Due Diligence & Business Intelligence

The strategic and financial objectives of mergers and acquisitions can be imperiled if a target has been achieving performance metrics using bribery and corruption. Careful pre-acquisition due diligence – and timely post-acquisition due diligence that includes analyzing available accounting data such as high-risk accounts and transactions are critical to achieving the full benefit of the bargain, while avoiding reputational, legal, financial, and regulatory exposure.

CRA has decades of experience performing investigations of individuals and entities across geographies and industries prior to our clients’ investments or transactions. Our multi-lingual team combines a thorough review of global data sources, manual record retrieval, and inquiries with well-placed sources in order to verify background, reputation, and business track record.

CRA provides business intelligence through: 1) investigative due diligence on acquisition targets and critical transactions; 2) reputational due diligence on third parties to support corporate policy and regulatory requirements; 3) asset tracing in support of investigations and litigation proceedings; and 4) vetting third parties, including opposing parties and experts in litigation. 

 Using open-source intelligence (OSINT) such as public records, online databases, social media, other sources of legitimate inquiry, and human intelligence (HUMINT) when appropriate, CRA professionals research the history of targets, illuminate connections between parties, identify involvement in litigation proceedings, uncover hidden assets, and verify credentials. Drawing upon decades of experience, our professionals know how to find key facts and bring them together to produce “actionable intelligence.” 

As regulations and companies continue to focus on human rights issues, organizations will need to do more in their legal/compliance departments’ scope and structure as this is no longer only a corporate social responsibility issue. Existing modern slavery regulations focus on reporting and disclosure, and although enforcement has been limited, regulators are starting to mandate audits and compliance programs that can monitor supply chains on an ongoing basis. Preparing today for these likely new laws require companies and their counsel to assess, mitigate, prevent, and address human rights risks through all layers of the value chain.

Pre-transaction due diligence is no longer considered comprehensive without also examining social media, which recent events have shown can have a significant impact on businesses. CRA’s unique social media analytics capabilities can efficiently and algorithmically capture relevant commentary on a company’s business operations, products or management; uncover controversial posts made by a company’s executives that may be reputationally problematic for our clients; and identify “key influencers” on a topic.