A growing number of Europe’s largest publicly traded companies are facing mounting pressure from investors dissatisfied with executive compensation plans. According to newly released data by corporate governance consultancy Georgeson, nearly 38 percent of companies that submitted future executive pay frameworks for shareholder approval this year encountered significant opposition, marking a notable rise from 30.7 percent in the previous year.

This 23 percent year-on-year increase in contested votes reflects a broader shift in shareholder sentiment, as institutional investors are increasingly unwilling to rubber-stamp pay policies they view as excessive, misaligned, or lacking in performance-based criteria. The trend spans multiple markets and signals heightened scrutiny of corporate governance practices during a time of economic uncertainty and income inequality concerns.

Shareholder Revolts Target Blue-Chip Firms

Even some of the region’s most prominent firms were not immune to backlash. Britain’s InterContinental Hotels Group, a stalwart of the hospitality sector, saw only 69.5 percent shareholder approval for its executive pay plan, a figure well below the 80 percent threshold that typically signals strong investor confidence. Italian banking giant UniCredit fared even worse, securing just 66.5 percent support on a similar vote.

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These figures suggest that many shareholders are no longer content to passively approve compensation proposals. Instead, they are using their votes as a tool to demand more accountability and transparency from boards and leadership teams.

Future Pay Policies Face Greater Scrutiny than Past Payouts

A particularly striking development this year is that opposition to forward-looking executive remuneration plans has overtaken opposition to backward-looking pay reports. Historically, investors have been more likely to challenge bonuses or incentives already awarded than to intervene in future plans. That pattern has now reversed.

Cas Sydorowitz, Global CEO of Georgeson, noted that investors appear to be taking a more confrontational stance, directly challenging the frameworks that govern long-term pay. This shift suggests a more strategic, preventative mindset among shareholders, who want to shape the terms of future compensation before problematic structures are implemented.

Spain Sees the Sharpest Rise in Rebellion

Among the nine major European markets tracked in the report, Spain registered the highest level of shareholder dissent. More than half of all remuneration-related votes in Spanish companies saw substantial resistance, indicating a growing unwillingness to accept compensation packages perceived as excessive or poorly aligned with company performance.

The United Kingdom, which hosts Europe’s largest stock market by market capitalization, also saw a noticeable increase. One in four votes on pay policies encountered material opposition, adding to the broader regional trend of investor dissatisfaction.

Other countries showing a rise in dissent include Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, further demonstrating that this issue is not confined to any one region or sector. The widespread nature of the pushback suggests that executive compensation has become a focal point in ongoing debates about corporate responsibility, stakeholder capitalism, and economic fairness.

Performance Metrics and Timing Draw Fire

Louise Dudley, a portfolio manager at Federated Hermes, commented that many shareholder objections this year stemmed from long-term incentive awards that vest too early. Investors have raised concerns about payouts that are triggered before executives have demonstrated sustained performance or long-term value creation. There is also discontent around insufficient shareholding requirements for executives, which can create misaligned incentives and reduce accountability to shareholders.

Yousif Ebeed, who leads corporate governance at Schroders, emphasized that investor support is closely tied to the clarity and rigor of performance targets. If executive pay appears to be loosely linked to outcomes or lacks transparency, shareholders are increasingly willing to reject the proposals.

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A New Era of Accountability in Executive Compensation

The data points to a growing unwillingness among shareholders to tolerate compensation structures that are either misaligned with company results or overly generous without sufficient justification. As calls for stronger ESG alignment and stakeholder-centric governance intensify, executive pay has become a litmus test for whether boards are truly responsive to their investors.

If current trends continue, companies across Europe may need to rethink how they design, communicate, and justify executive remuneration. Greater transparency, longer vesting periods, tighter performance metrics, and higher shareholding requirements are likely to become the new standard as investors demand pay structures that reward long-term stewardship over short-term gains.

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