The last year has seen significant developments in the FSA Listing Regime and related areas. In December came the 'Consultation on the amendments to the Listing Rules'. In particular, this paper set out a proposal on how the UK Listing Regime could be clearly marked out into 'Premium' and 'Standard', so market participants understand the differences in the obligations issuers have to meet.

The FSA also put forward a number of other proposals based on market feedback such as: providing a level playing field for UK companies by allowing them also to list on the Standard Listing segment; ensuring greater clarity around the corporate governance disclosure requirements of overseas companies with a Premium Listing; maintaining the current disclosure regime for Global Depository Receipts (GDRS) and not requiring sponsors for issuance of GDRs; and extending the Company Reporting Directive's requirement for an annual corporate governance statement to overseas companies.

This year has seen the FSA not only gathering and working on the feedback to these proposals but also developing plans for rights issues reform, and for the disclosure of contracts for differences with the object of providing an effective and proportionate disclosure regime.

All these policies have had to be shaped with a view to their relevance in the worsening economic climate situation.

Over the next few months, the UKLA is expected to propose the actions it is going to take and the timetable for their implementation.

Attendance at this timely event will be invaluable for a wide range of practitioners, including finance and corporate development directors, company secretaries, in-house lawyers, lawyers in professional practice, investment bankers, corporate brokers and accountants. 

Keynote Address
Toby Wallis, Manager, Primary Markets Policy, Financial Services Authority

Expert Speaker Panel
Mark Austin, Senior Associate, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Simon F.T. Cox, Partner, Norton Rose LLP
Lucy Fergusson, Partner, Linklaters LLP
Linda Main, Partner, Head of UK Capital Markets Group, KPMG LLP
Richard May, Partner, Simmons & Simmons
Richard Smith, Senior Associate, Slaughter and May
Louise Wolfson, Partner, Allen & Overy LLP 

The topics covered will include:

• A keynote address from the FSA on the new Listing Regime and related policy issues
• The statutory framework and compliance with, and enforcement of, the Listing Rules
• Application procedure and publication of listing particulars
• Financial information
• Contents of a prospectus
• Continuing obligations and price-sensitive information
• Investment entities, debt and specialist securities
• M&A transactions and transactions with related parties

This event is being held at:
Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington
Scarsdale Place, Kensington
London, UK W8 5SR
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7937 7211
Fax: +44 (0) 207937 7100
Web: www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornetarakensington

Nearest Tube Station:
High Street Kensington (Circle & District Lines)

Map and Directions

• The FSA Listing Regime (Documentation)
• The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers 2009