Most shareholder contact is managed via the chief executive and Group finance director, who attend meetings regularly throughout the year with institutional investors, fund managers and analysts. The chairman also writes annually to the Company’s major institutional shareholders to reinforce our commitment to open, ongoing dialogue.
The non-executive directors receive updates on the views of shareholders from the executive directors following investor meetings. The Group’s broker also provides updates to the Board on shareholder opinions and compiles independent feedback from investor meetings. The company secretary is also charged with bringing to the attention of the board any material matters of concern raised by the Company’s shareholders, including private investors.
The chairman, senior independent director and other non-executive directors make themselves available to meet major shareholders if requested. This provides shareholders with the opportunity to take up with these individuals anything they feel the chief executive or Group finance director has failed to resolve, or for which such contact is inappropriate.
The annual report and half-year results are the primary means used by the Board for communicating during the year with all of the Company’s shareholders. The Board also recognises the importance of the internet as a means of communicating widely, quickly and cost-effectively and the investor relations section has been developed on the Company’s website to facilitate communications with shareholders.