"Managing corporate risk - the regulators' and law enforcers' perspective"

It is important to consider regulatory and law enforcement perspectives in framing a company's risk management and compliance strategy. 

This panel will assemble senior representatives from Ireland's most influential regulators and law enforcers to hear their insights on:

1. Managing the key compliance risks to Irish businesses.  

2. The future of law enforcement and regulation.

Topic will include:
 

(a) What is the most common fraud perpetrated on Irish business? How do you prevent it?

(b) What  lessons should businesses take from key enforcement cases and prosecutions to date?

(c) Individual accountability will be a key feature of the landscape for the next decade. How should businesses manage that risk?

(d) Major investigations can take five years plus with costs seemingly ever increasing. Is there a more efficient and cost effective way to investigate corporate wrongdoing?

(e) What key prosecution trends are we likely to see in the coming years?

Speakers: Kenan Furlong, A&L Goodbody (moderator) / Seana Cunningham, Director of Enforcement and Anti-Money Laundering, Central Bank of Ireland / Ian Drennan, Chief Executive, Corporate Enforcement Authority / Patrick Lordan, Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Financial intelligence Unit Ireland

"When the whistle blows - a 'how to' guide to dealing with a whistleblowing complaint under the new whistleblowing regime"

Your legal department receives a complaint from an employee alleging that a serious data breach occurred and was covered up by your head of IT. He threatens to 'go public' with the information. What do you do?

Ireland's whistleblowing laws are undergoing significant change this year, imposing new, more onerous, obligations on employers to protect whistleblowers. This 'speed law' session will trace the life-cycle of a whistleblowing complaint under the new regime. It will provide practical guidance on how businesses can manage and mitigate the legal, reputational and regulatory risks that can arise from whistleblowing complaints. 

Speakers: Michael Doyle, A&L Goodbody (moderator) / Conor Brophy, Managing Director, Teneo / Triona Sugrue, A&L Goodbody / Clara Gleeson, A&L Goodbody / Chris Bollard, A&L Goodbody

"The not-so-silent 'S' in ESG - are you listening?"

The "S" in ESG is arguably the hardest of the three limbs of "environmental, social, governance" to articulate and quantify.  S&P, one of the leading ESG ratings agencies, describes the "S" in terms of social factors that pose a risk to a company’s financial performance." In our panel session, we propose to:

· discuss what "S" means in ESG 

· reflect on what the features of the EU's social taxonomy will be and how (and when) it will impact RFSPs and other corporates

· consider how businesses can  "walk the walk" on social impact

Speakers: Laura Mulleady, A&L Goodbody (moderator) / Marion O'Donnell, Fidelity International / Stephen Carson, A&L Goodbody / Noeleen Meehan, A&L Goodbody / Sinéad Smith, A&L Goodbody

"Expect the unexpected – practical steps to enhance your organisation's operational resilience"

Operational resilience is a 'hot topic' for regulators across the globe in light of recent world events. This panel will consider the emerging concept of operational resilience and the increasing importance of achieving operational resilience in organisations today. The panel will explore the practical steps an organisation should take to ensure that its business is operationally resilient with a special focus on key themes such as sound outsourcing arrangements, the latest developments in the cyber-resilience sphere and the importance of effective governance practices in embedding operational resilience in your business.

Speakers: Sinéad Lynch, A&L Goodbody (moderator) / Máire Reidy, Regulatory Counsel, Stripe / Aisling Ennis, A&L Goodbody / Christopher Martin, A&L Goodbody / Laura Corrigan, A&L Goodbody

"Anatomy of a regulatory enforcement investigation"

Regulatory enforcement investigations in the financial services sphere have become more prevalent, far-reaching and sophisticated. However, more regulators in different areas are also now gaining and using similar enforcement powers. 

This session will explain common 'tips and traps' comparing financial services investigations with what companies can expect in investigations by other regulators with new similar enforcement powers, including the Data Protection Commissioner, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and other new regulators such as the Media Commission.  

A cross-discipline ALG team will draw on our deep experience in Central Bank investigations to walk you through the various stages of a regulatory enforcement investigation. 

Speakers: Mark Devane, A&L Goodbody (moderator) / Dario Dagostino, A&L Goodbody / Chloe Culleton, A&L Goodbody / Anna-Marie Curran, A&L Goodbody / John Cahir, A&L Goodbody

"A sanctions masterclass - when the dust settles, what next for compliance and enforcement?"

The sanctions landscape is rapidly evolving in response to events on the ground in Ukraine.

This panel will discuss the practical issues EU businesses are facing in managing their compliance with sanctions and the kind of practical solutions that work best in doing so. Discussion topics will include managing risk; alignment of enforcement across EU Member States; overlap and divergence with US and UK sanctions regimes, insurance related issues and developments on the horizon.

Speakers: Louise Byrne, A&L Goodbody (moderator) / Michael O'Kane, Senior Partner, Peters & Peters LLP, London / Dārta Tentere, Policy officer, the European Commission / Kate Harnett, A&L Goodbody