Sharon Stern
Partner
Sharon provides communications counsel to Boards of Directors and management teams involved in special situations that may threaten a company’s reputation or management’s credibility. She introduces bespoke and innovative strategies to stakeholder engagement and message dissemination, including through frequent collaboration with our firm’s in-house design and digital teams. Sharon leads each engagement with the intensity and sensibility that reflect her 25 years of experience, and particularly values the longevity of many of her client relationships, which span virtually all sectors.
Credentials
In addition to presenting to Boards of Directors about communications, Sharon has participated in speaking engagements for the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and has guest lectured at universities. Sharon received a BA in international affairs, cum laude, from The George Washington University. She is a recipient of The M&A Advisor “Emerging Leaders” award. She joined Joele Frank its founding year, and previously served as external affairs officer at the World Bank for East Asia and Pacific Region.
Recent Highlights
Select Experience
Corporate Communications & Reputation Management
Sharon helps her clients tell a compelling investment story and convey important information clearly and consistently to external and internal stakeholders. She works with her clients on message development both as part of its ongoing communications program and in connection with milestone events or crises. She also conducts message training sessions for her C-suite clients to help them sharpen their pitch to resonate with each important stakeholder.
Transactions - M&A and Separations
She has advised numerous companies involved in complex transactions, and also partners with clients and their consultants to provide integration communications post M&A. Recent assignments include Rio Tinto on numerous transactions; Middleby in its pending separation; Herc Holdings in its pending acquisition of H&E Equipment; Triumph Group in its go-private sale to Warburg Pincus and Berkshire Partners; Aerojet Rocketdyne in its sale to L3Harris; Perspecta in its sale to Veritas; Fiserv in numerous transactions; Centene in numerous acquisitions (WellCare, Fidelis Care and HealthNet); Zimmer Biomet in numerous acquisitions; Liva Nova in the sale of its CRM Business; Tenneco in its sale to Apollo; Neenah and SWM in their merger to become Mativ; HanesBrands in its sale of Champion to Authentic Brand Group.
Shareholder Activism Defense
Shareholder activism is a reality for any public company, and Sharon approaches her IR assignments with an activist-defense mindset. She has counseled Boards of Directors and executive teams in their interactions with some of the most prominent activist investors, including Carl Icahn, DE Shaw, Elliott Management, Engine Capital, Impactive Capital, Jana Partners Neuberger Berman and Pentwater. She has also advised companies on their engagements with some of the new entrants including Garden Investments and Vision One.
Leadership Transitions and other Crisis Communications
Sharon advises companies in connection with sensitive and highly nuanced matters that can impact reputation, including sudden management changes, work force reductions, product recalls, FDA 483 and Warning letters, FCPA violations and federal agency inquiries. While every situation is unique, she brings expertise and perspective that emphasizes coordination with the legal team and focuses on maintaining credibility.
In Conversation
Personal Side
While serving as an External Affairs officer of the World Bank, I had the honor of sitting in the room and listening to the deliberations during one of the sessions to grant East Timor (now Timor-Leste) its independence from Indonesia and determine its future currency. It brought together my love of international economics and journalism. It was towards the end of my term at the World Bank when I was introduced to crisis communications – the World Bank was being challenged for funding a project in modern-day Tibet by several international and national groups, as well as by an up-and-coming politician, Nancy Pelosi.