Joe Grundfest: "The Biggest Governance Trend for 2024 is the Corporation as a Piñata."

Joe Grundfest: "The Biggest Governance Trend for 2024 is the Corporation as a Piñata."

Author: Evan Epstein January 9, 2024 Duration: 50:25
Joe Grundfest is the William A. Franke Professor of Law and Business Emeritus at Stanford Law School and Senior Faculty of the Rock Center for Corporate Governance. He is a former Commissioner of the SEC and co-founded Financial Engines with Professor William F. Sharpe, the 1990 Nobel Prize winner in Economics. He formerly served as a director of KKR and Oracle. In this podcast, we review 2023 and talk about corporate governance trends for the coming year. Among other topics, we discuss: 1) The SVB and the banking crisis of 2023, 2) The current state and future of private markets and unicorns, 3) The growth of AI and the OpenAI boardroom crisis – including some geopolitical concerns, 4) The fate of Crypto and its regulation, and 5) The increasing politicization of ESG and DEI and how boards should address these concerns. We also talk about: 1) Biggest winner and looser in business of 2023; 2) Biggest business surprise from last year; 3) Best and worst corporate governance trends last year; and 4) Biggest corporate governance trend to watch out for in 2024. If you like this show, please consider subscribing, leaving a review or sharing this podcast on social media. You can also contribute as a Patron on the link patreon.com/BoardroomGovernancePod or you can subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com This podcast is sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.

Ever wonder what really happens behind the closed doors of a corporate board meeting? Boardroom Governance with Evan Epstein pulls up a chair to that table. Each episode is built around a substantive, long-form conversation with a leading voice from the world of corporate oversight-founders who have navigated IPOs, seasoned board directors, institutional investors, legal scholars, and top executives. Evan Epstein guides these discussions beyond the headlines and dry policy to uncover the human dynamics and strategic decisions that define modern governance. You’ll hear firsthand about the evolving pressures on boards, from activist investors and regulatory shifts to technology disruptions and crises of leadership. More than just analysis, this podcast delves into the personal journeys and hard-won insights of the individuals shaping these critical conversations. It’s for anyone curious about the architecture of power, responsibility, and strategy at the highest levels of business. Tune in for a rare, nuanced look at the principles and people steering today’s most influential companies.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Boardroom Governance with Evan Epstein
Podcast Episodes
Joe Grundfest (Stanford): 2026 Predictions and 2025 Reflections [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this annual year-end episode, Evan Epstein and Joe Grundfest reflect on the major governance and market developments of 2025, from IPOs and AI to Delaware law and executive compensation. They also offer clear-eyed pre…
Michelle Leder (Footnoted): Uncovering Hidden Risks in SEC Filings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Brad Feld: Startup Boards and Lessons from Four Decades in VC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Brad Feld is a veteran venture capital investor, co-founder of Foundry and Techstars, and the co-author of Startup Boards, among many other books. We discuss his personal journey, from his early life and entry into VC du…