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Golden Handcuffs, Repriced: Carried Interest, SEC Signals, and 2026 Pay Trends | Farient Briefings
Golden Handcuffs, Repriced: Why Boards Bet on ‘Carry’ to Prevent Talent Drain The smart money doesn’t leave early. Public asset managers such as BlackRock and Goldman Sachs are importing private‑market economics into executive pay plans. Folding carried interest–style incentives into senior pay is a play to strengthen retention…
Read More > 02.24.2026
In the News
Boards May Cut Exec Pay to Make Nice with SEC—Agenda
Farient Partner and COO R.J. Bannister was quoted in Agenda examining how shifting enforcement dynamics may reshape the role of boards in executive compensation decisions. The article looks at the SEC’s evolving posture following Archer-Daniels-Midland’s voluntary cuts to executive incentive pay as part of a broader settlement tied to accounting…
Read More > 02.24.2026
Briefs
Atkins Puts Executive Pay Disclosure Squarely in Governance Crosshairs
As boards prepare for a new proxy season, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins is making clear that executive compensation disclosure—long a flashpoint for directors and investors alike—sit at the center of his regulatory agenda. In recent speeches, including remarks delivered February 17, 2026, at a corporate law…
Read More > 02.23.2026
Briefs
Why Carried Interest Is Becoming a Powerful Retention Tool for Public Asset Managers
Carried interest is increasingly viewed as a critical executive compensation tool because of its ability to create long-term “holding power” for top executives and other key talent. As competition for high-performing investment professionals intensifies, public asset managers are adopting compensation structures that more closely resemble those of the private markets.
Read More > 02.23.2026
In the News
Apple Drops ESG Links From Top Executives’ Pay Packages—Bloomberg
“Shareholders prod companies less frequently over environmental concerns than they did a couple of years ago… If there’s just not that much focus on it, then that’s just what drops off.” In Bloomberg’s reporting on Apple removing ESG modifiers from executive pay, Farient’s Sustainability Practice Leader Brian Bueno highlights a…
Read More > 02.18.2026
Newsletters
To Infinity and Beyond | Farient Briefings
To Infinity and Beyond Leadership transitions at The Walt Disney Co. tend to be as consequential as they are closely scrutinized, and Bob Iger’s impending retirement is no exception. Next month, after two decades defining the company’s strategic direction—and a brief return to stabilize operations after a failed…
Read More > 02.12.2026
Briefs
The Magic of Disney
When The Walt Disney Company hands the keys to its kingdom to Josh W. D’Amaro next month, it signals a subtle but telling shift in how it pays for leadership. Outgoing chief executive Robert A. Iger, one of corporate America’s most highly compensated and closely watched CEOs, exits with a…
Read More > 02.12.2026
Briefs
The ‘Boomerang CEO’ Phenomenon: Why Boards Bring Leaders Back
The term “boomerang CEO” refers to a chief executive who leaves a company—through retirement, succession, or board transition—only to be rehired later to reassume the top role. While often perceived as unusual, the practice has recurred across major public companies, particularly during periods of operational stress or leadership breakdowns. Boards…
Read More > 02.12.2026
In the News
$14 Trillion Asset Manager BlackRock Unveils its Newest Weapon in Wall Street ‘Alts’ Talent War: Profit Sharing from Private Markets—Fortune
As competition for private markets talent accelerates, Farient Advisors Partner and COO R.J. Bannister provides clear perspective on how carried interest is reshaping executive pay in private markets. Speaking with Fortune, Bannister explained that “There has been a flow of talent from the public company investment sector to the private…
Read More > 01.30.2026
Newsletters
An End to One-Size-Fits-All Proxy Voting | Farient Briefings
An End to One-Size-Fits-All Proxy Voting Proxy voting is being shaken up like never before. A new executive order from the Trump administration is putting ISS and Glass Lewis under the microscope, targeting their influence on environmental, social, and governance issues and demanding more transparency and regulatory examinations.
Read More > 01.28.2026
Briefs
Resurrecting History: ISS Lengthens ‘Look-backs’ for P4P Tests
In December 2025, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) announced changes to its quantitative tests used to assess CEO pay for performance. Three tests, Relative Degree of Alignment (RDA), Multiple of Median (MOM), and Financial Performance Assessment (FPA), will now use longer time horizons for shareholder meetings starting February 2026. These changes…
Read More > 01.27.2026
Briefs
Proxy Advisors Face Heat from Executive Order, AI Adoption
The proxy-voting ecosystem is entering an unprecedented period of disruption. A Trump administration executive order, JPMorgan’s artificially intelligent voting, and sweeping policy changes from ISS and Glass Lewis are reshaping governance norms. In short, boards and management can expect tighter regulatory oversight, diminished influence of traditional proxy advisors, and a…
Read More > 01.27.2026
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