Insights

Digital operational resilience is becoming an increasingly important issue for the financial sector and its supervisors. This is due not only to ongoing technological developments, including in artificial intelligence, but also to recent cyber incidents affecting or targeting the sector. 

Following our recent 2026 annual reporting checklist for Euronext Amsterdam-listed NVs (see our September article), we have now prepared a similar checklist for Dutch public limited liability companies whose shares or depositary receipts for shares are listed exclusively outside the EU. The checklist covers annual reporting for those financial years that start on 1 January 2026. It is available for issuers with two-tier board models and, new this year, one-tier board models. 

The interpretation of bond documentation has received the necessary attention over recent years. Large European companies such as Annington, Just Eat Takeaway and TenneT have faced opportunistic bondholder behaviour in the context of event of default clauses. To determine if these types of provisions in bond documentation have been triggered, it is crucial to understand how they must be interpreted. 

De Brauw advises QIAGEN N.V. the EUR 10.8 billion recommended public takeover offer by EQT Private Equity, at an offer price of EUR 46.50 per share. The offer represents a premium of 40.3% to the undisturbed share price. The transaction follows a comprehensive strategic review, announced by QIAGEN in January 2026. QIAGEN's Supervisory Board and Managing Board unanimously support the transaction and agreed to recommend the offer to its shareholders. 

Arcadis N.V. is an engineering firm listed on Euronext Amsterdam. Arcadis received two unsolicited offers from WSP, a Canadian engineering firm listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Following the rejection of the offers, WSP eventually announced that it would no longer pursue a take over.  

Aegon Asset Management is transferring its fiduciary management activities to Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management while continuing to provide liquid multi-manager investment solutions and liability-driven investment services to fiduciary clients. Separately, the parties have agreed to enter a partnership where Aegon Asset Management becomes Van Lanschot Kempen’s strategic partner for alternative fixed-income solutions.