David Venus

Join me and colleagues for a breakfast seminar on board effectiveness at the Caledonian Club on 13 June. Details at news.davidvenus.com/newsletters/vi…

Ct of Appeal finds that a parent company owes duty of care to employee of a subsidiary;unusual finding (Chandler v Cape 2012 EWCA civ 525)

HMG today launches consultation on shareholder rights over exec pay. Should shareholders have a binding vote? Consultation ends 27 April.

Prof Kay's interim report on equity markets suggests annual reporting is not an appropriate measure of a company's longer term performance

Fair Pensions, a UK charity, is offering free training to shareholder activists wishing to ask difficult questions at this year's AGMs

Large companies are acquiring hostile domian names to thwart critical imposters eg blackstone-sucks.com. Good governance move?

ESMA confirms that as info on dividend policy is likely to affect prices of derivatives, it may be inside information -www.esma.europa.eu

Join us at the Caledonian Club on 25 January for a breakfast forum on what makes an Effective Board. For details visit davidvenus.com/downloads/ftse…

Goldman Sachs predicts UK will be 3rd richest nation by 2050!How happy I'll feel in the Sunshine Home for retired Chartered Secretaries!

Join us at the Caledonian Club on 25 January for a breakfast forum on what makes an Effective Board. For details visit davidvenus.com/downloads/ftse…

In an Australian case, ASIC v Healey, the whole board breached its duty to be involved in the company's financial affairs. Interesting read.

Directors may be held jointly and severally liable for racial discrimination to employees (Bungay and Paul v Chandel & others UKEAT 0331).

Bank of England refuse to hand over board meeting minutes to Treasury select committee.Obstructive or correct? Should outsiders see minutes?

EU has adopted the Consumer Rights Directive. UK must enact by 2013. It covers all business to consumer contracts except financial services

Directors' duties on conflicts of interests are strict, regardless of motives. See Philip Towers v Premier Waste Management EWCA Civ 923

FT reports that Dexia, the struggling Belgian bank, lent £1.8bn to 2 investors to buy its shares.Illegal in the UK but then legal in Belgium

Reports say HMT won't engage with BIS to reduce red tape. Ever thus! Form 42 introduced in 2003 despite co law move to reduce form filling

Robert Monks founder of ISS says a formal legal policy is needed to oblige institutions to get involved in shareholder activism.

FRC are to require listed cos to report annually on their board diversity policy & to consider diversity when evaluating effectiveness

Our seminar at Sandhurst Military Academy on 19 Oct 11 on board governance carries 1.5 hrs CPD for Chart Secs. Book at davidvenus.com/jfp-sandhurst.…