Investigation services
Due diligence and intelligence
Corporate, counterparty and background enquiries using relevant records and lawful open sources.
Sources, recorded associations and clearly distinguished intelligence gaps.
Research shaped around the decision.
A useful intelligence review starts with the question the organisation needs to answer. It may concern a proposed counterparty, a declared interest, a commercial relationship or information that requires verification. The purpose determines which sources are relevant and what the assessment needs to explain.
OSINT means open-source intelligence. Public information can contribute to an investigation when its origin, relevance, currency and limits are examined. It is not treated as reliable merely because it appears online or is repeated by several pages.
Focus on relevant entities, people and sources.
The scope can combine lawful public-source research with authorised material supplied by the instructing team. Possible tasks include:
- Corporate, counterparty and principal research for an agreed purpose.
- Entity, ownership and association research where records permit.
- Relevant adverse-information or dispute research.
- Commercially relevant digital-footprint and public online-activity review.
- Source comparison, possible identity matches and evidence-gap assessment.
Make source strength and attribution clear.
An official entity record, a media report, an online allegation and an unverified profile have different evidentiary uses. The assessment identifies the source, date and verification undertaken. Where corroborating information is available, it can help test a material proposition without erasing the limits of the original source.
Similar names and apparent associations require care. A possible match should not be presented as an established identity without an adequate basis. A shared address or recorded relationship can be relevant while leaving the nature of the connection unresolved. Public availability does not establish misconduct.
The detail behind the enquiry.
Explore the scope, evidence requirements and practical considerations.
Support a defined due-diligence question.
A supplier or counterparty review can examine the identity of the entity, relevant principals, declared relationships and material public-source information. The scope should explain the commercial decision and the particular concerns to be considered, rather than promising an exhaustive background clearance.
Legal, financial and specialist technical due diligence remain distinct disciplines. A desktop intelligence review can provide factual research within the agreed brief. It does not certify a transaction, guarantee that every issue has been discovered or establish the commercial merits of an investment.
Provide findings with a usable source trail.
Agreed outputs may include entity profiles, a source record, relationship summaries, a material chronology and an assessment of unresolved questions. The report separates supported information from leads, allegations, assumptions and uncertain attribution. A relationship figure must explain what its connections represent.
The report identifies the research period and important limits in access, currency or completeness. A proportionate follow-up enquiry can be described where it may clarify a material question. The reader should be able to see what a source supports and what further inference would require.
Use lawful sources within the agreed authority.
This practice does not imply access to private accounts or protected databases, specialist cyber forensics or a managed security service. Any overseas or specialist work needs separately confirmed scope and delivery arrangements. Sensitive source material is handled through agreed channels after the initial discussion.
Before we begin
Practical questions.
Practical questions.
Can you review a proposed supplier or commercial relationship?
Yes. A defined review can examine relevant entity information, declared connections and material public-source records. The scope should reflect the actual commercial question and authorised purpose.
How is unverified information described?
The report identifies its source, verification status and limitations. A lead or reported allegation is not presented as an established fact merely because it is public.
Does due diligence mean a complete background clearance?
No. The assessment is bounded by the agreed purpose, research period and lawful sources available. It does not replace legal, financial or technical due diligence.
Can the report include a relationship diagram?
Where useful, a source-referenced diagram can distinguish recorded associations from questions requiring enquiry. Its legend and accompanying text explain the meaning and limits of each relationship.
Related services
Further reading
Begin with a clear brief
Identify the decision the research must support.
Request a discussion about the entity or relationship question. Use the form for your contact details only.