30% of Ocado shareholders revolt over CEO bonus plan

Meals &AMP Consume

6 May possibly, 2022 | by The Retail Bulletin

Ocado shareholders have protested towards substantial pay for administrators at the on the net grocery professional, with practically 30% voting in opposition to a approach to shell out the ceo, Tim Steiner, up to £100m over the subsequent five decades.

Just beneath 30% of Ocado shareholders voted from its directors’ policy pay at the annual basic meeting on Wednesday. A related proportion voted in opposition to a three-yr extension of Ocado’s “value development plan”, less than which Steiner can receive up to £20m a 12 months and other executives up to £5m each individual.

The extension of the scheme to 2027 arrived right after the organization missed a share selling price focus on that would have brought on a £20m reward for Steiner in March. Ocado’s share rate has fallen by extra than two-thirds to about 890p from a peak in January 2021, as the surge in on the internet grocery searching through the pandemic has quickly unwound.

The scheme  was announced in 2019 and was at first intended to operate for five a long time right up until 2024. A substantial proportion of the group’s shareholders experimented with to block the offer in 2020, when 30% voted versus it, whilst about 13% voted towards final 12 months. The offer replaced an earlier significant-spending approach that also proved controversial.

The most current shell out proposals experienced been criticised by the trader advisers Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Providers. The proposal has prompted issues from Ocado’s shareholder Royal London Asset Administration (RLAM).

RLAM stated it had severe considerations about the value development prepare, adding that it was an “example of how improperly intended incentive plans” could “lead to abnormal awards for management”.

Ocado said just after the AGM: “The board understands the fears of some shareholders about the non-typical character of the VCP, which was reflected in the votes on Resolutions 2 and 20. Nevertheless, it continues to believe that that the improvements proposed and approved provide the greatest way to generate excellent and sustainable growth, while also gratifying short-term operational and strategic decisions.

“The Remuneration Committee will continue to keep the operation of the VCP and all other facets of executive remuneration under critique and will carry on to engage with shareholders to recognize their perspectives and worries.”