Knowledge & Insights

Risk management and due diligence insights, articles, reports, and resources

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EBOOKS & REPORTS:

Playbook

Best Practices in Due Diligence Background Checks

Background checks are a crucial part of the due diligence process—as they identify potential risks posed by a company or its personnel, laying out all the information before investors so they can make more informed decisions.

This best practices playbook is a resource to properly navigate this essential step in the due diligence process. It should equip investors with sufficient knowledge about using background checks to make well-informed decisions and provide insight as to how to best implement these practices.

Playbook

Social Media – Enhancing Due Diligence Background Checks

In today’s digital age, social media holds significant power, especially in the financial industry. An adverse online post can be shared in the blink of an eye, dragging an executive’s name through the mud and ultimately causing long-lasting reputational damage. Not only that but there are financial consequences that could ensue, such as investors pulling back. As a result, a social media analysis has become a key consideration for investment professionals during the pre-investment due diligence process.

Playbook

A Beginner’s Guide to Background Checks in Operational Due Diligence

Before making any investment decisions, it’s essential to perform comprehensive operational due diligence to prevent organizations from financially devastating consequences. However, in today’s financial environment, operational due diligence needs to dig deeper than the standard checklist and include thorough background checks. The insights gained from a background check can give firms the confidence they need to make the most informed investment decisions.

eBook

Understanding the US Legal System’s Role in Due Diligence

When it comes to pre-investment due diligence, a basic understanding of the U.S. legal system can be invaluable, particularly in regard to background checks. In the event that a red flag appears on the legal section of a background check, you are better equipped to evaluate the result and gain better insight into a potential business partner or a C-suite executive.

IIntelligo Risk Barometer report

Report

Intelligo Risk Barometer 2022

Pre-Investment Risks Indicators and Insights

Intelligo’s annual Risk Barometer analyzes and identifies the top pre-investment risks disclosed on the background checks we ran in the past year as a reference for future due diligence and analysis. The insights are based on data from thousands of background checks on individuals who were reviewed by Intelligo’s background intelligence technology and expert analysts.

Intelligo - Will AI change the nature of DD ebook

eBook

Due Diligence in a new world –

AI and automation in the post-Covid era

The COVID pandemic has changed the professional landscape in many ways. In this report, we examine how those changes have impacted the the role of pre-investment due diligence how AI-based automation can streamline the process while increasing accuracy.

Intelligo - Who is lying in Linkedin and how to spot it ebook

Report

Linkedin Lipstick –

Who’s Lying and How to Spot It

A LinkedIn presence has become essential. But when users can change their profiles at a whim, how much can we trust what we read? We used the latest in AI-powered background checking tools to review executive LinkedIn profiles, revealing just how reliable LinkedIn profiles can be in today’s world.

Intelligo - Political contributions report

Report

Political Contributions – Their role in executive due diligence and why it matters

Political contributions are never far from the headlines. The implication that political influence can be bought is always sure to stir up a Twitter storm. In this report, we explore the trends in individual political donations, why it matters for executive management, and what red flags to watch out for.

WEBCASTS:

Webcast

Understanding the US Legal System

Legal nuances and their importance for investment decisions

We take a closer look at the U.S. judicial system and highlight the importance of its nuances in the context of your decision-making process. Intelligo’s senior analysts discuss  various legal cases and demonstrate the importance of a proper analysis of background reports, from differences between federal and state-level cases to the most typical securities class actions.

Webcast

Top Pre-Investment Risks Disclosed

We analyze the top risks indicators and insights

Intelligo’s Co-founder and Chief Research Officer Dana Rakovsky joins Customer Success Manager Yishai Kurtz to discuss our latest report, the Intelligo Risk Barometer 2022. Our research analyzed and identified the top pre-investment risks disclosed on the background checks we ran in the past year in the “Intelligo Risk Barometer” as a reference for future due diligence and analysis.

Webinar

The ‘Digitalization’ of Due Diligence

Technology Supporting Human Insight

Join Private Equity Wire, Intelligo and industry experts Jacob Comer, from NovaQuest Capital Management as, Dan Sullivan from Diligent Vault and Kevin Wilson from Intelligo as we explore how technology is supporting human insight for better analysis of target companies in ‘The ‘Digitalization’ of Due Diligence.

FROM THE BLOG:

Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs): What Investors Need to Know

Due diligence is all about risk mitigation and comprehensive knowledge about who you consider connecting yourself with—financially and in other ways. While this includes gathering information about one’s professional experience, legal history, and reputational stature, it’s also crucial to be aware of the political affiliation and exposure of a potential partner, investee, or employee for transparency and compliance.

Operational Due Diligence: 7 Essential Aspects You Need to Know

Operational due diligence is crucial for uncovering potential risks and protecting investors from financially devastating outcomes. When it comes to the pre-investment investigative process, company background checks that include these essential aspects will allow stakeholders to rest assured that their investment is in good hands.

Criminal Records on Background Checks: How They Impact Investment Decisions

The integrity of organizations and their personnel can be a key indicator of the success of a potential investment opportunity. Consequently, a criminal records search as part of a background check on possible business partners, fund managers, or a company’s executive management is a crucial part of the pre-investment due diligence process. By gaining transparency about an individual’s criminal background, you can properly consider the risks and liabilities that could impact your final investment decision.

Adverse Media: Why No News Is Good News

In the world we live in today, the media controls the narrative, and thus, public opinion relies significantly on media portrayal. As a result, any news regarding an individual or company that’s presented in a negative light can have serious reputational and financial implications. This is why it is essential for due diligence background checks to cover adverse media. However, while technology has made global news more accessible and readily available, it has also made it easier than ever for fake news to spread.

Executive Background Checks: What Are Execs Hiding?

Executive management and board members stand at the helm, steering a company towards success. However, given the power and responsibility of upper-level management, investors and board members need to be sure they are placing their trust and their capital in the right hands. But how can investors know if an executive candidate is telling the truth about their background? In this case, many firms are using executive background checks to provide the complete picture of any potential business partner or executive hire.

Understanding Operational Risks

Operational risks originate from the interaction of people, processes, and technology, both internal and external to an organization. Advances in technology have changed the nature of work, but companies remain driven by people, and people remain imperfect. Employees, customers, vendors, and service providers are all sources of risk within a changing regulatory framework under increased scrutiny. That being said, recent developments in AI-powered risk intelligence provide new tools for operational risk management. These tools can help anticipate threats and prevent long-term damage to an organization.

International Background Checks: Strategies for Global Due Diligence

With the advancement of the modern globalized economy, international background checks continue to grow both in prevalence and in importance. Given that investors often seek out foreign investment opportunities, ensuring complete transparency requires conducting pre-investment due diligence that includes an in-depth global background screening of a company and its executives.

Sanctions Against Russia: What Investors Must Know

The current Russia-Ukraine conflict has sent ripples throughout the global economy. With the U.S. and other Western countries imposing expansive sanctions against Russia, companies are on high alert to ensure that they are in full compliance with the recent announcement made by the U.S. and European governments. This has major repercussions on current and future investment opportunities, both for asset managers and asset owners. With these directives coming into effect, it is all the more important for these businesses to protect themselves and their high-stake ventures.

The Power of AI in Business – Redefining Due Diligence

AI is redefining business practices and enabling firms to achieve their overarching goals. In the financial industry, due diligence is a prime example of a business activity in which the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning can help firms actualize their objectives of absolute efficiency. By reducing natural human errors, eliminating manual inaccuracies, and automating internal operations to increase productivity, AI is transforming due diligence and investment risk analysis norms.