Blog

ShareSoc Blog

The ShareSoc blog provides news and informal commentary from directors, members and other contributors. Entries reflect the personal views of the authors, which do not necessarily reflect ShareSoc’s formal position. Contributors may hold shares in the companies mentioned. Nothing in this blog should be viewed as financial advice. You may submit comments on blog posts, but ShareSoc reserves the right to remove or edit inappropriate or defamatory submissions.

There is more news given in the News page of our web site and more analysis of news is provided in our monthly newsletter for members – see the Newsletters page.

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Press Release: Two new directors join ShareSoc’s Board

ShareSoc, the UK’s premier membership organisation for individual investors, is delighted to announce the appointment of Sam Bell and Matthew Gray as Non-Executive Directors.  Sam Bell (appointed March 2026) is founder and CEO of Copia, a communications agency specialising in investor engagement for listed companies and asset managers. He has over 20 years’ experience working across communications, content, events and media within the capital markets.  Sam is founder of Ticker, a platform that makes listed company regulatory news and disclosures more accessible and structured for individual investors. He is also co-organiser of the Investor Summit, a major conference that connects companies with individual,and professional investors.  Sam ...

RTC Group – a case study in shareholder activism

RTC faces two shareholder resolutions at its AGM on 27th May.  Key takeaways for investors:  The Resolutions (10 and 11): to appointment two independent NEDs to provide oversight and separate the CEO/Chair roles.  The Financials: RTC is debt-free with a £3.9m cash pile, yet trades at a significant P/E discount to its peers.  The Activist Group: led by David Stredder (acting in a personal capacity, but he is also a director of ShareSoc), representing 24% of the register.  The Goal: to unlock an estimated 50% valuation gap through better governance and cost control.  The AGM will be held at The Derby Conference Centre, DE24 8UX on 27 May at ...

SIGnet launches (daytime) Central London group

SIGnet, a national network of individual investor groups, is excited to announce the launch of a new in-person group based in London. The group will meet on Thursdays in central London (exact location TBC following launch meeting) and investors of all levels of experience are welcome to join.   SIGnet groups meet on a regular basis, typically monthly, to give individual investors the opportunity to socialise, discuss, and learn from each other. The main goal is to improve members' knowledge and investment decision-making processes through free discussion and mutual education.  You are invited: to an initial online launch meeting to hear more about the group, meet other ...

ShareSoc partners with Ticker

Ticker and ShareSoc have today announced a joint initiative to support and strengthen investor participation in the UK public markets.  Ticker, a platform dedicated to democratising access to stock market data and insights, joins forces with ShareSoc, the UK’s leading membership organisation for individual investors.  The partnership will see Ticker support ShareSoc in its ongoing work to empower individual investors by collaborating on initiatives aimed at improving access to information and engagement between companies and their shareholders. ShareSoc has long campaigned for stronger shareholder rights and better communication between listed ...

LeaderL&G AGM Directors not afraid of shareholders

    Legal & General’s directors are a beacon of hope and hopefully a bellwether for others. L&G is facilitating shareholder engagement in person and on line. This is...

ShareSoc Director Spotlight – Heather Benjamin

Reflecting on the First 18 Months It has now been 18 months since I joined ShareSoc, and it has definitely proved to be everything I hoped it would be when I first came on board. Why I Took the Role When asked if I was interested in being considered for the role of Chair, I was drawn to ShareSoc for several reasons: I met experienced people - both board members and the team led by Amanda - focused on providing great service ...

Laggard Aviva AGM – Companies should engage positively with shareholders!

Don’t hide in York! Don’t use hybrid AGMs to hide from difficult questions.  The announcement that Aviva plc will hold its 2026 Annual General Meeting at its regional office in York (Wellington Row) on 6 May is, on the surface, framed as an act...

Roger Lawson – In Memoriam

A force for individual shareholders It is with profound sadness that the Board of ShareSoc received the news of the death of Roger Lawson on 25th March. Roger was ShareSoc's founder, first Chairman, and a tireless champion for the rights of individual investors.  He was the key motivator behind the creation of ShareSoc in 2011. At a time when private shareholders often felt sidelined by dominant institutional interests, Roger envisioned a powerful, collective voice that could challenge corporate boards and demand fair treatment. He laid the foundations for an ...

Laggard Jubilee Metals (JLP) 

The value of careful balance sheet analysis   Jubilee Metals Group plc (JLP:LON) is a UK‑based, AIM‑listed metals processing and recovery company. It specialises in extracting valuable metals from mine waste, tailings and...

FCA Consumer Understanding report

Are firms finally speaking our language? The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 13 March 2026 released a significant update on one of the four key pillars of the Consumer Duty: Consumer Understanding.  For years, retail investors and consumers have waded through impenetrable legalese and dense terms & conditions. Under the Consumer Duty, the FCA expects firms to move beyond mere compliance and ensure customers genuinely understand the products they are buying.   This latest report from the regulator highlights where the industry is getting it right - and where it is still failing us.  The headline findings: what investors need to know  The FCA’s review focuses on how firms ...
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