A&O Shearman network insights

Cybersecurity podcast: Understanding and managing cyber risks in the private equity sector

We have recently launched an A&O Shearman podcast series focusing on the cybersecurity issues specific to a number of key industry sectors.

In this episode, Laurie-Anne Ancenys, partner at A&O Shearman and head of the tech and data practice in Paris, and Michel Tournier, IT operating partner and CIO at Wendel, one of Europe's leading listed investment firms, focus on the private equity sector.

They discuss the management of cyber risks and emerging threats within an increasingly complex regulatory framework, addressing key points such as:

The strategic importance of cybersecurity for companies.

The constantly evolving regulatory environment.

The increasing impact of digitalization. Incidents and crisis management.

Cyber threats in the coming years.

This podcast provides valuable insights to better understand and anticipate cyber challenges in the private equity sector.

The episode is in French.

Staying afloat: Navigating APAC's privacy, cyber and AI legal developments

In our first episode, we focus on the latest developments in cyber security, data privacy, and artificial intelligence regulations in Australia. Anna Gamvros, Ross Phillipson and Denise Kara discuss recent legislative changes, emerging trends, and the implications for businesses operating in the region. Tune in to gain valuable insights on how to navigate Australia's evolving regulatory landscape.

Insurance podcast series – Episode 4: Directors' and officers' liability (D&O) insurance

The latest episode in our insurance series looks at the benefits of directors’ and officers’ liability (D&O) insurance and the key considerations when purchasing this protection.

D&O insurance exists to indemnify directors and officers against allegations arising from decisions and actions taken in their corporate roles. It covers defence costs and compensation payments due to claims.

The conversation is led by insurance litigation and cyber partner Charlie Weston-Simons, with insights from insurance litigation partner Russell Butland and head of management liability at Marsh UK, Helen Haggie. 

EU Listing Act: episode 2 - what's new in MAR

This podcast is the second episode dedicated to the "EU Listing Act". Alessandra Pala, counsel of the Global Financial Markets group, discusses the most significant changes made by the Listing Act to the Market Abuse Regulation. 

This podcast is recorded in Italian.

Key issues when negotiating and navigating restrictive covenants

In a climate where workforce mobility is at an all-time high, and employers are vying for top-tier talent, the careful formulation of restrictive covenants has become more crucial than ever. Employees who leave and join a competitor, taking with them valuable relationships and confidential knowledge, can significantly harm a business. However, these risks can be effectively managed and mitigated by implementing strong business protection. 

In our last podcast of 2024, London partner, Kate Pumfrey, shares her insights on how employers are using, applying and enforcing restrictive covenants in the UK and her best practice tips for choosing, drafting and maximising business protection. The discussion extends to the position on paying for restrictive covenants, the approach for mobile workers and employee shareholders, and recent litigation trends. 

Considering the impact of AI across different types of commercial contracts

In this podcast, Alex Shandro, a partner in our AI practice based in London, and Jane Lavin, a senior knowledge lawyer in our digital, data, IP and technology team based in London, discuss how AI is driving new types of commercial contracts and a wide range of new contract protections to address the expansive legal risks raised by AI.

As AI is now pervasive, it is impacting almost every type of commercial arrangement, even if not immediately apparent. An immediate priority for businesses in navigating AI risks is to audit their universe of commercial contracts and contract templates and build in appropriate AI-specific protections.

Listeners will learn about the wider AI contracting landscape as well as key IP and data related protections and liability allocation, and the nuanced outcomes that are often reached in negotiations. Listeners will also learn about the importance of a technology and use case-led approach to negotiating AI contract protections and the need to consider these holistically alongside non-contractual mitigants.

Market Horizons podcast: What’s in a name? CRT and SRT

In this episode of A&O Shearman’s Market Horizons podcast series, our structured finance team discusses one of the hottest topics in global finance: credit risk transfer and significant risk transfer trades.

Regulatory shifts in Australia’s private capital market: key considerations for merger control and foreign investment

Simone Lowes, Peter McDonald, Lisa Emmanuel, and Dan Harris unpack the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) heightened scrutiny on private equity transactions and the Foreign Investment Review Board's (FIRB) evolving stance on foreign investments.

In this episode, our regulatory experts give their observations on the latest developments with respect to Australia’s proposed mandatory and suspensory merger control regime and how it might impact private equity acquirers. This is a must-listen for senior professionals and dealmakers who need to stay ahead of the regulatory curve.

Market Horizons podcast: All aboard: changes coming to the EU and UK prospectus regimes

In this episode of our Market Horizons podcast series, partners Amanda Thomas (London), Cristiano Tommasi (Rome), and Paul Peporté (Luxembourg) and counsel Jennifer Cresswell (London) from our global financial markets practice return to the topic of prospectus regulation.

Together they discuss changes to the EU and UK prospectus regimes and the similarities and differences between them from a debt capital markets perspective.

Restructuring Across Borders Toolkit - France

We have recently relaunched A&O Shearman’s Restructuring Across Borders Toolkit. This resource is developed by our market-leading Restructuring group (where applicable, in conjunction with our partner law firms) offering a free and easy-to-use resource that provides information and guidance on key practical aspects of restructuring and insolvency proceedings in more than 50 jurisdictions around the world.

To celebrate this relaunch colleagues from across our European network have sat down with Christopher Poel to discuss what pre-insolvency rescue and compromise proceedings are available to debtors in those jurisdictions, whether there have been any novel or exciting uses and deployments of those processes, and if there’s anything interesting coming down the line.

The seventh podcast takes a look at the current state of the French restructuring regime with Tristan Jambu-Merlin and Antoine Santoni. Alongside the more amicable and voluntary processes such as conciliation and the mandat ad hoc, the team also consider some of the other collective procedures which can bind all creditors to a plan (including dissenters) such as safeguard and accelerated safeguard, as well as some practical examples of the use of these procedures.