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Better Finance Press Release and ESMA Report

Yesterday Better Finance (a European representative body for individual shareholders of which ShareSoc is a member) issued a press release. It is worth repeating here:"European Financial Regulator fails to recognise the mounting losses hitting European savers and investors - Brussels, 4 September 2014Better Finance welcomes the new "Trends, Risks and Vulnerabilities" report released today by the European Securities & Markets Authority (ESMA).But the ESMA press release does not say a word about individual investors’ trends and risks.Moreover, and of additional concern, ...

ShareSoc Growth Company Seminar Announcement

The line-up for our next seminar at which public companies will be presenting on the 17th September is now complete and is given below. This event is in the City of London (at a different venue to normal), with registration starting at 4.00 pm. Four companies will be presenting this month and answering your questions, which are: - Synairgen (SNG): A respiratory drug development company. - Chapel Down Winery (CDGP): England's leading wine producer. - Nature Group (NGR): Marine pollution and offshore waste processing. - ServicePower (SVR): Field service software solutions. Refreshments and a buffet ...

Guaranteed Rights for All Shareholders – Campaign Launch Meeting

On the 14th October 2014 ShareSoc is launching a campaign to give full rights to ALL shareholders. At present most private investors purchase shares in nominee accounts. With a very few exceptions this means that they have no automatic rights to vote, to attend General Meetings of companies or even receive information on the affairs of the company. Investors in public companies have been disenfranchised and their rights undermined. The meeting on the 14th October 2014 will explain how and why this situation ...

Berkeley Group and British Country Inns

I attended the Annual General Meeting of housebuilders Berkeley Group today. Lots of questions from shareholders this year (apparently there were none last year), and a request for there to be a presentation in future. That I supported as it is also ShareSoc's policy.  A full report is also available to full members. Some of the comments from Chairman Tony Pidgeley were most interesting. It included his solution to how to solve the housing crisis in London and the South East, but ...

New boards elected at Oxford Technology VCTs

Today all four of the Oxford Technology VCTs held their Annual General Meetings. The meetings were well attended as Oxford Technology VCT (OXT) and Oxford Technology 3 VCT (OTT) previously had their VCT status withdrawn by HMRC, although this has now been temporarily "set aside" while an appeal is processed. ShareSoc formed a "Shareholder Action Group" with a committee of interested shareholders to make representations on this matter and protect their interests. We also pushed for changes to the corporate governance of these ...