ICGN 2024 ICGN Washington, D.C. Conference, Hosted by IFC

Kerrie Waring, CEO, ICGN

Emmanuel Nyirinkindi, Vice President, Cross-Cutting Solutions, IFC, USA

This session will explore the risks and opportunities associated with automation, digitalization, and AI. It will focus on providing boards and investors with the necessary knowledge and understanding to utilize AI applications while mitigating potential risks effectively. Panelists will explore the governance frameworks required for AI's ethical and responsible use.  The session will also address the use case for investors in utilizing AI and machine learning to detect environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and the impact of the changing regulatory and oversight landscape surrounding AI on boards and investors.

• Christine Chow, Managing Director and Global Head of Active Ownership, Credit Suisse Asset Management, UK
• Atiyah Curmally, Principal Environmental Specialist & Lead ESG Innovation and Data Science, IFC, UK
• Di Rifai, Chair, Creating Future Us, UK

Moderator: Martine Valcin, Global Manager, Governance / ESG Advisory and Knowledge, IFC, USA

Hosted by T.Rowe Price 

Emerging and frontier markets are not heterogenous – there is important diversity along all dimensions – including the nature and quality of technological, societal, legal/regulatory, informational, and financial markets environments. Nevertheless, there are common challenges when looking at corporate governance and sustainability. How can investors best identify and evaluate the sustainability related risks and opportunities facing companies in emerging and frontier markets? What efforts should companies and governments undertake to promote greater transparency, accountability and better governance?

• Fabio Alperowitch, Founder, fama re.capital, Brazil
• Kathlyn Collins, VP, Head of Responsible Investment & Stewardship, Matthews Asia, USA
• Elizabeth Alpe, Principal Transaction Support Specialist (Integrity), Asian Development Bank, Philippines
• Chirag Mehta, Chief Investment Officer, Quantum Asset Management Company, India

Moderator: Mike Lubrano, Managing Director, Valoris Stewardship Catalysts

Hosted by Pomerantz LLP

Regulatory race to the bottom – is the competition among Listing Regimes to encourage IPOs leading to a dilution of investor protections?

This session will explore some recent developments in several markets which suggest that investor rights are being compromised in the race to encourage new listings. We will look to the US for salutary lessons on some of the proposed changes which are being considered in markets such as the UK which include the introduction of SPACS and dual class shares. Finally, we will consider how securities litigation can be used by investors as an engagement tool to offset the erosion of their rights and protections.

• Tara-Jane Fraser, Senior Portfolio Manager Responsible Investment Equities, APG Asset Management, The Netherlands 
• Jeremy Lieberman, Managing Director, Pomerantz LLP, USA
• Massimo Menchini, Director of Institutional Relations & Corporate Governance, Assogestioni, Italy

Moderator: Daniel Summerfield, Director of ESG and UK Client Services, Pomerantz LLP, UK

Ian Burger, Chair, ICGN Board of Governors

Theresa Taylor, President, Board of Administration, CalPERS, USA

Erica Williams, Chair, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), USA

Peter Gleason, CEO, NACD, USA

Boards are being increasingly required to cover a wide range of emerging issues, from stakeholder demands to the climate emergency. In many cases stakeholders call for boards to include specialists in these emerging issues as members. But there are not enough seats in a boardroom to cover all these demands. So, directors need to broaden their skill set to include emerging topics that were not as material during their careers. However, many companies still do not possess board education programs to address these challenges. Worse, in many cases culture prevents directors from seeking continued education. The panel aims to address these challenges, and debate ways to empower boards and directors in this challenging environment.

• Michael Adamski, General Counsel, Sachem Head Capital Management LP, USA
• Stephen L. Brown, Senior Advisor - Board Leadership Center, KPMG LLP, USA
• Hideto Nishitani, NACD.DC, Independent Board Director, USA & Japan
• Harlan Tufford,  Vice President, MSCI Research, Canada
• Maggie FitzPatrick, Founder, FitzPatrick & Co , USA

Moderator: Mauro R da Cunha, NACD.DC , Independent Director, Vale, Klabin, and brMalls, Brazil 

Sponsored by T.Rowe Price 

Investors have welcomed the development of a global baseline for corporate sustainability standards as developed by ISSB; and also the creation of European Sustainability Reporting Standards. Many markets are adopting the standards into their own requirements, in some cases with slight modifications. In preparation, companies are enhancing their internal infrastructure to support data gathering, quality controls and enhanced reporting. How prepared will companies be in meeting the reporting requirements by the deadline? To what extent will differences in approach from EU and ISSB impact the production of high quality, comparable and consistent information? Will this be commensurate to current general purpose financial reporting? Panelists will discuss the way forward in reporting standards, how investors use sustainability reporting, the challenges companies are facing and addressing, and the regulatory dynamics that will shape progress.

• Jingdong Hua, Vice-Chair, International Sustainability Standards Board, IFRS Foundation, Canada
• William Jannace, Adjunct Professor, Fordham Law School, USA
• Matthew Rusk, Head of GRI North America, USA
• Carine Smith Ihenacho, Chief Governance and Compliance Officer, Norges Bank Investment Management, UK

Moderator: James Andrus, Vice President of Sustainability Global Markets, Franklin Templeton, USA

Stewardship is a fast-evolving field; what are the new trends and best practices? How are the ICGN Global Stewardship Principles and the 24 national stewardship codes supporting stewardship activities? Would investors benefit from further guidance from standard-setters regarding asset classes beyond public equities? Are codes setting unrealistic objectives or expectations? How can all stakeholders in the ecosystem work promote a constructive dialogue between companies and investors?

• Michelle Edkins, Managing Director, BlackRock, USA
• Jakob Skafte, Director of ESG, ATP, Denmark
• Andrea Tweedie, Head of Stewardship, Financial Reporting Council (FRC) , UK

Moderator: Catherine McCall, CEO, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG), Canada

Ensuring the respect of human rights is an integral part of responsible business conduct and risk management. Investors are increasingly engaging with investee companies to see whether human rights considerations are integrated into corporate strategy, risk management and reporting. An increasing number of jurisdictions are requiring companies to conduct mandatory supply chain due diligence, in line with the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct. How do companies with global supply chains conduct effective human rights due diligence? How should they prioritise their efforts? How can investors best engage with company boards on this issue? How does this fit with other sustainability matters, such as the climate transition?

• Lisa Beauvilain, Global Head of Sustainability & Stewardship, Impax Asset Management, UK
• Bob Dannhauser, Senior Advisor, Shift, USA
• Jaren Dunning, Senior Employment Counsel & Global Head of Human Rights, Pepsi Co, USA

Moderator: Allison Gill, Legal Director, Global Labor Justice, USA

Sponsored by T.Rowe Price 

The year 2024 may prove epochal in American politics, with far-reaching impacts for global capital markets and international relations for years to come.  The U.S. presidency and control of both houses of the U.S. Congress are at stake in the November elections.  Hear the latest insights and predictions from veteran political observers on the plausible outcomes and what they will mean for economic policy, institutional investment, corporate governance, and American involvement in international conflicts.

• Stephen Davis, Senior Fellow, Harvard Law School, Program of Corporate Governance, USA
• Tyler Gellasch, President & CEO, Healthy Markets, USA
• Maria Lettini, CEO of the US Sustainable Investment Forum, USA
• Nell Minow, Vice Chair, ValueEdge Advisors, USA

Moderator: Dan Konigsburg, Global Head of Public Affairs, KPMG International Ltd, USA

Severine Neervoort, Global Policy Director, ICGN