Corporate governance - Vigil

Some states either already have, or are considering imposing, higher taxes on companies with especially big gaps

The changing role of China in the world economy has recently been highlighted by its registering of a first current account deficit in 17 years. We review the economists’ analyses of this new role and associated challenges.

Canada’s decision to block the $1.51-billion takeover of Aecon Group Inc. by a Chinese state-owned enterprise will cast a chill over ongoing efforts to develop trade relations with the Asian superpower — at the same time as it eases relations at the NAFTA bargaining table, trade analysts say.

The vast majority of Deutsche Bank investors voted in support of chairman Paul Achleitner at the bank’s annual shareholder despite some expressions of discontent.

John De Aragon received significant compensation and incentives in 2017 and 2018, even after charge was laid

A group of shareholders and several Google employees are teaming up to back a proposal that would tie executive compensation to the company’s ability to meet certain diversity goals. But Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is opposing the proposal, saying that linking executive pay to diversity metrics isn’t in the best interest of the company or its shareholders.

Audits get noticed only when things go wrong. Last week British MPs issued a scathing attack on KPMG, an auditor, for failing to avert the collapse of Carillion, a contracting company. South African authorities are looking into Deloitte’s audit of Steinhoff, a retailer. PwC, another auditor, could face a court-damages verdict for hundreds of millions of dollars for not spotting fraud at Colonial Bank, a failed American lender.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being urged to gather security agencies and top policy makers to determine the security threat and economic cost of transferring Canadian intellectual property to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies.

In an unusual finding, the Delaware Court of Chancery held that demand was partly excused and claims for corporate waste, bad faith and unjust enrichment could proceed against CBS Corporation for compensation paid to its former Executive Chairman, Sumner Redstone, who later became Chairman Emeritus. The plaintiff alleged that Mr. Redstone became incapacitated yet continued to receive compensation for work he did not perform.

Michael Herskovich, head of corporate governance at BNP Paribas Asset Management, tells Board Agenda how sustainability is central to its values, and why it is engaging with others to follow suit.

Despite mounting research that proves hiring more women into leadership roles isn’t just fair but also good for business, it’s still not reflected in many Canadian boardrooms.

The new chief executive of the federal infrastructure agency says it could be well into 2019 before it will be ready to announce its first investment.

China is warning of a Canadian investment chill after the rejection of the Aecon Group Inc. takeover