Shareholder Activism Summit NYC | January 29th, 2026

7:30-8:25 AM | Registration and Networking Breakfast

8:25 - 8:30 AM | Welcome Remarks
Christopher P. Skroupa, Founder & CEO, Skytop Strategies

8:30 - 9:05 AM | Panel Discussion
The Activist Investor: How to Best Capitalize on What Lies Ahead in 2026
Moderator:
Michael R. Levin, Independent Activist Investor, Founder of The Activist Investor, Skytop Contributor and Host of “The Activist Investor”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Panelists:
Gabriel Radzyminski, Founder, Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer, Sandon Capital

9:05 - 9:40 AM | Workshop Findings Panel
The Activist Playbook: Objectives, Tactics, and Board-Level Implications
Chair & Moderator:
Eleazer Klein, Partner, Global Head of Shareholder Activism, McDermott Will & Schulte
Panelists:
Jeremy Fielding, CEO, Kekst CNC, Skytop Contributor, Host of “To The Point”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Daniel Kerstein, Managing Director, M&A, Head of Structuring Solutions and Shareholder Advisory, TD Securities
About the Findings:
As part of our pre-summit executive programming, this workshop invites board directors and senior leadership into a strategic deep dive led by Eleazer Klein, Partner at McDermott Will & Schulte. This session will illuminate the evolving architecture of shareholder activism—from capital structure critiques to ESG-driven campaigns and governance reform. Eleazer will guide participants through the anatomy of activist strategy, revealing how demands are framed, how pressure is applied, and how boards can anticipate, interpret, and respond with clarity and control. Drawing on recent campaigns and legal inflection points, this workshop equips leaders to engage not just defensively, but tactically while navigating the activist’s agenda.

9:40- 10:15 AM | Panel Discussion
Board Refresh: Challenging Long-Tenured Board Members Through Universal Proxy
Moderator:
Panelists:
Christopher J. Pappano, Partner & Managing Director, Barington Capital Group
Mauro da Cunha, Independent Director, Senior Advisor, Engage.MC
Elina (Lina) Tetelbaum, Partner, Head of Shareholder Engagement and Activism Defense, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

10:15 - 10:30 AM | Networking Break

10:30 - 11:05 AM | Panel Discussion
Board Accountability: Increased Pressure on Under Performing CEOs
Moderator:
Panelists:
August Vlak, Partner and Managing Director, Barington Capital Group, L.P.
Jared L. Landaw, General Counsel, The Eastern Company, Adjunct Professor, Syracuse University College of Law
Charles Elson, Founding Director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair of Corporate Governance (retired), University of Delaware and Executive Editor, Directors & Boards Magazine

11:05 - 11:45 PM | Case Story One
The Activist Decision to Invest
Investment Committee Chair:
Nick Graziano, Partner, 2717 Partners, Skytop Contributor & Host of “Inside the Corporate Boardroom”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Key Presenter:
James Mitarotonda, Chairman, President & CEO, Barington Capital Group
Investment Committee Members:
W. Graeme Roustan, Executive Chairman and Owner, Roustan Capital
Eric Rosenfeld, CEO, Crescendo Partners
Timothy Brog, Former Activist, Board Director and Corporate Executive
About this Case Story:
In a mock closed-door session, the investment committee—chaired by Nick and composed of four members—convenes to evaluate a mid-cap industrial company facing poor operational performance relative to peers, an inefficient balance sheet and management/governance concerns.  The company appears to be at a crossroads where it must decide on a go-forward operating plan, leadership change or a sale of the company.  The discounted share price and frustrated shareholder base has recently attracted activist attention. Committee members debate whether the firm presents a viable turnaround opportunity or a value trap. Key considerations include board receptiveness, potential for margin expansion, and alignment with high performance principles. The session culminates in a go/no-go vote, with audience members invited to weigh in on the strategic rationale behind either decision.

11:45 - 12:20 PM | Panel Discussion
Small Cap Activism: Activist Strategies Worth Noting
Moderator:
John Glenn Grau, President & CEO, InvestorCom
Panelists:
James Elbaor, Managing Partner, Marlton LLC
Phil Goldstein, Principal, Bulldog Investors LLC
Jeffrey G. Korn, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of the Board, Crexendo
Randall Adams, Partner, Seward & Kissel LLP

12:20 - 12:50 | Keynote Presentation
Steadiness in the Storm: Leadership Through Disruptive Challenges
Keynote Presenter:
Susan Eisenhower, Founder & Chairman-Emeritus, The Eisenhower Institute, Founder & President, The Eisenhower Group, Author and Expert on International Security, Space Policy, Energy and U.S.-Russia Relations
Susan Eisenhower draws from her grandfather’s disciplined, principle‑anchored approach to offer today’s corporate stewards a powerful framework for navigating ambiguity and disruption. In How Ike Led, she shows how President Eisenhower balanced decisiveness with reflection, welcomed dissent as a strategic asset, and built coalitions capable of acting with unity in moments of uncertainty. Her keynote translates these lessons into modern tools—cultivating calm in crisis, structuring decisions around mission clarity, and sustaining long‑term vision amid short‑term turbulence.

12:50 - 1:35 PM | Networking Luncheon

1:35 - 2:10 PM | Workshop Findings Panel
Reputation on Trial: Navigating Activist Pressure in the Court of Public Opinion
Chair & Moderator:
Jeremy Fielding, CEO, Kekst CNC, Skytop Contributor, Host of “To The Point”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Panelists:
Jan C. Childress, Director of Investor Relations, Consolidated Edison
Richard Mansouri, Investments, Public Equity, Arkhouse
About the Findings:
As a strategic lead-in to our Shareholder Activism Summit, this exclusive workshop invites board directors and senior executives to engage with Jeremy Fielding, CEO of Kekst CNC, in a candid, high-level exploration of reputational defense amid an activist advance. This session will examine how leadership teams can anticipate, interpret, and respond to activist campaigns not only through legal and financial channels, but through the lens of public perception and media narrative. Jeremy will share insights drawn from high-stakes engagements, offering frameworks for message discipline, stakeholder alignment, and crisis agility. Designed for those who steward corporate legacy and governance, this workshop will challenge participants to consider how reputational capital is built, preserved, and—when necessary—reclaimed. 

2:10 - 2:30 PM | Exclusive Interview
Executive Compensation: Recent Insights from the Chancery Court
Interviewer:
Robert McCormick, Executive Director, Council of Institutional Investors
Interviewee:
Gregory V. Varallo, Partner & Head of Delaware Office, BLB&G

2:30 - 3:05 PM | Panel Discussion
The Aftermath of Tornetta: Impact for Stakeholders on Executive Compensation
Moderator:
Panelists:
Michael Garland, Assistant Comptroller for Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment, Bureau of Asset Management, Office of NYC Comptroller Brad Lander

3:05 - 3:40 PM | Panel Discussion
Stepping Back on Reviewing Shareholder Proxy Proposals: What It Means for Activist Investors and Active Engagement Firms
Moderator:
TBA
Panelists:
TBA

3:40 - 4:15 PM | Workshop Findings Panel
Fiduciary Foresight: Best Practices for Boards in Activist and Crisis Scenarios
Chair & Moderator:
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Panelists:
Fred Pletcher, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais
Lauren Puffer, Managing Director, Shareholder Advisory, TD Securities
About the Findings:
In this exclusive preconference Zoom workshop, David A. Katz, leading corporate governance partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz—will guide board members and senior executives through the nuanced terrain of special situations. Drawing on decades of strategic counsel, Katz will dissect the anatomy of board decision-making under pressure, offering a clear framework of do’s and do not’s in navigating activist advances, contested transactions, and reputational inflection points. Participants will gain actionable insights into fiduciary duties, disclosure obligations, and tactical preparedness.

4:15 - 4:30 PM | Networking Break

4:30 - 4:50 PM | Exclusive Interview
Aligning Board Strategy: The Impact of Activist Demands on Governance, Strategy and Brand
Interviewer:
Josh Black, Editor-in-Chief, Diligent Market Intelligence
Interviewees:
David A. Katz, Partner, Wachtell. Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Eleazer Klein, Partner, Global Head of Shareholder Activism, McDermott Will & Schulte

4:50 - 5:20 PM | Capitalism Today
Capitalism Today: Editorial Committee Deliberation
When Government Becomes Shareholder: Can Equity Stakes Drive Public Interest?
What happens when Washington takes a seat at the boardroom table? This panel asks whether government equity stakes in public companies are a safeguard for the public interest—or a slippery slope into corporate control. Expect sharp debate, historical lessons, and fresh perspectives on the state as shareholder. More to this topic to be covered in upcoming editions of Capitalism Today
Editorial Committee Chair:
Arthur Kohn, General Counsel, Leading Corporate Governance Expert, Skytop Contributor, and Chair of the Editorial Committee, Skytop Media Group
Editorial Committee Members:
Rhonda Brauer, ESG Strategist and Founder & President, RLB Governance LLC
Rolin P. Bissell, Partner, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP
B.J. Altvater, Associate, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, LLP 

5:20- 6:00 PM | Case Story Two
The Activist Decision to Exit
Investment Committee Chair:
Michael R. Levin, Independent Activist Investor, Founder of The Activist Investor, Skytop Contributor and Host of “The Activist Investor”, SkytopTV Talk Show Series
Key Presenter:
TBA
Investment Committee Members:
Randall Adams, Partner, Seward & Kissel LLP
Daniel Kerstein, Managing Director, M&A, Head of Structuring Solutions and Shareholder Advisory, TD Securities
Richard Mansouri, Investments, Public Equity, Arkhouse
About this Case Story:
Six quarters after the initial investment, the committee reconvenes to assess progress against the benchmarks set during the buy-in phase—operational margin targets, board refreshment, and capital return metrics. While some improvements are evident, the company has failed to meet its strategic milestones, and market sentiment remains tepid. The committee now faces a critical decision: whether to divest and reallocate capital, or double down with escalated engagement. Audience participants are asked to define “success” from an activist investor’s lens—whether it’s financial return, governance reform, or reputational impact—and to debate the timing and optics of an exit. The case closes with a vote on divestiture strategy and lessons learned.

6:00 - 6:20 PM | Closing Keynote

6:20 - 7:00 PM | Networking Reception