Most disagreements between shareholders will eventually be resolved simply by voting power. However, protection is also available in certain circumstances for minority shareholders where the majority shareholders are abusing their position.
How to resolve Shareholder Dispute?
- Checking company articles.
- Passing a resolution at a general meeting to redress the problem.
- Appointing advisors to assist.
- Removal of a director.
- Negotiations.
- Mediation.
Majority shareholders may not be able to sell
Then all the company’s shares are saleable if the majority want to do a deal. A typical drag along right enables a majority of shareholders to sell the company. Minority shareholders are dragged into the sale on the same terms. So buyers can acquire 100% of the company.
In general, shareholders can only be forced to give up or sell shares if the articles of association or some contractual agreement include this requirement. In practice, private companies often have suitable articles or contracts so that the remaining owner-managers retain control if an individual leaves the company.
If shareholders are truly dissatisfied, they can sell their stock and drive down the price.
What happens when directors disagree?
If the majority of the board make a decision which a director disagrees with, then the dissenting director will need to consider whether he can accept the position or whether he feels that he should take some further action. … Most of the time, a director will simply accept the decision of his fellow board members.
The biggest danger is that any shareholder can take you to court on grounds that the company’s affairs have been conducted in a manner which is ‘unfairly prejudicial’ to their interests. These are personal actions, not actions brought by the company.
Common shareholders are granted six rights: voting power, ownership, the right to transfer ownership, dividends, the right to inspect corporate documents, and the right to sue for wrongful acts.
Majority shareholding
Generally, all shareholders of a private limited company are entitled to inspect records of minutes of board meetings and copies of all shareholders’ written resolutions. They are also entitled to receive notice of general meetings and copies of the company’s report and accounts.
Section 168(1) of the Act states that the shareholders can remove a director by passing an ordinary resolution at a meeting of the company. This process is complicated somewhat by the notice requirements set out in statute.
Shareholders who do not have control of the business can usually be fired by the controlling owners. The same process is followed even if the shareholder is on the board of directors. A vote may be required to remove someone from the board of directors.
The answer is usually no, but there are vital exceptions.
However, there are a few situations in which shareholders must sell their stock even if they would prefer to hold onto their shares. The two most common are when a company gets acquired and when it has an agreement among shareholders calling for forced sales.
5 Steps to Remove a Shareholder
- Refer to the shareholders’ agreement. A shareholders’ agreement outlines the rights and obligations of each shareholder in an organization. …
- Consult professionals. …
- Claim majority. …
- Negotiate. …
- Create a non-compete agreement.
The owners of a corporation are its stockholders, and the owners, at least in theory, can do almost anything they want, including firing members of an incompetent board of directors. There are many obstacles, but it can be – and has been – done.
Remove directors from the board. The shareholders can vote to remove directors from the board before their terms expire, with or without cause, unless the corporation has a staggered board. The shareholders can then vote to replace the directors they removed.
With just 12 shareholders in a company, it’s possible that all 12 could make up the board of directors. This makes the most sense if each of the 12 owns the same number of shares, because a board runs on the one-member one-vote system.