RE: Energy profits levy8 Jul 2022 20:26
Gentlemen,this is getting out of hand!
Large shareholders frequently “request” that they may nominate a NED to a board.They do this because they wish to get closer to the business decisions of the company and have influence through the NED.
Ofcourse it is the directors who make policy decisions and ratify if necessary the decisions of the executives,not the shareholders directly. But to suggest that major shareholders do not have influence and do not exercise it via their nominated NEDs is naive.Why else would they nominate them?
As to the “shenanigans” of last year,It was entirely proper given the decision of the court,to institute an enquiry as to the procedures followed by the board and the motivations of the directors proper or otherwise.
I have my own suspicions in that regard and if I controlled the board I would demand a totally independent enquiry into the entire business. A proposal to deprive the shareholders of the company of 95% of their shareholding is not a minor matter and warrants in my opinion a major , independent , third party investigation.
The 2021 business has left a very bad taste in the mouths of shareholders so it is not surprising that they have suspicions.
But suspicions do not make for truth and the board will have solid arguments to support their actions , no doubt backed by impressive third party advice. Some shareholders may not like the BOD and not trust them in view of past history,but that does not make their conduct improper.