Authority can be handed over in a day. The risk goes with it
BLACKFILE verifies not the person in general, but their stated history and material circumstances relevant to a specific role: access to money, data, clients, strategy and the company's reputation
The check is carried out within legal limits and in accordance with the requirements of the relevant jurisdiction. Where the candidate's or employer's consent is required, work does not begin without the corresponding basis
At the first step, do not send a CV, passport details, date of birth or other sensitive information about the candidate
ROLE
AUTHORITY
CONFLICTS
CORPORATE HISTORY
SOURCE LOG
01Claimed professional experienceConfirmed
02Corporate roles and shareholdingsRequires explanation
03Litigation and debt circumstancesNot confirmed by available sources
04Conflicts of interest and parallel businessRequires explanation
05Public reputational historyNot verifiable due to legal limitations
Five axes of verification in relation to a specific role. No overall reliability score for a person is derived.
02 / CONNECTION TO AUTHORITY
What is verified is not biography in general, but what relates to future access
Appointment to a position with access to company funds, data and reputation is a decision carrying the same level of risk as a transaction. Resumes and references are rarely verified, and a conflict of interest, a parallel business or an unresolved dispute with a previous employer is discovered only after the appointment, when reversing the decision is costly.
Background Check answers the question of who this person is according to their general biography. Individual Due Diligence deepens the check for a transaction or a complex private decision. Environment Check separately examines environment and connections. Executive Due Diligence examines a person in relation to a specific role: what authority they will receive, what they will gain access to, and what damage is possible if the stated history turns out to be inaccurate.
Psychological diagnosis, medical information and undisclosed credit history are not part of the check and are not replaced by personality assessment.
03 / РОЛЬ И ПОЛНОМОЧИЯ
The scope of a check is set by the role, not the person
Switch the role to see how future access, critical conflicts, the required depth and permissible sources change. This is a demonstration of the method, not real profiles.
Future access
Payments, banking relationships, reporting, terms of contracts and procurement.
Critical conflicts
Interests in counterparty companies, parallel consulting, connections with financial services providers.
Required depth of verification
Full corporate history and roles, debt and bankruptcy circumstances, signing authority in past companies.
Permissible sources
Corporate registries, court and debt sources within accessible scope, information provided with the candidate's consent.
Expected result
Map of roles and obligations, list of conflicts and questions for interview before transfer of signing authority.
Roles are shown to demonstrate the method. The actual scope is agreed for the specific position, jurisdictions and legal basis.
04 / WHEN A CHECK IS NEEDED
When the cost of a wrong appointment exceeds the cost of the check
01
Appointment to a position with financial authority
Signing rights, control over accounts and contract terms.
02
Entry to the board of directors
Access to strategy, transactions and inside information.
03
Hiring an asset manager
Transfer of personal and family assets under management.
04
Investing alongside an existing team
The decision concerns not only the company but also the people in it.
05
Expansion of access to data, accounts or clients
The scope of authority has grown, but the check has remained at the previous level.
06
Contradictions in the résumé
Periods, roles or areas of responsibility do not match each other.
07
An identified parallel business
It is necessary to understand whether it overlaps with future duties.
08
Increased visibility of the role
A reputational episode becomes costlier as the visibility of the position increases.
05 / WHAT IS CHECKED
Only what relates to the role and is permissible in the specific jurisdiction
The scope is determined by future authority. Information not related to the role is not collected, even if it is technically accessible.
01
History and roles
education and qualifications, if material to the position
employment and corporate episodes
director roles and shareholdings
chronology of appointments
02
Obligations and interests
litigation, bankruptcy and debt circumstances, to the extent lawfully accessible
parallel businesses
competing interests
connections with counterparties
03
Public exposure
material public statements
media episodes with source verification
sanctions and PEP exposure, if relevant to the task
EXECUTIVE FILE
The report does not pass judgment on the candidate: it shows what has been confirmed, what requires explanation, and what questions to ask before granting authority
PERMISSION / PURPOSE / PROPORTIONALITY
Availability of data does not equal the right to use it
The availability of information on the internet does not mean it can be collected, combined and used without limitation for a hiring decision. The scope of the check is defined by the purpose, the applicable law and the reasonable expectations of the person concerned.
01
Is there a lawful purpose for the check?
The check begins from a specific decision of the client: an appointment, an expansion of authority, an investment. Interest by itself is not a basis.
02
Is the scope proportionate to the future authority?
The depth of the check is set by the role. Information that does not affect the decision on authority is not collected or retained.
03
Is notice or consent of the candidate required?
Requirements differ by country. Where the candidate's or employer's consent is required, work does not begin without the corresponding basis.
06 / EXECUTIVE ROLE EXPOSURE MAP
Five axes of verification and the associated work route
Select an axis to view the claim, what is verifiable, the source, the discrepancy and the question for the candidate
What the candidate claimed
Positions, periods of employment and areas of responsibility stated in the resume and at interview.
What can be lawfully verified
Public corporate records, professional registers, industry publications and information provided with the candidate's consent.
Source and date
Corporate registers and open professional sources verification date
Confirmation or discrepancy
Periods and roles match independently verifiable records.
Why this is material to the role
The claimed level of responsibility determines the scope of authority to be delegated.
Question for the candidate
Which of the listed periods can be confirmed by documents or references?
The diagram illustrates a model, not the data of a specific person. No overall reliability score is derived: each axis is assessed separately and only in relation to a specific role. Publication or an allegation does not equal an established fact.
01Recording of role and authority.
02Verification of the legal basis.
03Agreement on material questions.
04Verification of the stated background.
05Reconstruction of corporate history.
06Analysis of conflicts and parallel interests.
07Verification of material litigation circumstances.
08Analysis of public reputational history.
09Secondary verification of material conclusions.
10Matrix of facts, discrepancies and limitations.
11Delivery to the client.
12Questions for a follow-up interview with the candidate.
No universal reliability score for a person is produced. Each conclusion is accompanied by a source, a date and a level of confirmation, and the decision on appointment rests with the client.
07 / WHAT THE CLIENT RECEIVES
Material used to make an appointment decision
Each conclusion is tied to a source and a date, confirmed information is separated from information requiring explanation, and questions for the candidate are formulated in advance.
R-01 / RESULT
Role Exposure Map and decision memo
Five axes of verification relative to the role and a short summary for the person making the appointment decision.
R-02 / RESULT
Verified career chronology
Periods, roles and area of responsibility, matched against independently verifiable records.
R-03 / RESULT
Corporate roles and shareholdings
A table of current and past participations with jurisdictions and record dates.
R-04 / RESULT
Conflict of interest map
Parallel interests, connections with counterparties and their possible significance for future authority.
R-05 / RESULT
Confirmed and unconfirmed episodes
Two separate lists: what is confirmed by sources and what is not confirmed by available data.
R-06 / RESULT
Litigation and regulatory matters
Material circumstances within the legally accessible portion, with an indication of access limits by country.
R-07 / RESULT
Source log and interview questions
A log of sources with dates and a list of questions worth asking the candidate before appointment.
R-08 / RESULT
Limitations and date of relevance
What was not verified and why, and the period for which the material reflects available information.
The absence of negative records does not mean the absence of risk. The appointment decision is made by the client; BLACKFILE does not provide an employment or other legal opinion.
08 / WHO THIS IS FOR
For those responsible for appointments
CL-01 / CLIENT
Boards of directors and shareholders
Who is being brought onto the governing body and what interests the person brings with them. Result - a comparison of roles and a map of competing interests.
CL-02 / CLIENT
Owners and CEOs
Whether signing authority and access to funds can be delegated. Result - a verified history and questions before appointment.
CL-03 / CLIENT
Family Offices
To whom family assets and confidential circumstances are being transferred. Result - conditions of control before access is granted.
CL-04 / CLIENT
Investors and funds
How closely the management team matches what is claimed. Result - an assessment of key people within the perimeter of the deal.
CL-05 / CLIENT
HR and appointment committees
How to check a candidate without exceeding legal limits. Result - a proportionate scope and a documented basis.
CL-06 / CLIENT
Legal and compliance teams
Which circumstances require disclosure and control. Result - a separation of fact, assessment and limitation.
09 / COMPOSITE EXAMPLE
Experience was confirmed, a conflict of interest required a separate condition
ED-01Executive Due DiligenceComposite example
A confirmed connection became a condition of appointment, not an accusation
Задача. An investor was considering a candidate for a position with access to procurement and key suppliers. The stated experience and main roles were confirmed, but the corporate history showed a current interest in a company operating in the same market.
Результат. BLACKFILE did not draw a conclusion of wrongdoing. The report separated the confirmed connection, its possible significance for future authority, and the questions that should be discussed with the candidate. The client was able to change the terms of disclosure and control before the appointment.
The example is composite and does not describe a specific person. Illustrative image: the individuals shown are not actual candidates or BLACKFILE staff.
10 / PROCESS
How work on a role is structured
01
Role and authority
What the person will receive: access, signing authority, information, public exposure.
02
Legal basis
Purpose, applicable law, need for consent or notification.
03
Material questions
What specifically needs to be confirmed or clarified for this position.
04
Verification and reconstruction of history
Biography, corporate roles, obligations and public exposure.
05
Secondary verification
Material conclusions are confirmed by a second independent source.
06
Handover and interview
Matrix of facts and discrepancies, a decision memo and questions for the candidate.
ROLE→EXECUTIVE→BOARDThe exact scope and cost are determined after assessment of the role and jurisdictions. Timelines are calculated after the scope is agreed and source data is received; cost does not include taxes and third-party expenses.
11 / FORMATS
Three verification formats
The format depends on the role, the number of jurisdictions, the depth of corporate history and the requirements for candidate consent.
01
Role Verification
Individual estimate after assessment of the role and jurisdictions
Timeframe is calculated after the scope is agreed and the source data received
Confirmation of the candidate's stated professional and corporate history.
Included
one role
one main jurisdiction
professional and corporate history
brief decision memo
02Main engagement format
Executive Due Diligence
Individual estimate after assessment of the role and jurisdictions
Timeframe is calculated after the scope is agreed and the source data received
Full verification across five axes with a conflict map and interview questions.
Included
several jurisdictions
conflicts, litigation, reputation and connections
full executive file
source log and interview questions
03
Board and Key-Person Review
Individual estimate after assessment of the role and jurisdictions
Timeframe is calculated after the scope is agreed and the source data received
Extended scope with mapping of several roles and a working session.
Included
board member, executive or key team member
extended scope
mapping of several roles
working session with the client
12 / LIMITATIONS
What the check does not do and does not replace
Consent and notification requirements vary by country, so the scope is agreed before work begins. Medical and other sensitive data are not checked without a lawful basis, and psychological diagnosis and personality assessment are not part of the service.
The absence of adverse records does not mean the absence of risk: availability of information varies by jurisdiction. A publication or an accusation is not equivalent to an established fact.
the decision on appointment is made by the client
BLACKFILE does not provide an employment or other legal opinion
a universal reliability score for a person is not produced
the scope of the check is proportionate to the future authority
A Background Check confirms a person's general biography. Executive Due Diligence checks the same history against a specific role: what authority the person will receive, what they will gain access to, and what circumstances become material precisely because of that position. The scope and depth are set by the role, not by a universal list.
It depends on the country and the nature of the information. Part of the check is built on public corporate and court records, part requires the consent of the candidate or the employer. Where a legal basis is required, work does not begin until it is obtained; requirements are confirmed by local counsel.
No. Medical and other sensitive data are not checked without a lawful basis, undisclosed credit history is not collected, and psychological diagnosis and personality assessment are not part of the service. The check concerns the stated history and circumstances affecting the role.
No. Each axis is assessed separately and receives its own status: confirmed, requires explanation, not confirmed by available sources, or not checked due to legal limitations. A combined score conceals context and does not assist the decision.
This is a discrepancy or circumstance found that is not an established violation, but is material to future authority. Such points are set out separately together with the question worth asking the candidate at interview.
Yes. Availability of corporate and court information varies by jurisdiction, so the scope is agreed separately for each country, and the limits of availability are indicated in the report.
The timeframe depends on the role, the number of jurisdictions and the depth of corporate history, and is counted after the scope is agreed and the initial data is received. Role Verification for a single role in a single country closes fastest.
The decision is made by the client. The report separates the confirmed connection, its possible significance for the role, and questions for the candidate; the result is often not a refusal but conditions of disclosure and control prior to appointment.
15 / DIRECT CONTACT
Describe the role without submitting the candidate's data
At the first step, do not send a CV, passport details, date of birth or other sensitive information. The role, authority and purpose of the check are sufficient.
