Equitable members back Treves

THE chairman of mutual life assurer Equitable Life has received a strong endorsement from policyholders with four out of five members voting for him to remain on the society's board, it emerged today.

Vanni Treves was standing for re-election along with five other members of Equitable's board at Monday's annual general meeting.

Results of the poll, which were released this afternoon, showed Mr Treves received a total of 273,700 votes for re-election, with 62,579 people voting against him.

But the chairman received only the second highest vote, with Ron Bullen, the former chairman of the Equitable Policyholders' Action Group who became a director earlier this year, getting the strongest backing.

He received 276,396 votes in favour of him continuing on the board, and 59,732 against.

The society's chief finance and investment officer Charles Bellringer and Fred Shedden, a former non-executive director of Standard Life, who were both appointed at the same time as Mr Bullen, were also re-elected.

Independent candidate Paul Braithwaite failed in his attempt to be elected, with 146,818 votes in his favour and 188,853 against.