Knowledge (XXG)

David Webb (Hong Kong activist)

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224:, registering them in 5 names (himself, his wife and 3 BVI companies he owned) and used company law to demand poll voting (1 share, 1 vote) rather than a show of hands in all their shareholder meetings. This eventually led to a change of Hong Kong Listing Rules to require poll voting in all companies from 2009 onwards. Also in 2003, he launched Project VAMPIRE (Vote Against Mandate for Placings, Issues by Rights Excepted), to oppose resolutions that allow for massive issues of shares for cash without offering them to existing shareholders, negating 282:, with a portfolio of local equities estimated to be worth about HK$ 150 billion. He said the purchase violated the government's stated principle of "big market, small government". On top of already having its own appointed directors, the Government exercised its 63 million share-votes on directors' appointments as a shareholder at General Meeting in April 2008. Webb suggested that "As a 'strategic' investor, the government shouldn't have voted". 310:, without the benefit of a formal tender. In October 2004, Webb cited lack of transparency in the government's business dealings and demanded audited financial accounts and directors' reports for three companies related to the project, namely Hong Kong Cyberport Development Holdings Ltd., Hong Kong Cyberport Management Ltd. and Hong Kong Cyberport (Ancillary Development) Ltd., to be released under the non-statutory Code on Access to Information. 77: 22: 338:
Pick" after a 10-year run in which they returned a cumulative 1118%, compared with an 87% return in the Hang Seng Index over that period, saying that the success of the picks "has become something of a distraction" to the main goal of raising the standards of Hong Kong's corporate and economic governance.
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In December 2005, he advocated widening the electorate of the functional constituencies, arguing that professionals in fields such as bankers and stockbrokers should get to elect their own representatives. He observed then that only accountants, lawyers, doctors and teachers are able to exercise that
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criticised Webb after reporting that he himself owned holdings in his own Christmas share tip (which he had always disclosed), in one case giving himself almost a 40% unrealised profit on his holdings the day following publication of the tip. In December 2009, he announced an end to the "Christmas
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In May 2008, Webb resigned one year prior to the expiry of his term as an independent non-executive director, citing backdoor politics by the Government to install a professional board that would exclude retail investors and adopt more flexible standards for new listings; he also slammed the
198:, until 31 March 1994, when he moved to become an in-house adviser to Wheelock and Company Limited. He retired from Wheelock on 31 March 1998 at the age of 32 and in the same year, founded Webb-site.com, a non-profit platform to advocate better corporate and economic governance in Hong Kong. 240:, he said that the economic impact of the protests was minor compared to the large economic benefits of a more dynamic economy that would come from democracy, ending collusion between the Government and the tycoons who currently elect the Chief executive. 263:
In early 2007, Webb spoke up against the vested interests of smaller local stockbrokers acting against investors' interests, and was the only member to vote against reversing the decision by the former board of directors to cut minimum
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From 1999 to 2008, Webb made public an annual Christmas share tip where he recommended a single undervalued but well-run company. His picks are believed to have strongly influenced the price of selected stocks. However,
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in London. He moved to Hong Kong in 1991. He was a director in the corporate finance department of Barclays de Zoete Wedd (Asia) Limited (later Barclays Capital Asia Limited), the Hong Kong subsidiary of investment bank
807: 783: 930: 750: 899: 252:, and has been arguing for a super-regulatory authority to assume that role. In the meantime, he argues for improved investor representation on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He was elected an independent 275:
In September 2007, the government increased its stake in the Exchange from 4.41% to 5.88%. The Government declared the stake would be held by the Exchange Fund as a "strategic asset".
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trading at between 25 HK cents and HK$ 2. The reforms were to be implemented in the first quarter, but were put back on the table following protests by brokers.
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In 2005, Webb criticised the government for its lack of accountability, through its refusal to uphold a promise of independent directors on the board of
549: 1187: 43: 30: 1077: 606: 631: 632:"SFC Welcomes Appointment of Takeovers Panel and Takeovers Appeal Committee Members – Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong" 1130: 1192: 202: 186:. He authored the Pac Man type game Spookyman and went on to create the acclaimed 3D Vector graphics game Starion on the Spectrum. 257: 388: 510: 472: 1182: 491: 357:
Webb is married to Karen Anne Webb; they have two children together. On 8 June 2020, he announced on his website,
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in 1986. From 1981 to 1986 he was also an author of books and games for early home computers, particularly the
1104:"Hong Kong activist investor David Webb diagnosed with prostate cancer, to move blog to 'semidormant phase'" 237: 220:
In 2003, he launched "Project Poll", in which he purchased 10 shares in each of the 33 constituents of the
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Webb remarked that the government was the second-largest single investor in the Hong Kong market after
265: 322:. The Hong Kong Government was heavily involved in the project, and is the company's 57% shareholder. 1207: 319: 139: 129: 649: 415: 1138: 248:
Webb argues that there is inherently conflict between the commercial and regulatory roles of the
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Takeover and Mergers Panel on 1 April 2013, having commenced serving as member on 1 April 2001.
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Webb has been referred to as the "'Long Hair' of the financial markets" (in an allusion to
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The Hong Kong government's project to develop a business park called "
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management for withholding information, which the management denies.
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and will step back from in-depth research on listed companies.
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Ltd. in 2003, and was re-elected by a landslide in April 2006.
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right; stockbrokers are represented by convicted fraudster
416:"Super Charge Your Spectrum (from Retro 8 bit Computers)" 1165: 511:"Spectrum Games – Programmer Interview – David M Webb" 435:"Super Charge Your Spectrum (from Spectrum Computing)" 1131:"Investor activist to cut back work due to illness" 135: 119: 109: 91: 86: 67: 1076:Robertson, Benjamin; Wong, Kiuyan (8 June 2020). 829:Government role in HKEx directors voting slammed 667: 665: 663: 454:"Super Charge Your Spectrum (from archive.org)" 203:Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission's 8: 988:"Sino Golf drives 36pc as Webb festive pick" 962:"Sino Golf drives 36pc as Webb festive pick" 201:Webb was appointed a Deputy Chairman of the 573: 571: 723:"HKEx rings changes after vote for reform" 75: 64: 1049: 1047: 383: 381: 46:of all important aspects of the article. 377: 931:"Promise on Disney directors 'broken'" 42:Please consider expanding the lead to 509:Brothers, The Retro (30 April 2010). 391:. Webb-site Who's Who. Archived from 7: 1055:"A special message from our Founder" 873:"HKEx says nothing hidden from Webb" 306:, son of Hong Kong's wealthiest man 749:Cheung, Jackie (15 February 2007). 178:Webb graduated in mathematics from 1198:Hong Kong financial businesspeople 900:"Cyberport critics get stake hint" 781:Exchange Fund boosts stake in HKEx 751:"Plan for tighter spreads dropped" 389:"Webb, David Michael (1965-08-29)" 361:, that he had been diagnosed with 14: 846:"Webb gets out of exchanges hair" 693:, The Standard, 23 September 2004 298:" was controversially granted to 1188:Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford 929:Crets, Doug (21 November 2005). 721:Hilken, Daniel (27 April 2006). 258:Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing 20: 960:Lee, Yvonne (5 December 2006). 34:may be too short to adequately 1025:Calabro, Lori (28 June 2002). 578:Clifford, Mark (19 May 2003). 189:After graduation he became an 44:provide an accessible overview 1: 1137:. 8 June 2020. Archived from 650:"【佔領旺角】David Webb:民主可以促進經濟發展" 689:Darren Schuettler, Reuters, 154:(born 29 August 1965) is an 937:. Hong Kong. Archived from 906:. Hong Kong. Archived from 757:. Hong Kong. Archived from 554:Australian Financial Review 1224: 1102:Bray, Chad (8 June 2020). 1027:"The Global 100: Gadflies" 898:Ko, Eric (21 March 1999). 871:Alfred Liu (20 May 2008). 691:With friends like these... 580:"A Crusader in Hong Kong" 145: 74: 1193:Sustainability advocates 1109:South China Morning Post 852:. Hong Kong. 19 May 2008 672:"Hong Kong Confidential" 250:Hong Kong Stock Exchange 244:Hong Kong Stock Exchange 810:28 October 2008 at the 786:28 October 2008 at the 349:'s Global 100 in 2002. 238:2014 Hong Kong protests 254:non-executive director 180:Exeter College, Oxford 341:Webb was named as a " 529:World Economic Forum 490:Webb, David (1984). 471:Webb, David (1984). 452:Webb, David (1984). 433:Webb, David (1984). 414:Webb, David (1984). 320:Hong Kong Disneyland 162:analyst and retired 140:Activist shareholder 130:University of Oxford 1008:"Webb-site Reports" 910:on 22 November 2007 818:, 11 September 2007 704:"Webb-site Reports" 941:on 13 October 2007 794:, 8 September 2007 761:on 13 October 2007 226:pre-emption rights 152:David Michael Webb 69:David Michael Webb 1183:British activists 805:Exchange face-off 680:, 6 December 2005 268:for equities and 191:investment banker 164:investment banker 156:activist investor 149: 148: 61: 60: 1215: 1169: 1168: 1166:Official website 1151: 1150: 1148: 1146: 1127: 1121: 1120: 1118: 1116: 1099: 1093: 1092: 1090: 1088: 1073: 1067: 1066: 1064: 1062: 1051: 1042: 1041: 1039: 1037: 1022: 1016: 1015: 1004: 998: 997: 984: 978: 977: 975: 973: 957: 951: 950: 948: 946: 926: 920: 919: 917: 915: 895: 889: 888: 886: 884: 868: 862: 861: 859: 857: 842: 836: 825: 819: 803:Benjamin Scent, 801: 795: 779:Benjamin Scent, 777: 771: 770: 768: 766: 746: 740: 739: 737: 735: 718: 712: 711: 700: 694: 687: 681: 669: 658: 657: 646: 640: 639: 628: 622: 621: 619: 617: 603: 597: 596: 594: 592: 575: 566: 565: 563: 561: 556:. 2 January 2019 546: 540: 539: 537: 535: 521: 515: 514: 506: 500: 499: 487: 481: 480: 468: 462: 461: 449: 443: 442: 430: 424: 423: 411: 405: 404: 402: 400: 385: 302:, controlled by 105: 101: 99: 87:Personal details 81:Webb in May 2013 79: 65: 56: 53: 47: 24: 16: 1223: 1222: 1218: 1217: 1216: 1214: 1213: 1212: 1173: 1172: 1164: 1163: 1160: 1155: 1154: 1144: 1142: 1129: 1128: 1124: 1114: 1112: 1101: 1100: 1096: 1086: 1084: 1075: 1074: 1070: 1060: 1058: 1057:. Webb-site.com 1053: 1052: 1045: 1035: 1033: 1024: 1023: 1019: 1006: 1005: 1001: 986: 985: 981: 971: 969: 959: 958: 954: 944: 942: 928: 927: 923: 913: 911: 897: 896: 892: 882: 880: 870: 869: 865: 855: 853: 844: 843: 839: 835:, 25 April 2008 826: 822: 812:Wayback Machine 802: 798: 788:Wayback Machine 778: 774: 764: 762: 748: 747: 743: 733: 731: 720: 719: 715: 702: 701: 697: 688: 684: 670: 661: 648: 647: 643: 630: 629: 625: 615: 613: 605: 604: 600: 590: 588: 577: 576: 569: 559: 557: 548: 547: 543: 533: 531: 525:"David M. Webb" 523: 522: 518: 508: 507: 503: 496:Melbourne House 489: 488: 484: 477:Melbourne House 470: 469: 465: 458:Melbourne House 451: 450: 446: 439:Melbourne House 432: 431: 427: 420:Melbourne House 413: 412: 408: 398: 396: 387: 386: 379: 374: 366:prostate cancer 355: 328: 316: 292: 266:trading spreads 246: 222:Hang Seng Index 215:Leung Kwok-hung 211: 176: 103: 97: 95: 82: 70: 57: 51: 48: 41: 29:This article's 25: 12: 11: 5: 1221: 1219: 1211: 1210: 1205: 1200: 1195: 1190: 1185: 1175: 1174: 1171: 1170: 1159: 1158:External links 1156: 1153: 1152: 1141:on 8 June 2020 1122: 1094: 1082:Bloomberg News 1068: 1043: 1017: 999: 979: 952: 921: 890: 863: 837: 827:Katherine Ng, 820: 796: 772: 741: 713: 695: 682: 659: 641: 623: 598: 567: 541: 516: 501: 482: 463: 444: 425: 406: 395:on 8 June 2020 376: 375: 373: 370: 354: 351: 327: 324: 315: 312: 291: 288: 245: 242: 234:Chim Pui-chung 210: 207: 175: 172: 147: 146: 143: 142: 137: 133: 132: 126:Exeter College 123: 117: 116: 111: 107: 106: 102:29 August 1965 93: 89: 88: 84: 83: 80: 72: 71: 68: 59: 58: 38:the key points 28: 26: 19: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1220: 1209: 1206: 1204: 1203:Living people 1201: 1199: 1196: 1194: 1191: 1189: 1186: 1184: 1181: 1180: 1178: 1167: 1162: 1161: 1157: 1140: 1136: 1132: 1126: 1123: 1111: 1110: 1105: 1098: 1095: 1083: 1079: 1072: 1069: 1056: 1050: 1048: 1044: 1032: 1028: 1021: 1018: 1013: 1012:webb-site.com 1009: 1003: 1000: 995: 994: 989: 983: 980: 967: 963: 956: 953: 940: 936: 932: 925: 922: 909: 905: 901: 894: 891: 878: 874: 867: 864: 851: 847: 841: 838: 834: 830: 824: 821: 817: 813: 809: 806: 800: 797: 793: 789: 785: 782: 776: 773: 760: 756: 752: 745: 742: 730: 729: 724: 717: 714: 709: 708:webb-site.com 705: 699: 696: 692: 686: 683: 679: 678: 673: 668: 666: 664: 660: 656:(in Chinese). 655: 651: 645: 642: 637: 633: 627: 624: 612: 608: 602: 599: 587: 586: 585:Business Week 581: 574: 572: 568: 555: 551: 545: 542: 530: 526: 520: 517: 512: 505: 502: 497: 493: 486: 483: 478: 474: 467: 464: 459: 455: 448: 445: 440: 436: 429: 426: 421: 417: 410: 407: 394: 390: 384: 382: 378: 371: 369: 367: 364: 360: 359:webb-site.com 353:Personal life 352: 350: 348: 344: 339: 336: 335: 325: 323: 321: 313: 311: 309: 305: 301: 297: 289: 287: 283: 281: 276: 273: 271: 267: 261: 259: 255: 251: 243: 241: 239: 235: 229: 227: 223: 218: 216: 208: 206: 204: 199: 197: 192: 187: 185: 181: 173: 171: 169: 165: 161: 157: 153: 144: 141: 138: 134: 131: 127: 124: 122: 118: 115: 112: 108: 104:(age 59) 94: 90: 85: 78: 73: 66: 63: 55: 45: 39: 37: 32: 27: 23: 18: 17: 1143:. 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Index


lead section
summarize
provide an accessible overview

Hong Kong
Alma mater
Exeter College
University of Oxford
Activist shareholder
activist investor
share market
investment banker
Hong Kong
Exeter College, Oxford
ZX Spectrum
investment banker
Barclays
Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission's
Leung Kwok-hung
Hang Seng Index
pre-emption rights
Chim Pui-chung
2014 Hong Kong protests
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
non-executive director
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing
trading spreads
warrants
Beijing

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