This working paper documents the trends in the ownership structures of listed companies around the world and the rise in ownership concentration. It identifies three major trends in corporate ownership: the dominance of company group structures, in particular in a number of emerging markets; the growth of state ownership through various state controlled investors; and the re concentration of ownership in the hands of large institutional investors, in particular investors that follow passive index investment strategies. The paper also discusses the implications for corporate governance of corporate ownership by private companies, states and institutional investors in global public equity markets.
