
Preparing for another crisis
The pandemic provides boards and managements with the best experience to prepare for a crisis - even though the current one shows no signs of abating These past seven months are proof regarding how resilient (some) companies are. This, however, does not in any way mean that companies can shrug away the challenges that the next catastrophe may throw – even as the current one shows no signs of abating. The last two decades have been peppered with events like 9/11, the financial

Investors must rethink their equation with some promoters
Although investors have recently voted out the CEO of two banks, they have yet to take a stand on promoter CEOs in the corporate sector. Even so, there are instances where the long-term interests of the company will be better served by a leadership change. Investors have been shy in rocking the boat – they should not be. The banking sector has seen its fair share of Managing Director exits – several of these being unplanned and forced by either the regulator or the investors.

Debt default risks of the holdco must not sway Vedanta’s Independent Directors
The failed delisting will only result in increased pressure on Vedanta Limited’s cash flows to support group debt: it has already committed a USD 1.05 bn support to its parent company. Independent Directors, more so than ever before, need to arrest the financial support to the group, which comes at the cost of the minority shareholders’ interest. In maintaining a passive stance, the Independent Directors are failing in their fiduciary responsibilities. Image source: www.bloom


Vedanta delisting throws-up questions regarding disclosing unconfirmed bids
13 October 2020, Mumbai: Had Vedanta’s delisting gone through it would have been the largest ever in India. Given this, it is no surprise that its failure has attracted undue attention, with a large part of this is focused on unconfirmed bids. The question that remains to be answered is whether disclosing unconfirmed bids serve a purpose - do they provide guidance to the market or do they mislead the market. Are these bids put in to create a momentum or are they genuine data

Checking the box on skill diversity
In asking companies to disclose director-wise skills, regulators are compelling a skill-based evaluation of boards. These skill-based assessments should drive board composition and director (re) appointments. The current disclosures on director skills suggest that boards of Indian companies continue to resist an honest evaluation and to be held accountable. Directors may want the certain prestige associated with being a director – and more so if it is on the board of a listed


Vedanta’s delisting – discovering the right price
Source: www.gbdigest.com After having approved the delisting of Vedanta Limited from the Indian stock exchanges, the next step is for investors to arrive at the right price, through a reverse book building process. While IiAS refrains from making price recommendations, indicators suggest that the delisting price of 3.5x – 4.5x the floor price of Rs. 87.25: at the same time, shareholders will do well to remember that there is a price beyond which they risk turning away the pro