Governance Intelligence

Corporate Governance Forum

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Clifford Chance offices, New York

About the forum

The Corporate Governance Forum is back in New York on Thursday, November 7 to help Corporate Secretaries and General Counsels improve board oversight and share governance best practices in a rapidly changing environment.

We evaluate the implications of recent market and regulatory changes on the role of governance professionals and provide a platform to share best practices before year-end, the Corporate Governance Forum is taking place at a perfect time to plan for the year ahead.

WHY ATTEND OUR FORUMS?

 Timely event: With an uncertain and changing geopolitical landscape, the importance of identifying emerging risks and prioritizing investment in governance, risk and controls will be paramount. This event is perfectly positioned to help you take stock of the year-to-date, refocus and plan for 2025
  Benchmarking: It is a great opportunity to evaluate where you stand in comparison to your peers, and how other companies have managed and overcome similar challenges
  Unique format: Far from a traditional conference format, our event is fast-paced and focused on providing actionable insights to attendees. It allows GRC professionals to have intimate discussions on common challenges and share best practices with peers
  Discover something new: Learn about new technologies, innovations, and services that are available to help to transform your governance strategy, increase productivity and make better decisions
  Network with the community: Meet with general counsels, corporate secretaries and experts in the governance, risk and compliance community


CLE CREDITS

Corporate Lawyers who are registered with the Bar in New York can claim credits toward their Continuing Legal Education program by attending. If you have passed the bar in another state, points may be transferrable dependent on the state.

Agenda 2024

We’ll be announcing the speaker line-up shortly. Please contact [email protected] if you’d like to get involved!

In the meantime, please see below for our 2024 agenda

Please click here to view the 2024 agenda.

Timings on the agenda are shown in Eastern Time (ET)

  • 08:15 AM
    Registration, networking and refreshments

  • 08:50 AM
    Opening remarks: Welcome to the forum

  • 09:00 AM
    Prepare and develop an effective board evaluation programme to foster efficiency, diversity and company growth

    In this new era of corporate governance, organizations, and their boards, are adapting to complexities driven by factors such as crises, societal perspectives, regulatory requirements, and economic changes. In addition, boards are responding to investor, regulator, and other stakeholder expectations for more participation and engagement. Robust disclosure of the board evaluation process helps reinforce the board’s effectiveness and commitment to its role.

    This panel will discuss how a well-structured board assessment can be an effective driver of efficiency, evaluate gaps in board composition and improve their oversight of management.

    • Consider if internal stakeholders or external advisors or a mix of the two, result in the best outcome
    • Learn what the most effective assessment practices are: frequency, in person interviews and/or questionnaires
    • Discover the best use of technology to aid in the process
    • Determine when to share the findings of your evaluation and how boards can make the best use of these results
    • Proven ways to resolve conflicts that develop from evaluations

    Jessica Olich, head of governance and associate general counsel, Equitable
    Arden Phillips, vice president, deputy general counsel and corporate secretary, Constellation Energy

  • 09:45 AM
    AI and the board room: Oversight and opportunities available to Corporate Secretaries

    AI has become a powerful tool to enhance internal decision-making processes and governance through advanced analytical models and robust risk-management methods.

    Experts will assess the solutions available to streamline governance activities and the risks that accompany them.

    • Consider the role of the board in delivering comprehensive risk oversight on new technology
    • Learn about the processes that support the design, development, deployment and operation of AI models
    • Generate strategic, tactical, and operational policies that ensure the use of AI aligns to your organization’s goals and values, and limits organisational risk
    • Consider methods to assign accountability and publish controls to monitor and enforce compliance
    • Evaluate policy gaps using a policy framework

    Seth Gastwirth, deputy general counsel, assistant corporate secretary, and general counsel for work dynamics, JLL
    Christine Kim, senior associate, Clifford Chance

  • 10:30 AM
    Coffee break and networking

  • 11:00 AM
    Guidelines for optimizing board cyber security oversight: realization, mitigation, protection and resilience

    Since the possibility of a cyber incident is not an “if” but a “when,” corporate governance professionals must ensure their boards stay vigilant, are prepared and can detect, respond and disclose to the required level when needed. Even though the risks cannot be eliminated entirely, proactive and active oversight will lower the probability of a serious cyber incident occurring and reduce the losses.

    This panel will give guidance on how to improve the governance of cybersecurity, and how to educate the board to weigh the opportunities that digitalization and technology may bring to a company against the risks involved.

    • Learn how to keep your board updated on the new cyber security regulations and ensure they understand the governance and litigation risks
    • Evaluate the importance of having a cyber security vanguard on the board v the expertise of external counsel
    • Understand the preparation needed to ensure a plan is in place that can be activated immediately if there is a breach and what that plan looks like
    • Determine how governance teams can devise a process for determining what incidents are material and what those disclosures should include?
    • Consider the methods needed to nurture a resilient company outlook that combats cyber attacks

    Matthew Geekie, Senior vice president, secretary and general counsel, Graybar

  • 11:45 AM
    Being prepared when an activist comes knocking – managing the board and corporate message

    Shareholder activism is rising globally and companies are regularly getting checked on their behaviour, board composition, transparency, ESG performance and profitability.

    This panel will take a deep dive into realising the initial signs an activist is at your door and how the board can prevent its escalation or mitigate the resulting consequences.

    • Understand the trends in activism activity and tactics; and learn when and how to change your narrative
    • Best practices for board oversight before and during an activist campaign; and how to work effectively with external counsel and advisors
    • Consider the influence of and prospects for the universal proxy card in 2024 and beyond
    • Leveraging support from other departments – IROs. (Talking to Proxy advisors)
    • Discuss the potential for ESG topics to play a part in activist campaigns in terms of directors and proposals
    • Legal defenses against activists and their weaknesses, strengths and unintended consequences

    Henrique Canarim, Vice president, senior assistant general counsel and assistant corporate secretary, Leidos
    Bruce Goldfarb, President and chief executive officer, Okapi Partners
    Jeff Taylor, Vice president, chief SEC counsel and secretary, American Water Works Company

  • 12:30 PM
    Lunch break

  • 13:30 PM
    Best practice when approaching new disclosure requirements – where, what, who and when?

    The continual influx of new regulations and the frequently changing geopolitical landscape are creating a complex environment for corporate secretaries and new disclosures.

    This panel will focus on the methods and considerations needed to create a road map that ensures new disclosures are reported efficiently, accurately and on time.

    • Consider the best place to start, and how to foster a flexible framework through continual education
    • Learn how to define what information needs to be disclosed and balance transparency with practicality to avoid information overload
    • Examine a realistic number of industry relevant peer disclosures to gain optimal insights.
    • Identify the relevant stakeholders (e.g., companies, investors, regulators) impacted by the requirements to ensure consistent application across diverse entities
    • Ensure your team deliver on time and within the strategic guidelines and goals of the company
    • Design frameworks to incorporate risk oversight

    Jennifer Card, senior director, associate general counsel, corporate & securities, Etsy
    Brady Long, executive vice president and chief legal officer, Transocean
    Adriana Mitchell, senior vice president and associate general counsel, Global Payments
    Brian Short, partner, co-leader of securities and capital markets group, Ballard Spahr

  • 14:15 PM
    The modern corporate secretary; validating your seat at the table

    The role of corporate secretaries has significantly shifted over the last years. As a vital cog in the corporate governance wheel, board secretaries now play an essential role in ensuring the smooth and effective functioning of the board and the organization at large.

    Here we will deep dive into quantifying the impact of a corporate secretary on the board and the methods used to evaluate their performance.

    • Define your objectives and indicators – consider the goals and principles of your corporate governance system and how to measure them quantitatively and qualitatively
    • Assess creative methods to collect and analyze data that reflects your corporate governance performance and impact, ensuring it is reliable relevant, consistent comparable and verifiable
    • Realize the best way to communicate results to your board using a variety of channels and formats. Considering their expectations and how you can add value to them
    • Discover best practice to evaluate and improve performance in a continuous, systematic and responsive way employing mechanisms such as such as feedback, reviews, audits, assessments and ratings
    • Understand the guidelines, behaviors and actions that demonstrate accountability and leadership by setting vision and strategy, while fostering culture and nurturing values

    Michael Brown, Vice president, assistant general counsel and corporate secretary, New York Times
    Richard Gluckselig, Associate general counsel and assistant corporate secretary, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
    Abdullah S.F AlGhamdi, Senior governance and legal advisor, Saudi Telecoms Company

     

  • 15:00 PM
    Coffee break and networking

  • 15:30 PM
    Roundtable discussion – Double materiality assessments

    Have open and frank conversations regarding double materiality assessment challenges and opportunities. At the end of the session, hear a roundup of lessons learned so you can apply these to board management when back in the office.

    • What challenges do companies face in implementing double materiality assessments? What are the best practices and are there any supporting regulatory guidelines?
    • Discuss double materiality assessments and evaluate their use as a strategic decision-making and risk measuring tool
    • Share your insights in creating and implementing a double materiality assessment, and lessons learned on the way

     

  • 16:00 PM
    Problem solver

    Help yourself to a glass of bubbly in this interactive session.

    Share your biggest corporate governance challenge in a special session that has been designed to work collaboratively on overcoming challenges with the help of fellow corporate secretaries

  • 16:30 PM
    Summary and closing remarks

  • 16:35 PM
    End of the forum

Speakers: 2024


Who attends our events

Our attendees are leading GRC practitioners with an established track record and strategic GRC role within their company.

Below is a sample of attendees who have joined our event in the past:

Job title Company Job title Company
Chief corporate governance officer Huntington National Bank SVP, deputy general counsel and corporate secretary AIG
Chief legal officer Biotechnology Innovation SVP, general counsel and corporate secretary Avangrid
Chief legal officer and assistant secretary Bunge SVP, general counsel and secretary Gentherm
Chief legal officer and corporate secretary Heidrick & Struggles VP, legal services & chief privacy officer The Cheesecake Factory
Director of business development FutureMade VP, associate general counsel and assistant secretary Kyndryl Holdings
Director, governance & legal services Murphy Oil Corporation VP, deputy general counsel and assistant secretary Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Executive vice president, chief legal officer Shore United Bank VP, director of proxy voting Federated Hermes
General counsel and chief legal officer Rush Street Interactive VP, governance and shareholder services Prudential Financial
Global chief legal officer and corporate secretary JLL VP and deputy general counsel Robinhood Markets
Partner Honigman VP, legal Shake Shack
Partner Vistra VP, assistant corporate secretary Dime Community Bank
Partner, head of Hypergrowth RHR International VP, associate general counsel and assistant secretary Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Senior vice president and corporate secretary MetLife VP, chief compliance officer Avangrid
SVP and global head of corporate legal, board secretary DXC Technology VP, deputy general counsel, CS, chief compliance & ethics officer Bunge
SVP, CLO and corporate secretary SpartanNash Company VP, legal & corporate affairs, legal counsel, corporate secretary Royal Canadian Mint

 


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Become a partner

Why partner with us?

The Corporate Governance Forum brings together some of the most influential people in the governance, risk and compliance community.

The event offers an effective approach to targeting clients when they are exploring how they can improve their GRC practice. Through our unrivaled knowledge of the subject matters and commitment to in-depth agenda research, our events are guaranteed to attract a qualified audience.

The unique buzz we create at our events – a far cry from a traditional conference format – makes them multi-faceted and highly interactive with great engagement in particular from leading GRC practitioners. This allows our partners to have meaningful conversations with corporates who are deciding which parts of their GRC program to invest in, which service providers to engage and which consultants to retain. By partnering with us on an event, you can generate leads, showcase your thought leadership and position yourselves as the partner of choice to the GRC community.

We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience at the Corporate Governance Forum. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 (212) 430 6865.

Partners

Venue

Clifford Chance US LLP,
Two Manhattan West,
375 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10001

Directions
For transport options and directions to the venue, please click here.

Accommodation
Governance Intelligence have arranged preferential rates for forum attendees at nearby hotels. View the hotels and rates by clicking here.

What our attendees say

"Relevant and emerging industry topics"

KEB Hana Bank Canada

"I liked hearing the different perspectives. From large to small companies. From companies just starting their ESG journey to others that have been doing it for years"

Clearwater Paper Corporation

"The interaction among the corporate governance professionals is always interesting and informative. "

Graybar

"Incredible learning and networking opportunity with participation by everyone. Job well done."

HPE

"Fantastic small group setting of engaged professional sharing best practices and solutions. Thanks for including me!"

Avangrid

Part of Governance LIVE 2024

The Corporate Governance Forum is part of Governance LIVE 2024, a series of events celebrating governance professionals and promoting excellence and good governance at public issuers. If you’d like access to all three events, visit our website to get your all-access two-day pass at a discounted rate!
 

Corporate Reporting Forum Corporate Governance Forum Corporate Governance Awards
November 6, 2024, New York November 7, 2024, New York November 7, 2024, New York
 

 

 

 

Book your two-day Governance LIVE pass

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Governance Intelligence are long-term supporters of the Coalition for the HomelessThe Coalition is doing all in its power to ensure that homeless New Yorkers get the help and protection they need.

We would be grateful if you are able to bring along any of the items outlined in the list below, to be donated to those in need through the Coalition.

For further information about their work, please visit coalitionforthehomeless.org.

 

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Book your place

Click on the button below to book your ticket.

The corporate rate is reserved for in-house governance professionals, employed directly by a corporation listed on a public stock exchange ONLY.

SOLD OUT: First release rate tickets

SOLD OUT: Non-corporate tickets

We have now sold out of Non-corporate tickets for this event. If you don’t fall under the corporate rate and would like to get involved please email Ian Richman at [email protected].

If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Williams at [email protected] or ++44 208 090 2156.

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