In recent weeks, David Brennan, chief executive of AstraZeneca, and Sly Bailey, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, have both stepped aside, while protests have been registered at a series of companies including Barclays, the mining firm Xstrata, and the Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods. More protests are expected in the coming days as major companies – such as the British Gas owner Centrica, household products company Unilever and advertising group WPP – all hold annual meetings where investors must be allowed to vote on pay deals. Cable, credited for encouraging the wave of shareholder activism through his consultation on executive pay, is likely to introduce a mandatory vote on future pay policies.