Evolving ESG Landscape in Activism
Original Program Date :
Length: 60 Minutes
Recent successes of shareholder activism with energy companies in proxy season are one of the many signs of mounting pressure from investors to enhance their performance and disclosures on ESG issues. We will discuss current pressure points and practical advice with practitioners who have been in the heat of these battles and who are advising companies on how best to pre-empt ESG-themed shareholder activism.
Lara Aryani is a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice at Shearman & Sterling’s New York office. Her practice includes the representation of clients on a broad range of complex strategic transactions, including public, private and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, minority investments and corporate governance matters.
She has experience across a wide range of industry sectors, including food and beverage, media and technology, oil and gas, chemicals, energy, industrials, sport and financial services.
Nicole Clark is Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Oxy. In this role, she is responsible for advising corporate leaders and board members on securities regulation, corporate governance, finance, litigation and other legal matters. Nicole leads Oxy’s shareholder engagement team on ESG and executive compensation matters and oversees the Company’s compliance function, legal support for supply chain activities and operations management for the Legal Department.
Brian advises public companies - from Fortune 500 to small cap biopharmaceutical companies - on a variety of corporate governance matters including environmental & social (ESG) issues and proxy voting/solicitation. Brian’s practice focuses on governance advisory work, including reviewing clients’ current practices and preparing them for shareholder engagement.