JPMorgan Taps Activism Defense Expert Amid Surge in Shareholder Campaigns

JPMorgan Chase is bolstering its global shareholder engagement practice by hiring Bank of America executive Amy Lissauer. She will join as the global head of Shareholder Engagement and M&A Capital Markets (SEAMAC) later this year, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

Lissauer was previously the global head of Activism & Raid Defense at Bank of America, where she advised companies under attack from activist investors. At JPMorgan, she will report to Filippo Gori and John Simmons, co-heads of Global Banking, and lead the SEAMAC senior leadership team.

The move comes as activist investors stepped up campaigns against global companies in the first half of 2026, with calls for businesses to sell themselves emerging as the most common demand. JPMorgan has expanded its team that works with corporate clients under attack from prominent hedge funds over the last 18 months.