Shareholder activism is quickly emerging as a way to bring forth systemic changes in large corporations. Using their partial ownership of a company, shareholder activists can influence the behaviour of a large corporation, usually by way of introducing changes in the board.

Here are some examples when activist investors managed to bring changes to the board of a company:

ExxonMobil

Exxon Mobil Corp was the most recent example of a large corporation being humbled by an activist shareholder. The company lost two board members after Engine No. 1, a hedge fund, put forth its own nominations for shifting the company away from fossil fuels.

Chevron

Fellow oil giant Chevron also had to bow down to shareholder activism. The company found most of its shareholders rebelling against the vote of its board in support of an activist proposal from Dutch campaign group.

Westpac Banking Corporation

Following a largely publicised money laundering scandal, revolting activist shareholders managed to get CEO Brian Hartzer and chairman Lindsay Maxsted to resign.

Hugo Boss

Oil companies and banks are not the only companies that have to face shareholder activism. Earlier in the year, Hugo Boss announced the resignation of CEO Mark Langer due to pressure from activist investor Bluebell Capital.

P&G

After one of the costliest and longest proxy corporate trials, Trian Fund Management managed to get its CEO and founder, noted shareholder activist Nelson Peltz, to the position of directorship in the company.

(Edited by : Anshul)