Olshan Reveals Latest Shareholder Activism Trends in DMI’s Shareholder Activism Annual Review 2025

Diligent Market Intelligence issued its Shareholder Activism Annual Review 2025 featuring Olshan’s Shareholder Activism Practice as a key collaborator. The annual review includes a foreword authored by Andrew Freedman, Olshan Co-Managing Partner and Chair of the firm’s Shareholder Activism Practice, and Ryan Nebel, Vice Chair of the Shareholder Activism Practice, highlighting key trends in shareholder activism throughout 2024. They note that “several prominent engagements demonstrated that shareholder activism remains an effective tool for holding companies accountable and championing strategic and operational improvements to enhance shareholder value.” Andy and Ryan expressed optimism for the year ahead, stating, “2025 holds immense potential for impactful campaigns, as activism continues to strengthen, evolve strategically, and drive meaningful change.” The review also includes an in-depth Q&A interview with Ryan and Meagan Reda, a Partner in the Shareholder Activism Practice. In their discussion, Ryan and Meagan provide a forward-looking analysis of how activism is evolving in response to regulatory changes, governance practices, and shifting corporate strategies. Ryan noted that there will still be plenty of operational-focused activist campaigns, but anticipates a meaningful increase in M&A-related activism in 2025. Meagan highlighted that board diversity remains an important consideration for both companies and activists, particularly with the universal proxy card placing a greater focus on each nominee’s specific characteristics. She noted that despite the recent Nasdaq decision and the scaling back of DEI initiatives, “shareholders will continue to expect diverse boards as a means of ensuring broader viewpoints, skill sets and more creative decision-making in the boardroom.”

To read Diligent’s Shareholder Activism Annual Review 2025, please click here.