Directors

Biggest votes against incumbent chairs as directors


April 16, 2022

This list tracks the biggest double digit votes against incumbent chairs of ASX200 listed companies.

Rupert Murdoch, News Corp 2014: 32.47% against over concerns about the lack of an independent chair, excessive pay and poor governance.

Stephen Johns: Brambles, 2017: 24.77% against the chair in a poll over concern about excessive executive pay, a delayed profit warning after insider shares sales, poor capital allocation decisions and a chair who had been their too long and put together a cosy board, including some long-time associates.

Rupert Murdoch, News Corp 2018: 21.6% against the executive chair due to concerns about remuneration and lack of independence.

Ian Ferrier, Goodman Group 2017: 21.78% against the chair in a poll due to excessively long service and a failure to rein in overly generous executive pay.

Rupert Murdoch, News Corp 2015: 21.4% against the chair due to excessively long service, lack of independence and over the top remuneration.

David Clark, Macquarie Bank 2004: 18% against in the proxies but re-elected on a show of hands. Investors were concerned Macquarie had an executive chairman rather than an independent.

Gerry Harvey, Harvey Norman 2017: 15.1% against the executive chair due to concerns about his erratic behaviour and lack of independence.

Rupert Murdoch, News Corp 2011: 14.1% against the world's longest serving CEO who refused to hand over to an independent chairman.

David Murray, AMP 2019: 12.7% against the chair in a poll after CBUS and some other industry funds voted against in a protest over the failure to put the life insurance sale to a shareholder vote.