The Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) has named Kuny Kobayaschi as Director of Asian Development, a new position that aims to extend its proxy analysis and voting services to Asian markets. Kobayaschi will be based in Tokyo, where she has opened the IRRC office.
“I welcome the opportunity to offer IRRC’s unique and unbiased research and proxy voting services to the Asian market,” says Kobayaschi. “As the importance of corporate governance grows worldwide, I hope to help strengthen the financial markets here by encouraging a more open environment, better disclosure, and less restrictions for both global and domestic investors. I predict a growing demand for access to products and services delivered with integrity from a company such as IRRC.”
Kobayaschi was previously at the Tokyo Stock Exchange as Senior Marketing Manager. She was responsible for development of new information services and accomplished the design and implementation of two large scale projects: Electronic Proxy Voting Program and the Asian Information Hub Program, a multilingual information service involving Korean investors with the Shanghai Stock Exchange. She also established the Corporate Governance Network of Japan, a research community of women who study current governance events and practices.
“The expansion of our business to this area of the world is timed to capitalize on the growing importance of corporate responsibility in Japan and other Asian countries. We are delighted to have Mrs. Kobayaschi on board,” says IRRC CEO Linda Crompton. “She is the ideal liaison between our corporate headquarters and the investment community in these markets. We expect the introduction of our products to be highly successful.”