Dawn Raids: The Role of a Director

Caroline Spillane CDir, Chief Executive Officer, IoD Ireland, opened the event by welcoming members and guests to this exclusive event, in collaboration with William Fry LLP. The event took place on the morning of 5th March 2025 at the William Fry offices in Dublin 2. 

In her welcome address, Caroline reflected on how a Dawn Raid has the potential to cause serious disruption to a business, and added the aim of the event was to provide practical guidance and insights on understanding both the process and implications. Caroline acknowledged the expertise and insight of the Guest Speaker Cormac Little SC, Partner and Head of Competition & Regulation, William Fry.  She also thanked IoD Member and William Fry's Senior Consultant John Larkin for hosting the event. 

The event included a thought provoking presentation from Cormac on what Directors and Independent Non-executive Directors need to be mindful of in regards of Dawn Raids. 

Cormac started his presentation by highlighting some key questions all directors should ask in respect of a Dawn Raid. He then went on to outline the details of what a Dawn Raid is; address what the competition/anti-trust law is that underpines it, and then also who enforces this law. This includes in Ireland the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the courts, and the European Commission.

In the in-depth presentation Cormac also outlined what a director/INED should do to prepare, by noting the importance of compliance training. He also outlined best practice on how to prepare and train, react on the day, and also how to deal with the subsequent consequences of a Dawn Raid. The event included an engaging Q&A session with members and senior directors. 

The exclusive event, a key IoD Ireland benefit, provided business leaders and directors with a key networking opportunity to connect and to forge new connections.