Meet our team

781-575-3563
wjackson@georgeson.com

William (Bill) Jackson is the U.S. President and CEO of Georgeson LLC, a global provider of strategic proxy solicitation and corporate governance consulting services. Under Bill’s leadership, Georgeson has remained a preeminent financial services firm dedicated to consistently delivering customized services that are designed to meet each clients’ unique policies and goals. In 2016, Georgeson engaged over 18 million shareholders, managed nearly 500 annual meetings and proudly served 131 clients in the S&P 500.

Bill was previously executive vice president responsible for running operations for Alamo Direct, a mutual fund proxy and compliance mailing services company, which was acquired by Computershare in 2004. Prior to that, Bill spent the first 25 years of his career in the mutual fund transfer agent services business in various management capacities, starting to focus on proxy services in 1990.

Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in administrative science from Colby College and an MBA from Northeastern University.

212-440-9128
bfiske@georgeson.com

Bill Fiske leads Georgeson’s M&A and Contested Situations group in the United States. In that capacity, Bill and his team advise boards of directors and company executives on a range of issues involved in corporate transactions and complex shareholder issues. Georgeson’s advice and expertise prepare clients in all facets of corporate governance, shareholder activism, shareholder identification, and institutional investor and proxy advisor voting policies; providing guidance to steer through the maze of tactics and procedures involved in these situations.

Bill is a 30+ year veteran in the proxy industry with 25 years of service with Georgeson. He has worked with hundreds of public issuers developing and implementing targeted investor communication strategies regarding stockholder meetings, corporate actions including both negotiated and unsolicited M&A, proxy contests and shareholder activism.

Bill’s clientele includes companies from all industries and all size market caps. His practice involves a broad spectrum of matters involving stockholder voting, including:

• Corporate Governance – Advising executives and boards of
directors or special committees with respect to corporate
governance issues, anti-takeover defenses, and response plans
to recent stockholder votes. Bill is widely considered an expert
on institutional investor voting guidelines.

• Mergers and Acquisitions – Representing both public and
private strategic/private equity clients on M&A transactions, Bill
advises on the tactics and procedures involved in achieving
favorable outcomes. Understanding trading activity and how
changes in stockholder ownership can affect outcomes is a
focus.

• Shareholder Activism – Representing both issuers as well as
activists, advising with respect to shareholder proposals, proxy
contests, defensive measures, vulnerability assessments, as well
as keeping current with regulatory and legislative initiatives
relating to governance and director elections.

Bill is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance and the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI). He has also been a featured speaker at many industry events including national and regional Society and NIRI chapter events, The Corporate Boardroom Summit, The General Counsel Forum, as well as many other law firm and advisor conferences.

201-386-3533
cnisley@georgeson.com

Cynthia Nisley is President for Georgeson Securities Corporation (GSC), a Computershare company, and the introducing broker dealer supporting Computershare's dividend reinvestment plan, direct stock purchase plan, and employee stock purchase plan trading as well as the Georgeson PostMerger CleanUp™ and Shareholder CleanUp asset reunification businesses. Cynthia also owns profit and loss responsibility for two Georgeson product lines: small shareholder programs and unclaimed asset programs. She also serves as a Director on the Board of Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Previous responsibilities have included management of Computershare's Investment Services Team and Corporate Actions Team. She was also General Manager of Computershare Trust Company of New York before its merger into Computershare's national trust company. Prior to her tenure in New York, she served as Director of Relationship Management for Transfer Agent clients and as Senior Operations Manager in Computershare's Chicago office.

Prior to joining Computershare in July 2000, Cynthia worked as a systems consultant to the securities industry for nine years. Before that, she worked for Harris Trust and Savings Bank, supporting their securities lending system and for Arthur Andersen in their Management Information Consulting Division.

Ms. Nisley holds a B.S. in Business Administration/Management Systems Analysis from California State University Northridge.

212-440-9132
mailto:kaboulaiha@georgeson.com

Khaled Aboulaiha is a Managing Director with Georgeson, serving in this role as a lead client advisor since August 2016. Khaled joined the firm in 2006. During his tenure with Georgeson, he has held various positions in the firm’s proxy services and client management departments providing him a wide breadth of industry and operational knowledge. He began his career with Georgeson as a shareholder call center manager, where he was responsible for training a team of call center representatives on proxy-related issues (annual meetings, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate actions) and leading call program initiatives for the centers. Khaled later joined the proxy operations team as a Director, where he became a team specialist in managing complex proxy solicitations, corporate actions and tender offers.

Khaled is a member of the Society of Governance Professionals.

Khaled attended Drew University in Madison, NJ. He is fluent in Spanish and Arabic, and can speak conversational French.

212-440-9820
dcassidy@georgeson.com

Don Cassidy joined Georgeson in 2016 as Executive Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Strategy.

Prior to joining Georgeson, Don spent 21 years with Fidelity and brings significant global experience in legal, compliance, and corporate governance matters. Early in his career, Don served as Director of Investment Proxy Research for Fidelity in Boston, leading corporate governance policy and the voting process for the company’s US-based funds and institutional client portfolios. Don subsequently spent twelve years in the United Kingdom with Fidelity International (FIL), first as Director of the Global Institutional Business group and then as Director of FIL’s Corporate Governance Research group. Most recently, Don was Head of the Legal Department for FIL Limited in Bermuda.

Don received his J.D. in 1994 from the University of Minnesota Law School, where he was a member of the Minnesota Law Review; he has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1994. Don received a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Michigan and a B.A., cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

212-440-9812
rkumar@georgeson.com

Rajeev Kumar specializes in advising clients on issues of executive compensation, proxy contests, M&A transactions, and complicated shareholder proposals, among other proxy matters as a senior managing director of corporate governance. Using his in-depth knowledge of corporate governance issues and proxy advisory firms and institutional investor policies, he expertly advises Georgeson clients on their engagement with proxy advisory firms and shareholder outreach efforts.

Prior to joining Georgeson in 2008, Rajeev worked at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) where he led a team of research analysts producing proxy research reports for institutional clients, advising them on shareholder issues as the director of the U.S. research group. Under Rajeev’s guidance, his team conducted analyses of management and shareholder proposals on director elections, executive compensation and corporate transactions including M&A, proxy contests, re-incorporations, private placements, capital structure, and other event-driven issues. As a key member of the Policy Committee, Rajeev helped formulate and interpret application of ISS policy guidelines on proxy issues.

A frequent commentator on governance issues, Rajeev has been quoted in various corporate governance publications, and spoken at various industry events. Before getting into the field of corporate governance, Rajeev’s previous experience has been in finance where he held various positions in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate development and financial business planning and analysis at firms ranging from startup to Fortune 100.

Rajeev is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), has an MBA in finance from Tulane University and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in India.

Recent thought leadership:

Viewing Independent Chair Proposal Support Through the Lens of COVID-19

Director Election Analysis: Trends and Observations in Recent Results

Examining Engagement and Disclosure After Failed or Red Zone Say-on-Pay Results

212-440-9821
brosati@georgeson.com

Brigid Rosati is Director of Business Development at Georgeson, pursuing strategic opportunities and cultivating key relationships for the firm. She consistently develops programs to generate awareness around the importance of the positive impact that good corporate governance has on the overall business. She leverages key industry data and analytics to help clients across geographies make informed decisions about their proxy solicitation campaigns and corporate governance strategies.

At Georgeson, Brigid manages publication efforts for the firm and is a lead contributor to the Annual Corporate Governance Review, a report containing definitive proxy season data and analytics. Representing Georgeson in the Equilar Diversity Network, she frequently speaks and writes on important board diversity issues. Brigid also manages Georgeson’s summer internship program, and has been featured in an IR Magazine article about the success of the program.

Brigid is a member of the Financial Women’s Association (FWA), the Society for Corporate Governance, and the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI).

Brigid received her BA from the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and is currently pursuing her MBA at New York University. Brigid is a board member of Computershare’s Women4Women Network.

Recent thought leadership:

The 2020 Annual Corporate Governance Review

Examining U.S. and Non-U.S. Investor Voting Behavior at 2019 Annual Meetings

Preparing for the Future of ESG Reporting in the Financial Services Industry

Christopher Dowd is a senior managing director in Georgeson’s corporate proxy practice. Chris specializes in advising companies on complex corporate governance and equity compensation issues. He has over 30 years of experience consulting with Fortune 500 and small- to mid-cap corporations and is recognized for his in-depth knowledge of ISS voting policies and institutional guidelines.

Recent M&A, proxy contests and complex transactions in which Chris participated include:

• Eli Lilly Tender for ARMO
• Eli Lilly Tender for Loxo Oncology
• Fiserv Acquisition of First Data
• Independent Bank Corp.’s acquisition of Blue Hills Bancorp
• Independent Bank Corp.’s acquisition of MNB Bank
• NetMed, Inc.’s Self-Tender
• NewBridge Bancorp’s acquisition of CapStone Bank
• Sprint Bond Consents for T-Mobile merger
• Sprint’s acquisition of Clearwire
• Sprint’s merger with SoftBank
• SunTrust acquisition by BB&T
• United Bankshares’ acquisition of Virginia Commerce

Prior to Georgeson, Chris was a director of Kissel-Blake Inc., where he managed the corporate governance consulting, mergers and acquisitions, and proxy solicitation divisions.

He is a member of multiple industry organizations, including: The National Association of Corporate Directors; the Shareholder Services Association, where he previously served as Treasurer/Director; the American Compensation Association and the Society for Corporate Governance. Chris is an active participant in industry seminars, conferences, and law firm events, speaking on corporate governance and executive compensation topics.

Chris holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from St. John’s University in New York and was awarded his CCP certification in executive compensation from the American Compensation Association.

212 805 7303
egreene@georgeson.com

Edward Greene is a proxy and corporate governance expert with over a decade of experience guiding issuers through complex proxy solicitation campaigns and supporting clients with the shareholder data, trends and analytics that allow them to deploy smarter and more informed proxy strategies.

Edward has been involved in hundreds of proxy solicitation campaigns and has led clients to successful outcomes in various matters relating to executive compensation, corporate governance and shareholder activism. He provides year-round corporate governance advisory services to help numerous Russell 3000 and Fortune 500 companies make smarter governance decisions.

He is a member of Georgeson’s Activism and M&A teams and regularly contributes to Georgeson content development. He has also been a featured speaker for IR Magazine and the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) webinars.

Prior to joining Georgeson, Edward oversaw the Kingsdale U.S. research team as vice president of research. He also served as vice president of governance at AST Phoenix Advisors and vice president at Laurel Hill Advisory Group.

Edward is an active member of the Society for Corporate Governance and the NIRI.

212-440-9850
chayden@georgeson.com

Christopher M. Hayden advises public operating and investment management companies on corporate governance issues, shareholder proposals and proxy contests as Chief Operating Officer - U.S. in Georgeson’s corporate proxy practice. Additionally, Chris coordinates FCC- and IRS-mandated shareholder ownership surveys for clients.

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Chris specializes in complex cross-border transactions and is well-versed in closed-end funds and proxy contests. During his tenure at Georgeson, Chris has consulted with many corporations on offensive and defensive tactics in complex and extraordinary transactions, including, but not limited to, tender offers. His corporate annual meeting clients include a number of S&P 100 members.

Chris is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance. He also serves as a Senior Managing Director for Georgeson Securities Corporation where he oversees the firm’s Dealer Manager activities.

Chris received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colgate University and holds Series 7, 24 and 63 licenses.

201-386-3527
klewis@georgeson.com

Karen is the vice president of operations at Georgeson. Throughout her 18+ year tenure with the firm, she has managed some of the company’s highest-profile international engagements with numerous fortune 500 clients. Karen is currently responsible for managing Georgeson’s asset reunification client relationship team, customer research team, and customer service group.

Under Karen’s leadership a number of quality assurance programs have been implemented, and she was also a key lead in the development and launch of Georgeson’s Shareholder Cleanup program.

She is a member of the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization (UPPO) and the Shareholder Services Association (SSA).

Karen graduated from Adelphi University with a degree in mathematics and business and has successfully completed her Series 7, Series 24, Series 63, and Series 99 exams

David has over 16 years of experience in relationship management, operations management, and business process improvement at Georgeson.

During his tenure, David has managed each department within our unclaimed property business and is currently supervising Georgeson’s back office operations, the unclaimed property reporting team and our technology solutions. He oversees new account processing and payments, coordinates our activities with various transfer agents, banks and brokers, and manages our proprietary software solutions.

David has a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and is a member of the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization (UPPO).

212-440-9879
sohara@georgeson.com

Sean O’Hara is a managing director at Georgeson with over 29 years of experience in the proxy solicitation industry. He advises clients and their financial and legal advisors on proxy contests, shareholder meetings, tender/exchange offers and other complex financial transactions. As a member of Georgeson’s M&A advisory group, Sean also advises clients regarding shareholder composition and its effect on vote outcomes and on the development of investor outreach and communication strategies.

Sean recently represented the following companies:

• Aetna Inc. with its merger with CVS Corp.
• STERIS Plc with its redomiciliation from the UK to Ireland
• CYS Investments, Inc. with its merger with Two Harbors
Investment Corp.
• Calgon Carbon Corporation with its acquisition by Kuraray Co.
Ltd (going private transaction)
• Harland Clarke Holdings with its tender offer for MaxPoint
Interactive, Inc.
• Accuride Corporation with its contested merger with
Crestview Advisors L.L.C.
• RTI International Metals, Inc. with its acquisition by Alcoa Inc.

Sean is a member of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and the Society for Corporate Governance.

Sean received a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Stony Brook University.

212-805-7322
horowitz@georgeson.com

Hannah Orowitz is a managing director on Georgeson’s corporate governance advisory team. Hannah works closely with clients across all market capitalizations and industries to develop proactive shareholder engagement programs. Hannah leverages her legal background and disclosure expertise to help Georgeson clients enhance and effectively communicate key governance matters to their investors. As a former in-house counsel, Hannah understands the complexities presented by investors’ ever-increasing focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters and helps clients reach consensus within their organizations as to how to best communicate with stakeholders on these topics. Frequently representing Georgeson at industry events and presentations, Hannah continues to speak about the evolving intersection of shareholder engagement and ESG. She is also a lead contributor to Georgeson’s content development team and is regularly featured in industry media coverage.

Prior to joining Georgeson, Hannah was Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary for XL Group Ltd, responsible for securities and corporate governance matters, including the development and execution of XL’s shareholder engagement and sustainability strategies, all aspects of XL’s shareholder meetings and governance matters related to XL’s acquisition of Catlin Group Limited and later its merger with and into AXA SA. Hannah began her career as an Associate with Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan (now Eversheds Sutherland), where she counseled clients on public and private securities offerings and corporate governance matters.

Hannah received her J.D., Cum Laude, from American University Washington College of Law and her B.A. from Hamilton College. She is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance and of its Sustainability Practices Committee.

Recent thought leadership:

The 2020 Annual Corporate Governance Review

Examining U.S. and Non-U.S. Investor Voting Behavior at 2019 Annual Meetings

Annual Meeting Adjustments Amid COVID-19

Preparing for the Future of ESG Reporting in the Financial Services Industry

212-805-7188
bpermenter@georgeson.com

Brian Permenter has developed and coordinated unique strategies to increase the response of retail investor campaigns, and has managed and implemented more than 400 small shareholder programs, corporate events and asset reunification projects for Georgeson clients for 18 years. Brian currently heads the business development of our small shareholder (“oddlot”) programs, asset reunification services (inclusive of our PostMerger CleanUp™ program), shareholder cleanup and unclaimed asset programs, and broker-dealer services related to open-market stock purchase plans. He is also responsible for the coordination of capital raising efforts via waiver plans and Computershare’s Corporate Action services. Brian joined Georgeson in 1998 as an account executive managing small shareholder programs on behalf of clients.

Brian is a member of the National Investor Relations Institute.

Brian graduated from the University of Delaware with a double major in finance and marketing and has successfully completed his Series 7, Series 24 and 63 exams.

201-680-4017
mryan@georgeson.com

Michael Ryan is a senior vice president at Georgeson LLC. Mike is responsible for new business development and has been a leader in the unclaimed property industry for over 25 years. He has assisted numerous companies with unclaimed property compliance, returning over $1 billion dollars in unclaimed property to the rightful owners.

Mike was instrumental in the development of the Unclaimed Property Professional Organization (UPPO), the premier association dedicated to holders of unclaimed property and the service providers who help make holders’ jobs easier. He has served in many capacities at UPPO, including four and a half years as president and most recently he was elected eastern vice president (effective March 2016).

Mike was one of the founding members of the unclaimed property committee at the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). He is also an active member of the unclaimed property committees at the Securities Transfer Association (STA), the Shareholder Services Association (SSA) and has been involved with Computershare’s team on the Uniform Law Commission redraft of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Law.

Mike is also an in-demand speaker and thought leader, and has spoken and written articles on unclaimed property for UPPO, SIFMA, STA, SSA, the Wisconsin Automated Clearing House Association (WACHA), the National Association of Division Order Analysts (NADOA), the New York Bankers Association (NYBA), and has appeared on CNN’s “The Dolans.”

As an Unclaimed Property Reporting Director, Dana is responsible for supporting the Reporting Practice and serving as an industry expert. Dana has over 28 years of mutual fund experience including almost 20 years of unclaimed property experience. Dana is responsible for researching and interpreting state laws and regulations for Georgeson to maintain compliance when filing unclaimed property reports.

Prior to joining Georgeson, Dana worked as a Sr. Regulatory Compliance Analyst for DST Systems where she was responsible for Unclaimed Property Compliance for the Transfer Agency, monitoring and reviewing state legislation, project consultation, facilitating client focus groups, and assisting clients with various unclaimed property concerns. Dana has also co-chaired the Abandoned Property Task Force with the Investment Company Institute (ICI) and serves on the Securities Transfer Association (STA) Unclaimed Property Committee. Dana recently became a co-chair of the Holders Coalition and co-chair/co-founder of the National Investment Company Service Association (NICSA) Unclaimed Property Committee.

Dana is also a past president of the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization (UPPO) where she currently serves on the Government Relations and Advocacy Committee. Dana is a two-time recipient of the UPPO President’s Award. She has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences regarding unclaimed property issues. Additionally, Dana represented UPPO and the securities industry in the recent drafting of the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (RUUPA).

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Human Resources and Finance. Dana graduated from Park University in Parkville, MO.

212-440-9817
ttorressen@georgeson.com

Talon Torressen is Director of Research at Georgeson, specializing in corporate governance consulting. He is particularly focused on ESG, M&A and activism defense practice areas. Talon is a corporate governance expert with over twelve years of industry experience, which he leverages to provide insights that strengthen Georgeson clients’ understanding of the investor perspective. Additionally, Talon has comprehensive legal, compliance, and risk expertise.

Prior to joining Georgeson, Talon was Director of Investment Proxy Research at Fidelity Investments. As part of Fidelity’s management team, he was responsible for corporate governance analysis and proxy voting 6,000+ companies annually representing equity assets in excess of $1 trillion. During his tenure, he held many responsibilities including corporate governance analysis, collaboration with investment professionals, and engaging with directors and executives of portfolio companies. In the latter part of his tenure, he created and led Fidelity’s international corporate governance team. This team was focused on developing corporate governance expertise around the globe. With his experience at Fidelity, Talon is uniquely positioned to understand and communicate the needs and demands of institutional investors.

Talon is a member of the New Hampshire Bar and the Massachusetts Bar.

Talon received his BBA from Wilkes University, his J.D. from the New England Law Boston and his MBA from the University of New Hampshire.

201 744 5405
pwentz@georgeson.com

As the National Practice Leader of the unclaimed property consulting and reporting practice, Pam is responsible for business development and the management and delivery of consulting and reporting services. Pam brings over two decades of diverse and extensive experience to clients of Georgeson’s unclaimed asset services.

Pam has technical expertise and experience in a broad range of industries. Prior to joining Georgeson, she served as a director in an unclaimed property consulting practice where she was responsible for providing project oversight, monitoring quality reviews and assisting with staff development and training. In addition, Pam served in leadership roles as a subject matter specialist in various aspects of unclaimed property consulting and compliance; including audit assistance, state voluntary disclosure assistance, risk assessments, and policies and procedures. Pam also previously worked in the unclaimed property consulting practices at Thomson Reuters and Deloitte and served as the audit director for the North Dakota Unclaimed Property Division.

Pam has been a featured speaker on the topic of unclaimed property at numerous conferences and has authored articles for trade association magazines and publications. While with the state, she was an active member of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) and received the NAUPA Presidential Distinguished Service Award for her work on the NAUPA Auditor Agenda Committee. She is also a member and frequent speaker for the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization (UPPO) and currently serves as co-chair of the UPPO Leadership Development Committee.

Pam is a certified fraud examiner (CFE) and member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. She graduated from Mount Marty College with a B.A. in Accounting and received an MBA from the University of Mary.

Raymond Chen joined Georgeson, a Computershare’s Global Shareholder Analytics arm in the United State in 2011, responsible for analyzing institutional investors data for companies listed in Hong Kong, China, Japan, India and Australia, and provide insight of China-based institutional investors and hedge funds to the team. In 2016, Raymond relocated to Hong Kong as an Assistant Vice President, responsible for business development, client relations and execution of proxy solicitation projects. Prior joining the company, Raymond worked for client relationship department at Citibank N.A. and was the Global Trade Operations Assistant of Agricultural Bank of China. Raymond holds the Bachelor of Accounting degree from SUNY-Binghamton University and completed classes of the Master of Enterprises Risk Management program in New York University.

Savoy Lee joined Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Ltd in 2016, responsible for the development and service offerings of Georgeson’s corporate advisory segment in Hong Kong and China. Savoy has more than 20 years of experience in investor relations and public relations. Specialising in institutional fund analytics, Savoy has provided capital market advisory services to many publicly-traded corporations across all sectors in Asia, including enhancement of their shareholding structures and investor-targeting initiatives. Savoy worked as a Senior Vice President at Fleishman-Hillard Hong Kong, a Director at Taylor Rafferty, an Institutional Fund Analyst at Thomson Reuters and consulting roles at two global PR agencies, namely Hill and Knowlton and Burson-Marsteller. Savoy received a Master’s Degree in Business from the University of Newcastle and speaks fluent Cantonese, English and Mandarin.

Tianran Chen joined Georgeson, a Computershare company in 2018, responsible for client relations and business development. Prior to joining the company, Tianran have working experiences across different industries including management consulting, equity research, and industry analysis. Tianran has accumulated broad and in-depth understanding of strategic shareholder solutions. Tianran holds a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Beijing University of Chemical Technology and a Master of Science degree in International Banking and Finance from Lingnan University.

Qiwei Wang has been a member of Computershare (Beijing) since 2012. Responsible for client relations and business development in Georgeson China, Qiwei has had many years of experience in executing shareholder identification and proxy solicitation. His in-depth understanding of client needs make him excel in business development by suggesting suitable corporate advisory solutions to clients. Proxy solicitation projects Qiwei had handled include privatization of Intime Retail (Group) Co. Ltd. in May 2017 and Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties Co., Ltd. in August 2016; Qiwei graduated from Dresden University of Technology with a degree in MBA.

Laks joined Georgeson in 2003. He has over 26 years industry experience and owns a Masters degree in Global Finance.
He has been the deputy CEO of Japan Shareholder Services from 2005 to 2015, a joint venture between Computershare and Mitsubishi United Financial Group.
He started his career as Junior Account Executive in 1990 at Morrow & Co. followed by Chase Mellon Shareholder Services, Corporate Investor Communications and Computershare.
Currently Laks is the CEO of Australasia responsible for all Georgeson services across the region overseeing a global staff located across Australia and Asia.

Laks joined Georgeson in 2003. He has over 26 years industry experience and owns a Masters degree in Global Finance.
He has been the deputy CEO of Japan Shareholder Services from 2005 to 2015, a joint venture between Computershare and Mitsubishi United Financial Group.
He started his career as Junior Account Executive in 1990 at Morrow & Co. followed by Chase Mellon Shareholder Services, Corporate Investor Communications and Computershare.
Currently Laks is the CEO of Australasia responsible for all Georgeson services across the region overseeing a global staff located across Australia and Asia.

Philip has extensive experience in the financial services industry, including shareholder engagement, insolvency and registry services. As Account Director, Philip is responsible for the management and execution of a wide range of corporate activities including M&A, special meetings, proxy fights, annual meetings and capital raisings. Philip has advised on a number of significant transactions in recent years and supported numerous companies with their annual meetings. Prior to joining Georgeson, Philip held similar roles at Morrow Sodali and Link Market Services.

Andrew has more than 20 years of senior management experience and an extensive knowledge of the Australian corporate landscape. As Georgeson Australia’s Country Head, he is responsible for leading the local business by implementing the Georgeson Global Strategy; particularly as it relates to local execution, go-to-market initiatives, business development, operations and risk management. He provides his clients with strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, annual and extraordinary shareholder meetings, dissident and contested campaigns having worked on many of the largest and most complex Australian M&A deals in recent years, including Brookfield’s acquisition of Healthscope, BGH Capital’s acquisition of Navitas, Credible Labs merger with Fox Corporation, before joining Georgeson he was a director with Morrow Sodali Australia.

Established in 1935, Georgeson, a Computershare company, is the world's original and foremost provider of strategic services to corporations and investors working to influence corporate strategy. Our core proxy expertise is underpinned by our services such as, solicitation strategy, corporate governance analysis, vote projections and insight into investor ownership and voting profiles. The combination of our local presence and global footprint allows us to analyse and mitigate operational risk associated with various corporate actions worldwide.

Jamie has many years of experience in shareholder engagement, client advisory and campaign management across a wide range of corporate activities including M&A, proxy fights, annual meetings and capital raisings. Jamie is a trusted advisor and has supported numerous ASX300 companies to help achieve their goals, including working on many of the largest and most complex Australian M&A deals in recent years. Jamie was formerly Australian director of client services for Morrow Sodali.

Ben joined Georgeson in early 2001 and has been operationally involved in performing training, quality assurance, call centre and account management functions. As an Account Director Ben is responsible for the management and execution of targeted shareholder and member communication campaigns across a broad range of corporate actions, shareholder activism and special projects. In recent years Ben has worked on many of the largest Proxy fights, Takeovers, Capital Raisings, Annual and Extraordinary Shareholder Meetings.

Catherine joined Georgeson in 2006 after 5 years’ experience with Westpac. She is currently an Account Director responsible for the management and execution of targeted shareholder communication campaigns across a broad range of corporate actions, including unsolicited takeover Offers, Scheme Meetings, IPO’s, restructuring and Capital Raisings.

Catherine has been heavily involved on many large transactions, including the Acquisition of Navitas by BGH, Credible merger with Fox Corporation, the acquisition of Xenith group by IPH, Demerger of CYBG from NAB, a number of IAG campaigns, the Woolworths takeover of David Jones, the GrowthPoint takeover of GPT, a Rio Tinto Buy back, the QTMB merger with RACQ via Scheme of Arrangement, a number of NAB Capital Notes Offers, a AFIC SPP, the Santos Entitlement Offer, Caltex Buyback, a number of Duet Capital Raisings, the Asciano Merger with Brookfield and Qube by Scheme of Arrangement, AMP unmarketable parcel campaign, and AMP Subordinated Notes Offer.

Sam has more than 10 years of experience in investing, trading, educating and management in financial markets. He has extensive knowledge of the Australian equities market, with a deep focus on the listed small and mid-cap space. He also has his own podcast specialising in understanding small caps and is regularly involved in industry events. He previously ran Peloton Capital’s Shareholder Services division, which involved providing strategic advice to directors on corporate actions, scheme implementations, proxy campaigns and investor relations. During his tenure he won significant market share and executed and led several successful campaigns. As Georgeson’s newest account Director Sam looks forward to continuing to foster new business relationships in the small and larger listed space, as well as executing and delivering outstanding service and improved engagement for listed companies’ shareholders.

Michael Joined Georgeson in 2004. As Communications Centre Manager Michael is responsible for contact centre operations and campaign service delivery. Michael has successfully managed many large scale transaction with a key focus on training, customer service and quality assurance. Recently he has worked on campaigns for several top ASX listed entities including National Australia Bank, AMP, BHP, Afterpay, Wesfarmers and IAG.

Assistant Vice President, Business Development
Jason.Spasaro@computershare.com
P +1 416 263 9419
M +1 416 357 8985
Toronto, ON

Matthieu joined Georgeson in 2004. Matthieu has managed and supervised all the transaction-related assignments in France: Arcelor defense strategy against Mittal’s hostile bid / BNP Paribas friendly offer on BNL / Eiffage and Macquarie offer for APRR / Suez-Gaz de France friendly merger project. Matthieu has also been involved as Project Manager of most of the French AGMs over the past 7 years.

A graduate from the Paris School of Management (ESCP) and from the ParisX University of Psychology, Matthieu has worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers as a manager in charge of privatization deals, and for other consulting firms with international managing roles. He is a Director of the French Corporate Governance Association (AFGE), a member of the French Directors Institute (IFA) and a Certified Board Member (ASC).

Matthieu is French and speaks fluent English and Italian.

Christine joined Georgeson in 2011 as Senior Account Manager for France and French speaking countries. Christine has a wealth of experience with 19 years in the proxy, M&A, activist and governance industry. Previously she worked as European Proxy/M&A Director at D.F. King.

Christine has a vast knowledge of French governance matters and proxy experience having worked on some of the most hotly contested meetings in France. She has also been involved in and managed many of the high profile M&A transactions in France. Christine is fluent in English and French.

Matthias joined Georgeson in January 2007 and works as Account Manager with our clients in the German speaking market. Previously he trained with Dresdner Bank in Germany where he worked as Senior Financial Advisor for private clients and smaller companies for five years. In addition, he has worked for PBV Versicherung as sales coach and Account Manager in Germany and gathered overseas experience at the Ministry of Economic Development in New Zealand and working in Australia.

Originally from Stuttgart, Germany, Matthias is a qualified banker and has the Assistance in Finance qualification approved by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Matthias is fluent in English and German.

Laureato in Giurisprudenza, Lorenzo entra in Georgeson nel 2009, acquisendo forte conoscenza della comunicazione finanziaria e fornendo consulenza di IR a società quotate, investitori, advisors finanziari e legali.
Nello specifico, guida per anni il dipartimento di ID & Intelligence, focalizzandosi sulle attività di Identificazione di azionisti e obbligazionisti e sui servizi di Intelligence.
Dopo aver ricoperto il ruolo di Senior Account Manager per il mercato italiano, coordinando le attività di Operations e fornendo analisi a supporto dei processi decisionali ed operativi degli investitori istituzionali per campagne assembleari e operazioni speciali, a partire da settembre 2020 ha assunto l’incarico di Head of Market Italy.

Prima di approdare in Georgeson (2003), Gian Marco lavora in Merrill Lynch International e Banca Nazionale del Lavoro.
Esperto dei contesti legali e regolamentari dei maggiori mercati finanziari mondiali, gestisce tutte le operazioni straordinarie (M&A, contese assembleari, non-equity) di competenza Georgeson in Europa Meridionale ed America Latina.
Idea e realizza alcune delle piattaforme elettroniche e dei modelli storico-statistici usati nella gestione delle operazioni. E’ attualmente responsabile delle operazioni straordinarie e dello sviluppo del business per l’Italia ed alcune zone dell’Europa Mediterranea.

James Upton is currently Head of ESG Engagement at BHP which he joined in early 2012. He supports the Board and its committees in relation to evolving corporate governance best practice and regulatory commitments, and until recently was Secretary to the Board Sustainability Committee. Externally his role is to engage with investors, data providers and other stakeholders on Environmental, Social and Governance issues.

He joined from the Association of British Insurers where he spent seven years engaging with Boards and senior executives at UK listed companies. He was Head of the IVIS governance research team, before becoming Head of Corporate Governance. Prior to that he worked for listed companies in the publishing, and business services sectors.

He is an Affiliate of the Chartered Governance Institute, an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and holds a Masters in Latin and Philosophy from the University of St Andrews.

Con un percorso di studi legali ed economici alle spalle ed un'esperienza significativa nel diritto bancario e commerciale maturata presso un primario studio legale internazionale, Alberto entra in Georgeson nel 2015, supportando attivamente il buon fine di numerose operazioni ordinarie e straordinarie, verificando l’allineamento tra le proposte societarie e quanto raccomandato dalle best practice di mercato. Con tale prospettiva ha quindi sviluppato un’estesa conoscenza delle pratiche raccomandate dagli investitori istituzionali, offrendo i propri clienti un quadro di insieme funzionale a comprendere i potenziali esiti assembleari e, tramite opportuni adattamenti, rafforzare il supporto sulle proposte portate al voto degli azionisti. Ha inoltre partecipato, anche in qualità di speaker, a molti convegni e ad un continuo programma di aggiornamento.

Laureata in Giurisprudenza, Lidia completa il proprio percorso di studi conseguendo una seconda Laurea in Giurisprudenza presso l’Università di León (Spagna) ed ottenendo due Master in Diritto Internazionale della Navigazione e in Economia, presso l’Università di Teramo e presso l’Università di Valencia (Spagna).
Fino al 2012 lavora presso due studi di avvocati come consulente legale. Entra in Georgeson nel 2013, diventando due anni più tardi Head of ID & Intelligence.
Nella sua esperienza presso Georgeson, Lidia consegue una profonda conoscenza della comunicazione finanziaria fornendo, con la sua squadra di analisti, servizi di identificazione della struttura azionaria e obbligazionaria, attività di intelligence e di consulenza IR a società quotate, investitori, advisors finanziari e legali.

Laureata in Scienze Politiche presso l’Università LUISS di Roma, lavora per il Parlamento Europeo e l’Ambasciata Italiana ad Ottawa (Canada). Entra in Georgeson nel 2011 come Contact Centre Manager, per essere poi nominata Head of Retail Relationships.
Roberta gestisce tutte le operazioni di contact centre inbound/outbound per: emissioni sul mercato primario; campagne assembleari; concordati preventivi; aumenti di capitale; offerte pubbliche.

Ivana Cvjetkovic initially joined the Georgeson team in London in 2011. After a short time away, she joined the Georgeson team in Rotterdam in 2017. Over the years she has worked on high profile AGMs such as Unilever, DSM, ING Group, Aegon, Heineken and KPN. In addition she had key involvement in the Klepierre bid for Corio, the Liberty Global bid for Ziggo, the JAB acquisition of DE Master Blenders, the América Móvil hostile partial offer for KPN, and the Wereldhave, Imtech and KPN Rights Issue. Ivana’s focus is on Corporate Actions and Corporate Governance in the Benelux market. Prior to re-joining the Georgeson team she worked in the CEO & Board practice of an executive search firm. She holds a Masters in European Private Law from the University of Amsterdam.

Kirsten joined Georgeson in 2007 and has worked on numerous high profile AGMs and transactions for Benelux companies including ASM International, ING Group, Shell, Ahold and PL. She has had key involvement in a number of acquisitions, including Johnson & Johnson’s acquisition of Crucell, ING Rights Issue, JAB acquisition of DE Masterblenders and Liberty Global acquisition of Ziggo. Since 2009, Kirsten has headed up the Georgeson office in the Netherlands and also has the responsibility of the Computershare Netherlands business.

Anthony joined the Georgeson corporate advisory team in 2016 and has worked on a number of large-cap M&A transactions including Takeda-Shire and Linde-Praxair, as well as several activism and proxy contest situations in Europe. Prior to Georgeson, Anthony spent 10 years at Loeb Aron & Co, a corporate finance boutique, where he was responsible for a broad range of advisory mandates including capital raising, debt-for-equity, new admissions and proxy contests. Anthony studied physics at the University of Leeds and is certified by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).

Cas has more than 25 years’ experience in international investor relations and shareholder identification and has been with Georgeson since 1998. As responsible for Georgeson’s Global activism and M&A practice, he has been involved in the highest profile M&A and activist situations.
Cas has a longstanding knowledge of Global proxy voting mechanics and key governance matters affecting issuers and shareholders globally. Having worked for several activists and against many more he has in-depth experience in how activists run their campaigns and the different stakeholders they look to influence in sensitive activist campaigns.
Prior to joining Georgeson he had five years’ experience in international investor relations and shareholder identification. While honing his skills in the US, Cas has been in the UK since 2002.

Domenic began working for Georgeson in the UK in 2000, and has since played major roles in some of the largest M&A transactions and proxy fights in UK, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Domenic is a trusted advisor to the firm’s clients on all matters relating to stakeholder engagement. He currently has responsibility for all Georgeson across UK/Europe and parts of Asia. Domenic had also spent time in Australia running the local Georgeson business.

Daniele joined Georgeson in 2010 and specialises in corporate governance and executive remuneration analysis. Daniele has over a decade of experience advising institutional investors and corporations on corporate governance, executive remuneration and proxy voting issues.

Previously he worked as Senior Researcher at PIRC Ltd, a London-based proxy advisory firm, and at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Deminor in Brussels. Daniele is Italian and is fluent in English, Italian, French and German.