Corporate governance practice has recently become an important topic around the world and specifically within the emerging stock markets in order to avoid expropriation by corporate management at the expense of minority shareholders. Although corporate governance is considered to be tremendously important in many countries, whether developed or developing, corporate governance does not exist in Kuwait as a mean of shareholder protection. This thesis intends to provide a regulatory analysis to laws and regulations that should be implemented to regulate corporate governance practice in Kuwait in private companies and in the State-Owned Enterprises. The second chapter draws a theoretical framework of corporate governance. These theories must be discussed, because this thesis is the first to address corporate governance from a legal perspective and will help Kuwaiti practitioners and those involved in corporate governance practice to gain a better and more comprehensive understanding of and appreciation for effective corporate governance. The third chapter provides an overview of the corporate governance practice in the emerging markets. The fourth chapter presents the characteristics of a corporate culture to lay the groundwork for adopting corporate governance that will fit within the Kuwaiti culture. The fifth chapter offers an assessment of the institutional settings necessary to establish a sound corporate governance system in Kuwait, including legal and political institutions. The sixth chapter will examine corporate governance practice in the State-Owned Enterprises in Kuwait. The seventh chapter focuses on the best practices of corporate governance and the protection of shareholders in companies listed in the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) by analysing the regulations and laws that apply to the KSE and that should relate to corporate governance. Chapter eight offers recommendations for corporate governance reform that derive from the assessment made in this thesis in both public and private sectors in Kuwait. Finally, chapter nine provides the general conclusion of the thesis and the contribution of this study.

In 2006 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) introduced new legislation related to corporate governance (CG). Initial evaluation by the World Bank three years later showed relatively modest implementation of the regulations. This thesis investigates the extent to which this has been adopted over the past ten years. Saudi business has become more globalized, and a more standardised approach to CG is naturally expected by international partners and investors who must themselves justify investment. This research expands the existing literature on CG by examining the progress of countries with developing economies and relatively weak or new histories of regulated CG. This thesis explores the extent and form of the uptake of the newest generation of CG regulations, the existing roadblocks and the general current attitudes to corporate governance in KSA, examining the extent of KSA company compliance with KSA corporate governance regulations, the reasons for non-compliance when that exists, and any relevant deficits in the 2006 legislation with respect to international best practice. This is investigated through the use of a series of interviews and surveys with major Saudi organizations, as well as analysis of secondary information. The mixed method approach of quantitative and qualitative data analysis was selected as providing a means to generate both benchmarking data (i.e. quantitative) and further insight as to obstacles for further adoption (i.e. qualitative). As the basis for the investigation, questions are structured around four basic pillars of corporate governance: transparency; stakeholder value; responsibility; and fairness. This linkage of these factors with organisational structure, decision-making and the overall image of the firm within the industry is combined with an examination of how CG affects Saudi business expansion and investments, particularly in relation to how parties from other countries perceive the governance of a company. This perception of governance may condition their views concerning, for example, partnering with and investing in that company. The secondary data relates to The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Sanabil Investments and Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). The qualitative data analysis was taken from interviews conducted from fifteen top managers of large-scale organisations. The quantitative data was collected from three organisations: Almarai, Saudi Aramco and Albaik. The overall results of the qualitative analysis and the secondary analysis showed that CG plays a vital role in business development. Quantitative analysis supported the idea that transparency, stakeholder value and corporate image are the main attributes of CG in a Saudi context, with statistical analysis indicating that both are essential to company access to private investment and market liquidity The overall findings indicate KSA’s need to improve its CG standards further, and taht whilst benchmarking of government-supported institutions such as SAMA and SABIC would be of assistance, the KSA government could play a pro-active role in encouraging businesses to expand best international corporate governance practices.

Šiame darbe, kuris gali būti įvardijamas kaip lyginamasis-teisinis kokybinis tyrimas, nagrinėjamas Jungtinėse Amerikos Valstijose, Europos Sąjungoje ir Lietuvos Respublikoje susiklostęs privalomo akcijų pardavimo teisinis reguliavimas. Darbu siekiama nustatyti privalomo akcijų pardavimo (pirkimo) teisinį reguliavimą bei jį įvertinti akcininko teisių užtikrinimo efektyvumo požiūriu identifikuojant pagrindines praktikoje bei teorijoje kylančias problemas. Darbe pristatomu tyrimu siekiama įvertinti privalomo akcijų pardavimo teisinį reguliavimą ne tik mažumos akcininkų, bet ir didžiojo akcininko teisių užtikrinimo efektyvumo aspektu. Tai daroma analizuojant ne tik privalomo akcijų pardavimo instituto tikslus, bet ir šiam institutui būdingas suderinamumo su nuosavybės teisės apsauga, teisingos kainos užtikrinimo bei kitas problemas. / This work, which could be defined as a comparative-legal qualitative study, analyses legal regulation of squeeze-out existent in United States of America, European Union and the Republic of Lithuania. This research aims at determining legal regulation of squeeze-out (sell-out) and to evaluate it with regard to the effective protection of shareholder’s rights by at the same time identifying main practical and theoretical problems. The research presented in this work is aimed at evaluating legal regulation of squeeze-out not only with regard to the effective protection of minority shareholders’ rights but with regard to the effective protection of majority shareholder’s rights as well. It is done not only by analyzing aims of the squeeze-out institute but also the major problems inherent to this legal institute such as compatibility with the protection of private property, determination of fair squeeze-out compensation etc.

Le présent mémoire dresse un portrait des règles entourant la mise en vigueur et l'entrée en application de régimes de droits de souscription d'actions. À cet effet, l'auteur résume les règles entourant les offres publiques d'achat, examine les principes touchés par la mise en place d'un régime de droits de souscription d'actions, ainsi que les effets d'un tel régime sur la valeur des actions. Dans un deuxième temps, l'auteur se penche sur la légalité des régimes de droits de souscription d'actions en effectuant une revue du principe de l'égalité des actionnaires et des droits et obligations des administrateurs en matière de défense à une offre publique d'achat. L'auteur termine en effectuant une revue des divers recours qui s'ouvrent aux divers intervenants. / The present thesis tries to review the main rules regarding the creation and the application of a shareholders rights plan. The author reviews also the sections of the Securities Act pertaining to the Take-Over bid. The author also explains the main principles of the corporation law domain and how a shareholders rights plan may be implemented. Second, the author reviews the legality of the implementation of the shareholders rights plan with regards to the shareholders rights given by the Law, and to the obligations and duties of the directors of the Corporation. At the end of the present thesis, the author presents a review of the main recourses opened to the Shareholders, the corporation and the bidder.

Le présent mémoire dresse un portrait des règles entourant la mise en vigueur et l'entrée en application de régimes de droits de souscription d'actions. À cet effet, l'auteur résume les règles entourant les offres publiques d'achat, examine les principes touchés par la mise en place d'un régime de droits de souscription d'actions, ainsi que les effets d'un tel régime sur la valeur des actions. Dans un deuxième temps, l'auteur se penche sur la légalité des régimes de droits de souscription d'actions en effectuant une revue du principe de l'égalité des actionnaires et des droits et obligations des administrateurs en matière de défense à une offre publique d'achat. L'auteur termine en effectuant une revue des divers recours qui s'ouvrent aux divers intervenants. / The present thesis tries to review the main rules regarding the creation and the application of a shareholders rights plan. The author reviews also the sections of the Securities Act pertaining to the Take-Over bid. The author also explains the main principles of the corporation law domain and how a shareholders rights plan may be implemented. Second, the author reviews the legality of the implementation of the shareholders rights plan with regards to the shareholders rights given by the Law, and to the obligations and duties of the directors of the Corporation. At the end of the present thesis, the author presents a review of the main recourses opened to the Shareholders, the corporation and the bidder.

[pt] Este estudo avaliou o comportamento das diferenças de preços entre ações ordinárias e preferenciais de um conjunto representativo de empresas com ações negociadas na BOVESPA no período 1995-1999, testando o impacto também das mudanças na lei das SAs ocorridas em 1997. Os testes realizados indicaram que no decorrer do período estas mudanças influenciaram as diferenças de preços entre ações ordinárias e preferenciais para a maioria das empresas, passando as ações ordinárias a serem negociadas, em geral, a preços de mercado inferiores às ações preferenciais. A partir da identificação na literatura dos principais fatores que podem causar a diferença de preços entre ações de uma mesma empresa foram realizadas regressões de seção transversa para cada ano do período, assim como para o período como um todo, para testar a capacidade explicativa de modelos contendo variáveis explicativas derivadas da liquidez, da estrutura de capital e da composição acionária de cada empresa, bem como os dividendos pagos a cada classe de ação. Para o período como um todo podemos concluir que os modelos explicam parcialmente as diferenças de preços. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que os modelos apresentam resultados satisfatórios a partir de 1996, sendo que a capacidade explicativa e a confiabilidade são maiores a partir de 1998. As variáveis representando a liquidez e o percentual de ações preferenciais com os controladores,bem como os impactos da mudanças na lei das SAs foram as que mostraram melhor significância estatística no período como um todo. Os coeficientes lineares obtidos nas regressões para as variáveis de liquidez foram positivos, conforme era esperado, representando a correlação destas medidas com as diferenças de preços entre ações ordinárias e preferenciais. Os possíveis impactos de novas alterações na lei das SAs na relação de preços entre ações ordinárias e preferenciais e no mercado como um todo podem representar interessante objeto de pesquisa para novos estudos. / [en] This study evaluates the price differences between voting and non-voting shares of a representative set of Brazilian companies traded on the São Paulo Stock Exchange from 1995 to 1999, assessing also the impacts of the amendments in the Brazilian Corporate Law that take place in 1997. The tests showed that, due to these changes, for most companies a downtrend occurred in the price differences, and, as time passed, the voting share was usually trading at a discount to the non-voting share. After identifying in the literature some key variables that influence these prices differences, we used some cross-section regressions for each year of the period to test the model with explicatory variables related to the liquidity, capital structure and shareholder composition of each company, as well as dividends paid to each class of share. The models tested were statistically significants for the whole period, explaining partially these price differences. The results of the regressions for each annual period showed that, after 1996, the models presented satisfactory results, with better results and degrees of confidence after 1998. The liquidity variables and the variable that represents the controller`s ownership of non-voting shares were the ones that showed the better degree of confidence during the period. The linear coefficients of the liquidity variables were positive, as expected, representing the correlation between these measures and the price differences between voting and non-voting shares. New changes in the corporate law are being studied and may affect the price differences between voting and non-voting shares and the valuation of all the stock market, representing an interesting subject to future studies. / [es] Este estudio evalúa el comportamiento de las diferencias de precios entre acciones ordinarias y preferenciales de un conjunto representativo de empresas con acciones negociadas en BOVESPA en el período comprendido entre los años 1995- 1999. Se evalúa también el impacto de los cambios en la ley de las SAs, ocurridos en 1997. Las pruebas realizadas indicaron que, en el transcurso del período mencionado, dichos cambios influyeron en las diferencias de precios entre acciones ordinarias y preferenciales para la mayor parte de las empresas, y las acciones ordinarias pasaron a ser negociadas, en general, a precios de mercado inferiores a las acciones preferenciales. Se llevó a cabo un estudio bibliográfico para identificar los principales factores que pueden causar diferencias en el precio de las acciones de una misma empresa. Con estos factores se realizó una regresión transversa para cada año del período 1995-1999 y también considerando el período completo. Estas regresiones tienen como objetivo, probar la capacidad explicativa de los modelos que contienen variables explicativas derivadas de la líquidez, de la extructura de capital y de la composición de las acciones de cada empresa, así como los dividendos y pagos a cada clase de acción. Considerando el período completo, podemos concluir que los modelos explican parcialmente las diferencias de precios. Los resultados muestran que los modelos presentan resultados satisfactorios a partir de 1996, siendo que la capacidad explicativa y la confiabilidad son mayores a partir de 1998. Al considerar el período completo, las variables que se mostraron estadísticamente significativas fueron: las variables que representan la líquidez, el porcentaje de acciones preferenciales con los controladores y el impacto de los cambios en la ley de las SAs. Los coeficientes lineales obtenidos em las regresiones para las variables de líquidez fueron positivos, tal y como se esperaba, representando la correlación de estas medidas con la diferencia de precio entre acciones ordinarias y preferenciales. El posible impacto de nuevas alteraciones en la ley Sas en relación a los precios entre acciones ordinarias y preferenciales y en el mercado como un todo pueden representar un interesante objeto de investigación para nuevos estudios.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:24:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Karina Cardozo de Oliveira.pdf: 1521482 bytes, checksum: fdcc90912ef8beb50a1f3eb16e20ec5d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-03 / The purpose of this study is to present and resolve the main legal issues related to a transaction whose practice is of extreme importance to boost the effervescence and the liquidity of the Brazilian capital markets: the stock lending. Initially, we intended to address the development of such markets, since the beginning until the present moment, in order to have a historical background over the environment that the herein studied transaction integrates. Subsequently, we verified the main concepts related to the shares, which are the object of the stock lending, and concluded that due to the homogeneity of the rights and characteristics of a certain type or class of share, in our view, we may consider them as fungible assets. Such conclusion mattered to the development of our legal nature theory over the stock lending, which we classified as a loan. Further on, we analyzed the main characteristics of the stock lending agreement, in accordance with our civil doctrine, and its establishment as a private agreement and as an agreement registered in BTC system. In this respect, we gave special attention to the stock lending agreement executed under share public offerings. Finally, we verified the impact of the stock lending on the entitlement of shareholders rights the essential rights, the voting right and the right to participate in a public acquisition offering in each type of transaction. We concluded that, in the private agreements, all rights are transferred to the borrower, unless otherwise provided by the agreement entered between the parties. In the registered stock lending, the preemptive right for the subscription of new shares, convertible debentures and subscription bonuses, as well as the right to participate in the company s profits remain with the donor, considering that the BM&FBOVESPA facilitates its exercise. This dissertation integrates the line of research Effectiveness of Private Law and Civil Liberties , developed by the Post-Graduate Program in Law Studies of PUC-SP and the research project Legal Protection of Private Investment / O intuito deste trabalho é apresentar e resolver as principais questões jurídicas envolvendo uma operação cuja prática é de extrema relevância para impulsionar a efervescência e a liquidez do mercado de capitais brasileiro: o empréstimo de ações. Buscamos, inicialmente, abordar o desenvolvimento deste mercado, desde os primórdios até os diais atuais, no intuito de contextualizar o meio em que se insere a operação aqui estudada. Em seguida, verificamos os principais conceitos inerentes às ações, que são, por sua vez, objeto do empréstimo em questão, e concluímos que, em razão da homogeneidade dos direitos e características de uma determinada espécie ou classe de ação, poderíamos, a nosso ver, entendê-las como bens fungíveis. Essa conclusão importou para o desenvolvimento da nossa teoria acerca da natureza jurídica do empréstimo de ações, que foi por nós classificado como um mútuo. Adiante, analisamos as principais características do contrato de empréstimo de ações, de acordo com a doutrina civilista, e a operacionalização tanto na sua forma privada como também registrada no sistema BTC. Nesse sentido, dedicamos especial atenção ao contrato de empréstimo de ações celebrado no âmbito de ofertas públicas de distribuição de ações. Por fim, verificamos o impacto do empréstimo de ações sobre a titularidade dos direitos de acionistas tanto os direitos essenciais, como o direito de voto e o direito de participar em oferta pública de aquisição de ações em cada tipo de operação. Concluímos que, nos empréstimos privados, todos os direitos são transmitidos ao tomador do empréstimo, exceto se houver disposição específica contrária no contrato celebrado entre as partes. Já em relação aos empréstimos registrados, o direito de preferência na subscrição de novas ações, debêntures conversíveis e bônus de subscrição, bem como o direito de participar nos lucros da companhia emissora são mantidos com o doador, uma vez que a BM&FBOVESPA viabiliza o seu exercício. Esta dissertação insere-se na linha de pesquisa Efetividade do Direito Privado e Liberdades Civis , desenvolvida pelo Programa de Estudos Pós-graduados em Direito da PUC-SP e no projeto de pesquisa Proteção Jurídica do Investimento Privado