– Reuters (paywall) reported that the state of California has sued major oil companies including ExxonMobil, Shell and Chevron,...Read more
Ben Maiden
Editor-At-Large

Ben Maiden is editor-at-large of Corporate Secretary, an IR Media publication, having joined the company in December 2016. He is based in New York. Ben was previously managing editor of Compliance Reporter, covering regulatory and compliance issues affecting broker-dealers and asset management firms in the US and Europe. Before that, he was editor of Euromoney Institutional Investor’s International Financial Law Review and IFLR’s Americas editor, working in London and New York.
He can be reached at +1 212 430 6876,
Or email Ben Maiden
Latest articles
US Foods Holding Corp has hired Martha Ha as executive vice president and general counsel, effective September 25. She will report to...Read more
Regions Bank has made two senior appointments to its compliance and risk-management operations. Anna Brackin has been named as the...Read more
NYSE-listed Tanger Outlets has recruited Jessica Norman as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. In her new role,...Read more
September 2023
In the latest episode of the Governance Matters podcast , As You Sow president and chief counsel Danielle Fugere addresses declining...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that the state of California has sued major oil companies including ExxonMobil, Shell and Chevron,...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) and GRI said they have reached a ‘milestone...Read more
Government services company Maximus has appointed John Martinez as its new general counsel. Martinez was previously vice president and...Read more
– The Financial Times (paywall) reported that a group of more than 70 attorneys and academics criticized what they call an ‘...Read more
American International Group (AIG) is promoting Lucy Fato, executive vice president, general counsel and global head of communications...Read more
Northfield Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northfield Bancorp, has recruited Vickie Tomasello as executive vice president and chief...Read more
NYSE-listed Tanger Outlets has recruited Jessica Norman as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. In her new role,...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that 3M’s board approved a $6 bn settlement to resolve claims that its earplugs caused...Read more
Regions Bank has made two senior appointments to its compliance and risk-management operations. Anna Brackin has been named as the...Read more
Ceribell, the developer of a diagnostic system powered by artificial intelligence (AI), has hired Louisa Daniels as its general...Read more
US Foods Holding Corp has hired Martha Ha as executive vice president and general counsel, effective September 25. She will report to...Read more
August 2023
–The Financial Times (paywall) reported that the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) is working with Microsoft and several banks to...Read more
– CNBC reported that PayPal’s board announced that the company’s new CEO will be Alex Chriss, the executive who runs the small...Read more
Commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE Group has promoted Chad Doellinger to become its new general counsel. CBRE...Read more
– The Financial Times (paywall) reported that US antitrust regulators are taking a tougher line on directors who sit on the boards of...Read more
The Huntington National Bank has hired Marcy Hingst as its next general counsel. Hingst was most recently at Bank of America (BofA)...Read more
NYSE-listed Ashland has appointed company veteran Robin Lampkin as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary...Read more
Unisys has hired Kristen Prohl as the company’s general counsel and chief administrative officer. She reports to chair and CEO Peter...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Elicio Therapeutics has hired Megan Filoon as general counsel. In her new role, Filoon oversees corporate governance and...Read more
Artificial intelligence (AI) is going to have a global and unpredictable impact. In the latest episode of Corporate Secretary’s...Read more
ADM has appointed Regina Bynote Jones as the company’s new senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective...Read more
In-house legal and governance teams are among the many groups taking a hard look at artificial intelligence (AI) and figuring out how...Read more
– The Financial Times (paywall) reported that the carbon-accounting business is booming as regulators, investors and consumers demand...Read more
Moody’s Corporation’s general counsel is stepping down after more than two decades in the job. According to a filing with the SEC,...Read more
Fox Corporation has announced that chief legal and policy officer Viet Dinh will step down from his position and become a special...Read more
Diana Chafey is joining NYSE-listed Hagerty as the company’s chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate secretary. Chafey will succeed...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Allogene Therapeutics has hired Earl Douglas as its new general counsel. Douglas was previously general counsel for...Read more
July 2023
Human resources (HR) technology company Bambee has hired as its new general counsel and chief strategy officer. Most recently, Ferl...Read more
Jianyi Zhang has retired as Nasdaq-listed Canadian Solar’s chief legal officer (CLO), chief compliance officer (CCO) and corporate...Read more
Jacqueline Condron, vice president for governance and proxy voting manager at Mellon, has become a member of the panel of judges who...Read more
The 2023 proxy season was another hectic period for governance teams, but it also came with some welcome indicators for companies in...Read more
AMN Healthcare Services is promoting Whitney Laughlin to become corporate secretary and chief legal officer (CLO), effective August 19...Read more
Gender tops the list of criteria taken into account when boards are looking for new members, according to new research on board...Read more
SEC commissioner Mark Uyeda has raised concerns about the process through which the agency’s staff decides whether to allow companies...Read more
Corporate Secretary is extending the deadline for nominations for this year’s Corporate Governance Awards to Friday, August 4. The...Read more
The SEC on Wednesday voted three-to-two to approve rules requiring companies to disclose material cyber-security incidents that affect...Read more
Alphabet health technology company Verily has appointed Laura O’Donnell as general counsel. O’Donnell joins Verily from McKesson where...Read more
Christina Maguire is stepping down as president and CEO of the Society for Corporate Governance to ‘pursue other opportunities,’...Read more
–Four leading artificial intelligence (AI) companies launched a new industry group to identify best safety practices and promote the...Read more
Douglas Barnard, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of NYSE-listed CF Industries Holdings, has announced that he...Read more
– The Financial Times (paywall) reported that, according to data from EY, more than a quarter of board members at European financial...Read more
Japanese bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group ( MUFG ) has hired Matt Abrusci as general counsel for the Americas. In his new role,...Read more
NYSE-listed specialty insurer and reinsurer SiriusPoint has appointed Linda Lin as chief legal officer, effective July 24. Lin will...Read more
Michael Houston is rejoining NYSE-listed Tejon Ranch Company as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
Mastercard has hired Rob Beard as chief legal officer, general counsel and head of global policy. In his new role he oversees the...Read more
Company veteran Richard Roda has become the new chief legal officer (CLO) of MSA Safety. He succeeds Stephanie Sciullo, who has been...Read more
Firearms and ammunition company SIG SAUER has recruited Laurence Grayer as executive vice president, general counsel and chief...Read more
Governance and investor relations professionals gathered at the ESG Integration Forum – Summer in New York last week. Discussions...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that companies are trying to demonstrate their commitment to minority employees’ success...Read more
– CNBC reported that the National Association of Manufacturers, in a letter to the House Financial Services Committee, criticized...Read more
Philip Morris International (PMI) has appointed company veteran Yann Guérin as senior vice president and general counsel. Since...Read more
June 2023
Shareholders narrowly missed approving a proposal on McDonald’s lobbying activities at the company’s recent AGM amid a continued focus...Read more
– CNBC reported that President Joe Biden was due to meet with artificial intelligence (AI) experts in San Francisco as the US...Read more
Chemical company Univar Solutions has appointed Alexandra Colin as general counsel, effective July 1. In her new role, Colin will also...Read more
The proxy season has underlined the importance for companies of controlling their own narratives, governance experts explained during...Read more
– Bloomberg (paywall) said the world’s biggest climate-finance alliance launched a consultation on its guidance for financial...Read more
Caterpillar’s chief legal officer (CLO) and general counsel Suzette Long, who has been with the company for 18 years, will retire on...Read more
More than a third of votes at the recent AGM of Yum! Brands – whose portfolio includes KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – supported a...Read more
Joanna Totsky is joining The Toro Company (TTC) as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective June 19. Totsky...Read more
Corporate Secretary has announced the panel of judges who will preside over the 16th annual Corporate Governance Awards, for which...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that technology company executives and artificial-intelligence (AI) scientists warned in...Read more
NYSE-listed Rite Aid has hired Thomas Sabatino as executive vice president and chief legal officer (CLO). In his new role, Sabatino...Read more
– The Financial Times (paywall) reported that BNY Mellon’s investment management arm is turning to funds that donate part of their...Read more
Virtual reality (VR) has yet to become a commonplace tool for in-house legal and governance teams, but Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE...Read more
Corporate Secretary has announced three new categories for its 2023 Corporate Governance Awards , with nominations due by July 21. The...Read more
UGI Corporation has hired Kathleen Shea Ballay as general counsel and chief legal officer, effective June 12. She will succeed Monica...Read more
LTSE Group, owner of the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE), has hired Lisa Young as general counsel of its LTSE Services business,...Read more
Shareholders in Dollar General have backed a proposal on the safety of the company’s employees. According to an SEC filing, 67.7...Read more
Jun 16, 2023
– The Guardian reported that the conservative backlash against US brands seems to have reached new heights over the last few weeks as...Read more
May 2023
Almost a third of the votes cast at Dow’s AGM backed a shareholder proposal seeking disclosure about the impact of efforts to cut...Read more
Chevron Corporation shareholders will vote at the company’s AGM later this month on a climate change-related resolution based on a...Read more
Shareholders in ExxonMobil are set to vote on a range of climate change-related proposals at the energy company’s AGM next week. The...Read more
A shareholder proposal seeking information about Goldman Sachs’ plans to shift away from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in areas where...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) noted that companies are for the first time this year tabulating gains and losses in the stock...Read more
A number of ESG-related shareholder proposals filed at Amazon.com’s AGM last week , including some focused on issues affecting...Read more
Elisa Garcia, executive vice president, chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate secretary of Macy’s, has informed the company that she...Read more
Attorneys speaking at the Corporate Secretary Forum – Summer in New York last week pointed to some of the potential benefits and...Read more
Amazon.com shareholders will vote at its AGM this Wednesday on a shareholder proposal – alongside almost 20 other investor resolutions...Read more
– CNBC reported that American Airlines pilots voted to allow their union to call a strike while the company said talks for a new...Read more
Two shareholder proposals – one from the environmental leg of ESG and one from the social leg – each garnered around one third of...Read more
‘The role of lawyers is going to narrow, and the future role of lawyers will be to apply judgment, creativity and empathy – emotional...Read more
NYSE-listed Albertsons Companies has recruited Tom Moriarty to become executive vice president and general counsel, effective June 5...Read more
Scores of Delaware-incorporated companies are sending proposals to a vote at their AGM this proxy season in an effort to limit their...Read more
Stephen Allen, senior vice president, general counsel and assistant secretary with ONEOK, will retire in mid-August 2023 having spent...Read more
Precision Medicine Group (PMG) has hired Stacey Hanna as general counsel and chief compliance officer. She reports to CEO Mark Clein...Read more
May 26, 2023
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Facebook owner Meta Platforms was fined $1.3 bn by EU regulators for sending user...Read more
Susan Helfrick, general counsel and corporate secretary of Chewy, has notified the company of her decision to retire from her position...Read more
NYSE-listed Everest Re Group has recruited Ricardo Anzaldua to become executive vice president and group general counsel, effective...Read more
April 2023
Molson Coors Beverage Company has announced in an SEC filing that Anne-Marie D’Angelo, the company’s chief legal and government...Read more
NYSE-listed Cushman & Wakefield has recruited Noelle Perkins to become executive vice president, general counsel and corporate...Read more
Technology is in Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) DNA, so it is only right that the company’s governance team makes the most of new...Read more
Lowe’s Companies has hired Juliette Pryor as executive vice president, chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate secretary, effective...Read more
– CNBC reported that workers at the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company’s flagship store in Burlington, Vermont, filed with the...Read more
Unlike other public companies, Nasdaq also serves as a market regulator and exchange operator. As such, its proxy statement is viewed...Read more
– CNBC reported that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla signed on to an industry letter in support of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)...Read more
Medical technology firm Becton Dickinson and Company (BD) has named Michelle Quinn as executive vice president and general counsel for...Read more
NYSE-listed Applied Industrial Technologies has hired Jon Ploetz as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. In his...Read more
Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) takes compliance and ethics seriously, and on a global basis. In fact, its team comprises more than 30...Read more
Activewear brand Vuori has hired Libby Stockstill as the company’s first general counsel and corporate secretary. In her new role,...Read more
– Reuters reported that, according to data from legal consultancy Fairfax Associates, there were at least as many large law firm...Read more
Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) has promoted Nichole Tennyson to the newly created role of chief legal officer (CLO). The move...Read more
Shareholders in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals will vote at the company’s 2023 AGM on June 9 on a proposal regarding its use of patents...Read more
‘Some say you can use artificial intelligence. [But] I think we would like to have some people. We want those people around the...Read more
Starbucks Coffee Company has hired Brad Lerman as executive vice president and general counsel. He is now also part of the executive...Read more
Since going public in 2013, Voya Financial has taken a continuous-improvement approach to its proxy statement. Then it undertook a...Read more
This is the third year in succession that PepsiCo has taken home an award for its ESG reporting. The firm shares detailed ESG-related...Read more
The SEC has denied a request from Walmart that the retailer be given the green light to exclude a shareholder proposal seeking a...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell left after an investigation into a complaint about...Read more
Jeffrey Heeter, executive vice president and general counsel of Alcoa Corporation, plans to retire from the company, effective...Read more
Comcast Corporation shareholders appear set to vote on a proposal about the company’s retirement plan and how it may be impacted by...Read more
Governance professionals gathered at the Corporate Secretary Forum – Summer in New York earlier this week. Discussions and...Read more
March 2023
– Reuters (paywall) reported that electronics materials maker Rogers Corp said it has reached an agreement with activist investment...Read more
Eli Lilly and Company shareholders appear set to vote on separate shareholder proposals addressing its lobbying activities and...Read more
– According to Reuters (paywall), Salesforce said activist investor Elliott Management has decided against proceeding with director...Read more
‘[Around] 40 mn to 50 mn people in the world are subject to modern slavery,’ says Yousuf Aftab, director of A2, a law firm that helps...Read more
NYSE-listed Everest Re Group has appointed Brent Hoffman as interim general counsel, succeeding Sanjoy Mukherjee, who the company says...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Okta has appointed Larissa Schwartz as chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate secretary, according to a regulatory...Read more
Rick Dykhouse, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary with Charter Communications, plans to retire after 17...Read more
New York Life Insurance Company has promoted Sandi Tillotson to chief compliance officer. She succeeds Sara Badler, who retired at the...Read more
Hundreds of investors, companies and other organizations have signed a statement calling for state and federal policymakers to avoid...Read more
GE Vernova, GE’s portfolio of energy businesses, has recruited Rachel Gonzalez as general counsel, effective April 1. Gonzalez most...Read more
– CNBC reported that the United Nations published a landmark report urging governments to begin an urgent course correction to tackle...Read more
– Bloomberg (paywall) reported that Bath & Body Works, which had been nearing a proxy battle with Third Point, appointed a...Read more
Smithfield, Virginia-based Smithfield Foods has promoted Tennille Checkovich to become general counsel. She reports to Mike Flemming,...Read more
Perdue Farms has hired Catherine Muldoon as chief compliance officer, to lead the family-owned food and agriculture company’s office...Read more
U-Haul International is promoting Kristine Campbell to become its new general counsel, effective May 12. Campbell joined the U-Haul...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that US authorities took emergency measures to protect confidence in the banking system after the failure...Read more
Shareholder proposals targeting major pharmaceutical companies and resolutions looking into corporate spending on political activities...Read more
February 2023
Karen Roberts has retired this week as Walmart executive vice president and general counsel. Roberts joined Walmart in 1995 and...Read more
TV broadcaster The CW Network has named Tom Martin as general counsel and head of business affairs. Martin most recently was head of...Read more
Chubb and The Travelers Companies are asking the SEC for the green light to exclude shareholder proposals relating to their financing...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) noted that a new SEC rule is aimed at removing loopholes that have allowed corporate insiders to...Read more
Feb 03, 2023
– Reuters (paywall) reported that Nissan Motor Co and Renault agreed to a sweeping overhaul of their two-decade-old automaking...Read more
NYSE-listed healthcare company Catalent has recruited Joseph Ferraro as senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance...Read more
Tesla has appointed Brandon Ehrhart as general counsel and corporate secretary. In a tweet, the company says: ‘ Excited to have...Read more
Brooklyn, New York-based Etsy has recruited Colin Stretch as chief legal officer and corporate secretary, effective February 14...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that according to data from ISS Corporate Solutions, racial and ethnic minorities now hold a fifth of...Read more
Shane Bohnen is being promoted to become senior vice president and general counsel at Bio-Techne Corporation on March 3. He will...Read more
Enterprise software company Sprinklr has appointed Jacob Scott as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective March 16. In his...Read more
Delaware-based WSFS Bank, the primary subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed WSFS Financial Corporation, has made twin appointments to its legal...Read more
Whitney Chatterjee will join NYSE-listed Apollo Global Management as general counsel on April 3. In that role she will be responsible...Read more
– Bloomberg (paywall) reported that, according to an analysis by advocacy group Climate Power, companies announced more than 100,000...Read more
Mastercard has promoted Karen Griffin to the newly created position of chief risk officer. Griffin was previously chief compliance...Read more
January 2023
Discover Financial Services has named Hope Mehlman as chief legal officer (CLO) and general counsel, effective January 9. Mehlman will...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that Walt Disney Co defended its decision to deny Nelson Peltz a board seat, saying the activist investor...Read more
Nasdaq-listed EverQuote, which operates an online insurance marketplace, has hired Julia Brncic as general counsel and corporate...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Ireland’s Data Protection Commission ruled that Meta Platforms cannot use its...Read more
First Financial Bank has appointed Mike Parker as executive vice president and chief compliance officer. Parker most recently was...Read more
Medical technology company Becton Dickinson and Company (BD) has named Michelle Quinn acting general counsel. According to the company...Read more
Shareholders in Hormel Foods Corporation and Tyson Foods are set to vote in the coming weeks on requests for them to limit the use of...Read more
Start-up crypto company Dinara has hired Yanire Martes as general counsel and Victor Guerra as head of compliance. In their new roles...Read more
A large majority of boards are talking about geopolitical matters more frequently than they did just a few years ago, according to new...Read more
BWX Technologies (BWXT) earlier this month promoted Ronald Whitford to become senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance...Read more
Apple faces a potential shareholder vote on a resolution calling for it to have a board member talk to the proponents of future...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that increased SEC scrutiny has disrupted crypto companies’ plans to go public this past...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Rite Aid Corp president and CEO Heyward Donigan left the company. Rite Aid has...Read more
NYSE-listed California Water Service Group has picked Shawn Bunting to become vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary...Read more
NYSE-listed Tyson Foods has appointed Adam Deckinger as general counsel and corporate secretary. Deckinger has been with the company...Read more
Amazon.com has asked the SEC for the go-ahead to exclude a shareholder proposal about its Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from...Read more
Sam Khichi will join CVS Health next month as executive vice president, chief policy officer and general counsel. In his new role, he...Read more
December 2022
Companies and investors are seeing some pushback against the trend toward supporting ESG-based goals. But ESG continues to hold great...Read more
Plans to beef up insider trading rules have been approved with rare unanimous support among members of the SEC, who in recent years...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Copart has hired Paul Kirkpatrick as chief legal officer (CLO), effective December 5. In his new role with the online...Read more
A collection of organizations has urged the SEC to press forward with its landmark rulemaking on climate change while suggesting ways...Read more
Elizabeth Matthews will join NYSE-listed Bristow Group as senior vice president, general counsel, head of government affairs and...Read more
A shareholder group has filed a proposal with Bank of America seeking information about its efforts to tackle climate change alongside...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that restaurant and trade groups said they have submitted enough voter signatures for a...Read more
As You Sow has filed a proposal with the Coca-Cola Company seeking information on the impact of legal curbs on reproductive rights in...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, raised concerns that Tesla’s board has failed to meet its...Read more
San Francisco-based tech firm Unity has hired Anirma Gupta as senior vice president and general counsel. In her new role, she reports...Read more
AbbVie potentially faces a vote on a shareholder proposal seeking information on how its stated positions line up with its political...Read more
NYSE-listed Organon has appointed Kirke Weaver as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective January 1. Weaver was named...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined Facebook owner Meta Platforms €265 mn ($...Read more
The Society for Corporate Governance has picked Christina Maguire to become its new president and CEO, effective January 1. Maguire...Read more
More than three quarters (78 percent) of large companies now include stakeholder-based metrics in their executive compensation plans,...Read more
Christine DeBiase will join The Allstate Corporation as executive vice president, chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate...Read more
– Reuters (paywall) reported that, according to a letter to shareholders, Hestia Capital Partners intends to overhaul the board of...Read more
Nancy Berardinelli-Krantz is joining WW Grainger as senior vice president and chief legal officer (CLO), effective January 30...Read more
November 2022
Prudential Financial and Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings last night won two of the top categories at the 15th annual Corporate Governance...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Walt Disney Co’s board of directors replaced CEO Bob Chapek with Robert Iger, the...Read more
– Reuters reported that the US Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases that may make it easier to challenge the regulatory power of...Read more
The SEC’s landmark rulemaking on climate change has not yet been finalized but governance professionals say companies can and should...Read more
NYSE-listed Albemarle Corporation has hired Kristin Coleman as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
Oracle has hired Stuart Levey as executive vice president and chief legal officer (CLO). Levey from 2012 to 2020 was CLO of HSBC...Read more
Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin has appointed Andrée-Claude Bérubé as executive vice president and general counsel, effective December 1...Read more
Shareholders in Microsoft are set to vote on a proposal seeking information on managing risks from climate change in the company’s 401...Read more
Cincinnati, Ohio-based American Financial Group (AFG) is promoting chief compliance officer (CCO) Mark Weiss to become senior vice...Read more
Nasdaq-listed ImmunoGen has hired Daniel Char as senior vice president and chief legal officer. Char previously worked at Evelo...Read more
Board directors are more likely to be being briefed on ESG matters than any other issue, according to new research from Corporate...Read more
The M&A market is facing challenges after a stunning 2021, but deals continue to be done and governance, investor relations and...Read more
Large US companies continue to face pressure to take public positions on a range of political and social issues such as reproductive...Read more
– CNN reported that, according to a securities filing, Twitter’s board of directors was dissolved following Elon Musk’s takeover of...Read more
– Reuters reported that Tyson Foods’ board is overseeing a ‘thorough review’ of the arrest of CFO John Tyson on charges that he...Read more
Cyber-security company Tenable has recruited Michelle VonderHaar as its chief legal officer and general counsel. VonderHaar most...Read more
Governance professionals met at the Corporate Secretary Forum in New York last week to share their expertise on issues affecting the...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Codexis has appointed Margaret Fitzgerald as chief legal officer and general counsel. She now heads up the enzyme...Read more
There has been a proliferation of what some observers call ‘anti-ESG’ shareholder proposals – those that are very similar to other ESG...Read more
October 2022
Marcia Backus, senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer of Occidental Petroleum, intends to retire from the...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that many companies are delaying acquisitions because a combination of economic factors...Read more
Intel Corporation has promoted Carol Tate to vice president and chief compliance officer (CCO). The move was announced on LinkedIn by...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) noted that the US Department of Justice is looking to counter data showing a decline in corporate...Read more
Laura Schumacher, chief legal officer and vice chair of external affairs with NYSE-listed AbbVie, will retire from the company...Read more
– According to the Financial Times (paywall), executives at some US public companies will earn millions of dollars in equity-based...Read more
New York Life Insurance Company has promoted Michael McDonnell to become its new general counsel. McDonnell has been senior vice...Read more
Jason Klein, general counsel and senior vice president at USAA, is to expand his role to become the company’s chief corporate...Read more
William Dodero will become Bayer’s new US general counsel and senior vice president, as well as a member of its US country leadership...Read more
– Reuters reported that, according to the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Apple retail workers voted to form a union at an...Read more
State Street Corporation has appointed Yvette Hollingsworth Clark as executive vice president and global chief compliance officer (CCO...Read more
A large majority of companies are looking beyond the interests of just shareholders, but relatively few have so far created a formal...Read more
Corporate Secretary is delighted to announce the short-listed nominees for its 15th Corporate Governance Awards. The winners, selected...Read more
John Killea will retire early next year as chief legal officer (CLO) and chief compliance officer (CCO) of NYSE-listed Stewart...Read more
The Shareholder Rights Group has responded to critics of SEC plans to update the grounds on which companies may be allowed to exclude...Read more
Chicago-based CME Group has hired Jonathan Marcus as senior managing director and general counsel. Marcus is now chief legal adviser...Read more
General counsel at large US companies benefited from pay increases in 2021 although the outlook is less clear, according to new...Read more
NYSE-listed Under Armour has appointed Mehri Shadman as chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate secretary, effective October 24. She...Read more
A memo the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released last month outlining what the department calls revisions to its corporate criminal...Read more
September 2022
Animal-health technology and services company Covetrus has appointed Margie Pritchard as general counsel and corporate secretary. She...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that, according to people familiar with the matter, Instacart doesn’t intend to raise...Read more
A coalition of investors including representatives of New York City and union members has filed a shareholder proposal with Apple...Read more
Pinterest has appointed Wanji Walcott as chief legal officer (CLO), effective November 14. She will report to CEO Bill Ready. Walcott...Read more
– Reuters reported that Belgian chemicals company Solvay said it plans to cut industrial waste discharged into the sea from soda-ash...Read more
Nasdaq has raised concerns about – and suggested changes to – the SEC’s plan to update the grounds on which companies may be allowed...Read more
Companies and their boards need to ensure their messaging is authentic as they shift – or consider moving toward – a stakeholder...Read more
The 2022 proxy season has had a touch of the Rorschach test about it, based on some of the headline figures from voting on the year’s...Read more
– Reuters reported that Zendesk investor Light Street Capital Management reaffirmed its decision to vote against the software company’...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Unilever CEO Alan Jope plans to retire at the end of next year. The consumer goods...Read more
The US Chamber of Commerce has recruited David Detweiler as general counsel. Detweiler was previously executive vice president and...Read more
Cannabis tech company Dutchie has recruited John Kelleher as its new general counsel. Kelleher was previously general counsel for NYSE...Read more
Spirits and food company MGP Ingredients has hired Curtis Landherr as its chief legal officer, effective October 17. Most recently,...Read more
FUJIFILM Holdings America has appointed Sarah Karlgaard as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. She joins Fujifilm...Read more
NYSE-listed Comerica has given company veteran Von Hays the title of executive vice president and chief legal officer (CLO) – general...Read more
NYSE-listed Spire Global has appointed Boyd Johnson as chief legal officer (CLO). He is a member of the company’s executive team and...Read more
HP has recruited Julie Jacobs as its new chief legal officer and general counsel, according to a LinkedIn post from HP president and...Read more
August 2022
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has recruited Denis McHugh as chief risk officer (CRO) for MUFG Securities Americas and market...Read more
NYSE-listed software intelligence company Dynatrace has appointed Nicole Fitzpatrick as general counsel. In her new role, Fitzpatrick...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) imposed a $30 mn fine on...Read more
Nasdaq-listed S&T Bancorp, the holding company for S&T Bank, has hired Rachel Smydo to take on the role of general counsel,...Read more
More than a third of votes at Tesla’s AGM last week went for a shareholder proposal seeking a report on climate-related lobbying...Read more
David Shelton, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, has announced he plans to retire from The Chemours...Read more
Draganfly has hired Deborah Greenberg as chief legal officer (CLO). Greenberg was previously chief information officer and CLO at...Read more
– CNN reported that, for the first time, every company listed on the S&P 500 has at least one racially or ethnically diverse...Read more
– Bloomberg reported that McDonald’s will add Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano to its board as part of a handful of changes...Read more
‘Corporate boards get to decide whether they want to go the route of the phoenix or the dodo,’ says Veena Ramani, research director at...Read more
JetBlue Airways has promoted Renée Anckner to become vice president and associate general counsel with the airline. In this role,...Read more
Ceres has welcomed the SEC’s two ESG fund proposals but is asking it to consider changes that address, among other things, investors’...Read more
Online gaming company FanDuel Group has appointed Carolyn Renzin to the position of chief legal officer in addition to her existing...Read more
NYSE-listed RE/MAX Holdings, parent company of RE/MAX and Motto Mortgage, has promoted Susie Winders to become general counsel, chief...Read more
Freight transportation services company XPO Logistics has hired Jeff Firestone to become chief legal officer (CLO) of RXO, the planned...Read more
The SEC’s plan to update the grounds on which companies may be allowed to exclude shareholder proposals looks set to divide opinion...Read more
L&T Technology Services has appointed Nandini Nair as the company’s global general counsel. As part of her new role, Nandini...Read more
Far fewer boards at companies in North America are linking their executives’ compensation to ESG than are their peers in Europe,...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under chair Lina Khan is questioning mergers that likely...Read more
July 2022
– Reuters reported that a growing number of large US companies have said they will cover travel costs for employees who must leave...Read more
Oncology biotechnology company BeiGene has appointed Chan Lee as general counsel. Lee most recently was North America general counsel...Read more
Freddie Mac is hiring Dennis Hermonstyne as senior vice president and chief compliance officer (CCO), effective September 19...Read more
Joseph Saab has become senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of International Paper, effective July 1. Saab...Read more
Skepticism about ESG has presented itself recently in some high-profile examples of investors and lawmakers pushing back against what...Read more
Nasdaq-listed CarGurus has hired Javier Zamora as general counsel, reporting to CEO Jason Trevisan. Zamora most recently was general...Read more
Leading governance and investor relations professionals will gather in New York next week to share their expertise and practical...Read more
Elizabeth Forminard will take over as general counsel at Johnson & Johnson in October this year. She will succeed Michael Ullmann...Read more
– CNBC reported that Tesla disclosed it had received a second subpoena from the SEC regarding CEO Elon Musk’s tweets in 2018 about...Read more
Company veteran Dorian Daley is retiring as Oracle Corporation’s executive vice president and general counsel. According to an SEC...Read more
Corporate Secretary is extending the deadline for nominations for this year’s Corporate Governance Awards until Friday, July 29. The...Read more
– According to The Wall Street Journal (paywall), firms that verify companies’ climate data are at odds over who is qualified to...Read more
– Reuters reported that Suncor Energy said it had added three new independent directors and would review a possible sale of its...Read more
KKR & Co has hired Kathryn King Sudol as its next general counsel. She will succeed David Sorkin, who has been KKR’s general...Read more
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals has promoted Patrick O’Brien to become general counsel and COO, effective July 15, according to an SEC...Read more
Corporate Secretary and sister publication IR Magazine have announced the winners of the inaugural ESG Integration Awards. The winners...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Gilead Sciences has picked Deborah Telman to become executive vice president for corporate affairs, general counsel and...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that companies are asking the SEC to alter its proposed climate-disclosure requirements to give...Read more
Corporate Secretary has announced the panel of judges who will decide the winners of this year’s Corporate Governance Awards, for...Read more
June 2022
NYSE-listed paint company PPG has promoted Joe Gette to become vice president, deputy general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
A significant number – though not a majority – of shareholders in TJ Maxx’s parent company have supported a proposal seeking a report...Read more
Corporate Secretary and sister publication IR Magazine are delighted to announce the short-lists for their inaugural ESG Integration...Read more
Shareholders in home improvement company Lowe’s have backed a proposal seeking a report on pay differentials between different...Read more
Intel Corporation has recruited April Miller Boise as executive vice president and chief legal officer (CLO) to head up the company’s...Read more
Biotechnology company Arcellx has hired Maryam Abdul-Kareem as general counsel. Abdul-Kareem previously worked at Kinnate Biopharma as...Read more
Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Zomedica Corp has hired Karen DeHaan-Fullerton as general counsel and corporate secretary. She joined the...Read more
Bank of Montreal (BMO) has found a replacement for its retiring chief risk officer (CRO). Piyush Agrawal will join the bank on July 1...Read more
– CNN reported that President Joe Biden said he was ‘proud’ of Apple’s retail workers in Towson, Maryland, who voted to form the first...Read more
A pair of long-discussed and highly anticipated regulatory changes affecting activist investors and the US companies they target are...Read more
The shareholders of Builders FirstSource have overwhelmingly backed a proposal for greenhouse gas (GHG) goals after the company...Read more
A proposal on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) has received significant – though not majority support – among shareholders of The Kroger Co...Read more
One of the key responsibilities and challenges facing boards is the oversight of ESG-related risks and opportunities. Their success or...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that BlackRock’s efforts to get institutional investors to vote their own shares is...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Zentalis Pharmaceuticals has appointed Andrea Paul as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective August 1. Paul...Read more
More than four in 10 votes cast at AT&T’s recent shareholder meeting supported a proposal seeking disclosure about how the company...Read more
NYSE-listed food company Conagra Brands has promoted Carey Bartell to the position of executive vice president, general counsel and...Read more
What have been some of As You Sow’s priorities for the 2022 proxy season? We continue to work on climate [change] as one of the most...Read more
Encore Capital Group is promoting Andrew Asch to the position of senior vice president and general counsel, effective August 15. Asch...Read more
A large slice – though not a majority – of Chevron shareholders have backed a proposal seeking a look into the impact on the energy...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Carl Icahn is dropping a proxy fight focused on the treatment of pregnant pigs at...Read more
American International Group (AIG) has recruited Prabha Sipi Bhandari as senior vice president, deputy general counsel and corporate...Read more
CalSTRS is pressing the SEC to go further with its climate risk disclosure plans by, among other things, throwing a wider net to take...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Unilever said it would add Nelson Peltz to its board. Peltz said Unilever had ‘...Read more
A number of boards at the largest companies – though perhaps fewer than some governance observers might expect – have updated their...Read more
Des Moines, Iowa-based Principal Financial Group has selected Natalie Lamarque as its new general counsel, effective August 1...Read more
Hilary Hageman is rejoining Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate...Read more
May 2022
North American cannabis company TerrAscend Corp, which is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, has appointed Lynn Gefen as...Read more
Shareholders in The Home Depot have voted in support of a proposal seeking a report on the company’s impact on deforestation and...Read more
NYSE-listed Kontoor Brands – a clothing company home to the Wrangler and Lee brands – has picked Tom Doerr as executive vice president...Read more
Corporate Secretary has opened the submissions process for the 15th Corporate Governance Awards ahead of an in-person gala ceremony...Read more
– Reuters said that, according to people familiar with the matter, Toshiba Corp plans to propose giving two of its major hedge fund...Read more
Johnson & Johnson shareholders have voted for the company to commission an independent assessment of its effects on racial matters...Read more
REI Co-op has hired Minnie Alexander as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective May 31. Alexander is...Read more
– Reuters reported that Spirit Airlines rejected JetBlue Airways Corp’s takeover offer, saying it had a low likelihood of winning...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that McDonald’s Corporation said it would leave Russia and sell its business there over...Read more
NYSE-listed Target Corporation has promoted Matt Zabel to become executive vice president and general counsel of the retail company...Read more
Jim Shaughnessy is joining DocuSign as chief legal officer (CLO). Most recently, Shaughnessy spent 10 years at Workday in roles such...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Nexstar Media Group has recruited Rachel Morgan to become executive vice president and general counsel, effective June...Read more
Denver, Colorado-based Intrepid Potash has promoted Christina Sheehan to become general counsel and corporate secretary. Sheehan...Read more
Minneapolis-based General Mills has hired Karen Wilson Thissen as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective June 6. Thissen...Read more
NYSE-listed Aspen Aerogels has hired Virginia Johnson as chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate secretary. She reports to...Read more
Boeing shareholders – with the support of the company’s board – have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a proposal seeking information...Read more
Chubb shareholders have voted in favor of a proposal seeking disclosure about the insurer’s plans to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (...Read more
– Reuters reported that ISS said US Foods Holdings shareholders should vote for three of Sachem Head Capital Management’s five...Read more
One of the key questions companies ponder as they consider ESG issues is who should be in charge. Risk oversight is of course a core...Read more
April 2022
Shareholders in McDonald’s Corporation will vote next month on a proposal pressing the fast-food company to carry out a civil rights...Read more
– CNBC reported that Elon Musk said Twitter’s board of directors won’t be compensated for serving if he acquires the company. ‘Board...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Tesla said it will seek shareholder approval at its AGM for an increase in the...Read more
Corporate Secretary and IR Magazine are seeking nominations for the inaugural ESG Integration Awards with the final deadline for...Read more
A large majority of boards are discussing ESG topics more frequently than in the past amid investor scrutiny of how they are...Read more
Marsh McLennan has promoted Mikhail ‘Misha’ Vanyo to become the new general counsel of its Marsh business. He now leads all legal and...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal said Elon Musk decided not to join the company’s board of...Read more
NYSE-listed Unisys Corporation has hired Claudius Sokenu as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Advanced Energy has recruited Elizabeth Vonne as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
Vehicle rental company Hertz has recruited Colleen Batcheler to become executive vice president, general counsel and secretary,...Read more
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is no stranger to virtual shareholder AGMs and views them as an exercise that goes beyond merely...Read more
The SEC has rejected an effort by insurer Chubb to exclude from its proxy statement what proponent Green Century Capital Management...Read more
The Council of Institutional Investors (CII) has welcomed a proposed SEC measure designed to help shareholders engage with portfolio...Read more
Shareholders in Walmart and The TJX Companies are set to vote on proposals asking them to look at how they may be impacted by...Read more
Facebook parent Meta Platforms appears set to face a shareholder vote regarding its much-discussed shift into new virtual technologies...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Cepton has hired Paul Anawalt to fill the newly created position of general counsel. Anawalt was most recently senior...Read more
The SEC’s planned modernization of beneficial ownership reporting requirements has sparked a variety of feedback, based at least in...Read more
Apr 08, 2022
– The New York Times reported that a judge on April 1 struck down a California law requiring diversity on boards. In response to a...Read more
Shareholders in Google parent company Alphabet will vote at its June 1 AGM on two proposals addressing policies for selecting new...Read more
The Bancorp Bank, the wholly owned banking subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed The Bancorp, has hired Randall Baugh as its new managing...Read more
Natural gas and electric utility company NiSource has appointed interim general counsel Kim Cuccia to the full-time role of general...Read more
Cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com has hired former regulator Duncan DeVille as executive vice president for compliance in the...Read more
– According to The Wall Street Journal (paywall), the cryptocurrency industry is increasing efforts to recruit more legal talent as it...Read more
March 2022
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is warning financial institutions...Read more
Holly Gregory has been an integral and influential part of the corporate governance world for decades, in terms of both thinking about...Read more
Providence, Rhode Island-based United Natural Foods (UNFI) has recruited Mahrukh Hussain to become general counsel and corporate...Read more
Providence, Rhode Island-based Citizens Financial Group has hired Polly Klane as general counsel and chief legal officer, effective...Read more
Nasdaq-listed CoStar Group has hired Gene Boxer as general counsel and corporate secretary to oversee the company’s legal and...Read more
A divided SEC on Monday voted to propose highly anticipated rule changes that, if approved, will require companies to make climate-...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Veracyte has recruited Annie McGuire as senior vice president and general counsel. She reports to CEO Marc Stapley...Read more
Marsh McLennan has promoted Katherine Brennan to become senior vice president and general counsel. She reports to president and CEO...Read more
Surface Oncology has appointed Theresa Boni as general counsel and senior vice president for legal. Boni was previously vice president...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal (pay wall) reported that the SEC is seeking more details from companies about their climate risks as it gets...Read more
Shareholders in The Walt Disney Company voted at its AGM last week to approve a proposal seeking disclosure around pay equity. Almost...Read more
Shareholders in The Wendy’s Company appear set to vote this spring on a proposal regarding the fast-food firm’s treatment of pigs. The...Read more
Pfizer looks set to face shareholder votes on two proposals regarding access to its Covid-19 vaccine technology. One proposal , filed...Read more
Boards of directors play a key role when it comes to M&A transactions. At the bottom line, they have to determine whether the deal...Read more
– Reuters reported that Kohl’s Corp said its board was reviewing multiple preliminary offers from buyers. The company has previously...Read more
Joyce McCarthy will become general counsel of Nasdaq-listed Central Garden & Pet Company, effective April 4. She succeeds George...Read more
– Reuters reported that Democratic SEC member Allison Herren Lee plans to leave the agency after her term ends in June, but will...Read more
Burlington, Massachusetts-based Cerence has recruited Jennifer Salinas as its new senior vice president and general counsel, effective...Read more
Apple shareholders have voted in favor of proposals seeking a civil rights audit and a report on certain employment arrangements, both...Read more
The Council of Institutional Investors’ (CII) members approved revisions to the group’s corporate governance policies on shareowner...Read more
Kate Brennan has worn many hats, often simultaneously, during her time at Marsh McLennan as a champion for governance, ESG, compliance...Read more
Christine Flores, Pinterest’s general counsel and corporate secretary, has informed the company that she plans to leave, effective...Read more
NYSE-listed Veritiv Corporation is promoting Susan Salyer, the company’s senior vice president and chief compliance and sustainability...Read more
The IFRS Foundation and GRI are taking the latest step toward a more closely aligned set of global ESG reporting frameworks. The...Read more
February 2022
Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike is promoting Ann Miller to become executive vice president and general counsel, effective February 17...Read more
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