Neil Hodge
Neil Hodge is a freelance business journalist and photographer based in Nottingham, United Kingdom. He writes on insurance and risk management, corporate governance, internal audit, compliance, and legal issues for a wide range of publications in the United Kingdom and United States.
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ArticleSFO guidance could help companies combat U.K. Bribery Act charges
New internal guidance from the U.K. Serious Fraud Office outlines what the regulator considers in determining if a company’s compliance procedures are adequate enough to defend against U.K. Bribery Act charges or qualify for a deferred prosecution agreement.
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Study expects GDPR fines to rise in 2020
DLA Piper’s latest data breach survey suggests the penalties handed out under the General Data Protection Regulation thus far are not as harsh as they could have been—though that could change in 2020.
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App firms, adtech industry in firing line over possible GDPR violations
The Norwegian Consumer Council, a consumer rights champion, has uncovered a serious no-no in the world of GDPR: popular apps sharing user data, such as religious beliefs and sexual preferences, to advertising and marketing firms in order to drive their own revenue.
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Cyber-threats, regulatory change highlight top-10 risks study
Cyber-incidents, business interruption, and changes in legislation and regulation are the three biggest risks to companies globally, according to research by German insurer Allianz.
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Germany hits pesticides wholesalers with large fines
Seven pesticide wholesalers have been fined a total of €155 million (U.S. $173 million) for operating a 17-year price-fixing cartel.
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British retailer Dixons fined for pre-GDPR breach
The ICO has fined Dixons Carphone for failing to take “basic, commonplace” security measures that would have alerted it to one of the country’s worst cyber-attacks.
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FRC calls for better reporting to improve trust
U.K. regulator the Financial Reporting Council’s annual review shows many of Britain’s largest companies use a “tick-box” approach to compliance with the U.K. Corporate Governance Code—often providing scant explanations and little detail.
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UK Finance slams overregulation in financial services sector
UK Finance, the U.K. regulator responsible for the financial services sector, is offering recommendations to curb the abundance of intersecting rules in FS.
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Top EU advisor: Clauses used for EU-U.S. data transfers ‘valid’
Big Tech can breathe a sigh of a relief that the mechanisms it uses to transfer data outside of the European Union to “third countries” provide sufficient privacy protection, according to a key advisor to the EU’s top court.
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France Telecom execs jailed over workplace bullying
The ex-chief executive of France Telecom and two other former executives have been jailed for pursuing a cost-cutting policy that was so severe it led to a spate of employee suicides.
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Review urges changes to U.K. audit profession
The latest report to examine the shortcomings of the U.K. audit market recommends separating audit from the accountancy profession, among other suggested changes.
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AGCS report: Five biggest risks for senior managers in 2020
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty’s latest report highlights five “megatrends” that will have significant risk implications for senior management in 2020 that should be of interest to compliance officers.
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Reinvigorated British PM Johnson pushes for January Brexit
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson gained a majority in Parliament on Thursday, meaning there could finally be an end in sight for Brexit.
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International banking regulator: Big Tech ‘may pose risks to financial stability’
Big technology firms like Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and Google are a potential risk if they get more heavily involved in providing financial services, says the Financial Stability Board.
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WADA mess: Sports regulator’s light touch sends bad compliance message
One of sports’ key enforcement agencies handed out a penalty this week that sent a message no regulator wants to send: Punitive action may only come after the guilty party has already reaped the rewards.
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ICO draft guidance helps U.K. firms clarify AI choices
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office has released guidance that lays out four principles—based on the GDPR—companies must consider when applying AI to their systems.
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Vestager once again takes aim at digital giants
Margrethe Vestager, European commissioner for competition, once again rallied against Big Tech in a Nov. 29 speech. The politician has promised more oversight of search engines, online marketplaces, social media networks, and app sites to ensure fair markets.
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PRA fines Citigroup for regulatory disclosure failure
The Bank of England has hit Citigroup with a record £44 million (U.S. $56.5 million) fine after it found three of its U.K. units failed to submit complete and accurate regulatory information about the lender’s capital and liquidity levels.
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Uber stripped of London license for ‘pattern of failures’
Uber has been stripped of its London operating license after the city’s transportation regulator identified a “pattern of failures” by the company, including several safety breaches that placed passengers at risk. It is appealing the ruling.
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Alstom U.K. fined $20.8M for role in long-running bribery case
Alstom Network U.K., the British subsidiary of the French rail and power company, has been ordered to pay a total of £16.4 million (U.S. $20.8 million) for bribes it paid to win a contract to supply trams in Tunisia.
