| Coca-Cola shareholders are recommended to remove him from the board of directors The famous American billionaire Warren Buffett, head of Berkshire Hathaway, may lose his post on the board of directors of Coca-Cola (8.2% owned by his company). Last Friday, a group of independent observers led by the reputable US consulting company Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) called Mr. Buffett an “affiliated outsider.”
The legendary investor, according to ISS representatives, contributed to the conclusion of transactions, the feasibility of which raises many questions. In particular, he is suspected of foul play, the essence of which is not yet entirely clear. The fact is that ISS experts considered incorrect the decision of Coca-Cola to finance marketing research of Dairy Queen (a division of Berkshire Hathaway) in the amount of 688 thousand dollars, after it turned out that shortly before this Dairy Queen paid Coca-Cola 2.2 million dollars for semi-finished products. ISS is confident that both transactions do not correspond to the interests of Coca-Cola and were concluded thanks to the authority of the billionaire. Therefore, ISS called on Coca-Cola shareholders to exclude the moneybag from the company's board of directors. Mr. Buffett did not respond to attacks in his direction and has so far refrained from commenting.
However, Coca-Cola's management did not live up to ISS's hopes and called on the co-founders to ignore the recommendations and support the largest shareholder, which Mr. Buffett has been since 1989. In a special statement from the company addressed to shareholders, it is emphasized that the legendary investor is independent in his decisions, and his actions are fully consistent with the rules established by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). "Mr. Buffett is a man of impeccable integrity (in his views on the company's work. - Ed. ), and his effectiveness as a member of the audit committee and the board of directors is welcomed by many," said Coca-Cola spokesman Ben Duich. Shareholders were completely "There is no reason to vote against Mr. Buffett," says Mark Eilweil, president of Spectrum Advisory Services in Atlanta (a company that specializes in private equity projects and owns a large stake in Coca-Cola). is on the same side as the shareholders.”
In America, Warren Buffett is known as a man who “plays and doesn’t lose.” It is he who is credited with the success of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the gubernatorial elections in California, whose political interests he lobbied in every possible way. In March, he was named the No. 2 top executive on the planet on Forbes magazine's monthly list. Now he, together with other directors, is discussing various candidates for successors to Coca-Cola head Doug Daft, who intends to leave his chair soon. Denis UVAROV |
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