Search for:
Category

Corporate Governance

Category
In Asia-Pacific

Myanmar COVID-19 Updates: Temporary Relief for Companies from the Residency Requirements of Directors

by and 3 Mins Read

Following the various entry restrictions put in place by the Myanmar authorities since March 2020 to address the COVID-19 situation, many residents who left the country prior to the imposition of the travelling restrictions have yet to return to the country. As some of these individuals fulfil the role of resident directors of Myanmar-incorporated companies, their prolonged absence from the country could result in the company being in breach of the minimum residency requirement imposed on the directors of Myanmar companies under the Myanmar Companies Law (“MCL”).

On 20 October 2020, the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (“DICA”), announced, via Notification 92/2020 (“Notification 92”), a temporary relief for companies from the resident director requirements. It does so by excluding the period from 29 March 2020 until the official lifting of entry restrictions from the computation to determine a director’s residency status.

Read More
In Corporate Governance

United States: SEC proposes to permit expanded finder activity for private capital raising

by 9 Mins Read

In a significant regulatory action, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently proposed to issue an order granting certain “finders” a conditional exemption from broker-dealer registration in connection with capital raising activities in private markets (“Finders Proposal”). The Finders Proposal seeks to address the long-standing regulatory uncertainty surrounding the status of intermediaries in the private capital-raising markets and to encourage investment in small businesses, which disproportionally rely on finders to locate capital. The proposed exemption would allow natural persons to engage in certain limited activities involving accredited investors without registering with the SEC as brokers under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”).

Read More
In Canada

Canada: Proposed changes to Ontario corporate law requirements for director residency and written shareholder approval

by , and 2 Mins Read

On 8 October 2020, the Government of Ontario tabled the Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2020 (Bill 213) for its second reading. Bill 213 introduces red tape reduction and regulatory modernization efforts to make Ontario more competitive. Among the changes proposed are amendments to the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (OBCA) which would eliminate director residency requirements for Ontario corporations, and permit written shareholder resolutions to be effective if signed by a majority of votes rather than a unanimity of shareholders. Bill 213 has not yet received royal assent, and no date has been set for the coming into force of the proposed changes to the OBCA.

Read More
In Corporate Governance

United Kingdom: VAT on break fees and compensation – new guidance sows confusion for M&A deals

by and 6 Mins Read

HMRC have issued new VAT guidance in relation to termination fees and compensation payments. HMRC now consider that such payments will normally represent consideration for the supply of goods or services and therefore are liable to VAT. This results in uncertainty for many payments which would have previously been treated as compensation and outside the scope of VAT. We have considered the impact of the new guidance below, specifically in the context of M&A transactions.

Load More