[TORONTO, June 13] - Kingsdale Advisors, North America’s leading strategic shareholder advisory firm, is humbled and honoured to celebrate 20 years of success thanks to the thousands of corporate leaders who have placed their trust in Kingsdale. From modest beginnings in 2003, Kingsdale has strategically grown to become the leading advisor to public company boards and management on all shareholder, governance, and transaction related matters, delivering win after win on the most difficult proxy fights, high-profile mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and high-stakes shareholder meetings.
"At Kingsdale, we care about your result as much as you do. Each of us is personally committed to the highest standard of excellence day in and day out. We have built a multi-disciplinary team of experts with over 100 years of experience in the industry to design breakthrough strategies for the most complex challenges, deliver superior execution, and provide senior, hands-on shareholder interaction, in a way others simply can’t,” said Wes Hall, Executive Chairman and Founder of Kingsdale Advisors. “Reaching our 20th anniversary is a significant milestone not only for Kingsdale but the entire shareholder advisory industry in Canada we established. Over that time, we have continuously innovated and enhanced our services. Whether it be shepherding a multi-billion-dollar takeover, navigating a complex proxy contest, or ensuring smooth passage of a controversial executive compensation package, I am constantly reminded that excellence is earned.”
Kingsdale is more than just a proxy solicitor. Kingsdale’s expert team of dedicated industry professionals is committed to providing individualized solutions designed to suit each client’s unique needs. Over the last 20 years, Kingsdale has invented strategies to win hostile bids and proxy fights and pioneered a number of innovations that are now commonplace in the industry. A few key highlights:
2004 - Executed first deal - merger between Wheaton River Minerals and IAMGOLD
2006 - Spearheaded Xstrata plc. purchase and takeover of Falconbridge Ltd. - one of the largest global mining takeovers and one of the largest takeover bids in Canadian history
2008 - Launched corporate actions and asset recovery services to audit shareholder submissions to the STAC (Securities Transfer Agents of Canada) and provide guidance for shareholders to claim new securities or entitlements
2010 - Launched Canada’s first in-house governance advisory team providing proxy advisor style analysis on all items requiring a shareholder vote following a controversial recommendation from ISS on the Kinross Gold/Red Back Mining transaction that put the deal at risk
2010 - Introduced Kingsdale Communications to advance the firm’s vision of becoming a one-stop- shop for all of an issuers’ needs
2012 - Pioneered the first use of a universal proxy and opened the activism floodgates in Canada representing Pershing Square against CP Rail
2015 - Launched Kingsdale Advisors U.S. based in New York in response to the growing needs of client’s across North America for the firm’s integrated strategic advisory and proxy solicitation services
2016 - Launched In-Sight™ Voting Analytics to provide tailored reporting and strategic insights into the voting practices and records of institutional shareholders, especially as more begin to diverge from the influence of the proxy advisors providing an unparallel line of sight into institutional shareholder base and singular insight into their voting decisions
2019 - Led first cross-border M&A deal (Canopy Growth Corp. and Acreage Holdings Inc.) and first hostile bid (CanniMed Therapeutics against Aurora Cannabis) in the Cannabis sector
2020 - Initiated fight against systemic racism and championed diversity in corporate Canada with its sister organization, BlackNorth Initiative
2020 - Key contributor and member the Ontario Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce and its groundbreaking modernization recommendations
2022 - Launched the industry’s first digital engagement center to modernize the practice of shareholder engagement and voting by leveraging digital technologies such as online chat, QR codes, and mobile targeting
As part of its year-long celebration - that will include special events and publications over the next year focused on diversity, AI, and ESG - Kingsdale will kick off it’s 20th anniversary by hosting a by invitation only VIP event at Cirque du Soleil and has launched a video titled "20 Questions for 20 Years of Excellence." In the video, Kingsdale’s executive team shares their wealth of experience and offers valuable insights into the outlook of the industry.
“With so much change in our world, we keep hearing from business leaders that there is a need for a partner in the boardroom and C-suite to help navigate new and emerging challenges,” said Ian Robertson, CEO. “As our clients’ expectations continue to evolve, so too does Kingsdale. As part of our 20th anniversary, we will build on our pioneering legacy by introducing a series of new service innovations designed to equip leaders to face the biggest make-or-break career moments. After 20 years, we are just getting started.”
About Kingsdale Advisors
With offices in Toronto, Calgary and New York, Kingsdale Advisors is the leading advisor to public companies on all shareholder, governance, and transaction-related matters, having acted on the largest and highest profile proxy fights, transactions, and other special situations. For 20 years, public companies across North America have looked to the expertise of Kingsdale Advisors to secure the success of transactions or resolutions driven by shareholder votes. Kingsdale Advisors’ multidisciplinary team offers an array of specialized services focused on strategic and defensive advisory, governance advisory, compensation advisory, strategic communications, and voting analytics.
