Glass Lewis backs Carl Icahn’s push to oust Illumina’s chief and chair

Influential proxy adviser Glass Lewis has urged investors to vote against the reappointment of the chief executive and chair of Illumina, the world’s largest gene sequencing company, saying the pair have failed to take responsibility for the “value crimping” acquisition of cancer-screening group Grail.

The recommendation that shareholders withdraw their support for chief executive Francis deSouza and chair John Thompson is a boost for activist investor Carl Icahn, who has launched a proxy battle against Illumina’s board over what he describes as its “reckless” purchase of Grail.