The May midterm election is unlikely to substantially affect the broad 6 to 9-month political outlook. The opposition is struggling to gain traction with its issues and will likely remain a clear minority. The more relevant timeframe for reassessing the outlook for the administration may not be in the May…
The disaster caused by Cyclone Idai will worsen the country’s already fragile economic outlook. It could result in emergency IMF funding, though restoration of the suspended Standby Credit Facility (SCF) still seems some way off. Politically speaking, the disaster could provide a small fillip for an otherwise bruised Frelimo that…
With populist parties and geostrategic rivalries making trade an increasingly salient political issue, it is more important than ever that companies understand the factors driving the range of trade policies currently being considered by governments around the world. The private sector will continue to be looked to as a partner…
We’re hearing voice is all the rage. So many people activated an Amazon Echo or Alexa connected device on Christmas Day, that the service briefly crashed. 10% of people in the UK now own a smart speaker, and many more have the opportunity to use voice-activated technology – mostly via…
On Saturday, 19 January, Japan hosted the first meeting of trade ministers from the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries since the revised Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) came into effect at the end of 2018. While the group is still waiting for four signatories –…
You have heard of ISS. You have heard of Glass Lewis. But have you heard of Sustanalytics? RobecoSAM? RepRisk? These are firms that specialize in rating how companies manage the risks of environmental, social and governance issues. Like better known proxy advisors, these ESG firms can have significant impact on…
As we usher in a new year and the promise of change, whether stemming from new administrations and legislation or new developments in business and technology, one thing is clear – the security issues we face, whether cyber or physical, are only increasing in complexity and prevalence. The year 2018…
The opposition-dominated National Assembly (AN) on 5 January elected Juan Guaido as legislative president for the next 12 months. Guaido is from the Popular Will (VP) party, which has traditionally taken a more hardline stance towards the regime led by President Nicolas Maduro. The new AN president immediately branded Maduro,…
Four topics are likely to draw significant attention in 2019 in Europe: Brexit, the European Parliament elections, polls in Southern Europe, and a crucial ballot in Poland. Below we cut through the noise they will likely generate in order to focus on the issues that will matter: TOPIC 1: The…
November was a busy month for corporate governance, including: (i) newly proposed legislation on proxy advisory firms; (ii) SEC proxy voting roundtable held on November 15th; and (iii) updated ISS and Glass Lewis proxy policies announced in November. See our September client insight on proxy advisor regulatory reform for related…
Footage published on 3 December showing President Ali Bongo recuperating in Morocco suggests Gabon’s ruler might beat the odds and stage a comeback within the coming months. The Constitutional Court has found a fudge to allow for a temporary vacancy at the heart of government to enable a return of…
The scope for Latin American countries to emulate Brazil by electing far-right leaders is currently limited despite the continued potency of anti-establishment sentiment. Regional political fault-lines could well shift and polarize due to the strengthening of the Right in Brazil. Bolsonaro’s success or failure will be watched closely across the…
For those exhausted by the nature and sheer volume of news, fake news, tweets, alternative facts, talking heads, populism, extremism and pure partisan blood-lust, we regret to inform you that 2019 does not portend much respite. As our annual preview of the coming year goes to print, there are four…
That politics has changed fundamentally is now beyond doubt. Across much of the democratic world, recent years have seen the victories of previously unelectable candidates and ideas along with a massive weakening of traditional political establishments or parties. In the last year, the most dramatic example of this has been…