The board of Redbubble dodged a second strike over executive pay but was accused at Tuesday’s annual general meeting of “resorting to private personal attacks” on the reputation of shareholder Michael McConnell, who made an unsuccessful bid for a board seat.

Mr McConnell, a retired activist investor who owns 800,000 shares of the online arts and decor marketplace, nominated himself for a seat on its six-person board after almost two years of pressure, highlighting the company’s losses and wallowing share price.