Many executives today have studied, lived or worked internationally. One of the most indispensable ways to make sure you don’t end up with legal, financial or reputational damage from your next merger or acquisition is to conduct an international background check on any executives of companies you plan to go into business with. With the […]
Conducting geopolitical risk assessments before considering entering China is critical to protecting your firm and employees. A Growing Risk for Foreign Businesses and Executives in China China under Xi Jinping has presided over a regulatory crackdown against foreign businesses that has accelerated recently, leaving foreign business executives and investors at risk. The Chinese Communist Party […]
Imagine hiring a new executive only to find out that they were involved in a serious crime, have a major conflict of interest, or have a history of suing the companies they work for. Once the ink is dry on their contract, it’s too late to easily change your mind without some type of cost […]
When an executive leaves a company, it creates a vacuum. Often, an entire division of the company is left without executive leadership. The CEO or board has lost a trusted expert to provide advice and guide the company’s operations, finances, HR, technology, or other area. However, the company should never rush the search for a […]
On May 9, 2022, Jorge Gomez joined Moderna, maker of the COVID-19 vaccine, as their new CFO. Gomez was fired just one day later when it was found out that he was the subject of an internal investigation by his prior employer Dentsply Sirona. Gomez’ brief stint at Moderna cost $700,000 in severance pay to […]
Showcasing the Need for Due Diligence Investigations Reputation is critical in business. Warren Buffet once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” With the advent of social media, the turnaround for good or ill is even faster. Now, […]
Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) enforcements so far in 2022 total $112.3 million in settlements with three companies: South Korea’s KT Corporation, Stericycle, Inc. headquartered in Illinois, and in June, Luxembourg steel pipe manufacturer Tenaris. Stericycle numbers climbed to over $82 million in combination with settling parallel criminal and civil charges to the US and […]
The board of directors play a critical role in a company. They represent the company and have a fiduciary duty to its shareholders and assets. While they do not participate in the day-to-day activities and decisions of a business, they do oversee strategic planning and company operations, set overall policy, exercise an oversight role, and […]
With so many recent scandals at senior executive levels, often resulting in dismissals and resignations, more companies are becoming proactive in checking the backgrounds of their executive ranks. The issues range from fraud and embezzlement involving governments, sometimes implicating national and international law firms and auditors, to more than three dozen senior executives accused of […]
