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Comment by pritambarhate | Hacker News Reader

As per Wikipedia[1]: >> Page and Brin remain co-founders, employees, board members, and controlling shareholders of Alphabet Inc.

Forbes article referenced by Wikipedia:[2] >> At Alphabet’s annual meeting in June, multiple shareholders criticized the fact that Page did not show up given that he and Brin have more than 50% of the company’s voting power, thanks to Alphabet’s multi-class stock structure. That structure will not change despite the management shift, the company said.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet_Inc.

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jilliandonfro/2019/12/03/larry-...

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Is lack of attendance something that happens regularly?

Can control ever be wrested from majority voting power owners? Page and Brin, Zuckerberg, et al.?

At majority level no, because they control their shares. You can get the majority owner to sell. You can use social means to try to convince them to vote your way. You can get the bank to make bad terms on their financial activity. You can change the law. But in the end they have the power.

Note that some of the above list might include illegal /immoral acts. Depending on what you do you might find success.

Note that minority shareholders have some rights, though this varies by state of incorporation:

(PDF warning)

https://www.ibanet.org/Document/Default.aspx?DocumentUid=F20...

The market can influence it though. If the common stock loses 90% of the value due to the bad ownership structure, the founder’s wealth takes a hit and the employees will revolt or walk. If an outsider says “I will buy or invest in your company if you give up the special provisions” then money will talk.

The reason VCs don’t do this is the companies that become the 1000X outliers generally have the Super-shares.

That's "get the majority owner to sell" with extra steps.

They aren't immortal. At some point others will own the shares.

that's what Calico is for ;)

Page and Brin are not married to each other, as far as I know (which would make the shares their common property). You can always try to drive a wedge between them, have one of them turn on the other. With Zuckerberg, no, no chance.

They are both basically retired so there's not much to wedge about.

Although the parent is downvoted his point is valid , individually brin or page does not control 50 % of voting rights as zukerburg so alphabet has slightly better structure than Facebook

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