Klaus Ilmonen Earns Doctorate in Law

Our head of capital markets, Finland, Klaus Ilmonen, has been awarded the doctorate degree in law for his research in EU corporate governance regulation. Klaus has worked extensively on transactions involving listed companies with concentrated ownership and has analysed how EU regulation has been adapted to this type of ownership environment.

The main thesis in Klaus’ dissertation is that EU corporate regulation must be better adapted to the relevant institutional environment and should not undermine the basic premises of business enterprise. In an environment with concentrated ownership it is important that the ability of a controlling shareholder to direct corporate strategy and the use of corporate assets is not unduly restricted. In this environment, minority redemption rights and minimum dividends can be more important than minority veto rights and high qualified majority requirements.

Klaus has been a visiting researcher at Harvard Law School; his research has been published in the European Company and Financial Law Review.