Downer EDI is expected to receive a protest vote against its remuneration report at its annual general meeting this week after proxy groups questioned how the board would handle outstanding share rights awarded to former chief executive Grant Fenn.

The contractor was hit with a first strike at last year’s AGM. Almost 56 per cent of votes were cast against the pay resolution after Downer’s board paid 65 per cent of executives’ potential total short-term bonuses despite a drop in annual net profit.