Gulf Keystone ends board dispute M&G, the fund management arm of Prudential, owns 5.3pc of Gulf Keystone's shares and said it would support the appointment of Simon Murray as the company's chairman following the deal. The agreement has been supported by other Gulf Keystone shareholders, including Capital Research Global Investors, which confirmed it would vote its 5.6pc holding in favour of Mr Murray, a former chairman of Glencore, as well as two further independent directors. I am pleased that unity of purpose has been restored amongst the company and its largest shareholders. This increase in the number of independent non-executive directors will ensure that Gulf Keystone meets the heightened corporate governance standards required as part of the company's planned move to the standard segment of the main market that both the board and the shareholders have been seeking, in a manner that provides reassurance to all," Mr Murray said in a statement yesterday. Jeremy Asher, a former director of the company will rejoin its board, after he was forced out three years ago. Field Marshal Lord Guthrie, chairman of the board's nomination committee, said this month that it would be "inappropriate" to reappoint Mr Asher after his name was put forward by M&G, describing him as "a disruptive presence." Mr Murray said he was "pleased" that Mr Asher would be joining the board. Under the terms of the agreement, Ali Al-Qabandi, a co-founder of the company, and Mehdi Varzi, a long-time director of the business, have withdrawn their bids to win re-election to the board.