Standard due diligence tools such as database searches, company registry checks and adverse media screening were not designed for frontier markets.
In places like Libya, Algeria or Iraq, beneficial ownership is routinely obscured, corporate records are incomplete or unreliable and the most material risks to a transaction or relationship rarely appear in any database.
Uncovering them requires in-country access, established source networks and the contextual knowledge to know what questions to ask and where to look.
GIG's due diligence and investigations practice provides exactly that.
We operate discreetly, work to defined timelines and produce structured reports that meet the standards required by legal, compliance, and investment teams at global firms.
What we cover
Corporate Due Diligence
Pre-transaction and pre-engagement reviews covering the corporate structure, ownership, management, financial standing, and business reputation of a target entity.
We verify the information provided by the subject, identify inconsistencies and omissions and surface the commercial and reputational risks that standard screening misses.
Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)
For higher-risk transactions, relationships, or counterparties, we conduct a deeper investigation drawing on primary source enquiries in-country alongside open-source and database research.
EDD engagements are structured to address the specific risk questions identified during initial screening — beneficial ownership opacity, sanctions-adjacent relationships, undisclosed litigation, political exposure — and produce a documented audit trail suitable for compliance purposes.
Beneficial Ownership Investigations
Mapping the true ownership and control structure of an entity where public records are incomplete, nominee arrangements are in use, or complex holding structures obscure the ultimate beneficial owner.
We combine corporate registry research, in-country source enquiries, and network analysis to produce a clear picture of who ultimately controls the entity under review.
Background Screening & Integrity Checks
Structured background assessments on individuals covering professional history, financial conduct, legal and regulatory record, reputational standing, and any known associations that may create compliance or operational risk.
Asset Tracing
Identification and documentation of assets held by individuals or entities in the context of disputes, enforcement proceedings, or recovery actions.
We trace assets across jurisdictions including real estate, corporate holdings, and financial accounts, drawing on in-country networks where public records are unavailable or unreliable.
Litigation Support
Intelligence and research support for legal proceedings, arbitration, and disputes involving MENA-based parties or assets.
We work with law firms and disputes practices to provide the factual, source-based intelligence that strengthens their client's position — covering counterparty background, asset location, witness identification, and jurisdiction-specific regulatory context.
Third-Party Risk Assessments
Assessment of the risks created by relationships with suppliers, distributors, agents, and other third parties operating in high-risk jurisdictions.
We evaluate the compliance, reputational, and operational risk profile of proposed third-party relationships, supporting clients in meeting their regulatory obligations and protecting their supply chain integrity.
Reputational Risk Assessments
Structured assessment of the reputational exposure created by a proposed relationship, transaction, or appointment. We evaluate the subject's profile across media, regulatory, legal, and political dimensions, providing clients with a clear picture of the reputational risks they are assuming and the mitigation options available to them.
Who we work with
Our due diligence and investigations clients include private equity and M&A teams conducting pre-transaction reviews on MENA-linked entities, compliance teams at financial institutions managing correspondent banking and counterparty risk, law firms and disputes practices requiring in-country intelligence for arbitration and enforcement, development finance institutions conducting integrity due diligence on project partners, and risk consultancies and investigations firms seeking discreet in-country research support.
We regularly act as a discreet sub-contractor to larger investigations firms, providing the in-country research capability that their own teams cannot replicate from outside the region.
Our approach
All due diligence and investigations engagements are scoped precisely against the client's compliance, commercial, or legal requirements.
We agree methodology, timeline, and deliverable format before commencing work. Fieldwork is conducted with strict attention to source protection and operational security.
Deliverables are structured reports with clear findings, supporting evidence, and risk ratings calibrated to the client's specific decision context.
GIG operates under a Do-No-Harm principle. We do not conduct activities that could endanger sources, compromise ongoing legal proceedings, or create liability for clients.
Jurisdictions
Full due diligence and investigations services are available in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.
An extended range of services — covering corporate due diligence, EDD, asset tracing, beneficial ownership, and integrity screening — is available in Iraq.
A focused range of due diligence services is available in Egypt.
For other jurisdictions, contact us to discuss coverage.