The very technology that helped the oil and gas industry gain efficiency is now creating additional risks. The Internet of Things, IoT, which refers to the growing inter-connectedness of devices, has helped the oil and gas industry to monitor its operations. But with so many connected devices, cyber thieves have greater access to hack into a company’s system undetected and wreak havoc, financially, reputationally, and operationally.

One piece of legislation from the Dodd-Frank Act that concerned executives required companies to disclose the ratio of CEO pay to the median employee. Last year was the first year for companies to report this metric. An analysis on the first year of pay ratio disclosures looks at the fallout from last year, implications of the rule, how most companies measured median pay, and what companies should do to prepare to keep the spotlight away in 2019.

Another proxy season is underway—leaders beware. Although the usual concerns of corporate governance, executive compensation and regulatory disclosures abound, new, specific worries sit under each of those umbrellas. Under compensation, one proxy advisory firm has a new way to evaluate compensation metrics. Within the disclosure realm, the optics of pay ratio disclosure will continue to create flashy headlines in 2019. Approach with caution.

Proxy season is often a showcase of the haves and have nots in the governance realm, with cards stacked mostly in corporations’ favor. Meet the universal proxy ballot, an idea that would level the proxy playing field. Although it’s currently a fledgling idea, watch for this cause to gain momentum.

Heads up! Your company has been targeted for a takeover, and senior leadership needs to handle with grace and ideally, limited negative media. How can the board position the company well with multiple sets of internal forecasts? And how can the board whittle them down to one, defensible forecast before a lawsuit hits?