Since 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been evaluating the role that proxy advisory firms have regarding shareholder engagement. This has resulted in recent Commission-level guidance to clarify the relationship between proxy advisory firms and institutional investors. At the end of the day, public pension retirees rely on their pension systems and […]
COMMENTARY: Senate Banking Hearing with SEC Chairman Must Address Proxy Advisory Firms
This article originally appeared in Morning Consult on December 10th, 2019. On Dec. 10, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs will hold an oversight hearing on the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among all of the SEC’s priorities, the Senate Banking Committee should raise the topic of proxy advisory reform. With the public […]
ESG Versus Impact Investing
This article originally appeared in Forbes on February 28, 2020. There is absolutely nothing wrong with senior management and directors of companies across America reviewing, analyzing, measuring and integrating into company operations, a focus on environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) considerations. Nor is it a new concept. As one general counsel of a Fortune 200 company […]
What the SEC’s Proposed Rule Means for Investors
This article originally appeared on Morning Consult on March 5, 2020. In the new year, we often make many promises. This time, we must resolve to protect the interests of retail and institutional investors from the meddling of proxy advisory firms. I have always argued for clear and navigable investment voting processes, and this moment […]
Bucking the Trend to Rescue New Jersey’s Pension
As three of New York City’s five pension funds move to divest from fossil fuels, one state government in the neighborhood is bucking the trend to move away from corporations operating in the carbon-based fuel industry. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey has warned against the impulse to sever ties completely with industries or companies […]
Commentary: As Shareholders Come Together to Vote, Investors Must Work to Keep Politics Out of Public Pensions
This article originally appeared in Morning Consult on June 9, 2020. With the proxy voting season in motion, corporations and shareholders are preparing to debate numerous potential changes to how thousands of businesses operate. This year, a single issue will be at the forefront of everyone’s minds: the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has upended the […]
Commentary: The Department Of Labor Takes Much-Needed Steps Toward Ensuring Fiduciary Obligations
This article originally appeared in Forbes on September 22, 2020. The time to ensure that pension fund managers are bound by their fiduciary obligation to their beneficiaries and not by any other political motives is now. Prioritizing issues other than pure financial returns may be an acceptable strategy for individuals managing their own money or […]