Shareholder Activism Summit NYC | January 30th, 2025
WE THANK OUR SPONSORS!
TITLE
LEADER
AMBASSADOR
AGENDA
8:00-9:00 AM | Registration and Networking Breakfast
9:00-9:05 AM | Welcome Remarks
Christopher P. Skroupa, Founder & CEO, Skytop Strategies
9:05-9:35 AM | Kickoff Panel
Washington on Wall Street: Trump 2 Initiatives on Tax Cuts, Deregulation and Antitrust
Moderator:
Arthur Kohn, General Counsel, Leading Corporate Governance Expert, Skytop Contributing Author, and Chair of the Editorial Committee, Skytop Media Group
Panelists:
Barak Orbach, Robert H. Mundheim Professor of Law and Business, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
Charles Elson, Founding Director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair of Corporate Governance (retired), University of Delaware and Executive Editor, Directors & Boards Magazine
9:35-10:15 AM | Panel Discussion
DEI Reimagined: A Look Ahead
Moderator:
Panelists:
Lisa Silverman, Head of Activism Practice, K2 Integrity
10:15-10:55 AM | Panel Discussion
Board Nominations: Activist Scorecard in Blocking CEO Driven Goals
Moderator:
Lindsay Frost, Senior Reporter, Agenda
Panelists:
David Berger, Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Jared Landaw, Former SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Carrols Restaurant Group, Former COO and General Counsel, Barington Capital Group, Adjunct Professor, Syracuse University College of Law
Timothy Brog, Former Activist, Board Director and Corporate Executive
10:55 - 11:10 PM | Networking Break
11:10-11:40 AM | Exclusive Remarks
Shareholders and Companies: The Evolution of Approaches to Engagement and Engagement Campaigns
Interviewer:
Dianne McKeever, Chief Investment Officer, Ides Capital
Interviewee:
Robert McCormick, Executive Director, Council of Institutional Investors
11:40-12:10 PM | Panel Discussion
2025 Board Agenda: Top-of-Mind Risks to Consider in Navigating Through Uncertain Times
Moderator:
Ed Mullane, Dealreporter/Mergermarket/Activistmonitor, Editor, ION Analytics
Panelists:
Jeremy Fielding, CEO, Kekst CNC, Skytop Contributing Author, Host of “Board GPS”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Sean Donahue, Partner, Co-Chair of the Shareholder Activism & Takeover Defense Practice, Paul Hastings LLP
12:10 PM-12:40 PM | Panel Discussion
Activism and ESG: What's Working in Today's Environment
Moderator:
Josh Black, Editor-in-Chief, Diligent Market Intelligence
Panelists:
Fred Pletcher, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais
Jan C. Childress, Director of Investor Relations, Consolidated Edison
12:40-1:40 PM | Networking Luncheon
1:40-2:20 PM | Panel Discussion
Proxy Case Stories: Modeling an Effective Campaign
Moderator:
Michael R. Levin, Independent Activist Investor, Founder of The Activist Investor, and Skytop Contributing Author & Host of “The Activist Investor”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Panelists:
James Mitarotonda, Chairman, President & CEO, Barington Capital Group
Bob Marese, President, MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
David Kastin, Former EVP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Bed Bath & Beyond
Richard Mansouri, Investments, Public Equity, Arkhouse
2:20-3:10 PM | Panel Discussion
Activist Targets: How to Stay Off of an Activist’s Radar
Moderator:
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Panelists:
Eric Rosenfeld, CEO, Crescendo Partners
Kelly Sullivan, Partner, Joele Frank
Jeffrey Neuman, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Tronox, LLC (unconfirmed)
Charles Elson, Founding Director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair of Corporate Governance (retired), University of Delaware and Executive Editor, Directors & Boards Magazine
3:10-3:40 PM | Panel Discussion
M&A Activism 2025: Outlook on Activist Investor Targets
Moderator:
Fred Pletcher, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais
Panelists:
Eleazer Klein, Partner, Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
Josh Hochberg, Global Chief Operating Officer, Edelman Smithfield
3:40-3:55 PM | Networking Break
3:55-4:45 PM | Panel Discussion
Evaluating Board Candidates in an Activist Context: Vetting and Due Diligence
Moderator:
Nick Graziano, Partner, 2717 Partners, and Skytop Contributing Author & Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Panelists:
Tim Ring, Senior Vice President & Corporate Secretary, MetLife
Venita Fields, Board Director, Superior Group of Companies (NASDAQ: SGC) and four private companies, and Partner, Pelham SK2 Advisors
Jeff Korn, Chief Executive Officer | Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, Crexendo
Julian Grijns, Managing Director, Forensic Investigations and Intelligence, Kroll Associates
4:45-5:15 PM | Panel Discussion
The Activist Investor: The Evolution of Today’s Activist Investor
Moderator:
John Glenn Grau, President & CEO, Investorcom
Panelists:
Phil Goldstein, Principal Bulldog Investors
5:15-5:45 PM | Exclusive Interview
Managing Board Change: Refreshing Board Talent to Meet Shifting Performance Requirements
Interviewer:
Nick Graziano, Partner, 2717 Partners, and Skytop Contributing Author & Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Interviewee:
M. Shan Atkins, Board Director, Head of Audit Committee, Various Boards
5:45-6:15 PM | Fireside Chat
TBD
Discussants:
Jay Clayton, Former Chair, SEC, Senior Policy Advisor, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Board Director
6:15-6:20 PM | Closing Remarks
6:20-7:20 PM | Network Reception
SPEAKERS
DELEGATES
Venita Fields
Board Director
Superior Group of Companies (NASDAQ: SGC)
and four private companies
Partner, Pelham Sk2 Advisors
Chicago, IL
David A. Katz
Partner
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
New York, NY
Jeffrey Neuman
Senior Vice President
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Tronox, LLC
Stamford, CT
Tim Ring
Senior Vice President & Corporate Secretary
MetLife
New York, NY
David Berger
Partner
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Palo Alto, CA
Kelly Sullivan
Partner
Joele Frank
New York, NY
Bob Marese
President
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY
Phil Goldstein
Principal
Bulldog Investors
New York, NY
Jeff Korn
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors,
Crexendo
Austin, TX
M. Shan Atkins
Board Director,
Head of Audit Committee,
Various Boards
Orlando, Florida
James Mitarotonda
Chairman, President & CEO
Barington Capital Group
New York, NY
Jared Landaw
Former Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary,
Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc.,
Former Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel,
Barington Capital Group, L.P.,
Adjunct Professor,
Syracuse University College of Law
New York, NY
Fred Pletcher
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais
Vancouver, Canada
Jan C. Childress
Director of Investor Relations
Consolidated Edison
New York, NY
Richard Mansouri
Investments, Public Equity
Arkhouse
New York, NY
Douglas G. Klein Jr.
Vice President, Client Services/Operations, ICS
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
New York, NY
Lisa Silverman
Head of Activism Practice
K2 Integrity
Chicago, Illinois
Skarlett Vaca
Analyst
InvestorCom
New York, NY
Christopher R. Drewry
Partner
Latham & Watkins LLP
Chicago, Illinois
Julian Grijns
Managing Director, Forensic Investigations and Intelligence
Kroll Associates
New York, New York
Cameron A. MacDonald
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais
Toronto, Canada
Kevin White
Managing Director, Sentinel Marketing Intelligence
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY
Arthur Kohn
General Counsel, Leading Corporate Governance Expert
Skytop Contributing Author
Chair of the Editorial Committee, Skytop Media Group
New York, NY
Abraham Schwartz
Associate
Schulte Roth & Zabel
New York, NY
David Curtiss
Partner
Schulte Roth & Zabel
New York, NY
Barak Orbach
Robert H. Mundheim Professor of Law and Business
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
Tucson, Arizona
Darin M. Lippoldt
Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
Neurocrine Biosciences
San Diego, California
Andrew Shapiro
President
Lawndale Capital Management
Mill Valley, California
Ed Mullane
Dealreporter/Mergermarket/Activistmonitor, Editor
ION Analytics
Ramsey, New Jersey
Josh Hochberg
Global Chief Operating Officer
Edelman Smithfield
New York, NY
Robert McCormick
Executive Director
Council of Institutional Investors
Washington, D.C.
E. Shepard Farrar, NACD.DC
Audit & Risk Committee member
Reall, Ltd.
Washington, D.C.
Daniel Kerstein
Managing Director
TD Securities
New York, NY
Carleigh Roesler
Director
Joele Frank
New York, NY
Allison Sobel
Managing Director
Joele Frank
New York, NY
Josh Black
Editor-in-Chief
Diligent Market Intelligence
New York, NY
Nick Graziano
Partner, 2717 Partners
Skytop Contributing Author& Host of
"Inside the Corporate Boardroom”
SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Greenwich, Connecticut
John Glenn Grau
President and CEO
InvestorCom
New York, NY
Eric Rosenfeld
CEO
Crescendo Partners
New York, NY
Andrew Dakos
Principal
Bulldog Investors
New York, NY
Jay Clayton
Former Chair, SEC
Chair Executive Committee, Apollo Global Management
Board Member, American Express
Senior Policy Advisor & Of Counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
New York, NY
Charles Elson
Founding Director, John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance
Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair of Corporate Governance (retired), University of Delaware
Executive Editor, Directors & Boards Magazine
Newark, DE
Michael R. Levin
Independent Activist Investor
Founder of The Activist Investor
Skytop Contributing Author
Host of “The Activist Investor”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Chicago, Illinois
Jeremy Fielding
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Partner
Kekst CNC
Skytop Contributing Author
Host of "Board GPS"
SkytopTV Talk Show Series
New York, NY
Sam Taylor
Head of Corporate Intelligence, Americas
S-RM
New York, NY
Lindsay Frost
Senior Reporter
Agenda
New York, NY
David Kastin
Former EVP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary
Bed Bath & Beyond
New York, NY
Gabriel Radzyminski
Founder, Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer
Sandon Capital
Sydney, Australia
Eleazer Klein
Partner
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
New York, NY
Doug Jaffe
Managing Director
InvestorCom
New York, NY
Emma Sandler
Deputy Editor
Agenda
New York, NY
Geordie Hebard
Principal, Investments
Arkhouse
New York, NY
Sean Donahue
Partner
Co-Chair of the Shareholder Activism & Takeover Defense Practice
Paul Hastings LLP
Washington, D.C. & New York, NY
Skip Trachtman
Head of Client Engagement
K2 Integrity
New York, NY
Andrew Goodman
Partner
M&A, Shareholder Activism & Takeover Defense
Paul Hastings LLP
Boston, MA and New York, NY
John Bryan
Managing Director
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY
Larry Schimmel
Managing Director
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
New York, NY
Adriana Schwartz
Partner
Schulte Roth & Zabel
New York, NY
Michael Swartz
Partner
Schulte Roth & Zabel
New York, NY
Danny Goldstein
Special Counsel
Schulte Roth & Zabel
New York, NY
William P. Fiske
Head of M&A and Contested Situations - U.S.
Georgeson
New York, NY
Elina Tetelbaum
Partner
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
New York, NY
Anna Dimitrijevic
Associate
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
New York, NY
Timothy McCormick
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais
Toronto, Canada
Dianne McKeever
Chief Investment Officer
Ides Capital
New York, NY
Timothy Brog
Former Activist, Board Director and Corporate Executive
Stamford, Connecticut
Lauren Puffer
Managing Director, Sustainability Banking
TD Cowen
New York, NY
Jenna Shinderman
Director
Joele Frank
New York, NY
Charlotte Burch
Director
Joele Frank
New York, NY
VENUE - 730 THIRD AVENUE BY INDUSTRIOUS
With modern interiors imagined by Gensler’s world-renowned design excellence, 730 Third Avenue is arriving anew with accentuated style and sophistication.
Inspired from Third Avenue’s timeless advertising culture, Gensler’s bespoke mid-century-modern design inspires a warm hospitality approach and ease of access that is scaled for impactful branding and expansive possibilities.
A welcoming arrival of lightness and livability is made possible by outfitting each floor with unique self-tinting, easily-controllable ViewGlass windows to integrate the outdoors-in, creating an inspiring space for fresh thinking. 730 Third Avenue is currently LEED Gold certified and is also becoming Wired Gold and Fitwel certified, which redefines a Midtown-forward future connecting infinite opportunities for top-tier companies to function flawlessly.
Hotels Nearby
The Bernic Hotel
This modern Midtown East hotel is under a mile from Times Square, the Theater District, Rockefeller Center, and the Chrysler Building. See the rest of Manhattan by taking the subway from Lexington Avenue-53rd Street Station five minutes away.
Fitzpatrick G
rand Central
Nestled in the heart of Manhattan, New York City, the Fitzpatrick Grand Central is an oasis of warm Irish hospitality within an elegant setting. Experience personalized service and amenities that attend to your every requirement, creating an atmosphere of comfort and convenience.
Hyatt Grand Central New York
Hyatt Grand Central New York is the only hotel connected to the majesty and convenience of Grand Central Station. The central 42nd Street location in Midtown Manhattan ensures that you can experience iconic New York just outside our doors. Discover world-class dining, Broadway, 5th Avenue shopping and attractions like the Empire State Building, right near the hotel.