Sky Blog
For over a decade, the narrative of corporate governance was focused on the concentration of power. The “Big Three”asset managers – BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street – along with the two dominant proxy advisers, ISS and Glass Lewis, were seen …
In the world of corporate governance, large institutional investors wield power. But for many, that power comes from using their “voice” to call for changes within the firm because voting with their feet by selling their stake is not realistic. …
Last week, J.P. Morgan Asset Management (“JPAM”) disclosed that it would no longer rely on the voting recommendations or data collectedby third-party proxy advisors, including Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) and Glass, Lewis & Co. LLC (“Glass Lewis”), in the …
A recent OECD report explores key issues and trends in sustainable bond markets, including green bonds and sustainability-linked bonds. It aims to inform policy discussions on investors’ goals when acquiring sustainable bonds, how these instruments may influence corporate and official …
In Augenbaum v. Anson Investment Master Fund LP et al., the Southern District of New York recently denied a motion to dismiss in a case seeking short-swing profit disgorgement relating to trades that generated ~$500 million by an alleged …
In recent years, institutional investors have been at the center of the global effort to advance an economic transition toward sustainability. Asset managers are increasingly expected to use their financial influence to promote environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives. However,
A central challenge to the effectiveness of shareholder voting is the collective action problem, where dispersed individual shareholders lack sufficient incentives to use their voting rights effectively. The problem is prevalent among retail investors, whose small ownership stakes and minimal …
Activist investors and blockholders are unable to restructure and turnaround poorly performing banks, making it unlikely that they can enhance bank performance and contribute to financial stability. We argue that regulation and supervision hinder the flow of information needed to …
Robust shareholder engagement continues to be a critical component of corporate governance, as well as a key element of shareholder activism preparedness. Proactively maintaining a dialogue with the company’s largest shareholders allows the company to establish credibility, lay out its …
Over the past two decades, investor demand for firms’ non-financial information, particularly Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data, has surged. This has led to the emergence of numerous ESG rating agencies, which assimilate and transform complex, non-financial disclosures into more …
In recent years, legal scholars and economists have debated whether the rise of “common ownership” by large institutional investors dampens competition. The concern is that when asset managers such as the Big Three – BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street – …
The private credit market has undergone a remarkable expansion, with assets under management (AUM) growing from approximately $42 billion in 2000 to over $1.7 trillion by 2023.[1]
Like many transformative asset classes, private credit appears to be following a …
Pay-for-performance is often championed as a possible solution to agency problems, aligning managers’ incentives with shareholder interests. But what happens when solving one agency problem creates another – between the firm and society?
In a recent paper, we develop a …
In a new article, we challenge one of corporate law’s most persistent narratives: the concept of “shareholder democracy.” With people on opposing sides of recent high-profile battles at companies like Disney, Tesla, and Exxon invoking “shareholder democracy” to support their …
In an era of mounting geopolitical tensions, shifting regulatory landscapes, and intensifying climate risks, the role of institutional investors has never been more important – or more contested. With over $50 trillion in assets under management in the U.S. alone, …
In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, stewardship codes emerged as a means for addressing the perceived shortcomings in the governance of public companies (Puchniak, 2024). While these codes vary across jurisdictions, they generally encourage informed voting by …
The global debate surrounding CEO compensation remains important and contentious. While many countries have implemented advisory frameworks for say-on-pay votes, Israel has taken a pioneering approach with its binding dual-majority voting system. Introduced in 2012 through Amendment 20 to the …
Taking into account – and even seeking to influence –Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors in investments in private assets has become significantly more common in recent years. However, the way in which investors can and should think about these …
On September 17, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) announced the settlement of administrative cease-and-desist orders with 11 institutional investment managers for failures to timely report securities holdings required on Form 13F, as required by …
In recent years, one of the most significant developments in corporate governance has been the adoption and expansion of voting choice programs by the largest institutional investors. Such changes have come in response to growing scrutiny and pressure from asset …