This text has references to our former brand name Smith & Williamson.

Competition authorities such as the European Commission and the Competition and Markets Authority sometimes rule that a monitoring trustee be appointed to ensure that a business complies with its obligations. Whether this is as part of a merger clearance or a market investigation, the process can be costly and time consuming.

Reducing the burden this can impose on a business requires a monitoring trustee with the experience to understand the market and how the regulator works, the breadth of knowledge to keep costs down and the commercial know-how to get the job done with minimal disruption.

• Monitoring trustee: overseeing compliance with commitments and reporting accordingly to the relevant competition authority
• Regulatory compliance: advising on how to deal with the competition authorities and the best approach to operational, organisational and financial matters
• Divestments: engaging our corporate finance team to dispose of any business interests if the competition authority requests a trustee firm that can also act as divestiture trustee
• Forensic technology: designing measures to monitor the exchange of commercially sensitive information in cases where the regulator requires firewalls to be set up

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