Together, they unpack the role insurers already play in UK productive finance, whether TAS 300 is really changing the buyout conversation, how insurer capital should be understood, and why covenant, capital buffers and endgame strategy all need to be considered with care.

A balanced discussion on bulk annuities, alternative solutions and the importance of looking beyond the headline claims.

Breathwork has been shown to be one of the most effective tools to manage stress, provide energy and focus and enhance cognitive function. In this replay of a session held for staff at Simmons & Simmons in March, Jamie Clements – breathwork specialist and founder of The Breath Space – leads participants through a short, guided breathing practice before the start of a busy day.

Elinor Cavil - Associate, Simmons & Simmons

 In the first episode of Simmons & Simmons’ Food & Beverage podcast series, we explore the rapidly evolving UK regulatory landscape governing the advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS).

This episode unpacks the UK government’s new HFSS advertising restrictions, including their scope and exemptions to the rules. You’ll also hear about how brands are already adapting to the regulations and what the future may hold for food and drink marketing beyond this ban.

 Essential listening for businesses navigating increasingly complex HFSS advertising rules, this episode sets the scene for the wider series and provides a clear, practical introduction to the regulatory changes shaping the sector. 

Russell Afifi – Senior Lawyer, navigator Simmons & Simmons

John Paul Zammit – Managing Associate Simmons & Simmons

Australia's New Licensing Regime for Foreign Financial Service Providers – What You Need to Know

With draft legislation reintroduced to the Australian Parliament and transitional reliefs extended until 31 March 2027, now is the time for foreign financial service providers to understand what lies ahead.

In this episode, Russell Afifi and JP Zammit of Simmons & Simmons are joined by Vittorio Casamento of Norton Rose Fulbright to discuss the proposed reforms, including the new Comparable Regulator Exemption and expanded Professional Investor Exemption, and what firms should be doing now to prepare.

Topics covered include:

• The current regime and extension of existing reliefs
• Key changes under the proposed legislation
• Eligibility and application requirements
• Practical steps to prepare and likely timeline for implementation

Essential listening for asset managers and institutions exploring or currently operating in the Australian market.

In the first episode, our regulatory lawyers Betül Kohlhäufl and Noujan Akbari provide a high-level overview of the European Commission’s Market Integration Package, its strategic aims and role within the Savings and Investment Union as well as the main legislative proposals. Listeners will gain insight into why market integration matters for the EU financial sector, what’s changing, and what these reforms mean for different market participants.

The future of work doesn’t arrive with a bang. It slips in quietly—an AI tool summarising your emails, a junior lawyer collaborating with a data scientist. The headlines warn of job losses, but the real story is more nuanced, more human, and far more exciting. 

What if the future isn’t about humans versus machines, but about a powerful partnership? We go beyond the headlines to reveal how AI is reshaping not just what we do, but how we do it. 

Sarah James, Partner and Head of Adaptive, puts it plainly: “It’s not just about efficiency and automation. It’s about creating workplaces where innovation and human potential thrive side by side.” Ali Chaudhry, Legal Engineer, sees the shift from the ground up: “AI is both a productivity tool and a cultural shift.” The future belongs to those who can reallocate their time, master new tools, and—crucially—think critically about what AI delivers. 

The challenge now? To lead with care, build trust, and ensure that as we automate the routine, we elevate the meaningful. The future is multidisciplinary, human-centred, and—if we get it right—brilliantly bright. 

Join Sarah and Ali as they unpack the messy, exciting reality of AI in the legal world. 

Introduction authored by Percy, our Simmons internal AI colleague. 

Hear more from Ali by following his blog on the Simmons website or follow on LinkedIn 

This session explores data privacy considerations that arise during the AI model training process, including the collection, use and sharing of data.

This session explores data privacy considerations that arise during the AI model training process, including the collection, use and sharing of data.

We hosted a concise, high-level webinar where our team explained what this ruling could mean for your business, including:

• What is the immediate impact on motor finance?
• Read-across risk: What impact is the judgment likely to have on:
  • other intermediated lending business models; and
  • other sectors including insurance, asset management and funds?
• Are there other sectors which could be impacted by the judgment?

Speakers: Olivier Mignolet, Minesh Tanna and Martin Binder

 Speakers: Jacques-Antoine Robert, Machteld Hiemstra and Mauro Teresi

Speakers: Ingrid Hobbs, Tim McCaw and Pierre-Alexis Maingon

 Speakers: David Kidman, Olivia Delagrange and Udo Pickartz

In this brief episode, we touch on the following consultations:

• Consultation on investor influence on investment decisions for investment funds
• Consultation on fit-and-proper requirements of managing directors of banks and financial services institutions
• Consultation on changes regarding the Shareholder Control Regulation

A discussion on the CMA’s Green Claims Code for fashion brands

Presenters

-        Marisa Broughton, Partner

-        Frances Gourdie, Managing Associate

Key topics

-        The environmental impact of the fashion sector

-        The Competition and Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code 

-        Greenwashing & brand value

-        IP considerations

The video sets out key points of the FinmadiG.

Betül Kohlhäufl, Supervising Associate

Noujan Akbari, Associate

Sophie Sheldon, Partner, Digital Business, London

Derek Lawlor, Partner, Financial Services Regulation, Dublin

Kenneth Hui, Partner, Head of Hong Kong Regulatory

Moderated by Simonetta Giordano, Partner, Simmons & Simmons

The FemTech industry is revolutionizing women's health, including for topics traditionally under mediatised. It's an impactful industry with exponential development potential. Engage with industry leaders in our breakout room to explore the developing femtech landscape. We'll discuss how innovation is driving investment in women's health technology, the potential and challenges for growth in this niche market, and why femtech is becoming an essential part of the healthcare investment portfolio. 

Speakers:

·       Nora Bavey, General Partner, Unconventional Ventures

·       Priya Oberoi, Founding General Partner, Goddess Gaia Ventures

·       Christina Östberg Lloyd, CEO Care & Communication

·       Cécile Real, CEO, Medevice

Moderated by David Brangam, Partner, Simmons & Simmons 

Step into a breakout room dedicated to unravelling the prospects of healthcare and wider social infrastructure investments within the healthcare and life sciences sector. Discover how demographic shifts and technological advancements are creating fertile ground for investors in some markets, and explore the strategies that can help you capitalise on the growing demand for healthcare services.

Speakers:

·       Katie Beckingham, Director, August Equity

·       Antonio Botija, Managing Director H.I.G. Capital

·       Aymar de Tracy, Partner, InfraVia Capital

·       Andrew Nicholson, Managing Director and EU Head of Healthcare Investment Banking, Baird Europe

Lydia Torne, Partner, Simmons & Simmons 

Investing in sustainability: a risk or an opportunity for the healthcare and life sciences sector?

Moderated by Sonali Siriwardena, Global Head of ESG, Simmons & Simmons

Step into the forefront of sustainable investment where environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles are revolutionising the healthcare and life sciences sector. Our expert panel will explore how embracing ESG can drive innovation and profitability, while also delivering on the promise of a healthier tomorrow. Learn about the strategies that are not only yielding sustainable investments but also fostering advancements in patient care and medical research. Be part of the dialogue on how responsible investing is becoming the cornerstone of a robust and ethical healthcare industry.

Speakers:

·       Pascale Forde-Maurice, Head of Corporate Europe - Sustainable Banking, Crédit Agricole

·       Afsane Jetha, Managing partner and CEO, Alta Semper Capital

·       Louis de Lillers, CEO, Corwave

·       Pablo Morales, Director Population Health, Roche

Speakers: 
Massimo Gaudina, Policy coordinator, Policy Coordinator, The New European Innovation Agenda, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission, 

Interviewed by Vincenzo Salvatore, Partner, Simmons & Simmons

Data-driven discovery: transforming healthcare with AI and Big Data

Moderated by Edoardo Tedeschi, Partner, Simmons & Simmons 

Embark on a journey through the digital revolution transforming healthcare and life sciences. Our panel of visionaries will unveil how Big Data and AI are not just buzzwords but pivotal tools reshaping the efficiency and efficacy of the sector. From predictive analytics to personalised medicine, learn how these technologies are revolutionizing care delivery, speeding up drug development, and creating smarter, patient-centric healthcare ecosystems. Witness the future as we explore the power of data and AI to heal, innovate, and thrive.

Speakers:

·       Fabio Caramelli, Space Rider Payload and Exploitation, Directorate of Space     Transportation, European Space Agency

·       Stefano Carosio, Executive Director, Stam 

·       Luca Emili, CEO and founder, Insilico Trials

·      Javier Nunez-Vicandi, Principal, Digital Medicine Strategy, Sofinnova Partners

The healthcare investment pulse: understanding trends in Europe

Moderated by Jérôme Patenotte, Partner, Simmons & Simmons 

Dive into the dynamic world of healthcare and life sciences investments in Europe. Our panel will cut through the complexities of post-Covid funding, examining the accelerators of private investments, the emerging trends in transactions and the state of the IPO market. Discover the most attractive countries for investment, the drivers fuelling funding, and the challenges of value creation in today's economic climate. Learn how to craft a compelling investment case in a market wary of risks.

Speakers:

·       Marc Julien, Managing Director, EIT Health

·       Jacques Rossignol, CEO and founder, Techlife Capital

·       Arnaud Vincent, Managing Director, Eurazeo

Guillaume Dedet, Senior Health Economist and Public health physician, OECD, 

Interviewed by Charlotte Stalin, Head of Financial Institutions, Simmons & Simmons

Sian Rees is a marine scientist specialising in marine conservation, marine management and policy. Sian has authored key research on marine natural capital, looking at securing the benefits it provides and how it informs decision making. She has also been part of Defra’s Marine Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment Advisory Group.

In our latest podcast, Client Insights Lead Andy Hartwill and ESG Partner Sonali Siriwardena explore the key elements of Labour's platform on ESG, including some of the challenges it would face in government if the polls are correct.

In this enlightening discussion, James Merchant, marine natural capital analyst at the Marine Conservation Society, converses with Belinda Bramley, an environmentalist and independent blue economy consultant. Belinda shares her valuable insights on the environmental and social dimensions of governmental involvement in a sustainable blue economy, emphasising notably the importance of proactive governmental action and the necessity of engaging local communities in these initiatives.

In this episode In this episode, we delve into the critical issues surrounding our blue ecosystems and their sustainable future. We're joined by Mere Takoko, Indigenous Ocean and Climate Conservationist, who shares her insights on the role of local and indigenous communities in creating and safeguarding a sustainable blue economy.

In this episode, sustainable finance and ocean policy specialist Dorothee Herr talks us through ocean based solutions, what they can achieve and the role that governments and the private sector can play in making it happen.

In this episode, we consider how the ocean shapes life on Earth with Dr. Helen Czerski, a distinguished physicist and oceanographer, as she joins James Merchant at the Marine Conservation Society. Together, they delve into the expansive role of the ocean, exploring its fundamental importance to our existence and the health of Planet Earth.

 In this episode, Kamile Jankauskyte, ESG analyst at Simmons & Simmons speaks with Ted Janulis, Founder and Principal at Investable Oceans on the role of blue finance in building a sustainable blue economy whilst at the World Ocean Summit in Lisbon. The episode walks through the current state of sustainable blue finance and some of the opportunities on the horizon as we look to scale investment. 

In this episode, James Merchant, Marine natural capital analyst at the Marine Conservation Society explores with Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford and a Fellow in Economics at New College, Oxford, the why and the how of building a sustainable blue economy – an economy where finance and policy measures are geared towards regenerative and not extractive activities in the oceans.

Click to find out more about our ESG Litigation and Regulatory Investigations Tracker and the ESG Disputes Radar!

Contacts: Robert Allen, Mark Jephcott, Emily Blower, Craig Gilchrist, Alice Denis.

In this opening episode, Sonali Siriwardena, Partner and Global Head of ESG at Simmons, teams up with Sandy Luk, CEO at the Marine Conservation Society. Together, they delve into the intriguing realm of the Blue Economy, unravelling the challenges of securing private finance capital for projects aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 14 – ensuring life below water thrives. Tune in as we embark on a journey to navigate the waters of change and opportunity.

The speakers are: Andrew Brennan, Amelie Gorphe, Christopher Kranz, Nigel Pereira and Ben Jones.

Welcome address and introduction of keynote speakers, Sonali Siriwardena, Partner and Global Head of ESG: 9 seconds

Keynote address 1, Lord Zac Goldsmith - Minister for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment at the FCDO: 6 minutes 21

Keynote address 2,  Peter Thomson - UN Special Envoy for the Ocean: 11 minutes

Panel Session 1, "The Role of Ocean Conservation in Combatting the Climate, Biodiversity and Pollution Crises": 17 minutes

Keynote address 3, Ralph Chami - Financial Economist: 1 hour 1 minute 35 

Panel Session 2, "Opportunities for financing the Blue Economy": 1 hour 27 minutes 29

Keynote address 4, Emily Cunningham, Marine and Coastal Biologist: 2 Hours 16 minutes 13

Closing remark. Will Oulton, Non Exec Trustee Director and Board Champion for Ocean Recovery of the UK Marine Conservation Society (MCS): 2 hours 28 minutes 56

1. The tax challenges resulting from Nomad employees
2. An update on recent developments at UN, OECD and EU level
3. Quick wins versus long term solutions

January 2023

• why immigration is such a touchy issue in Singapore;
• the dichotomy between the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, which advocates for fair and merit-based employment practices, and the Fair Consideration Framework, which requires employers to consider Singaporeans fairly for job opportunities; and
• the use of intra-corporate transfers as a mechanism to bring foreign employees into Singapore.