Tanner Kaufman

Tanner Kaufman is a Managing Director in the M&A and Activism practice within FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications segment, based in New York.

Mr. Kaufman brings significant expertise across high-profile corporate events and transactions, with more than a decade of experience advising clients on special situations, including friendly and unsolicited transactions, shareholder activism defense, proxy contests, leadership changes and short attacks. He has led major transaction assignments for organizations including Emerson, Southwest Gas, AVEO Oncology, Terminix, Skillsoft, TaskUs, CTI BioPharma, Translate Bio, Cabot Oil & Gas, Ali Group, Barnes & Noble, Gannett, Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Panera Bread, WebMD, Keurig Green Mountain, Pep Boys and numerous others.

In addition to his deep transaction experience, Mr. Kaufman has advised on more than 100 public and private activist situations, helping companies defend against some of the most notable activist investors, including Carl Icahn, Trian Partners, DE Shaw, Outerbridge, ValueAct, Elliott Management and Engaged Capital, as well as vocal healthcare-focused investors such as Caligan Partners, Rubric Capital and Sarissa Capital. He has worked with companies to create and implement shareholder engagement strategies, including managing pressure from founders, former executives and retail holders.

Mr. Kaufman has also advised companies across industries on crisis and hostile preparedness and real-world response efforts. He has worked with numerous healthcare and life sciences companies on matters ranging from clinical trial announcements, adverse patient events and product contamination issues to planned and unplanned leadership changes, supply chain issues and patent and trade secret litigation.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mr. Kaufman served as Managing Director at Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher. He is an active, longtime member of the National Investor Relations Institute. Mr. Kaufman has a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in Business Management from Skidmore College, where he graduated magna cum laude.