Query: Who do the Star Wars creator George Lucas and JPMorgan Chase’s star CEO and chairman Jamie Dimon have in widespread?
Reply: Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson, additionally one among Fortune’s strongest ladies.
Hobson was the first Black girl to affix JPMorgan’s board, in 2018, and has served as co-CEO of Chicago-headquartered funding agency Ariel Investments, which has practically $15 billion in property beneath administration, since 2019. Hobson married Lucas in 2013 at Skywalker Ranch.
Lucas issued an announcement from the ranch as we speak, outlining his help for Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger in Disney’s proxy struggle with activist investor Nelson Peltz. Iger and Peltz have been embroiled in a battle for board seats on the leisure big, with Peltz aiming to get himself and a deputy on the board whereas Disney performs protection. Lucas owns 37.1 million shares of Disney after promoting Lucasfilm to the corporate in 2012 for $4 billion in money and inventory.
Lucas’ encouragement from Skywalker Ranch comes on the heels of Dimon’s full-throated help for Iger final week.
“Bob is a first-class government and excellent chief who I’ve identified for many years,” Dimon mentioned. “He is aware of the media and leisure enterprise chilly and has the profitable monitor report to show it.”
“When Bob lately returned to the corporate throughout a troublesome time, I used to be relieved,” mentioned Lucas as we speak. “Nobody is aware of Disney higher.”
After Lucas and Hobson wed on the Skywalker Ranch ceremony in 2013, the couple additionally held a celebration in Promontory Park in Chicago, in response to Vogue. Prince carried out stay with a 22-piece orchestra and at one level pulled Hobson onstage. One of many friends reported to be on the social gathering was former Chicagoan Dimon. Dimon is former CEO of Chicago-based Financial institution One, which merged with JPMorgan in 2004. Dimon was tapped to steer the now $3.2 trillion monetary providers agency.
Along with Lucas and Dimon, proxy advisory agency Glass Lewis issued its report back to buyers this week and threw its help behind Iger and the Disney board, recommending that buyers withhold help from Peltz and his deputy and nominees from one other activist fund, Blackwells.
Voting within the contest has already begun and shedding the help of Glass Lewis is a key loss for Peltz and a win for Iger and Disney. The corporate’s shareholder assembly is April 3.
