In today’s volatile market, companies of all sizes are vulnerable to short seller attacks—often sudden, strategic, and highly disruptive. This expert-led roundtable will explore how organizations can prepare before an attack hits and respond effectively if one does. Our panel will share insights on assessing vulnerabilities, building a response plan, and deploying legal and communications strategies to safeguard reputation and shareholder value. Just as importantly, we’ll cover the common mistakes companies should avoid.

Whether you’re part of an in-house team or an outside advisor, this session offers actionable strategies to help you navigate the rising threat of short seller activism.

Why You Should Attend:

• Protect reputation and valuation – Learn how to minimize the financial and reputational fallout of an attack.

• Plan ahead – Identify vulnerabilities and build a proactive response strategy before a crisis strikes.

• Get expert guidance – Hear from legal, financial, and communications professionals who’ve successfully managed through these challenges.

• Unify your response – Coordinate across IR, legal, comms, and the boardroom for a seamless, strategic approach.

• Avoid missteps – Understand what not to do—mistakes at the top can intensify the damage.

• Reinforce stakeholder trust – Communicate clearly and transparently to maintain investor confidence.

• Stay ahead of the curve – Evolve your playbook to meet today’s increasingly sophisticated short seller tactics.

Registration is free—reserve your spot today.

Moderator:

Keith E. Gottfried
CEO, Gottfried Shareholder Advisory, LLC

Keith Gottfried is the CEO of Gottfried Shareholder Advisory LLC, a strategic advisory firm focused on advising public companies, the C-suite, and boards of directors on shareholder activism preparedness and defense.  Keith is a highly experienced shareholder activism advisor. Throughout a career that spans over 30 years, working at some of the country’s most prominent firms, Keith has advised numerous public companies in connection with high-profile shareholder activism campaigns. Before founding his firm in 2021, Keith led the shareholder activism defense practice at a large global law firm. 

Keith's work as a shareholder activism defense advisor has been recognized on numerous occasions. In both 2018 and 2019, Keith was named by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) to its list of Directorship 100 honorees, which recognizes the most influential people in the boardroom community, including directors, corporate governance experts, regulators, and advisors. Keith publishes and presents regularly and has been frequently quoted by the national business and news media, on shareholder activism trends and developments. Keith has also been a frequent contributor to the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance on shareholder activism developments. Keith holds an M.B.A., with high honors, from Boston University's Questrom School of Business, a J.D., cum laude, from Boston University's School of Law, where he was an Edward F. Hennessey Distinguished Scholar of Law, and a G. Joseph Tauro Scholar of Law, and a B.S from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Panelists:

Bryan M. Armstrong, CFA
Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting

Bryan M. Armstrong is a senior managing director in the strategic communications segment of FTI Consulting. He serves as head of the financial communications practice in the Americas. 

For over 25 years, Mr. Armstrong has served as a trusted advisors to the C-Suite and Board of Directors focused on investor relations, ESG and transaction communications advisory. Mr. Armstrong helps companies assess and optimize their valuations through custom, integrated investor relations campaigns as well as successfully navigating significant corporate developments and capital markets events. 

Mr. Armstrong has also led a number of new listings through both SPACs and IPOs including Core & Main, Satellogic, Hippo, Diginex, Amerant Bank, Newmark Group, Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), and has served as an advisor on one of the largest proposed IPOs in history, among others. 

Additionally, Mr. Armstrong has advised on a number of M&A transactions including the $5 billion acquisition of Detour Gold by Kirkland Lake, the $1 billion acquisition of Infiltrator Water technologies by ADS, the $7 billion acquisition of The Stars Group by Flutter, and the $2.25 billion acquisition of A. Schulman, Inc. by LyondellBasell.  As a senior member of FTI’s ESG Advisory practice, Mr. Armstrong also leads a multi-disciplinary team focused on developing integrated programs that help companies manage risk and exploit opportunities related to ESG from a regulatory, financial, political and commercial perspective. Mr. Armstrong has conducted materiality assessments, evaluated ESG reporting frameworks, executed rating agency engagement programs, advised on target-setting and ESG controversies, and has developed, designed and launched numerous sustainability reports on behalf of clients.

Alyssa Barry, CPIR
President, Alliance Advisors Investor Relations

An accredited investor relations professional, Alyssa brings 20 years of diverse experience across communications, private equity, in-house, and agency roles. Under her leadership, irlabs became one of North America’s leading IR firms, known for providing strategic advisory and fostering meaningful investor engagement. Alyssa has raised over $1 billion in capital, led some of Canada’s most successful activism campaigns, managed high-profile M&A transactions, and enhanced board governance frameworks.  

Before co-founding irlabs, she was Head of Strategy – Operations and Communications at Artis REIT, Vice President of Capital Markets and Communications at Sandpiper Group, and Manager of Investor Relations at Amica Mature Lifestyles Inc.   

In the community, Alyssa is a Director of ALS Canada and LIFT Impact Partners. Alyssa is also a WPO member and an advisor to Women Get on Board and Women Funding Women. Alyssa was named one of Women’s Executive Network (WXN) 2024 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner.

Brendan M. Foo
Partner and Global Head of Corporate Contests, Forward Global

Brendan M. Foo is a Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Forward Risk, the investigations and intelligence practice of Forward Global. He leads the firm’s corporate contests practice, and his clients include some of the world’s top activist investors. He has also been engaged by issuers and their outside counsel on over 75 proxy contests and hostile takeover defenses. By bringing together his expertise as a practitioner and strategist, he has helped clients to prevail in multiple high-stakes proxy battles. Brendan has extensive experience in all the firm’s core practice areas, as well as significant international experience. He has lived, studied, and worked in several countries. He also speaks Chinese and has undertaken multifaceted investigations for clients doing business around the world.

Prior to co-founding Forward Risk, Brendan established and led the Asia Desk and headed internal research operations in aid of initial public offerings and private equity due diligence at a global risk and compliance firm. Early in his career, he worked as a journalist in Singapore. Brendan serves on the board of directors of the Capital Rowing Club and on the advisory board of the Master of Science in Foreign Service program at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He holds two Bachelor’s degrees from Fordham University and an MSFS from Georgetown University.