Regulatory Filings • Nov 25, 2021
Regulatory Filings
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of
(Adopted by special resolution passed on 17 November 2021)
| PRELIMINARY 1 |
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| 1. | Exclusion of Model Articles1 | |
| 2. | Liability of Members1 | |
| 3. | Unrestricted Objects 1 |
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| 4. | Definitions1 | |
| 5. | Form of resolution7 | |
| 6. | Change of Name7 | |
| SHARE CAPITAL8 | ||
| 7. | Ordinary shares 8 |
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| 8. | Rights attached to shares 8 |
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| 9. | Redeemable shares 8 |
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| 10. | Variation of rights8 | |
| 11. | Pari passu issues 9 |
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| 12. | Shares not to be allotted at a discount 9 |
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| 13. | Financial Assistance 9 |
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| 14. | Payment of commission9 | |
| 15. | Interests not recognised9 | |
| 16. | Recognition of trusts 10 |
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| 17. | Suspension of rights where non-disclosure of interest10 | |
| 18. | Uncertificated shares 12 |
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| 19. | Right to share certificates 14 |
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| 20. | Replacement of share certificates15 | |
| 21. | Execution of share certificates 15 |
| 22. | Delivery of certificate to broker or agent 15 |
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| LIEN | 15 | |
| 23. | Company's lien on shares not fully paid15 | |
| 24. | Enforcing lien by sale15 | |
| 25. | Application of proceeds of sale16 | |
| CALLS ON SHARES16 | ||
| 26. | Calls 16 |
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| 27. | Payment on calls17 | |
| 28. | Liability of joint holders17 | |
| 29. | Interest due on non-payment17 | |
| 30. | Sums due on allotment treated as calls17 | |
| 31. | Power to differentiate17 | |
| 32. | Payment of calls in advance17 | |
| FORFEITURE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES18 | ||
| 33. | Notice to pay unpaid calls and forfeiture18 | |
| 34. | Notice of forfeiture 18 |
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| 35. | Forfeited shares to be the property of the Company 18 |
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| 36. | Board may annul forfeiture19 | |
| 37. | Forfeiture not to extinguish liability to pay19 | |
| 38. | Statutory declaration as to forfeiture 19 |
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| TRANSFER OF SHARES 19 |
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| 39. | Transfer19 | |
| 40. | Rights to decline registration of partly paid shares 20 |
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| 41. | Other rights to decline registration 20 |
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| 42. | Notice of refusal21 | |
| 43. | No fee for registration21 |
| 44. | Registration of transfers may be suspended 21 |
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| 45. | Untraced shareholders 21 |
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| TRANSMISSION OF SHARES 23 |
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| 46. | Transmission on death23 | |
| 47. | Entry of transmission in register23 | |
| 48. | Election of person entitled by transmission 23 |
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| 49. | Rights of person entitled by transmission23 | |
| ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL24 | ||
| 50. | Fractions24 | |
| 51. | Purchase of own shares24 | |
| 52. | Reduction of capital24 | |
| GENERAL MEETINGS 25 |
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| 53. | General meetings 25 |
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| 54. | Annual general meetings25 | |
| 55. | Convening of general meetings 25 |
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| 56. | Electronic meetings26 | |
| 57. | Ordinary business27 | |
| 58. | Separate general meetings27 | |
| 59. | Shareholders' resolutions 27 |
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| LOCATION OF GENERAL MEETINGS 28 |
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| 60. | General meetings at more than one place 28 |
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| 61. | Controlling level of attendance29 | |
| 62. | Deemed location of meeting29 | |
| 63. | Adjournment to more than one place 29 |
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| NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS29 | ||
| 64. | Length of notice29 |
| 65. | Omission or non-receipt of notice 30 |
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| 66. | Postponement of general meetings 30 |
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| PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS 31 |
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| 67. | Quorum31 | |
| 68. | Procedure if quorum not present31 | |
| 69. | Security, access and other safety arrangements and orderly conduct at general meetings32 |
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| 70. | Chairman of general meeting 32 |
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| 71. | Orderly conduct33 | |
| 72. | Entitlement to attend and speak 33 |
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| 73. | Adjournments33 | |
| AMENDMENTS 35 |
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| 74. | Amendments to resolutions35 | |
| 75. | Amendments ruled out of order35 | |
| VOTING | 35 | |
| 76. | Suspension of rights35 | |
| 77. | Votes of members 35 |
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| 78. | Method of voting37 | |
| 79. | Procedure if poll demanded38 | |
| 80. | When poll to be taken 38 |
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| 81. | Continuance of other business after poll demand 38 |
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| 82. | Votes cast in advance38 | |
| 83. | Votes on a poll38 | |
| 84. | Votes of joint holders38 | |
| 85. | Voting on behalf of incapable member38 | |
| 86. | No right to vote where sums overdue on shares39 |
| 87. | Objections or errors in voting39 |
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| PROXIES39 | ||
| 88. | Execution of proxies 39 |
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| 89. | Delivery of proxies 40 |
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| 90. | Maximum validity of proxy 41 |
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| 91. | Form of proxy41 | |
| 92. | Cancellation of proxy's authority42 | |
| CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES42 | ||
| 93. | Representatives of corporations42 | |
| APPOINTMENT, RETIREMENT AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS 42 |
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| 94. | Number of directors 42 |
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| 95. | Directors' shareholding qualification43 | |
| 96. | Power of the Company to appoint directors43 | |
| 97. | Power of the Board to appoint directors43 | |
| 98. | Periodic retirement 43 |
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| 99. | Procedure if insufficient directors appointed 43 |
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| 100. | Power of removal by special resolution 44 |
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| 101. | Persons eligible as directors44 | |
| 102. | Position of retiring directors44 | |
| 103. | Vacation of office by directors 44 |
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| 104. | Alternate directors45 | |
| 105. | Executive directors 46 |
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| FEES, REMUNERATION, EXPENSES AND PENSIONS 47 |
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| 106. | Directors' fees 47 |
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| 107. | Additional remuneration47 |
| 108. | Expenses47 | |
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| 109. | Pensions and allowances 47 |
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| DIRECTORS' INTERESTS 48 |
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| 110. | Permitted interests and voting 48 |
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| POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD 52 |
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| 111. | General powers of the Company vested in the Board52 | |
| BORROWING POWERS52 | ||
| 112. | General power to borrow 52 |
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| 113. | Definitions for and interpretation of Articles 115 to 118 | 53 |
| 114. | Maximum limit on borrowings 53 |
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| 115. | Adjusted Capital and Reserves 54 |
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| 116. | Moneys borrowed55 | |
| 117. | Conversion into sterling 56 |
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| 118. | Validity of borrowing arrangements 56 |
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| 119. | Certification by Auditors56 | |
| 120. | Agents57 | |
| 121. | Delegation to individual directors57 | |
| 122. | Official seals57 | |
| 123. | Registers57 | |
| 124. | Authentication of documents 57 |
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| 125. | Provision for employees 58 |
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| 126. | Powers of Attorney 58 |
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| 127. | Cheques58 | |
| PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD58 | ||
| 128. | Board meetings 58 |
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| 129. | Notice of board meetings 59 |
| 130. | Quorum59 | |
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| 131. | Directors below minimum through vacancies 59 |
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| 132. | Appointment of chairman59 | |
| 133. | Competence of meetings 60 |
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| 134. | Voting60 | |
| 135. | Delegation to Committees60 | |
| 136. | Validity of acts of the Board or a committee 60 |
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| 137. | Participation in meetings by telephone61 | |
| 138. | Resolution in writing 61 |
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| 139. | Records of Board meetings61 | |
| 140. | Safeguarding of minutes and books 61 |
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| SECRETARY62 | ||
| 141. | Appointment and removal of the secretary 62 |
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| SEALS62 | ||
| 142. | Use of seals 62 |
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| DIVIDENDS AND OTHER PAYMENTS62 | ||
| 143. | Declaration of dividends by the Company62 | |
| 144. | Interim dividends 62 |
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| 145. | Interest not payable 63 |
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| 146. | Permitted deductions 63 |
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| 147. | Retention of dividends 63 |
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| 148. | Waiver of dividends 63 |
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| 149. | Unclaimed dividends 63 |
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| 150. | ||
| Forfeiture of unclaimed dividends64 | ||
| 151. | Dividends in specie 64 |
| 153. | Cessation of payment to untraced shareholders 66 |
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| 154. | Receipts where joint holders 67 |
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| 155. | Scrip dividends67 | |
| 156. | Investment trust prohibition on distributions 68 |
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| RESERVES 69 |
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| 157. | Sums carried to reserve 69 |
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| 158. | Capital reserve 69 |
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| CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS 70 |
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| 159. | Power to capitalise reserves and revenue account70 | |
| 160. | Settlement of difficulties in distribution 70 |
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| RECORD DATES71 | ||
| 161. | Power to choose any record date71 | |
| ACCOUNTING RECORDS71 | ||
| 162. | Preparation and laying of accounts 71 |
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| 163. | Accounts to be sent to members71 | |
| 164. | Summary financial statements 71 |
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| 165. | Accounts71 | |
| 166. | Valuation 72 |
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| 167. | Net Asset Value 72 |
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| 168. | Records to be kept72 | |
| 169. | Inspection of records 72 |
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| AUDITORS72 | ||
| 170. | Validity of acts of Auditors72 | |
| 171. | Attendance at general meetings 73 |
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| SERVICE OF NOTICES AND DOCUMENTS 73 |
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| 172. | Service of notices73 |
| 173. | Record date for service73 | |
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| 174. | Members resident abroad73 | |
| 175. | Service of notice on person entitled by transmission74 | |
| 176. | When notice deemed served 74 |
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| 177. | Notice when post and/or electronic means not available75 | |
| DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS75 | ||
| 178. | Company may destroy old instruments of transfer and other documents75 |
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| WINDING UP76 | ||
| 179. | Winding-up resolution76 | |
| 180. | Apportionment of surplus assets on winding-up76 | |
| INDEMNITY77 | ||
| 181. | Indemnity of officers and others 77 |
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| 182. | Indemnity against claims in respect of shares77 | |
| 183. | Information available to members 78 |
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| 184. | Reporting co-operation 78 |
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| 185. | Obligation to provide information to the Company79 |
________________________________
________________________________
of
(Registered Number 02342193 ) (Incorporated in England and Wales) (Adopted by Special Resolution passed on 17 November 2021)
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No articles set out in any statute, or in any statutory instrument or other subordinate legislation made under any statute, concerning companies (including, without limitation, the articles contained in The Companies (Model Articles) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008 No. 3229) and any amendment, re-enactment or substitution thereof from time to time) shall apply as the articles or regulations of the Company except insofar as they are repeated or contained in these Articles.
The liability of the members is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares held by them.
In accordance with the 2006 Act the Company's objects shall be unrestricted.
In these Articles unless the context otherwise requires:
| "the 2006 Act" | means the Companies Act 2006 as amended from time to time; |
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| "address" | has the meaning given to it in section 1148 of the 2006 Act; |
| "AIFM Rules" | means: (i) the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1773) (the "EU AIFM Directive") and any other |
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| implementing measure which operated to |
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| transpose Alternative Investment Fund |
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| Managers Directive (2011/61/EU) into UK law | |
| before 31 January 2020, each as amended from | |
| time to time; (ii) the UK versions of the EU AIFM | |
| Delegated Regulation and any other delegated regulations in respect of the EU AIFM Directive, |
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| each being part of UK law by virtue of the | |
| European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as |
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| further amended and supplemented from time to | |
| time; and (iii) all associated provisions of the | |
| FCA Handbook; |
"electronic form" when describing a document or information means sent or supplied in electronic form in accordance with section 1168 of the 2006 Act;
"electronic means" when describing a document or information means sent or supplied by electronic means in accordance with section 1168 of the 2006 Act;
| "the Office" | means the registered office from time to time of |
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| the Company or in the case of sending or | |
| supplying documents or information by |
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| electronic means, the address specified by the | |
| Board for the purpose of receiving documents or | |
| information by electronic means; |
"properly authenticated dematerialised instruction" has the meaning attributed to it in the Uncertificated Securities Rules;
"sponsoring systemparticipant" means in relation to a relevant system a person who is permitted by an Operator to send properly authenticated dematerialised instructions attributable to another person and to receive properly authenticated instructions on another person's behalf;
"Statutes" means the 2006 Act and every statute (including any orders, regulations or other subordinate legislation made under it) from time to time in force concerning companies in so far as it applies to the Company;
In the reference to "sponsoring system-participant" above, the word "person" shall include any body corporate.
The expression "debenture" shall include "debenture stock".
The words "subsidiary" and "holding company" shall be construed in accordance with sections 1159 and 1160 of the 2006 Act and "subsidiary" shall be construed to include "subsidiary undertaking" as that term is defined in section 1162 of the 2006 Act.
Words importing the singular number only shall be deemed to include the plural, and vice versa.
Words importing the masculine gender only shall be deemed to include the feminine and neuter genders and vice versa.
Words importing individuals shall be deemed to include bodies corporate and unincorporated bodies or associations.
Expressions referring to "in writing" shall be construed as including references to any method or combination of methods of representing or reproducing words, symbols or other information in a legible form, whether sent or supplied in hard copy, in electronic form or by being made available on a website.
References to a document being "executed" or "signed" or to a "signature" shall be construed as including references to it being executed under hand or under seal or by any other method, as permitted by the Board in its absolute discretion and, in the case of a communication in an electronic form, such references also include an electronic signature (subject to such terms and conditions as the directors may from time to time determine) and/or any other method of authenticated authentication as specified by the Act.
References to a "meeting" mean a meeting convened and held in any manner permitted by these Articles, including without limitation a general meeting or annual general meeting or separate general meeting of the holders of a particular class of shares of the Company at which some or all persons entitled to be present attend and participate by means of an electronic platform, and such persons shall be deemed to be "present" at that meeting for all purposes of the 2006 Act and these Articles and "attend", "attending" and "attendance" shall be construed accordingly.
References to a "meeting" shall not be taken as requiring more than one person to be present if any quorum requirement can be satisfied by one person.
The word "present" shall be construed for the purposes of a physical meeting as physically present at the location of the meeting.
References to a person's "participation" in the business of any meeting shall be construed as including, without limitation and as relevant, the right to speak, vote, be represented by a proxy or proxies and have access in hard copy or electronic form to all documents which are required by the Statutes or these Articles to be available at the meeting and "participate" and "participating" shall be construed accordingly.
References to an "electronic meeting" mean a meeting, including a general meeting or annual general meeting or separate general meeting of the holders of a particular class of shares, hosted on an electronic platform, whether that meeting is physically hosted at a specific location simultaneously or not.
References to an "electronic platform" mean a device, system, procedure, method or facility providing an electronic means of attendance at a meeting as determined by the directors pursuant to Article 56, including, without limitation, online platforms, application technology and conference call systems;
Nothing in these Articles shall preclude the holding and conducting of a meeting in such a way that persons who are not present together at the same place may by electronic means attend and speak and vote at it.
References to a "relevant system" shall be deemed to relate to the relevant computer-based system in which the particular share or class of shares or renounceable right of allotment of a share concerned in the capital of the Company is a participating security for the time being and all references in these Articles to the giving of an instruction by means of a relevant system shall be deemed to relate to a properly authenticated dematerialised instruction given in accordance with the Regulations and the giving of such instructions shall be subject to:
(c) the extent permitted by or practicable under the rules, procedures and practices from time to time of the operator of the relevant system. Headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation hereof.
Unless otherwise stated, any reference herein to the provisions of any statute shall extend to and include any amendment or re-enactment of or substitution for the same effected by any subsequent statute provided that no modification or re-enactment after the date of adoption of these Articles of any statutory provision, instrument, regulation or order in force at that date shall be construed as imposing on any person any greater obligation than would have been the case if the statutory provision, instrument, regulation or order in force at the date of adoption of these Articles continued to apply.
Subject as aforesaid, and unless the context otherwise requires, words and expressions defined in the 2006 Act or the Uncertificated Securities Rules shall bear the same meanings in these Articles.
The name of the Company may be changed by resolution of the Board.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and to any rights previously conferred on the holders of any other shares, any share may be issued with or have attached to it such rights and restrictions as the Company may by ordinary resolution decide or, if no such resolution has been passed or so far as the resolution does not make specific provision, as the Board may decide.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and to any rights previously conferred on the holders of any other shares, any share may be issued which is to be redeemed, or is liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the holder and the Board is authorised to determine the terms, conditions and manner of redemption of any such shares.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, all or any of the rights for the time being attached to any class of shares for the time being issued may from time to time (whether or not the Company is being wound up) be varied either with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than three-fourths in nominal value of the issued shares of that class (excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares) or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of those shares. All the provisions of these Articles as to general meetings of the Company shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to any such separate general meeting, but so that the necessary quorum shall be two persons present holding or representing by proxy not less than one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of the class (excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares), (but so that at any adjourned meeting one holder present in person or by proxy (whatever the number of shares held by him) shall be a quorum), that every holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy (excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares) shall be entitled on a poll to one vote for every share of the class held by him (subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any class of shares) and that any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy may demand a poll. The foregoing provisions of this Article shall apply to the variation of any special rights which only attach to certain shares of a particular class as if the shares carrying such special rights formed a separate class.
The rights conferred upon the holders of any shares shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to those shares, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with them.
Unissued shares in the Company shall not be allotted at a discount and, save as permitted by the Statutes, shall not be allotted except as paid up at least as to one-quarter of their nominal value and the whole or any premium thereon.
The Company shall not give any financial assistance in connection with the acquisition of shares in the Company except insofar as permitted by, and in accordance with, the Statutes.
The Company may exercise the powers of paying commissions conferred by the Statutes to the full extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the Statutes. Such commission may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the allotment of fully or partly paid shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also on any issue of shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.
Except as required by law or by these Articles, the Company shall not be bound by or compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any share, or any interest in any fractional part of a share, or (except only as by these Articles or by law otherwise provided) any other right in respect of any share, except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the holder.
The Company shall be entitled, but, except as required by law or by these Articles, shall not be bound, to recognise in such manner and to such extent as it may think fit any trusts in respect of any of the shares of the Company. Notwithstanding any such recognition, the Company shall not be bound to see to the execution, administration or observance of any trust, whether express, implied or constructive, in respect of any shares in the Company and shall be entitled to recognise and give effect to the acts and deeds of the holders of such shares as if they were the absolute owners thereof. For the purpose of this Article 16, "trust" includes any right in respect of any shares in the Company other than an absolute right thereto in the holder thereof for the time being or such other rights in the case of transmission thereof as are mentioned in these Articles.
subject to restrictions corresponding to those which will apply to those shares by reason of the restriction notice when such shares are issued.
a sale is an "arm's length sale" if the Board is satisfied that it is a bona fide sale of the whole of the beneficial ownership of the shares to a party unconnected with the holder or with any person appearing to be interested in such shares and shall include a sale made by way of or in pursuance of acceptance of a takeover offer (as defined in section 974 of the 2006 Act) and a sale made through the London Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange outside the United Kingdom on which the Company's shares are normally traded. For this purpose an associate (within the definition of that expression in any statute relating to insolvency in force at the date of adoption of this Article) shall be included amongst the persons who are connected with the holder or any person appearing to be interested in such shares;
"person appearing to be interested" in any shares shall mean any person named in a response to a statutory notice or otherwise notified to the Company by a member as being so interested or shown in any Register kept by the Company under the Statutes as so interested or, taking into account a response or failure to respond in the light of the response to any other statutory notice and any other relevant information in the possession of the Company, any person whom the Company knows or has reasonable cause to believe is or may be so interested;
"person with a 0.25 per cent. interest" means a person who holds, or is shown in any Register kept by the Company under the Statutes as having an interest in, shares in the Company which comprise in total at least 0.25 per cent. in number or nominal value of the shares of the Company (calculated exclusive of treasury shares), or of any class of such shares, in issue at the date of service of the statutory notice or the restriction notice (as the case may be) (calculated exclusive of treasury shares);
"relevant period" means a period of 14 days following service of a statutory notice;
"relevant restrictions" means in the case of a restriction notice served on a person with a 0.25 per cent. interest that:
and in any other case means only the restriction specified in subparagraph (i) of this definition; and
"statutory notice" means a notice served by the Company under the Statutes requiring particulars of interests in shares or of the identity of persons interested in shares.
(A) Pursuant and subject to the Uncertificated Securities Rules, (referred to in this Article as "the Regulations"), the Board may permit title to shares of any class to be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate and title to shares of such a class to be transferred by means of a relevant system and may make arrangements for a class of shares (if all shares of that class are in all respects identical) to become a participating class. Title to shares of a particular class may only be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate where that class of shares is for the time being a participating class. The Board may also, subject to compliance with the Regulations and the rules of any relevant system, determine at any time that title to any class of shares may from a date specified by the Board no longer be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate or that title to such a class shall cease to be transferred by means of any particular relevant system. For the avoidance of doubt, shares which are uncertificated shares shall not be treated as forming a class which is separate from certificated shares with the same rights. Subject to Article 18(F), the Company shall enter on the Register, in respect of any participating class, the number of shares that each member having both uncertificated and certificated shares of that class holds in uncertificated form and certificated form respectively.
and, without prejudice to the generality of this Article, no provision of these Articles shall apply or have effect to the extent that it is in any respect inconsistent with the maintenance, keeping or entering up by the Operator, so long as that is permitted or required by the Regulations, of an Operator register of securities in respect of that class of shares in uncertificated form.
within such period as may be specified in the notice and keep it as a certificated share for as long as the Board requires;
Subject to the provisions of the Uncertificated Securities Rules, the rules of any relevant system and these Articles, every person (except a person to whom the Company is not by law required to issue a certificate) whose name is entered in the Register as a holder of any certificated shares shall be entitled, without payment, to receive within whichever is the earlier of:
one certificate for all those shares of any one class or several certificates each for one or more of the shares of the class in question upon payment for every certificate after the first of such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as the Board may from time to time decide. In the case of a certificated share held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate and delivery of a certificate to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all. A member who transfers some but not all of the shares comprised in a certificate shall be entitled to a certificate for the balance without charge. The Company shall not be bound to register more than four persons as the joint holders of a share. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company may issue a certificate in relation to uncertificated shares when required to do so by a holder of uncertificated shares.
If a share certificate is defaced, worn out, lost or destroyed, it may be replaced without charge but on such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity as the Board may decide and, where it is defaced or worn out, after delivery of the old certificate to the Company. Any two or more certificates representing shares of any one class held by any member shall at his request be cancelled and a single new certificate for such shares issued in lieu. Any certificate representing shares of any one class held by any member may at his request be cancelled and two or more certificates for such shares may be issued instead. The Board may require the payment of any exceptional out-of-pocket expenses of the Company incurred in connection with the issue of any certificates under this Article. Any one of two or more joint holders may request replacement certificates under this Article.
Every share certificate shall be executed under a seal (or under a securities seal or, in the case of shares on a branch Register, an official seal for use in the relevant territory) or in such other manner as the Board having regard to the terms of issue and any listing requirements may authorise, and shall specify the number and class of the shares to which it relates and the amount or respective amounts paid up on the shares. The Board may by resolution decide, either generally or in any particular case or cases, that any signatures on any share certificates need not be autographic but may be applied to the certificates by some mechanical means or may be printed on them or that the certificates need not be executed by any person. Every share certificate sent in accordance with these Articles will be sent at the risk of the member or other person entitled to the certificate. The Company will not be responsible for any share certificate which is lost or delayed in the course of delivery.
Delivery of a certificate for certificated shares to a broker or agent acting in regard to the purchase or transfer of shares to which it relates shall be sufficient delivery to the purchaser or the transferee, as the case may be.
The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) for all amounts payable to the Company (whether presently or not) in respect of that share. The Company's lien on a share shall extend to every amount payable in respect of it. The Board may at any time either generally or in any particular case waive any lien that has arisen or declare any share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article.
The Company may sell, in such manner as the Board may decide, any share on which the Company has a lien if a sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable and is not paid within fourteen clear days after a notice in writing has been served on the holder of the share or the person who is entitled by transmission to the share and who has supplied the Company with an address within the United Kingdom for the service of notices, demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the share may be sold. For giving effect to the sale the Board may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer of the share sold to or in accordance with the directions of the purchaser. In the case of a share in uncertificated form, the Board may (to enable the Company to deal with the share in accordance with the provisions of this Article) require the Operator of a relevant system to convert the share into certificated form and, after such conversion, authorise any person to sign an instrument of transfer of the share sold to or in accordance with the directions of the purchaserThe transferee shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in relation to the sale.
The net proceeds, after payment of the costs, of the sale by the Company of any share on which it has a lien shall be applied in or towards payment or discharge of the debt or liability in respect of which the lien exists so far as it is presently payable, and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for debts or liabilities not presently payable as existed upon the share prior to the sale and upon surrender, if required by the Company, for cancellation of the certificate for the share sold) be paid to the person who was entitled to the share at the time of the sale.
Subject to the terms of issue, the Board may from time to time make calls upon the members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the nominal amount of the shares or by way of premium) and not payable on a date fixed by or in accordance with the terms of issue, and each member shall (subject to the Company serving upon him at least fourteen clear days' notice specifying when and where payment is to be made) pay to the Company as required by the notice the amount called on his shares. A call may be made payable by instalments. A call may be revoked or postponed, in whole or in part, as the Board may decide. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for all calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was made.
A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Board authorising the call was passed.
The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of the share.
If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable, the person from whom it is due and payable shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day it is due and payable to the time of actual payment at such rate, not exceeding 20 per cent. per annum, as the Board may decide, and all expenses that have been incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment, but the Board shall be at liberty in any case or cases to waive payment of the interest or expenses wholly or in part.
Any amount which becomes payable in respect of a share on allotment or on any other date fixed by or in accordance with the terms of issue, whether in respect of the nominal amount of the share or by way of premium or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call and, if it is not paid, all the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if the sum had become due and payable by virtue of a call.
Subject to the terms of issue, the Board may on the issue of shares differentiate between the allottees or holders as to the amount of calls to be paid and the times of payment of such calls.
The Board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any member who is willing to advance them all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid upon any shares held by him and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced may (until they would, but for the advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate, not exceeding (unless the Company by ordinary resolution shall otherwise direct) 15 per cent. per annum, as the Board and the member paying such moneys in advance may agree. If any call or instalment of a call remains unpaid on any share after the date appointed for payment, the Board may at any time serve a notice on the holder requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued and any expenses incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment. The notice referred to in this Article 32 shall specify a further date (not being less than fourteen clear days from the date of the notice) on or before which, and the place where, the payment required by the notice is to be made and shall state that in the event of non-payment on or before the date and at the place appointed, the shares in respect of which the call has been made or instalment is payable will be liable to be forfeited.
If any member fails to pay in full any call or instalment on or before the day appointed for payment thereof, the Board may, at any time thereafter, serve a notice on him requiring him to pay so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued and any expenses incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment. The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen days from the date of service of the notice) on or before which, and the place within the United Kingdom where, such call or instalment and such interest and expenses as aforesaid are to be paid. The notice shall also state that, in the event of non-payment at or before the time and at the place appointed, the shares in respect of which such call or instalment is payable will be liable to be forfeited. If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, the Board may by resolution at any time thereafter, but before the payment of all calls or instalments and interest and expenses due in respect thereof has been made, forfeit any share in respect of which such notice has been given. Such forfeiture shall extend to all dividends declared in respect of the shares so forfeited and not actually paid before such forfeiture. Forfeiture shall be deemed to occur at the time of the passing of the said resolution of the Board. The Board may accept a surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and, in that event, reference in these Articles to forfeiture shall include surrender.
Any person whose shares have been forfeited or surrendered shall cease to be a member in respect of those shares. When any share has been forfeited in accordance with these Articles, notice of the forfeiture shall be served upon the person who was, before forfeiture, the holder of the share, or the person entitled to the share by transmission, and an entry of the forfeiture or surrender, with the date thereof, shall forthwith be made in the Register, but no forfeiture shall be invalidated by any failure to give such notice or make such entry as aforesaid.
A share so forfeited or surrendered shall become and be deemed to be the property of the Company, and may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of to such person (including the person who was before such forfeiture or surrender the holder thereof or entitled thereto) and in such manner and upon such terms, either subject to or discharged from all calls made or instalments due prior to the forfeiture or surrender, as the Board thinks fit; provided that the Company shall not exercise any voting rights in respect of such share. In relation to a share so forfeited or surrendered, the Company will not be liable in any respect to the person who would have been entitled to the shares by law for the proceeds of sale. Any such share not disposed of in accordance with the foregoing provision of this Article within a period of three years from the date of its forfeiture or surrender shall thereupon be cancelled in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes. For the purpose of giving effect to any such sale or other disposition the Board may authorise some person to transfer the share so sold or otherwise disposed of to the purchaser thereof or other person becoming entitled thereto.
The Board may, at any time before any share so forfeited or surrendered shall have been cancelled or sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of, annul the forfeiture or surrender upon such terms as it thinks fit.
Any person whose shares have been forfeited or surrendered shall, notwithstanding that he shall have ceased to be a member in respect of those shares, remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which, at the date of the forfeiture or surrender, were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, together with interest thereon at the rate of 15 per cent. per annum (or such lower rate as the Board may determine) from the time of forfeiture or surrender until the time of payment, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all such moneys in respect of the shares, together with interest as aforesaid. The Board may at its absolute discretion enforce payment without any allowance for the value of the shares at the time of forfeiture or surrender or for any consideration received on their disposal or waive payment in whole or in part.
A statutory declaration that the declarant is a director of the Company or the secretary and that a share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in it as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. The declaration shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer if necessary) constitute a good title to the share and the person to whom the share is sold or otherwise disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money (if any) nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the forfeiture, sale or disposal.
Subject to such of the restrictions of these Articles as may be applicable:
The Board may, in its absolute discretion and without giving any reason for so doing, decline to register any transfer of any share which is not a fully paid share provided that where such share is admitted to the Official List of the FCA such discretion may not be exercised in such a way as to prevent dealings in shares of that class from taking place on an open and proper basis.
(i) the instrument of transfer is left at the Office or such other place as the Board may from time to time determine accompanied (save in the case of a transfer by a person to whom the Company is not required by law to issue a certificate and to whom a certificate has not been issued) by the certificate for the share to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the person executing the instrument of transfer to make the transfer;
(ii) (if stamp duty is generally chargeable on transfers of certificated shares) the instrument of transfer is duly stamped or adjudged or certified or otherwise shown to the satisfaction of the Directors as not chargeable to stamp duty;
If the Board declines to register a transfer of a share it shall, as soon as practicable and in any event within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged or, in the case of uncertificated shares, as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within two months after the date on which the relevant Operator-instruction is received, send to the transferee notice of the refusal together with reasons for the refusal. The directors shall send to the transferee such further information about the reasons for the refusal as the transferee may reasonably request.
No fee shall be charged by the Company for registering any transfer, document or instruction relating to or affecting the title to any share or for making any other entry in the Register.
Subject to the Statutes and the requirements of the FCA, the registration of transfers may be suspended at such times and for such periods as the Board may from time to time determine and either generally or in respect of any class of shares.
The Company may sell any certificated shares in the Company on behalf of the holder of, or person entitled by transmission to, the shares by instructing their sale on the London Stock Exchange, or on any other stock exchange outside the United Kingdom on which the Company's shares are normally traded, at the best price reasonably obtainable at the time of the sale if:
by the holder of, or person entitled by transmission to, the shares or by the transfer of funds by means of a relevant system at any time during the relevant period;
For the purpose of this Article:
"the qualifying period" means the period of twelve years immediately preceding the date of publication of the advertisements referred to in subparagraph (iv) above or of the first of the two advertisements to be published if they are published on different dates; and
"the relevant period" means the further period of three months following the sending of the notice referred to in Article 45(iv).
If during any relevant period further shares have been issued in right of those held at the beginning of that relevant period or of any previously so issued during that relevant period and all the requirements of subparagraphs (ii) to (v) above have been satisfied in regard to the further shares, the Company may also sell the further shares.
To give effect to any sale of shares pursuant to this Article the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares in question and an instrument of transfer executed by that person shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the holder of, or person entitled by transmission to, the shares. The purchaser shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase moneys nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale. The net proceeds of sale of any share sold pursuant to this Article, together with any unpaid or unclaimed dividends or other moneys payable in respect of such share (to the extent not already forfeited under these Articles), shall be forfeited and shall belong to the Company, and the Company will not be liable in any respect to the former holder of, or person entitled by transmission to, the share for such proceeds of sale or dividends or monies. The Company may use such proceeds of sale, dividends and other moneys for any purpose as the Board may from time to time decide.
If a member dies, the survivor or survivors, where he was a joint holder, and his personal representatives, where he was a sole holder or the only survivor of joint holders, shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his shares; but nothing contained in these Articles shall release the estate of a deceased holder from any liability in respect of any share held by him solely or jointly with other persons.
Where the entitlement of a person to a certificated share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a member or of any other event giving rise to its transmission by operation of law is proved to the satisfaction of the Board, the Board shall within two months after proof cause the entitlement of that person to be noted in the Register.
Any person entitled by transmission to a share may, subject as provided elsewhere in these Articles, elect either to become the holder of the share or to have some person nominated by him registered as the holder. If he elects to be registered himself he shall give notice to the Company to that effect. If he elects to have another person registered, he shall transfer title to the share to that person. The Board may at any time give notice requiring the person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the share and if the notice is not complied with within sixty days the Board may withhold payment of all dividends and other moneys payable in respect of the share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with. All the provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer of, and registration of transfers of, shares shall apply to the notice or transfer as if the death or bankruptcy of the member or other event giving rise to the transmission had not occurred and the notice or transfer was given or executed by the member.
Where a person becomes entitled by transmission to a share, the rights of the holder day prior to the in relation to that share shall cease, but the person entitled by transmission to the share may give a good discharge for any dividends or other moneys payable in respect of it and shall have the same rights in relation to the share as he would have had if he were the holder of it save that, until he becomes the holder, he shall not be entitled in respect of the share (except with the authority of the Board) to attend or vote at any general meeting of the Company or at any separate general meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the Company.
Subject to any direction by the Company in general meeting, whenever as a result of any consolidation and division or sub-division of shares any members of the Company would become entitled to any issued shares of the Company in fractions, the Board may deal with such fractions as it shall determine and in particular may sell the shares to which members would become so entitled in fractions to any person (including, subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the Company) for the best price reasonably obtainable and pay and distribute to and amongst the members entitled to such shares, in due proportions, the net proceeds of the sale thereof provided that where the entitlement of a member is to a sum of less than £3.00 then such sum may be retained by the Company for its own benefit. For the purpose of giving effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer or deliver the shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser and may cause the name of the purchaser to be entered in the Register as the holder of the shares comprised in any such transfer and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale. So far as the Statutes allow, the Board may treat certificated shares of a member and uncertificated shares of the same member as separate holdings in giving effect to subdivisions and/or consolidations and may cause any shares arising on consolidation or subdivision and representing fractional entitlements to be entered in the Register as certificated shares where this is desirable to facilitate the sale thereof.
Subject to the Companies Acts and to any rights for the time being attached to any shares, the Company may purchase its own shares (including any redeemable shares) and may hold such shares as treasury shares or cancel them. On any purchase by the Company of its own shares neither the Company nor the Board shall be required to select the shares to be purchased rateably or in any manner as between the holders of shares of the same class or as between them and the holders of shares of any other class.
Subject to any rights for the time being attached to any shares, the Company may by special resolution reduce its share capital, any capital redemption reserve, any share premium account or any other undistributable reserve in any manner permitted by, and in accordance with, the Statutes.
Any general meeting of the Company other than an annual general meeting shall be called a general meeting. The provisions in these Articles that relate to a general meeting shall also apply to an annual general meeting where applicable.
The Board shall convene and the Company shall hold general meetings as annual general meetings in accordance with the requirements of the Statutes.
(E) Two or more persons who may not be in the same place as each other attend and participate in a general meeting if they are able to exercise their rights to speak and vote at that meeting. A person is able to exercise the right to speak at a general meeting if the chairman of the general meeting is satisfied that arrangements are in place so as to enable that person to communicate to all those attending the meeting while the meeting is taking place (which communication may be by means of the submission of written communication through an electronic platform). A person is able to exercise the right to vote at a general meeting if that person can vote on resolutions put to the meeting (or, in relation to a poll, can vote within the required time frame) and that person's vote can be taken into account in deciding whether or not such resolutions are passed at the same time as the votes of others attending the meeting.
but under no circumstances shall the inability of one or more attendees to access, or continue to access, the electronic platform for participation in the meeting despite adequate facilities being made available by the Company affect the validity of the meeting or any business conducted at the meeting.
on display or available for inspection at the meeting (whether prior to or for the duration of the meeting or both), the Company shall ensure that the relevant document is available in electronic form to persons entitled to inspect it for at least the required period of time, and this will be deemed to satisfy any such requirement.
(D) When deciding whether a person is attending or participating in a meeting other than at a physical location, it is immaterial where that person is or how that person is able to communicate with others who are attending and participating.
Except where prohibited by law, Ordinary business shall mean and include only business transacted at a general meeting of the following types:
The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply, with any necessary modifications, to any separate general meeting of the holders of shares of a class convened otherwise than in connection with the variation or abrogation of the rights attached to the shares of that class. For this purpose, a general meeting at which no holder of a share other than an ordinary share may, in his capacity as a member, attend or vote shall also constitute a separate general meeting of the holders of the ordinary shares.
The Directors shall, on the requisition of members in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes, but subject as therein provided:
general meeting in accordance with Article 73. Such an adjournment will not affect the validity of such general meeting, or any business conducted at such meeting up to the point of adjournment, or any action taken pursuant to such general meeting.
The Board may, from time to time, make such arrangements for the purpose of controlling the level of attendance at any such place as they shall, in their absolute discretion, consider appropriate, and may from time to time vary any such arrangements or make any new arrangements in place of them, provided that the entitlement of a member to attend a meeting or adjourned meeting shall be satisfied by his being given the entitlement to attend at such place as may be specified by the Board for the purposes of this Article 61.
63. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of meeting or determined by the chairman of the meeting, a general meeting is deemed to take place at the place where the chairman of the meeting is at the time of the meeting. Adjournment to more than one place
If a meeting is adjourned to more than one place, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles.
(vi) the address of the website where information relating to the meeting is available; and
(vii) any procedures on attendance and voting.
If after the sending of the notice of a general meeting but before the meeting is held, or after adjournment of a general meeting, the Board, in its absolute discretion, considers that it is impractical, undesirable or unreasonable for any reason to hold a general meeting on the date or at the time or place specified in the notice calling the general meeting (including a satellite meeting to which Article 60 applies and/or by means of the electronic platform(s) specified in the notice), it may postpone the general meeting to another date, time and/or place(s) and/or change the electronic platform(s). If such a decision is made, the Board may subsequently change the place(s) and/or the electronic platform(s) and/or postpone the date and/or time again if it considers that it is reasonable to do so. No new notice of the general meeting need be sent but the Directors shall take reasonable steps to ensure that notice of the change of date, time, place(s) and/or electronic platform(s) for the postponed meeting appear at the original time and at the original place(s) and/or on the original electronic platform(s). However, when a general meeting is so postponed, notice of the date, time, place(s) and any electronic platform, if applicable, of the postponed meeting may be given in such manner as the Board may, in its absolute discretion, determine. No business shall be transacted at any postponed meeting other than business which might properly have been transacted at the meeting had it not been postponed. Notice of the business to be transacted at such postponed meeting shall not be required. If a general meeting is postponed in accordance with this Article the appointment of a proxy will be valid if it is received as required by these Articles not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the postponed meeting. When calculating such 48 hour period, the Directors may decide not to take account of any part of a day that is not a working day.
No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business, but the absence of a quorum shall not preclude the choice or appointment of a chairman which shall not be treated as part of the business of the meeting. Save as otherwise provided by these Articles, two members present in person or by proxy or by a duly authorised corporate representative (which shall include by means of an electronic platform and/or at a Satellite Location, if relevant) and entitled to vote shall be a quorum for all purposes.
and/or electronic platform(s) to which it is adjourned or state that it is adjourned to such time, place and/or electronic platform(s) as the Directors may decide. If a quorum is not present within 30 minutes from the time appointed for holding the adjourned meeting, the adjourned meeting shall be dissolved. Articles 73(E), 73(F) and 73(G) shall apply to any such adjourned meeting.
(C) If the meeting was convened on the requisition of members, it shall be dissolved.
within five minutes after the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting, or if neither the chairman nor any deputy chairman is willing to act as chairman, the directors present shall choose one of their number to act, or if one director only is present he shall preside as chairman if willing to act. If no director is present, or if each of the directors present declines to take the chair, the persons present and entitled to vote shall appoint one of their number to be chairman.
The chairman shall take such action or give directions for such action to be taken as he thinks fit to promote the orderly conduct of the business of the meeting as laid down in the notice of the meeting. The chairman's decision on matters of procedure or arising incidentally from the business of the meeting shall be final as shall be his determination as to whether any matter is of such a nature.
consent of the meeting, interrupt or adjourn a meeting if he considers that:
to the chairman of the meeting or Secretary, shall be valid even though it is given at less notice than would otherwise be required by these Articles.
(G) All business conducted at a general meeting up to the time of adjournment shall be valid. No business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting except business the general nature of which was stated in the notice of, and might lawfully have been transacted at, the meeting from which the adjournment took place.
In the case of a resolution duly proposed as a special resolution no amendment thereto (other than an amendment to correct a patent error) may be considered or voted upon; in the case of a resolution duly proposed as an ordinary resolution no amendment thereto (other than an amendment to correct a patent error) may be considered or voted upon unless either at least two working days prior to the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which such ordinary resolution is to be proposed notice in writing of the terms of the amendment and intention to move the same has been lodged at the Office or the chairman in his absolute discretion decides that it may be considered or voted upon. With the consent of the chair of the meeting, an amendment may be withdrawn by its proposer before it is put to the vote.
If an amendment shall be proposed to any resolution under consideration but shall be ruled out of order by the chairman of the meeting the proceedings on the substantive resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in such ruling.
The following provisions of these Articles in relation to voting by members whether in person or by proxy shall be subject, when appropriate, to Article 12.
(A) Votes on a show of hands
Subject to any special terms as to voting upon which any shares may be issued or may for the time being be held and to any other provisions of these Articles or the Statutes, on a vote on a resolution on a show of hands at a general meeting:
(i) every member who is present in person shall have one vote;
Subject to any special terms as to voting upon which any shares may be issued or may for the time being be held and to any other provisions of these Articles or the Statutes, on a vote on a resolution on a poll at a general meeting:
The Company shall be under no obligation to verify whether or not proxies and corporate representatives have cast their votes in accordance with their instructions. To the extent that a proxy or corporate representative has voted other than in accordance with any instructions the vote(s) in question shall stand and shall not in any way be invalidated and shall not vitiate the relevant resolution.
A resolution (including in relation to procedural matters) put to the vote at a general meeting held wholly or partly as an electronic meeting shall be decided on a poll, which poll votes may be cast by such electronic means as the Directors, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate for the purposes of the meeting. Subject thereto, a resolution put to the vote at a general meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll) a poll is properly demanded. Subject to the Statutes, a poll may be demanded by:
Unless a poll is so demanded on a show of hands and the demand is not withdrawn, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution on a show of hands has been carried or carried unanimously or by a particular majority or not carried by a particular majority or lost shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded for or against the resolution.
If a poll is properly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the chairman shall direct. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. The chairman may (and, if so directed by the meeting, shall) appoint scrutineers and may adjourn the meeting to some place and time fixed by him for the purpose of declaring the result of the poll.
A poll demanded on the election of a chairman, or on a question of adjournment, shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken either forthwith or on such date (being not later than thirty days after the date of the demand) and at such time and place as the chairman shall direct. It shall not be necessary (unless the chairman otherwise directs) for notice to be given of a poll.
The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting for the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll was demanded, and it may be withdrawn, with the consent of the chairman, at any time before the close of the meeting or the taking of the poll, whichever is the earlier, and in that event shall not invalidate the result of a show of hands declared before the demand was made.
To the extent that the Board decides to do so and subject to such terms as may be imposed by the Board to ensure the identification of the person voting and only to the extent that such terms are proportionate to the achievement of that objective, the votes on a resolution on a poll taken at a meeting may include votes cast in advance of that meeting.
On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy. A member may appoint more than one proxy to attend, speak and vote on his behalf on the same occasion, provided the proxies are appointed in respect of separate shares.
In the case of joint holders of a share the vote of the senior who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders and, for this purpose, seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register in respect of the joint holding (with the most senior joint holder being the holder whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the joint holding)..
A member in respect of whom an order has been made by any competent court or other suitably qualified person that he is or may be suffering from mental disorder or is otherwise incapable of managing his affairs may vote at any general meeting of the Company or at any separate general meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the Company and may exercise any other right conferred by membership in relation to general meetings by or through any person authorised in such circumstances to do so on his behalf (and that person may vote on a poll by proxy), provided that evidence to the satisfaction of the Board of the authority of the person claiming to exercise the right to vote or such other right has been delivered at the Office (or at such other place as may be specified in accordance with these Articles for the delivery of instruments appointing a proxy) not later than the last time at which an instrument of proxy should have been delivered in order to be valid for use at that meeting or on the holding of that poll.
No member shall, unless the Board otherwise decides, be entitled in respect of any share held by him to vote (either personally or by proxy) at any general meeting of the Company or at any separate general meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the Company or to exercise any other right conferred by membership in relation to general meetings unless all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of that share have been paid.
If:
the objection or error shall not vitiate the decision of the meeting or adjourned meeting on any resolution unless it is raised or pointed out at the meeting or, as the case may be, the adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered or at which the error occurs. Any objection or error shall be referred to the chairman and shall only vitiate the decision of the meeting on any resolution if the chairman decides that the same may have affected the decision of the meeting. The decision of the chairman on such matters shall be conclusive.
An instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing signed by the appointer or his attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointer is a corporation, either under its seal or signed by an officer, attorney or other person authorised to sign it.
In this Article, references to "in writing" include the use of signed communications in electronic form subject to such terms and conditions (including as to signatures) as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
For the purposes of this Article 89 "non-working days" means weekends, Christmas Day, Good Friday and any other bank holiday in England.
(C) Failure to deposit, receive or deliver the appointment of a proxy in accordance with the requirements set out above shall entitle the Company to treat such instrument as being invalid save that the directors may, in their absolute discretion, treat such an instrument as valid notwithstanding any default in complying with the requirements set out above.
(D) Nothing in this Article shall prejudice the continuing authority of a validly appointed proxy to attend, speak and vote on any resolution demanded at a meeting in respect of which he is validly appointed whenever taken or to attend, speak and vote at an adjourned meeting (whose business has been adjourned from a meeting in respect of which he has been validly appointed) whenever held. When two or more valid but differing appointments of proxy are delivered in respect of the same share for use at the same meeting, the one which is last delivered or received (regardless of its date or the date of its signature) shall be treated as replacing and revoking the others as regards that share. If the Company is unable to determine which was last delivered or received, none of them shall be treated as valid in respect of that share. Delivery of an instrument appointing a proxy shall not preclude a member from attending, speaking and voting in person at the meeting or poll concerned.
No appointment of a proxy shall be valid after twelve months have elapsed from the date of its receipt save that, unless the contrary is stated in it, an appointment of a proxy shall be valid for use at an adjourned meeting or on a poll after a meeting or an adjourned meeting even after twelve months, if it was valid for the original meeting.
supplements to, or amendments or revocations of, any such uncertificated proxy instruction to be made by like means. The Board may in addition prescribe the method of determining the time at which any such properly authenticated dematerialised instruction (and/or other instruction or notification) is to be treated as received by the Company or such participant. The Board may treat any such uncertificated proxy instruction which purports to be or is expressed to be sent on behalf of a member as sufficient evidence of the authority of the person sending that instruction to send it on behalf of that member.
A vote given or poll demanded by a proxy or by the duly authorised representative of a corporation shall be valid notwithstanding the previous determination of the authority of the person voting or demanding a poll, or the previous death or insanity of the principal, unless notice in writing of the determination, death or insanity was received by the Company:
not later than the last time at which an instrument of proxy should have been delivered in order to be valid for use at the meeting or on the holding of the poll at which the vote was given or the poll demanded.
Any corporation (other than the Company itself) which is a member of the Company may by resolution of its board of directors or other governing body authorise such person or persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative or representatives at any meeting of the Company or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares and, subject to the terms of the Statutes, the corporation shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting at which a person or persons so authorised is present.
Subject to the following provisions of these Articles, and unless otherwise determined by ordinary resolution of the Company, the number of directors (disregarding alternate directors) shall not be less than two nor more than ten.
A director shall not be required to hold a share qualification but a director who is not a member of the Company shall nevertheless be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at all general meetings of the Company and all separate meetings of the holders of any class of shares of the Company.
Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Company may by ordinary resolution appoint any person who is willing to act to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board, but so that the total number of directors shall not at any time exceed any maximum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles.
Without prejudice to the power of the Company in general meeting pursuant to any of the provisions of these Articles to appoint any person to be a director, the Board may appoint any person who is willing to act to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board, but so that the total number of directors shall not at any time exceed any maximum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles. Any director so appointed shall hold office only until the next annual general meeting and shall then be eligible for election.
At each annual general meeting of the Company every Director shall retire from office except any Director appointed by the Board after the notice of that annual general meeting has been given and before that annual general meeting has been held. A Director who retires at an annual general meeting may offer himself or herself for re-appointment by the members, if willing to continue to act as a Director. A Director that is so re-appointed will be treated as continuing in office without a break. Subject to Article 100 below, if the Director is not re-appointed, they shall retain office until the meeting passes a resolution to appoint someone in their place or, if the meeting does not do so, until the close of the meeting.
put to the meeting and lost (such persons who are not so appointed or re-appointed being "Retiring Directors"); and
(ii) at the end of that meeting the number of Directors is fewer than any minimum number of Directors required under these Articles,
all Retiring Directors shall be deemed to have been re-appointed as Directors and shall remain in office but the Retiring Directors may only act for the purpose of filling vacancies, convening general meetings of the Company and performing such duties as are essential to maintain the Company as a going concern, and not for any other purpose.
(B) The Directors shall convene a general meeting as soon as reasonably practicable following the meeting referred to in Article 87.1 and the Retiring Directors shall retire from office at that meeting. If at the end of any meeting convened under this Article the number of Directors is fewer than any minimum number of Directors required under these Articles, the provisions of this Article 87 shall also apply to that meeting.
In addition to any power of removal conferred by the Statutes, the Company may by special resolution remove any director before the expiration of his period of office and may (subject to these Articles) by ordinary resolution appoint another person who is willing to act to be a director in his place.
No person other than a director retiring at the meeting or a person recommended by the Board shall be appointed or re-appointed as a director at any general meeting unless not less than seven nor more than forty-two days before the day appointed for the meeting, notice signed by a member qualified to vote at the meeting (not being the person to be proposed) has been given to the secretary of the intention to propose that person for appointment or re-appointment together with notice signed by that person of his willingness to be appointed or re-appointed.
A director who retires (whether as a periodic retirement or otherwise) at an annual general meeting may, if willing to continue to act, be re-appointed. If he is not re-appointed, he shall retain office until the meeting appoints someone in his place or, if it does not do so, until the end of the meeting.
Without prejudice to the provisions for periodic retirement or otherwise contained in these Articles, the office of a director shall be vacated if:
If a director vacates his office for any reason, he shall cease to be a member of any committee or sub-committee of the Board.
In this Article, references to "in writing" includes the use of communications in electronic form subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may decide.
(A) Each director may appoint any person to be his alternate and may at his discretion remove an alternate director so appointed. If the alternate director is not already a director, the appointment, unless previously approved by the Board, shall have effect only upon and subject to its being so approved. Any appointment or removal of an alternate director shall be effected by notice in writing signed by the appointer and delivered to the Office or tendered at a meeting of the Board, or in any other manner approved by the Board. An alternate director shall be entitled to receive notice of all meetings of the Board or of committees of the Board of which his appointer is a member. He shall also be entitled to attend and vote as a director at any such meeting at which the director appointing him is not personally present and at such meeting to exercise and discharge all the functions, powers, rights and duties of his appointer as a director and for the purposes of the proceedings at such meeting the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if he were a director.
The Board or any committee authorised by the Board may from time to time appoint one or more directors to hold any employment or executive office with the Company for such period (subject to the provisions of the Statutes) and upon such other terms as the Board or any committee authorised by the Board may in its discretion decide and may revoke or terminate any appointment so made. Any revocation or termination of the appointment shall be without prejudice to any claim for damages that the director may have against the Company or the Company may have against the director for any breach of any contract of service between him and the Company which may be involved in the revocation or termination. A director so appointed shall receive such remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board or any committee authorised by the Board may decide, and either in addition to or in lieu of his remuneration as a director.
The directors shall be paid, out of the funds of the Company by way of fees for their services as directors, such sums (if any), and such benefits in kind as the Board may from time to time determine (not exceeding in the aggregate £200,000 per annum or such larger amount as the Company may by ordinary resolution determine) and such remuneration shall be divided between the directors as the Board shall agree or, failing agreement, equally. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to the remuneration of any director who is appointed to any executive office (whether part time or full time) which remuneration shall be established pursuant to the provisions of Article 107.
Any director who is appointed to any executive office or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board or any committee authorised by the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board or any committee authorised by the Board may in its discretion decide in addition to any remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article.
Each director may be paid his reasonable travelling, hotel and incidental expenses of attending and returning from meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or general meetings of the Company or any other meeting which as a director he is entitled to attend and shall be paid all other costs and expenses properly and reasonably incurred by him in the conduct of the Company's business or in the discharge of his duties as a director.
The Board may (by the establishment of, or maintenance of, schemes or otherwise) pay and agree to pay pensions or other retirement, superannuation, death or disability benefits or allowances to any person in respect of any Director or former Director, officer or former officer of the Company who may hold or may have held any executive office or employment under the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or its holding company (if any) and for the purpose of providing any such pensions or other benefits or allowances may contribute to any scheme or fund and may make payments towards insurances or trusts in respect of such persons.
Paragraphs (A) to (I) of this Article are subject to the provisions of the Statutes and to the provisions of paragraphs (J) to (P).
settlement or variation of the terms or the termination of his own appointment, as the holder of any office or place of profit with the Company or any other company in which the Company is interested but, where proposals are under consideration concerning the appointment, or the settlement or variation of the terms or the termination of the appointment, of two or more directors to offices or places of profit with the Company or any other company in which the Company is interested, a separate resolution may be put in relation to each director and in that case each of the directors concerned shall be entitled to vote and be counted in the quorum in respect of each resolution unless it concerns his own appointment or the settlement or variation of the terms or the termination of his own appointment or the appointment of another director to an office or place of profit with a company in which the Company is interested and the director seeking to vote or be counted in the quorum owns one per cent. or more of it.
(iv) any contract in which he is interested by virtue of his interest in shares or debentures or other securities of the Company or by reason of any other interest in or through the Company;
(v) any contract concerning any other company (not being a company in which the director owns one per cent. or more) in which he is interested directly or indirectly whether as an officer, shareholder, creditor or otherwise howsoever;
purpose the director in question shall not be counted in the quorum and provided that the resolution was agreed to without the director in question voting or would have been agreed if their votes had not been counted) and the resolution shall be conclusive except in a case where the nature or extent of the interest of the director (so far as it is known to him) has not been fairly disclosed to the Board.
(M) Any terms determined by the Board under paragraph (L) of this Article may be imposed at the time of authorisation or may be imposed subsequently and may include (without limitation):
(i) the exclusion of the interested director in question from all information and discussion by the Company of the situation in question; and
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the memorandum of association of the Company and these Articles and to any directions given by the Company in general meeting by special resolution, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Board which may exercise all the powers of the Company whether relating to the management of the business of the Company or not. No alteration of the memorandum of association or these Articles and no special resolution shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if that alteration had not been made or that resolution had not been passed. The powers given by this Article shall not be limited by any special power given to the Board by any other Article.
Subject as provided in Articles 115 -118, the Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage, pledge, charge or grant any security over all or any part of its undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital and, subject to the Statutes, to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities, whether terminable, redeemable or perpetual and whether outright or as collateral security for any guarantee, debt, liability or indebtedness of the Company or of any third party.
For the purposes of Articles 115 to 118:
"Adjusted Capital and Reserves" shall be interpreted in accordance with Article 117;
"debenture" and "equity share capital" have the same meanings as in section 744 of the Act;
"Group" means the Company and its subsidiary undertakings for the time being and "member of the Group" shall be construed accordingly;
"Latest Accounts" means in the case where:
"moneys borrowed" shall be interpreted in accordance with Article 118;
"outside interests" means the proportion of the nominal amount of the issued equity share capital of a partly-owned subsidiary undertaking which is not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Company; and
"subsidiary undertaking" shall be construed as a subsidiary undertaking of the Company and "subsidiary undertakings" shall be construed accordingly.
The Directors shall restrict the moneys borrowed by the Company and exercise all voting and other rights or powers of control exercisable by the Company in relation to its subsidiary undertakings (if any) so as to secure (so far, as regards subsidiary undertakings, as by such exercise they can secure) that the aggregate principal amount (including any fixed or minimum premium payable on final redemption or repayment (or, in the case of an index-linked stock or other index-linked indebtedness, the highest amount that would be repayable thereon under the provisions of the instrument constituting or regulating such stock or indebtedness if such stock or indebtedness were to be redeemed on the date on which the calculation falls to be made)) outstanding in respect of all moneys borrowed (whether secured or not) by the Group (exclusive of moneys borrowed by any member of the Group from any other member of the Group, subject to paragraph 118.3 of Article 118), subject as hereinafter provided, shall not, without the previous sanction of an ordinary resolution of the Company, exceed at the time of borrowing an amount equal to the Adjusted Capital and Reserves.
For the purposes of Articles 115 to 118, the expression "Adjusted Capital and Reserves" shall mean at the relevant time the aggregate of:
all based on the Latest Accounts after:
earned up to and including the date of the Latest Accounts to the extent that any such distributions are not provided for therein; and
(e) excluding any sums set aside for future taxation (other than deferred taxation) less any sums properly added back in respect thereof.
b. For the purposes of Articles 115 to 118, "moneys borrowed" shall be deemed not to include amounts borrowed (including any fixed or minimum premium payable on repayment (or, in the case of an index-linked stock or other index-linked indebtedness, the highest amount that would be repayable thereon under the provisions of the instrument constituting or regulating such stock or indebtedness if such stock or indebtedness were to be redeemed on the date on which the calculation falls to be made)) for the purpose of repaying (and intended to be so applied within six months of being first borrowed) the whole or any part of borrowings or other indebtedness of any member of the Group for the time being outstanding pending their application for such purpose within such period.
c. For the purposes of Articles 115 to 118:
For the avoidance of doubt, no amount shall be taken into account more than once in any calculation of moneys borrowed.
For the purpose of calculating the aggregate amount of all moneys borrowed, any amount expressed in a currency other than sterling shall be translated into sterling at the latest establishable rate of exchange ruling in London prior to the date on which the calculation falls to be made (and so that for this purpose the rate of exchange shall be taken as the spot rate of any bank in London approved by the Directors at 11.00 am, London time, on the date on which such latest rate of exchange can be established) and, for the purpose of calculating the Adjusted Capital and Reserves, any amount so expressed in a currency other than sterling shall be translated into sterling at the rate of exchange used for the purpose of the Latest Accounts.
No person dealing with the Company or any of its subsidiary undertaking in good faith shall, by reason of the foregoing provisions, be concerned to see or inquire whether the limits imposed by these Articles are observed, and no debt incurred or security given in excess of such limit shall be invalid or ineffectual unless the lender or the recipient of the security had, at the time when the debt was incurred or the security was given, the express notice that the said limit had been or would thereby be exceeded.
A certificate or report by the Auditors as to the amount of the adjusted capital and reserves or the amount of any borrowings or to the effect that the limit imposed by this Article has not been or will not be exceeded at any particular time or times shall be conclusive evidence of that amount or of that fact.
The Board may, by power of attorney or otherwise, appoint any person or body of persons whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board to be the agent of the Company upon such terms (including terms as to remuneration) as it may decide and may delegate to any person so appointed any of its powers, authorities and discretions (with power to sub-delegate). The Board may remove any person appointed under this Article and may revoke or vary the delegation but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of the revocation or variation shall be affected by it. The power to delegate contained in this Article shall be effective in relation to the powers, authorities and discretions of the Board generally and shall not be limited by the fact that in certain Articles, but not in others, express reference is made to particular powers, authorities or discretions being exercised by the Board or by a committee authorised by the Board.
The Board may entrust to and confer upon any director any of its powers, authorities and discretions (with power to sub-delegate) upon such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as it thinks fit, and either collaterally with, or to the exclusion of, its own powers, authorities and discretions and may from time to time revoke or vary all or any of them but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of the revocation or variation shall be affected by it. The power to delegate contained in this Article shall be effective in relation to the powers, authorities and discretions of the Board generally and shall not be limited by the fact that in certain Articles, but not in others, express reference is made to particular powers, authorities or discretions being exercised by the Board or by a committee authorised by the Board.
The Company may exercise all the powers conferred by the Statutes with regard to having official seals and those powers shall be vested in the Board.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the Company may keep an overseas or local or other Register in any place and the Board may make and vary such regulations as it may think fit respecting the keeping of the Register.
Any Director or the Secretary or any person appointed by the Directors for
the purpose shall have power to authenticate any documents affecting the constitution of the Company (including these presents and extracts therefrom) and any resolutions passed by the Company or the Board or a committee of the Board and any books, records, documents and accounts or extracts therefrom as true copies or extracts; and where any books, records, documents or accounts are elsewhere than at the Office, the local manager or other officer of the Company having custody thereof shall be deemed to be a person appointed by the Directors as aforesaid.
The Board may exercise any power conferred by the Statutes to make provision for the benefit of persons employed or formerly employed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than a director or former director or shadow director) in connection with the cessation or the transfer to any person of the whole or part of the undertaking of the Company or that subsidiary.
The Directors may, from time to time and at any time, by power of attorney or otherwise, appoint any person or undertaking, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period, and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Directors may think fit, and also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him. The Directors may remove any person or undertaking appointed under this Article 128 and may annul or vary any such subdelegation but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such removal, annulment or variation shall be affected thereby.
All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable or transferable instruments, and all receipts for money paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as the Directors shall from time to time by resolution determine.
The Board may meet for the despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it thinks fit. A director at any time may, and the secretary on the requisition of a director at any time shall, summon a Board meeting.
Notice of a Board meeting shall be deemed to be properly given to a director if it is given to him personally or by word of mouth or sent in writing to him at his last known address or any other address given by him to the Company for this purpose. A director absent or intending to be absent from the United Kingdom may request the Board that notices of Board meetings shall during his absence be sent in writing to him at an address given by him to the Company for this purpose, but such notices need not be given any earlier than notices given to directors not so absent and if no request is made to the Board it shall not be necessary to give notice of a Board meeting to any director who is for the time being absent from the United Kingdom. A director may waive the requirement for him to receive notice of any meeting either prospectively or retrospectively. In this Article, references to "in writing" includes the use of communications in electronic form subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may decide.
The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Board may be fixed by the Board and, unless so fixed at any other number, shall be two. Subject to the provisions of these Articles, any director who ceases to be a director at a Board meeting may continue to be present and to act as a director and be counted in the quorum until the termination of the Board meeting if no other director objects and if otherwise a quorum of directors would not be present.
The continuing directors or a sole continuing director may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their number but, if and so long as the number of directors is reduced below the minimum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles or is below the number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles as the quorum or there is only one continuing director, the continuing directors or director may act for the purpose of filling vacancies or of summoning general meetings of the Company but not for any other purpose. If there are no directors or director able or willing to act, then any two members may summon a general meeting for the purpose of appointing directors.
The Board may appoint a director to be the chairman or a deputy chairman of the Board, and may at any time remove him from that office. The chairman or failing him a deputy chairman shall act as chairman at every meeting of the Board. If more than one deputy chairman is present they shall agree amongst themselves who is to take the chair or, if they cannot agree, the deputy chairman who has been in office as a director longest shall take the chair. But if no chairman or deputy chairman is appointed, or if at any meeting neither the chairman nor any deputy chairman is present within five minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
A meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in or exercisable by the Board.
Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
All acts carried out by the Board or by any committee or by any person acting as a director or member of a committee shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any member of the Board or committee or person so acting or that they or any of them were disqualified from holding office or had vacated office or were not entitled to vote, be as valid as if each such member or person had been properly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a director or member of the committee and had been entitled to vote.
All or any of the members of the Board or any committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or that committee by means of a conference telephone or any communication equipment (including video and web conferencing applications) which allows all persons participating in the meeting to speak to and hear each other. A person so participating shall be deemed to be present in person at the meeting and shall be entitled to vote or be counted in a quorum accordingly. Such a meeting shall be deemed to take place where the largest group of those participating is assembled, or, if there is no such group, where the chairman of the meeting then is.
A resolution in writing signed by all the directors for the time being entitled to receive notice of a meeting of the Board (if that number is sufficient to constitute a quorum) or by all the members of a committee for the time being so entitled shall be as valid and effectual as a resolution passed at a meeting of the Board or, as the case may be, of the committee properly called and constituted. In this Article, references to "in writing" include the use of communications in electronic form. Such a resolution may be contained in one document or electronic communication or several documents or electronic communications in like form each signed or confirmed electronically by one or more of the Directors or members of the relevant committee concerned.
The Directors shall cause minutes to be made, in books provided for the purpose, of the following matters, namely:
Any minute of any meeting of the Board or committee of the Board, or meeting of the Company, if signed by any person purporting to be the Chairman of such meeting or the next succeeding meeting, shall be receivable in evidence of the matters stated in such minute without further proof.
Any register, index, minute book, book of account or other book required by these Articles or the Statutes to be kept by or on behalf of the Company may be kept either by making entries in bound books or by recording them in any other manner authorised by the Statutes. In any case in which bound books are not used, the Directors shall take adequate precautions for guarding against falsification and facilitating discovery of falsification.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the secretary shall be appointed by the Board for such term and upon such conditions as the Board may think fit; and any secretary so appointed may be removed by the Board. The secretary shall receive such remuneration as the Board or any committee authorised by the Board shall decide.
The Board shall provide for the custody of every seal of the Company. A seal shall only be used by the authority of the Board or of a committee of the Board authorised by the Board in that behalf. Subject as otherwise provided in these Articles, and to any resolution of the Board or committee of the Board dispensing with the requirement for counter-signature on any occasion, any instrument to which the common seal is applied shall be signed by at least one director and the secretary, or by at least two directors or by such other person or persons as the Board may approve. Any instrument to which an official seal is applied need not, unless the Board for the time being otherwise decides or the law otherwise requires, be signed by any person.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the Company may by ordinary resolution from time to time declare dividends in accordance with the respective rights of the members, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Board.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, if and so far as, in the opinion of the Directors, the profits of the Company available for distribution justify such payments, the Directors may pay the fixed dividends on any class of share carrying a fixed dividend expressed to be payable on fixed dates on the halfyearly or other dates prescribed for the payment thereof and may also pay interim dividends of such amounts and on such dates and in respect of such periods as they think fit. If the share capital is divided into different classes, the Directors may pay interim dividends on shares which confer deferred or non-preferred rights with regard to dividend, but no interim dividend shall be paid on shares carrying deferred or non-preferred rights if, at the time of payment any preferential dividend is in arrears. If the Directors act in good faith, they shall not incur any liability to the holders of any shares for any loss they may suffer by the lawful payment of any such fixed or interim dividend as aforesaid.
No dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share shall bear interest as against the Company, unless otherwise provided by the rights attached to the share.
The Directors may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to any member, whether alone/or jointly with any other member, on or in respect of a share all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him, whether alone or jointly with any other member, to the Company on account of calls or otherwise in relation to shares in the Company. Sums so deducted can be used to pay amounts owing to the Company in respect of the shares.
The Directors may retain any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share:
The waiver, in whole or in part, of any dividend on any share by any document shall be effective only if such document is signed by the holder (or the person entitled to the share in consequence of a transmission event) and delivered to the Company and if, or to the extent that, the same is accepted as such or acted upon by the Company.
Without prejudice to the operation of Article 148, dividends or other moneys payable on, or in respect of, a share unclaimed after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by the Directors for the benefit of the Company until claimed. The payment by the Directors of any unclaimed dividend or other moneys payable on, or in respect of, a share into a separate account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof.
Any dividend unclaimed after a period of twelve years from the date on which such dividend became due for payment shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company
The Company may, upon the recommendation of the Directors, by ordinary resolution direct payment of a dividend, in whole or in part, by the distribution of specific assets (and in particular of paid up shares or debentures of any other company) to the member or person entitled thereto in consequence of a transmission event and the Directors shall give effect to such resolution. Where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Directors may:
(ii) by cheque (made payable to or to the order of the person entitled to the payment or to the order of such person as the person entitled to the payment may in writing direct and which may, at the Company's option, be crossed "account payee" where appropriate), warrant or other financial instrument; or
(iii) by a bank or other funds transfer system to an account designated in writing by the person entitled to the payment; or
Company may make, or procure the making of, such payments in accordance with such authority and any payment made in accordance with such authority shall constitute a good discharge therefor.
If, on three or more consecutive occasions, cheques, warrants or other financial instruments or other form of payment in payment of dividends or other moneys payable on, or in respect of, any share have been sent through the post in accordance with the provisions of Article 152 but have been returned undelivered or left uncashed during the periods for which the same are valid or if, following one such occasion, reasonable enquiries have failed to establish any new address of the holder, the Company need not thereafter despatch further cheques, warrants or other financial instruments or other form of payment in payment of dividends or other moneys payable on or in respect of the share in question until the member or other person entitled thereto shall have communicated with the Company in respect of the share and supplied in writing to the transfer office an address for the purpose.
If two or more persons are registered as joint holders of any share or are entitled jointly to a share in consequence of a transmission event, any one of them may give effective receipts for any dividend or other moneys payable or property distributable on or in respect of the share.
Subject to approval by ordinary resolution of the Company, the Directors may, in respect of any dividend declared or proposed to be declared at any time during the period specified in such resolution (and provided that an adequate number of unissued shares is available for the purpose), determine and announce that shareholders will be entitled to elect to receive in lieu of any cash dividend (or part thereof) an allotment of additional shares credited as fully paid. Any such announcement shall, where practicable, be made prior to or contemporaneously with the announcement of the dividend in question (the "relevant dividend") and any related information as to the Company's profits for such financial period or part thereof. In any such case the following provisions shall apply:
allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Directors shall capitalise out of such of the sums standing to the credit of reserves (including any share premium account or capital redemption reserve) or profit and loss account as the Directors may determine a sum equal to the aggregate nominal amount of additional shares to be allotted on such basis and apply the same in paying up in full the appropriate number of unissued shares for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the elected shares on such basis;
The distribution as a dividend of surpluses arising from the realisation of investments is prohibited.
The Board may, before recommending any dividend or capital distribution, from time to time set aside out of the profits of the Company and carry to reserves such sums as they think proper which shall, at the discretion of the Board, be applicable for any purpose to which the profits of the Company may properly be applied and pending such application may, at the like discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments as the Board think fit. The Board may divide the reserves into such special funds as they think fit and may consolidate into one fund any special funds or any parts of any special funds into which the reserves may have been divided. The Board may also, without placing the same to reserves, carry forward any profits. In carrying funds to reserves and in applying the same the Board shall comply with the provisions of the Statutes.
capital or to revenues or partly one and partly the other, having regard, inter alia, to the investment objectives of the Company, and to the extent the Board determines that any such cost, liability or expense should reasonably and fairly be apportioned to capital the Board may debit or charge the same to the capital reserve.
(C) Subject to the Statutes, all sums carried and standing to the credit of the capital reserve may be applied for any of the purposes to which sums standing to any reserve referred to in Article 110 may be applied including, without limitation, by way of payment of dividends or the redemption or purchase by the Company of its own shares.
The Company may, upon the recommendation of the Board, at any time and from time to time pass an ordinary resolution to the effect that it is desirable to capitalise all or any part of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve (including any share premium account, capital redemption reserve, merger reserve or special reserve arising on the cancellation or reduction of share premium account) or the profit and loss account whether or not the same is available for distribution and accordingly that the amount to be capitalised be set free for distribution among the members or any class of members who would be entitled to it if it were distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions, on the footing that it is applied either in or towards paying up the amounts for the time being unpaid on any shares in the Company held by those members respectively or in paying up in full unissued shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company to be allotted and distributed credited as fully paid up among those members, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but so that, for the purposes of this Article, a share premium account and a capital redemption reserve, merger reserve and any reserve or account representing unrealised profits, may be applied only in paying up in full unissued shares of the Company. The Board may authorise any person to enter into an agreement with the Company on behalf of the persons entitled to participate in the distribution providing for the allotment to them respectively of any shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company to which they are entitled on the capitalisation and the agreement shall be binding on those persons.
Where any difficulty arises in regard to any distribution of any capitalised reserve or account the Board may settle the matter as it thinks expedient and in particular may authorise any person to sell and transfer any fractions or may resolve that the distribution should be as nearly as may be practicable in the correct proportion but not exactly so or may ignore fractions altogether, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any members in order to adjust the rights of all parties, as may seem expedient to the Board.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, the Company or the Board may fix any date as the record date for any dividend, distribution, allotment or issue and such record date may be on or at any time before or after any date on which the dividend, distribution, allotment or issue is declared, paid or made. The power to fix any such record date shall include the power to fix a time on the chosen date.
The Directors shall, from time to time in compliance with the provisions of the Statutes, cause to be prepared and to be laid before a general meeting of the Company such accounts and reports as may be required by the Statutes
Subject to the provisions of Article 162, a printed copy of the accounts which are to be laid before a general meeting of the Company (including every document required by law to be attached or annexed thereto) and of the Directors' and auditors' reports shall, not less than 21 clear days before the date of the meeting, be sent to every member of, and every holder of debentures of, the Company and to every other person who is entitled to receive notices of meetings from the Company under the provisions of the Statutes or of these Articles, provided that:
Whenever a listing or quotation on any stock exchange for all or any of the shares or debentures or other securities of the Company shall for the time being be in force, there shall be forwarded to the appropriate officer of such stock exchange such number of copies of such documents as may for the time being be required under its regulations or practice.
The Company may send summary financial statements to members of the Company instead of copies of its full accounts and reports.
The Board may elect to prepare the Company's annual report and accounts in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United Kingdom or such other international accounting standards as may be permitted under the laws of England and Wales from time to time.
Without prejudice to any other provision of these Articles, valuation of the Company's assets shall be performed in accordance with prevailing accounting standards, the AIFM Rules, or such other accounting standards, bases, policies and procedures as the Directors may determine from time to time. Valuations of net asset value per share may be suspended if the underlying data necessary to value the investments of the Company cannot readily or without undue expenditure be obtained for regulatory reasons and any such suspension shall be announced by a Regulatory Information Service (as defined in the Financial Conduct Authority Handbook).
The net asset value per share shall be calculated at least annually and disclosed to members from time to time in such manner as may be determined by the Directors.
The Board shall cause to be kept at the Office, or such other place as the directors think fit, accounting records sufficient to show and explain the Company's transactions, and such as to disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company at that time, and which accord with the Statutes.
The Board shall, from time to time, subject to the provisions of the Statutes, determine whether, in any particular case, or class of cases, or generally and at which times and places, and under what conditions or regulations, the accounts and books of the Company, or any or them shall be open to the inspection of the members, and no member, not being a Director, shall have any right of inspecting any account or book, or document of the Company except as conferred by the Statutes, or authorised by the Directors, or by resolution of the Company in a general meeting.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, all acts done by any person acting as an Auditor shall, as regards all persons dealing in good faith with the Company, be valid, notwithstanding that there was some defect in his appointment or that he was at the time of his appointment not qualified for appointment or subsequently became disqualified.
The Auditors shall be entitled to attend any general meeting of the Company and to receive all notices of and other communications relating to any general meeting which any member is entitled to receive and to be heard at any general meeting on any part of the business of the meeting which concerns the Auditors.
Any notice or document (including a share certificate) may be served on or delivered to any member by the Company either personally or by sending it through the post addressed to the member at his registered address or by leaving it at that address addressed to the member or by means of a relevant system or, where appropriate, by sending it in electronic form to an address for the time being notified by the member concerned to the Company for that purpose, or by publication on a web-site in accordance with the Statutes or by any other means authorised in writing by the member concerned. In the case of joint holders of a share, service or delivery of any notice or document on or to one of the joint holders shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service on or delivery to all the joint holders.
Any notice or document may be served or delivered by the Company by reference to the Register as it stands at any time not more than fifteen days before the date of service or delivery. No change in the Register after that time shall invalidate that service or delivery. Where any notice or document is served on or delivered to any person in respect of a share in accordance with these Articles, no person deriving any title or interest in that share shall be entitled to any further service or delivery of that notice or document.
Any member whose registered address is not within the United Kingdom (a "Non-UK Resident Member") shall not be entitled to receive notices or documents except that:
electronic means to the extent that: (a) to do so would constitute a breach of or non-compliance with the laws or rules of any jurisdiction or regulatory authority outside the United Kingdom ("Local Laws"); or (b) the costs or other disadvantages of taking legal advice to determine whether or not Local Laws may be breached or not complied with are disproportionate to the benefits which might be derived from obtaining such advice.
A person who is entitled by transmission to a share, upon supplying the Company with either or both of: (i) a postal address within the United Kingdom for the service of written notices; and/or (ii) an address for the purposes of the service of notices in electronic form, shall be entitled to have served upon or delivered to him at such address any notice or document to which he would have been entitled if he were the holder of that share, and such service or delivery shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service or delivery of such notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claimants through or under him) in the share. Otherwise, any notice or other document served on or delivered to any member pursuant to these Articles shall, notwithstanding that the member is then dead or bankrupt or that any other event giving rise to the transmission of the share by operation of law has occurred and whether or not the Company has notice of the death, bankruptcy or other event, be deemed to have been properly served or delivered in respect of any share registered in the name of that member as a sole or joint holder.
Any notice or document, if sent by the Company by post, shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day following that on which it was put in the post and, in proving service or delivery, it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice or document was properly addressed, prepaid and put in the post. Any notice or document not sent by post but left by the Company at a registered address shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day it was so left. Any notice served or delivered by the Company by means of a relevant system shall be deemed to have been served or delivered when the Company or any sponsoring system-participant acting on its behalf sends the issuer-instruction relating to the notice. Any notice or document sent by the Company by way of a communication in electronic form shall be deemed to have been received on the day following that on which it was sent. Proof that notice contained in a communication in electronic form was sent in accordance with the guidelines issued from time to time by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, or such other guidelines which the Board, in its absolute discretion, resolves to be applicable, shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was sent. A notice or other document placed on the Company's web-site shall be deemed to have been received when it was first made available on the website or, if later, on the day following that on which the notice of availability was sent. Any notice or document served or delivered by the Company by any other means authorised in writing by the member concerned shall be deemed to have been served when the Company has carried out the action it has been authorised to take for that purpose.
If at any time by reason of the suspension or curtailment of postal services and/or the unavailability of communications in electronic form within the United Kingdom or some part of the United Kingdom (the "affected area") the Company is unable effectively to serve notice on members with an address in the affected area, a general meeting may be convened by a notice to such members advertised in at least one newspaper with a circulation throughout the affected area. Notice published in this way shall be deemed to have been properly served on all members and persons entitled by transmission, who are entitled to have notice of the meeting served upon them, on the day when the advertisement has appeared in at least one such paper. If at least six clear days prior to the meeting the posting of notices to addresses throughout the affected area has again become practicable, the Company shall send confirmatory copies of the notice by post to the persons entitled to receive them.
The Company shall be entitled to destroy:
and it shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that every entry in the Register purporting to have been made on the basis of an instrument of transfer or other document so destroyed was duly and properly made, that every instrument of transfer so destroyed was a valid and effective instrument duly and properly registered, that every share certificate so destroyed was a valid certificate duly and properly cancelled and that every other document destroyed hereunder was a valid and effective document in accordance with the recorded particulars thereof in the books or records of the Company; provided always that:
The Directors will be required to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company to be held not later than 16 July 2002 at which a resolution will be proposed pursuant to section 84 of the Insolvency Act 1986 to wind the Company up voluntarily, unless such obligation shall have been postponed by ordinary resolution for a period recommended by the Directors not exceeding seven years. At such extraordinary general meeting every member present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall be obliged to vote in favour of such resolution and any votes purported to be cast against such resolution shall not be counted as valid votes.
Following the expiry of the period for which the obligation to convene such an extraordinary general meeting referred to above shall have been postponed the Directors shall convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company in accordance with this Article 179 for the purpose of considering a resolution to wind up the Company unless a further resolution in accordance with this Article 179 postponing such winding-up shall first have been passed. At such an extraordinary general meeting the provisions of this Article 179 with regard to voting shall apply.
If the Company shall be wound-up (whether the liquidation is voluntary, under supervision, or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of an extraordinary resolution, divide amongst the members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and whether or not the assets shall consist of property of one kind or shall consist of properties of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the members or different classes of member. The liquidator may, with the like authority, vest the whole or any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no contributor shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability.
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the Company may indemnify any director, auditor, manager, secretary or other officer (or any person who was at any time a director, auditor, manager, secretary or other officer of the Company, or its predecessor in business, or of a holding undertaking or subsidiary undertaking of the Company) against any liability and may purchase and maintain for any such person insurance against any liability. Subject to those provisions but without prejudice to any indemnity to which the person concerned may otherwise be entitled, every director, auditor, manager, secretary or other officer of the Company shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against any loss or liability incurred by him in the execution of his duties in relation to the affairs of the Company, provided that this Article shall be deemed not to provide for, or entitle any such person to, indemnification to the extent that it would cause this Article, or any element of it, or of such indemnification, to be treated as void under the Statutes.
Whenever any law for the time being of any country, state or place imposes or purports to impose any immediate or future or possible liability upon the Company to make any payment or empowers any government or taxing authority or government official to require the Company to make any payment in respect of any shares registered in any of the Company's registers as held either jointly or solely by any member or in respect of any dividends, bonuses or other moneys due or payable or accruing due or which may become due or payable to such member by the Company on or in respect of any shares registered as aforesaid or for or on account or in respect of any member and whether in consequence of:-
(ii) the non-payment of any income tax or other tax by such member;
(iii) the non-payment of inheritance tax or any estate, probate, succession, death, stamp or other duty by the executors or administrators or other legal personal representatives of such member or by or out of his estate; or
the Company in every such case:-
Nothing herein contained shall prejudice or affect any right or remedy which any law may confer or purport to confer on the Company and as between the Company and every such member as aforesaid, his executors, administrators or other legal personal representatives and estate wheresoever constituted or situated, any right or remedy which such law shall confer or purport to confer on the Company shall be enforceable by the Company.
(A) Each holder of shares shall co-operate with the Company in ensuring that the Company is able to comply with its obligations under the International Tax Compliance Regulations 2015 (as amended or replaced from time to time), all official guidance and any other relevant obligations with which the Company is bound to comply in relation to any international tax compliance regime (together for the purposes of this Article 184 the "ITC Regulations").
(A) In addition to the right of the Board to serve a statutory notice on any person pursuant to the Statutes, the Board may at any time serve written notice on any holder requiring that holder to promptly provide the Company or its agents with any information, representations, certificates, waivers, documentation or forms ("Information") relating to such holder (and to such holder's direct or indirect owners or account holders or the persons beneficially interested directly or indirectly in the shares held by such holder) that the Board determines from time to time is necessary or appropriate for the Company to have in order to:
the exercise of any voting or consent rights and rights to receive notice of or to attend any meeting of the Company and any rights to receive dividends or other distributions or payments with respect to such holder's shares.
deducted by the Company pursuant to FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard, any Similar Laws or any other applicable legislation, regulations, rules or agreements.
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