AGM Information • Apr 24, 2020
AGM Information
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THIS DOCUMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING FORM OF PROXY ARE IMPORTANT AND REQUIRE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt about the contents of this document or the action you should take you are recommended to seek advice from your solicitor, accountant, stockbroker, bank manager or other independent financial adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 who specialises in advising in connection with shares and other securities.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares in Energean Oil & Gas plc (Energean or the Company) please send this document, together with the accompanying Form of Proxy, to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank, or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected, for transmission to the purchaser or transferee or to the person who arranged the sale or transfer so they can pass these documents to the person who now holds the shares. If you have sold or transferred part only of your holding in shares in Energean you should retain this document and consult the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected.
ENERGEAN OIL & GAS PLC (Incorporated in England and Wales with Registered No. 10758801)
The Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Energean to be held at the registered office of the Company at Accurist House, 44 Baker Street, London, W1U 7AL on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 11:00 a.m. is set out at the end of this document.
As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic and the legal measures that the UK Government has put in place restricting public gatherings of more than two people and all but essential travel, for the safety of our Shareholders, our employees, our advisers and the general public, attendance at the AGM in person will not be possible this year and Shareholders or their appointed proxies (other than the chair of the AGM and one other shareholder, to ensure a quorum) will not be permitted entry to the AGM.
The Form of Proxy for use in relation to the AGM is enclosed. As attendance at the AGM in person will not be possible, you are requested to exercise your voting rights by either (a) completing the Form of Proxy in accordance with the instructions printed thereon and returning it to the Company's Registrar, Computershare Investor Services plc, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZY or (b) using the electronic methods set out below, in either case, as soon as possible but in any event, to be valid, your completed proxy instructions must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday 19 May 2020.
A summary of the action to be taken by Shareholders is set out in the notes to the Notice of the AGM, set out at the end of this document.
The following definitions apply throughout this document unless the context requires otherwise (in addition to the terms defined in the text):
| 2019 Annual Report | the Company's annual report for the financial year ended 31 December 2019 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Act | the Companies Act 2006 (as amended) | ||
| AGM | the annual general meeting of the Company for which the notice is set out at the end of this document, or any reconvened meeting following adjournment thereof |
||
| Auditor | the Company's auditors, Ernst & Young LLP | ||
| Board | the board of Directors of the Company | ||
| Company or Energean |
Energean Oil & Gas plc | ||
| Computershare or Registrar | Computershare Investor Services plc | ||
| Directors | the directors of the Company, whose names are set out on page 3 | ||
| FCA | Financial Conduct Authority | ||
| Form of Proxy | the enclosed form of proxy for use by Shareholders in connection with the AGM |
||
| Listing Rules | the Listing Rules of the FCA | ||
| Ordinary Shares | ordinary shares of £0.01 each in the capital of the Company | ||
| Resolutions | all resolutions to be put to the Annual General Meeting as set out in the notice of Annual General Meeting on pages 6 to 9 of this document |
||
| Shareholder | a holder of Ordinary Shares | ||
| United Kingdom or UK | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | ||
| £ and p |
pounds Sterling and pence Sterling respectively |
All references in this document to laws and regulations are to English laws and regulations, unless otherwise stated, or as the context otherwise requires.
(Incorporated in England and Wales with Registered No. 10758801)
Accurist House, 44 Baker Street, London W1U 7AL
| Karen Simon | Chairman | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthaios Rigas | Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Panagiotis Benos | Chief Financial Officer | ||
| Andrew Bartlett | Senior Independent Non-Executive Director | ||
| Robert Peck | Independent Non-Executive Director | ||
| Ohad Marani | Independent Non-Executive Director | ||
| Amy Lashinsky | Independent Non-Executive Director | ||
| David Bonanno | Non-Executive Director | ||
| Efstathios Topouzoglou | Non-Executive Director | ||
Company Secretary Russell Poynter
Dear Shareholder
24 April 2020
I am pleased to enclose the Notice of Meeting for the Company's 2020 Annual General Meeting, which is the Company's third AGM. The AGM will be held at the registered office of the Company at Accurist House, 44 Baker Street, London W1U 7AL on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 11:00 a.m. The notice convening the AGM is set out on pages 6 to 9 of this document. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with an explanation of the Resolutions to be proposed at the AGM.
In order to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, the UK Government has put in place new laws restricting the movement of people. These laws include the prevention of public gatherings of more than two people, unless essential for work purposes, and they prevent non-essential travel. The health and wellbeing of our Shareholders, employees, advisers and of the general public is of upmost importance to the Board. The Company is committed to complying with the new laws and minimising the unnecessary movement of people at this time. As a result, and in order that Shareholders can comply with the measures currently in place, the AGM this year is required to be a closed meeting, which Shareholders are not permitted to attend. Any Shareholder that seeks to attend the AGM in person will be prevented from doing so on the above grounds. Two Shareholders in attendance shall constitute a quorum, as set out in the Company's articles of association. The Company shall ensure that a quorum is present and that the two Shareholders will be the only persons in attendance, therefore abiding with the new laws in place and allowing the business contained in the 2020 Notice of Annual General Meeting to be conducted.
This year, the AGM will be held purely to conduct the required formal business and will not include a presentation and questions to be put to the Board in person, as has been the case in previous years. The voting results on the resolutions put to the AGM shall be announced to the market and uploaded onto the Company's website following the closure of the AGM. The Company will continue to monitor the restrictions put in place in response to COVID-19 and, if circumstances change resulting in the lifting of measures preventing the movement of people ahead of the AGM, it will consider if it is appropriate to open up the AGM for attendance by Shareholders. If this is the case, an update will be given on the Company's website at www.energean.com and an update given by way of announcement to the London Stock Exchange.
Shareholders are encouraged to send any questions they would have raised at the AGM to [email protected] before the date of the AGM; and after the AGM has concluded the Company will publish responses to those questions on its website at http://www.energean.com.
Shareholders are strongly encouraged to ensure that their votes are counted at the AGM by appointing the chairman of the AGM as their proxy and submitting their completed proxy forms to the Company's registrars, Computershare Investor Services plc, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZY as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday 19 May 2020. You can also appoint a proxy and indicate your voting instructions online at www.investorcentre.co.uk/eproxy or through CREST. If you hold your shares through a nominee service, please contact the nominee service provider regarding the process for appointing a proxy.
All Resolutions apart from Resolutions 15 to 19 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. For each of these to be passed, more than half the votes cast at the meeting must be in favour of the Resolution. Resolutions 15 to 19 are proposed as special resolutions. For each of these to be passed, at least three-quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the Resolution. Voting on all Resolutions to be proposed at the AGM will be by way of a poll. This ensures that all shareholders who have appointed proxies will have their votes fully taken into account, despite not being able to attend the AGM in person.
Explanatory notes on all the business to be considered at this year's AGM appear on pages 10 to 12 of this document.
The resolutions that will be considered at the AGM are as follows:
A resolution to receive the Company's annual accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2019 together with the Directors' report and the Auditor's report on those accounts (resolution 1).
An advisory resolution to approve the Directors' Remuneration Report is proposed (resolution 2). The Directors' Remuneration Report can be found on pages 104 to 110 of the 2019 Annual Report. The Directors' Remuneration Report gives details of the amounts paid or payable to Directors in connection with their performance and the performance of the Company during the year ended 31 December 2019. This resolution is advisory in nature and will not affect the future remuneration that is paid to any Director.
In accordance with the articles of association, the Directors must offer themselves for re-appointment by shareholders at each subsequent Annual General Meeting following their appointment by the Board (resolutions 3 to 11). Biographies of each of the Directors can be found on pages 82 to 85 of the 2019 Annual Report.
Resolution 12 recommends the re-appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as auditors to the Company and Resolution 13 proposes that the Directors be authorised to set their remuneration on the recommendation of the Audit & Risk Committee.
Resolutions 14, 15 and 16 relate to the Directors' authority to issue shares. Resolution 14 seeks to renew the Directors' general authority to allot shares, while resolutions 15 and 16 relate to the ability to issue new shares for cash other than in accordance with statutory pre-emption rights. Resolution 16 is intended to give the Company flexibility to make nonpre-emptive issues of shares in connection with acquisitions and other capital investments as contemplated by the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles. The extent of these authorities is in line with the Share Capital Management Guidelines issued by the Investment Association. The Directors also confirm their intention to follow the provisions of the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles regarding cumulative usage of authorities within a three-year rolling period where the Principles provide that usage in excess of 7.5% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital should not take place, save as permitted in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment as described above, without prior consultation with shareholders. The Directors consider that it is appropriate for these authorities and these powers to be granted to preserve maximum flexibility for the future.
In addition, a resolution is proposed to retain a notice period of 14 days for general meetings (other than an annual general meeting, which has a longer notice period) (resolution 17).
The Company is seeking authority to make market purchases of its own shares up to an aggregate of 17,708,940 shares (resolution 18).
Resolution 19 proposes to change the Company's name from Energean Oil & Gas plc to Energean PLC.
The Directors consider that all the proposals to be considered at the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole and are most likely to promote the success of the Company. The Directors unanimously recommend that you vote in favour of all the proposed resolutions, as they intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings which represent approximately 23.2% of the issued share capital.
Shareholders will find enclosed with this document a Form of Proxy for use in connection with the AGM. Shareholders, are requested to complete, sign and return the enclosed Form or Proxy, in accordance with the instructions printed thereon, so as to be received by the Company's registrars, Computershare Investor Services plc, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZY as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday 19 May 2020. You can also appoint a proxy online and give your voting instructions at www.investorcentre.co.uk/eproxy or through CREST.
Yours faithfully,
Karen Simon Chairman
NOTICE IS HEREBY given that the 2020 Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at registered office of the Company at Accurist House, 44 Baker Street, London, W1U 7AL on Thursday 21 May 2020 at 11:00 a.m.
You will be asked to consider and vote on the resolutions below. Voting on all Resolutions will be by way of a poll. Resolutions 1 to 14 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions; this means that for each of those ordinary resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour. Resolutions 15 to 19 will be proposed as special resolutions; this means that for each of those Resolutions to be passed, at least three-quarters of the votes cast must be in favour.
but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal or practical problems in or under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange; and
b) in any other case, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £590,298.02 (such amount to be reduced by the nominal amount of any equity securities allotted pursuant to the authority in paragraph 14a above) in excess of £590,298.02),
provided that this authority granted by this resolution shall, unless renewed, varied or revoked by the Company, expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2021, whichever is earlier, save that the Company may, before such expiry, make offers or agreements which would or might require Relevant Securities to be allotted and the Directors may allot Relevant Securities in pursuance of such offer or agreement notwithstanding that the authority conferred by this resolution has expired.
This resolution revokes and replaces all unexercised authorities previously granted to the Directors to allot Relevant Securities but without prejudice to any allotment of shares or grant of rights already made, offered or agreed to be made pursuant to such authorities.
but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal or practical problems in or under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange; and
b) the allotment (otherwise than pursuant to paragraph 15a above) of equity securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of £88,544.70,
provided that the power granted by this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2021, whichever is earlier, save that the Company may, before such expiry, make offers or agreements which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (or treasury shares to be sold) after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) in pursuance of any such offer or agreement notwithstanding that the power conferred by this resolution has expired.
This resolution revokes and replaces all unexercised powers previously granted to the Directors to allot equity securities as if section 561(1) of the Act did not apply but without prejudice to any allotment of equity securities already made or agreed to be made pursuant to such authorities.
provided that the power granted by this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2021, whichever is earlier, save that the Company may, before such expiry make offers or agreements which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (or treasury shares to be sold) after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) in pursuance of any such offer or agreement notwithstanding that the power conferred by this resolution has expired.
c) The maximum price (excluding expenses) which may be paid for each Ordinary Share is the higher of:
any number of the Company's Ordinary Shares on the trading venue where the purchase is carried out,
provided that the authority conferred by this resolution shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2021, whichever is earlier, save that the Company may, before the expiry of the authority granted by this resolution, enter into a contract to purchase Ordinary Shares which will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiry of such authority.
Dated: 24 April 2020
By order of the Board
Russell Poynter Company Secretary
Registered office: Accurist House, 44 Baker Street, London W1U 7AL
The Directors are required to present the accounts, Directors' report and Auditor's report to the meeting. These are contained in the Company's Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2019.
The Directors' Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 December 2019 is submitted for approval by the Shareholders, a copy of which can be found on pages 104 to 110 in the 2019 Annual Report. The report gives details of the Directors' remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2019. The Auditors have audited those parts of the Directors' Remuneration Report capable of being audited. Resolution 2 is an advisory vote.
In accordance with the Company's articles of association, each of the Directors will offer themselves for re-appointment by shareholders at the AGM.
The Board has reviewed the role of each of the Directors and remains satisfied that each of the Directors continues to be fully competent to carry out his or her responsibilities as a member of the Board and that each such Director's performance continues to be effective and demonstrates commitment to the role. Biographies of each of the Directors can be found on pages 82 to 85 of the 2019 Annual Report.
The Company is required at each general meeting at which the Company's annual report and accounts for the previous financial year are presented to appoint auditors to hold office until the next such meeting. Accordingly, the Board, on the recommendation of the Audit & Risk Committee, recommends to shareholders the re-appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's auditors.
This resolution, which is conditional on the passing of resolution 12, seeks Shareholder consent for the Directors to set the remuneration of the Auditors on the recommendation of the Audit & Risk Committee.
The Company's Directors may only allot Ordinary Shares or grant rights over Ordinary Shares if authorised to do so by the Shareholders. The authority granted at the general meeting of the Company held on 13 June 2019 under section 551 of the Act to allot relevant securities is due to expire at the conclusion of this year's AGM. Accordingly, this resolution seeks to renew the Directors' authority to allot Relevant Securities in accordance with section 551 of the Act.
If passed, the resolution will authorise Directors to allot: (i) in relation to a pre-emptive rights issue only, equity securities (as defined by section 560 of the Act) up to a maximum nominal amount of £1,180,596.04 which represents approximately 66.6% of the Company's issued Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document). This maximum is reduced by the nominal amount of any Relevant Securities allotted under the authority set out in paragraph 14b); and (ii) in any other case, Relevant Securities up to a maximum nominal amount of £590,298.02 which represents approximately 33.3% of the Company's issued Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document). This maximum is reduced by the nominal amount of any equity securities allotted under the authority set out in paragraph 14a) in excess of £590,298.02.
The maximum nominal amount of Relevant Securities (including equity securities) that may be allotted under this resolution is £1,180,596.04.
As at close of business on 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document), the Company did not hold any treasury shares.
The authority granted by this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2020, whichever is earlier.
The Directors have no present intention of exercising the authority granted by this resolution but the authority provides the flexibility to allow them to do so in the future. The Directors would not exercise the authority unless they believed that the expected effect would promote the success of the Company for the benefit of its Shareholders as a whole.
In this resolution, Relevant Securities means:
Resolutions 15 and 16 are to approve the disapplication of pre-emption rights. Section 561(1) of the Act provides that if the Directors wish to allot any equity securities, or sell any treasury shares (if it holds any), for cash, they must first offer them to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings. Section 561 does not apply to allotments of equity securities made in connection with an employee share scheme.
In accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Monitoring Report issued in May 2017, two separate resolutions are being proposed in connection with the disapplication of pre-emption rights.
Resolution 15 will, if passed, give the Directors power, pursuant to the authority to allot granted by Resolution 14, to allot equity securities (as defined by section 560 of the Act) or sell treasury shares for cash without first offering them to existing Shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings (a) in relation to pre-emptive offers and offers to holders of other equity securities if required by the rights of those securities or as the Directors otherwise consider necessary, up to a maximum nominal amount of £590,298.02 which represents approximately 33.3% and, in relation to rights issues only, up to a maximum additional amount of £590,298.02 which represents approximately 33.3% of the Company's issued Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document); and (b) in any other case, up to a maximum nominal amount of £88,544.70 which represents approximately 5% of the Company's issued Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document).
The Board considers the authority in Resolution 15 to be appropriate in order to allow the Company flexibility to finance business opportunities or to conduct a pre-emptive offer or rights issue without the need to comply with the strict requirements of the statutory pre-emption provisions.
Resolution 16 will, if passed, to give the Directors further power, pursuant to the authority to allot granted by Resolution 14, to allot equity securities or sell treasury shares for cash without first offering them to existing Shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings for transactions which the Directors determine to be an acquisition or specified capital investment defined by the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles, up to a further total amount of £88,544.70 which represents approximately 5% of the Company's issued Ordinary Shares (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document)
In accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles, the Directors confirm that they intend that such authority will be used only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment that is announced contemporaneously with the issue, or that has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue. This power is being sought in order to give the Company the flexibility to raise funds in the future should it choose to do so. The Directors confirm, in accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles, that it does not intend to issue ordinary shares for cash representing more than 7.5% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital in any rolling three-year period other than to existing shareholders, save as permitted in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment as described above, without prior consultation with shareholders.
These authorities will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2021, whichever is earlier. It is the intention of the Director's to seek to renew these authorities every year and these resolutions will revoke and replace the power granted by Shareholders at last year's annual general meeting.
Under the Act, the notice period required for all general meetings of the Company is 21 clear days. AGMs will always be held on at least 21 clear days' notice but Shareholders can approve a shorter notice period for other general meetings.
This resolution would, if passed, allow the Company flexibility to call general meetings, other than annual general meetings on not less than 14 clear days' notice. The approval will be effective until the Company's next annual general meeting, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
This resolution seeks authority for the Company to make market purchases of its own Ordinary Shares and is proposed as a special resolution. If passed, the resolution gives authority for the Company to purchase up to 17,708,940 of its Ordinary Shares, representing just under 10% of the Company's issued Ordinary Share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the date of this document).
The resolution specifies the minimum and maximum prices which may be paid for any Ordinary Shares purchased under this authority. The authority will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 20 August 2021, whichever is earlier.
The Directors do not currently have any intention of exercising the authority granted by this resolution. The Directors will only exercise the authority to purchase Ordinary Shares where they consider that such purchases will be in the best interests of Shareholders generally and will result in an increase in earnings per Ordinary Share.
The Company may either cancel any shares it purchases under this authority or transfer them into treasury (and subsequently sell or transfer them out of treasury or cancel them).
There are currently no options to subscribe for Ordinary Shares in the Company and the Company does not have any outstanding share warrants.
This resolution seeks authority to change the Company name from Energean Oil & Gas plc to Energean PLC. This will not affect the ticker of the company on the London Stock Exchange or the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange.
shall be entitled to vote at the meeting. Changes to the register of members after the relevant deadline shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to vote at the meeting.
members who have appointed a voting service provider(s) should refer to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take the appropriate action on their behalf.
If you submit more than one valid proxy appointment, the appointment received last before the latest time for the receipt of proxies will take precedence.
The Directors' holdings as at 23 April 2020 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) are shown in the table below:
| Interests in share | Interests in | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| incentive schemes, | share incentive | ||
| subject | schemes, | ||
| Shares owned | to performance | subject | |
| Director | outright | conditions | to employment |
| LTIP | DBP | ||
| Mathios Rigas | 19,700,916 | 755,828 | 67,253 |
| Panos Benos | 4,094,779 | 492,064 | 44,835 |
| Karen Simon | 176,926 | – | |
| Andrew Bartlett | 4,348 | – | |
| David Bonanno | 0 | – | |
| Robert William Peck | 6,765 | – | |
| Ohad Marani | 2,690 | – | |
| Stathis Topouzoglou | 17,079,525 | – | |
| Amy Lashinsky | 0 | - |
As at 23 April 2020 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document), the Company had received notifications in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rule 5.1.2 of the following interests of 3% or more in the voting rights of the Company:
| Shareholder | Number of shares | Number of voting rights | % of voting rights attached to the issued ordinary share capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Point Hellenic Recovery (Lux) S.À. R.L. | 34,889,566 | 34,889,566 (direct) | 19.73% |
| Growthy Holdings Co. Limited | 18,661,544 | 18,661,544 (direct) | 12.2% |
| Oilco Investments Limited | 16,016,734 | 16,016,734 (direct) | 9.0 4% |
| Clal Insurance Company Limited | 16,236,609 | 458,577 (direct) 15,778,032 (indirect) |
8.13% |
| Pelham Capital Limited Standard Life Aberdeen plc affiliated |
9,026,942 | 9,026,942 (direct) | 5.11% |
| investment management entities | 8,854,718 (indirect) | 8,854,718 (indirect) | 5.01% |
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