Corporate intelligence

Trust and reputation in business relationships are essential. Organisations need to make informed decisions to protect and safeguard their reputation and their assets.

Protecting your reputation

In today’s fast-moving, interconnected world, understanding the people you are doing business with, and the context behind business issues, matters more than ever.

Using the latest technology and our extensive contact network, we research individuals, companies and organisations to better understand their profile, reputation and commercial interests, and uncover any adverse information.

We give you the information you need to make sound, well-informed commercial decisions that protect your brand and reputation, and enhance your strategy.

Integrity Matters

The actions and profile of those you do business with matter. Regulators around the world are applying a high level of scrutiny to third-party relationships. Stakeholders expect greater integrity from business. Making the right decisions requires accurate, up-to-date and insightful information.

Entering a new market or sector

We research people and companies, producing profiles and running background checks to help you manage business integrity and reputational risk. Working on standalone projects or high volume, global third-party reviews, we help you verify the information you hold, and find information that you don't. We can give you the information you need to make sound, well-informed commercial decisions and choose business partners that share your values and reputation.

man wearing white shirt working on a laptop.

Planning and acquisition or merger 

Mergers and acquisitions are an integral part of the strategic business landscape. Deals, especially when hostile, cross border or among large companies, might be front-page news.

Higher standards of corporate accountability, transparency and conduct raise the stakes of modern business decisions. Increasingly swift and severe regulatory enforcement demonstrates that “reps and warranties” are simply not enough. A confident choice requires being well-informed. But where should you turn to get this information? How is it sourced? Is it credible? What is relevant?

We can provide in-depth research:

  • Confidential enquiries into target

  • Anti-bribery and corruption due diligence

  • Review of target management’s reputation and integrity

  • Geographical or sectoral market impact and potential for growth

  • Assessment of employee sentiment of the target and any cultural issues

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Understanding the assets of an individual or company

Do you suspect that assets have been moved or hidden in a deliberate attempt to conceal their existence and ownership? Are you looking to recover or restructure outstanding debt? Are you investigating suspected asset stripping or theft from your organisation?

We help businesses answer those questions. We have an inherent understanding of the type and quality of public record information that is available globally. In consultation with the PwC network, we have undertaken over 70,000 due diligence and investigation reports worldwide.

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Placing trust in new employees

New hires play a crucial role in any organisation. If chosen correctly they can aid your business and achieve unlimited progress. But if the wrong individual is selected, you may suffer severe consequences as a result. Fraud, reputational damage, and financial losses can all arise from an ill-advised recruitment decision. 

You need to be assured about the integrity of your employees. You need to be certain of  their behaviours, consistency and the validity of information they provide to you. Are they who they claim to be? Do their qualifications stand up to scrutiny?

We research potential employees and give you the information you need to make sound, well-informed commercial decisions.

Two men in shirts, in a discussion within an office setting.

Outsourcing operations to remote locations

Outsourcing activities play a key role in the operation of many businesses. External parties are often unknown and could be many miles, or indeed many time-zones, away. Do you truly know who you are doing business with? Does the company do what it says it does?

The third party that you are entering into an agreement with may have a negative reputation in the industry, or a worrying financial situation. They may have been involved in failed joint ventures, or have suffered possible licence revocation. 

We can help you manage these risks through integrity and background research, market intelligence gathering, and comprehensive risk assessment.

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Our corporate intelligence services

Integrity due diligence

We help you assess the global risks to your business’ integrity, reputation and brand, and to make informed, confident business decisions. We collect information from various sources, including specialised subscription databases, hard-to-find public records and discrete trusted sources within our network.

Our teams bring together a wide range of expertise including former intelligence and police analysts, law enforcement specialists, lawyers and political risk experts.  

We support clients with:

  • Consideration of a new JV, M&A opportunity, supplier, international service provider or partner

  • Vetting of third-party business partners

  • Assessment of the track record and reputation of senior management or directors

  • Corroboration of an acquisition target’s representations

  • Assessment of counterparty risks in cross-border transactions

  • Compliance with regulations (ABC, AML etc)

  • Enhancement of knowledge prior to market entry

  • Uncovering related party transactions.

Asset tracing, identification, recovery

We specialise in establishing who owns global assets, whether individuals or corporations, to help you make informed strategic decisions or respond when assets are misappropriated.

Our work will help you to maximise recoveries and challenge possible asset sheltering. Furthermore, our team is adept in the use of the latest data visualisation and analysis software, allowing you to make sense of information gathered, and make decisions quickly and effectively.

Contact us

Deirdre McGrath

Partner, PwC Ireland (Republic of)

Eoghan Linehan

Director, PwC Ireland (Republic of)

Tel: +353 (86) 312 4475

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