On July 30, 2018, the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") announced that it intends to host a roundtable
in the fall 2018 to hear from market participants regarding the
SEC's rules governing the proxy process. This roundtable is
expected to provide issuers, investors and others the opportunity
to participate in a conversation with the SEC regarding the proxy
process, which is timely given the significant increase in
shareholder engagement and enhanced influence of proxy advisory
firms, and may provide valuable insight into contemplated SEC
rulemaking in this area."
The SEC has identified several potential topics to be addressed
at the roundtable, including the corporate voting process, retail
shareholder participation, shareholder proposals, the role of proxy
advisory firms, technology and innovation, and potential SEC
actions for consideration. The full agenda for the roundtable has
not yet been determined.
