It’s proxy season, and for most companies, the time for annual meetings is just around the bend. Publicly traded companies are coming off a tumultuous year. The link between corporation and community has never been more at the forefront — from COVID-19 to racial justice to worker treatment. And businesses are facing activist pressure. How should they navigate this complex environment?

Our latest episode of The Sidley Podcast grapples with that question and many others. Join host and Sidley partner, Sam Gandhi, as he speaks with three of the firm’s thought leaders on proxy season — Beth Berg, Kai Liekefett, and Derek Zaba.

Beth has more than 18 years of experience in advising companies on shareholder activism, proxy contests, and takeover defense. She is a partner in the firm’s Chicago office.

Kai is a partner in Sidley’s New York office and co-chairs the firm’s Shareholder Activism practice. In the last five years, he has been involved in more than 50 proxy contests — more than any defense lawyer in the country.

Derek is a partner in the firm’s Palo Alto and New York offices and co-chairs the Shareholder Activism practice. Over the past two decades, he has been involved in dozens of activist campaigns and proxy contests.

Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.