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A different spirit of the law in OSIM takeover

Published Thu, May 5, 2016 · 09:50 PM

    YOU own some shares in a company. The founder wants to buy everybody out. You resist, claiming his price is too low.

    But you cannot do much if the founder happens to also own such a big chunk of the company that he could - if he is able to quickly gather enough shareholders' acceptances - legally enforce compulsory acquisition at his bid price.

    Is this unfair? The OSIM privatisation saga has dragged up a recurring issue in Singapore corporate law on how much power should be given to dissenting minority shareholders in a takeover.

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