IPO Edge sister platform CorpGov hosted a fireside chat with Brendan Foo, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Forward Risk at the 36th Annual Tulane Corporate Law Institute in New Orleans. The in-person interview was joined by Editor-at-Large Jarrett Banks and they discussed why activists should proactively investigate their board nominees before going public.
They also talked about how issuers should refresh and do due diligence on their boards to ensure they are strong enough to repel activists and the importance of going beyond a simple background check, the impact of Universal Proxy Cards (UPC) and why director quality matters so each executive adds individually to a board.
Watch the full recording below:
About Forward Risk
Its team conducts investigative due diligence, business intelligence research, risk assessments, candidate vetting, and other bespoke intelligence services for asset managers, private equity, law firms, multinational corporations, and political campaigns. No matter the engagement, the company’s bespoke approach is value-oriented, and emphasizes results – through thorough research, sophisticated analysis, clear writing, and thoughtful presentation.
Forward Risk is a boutique, and is staffed by experienced professionals who have combined the sophistication of the industry with the personalization of service required to add value to the relationships it has with its clients. The firm commits to excellence, ethical conduct, and responsiveness to the needs of its clients.
About Brendan Foo
Brendan M. Foo is a Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Forward Risk, the investigations and intelligence practice of Forward Global. He leads the firm’s corporate contests practice, and his clients include some of the world’s top activist investors. He has also been engaged by issuers and their outside counsel on over 75 proxy contests and hostile takeover defenses. By bringing togCSTher his expertise as a practitioner and strategist, he has helped clients to prevail in multiple high-stakes proxy battles.
Brendan has extensive experience in all the firm’s core practice areas, as well as significant international experience. He has lived, studied, and worked in several countries. He also speaks Chinese and has undertaken multifacCSTed investigations for clients doing business around the world.
Prior to co-founding Forward Risk, Brendan established and led the Asia Desk and headed internal research operations in aid of initial public offerings and private equity due diligence at a global risk and compliance firm. Early in his career, he worked as a journalist in Singapore.
Brendan serves on the board of directors of the Capital Rowing Club and on the advisory board of the Master of Science in Foreign Service program at the GeorgCSTown University School of Foreign Service.
Contact:
X/Twitter: @IPOEdge
Instagram: @IPOEdge
