Synopsys (SNPS) Appoints Elliott’s Jesse Cohn to Board Under Cooperation Agreement

Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) appointed Jesse Cohn, a partner at activist investor Elliott Investment Management, to its board of directors on May 28, 2026, as part of a cooperation agreement that averts a potential proxy fight. The move signals Elliott’s push for strategic and operational improvements at the chip design software company. Cohn, who leads Elliott’s equity activism in the technology sector, joins the board immediately. The agreement includes customary standstill and voting provisions, and Synopsys said it will work with Elliott on initiatives aimed at enhancing shareholder value. Details of the targeted changes were not disclosed. Elliott has previously driven board changes and strategic reviews at other technology companies. Synopsys shares were flat in late trading following the announcement.