Starboard Accuses Pfizer of Coercion Amid Investor Tensions and Strategic Meeting

Activist investor Starboard Value has accused Pfizer of coercive tactics as tensions escalate ahead of a strategic meeting. Starboard, which holds over $1 billion in Pfizer shares, alleges that former executives Ian Read and Frank D'Amelio were pressured into retracting their support for Starboard's proposed changes at Pfizer. The accusation includes claims that Pfizer insiders threatened legal action and financial penalties to ensure the executives backed current CEO Albert Bourla instead[1][2]. Starboard is advocating for an independent investigation into the alleged misconduct and criticizes Pfizer for mismanagement post-pandemic, pointing to significant acquisitions and a steep decline in stock value as key issues[1].