Category: 3. Business

Trevor Watkins and David Thorneloe of Pinsent Masons were commenting after the IFR opened a consultation on establishing the new licensing regime.

This consultation seeks views around how the licensing process will operate and about the relevant documentation clubs will need to compile when applying for a licence.

Clubs will need to apply for their first licenses by February 2027. Unless one is granted to them by the start of the 2027-28 season, they will be unable to field a team that season. A provisional licensing regime will operate initially, providing clubs with a window of three years from being granted a provisional licence to meet the conditions of a full licence.

The IFR will set clubs a set of mandatory conditions to meet to become fully licensed, including around financial planning, corporate governance and fan consultation. The IFR will have powers to impose further discretionary conditions on individual clubs if they are considered “at risk” – including, for example, specific steps and monitoring to restrict their expenditure.

Included in the consultation paper are the IFR’s proposed principles to shape its approach to financial regulation – an issue brought into sharp focus recently by the situation at Sheffield Wednesday.

With those principles, the IFR endorses the concepts of forward-looking risk management and board-level responsibility for financial soundness of clubs and puts an emphasis on financial reporting to help clubs manage their own risks.

These principles are all reflected in some of the licensing obligations clubs will face. For example, to support their application for a provisional licence, clubs will be expected to prepare, among other things, a strategic business plan, which will need to include a forecasted profit and loss statement, balance sheet and statement of cash flows, as well as details on the source of funding. Clubs will also be expected to answer “standardised questions” on issues such as their business operations, fan engagement and corporate governance, and include “forward-looking information” – including about their finances – that covers up to the end of the 2027-28 season.

In relation to financial regulation, the IFR also made clear that it will not take a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, instead promising to “set high level expectations that clubs can apply in ways best suited to their own business models” and to tailor its intervention to address “specific risks”.

The IFR intends to focus its resources on clubs it considers to be at greatest risk of financial distress and failure and, while it said its “focus will be on prevention and addressing the root causes of financial instability, rather than penalising clubs”, it gave examples of licence conditions it could decide to impose on clubs in financial distress. These include requiring clubs to maintain a cash liquidity buffer in a separate account; placing limits on debts that clubs can incur; and placing restrictions on a club’s expenditure.

More detailed rules and guidance regarding financial regulation will be developed for separate consultation in 2026.

Watkins led a fan buy-out of AFC Bournemouth in 1997, when the club faced bankruptcy, and went on to become club chairman and a divisional director to the EFL board. He said English football is on the cusp of a major regulatory overhaul. Having established Supporters Direct with the UK government, Watkins believes the IFR creates a tipping point for owners, investors, funders and executives of clubs,

“The new regulatory regime represents major change for the football industry in England,” Watkins said. “While the action continues apace on the pitch, football clubs in England have work to do off it to prepare for the new regime taking effect next season. As the IFR’s consultation makes clear, there are significant steps to take to meet the new licensing requirements which are intertwined with the financial regulations that clubs will also be subject to. The current investment, financial and operational models of clubs are going to be tested and with real consequences if breaches occur.”

The IFR will take over the main responsibilities for regulating the finances of football in England from the footballing authorities. The establishment of the IFR is provided for under The Football Governance Act 2025, which came into force during the summer.

The IFR’s main objective is to ensure the financial stability and sustainability of English football, ensuring that clubs have sound corporate and financial governance in place. In total, 116 clubs across the Premier League, the Championship, and divisions one and two of the English Football League (EFL), as well as the National League, are subject to its oversight. Safeguarding ‘the heritage of English football’ is also a statutory objective of the IFR.

While the Act sets the framework for independent regulation, the detailed rules and requirements for the new regulatory regime will be set out by the IFR. The regulator has already been consulting on different aspects of the new regulatory framework that will operate – including now the licensing regime.

Thorneloe, who specialises in public law, said: “The IFR’s statements make clear it intends to focus its efforts on monitoring clubs most closely where there is evidence a club is in financial distress, or at risk. Its consultation offers clubs an opportunity to influence the new rules and guidance, to ensure the IFR takes a sensible and pragmatic approach.”

Squire Patton Boggs has advised JTC PLC on the acquisition of Kleinwort Hambros Trust Company (CI) Limited and its subsidiaries from Swiss private bank Union Bancaire Privée (UBP). The acquisition, which was first announced in July 2025, completed on 31 October 2025 following receipt of change of control and other regulatory approvals.

The Squire Patton Boggs team advising JTC on the transaction was led by London Corporate director James Bradshaw and partner Julian Thatcher, assisted by Isabelle Sadler, Tom Currie, Sim Basran and Hetty Tomlin.

FTSE-listed JTC is a global professional services business with deep expertise in fund, corporate and private client services. This latest acquisition for JTC’s Private Capital Services division will bring further scale to its operations in the Channel Islands and the UK, including adding a UK trust business for the first time, and reinforces JTC’s market position as the leading independent provider of trust services globally.

The same Squire Patton Boggs team advised JTC on its acquisition of independent professional services firm Hanway Advisory in July 2024, enhancing and adding further scale to JTC’s Global AIFM Solutions business.

The following article is based on a press release issued by Circana on November 3, 2025.

From January through September 2025, U.S. toy industry dollar sales increased 7 percent, units sold were up 3 percent, and average selling price (ASP) grew by 4 percent, compared to the same 9-month period in 2024, according to Circana.

Growth is largely being driven by collectibles (+33 percent) and licensed toys (+14 percent). Standout performers included strategic and sports trading cards and action figure collectibles, while licensing trends centered on sports, witches and wizards, animals, movies, and gaming franchises.

Seven of the 11 supercategories Circana tracks posted dollar growth, with six of them also showing unit growth. Games/puzzles grew the fastest, with Pokémon as the main driver of growth. This was followed by explorative & other toys, where sports trading cards continue increasing sales, and building sets, where Formula 1 was the biggest contributor to growth. The industry’s steepest declines came from outdoor and sports toys, plush, and dolls.

“The U.S. consumer, and their willingness to absorb tariffs, will be the key factor shaping Q4 performance,” said Juli Lennett, vice president and toy industry advisor at Circana. “The toy industry has a unique advantage and tends to be resilient in turbulent times as toys serve as emotional anchors for families, offering joy and a welcome distraction in our lives. The industry also benefits from trends like adult self-gifting, nostalgia, and digital wellness – factors that are expected to influence holiday purchases.”

Federal Decree Law No. 10 of 2025 overhauls the UAE’s AML, CTF and proliferation financing framework. It repeals and replaces Federal Decree Law No. 20 of 2018, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) 40 Recommendations, which are the global standard for combatting money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of weapons of mass destruction.

The new law creates new offences related to financing terrorism through digital systems, virtual assets or encryption technologies; lowers the threshold for evidence relating to money laundering, terrorism funding and proliferation funding; introduces larger fines and prison sentences; launches a new oversight body; increases investigative and enforcement powers for authorities; and expands compliance obligations for organisations.

Marie Chowdry, a financial services regulation expert at Pinsent Masons, said that with the new law, the UAE “has taken a decisive step in fortifying its financial integrity”.

“By expanding the scope of predicate offences, lowering evidentiary thresholds, and integrating digital assets into the AML/CTF framework, the law reflects a sophisticated understanding of emerging financial risks.”

“The inclusion of virtual assets and the extension of limitation periods in the UAE’s new AML law are game-changing developments,” she said.

“As digital finance continues to evolve, the law’s broader scope ensures that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) are now firmly within the regulatory perimeter. This is a critical step in closing gaps that previously allowed illicit actors to exploit emerging technologies.”

The new law clarifies that terrorism funding offences can be committed by anyone through digital systems, virtual assets or encryption technologies if they know, even if implied, that the funds will be used for terrorism, aiming to ensure that crypto, fintech and dual-use goods businesses are within the scope of the UAE’s counter-terrorism framework.

Fines for organisations have been expanded from AED50 million (approx. US$13.6 million) to AED100 million and individuals can be imprisoned for up to 10 years under the new, tougher penalties. There is also no limitation period for money laundering, terrorism funding and proliferation offences.

Chowdry said: “The extension of limitation periods for prosecuting AML offences reflects a more realistic approach to complex financial investigations, which often span years and jurisdictions.”

“This means greater exposure and longer liability windows, making it essential to maintain rigorous compliance and documentation practices,” she said.

“These updates not only enhance the UAE’s global standing but also signal a more assertive enforcement environment. Businesses should act swiftly to align with the new standards.”

Under the new law, “sufficient evidence or circumstantial evidence” is enough, and knowledge can be inferred from the “factual and objective circumstances”. This means that money laundering, terrorism funding and proliferation funding offences can be committed if a person knew, or should have known, that an offence would be committed, aligning the UAE with other jurisdictions such as the UK.

Financial institutions, designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs) such as lawyers and accountants, VASPs and non-profit organisations are also now subject to mandatory beneficial ownership and risk assessment requirements.

Lana Akkad, a financial regulation expert at Pinsent Masons, said: “By lowering the evidentiary threshold and expanding the scope of criminal liability, the law empowers enforcement agencies to act more decisively against financial crime.

“For financial institutions, DNFBPs, and VASPs, this means a heightened need for robust compliance frameworks, especially around digital assets and cross-border transactions,” she said.

“Businesses should immediately review their AML policies, enhance due diligence procedures, and ensure their teams are trained on the new legal standards.”

The law creates a new ‘supreme committee’ to oversee the National Committee for Combatting Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation, which has the mandate to introduce national strategies to improve regulatory compliance, assess crime risks, exchange information with domestic and international authorities, propose relevant regulation and represent the UAE internationally.

Akkad said: “The creation of a Supreme Committee also signals a more coordinated national approach, which will likely lead to increased scrutiny and enforcement. Proactive compliance is no longer optional: it’s a strategic imperative.”

Under the law, the Financial Intelligence Unit, a central agency responsible for gathering, analysing and disseminating intelligence related to suspicious transactions, can now freeze funds for up to 30 days compared to the previous seven, and suspend transactions for up to 10 business days without prior notice.

Samsung hosted a 3-day incubator program in Milan to uncover next generation of ideas to help society.

Milan, Italy – November 4, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is proud to announce the winners of the inaugural Solve for Tomorrow European Competition, a ground-breaking initiative designed to empower young innovators to address pressing global challenges through technology and creativity. Held for the first time in-person, the competition brought together ten finalist teams from across Europe, culminating in the selection of five winning teams.

 

The event, hosted in Milan, attended by 60 participants, featured a dynamic showcase of ideas, workshops, and cultural activities. The finalists were joined by experts from Samsung and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) present as part of the joint initiative, Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People, aimed at engaging younger generations and creating a positive impact in the world through sport and technology. The experts mentored the teams to highlight the positive impact of youth-led programmes combining sport and technology to potentially solve societal issues. The Sport&Tech theme reflects a shared commitment of Samsung and IOC to inspire young people to become changemakers by combining the unifying power of sport with cutting-edge innovation, which also aligns with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which leverages sport to promote sustainable development.

 

The Winning Teams and Their Innovations

 

• Curastep Raye & Sarah (UK). A Smart IoT biometric shoe to empower diabetes patients with foot problems to stay active.
• Liova, Evan & Simon (France). A eco-designed power bank using components from old devices.
• My Hormone, Petra & Zóra (Hungary). A comprehensive educational resource on female hormonal balance, addressing gaps in public health.
• SkillFIT, Alicia & Gabriel (Germany). An AI powered platform focusing on improving fairness physical education in schools
• VisionNex, Jakub & Jakub (Czech Republic). Affordable smart glasses to translate visual scenes into spoken descriptions to empower visually impaired people to be more active in their environments.

 

Samsung Electronics Chief Marketing Officer for Europe, Benjamin Braun and Samsung Electronics Italy’s Head of CRM and Media, Cristina Mangiarotti, shared valuable leadership insights and essential skills for their future projects.

 

The finalists were also supported by the IOC Young Leaders, Berber Swart, Sofia Bonicalza, Nicolo Di Tulio and Paul Bayetwho worked with students to strengthen their storytelling and pitching skills. The IOC Young Leaders programme is one of the IOC’s flagship initiatives designed to empower young people to drive positive change through sport, reflecting IOC’s mission and the Olympism365 framework.

 

 

“We are thrilled to see the incredible talent and creativity demonstrated by these young innovators”, said Benjamin Braun, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Electronics Europe. “The Solve for Tomorrow competition is a testament to the power of technology in driving positive change. We are proud to support these young innovators as they work towards creating a better future for all”

 

President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Europe Simon Sung said, “I am very proud that Europe is hosting the first ever regional Solve For Tomorrow competition. I am passionate about supporting the Olympism365 principles and the brilliant young people across Europe that are our future leaders. We want to grow participation in Solve For Tomorrow to create more opportunities like this in the future”.

 

“Olympism is not only about competition; it is about building a better world through sport,” said Ollie Dudfield, Associate Director of Olympism365 at the IOC. He congratulated Samsung for the Solve For Tomorrow programme and the Sport&Tech collaboration with the IOC, noting that “our shared vision through initiatives like Olympism365 empowers young people to use sport and innovation to tackle global challenges.” Dudfield encouraged participants to be proud of their journey, adding that “together, we can help create a healthier, more inclusive and better-connected world.”

 

The Winning Teams

 

“We had a lot of fun meeting new people and exploring Milan during the European Solve for Tomorrow competition. It’s been incredible to win with CuraStep. We can’t wait to see what’s next!” CuraStep

 

“We were so excited to take part in Solve for Tomorrow European competition. If you believe in what you do and invest yourself fully, it will come True!” Liova

 

“We have dreamt of reaching the top five with our My Hormone project since the moment we stepped into the European finals. Seeing our ideas come to life and sharing this moment with everyone who believed in us is an incredible feeling”.  My Hormone

 

“When students feel seen, they start to believe in themselves and if you really believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. Just like we did with our idea SkillFIT at the European Competition.” SkillFIT

 

“This was an amazing experience. It was great to hear other finalists from all over Europe and we are proud that our idea of AI powered smart glasses for the blind was selected among the 5 winning ideas.” VisionNex

 

 

 

About Samsung Solve for Tomorrow

The Solve for Tomorrow initiative encourages young innovators to develop creative solutions to global challenges using technology. The European competition marks a significant milestone in Samsung’s commitment to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of leaders.

 

For more information about Solve for Tomorrow in the UK please visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/solvefortomorrow/

Gopichand Hinduja, the billionaire head of Britain’s richest family, has died aged 85.

Hinduja died on Tuesday in London after a long illness, according to reports.

The low-profile Hinduja family topped the Sunday Times Rich List this year with a collective net worth of £35.3bn, thanks to their sprawling business interests across banking, oil, real estate and entertainment.

Gopichand Hinduja, nicknamed “GP”, co-chaired the family business with his older brother Srichand, who died in 2023.

The brothers moved to London from India in the 1970s, where they continued to build the Hinduja Group. It now employs more than 150,000 people worldwide.

The family empire expanded via a series of big acquisitions including the 1987 purchase of the Ashok Leyland group, which included parts of the defunct British automotive business British Leyland. The group also bought Gulf Oil from the US oil company Chevron in the 1980s.

Gopichand Hinduja was embroiled in controversy in 2001 when it came to light that he had written to Peter Mandelson, a government minister at the time, about obtaining a UK passport for his brother Prakash.

The brothers also donated £1m through their charitable foundation to the Millennium Dome project in London, which Mandelson was then overseeing.

A spokesperson for the family confirmed Gopichand Hinduja’s death to Bloomberg.

The brothers’ late father, Parmanand, began trading carpets, tea and spices in 1914, in a part of what was then British India but is now Pakistan. He later took the business to Iran.

The family’s London home is an 18th-century mansion on Carlton House Terrace, overlooking St James’s Park and close to Buckingham Palace. Their property portfolio also includes the historic Old War Office (OWO) building in Whitehall, which they have turned into a luxury development.

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The OWO development – in which one four-bedroom flat sold for more than £40m – should under planning rules contain 8,000 square metres of affordable housing – enough for 98 flats.

However, Westminster city council agreed to allow the Hinduja family to develop the building with no affordable housing after their agents claimed that it would “not be economically feasible” to do so.

Gopichand Hinduja is survived by his wife, Sunita, and their two sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and their daughter, Rita.

The Hinduja Group was approached for comment.

Asia’s digital environment—particularly China’s mobile-first business culture and evolving regulatory landscape—is necessitating global companies to rethink Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs. Traditional “one device fits all” models often fail in practice. The emerging standard involves a more sophisticated approach: role-based access, tightly governed through mobile device management and containerization and supplemented by clean device protocols for high-risk travel.

Unlike many commentaries that focus solely on government access narratives, this Insight emphasizes the practical governance challenges facing multinational organizations in Asia. These challenges include maintaining auditability, effectively separating personal and corporate data, and ensuring defensible internal investigations in environments where platforms such as WeChat are essential to day-to-day business.

We expect Asia’s mobile governance landscape to evolve significantly in the next 12–24 months, driven by regulator scrutiny, digital forensics expectations, and platform-driven business practices. The rise of AI-driven workplace tools and messaging-to-CRM integrations will further elevate mobile governance risks and expectations.

ASIA’S MOBILE REALITIES: A UNIQUE OPERATIONAL LANDSCAPE

Multinational companies operating in Asia must navigate a complex mobile environment defined by several key factors:

• Platform Dependency: Social and messaging platforms, particularly WeChat in China, are deeply integrated into business workflows for external communications with clients, partners, and government bodies.
• High Mobility: A highly mobile workforce, coupled with frequent cross-border travel, creates significant data residency and transfer challenges.
• Strict Privacy Laws: Many jurisdictions have robust data privacy laws that grant employees significant rights and limit employer monitoring.
• Consent Revocation: In key markets such as Japan and South Korea employees can revoke consent for device monitoring, creating significant hurdles for digital forensics and legal holds.

WHY THIS MATTERS NOW

Recent regulatory developments across Asia have increased scrutiny of mobile devices, creating a complex environment for multinational corporations. While corporate device ownership does not eliminate lawful access risk, the key question is whether the enterprise retains control and can enforce audit, investigation, and data protection rules. Regulators in China, Korea, financial hubs, and Southeast Asia increasingly request evidence of mobile governance maturity in investigations and cybersecurity reviews.

The primary challenges for many companies are often operational, not just regulatory. The reliance on mobile platforms for business, coupled with stricter data security and privacy laws, creates a challenging landscape. Companies that fail to adapt risk data breaches, compliance failures, and operational disruptions. The key is to move beyond a purely defensive posture and implement a practical, risk-based approach that enables the business while protecting sensitive information.

TOP 5 RISKS TO GLOBAL ENTERPRISES

• Data Commingling on WeChat and Other Platforms: The use of personal apps like WeChat for business purposes blurs the lines between personal and corporate data, creating significant challenges for internal investigations, data preservation, and compliance. For regulated sectors, this also raises recordkeeping and archiving obligations that may be difficult to satisfy when business communications occur on personal messaging platforms.
• Defensible Investigations and Evidence Integrity: If a device has been accessed by third parties or contains a mix of personal and corporate data, its evidentiary value in an internal investigation or litigation can be compromised. When corporate data sits in personal WeChat accounts, companies often cannot preserve evidence without capturing irrelevant private content. This can delay investigations, create privacy disputes, and undermine the enforceability of compliance programs. Furthermore, these challenges can complicate employee discipline and termination disputes when the key evidence resides on a personal device. Companies must be able to demonstrate chain of custody for mobile data in investigations and regulatory scrutiny.
• Employee Privacy and Labor Law Violations: Many Asian jurisdictions have strict employee privacy laws that limit an employer’s ability to monitor or wipe personal devices, even when used for work. Failure to obtain proper consent can lead to legal challenges.
• Cross-Border Data Transfer Violations: Mobile devices that cross borders can trigger complex data transfer rules under regulations such as China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). A device inspection in one country may be considered a data transfer, creating compliance obligations.
• IP Theft and Corporate Espionage: Mobile devices are a primary target for intellectual property theft. A weak mobile device policy can expose a company’s most valuable trade secrets and other sensitive information.

CHINA: BALANCING SECURITY CONCERNS WITH COMMERCIAL REALITIES

China presents a unique challenge for mobile device policies due to a fundamental tension between security and operational necessity. While regulatory developments rightly prompt companies to reassess their risk exposure, this exists alongside an equally important operational reality.

China’s business environment is deeply mobile-centric, with WeChat, QR codes, and mobile payments being essential to daily operations. Business communications with external parties—including clients, distributors, and even government agencies—often rely on local platforms like WeChat. For employees based in China, working without a mobile device is often simply not practical.

This creates what one general counsel recently described to us as a “forced choice” between operational effectiveness and maximum data security. The real challenge is not how to avoid all mobile device use, but how to manage the commingling of personal and corporate data on platforms like WeChat while accounting for the possibility that devices may be subject to inspection. WeChat Work (Enterprise WeChat) improves separation but does not fully resolve evidentiary and retention concerns, especially for external communications.

A successful China mobile device strategy must acknowledge both dimensions of this challenge and focus on practical solutions such as containerization, role-based access, and clear policies for the use of personal apps for business.

ASIA COMPARATOR INSIGHTS: KEY CONSIDERATIONS

Japan: Strong employee privacy protections. Employers have limited rights to monitor or wipe personal devices. Works council consultation may be required for new policies. Crucially, employees can revoke consent, which can severely hamper digital forensic investigations and legal hold preservation efforts.

South Korea: Similar to Japan, with a strong emphasis on employee consent. Broad monitoring of personal devices is generally not permissible. As in Japan, the revocable nature of employee consent can complicate ongoing monitoring programs and create significant challenges for evidence collection in internal investigations.

Taiwan: Employee privacy protections similar to other East Asian jurisdictions. Clear consent requirements for device monitoring and data access.

Singapore: More employer-friendly than Japan or South Korea, but still requires a clear legal basis for processing employee data. The Personal Data Protection Act governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data.

Vietnam: Evolving cybersecurity laws with a focus on data localization. Authorities have broad powers to request information.

Thailand: The Cybersecurity Act allows for government access to digital data in certain situations.

India: India remains generally BYOD-friendly, but emerging cybersecurity and data rules require DPIA-style reviews and cross-border transfer safeguards.

KEY TECHNOLOGY DEFINITIONS

• MDM (Mobile Device Management): Software that allows IT to remotely manage, monitor, and secure mobile devices across the organization.
• MAM (Mobile Application Management): Controls specific to applications rather than the entire device, allowing management of corporate apps while leaving personal apps untouched.
• Containerization: Creates a secure, encrypted “container” on a device that separates corporate data from personal data, allowing independent management and wiping of corporate data.

Against this backdrop, companies should adopt a structured and defensible mobile governance model tailored to role sensitivity and jurisdictional risk.

RECOMMENDED CONTROLS: A TIERED APPROACH

Employee Tier	Device Policy	Key Controls
Tier 1: High-Risk (senior executives, R&D, access to core IP)	Company-Issued Device Only	• No personal use • Limited app installations • Enhanced security monitoring • Clean device travel protocol
Tier 2: Medium-Risk (sales, marketing, access to customer data)	Company-Issued or Approved BYOD	• Containerization for all corporate data • Strict data loss prevention rules • Regular security training
Tier 3: Low-Risk (administrative, access to email/calendar only)	BYOD with MDM/MAM	• Basic security policies (e.g., passcode) • Ability to remotely wipe corporate data • Employee consent for monitoring

(See examples and policy templates available upon request)

TECHNICAL LIMITATIONS IN HIGH-RISK ENVIRONMENTS

While MDM and containerization provide strong controls for managing corporate data and enforcing security policies, companies should understand their limitations in certain scenarios. When devices are subject to inspection by state actors with sophisticated capabilities, technical controls like containerization may not prevent access to encrypted corporate data. Additionally, in internal investigations involving potential data breaches or compliance violations, attribution can be challenging when multiple parties may have had access to a device.

These limitations underscore why role-based device policies and clean device protocols for high-risk travel remain important complementary controls, particularly for executives and employees with access to highly sensitive information. The goal is not to achieve perfect security—which may not be possible—but to implement defensible, risk-appropriate controls that can be explained to regulators and stakeholders.

A Note on Device Inspections in China: In July 2024, China’s Ministry of State Security implemented provisions that expand the administrative powers of state security officers to inspect electronic devices as part of national security enforcement activities. This development, along with similar trends in other Asian jurisdictions, represents a legitimate and significant concern that companies must factor into their mobile device policies. While lawful access powers apply to both personal and corporate devices, recent changes heighten the need for disciplined governance models.

HOW WE CAN HELP

Our team advises leading multinationals on China and Asia mobile governance, WeChat policies, and cross-border forensic readiness. We help clients move from high-level policy statements to defensible operational programs.

We deliver:

• Role-Tiered Device Policy Frameworks: Operational models that define device policies by employee tier (executives, commercial teams, administrative staff) with specific controls for each level
• WeChat Governance Programs: Technical and policy frameworks for managing WeChat business use, including WeChat Work integration, archiving solutions, and external communication protocols
• Clean Device Travel Protocols: Executive and R&D travel playbooks for high-risk jurisdictions, including device provisioning, data segregation, and re-entry procedures
• Asia Forensic Readiness Assessments: Cross-border investigation protocols that balance PIPL, GDPR, and employment law requirements, with jurisdiction-specific consent frameworks
• BYOD Readiness Assessments: Comprehensive evaluations of current mobile device policies against Asia regulatory requirements and operational realities
• Cross-Border Data Transfer Strategies: China PIPL compliance roadmaps for mobile data flows, including security assessment filings and standard contract implementations
• Employee Consent and Works Council Toolkits: Japan- and Korea-specific frameworks addressing revocable consent challenges and works council consultation requirements
• MDM/MAM Policy Templates: Technical policy frameworks for MDM, containerization, and virtual desktop infrastructure deployments
• Employee Training and Awareness Programs: Customized training modules for employees on mobile device security, WeChat governance, data protection obligations, and incident reporting procedures tailored to Asia operations
• Mobile Device Incident Response Plans: Comprehensive response protocols for lost, stolen, or compromised devices, including notification procedures, forensic preservation, regulatory reporting, and business continuity measures

Squire Patton Boggs has advised Ånge Storage Solution AB and its parent company Delta Ange Holding s.r.o., on a cross-border financing provided by PPF banka a.s. related to the construction and operation of the 70-MW/160-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Sweden.

The BESS project, located in Ånge municipality in Vasternorrland County, will be one of the largest energy storage sites in Scandinavia. The project will contribute to ensuring flexibility and grid stability to grid operators in Sweden.

The project is a joint venture of a developer of utility-scale BESS Delta Capacity and WOOD & Company, a leading European investment bank and asset manager. It is part of WOOD & Company Renewables Subfund.

The Squire Patton Boggs team advising on this transaction was led by Corporate partner Radek Janeček in Prague, and included of counsel Marek Hrubes and associate Aneta Vesela.

“We are pleased to support our client on this important financing that will allow them to deliver essential energy storage capacity, one of the largest in the region,” said Radek Janecek. “Battery storage is critical for balancing renewable energy and ensuring grid stability.”