Key issues: Succession planning

Overseeing that companies have a robust and sustainable CEO succession plan is one of the most vital functions a board of directors can perform. Recent developments including the high turnover rate of CEOs, increased shareholder pressure for new CEOs at some companies, and incidents of CEO illness have amplified the need for boards to ensure a succession plan is in place, current, and operational.

The SEC has announced that, starting in the 2010 proxy season, companies will no longer be able to exclude from their proxies shareholder proposals that request information about CEO succession policies, including the board’s involvement in the process. The impact of this change in the SEC's position puts more pressure on directors to ensure the company has a robust management succession plan.

• Bribery and corruption
• CEO and board chair roles
• Executive compensation and say on pay
• Financial regulatory reform
• IFRS
• IT governance
• Mergers & acquisitions
• Proxy access
• Risk management
• Strategy and growth
• Sustainability and climate change
• Whistleblower bounty program