street
talk
Home » How We Think » Street Talk » Entries
Proxy season is closer than you think
2I had an interesting conversation with the head of one of the premier proxy solicitation firms in the country last week who said that, to this point, the anticipated wave of companies actively preparing for the new rules of engagement in this year’s proxy season has yet to hit shore.
Talk? Yes. Action? Nope.
Am I surprised? Is Too Tall Jones really too tall?!!?
Boys and girls, proxy season is closer than you think. Now is the time to start digging into your shareholder base to see how the votes may fall and with whom you may need to spend a little more time talking through the issues on the ballot. Now is the time to start expanding your proxy biographies for directors to include specifics on how that individual’s experience will help accelerate the company’s growth plan. Now is the time to start resetting investor expectations as the global economy continues to recalibrate. Now is the time to start taking a close look in the mirror at your governance practices and protocols and gauging how they stack up against your industry, as well as best practices.
I fully realize that I can worry about things a little sooner and/or a little longer than most folks. But, let me ask you this: where’s the harm in being truly prepared?
The Conversation
Mariela Castro on February 01, 2010
Rob Berick on February 09, 2010
Mariela - LOL re: same behavior as buying Christmas presents. So true and so funny.
Given the churn in shareholder bases over the past 18 months and the rise in shareholder concerns about valuation, I find it hard to believe that companies think they’ll sail through this proxy season. It is not business as usual - I fear folks will find this out the hard way.
Leave a Comment
About rob
Position:Senior Managing Director
Rob oversees Dix & Eaton’s investor relations practice and is a member of the firm’s Leadership Committee. Over his nearly 20-year career, he has developed and executed investor relations programs for companies in a wide range of industries and market cap sizes.
Latest Tweets
#Buffett invites analysts to #annualmeeting http://t.co/y7yHb1LZ Do you? #IR #corpgov #irchat $BRK.A
February 06, 2012 8:45
Could not agree more "@Gibbstack: Right now convinced "Blue" by First Aid Kit is the greatest song ever recorded."
February 02, 2012 10:34
@LenKendall that's a tough lesson to swallow (pun intended).
February 01, 2012 1:29
Calendar
| February 2012 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Recent Entries
Links
- Boards At Their Best
- Corporate Governance Leaders
- Deal Breaker
- Dealflow
- Design @ Metal
- FEI Financial Reporting Blog
- Idea Transplant
- Inside IPO
- Investor Relations Musings
- IR Café
- IR Web Report
- IR/PR Today
- Jeff Matthews Is Not Making This Up
- Q4 Web Systems Blog
- Risk and Governance Blog
- Robert A. G. Monks
- ScudderMedia
- Small-Cap IR
- The Podium
- TheCorporateCounsel.net Blog
- Transparency Matters
- WCW Insight
Rob, I think you´re right in trying to anticipate what is about to come. People seem to think about proxy season the same way we behave when we have to buy Christmas presents—always leaving everything to the last minute! Shareholders expectations, concerns and demands changed dramatically after world crisis and everybody is much more alert with all information related to companies. I agree with you: it´s time to ACT (as IR pros & management), not to wait. Good post!