Challenge

The European Central Bank’s (ECB) single supervisory mechanism decided to carry out its first audit of Greece’s four systemic banks since it was set up. Greece’s leading bank turned to Alber & Geiger for help amid shareholder complaints over irregularities during the last round of capital raising. Assistance was required to ensure a standard and short regulatory scrutiny that would have not weakened further the image and investor confidence in the bank and its management.

Strategy

Alber & Geiger approached directly the European banking regulators and pressed the European Commission and its respective Directorates to announce their clearance of alleged irregularities. We emphasized the importance of investigations being short to not harm the image of the bank and its management.

We then sought to restructure the confidence on the Greek and European financial sector vis-à-vis the EU and German lawmakers and administrators. Our message put on the spotlight the bureaucratic approach and lengthy investigation on the bank itself, highlighting the lurking threat of economic and social instability of requiring more EU taxpayers’ money to the rescue.

Results

Six months into the mandate, the media campaign against our client and repeated calls against its management came to a halt. We helped facilitate the exchange of views between our client and the European banking regulators at the highest political level. By doing so, we helped prevent another wave of economic instability in Greece’s largest systemic bank.

Challenge

The EU-Morocco trade negotiations were about collapse. Our client, the Kingdom of Morocco was in an unpalatable position, propagated by EU outrage regarding Western Sahara. Morocco was regarded as an occupier of the region, that was illegitimately using the natural resources of the invaded territory, to the detriment of the Saharawi people.

Several Members States and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) demanded that, the EU bring an end to the Agriculture Agreement, and the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Morocco. The resolution on the “Situation in the Western Sahara,” consequently condemned the actions of the Kingdom of Morocco. Protecting the interests of Morocco required us to tackle a heavy burden of proof amid these string convictions within the EU institutions and Member States.

Strategy

Our strategy combined economic, legal and political narratives. Pragmatically, it demonstrated how crucial from an economic standpoint the Agricultural Agreement and Fisheries Partnership were to the EU internal market. It emphasized the tangible value of such agreements to the Saharawi people, while simultaneously showing the intangible nature of the accusations against Morocco. To do so it articulated the legality of Morocco actions through public international law discourse.

It drew on specific Member State and organizational interests in the fishing and agricultural sector while simultaneously recruiting these interests into a targeted media campaign. It assimilated an overarching sentiment that such stabilizing agreements were needed, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. It drifted EU institutional thought processes along their own rational that trade must follow the rule of law. However, it did so by flipping the script, in showing the potential these agreements had for strengthening regional stability and international adherence to the law.

Results

Alber & Geiger was able to facilitate the signing of a new protocol, guiding the Morocco-EU relationship into a new and more dynamic framework. Creating a stable platform for long term sustainable trade relations that are vital to the security of the region. It was our ability to navigated the EU’s multifaceted foreign policy that allowed us to ensure this result for Morocco.

Challenge

INTCO is a Chinese company and the world market leader in medical disposable gloves. The company plays a central role in securing reliable, high-quality medical supplies for hospitals, healthcare providers, and patients worldwide.

The European Commission considered applying the International Procurement Instrument (IPI), which could restrict third-country suppliers’ access to EU public tenders. For INTCO, this risked exclusion from medical procurements across the Union—threatening supply continuity, competitive pricing, and Europe’s preparedness for future health emergencies, including the next pandemic.

Strategy

Alber & Geiger engaged the European Commission and the European Parliament, and coordinated with key Member States to prevent discriminatory treatment under the IPI. We made the cross-institutional case that open competition in medical tenders strengthens supply resilience, affordability, and strategic autonomy, safeguarding the Union’s readiness for the next pandemic.

Results

INTCO preserved full access to EU procurement and maintained its ability to compete in medical tenders across Europe. European hospitals retained reliable and affordable access to essential disposable gloves and supplies—reinforcing the Union’s health security and preparedness for future crises.