Key Takeaways from the Executive Vice-President Hearings The second, and final round of confirmation hearings for the next College of Commissioners took place on Tuesday (12 November). The six Executive Vice-President Hearings are as follows: Kaja Kallas, Executive Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: Kallas pledged to work on strengthening the EU’s position in the world and safeguarding its geopolitical and economic security. Kallas has called on the EU to respond to outside threats “without losing who we are”. Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President...

With the festive season upon us, UK retailers are preparing to hold their ground over the Christmas period. The legacy of inflation still lingers, with the impact of previous price spikes continuing to strain consumer confidence despite inflation rates returning to more stable levels this year.  Last month's Budget compounded these challenges, announcing larger-than-expected increases to the National Living Wage and National Insurance Contributions, bringing particularly difficult news for retail, a sector relying heavily on part-time and lower-income workers.   AlixPartners’ UK Retail...

More than three years after the first transaction of our NextGenerationEU (NGEU) Green Bonds, the EU has issued more than €65 billion of NGEU Green Bonds, setting the EU on track to becoming the largest issuer of Green Bonds in the world. In line with the announcement of President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address of 2020, the European Commission will continue to work towards issuing 30% of the NextGenerationEU financing through Green Bonds. NGEU Green Bonds are...

What is green finance, why is it needed and what are the challenges? There is no single definition of green finance in the UK. Instead, it describes financing which relates to, or benefits, the environment in some way. Typically, it is used in broadly two ways. Firstly, it can refer to financing that pays for goods or services that improve environmental outcomes. For example, financing an electric vehicle or solar panels on a house. Secondly, it can be financing where the financing...

By Joseph Leocata | The IRS recently launched a new unit committed to enforcing U.S. tax laws among pass-through entities, such as S corporations, partnerships and trusts, whose income passes from the business to its owner’s individual tax returns where taxes are due at the owners’ marginal income tax rates. The move is part of the agency’s broader focus on expanding tax compliance among big businesses, complex partnerships and high-net-worth individuals with more than $400,000 in annual income. With...

By Thomas Brown | In the world of M&A, certain transactions transcend financial calculus, reaching into the realm of legacy. For sellers whose primary concern is not just how much, but who, the M&A process becomes a distinct art of matchmaking. This is “placing the baby”—a phrase that captures both the responsibility and the deep-seated significance of entrusting a business’s future to the right people. In these deals, we’re not merely managing assets; we’re safeguarding something built with purpose...