Olshan Collaborates with Diligent Market Intelligence on its Shareholder Activism Annual Review 2026

Diligent Market Intelligence issued its Shareholder Activism Annual Review 2026 featuring Olshan’s Shareholder Activism Practice as a key collaborator. The annual review includes an article authored by Olshan Co-Managing Partner and Chair of the firm’s Shareholder Activism Practice Andrew Freedman and Shareholder Activism Partner Kenneth Mantel entitled “Activism’s Record Run Extends into 2026.” The article highlights key trends in shareholder activism from 2025 and notes activists’ increasing determination in pursuing their goals: “There is no more ‘off season’ for shareholder activism. Activists have effective tools to drive change apart from traditional director nominations, including withhold campaigns and public pressure outside of the annual meeting cycle, and have shown a willingness to pursue multi-year campaigns.” Andy and Ken look optimistically to a busy year for activism in 2026: “Whether or not a robust M&A market takes hold, 2026 will present activists and companies with a dynamic environment.” The review also includes an in-depth Q&A interview with Vice Chair of Olshan’s Shareholder Activism Practice Ryan Nebel and Shareholder Activism Partner Meagan Reda in which they reflect on what is in store for shareholder activism in 2026. Regarding the key drivers of settlements in 2026, especially considering the record number of board seats that activists secured through settlements in 2025, Ryan comments, “Each situation is unique, but whether a settlement can be reached ultimately comes down to whether the company and the investor are in the same ballpark with the changes that the investor believes need to be made at the target company.” He adds, “More often than not, activists and companies alike want to avoid the uncertainty that comes along with a costly and time-consuming proxy contest.” Meagan provided her expectations for 2026 in relation to the market volatility resulting from 2025’s Liberation Day: “I expect to see some carryover from the 2025 proxy season, particularly in situations where pressure was exerted (whether through a withhold or letter-writing campaign or an informal or ‘friendly’ settlement), but the company did not adequately respond to or fully implement the agreed-upon changes and performance concerns continue. Further, while the immediate aftermath of ‘Liberation Day’ may have created an initial pause in activity in the first half of 2025, it did not chill shareholder activism as we continued to see investors pressure companies and launch campaigns throughout the 2025 proxy season.”

To read Diligent’s Shareholder Activism Annual Review 2026, please click here.