Clients

Who we work with.

We work for organisations and individuals who need verified information to make a decision, publish a story, advise a client or protect an interest.

We do not name our clients.

Discretion is a condition of every engagement, and the fact that a client has instructed us is itself confidential. The sectors below describe the kinds of organisations we work with and the needs we typically meet.

Media & Journalism
Agencies, NGOs & Institutions
Legal & Corporate
Private Clients

Sector

Media & Journalism

Newsrooms, broadcasters, documentary producers, publishers and independent journalists.

Investigative journalism needs time, research capacity and verification that will stand up to legal review. We provide all three, working to your editorial standards.

Typical needs

Research capacity for investigations that run over weeks or months
Independent fact-checking before publication
Verification of documents, images and sources
Background on people and organisations at short notice

How we help

We work as an extension of your team, under your editorial direction
Every checked claim comes back with its source
We do not publish, and we do not take stories elsewhere
Research files are prepared with legal review in mind

Sector

Agencies, NGOs & Institutions

Public bodies, international organisations, NGOs, foundations, academic institutions and agencies.

Organisations that publish findings, fund partners or shape policy need evidence that is independent, sourced and able to withstand public scrutiny.

Typical needs

Evidence for reports, campaigns, policy and advocacy
Due diligence on partners, grantees and donors
Research into complex issues across several jurisdictions
Independent findings that can be cited with confidence

How we help

Research designed around your terms of reference
Methods and sources stated, so findings can be cited
Reports written for publication or for internal use
Briefings for trustees, boards and leadership teams

Commissioned Reports Regional Investigative Reports Background & Due Diligence Briefings & Analysis

Sector

Legal & Corporate

Law firms, in-house legal teams, consultancies, businesses and investors.

Transactions, appointments and disputes turn on facts. We establish them, document how they were established, and state how confident we are in each.

Typical needs

Background and integrity checks before transactions and appointments
Fact-finding in support of disputes and litigation
Tracing corporate structures and assets
Understanding a counterparty, competitor or market

How we help

We can be instructed by, and report to, counsel
Findings documented and sourced to a standard suitable for scrutiny
A stated level of confidence for each conclusion
Lawful methods only, with a record of how information was obtained

Background & Due Diligence Investigative Research Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)

Sector

Private Clients

Individuals and families, and the advisers who act for them.

Private clients usually come to us with one question that matters a great deal. We answer it with the same rigour as any other engagement, and with complete discretion.

Typical needs

Background on a prospective business partner or associate
Clarity on a matter that involves a third party
Research into a dispute, an inheritance or a historical question
Discretion above all else

How we help

A direct, private relationship with the people doing the work
Clear advice at the outset on what research can and cannot establish
Findings delivered in person or in writing, as you prefer
Strict confidentiality, including the fact of the engagement

Investigative Research Background & Due Diligence Briefings & Analysis

Enquiries

Tell us about your organisation and your question.

Tell us what you need to know. A first conversation is confidential and without obligation.

Request a consultation How we work