Standard Life AGM moves from Scotland for first time ever

The firm informed shareholders that from now on the meeting, this year scheduled for May 17, is to be alternated between the Scottish and UK capitals.

This year’s meeting will take place close to Standard Life’s City offices, rather than at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

The past decade has seen attendance at the meeting in the region of 100.

SL spokesman Steve Hartley said: “We are going to alternate it between London and Edinburgh.

“We have 1.2 million retail shareholders, largely as a result of de-mutualisation, and in 2014 we held a general meeting in London on the sale of our Canadian business, which was very positive in terms of people being able to attend. Now we are alternating it to give access to more shareholders.”

In the run-up to the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, Standard Life’s chairman, Sir Gerry Grimstone, provoked hostility from ‘Yes’ campaigners when he hinted strongly that the firm would look to relocate its headquarters to London in the event on Scotland voting for independence.

Stressing the fact that most of Standard Life’s shareholders were located outside Scotland, Sir Gerry, who was knighted the same year, was accused of taking a political stance after warning that the group’s more than 180 corporate entities could switch registration to south of the border.

However Sir Gerry, until recently chairman of The City UK lobbying group and now also a director of Barclays, denied any political overtones, and told last year’s annual meeting that the substantial new SNP presence at Westminster would be “good for Scotland and good for us”.