The series was held in conjunction with a course organized by Charles Elson, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair in Corporate Governance and center director in the College of Business and Economics.

The first two topics, prompting lively discussion, focused on the question of who owns the corporation, stakeholders or stockholders. The question prompted one panelist to suggest, "It's the shareholders, stupid."

Other sessions considered executive overcompensation, the duty of care, corporate democracy and the shareholder, prevention of corporate fraud, financial misconduct, corporate governance guidelines and the responsibility and accountability of managers and directors.

Those who attended had access to the leading corporate governance experts in the world, including corporate directors, shareholder advocates, educators, journalists, lawyers and jurists.

Among them were Woolard, namesake of the chair Elson holds and the former chairman and chief executive officer of the DuPont Co.; Ray Troubh, a financial consultant who sits on the boards of 11 public companies; John M. Nash, founder of the National Association of Corporate Directors; Margaret Blair
of the Brookings Institution; GM attorney Warren Anderson; Scott Fenn of the Investor Responsibility Research Center; and Ned Regan, president of Baruch College.

Journalists included Adam Bryant of Newsweek, James Christie of Directors and Boards, Joanne Lublin of the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Bogler of the Financial Times, Allen R. Myerson of The New York Times and John A. Byrne of Business Week.

Regular panelists included members of the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Supreme Court.

Elson says key issues before the center include director compensation, director independence, corporate philanthropy and institutional investor activism.

A second discussion series will be scheduled in the spring. For further information, call (302) 831-6157.