Latest insights

Navigating the Voluntary Standard

The adoption of the sustainability reporting standard for voluntary use (Voluntary Standard or VS) by the European Commission marks a new chapter in the EU sustainability reporting landscape. Developed from the former EFRAG VSME standard, the VS provides a simplified and proportionate reporting framework for companies that fall below the thresholds of the revised CSRD but wish to communicate sustainability...

From forestation to tokenisation

In the nascent era of corporate climate action, carbon mitigation was more tangible and distinctly analogue, as businesses aiming to neutralise emissions would fund projects that planted trees. However, as intensifying global climate pressures demand greater corporate accountability, this traditional forestation model is no longer enough. Forestation projects take decades to mature, are difficult...

Navigating the revised ESRS

Deep dive into the European Commission’s delegated regulation following Omnibus I

Turning AI investment into TMT value

If any sector should be generating real value from AI, it is technology, media and telecommunications (TMT). TMT organisations build the models, run the networks and create the content that AI now touches at every level.

How banks can factor in the consequences of change

Digital transformation continues to be a priority for banking executives, as highlighted by the latest Forvis Mazars C-suite barometer. With emerging technology influencing every aspect of a bank’s operations, how can executives ensure digital transformation programmes are fully aligned with strategic objectives?

Scaling AI in banking

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already an integrated part of banking. The key question, however, is whether banks and regulators can maintain oversight as AI models become more complex, externalised and embedded in core processes. A comparative analysis of US and European markets indicates that scaling AI will increasingly depend on the ability to control, test and supervise it effectively.

Quarterly economics update for FS: Q3 2026

The third quarter of 2026 opens with the two exogenous shocks that defined the first half – a trade war and an energy war. Together they drove US headline inflation to 4.2% in May, its highest reading since April 2023 and a third consecutive monthly acceleration. The defining feature of the outlook is that both shocks are now winding down simultaneously. Plus, since uncertainty itself has been the...

Financial services tax digest - July 2026

AI in the EU financial sector

To harness the potential benefits of AI safely, financial institutions must ensure that they have appropriate guardrails in place to allow safe innovation. The EU’s AI Act will help shape how institutions govern artificial Intelligence across functions. Boards must focus on ensuring that AI risks are identified and addressed across the development, procurement and use of the technology. They must...

Stablecoins: macroeconomic & monetary implications

Digital assets are no longer a speculative frontier but are entering mainstream finance and, just like previous breakthroughs, they may well define capital markets’ infrastructure in the years to come. As institutional capital is increasingly shifting towards stablecoins and tokenised real-world assets, the macroeconomic implications of this shift are becoming clearer. Today, stablecoins account for...

Practical steps for AI adoption

VAT and transfer pricing for multinational groups

Recent case law from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) provides further guidance on the interaction between VAT and transfer pricing (TP). Although the two systems operate on fundamentally different principles - corporate tax focuses on profit allocation, while VAT focuses on individual transactions and the consideration received -the ECJ confirms that TP outcomes may, in certain circumstances,...

Technology transformation for manufacturing

The latest Forvis Mazars C-suite barometer reveals that AI, data security and operational agility will have the greatest impacts on the success of technology transformation in the manufacturing sector. To meet such challenges, taking a tailored approach to change is now a top strategic priority for C-suite leaders.

Managing cyber threats in the automotive sector

The automotive industry has long been synonymous with precision engineering and just-in-time production. But, as vehicles become increasingly connected and supply chains grow more complex, cyber security has emerged as one of the sector's most pressing challenges and recent high-profile incidents have made it impossible to ignore.

The AI-driven transformation of manufacturing

Manufacturers understand the potential of AI but need to do more to prepare their organisations for transformation. Technology upgrades, expert advice and a rigorous approach to use-case selection will ultimately deliver real-world results.

AI transformation in life sciences

AI-driven transformation has the potential to address multiple challenges in life sciences. Yet regulatory guidance lags behind innovation and the industry’s complexity complicates deployment. As industry leaders wait for a clearer mandate, the case for preparing the foundations for AI is becoming increasingly urgent.

Energy: geopolitics and economic security

The global energy landscape is entering a period of sustained uncertainty. Geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic imbalances and accelerating technological shifts are reshaping markets at a pace and scale not seen in decades. Supply chains are being tested, regulatory frameworks are diverging, and energy is increasingly used as both a strategic asset and a source of vulnerability. For large international...

Risk-based value protection in PE firms

As private equity firms navigate increasingly complex digital landscapes, cyber security due diligence (DD) has evolved from an optional consideration to a critical component of deal evaluation. Neglecting it introduces substantial risk that could impact both immediate investment requirements and long-term returns and the most forward-thinking firms are building it into their standard processes and...

AI and the human factor in TMT

Technology, media and telecommunications companies are prepared for change and committed to artificial intelligence (AI) investment. They are also among the first to confront the strategic question of how to strike the right balance between humans and AI in the workplace.

Laying the right foundations for AI transformation

AI increasingly occupies a central role in digital transformation initiatives. For many companies, however, large-scale deployments are not yet a reality. Some are preparing to launch AI transformation projects. Others are adjusting their approach after initial experiments generated mixed results. How should organisations approach the opportunities created by a transformative technology?

Quarterly economic update for the FS

The second quarter of 2026 begins amid elevated geopolitical and economic uncertainty. The conflict in Iran, higher energy prices, evolving U.S. trade policy and emerging stresses in private credit markets are reshaping inflation expectations and growth prospects. Against this backdrop, the U.S. shows relative resilience, while Europe faces a more exposed and challenging outlook.

AMLA: a unified, data-driven AML/CFT framework

The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering (AMLA) has released its 2026-2028 work programme, marking the operational launch of Europe’s AML/CFT framework into a unified, data‑driven supervisory architecture. The programme strengthens systemic supervision, ensuring consistent risk assessment and supervision across the Union and in doing so, redefines supervisory expectations for European financial institutions.

PE investment in TMT

Balancing AI and cyber security in banking

Few sectors take cyber security as seriously as banking does. Financial institutions sit at the intersection of highly sensitive customer data, increasingly sophisticated attackers, legacy infrastructure and some of the most demanding regulatory environments globally. The result is a sector that has, by necessity, developed a mature, confident and structured approach to cyber risk.

Financial services tax digest : Q2 2026

Complying with the NIS2 directive

Alongside GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the ongoing adoption of the NIS2 (Network and Information Security) Directive into the national legislation of the various Member States requires affected operators to consider the organisational changes it entails. For companies to respond effectively, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Data Protection Officers (DPOs) must pool their...

FS: a rise of digital assets

Digital assets are going mainstream. Faster, cheaper cross-border payments are on the horizon. Beyond this initial breakthrough, the potential exists for widespread transformation of financial services.

Valuation update: energy and infrastructure sector

Explore the latest valuation trends in the energy & infrastructure sector, with a spotlight on the role of terminal value. Our Q4 2025 update provides a snapshot of some of the main publicly available valuation trends across the energy & infrastructure sector, covering both debt and equity metrics.

Solvency II revision

The revision of Solvency II represents the most significant adjustment to Europe’s insurance prudential framework since its introduction. While designed to refine capital risk sensitivity within the European Union (EU), the reform will also influence how international insurance groups allocate capital, manage balance sheets and interact with multiple regulatory regimes.

Global innovation incentives and R&D tax relief

Economic conditions in 2026 remain unsettled, with recent market volatility adding to geopolitical tension and uneven global growth. In response, businesses are increasingly focused on identifying competitive advantages and creating options for expansion in a more constrained and unpredictable environment.

Cyber security and innovation in life sciences

The life sciences sector stands at a fascinating crossroads. On one hand, these organisations are at the forefront of progress, advancing technology and science with innovations like AI-driven drug discovery and targeted biologics. On the other, it is grappling with an expanding threat landscape that encompasses everything from state-sponsored attacks to supply chain vulnerabilities, just like other...

Understanding blockchain-related business risks

As a secure and transparent distributed ledger technology that underpins the growing use of digital assets, blockchain has an increasingly important role to play in business processes. However, as with any emerging technology, risks are inevitable, making it essential for companies to proactively identify and manage them.

Cyber resilience in insurance

The insurance industry occupies a unique position in the cyber security landscape, with access to sensitive policyholder data, responsibility for high-value claims and tight regulatory timelines, insurers face immense pressure to restore operations quickly following an attack.

Digital transformation of healthcare

Ageing populations, staff shortages and surging levels of chronic disease threaten healthcare sustainability. In advanced economies, the responses include some of the most ambitious digital transformation programmes of our era.

Accelerating transformation in startup investment

Amid the race to innovate, corporate venture capital is gaining traction and more large companies than ever before are investigating its potential.

Cyber security demands attention in manufacturing

The manufacturing sector faces a sobering reality in 2026: according to IBM, it has been the industry most at risk for cyber attacks for four consecutive years. Yet despite this distinction, cyber security often remains an afterthought in an industry racing to modernise its operations whilst managing razor-thin margins and complex global supply chains.

Optimising digital assets to support growth

As companies seek to unlock greater value, transforming digital assets through innovation and improved efficiency will play an increasingly critical role. Large financial services players and institutions are already exploring the technology to develop next-generation digital assets, products and services. As the market matures, companies and financial players of all sizes now need to ensure they...

Accelerating life sciences re-shoring in Europe

In Europe, re-shoring life sciences production became a key strategic goal for governments in the wake of Covid. However, not all of these initiatives have progressed as expected. A major new report from Forvis Mazars suggests new ways to create success stories across the continent.

Mentoring startups for transformation culture

How to run a startup mentoring programme that increases the success rate of digital transformation initiatives.

Applying VSME

The European landscape for sustainability reporting is undergoing profound changes as a result of the increase in mandatory reporting thresholds enacted by the recently adopted Omnibus I simplification package. Voluntary sustainability reporting for companies outside the scope of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is thus...

Financial services tax digest - January 2026

ECB supervisory priorities 2026-2028

The ECB’s 2026–2028 priorities put the spotlight on banks’ ability to manage geopolitical shocks, digital and cyber risks and climate-related exposures. In parallel, the ECB is overhauling its supervisory framework to make supervision more efficient, focused and agile. Ensuring robust preparation to comply with the ECB’s supervisory priorities and paying close attention to simplification reforms will...

Top risks for financial services firms in 2026

As part of our annual series on top risks facing financial services firms, we have identified and ranked the key risks for financial services business leaders in 2026.

Uniswap: a centralised decentralised exchange

Insurance Recovery and Resolution Directive (IRRD)

The EU Insurance Recovery and Resolution Directive (IRRD) was published in the official Journal of the EU in late January 2025. It introduces a comprehensive new framework to ensure insurers can withstand or exit crises without jeopardising policyholders or financial stability. Modelled on the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD), IRRD brings the same resilience logic to insurance. Firms...