corporate governance

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) supports Findell Capital’s push for board changes at Oportun’s 2025 meeting, citing poor governance and underperformance. ISS recommends voting for Findell’s nominee, Warren Wilcox, and withholding votes from CEO Raul Vazquez, who is blamed for a 55% stock decline since the IPO. ISS highlights Oportun’s value-destructive strategic pivot, governance misalignments, and board independence concerns, advocating for Wilcox’s experienced oversight.

Benchmark Electronics appoints Glynis A. Bryan, former CFO of Insight Enterprises, to its Board of Directors. Bryan brings over 20 years of financial experience, including strategic growth and M&A expertise. She also serves on the boards of Ameriprise Financial, Pinnacle West Capital, and WESCO International. Benchmark’s leadership welcomes her financial acumen and strategic oversight to enhance decision-making and long-term goals.

MINISO Group (MNSO) successfully held its annual general meeting in Hong Kong on June 12, 2025, with shareholders approving all resolutions. This crucial event reaffirms MINISO’s commitment to strong corporate governance and shareholder engagement. The positive outcome boosts investor confidence in the company’s sustainable growth and its position in the global retail market.

Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) will hold its 2025 Annual General Meeting on June 25 in Reykjavik, with virtual access available. Shareholders will review governance updates, financial results, and strategies to bolster its position in the biosimilars market, projected to yield $50 billion in global savings by 2027. Key discussions include expanding its biosimilar pipeline, regulatory progress in the U.S. and Europe, and addressing pricing challenges and patent cliffs. Analysts highlight priorities like commercial partnerships, scalable manufacturing, and differentiation in immunology and oncology. The meeting may signal strategic shifts as Alvotech navigates evolving FDA regulations and leverages biosimilars to counter pharmaceutical revenue declines, emphasizing speed-to-market and cost efficiency.

Deep Track Capital (14.82% DVAX shareholder) condemns ISS’s favorable review of Dynavax’s board ahead of its 2025 Annual Meeting, urging governance reforms and new directors. It cites ISS’s alleged dismissal of critical issues: Heplisav’s missed 2024 sales ($275M target) and market share decline (43% Q1 2025), lax capital allocation, and a staggered board structure. Dynavax’s 23% YTD stock drop and 40-point TSR lag vs. Nasdaq Biotech Index underscore concerns. Deep Track criticizes ISS for overlooking governance gaps and misrepresenting settlement talks, advocating for nominees with vaccine expertise to drive strategic shifts. The clash reflects broader activist pressure on biotech governance.

Shenlan Technology, once a $2.23B AI unicorn, faces mounting crises as over 100 ex-employees pursue legal action against founder Chen Haibo, securing court-imposed travel bans over unpaid wages. The company dissolved its Shenzhen workforce in 2024 despite a 2023 payment agreement, citing conflicting financial claims about IPO preparations. Courts rejected Chen’s appeal, holding him accountable as legal representative amid accusations of evading operational duties. Shenlan countersued ex-staff for alleged non-compete breaches, while its nine-figure Pre-IPO funding and alleged inflated revenue claims (¥100M actual vs. promoted billions) deepen credibility concerns. Prolonged IPO delays and unresolved labor disputes expose governance risks, reflecting systemic issues in China’s hypercompetitive AI sector.