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"Congratulations! What a fantastic conference - they just get better and better every year. "
John Plender, the Financial Times, UK
Programme
The programme is subject to change. Watch this space for speaker details.
March the 24th, 2010
Pre Dinner Drinks 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Guildhall Art Gallery
Dinner 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Sir David Walker
Dinner Speaker
Highlights from Sir David’s extensive consultation on the governance and regulatory framework as applied to banks and beyond, as well as the role of shareholders in helping to make the recommendations work in practice.
Sir David Walker, Senior Adviser, Morgan Stanley International PLC, UK
March the 25th, 2010
Registration and breakfast 7:45am - 8:40am
Guildhall Old LibraryWelcome remarks 8:40am - 8:50am
Opening remarks
Mark Boleat, Deputy Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, City of London Corporation, UK
Introductory remarks from the ICGN Chairman and the launch of new ICGN Non-executive Director Remuneration Guidelines.
Christy Wood, Chairman, ICGN Board of Governors
Session 1 8:50am - 10:00am
Lord Paul Myners CBE
Sir Richard Lapthorne CBE
Jacques Schraven
Stephen Haddrill
John Plender
Debate: Shareholder Responsibilities and Corporate Engagement
Institutional investors are often accused of being absent landlords. Where were they as owners of banks before the financial crisis and what role can they play in the future? Which type of engagement is most effective? How can corporates help to make the process work?
Opening keynote
Lord Paul Myners CBE, Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury, UK
Panel debate
Jacques Schraven, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Corus Nederland BV Non-executive director of Tata Steel Limited Chairman, European Issuers, the Netherlands
Sir Richard Lapthorne CBE, Chairman, Cable and Wireless plc, UK
Stephen Haddrill, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council, UK
Moderator
John Plender, Senior Editorial Writer & Columnist, the Financial Times, UK
Session 2 10:00am - 11:00am
Dominique Biedermann
Joelle Simon
Sean O'Hare
The Great Pay Debate: Who Holds the Moral Compass?
Has pay become too politicised? Who holds the moral compass determining the balance between just deserts and too much? How will this affect the attractiveness of financial markets and what influence, if any, do shareholders have in blocking excessive bank bonuses?
Panel debate
Dominique Biedermann, Executive Director, Ethos Foundation, Switzerland
Joelle Simon, Director for Legal Affairs, French Business Confederation, MEDEF Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee, BusinessEurope
Moderator
Sean O'Hare, Partner, Human Resource Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, UK
Refreshments 11:00am - 11:30am
Session 3 11:30am - 12:45pm
Helen Alexander
Fabio Galli
Suzanne Hopgood
David Wilson
Shareholder Influence on Board Balance: the Directors' Perspective
How does the regulatory environment encourage or stifle shareholder participation in shaping effective boards? Should shareholders intervene in director nominations at all and if so, what are the benefits?
Panel debate
Finn Johnsson, Chairman, Thomas Concrete Group AB and Chairman KappAhl AB Sweden
Helen Alexander, President, Confederation of British Industry's, UK
Fabio Galli, Director General, Assogestioni - associazione del risparmio gestito, Italy
Suzanne Hopgood, Director of Board Advisory Services, National Association of Corporate Directors, USA
Moderator
David Wilson, Chief Executive, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, UK
Lunch 12:45pm - 1:45pm
Session 4 1:45pm - 3:00pm
Frank Curtiss
Mike Krzus
Ralf Frank
Beata Farber
Michel Bernard
Emma Hunt
Geof Stapledon
Jean-Philippe Desmartin
Erik Breen
Stephen Davis
Alan Texeira
Breakout sessions
1. Does non-financial business reporting benefit shareholders? If so, how?
What should shareholders be demanding of non-financial business reporting and management commentary? Is NFBR currently delivering on enhancing our understanding of risk?
Dr Alan Teixeira, Director of Technical Activities, International Accounting Standards Board, UK
Mike Krzus, Partner, Public Policy & External Affairs, Grant Thornton LLP, USA
Ralf Frank, Managing Director, DVFA - Society of Investment Professionals, Germany
Moderator: Frank Curtiss, Head of Corporate Governance, RAILPEN Investments, UK
2. Making Investment Management Agreements chime with responsible ownership objectives - how easy is this?
Beata Farber, Partner, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP, USA
Michel Bernard, Head of UK Institutional Sales, F&C Asset Management plc, UK
Dr Steve Waygood, Head of sustainability research and engagement, Aviva Investors, UK
Moderator: Emma Hunt, Senior Investment Consultant, Towers Watson, UK
3. Convincing the unconverted of the value of engagement and active ownership
What are the costs and benefits to sustained shareholder engagement with boards? How does this ultimately translate into improved shareholder value?
Jean-Philippe Desmartin, Senior Analyst, Head of SRI research, Oddo Securities
Geof Stapledon, Group Manager, Governance, BHP Billiton, UK
Moderator: Peter Montagnon, Director of Investment Affairs, Association of British Insurers, UK
4. Can shareholders determine if boards are overseeing risk?
Company risk and strategy are inseparable and crucial drivers of long term investment returns for investors. This section builds on ICGN's draft guidance on corporate risk oversight.
How do non executive board members handle corporate risk oversight? Can shareholders determine if boards are overseeing risk? What can and can't be disclosed in communication between boards and investors?
Erik Breen, Head of Responsible Investing, Robeco, The Netherlands
Robert Hodgkinson, Executive Director, Technical, Technical Strategy Department, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, UK
Moderator: Stephen Davis, Executive Director and Lecturer, Millstein Center for Corporate Governance & Performance, Yale School of Management
Refreshments 3:00pm - 3:30pm
Session 5 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Breakout sessions report back
Anita Skipper, Corporate Governance Director, Aviva Investors, UKAfternoon keynote 4:00pm - 4:30pm
Sir Christopher Hogg
Sir Christopher Hogg, Chairman, Financial Reporting Council, UK
Session 6 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Donald MacDonald
Antoine de Salins
Lindsay Tomlinson
Johan Van Der Ende
Paul Schneider
Getting beneficial owners to step up to the plate
Now, more than ever, investors are expected to play an active role in ensuring good governance on behalf of the investing public. How will new legal or regulatory codes help or hinder this process? Do beneficial owners really have the financial and human resource to effectively engage with companies and how will this ultimately lead to enhanced shareholder value?
Lindsay Tomlinson, Managing Director, BlackRock Chairman, National Association of Pension Funds, UK
Antoine de Salins, Executive Director, Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites, France
Johan Van Der Ende, Chief Investment Officer, PGGM and Chairman Eumedion, The Netherlands
Paul Schneider , Senior Investment Associate, Corporate Governance , Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Canada
Moderator
Donald MacDonald, Trustee BT Pension Scheme and Chairman of PRI, UK
Summary and Close 5:30pm - 5:45pm
Carl Rosen
Christy Wood, Chairman, ICGN Board of Governors
