Virtual

Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill 2023 – the potential impact on corporates and other stakeholders

10 Jul 2023

Location: 12:00pm - 1:15pm UK Time Virtual Event (Zoom)
Members: FREE to attend - Book by 10 Jul
Non Members: Register above as a member and attend for FREE - Book by 10 Jul

Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill 2023 – the potential impact on corporates and other stakeholders

Highlights

The event will be moderated by Rahman Ravelli's Senior Partner, Aziz Rahman. He will be joined by Rahman Ravelli Senior Associates Zulfi Meerza and Francesca Cassidy-Taylor, as well as Steve Holt, Partner at Grant Thornton, and Miranda Hill KC, Barrister at 6KBW.

The webinar will provide background to the drafting of the Bill and assess its key measures, including the expansion of the law on corporate criminal liability and the potential introduction of the offence of failure to prevent fraud.

The event will examine:

  • The Bill's purpose and progress through Parliament:
  • Companies House reform;
  • Seizure and recovery of crypto assets; and
  • Enhanced enforcement powers regarding money laundering.
  • New criminal offence of failure to prevent fraud – preparation and prevention.
  • New compliance obligations and how corporates should prepare to meet them.

There will also be an opportunity to submit questions for the panellists prior to or during the webinar.

Aziz Rahman
Senior Partner
Rahman Ravelli (UK)

Aziz’s reputation is built on leading and assembling teams for global investigations, conducting major internal investigations for multinational corporates and representing international figures and companies in high-stakes, cross-border commercial disputes. He wins awards and high legal guide rankings for coordinating multinational and multi-agency defences for corporates and individuals. Aziz is known for astute representation of clients in white-collar criminal cases worldwide and in civil regulatory proceedings. He advises on large-scale bribery and corruption around the world, all aspects of major international sanctions and is known for identifying and becoming involved in emerging international issues the moment they arise, such as pension liberation fraud, Libor, Forex and Cum-Ex


Azizur Rahman
Aziz Rahman Senior Partner
Rahman Ravelli (UK)
Francesca Cassidy-Taylor
Senior Associate
Rahman Ravelli

Francesca is widely recognised as an asset on the highest-level corporate crime investigations and other matters where crisis management is vitally important.

Her track record includes in-depth experience of many of the largest and most notable multinational cases. Having worked for many years for an international law firm, she is adept at handling all aspects of the most complex, multifaceted investigations.

Francesca’s workload has included many of the most significant Serious Fraud Office investigations, including some of the biggest bribery, cross-border and carbon credit tax fraud cases. Francesca advised a senior executive in the SFO’s Petrofac bribery investigation. She acted for a former bank trader who was charged regarding market manipulation of the EURIBOR interest rate benchmark and assisted in the defence of traders investigated and prosecuted by the SFO over alleged manipulation of the LIBOR interest rate.

Her ability to identify and navigate the best route in a criminal investigation has led to her being the first choice of many high net worth individuals, senior business figures and professionals in cases where reputations are at stake.

Francesca was involved in the UK’s biggest phone hacking and related investigations - Operations Weeting, Elveden and Tuleta – and has represented clients in high-profile extradition proceedings.

Francesca has particular expertise in the area of proceeds of crime (money laundering) and frequently advises on a range of issues including the making of suspicious activity reports (SARs) and law enforcement applications that seek to freeze or seize assets, including Account Freezing Orders, Restraint Orders, and other applications made under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

With her acknowledged achievements in fraud and other financial crime, she is also sought by corporates for advice and representation on compliance matters; including responding to whistleblower complaints and conducting internal investigations and risk assessments.

Her work on top-level investigations has included acting for those investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority over suspected anti-competitive practices. She also represented the former CEO of an international telecommunications company in a Financial Conduct Authority investigation into market abuse and suspected breaches of the Financial Services Act 2012.

Francesca is former chair and current Educational Secretary of the Young Fraud Lawyers Association.


Francesca Cassidy-Taylor
Francesca Cassidy-Taylor Senior Associate
Rahman Ravelli
Zulfi Meerza
Senior Associate Solicitor
Rahman Ravelli

Zulfi has in-depth expertise when it comes to all aspects of corporate crime investigations.

He represents corporates, board members, senior business figures and high net worth individuals. His clients rely on the extensive experience he has gained as both a defence lawyer and a financial crime prosecutor.

Zulfi spent five years as a criminal defence practitioner before then working for six years as a senior investigative lawyer at the UK’s Serious Fraud Office. At the SFO, he worked on some of the most notable and highly-publicised investigations and prosecutions; many of which involved some of the world’s best-known corporates and financial institutions. The cases ranged from banks seeking international financing and alleged multinational corruption by companies, through to fraud and money laundering on a global scale and the collapse of financial investment funds.

Zulfi is known for his ability to manage major cases where Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) arrangements are relied on to secure information from another country. His SFO work on cases involving search warrants, production orders, section 2 notices and letters of request, and his first-hand knowledge of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement procedure make him an asset for clients in the most involved investigations.

As a member of Rahman Ravelli’s corporate crime practice group, Zulfi is recognised as an exceptional white-collar crime lawyer and an obvious person to defend clients in multi-jurisdictional, high-profile and complex investigations. He is someone who can manage each and every aspect of such cases, as he has a thorough understanding of complex economic crime investigations, serious regulatory matters and a wide range of industrial and professional sectors.

His management of civil and regulatory proceedings that can run alongside a criminal investigation has shown his ability to devise and coordinate the most appropriate strategy for any situation a client may face. The ease with which he deals with agencies such as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the National Crime Agency (NCA), the City of London Police, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and international organisations means he can tackle each and every issue that may arise in an investigation.

He is known for his intelligent management of complex commercial litigation relating to corporate misconduct, having had significant involvement in such cases.

Zulfi is also a member of Rahman Ravelli’s sanctions team. He uses his in-depth knowledge of the UK regime on some of the most notable sanctions cases.


Zulfi Meerza
Zulfi Meerza Senior Associate Solicitor
Rahman Ravelli
Steve Holt
Partner
Grant Thornton

I am a partner in our forensic and investigation services practice, with a particular focus on aiding companies facing urgent, complex, cross-border issues including fraud, bribery and corruption, misconduct and asset recovery.

I have extensive experience investigating high-profile public interest matters representing governments, public companies and private individuals throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.

I am regularly named in Who’s Who Legal’s asset recovery, forensic accountants and consulting experts lists, where I am described by clients as “an eloquent and very innovative practitioner”, who is “extremely pragmatic and commercial in how he presents his advice” and “a great investigator who works extremely hard for his clients”.


Steve Holt
Steve Holt Partner
Grant Thornton
Miranda Hill KC
Barrister
6KBW

A “phenomenal barrister” Chambers & Partners

“She has a great reputation as a jury advocate and she fights her client’s corner.” Chambers & Partners

“A newly appointed silk who was widely regarded as the best junior in this field of work. Superb analytical skills. A great strategist. Wonderful advocate.”  Legal 500

“She’s a real star, top quality” Chambers & Partners

“She’s calm, clever, a delight to work with and a brilliant drafter” Chambers & Partners

“We in the commercial sphere value someone who can turn things around in short order when there’s a high volume of material and pressure from the clients to get advice out quickly.  Miranda is a wise head, and a calm and considered person under pressure.”  Chambers & Partners

Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2022 and awarded Crime Junior of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2017 , Miranda is “a very clever lawyer with an instinctive touch for the right approach in difficult and challenging circumstances”.

“Sought out to advise corporations implicated in financial crime” and recommended by the legal directories as a New Silk in financial crime, financial crime (corporates), general crime and investigations, Miranda has a wide range of experience as a criminal practitioner.  Specialising in business and corporate crime, she is particularly renowned for her ability to master substantial and complex cases.


Miranda Hill KC
Miranda Hill KC Barrister
6KBW

Agenda

11:55 am
Audience Log on
12:00 pm
Chair's Opening Remarks
Speakers:
Azizur Rahman - Senior Partner - Rahman Ravelli (UK)
12:05 pm
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill
Speakers:
Francesca Cassidy-Taylor - Senior Associate - Rahman Ravelli
Zulfi Meerza - Senior Associate Solicitor - Rahman Ravelli
Miranda Hill KC - Barrister - 6KBW
Steve Holt - Partner - Grant Thornton
1:00 pm
Panel Q&A
1:15 pm
Chair's Summation & Close Event
Speakers:
Azizur Rahman - Senior Partner - Rahman Ravelli (UK)

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