(Bloomberg) -- A third of Burberry Group Plc shareholders voted against the re-election of board member Antoine de Saint-Affrique amid concerns about about directors who also hold other jobs spreading themselves too thin. 

Saint-Affrique is the chief executive officer of  Danone and is overseeing a multiyear turnaround of the French consumer products group which has underperformed in recent years. He joined the board of the British luxury fashion brand as non-executive director in Jan. 2021 and is also on the board of chocolate maker Barry Callebaut AG.

The shareholder vote is only advisory but a near 34% stand against his re-election is considered a large protest vote by UK boardroom standards. Ahead of the luxury retailer’s annual meeting Tuesday, Glass Lewis, the shareholder advisory group, said Saint-Affrique faced a “potential overcommitment.” 

Burberry said it was aware that some shareholders couldn’t support the re-election over concerns about Saint-Affrique’s “ability to commit sufficient time” to the retailer. However, it said the French executive had attended all formal meetings and other ad hoc appointments during the course of the year and would continue to “devote sufficient time” to the brand. 

“Antoine’s experience and skills enable him to bring a particularly valuable lens to bear in discussing board issues,” the company said, adding it will continue to engage with shareholders over the matter.  

A number of UK companies have faced protest votes over pay and directorships this annual meeting season.

Nearly 30% of shareholders of Tesco Plc, Britain’s largest supermarket group, voted against the re-election of Bertrand Bodson. The grocer said it was disappointed so many investors voted against his re-appointment when he continued to “make an effective and valuable contribution” to the board. 

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