board structure
10 Tips for Dealing with Shareholder Activism
By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner, Sharon Merrill Associates For many companies, a looming activist shareholder is no longer the exception – it’s the rule. One reason is that an increasing number of hedge funds are using activism as a standalone strategy. Assets managed by activist hedge funds increased 42% in 2013 to $93 billion from $65.5…
Developing an Investor Relations Program for an IPO Company [Video]
By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner Companies planning to go public need to be able to hit the ground running on the day of the IPO pricing with an investor relations program. In order to prepare, Sharon Merrill President and Partner Maureen Wolff provides tips on what to do before and after the S-1 filing…
A Curious Tale from the Annals of Shareholder Activism
By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner Nothing has more power to change a boardroom’s dynamics than the election of dissident directors – especially when they arrive as a twosome. I had the honor of moderating a panel discussion on shareholder activism at the National Association of Corporate Directors New England Chapter breakfast event earlier this…
Prepare for Proxy Access Now – Avoid an Activist Horror Story Later
Hello again. We took a bit of a hiatus from blogging this summer, but we are now back to share a Halloween story sure to scare you straight! Unless you are one of the 33 Chilean miners that were trapped underground for the past two months, you have likely been watching the drama unfold on…
Winning the Gunfight at the Proxy Corral – Four Steps to Prepare for Shareholder Activism
The term “shareholder activism” can sometimes send a shiver down your spine and conjure up all kinds of unwelcome events – unhappy shareholders, proxy contests, shareholder proposals, 13D filings and withhold vote campaigns, to name just a few. I recently moderated a NIRI Virtual Chapter webinar on “Shareholder Activism Trends.” The participants, consisting mainly of IROs…
To Split or Not to Split – That is the Question Boards Should Be Asking
With proxy season on the horizon, a new SEC rule will be requiring companies to justify the structure of the board’s leadership. That could have some companies thinking about whether the roles of chairman and CEO should be separated – an issue that’s been hotly contested for years. Proponents of taking an axe to the…