Biggest votes against incumbent chairs

May 4, 2019

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: Brambles: 24.77% against 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 due to concerns about remuneration and lack of independence.

Ian Ferrier, Goodman Group 2017: 21.78% against 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 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 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 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.