An update on legal and regulatory developments for UK public companies....more
2/2/2026
/ Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Reporting ,
Listing Rules ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
On 22 January 2024, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) published the updated UK Corporate Governance Code, applying to accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2025. The first annual reports addressing the new...more
On 8 December 2025, the GC100 published guidance to support UK companies that wish to hold virtual-only shareholder meetings — in anticipation of the government’s proposed update to the Companies Act 2006 to clarify that...more
12/10/2025
/ Alternative Investment Markets (AIM) ,
Companies Act ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Dual Class Share Structures ,
Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ,
New Guidance ,
Public Limited Companies (PLC) ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Remuneration ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Shareholder Meetings ,
Takeover Code ,
UK ,
UK Companies Acts ,
UK Takeover Panel ,
Virtual Meetings
On 21 October 2025, the UK government announced it will introduce reforms that would reduce corporate reporting and governance compliance burdens on UK listed companies. ...more
11/4/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ,
Insider Information ,
Listing Rules ,
Market Abuse ,
New Legislation ,
Prospectus ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
UK
FCA Proposes to Relax Disclosure Requirements for Share Buybacks -
On 10 September 2025, the FCA published its quarterly consultation paper No.49, which proposed (among other things) amendments to its UK Listing Rules...more
10/1/2025
/ Consultation ,
Directors ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Foreign Private Issuers ,
Legal Advice Privilege ,
Listing Rules ,
Market Abuse ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Public Limited Companies (PLC) ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Share Buybacks ,
Shareholder Litigation
On 7 August 2025, the FCA published its review of share buybacks in UK listed equities, which analysed data on share buybacks executed for FTSE 350 issuers, as well as feedback from banks, issuers, investor representatives,...more
9/3/2025
/ Banks ,
Capital Markets ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Dividends ,
EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU MAR) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FTSE ,
Listing Rules ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Share Buybacks ,
UK
On 15 July 2025, the FCA published PS25/9 and PS25/10 outlining its final rules for the new Public Offers and Admissions to Trading regime, which will supersede the existing UK Prospectus Regulation from 19 January 2026....more
8/1/2025
/ Deregulation ,
Digital Securities ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Prospectus Regulation (PR3) ,
Public Offerings ,
Regulatory Burden ,
Share Buybacks ,
Takeovers ,
Trading Policies ,
UK
On 15 July 2025, the FCA published PS25/9 and PS25/10 outlining its final rules for the new Public Offers and Admissions to Trading regime, which will supersede the existing UK Prospectus Regulation from 19 January 2026. This...more
7/16/2025
/ Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Financing ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Listing Rules ,
Prospectus ,
Public Offerings ,
Retail Investors ,
UK
Final report recommends the digitisation of UK shareholdings through a fully intermediated system of shareholding, with an interim phase of digitised share registers....more
On 5 June 2025, the GC100 and Investor Group published an updated version of their Directors’ Remuneration Reporting Guidance. This revision reflects evolving best practices and incorporates changes introduced by the...more
7/2/2025
/ Amended Regulation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporations Code ,
Directors ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Executive Compensation ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Guidance Update ,
Listing Rules ,
New Guidance ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
UK
On 10 June 2025, the FCA unveiled its final proposals for the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES), following a comprehensive consultation process. The proposals mark a significant step in the...more
On 3 June 2025, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) published the UK Stewardship Code 2026. The new Code, effective from 1 January 2026, aims to foster long-term sustainable value creation and improve engagement quality...more
6/6/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Corporate Transparency Act ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Reporting ,
Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ,
Fraud ,
Investors ,
Market Participants ,
New Legislation ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stewardship Code ,
UK
On 14 April 2025, the FCA published its updated regulatory initiatives grid, which sets out its regulatory pipeline — the first update since the new UK government came to power. The new grid outlines the expected timings of...more
No loss to issuers puts note trustees in the spotlight.
The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (CFA) has overturned the Court of Appeal’s order that Peking University Founder Group Company Limited (PUFG), as the keepwell...more
4/30/2025
/ Appeals ,
Breach of Contract ,
Business Entities ,
Capital Markets ,
Contract Terms ,
Corporate Bonds ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Issuers ,
Deeds ,
Financial Institutions ,
Hong Kong ,
Offshore Companies ,
Securities ,
Subsidiaries ,
Trustees
On 14 March 2025, the FCA published Primary Market Bulletin 54, which raised concerns around the leaking of inside information by individuals at a company or by its advisers on live M&A transactions. The FCA specifically...more
4/2/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Board of Directors ,
Confidential Information ,
Contract Terms ,
Corporate Governance ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
FTSE ,
Insider Trading ,
Mergers ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Target Company ,
UK
On 6 February 2025, the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee published a report titled “Naming and shaming: how not to regulate”....more
3/17/2025
/ Corporate Governance ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities Violations ,
UK
In recent years, we have seen more class action securities claims against UK listed companies — akin to US style “stock-drop” litigation.
These claims are typically brought by groups of investors, backed by financing...more
2/6/2025
/ Class Action ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Investors ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities Litigation ,
Stock Drop Litigation ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
This publication provides an overview of the top trending issues as we approach this year’s AGM and reporting season. We highlight key legal and regulatory developments impacting AGM and annual reporting practices....more
The FCA is approaching its design of the world’s first regulated private/public crossover market with a “private plus” rather than a “public minus” mindset.
On 17 December 2024, the FCA launched a consultation on its...more
12/18/2024
/ Capital Markets ,
Consultation ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
HM Treasury ,
Investors ,
Private Investment Funds ,
Proposed Rules ,
Retail Investors ,
Sandbox ,
UK
On 15 November 2024, the FCA released Primary Market Bulletin 52, offering guidance on compliance with MAR and DTR requirements, particularly in identifying and disclosing inside information, managing shareholder...more
12/3/2024
/ Compliance ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Culture ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Reporting Council (FRC) ,
Fraud ,
Insider Information ,
Market Abuse ,
New Guidance ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Shareholders ,
Stewardship Code ,
Transparency ,
UK ,
White Collar Crimes
The proposals seek to address engagement feedback which called for a more effective stewardship model that would support UK competitiveness and growth.
On 11 November 2024, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) launched...more
The world’s first regulated private/public crossover market is significantly redesigned as a friction-free “private up” rather than “public down” market with rethought approach to disclosure and market abuse....more
11/18/2024
/ Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Markets ,
High Net-Worth ,
HM Treasury ,
Institutional Investors ,
Market Abuse ,
Privately Held Corporations ,
Sandbox ,
Takeover Code ,
Trading Platforms ,
Trading Policies ,
UK
On 8 October 2024, the Investment Association (IA) updated its Principles of Remuneration (and supporting guidance) (the IA Principles). These principles, and the accompanying guidance, are significantly more flexible and...more
Recent reforms in the UK market have led to less prescriptive executive remuneration principles that encourage companies to tailor structures to their business, strategy, and performance while consulting with shareholders....more
On 6 September 2024, the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT) published the Capital Markets Of Tomorrow report (CMOT). CMOT sets out the “UK elevator pitch” for the reformed UK capital markets, engages in some judicious...more
10/4/2024
/ Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Economic Growth ,
Entrepreneurs ,
Foreign Private Issuers ,
FTSE ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Listing Rules ,
Listing Standards ,
Pension Funds ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retail Investors ,
Sponsors ,
Stewardship Code ,
UK