Perpetual probes dissenting shareholders as AGM revolt brews
The beleaguered financial services group has been querying shareholders who have backed a rogue candidate for the board, as proxy groups and a former star fund manager hit out at the company ahead of its AGM.
Century old investment manager Perpetual has been quietly contacting frustrated shareholders in an eleventh hour bid to quell a brewing mutiny at its upcoming annual general meeting and save its embattled board.
Capital Brief has obtained emails sent by strategic advisors Sodali & Co to institutional shareholders who have voted against company resolutions and in favour of non-board endorsed director candidate, fund manager Rodney Forrest, ahead of its Sydney AGM on 17 October.
The Sodali representative asks for feedback on why they have voted that way and for their "voting rationale", having polled shareholders earlier in September.
In response to questions from Capital Brief, Sodali said it was standard practice for ASX companies to contact their registers around AGM season but the move comes at a pivotal time for the diversified financial services group as the powerful proxy firms begin advising its clients.
