NEW YORK (Reuters) – A former top executive at proxy solicitor Kingsdale Advisors on Monday said he launched a new firm amid growing demand for advice on engaging with shareholders as corporate agitators push for more changes at companies.
Michael Fein, who headed Canadian firm Kingsdale’s U.S. operations as president, U.S., until the start of March, set up New York-based Campaign Management to offer advice and proxy solicitation services.
“As campaigns become more nuanced and the stakes become increasingly higher, the difference between success and failure may very well rely on devising and executing the most effective strategy to drive positive results at the polls,” Fein said.
He founded the firm amid fresh activist campaigns.
Last week, billionaire investor Carl Icahn launched a board challenge at biotech Illumina. Earlier this year Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management pursued a board seat at Walt Disney Co and Daniel Loeb’s Third Point pushed for Bath & Body Works to refresh its board. Activist investors are also agitating at Salesforce.
Innisfree M&A, Morrow Sodali, Mackenzie Partners, and Okapi Partners rank as the busiest proxy solicitors who advise on board challenges and mergers and acquisitions.
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Fein, who spent three decades on Wall Street, worked at Kingsdale Advisors for nearly six years and at Okapi before that.
(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Chris Reese)