EasyJet backs Sir Michael Rake
THE board of easyJet yesterday renewed its support for chairman Sir Michael Rake as he confirmed he would not be putting himself forward for the top job at Barclays.
It came as the airline’s founder and biggest shareholder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou stepped up his demands for Rake to stand down from the easyJet board.
Rake had been tipped as a successor to bank chairman Marcus Agius following a shake-up in the wake of the inter-bank rate fixing scandal. In a statement to the stock exchange easyJet said he had informed the airline that “he does not wish to be a candidate for the chairmanship of Barclays”.
Our message going into next month’s meeting is clear: we don’t want any Barclays’ cast-offs
Rake faces a shareholder vote on a motion to oust him from the board at a special meeting on August 13. The meeting has been called by Haji-Ioannou who added: “If he’s not good enough for Barclays then he’s certainly not good enough for easyJet.
“Our message going into next month’s meeting is clear: we don’t want any Barclays’ cast-offs.”
The easyJet board repeated its support for Rake.