Stanford Closer Look Series

The Stanford Closer Look series is a collection of short studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue and explain why it is important.

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Swinging for the Fences: How Do CEO Mega Grants Pay Out for Companies and Shareholders?

David F. Larcker, Amit Seru, Brian Tayan

Stanford Closer Look Series Corporate Governance Research Initiative March2026

In recent years, a small number of companies offered mega grants (equity awards with an expected value in excess of $100 million) to their CEOs. We examine the outcomes of a sample of 40 grants issued to 28 CEOs, including how much realizable…

A Breach in the Great Wall: Why Are Chinese Companies Listed in the U.S. Subject to Lower Disclosure Standards?

David F. Larcker, Amit Seru, Daniel J. Taylor, Brian Tayan

Stanford Closer Look Series Corporate Governance Research Initiative January2026

Over the years, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has exempted foreign private issuers (FPIs)—foreign companies traded on U.S. exchanges—from certain U.S. securities laws in order to attract high-quality companies from companies…

The Artificially Intelligent Boardroom

David F. Larcker, Amit Seru, Brian Tayan, Laurie Yoler

Stanford Closer Look Series Corporate Governance Research Initiative March2025

Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly transform boardroom practices — but perhaps in different ways than is commonly recognized. Four areas in particular are poised for impact, including how boards function, how boards…

The CEO Scorecard: How Directors Select a CEO When They Have Real Skin in the Game

A.J. Galainena, David F. Larcker, Mason Morfit, Bloor Redding, Amit Seru, Brian Tayan

Stanford Closer Look Series Corporate Governance Research Initiative December2024

Shareholders and stakeholders place considerable emphasis on the importance of reliable CEO succession planning. Nevertheless, it is far from clear that CEO succession planning is any better today than a decade or two ago.

In this …

Failed Say on Pay: How Do Companies Course Correct after a “No” Vote?

Amit Batish, David F. Larcker, Lucia Song, Brian Tayan, Courtney Yu

Stanford Closer Look Series Corporate Governance Research Initiative October2024

In this Closer Look, we take a deep dive into a sample of companies that failed their say-on-pay votes and the changes they implemented the subsequent year. We find many failed votes are in response to large, one-time special awards.…

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