Comptoir Group reappoints chairman after thumbs down re-election
The group’s founder called for Richard Kleiner and chief executive officer Chaker Hanna to step down from their posts.
The group behind Comptoir Libinais has reappointed Richard Kleiner as chairman after the restaurant chain's founder voted down his re-election at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM).
A battle for control between Tony Kitous and the group’s directors became public when it was revealed the former had written to the board calling for Kleiner and chief executive officer Chaker Hanna to step down from their posts.
The company said that Kleiner was not re-elected as director after a resolution on the matter failed to pass at the AGM. However, a board meeting was subsequently held where Kleiner was reappointed as chairman with immediate effect.
"The directors in attendance at the board meeting took into account that 100% of all shareholders who voted on Resolution 2, save for Mr Tony Kitous, voted in favour of the re-election of Mr Kleiner,” the company said.
"Further, the directors in attendance also considered the need for an independent non-executive director in order to maintain a well-functioning, balanced management team led by a chairman."
Kitous founded Comptoir Group in 2008 as a Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean restaurant group, where he holds a 47.6% share in the company.
The group currently operates 19 UK restaurants under the Comptoir Libanais brand and two international sites in Dubai and Utrecht, along with outlets under the quick-service Shawa brand and two standalone high street restaurants called Levant and Kenza.
