Kingsdale Advisors Introduces New Leadership Team to Modernize Shareholder Advisory and Proxy Solicitation Industry

Ian Robertson, President, Canada to succeed Amy Freedman as CEO, who is departing for new career challenges

New leadership team includes former executives from Ontario and Alberta securities commissions and have significant experience in finance, governance, regulatory oversight, operations and risk management.

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kingsdale Advisors, North America’s leading strategic shareholder advisory firm, announces senior leadership changes that will ensure Kingsdale maintains its industry leading position at a time of tremendous global change, while continuing to deliver superior client experiences and winning results. After eight years, current Chief Executive Officer, Amy Freedman, has made the decision to depart Kingsdale at the end of the year, and President, Canada, Ian Robertson, a seven-year veteran of Kingsdale, will assume the role of CEO.

“On behalf of Kingsdale, I would like to thank Amy for her significant contributions to the company and the broader shareholder advisory industry. She has been a trusted advisor to our clients and a dedicated leader to our team. We wish her continued success as she embarks on the next stage of her career,” said Wes Hall, Executive Chairman and Founder, Kingsdale Advisors.

“Now is the right time for me, both professionally and personally, to take on new challenges,” said Amy. “It has been a tremendous opportunity to lead Kingsdale and work alongside a talented team focused on delivering superior advisory services to clients. I want to thank Wes for mentoring me, then entrusting me with the CEO role to continue executing on his vision.”

Looking ahead, Kingsdale will build on the momentum generated under Amy’s leadership to optimally position itself at the forefront of a new and emerging shareholder and regulatory environment:

• Institutional shareholders are driving forward with bold new expectations and visions for the companies they own;
• Retail shareholders are expanding their influence and impact on the market in new ways;
• The role of proxy advisors is diminishing as investors develop their own custom voting policies; and
• Governance and regulatory requirements on a range of new topics – from climate-related disclosures to cybersecurity risk – are demanding new solutions and insights.

“A key factor for Kingsdale’s success has been our continuous ability to be at the forefront of industry trends. The changes we’re announcing will bring increased diversity in thought as well as in personal and professional experiences, and allow us to take bold actions to drive innovation and growth to ensure we continue to deliver a superior client experience and winning results,” added Wes.

Kingsdale is enhancing its executive team with three new faces. Each leader brings a proven track record of success to help lead the company forward.

Kelly Gorman, Executive Vice President, Governance Advisory

Kelly will lead research and analytics to advise clients on all governance matters and resolutions proposed for shareholder meetings, in both contested and uncontested situations. She and her team will also provide expert advice on issues such as board independence, executive compensation, special resolutions, and structuring company equity plans, as well as tailored guidance on CSR reporting and identifying ESG risks and best practices, empowering clients to stay ahead of the curve.

Kelly brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in finance, governance and operations, as well as securities regulatory compliance and enforcement. She spent 14 years in progressively senior roles with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), where she was responsible for the oversight of 1,500 Ontario-based public companies and designed and implemented the OSC’s whistleblower program. Read more on Kelly.

Tom Graham, Executive Vice President

Tom will lead Kingsdale’s client portfolio in Western Canada and will leverage the talents and capabilities across the company to help position clients for success and design focused strategies that address complex shareholder, governance, regulatory and transaction-related matters.

Tom brings more than 25 years of experience in strategy, risk management and innovative operations in regulated business environments. Most recently, Tom was Director of Corporate Finance at the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC), where his team dealt extensively with public companies and their advisors in providing regulatory services related to offerings, disclosure, governance and contested transactions. He has also participated on numerous Canadian Securities Administrators policy committees. Prior to the ASC, Tom held progressive positions within the TMX Group and was most recently the Director of Listed Issuers at the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), where he was responsible for the oversight of the TSX Corporate Finance Rules and Listing Requirements and the TSX Listings Committee. Tom will be starting on October 12, 2021. Read more on Tom.

Himesh Ghai, Executive Vice President

Himesh Ghai, who joined Kingsdale in March 2021 as Executive Vice President, rounds out the new additions. Himesh is a seasoned business and legal strategist with more than 15 years of experience in M&A transactions and securities matters across multiple industries. Read more on Himesh.

Kelly, Tom and Himesh will join current executives Grant Hughes, Chief Operating Officer, an eight-year veteran of Kingsdale, and Michael Fein, who will assume the role of President, U.S. and continue to lead Kingsdale’s New York office.

“Our new leadership team reflects a diverse range of experiences, expertise and innovative thinking critical to the success of our clients, especially in high-stakes situations. In a world of change, leaders across North America may not know what the future holds, but with our help, they’ll be ready for it,” said Ian Robertson. “We are building a new chapter for our company that will deliver new ways to engage shareholders, and modernize the industry’s approach to governance advisory and other matters that impact our client’s biggest deals. We will have more to share in the coming weeks and months so stay tuned.”

Interested in getting to know the new Kingsdale team?

Send a request to MeetTheTeam@kingsdaleadvisors.com.

About Kingsdale Advisors

With offices in Toronto and New York, Kingsdale Advisors is the leading advisor to public companies on all shareholder, governance, and transaction related matters having acted on the largest and highest profile proxy fights, transactions, and other special situations. Since 2003, public companies across North America have looked to the expertise of Kingsdale Advisors to secure the success of transactions or resolutions driven by shareholder votes. Kingsdale Advisors’ multidisciplinary team offers an array of specialized services focused on strategic and defensive advisory, governance advisory, compensation advisory, strategic communications, and voting analytics.

Kingsdale Advisors prides itself on having the best talent. If you’re a proactive, highly motivated individual who is interested in joining a team of skilled professionals who are passionate about their work, in a diverse workplace, send your resume to careers@kingsdaleadvisors.com. With a 65% diverse workforce, Kingsdale Advisors is a staunch advocate for diversity and is a proud signatory of The BlackNorth Initiative pledge.

Contacts

Hyunjoo Kim

Director, Communications, Marketing & Digital Strategy

Kingsdale Advisors

Direct: 416-867-2357

Cell: 416-899-6463

Email: hkim@kingsdaleadvisors.com