K2 Intelligence

Accountants go after corporate investigators 

As well as tracking down Russian clients, the UK's business intelligence community has found itself attracting interest from the world's leading accounting firms keen to develop their scope in the sector.

• NEW YORK - K2's NY office has busy agenda.
  

• LONDON - Anti-corruption investigator Jonathan Benton sets up foundation.

• PARIS/LONDON - ESL & Network teams with Britain's The Ambassador Partnership.

• KYIV - Cisco Talos mobilised to counter Russian cyber activism in Ukraine.
  

ESG investigations - mirage or growth opportunity for investigation firms? 

For more and more business intelligence companies, having an operational social and environmental governance investigation service is becoming a necessary accessory for the 2021-2022 autumn-winter season. Is the rise in demand for these investigations, which is driven by tighter regulations in a number of major countries, just a passing fashion or could it mark the start of development of a substantial new market?

Stone Point at the heart of Kroll versus Kroll legal battle 

Behind the legal battle being fought over the Kroll name by the leading business intelligence companies, Kroll and K2 Integrity, there are major financial considerations. The trial has revealed that, despite the fierce competition between them, the two firms came very close to merging under the leadership of Stone Point Capital.

Boris Johnson consults corporate intelligence firms on China 

As it puts the finishing touches on its new Investment Security Unit, set up to prevent attempts at economic predation on UK businesses, especially from China, 10 Downing Street is turning to corporate intelligence firms to help with the task.

Kroll versus Kroll, the 2021 round 

Kroll group has reopened old wounds dating to the creation of K2 with its latest attack on founder Jules Kroll before a US court on 10 November.

FATF guidance on crypto-assets opens path for crypto compliance specialists 

By calling for stricter compliance requirements, the Financial Action Task Force's latest recommendations should see more traditional finance investors turn to crypto-assets by reducing legal uncertainty. It will also open the playing field for crypto-assets compliance specialists to rival established compliance specialists.

FTI's French investigations team falls apart 

FTI Consulting is the latest in a string of big US and British firms to fail in the French marketplace. With the departure of its head of investigations, Stéphanie Lhomme, the Parisian consulting firm has been turned upside down.

Jason Wright reteams with Krolls at K2, marking end of Argo Associates 

Hong Kong private investigation veteran Jason Wright is closing his firm Argo Associates to join K2 Integrity in London.

BNP forced to double down on anti-corruption efforts 

With the French Anti-Corruption Agency breathing down its neck, the French bank will call on a service provider to help improve the transparency of its processes worldwide.

Under pressure from DoJ, cryptocurrency sector beefs up financial intelligence 

In response to increased scrutiny by US authorities, cryptocurrency platforms and suppliers are strengthening their internal teams, with outside help from old and new compliance experts.

Temasek's ISTARI backs cyber companies of former intelligence officers 

ISTARI, a company created by the Singapore state-owned fund Temasek, is investing in cyber firms run by former intelligence agents. Its latest investment, Prevalent AI, was co-founded by former GCHQ boss Iain Lobban and his former deputy Andrew France.

Wall Street's biggest users of private investigators settle their scores in battle over Universal 

The future of music industry giant Universal will be settled in Paris tomorrow by "activist" investment companies. All the protagonists, who include Daniel Loeb and Bill Ackman, are big users of private investigators for their corporate raiding operations.

Latest hunt for Libyan assets seeks patron 

Baker & Hostetler and Holland & Knight, two firms recently hired by a Libyan government agency to recover Gaddafi's lost billions just registered as foreign agents with the Department of Justice. They are now looking for a litigation funder.

Wallbrook bolsters his advisory board 

Ian Barclay's corporate intelligence firm Wallbrook has enlisted the legal expertise of Sarah de Gay in London and James Aquilina in the United States.

Gryphon Strategies eyes European markets with VLM Advisory deal 

The firm recently acquired former GPW and K2 investigator Victoria Mackay's London outfit.

K2 Integrity steps into Mongolian anti-corruption morass 

Similar to the anti-corruption cases launched by Kazakhstan against out-of-favour oligarchs, K2 Integrity is helping the Mongolian president to investigate his political rivals ahead of elections in June.