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Activist-Appointed Directors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2021

Jun-Koo Kang Open the ORCID record for Jun-Koo Kang [Opens in a new window] ,
Hyemin Kim ,
Jungmin Kim  and
Angie Low
Jun-Koo Kang*
Affiliation:
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Business School
Hyemin Kim
Affiliation:
Hanyang University School of Business Division of Financehyeminkim@hanyang.ac.kr
Jungmin Kim
Affiliation:
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Accounting and Financejungmin.kim@polyu.edu.hk
Angie Low
Affiliation:
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Business Schoolaaclow@ntu.edu.sg
*
jkkang@ntu.edu.sg (corresponding author)
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Abstract

We examine the value impact of independent directors nominated by activists (Activist IDs). Firms appointing Activist IDs experience larger value increases than firms appointing other directors, particularly when Activist IDs have private firm experience and when their nominators remain as shareholders. This value increase persists over a long period and is greater than that of activism events without director appointments. The increase is also higher among firms with greater monitoring needs and entrenched boards. Moreover, the appointments of Activist IDs are greeted more positively by the market, and Activist IDs obtain more favorable shareholder votes and additional future directorships.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis , Volume 57 , Issue 4 , June 2022 , pp. 1343 - 1376
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington

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Footnotes

We are grateful to Jarrad Harford (the editor), Alexander Ljungqvist, Shawn Mobbs (the referee), Kasper Nielsen, seminar participants at Australian National University, Fudan University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Monash University, and Nanyang Business School, and conference participants at the 2013 International Conference on Asia Pacific Financial Markets, the 2014 Asian Finance Association Conference, and the 2014 Asian Bureau of Finance and Economics Research (ABFER) Conference for their useful comments. H. Kim acknowledges financial support from Hanyang University (HY-202100000002903). The article was previously circulated under the title “Rookie Directors.” All errors are our own.

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