Cross-border private M&A deals between UK sellers and US buyers were on the rise in 2024 and are predicted to continue to rise during 2025. These transactions bring compelling opportunities: UK sellers can tap into substantial US capital, while US buyers gain a foothold in the European market.

Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) have seen a significant surge in the popularity in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue following the latest Budget announcements on 30 October 2024.

ECCTA comes into force in stages and this article aims to provide a concise overview of what changes have been introduced, what are the upcoming changes and how to prepare for them. Organisations should be aware of these changes to ensure compliance and avoid the risks of penalties.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (the “Act”) has introduced a number of reforms to Companies House in March this year. One of the Act’s aims is to improve corporate transparency and enhance the role of Companies House.

In our latest review we reflect on some notable developments and trends in UK corporate and commercial law.

The UK government has been exploring a programme of wide-ranging reforms to the listing regime since 2020. This was driven in part by market feedback indicating that the UK listing regime was regarded as overly burdensome and deterring companies from listing in the UK.

In the second part of our year end recap, we reflect on some of the more notable developments of the past 12 months in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Governance and Business Crime.

The corporate finance regulatory framework is experiencing seismic shifts as the UK government looks to implement change necessitated or facilitated by Brexit and to maintain and enhance the UK’s position in the global financial marketplace. As we approach the year end, we recap on the status of some of the key changes and developments in the UK’s corporate sector over the past 12 months. 

As we enter a new year, environmental and social responsibility becomes an ever brighter light on the radar of business. A series of diverse drivers have converged to ensure that ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) has become or is fast becoming a top priority for businesses across the globe.

Our Capital Markets Briefing covers the FCA Task Force on climate-related financial disclosures, the UK Secondary Capital Raising Review, the UK Prospectus regime review and the FCA confirming that it will be extending to standard listed companies the obligation to make climate related disclosures.