Gilbert’s Glencore break

The deputy chairman of Sky has been allowed a few months off his third job to focus on a bid battle.

Martin gilbert, 62, who is also co- chief executive of Standard Life aberdeen, has been granted absence from the board of miner glencore until mid-October as Comcast and 21st Century Fox fight over Sky.

he promised fund manager Standard Life aberdeen he would quit Sky or glencore by May 29, after taking the glencore role when the Sky bid looked likely to be sorted speedily.

Shareholders are becoming increasingly irritated by directors with too many jobs. Corporate governance codes say they should not have more than one nonexecutive post.