Tax Secrecy: GRI Consultation, New Minerva Guidelines Academic research has found that tax avoidance can increase the risk of share price crash [1] and the public revelation of aggressive tax avoidance can result in negative investor reaction and potential significant reputational costs[2]. Tax management is therefore a strategic business issue which can pose a material financial risk […]
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Applied Graphene Materials: compliance with codes is not the same as meeting investors’ expectations
AIM-listed Applied Graphene Materials holds its AGM on 18 December 2018 and with the elevated awareness of AIM governance standards, it’s worth taking a look at AGM’s AGM disclosures to better understand the differences between what’s expect of main and junior market companies. Good governance disclosures and financial reporting support open and effective dialogue between […]
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FTSE 100-listed Associated British Foods reported in its annual report that a subsidiary of the Group incurred political expenditure to the approximate value of £5,000 during the year. The Company has not disclosed any further details on the expenditure, such as the nature of the expenditure, for what purpose the expenditure was incurred, and what […]
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FTSE SmallCap urban regeneration and land development specialist MJ Gleeson Group holds its AGM on 6 December and shareholders may hold concerns with the level of independence on its board. MJ Gleeson’s board consists of CEO & Managing Director Jolyon Harrison, CFO & Company Secretary Stefan Allanson, Chairman Dermot Gleeson, and non-executives James Ancell, Colin […]
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The Hampton-Alexander Review published its third annual report on 13 November. The report found that a quarter of FTSE 350 companies have only one woman on their board, described as “one & done” boards, and there remain five all-male boards. The five companies are Millennium & Copthorne, Daejan Holdings, Amigo Holdings, Herald Investment, and JP […]
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UK Governance Watch FTSE 250-listed Kier Group’s suffered a shareholder revolt at its 2017 AGM after 44.16% of shareholders opposed the approval of its remuneration report. The construction and services business also saw 21.24% of shareholders oppose its remuneration policy. The key cause for shareholder concern was the remuneration committee’s decision to award CEO Haydn […]
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UK Governance Watch At JD Wetherspoon shareholders may hold concerns with the level of independence on the board. At the conclusion of the FTSE 250 pub owner and operator’s AGM the board will comprise three executive directors, Chairman Tim Martin – the company founder and controlling shareholder – and four non-executive directors. Of the four […]
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UK Governance Watch SIG plc is holding a general meeting on 7 November in order to seek shareholder approval of a new remuneration policy and long-term incentive plan (LTIP). In the FTSE250 industrial group’s annual report it was reported that the remuneration committee was conducting a review of executive pay and consulting with shareholders and […]
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UK Governance Watch At AIM-listed infrastructure group Hargreaves Services’ 2017 AGM around 20% of shareholders opposed the adoption of its remuneration report. Shareholders likely held concerns with the level of disclosures provided in the report regarding performance targets and the lack of director shareholding guidelines and clawback provisions. The disclosures on these policy aspects continue […]
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Four billion reasons not to fix the proxy plumbing Can the SEC resist the lobbying deluge and restore essential share ownership rights? Since the GFC, regulators have been working to make markets and economies safer. Part of that process has been to encourage market disruption by fostering better competition and increasing diversity. Now it’s time […]
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