The chairman and chief executive of Brazilian investment bank, BTG Pactual, Andre Santos Esteves, has been forced to resign following his arrest amid accusations of bribery. According to press reports, Esteves was accused of allegedly conspiring with Delcidio Amaral, head of the government coalition in the Senate, who was also arrested, to hide evidence. Prosecutors have also alleged that […]
Read MoreThe European Union (EU) has reached an agreement on new legislation which will improve cyber-security across all member states. The European Commission proposed the directive in 2013 and an agreement on its content was reached by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament on 7th December. The Commission is keen to ensure a high common level […]
Read MoreIn a rare case of a CEO being personally held to account for corporate wrongdoing the former boss of US coal mining company, Massey Energy, Don Blankenship has been convicted of conspiring to violate US mining health and safety standards. These safety violations led to an explosion at one of its mines, Upper Big Branch in […]
Read MoreThe amended Transparency Directive (TD), which entered into force on 26 November 2015 across the EU brings major new powers to the FCA. One of the key changes is that the FCA can apply to court for a voting rights suspension order against a “vote holder” of shares in a company which are admitted to trading on […]
Read MoreAl Gore, Founder of the Climate Reality Project, provided the key note speech at a meeting of institutional investors held as part of the official series of events within the UN’s Climate Change Summit (COP 21) in Paris. The event – Investing for the long term: addressing carbon asset risk – provided think tank Carbon Tracker […]
Read MoreThe European Commission has released proposals which it says will improve access to finance for companies and simplify the information provided for investors. The Commission is making changes to the Prospectus Directive, originally adopted in 2003 and last revised six years ago. Under the proposed changes the directive will become an EU Regulation. The proposals follow […]
Read MoreThe SEC this week weighed into the proxy advisor debate with Staff Legal Bulletin 20, which provides information on the proxy voting responsibilities of investment advisers (i.e. professional investors) as well as clarification on the exemptions from federal regulation which apply to proxy advisory firms. We welcome the focus placed by the SEC on the role and responsibilities of […]
Read MoreCanadian Securities Administrators (CSA), the umbrella organisation for Canada’s mosaic of markets regulators, is seeking feedback on its proposals for a policy on proxy advisory firms. “National Policy 25-201 Guidance for Proxy Advisory Firms” is the result of its 2012 consultation paper which looked at possible issues with the shareholder voting research industry. The CSA says […]
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