Earlier this year, Commissioner Robert Jackson Jr. of the US Securities and Exchange Commission declared that cybersecurity is “the most pressing issue in corporate governance today.” Indeed, widespread digitization has fundamentally transformed the way that people do business, ushering in
Corporate Governance
Implications of the Collaborative Model of Corporate Governance
In a recent paper, Jill Fisch and Simone Sepe outline a new model for corporate governance: the Insider-Shareholder Collaborative model.
A Shift Towards Collaboration
Two models have previously dominated the corporate governance discourse: (i) the management-power model and (ii)…
Digitizing Board Meetings
In the day and age of virtual reality and delivery dinner at the click of a button, it seems almost comical to think that we use sliced bread to explain an invention’s usefulness.
Given today’s unprecedented surge in technology, it…
Exploring the Link between Gender, Governance, and Shareholder Activism
A study conducted by global consultancy firm Alvarez and Marsal (A&M) showed that companies with more women on their boards attract fewer activist investors. In particular, the study, which surveyed 1,854 public groups, revealed that companies not targeted by hedge…
OSC Statement of Priorities
On July 5, 2018, the Ontario Securities Commission (“OSC”) released its annual Statement of Priorities (the “Statement”) for the financial year to end March 31, 2019. The Statement outlines the most pressing issues that the OSC…
Fee-Shifting By-Laws in Canadian Shareholder Litigation
A fee-shifting by-law in the shareholder litigation context, “obligate[s] the plaintiff-shareholder to reimburse the corporation’s expenses (including attorneys’ fees and other costs) when the plaintiff [is] unsuccessful in litigation.”
Shareholder litigation in the United States operates under the “American Rule”…
Tracking the Rise of Shareholder Activism through Withhold Campaigns in North America
In a recent post about Canadian proxy contest trends, we discussed the growing concern with “The Active Passive investor” and potential issues on the horizon given a surge in the use of “withhold” campaigns. As of late, the prominence of…
“The Great White Short?” Canada Is the World’s #3 Destination for Activist Short Selling
Recently, Activist Insight released a report on activist short selling. Activist short selling is when investors publicly bet on a stock going down in value. Among other interesting trends, the report shows that Canada ranks number 3 in the world…
Changes coming to Canadian Business Corporations Act (CBCA)
Bill C-25 received Royal Assent on May 1, 2018. The bill will amend the CBCA by: reforming certain aspects of director elections; creating requirements for public companies to disclose officer and director diversity representation; and introducing the new Notice-and-Access Regime.…
The Gender Question: BC Securities Commission asks for comment on disclosure requirements with respect to board gender diversity
In late 2014, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) published “comply or explain” rules regarding female representation in director and executive officer positions. The requirements were codified in National Instrument 58-101 (the Disclosure Requirements) and created a positive…