Shareholder Activism Summit NYC | January 30th, 2025

8:00-9:00 AM | Registration and Networking Breakfast

9:00-9:05 AM | Welcome Remarks
Christopher P. Skroupa, Founder & CEO, Skytop Strategies

9:05-9:45 AM | Fireside Chat
Battle for the Boardroom: How Empowered Lawyers and The Poison Pill Revolutionized Corporate Governance
Host:
Expert Panelists:

9:45-10:15 AM | Keynote Presentation
Topic TBA
Presenter:

10:15-10:55 AM | Panel Discussion
Board Nominations: Activist Scorecard in Blocking CEO Driven Goals
Moderator:
Panelists:
Sebastian Alsheimer, Partner and Co-Head of Shareholder Engagement & Activism, 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

10:55 - 11:10 PM | Networking Break

11:10-11:50 AM | Panel Discussion
NYSE Proposed Rule Change for Closed-End Funds:  Annual Shareholder Meeting Requirement 
Moderator:
Panelists:
Phil Goldstein, Principal, Bulldog Investors

11:50 AM-12:30 PM | Panel Discussion
Activism and ESG: What's Working in Today's Environment 
Moderator:
Josh Black, Editor-in-Chief, Diligent Market Intelligence
Panelists:
Freddie Pletcher, Partner, Borden Lader Gervais

12:30-1:30 PM | Networking Luncheon

1:30-2:10 PM | Panel Discussion
Proxy Case Stories: Disney, Macy’s and Financial Companies
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.

2:10-3:10 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

3:10-3:50 PM | Panel Discussion
Topic TBA
Moderator:
Panelist:
Jeremy Fielding, CEO, Kekst CNC

3:50-4:05 PM | Networking Break

4:05-5:05 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
Julian Grijns, Managing Director, Forensic Investigations and Intelligence, Kroll Associates
Jeff Korn, Chief Executive Officer | Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, Crexendo

5:05-5:35 PM | Fireside Chat
The Activist Investor: The Evolution of Today’s Activist Investor
Interviewer:
John Glenn Grau, President & CEO, InvestorCom
Interviewee:

5:35-6:05 PM | Exclusive Interview
Case Story: TBA
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

6:05-6:50 PM | Fireside Chat
TBD
Discussants:
Jay Clayton, Former Chair, SEC, Senior Policy Advisor, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Board Director

6:50-6:55 PM | Closing Remarks

6:55-8:00 PM | Network Reception