Corporate Board Member® , a NYSE Euronext Company, and the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) are partnering to host a series of events focusing on the relationship between public company boards and the investor community. Following an investor roundtable held in Washington, D.C. last month, the two organizations will host the Board-Shareholder Forum on June 18, 2013 at the New York Stock Exchange.
The inaugural event will bring together CEOs, board members, general counsel and investor relations with institutional investors, pension funds, asset managers and other shareholder representatives, to debate the future of shareholder/board communications and discuss best practices around shareholders' majority voice and the challenges of future non-binding advisory votes.
"Our goal is to establish a constructive dialogue on topics surrounding the foundations of sound corporate governance policies, the role and influence of proxy advisory firms in institutional investors' voting decisions, and expectations of shareholder groups to engage directly with board members," said Cindy Fornelli, executive director at the Center for Audit Quality.
Featured speakers include:
• Anne Chapman, Vice President, Fund Business Management, Capital Group
• Michelle Edkins, Managing Director & Global Head, Corporate Governance & Responsible Investment, BlackRock
• Jonathan Foster, Director, Chemtura Corp. and Lear Corp.
• Abe Friedman, Managing Partner, CamberView Partners; Former Managing Director, BlackRock; Co-Director, Stanford Institutional Investor Forum
• Jay Hanson, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
• Bob McCormick, Chief Policy Officer, Glass, Lewis & Co.
• Brandon Rees, Acting Director, AFL-CIO Office of Investment
• Gary Retelny, President, ISS Inc.; Managing Director & Corporate Secretary, MSCI Inc.
• Anne Sheehan, Director of Corporate Governance, California State Teachers' Retirement System
• Lopa Zielinski, Director & Senior Counsel, TIAA-Cref
"This movement for more shareholder engagement with board members isn't going anywhere, so we need to figure out a process that will work for all parties. It is interesting that our research shows current board members are open to engaging but corporate counsels, both inside and outside, are very cautious to move in this direction. Hopefully, this event will bring those discussions and concerns out in the open," said TK Kerstetter, chairman of Corporate Board Member.
• Anne Chapman, Vice President, Fund Business Management, Capital Group
• Michelle Edkins, Managing Director & Global Head, Corporate Governance & Responsible Investment, BlackRock
• Jonathan Foster, Director, Chemtura Corp. and Lear Corp.
• Abe Friedman, Managing Partner, CamberView Partners; Former Managing Director, BlackRock; Co-Director, Stanford Institutional Investor Forum
• Jay Hanson, Board Member, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
• Bob McCormick, Chief Policy Officer, Glass, Lewis & Co.
• Brandon Rees, Acting Director, AFL-CIO Office of Investment
• Gary Retelny, President, ISS Inc.; Managing Director & Corporate Secretary, MSCI Inc.
• Anne Sheehan, Director of Corporate Governance, California State Teachers' Retirement System
• Lopa Zielinski, Director & Senior Counsel, TIAA-Cref
"This movement for more shareholder engagement with board members isn't going anywhere, so we need to figure out a process that will work for all parties. It is interesting that our research shows current board members are open to engaging but corporate counsels, both inside and outside, are very cautious to move in this direction. Hopefully, this event will bring those discussions and concerns out in the open," said TK Kerstetter, chairman of Corporate Board Member.
For more information on the Board-Shareholder Forum agenda, complete list of speakers, and registration, please visit: www.boardmember.com/2013boardshareholderforum.aspx