Giving Shareholders More Say

"After a decade of conceding on various shareholder demands (majority voting, annual director elections, expanded disclosures) and nearly one year after the Dodd-Frank Act gave investors a say on pay, companies are rethinking how they communicate with shareholders -- and whether they should do it more often.

Robert Hayward, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, suggests that companies approach their interaction with investors as a yearlong affair rather than as an annual chore come proxy season. 'Always know who your top shareholders are, who's coming in, who's going away, what their policies are, and how that will affect what you do,' he says."

This article appeared in its entirety in the June 1, 2011 edition of CFO Magazine.