UK: How much will I get fined if I don’t comply?

Following the threat of significantly larger penalties since 2018 (the enhanced fines under the General Data Protection Regulation as compared to the legislation that went before), companies have asked us time and time again, “what is my financial risk for data protection non-compliance in the UK?” The publication of the…

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INSEAD Insights: April 2024 Research Picks

New research by INSEAD faculty explores the potential downsides of anti-corruption efforts and the various ways incumbent firms successfully defend themselves against new technologies that could displace them. Another paper examines how job candidates self-censor when negotiating pay at firms that frame the work in terms of its social impact. Other…

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Beware of Fake Corporate Restructuring Groups

Our firm receives dozens of calls from small public companies that have been misled by rogue advisors claiming they do restructurings, debt remediation and turnarounds. We won’t name who the advisors are here, but these names may find their way into lawsuits filed in federal courts soon. Many small public…

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Identifying Needs for Hospitality, Gaming, and Leisure Companies

The hospitality, gaming, and leisure industries encompass diverse businesses such as hotels, resorts, casinos, theme parks, and entertainment venues. Companies in hospitality, gaming, and leisure face various challenges, including fluctuating consumer demand, competitive pressures, regulatory requirements, and operational complexities. Navigating these challenges requires strategic planning, innovation, and operational excellence. Management…

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FTC Non-Compete Ban: What You Need to Know

On April 23, 2024, the FTC announced its Final Non-Compete Clause Rule (“Final Rule”), which bans post-employment non-compete clauses between employers and their workers. The Final Rule becomes effective 120 days after being published in the Federal Register (Effective Date).[1] As of the date of this paper, the Final Rule…

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Explore insights from the AI in Education Report

The swift rise of generative AI is reshaping how schools approach creation, problem-solving, learning, and communication. Your schools are in a pivotal moment when critical thinking and metacognitive skills are more important than ever as new technology develops.As we continue to learn, Microsoft believes it is important to share our…

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[Interview] The Future of Healthcare Fits on Your Wrist

Dr. Hon Pak, SVP and Head of Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics sat down with Samsung Health Advisory Board members in early spring 2024 at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul to discuss the future of health and how wearables powered by AI will play a big…

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Growing Clarity: FinCEN Continues to Update Beneficial Ownership Reporting FAQs

On April 18, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released further guidance regarding to Corporate Transparency Act compliance (CTA) by updating and expanding the Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Rule (FAQs). Importantly, the updates provide insight on BO access by…

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Podcast: CEO Julie Sweet takes us inside Accenture’s AI journey

MOLLY WOOD: Today I’m talking to Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, a global professional services company that helps businesses, governments, and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth, enhance citizen services, and much, much more. Julie joined Accenture as general counsel after a…

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The 2024 European Elections: Continuity and Changes

The next European elections will see the struggle for power increase, and the way in which European government is conceived will change. It is realistic to foresee a transition phase, in which the certainties of the past and the new visions being established will coexist, Dario Velo writes. The EU…

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Valdai Club to Hold Its Fourth Annual Central Asian Conference

On May 14–15, 2024, the Valdai Club will hold its fourth annual Central Asian conference, titled “Russia and Central Asia: Development and Security in a Changing World” This time, the conference will be held in Ufa (Sheraton Plaza Hotel, Tsyurupa St., 7).Experts from Russia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and…

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Embracing AI in Patent Law: Navigating the USPTO’s Latest Guidance

The USPTO’s recent guidance on AI usage marks a critical moment for legal practitioners. This document emphasizes the necessity for both technical and human oversight in mitigating the risks associated with AI tools. The agency is committed to leveraging AI’s benefits across society while ensuring that these technologies do not…

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AI Data Drop: What the future workforce really cares about

Since our customers first started using Microsoft Copilot, we’ve been closely studying how people use it at work and what their behaviors can teach us about adopting and rolling out AI broadly—and we want to share what we’re learning with leaders who are looking to drive AI adoption with their…

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Deion Sanders’ Prime Lessons for Leading a Team to Victory

Leaders intent on boosting team performance could learn from the old-school, military-style approach of Deion Sanders, a former star athlete and now the unorthodox coach behind the revival of two college football teams.“When I’m teaching executives, most of them say they want to hold their subordinates accountable, but they have…

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How to Navigate Token Launch Risks

Another way for projects to avoid legal uncertainty in the U.S. is to eliminate the possibility of the public investing in their tokens. To accomplish this, projects can issue transfer-restricted tokens (TRTs) or use off-chain “points” instead of tokens. TRTs use the ERC-20 standard to limit who can hold a…

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5 Rules for Token Launches

I can’t emphasize this enough: Communications, regardless of how inconsequential or innocuous they may appear, can make or break a project. A single errant statement by a CEO can put an entire project at risk.  Projects should tailor strict communications policies to the nuances of their token launch strategy. So…

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Getting Ready to Launch a Token: What You Need to Know

Organizational structure can significantly influence the success of a token launch, and define how the project operates well into the future. There is no one-size-fits-all structure, so the process of choosing one must start several months ahead of a token launch. Even the most straightforward structure needs to be in…

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The intriguing question of Chinese growth

It was as though the country was hitting back after Fitch Ratings downgraded its sovereign rating from “stable” to “negative” as a result of concerns over its medium-term growth outlook, the impact of the real estate crisis and the sustainability of its public finances. Moody’s came to the same conclusion…

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Sunrise, Sunset: New York State 2025 Budget Brings New Paid Prenatal Personal Leave and Sunset Date for COVID-19 Paid Leave

What You Need to Know: Governor Kathy Hochul approved the Fiscal Year 2025 New York State Budget (the “NYS 2025 Budget”) on April 20, 2024. Several leave-related topics affecting private employers are impacted by the NYS 2025 Budget. Most notably, a new paid prenatal personal leave entitlement was added to…

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The New Jersey Mini-WARN Act Amendments—One Year Later

Quick Hits A surge in NJ WARN notices issued in the months prior to the April 10, 2023, effective date of the amendments suggests employers expedited terminations to avoid the new mandatory severance requirements of the amended law. At least three significant NJ WARN lawsuits are pending that may resolve…

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Robotic nerve ‘cuffs’ could help treat a range of neurological conditions

The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, combined flexible electronics and soft robotics techniques to develop the devices, which could be used for the diagnosis and treatment of a range of disorders, including epilepsy and chronic pain, or the control of prosthetic limbs.Current tools for interfacing with the peripheral nerves…

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Are Boards Forward-Thinking Enough in this Disruption Era?

The old assumption that the past informs the future no longer holds true in an era marked by unparalleled speed and deep-rooted uncertainty. Corporations today face an environment that require boards to recalibrate their governance approach. Indeed, our collaborative board research with BCG, Heidrick & Struggles and INSEAD has identified significant challenges…

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Civilisational Development and the Limits of Reason

Reason and individualism are important components of civilisational development, although they are not the only components. The key focus for discussions about the development of civilisation should therefore be the limits of reason. Is the pre-modern heavy luggage slowing down development, or is it the foundational building block of civilisation…

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Effective Leaders Articulate Values — and Live by Them

Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Values lie at the heart of effective leadership, serving as the foundation for decisions and organizational cultures. Yet in the…

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FTC Approves Rule Banning Non-Competes With Workers

This afternoon, the FTC voted to adopt a proposed final rule banning most non-competes with workers in the United States. The final rule provides that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act—for employers to enter into non-competes with workers. The…

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Supreme Court Questions Whether FAA Allows Courts to Dismiss Lawsuits Sent to Arbitration

Quick Hits The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case over whether federal courts have discretion to dismiss lawsuits once the claims are compelled to arbitration. The decision could resolve a 6-4 circuit split with the majority holding that district courts must stay lawsuits pending arbitration, and a minority…

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Microsoft Cloud strength fuels third quarter results

Microsoft Cloud Strength Fuels Third Quarter ResultsREDMOND, Wash. — April 25, 2024 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the following results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year:·        Revenue was $61.9 billion and increased 17%·        Operating income was $27.6 billion and increased 23%·        Net income…

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Arthur Caplan: Medicine’s Toughest Ethical Questions

Howie and Harlan are joined by Arthur Caplan, Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor of Bioethics and founding head of the division of medical ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, to discuss the ethical failings of the pharmaceutical industry and how a community-focused ethos prioritizing justice and…

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Is Strategic Stability Possible in a Multipolar World?

On April 24, 2024, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion about the problems and challenges which affect strategic stability. Moderator Oleg Barabanov called this topic extremely relevant, pointing out that, in addition to the global aspect associated with Russian-American relations, it has begun to acquire a regional dimension. He…

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All Gas No Brakes – The FTC, DOJ, and HHS Unveil Online Reporting Portal as Latest Effort to Combat Unfair and Anticompetitive Health Care Practices

On April 18, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Justice Department (“DOJ”), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) launched an online reporting portal, HealthyCompetition.gov, for the public to report potentially unfair and anticompetitive health care practices. The online reporting portal provides examples of unfair and anticompetitive…

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Washington State’s New Warehouse Employee Protections Begin on July 1, 2024

Quick Hits Washington State enacted a law that regulates employers’ use of production quotas or standards for workers at warehouse distribution centers. The law applies to employers that employ or otherwise engage, whether directly or indirectly, more than (1) 100 or more nonexempt employees in a single warehouse distribution center,…

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Expanding our Content Integrity tools to support global elections

This year, more people than at any point in human history will have an opportunity to cast a vote, and this momentous election year is already well underway. The European Union will hold parliamentary elections this summer and roughly half of European countries will hold national or regional elections this…

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How to fund your child’s university education

University is still an important rite of passage for many young people, and a pre-requisite for many career paths. But the cost of tuition fees and living expenses means that funding your child’s university education can result in a substantial financial outlay, with added complexity if your family are expats.…

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Can Your Corporate Culture Influence Workplace Violence?

Workplace violence is a serious concern for organizations worldwide. While there are many reasons why it happens, one thing that doesn’t get enough attention is the company culture itself. How people act and treat each other at work can make violence more or less likely to happen. In 2022, the…

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Steady progress in approaching the quantum advantage

A year of strong funding coupled with sturdy underlying fundamentals and significant technological advances reflected strong momentum in quantum technology (QT). Updated McKinsey analysis for the third annual Quantum Technology Monitor reveals that four sectors—chemicals, life sciences, finance, and mobility—are likely to see the earliest impact from quantum computing and could…

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Personal Approach: How the US Uses Sanctions to Influence Israel

In recent years, sanctions have become an extremely common tool of Washington’s foreign policy, which has more or less left Israel untouched, as it remains the main Middle Eastern ally of the United States. Since the beginning of this year, there has been a change in both this trend and…

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Consumers’ Green Conscience Fosters Clean Innovation

Before the Yellow Vest protests roiled France in 2018, many believed a carbon tax was the best solution to climate change. Tax proponents argued that, through their wallets, people would be forced to reckon the cost of their actions on the planet and future generations. Yet, the protests, sparked by…

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From margins to mainstream: Asians and Pacific Islanders in Hollywood

The US film and television industry has an unmatched influence on popular culture and broader attitudes. The stories it tells and the trends it sparks reverberate in every corner of the country. By many outward measures, the influence of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community on the film and…

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Study highlights increased risk of second cancers among breast cancer survivors

For the first time, the research has shown that this risk is higher in people living in areas of greater socioeconomic deprivation.Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. Around 56,000 people in the UK are diagnosed each year, the vast majority (over 99%) of whom are…

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Why You Should Let Your Favorite Employee Move to Another Team

Neil Webb/Ikon Images The Research The authors analyzed 96,712 internal applications submitted to 9,896 open jobs posted by 3,431 hiring managers in the U.S. operations of a Fortune 50 company over a four-year period. This data allowed them to calculate the rate at which a manager’s subordinates were promoted, which…

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