Boardroom Governance with Evan Epstein Evan Epstein

Patrick Gadson is the Co-Head of Vinson & Elkins’ Shareholder Activism practice, which advises public companies in competitive proxy solicitations, strategic investor relations, and corporate governance.

We address the evolving dynamics of shareholder activism, the impact of universal proxy rules, and ESG activism (separating E vs S campaigns, as in Exxon and Starbucks). We also talk about differences in activist campaigns in large, mid, and small caps, and how boards should prepare for them. In addition, we address the role of institutional investors and proxy advisors in contested situations.

If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.

Leah Solivan is a General Partner at Fuel Capital, a venture capital firm. Prior to that, she was the founder, CEO and Executive Chair at TaskRabbit. Leah scaled the company to 44 cities and raised more than $50 million. In 2017, TaskRabbit was acquired by IKEA.

We discuss her journey at TaskRabbit, with a special emphasis on her board experience. We address board composition, scaling, and CEO succession. We also talk about her transition to startup investing, and her thoughts about board service in public companies, and boardroom diversity generally.

If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.

Jeff Saviano is the EY Emerging Technology Strategy & Governance Leader. He advises corporate boards, C-suite executives, and senior government officials on the risks, opportunities, and policy/governance implications emanating from innovative technology, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and Web3.

In this episode, we talk about what is probably the hottest topic in corporate governance circles: AI ethics and governance, including board oversight, board committee structure, and board expertise. We also cover AI regulatory oversight in the US and internationally, the OpenAI board fiasco, and some of the novel entity structures used by leading AI companies.

If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.

Amy Banse is a Venture Partner at Mosaic General Partnership, a VC firm based in SF Bay Area. She has over 30 years of experience starting, investing in, and building businesses at Comcast and as a board member on numerous public and private companies, including Adobe, Clorox, On Running and Lennar Corporation.

In this episode we talk about her time leading Comcast Ventures and the evolution of Corporate Venture Capital. We also cover her experience as a director of public and private companies, including distinctions between these types of companies. We also address challenging governance matters, AI as the new new thing, DEI, plus the current state of SF and women sports.

If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.

Terry Johnson is a partner at Arnold & Porter and the current President of the Bar Association of San Francisco and its Justice and Diversity Center.

In this episode, we talk about the book on ESG that she co-edited for the American Bar Association and we dive into ESG matters including some of its backlash. We also address the legal challenges to boardroom diversity, the Truth and Power Distinguished Speaker Series by the SF Bar Association, and other corporate governance trends of interest to directors.

If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.

Mary Inman is a partner at Whistleblower Partners LLP, a boutique law firm specializing exclusively in representing whistleblowers under the various U.S. whistleblower reward programs.

We discuss high-stakes whistleblower cases, including her representation of Tyler Schulz at Theranos and Frances Haugen at Facebook (Meta). We delve into the significance of the U.S. Whistleblower Reward Programs, and their impact on corporate transparency. We also talk about cases involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the international context. Reflecting on the recent tragic loss of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, we discuss prevention strategies, mental health issues, and the evolving landscape of whistleblower protections. We conclude with some advice for board members on fostering a culture of accountability within organizations.

If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.