Professor Oliver Hart, Harvard University

The Engagement Appeal is honoured by the involvement of economist Nobel Laureate, Professor Oliver Hart, in our study on inclusive investor engagement. Oliver is a Harvard University professor who specialises in corporate governance. He contributed to the development of our white paper ‘The Path to Inclusive Investor Engagement – A Roadmap for Mutual Benefit.’

We are inspired by his research on engagement vs divestment and his belief that shareholder engagement is crucial for corporate governance. He says: “Too often, the perception is that shareholders who disagree with the direction of the company should simply up and leave; disagreement is automatically seen as hostile, rather than as an opportunity for considered thinking.”