Sanderson Design Group chair faces removal attempt by major investor

Dame Dianne Thompson, chair of the London-listed Sanderson Design Group, is facing a campaign from major shareholder LBV Asset Management to remove her from her position. LBV Asset Management, which holds a 12 per cent stake in the company, has accused the leadership of “inaction and inertia” and is calling for a new chair to drive a “sustained period of change.”

Critics and investors have raised concerns regarding the company’s strategic direction, specifically citing the costly relocation to a new headquarters in Chiswick as a “vanity project” and questioning the slow expansion of the brand in the United States. Additionally, shareholders have criticized executive pay deals that reportedly allocated 36 per cent of the group’s profit to the chair and chief executive.

In response, Dame Thompson has labeled the investor's attempts to oust her as “disruptive” and “distracting,” arguing that the proposals risk creating uncertainty during a period of transformation. She pointed to recent financial momentum, noting that revenue rose to £51m and pre-tax profit grew by two thirds in the six months ending recently. An emergency meeting to address these motions is scheduled for 29 October.