Business Roundtable
A New Era of Shareholder Activism: Aligning the Interests of All Parties
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
9:30 AM
Park Avenue Suite Center/North
Shareholder activism has been a splinter in the heel of several prominent industry executives, but others maintain that it compels healthy transparency. Increasingly, biotech investors scrutinize spending, challenge corporate decisions, and even design the ouster of top execs. Do activists hinder long-term research efforts, or do they help CEOs realize true company value? Join us to take a look at what happens when an aggressive shareholder buys into a particular company and discuss what this controversial trend may mean for the industry at large.
Moderators
- Annette Grimaldi; Managing Director, Jefferies & Company
Panelists
- Lilian Stern; Principal, Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
- Steve Rouhandeh; Chairman, SCO Financial Group LLC
- Tom McLain; Former Chairman, President and CEO, Nabi Pharmaceuticals
Who's Who
Annette Grimaldi is a Managing Director in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group and heads the Life Sciences Investment Banking practice at Jefferies. Prior to joining Jefferies in 2005, Ms. Grimaldi spent 10 years at SG Cowen where she had responsibility for their biotechnology and emerging pharmaceutical investment banking and eight years at Goldman, Sachs & Co. as a senior member of their healthcare group. Throughout her nearly twenty-year career, Ms. Grimaldi has managed a wide range of financings and strategic advisory assignments. She has raised more than $10 billion for her life sciences clients over this time period. She received her MBA degree in Finance from the Wharton School of Business and a Masters Degree in International Studies and Japanese from the University of Pennsylvania, Lauder Institute. She received a BS in Foreign Service, summa cum laude, (Phi Beta Kappa) from Georgetown University.
Steve possesses a diverse background in financial services that includes experience in corporate finance, investment banking. He has been active throughout recent years as an executive in venture capital and as a founder of several health companies in the biotech field. His experience also includes positions as Managing Director of a private equity group at Metzler Bank, a private European investment firm and Vice President, Investment Banking at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell. Steve was also a Corporate Attorney at New York City-based Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Education: J.D., Harvard Law School, Harvard University; B.A. Government, Economics, Southern Illinois University.