New campaigns by shareholder activists reached record levels globally in the first six months of the year, driven by a growing activism in Japan, data from Lazard show.
The number of new activists campaigns totaled 147, up 7% from 138 in the same period in 2023 and 29% above the five-year average, Lazard said in a report.
The pickup in activity was largely concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, while North America and Europe were near last year’s pace. New campaigns in Asia-Pacific jumped 65% — to 43 from 25 — with Japan accounting for 28 of those.