Most folks are aware of the absolutely outrageous pay levels at Persimmon Plc (PSN) and the perverse LTIP scheme that permitted them. Today was the day of their Annual General Meeting when shareholders had the opportunity to express their displeasure. Some did but a lot of investors (no doubt institutional ones) did not. The results of the vote on the Remuneration Report were:
VOTES FOR: 74.5 million, AGAINST: 70.2 million, ABSTAINED: 64.8 million.
Because of the very large number of abstentions (votes withheld), the resolution was passed by 51.5% to 48.5% of votes cast.
Is this not a sorry reflection on the corporate governance standards in the UK when such a blatantly perverse remuneration scheme is not censored by a vote against? The excuse that last year’s pay was simply a reflection of a previously approved remuneration policy is a very poor one. When the outcome was so appalling, it should have been consigned to the garbage heap by a vote against.
This is the kind of behaviour by UK company directors and institutional investors that might well lead to a socialist Government in due course who will have a mandate to deal with this problem in a more vigorous manner than the current Government.
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson )
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