Anson Frericks, a former executive at Anheuser-Busch, recently shed light on the mechanisms behind the wave of woke governance affecting major corporations such as Anheuser-Busch and Target. During an appearance on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” he revealed that this trend often originates from investment firms, notably left-leaning ones like New York-based BlackRock and Pennsylvania-based Vanguard. These firms exert substantial influence over these corporations, pressuring them to adopt their ideologies and directing their product strategies.
Frericks elaborated on the power dynamics between these influential firms and large corporations. He claimed that firms like BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street, who collectively manage around $20 trillion in capital, wield their financial clout to propagate political agendas. The pressure is exerted subtly, via behind-the-scenes politicking, and is often driven by progressive lawmakers overseeing government pension funds. These controversial decisions, such as Anheuser-Busch’s ill-conceived Bud Light promotion with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, have sparked nationwide boycotts, particularly from more conservative customers.
According to Frericks, the underlying network of influence extends to the highest level of state governance. As an example, he cited that one of the firms manages California’s pension fund, which happens to be the largest in the country. The politicians of California, therefore, have a significant say in the governance and politicking of these firms, given their substantial investment stakes. This web of influence enables them to shape corporate strategies and policies.
Adding further to his claims, Frericks pointed out that lawmakers often impose conditions on these investment firms. “For example, in California, they have recently mandated large pension funds to divest from fossil fuels and oil and gas,” he said. Frericks also mentioned the directives given to firms like BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard by lawmakers, which require them to commit to ESG principles — diversity, equity, inclusion — and to enforce these commitments across all major corporations they manage.
Frericks candidly shared that he resigned from Anheuser-Busch due, in part, to his disillusionment with corporate America’s approach towards political engagement, which often went against public sentiment. He referred to instances such as the backlash faced by Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines, both headquartered in Atlanta, following the passage of election integrity laws by Georgia’s legislators. He lamented that corporations are increasingly crossing the line between business and politics, which often results in negative consequences.