In the sequel to today's 80pc QRX share crash, chief...

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    In the sequel to today's 80pc QRX share crash, chief shareholder, Allan Gray Australia, has dropped $11.7m.

    And QRX's five directors have dropped a painful $5.7m.

    CEO, Dr John Holaday, is the biggest loser.

    Value of his family holding of 7.6m shares has fallen $4.3m.

    Dr Peter Farrell's stake is down $464,000, Dr Peter Pace's stake is down $352,000, Michael Quinn's is down $295,000 and Peter Campbell's is down $261,000.

    Interests associated with LA Walker and the Auckland Trust Co have dropped $8.1m.

    And 2500 other shareholders are deeply wounded, in need of healing.

    Allan Gray Australia would appear to hold its a shares through HSBC Custody Nominees.

    Between September and November last year it topped up with 3.2million shares costing $2.2m.

    An offshoot of global fund manager, Orbis Group, Allan Gray is run by Simon Marais.

    In a report published in The Australian last October analyst, James Dunn, described Marais as a "deep-value" contrarian and an "activist".

    Back in February last year, Allan Gray owned nearly 20pc of regional newspaper group APN News & Media.

    Marais teamed up with Denis O'Brien's Independent News and Media of Ireland, which owned 31pc of APN, to block APN's plans for a capital-raising.

    They requisitioned an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, which led to a "spill" of the board.

    APN's chairman, chief executive and three independent directors resigned.

    Marais has had high-profile battles with boards at Fairfax Media, Spotless, Tassal and PaperlinX.

    Will Marais' next battle be with the board of QRX?

    "Patience has its limits", James Dunn says.

    "When a company is not performing, Marais, who oversees a group with $3.7 billion in assets in Australia, is happy to be an "activist" shareholder.

    "And if that means forcing out a chairman, chief executive and other directors, then so be it."
 
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