Brexit cannot be ignored. Your ability to remain outside of the political discussions may not be possible once the commercial implications are made public. A diverse range of internal and external stakeholders will seek clarification as to how the business will respond. You may be considering:

• What is our public position on key commercial issues?
• How do we plan for the future?
• What clarification will investors need?
• How do we reassure our staff and suppliers?

Brexit and communicating your business plan: Actively manage the concerns of your broader stakeholders including investors, employees and suppliers. FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications practice is able to provide a broad range of support.

• Integrated communication strategies - Campaign platforms, Investor relations, internal communications, supplier outreach
• Media relations and digital communications - Influence public opinion and maximise impact
• Crisis and issues planning - Manage any negative scenarios or outcomes

Having credible evidence to guide your business planning, investment decisions and any public outreach will be essential. You may be considering:

• How could Brexit potentially impact the business and its investments?
• Could existing supply chains be disrupted?
• What is commercially acceptable?
• What are the different scenarios we need to plan for?
• What evidence do we need to support our public position?
• What do our key stakeholders think?

Clarify the potential impacts: Anticipate and prepare for change. Ascertain what are the best and worst case scenarios for your organisation. FTI Consulting’s Business Transformation and Economic & Financial Consulting practices have the skills and experience to help clients anticipate and prepare for the challenges ahead.

• Scenario planning - Assess the potential impact to inform your business planning and any potential lobbying activity
• Rapid performance improvement - Identify priority areas to be addressed in the wider Brexit change programme
• Supply chain strategies - Reassess the organisation’s operating model
• Manufacturing footprint - Redefine the optimal manufacturing strategy and footprint based on new tariffs, duties, volumes and costs
• Distribution network design - Define the optimum logistics network configuration to compete effectively in the new market
• Procurement - Assess key contract and supply risks as a result of new legal landscape: data ownership, customs borders
• Market Research - Gauge investor sentiment, staff views, public opinion

While Europe is on countdown to March 2019 when the UK will officially leave the EU, a potential transition period is still under negotiation. Nothing has yet been determined or clarified. Now is the time to engage both sides of the negotiating table to ensure the best outcome for your organisation. You may be considering:

• What are our commercial priorities?
• How can we maximise our voice to protect our commercial interests?
• When is the right time to engage?
• How can we best influence the right outcome?

Establish and increase your share of voice: Utilise your intelligence, build effective partnerships and leverage influential relationships. FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications practice is able to provide a broad range of support.

• Stakeholder mapping - Identify potential partners, prioritise key decision makers and influencers
• Message development - Utilise your intelligence by developing a narrative with impact
• Lobbying - Direct outreach to key stakeholders, individually or as part of a consortium of interests

Keeping up to speed with the latest developments and being able to anticipate future developments is vital to making informed decisions for your business.

You may be considering:

• What is the latest position of any given issue on both sides of the negotiating table?
• Where are each sides’ red lines and what trade-offs might they be prepared to make?
• What are the next critical phases of the talks?
• How do you translate this information for your stakeholders?

Continually refresh your thinking based on new information: Be able to use the latest intelligence to best inform key people in your business and wider stakeholder network so that you can make timely and well-informed decisions. FTI Consulting’s Public Affairs teams in London and Brussels are immersed in the Brexit process, with professionals who have experience working in both the UK Government and the EU institutions, and can help shine a light on the complexities of the Brexit negotiations.

• In-depth policy analysis - In-depth expertise across multiple sector policies and political developments relevant to your company, helping you to navigate the Brexit process
• Intelligence reporting - Insightful, network-based intelligence – reporting at the appropriate frequency, with analysis and recommendations
• Stakeholder mapping and engagement - Identifying the important individuals, mapping their policy positions, and planning for engagement with political figures and key officials
• Developing bespoke content - Taking the acquired intelligence and information and turning it into briefing content for your key stakeholders

In addition we have Strategic Communications sector teams in the following areas:

• Aerospace & Defense
• Agriculture
• Automotive
• Construction
• Energy, Power & Products
• Environmental
• Financial Services
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Hospitality & Gaming
• Insurance
• Mining & Mining Services
• Public Sector
• Real Estate & Infrastructure
• Retail & Consumer Products
• Telecom, Media & Technology
• Transportation & Logistics

Business has come to increasingly rely on the free movement of its work force across the European Union, to create a flexible employment market. Companies have been able to draw upon a larger employment pool of available talent to help drive growth and competitiveness. Its success is evident. British business currently employs an estimated 2.1 million EU nationals, who together with their families and dependents account for 3.3 million people living in the country. Equally European business employs an estimated 800,000 Britons, a home to 1.2 million in total.

You may be considering:

• How to best inform the team during the transition period?
• How to retain and reassure foreign staff?
• How will legal and HR responsibilities change?
• Will the passporting of professional qualifications continue as before?
• How to adapt future people strategies to support the business?

Managing your employment needs. When it comes to people, Brexit is already having an impact. While the future of this international workforce is at the heart of the negotiations, concrete details have been elusive, which is creating considerable uncertainty for companies seeking to reassure staff and also plan for the future. FTI Consulting’s People & Change Practice is ideally placed to help clients prepare for the challenges ahead:

• Develop a credible internal communications programme - Keeping your workforce informed and engaged with the company’s position
• Creating innovative, flexible people strategies - Maintain motivation; avoid a brain drain and effective on-boarding of new talent
• Driving business continuity through change - Preparing and managing the workforce during any subsequent restructure
• Legally employed - Reviewing and aligning HR needs and requirements as they evolve

Brexit is an opaque process, more political than commercial in its outlook so far. However, as the negotiating process evolves and details are confirmed, business will need to adapt to the new commercial reality.

You may be considering:

• What is the new operating model?
• Is the right business and finance strategy in place?
• Does Brexit impact the corporate M&A strategy?
• What steps should be taken to address any tax and licensing issues or currency fluctuations?
• What new opportunities could be created at a European and international level?

Be ready for change. Business will become increasingly proactive in mitigating any risk and taking advantage of any new opportunities. Scenario planning will shift towards effectively preparing your organisation for the new commercial landscape by implementing and managing any restructure. FTI Consulting’s corporate finance experts address the full spectrum of corporate restructuring, financial and transactional challenges faced by companies, boards, private equity sponsors, creditor constituencies and other stakeholders.

• Operational transformation: Keeping your workforce informed and engaged with the company’s position
• Restructuring: Maintain motivation; avoid a brain drain and effective on-boarding of new talent
• Tax: Preparing and managing the workforce during any subsequent restructure
• Transaction services: identifying growth opportunities - Reviewing and aligning HR needs and requirements as they evolve
• Valuation: evaluate assets: Providing robust valuation advice and support potential portfolio investors

As the UK Government and the EU27 progress phase 2 of the Brexit negotiations, focus shifts to the trading relationship between the two. With speculation continuing about what can be agreed before March 2019 and the need and length for an extended transition period, business and trade continues. But it needs clarity. With a mutual trading relationship worth an estimated €630 billion, much is at stake.

You may be considering:

• What will focus and prioritise minds - trade or politics?
• What kind of deal could the UK achieve?
• What will the remaining EU27 be prepared to give?
• How are sectors being prioritised?
• How do you manage the commercial transition?

Consider Brexit’s trade impacts on your business: Be prepared to protect your business. Any organisation with a vested interest in the trading relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom should be carefully assessing how the negotiations are evolving and the potential impact to your business model. FTI Consulting’s International Trade practice is well placed to help your business meet the challenges and identify the opportunities.

• Identify trade negotiation issues - Campaign platforms, Investor relations, internal communications, supplier outreach
• Develop a trade priority road map - Influence public opinion and maximise impact
• New trade opportunities, post Brexit - Manage any negative scenarios or outcomes
• Modelling the impact of changes in the trade environment - Manage any negative scenarios or outcomes