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Jun 24, 2026

What governance teams need to know about the growing power of retail investors

From high-profile IPOs to AI-driven investor tools, how are retail shareholders changing the governance conversation?

On the latest episode of the Governance Matters podcast, senior reporter Natalie Bannerman speaks to Katie Perry, marketer, financial creator, capital markets strategist and retail investing expert. She is also the author of the book Ticker Shock: A Playbook for Investor Relations, Communications, and Leadership in the Age of Retail Investors.

The discussion with Perry explores how retail investors are reshaping the governance conversation, particularly as high-profile IPOs and tightly controlled board structures raise questions about shareholder protections.

Through our conversation she homes in on whether retail investors are gaining real influence or simply applying symbolic pressure, how their priorities differ from institutional investors on issues such as quarterly reporting and whether their impact is extending into regulatory and compliance debates.

She also shares the role of technology, social platforms and AI-driven tools in amplifying retail voices, before asking whether this shift could strengthen accountability or create new governance risks.

The Governance Matters podcast provides listeners with insight into cutting-edge issues of the day for corporate secretaries, general counsel and other governance professionals. The series looks at how the roles of governance professionals and the board – as well as the landscape in which they operate – are evolving.

From ESG and entity management to shareholder engagement, regulation and technology. Hear from governance experts and leading advisers about the latest public company governance matters today.

Click to listen and subscribe on Apple PodcastsSpotify and Acast.

Natalie Bannerman

Natalie is a former telecoms and infrastructure journalist, a role she held for nearly seven years. Before this, she worked in the B2C startup space, covering lifestyle, arts and culture reporting. As senior reporter for Governance Intelligence she...