On the latest Activist Investing Today podcast, Chris Couvelier, a managing director on the Shareholder Advisory and Activism Defense team at Lazard Ltd., talked about the evolving landscape of corporate activism.

New York-based Couvelier examined the Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) retail “robo-voting” system, legal and strategic implications for activism defense and how such programs could alter shareholder engagement.

He also weighed in on the U.S. government’s unusual equity stakes in companies such as Intel Corp. (INTC), activism’s resilience amid tariff uncertainty and Lazard’s latest data showing record campaign activity. Couvelier noted a sharp rise in M&A-related activism and a resurgence in high-profile contests, and he discussed Elliott Management Corp.’s first proxy fight to go the distance in the U.S.

Listen to the podcast with Chris Couvelier below:

More podcasts from The Deal are available on iTunes, Spotify and on TheDeal.com.