Control Risks

EMEA in Focus - After the polls: South Africa and Mozambique

In this two-part episode, take a deep dive into two southern African countries, South Africa and Mozambique. South Africa’s new government of national unity (GNU) has now reached its first one hundred days in office, a good time to take stock of what the coalition has achieved so far. And in Mozambique significant turbulence has surrounded the victory of Daniel Chapo, the ruling Frelimo party’s candidate, in recent elections.

 

Join Vincent Rouget for a conversation with Michael Bongani Reinders and Nkosiyapha Moyo, two Control Risks experts in Johannesburg, Tristan Gueret, one of our experts in Paris, and Mohamed Cassimjee, former diplomat who served in the South African Service and current Research Fellow at Oxford University. They unpack the post-election challenges of South Africa and Mozambique and what businesses and investors should know.

 

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In Re - Women in investigations: well-being in the workplace

Mental health is key part of overall well-being. This is true in both our personal and professional lives. For women, unique social, biological and cultural factors influence mental health in distinct ways, particularly in the workplace. 

Join Kanupriya Jain, a director in our Compliance, Investigations and Forensics practice, for a conversation with Janine Mallis, a Senior Associate in the Disputes team at Herbert Smith Freehills in Dubai, and Alexandra Lester, a Commercial Dispute Resolution Partner with Clyde & Co in Dubai. They dive into a few specific issues around women’s mental wellbeing, the challenges women typically face, the progress that has been made, and what still needs to be done to create a healthier, more supportive work environments for women everywhere.

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Decrypt: Disinformation & the US election

As election day in the US approaches, fragmented information spheres, disinformation and geopolitics loom, supercharged by emerging technologies, from AI to deepfakes.   

Join Control Risks experts Nicolas Reys and Barnaby Fletcher as they explore how generative AI, large-scale misinformation and disinformation, and digital threats are shaping the electoral landscape. From conspiracies to subtle narrative shifts, they discuss the evolving tactics of threat actors and the implications for businesses, governments and voters in this high-stakes digital era.

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In Re: CFIUS and the 2024 US election

How might the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) change depending on the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election?  

Join Jerry Fowler, a director who leads our CFIUS and National Security practice in Washington, DC, for a conversation with James Brower, a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Litigation Department. They discuss how CFIUS operated during former President Donald Trump’s first term, how it has functioned under the Biden-Harris administration, and how businesses and investors can prepare for what CFIUS might look like post-election.  

Find out how we an support your organisation with risks related to CFIUS

EMEA in Focus: Unpacking the 2024 Africa-Risk Reward Index

The Africa Risk-Reward Index – produced jointly by Control Risks and Oxford Economics Africa – is an authoritative guide for policymakers, business leaders and investors that illustrates the evolution of the investment landscape in major African markets, and provides a grounded, longer-term outlook of key trends shaping investment in these economies.   

Africa's outlook in 2024 is promising. But understanding the nuanced market dynamics and adopting a long-term perspective will be essential for stakeholders – from policymakers and investors to development agencies and civil society – as they navigate the evolving landscape to successful investment outcomes in 2024 and beyond. For African countries and investors looking to invest or grow their business in Africa, the time is now.  

Join Patricia Rodrigues, Associate Director Africa, for a discussion about the Index with Control Risks Analysts Tristan Gueret, Trevor Kibet Langat and Mikolaj Judson, and Oxford Economics Senior Economist Jee-A Van Der Linde.

Life Science Series: Risks for multinational pharmaceuticals in India

India is an important market for many multinational pharmaceutical, biotech or medical device companies. But it is also a challenging one.

Join Martina Rozumberkova for a conversation with Sushmit Bhattacharya about challenges facing multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in India, from important regulatory changes, including the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024, to emerging fraud schemes, including fraud in the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and retailer incentive schemes.

Asia in Focus - Bangladesh in transition: from crisis to caretaker government

In the past few weeks, we have seen a tectonic shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – who ruled for the last 15 years with what some describe as an Iron Fist, particularly against the opposition – resigned and fled the country in early August following weeks of unrest, which began as student-led demonstrations against job quotas and grew into a nationwide movement that resulted in significant violence.  

Now, Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus is stepping in to lead a caretaker government amid a volatile economic climate, following last year's IMF bailout.  

Angela Mancini, Partner, and Aryaman Bhatnagar, Senior Analyst, delves into the implications for Bangladesh's political future and and its business environment.

Asia in Focus - Thailand’s power shift: Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s path forward

In the past few weeks, Thailand has undergone a dramatic political transition with the appointment of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the new prime minister. This development comes on the heels of a period of uncertainty and political turmoil following the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, the main opposition. Paetongtarn is the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to assume the role of prime minister and is under intense scrutiny. Many wonder whether she can navigate the political landscape without meeting the same fate as her predecessors, who were ousted by either the courts or the military.

In this episode, Angela Mancini, Partner, sits down with Harrison Cheng, Director and lead Southeast Asia analyst, to unpack what Paetongtarn’s rise to power means for Thailand's future. They discuss the critical next steps, including the formation of a new cabinet and strategies she might use to avoid the pitfalls that have historically plagued her family. They also discuss the potential impact of Paetongtarn’s leadership on foreign investment and economic policy, with particular attention to how Thailand’s business environment might evolve under her administration.

EMEA in Focus - Africa Series: Senegal’s new government after 100 days: populism-lite?

On 15 March 2024, Bassirou Diomaye Faye was released from prison after nearly a year in detention. Less than three weeks later, he was officially inaugurated as Senegal’s fifth president since independence, winning a resounding victory in the presidential election. His party promised sweeping changes to Senegal’s politics and economy.

 

Join Vincent Rouget for a conversation with Control Risks’ experts in Dakar, Susanna Eusebi and Renna Hawili, as they discuss what to make of the first 100 days in office of Faye’s new government.

Asia in Focus - Vietnam: a new dawn, or business as usual?

Investors in Asia are still processing the news of the sudden passing of Vietnam’s long-serving leader, Communist Party Secretary General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in mid-July.

Trong was one of the country’s most powerful leaders in decades and had overseen the explosive growth of the Vietnamese economy – during which GDP more than doubled, Vietnam signed several significant foreign trade agreements (FTAs) and became a primary destination for investors’ China +1 strategies. He is also behind Vietnam’s aggressive anti-corruption campaign, known as the “blazing furnace”, which has taken down several very senior leaders and more recently had been a cause of real concern for foreign investors.

His passing marks the end of an era in Vietnamese politics and has many watching closely to see how Vietnam’s leadership will be structured. Angela Mancini, Partner, sits down with Steve Wilford, Partner, to discuss what the passing of Trong means for Vietnam and its business environment.

Visit www.controlrisks.com/vietnam to contact our experts for an in-depth briefing. If you are looking for more analysis across South East Asia, please visit our South East Asia hub. 

Asia in Focus - China’s Third Plenum 2024: reaffirming the country’s long-term vision

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) wrapped up on 18 July in Beijing. It comes at a critical juncture for an economy beset by profound challenges.

Angela Mancini, Partner, has a discussion with Andrew Gilholm, our Principal and Director of analysis for Greater China and North Asia, on the key takeaways from the Third Plenum, the future direction of China’s economy, and the country’s reactions to the recent geopolitical developments globally.

If you are looking for more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our  Asia In Focus podcast.

 

 

Ballot box bumper crop: what do voters want in 2024?

We’re midway through a year in which a record number of people are voting. Much has been made of 2024 as an election year, with a bumper crop of polls taking place across the world. Not all have been or will be free and fair. Not all have produced or will produce surprising results. But in an environment in which democracy is under severe pressure, the polls of 2024 have, so far, delivered a strong message of support for the process.

We have also seen a spike in political violence this election season – demonstrated most dramatically with the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in the US.

Join Claudine Fry for a conversation with Jonathan Wood, our lead global affairs analyst, as they unpack what the 2024 ballot box is telling us and what the health and trajectories of democracies globally means for business.

Our analysts Michael Bongani Reinders, Alexandra Kellert, Aryaman Bhatnagar and Marina Pera bring their regional expertise to the discussion.

For more on the US election, listen to our previous episode US election 2024: superpower at a crossroads.

Find out how we can support your organisation through the 2024 US election.

Global friends, local tensions – the two sides of Ruto’s Kenya

A little over a month ago, President William Ruto of Kenya made a triumphant state visit to the White House. During the visit, Kenya was designated a major NATO ally – the first in sub-Saharan Africa – and a few weeks later, Ruto attended the G7 Summit in Italy. But his government faces turmoil at home. Proposals for tax rises have sparked a wave of protests nationwide, leading to protesters invading parliament on 25 June and prompting Ruto to backtrack.

Join Control Risks Africa experts Vincent Rouget, Patricia Rodrigues and David Owiro as they discuss this narrative of contrast, unpacking Ruto’s foreign policy, globally and regionally, alongside an evaluation of his fiscal initiatives and his domestic position.

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US election 2024: superpower at a crossroads

The 2024 US election marks a pivotal decision point: what kind of role will the US play in the world? While this may not be the top issue for most American voters, the rest of the world is watching and waiting to see who will be sitting in the Oval Office next year: Joe Biden or Donald Trump.

Join Claudine Fry for a conversation with Jonathan Wood, our lead global affairs analyst, as they discuss the impact of the US election on three key regions: Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. They explore the critical themes businesses need to watch closely, from growing security concerns around NATO to US trade policy with China to the evolving relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia.

Our analysts Alexey Eremenko, Niamh McBurney and Andrew Gilholm, bring their regional expertise to the discussion.

For more on the US election, listen to our Asia in Focus podcast episodes on US-China relations and the election’s impact on Asia and broader markets.

Visit controlrisks.com to learn more about how we make the difference in a changing world.

 

Asia in Focus - Indian elections: the BJP loses its majority – what’s next for business?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term, but his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unexpectedly lost its parliamentary majority after significant losses in key states to opposition parties, particularly the Indian National Congress (INC). For the first time, Modi must rely on his coalition partners to advance his political agenda.

Angela Mancini, Partner, speaks with Khalid Shah, Analyst, to discuss what this shift mean for India’s growth trajectory, internal inequalities, and the nation’s evolving role on the global stage.

Read our article on the outlook for a weakened Modi, or subscribe to our India updates to get them straight to your inbox.