The exclusive event featured leading experts across the fields of crisis communications, forensic investigations and law. DRD Partner Claire Davidson and Steve Holt, Partner and Co-lead of the Global Forensic Practice at Grant Thornton were joined by David Ward, Regulatory, Ethics & Compliance Director of Tesco PLC and Andrew Wheeler KC, joint head of the Financial Crime and Offshore and International Dispute Resolution Teams at 7BR Chambers.

Panel participants shared insights and practical advice from their rich experience of navigating high-profile crises involving overlapping issues such as financial misconduct, supply chain challenges, and cross-jurisdictional regulatory challenges. Topic discussed included:

• Proactive crisis management and decision-making structures: The importance of having structured protocols and clear decision-making processes in place before a crisis hits. Ensuring that actions taken are well-documented and thought through, especially when they are open to future scrutiny by regulators or courts.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration in crisis response: How GCs and Boards can work with external legal, communication and forensic experts to navigate complex, multifaceted crises.
• Managing stakeholder perception and the media: How carefully calibrated communications strategies can be deployed to help manage escalating situations, how to deal with leaks and misinformation and how to engage internal and investor audiences with consistent but tailored communications.
• Investigating global operations: The challenges of handling regulatory inspections, investigations and compliance across multiple jurisdictions. The value of working with trusted advisors who understand the company’s operations and risk appetite to avoid missteps in a sensitive situation.

Thank you to speakers and attendees for the successful and engaging event.