Podcast #196 | Joe Grundfest (Stanford): 2026 Predictions and 2025 Reflections

Episode #196 of the Boardroom Governance Podcast features Professor Joe Grundfest, the W.A. Franke Professor of Law and Business Emeritus at Stanford Law School, and Senior Faculty of the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance.

In this podcast, Joe and Evan review the year that was and look ahead to what’s next. Joe brings his trademark mix of historical perspective, sharp governance instincts, and humor to a wide-ranging conversation on markets, corporate law, and boardroom dynamics.

They discuss:
• The IPO environment and broader market conditions
• Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar pay package
• The Delaware Supreme Court’s Tornetta v Musk decision
• Whether we are in an AI bubble and OpenAI’s restructuring
• The SEC’s current agenda and enforcement focus
• The growing conversation around a Delaware exodus
• Joe’s biggest winners, losers, and surprises from 2025
• The 2026 governance trends boards should be watching

You can listen to the episode directly in the Boardroom Governance Podcast website (where you can find all the show notes), or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts such as in: Apple or Spotify. You can also subscribe to the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at evanepstein.substack.com

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