Think Like an Activist

Success in the age of shareholder activism means knowing how activists operate, and perhaps welcoming them onto your board.

According to Korn Ferry, last year, activist investors launched 929 campaigns worldwide, a 6% year-over-year increase. In the United States, activist campaigns sought to change board composition and focused on specific corporate governance concerns like board tenure, executive compensation, shareholder rights and ESG-related risk. Shareholder activism is expected to rise, driven in part by the SEC’s new universal proxy rule, which enables investors to target individual directors for removal. 

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About the Author(s)

Erin Essenmacher

Erin Essenmacher is a board director and strategic advisor. She spent nearly 10 years in executive leadership at the National Association of Corporate Directors, most recently as president and chief strategy officer.


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