It also announced on Friday that its three top executives are to stand down to make way for a fresh start - chairman and chief executive officer Yoichiro Okazaki, vice chairman Koji Furukawa and president and chief operating officer Hideyasu Tagaya are all to leave.

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Sisson, CEO and Chairman of the Board Jerre L. Stead, and Executive Vice President and CFO Richard Walker sold shares in July.

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Note: Additional information and comments from Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company, and Jay Rasulo, senior executive vice president and CFO, The Walt Disney Company, regarding Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, are attached.

ENGADGET: Disney acquires Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, plans more Star Wars movies

"In reality, NEC could sell those shares after two years anyway as per contract" said Roderick Lappin, vice president of Lenovo Group and executive chairman of the joint venture Lenovo NEC Holdings.

BBC: Lenovo shares slide as NEC sells its stake in the firm

Beckham was joined on stage by Fifa vice-president Geoff Thompson, England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson and Football Association chairman Lord Triesman, who confirmed to Blatter that England would also like to be considered for the 2022 event.

BBC: Beckham hands over England 2018 World Cup bid

But Mr Clark, the airline's president, and Mr Flanagan, still there at 82, as executive vice-chairman, insist that it is simply a very lean, well-run airline blessed by its location and Dubai's pro-aviation policies.

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