Majority of banks unprepared for emerging fraud risks, reveals white paper

BY Fraser Tennant

Commercial banks are struggling to keep pace with the threat posed by fraudsters, with two-thirds unprepared for emerging fraud risks, according to a new research-based whitepaper by Themis and Bottomline.

Drawing on an industry-wide survey of commercial banking professionals across North America and the UK, the whitepaper details the most critical fraud risks they face in 2025 – identifying fraudsters’ evolving tactics and the vulnerabilities banks must address to stay ahead.

The white paper research also highlights the dynamic interplay between internal and external fraud risks, including how vulnerabilities within banks often intersect with sophisticated external threats.

The white paper examines the evolving tactics fraudsters use to exploit gaps across traditional payment methods, such as credit cards and cheques, as well as emerging payment technologies and financial services, including open banking.

By analysing these intersections, the research uncovers patterns and opportunities for enhancing fraud prevention strategies across both established and innovative financial ecosystems.

“Banks are navigating a rapidly evolving fraud landscape,” said added Dalit Amitai, head of product and technology at Bottomline.” By using the insights from this research, banks can confidently position themselves to tackle both emerging and traditional threats head-on.”

Additional findings from the survey include: (i) half of respondents identified artificial intelligence (AI)-driven fraud as a top concern for 2025; (ii) 62 percent highlighted online account opening and client onboarding as one of the top service trends with greatest potential to increase their bank’s fraud exposure; (iii) open banking (66 percent), biometric authentication (57 percent) and generative AI (48 percent) are seen as the most impactful technologies influencing fraud risk profiles.

The research also underscores the growing sophistication of fraud tactics, with deepfakes, synthetic identities and the rise of fraud as a service set to disrupt traditional fraud detection methods. Moreover, notes the white paper, automation of banking services – cited by 55 percent of respondents as a major fraud driver – exacerbates exposure to risks like unauthorised transactions and privilege misuse.

In light of the increasing overlap between insider and external fraud threats, the white paper recommends more effective industry partnerships and advanced systems integration.

Dickon Johnstone, chief executive of Themis, concluded: “Fraudsters are leveraging advanced technologies faster than ever, which means banks need to adapt rapidly to secure their systems and client trust.”  

Report: White Paper: 2025 Fraud Trends

Blackstone acquires Safe Harbor Marinas in $5.65bn deal

BY Fraser Tennant

In a transaction that expands its portfolio into the marina sector, US alternative investment management company Blackstone is to acquire marina and superyacht servicing business Safe Harbor Marinas for $5.65bn.

The acquisition follows a decision by real estate investment trust Sun Communities – which purchased Safe Harbor for $2.11bn in 2020 – to cut costs and boost revenue contribution from its high-margin core units.

The deal values Safe Harbor at 21 times its estimated 2024 funds from operations – a key measure of profitability in real estate.

Founded in 2015, Safe Harbor Marinas is the largest and most diversified marina owner and operator in the world. It owns and operates 138 marinas across the US and Puerto Rico and is the industry leader in the boat storage and servicing industry. 

“We are very pleased with this transaction which further accelerates Sun’s strategy to improve the company’s leverage profile and refocus on our core segments,” says Gary Shiffman, chairman and chief executive of Sun Communities. “I would like to thank the Safe Harbor team for their dedication and hard work throughout our four-year partnership.”

This transaction – which is expected to close in the second half of 2025 – builds on Blackstone Infrastructure’s diverse portfolio, which has grown approximately 40 percent year over year since inception.

The Blackstone subsidiary specifically targets companies operating in industries experiencing sustained growth, driven by favourable market conditions such as rising consumer demand, technological advancements and demographic shifts.

“Marinas benefit from key long-term thematic tailwinds including the growth of travel and leisure as well as population inflows into coastal cities,” said Heidi Boyd, senior managing director in Blackstone’s infrastructure business. “We believe Safe Harbor is the best positioned company in this sector, and we look forward to working with their team to invest behind their existing marinas and to expand their footprint.”

Safe Harbor joins a Blackstone Infrastructure portfolio that includes major industry players such as QTS, the largest data centre provider in the US, AirTrunk, the top data centre platform in the Asia-Pacific region, Carrix, North America’s largest marine terminal operator, and Invenergy, the country’s leading private renewables developer.

Mr Shiffman concluded: “We anticipate that Blackstone will further Safe Harbor’s position as the leading marina and superyacht servicing business in the US.”

News: Sun Communities to sell superyacht unit to Blackstone for $5.65 billion

Apollo to acquire Bridge Investment Group in $1.5bn deal

BY Richard Summerfield

Alternative asset manager Apollo Global Management and Bridge Investment Group Holdings announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Apollo to acquire Bridge in an all-stock transaction worth approximately $1.5bn.

Following closure of the deal, expected in the third quarter of 2025, Bridge will operate as a standalone platform within Apollo’s asset management business, retaining its existing brand and management team.

Under the terms of the transaction, Bridge stockholders and Bridge OpCo unitholders will receive, at closing, 0.07081 shares of Apollo stock for each share of Bridge class A common stock and each Bridge OpCo class A common unit, respectively, valued by the parties at $11.50 per each share of Bridge class A common stock and Bridge OpCo class A common unit, respectively. The offer represents a premium of about 45 percent to Bridge’s last close before the deal was announced.

 “We are pleased to announce this transaction with Bridge, which is highly aligned with Apollo’s strategic focus on expanding our origination base in areas of our business that are growing but not yet at scale,” said David Sambur, a partner and co-head of equity at Apollo. “Led by a respected real estate team including Executive Chairman Bob Morse and CEO Jonathan Slager, Bridge brings a seasoned team with deep expertise and a strong track record in their sectors. Their business will complement and further augment our existing real estate capabilities, and we believe we can help scale Bridge’s products by leveraging the breadth of our integrated platform.”

“We are proud to be joining Apollo and its industry-leading team, who share our commitment to performance and excellence,” said Bob Morse, executive chairman of Bridge. “This transaction will allow the Bridge and Apollo teams to grow on the strong foundation that Bridge has built since 2009 as we work to pursue meaningful value and impact for our investors and communities. With Apollo’s global integrated platform, resources, innovation and established expertise, we are confident that Bridge will be positioned for the next phase of growth amid growing demand across the alternative investments space.”

Bridge, which was founded in 2009 and went public in 2021, manages about $50bn in assets and has more than 300 investment professionals who focus on real-estate investment. Apollo has set targets of managing $1 trillion of assets by 2026 and $1.5 trillion by 2029, part of a set of goals it laid out at its investor day in October 2024.

News: Apollo to buy real estate firm Bridge Investment Group for $1.5 billion

Diamondback Energy agrees $4.08bn Double Eagle deal

BY Richard Summerfield

Diamondback Energy has agreed to acquire certain units of energy producer Double Eagle in a $4.08bn cash and stock deal.

Expected to close on 1 April 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approval, the transaciton will help Diamondback Energy gain access to 40,000 net acres in the core of the Midland Basin, which is the eastern sub-basin of the Permian Basin.

As part of the agreement, Diamondback and Double Eagle have also agreed to accelerate development on a portion of Diamondback’s non-core southern Midland Basin acreage. This move is expected to bring forward net asset value to Diamondback by developing lower quality acreage at a faster pace than current expectations. As a result, Diamondback expects significant free cash flow growth in 2026 and beyond, with minimal capital deployment through this accelerated development plan. Diamondback Energy expects $200m of capital expenditures in 2025 and anticipates a run-rate production of about 27,000 barrels of oil per day from the Midland assets.

According to a statement announcing the deal, the transaction will be conducted in exchange for approximately 6.9 million shares of Diamondback common stock and $3bn of cash. Based on Friday 14 February’s closing price of $156.99 apiece, the total value of the deal is approximately $4.08bn.

The cash portion of the transaction will likely be funded through a combination of cash on hand, borrowings under the company’s credit facility, and proceeds from term loans and senior notes offerings. The company has also committed to sell at least $1.5bn of non-core assets to accelerate debt reduction. Diamondback expects to reduce net debt to $10bn and maintain leverage of $6bn to $8bn over the long term.

“Double Eagle is the most attractive asset remaining in the Midland Basin,” said Travis Stice, chairman and chief executive of Diamondback. “With 407 locations adjacent to our core position, this largely undeveloped asset adds high-quality inventory that immediately competes for capital. Additionally, we see value uplift to our existing inventory as acreage overlap allows for meaningful lateral length extensions and infrastructure synergies. We look forward to seamlessly implementing our industry leading cost and operational structure on this differentiated asset. The Permian Basin continues to consolidate rapidly.

“We have worked tirelessly over the last thirteen years to position Diamondback to have the longest duration of high quality, low-breakeven inventory; a position we are solidifying with today’s announcement,” he continued. “While we are adding a small amount of leverage to complete this trade, we are confident that we can quickly reduce debt both naturally through our consistent and growing Free Cash Flow and through our commitment to sell at least $1.5 billion of non-core assets.”

“We are excited to announce our agreement with Diamondback,” said Cody Campbell and John Sellers, co-chief executives of Double Eagle. “We believe our team has built a truly standout asset that further increases Diamondback’s high-quality inventory. It was important to us that we maintain the stewardship of this asset going forward not only with a world-class Midland operator but also a group that shares our core values and understands the importance of community impact in West Texas.”

News: Diamondback Energy to expand in Permian basin with $4.08 billion deal

Business confidence among UK CEO’s growing, claims new report

BY Fraser Tennant

Business confidence is growing among UK chief executives, despite ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges, according to a new survey report by EY-Parthenon.

The report, which evaluates chief executives’ capital allocation, investment and transformation strategies, found that 82 percent felt very or somewhat optimistic about the business landscape over the next 12 months, an increase from 67 percent in September 2024.

There is also strong confidence in their companies' performance, notes the report, with 78 percent of chief executives feeling optimistic about revenue growth, 80 percent about profitability and 77 percent about maintaining a competitive position in the next 12 months.

However, despite this optimism, chief executives are cognisant of challenges on the horizon, with 71 percent of survey respondents stating that rapid technological advancements, evolving sustainability agendas and geopolitical tensions will see a shift in compliance being a key strategic factor.

“Our latest ‘CEO Outlook’ reflects a resilient and forward-thinking mindset,” said Silvia Rindone, UK&I managing partner for strategy and transactions at EY. “However, with nearly a quarter citing cost and return on investment as key factors in shaping their digital transformation strategies, it is clear that businesses are seeking a balance between innovation and sustainable growth.”

The EY-Parthenon report also found that UK chief executives plan to undertake transformation initiatives in the next 12 months, prioritising improving customer engagement and retention (45 percent), achieving sustainability targets (43 percent), and optimising operations through digitisation and productivity enhancements (43 percent). “The coming year will be crucial for organisations to refine their transformation approach and unlock long-term value," added Ms Rindone.

Additional findings reveal that the UK remains the top destination for capital investment, with 52 percent of UK chief executives planning to invest domestically over the next year. The US, France, Germany, Canada and Switzerland were all identified as other key investment locations.

Ms Rindone concluded: “With M&A activity set to rebound in 2025, driven by strategic imperatives, digital innovation and a more favourable regulatory climate, business leaders must prioritise diligent, data-driven investment decisions to capitalise on emerging opportunities.”

Report: January 2025 EY-Parthenon CEO Outlook Survey