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News & Insights

Latest News & Insights from Vigo Consulting.

Insight
November 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Last time Trump won the White House, green funds took off as many imagined a world where capital markets could be the force needed to slow climate change. This time around however, it’s a different story. In other news, an increasing number of asset managers are dropping ‘sustainable’ from fund labels as regulatory concerns about greenwashing grow.
Insight
November 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

The ESG story in the UK and US couldn’t be more different this week. While the former introduced fiscal changes that many hope will unlock more capital to finance the green transition, the election of Trump in the US caused a huge sell off of ESG and green energy stocks.
Transaction
November 2024

SDI Group

Advised SDI Group, the buy and build business focused on companies which design and manufacture specialist lab equipment, industrial & scientific sensors and industrial & scientific products, on communications around its £8.65 million acquisition of leading computer vision-based measurement systems manufacturer, InspecVision Ltd.
Insight
November 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

More than two years after BlackRock ran into criticism from US Republicans over its focus on ESG investing, the world’s largest money manager is attempting to change the subject. Elsewhere, carbon markets are still facing problems as a wave of reports show that many projects deliver fewer climate benefits than advertised.
Insight
October 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Hundreds of ESG funds are being wound down as the investment strategy continues to battle regulatory headwinds. In Q3 alone, European investment firms liquidated or merged over 100 sustainability focussed funds. In the US, oil companies are coming under fire as an investor group pushes for greater transparency on their long-term liabilities.
Client win
October 2024

Gaming Innovation Group

Appointed by Gaming Innovation Group, a leading provider of iGaming platforms and sportsbook solutions, to advise on capital markets and strategic communications.
Insight
October 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

There has been growing interest from big banks in biodiversity credits to tackle nature loss, with the World Bank estimating that damages to the ecosphere could cost $2.7 trillion a year. In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, investors are more attentive than ever to climate risks facing physical assets.
New hire
October 2024

Senior Counsel

Vigo Consulting welcomes Damian Reece as Senior Counsel. Damian has over 35 years of experience working as a Business and City Editor and strategic advisor and has expertise and insight in all areas of reputation management, financial and corporate communications.
Insight
October 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Climate is on the agenda this week as investors in catastrophe bonds gird themselves for substantial losses following Hurricane Milton. As COP29 approaches, business leaders rally for support ahead of this year’s conference, despite many global companies backtracking on climate commitments.
Insight
October 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Many of the technologies needed to decarbonise industry already exist says McKinsey. If they were deployed at scale, they could reduce up to 90% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Difficulties in defining carbon credits could hinder their rollout, as lawyers push for a legal definition to be agreed.
New hire
October 2024

Director

Vigo Consulting welcomes Joe Quinlan as Director. Joe has over a decade of experience in supporting clients to manage reputations and articulate investment cases while building strong relationships with the media and the investment community.
New hire
October 2024

Director

Vigo Consulting welcomes Guy Scarborough as Director. Guy has over 17 years of experience advising clients across industries to enhance and manage their reputations through financial and corporate communications.
Insight
September 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

California files a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, making it the first major state to hold an oil major accountable for plastic pollution. As Climate Week in New York draws to a close, conversations at this year’s event were tainted by growing sentiment that current net zero goals are near impossible to achieve.
Client win
September 2024

EpiEndo Pharmaceuticals

Appointed by EpiEndo Pharmaceuticals, an Icelandic-based biotech developing therapeutics for COPD and other respiratory disorders, to strengthen its corporate communications, building an industry profile through newsflow, social media and industry conference support.
Insight
September 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

ESG as it stands will not combat climate change, reported the FT this week. Researchers suggested a new approach that places execution - not intention - at its core. Meanwhile, industry leaders reiterate they will only consider energy transition investments if profitable.
Insight
September 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week it emerged that Morgan Stanley had quietly shelved a central pillar of its sustainability strategy, and more scandals are uncovered in the carbon credit market as more projects are shown to have exaggerated green claims. Elsewhere, left-leaning activists are wringing their hands over the slide in corporate efforts to tackle ESG issues.
Client win
September 2024

TheraCryf

Appointed by TheraCryf, an AIM-listed clinical stage drug development company focussing on oncology and neuropsychiatry to advise on its financial and investor communications as well as industry positioning and social media.
Insight
September 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week’s top ESG story was the lawsuit filed against Texas officials over the state’s anti-ESG legislation introduced in recent years. Elsewhere, EU sustainable investment funds have more than doubled their defence holdings since the start of the Ukraine war while increasing climate-related disaster costs are forcing insurers to take on more risk.
Client win
September 2024

VarmX

Vigo has been appointed by VarmX, a Netherlands-based biotech company focusing on the development of innovative approaches for the reversal of anticoagulation, to support its growth strategy through corporate and industry profile raising and media relations.
Insight
August 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Fund managers are increasingly including oil, gas, and mining stocks in ESG portfolios, reflecting a broader ESG strategy rethink. Meanwhile, biodiversity-focused financial strategies are lagging behind those focussed on cutting greenhouse gas emissions and impact investment is once again under the spotlight as investors are encouraged to rethink their expectations.
New hire
August 2024

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Anna Sutton as Account Executive. Anna has parliamentary experience and holds a First Class BA in Spanish and Politics from the University of Bath.
Insight
August 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week more concerns were raised about the use of carbon credits by big tech as a decarbonisation strategy. As climate standards expand, sectors such as oil and gas and tech have come under fire for swerving climate commitments. Elsewhere, Blackrock’s support for proposals on environmental and social issues fell considerably this year to just 4%.
Client win
August 2024

Automata

Appointed by Automata Technologies, a leading automation company powering automation in life sciences labs to support its commercialisation - building an industry profile and engaging with the key US market through strategic and industry communications.
Insight
August 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

New legislation for ESG ratings agencies has been announced by the Chancellor in a bid to curb greenwashing within the sustainable investment sector. In the US, Goldman Sachs Asset Management becomes the latest to walk away from the world’s biggest climate alliance for investors, illustrating the continued and growing anti-ESG movement currently sweeping the States.
Client win
August 2024

Oxford BioDynamics

Vigo Consulting has been appointed by Oxford BioDynamics, an AIM-listed precision clinical diagnostics company bringing specific and sensitive testing to the market based on its EpiSwitch® 3D genomics platform, to support its financial and strategic communications.
Insight
August 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

A $400m green fund has been announced by asset manager Ninety One to a mixed reception. Elsewhere, investor interest in ESG is stalling, with focus shifting to other political and economic issues. Meanwhile, new fund labels aiming at tackling greenwashing in the UK’s finance sector came into effect this week. The measures seek to enhance transparency around ESG funds. The carbon offset market faces a major overhaul in response to changing rules around certification.
Client win
August 2024

SkinBio Therapeutics

Appointed by SkinBio Therapeutics, an AIM-listed life science company focused on skin health, to advise on its financial communications, investor positioning and media relations and to support its recent placing.
New hire
August 2024

Managing Director

Vigo Consulting welcomes Melanie Toyne Sewell as Managing Director. Melanie is an accomplished Managing Partner with over two decades of experience advising companies in strategic communications, with a focus on the healthcare, pharma, biotech, venture capital and private equity sectors.
Insight
August 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

In this week’s ESG news, new research criticised carbon credits for being largely ‘ineffective’ and hindering decarbonisation efforts. Meanwhile, new fund labels aiming to tackle greenwashing in the UK’s finance sector came into effect this week. The measures seek to enhance transparency around ESG funds.
Client win
July 2024

SDI Group

Appointed by SDI Group, a designer and manufacturer of products for use in the lab equipment, industrial & scientific sensors, and the industrial & scientific products markets, to advise on capital markets and strategic communications.
Insight
July 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Cleantech investment was the focus of this week’s ESG news. From funding challenges, to the notorious valley of death, some of the most impactful climate tech startups could be at serious risk if governments and institutions don’t rise to the challenge.
Insight
July 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week, BlackRock’s former chief sustainable investment officer criticised the bank’s role in promoting ‘dangerous’ ESG concepts. Wall Street has begun to swap out the ESG label for ‘sustainable’ in attempts to avoid investor backlash and EU banks call for an overhaul of the continent’s sustainable finance rules as the regulations stifle overseas investment in green transition projects.
Insight
July 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Shareholder support for ESG issues in the US is waning for the second year straight, meanwhile Morgan Stanley predicts ‘power-guzzling’ AI will drive up green debt, and research shows the green economy has delivered high returns over the past 10 years.
Insight
July 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

ESG news was dominated by more scrutiny of carbon credits as climate activists declared that carbon offsets are undermining net zero action. In the US, BlackRock continues its effort to navigate the backlash against ESG investing whilst UK banks grapple with ongoing activist investor movements and shifting societal priorities.
Transaction
July 2024

Supreme

Advised Supreme, a leading manufacturer, supplier, and brand owner of fast-moving consumer goods, on communications around its £15 million acquisition of well-known UK soft drinks manufacturer and brand owner, Clearly Drinks Ltd.
Insight
June 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

New technology to solve the challenges of climate change leads the news this week, with coverage exploring the potential cost of AI solutions. In America, more new technology is on the horizon, with an MIT spinout raising millions for a fund to tackle climate change. Meanwhile, Legal and General Investment Management sells some of its shares in Glencore over ESG concerns.
Insight
June 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week’s ESG news covers the rise in sustainable debt as investors pile into green bonds and the continued pushback faced by the EU’s ESG rulebook. Meanwhile, as investors become increasingly sceptical about the power of ethical investing, the 2021 launch of the GFANZ now seems to be the watermark of the ESG trend.
Insight
June 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

More on the decline of ESG investing this week, as well as the ethics of boycotts, and the future of carbon offsetting. Investor Baillie Gifford was forced to pull funding from book festivals after facing pressure from protestors over its fossil fuel ties, calling into question the ethics of boycotts. Meanwhile, Wall Street backers are confident that the struggling carbon credit market will recover.
Insight
June 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Poor performance, ESG culture wars and new EU rules have all affected sustainability-focussed funds resulting in news of more substantial outflows this week. Elsewhere, the ECB takes a tough stance on climate change as it introduces fines over the failure of banks to deal with climate change.
Insight
May 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week, news that ESG funds are suffering severe outflows for the first time ever dominated the discourse. Elsewhere the SBTi remains at the centre of a fierce debate over carbon offsets that it set to have major implications for corporate climate action, and the need to separate climate risk and financial risk grows.
Insight
May 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

ESG news this week was focused around the social risks of renewable energy and carbon removal projects, and the impact of slowing electric vehicles sales on banking climate strategies. Elsewhere, new research from Morgan Stanley shows that 80% of companies see sustainability as a key driver of profit.
Insight
May 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

In this week’s ESG news, sentiment grows against ExxonMobil’s CEO after the oil supermajor pursued legal action against shareholder groups demanding more climate action. In the UK, sustainable finance policy rollbacks reportedly threaten billions of pounds of funding and a new trend of ‘impact-washing’ is set to threaten the sustainable finance sector.
Insight
May 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

There were debates this week around whether ‘Big Tobacco’ belongs in ESG funds while new research suggests that financed emissions disclosures (those attributed to a financial institution when investing in another company or asset) are more of a distraction to tackling climate change. In the UK, the government’s climate plans have again been deemed ‘unlawful’.
Insight
May 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

This week, the EU delayed the implementation of some ESG reporting requirements and as EU investors pour money into defence exchange trade funds (ETFs), these investments don’t seem to be the ESG pariah they once were.
New hire
April 2024

Director

Vigo Consulting welcomes Rozi Morris as Director. Rozi has been advising on financial and corporate communications since 2007 – both in agency and in-house.
New hire
April 2024

Managing Director

Vigo Consulting welcomes Tim McCall as Managing Director. Tim has spent over 25 years as a strategic advisor, helping boards and management teams capitalise on opportunities and solve problems through communications.
Insight
April 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Greenwashing was the theme of this week’s ESG news as the FCA confirmed that it will be going ahead with the implementation of stricter anti-greenwashing rules, and new research shows that strong climate rhetoric doesn’t always match up with sustainability performance. And news that net flows into EU ESG Exchange Trade Funds halved during the first quarter, is further evidence of the existential crisis facing ESG investing.
Insight
April 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Carbon cost was on this week’s ESG agenda as the IMF and World Bank gathered for their 2024 spring meetings. The estimated cost of climate change, and new guidelines on carbon credits were this week’s biggest stories. Elsewhere, an interview with BlackRock’s former ESG chief sheds light on the future of ESG investing.
Transaction
April 2024

Sparxell

Advised Sparxell, a developer of high-performance, plant-based pigments for use in cosmetics, fashion, paint and packaging, on communications around its $3.2 million seed funding round which included investment from a fund in which L'Oréal is an anchor investor. Sparxell’s pigments are toxin-free and fully biodegradable, unlike traditional synthetic chemical pigments which cause significant environmental harm.
Transaction
April 2024

Quadrise

Advised Quadrise, the supplier of innovative energy solutions for a cleaner planet, on its £2.5M placing and open offer.
Insight
April 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Energy was the spotlight of this week’s news as Bloomberg revealed that US bank, BMO, has dropped its anti-coal policy and new research shows that the UK still lags significantly behind its EU peers on energy decarbonisation. As shareholders demand more environmental and social responsibility from companies, the FT considers how this year’s proxy season will unfold.
Insight
April 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

‘G’ was the focus of this week’s ESG news with debate about whether Tesla belongs in ESG-focused funds, and analysis of how investors can best balance climate governance. Elsewhere, new research shows that 80% of global investors now have sustainable investment policies in place, signalling a win for the sector.
New hire
April 2024

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Anna Stacey as Account Executive. Anna holds a MA in Applied Linguistics from University College London.
Insight
March 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

Texas, BlackRock and Republican-driven anti-ESG activity were again a focus for this week’s ESG headlines, whilst the Wall Street Journal considers whether ESG has had its heyday and the Financial Times explores the ESG investing implications of AI.
Insight
March 2024

The Week’s Top ESG News

ESG news was dominated by yet another activist investor rebellion against BlackRock for its high-profile ESG commitment, while the European Investment Bank was given some leeway to expand defence funding without hurting its ESG ratings.
Insight
March 2024

Energy Transition

Energy has rarely been higher up the political and news agendas. Vigo Consulting’s MD Patrick d’Ancona discusses the importance of articulating your role within the transition with clarity and confidence.
Transaction
February 2024

Deltic Energy

Advised Deltic Energy, the AIM-quoted natural resources investing company focused on the Southern and Central North Sea, on its farm-out of 25% of its Selene North Sea exploration prospect to Dana Petroleum in a deal worth up to $49M.
Transaction
February 2024

Serica Energy

Advised Serica Energy, a British independent upstream oil and gas company with operations in the UK North Sea, on its acquisition of interest in the Greater Buchan Area in a deal with an initial cash payment worth $7.5M.
Client win
January 2024

Smiths News

Appointed by Smiths News, the distributor of newspapers, magazines and ancillary services to retailers across the UK, to advise on capital markets communications.
Client win
January 2024

Sparxell

Appointed by Sparxell, a pioneering Cambridge University spin-out developing sustainable, toxic-free and biodegradable pigments for use in cosmetics, fashion textiles and paints.
Transaction
December 2023

Europa Oil & Gas

Advised Europa Oil & Gas, the AIM-quoted UK and Ireland focused E&P company, on its acquisition of a licence in Equatorial Guinea in a transaction worth $3M.
Transaction
December 2023

Ashtead Technology

Advised Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector, on its acquisition of Ace Winches in a transaction worth £53M.
Transaction
September 2023

Ormonde Mining

Advised Ormonde Mining on its transfer from AIM to AQSE Growth Market and its acquisition of a controlling interest in TRU Precious Metals with a Newfoundland gold project.
Client win
August 2023

Synectics

Appointed by Synectics, a leader in advanced security and surveillance systems, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
July 2023

Metals One

Advised Metals One, which is advancing battery metal projects at brownfield sites in Europe, on its AIM IPO, with an ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
New hire
July 2023

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Aisling Fitzgerald as Account Executive. Aisling holds a BA in English Literature and an MA in Writing, both from the University of Warwick.
Transaction
June 2023

Hurricane Energy

Advised Hurricane Energy, the UK based oil and gas company, on its up to £249M acquisition by Prax.
Transaction
June 2023

Kape Technologies

Advised Kape, a leading 'privacy-first' digital security software provider, on its $1.6BN takeover by Unikmind Holdings, with an ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
Transaction
May 2023

Kanabo Group

Advised Kanabo, a health-tech company focused on patient care with its innovative digital healthcare platform and medical cannabis treatment portfolio, on £2.54M placing.
Transaction
May 2023

Ashtead Technology

Advised on £26M placing by Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector.
Transaction
March 2023

Serica Energy

Advised on the acquisition by Serica Energy, a British independent upstream oil and gas company with operations in the UK North Sea, of Tailwind Energy in a transaction worth £644M.
Client win
January 2023

Kanabo Group

Appointed by Kanabo Group, a health-tech company focused on patient care with its innovative digital healthcare platform and medical cannabis treatment portfolio, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
January 2023

Tap Global

Advised Tap Global, the regulated crypto app bridging the gap between traditional finance and blockchain technology, on its admission to AQSE growth market, with an ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
Transaction
January 2023

Ashtead Technology

Advised on £48M placing by Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector.
Client win
January 2023

Keystone Law

Appointed by Keystone Law, the network and tech-enabled challenger law firm, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
December 2022

Ashtead Technology

Advised Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector, on its £20M acquisition of Hiretech.
Transaction
November 2022

Ashtead Technology

Advised on £12M placing by Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector.
Transaction
September 2022

Kape Technologies

Advised Kape Technologies, the digital security and privacy software business, on its $220M placing, with ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
Transaction
September 2022

Tremor International

Advised Tremor International, a global leader in data-driven video and Connected TV advertising technology, on its $239M acquisition of Amobee.
Transaction
September 2022

Deltic Energy

Advised Deltic Energy, the AIM-quoted natural resources investing company focused on the Southern and Central North Sea, on its £16M fundraise.
Transaction
September 2022

Ashtead Technology

Advised Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector, on its £6M acquisition of WeSubsea.
New hire
August 2022

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Peter Jacob as Account Executive. Peter holds an MA in International Political Economy from King’s College London.
Client win
July 2022

Trinity Exploration & Production

Appointed by Trinity Exploration & Production, the independent E&P company focused on Trinidad and Tobago, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
July 2022

Rockhopper Exploration

Advised Rockhopper Exploration, the oil and gas company with key interests in the North Falkland Basin, on its $10.4M fundraise.
Transaction
July 2022

Ashtead Technology

Advised on £20M placing by Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector.
New hire
July 2022

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Verity Snow as Account Executive. Through her master’s in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Birkbeck College, London, Verity has valuable experience in ESG research and reporting.
Transaction
June 2022

Sound Energy

Advised Sound Energy, the Moroccan focused upstream gas company, on its £4M fundraise.
Transaction
May 2022

Ensilica

Advised Ensilica, a leading mixed signal chip maker, on its AIM IPO, with an ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
Client win
April 2022

Europa Oil & Gas

Appointed by Europa Oil & Gas, the AIM-quoted UK and Ireland focused E&P company, to advise on capital markets communications.
Client win
April 2022

Capital Metals

Appointed by Capital Metals, a mineral sands company approaching mine development stage at the high-grade Eastern Minerals Project in Sri Lanka, to advise on capital markets communications.
Client win
April 2022

Ashtead Technology

Appointed by Ashtead Technology, a leading subsea equipment rental and solutions provider for the global offshore energy sector, to advise on capital markets communications.
Client win
March 2022

Elbow Beach Capital

Appointed by Elbow Beach Capital to assist with the launch of the private investment company focused on decarbonisation, sustainable energy, and social impact businesses.
New hire
February 2022

Director

Vigo Consulting welcomes Finlay Thomson as Director. Finlay has been advising companies for over 20 years, initially as an equity research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Panmure Gordon, ABN Amro and Canaccord and, more recently, as an independent investor relations and strategic consultant.
Transaction
January 2022

East Star Resources

Advised East Star Resources, which is defining mineral resources in Kazakhstan for the energy revolution, on its LSE Main Market IPO, with an ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
Transaction
January 2022

Team17

Advised Team 17, a global games label, creative partner, developer, and publisher of indie premium video games, educational entertainment apps for children and working simulation games, on its £78.6M fundraise.
Client win
December 2021

Quadrise Fuels

Appointed by Quadrise Fuels, a supplier of innovative energy solutions for a cleaner planet, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
December 2021

Hyrdrogen Future Industries

Advised Hydrogen Future Industries, a developer of a proprietary wind-based green hydrogen production system, on its AQSE Growth Market IPO, with an ongoing capital markets communications mandate.
Client win
November 2021

Ormonde Mining

Appointed by Ormonde Mining to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
November 2021

Lyre’s

Advised Lyre’s, the world’s leading non-alcoholic spirits brand, on its £20M fundraise, valuing the business at £270M.
Client win
October 2021

Sivota

Appointed by Sivota, the London listed investment vehicle focused on later-stage, Israeli technology companies, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
September 2021

Kape Technologies

Advised Kape Technologies, the digital security and privacy software business, on its $936M acquisition of ExpressVPN.
Client win
August 2021

Brandshield Systems

Appointed by Brandshield Systems, a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions from brand protection to online threat hunting, to advise on capital markets communications.
Transaction
July 2021

Team17

Advised Team17, a global games label, creative partner, developer, and publisher of indie premium video games, educational entertainment apps for children and working simulation games, on the $26.5M acquisition of StoryToys, a world-class developer and publisher of educational entertainment apps for children.
Client win
April 2021

Lyre’s

Appointed by Lyre’s, the world’s leading non-alcoholic spirits brand, to advise on corporate communications.
New hire
March 2021

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Kate Kilgallen as Account Executive. Kate studied Modern Languages at Durham University, specialising in French and Arabic.
New hire
March 2021

Account Executive

Vigo Consulting welcomes Kendall Hill as Account Executive. Kendall holds a BA in English and History and an MA in History, both from the University of Nottingham.
Transaction
February 2021

GasLog

Advised GasLog, an international owner, operator and manager of liquefied natural gas carriers, on its planned merger with BlackRock’s Global Energy & Power Infrastructure team.
Client win
January 2021

Serica Energy

Appointed by Serica Energy, a British independent upstream oil and gas company with operations in the UK North Sea, to advise on capital markets communications.