– Reuters reported that ISS said US Foods Holdings shareholders should vote for three of Sachem Head Capital Management’s five...Read more
Ben Maiden
Editor-At-Large

Ben Maiden is the 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
Boeing shareholders – with the support of the company’s board – have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a proposal seeking information...Read more
Minneapolis-based General Mills has hired Karen Wilson Thissen as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective June 6. Thissen...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Nexstar Media Group has recruited Rachel Morgan to become executive vice president and general counsel, effective June...Read more
May 2022
NYSE-listed Kontoor Brands – a clothing company home to the Wrangler and Lee brands – has picked Tom Doerr as executive vice president...Read more
Johnson & Johnson shareholders have voted for the company to commission an independent assessment of its effects on racial matters...Read more
– Reuters reported that Spirit Airlines rejected JetBlue Airways Corp’s takeover offer, saying it had a low likelihood of winning...Read more
NYSE-listed Target Corporation has promoted Matt Zabel to become executive vice president and general counsel of the retail company...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Nexstar Media Group has recruited Rachel Morgan to become executive vice president and general counsel, effective June...Read more
Minneapolis-based General Mills has hired Karen Wilson Thissen as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective June 6. Thissen...Read more
Boeing shareholders – with the support of the company’s board – have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a proposal seeking information...Read more
– Reuters reported that ISS said US Foods Holdings shareholders should vote for three of Sachem Head Capital Management’s five...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
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
– The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reported that Tesla said it will seek shareholder approval at its AGM for an increase in the...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
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
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
Amazon.com has filed requests seeking the SEC’s green light to exclude 12 shareholder proposals from its 2022 proxy statement,...Read more
– CNBC reported that activist investor Carl Icahn has started a proxy fight with McDonald’s over the company’s treatment of pigs,...Read more
Shareholders in Costco Wholesale Corporation have voted – against the board’s wishes – in favor of a proposal urging the retail...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that as the Biden administration prepares a wave of new regulations, it is sparking resistance...Read more
Online wholesale marketplace Faire has hired Lauren Thomas as its first general counsel. The company in November announced that its...Read more
WestRock Company is hiring Denise Cade as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective March 4. She...Read more
– Reuters reported that Shell began trading with a single line of shares after the UK oil company confirmed the assimilation of its A...Read more
Susie Giordano, corporate vice president and corporate secretary at Intel Corporation, has been appointed as the company’s interim...Read more
NYSE-listed Edgewell Personal Care Company has appointed LaTanya Langley as its chief legal officer, effective February 28. She will...Read more
– Reuters reported that Toshiba Corp is planning an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on March 24 to seek their initial...Read more
Norwalk, Connecticut-based technology company Datto Holding Corp has hired Emily Tabak Epstein as its new general counsel. She reports...Read more
Johnson & Johnson shareholders appear set to vote at the company’s upcoming AGM on a shareholder proposal regarding access to its...Read more
Insurance distribution company BRP Group has promoted Seth Cohen to become general counsel and corporate secretary. He reports to CEO...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Vaxart has appointed Edward Berg as the biotech company’s first in-house general counsel. During his legal career Berg...Read more
Google parent company Alphabet is seeking the SEC’s go-ahead to exclude several shareholder proposals from its 2022 proxy statement,...Read more
Pfizer appears set to face a vote by shareholders on a proposal seeking disclosure around diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I),...Read more
January 2022
Nasdaq-listed tech company NetApp has promoted Elizabeth O’Callahan to the position of chief legal officer and general counsel. She...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that ExxonMobil said it has set a goal to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions from its...Read more
Esperion Therapeutics has hired Benjamin Looker as general counsel to lead the company’s legal, compliance and ethics operations...Read more
NYSE-listed Armstrong World Industries (AWI) has hired Austin So as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
Tax preparation company H&R Block has recruited Dara Redler to be chief legal officer, as general counsel and chief administrative...Read more
Vancouver, Washington-based ZoomInfo has hired former regulator Simon McDougall as its first chief compliance officer (CCO). McDougall...Read more
A money services business subsidiary of Airbnb has agreed to pay $91,172.29 to settle its potential civil liability for ‘apparent...Read more
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) is extending both the range of companies it expects to address women’s representation on boards...Read more
The Walt Disney Company has hired Horacio Gutierrez as senior executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that the SEC is planning to require more transparency from big private companies, with regulators...Read more
Investors in The Walt Disney Company will vote on shareholder proposals at its March 9 AGM, including one seeking disclosure around...Read more
Micron Technology has promoted Rob Beard to become senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for the computer...Read more
Dorothy Capers is set to join water technology company Xylem as senior vice president and general counsel on February 7. Capers will...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Immunovant has appointed Mark Levine as chief legal officer (CLO). Levine was most recently general counsel and...Read more
Shareholders appear set to vote at Apple’s 2022 AGM on proposals falling under the ‘social’ element of ESG issues – including on...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Commvault has hired Danielle Sheer as chief legal and compliance officer. She now heads up the data services company’s...Read more
Jan 28, 2022
– CNN reported that activist investor Blackwells Capital in an open letter said it had ‘grave concerns’ about Peloton’s performance...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) plans to propose new rules on how companies...Read more
The National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP) has released a framework that it hopes chief compliance officers (CCOs),...Read more
General Mills veteran Richard Allendorf will retire as the company’s senior vice president, general counsel and secretary in August...Read more
December 2021
Phoenix, Arizona-based Best Western Hotels & Resorts has promoted Jay Pricher to become general counsel. Pricher joined the...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Arcutis Biotherapeutics has hired Mas Matsuda as general counsel and corporate secretary to oversee all legal and...Read more
– CNBC reported that Lucid Group disclosed an SEC probe into the electric vehicle company’s special purpose acquisition company deal...Read more
The Week in GRC will not publish next week due to the holidays and will return in the New Year. In the meantime, Happy Holidays to all...Read more
ESPN has appointed Eleanor ‘Nell’ DeVane chief counsel, effective next month. DeVane has spent more than two decades in ESPN’s legal...Read more
DoorDash is promoting Tia Sherringham to become general counsel, effective January 1. Sherringham is at present vice president for...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Rocket Pharmaceuticals has hired Martin Wilson as general counsel, chief compliance officer (CCO) and senior vice...Read more
Earlier this month, professionals gathered virtually at the ESG Integration Forum – US to discuss the ESG issues affecting governance...Read more
Newly public Aris Water Solutions has appointed Adrian Milton as its first general counsel, chief administrative officer and corporate...Read more
Raytheon Technologies has promoted Raja Maharajh to become general counsel, reporting to chair and CEO Greg Hayes. Previously chief of...Read more
NYSE-listed Ingredion has hired Tanya Jaeger de Foras as senior vice president, chief legal officer (CLO), chief compliance officer (...Read more
Many companies are setting ambitious environmental targets and are confident about their understanding of the issues – but are lagging...Read more
– CNBC reported that Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO of Twitter. Parag Agrawal, the company’s chief technology officer, took over the...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook faces more calls from shareholders to address harm on its platforms and corporate...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Casey’s General Stores has hired Katrina Lindsey as chief legal officer and corporate secretary. She will join the...Read more
NYSE-listed Fortune Brands Home & Security has appointed Hiranda Donoghue as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate...Read more
November 2021
John Ashburn, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Centennial, Colorado-based NioCorp Developments, is retiring...Read more
– The SEC appointed Nicole Creola Kelly as chief of the agency’s office of the whistleblower. Kelly is at present senior special...Read more
Molson Coors has recruited Anne-Marie D’Angelo as its next chief legal and government affairs officer, effective December 13. D’Angelo...Read more
Shareholders in Costco Wholesale Corporation appear set to vote on a proposal seeking disclosure on connections between structural...Read more
Kamil Ali-Jackson, chief legal officer (CLO), chief compliance officer and corporate secretary with Nasdaq-listed Aclaris Therapeutics...Read more
Lyft has appointed Lindsay Llewellyn as the company’s new general counsel and secretary, effective November 1. According to an SEC...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that President Joe Biden was set to nominate Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell to a second term...Read more
A congressional committee this week voted to send to the House of Representatives legislation that would end mandatory arbitration in...Read more
NYSE-listed Cedar Fair Entertainment Company has hired Brian Nurse as executive vice president, chief legal officer and secretary. He...Read more
The Brink’s Company has promoted Lindsay Blackwood to become executive vice president and general counsel. Blackwood joined NYSE-...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Jes Staley stepped down as CEO of Barclays under pressure from regulators about how he...Read more
Governance teams and boards have been warned to stay alert to the prospect of facing shareholder proposals in 2022 urging them to...Read more
The SEC’s division of corporation finance has updated its guidance on the process whereby companies seek permission to exclude...Read more
Madison Square Garden (MSG) Entertainment Corp has recruited Jamal Haughton as executive vice president and general counsel, effective...Read more
Was the degree to which support for environmental proposals rose this proxy season a surprise? What I’m hearing from the [Ceres...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Royal Dutch Shell plans to consolidate its dual UK and Dutch structure and relocate its...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Lattice Semiconductor Corporation has hired Tracy Feanny as corporate vice president, general counsel and secretary...Read more
Kimball Electronics has named Douglas Hass as its next general counsel, chief compliance officer (CCO) and corporate secretary. He...Read more
State Street Corporation has hired Brad Hu as its next chief risk officer (CRO), effective January 1, 2022. Hu will succeed Andrew...Read more
PepsiCo and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) yesterday won two of the most prestigious honors at the 14th annual Corporate Governance...Read more
PayPal executive vice president and chief business affairs and legal officer Louise Pentland is to step down from her role, effective...Read more
October 2021
Corporate Secretary is announcing the short-listed nominees for its 14th Corporate Governance Awards. The winners, selected by an...Read more
– Bloomberg spoke to activist investor Engine No 1’s CEO Jennifer Grancio about her firm’s strategy, its ExxonMobil boardroom victory...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Myriad Genetics has appointed Pamela Wong as its new chief legal officer. In her new position, Wong leads the company’s...Read more
– CNBC reported that activist investor Engine No 1, which rose to prominence after waging a successful campaign to gain board seats at...Read more
SEC commissioner Allison Herren Lee has called for organizations around the world to work together in determining how companies report...Read more
Qualcomm has hired Ann Chaplin as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective November 1. She will report to president and CEO...Read more
– According to The Wall Street Journal , the craze for sustainable investing is extending to the world’s oceans via ‘blue bonds.’ The...Read more
Online cannabis company Leafly Holdings has hired Kimberly Boler as its new general counsel. In her new role she will head up the...Read more
Citigroup has agreed to have a third party conduct a racial equity audit of the bank, six months after a significant number of its...Read more
Nike shareholders have given indications of significant support for a number of social measures – although none secured a majority...Read more
KBR has appointed Sonia Galindo as executive vice president and general counsel. Galindo most recently worked at FLIR Systems (now...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Henry Kravis and George Roberts were stepping down as co-CEOs of private-equity firm KKR...Read more
– CNBC reported that business groups are urging the White House to delay President Joe Biden’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate for companies...Read more
Westlake, Ohio-based Nordson Corporation has hired Jennifer McDonough as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate...Read more
September 2021
Clinical-stage biotechnology company Lineage Cell Therapeutics has appointed George Samuel as general counsel and corporate secretary...Read more
Lauren Mogensen will become global general counsel for Bank of America at the end of the year, succeeding David Leitch, who is...Read more
London-based advertising company WPP has agreed to pay more than $19 mn to settle SEC charges that it violated the anti-bribery, books...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has hired Danielle Gray as executive vice president and global chief legal officer,...Read more
– CNN reported that Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called for the Federal Reserve to break up Wells Fargo following years...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that, according to an analysis by University of Florida finance professor Jay Ritter, the still...Read more
T-Mobile US has hired Mark Nelson as executive vice president and general counsel, effective October 11. Nelson will succeed Dave...Read more
Philadelphia-based Cabaletta Bio has hired Michael Gerard as general counsel. Gerard was most recently associate general counsel at...Read more
The Council of Institutional Investors (CII) has urged FASB to make ESG-related disclosures one of its top priorities amid growing...Read more
Marsh McLennan has promoted Denise Sanchez to become the company’s new chief compliance officer (CCO), effective September 7. Sanchez...Read more
TSX-listed Loop Energy has hired Wendy Bach as general counsel and corporate secretary, reporting to CEO Ben Nyland. Bach was most...Read more
– Reuters reported that ExxonMobil said it will begin measuring methane emissions from production of natural gas at a New Mexico...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Twitter said it agreed to pay more than $800 mn to settle a consolidated class action...Read more
Columbus, Ohio-based fashion retailer Express has hired Laurel Krueger as senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Twist Bioscience Corporation has appointed Dennis Cho as senior vice president, general counsel and chief ethics and...Read more
Wilmington, Massachusetts-based Analog Devices (ADI) has hired Janene Asgeirsson as the company’s new senior vice president, chief...Read more
Visa is promoting two of its most senior governance and legal officials, effective October 1. Kelly Mahon Tullier, currently corporate...Read more
August 2021
SEC chair Gary Gensler has given governance and compliance professionals a heads up on when they can expect to see the agency’s plans...Read more
CITGO Petroleum Corporation has appointed Mark Holstein as its new general counsel, a role in which he oversees all aspects of the...Read more
Alexandria, Virginia-based VSE Corporation has hired Farinaz Tehrani as senior vice president, chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate...Read more
London-based Pearson has agreed to pay $1mn to settle SEC charges that it misled investors about a 2018 cyber-attack involving the...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that President Biden’s approaching decision about who should be the next Federal Reserve chair has...Read more
– Reuters reported that, according to a law student group, US law firms are handling ever more deals and litigation for the fossil...Read more
The SEC on Friday approved Nasdaq’s plan to promote diversity on boards. The move opens the door for Nasdaq to require companies...Read more
Laval, Quebec-based Neptune Wellness Solutions has appointed John Wirt as general counsel. Wirt was most recently president and...Read more
Boston-based Ironwood Pharmaceuticals has appointed John Minardo as senior vice president and chief legal officer overseeing the...Read more
Nike shareholders will vote on a proposal requesting disclosure around the company’s work to promote diversity and inclusion – and...Read more
Nasdaq-listed HF Foods Group has hired Christine Chang as general counsel and chief compliance officer, effective September 8. She...Read more
The SEC has given the green light for shareholders in Fox Corporation to vote this fall on a proposal regarding the company’s lobbying...Read more
– Reuters said that, according to a report from Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor Index, law firms that have survived the pandemic are...Read more
– Reuters reported that ISS backed cloud storage vendor Box in its fight with activist investor Starboard Value by recommending that...Read more
Cincinnati-based Cintas Corporation has promoted Christy Nageleisen to the newly created position of vice president of ESG and chief...Read more
The Covid-19 pandemic has required companies and their boards to take a renewed look at working practices and human capital management...Read more
July 2021
NYSE-listed TreeHouse Foods has hired Kristy Waterman as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective...Read more
Corporate Secretary has announced the panel of judges who will be deciding the winners of this year’s Corporate Governance Awards, for...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft said hackers installed malicious information-stealing software on one of its systems...Read more
– CNBC reported that the chief compliance officer at Credit Suisse’s domestic unit was stepping down. Floriana Scarlato, who took the...Read more
Cisco has hired Dev Stahlkopf as executive vice president and chief legal officer, effective August 2. Stahlkopf will join Cisco...Read more
NYSE-listed Customers Bancorp has hired Andrew Sachs as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Sachs...Read more
Utz Brands has hired Theresa Robbins Shea as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective July 6. In...Read more
Signify Health has appointed Erin Kelly as chief compliance officer (CCO). The company, which describes Kelly as ‘an advocate of...Read more
Approaching half of shareholders in The Kroger Company have voted for a proposal seeking a report on the supermarket operator’s...Read more
Corporate Secretary is extending the deadline for nominations for this year’s Corporate Governance Awards until Friday, July 30...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that the Chinese government said it would tighten rules for companies seeking to sell shares...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Robert Zink, the former prosecutor who conceived and oversaw the US Department of Justice’s...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) will promote Anthony Shoemaker, who is at present senior vice president and assistant general...Read more
General Electric (GE) has joined the ranks of major companies committing to be responsible for net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases...Read more
Ford Motor Company has hired Steven Croley as its chief policy officer and general counsel, effective July 12. The new policy...Read more
Aeglea BioTherapeutics has hired Jim Kastenmayer as general counsel. Kastenmayer previously worked at Viela Bio as general counsel, a...Read more
Boards are central to companies addressing ESG issues and should look to enhanced diversity and expertise to fulfill this role in a...Read more
June 2021
NYSE-listed Elanco Animal Health has recruited Marcela Kirberger as general counsel and corporate secretary. Kirberger will join...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that companies are increasing the pressure on workers to get vaccinated – not necessarily with...Read more
Boston Scientific has promoted Vance Brown to become senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary and a member of...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Crinetics Pharmaceutical has hired Garlan Adams to fill the newly created position of general counsel. Adams was...Read more
SASB and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) today launched their new merged organization – the Value Reporting...Read more
Medical technology company Inogen has recruited Jason Somer as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, effective July...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Athira Pharma has appointed Mark Worthington as the company’s general counsel, effective June 1. Worthington joins...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Google agreed to pay French regulators a fine of nearly $270 mn, settling one of the first...Read more
Amid growing investor pressure for companies to link executive compensation – at least to some degree – to ESG factors, there remains...Read more
NYSE-listed wrestling media company WWE has hired Samira Shah as general counsel and corporate secretary. In her new role, Shah’s...Read more
Window and door manufacturer PGT Innovations has hired Ryan Quinn as its new general counsel. Quinn was most recently senior vice...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal noted that the SEC is planning to require public companies to disclose more information about how they...Read more
Amazon has joined the ranks of companies whose shareholders this proxy season have given significant – though not majority – support...Read more
Shareholders at Caterpillar’s AGM last week almost nudged a proposal on climate change into the ‘approved’ column of this year’s proxy...Read more
CalPERS has appointed Marlene Timberlake D'Adamo as its first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer (CDEIO). She had...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon is bucking the trend of companies requiring arbitration in disputes with customers and...Read more
First American Financial Corporation has settled SEC allegations of disclosure controls and procedures violations related to a cyber-...Read more
Midlothian, Texas-based Ennis has hired Dan Gus as the company’s first general counsel and assistant secretary, effective June 21. Gus...Read more
Activision Blizzard has announced in an SEC filing that Grant Dixton will be joining the company as its chief legal officer (CLO) from...Read more
As thousands of people took to the streets last summer to protest the deaths of George Floyd and other black Americans at the hands of...Read more
May 2021
Toledo, Ohio-based Owens Corning has appointed Gina Beredo as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
Nasdaq-listed TriMas has appointed Jodi Robin as its general counsel. She reports directly to company president and CEO Thomas Amato...Read more
NYSE-listed KeyCorp has hired James Waters as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective July 6. Waters joins Cleveland, Ohio-...Read more
– According to The Wall Street Journal , Warren Buffett said Greg Abel will succeed him as Berkshire Hathaway CEO if he leaves the...Read more
NYSE-listed Marsh McLennan has appointed Katherine Brennan as general counsel of Marsh, effective June 1. The company operates through...Read more
ExxonMobil has acknowledged that shareholders at its AGM today voted to install two director nominees from activist investor Engine No...Read more
Nasdaq-listed LogicBio Therapeutics has hired Andrea Paul as general counsel and corporate secretary. Paul will take up her new...Read more
A shareholder proposal regarding Sempra Energy’s lobbying in relation to climate change has gained significant – though not majority...Read more
– Reuters reported that Goldman Sachs said media lawyer Kimberley Harris would become its newest board member, a move that makes the...Read more
Corporate Secretary has opened the submissions process for this year’s Corporate Governance Awards. The awards recognize companies’...Read more
American Express investors have supported a shareholder proposal requesting that the company publish a report each year assessing its...Read more
Under Armour has settled SEC allegations regarding aspects of disclosures relating to its revenue. Specifically, the SEC in its...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that AT&T and Discovery reached a deal to combine their media assets into a new, publicly...Read more
The Coca-Cola Company has appointed Monica Howard Douglas as senior vice president and general counsel. Douglas has been with the...Read more
The vast majority of IBM shareholders have given their support to a proposal – also favored by the board – seeking a report on the...Read more
President Joe Biden on Thursday issued an executive order intended to gather information about the financial risks posed by the...Read more
Shareholders in DuPont de Nemours have overwhelmingly backed a shareholder proposal asking the company to disclose its role in plastic...Read more
– Reuters reported that activist investor Starboard Value launched a proxy contest to take greater control of cloud services provider...Read more
The Hershey Company has promoted James Turoff to become senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. In his new role Turoff...Read more
An overwhelming percentage of General Electric (GE) shareholders have – with the backing of the company’s board – voted to approve a...Read more
General Motors (GM) is expanding the role of Craig Glidden, currently executive vice president and general counsel with the company,...Read more
A shareholder proposal asking JPMorgan Chase to conduct a racial equity audit has – while not securing a majority – gained significant...Read more
April 2021
Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has launched an effort to overturn SEC reforms that change the shareholder proposal process and have...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Mr Cooper Group has expanded the role of Kurt Johnson, who has been with the company for five years, most recently as...Read more
Burk Wyatt, chief legal officer (CLO) and secretary with CommScope Holding Company, will retire on June 1 after a career of more than...Read more
– Reuters reported that Deutsche Bank said its CEO Christian Sewing will transfer oversight of the investment and corporate bank to...Read more
NYSE-listed Cornerstone Building Brands has hired Alena Brenner as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that the UK government said it would probe Nvidia’s $40 bn deal to buy UK chip designer Arm from...Read more
Moderna, producer of one of the Covid-19 vaccines, has hired Shannon Thyme Klinger as chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate...Read more
Amazon shareholders are set to vote on a proposal asking the company to conduct a ‘racial equity audit,’ joining investors elsewhere...Read more
The SEC has said SeaWorld Entertainment may exclude an animal rights group-backed proposal seeking a report on moving its business...Read more
Michael Duffy, general counsel and senior vice president for law and public policy will retire from Lantheus Holdings on June 4 after...Read more
Northrop Grumman shareholders will vote next month on a proposal seeking information about the aerospace and defense company’s human...Read more
CITGO Petroleum Corporation has hired Steven Scarpino as the company’s new chief compliance and ethics officer. Scarpino joins CITGO...Read more
The Council of Institutional Investors (CII) is calling for Congress to pass a law seeking to address board diversity disclosures and...Read more
The SEC has said Activision Blizzard and Amazon are free to exclude union-backed shareholder proposals seeking to increase diversity...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that some of the companies that are once again hosting virtual AGMs this year hope to improve the...Read more
E-commerce cloud platform ChannelAdvisor Corporation has appointed Kathy Twiddy as vice president and general counsel, effective June...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Jack Ma’s Ant Group will apply to become a financial holding company overseen by China’s...Read more
Allentown, Pennsylvania-based PPL Corporation has hired Wendy Stark as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary...Read more
PayPal shareholders are set to vote on whether to commission a report into company culture as investor interest grows in how US...Read more
Mastercard has appointed its general counsel Tim Murphy to the newly created position of chief administrative officer. In this role,...Read more
Chevron Corporation shareholders are set to vote on two climate change-related proposals after the SEC rejected efforts to exclude...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that companies’ ethics hotlines received fewer reports overall from employees last year despite a...Read more
Shareholders in Google parent company Alphabet are set to vote on a proposal regarding board oversight of ‘anticompetitive practices...Read more
March 2021
Mar 12, 2021
– The Wall Street Journal reported that GameStop’s board created a committee focused on the company’s transformation efforts that will...Read more
Melissa Barnes, Eli Lilly and Company’s senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer, will retire on June 27 after...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Apria has hired Michael-Bryant Hicks as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. He is based...Read more
Activision Blizzard has recruited Frances Townsend as executive vice president for corporate affairs, corporate secretary and chief...Read more
Investor engagement initiative Climate Action 100+ (CA100) this week released its first benchmark assessing the ambitions and actions...Read more
Disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over the SEC’s role in addressing matters such as climate change, political spending...Read more
NYSE-listed Spirit AeroSystems has promoted Mindy McPheeters to the position of senior vice president, general counsel and corporate...Read more
Industry experts on Tuesday shared insights into how boards can focus their efforts toward promoting sustainability amid rising...Read more
Nasdaq has responded to the many comments on its board diversity proposal, including making some tweaks to the plan. Nasdaq in...Read more
Acting SEC chair Allison Herren Lee has taken the latest in a series of swift steps to bring ESG issues onto the agency’s agenda, this...Read more
– The SEC launched a new page on its website bringing together the agency’s actions and the latest information about ESG investing. ‘...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that ExxonMobil added Michael Angelakis and Jeffrey Ubben to its board after the company faced...Read more
The SEC has rejected a request by The Wendy’s Company to exclude from its AGM a shareholder proposal seeking disclosure regarding...Read more
NYSE-listed FirstEnergy Corp has hired Antonio Fernández as vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer, effective April 12...Read more
NYSE-listed HanesBrands has hired Tracy Preston as general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer (CCO). She will...Read more
Shareholders in Sempra Energy appear set to vote on a proposal regarding the company’s lobbying in relation to climate change after...Read more
McDonald’s Corporation has hired Desiree Ralls-Morrison as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective April 26. She will be...Read more
The SEC has accused AT&T of violating Regulation FD and has charged three of its investor relations (IR) executives with aiding...Read more
TriMas senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer Joshua Sherbin is leaving the company after 16 years...Read more
– CNN reported that former Starbucks executive Rosalind Brewer assumed her new role as CEO of Walgreens, making her the only black...Read more
SEC member Caroline Crenshaw has called for the commission to refocus how it assesses penalties imposed on companies for violations,...Read more
Glendale, California-based Dine Brands Global is promoting Christine Son to become senior vice president for legal, general counsel...Read more
Newly public Metromile has hired Junna Ro as general counsel. Ro joins Metromile having spent more than 15 years with CSAA Insurance...Read more
February 2021
NYSE-listed Shutterstock has hired John Lapham as general counsel. Lapham was most recently general counsel and senior vice president...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that IBM said it aims to reach net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030, with a target of 65...Read more
Investors say addressing ESG matters and board composition will be among the most important factors in determining companies’ futures...Read more
Furniture company La-Z-Boy is promoting Raphael Richmond, senior director of corporate compliance and employment law, to become vice...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Carrols Restaurant Group has appointed Jared Landaw as vice president and general counsel, effective February 8. Landaw...Read more
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, with the support of nine other Senate Democrats, on Tuesday introduced legislation that...Read more
At least six US companies have received investor requests to put proposals to a vote at their AGMs on the topic of employee board...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that CFOs are taking on sustainability measures as a means to attract new investors, lower their...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Arcutis Biotherapeutics has recruited Courtney Barton as chief compliance officer (CCO), chief of staff and chief...Read more
The Coca-Cola Company is updating its outside counsel guidelines to require that the US law firms it uses take concrete steps toward...Read more
Alyson Barclay, senior vice president, corporate secretary and general counsel with ESCO Technologies, has announced that she plans to...Read more
The Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee have urged the SEC to shut down Nasdaq’s proposal for promoting diversity on...Read more
PepsiCo has appointed David Flavell executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective March 1. Flavell is...Read more
DraftKings has promoted Jennifer Aguiar to become the company’s chief compliance officer (CCO), reporting directly to co-founder, CEO...Read more
Acting SEC chair Allison Herren Lee has taken action on corporate reporting around climate change. Lee on Wednesday issued a statement...Read more
NYSE-listed Cummins’ vice president and general counsel Sharon Barner is to become the company’s chief administrative officer (CAO),...Read more
A new meta-study looking at a wide array of research from the past five years underlines the links between ESG and positive outcomes...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that, according to people familiar with the matter, a group of activist investors has taken a big...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that US lawmakers from both parties are pushing back against companies that have suspended campaign...Read more
The SEC has rejected a request from Johnson & Johnson that it exclude from its proxy statement a shareholder proposal that it...Read more
January 2021
Nasdaq-listed Beacon Roofing Supply’s Ross Cooper will this year shift from his role as executive vice president and general counsel...Read more
NYSE-listed Ingevity Corporation has recruited Stacy Lancaster Cozad as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary,...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Sinclair Broadcast Group has hired Jeffrey Lewis to fill the newly created position of chief compliance officer (CCO)...Read more
Laura Stein is to become executive vice president and general counsel leading corporate and legal affairs with Chicago-based Mondelēz...Read more
Visa has promoted general counsel Kelly Mahon Tullier to the newly created post of executive vice president, chief legal and...Read more
Dozens of business leaders this week committed their organizations to using a new set of ESG-related metrics and disclosures developed...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that business leaders and trade groups called for an end to the violence in Washington, DC and a...Read more
ESG-related reforms and tougher enforcement are among the potential items on the agenda for Gary Gensler, President Joe Biden’s pick...Read more
– According to Reuters , lobbyists and legal experts say that although progressives want to repeal the Trump administration’s Wall...Read more
Halliburton Company has promoted Van Beckwith to executive vice president, secretary and chief legal officer. He succeeds Robb Voyles...Read more
Despite the growing pressure for companies to address material risks arising from ESG-related issues, there is a severe lack of...Read more
NYSE-listed Lincoln Financial Group has hired Craig Beazer as executive vice president and general counsel. Beazer, who reports to...Read more
Shareholders of The Walt Disney Company will vote on proposals regarding two governance issues in the spotlight – lobbying activities...Read more
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) is ramping up the pressure for improved diversity and inclusion disclosures as part of its 2021...Read more
– The Washington Post reported that now-President Joe Biden on Monday announced that he would nominate Democrat Rohit Chopra, the...Read more
‘PepsiCo is a poster child for what people are trying to do’ in terms of ESG reporting, says one of the Corporate Secretary judges. It...Read more
Nasdaq’s efforts to promote diversity on boards has received support from a variety of constituencies, with a number of commenters...Read more
HP has appointed Harvey Anderson, the company’s general counsel, as chief legal officer (CLO) and corporate secretary, effective...Read more
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is a technology company, and that tech focus is part of its governance team’s DNA. ‘Since HPE’s...Read more
– GameStop Corp said it reached a deal with Chewy co-founder Ryan Cohen to add him and two former colleagues to its board after he...Read more
Thomas Sabatino will join Lake Forest, Illinois-based Tenneco as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary,...Read more
December 2020
Nasdaq-listed media company IAC has appointed Kendall Handler as senior vice president and general counsel, effective January 1, 2021...Read more
Nasdaq-listed Tractor Supply Company has hired Noni Ellison as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary and...Read more
HP’s 2020 virtual AGM was not its first rodeo – the company has been holding its annual shareholder meetings online since 2015. But...Read more
Nasdaq is moving to increase diversity on the boards of its listed companies amid growing pressure from investors and state laws for...Read more
NYSE-listed RenaissanceRe Holdings has recruited Shannon Lowry Bender as senior vice president, group general counsel and corporate...Read more
What have been some of the key questions and challenges you have discussed with boards and governance professionals in light of the...Read more
– CNN reported that a vote on whether Swiss companies should face greater liability at home for human rights and environmental abuses...Read more
Diversity and inclusion will feature prominently in the thinking of many corporate leaders and investors in 2021. That means corporate...Read more
Joan Conley is this year’s recipient of the lifetime achievement award in recognition of her career as Nasdaq’s only corporate...Read more
Montréal-based Bombardier has hired Annie Torkia Lagacé as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective...Read more
Rose Marie Glazer, senior vice president, corporate secretary and deputy general counsel of American International Group (AIG), joined...Read more
Numbers say a lot about why Marsh & McLennan Companies is the winner of the inaugural award for best global entity management. In...Read more
Joanne Raphael, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary with PPL Corporation, has announced her plan to...Read more
Wendy Cassity, executive vice president and chief legal officer at Nuance Communications, joined the company in late 2018 with a...Read more
One of the features of Visa’s highly impressive compliance work over the past year or so has been its efforts to integrate that work...Read more
The Cheesecake Factory has settled what the SEC says is its first charging of a public company for allegedly making misleading...Read more
‘Leadership across the board’ is how one of the Corporate Secretary judges describes PepsiCo’s governance team, which has looked to...Read more
Change Healthcare’s legal and compliance team has, in a relatively short period of time, proven itself to be adept at tackling major...Read more
Damien Atkins, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary with The Hershey Company, is resigning, effective...Read more
The week in GRC is taking a break for the holidays and will be back in January. Happy Holidays! – Reuters reported that ExxonMobil...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that ExxonMobil faces the threat of a proxy fight from a new activist investor with a...Read more
One of the Corporate Secretary judges describes Jon White, corporate and securities counsel at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), as ‘...Read more
November 2020
Tru Kids Brands, the parent of Toys‘R’Us and Babies‘R’Us created in January 2019, has hired Anand Shah as general counsel. Shah most...Read more
SEC member Allison Herren Lee has suggested the agency should help create standards for banks to release information about the climate...Read more
Corporate Secretary is announcing the short-listed nominees for its 13th Corporate Governance Awards. The winners, which are selected...Read more
Kirsten Hewitt, senior vice president, chief legal officer (CLO) and executive committee member with NYSE-listed Whirlpool Corporation...Read more
Exton, Pennsylvania-based West Pharmaceutical Services has recruited Kimberly Banks MacKay as senior vice president, general counsel...Read more
Hormel Foods Corporation has appointed Pierre Lilly as senior vice president and chief compliance officer (CCO) for the company’s...Read more
PepsiCo and Nuance Communications yesterday were given two of the most prestigious honors at the 13th annual Corporate Governance...Read more
Nov 06, 2020
– The Wall Street Journal noted that major US companies are asking the law firms they hire to explain how many diverse lawyers they...Read more
NYSE-listed PJT Partners has picked David Travin for promotion to become its next general counsel, effective January 1, 2021. He has...Read more
– CNBC reported that SEC chair Jay Clayton announced he will step down at the end of the year. ‘Working alongside the incredibly...Read more
Santa Cruz, California-based Poly has appointed Lisa Bodensteiner as executive vice president, chief legal and compliance officer and...Read more
Panasonic Avionics Corporation has hired Abby Bried as vice president and general counsel. In her new role, Bried advises on laws,...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple suspended new business with key supplier Pegatron Corp, saying that the Taiwanese...Read more
Harper Ko is set to join Nasdaq-listed Penn National Gaming, effective January 1, 2021, as executive vice president, chief legal...Read more
Joia Johnson, chief administrative officer, general counsel and corporate secretary of Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based HanesBrands...Read more
– The Wall Street Journal reported that index compilers FTSE Russell and MSCI are reconsidering their approach to securities from...Read more
October 2020
ExxonMobil Corporation’s board has picked Craig Morford as the company’s next vice president and general counsel. Morford is currently...Read more
McDonald’s Corporation corporate executive vice president, general counsel and secretary Jerome Krulewitch has retired from the...Read more
– CNBC reported that Dunkin’ confirmed sale talks with Inspire Brands, the privately held owner of Arby’s and Jimmy John’s. The...Read more
The Council of Institutional Investors (CII) has urged the US government to drop a plan the group says would muzzle Employee...Read more
Argo Group International Holdings has hired Allison Kiene as general counsel. She is responsible for the company’s legal and...Read more
David Schmitt, general counsel of Nasdaq-listed Casella Waste Systems for the past 14 years, plans to retire on December 31 this year...Read more
Ceres on Wednesday launched a framework for what it hopes will be a decade of efforts by companies to make sustainability a central...Read more
More than 100 governance professionals gathered online last Thursday for the Corporate Secretary Forum – Canada to discuss how general...Read more
– According to Reuters , a victory for Joe Biden in the US presidential election would signal the end of a period during which the...Read more
– Reuters reported that, according to lawyers, lobbyists and policy experts, a decade-long Republican campaign to weaken the Consumer...Read more