The Acting Comptroller of the OCC discussed the limits of large bank manageability and the steps that regulators can take to address the risks posed by size and complexity. Arthur S. Long, Pia Naib, and Deric Behar On January 17, 2023, Acting Comptroller of the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Michael Hsu … Continue Reading
The timetable sets out three tranches of extensive regulatory changes to UK and EU law in 2023 and 2024. By Rob Moulton, Becky Critchley, Denisa Odendaal, and Dianne Bell The “Edinburgh Reforms”, a series of announcements made on 9 December 2022 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer (see here), set out the UK government’s reforms … Continue Reading
The Guidance would increase expectations for regulated financial institutions to identify, measure, monitor, and control climate-related financial risks. By Betty M. Huber, Arthur S. Long, Pia Naib, Austin J. Pierce, and Deric Behar For the past few years, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Superintendent has prioritized setting the pace in climate … Continue Reading
Latham’s Global Co-Chair of the Financial Institutions Industry Group, Nicola Higgs, sits down with Lucy McNulty, host of the Following the Rules podcast, to discuss how financial services firms should adapt to the constant evolution of ESG requirements. In this podcast interview, host Lucy McNulty talks to Nicola Higgs, Latham’s Global Co-Chair of the Financial … Continue Reading
By David Berman, Sarah Gadd, Nicola Higgs, Rob Moulton, Becky Critchley, and Nell Perks The FCA’s latest report into D&I highlights the need for additional metrics, social mobility, firm culture, staff development, data quality, and systematic strategies. In 2021 and 2022, the FCA carried out a survey of firms in respect of their approach to … Continue Reading
By David Berman, Nicola Higgs, Jon Holland, Andrea Monks, Rob Moulton, and Nell Perks The FCA stated that the perpetrator’s character is key to non-financial misconduct investigations, which suggests a mismatch with recent case law. In last year’s Frensham[1] case, the Upper Tribunal considered how relevant a (non-dishonesty-based) criminal offence committed in one’s personal life … Continue Reading
The guiding principles are similar to related proposals from other banking regulators, but will require further clarification through the comment process. By Nicola Higgs, Betty M. Huber, Arthur S. Long, Pia Naib, Anne Mainwaring, and Deric Behar On December 2, 2022, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve) published proposed Principles … Continue Reading
Monitoring the progress of the Financial Services and Markets Bill and regulatory divergence between the UK and the EU will continue as a key theme in 2023. The Financial Services and Markets Bill leaves a significant amount of the essential regulatory detail to be developed later by HM Treasury (through regulations), followed by development of … Continue Reading
The case provides instructive practical examples of the “reasonable steps” companies can take according to the FCA and a reminder of the FCA’s cultural expectations of CEOs. By David Berman, Jonathan Ritson-Candler, and Sean Wells On 16 November 2022, the FCA issued a final notice (Final Notice) to the former CEO of Sonali Bank (UK) … Continue Reading
The European Securities and Markets Authority proposes to restrict ESG- and sustainability-related terms in the naming of funds, with an eye on the US and UK fund naming regimes. By Paul Davies, Nicola Higgs, Anne Mainwaring, and Dianne Bell On 18 November 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its consultation paper on … Continue Reading
The updated Statement of Principles will have an immediate impact on UK listed companies, providing increased flexibility to undertake larger non-pre-emptive capital raisings. By James Inness, Anna Ngo, and Johannes Poon On 4 November 2022, the Pre-Emption Group (PEG), a UK body which represents listed companies, investors and intermediaries, issued its updated Statement of Principles … Continue Reading
The FCA hopes the proposals will protect consumer trust in ESG-related financial products and help consumers navigate the increasingly complex ESG-related financial market. By Paul A. Davies, Nicola Higgs, Michael D. Green, James Bee, and Anne Mainwaring On 25 October 2022, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a consultation paper (the Consultation Paper) on Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) … Continue Reading
The Financial Services Skills Commission has issued an insight paper outlining how companies can collect and evaluate data on employees’ socioeconomic backgrounds. By David Berman, Nicola Higgs, Rob Moulton, and Dianne Bell Socioeconomic backgrounds of employees and socioeconomic diversity at senior levels across the UK financial services industry is beginning to feature more prominently in … Continue Reading
A new rule removes the requirement to clear IBOR-based swaps and extends mandatory clearing to swaps on IBOR alternatives. By Yvette D. Valdez and Adam Bruce Fovent On August 12, 2022, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted to amend its mandatory clearing requirements for interest rate swaps (the Rule). The vote furthers the … Continue Reading
A reminder of the ongoing reforms to implement recommendations from the Lord Hill and Kalifa Reviews. By James Inness, Anna Ngo, and Johannes Poon The outcome of the UK Secondary Capital Raising Review, launched on 12 October 2021 to improve further capital raising processes for UK publicly traded companies, was published by HM Treasury on … Continue Reading
The landmark UK Secondary Capital Raising Review Report takes a holistic approach in making bold and comprehensive recommendations to improve the UK secondary capital raising processes and ecosystem. By James Inness, Anna Ngo, Ryan Benedict, and Johannes Poon On 19 July 2022, HM Treasury published the UK Secondary Capital Raising Review Report (the Report) that … Continue Reading
The policy change integrates climate change considerations for the first time into the ECB’s quantitative easing and repo facilities. By Roberto Reyes Gaskin, Edward Kempson, and Peter Neuböck On July 4, 2022, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced that it would integrate climate change considerations into Eurosystem monetary policy through changes to its corporate bond … Continue Reading
Changes include switching from paper to electronic filing requirement for confidential treatment requests. By Stephen P. Wink, Naim Culhaci, Jackie Rugart and Matthew Lee On June 23, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted certain amendments to Form 13F (the Adopting Release) that will become effective at the beginning of 2023.… Continue Reading
The agency will use the information to take further steps to address climate risks in the commodity derivatives markets. By Jean-Philippe Brisson, Yvette Valdez, Douglas Yatter, Joshua Bledsoe, Michael Dreibelbis, Qingyi Pan, and Deric Behar On June 2, 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to inform its understanding … Continue Reading
The regulator continues its Primary Markets Effectiveness Review to promote the competitiveness of a UK listing. By Chris Horton, James Inness, Anna Ngo, and Johannes Poon On 26 May 2022, the FCA published a discussion paper (DP22/2) to seek further views on how to make the UK listing regime more effective, easier to understand, and … Continue Reading
The new rules provide issuers with flexibility to report on representation of women by reference to either gender identity or sex. By Chris Horton, James Inness, Anna Ngo, Nicola Higgs, David Berman, Rob Moulton, and Johannes Poon On 20 April 2022, the FCA published its final policy decision on the proposals set out in CP … Continue Reading
By Laura Ferrell, Marlon Q. Paz, Nabil Sabki, Stephen P. Wink, Naim Culhaci, and Deric Behar On March 28, 2022, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed rules (Proposing Release) that would require securities market participants that engage in dealer-like activities — such as a proprietary trading firm that engages in a routine pattern … Continue Reading
As the FCA’s remit continues to grow, the regulator pledges flexibility in the face of global financial and geopolitical headwinds. By Rob Moulton, Anne Mainwaring, Jaime O’Connell, and Dianne Bell On 7 April 2022, the FCA released its new Business Plan as part of a package including a three-year strategy document setting out the outcomes … Continue Reading
The amended definition could provide a new means for the SEC to regulate crypto platforms. By Stephen P. Wink, Marlon Q. Paz, Naim Culhaci, Ian Irlander, and Deric Behar We previously published a blog post on the set of proposed amendments (Proposal) issued on January 26, 2022, by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding … Continue Reading
