ShareSoc News

SIGnet Launches New Groups in Epsom & Walton on Thames

SIGnet, a national network of individual investor groups, is excited to announce the launch of two new in-person groups in Surrey.  Epsom: The group will meet during the day on a Monday or Tuesday.  Walton on Thames: The group will meet during the evening on a Wednesday or Thursday.  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 initial online launch meetings to hear more ...

Laggard The Amazing AI Affair

A Call for Regulatory Scrutiny ShareSoc is closely monitoring a recent report concerning Amazing AI plc (AAI) – formerly known as Investment Evolution Credit – following its recent suspension...

Investing Is a Right, Not a Privilege

Every year, International Women's Day gives us a moment to stop and ask whether we're making progress or just talking about it. This year's theme of rights, justice, and action feels particularly pointed. And for me, it keeps coming back to one thing: financial independence. Fewer than 30% of retail investors in the UK are women. And yet when women do invest, the evidence points in one direction: they tend to think longer term and make more considered decisions. So the gap ...

Brewdog appoints AlixPartners to consider strategic options

Sadly, BrewDog is a cautionary tale. Early-stage investors take huge amounts of risk. If things go well, they often get diluted or subordinated by large funding rounds; if things go badly, they get wiped out.    In this case, it appears management was not sufficiently focused on the plight of the company’s early-stage investors and fell prey to the siren call of private equity. In 2017 the company was expanding rapidly and needed significant new funding – far more than could be raised from existing individual shareholders or via the ...

A Busy Start to 2026 for ShareSoc’s  Chair

Our Chair, Heather Benjamin, has had a busy start to 2026, continuing to raise ShareSoc’s profile.  The London Stock Exchange marked the introduction of the new Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations (POATR) regime and the launch of Access Bonds. For the first time in a generation, retail investors can access UK corporate bonds on the same disclosure terms as institutions, and in denominations that make sense.  The Power of Retail event hosted by RetailBook and Peel Hunt brought together policymakers, regulators, market infrastructure and practitioners to talk candidly about how ...

Making the Stock Market Digital: What It Means for You

The UK government is moving toward a digitised stock market. This means the old system of paper share certificates is finally being retired in favour of a modern, digital-only system.  And it's about time! What is Changing? Currently, many investors hold shares through nominee companies associated with their platform or broker (e.g. Hargreaves Lansdown, interactive investor, AJ Bell). In the eyes of the law, the nominee is the legal owner, while the investor is the Underlying Beneficial Owner (UBO).   This indirect holding works well as a means of ...

Digitisation Taskforce – Final Report

ShareSoc and UKSA Combined Position Statement  A Step Forward for Modernisation and, if done properly, for Governance  ShareSoc and UKSA welcome the publication of the Digitisation Taskforce’s Final Report as an important milestone in modernising UK capital markets.   The recommended path to digitisation through implementation of a fully intermediated securities chain has the potential to enhance shareholder engagement and reduce administrative burden and cost. Subject to important caveats, it can strengthen the transparency and effectiveness of underlying beneficial owners’ (UBOs’) stewardship and, as a result, ...

SIGnet Groups Announce Immediate Member Vacancies

We are pleased to announce that several SIGnet groups across the UK now have immediate openings for new members. If you’ve been considering joining a SIGnet group - or adding a second group to widen your investing discussions - this is an ideal moment to get involved.  What is SIGnet?  SIGnet is ShareSoc’s nationwide network of local and specialist investment discussion groups. Each SIGnet group is run by its members, for its members, offering a welcoming space for individual investors to:  Meet with fellow investors  Share and debate investing ideas  Hear new stock, fund and trust suggestions  Learn from each ...

SIGnet Launches New Value Investing Virtual Group

SIGnet, a national network of individual investor groups, is excited to announce the launch of a new online group for those interested in value investing. The group will meet monthly on the second Tuesday of the month at 7pm 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 ...

SIGnet Launches New Compounding High Performers Group in London

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 Tuesday evenings and will focus on identifying and discussing shares in potential Compounding High Performers across the UK, the rest of Europe, and the US — companies suited for long-term investment, with the aim of holding them for many years to achieve strong returns. Participants are likely to be experienced investors who have chosen ...

Mark Bentley – In Memoriam

It is with great regret that the Board of ShareSoc announces the death of Mark Bentley on 26th December 2025 following a short illness.     Mark was a founding director of ShareSoc in 2011 and an active SIGnet participant. He has been a driving force in the organisation’s development. He was a tireless advocate for the rights of individual shareholders, dedicating himself to strengthening investor education, transparency, and empowerment. He was a key member of the policy committee and of several major campaigns, not ...

Press Release: ShareSoc Wins Shareholder Rights Champion of the Year at The Celebration of Investment Awards 2025

ShareSoc (UK Individual Shareholders Society) is proud to announce that it has been named Shareholder Rights Champion of the Year at the prestigious Celebration of Investment Awards 2025. The awards, which were announced by Investors’ Chronicle and the Financial Times on 27th November, recognise organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the investment industry and the prosperity of UK private investors. The award highlights ShareSoc’s invaluable work in championing the interests of individual investors. The organisation consistently advocates for fair treatment, transparency, and ...