Boardroom shakeups are on the rise as 2019 concludes

Activist investors are pushing for significant changes as we bring this year to a close. This week, Domino’s Pizza chairman Stephen Hemsley announced plans to step down from his role thanks to hedge fund pressure.

Hemsley took the role in 2010, and will now exit on December 29.

Senior independent director Ian Bull will replace him on the board of directors. According to the Telegraph, the company has hired a headhunter to replace Hemsley.

Activist investor Browning West received a board seat recently. The activist will assist in the selection of a new chairman and a new CEO to replace David Wild.

Activist Investors and Changes at GAM

Meanwhile, Krupa Global Investments is pushing for changes on the board of GAM. The activist investor has set a two-month deadline for the Swiss asset manager to shake up the board and bring it back to profitability. The activist investor has promised to vote against company executives at its next shareholder meeting without changes.

Meanwhile, Krupa Global Investments owns 3% of GAM. It has further supported other activist investors like Bluebell Capital Partners, which recently wrote a letter to GAM Chairman David Jacob. Bluebell is also pushing for the firm to conduct a strategic review of its private labeling division.

On Tuesday, Krupa Global said it supports Bluebell’s push. The company said, “the current situation requires urgent attention by the board of directors […], which we expect to act quickly to reduce costs and bring [the] investment management division back on track.”

Rolls Royce Stock Falls after Singer Departure

Finally, Rolls Royce is generating buzz after activist investor Brad Singer stepped down from the company’s board of directors. Singer, the COO of ValueAct, became a non-executive director at Rolls Royce in 2016. Singer also did not announce a reason for the departure. However, Singer is the company’s largest shareholder.