Research symposium on beneficial ownership transparency

University of Sussex, UK and online

Purpose

This research symposium will take place over two days in February 2026, and aims to support evidence-based policymaking, implementation, and advocacy of beneficial ownership transparency (BOT) reforms. The Symposium will foster a generative dialogue and provide a platform convening researchers and academic experts in the field, as well as hosting a diversity of individuals from academia, multilateral agencies, civil society, and the public sector.

The main purpose of the event is to share and promote novel empirical research on topics related to policy design, effective implementation, use, and impact measurement of BOT for legal vehicles and assets. It also seeks to elevate the topic of BOT on academic research agendas internationally, and to deepen our collective understanding of the field. This includes considering how the disclosure and use of beneficial ownership information of legal vehicles and assets contributes to broader policy goals, such as fairer and more effective taxation, robust public procurement, and broader public policy and economic outcomes.

Key topics of interest

The key themes to be presented by researchers, advocates, and practitioners are:

  1. BOT policy design and implementation;
  2. impact measurement and data use;
  3. and BOT of assets and other horizon issues.

This may include current or forthcoming research on topics such as:

  • How do legal and institutional frameworks, design, and implementation affect the use of beneficial ownership information and reform outcomes?
  • What tools and methods can we use to assess how effective BOT reforms are at promoting data use?
  • What measurable impacts is BOT having in areas such as public procurement, taxation, anti-corruption, and illicit financial flows?
  • What are the challenges and opportunities for tracking ownership and control of high-value assets across borders?
  • What are alternatives to declaration-based collection of information about beneficial ownership?

For more information, including the full agenda and registration details, please visit the official event site.