LONDON (ShareCast) - Former chief executive and chairman of Cobham Gordon Page’s holding in the FTSE 100-listed defence and aerospace company was substantially reduced when his wife Judith sold more than £1.6m worth of shares.

She sold 700,000 shares at just over 230p each, leaving Page with a holding of just over 1m shares. Page stepped down as chairman of Cobham in May, remaining as a non-executive director.

The price at which the shares were sold was at a handsome premium to the 213.1p each she paid for the same number of shares in May, spending a total of just under £1.5m.

Cobham, which manufactures products such as air refuelling equipment and antennas, saw its share price dip to levels around 180p in July, but the share price then recovered after strong first half results in August.

Underlying pre-tax profit rose by 24%, helped by strong demand in the company’s core markets and the contribution of acquisitions.

Page was appointed to the board in 1990 to act as the managing director of the flight refuelling division, having previously worked in the military engines division of Rolls-Royce. He was appointed deputy chief executive in 1991, chief executive in 1992 and chairman in November 2001.

He is Pro Chancellor of Cranfield University and is a former president of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Society of British Aerospace Companies and of the Chartered Management Institute.


Top Director Buys

Orsu Metals Corporation (OSU)
Director name: Mr Sergey V Kurzin
Amount purchased: 398,000 @ 26.49p
Value: £105,430

International Power (IPR)
Director name: Sir Neville Simms
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 373.10p
Value: £186,550

Blue Oar (BLUE)
Director name: Mr Andrew Monk
Amount purchased: 1,000,000 @ 10.50p
Value: £105,000

Orsu Metals Corporation (OSU)
Director name: Mr Sergey V Kurzin
Amount purchased: 201,500 @ 26.22p
Value: £52,833

BowLeven (BLVN)
Director name: Mr Kevin Hart
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 247.50p
Value: £99,000

Orsu Metals Corporation (OSU)
Director name: Mr Sergey V Kurzin
Amount purchased: 150,500 @ 25.96p
Value: £39,070

BowLeven (BLVN)
Director name: Mr Ronnie Hanna
Amount purchased: 20,000 @ 247.00p
Value: £49,400

Electrocomponents (ECM)
Director name: Mr Paul Hollingworth
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 180.20p
Value: £18,020


Top Director Sells

Cobham (COB)
Director name: Mr Gordon F Page
Amount sold: 700,000 @ 230.10p
Value: £1,610,700

Serco Group (SRP)
Director name: Mr Kevin S Beeston
Amount sold: 211,878 @ 423.90p
Value: £898,151

Diageo (DGE)
Director name: Mr Paul S Walsh
Amount sold: 48,052 @ 1,024.00p
Value: £492,052

Serco Group (SRP)
Director name: Mr Kevin S Beeston
Amount sold: 76,734 @ 423.90p
Value: £325,275

Diageo (DGE)
Director name: Mr Nicholas Rose
Amount sold: 22,133 @ 1,024.00p
Value: £226,642

Ashley House (ASH)
Director name: Mr B Walker
Amount sold: 150,000 @ 146.00p
Value: £219,000

• News Channel