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Empresas y finanzas

Chesapeake defends board in letter to shareholders


    (Reuters) - Chesapeake Energy Corp defended its board of directors in a letter to shareholders on Wednesday as investors push for governance changes at the U.S. oil and gas company.

    Wall Street analysts and investors have called for change at the company following reports by Reuters that Chief Executive Officer Aubrey McClendon had taken out more than $1 billion in loans using his interest in thousands of company wells as collateral.

    McClendon's lender, EIG Global Energy Partners, is also a big source of funding for Chesapeake, a situation that could put the executive's interest at odds with shareholders' interests, analysts and academics have said.

    "Chesapeake`s board is comprised of independent, highly qualified and accomplished professionals who have the skills and experience necessary to serve on our board," the company said in the letter to investors.

    Chesapeake's annual meeting is scheduled for June 8.

    (Reporting by Anna Driver in Houston; editing by Matthew Lewis)