Sky Blog
As UK companies prepare for the publication of their year-end annual reports and to hold their annual shareholder meetings, here are some updates.
On 21 October 2025, the Department for Business …
The UK’s first “Copyright vs. AI” decision (Getty Images (US) Inc & ors vs. Stability AI Limited [2025] EWHC 2863 (Ch)) marks a clear win for the artificial intelligence industry. The English High Court raised the rhetorical question on the …
The US is the world’s largest private credit market, tripling in size since 2010 (estimated to be around US$1.5 trillion today) and currently more than twice the size of Europe’s market (approximately US$500 billion-US$1 trillion), according to Barings’ report, Direct …
Disclosure requirements can serve legitimate public purposes, but a blanket mandate risks negative economic ramifications. In a new paper, I examine how excessive mandatory disclosure could backfire, what makes an appropriate rule, and the l challenges of evaluating policies on …
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure for me to be with you in person for the first time as Chairman.[1] I have long believed that the Investor Advisory Committee has an important mission to give considered …
While climate change poses clear threats to corporate financial health, from disrupted supply chains to higher insurance costs, our new research shows that climate risks don’t always lead to lower credit ratings. In fact, we find, firms that increase transparency …
In the modern private capital markets, the traditional distinctions between equity and debt have become increasingly blurred and inadequate to capture the complexity of modern investment instruments. Sophisticated market participants – particularly private credit funds – have begun to craft …
In a recent article, professors Jill Fisch and Jeff Schwartz argue that the beneficiary primacy model – requiring pension fund trustees to maximize economic value solely for beneficiaries – fundamentally misunderstands the nature of public pension funds. They contend …
Thank you, Chairman [Chris] Hayward. You have once again gone out of your way to make me feel welcome in London. Thank you also to all of you who are here today. Before I begin, I must remind you that …
The corporate law discourse on climate change has largely focused on the “internal dimension” of directors’ duties – whether boards must consider climate-related risks and opportunities that affect firm-specific financial performance. While this question has gained significant traction, a more …
Growing concerns about the externalities that companies may impose on stakeholders have placed the mainstream shareholder primacy model under intense scrutiny. Stakeholderism, or stakeholder model, is an alternative approach that requires companies to consider interests beyond those of shareholders, is …
In a recent article, we explore the curious case of how regulators in the EU, UK, and United States treat two forms of insider trading — what we call “traditional insider trading” and “shadow trading.” The former, familiar to …
On 6 April 2025, the consumer protection provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) came into force. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can now directly pursue enforcement action without going through the courts …
Lawyers for public companies across the world may not have expected this, but a recent UK appellate decision on an Antigua and Barbuda company greatly enhanced global shareholder rights. The reason is straightforward – Antigua is one of a handful …
Shifting U.S. enforcement priorities may soon create a crisis in international anti-corruption efforts. For decades, the United States spearheaded those efforts through prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). On February 10, however, President Donald Trump issued an Executive …
Shareholder activism has undergone a striking transformation over the past four decades. What began in the 1980s as a brash and often combative movement led by so-called corporate raiders has matured into a sophisticated, globally attuned, and strategically agile phenomenon. …
In this article, we reflect on key trends in ESG over the second half of 2024 and look ahead at trends that may emerge in 2025.
We …
International Organization of Securities Commissions Publishes Report on Impact of Transition Plans Disclosures
The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a report on November 13 covering the key impacts of, and challenges associated with, transition planning. The …
Say-on-pay, an annual, non-binding shareholder vote on CEO compensation, is one of the primary ways of giving shareholders a voice in corporate governance. It is in essence a vote of confidence on the board of directors’ compensation decisions and the …