But don’t expect the 59-year-old Scotsman to start showing up at annual general meetings to hector CEOs or incite shareholders to rise up against management. “My job is to help our members be activist without being silly about it,” says Lindey, who retired in March as head of client relations for London’s J.P. Morgan Fleming Asset Management. “Confrontational activism is almost always disastrous.”
Lindey, a mathematician and actuary, intends to engage in quiet diplomacy. “Our real purpose is to show both shareholders and executives that they have the same interest, which is maximizing value,” he explains. No matter how softly Lindey speaks, CEOs are sure to listen: NAPF represents 1,350 U.K. pension funds with a combined £650 billion ($1.04 trillion) in assets.
