Ben Maiden, editor-at-large, Corporate Secretary
Ben Maiden is the editor-a-large of Corporate Secretary, having joined the company in December 2016. He is based in New York. He had previously been managing editor of Compliance Reporter since January 2007, covering regulatory and compliance issues affecting broker-dealers and asset management firms. Before that, Ben was editor of International Financial Law Review and IFLR’s Americas editor, working in London and New York.
Carol Ward, senior advisor, Corporate Governance Partners
Carol Ward has significant experience handling legal and organizational issues during the corporate life cycle (i.e., corporate governance principles and practices, board effectiveness, director recruitment, CEO-transitions, spin-offs, shareholder activism, D&O protection, transactions, shareholder engagement, and persuasive writing).
As VP and Corporate Secretary for Mondelez International (formerly Kraft Foods), she and her team advised the Board, executive management, and employees around the globe on parent and subsidiary corporate governance, shareholder engagement, securities law, and executive compensation. During her 12-year tenure, Ms. Ward handled critical elements of Altria’s 2007 spin-off of Kraft Foods Inc., Kraft Foods’ 2009 unsolicited acquisition of Cadbury, and 2012 spin-off of Kraft Foods’ North American Grocery business. These included evolving and implementing effective governance practices, building and refreshing board composition, initiating shareholder engagement, and addressing investor activism. Mondelez International is a world leader in snacking with 2018 net revenues of ≈$25.9 billion - manufacturing and marketing food and beverages for consumers in approximately 160 countries.
Prior to joining Mondelez, Ms. Ward served as Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer for CIGNA Corporation. During her 23-year tenure at CIGNA, Ms. Ward advised the Board, executive management and employees on parent and subsidiary corporate governance as well as leading its compliance program. She handled significant components of the corporate restructuring and regulatory approvals in advance of the sale of CIGNA’s property/casualty business, positioning CIGNA to focus on its health care business. She also served in roles advising CIGNA’s group insurance and investment businesses in Connecticut.
After retiring from Mondelez, in January 2019 Ms. Ward joined Chicago-based Corporate Governance Partners as a Senior Advisor. Its innovative SaaS product, Foresight®, uses advanced technology to automate board planning processes increase board effectiveness.
Ms. Ward earned her law degree from Emory University and her B.A. in History from Yale University. She is a founding and continuing member of the Advisory Board of University of Delaware’s John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance. A long-time member, she served as Chairman of the Society for Corporate Governance 2001-2002 in the aftermath of 9/11 and through governance crises precipitated by Enron and Tyco. She is an inaugural member and Co-Chair of the Commission overseeing the Society’s Certified Corporate Governance Professional credential. She served on the ABA’s Committee on Corporate Laws. She was a long-time member and President of the Stockholder Relations Society of NYC.
