Kimmeridge launches proxy fight for seats on Ovintiv board

(Reuters) – Kimmeridge Energy Management Co on Tuesday launched a proxy fight against Ovintiv Inc to win three seats on the oil producer’s board.

The private investment firm urged Ovintiv to alter its capital spending, focus on governance and said that the board had allowed Ovintiv to become an environmental laggard, trailing peers on key environmental metrics.

Kimmeridge has nominated its founder Ben Dell, Cambiar Investors’ Katherine Minyard and Columbia University research scholar Erin Blanton as independent directors to Ovintiv’s board.

Ovintiv, responding to the Kimmeridge notice, said it will carefully review the nominations.

Kimmeridge owns 2.5% of Ovintiv’s common shares and is one of the oil driller’s top ten shareholders.

“Despite our best efforts to engage constructively with the company, the Board was dismissive of our recommendations to help position Ovintiv as a leading E&P,” said Mark Viviano, managing partner and head of public equities at Kimmeridge.

Earlier this month, Kimmeridge had urged Ovintiv to focus on capital allocation, management compensation issues and establishing environmental strategy.

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