The issue of
investor suffrage has been raised by an
investments specialist that fears some nominee
shareholders wield a lack of influence in listed
companies.
According to
financial services provider Alliance Trust, it is widely
believed that half of all private shareholdings are now held
through nominee companies.
And a number of investments experts have expressed fears that
nominees may not be given an equal say in the running of
businesses in which they own shares.
This comes in spite of the fact that the new Companies Act
specifically prescribes that all
investors should be permitted to opt in to vote at the annual
general meetings of listed companies.
Alan Harden, chief executive of the investments provider, explained
the problem facing many people who own
shares via nominee businesses.
Many companies and nominees pay lip-service to the right of
people to vote but do nothing in practice, he said.
We believe that all investors should have the same rights, no
matter how they hold shares.
In other investments news, Tim Rees, UK equities portfolio manager
for investments company
Clerical Medical, recently asserted that growth prospects for
UK shares remained solid in spite of recent market
fluctuations.
