Insights

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Macro matters: Global themes for 2023

General Policy

Ed King
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The world economy enters the new year on shaky ground. The post-pandemic rebound is losing steam. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the geopolitical fallout is being felt across the globe. Inflation, rising interest rates and the strong US dollar are impacting countries in every region of the world. Major advanced economies are set to slow – or even contract - in 2023,…

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Advertising in the metaverse and the authenticity of immersive encounters

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Ugonma Nwankwo
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The rapid evolution of social media has transformed the advertising industry, offering new channels for brands to market their goods and services to consumers, and increasing sophistication in segmenting target audiences. However, this has also generated new regulatory challenges and enforcement issues for the sector. One prominent example of this has been how brands and…

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Guy Parker on tech and advertising regulation

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Conan D'Arcy
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This week on Top in Tech, Conan D'Arcy speaks to Guy Parker, Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, the UK regulator of advertising in media. They discuss recent questions around advertising in the technology sector, Parker's long career regulating the sector, and the policy questions raised by new advertising technology. 

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Partner, competitor or rival? Prospects of a German Zeitenwende in European China policy in 2023

General Policy

Magnus Obermann
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2022 has popularised a new German word in international politics: Zeitenwende, an “epochal tectonic shift”, emanating from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Europe’s increased awareness of economic exposure to authoritarian regimes has coincided with the emergence of new, China-critical voices in European capitals, such as the Greens in Germany, which have…

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The Russia-Ukraine war threatens the MENA’s food security

General Policy

Ahmed Helal
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As the world’s largest grain-importing region in the world, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has felt acutely the impact of the Ukraine conflict’s disruption to global food production and exports. The MENA is an agro-ecologically diverse region, ranging from the Gulf, where there are no permanent rivers or lakes and minimal rainfall, to Egypt and Iraq, where river…

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General Politics

What's next for China's covid policy?

General Politics

Jens Presthus
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Associate Director Jens Presthus is joined by Senior Practice Director Thomas Gratowski to discuss China's remarkable reversals regarding covid policy.

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A cold winter could test support for ongoing LNG exports to Europe

Energy & Commodities

Ben Bassett
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Top in Tech: Regulating the Metaverse

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Conan D'Arcy
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The ‘metaverse’ term was coined thirty years ago, and until recently was part science fiction, part speculation. But with Facebook’s rebranding as Meta last year, an increasing consumer acceptance of virtual interactions post-Covid, and a steady uptick of interest from new sectors (ranging from retail to public services), the metaverse suddenly seems very real. Against…

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The third Trade and Technology Council meeting: political, tech and trade implications

General Policy

Alexander Bobroske
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This week saw the third meeting of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) take place in the United States. What was discussed by the negotiators, and how significant is what was announced? 

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The other side of the coin: CBD COP15 and what it means for the private sector

Sustainability

Lucy Cairns
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This week, over 15,000 delegates, including environment ministers from around the world and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be attending the Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD) or ‘COP15’ which is being hosted in Montreal. Building on the momentum of COP27 (the climate COP) which saw progress towards agreements to halt especially deforestation, COP15 is…

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Across the west, a new push to combat forced labour

General Policy

Beata Stepantchenko
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Beata Stepantchenko, Giulia Pasquali, and Varsha Shankar explore new proposals in the US, EU, and UK that seek to combat forced labour and the associated implications for business.

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Reinvigorating action on antimicrobial resistance: where do the responsibilities lie?

Health and Life Sciences

Seon Jae Crystal Choi
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Despite years of lobbying for awareness and action, recognition of the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is still lagging compared to its urgency. For example, a recent survey across 27 European countries showed that public awareness stood at just 30%. With 700,000 deaths every year attributed to AMR and expected to rise to 10 million by 2050, what practical…

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How companies can build circular economy business models

Sustainability

Marissa Lee
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Reversing the environmental damage and imbalances that have become accepted as structural features of our economic system requires transformational, not marginal, solutions.

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The Global Month Ahead: China-Arab summit, US-Africa Leaders meeting and interest rate decisions

General Policy

Ahmed Helal
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Welcome back to the Global Month Ahead, our monthly podcast looking at the stories that will define the month to come.

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Top in Tech: Elizabeth Denham on UK data privacy

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Conan D'Arcy
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Today on the podcast, Conan D'Arcy talks to Elizabeth Denham, the former UK Information Commissioner at the ICO and current International Adviser at Baker McKenzie. They talk through the past and future of UK data privacy, Elizabeth's time at the ICO, and how the UK policy stance compares to the US and EU.

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General Politics

The future of summit diplomacy: an Asian perspective

General Politics

Dedi Dinarto
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Following several leader-level summits in Asia, including ASEAN in Cambodia; G20 in Bali, and APEC in Thailand, Asian countries continue to take an increasingly active role in dealing with global challenges and brokering a pathway between US-China competition. What does the future of Summit diplomacy look like from Asia and what did we learn after the first set of in…

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Reform or revolution? Europe’s energy choices in 2023

Energy & Commodities

Jasbir Basi
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This week’s EU energy council comes at an inflection point in the energy crisis. It will be a moment to take stock of progress on short-term challenges:  the new gas storage regulation means underground gas storage is above 95%; demand-side measures for gas and electricity have reduced gas consumption by 15% since August; and LNG supplies hit a new record of 109 bcm…

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Regulating the metaverse - Global Counsel report

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Conan D'Arcy
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The ‘metaverse’ term was coined thirty years ago, and until recently was part science fiction, part speculation. But with Facebook’s rebranding as Meta last year, an increasing consumer acceptance of virtual interactions post-Covid, and a steady uptick of interest from new sectors (ranging from retail to public services), the metaverse suddenly seems very real. Against…

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