Nobel Design dispute drags on

Singapore

COULD furniture company Nobel Design ultimately end up having to buy out its founder and single largest shareholder Bert Choong? Market watchers are now wondering whether this will be the only realistic solution to a bitter dispute between Mr Choong and Nobel Design's board, in the wake of a somewhat fractious extraordinary general meeting (EGM) that the mainboard-listed firm held at its Tai Seng office on Monday.

Mr Choong, who owns a 25 per cent stake in Nobel Design, was voted out of its board in April.

If Nobel Design wants to seek a buy-out, the question would then be one of price - that is, whether it sees fit to make or arrange an offer Mr Choon…