The prospect of new regulation at the ownership end of corporate governance mechanisms in Europe is beginning to take shape. The new Member of the European Commission responsible for Internal Market and Services, Michel Barnier, has recently been making increasingly clear his views on the future directon of regulation in response to criticism of the […]
Read MoreHenry Ford is frequently misquoted as saying “History is bunk” what he actually said was: “History is more or less bunk. It’s tradition. We don’t want tradition. We want to live in the present and the only history that is worth a tinker’s dam is the history we made today.” Looking at the current state […]
Read MoreThe European Commission has recently announced it intends to initiate processes for taking action against EU Member States over implementation of the Shareholders Rights Directive (SRD). The Directive, which was passed in 2007, establishes Europe-wide principles for ensuring certain basic rights of shareholders at European listed companies. These rights relate to improved registration, participation and information rights […]
Read MoreA private Member’s Bill was submitted to the Canadian Parliament this week by Robert Oliphant, MP, calling for amendments to the Pensions Benefits Standards Act, 1985, requiring public and private pension plans to disclose considerations given to environmental, social or governance factors during the selection, retention, or liquidation of investments under the plan’s responsibility. The […]
Read MoreWhilst the future shape of shareholder engagement responsibility is debated in London, Brussels and across continental Europe, the debate in Dublin is a fierce as anywhere. In what is traditionally a very close-knit investment and business community, the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) and the Deputy Prime Minister participated in a full and frank exchange of views […]
Read MoreAustralia’s Productivity Commission will submit its final report on executive remuneration to the Federal Government on 19 December. The Productivity Commission was asked to undertake a public inquiry into the regulatory framework around remuneration of directors and executives of companies regulated under the Corporations Act. It was asked to make recommendations on how the existing […]
Read MoreCompanies and financial institutions around the world have express strong levels of support for many of the key components of financial regulation reform proposed by governments in the United States and Europe, according to new research published this week by Greenwich Associates. Greenwich surveyed 458 large companies and financial institutions in North America, Europe and […]
Read MoreThe US Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness conference convened this week to look at the impact of shareholder activism and shareholder rights. Two interesting themes have emerged from reports of the conference, firstly research into the impact of shareholder resolutions and secondly comments from SEC Commissioner Troy Paredes criticizing the SEC’s proposal’s […]
Read MoreThe US Treasury has announced the appointment of a “special master” to oversee executives’ compensation at U.S. companies receiving large amounts of government aid, with the power to reject pay plans deemed excessive. Kenneth Feinberg, a lawyer who oversaw payments to families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, will review the compensation […]
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