Gildan Activewear Inc. shareholders should vote for all eight board nominees put forward by activist investor Browning West LP, including the chief executive officer who was fired by the board last year, proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. said. 

It’s a big victory for Browning West, which has a 5 per cent stake in Gildan and has been waging a monthslong campaign to turf the current board and bring back Glenn Chamandy as CEO. He was ousted in December after an internal battle over strategy and succession. 

“The dissident has presented a compelling case to reverse the change implemented by the legacy board,” ISS said in a report to clients.

Montreal-based Gildan makes cheap clothing for companies such as Walmart Inc. and owns the American Apparel brand.

Browning’s proposed slate is led by Michael Kneeland, the chair of United Rentals Inc., who would become the new chair of Gildan if the investment firm is successful in the shareholder vote that’s scheduled for May 28.