Crystal Ball Gazing 2020 2020 introduces a new decade, one which already promises to be an exciting one for the legal sector and society in general. In this special newsletter, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek gazes into the crystal ball and highlights some of the more important trends and developments which could very well affect or … Continued
Accelerating ESG Disclosure— WEF Task Force Releases Preliminary Framework Centered on Mainstream Reporting Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals Reflecting the growing push among investors, asset managers, companies and other stakeholders for a standardized ESG disclosure framework, a task force sponsored by the International Business Council (IBC) of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has released … Continued
On 7 January 2020 Nasdaq Copenhagen announced an update to its issuer rules, introducing a requirement that a request for de-listing by an issuer of shares must be approved by 90% of the votes cast and share capital represented at a general meeting of the issuer in question. The new rules constitute a significant change … Continued
Legal entities in the Netherlands must register UBO from March 2020 The much anticipated UBO register is expected to become operational in March 2020. The UBO register will be kept by the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce and will be separate from the Dutch Trade Register. All legal entities registered in the Netherlands, including foundations, must … Continued
Some Thoughts for Boards of Directors in 2020 By Martin Lipton, Steven A. Rosenblum, Karessa L. Cain, and Kathleen I. Tatum December 9, 2019 In hindsight, 2019 may come to be viewed as a watershed year in the evolution of corporate governance. After years of growing alarm about endemic short-termism, the sustainability and competitiveness of … Continued
The Finance Commission of the French National Assembly has announced a report that will recommend reforms to French securities market regulations to address shareholder activism and market transparency. The report’s recommendations focus on responding to the excesses of activists in the French market with enhanced disclosure, reduced asymmetry of regulation between activist investors and French public … Continued
Below is an op-ed by Martin Lipton and William Savitt that appeared in the Financial Times on Tuesday, September 17, 2019. Martin Lipton William Savitt
Bill implementing the Shareholders’ Rights Directive: what it means for Dutch listed companies On 2 April 2019, the bill implementing the revised Shareholder Rights Directive was adopted by the Lower House of Parliament. The bill was amended to take into account a number of modifications to the initial draft. The implementation of Directive 2017/628/EU to … Continued
Spotlight on Boards The ever-evolving challenges facing corporate boards prompt periodic updates to a snapshot of what is expected from the board of directors of a major public company—not just the legal rules, or the principles published by institutional investors and various corporate and investor associations, but also the aspirational “best practices” that have come … Continued
Cross-Border M&A – 2019 Checklist for Successful Acquisitions in the United States M&A in 2018 began with a bang, with more than $350 billion of deals in January 2018 – a January level not seen since 2000 – and much chatter that M&A volume for the year could hit an all-time record. As it turned … Continued
