Counterparty due diligence in the context of M&A or any other established commercial relationship is an accepted part of doing business. Meeting compliance obligations is a baseline. Our clients come to us for carefully -researched, insightful analysis of adverse events, and to scrutinise and substantiate the reputation, integrity, and track record of individuals and businesses. We take a deep investigative approach to open-source research, using specialist resources and the expertise of our multi-national and multi-lingual team. We also speak confidentially – and within a robust set of compliance parameters – with knowledgeable sources and experts to develop a full picture of the subject.
In the course of business, risks to integrity arise despite best efforts at prevention. Suspicions or allegations of internal misconduct or wrongdoing by a partner, key supplier or other third -party, can present considerable legal and reputational risk. Working in close cooperation with our clients’ in-house or external legal advisors, fp assists in fact-finding to identify or substantiate issues of concern. Where necessary, we can conduct a discreet internal investigation both within the organisation, as well as with local authorities and communities using fp's regional experts and trusted sources on the ground.
In an M&A context, we assist our private equity clients, their portfolio companies, and corporates to make assessments on the reputation, integrity, and track-record of investment targets and their senior leadership teams.
Our reports highlight and contextualise known and unforeseen risks, and feature valuable insights that feed into our clients’ post-acquisition talent management and integration strategies.
We work with compliance and procurement teams to identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks relating to their key third parties across the globe, including sales agents, distributors, customers, and suppliers.
Our investigative approach and geographic reach enables us to gain crucial insights on core topics around the world, such as ultimate beneficial ownership, sales governance, political exposure, sanctions exposure, human rights and environmental impact.
When forming joint ventures or other major partnerships, we are engaged by our clients’ commercial and compliance teams to conduct integrity due diligence on the prospective partner, its senior management team, and key shareholders.
We customise our assignments to our clients’ core interests: leveraging our expertise in ESG and human rights, we can dive deeper into topics such as source of funds, environmental impact, and labour conditions in the supply chain.
Exposure to sanctions is a topic in the mainstream of business. Yet the risk of breaching them inadvertently – and possible legal and financial consequences – are greater than ever.
Whether your company is obliged by law to stay clear of a particular market or you have chosen to cut ties for ethical reasons, fp’s high-end research reveals sanctions-busting mechanisms to hide beneficial ownership by sanctioned parties that can threaten your business and brand.
Allegations of corporate malpractice can be raised by internal whistleblowers or by the media and activists. An appropriate response goes beyond a legal and communications strategy: assessing the claims and clarifying the facts is essential to addressing the issue and restoring credibility.
fp works closely with compliance and legal teams to gain clarity in a sensitive environment where much is at stake – be it an alleged governance breach, human rights violations or an environmental incident.
Increased scrutiny on corporates and funds by regulators, consumers and investors has been matched by a rise in ESG-linked legal action. When critical events raise the prospect of legal proceedings, clear, accurate and well-sourced information is an indispensable tool to build and strengthen a case.
Always mindful of the importance of evidence quality and documentation, we work closely alongside our clients’ legal counsel in support of information gathering and presentation
