Business Law and Corporate Law

What would it take for Britain to build its first trillion-dollar company and ensure the benefits of its success are shared more widely? This episode explores the ambition, capital and talent needed to turn promising British start-ups into global companies that stay and grow in the UK, examining how policy changes could help close the country's scale-up gap.

Sam Tidswell-Norrish, Partner at Access Holdings, shares his journey from founding team member at Motive Partners to leading fundraising and investor relations across London, Baltimore and New York. With extensive experience in alternative investments and financial technology, he discusses building strong investor relationships, supporting portfolio growth, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people rather than treating your career as a single player game.

The latest Investing in Women Code Annual Report 2026 reveals significant progress in funding access for female entrepreneurs, with signatories directing 32% of venture capital to teams with at least one female founder—more than double the wider market rate. While women-led businesses now achieve equal loan approval rates to male-led businesses, they still apply less frequently and request smaller amounts, highlighting persistent gaps in funding confidence and scale.

Global supply chain disruptions from conflicts, extreme weather, and lithium battery fires are forcing businesses to confront complex contractual obligations. Understanding force majeure clauses and their strict requirements has become critical as parties struggle to claim relief or resist such claims, with the legal burden falling squarely on those seeking to invoke these provisions.

Strike out applications can be powerful litigation tools in civil disputes, but they carry significant risks and costs. Understanding when to make or resist such applications requires careful assessment of legal grounds, tactical implications, and potential outcomes beyond simply identifying technical defects in an opponent's case.

The EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) fundamentally transforms how physical goods are manufactured, tracked, and sold across the European single market by introducing binding performance standards, mandatory sustainability disclosures, and Digital Product Passports.

The independent education sector is experiencing significant consolidation through mergers and acquisitions, raising critical questions about when schools should conduct due diligence. With budgets under pressure and governing bodies scrutinizing every resource commitment, moving directly into full transaction processes can prove costly if fundamental issues only emerge after substantial investment, making preliminary due diligence an increasingly attractive alternative.

Private equity sponsors and portfolio companies are beginning to grapple with how artificial intelligence adoption should influence management incentive plan design, talent retention strategies, and performance metrics. As AI transforms value creation across industries, the question emerges whether traditional equity compensation structures remain fit for purpose or require fundamental reconfiguration to align with new business realities.

Frasers Group's acquisition of Harvey Nichols for £43.3 million has sparked controversy as creditors face significant losses, while Victoria Beckham's fashion empire achieves its first-ever profit after years of financial struggle. Meanwhile, China's luxury market shows signs of weakening recovery amid tax pressures and economic uncertainty, raising questions about the future of global luxury growth.

The independent education sector is experiencing significant consolidation through mergers and acquisitions, raising critical questions about when schools should conduct due diligence. With budgets under pressure and governing bodies scrutinizing every resource commitment, moving directly into full transaction processes can prove costly if fundamental issues only emerge after substantial investment, making preliminary due diligence an increasingly attractive alternative.

The UK government has launched a consultation proposing significant reforms to corporate reporting requirements, including the removal of distinctions between small and medium-sized companies, simplified thresholds for determining company size, and expanded exemptions for certain entities. These changes aim to reduce complexity and administrative burden while maintaining appropriate levels of scrutiny for different company categories.

The way employers carry out checks will stay the same. However, checks will no longer be limited to employees. Instead, the rules will apply to a much wider range of working arrangements.