Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • July 2015 (Revised March 2021)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Proxy Contest at DuPont

By: Jay W. Lorsch and Emily McTague
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:19
ShareBar

Abstract

On January 9, 2015, Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management launched a proxy fight for four out of the twelve seats on the DuPont board. The fund had previously published a public letter addressed to shareholders outlining its proposal to break the company into three areas: agriculture and nutrition, industrial materials, and performance chemicals and criticizing the company for its poor performance. CEO and Chairman Ellen Kullman and her board were left with the difficult decision. Should they allow four of Trian's nominees onto their board, knowing that it would mean replacing four highly experienced and valuable directors or should they go face to face with Peltz in a very public proxy fight?

Keywords

Board Of Directors; Hedge Fund; Activist Investing; Activist Investors; Proxy Fight; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Investment Activism; Chemical Industry; United States

Citation

Lorsch, Jay W., and Emily McTague. "Proxy Contest at DuPont." Harvard Business School Case 416-005, July 2015. (Revised March 2021.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Author

Jay W. Lorsch

→More Publications

Related Work

    • July 2015 (Revised March 2021)
    • Faculty Research

    Proxy Contest at DuPont

    By: Jay W. Lorsch and Emily McTague
Related Work
  • Proxy Contest at DuPont By: Jay W. Lorsch and Emily McTague
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College