Private equity-backed companies are ubiquitous and economically significant. Consequently, the corporate governance of these companies matters to all of us, and – not surprisingly – is coming under increasing scrutiny. Simon Witney's book, to be published on 7 January 2021, positions private equity portfolio companies within existing academic theory and examines the laws that apply to them in the U.K.
He analyses the actual governance frameworks that are put in place and identifies problems created by the legal rules – as well as the market’s solutions to them. At this book launch webinar, Dr Witney will explain why private equity's governance mechanisms can be expected to increase the focus by private equity-backed companies on responsible investment practices. The panellists will explore whether and how private companies can be expected to rise to societal demands for greater social responsibility and how thinking and practices developed in the context of widely held companies can be applied to closely held companies.
Speakers:
Dr Simon Witney: How does corporate governance in a private equity-backed company affect society?
Dr Simon Witney is a practising lawyer who also teaches on the LLM programme at LSE. His doctoral thesis, completed at LSE in 2017, was on corporate governance in private equity-backed companies. Simon continues to research and write on corporate governance, company law and related topics.Simon is also a Senior Consultant at London-based law firm, Travers Smith.Simon has served in senior positions within the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) over a number of years. He is currently a member of the BVCA Council, which is responsible for the BVCA's strategic direction and oversight, and previously chaired the BVCA’s Legal and Accounting Committee. He is a past Chair of Invest Europe’s Tax, Legal and Regulatory Committee and a current member of its Financial Services/Regulatory Working Group and Professional Standards Committee.
Professor David Kershaw: Corporate purpose, UK company law and large private companies
David Kershaw is Professor of Law at the LSE and Director of the Executive LLM Programme. He is also the General Editor of the Modern Law Review. He joined the LSE in 2006. Prior to joining the LSE he was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Warwick between 2003-2006. He is admitted to the New York Bar and is a qualified UK solicitor. Prior to his academic career, he qualified as a Solicitor at Herbert Smith, London and practised corporate law in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group of Shearman & Sterling in New York and London. He holds a LLM and SJD from Harvard Law School and a LLB from the University of Warwick.
Caroline Löfgren: How our firm thinks about stakeholder governance and external impacts
Caroline Löfgren, as Head of Responsible Investment covers all Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) related topics internally and across HG Capital's portfolio. Caroline joined Hg in 2017 with seven years of experience in strategy consulting and in-house sustainability roles from various industries. Most recently, Caroline was heading up the global supply chain sustainability team at GlaxoSmithKline. Caroline has a MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management from Lund University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Value Chains from Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Chloë Sanders is Director of ESG & Legal at CVC. Based in London, she joined CVC in 2010 having previously worked in Commercial Law and Technology at a private practice law firm. Chloë holds a Certificate in Business Sustainability Management from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, a BSc Degree in Chemistry and Law from the University of Bristol and is admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales
Sarah Paterson is an associate professor of law. Her main areas of research are corporate reorganization and insolvency. Before joining LSE she was a partner in Slaughter and May in London, with whom she retains a consultancy.
Click here to purchase Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment in Private Equity and enter WITNEY20 for 20% off.
Royalties from the first 100 books will be donated to The Felix Project to fight hunger and food waste in London.