🌟 Exciting News from Fides Search! 🏆 Thrilled to share that Edward Parker, Inka Fukalova, Sershen Ingram, Shirin Stanley, and Gwendolyn Shaw from our team attended the Investing in Talent: Recruiter Awards this week, following our nominations for:
1. Best Recruitment Company to Work For (1-19 Employees)
2. Best Workplace Environment
A heartfelt thank you to the judges for acknowledging our commitment to fostering a workplace that not only attracts top talent but also provides an exceptional environment for professional growth. This event was not just a celebration of achievements, but also an opportunity to connect with industry leaders and share insights. Thank you for a fantastic evening! 🙌
See what Edward Parker, our managing director, had to say:
“It was a huge honour to be nominated in, not just one, but two categories. As a small team in a niche market, you often feel like the exceptional work of your team goes unnoticed, so to be recognised in these areas was a true highlight and something I’m personally immensely proud of. Congratulations to those that won, thrilled for them!”
Looking ahead to further milestones for Fides Search, the next of which is our nomination for Recruitment Firm of the Year at the Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards 2024.
2024 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the senior leadership of law firms across the world.
Political change is crucial to decision-making at the highest level and this year is set to be one of the most politically active in decades with many major economies (the UK, US and the EU/Commission to name a few) going to the polls. Law firm mergers and lateral partner hiring is intrinsically tied to the wider economy and all eyes will be on incoming premiers to see the strategy for their term in office.
Competition and antitrust is no exception to this rule. Arguably, it is one of the most beholden to political shifts, such as the 2016 Brexit referendum, irrevocably changing the UK regulatory landscape.
In this case, 2024 looks to be one of the most significant years in the competition market in quite some time. Taking the UK & Irish markets, this article will delve into the monumental regulatory shifts coming into effect in 2024, leading to one clear conclusion: dither on investment in competition now and the ship may have sailed by 2025.
This year kicked off with important news from the Court of Appeal. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has won an appeal with the court agreeing that companies outside the UK must provide information it requests, quashing legal challenges from BMW and VW.
Reflecting on the decision the CMA’s chief executive Sarah Cardell said, “Today’s unanimous judgment strengthens the CMA’s ability to investigate, enforce against and deter any anti-competitive conduct that harms consumers, businesses and markets in the UK”.
This significant development in the scope of the CMA’s powers comes hot on the heels of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill which is currently at Committee stage in the House of Lords. This new Bill could give the CMA greatly enhanced capabilities in dealing with key players in their respective industries – a move most see as an attempt to catch up with Big Tech.
In summary, the DMCC would entail:
Designation of a small handful of firms with Strategic Market Status i.e. a substantial, entrenched market power (non-transitory); in at least one digital activity,
Conduct Requirements and Pro-Competition Interventions (“PCI”) i.e. removing barriers to entry and addressing the root cause of overwhelming market power. This is not a new concept as the regulator Ofcom is held up as a near parallel for enforcing PCIs
SMS firms will also have to report to the CMA, prior to completion, any acquisitions with a value of £25 million or more and a UK connection.
With such a significant force entering the market it will inevitably take a great deal of investment and manpower. The CMA has announced that, in advance of the new regime coming into force, it plans to increase the 60 heads in the Digital Markets Unit to 200 by October. The CMA is signalling its intentions clearly and UK partners would do well to listen:
“[the Bill] not only provides clarity for UK parliamentarians, but also for tech firms and wider stakeholders about the approach the CMA intends to take. Once Parliament passes the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, we will release more detailed draft guidance for consultation. This will mean that everyone is clear about how we intend to operate the regime and has the opportunity to provide their views.”
The public mood has certainly turned against the largest multinational technology companies; however, the policymakers will also be conscious of the need to encourage foreign businesses to invest in the UK.
The post-Brexit landscape has resulted in a shortfall in inward UK investment and the CMA, whilst beefing up in its battle against tech giants, will be conscious of the wider numbers. According to parliamentary research on FDI statistics, 2021 marked the fifth successive year inward FDI flows into the UK fell: inward FDI flows reached a high of £192.0 billion in 2016, before falling in each subsequent year.
In strengthening their hand, they must avoid the trap the CJEU fell into in 2020 having increased its own scope of regulation in relation to FDI. The Commission’s Third Annual Report stated that, despite a ‘significant increase’ in formally reviewed cases, less than 3% of cases resulted in a Commission opinion. Increasing the powers with which a competition regulator can act can be a double-edged sword and it is one the UK would be wise to heed.
And so, to Dublin, one of Europe’s fastest growing legal markets with several international firms establishing multi-practice offerings in Ireland through lateral partner hires, partnerships and mergers. Dublin’s English-speaking legal system, full EU membership, proximity to the UK and encouragement of foreign investment (particularly from the US) has led to it becoming a key competition battleground.
The market is, however, close-knit and so has looked further afield for its growth over the past 12 months. The top Irish firms have fairly stable teams sitting at 8-10 lawyers across the board and so recent hires have largely come from overseas and in-house/regulators. In the domestic market, there has been only one lateral partner move in the last year. The only lateral associate move was a reinforcement at Ropes & Gray to support their office opening having hired a Counsel from the Competitive and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
Firms need to think outside of the box to get a foothold in what is an increasingly lucrative market with a crucial year ahead.
In line with international developments in the UK & Europe, Ireland have also been reviewing the capabilities of their regulator, the CCPC. The Screening of Third Country Transactions Act 2023 was signed into law on 31 October 2023. It gives the Irish government wide-ranging powers to review investments which meet specified criteria and, ultimately, to block investments that create national security and/or risks to public order.
The Act is expected to come into force in Spring 2024 and one of the specified criteria applies to all third country parties taking significant ownership of a business. This will apply to all UK and US-based investors.
The CCPC will also have a new power to impose civil fines which, if the strengthened DPC (Data Protection Commission) is any example to follow, will be enforced with aplomb. Fines will total up to €10 million or 10% of total worldwide turnover (whichever is greater).
The Act also extends the surveillance powers contained in the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009 to CCPC’s investigations into anti-competitive agreements. The 2009 Act allows subject to certain safeguards, the “(a) monitoring, observing, listening to or making a recording of a particular person or group of persons or their movements, activities and communications, or (b) monitoring or making a recording of places or things, by or with the assistance of surveillance devices.”
Foreign business, particularly from its traditional Anglophone partners, will continue to invest in Ireland and they will need local expertise. Whether that local expertise comes in the form of a strategic alliance, a merger, or new office openings is yet to be seen. One thing for certain is that international firms in the UK and US have a watchful eye on Dublin.
Written by Nathan Simpson, a Consultant at Fides Search and keen follower of the Competition/Antitrust space. He can be contacted on nathan@fidessearch.com or +447823909164.
Fides Search is delighted to announce the business is growing and we have four new team members! We are thrilled to have them on board and know they will be great additions to our existing team and the work we are doing for our clients.
🎉 Sershen Ingram – Senior Consultant
🎉 Nathan Simpson – Consultant
🎉 Megan L. Sturdy – Delivery Consultant
🎉 Phoebe Green – Personal Assistant
Please join us in giving them a warm welcome! ⭐
Sershen joins us as a Consultant from a leading global executive search and leadership talent specialist for corporate functions. He specialises in conducting challenging searches for clients who have struggled to attract talent, usually in niche areas of practice or which require specific, hard-to-find skillsets. He has experience across the full spectrum of the Fides offering across a broad range of jurisdictions. He has a core focus on General Counsel and Company Secretary mandates, which is supplemented by law firm Partner searches. Before entering legal search, Sershen qualified as a barrister and worked for a Tier 1 ranked firm in their litigation team on a number of high-profile matters.
Nathan joins us as a Consultant from an international specialist legal recruitment agency, working closely with new and existing clients on search, selection and consultancy mandates. He joins the firm with some exceptional experience in private practice recruitment, assisting law firms with hires at all levels. Outside of work, Nathan is a keen traveller and recently returned from a backpacking trip to New Zealand and Australia.
Megan joins us as a Delivery Consultant from specialist search consultancy focused on the Energy Sector, assisting clients with search and selection, market mapping and due diligence exercises. She grew up in France and is fluent in French and English with full working proficiency across Spanish and Italian. Outside of work, Megan is a keen powerlifter and spends a lot of her free time in the gym. She is also interested in music and art and enjoys visiting galleries regularly.
Phoebe joins us as a Personal Assistant and will be working to support the consultants and head of delivery. Outside of work, Phoebe has a passion for cooking and travelling.
See what Edward Parker, our Managing Director, had to say on this exciting news:
“We are delighted to welcome such great talent into the team. Our growth follows a successful 2023 which saw us grow our Consulting, Due Diligence and Search offering. This investment into the team demonstrates our ambition for further growth. We really look forward to working with Megan, Phoebe, Sershen and Nathan; it’s great to bring such talented people into the business.”
If you would like to get in touch with any member of the Team, please see our Team page: Fides – Team. You can also reach out on: research@fidessearch.com.
It’s Movember and Fides’ Mathew Parker is busy raising money for a great cause, please check out his page and in Mat’s own words ‘If you like the stash, share some cash!’ – Click here
Why is Movember important?
Movember is a global movement that aims to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Movember encourages men to grow a moustache during the month of November and to use it as a conversation starter to talk about these topics with their friends, family and colleagues. Movember also supports research and programs that address the challenges that men face in their health and well-being.
This year, we are inviting you to join us in supporting Mat and Movember. You can do so by growing a moustache, donating to the cause, or spreading the word on social media. Together, we can make an impact and change the face of men’s health. To learn more about Movember and how you can get involved, visit www.movember.com.
Thank you for your support and let’s make this the best Movember ever!
We are delighted to share some exciting news from Fides Search! Four of our talented team members have been promoted to new roles, reflecting their hard work and dedication.
🎉 George Eves – Researcher to Delivery Consultant
🎊 Gwendolyn Shaw – Delivery Consultant to Consultant
🎉 Mathew Parker – Consultant to Senior Consultant
🎊 Inka Fukalova – Head of Research and Delivery to Associate Director
Please join us in congratulating them on their achievements!
Let’s see what Edward Parker our Managing Director had to say on the news:
George joined Fides just under a year ago and has been a tremendous asset since the get-go. His approach to onboarding new information, focus on outcomes for clients and ability to work across different international markets sets him apart. He has now been involved in projects across the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Luxemburg and has developed an exceptional level of understanding of complex markets like Funds and PE. I am delighted to see George progress into the Delivery team and look forward to working with him closely.
Gwendolyn joined us as a researcher and was promoted within 12 Months to Delivery Consultant. During that time I had the pleasure of working closely with Gwen on several successful high-profile searches, numerous Due Diligence exercises and several consultancy projects. It is exciting to see her reach yet another milestone and be promoted to the Consultant team. Gwen has developed exceptional market knowledge, knows the search process inside out and she is tremendous to work with. She is totally deserving of this promotion and I am delighted to be welcoming her into the consultant team.
Mathew joined Fides in July 2020, at that time the conditions were somewhat different to those that we have today. He developed his skillset in one of the toughest markets for search but still managed to achieve a great deal. He progressed very quickly up the consultant ranks and has outperformed even his own exceptionally high targets. Mat has had a focus on highly competitive areas like Digital, Data, TMT, Tech Transactions, PE etc, he has also worked across numerous jurisdictions including the UAE, Dublin, Germany and London. His commitment to clients and consultative approach help him to stand out in a busy market and clients regularly feedback on how impactful he has been. He also demonstrates the qualities of a leader and is someone who will go a very long way in this industry. I’m very excited to continue to work with Mat and to see him step into the role of Senior Consultant.
Inka joined us as Head of Research and Delivery and in so doing created a new function for us, prior to Inka’s arrival we’d never had a delivery function and her joining the business was a pivotal moment in training and developing talent a first for Fides. Inka’s approach to operational rigour and delivering the highest quality search to our clients has enabled us to become even more data-led outcomes-focused and to successfully manage a higher volume of searches. I’m delighted to see her step into the role of Associate Director where she’ll take on more leadership responsibility but more crucially keep supporting clients with their searches and leading a vital part of the business.
Fides Search are delighted to have participated in the joint venture of Spencer West and Kashwani Law. Spencer West is a leading independent law firm model which offers clients a high level of service led by partners. Kashwani Law are a very well respected law firm based in the UAE servicing a mix of domestic and international clients.
Fides Search have been supporting Spencer West with their international growth. Having considered a number of different entry points into the UAE market, which is key to Spencer Wests Global strategy, it became apparent that a combination with an existing and established player would deliver the best results. Spencer West and Kashwani law have embarked on an exciting and complimentary Joint Venture which will enable them to capitalise on a raft of synergies and complimentary practice groups and sector alignments.
Antoine West, Managing Partner, Spencer West had this to say– “As a growing firm we are continually seeking opportunities to enhance our international presence, Mathew and the team at Fides had been instrumental in advising us on how we could approach this and really took the time to understand our strategy and we were able to find a local partner that matched our ambitions and guide us through the process to a successful conclusion.”
Hassan Kashwani, Partner, Kashwani Law Firm – We have been an established law firm in the UAE market for over 30 years and we have had aspirations to grow internationally as well as growing our offering here, the aspirations of Spencer West and their vision aligned well and from the introduction through to successful completion, Mathew and the team at Fides supported at each stage of the process. – Great!
Jazmine Bernard, Business Development Manager, Kashwani Law Firm – Fides provided us with a clear and consultative introduction to Spencer West and were able to navigate the cultural understanding of doing business in the middle east effortlessly and in turn resulted in a seamless process. The updates and follow ups throughout the process from Mathew were second to none and we are very appreciative of his hard work in this joint venture, we look forward to growing our firm, partnerships and being able to assist our clients not only locally but globally due to the outcome of Mathews introduction and hard work.
Mathew Parker, consultant at Fides Search had this to say, “We knew that Spencer West had international plans and the UAE is a developed legal market as well as a gateway to Asia and Africa. We took a consultative approach to this project and presented suitable options for Spencer West and tailored our approach to optimise their entry into the market. We were excited by the team at Kashwani Law Firm and found them seeking to become more international and bolster their presence locally”
Ed Parker, Director at Fides Search had this to say – Spencer West and Kashwani Law have complete what looks to be a transformative Joint Venture. The spirit of this agreement is underpinned by two motivated law firms seeking to offer multijurisdictional legal coverage to domestic and international clients. Both leadership teams have ambitious plans for the Joint Venture and it is truly exciting to have supported in this endeavour.
It was a real pleasure working with both leadership teams and we wish them all the very best in this endeavour.
For further information about our Solutions offering please visit our website Fides Solutions – FIDES (fidessearch.com) or contact research@fidessearch.com
Fides Search are delighted to announce the appointment of Inka Fukalova as Head of Delivery.
Inka has extensive experience running complex and strategic projects for legal and professional services clients throughout Europe and Middle East. She has been involved in numerous high profile lateral partner appointments and team moves across variety of practice areas, such as Real Estate & Construction, Insurance, TMT just to name a few.
Inka believes in an informed consultative approach to search and working in partnership with Clients and Candidates to achieve successful outcomes. Inka will be playing a key role in the development of Fides’ Delivery Team, which will greatly enhance our search and selection process and ensure consistently high standards of delivery. More to follow on this!
Inka spent last 13 years at a leading global search firm where she was Head of Executive Search, she was instrumental in developing their legal search capabilities as well as managing their CRM database and GDPR protocol.
Inka had this to say:
I’m excited to join the team at the time of exponential growth. Fides is a great example of a genuine search firm with a client centric strategy based on nurturing long-term working relationships and acting as a strategic advisor to their clients and candidates. I’m looking forward to being a part of a collegiate team and delivering first class client service.
Ed Parker had this to say:
We have always wanted to be at the cutting edge of innovation, many see innovation as adapting technology based solutions, but innovation can also be the development of new ways of working that improve outcomes for clients. This is exactly why we are so excited to see Inka join the team. She is absolutely the right person for us to grow a new area of the business which is our Delivery team. Not only is Inka a very experienced search professional but she has also developed countless consultants over the years and she has led research teams whilst also been very hands on when it comes to client relationships. This mix of experience is exactly what we needed for the development of the Delivery Team.
If you would like to connect with Inka her contact details are as follows:
D: +44 (0) 20 3137 3330
M: +44 (0) 7306 094400
A Link to Inka’s Bio
Fides Search is delighted to welcome Suzanne Jeffers to the team.
Suzanne joins us as Consultant and will be working on strategic hires for law firms and patent attorney firms as well as in-house appointments across a range of sectors. She will also play a key role in our continued growth in IP & Patents.
Suzanne studied her undergraduate LLB at University of Liverpool and completed her postgraduate LPC at BPP University. She was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and practised real estate law prior to taking a leap into legal search & consultancy.
Suzanne has an extremely varied background having worked for both high street firms Foskett Marr Gadsby & Head LLP as well as top 20 law firms Irwin Mitchell and DWF LLP. Her ability to efficiently navigate complex and challenging transactional situations brings praise from clients for her bespoke, responsive and flexible approach. Suzanne adds to our London based capability and will also support our clients in Continental Europe and the Middle East.
She has a passion for legal innovation and regularly attends seminars to discuss the impact of technology in legal services. Suzanne is particularly interested in emerging technologies such as blockchain and crypto assets.
She has a keen eye on cryptocurrencies, their use of blockchain and the reactivity of regulation and compliance. Suzanne thinks it is crucial to uphold the rule of law when it comes to legal tech, but it is also important to strike a balance and avoid stifling progress.
Suzanne joins us at Fides Search during a period of exciting expansion.
Ed Parker, Director had this to say:
‘We are thrilled to welcome Suzanne into the team. She is a truly passionate person and has a deep level of understanding around the legal profession and crucially the future of law. We look forward to introducing her to clients and our network in due course. Suzanne is going to work across a number of areas but crucially is going to support our growth in areas such as IP and Patents.’
Suzanne comment:
‘I’m delighted to be joining Fides! For a number of years prior to qualification as a solicitor I considered a move into legal search consultancy. As cliche as it sounds I love helping people and solving problems – one of the many reasons I got into law! I thrive off client interaction and investigation. I’m excited about this new chapter and very much looking forward to getting to know outstanding people and innovators from diverse backgrounds within the industry!’
Chris comment:
‘I am absolutely thrilled and delighted that Suzanne has joined the intellectual property team here at Fides. Her experience within the law will be an invaluable asset to the wider Fides proposition and I personally look forward to working alongside Suzanne and continue the growth and success of Fides’ intellectual property team.’
Fides Search is delighted to welcome Dorothy Adu-Mfum to the team. Dorothy joins us as Researcher and will be supporting our clients on pre-search analysis, mapping and due diligence. Dorothy adds to our London based capability and will also support our clients in continental Europe and the Middle East. Dorothy will work with clients across Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Life Sciences. Dorothy has a strong passion for the legal industry thanks to her legal studies, having completed her LPC and MSC in 2020 with a distinction and her undergraduate degree in Law in 2016 with a first-class.
Dorothy is also passionate about thought leadership and contributes to a female-led magazine which empowers female-owned, and female-led businesses to positively impact their communities; both socially and economically. This allows her to add further depth to our thought-leadership in our cross-sector Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives.
Having experienced hardship while growing up, Dorothy founded Law City in December 2019, a platform that connects aspiring lawyers from Low-socioeconomic status (SES) households/backgrounds to the legal sector in London. With a long history of championing social mobility, Dorothy will play a leading role in increasing social mobility within our network.
She joins us at Fides Search during a period of growth following the appointment of Syed Nasser who joined as a Venture Capital and Technology Transactions specialist, Mathew Parker who also recently joined our TMT sector group and Chris Excell who leads our IP and Patents sector group.
Edward Parker, Director of Fides Search had this to say:
Dorothy is a tremendous person, we are all very excited to have her join the team. What she has achieved academically and in terms of setting up Law-City is simply incredible and points to the kind of person she is. Having a first class research function is vital to the success of any search business as such Dorothy will be a key member in the team and someone we think will add great value. We look forward to working with Dorothy and we look forward to working with the Law-City community and our existing clients/network to help push the social mobility agenda along with our other areas of thought leadership.
What Dorothy had to say:
I am very happy to join the growing team at Fides Search as a Researcher. I am particularly excited to contribute to our thought leadership in our cross-sector Diversity and Inclusion initiative and providing insight in regard to Social mobility. I am proud to be part of a Search firm that leads in delivering exceptional service and client experience.
Dorothy’s Bio can be found here
Email: dorothy@fidessearch.com
D: +44 (0) 20 3137 7101
Fides Search are delighted to welcome Syed Nasser to the team. Syed joins us as a Senior Consultant and will be leading our Venture Capital and Technology Transactions practice.
Syed has a long history of working with UK, US and boutique law firms in London as well as internationally on Partner Search across a plethora of practice areas but has developed a particular interest and track record in the Venture Capital and Corporate Technology Transactions in recent times. Syed will add further depth to our partner search capability in helping clients secure the best possible talent across our core international markets whilst also working with our clients on consultancy and due diligence projects. In addition to law firms, Syed also works with established and emerging tech companies, family offices and financial institutions. With a long history of campaigning, Syed will also play a leading role in our cross sector Diversity and Inclusion initiative.
Having previously qualified as a Barrister, Syed spent 7 years at a leading legal search boutique before establishing his own firm, Twyford Search in 2014. He joins us at Fides Search during a period of growth following Mathew Parker who also recently joined our TMT sector group and Chris Excell who leads our IP and Patents sector group.
Edward Parker, Director of Fides Search had this to say:
Syed brings over 12 years of legal search experience to the Fides team. His experience will help our clients in highly competitive areas such as Venture Capital and Technology Transactions. He has a consultative and diligence led approach which we believe is a fundamental to achieving the right outcome for our clients. We look forward to working with Syed and properly introducing him to our clients in due course.
What Syed had to say:
I am very excited to join the growing team at Fides Search and to focus on the venture capital and technology space. It was a unique opportunity to join a Search firm that genuinely values client relationships by strategically partnering with them and focuses on delivering a first-class service and client experience.
Syed’s Bio can be found here
Email: snasser@fidessearch.com
D: +44 (0) 20 3642 1871
M: +44 (0) 7960 739158