Sky's Leighton 'losing the plot'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Updated:

 

A TOP British Sky Broadcasting shareholder on Thursday night warned that Allan Leighton's multiple directorships are distracting him from the search for a new chief for the broadcaster.

Leighton, a key member of Sky's nominations committee in charge of appointing a replacement for the outgoing Tony Ball, is the chairman of five major companies, including Royal Mail.

The unnamed investor fears growing wildcat postal strikes will distract Leighton and make it easier for Rupert Murdoch to appoint his son James as Sky's chief executive. Murdoch Senior's campaign for his son has sparked fears that he plans to divert Sky's now- strong profits into family-controlled News Corp, which owns 35%.

The disgruntled shareholder said: 'Handling a postal strike as well as the Sky appointment is difficult.

Our confidence in the process has fallen.'

The fresh attack came as discontent over Sky's corporate governance builds ahead of its agm on November 14. On Friday, trade unions and the powerful National Association of Pension Funds join the protest.

Leighton is boss of housebuilder Wilson Connolly, retailer Bhs, travel group lastminute.com and health club operator Cannons. He is also deputy chair at crisishit football club Leeds.

He sits on Sky's appointments committee with former cabinet minister Lord St John of Fawsley, former Goldman Sachs banker John Thornton, and Gail Rebuck, chairman of publisher Random House.

Leighton said on Thursday night: 'I am working on the appointment as well as the strike.'

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