Corporate

A judge has hit ASX Limited with a $20.5 million penalty after it admitted that a February 2022 statement to the market that its CHESS replacement project was “progressing well” was misleading. 

Law firm Allen & Overy advised that there were “very serious problems” with awarding Keybridge’s former CEO Nicholas Bolton a $4.75 million bonus, a judge has heard.

Former Keybridge CEO Nicholas Bolton has faced questions about a $4.75 million bonus he was paid on a $17.8 million deal with fund manager Magellan, on the second day of trial in proceedings by WAM over two transactions its alleges were oppressive to shareholders.

ASX Limited has told a judge it did not intend to mislead shareholders when it told the market that its CHESS replacement project was “progressing well” and that a $20.5 million penalty was sufficient to achieve deterrence.

ASIC has won its case alleging Regional Express failed to correct an optimistic forecast before it entered administration last year, but failed to prove the company's optimism conveyed a "likelihood" or that three non-executive directors had actual knowledge of the collapsed budget airline's declining business. 

Defence lawyers are bracing for a wave of class actions over companies’ use of generative artificial intelligence, with privacy, discrimination, consumer, product liability and shareholder claims expected.

A judge has scolded former directors of Mosaic Brands after they failed to comply with orders made last week ahead of a 10-day public examination as special purpose liquidators investigate $196 million in potential insolvent trading claims and directors duty breach claims.

After getting the nod from a judge, the trustee for the Dexus bloc of shareholders in airport operator APAC has lodged an appeal of a finding that it committed a material and irremediable breach of the owners' deed.

Super trustee Diversa has denied it is liable for $300 million in alleged investor losses after it made the First Guardian Master Fund available on its platform, pointing the finger at responsible entity Falcon Capital, its directors and ASX-listed promoter Praemium.

ASIC’s chair says the corporate cop is investigating individuals at KPMG for alleged misuse of confidential information belonging to Lendlease and Optus to win new work, but says it is hamstrung by current law from undertaking a broader probe.