(Alliance News) - easyJet PLC founder and biggest shareholder Stelios Haji-Ioannou on Thursday alleged that the three investors backing the airline's management are working on behalf of aircraft manufacturer Airbus SE.
Haji-Ioannou. which owns 34% stake in easyJet, said Invesco, Ninety One UK Ltd and Phoneix Asset Management trying to keep the company's board in their jobs so they can keep paying more money to Airbus. The three companies jointly own 14% stake in easyJet.
"I am absolutely convinced that these three people are straw men for Airbus money trying to keep this order in place," Haji-Ioannou said.
"I have spoken to all three of them at length - they all sound like the Airbus chief marketing officer. They are not investing their own money, they are playing with Airbus money to force more and more aircraft orders down the throats of long suffering airlines".
The businessman has called a general meeting of shareholders, which is scheduled on May 22, to remove the easyJet's chief executive, chair, chief financial officer and another director over a GBP4.5 billion aircraft order to Airbus.
Shares in easyJet closed at 531.40 pence each in London on Thursday, up 2.4%.
By Tapan Panchal; tapanpanchal@alliancenews.com
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