Christine Seib
Win luxury hampers plus Waitrose vouchers & guidebooks
UBS shareholders waved through a SwFr13 billion (£6.14 billion) capital injection at Switzerland's largest bank, despite a stormy extraordinary meeting in which one angry shareholder tried to storm the stage.
GIC, the Singapore sovereign wealth fund, will pay the bank SwFr11 billion for a 9 per cent stake, making it UBS's largest shareholder. An unnamed Middle Easter investor will put in a further SwFr2 billion.
UBS needed the immediate cash to recapitalise the business after making its first full-year loss. The bank reported a SwFr4.4 billion net loss last year after taking an $18.4 billion hit from the downturn in the credit markets. In 2006 it made a profit of SwFr12.3 billion.
Marcel Ospel, the bank's embattled chairman, said that he was satisfied with the decision by 87 per cent of shareholders to accept the funding. UBS was now one of the best capitalised banks in the world and was well positioned to cope with any future shocks, he said.
He refused to rule out further writedowns and admitted that UBS faced a difficult year. Despite approving the rescue capital, shareholders have not forgiven Mr Ospel for overseeing the bank's first annual loss.
They were also furious that the new investment from Singapore and the Middle East would dilute their stakes in the bank. More than 6,500 investors attended yesterday's meeting at an arena in Basle.
One investor accused the bank's management of turning UBS into a “casino”. Others were infurated by Mr Ospel's pay, with one telling him: “Your basic salary is far too high. You have achieved nothing.”
One shareholder ran towards the stage but was bundled away by security guards before he could reach the chairman. The meeting was temporarily adjourned while Mr Ospel checked on the fate of the protester.
The chairman has weathered weeks of fierce criticism. There has been speculation that the board has approached other candidates to take his role, with many senior European bankers, including Josef Ackermann, Deutsche Bank's chairman and chief executive, and Bob Diamond, Barclays' president, having been named as possible replacements.
The Swiss President further stoked the anger towards Mr Ospel this week when he described the chairman's salary of SwFr26.6 million as “Pharoah-like”. Pascal Couchepin told Bilan, the Swiss magazine: “I'm outraged that Marcel Ospel has earned Pharaoh-like salaries for four to five years and that when the bank wobbles, he can keep it all.”
UBS has reduced Mr Ospel's proposed term of office from three years to one year, but Hermes, the UK fund manager, used yesterday's meeting to call for the chairman, who will face re-election at the bank's general meeting on April 23, to step down.
Mr Ospel told the meeting that he was aware of the disappointment felt by investors and admitted that the bank had “failed to recognise the signals from the US housing market in time ... there is no doubt that we judged a number of developments wrongly”. Yet he insisted that he would remain in his job, saying: “I believe it is my supreme duty to be there on the front lines, helping the bank tackle and overcome its current troubles.”
A motion for a special audit into the bank's investments in US sub-prime mortgage-related assets was narrowly defeated. UBS said that it was already co-operating with an investigation by Switzerland's banking commission.
Avalanche builds
July 2007 Peter Wuffli, UBS chief executive, quits
October UBS gives warning of writedowns related to mortgages in the United States. Replaces Huw Jenkins, the investment bank chief
December Warning of further writedowns and full-year loss
December Announces that it is to issue new shares to sovereign wealth fund investors
January 2008 More writedowns take tally to $18.6 billion
February Calls for Marcel Ospel to quit
Read the training tips and advice that helped our London Triathletes
Times Online's new TV show helps you make the right decisions for your pet
Read our exclusive 100 Years of Fleming and Bond interactive timeline, packed with original Times articles and reviews
The latest travel news plus the best hotels and gadgets for business travellers
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles

Overseas contacts and local business information

Find a course, arrange a game and save money
2007
£47,995
2008
£42,945
06/2006
£40,850
Great car insurance deals online
£33,000
Macmillan Cancer Support
Central/South West
£50k
NHS
Nationwide
£
£30k OTE
Meltwater News
Nationwide
circa £70k
Central Office of Information
London
5% below developer pre-launch price!
Luxury Appts, beautiful gardens w/ Thames views
Great Homes Available on a shared Ownership Basis
Great Investment, River Views
Visit the ‘entertainment capital of the world’
at great sale prices!
Christmas Cruises
From only £995pp
APTs East Coast now from only
£2425pp.
Great travel insurance deals online
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times. Globrix Property Search - find property for sale and rent in the UK. Visit our classified services and find jobs, used cars, property or holidays. Use our dating service, read our births, marriages and deaths announcements, or place your advertisement.
Copyright 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.