The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday edition that companies faced a record number of attacks from activist investors in 2023 as disgruntled shareholders sought to oust directors or force the sales of businesses whose share prices had languished. A Financial Times of London item inside the Post says there were 252 new campaigns globally, according to a report by investment bank Lazard, a 7-per-cent increase on the previous year. Few companies were safe from scrutiny, with a broad range of activists targeting blue-chip businesses such as Disney, Salesforce and Starbucks. Trian Partners last year said it would seek two board seats at Disney, setting the stage for one of the most contentious proxy fights in years and pitting its co-founder Nelson Peltz against returning chief executive officer Bob Iger. Starbucks is facing a challenge from a coalition of labour unions called the Strategic Organizing Center, which has launched a proxy contest to replace three of the company's directors with its own nominees over "severe human capital mismanagement." At one point, Salesforce had seven activists on its shareholder register, including Valueact Capital Management LP, Elliott Investment Management LP and Third Point LLC.