In this episode of the Informed Board podcast, our host, Skadden M&A partner Ann Beth Stebbins is joined by guest, Rebecca Corbin from Corbin Advisors, to explore the critical role that board directors play in shareholder engagement. Corbin stresses that a proactive approach toward shareholder engagement can enhance a company’s value.  In their conversation, Ann Beth and Rebecca discuss how a board can best stay attuned to investor sentiment, the practical actions a company can take to...

“There’s certainly an argument to be made, that the moment you name a new CEO, then you ought to be starting to think about who the next person is,” says Blair Jones.  In this episode of the Informed Board podcast, our host, Skadden M&A partner Ann Beth Stebbins, is joined by guests, Blair Jones, a managing director at Semler Brossy Consulting Group LLC, and Erica Schohn, partner and head of the Executive Compensation and Benefits Practice at Skadden, to explore best practices in CEO...

Skadden partners Ann Beth Stebbins, David Schwartz and Lara Flath discuss the implications for US companies of the Supreme Court’s decision in June striking down race-based affirmative action programs in higher education. David Schwartz is global head of Skadden’s labor and employment group, and Lara Flath is a Skadden litigation partner who represented the University of North Carolina (UNC) in the litigation relating to its consideration of race in the admissions process. 💡 Meet Your Host...

Companies now face an additional regulatory hurdle when making acquisitions in the European Union. In addition to merger control and foreign direct investment (FDI) filings, they will be subject to the EU’s new Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), Skadden partner Giorgio Motta explains. The law, which took effect in July, allows the European Commission to look into acquisitions of, and investments in, businesses in Europe by non-EU companies that have received some sort of financial support...

In 2022, the U.S. restricted technology exports to China that might have military uses, and an executive order is expected soon limiting investments in certain Chinese tech companies. Skadden M&A partner Ann Beth Stebbins leads a discussion about the reasons for the rules and their impact on companies doing business in China. Joining her are Jessie Liu, a partner in Skadden’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Group, and partner Brian Egan of the firm’s National Security, CFIUS and...

The SEC’s Rule 14a-8, which gives shareholders the right to put proposals to a vote of other shareholders, was adopted to allow shareholders access to other shareholders and management, BlackRock Head of External Affairs Dalia Blass explained. But it came with some protections to prevent proposals that would be a waste of time, such as those that had little to do with the company’s business. Ahead of the 2022 proxy season, the SEC changed its approach, making it harder for companies to...

In a move intended to “democratize” shareholder voting, several large index funds are giving their investors a say in how shares are voted, instead of leaving those choices to fund managers’ stewardship teams. In the pilot projects, aimed primarily at institutional investors, fund investors are given several options: to vote as the fund manager’s stewardship team recommends; to vote with management; to vote according to an advisor; or possibly some other formula to be administered by the fund...

Skadden partners Ann Beth Stebbins and Ki Hong, Joele Frank partner Jamie Moser and the chief people officer of Duck Creek Technologies, Courtney Townsend, discuss the demands companies face to take positions on political and social issues and growing scrutiny of corporate political contributions. Corporate culture is important to today’s work force, and employees often expect their employers to speak out on political and social issues that are important to them. Employees are also...

In this inaugural episode of “The Informed Board” podcast, Skadden partners Maria Raptis and Raquel Fox join our host Ann Beth Stebbins to discuss changing approaches to antitrust and securities regulation in Washington. They talk about new priorities in antitrust enforcement, new disclosure initiatives by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the obstacles that could hinder regulatory rulemaking.  Since President Biden took office, there has been a shift in Washington. The...

From Skadden, The Informed Board is a podcast for directors facing the rapidly evolving challenges of a global market. A complement to our newsletter for directors, our aim with this podcast is to help flag potential problems that may not be fully appreciated, explain trends, share our observations and give directors practical guidance without a lot of legal jargon. Join Skadden partners who draw on years of front-line experience inside boardrooms to explore the complex issues facing...