ANALYSIS: Corporate Governance in the Time of Coronavirus

It isn’t “Love in the Time of Cholera,” but companies will face significant challenges in corporate governance in the time of coronavirus.

Companies may struggle to hold annual shareholder meetings, conduct board business, engage with investors, compile periodic reports, and engage in business combination transactions. The economic displacement resulting from the pandemic will also likely pose a significant challenge to the stakeholder model of corporate governance announced last summer by the Business Roundtable.

Annual Shareholder Meetings

The coronavirus outbreak has prompted issuers to consider conducting virtual annual meetings due to health concerns over crowds gathering at meeting sites.

Initially, issuers ...