Activists enjoyed a banner year in 2025. From proxy contest wins at blue-chip companies to a partnership with Taylor Swift’s fiancé, engaged shareholders once again demonstrated their capabilities, creativity and readiness....more
Wilson Sonsini’s 2025 Silicon Valley 150 Corporate Governance Report reviews the corporate governance practices and disclosures of Silicon Valley’s largest public companies. The report includes information regarding board...more
Activist campaigns have become an increasingly common strategy for investors seeking to unlock shareholder value. M&A and other transactional-focused strategies have been a top driver of activist activity, with 45 percent of...more
Exxon Mobil Corporation (Exxon) has begun implementation of its retail voting program, following the receipt of no-action relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). In support of this program, Exxon will...more
Withhold campaigns are not new. However, according to Diligent Market Intelligence, 33 distinct activist withhold campaigns took place in the 12 months ended June 30, 2025, up from 23 in the same period of 2023–24 and 24...more
In this recent podcast, Trends and takeaways from the 2025 proxy season, KPMG Board Leadership Center (BLC) Senior Advisor Stephen Brown and Freshfields Partner Pamela Marcogliese discuss shareholder proposal trends and...more
U.S. public companies face a wide array of challenges, from greater market volatility and increasing economic and geopolitical uncertainty to disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence, social media and cybersecurity...more