June 20, 2021 2:53 PM Effissimo Capital Management lead shareholders in compelling company to expose backroom dealings. : TOKYO (NYT) - Last year, when a little-known investment firm called for some new blood on the board of the faded Japanese industrial giant Toshiba, the company's leadership was less than receptive. But rather than taking its case to its shareholders, Toshiba tried to foil the problem investors by making a secret request to Japan's powerful trade ministry: "Beat them up." The plot backfired and Toshiba itself has taken the beating.