Williams Cos., nearly half of whose board quit in June following a failed attempt to unseat Chief Executive Alan Armstrong, said Monday that it was launching a search for three new independent directors.

The additions, which are expected to be in place before the company's annual meeting Nov. 23, will expand the board to 10 directors, the company said, after six of the company's 13 directors quit in June. Shareholders will vote on the directors.

"Williams is looking forward to broadening the expertise and perspective of the board with the addition of three new, independent directors in the near term," said Chairwoman Kathleen B. Cooper.

The June schism happened after Williams' merger deal with rival pipeline operator Energy Transfer Equity LP collapsed. Once the deal was scuttled, people familliar with the matter said at the time, a contingent of board members attempted to force Mr. Armstrong out. When that move failed, the group of directors quit.

Former Chairman Frank MacInnis was among those who resigned, as were a pair of activist hedge-fund investors, Keith Meister of Corvex Management LP and Eric Mandelblatt of Soroban Capital Partners. All three had championed the merger with Energy Transfer, which Mr. Armstrong had opposed and continued to oppose even after it was agreed to.

Officials at Corvex and Soroban, in a recent regulatory filing, said they believe Williams continues to underperform, while Corvex remains convinced that the current board lacks members with "substantial experience" at public companies and are "entrenched."

Write to Ezequiel Minaya at ezequiel.minaya@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 15, 2016 17:55 ET (21:55 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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