Did #MeToo Actually Change Who Runs Companies?

After the October 2017 Harvey Weinstein revelations, companies with prior histories of governance disclosures saw significantly more board and executive departures. The researchers used filing frequency as a proxy for which firms were already attuned to reputational risk, then measured resignation rates before and after the shock. The finding suggests reputational pressure—when amplified by institutional visibility—can force rapid leadership changes without formal regulation.