Olshan Reveals Latest Shareholder Activism Trends in Diligent’s Proxy Season Review 2025

Diligent Market Intelligence issued The Proxy Season Review 2025 in collaboration with Olshan’s Shareholder Activism Practice. The review features a foreword from Andrew Freedman, Chair of Olshan’s Shareholder Activism practice, in which Andy writes, “The 2025 proxy season made clear that activists will not sit on the sidelines waiting for more ideal economic conditions.” The review also includes an in-depth interview with Vice Chair of the firm’s Shareholder Activism practice Ryan Nebel and Shareholder Activism partner Meagan Reda for the Q&A feature. “Despite the uncertainty that the market has faced in the first half of the year,” Ryan notes, “the general expectation remains that dealmaking will pick up in the second half of 2025 and into 2026. The factors that generated optimism about M&A activity going into Trump’s second term are very much still in play: there has already been significant movement in terms of deregulation and tax cuts, while shake-ups in leadership at the FTC and DOJ are likely to lead to a more favorable antitrust environment. Either way, activists and issuers alike are bracing for significant engagement in the year ahead.” On the important role that settlements will continue to play in proxy contests, Meagan comments, “We continued to see more board seats obtained through settlements than proxy fights and expect this trend to prevail in proxy seasons moving forward.”

To read The Proxy Season Review 2025, please click here.