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HMRC is intensifying its scrutiny of fast growing UK companies. Francesca Titus, barrister and white-collar crime partner at McGuireWoods, warns that expanding enforcement powers, AI-led investigations, and new criminal offences are raising the stakes. For scale-ups, proactive compliance is now essential — before HMRC comes knocking.
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Comcast’s $1.5mn vendor data breach fine reignites focus on security. Experts warn that effective vendor risk management and continuous oversight are now central to data-protection compliance and business continuity worldwide.
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Inconsistent execution is holding back enterprise AI. A new report from AuditBoard reveals most organisations are trapped in cycles of incomplete implementation, struggling to turn early enthusiasm into reliable, governed adoption.
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Many firms deploying AI have suffered losses before gains emerge. A new EY survey of 975 executives shows cumulative AI-risk losses of around US $4.4 billion, largely from compliance failures, biased models, and sustainability setbacks. But companies with mature responsible AI practices report stronger business outcomes.
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Exxon seeks US backing against EU’s sustainability directive. The oil major has urged Washington to pressure Brussels over sweeping new rules that mandate supply chain due diligence on human rights and environmental impacts, warning that the penalties could deter investment across Europe.
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Whistleblowing reform in the UK remains a slow process. Francesca Titus examines the gaps in the Office of the Whistleblower Bill, from insufficient protections to missing financial incentives, and asks what companies should be doing now to prepare for a new era of corporate accountability.
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UK chief executive pay has reached a record high. Median FTSE 100 CEO pay rose 6.8 percent to £4.58 million in the past year, according to the High Pay Centre, widening the gap with average workers as shareholder scrutiny and calls for governance reform intensify.
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The UK regulator has proposed classifying Apple and Google as firms with “strategic market status.” If finalised, the move could bring targeted conduct rules, fines, and broader scrutiny to their 90–100% hold on UK smartphones.
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UK watchdog to investigate Deloitte’s audits of Glencore. The Financial Reporting Council is examining whether the firm missed red flags around bribery at the miner-trader, whose 2022 guilty pleas triggered record UK penalties. The case adds pressure to the Big Four ahead of incoming audit reform.