The Push to Split CEO and Board Chair Roles Is Gaining Traction. What Comes Next.

On the face of it, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs annual shareholder meetings this week were uneventful—no blowout wins for long-shot proposals, no drawn-out battles with infamous activist funds. The two resolutions called on BofA and Goldman to implement policies to prevent the chief executive from also holding the title of board chair—both banks’ CEOs currently do—in the interest of sounder corporate governance and checks on power. While this has been a longstanding debate, what stands out is the increased support these proposals drew when shareholders’ votes were tallied on April 24.