Our Global Reach

As companies develop investments and operations globally, they face the task of mitigating risk and optimizing performance across unpredictable environments. These challenges are especially pronounced in developing countries. Their high growth fosters new consumer markets and investment prospects, but their unique development trajectories also present considerable difficulties. These can include low corporate governance standards, fledgling institutions, endemic corruption, and nascent regulatory regimes, all of which multiply operational and reputational hazards. Governments in such states often act as critical market players, adopting a multiplicity of roles that extend into the corporate sector. Weak rule of law coupled with capricious state policy developments heighten regulatory uncertainties. Moreover, cultural emphasis places a high return on strong personal relationships.

In many of our countries of operation, there is significant government involvement in strategic sectors of the economy. Consequently, our clients have found that an assessment of the political outlook is required for a complete understanding of the potential risks and rewards of proposed projects. In addition, in order to mitigate deal risk over the lifetime of their investments, our clients have drawn upon our ability to understand and deal with key leaders in both government and business in complex political and regulatory environments.

Our principals and network of consultants reach into governments and businesses worldwide, enabling us to represent clients in virtually every market, drawing upon local as well as global resources. Our strategic risk advisory and risk management partners and affiliates provide unique global business insights, in-country support, and timely value-added information. We empower our clients to insulate themselves from the perils of excessive risks, while enhancing their ability to take advantage of specific areas for growth.

 

Asia

The Scowcroft Group has advised and supported clients operating in China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines. This has included work in the energy, telecommunications, transportation, financial services, chemicals, defense and food products sectors. Our activities have ranged from political risk assessment to developing financial work-out strategies.

 
 

  • The Scowcroft Group has guided major companies through China's evolving regulatory landscape — working with the largest U.S. investor in China to revise its business plan, support over $1 billion in new capital investment, and build a government relations strategy for a changing regulatory environment. We also helped one of the world's largest insurers win a China business license and build lasting regulator relationships, and advised a leading online financial firm on its China foreign direct investment and export strategy.

  • The Scowcroft Group has resolved high-stakes disputes across Asia's most complex markets, including one of the largest equity investment disputes in China — securing the return of invested capital and profits to foreign participants — and a multi-billion dollar commercial dispute for the largest China vehicle joint venture, resolved without penalties or litigation. In India, we helped a leading U.S. energy services company settle a longstanding dispute with the government, resulting in the largest arbitration award ever against an Indian parastatal.

  • Beyond China, The Scowcroft Group has supported Fortune 100 companies on government relations strategy in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar, helping them navigate diverse regulatory and political environments. We also supported a U.S. technology firm in one of the largest acquisitions of a Chinese subsidiary, combining regional insight with deal execution expertise.

 
 

Middle East & North Africa

The Scowcroft Group has helped clients assess and pursue specific business opportunities throughout the region, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco.

These opportunities have principally been in energy and natural resources, the financial sector, telecommunications, consumer goods and leisure activities.

 
 

  • The Scowcroft Group has advised companies on high-value partnerships and investments across the Middle East, including a diversified U.S. technology company's strategic partnership with a Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth Fund and a U.S. infrastructure manufacturer's greenfield investment and partnership opportunities in the region. We also guided a large U.S. leisure goods manufacturer through its Middle East acquisitions.

  • The Scowcroft Group brings deep sector expertise to energy and telecom deals across the Gulf, advising a major international oil and gas company on exploration and production investments in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, a major U.S. telecommunications firm on the partial privatization of Saudi Telecom, and a large U.S. telecom equipment manufacturer on procurement tenders in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Egypt.

  • The Scowcroft Group also supports clients on complex financial matters in the region, including advising the liquidator of a large financial institution on the recovery of assets across the Middle East.

 
 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Economic and political reform, privatization, greater openness to market forces and the strengthening of governmental institutions and civil society organizations taking place in many African countries is leading to a improved investment environment. Africa is a growing frontier market and has many players, including African investors and sovereign wealth funds. From telecommunications to natural resources, Africa will continue to grow even during global economic downturns.

The Scowcroft Group has advised clients on numerous transactions throughout the region, including Angola, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania.

These opportunities have principally been in energy and natural resources, the financial sector, telecommunications and consumer goods.

 
 

  • The Scowcroft Group has advised on major telecom deals across Sub-Saharan Africa, serving as sell-side advisor to a mobile operator in East Africa on a $128 million transaction, a member of a large buy-side team that concluded a $1.2 billion telecom transaction in South Africa, and financial advisor to a large telecom firm on its $320 million purchase of a South African mobile operator.

  • The Scowcroft Group supports oil and gas clients pursuing East African opportunities, assisting in negotiations on the farm-out of an East African oil and gas block and advising a Gulf-based oil and gas company on the acquisition of East African exploration and production assets.

  • The Scowcroft Group advises resource and commodity clients on complex transactions and regulatory matters across Africa, including a multinational resource corporation navigating a regulatory review with a SADC-region government, one of the world's largest mining companies on a $1 billion-plus asset acquisition, and a major commodity trading company on acquisition opportunities.

 
 

Europe, Russia & Central Asia

The Scowcroft Group has helped clients assess and pursue opportunities in countries throughout the region, including Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

These opportunities have principally been in the following areas: energy and natural resources, the financial sector, transportation, and telecommunications.

 
 

  • The Scowcroft Group has advised on significant energy and infrastructure deals across the region, including a Fortune 100 company's $122 million transportation transaction in Central Asia, an independent U.S. oil company's $100 million sale of Turkish gas assets, and a financial institution's support on the privatization of a downstream oil and gas opportunity in South-Eastern Europe.

  • The Scowcroft Group brings deep Russia-specific expertise, advising one of the world's largest banks on inbound Russian investment and country risk issues, a major U.S. retailer on its market entry strategy into Russia, and a financial institution on natural resource investment strategies in the country.

  • The Scowcroft Group has guided several U.S. financial and manufacturing companies on market-entry strategies across the region, including Turkey, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia.

 
 

Americas

The Scowcroft Group and McLarty Associates have joined our forces in the key emerging markets of Latin America and China. The Scowcroft Group has advised clients on numerous transactions throughout the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.These opportunities have principally been in agribusiness, energy and natural resources, aviation and consumer goods.

 
 

  • The Scowcroft Group has supported companies expanding sales and operations across Latin America, including a major U.S. aviation corporation's customer sales in the region and a luxury boat manufacturer's short- and mid-term strategic development plans across Latin American markets.

  • The Scowcroft Group helps energy and mining clients navigate Latin America's political and economic landscape, assisting a U.S.-based energy company in understanding regional developments and shaping new project strategies, and advising a large U.S. mining company on political and macroeconomic developments in Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, and Argentina.