Shareholder activism is reshaping boardrooms worldwide, reaching a six-year high with 243 campaigns in 2024. The US remains the focal point, rising from 83 campaigns in 2019 to 115, while APAC has doubled its activity to 66.
Boards are shifting from reactive defenses to proactive governance. Leadership change and transparency are accelerating — the average S&P 500 board member tenure has dropped to 7.8 years, and 3 in 4 boards now share director skills matrices, double since 2020.
As companies juggle stakeholder demands, activist investors are a voice boards can’t ignore.
