The Board of Directors in limited companies and joint ventures in Italy and China: The Danone-Wahaha dispute

Abstract

This thesis analyses a specific aspect of corporate governance in limited companies and joint ventures, namely the Board of Directors. Given the growing complexity of corporate structures and the multinational composition of their management bodies, it is important to understand the Board of Directors’ dynamics in order to avoid unfortunate disputes, as has happened for Danone and Wahaha. The first chapter focuses on the Board of Directors in limited companies in Italy and introduces the Board of Directors in international joint ventures. The second chapter focuses on the Board of Directors in China, with texts and translations of some articles of the main laws governing the Board. The third chapter deals with a juridical case, that is the dispute between Danone and Wahaha about corporate governance, with the translation of a judgment of the People’s Court of Hangzhou.