Improving governance is critical to long-term value creation

Transparency is vital

Amid an understandable focus on the environmental component of ESG, asset managers have most recently rather overlooked the important role that strengthening governance can play in long-term value creation.

The recent collapses of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and electric vehicle battery start-up Britishvolt are a reminder that good corporate governance is vital for protecting investors. If companies are going to not only survive but thrive in the long term, they need to be well and transparently managed. Q&A: Terry Smith on activism, ESG and what has changed since 2010 However, as the economist John Kay has previously pointed out, one of the problems of modern financial markets is that owning shares in a listed company does not bestow right of possession. This makes company shareholde...