Author Archives: Maureen Wolff

Developing an Investor Relations Program for an IPO Company [Video]

By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner Companies planning to go public need to be able to hit the ground running on the day of the IPO pricing with an investor relations program.  In order to prepare, Sharon Merrill President and … Continue reading

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Filed under Investor Relations, IPO

A Curious Tale from the Annals of Shareholder Activism

By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner Nothing has more power to change a boardroom’s dynamics than the election of dissident directors – especially when they arrive as a twosome. I had the honor of moderating a panel discussion on shareholder … Continue reading

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Filed under Crisis Communications, Shareholder Activism

Activists and Boards Share Common Ground on Communications

When it comes to corporate governance, board members and shareholder activists are usually on opposite ends of the spectrum.  But at separate conferences in New York and Boston this month, the two camps expressed a surprisingly similar view about the … Continue reading

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Prepare for Proxy Access Now – Avoid an Activist Horror Story Later

Hello again.  We took a bit of a hiatus from blogging this summer, but we are now back to share a Halloween story sure to scare you straight!  Unless you are one of the 33 Chilean miners that were trapped … Continue reading

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Filed under Crisis Communications, Shareholder Activism

Winning the Gunfight at the Proxy Corral – Four Steps to Prepare for Shareholder Activism

The term “shareholder activism” can sometimes send a shiver down your spine and conjure up all kinds of unwelcome events – unhappy shareholders, proxy contests, shareholder proposals, 13D filings and withhold vote campaigns, to name just a few. I recently … Continue reading

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Filed under Crisis Communications, Shareholder Activism

Perfect 10 or Face Plant? IPO Success Hinges on IR Planning

On January 4th, the first business day of the new decade, Dow Jones VentureSource released figures suggesting that 2010 will be a stronger year for IPOs.  They reported that eight companies completed public offerings in 2009, raising $904 million.  This … Continue reading

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Grab the Tiger by the Tail in 2010

Earlier this week I moderated a NIRI webinar with three senior-level investor relations officers representing the finance, real estate and retail industries.  The panelists highlighted some new initiatives that IROs should consider in 2010 which, according to the Chinese calendar, … Continue reading

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Filed under Board Communications, Investor Relations, NIRI, Speaking Engagements

Board-Shareholder Communications

To whom is the corporation accountable? Before SOX, majority voting, proxy access and “say on pay,” director elections were democratic in name only, and the lines between board and management were blurry at best. Except for the occasional gadfly at … Continue reading

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Filed under Board Communications, Crisis Communications, Investor Relations, Shareholder Activism

Investor Relations Field Poised for Growth

Sharon Merrill Associates (www.InvestorRelations.com) Executive Vice President David Calusdian and I recently presented on “The Dynamic World of Corporate Disclosure” at the National Investor Relations Institute’s (NIRI) “Introduction to Investor Relations” conference in Boston.  NIRI holds this three-day event twice … Continue reading

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Filed under Investor Relations, Speaking Engagements