s Taxonomy Regulation, its reporting requirements and the practical issues that organisations should consider.

Annual Reports and AGMs: What’s new for the upcoming season

In our latest podcast our team of A&O experts bring you up to speed with the key issues companies secretaries and their teams need to think about when preparing for their next Annual Report and AGM. These include: 

• new requirements for annual reports this year, including in relation to climate related financial disclosures and the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF)
• proposed changes to the Listing Rules and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules in relation to diversity reporting, and developing market practice in this area
• executive remuneration and remuneration reporting, including the growing trend for ESG-metrics in companies’ long-term performance conditions, linked to remuneration outcomes
• best practice for AGMs in 2022
• climate-related AGM resolutions

Related contacts: Paul McCarthy, Matthew Townsend, Kate Astley, Victoria Rankmore, Isabella Kelly, Katie James

Series 3 Episode 1 - Working at Allen & Overy: Before, During and After Covid-19

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses working practices at A&O with James Partridge, A&O’s graduate recruitment partner and training principal, Greg Talbot, a senior associate in the financial regulation group (Banking, B6), and Antonia Marino, a newly-qualified associate in the funds and asset management group (Banking, B8).

An update on the MiFID Review

As the MiFID Review progresses at the UK and EU level, our financial services regulatory experts will be analysing the proposals. In the first of a series of podcasts, we take a look at what HM Treasury is proposing in the context of the transparency regime in their Wholesale Markets Review.

Related contacts: Damian Carolan, Nick Bradbury, Oonagh Harrison, Kelesi Blundell

The injunction gap, proportionality and final injunctions: legislative updates in Germany

How will recent legislative updates in Germany affect patent litigation? In this podcast, Partner Stephan Neuhaus and Associate Erin Currie, both members of our intellectual property team, discuss the injunction gap, proportionality and final injunctions