Control Risks

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’ ex...

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 agreeme...

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 di...

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 stron...

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 invad...

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...

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 , Ana...

India is now a key market for foreign investors, but Indian conglomerates are increasingly looking at the world. What happens when disputes arise? Join Control Risks experts, Aakash Brahmachari and Michael Harrington for part two of our conversation on emerging disputes in India. They are joined by Niyati Gandhi , Dispute Resolution at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, and Co Srishti Jain , Managing As...

A year ago, Bola Tinubu assumed office as the fifth president of Nigeria following the country’s return to democracy in 1999. The new government immediately took a series of bold actions – hailed by the markets – to liberalise the economy and boost investment. Results have been slow to materialise: inflation is soaring, investors are hesitant and security incidents are on the rise.  Join Control R...

Vietnam’s anti-corruption drive, dubbed the “burning furnace,” started in 2016 but has intensified since 2021.   Many senior officials in the country have come under investigation. They’ve been asked to leave their positions or have been forced to step down. Most recently, Vietnamese property tycoon Truong My Lan was sentenced to death for her role in a USD 12.5 billion financial fraud scheme. Inv...

The past year has seen a surge in regulatory activity worldwide as authorities continue to combat increasingly sophisticated cyber threats while managing the swift adoption of emerging technologies. Nowhere is this more evident—and potentially transformative—than in the European Union (EU). In this episode of Decrypt, Associate Director Stina Connor from our Digital Risks team is joined by Associa...

This April has seen a surge in bilateral contacts between the US and China, from the Xi-Biden phone call to Janet Yellen and Antony Blinken’s visits to Beijing. Relations between the two countries seem to be entering a holding pattern, as we mentioned in the RiskMap 2024 Top Risks . President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are competing to raise the stakes against the world's second l...

The demand for the minerals we extract from the sea will continue to grow. What do businesses need to know about the pioneering space of seabed mining? Join Claudine Fry for a conversation with in-house experts Gabriel Brasil, Senior Analyst and our global lead on energy transition and critical minerals, and Dr Victoria Mitchell, Analyst and lead on maritime issues, about what governments, busines...

After 30 years of dominating South African politics, the African National Congress (ANC) runs the serious risk of falling below 50% of the vote in the general elections – just short of an absolute majority in parliament. Join Control Risks experts Vincent Rouget , Wayne Malgas and Michael Bongani Reinders for a discussion about the possible scenarios following the vote on 29 May, which sectors wil...

The “zero trust” security model has been a buzzword in IT circles for a while now. It was hailed as a revolutionary approach to protecting digital assets by assuming nothing inside or outside the network is trustworthy. It’s also proven very difficult to put into practice. In this episode, Nic Reys brings on Jim Fitzsimmons to dissect the principles, the effectiveness and the challenges of zero tr...

In a busy election year, the most high-profile race in 2024 is undoubtedly the rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump as the two candidates once again vie for the Oval Office. With six months until election day, how the rematch could unfold, and its global implications, are top-of-mind for many businesses. Organisations need to prepare for a range of compounding risk...

India is increasingly becoming a pivotal market in the corporate world, with disputes involving the country gaining greater international significance. Join Control Risks experts Aakash Brahmachari and Michael Harrington for a discussion with Prateek Bagaria , Partner at Singularity Legal. They’ll explore the complexities of disputes involving India amidst an evolving geopolitical landscape and lo...

The Ukraine war is receiving less attention now, but the implications continue to reverberate. The Ukraine war will define a generation's understanding of European identity, the future of Russia's relationship with NATO, US engagement in Europe, and the cohesion of the Western alliance. It will also shape Russia's influence in the Global South and that of its allies, impacting businesses worldwide...

Over two years have passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This has been a period marked by relentless battlefield activity, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and a complex and evolving digital threat landscape. As business looks to rebuild a country still defending itself from invasion, how can CISOs and security teams ensure their organisations remain secure? In this episode, Nic Re...

On 6 March 2024, Houthi rebels in the Red Sea attacked a ship called True Confidence, killing three crew members. Up until this attack, the Houthis had managed to damage vessels, but this was the first time one of their attacks resulted in death. With the situation likely to continue and even escalate, the maritime community remains vulnerable. Join Control Risks experts, Aakash Brahmachari , Corm...

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the market size of key energy transition minerals has doubled over the past five years. The IEA predicts another doubling of demand for those same minerals by 2030. What are the environmental, social, and governance impacts of a ramped up critical minerals sector? Join Maria Knapp , Yadaira Orsini , and Rob Bailes as they dissect how companies ca...

Indonesia will announce the official results of its presidential elections on March 20. Pro-business ex-defence minister Prabowo Subianto looks set to win the presidency outright, avoiding a run-off in June.  Longtime followers of Indonesia will know Prabowo as an unpredictably belligerent general and the son-in-law of authoritarian President Suharto, who in the late 1990s was banned from the US a...

India is often regarded as sitting in a geopolitical sweet spot. The country is seen as a rising power on the global stage as well as an ally to several Western states. All eyes will be on the country in April and May 2024 as India heads to the polls in its upcoming general election, which will see 900 million people cast their votes. While no surprises are expected, the outcome will set the tone...

The yearlong buzz and panic following the launch of Chat-GPT has given way to the nuts and bolts of implementation. For companies large and small, from developers to end users, the question is: what’s at stake? Join Nicolas Reys, Steve Sacks, and Caitlin Egen, experts based in New York, DC, and London, respectively, for a conversation about the work they’re doing with clients who are weighing the...

Investing in African Mining Indaba is a staple in the mining industry’s calendar. Once again, attendees from all over the globe met to discuss and explore the latest trends and developments in Africa’s mineral industry under the theme “Embracing the power of positive disruption: A bold new future for African mining”. Join Wayne Malgas for a conversation with Jon Greenaway and Vincent Rouget, exper...