Last week, we stood in support of Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla, responding to unfounded attacks on him in the media from anonymous sources, and we expressed our initial skepticism about aspects of Starboard Value’s activist position in our Fortune column. This was fortified by a meticulously detailed, original 36-page research slide deck. We received thunderous positive feedback—and many experts joined us in questioning the activist assault on Pfizer.
That chorus of public skepticism grew louder after Starboard’s Jeff Smith presented his highly-anticipated slide deck yesterday during a special CNBC interview with David Faber and at Ken Squire’s 13D Conference, with critics noting it contained a lengthy case for change but few remedies or solutions.
