Arbitrator: “Mr. John, what is an equity beta? What is the impact of levering and unlevering a beta? How is country risk premium impacting the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) that you have applied for discounting of cash flows?”Questions such as these and more can possibly trigger an adrenaline rush for some attorneys. However, … More The role of experts in arbitration
Safeguarding your technology assets has become critical than ever before. Further to the global outbreak on Friday, many global corporations have reported ransomware infections involving WannaCry 2.0 and many others that use the same exploit as WannaCry 2.0
The Indian food industry is on an upward trajectory and emerging as a high growth space considering its contribution to the global food industry. Showing immense potential, it is expected to grow at an 11% CAGR to US$65.4 billion by 2018 as per India Brand Equity Foundation. The foundation also states that the food space … More Understanding the growing significance of food safety in the retail sector
Over the last few years, there has been an exponential rise in targeted cyber-attacks which are aimed at financial gain. Incidents around ransomware, data breach incidents and Distributed Denial of Service or DDoS attacks also made headlines worldwide. Today, a company’s ability to deal with such situations effectively is a priority but at the same … More Cyber incident response remains low in corporate India
High growth and entrepreneurial companies have emerged as the backbone of India’s economic success story and a key factor in the country’s development and progress. They have contributed significantly to the GDP, offered numerous opportunities by creating jobs, increased exports and delivered high value to the stakeholders involved. With changing times, building high growth companies … More Unleashing the potential of high growth companies by mitigating risks
The threat of cybercrime, and particularly ransomware has been accelerating at an alarming rate in recent times. In Switzerland, a number of high profile cases have been reported, indicating a shift in the perpetrator’s focus from targeting individuals to not only small and medium sized companies but also large organizations. Trend shows the healthcare sector … More Escalating ransomware threats in the healthcare sector
The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been inundated by a substantial number of regulatory inspections, especially from US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) and other prominent regulatory authorities such as UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Health Canada. The challenges arising here may be daunting but the emphasis has been to steadily … More Building the base for ‘good’ data integrity
Uncertainties in the business environment, augmenting pressure to meet financial targets and aspirations to achieve unprecedented career growth are driving employees to justify unethical workplace behaviour, states EY’s Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Fraud Survey. The India findings of the survey titled Human instinct or machine logic – which do you trust most in … More EMEIA Fraud Survey 2017: Is workplace ethics taking a backseat in India?
In recent times, there have been increasing concerns around data breaches and other security threats among companies and individuals alike. The use of new techniques and complex technologies has been both a bane and a boon here. Some stakeholders believe that the risk of data breach increases with growing technology adoption, while others believe that … More Protect confidential data from being sold as ‘scrap’
Gift giving is a customary practice during festive seasons and special occasions (such as birthdays) in many parts of the world. But where should one draw the line in matters of business? What can be done when company executives are expected to give away ‘perks’ in the form of special movie screenings, free tickets to … More The ethical dilemma – to gift or not to gift?
The world is more interconnected today than ever before with digitization and data sharing in businesses. These technological advancements can become a double-edged sword for not only Swiss companies but also all companies operating in a global ecosystem. Today, fraud has also assumed a digital avatar, especially because of the ever increasing activities of cybercriminals … More Defying cybercrime risks in Switzerland
Women safety has emerged as a subject of priority for most organizations today. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is important to highlight a strong stance toward fostering a diverse and inclusive environment as well as address workplace harassment issues. In line with this, EY Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services along with The Federation … More Maintaining women safety at workplace this International Women’s Day
The Indian pharmaceutical sector has been growing exponentially over the last few years. According to India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), it accounts for close to 2.4% of the global market in terms of value terms and 10% in terms of volume. IBEF also states that the sector is expected to grow at a Compound Annual … More Dealing with the data integrity dilemma
France recently enacted the amended SAPIN II Bill in an effort to be in tune with global anti-corruption regulations. SAPIN II bill introduces multiple measures to combat bribery and corruption among corporates and charts a holistic path to drive compliance. The legislation extends to foreign jurisdictions and calls for prosecution of foreign companies whose entities … More Battling corruption through France’s SAPIN II Bill
2016 was a watershed year for the Indian information technology (IT-ITeS) sector. Many companies continued on an upward growth trajectory, and, as per a report by India Brand Equity Foundation, the sector is looking to achieve 12%-14% growth by the end of the financial year 2016-17. Data from the report further highlights that the Indian … More Combating fraud and corruption risks in the IT-ITeS sector – recap of 2016 and outlook for 2017
Imagine a scenario when your alarm clock is connected to the internet, and accesses your calendar to know when and where the first appointment of the day is. It simultaneously cross-references that against the latest traffic conditions, depending on which you can sleep a little longer or wake up earlier. The curtains in your bedroom open, … More Understanding the Internet of (Hacked) Things
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is currently undergoing many unprecedented changes. These range from emerging areas of science, new and improved drug variants and specialized services to evolving regulations and business models, making it one of the world’s most developed industries. Today, the sector ranks third in terms of volume and 13th in terms of value. … More Indian multinationals in the pharmaceutical sector need to operate a tighter compliance ship than before
Market volatility, increased pressure to meet revenue targets and growth can compel many executives to adopt unethical practices. With rising cases of fraud, bribery, corruption, cybercrime and other forms of white-collar crime, there has been a surge in anti-fraud professionals or forensic investigators, who can help companies in detection and deterrence of risks. The Association of … More Investing in forensic specialists is critical to combat white collar crime in India
Traditionally, food safety was not considered to be a priority for the masses in India, and products (as well as establishments serving them) were presumed to be safe. But, a rise in reports around adulteration of many varieties of commonly consumed food products led to increased regulatory scrutiny and public uproar, raising multiple questions. Consumer … More Strengthening food safety compliance at the workplace
Government initiatives, strong domestic demand and rapid inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) led India being on an upward growth trajectory this year. The recent demonetization drive, introduction of new regulations such as the Bankruptcy code and push toward a digital economy have had a profound impact on businesses and consumers alike. While the short … More EY Forensic Outlook 2017
Rapid innovation and digitization has led to a spurt in e-commerce over the last few years. This has permeated into the lives of individuals to do almost anything – shop, travel, book vacations, cabs or even buy groceries online. The convenience offered to browse online in the comfort of their own home, as opposed to … More Bulletproofing the Indian e-commerce business
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Companies all over the world are concerned as well as unsure about the impact that Brexit will have on their operations, which may not be directly linked to cross-border trade. According to media reports, the UK exported about £220 billion worth of goods and services to the rest of the European Union (EU) in 2015, … More Impact of Brexit on software license contracts
With increasing fraud and corruption, striking the compliance chord is paramount in today’s business environment. This is prompting companies to educate all stakeholders about these rising threats and mitigate future risks.
The success of a business is typically backed by astute minds, with a brilliant strategy. Having said that, there is no silver bullet to ensure this success, especially when it comes to developing and implementing a sustainable growth plan. There are times when different departments may end up being in an involuntary competition with each … More Empowering your legal department
Money laundering is a global menace, with most countries being equally susceptible to it. Our earlier blogposts focused on understanding trade-based money laundering (TBML), its evolution as a major roadblock on the anti-money laundering front (AML), the need to improve overall AML governance frameworks and varying dynamics witnessed from a macro standpoint.
Today, the automotive industry has become significantly more global in scope, and a company’s supply and distribution relationships are likely to have a much broader global reach than ever. These inter-relationships that extend across borders, time zones, and continents could also compound the opportunities for fraudulent and corrupt activity due to differences in culture, business … More Is fraud taking you for a ride? It is time for automotive companies to fasten their compliance seatbelt.
An increase in the number of commercial disputes, rising importance of technology and delays in the litigation system are some of the reasons for a substantial increase in cases of arbitration. Today, India is not only a preferred hub for investments but also the third-largest foreign investment beneficiary in the world, thus making easy access … More Changing mind-set driving improvement in arbitration in India
James*, a Regional Manager with an Indian multinational firm was elated, having just received his offer letter for an internal transfer overseas. The opportunity not only gave him a sizeable hike from his current salary, but also included perks such as fare for the flight, food and accommodation in his new city. After settling in, … More Uncovering the reality of modern slavery
Steven*, a working professional, approached a Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTA), Philip*, for transmission of shares bought by his father who passed away six years ago. He was alarmed when informed by Philip that the shares held by his father were dematerialised (converted from physical shares into electronic format) and had been sold through the stock … More Registrar and Transfer Agent Frauds – failure of governance over outsourced activities?
With an aim of making India a global talent hub, companies across the board are making unswerving efforts to attract and retain talent. One of the most prolific methods that most organizations adopt is the concept of employee referrals. Besides being a more cost-effective recruitment tool, it also motivates and encourages current employees to contribute … More Is your company suffering from viral referrals?
The concept of outsourcing has taken the business world by storm. Although, it has been woven to become one of the most used buzzwords in corporate jargon, there is still scope of it being misconstrued from a governance perspective.
On account of a firm’s rather average financial performance, Alex*, a manager there was supposed to sensitize his team about the probability of increments for the year being lower than the expected ratio. Considering that the top performer from his team, Alan* would not take well to the proposition, Alex advised him, in confidence, that he … More The dark side of recruitment – a deceptive proposition
In the recent past, India has witnessed a scenario where several oil and gas contracts were involved in litigation or arbitration matters, primarily because of issues around interpretation of contractual terms or cost sharing. In many cases it has been seen that the resolution of such disputes requires significant involvement of experts such as drilling … More Managing disputes in the oil and gas industry
Any brand that has gone through the peril of having counterfeit products circulated understands that addressing this issue is no mean feat. With the company’s reputation at stake, the task to identify and address this spurious supply can be exhaustive, time-consuming and complex. Counterfeiting can be considered a nightmare for any company, as it has … More On World Anti-Counterfeiting Day 2016 – counterattack counterfeiting
In our earlier blogpost, we discussed how trade-based money laundering (TBML) is emerging as the new hurdle on the anti-money laundering front, although financial institutions have striven to improve their overall anti-money laundering (AML) governance framework. Today, this issue is more than a local concern – it is a key global financial issue, which Governments, … More Trade-based money laundering – a macro view of the changing dynamics
The evolution of ‘money’ has progressed from exchanging cattle, to coins, cash and most recently crypto currency. But the question to be considered in this digital era is – can you completely discard traditional forms to work with just an all-electronic currency? Satoshi Nakamoto’s vision was that it is possible, and in 2008, he proposed … More Bitcoins – the future or the past?
The auto industry relies heavily upon its dealership community to amplify reach within the market. More often than not, it is the car dealer who is the face of the brand for the customer. These dealerships comprise third parties which operate as ‘middlemen’ and cater to the retail consumer base, based on a dealership contract … More Transformers: the need for the auto industry to administer effective scheme policing
Today, the global business environment is clamouring for enhanced transparency at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and heightened volatility in financial markets. The escalating threats of cybercrime, terrorist financing and, more recently, the revelations regarding widespread possible misuse of offshore jurisdictions, have increased pressure on Governments to act and companies to identify and mitigate … More Augmenting individual accountability could deter future fraud, bribery and corruption risks
Trade-based transactions have gained considerable flak over the years due to the complexities involved. Traditionally, trade finance has always been viewed as a high risk area, particularly related to fraud. This perception has transformed recently, and regulators and international bodies have increasingly started viewing trade finance as a ‘high risk’ area of business for money laundering, … More Trade-based money laundering – a growing dilemma for the banking industry
Bangladesh’s economic scorecard showcases significant growth as compared with other developing countries. The current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country stands 6.9 percent and has been consistently above six percent over the last three years. This progress is backed by strong private investments, substantial export figures and large remittances in infrastructure and services sectors. … More Bangladesh: rife with corruption vs. ripe with opportunity
‘Discovery’ is a fact-finding process in litigation which occurs after a lawsuit is filed, to encourage exchange of information between both parties involved and help uncover the truth. Prior to the digital age, non-testimonial evidence primarily comprised paper documents, photographs and other physical evidence. With the prolific use of computers across industries, accepting digital evidence … More eDiscovery – the new frontier for evidence in India
Our last infographic on the transpiring corruption atmosphere within BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) highlighted how each of these regions stack up on Transparency International’s – Corruption Perception Index. It also highlighted the risk areas and regulatory measures that their standing could possibly be attributed to. In this post, we will take a more … More Powering through corruption in BRICS nations
Gender parity is a subject of much discussion in these times, with the World Economic Forum estimating that it will take about 117 years to achieve this feat globally, according to its Global Gender Gap Report 2015. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we thought it ideal to evaluate the transition of the industry … More Preventing sexual harassment of women at work – an important factor on the path to gender parity
Countries everywhere are facing a grueling task of fighting corruption. BRICS nations, which are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are no different. As emerging economies, their approach to achieve high growth can be marred by endemic risks such as fraud, bribery, corruption and cybercrime. However, they need to leverage their strengths, seize opportunities as they focus on … More What lies beneath – a take on corruption in BRICS nations
*Gaurav, a finance manager in a multinational company, rose to attention one Monday morning as he received an email from *Shephali, the company’s chief financial officer (CFO). The email directed him to urgently make a payment of $10,476 toward an attached invoice to a Cyprus-based vendor. Gaurav instantly initiated the process, bypassing some of the … More Social media, cloud and phishing: Evolving trends in cybercrime
Privacy, a term that we seldom take enough cognizance of, is gradually changing form. In this technologically infused age, where virtual identities have now taken precedence in our personal and professional lives, the concept of data privacy has become inevitably important. The celebration of Data Privacy Day on 28 January each year that was initiated in … More Data Privacy Day – why it should matter to you…
In today’s digital world, there are rapidly expanding opportunities for innovation and growth. Unfortunately, these new opportunities have also brought new fraud risks in the forms of cybercrime and internal threat. Our Global Forensic Data Analytics Survey 2016, Shifting into high gear: mitigating risks and demonstrating returns, revealed that risks such as such as internal fraud, … More Cybercrime threats leading to increased investment in forensic data analytics
In this day and age, everyone is troubled by the menace of computer malware — unwanted and malicious software code that hacks computer systems, causing malfunction, data theft and loss of business. Typically, malware tends to rapidly spread to targeted and non-targeted individuals and businesses, making it one of the major threats in today’s digital … More Ransomware malware: a rising threat to businesses
Economic growth, regulatory reforms and enhanced investor confidence took the Indian business environment by storm in 2015. Companies steadily turned toward a more effective and ethical way to do business and attempted to tighten the noose on unethical practices. While there has been a gradual shift in mind-set as well as execution, companies need to … More A peek into India Inc.’s forensic outlook 2016
