Never backward in his approach as the UK's largest investor, Legal and General head of equities Mark Burgess yesterday gave an unusual insight into the events leading up to the retirement of Sir John Sunderland from Cadbury Schweppes, as it was, last year.

Speaking about the importance of having an effective non-executive chairman at the top of UK companies, he used the example of Cadbury and the circumstances preceding the departure last October of Sir John.