Ardent Leisure has appointed former Walt Disney Company executive Randy Garfield as a US-based independent director, saying he was a better candidate than either of the two proposed by activist shareholder Ariadne.

As part of the process to appoint Mr Garfield, Ardent's board also interviewed – and rejected – Ariadne's proposed directors US-based Brad Richmond and former Scentre Group executive Andy Hedges, chairman George Venardos said on Monday. Ariadne has called a shareholder meeting on September 4 to vote on its nomination of Mr Richmond and Mr Hedges – as well as Ariadne directors Gary Weiss and Kevin Seymour – to the Ardent board.