METRO CHIEF BEATS PROTEST

Metro Bank chairman Vernon Hill yesterday avoided a shareholder revolt over payments to his wife’s company. Investors had questioned the size of fees handed to Shirley Hill’s design practice, InterArch. But in the end more than 96% of shareholders backed dog-loving Mr Hill’s reappointment at the challenger bank’s annual general meeting. More than £20million has been paid to InterArch since 2010, including £4.6m last year, for InterArch’s architectural design, branding and marketing work.