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abrdn Asia Focus plc

Registration Form Jan 11, 2022

4745_rns_2022-01-11_33fc8163-70e3-4e52-a8c7-a65bad47fc7a.pdf

Registration Form

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ABERDEEN ASIAN SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT
TRUST PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANYSTANDARD ASIA FOCUS
PLC
Company No: 3106339
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ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
(adopted by special resolution passed on [27 January•] 2022)
Dentons UK and Middle East LLP
One Fleet Place
London EC4M 7WS
United Kingdom
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ABEGAN/0041RUMD/00002/8055875.3103395.00013

One London Wall London EC2Y 5AB DX 123 LONDON/CHANCERY LN Tel 020 7002 8500 Fax 020 7002 8501 www.mms.co.uk

Ref: RJB/ABE/41/2

ABEGAN/0041RUMD/00002/8055875.3103395.00013

TABLE OF CONTENTS Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
Clause
Page No.
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PRELIMINARY
1
2
SHARE CAPITAL
3
4
5
VARIATION OF RIGHTS
6
7
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
INCREASE IN CAPITAL
CONSOLIDATION, SUB-DIVISION AND CANCELLATION OF SHARES
10
11
SHARES
12
COMMISSIONS/BROKERAGE
13
14
15
EVIDENCE OF TITLE TO SHARES
16
17
18
19
20
1
22 [UNCERTIFICATED SHARES]
CALLS ON SHARES
23
24 LIABILITY FOR CALLS
25 INTEREST ON OVERDUE AMOUNTS
26 DEEMED CALLS
27 POWER TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN HOLDERS
28 PAYMENT OF CALLS IN ADVANCE
FORFEITURE, SURRENDER AND LIEN
29 NOTICE ON FAILURE TO PAY A CALL
30 FORFEITURE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE
31 DISPOSAL OF FORFEITED SHARES
32 LIABILITY FOLLOWING FORFEITURE
33 LIEN ON PARTLY PAID SHARES
34 ENFORCEMENT OF LIEN BY SALE
35 APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS OF SALE
COMPULSORY SALE POWERS
36
37
TRANSFER OF SHARES
38 FORM OF TRANSFER
39
SHARES
40 [REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF UNCERTIFICATED SHARES] 1847
41 NO FEE ON REGISTRATION
42 CLOSURE OF REGISTER
43
44 RETENTION OF TRANSFERS
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
45 TRANSMISSION ON DEATH
46 ELECTION BY PERSON ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION
47 RIGHTS OF PERSONS ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION
STOCK 2149
48
49
50
UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS
51 SALES OF SHARES OF UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS
GENERAL MEETINGS
52 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
53
54 CLASS MEETING
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
55 C PERIOD OF NOTICE AND PERSONS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE NOTICE 2424
56 CONTENTS OF NOTICE
57 ORDINARY BUSINESS
58 OMISSION OR NON-RECEIPT OF NOTICE
59 GENERAL MEETINGS AT MORE THAN ONE PLACE
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETING
60 ELECTRONIC MEETINGS
0
62 CHAIRMAN
63 QUORUM
64 LACK OF QUORUM
65 ADJOURNMENT
દિદ DIRECTORS' RIGHT TO ATTEND AND SPEAK
67 AMENDMENTS TO RESOLUTIONS
68 ACCOMMODATION OF MEMBERS AT MEETING
દિવે SECURITY AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS AT MEETING
VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
70 METHODS OF VOTING
71 PROCEDURES ON A POLL
72 TIMING OF A POLL
73
VOTING RIGHTS
74 VOTES ATTACHING TO SHARES
75 VOTES OF JOINT HOLDERS
76 [NO] CHAIRMAN'S CASTING VOTE
77 MEMBER UNDER INCAPACITY
78 RESTRICTION ON VOTING
79
PROXIES AND CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES
80 IDENTITY OF PROXY
81 FORM OF PROXY
82 DEPOSIT OF PROXY
83 BODY CORPORATES ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES
84 REVOCATION OF PROXY OR CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE
DIRECTORS
85 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS
કર્ણ [NO] SHARE QUALIFICATION
87 DIRECTORS' REMUNERATION
88 ADDITIONAL REMUNERATION
89
90 RETIREMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS
91 DIRECTORS' INTERESTS
92 EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
તે33 DELEGATION OF POWERS
94 DESIGNATION OF NON-DIRECTORS
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
റിട APPOINTMENT
APPOINTMENT AND RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS
તેવાયું તેમ જ દૂધની ડેરી જેવી સવલતો પ્રાપ્ય થયેલી છે. આ ગામમાં પ્રાથમિક શાળા, પંચાયતઘર, આંગણવાડી તેમ જ દૂધની ડેરી જેવી સવલતો પ્રાપ્ય થયેલી છે. આ ગામના લોકોનો મુખ્યત્વે તેમ જ VACATION OF OFFICE
97 RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS
ರಿ8 RE-ELECTION OF RETIRING DIRECTORS
රිබ APPOINTMENT OF TWO OR MORE DIRECTORS
100 NOMINATION OF DIRECTORS FOR ELECTION
101
102 ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS AND CASUAL VACANCIES
MEETINGS AND PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
103 CONVENING OF BOARD MEETINGS
104 QUORUM
105 AUTHORITY TO VOTE
106 VIDEO CONFERENCE AND TELEPHONE MEETINGS
107
108 RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING.
109 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS BELOW MINIMUM
110 CHAIRMAN
111 WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS
112
COMMITTEES OF THE DIRECTORS
113
114 PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS
POWERS OF DIRECTORS
115 GENERAL POWERS
116
117
BORROWING POWERS
0
155
155 SECURITY FOR PAYMENT OF MONEYS BORROWED OR RAISED 5349
155 SECURITY FOR PAYMENT OF MONEYS
SECRETARY
122 APPOINTMENT
REGISTERS
123 MEMBERS
124 CHARGES
SEALS 5450
125 - - SEALS
AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS
126 AUTHENTICATION
RESERVES
127 ESTABLISHMENT OF RESERVES
128
DIVIDENDS
129 FINAL DIVIDENDS
130 INTERIM AND PREFERENTIAL DIVIDENDS
131 NO DIVIDEND EXCEPT OUT OF PROFITS
132 RANKING OF SHARES FOR DIVIDEND
133 NO INTEREST QN DIVIDENDS
134 RETENTION OF DIVIDENDS
135 WAIVER OF DIVIDENDS
136 CURRENCY AND PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS
137 JOINT HOLDERS AND PERSONS ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION
138
139
SCRIP DIVIDENDS
140 SCRIP DIVIDENDS
CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES
141 CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES
ACCOUNTS
142 SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
142 SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
142 SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
142 SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTICES, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION
146
147 SERVICE OF NOTICES, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION
148 JOINT HOLDERS
149 DECEASED AND BANKRUPT MEMBERS AND TRANSFEREES
150 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AS TO NOTICES
RECORD DATES
151
152
DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
153
INDEMNITY AND INSURANCE
155 INSURANCE
NAME 7766
155
PRELIMINARY
1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHARE CAPITAL
3 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 ____________________________
5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 -- WARRANTS TO SUBSCRIBE FOR SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VARIATION OF RIGHTS
7 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
9 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 -- CONSOLIDATION, SUB-DIVISION AND CANCELLATION OF SHARES 7
41 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHARES 8
13-AUTHORITY TO ALLOT
14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVIDENCE OF TITLE TO SHARES.
47 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CALLS ON SHARES
24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FORFEITURE, SURRENDER AND LIEN
30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPULSORY SALE POWERS
37 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSFER OF SHARES
39 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 -- RIGHT TO DECLINE REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF ICERTIFICATED]
SHADES -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
41- -- [REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF UNCERTIFICATED SHARES]
42 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
44- -- BRANCH REGISTER
45 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
46 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
47 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
48 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHARE WARRANTS
49 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STOCK
50 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
51 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
52 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS
53 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GENERAL MEETINGS
54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
55 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
56 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
57 -- PERIOD OF NOTICE AND PERSONS ENTITUED TO RECEIVE NOTICE 21
58- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
59 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
60 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
61 -- GENERAL MEETINGS AT MORE THAN ONE DIALE -- CHILINE -- CHILINE -- C2
62 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETING
63 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
64 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
65----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
66 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
67 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
68 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
69 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
71 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
72 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
73- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
74 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOTING RIGHTS
75 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
76 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
77 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
78 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
79 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
80 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROXIES AND CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES
81 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
82 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
83 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84- BODY CORPORATES ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES
85 -- REVOCATION OF PROXY OR CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTORS
86 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
87 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
88 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
89-ADDITIONAL REMUNERATION
90 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
92 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
94 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
95 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
96 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPOINTMENT AND RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS
97 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
98 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
400 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
101 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
402 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
403 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M5ETINGS AND PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
404 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
105 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
406 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
107 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
408--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39
409 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
410 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
114 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
112 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
113 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEES OF THE DIRECTORS
115 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
116 --- PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS
POWERS OF DIRECTORS
117 --- GENERAL POWERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
118 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
119 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
420 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
424 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BORROWING POWERS
122 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
423 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
424 -- SECURITY FOR PAYMENT OF MONEYS BORROWED OR RAISED 47
425 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECRETARY
426 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTERS
427 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
428 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEALS
129 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS
130 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESERVES
134 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
432-PROFITS FROM ACQUIRED BUSINESS
DIVIDENDS
414 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
133 FINAL DIVIDENDS 50
134 INTERIM AND PREFERENTIAL DIVIDENDS 50
135 NO DIVIDEND EXCEPT OUT OF PROFITS 50
136 RANKING OF SHARES FOR DIVIDEND 50
137 NO INTEREST ON DIVIDENDS 51
138 RETENTION OF DIVIDENDS 51
139 WAIVER OF DIVIDENDS 51
140 CURRENCY AND PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS 51
141 JOINT HOLDERS AND PERSONS ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION 52
142 UNCLAIMED AND UNCASHED DIVIDENDS 52
143 DISTRIBUTION IN SPECIE 53
SCRIP DIVIDENDS 53
144 SCRIP DIVIDENDS 53
CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES 55
145 CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES 55
ACCOUNTS 56
146 SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 56
NOTICES, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION 56
147 NATURE OF NOTICE 56
148 SERVICE OF NOTICES, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION 56
149 JOINT HOLDERS 58
150 DECEASED AND BANKRUPT MEMBERS AND TRANSFEREES 58
151 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AS TO NOTICES 59
RECORD DATES 59
152 RECORD DATE FOR SERVICE OF NOTICES 59
153 RECORD DATE FOR DIVIDENDS, ISSUES OF SHARES, ETC. 59
DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS 59
154 DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS 59
NOCMNITY AND INCLIDANCE
==============================================================================================================================================================================
CO
155
ATABLE
INDEMNI
=============================================================================================================================================================================
CO
150
ATABLE
INCLIDANICE
ורטים מחיים מוניים שנייני שניינוני שנייני שנייני שנייני שנייני שנייני שנייני שנייני שניי
CO
IAM
BUILD NIAME
. V. V.I.
24

Company No: 3106339

THE COMPANIES ACTS 1985, 1989 AND 2006

PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

of

ABERDEEN ASIAN SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANYSTANDARD ASIA FOCUS PLC

(the "Company")

(adopted by special resolution passed on [27 January●] 2022)

PRELIMINARY

1. EXCLUSION OF PRESCRIBED ARTICLES

No regulations or articles prescribed by regulations under any statute concerning companies shall form part of the articles of the Company and all such regulations and articles are hereby excluded.

2. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

2.1 In these Articles (if not inconsistent with the subject or context) the following words and expressions shall bear the following meanings:

"Act" means the Companies Act 2006;

  • "address" in relation to any document or information sent or supplied by electronic means, includes any number or address (including, in the case of any Uncertificated Proxy Instruction permitted pursuant to Article 81.381.382.3, an identification number of a participant in the relevant system concerned) used for the purposes of such communications;
  • "AIFM Rules" means the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (2011/61/EU) and all applicable rules and regulations implementing that Directive in the UK including, without limitation, The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1773) and all associated provisions of the FCA Handbook;
  • "Articles" means these articles of association as from time to time amended;
  • "associated company" means the parent undertaking of the Company or a subsidiary undertaking of the Company or of any such parent undertaking or an associated undertaking of the Company or any such parent company;

"Auditors" means the auditors of the Company for the time being;

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"business day" means 9a.m. to 5p.m. on any day (other than a Saturday or
Sunday) on which clearing banks are open for the transaction
of normal banking business in London;
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"certificated" means, in relation to a share, a share which is not an
uncertificated share;
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"class meeting" has the meaning given to it in Article 54.1; Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
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"clear days" in relation to a period of notice, that period excluding the day
when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day
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for which it is given or on which it is to take effect; Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
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"Common Reporting
Standard"
means the OECD Common Reporting Standard, or any
similar or successor information standard or legislation or any
information standard or legislation developed or made by any
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"CREST" other jurisdiction in connection with it, including, without
limitation, the UK International Tax Compliance Regulations
2015 and any orders, regulations or other subordinate
legislation made thereunder;
means the relevant system operated by EuroClear UK &
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and Asian text, Don't adjust space
between Asian text and numbers
Ireland Limited in terms of the Regulations; Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
"Directors" means the executive and non-executive directors of the Bold, Font color: Auto, Complex
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Company who make up its board of directors for the time
being or (as the context requires) the directors present or
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deemed to be present at a duly convened meeting of the
directors at which a quorum is present, and shall be
construed in accordance with Article 2.3.32.3.32.3.3;
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"electronic form" shall have the same meaning as in section 1168 of the Act; Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
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"electronic means" shall have the same meaning as in section 1168 of the Act
and
includes,
without
limitation,
email
and
facsimile
transmission;
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"electronic signature" means anything in electronic form which the Directors require
to be incorporated into or otherwise associated with any
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document or information sent or supplied in electronic form
for the purpose of establishing the authenticity or integrity of
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the document or information; Formatted
"entitled by means, in relation to a share, entitled as a consequence of Formatted
transmission" the death or bankruptcy of a member or of another event Formatted
giving rise to a transmission of entitlement by operation of
law;
Formatted
Formatted
"FATCA" means sections 1471 to 1474 of the US Tax Code, known as Formatted
the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (together with
any regulations, rules and guidance implementing such
Formatted
sections and any applicable intergovernmental agreement or Formatted
information
exchange
agreement
and related statutes,
regulations, rules and guidance thereunder); Formatted

Formatted ... Formatted ...

ABE/0041/00002/8055875

2

"FCSA" means the Financial Conduct Authority (including in its
capacity as the competent authority for the purpose of Part
VI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by virtue
of Part
2 Section 16 of the Financial Services Act
2012);means The Financial Services Authority;
"FCA Handbook" means the handbook of rules and guidance of the FCA, as
amended from time to time;
"Group" means the Company and its subsidiary undertakings (if any)
from time to time;
"holder" or "member" means in relation to a share, the person whose name is
entered in the Register in respect of that share, and shall be
construed in accordance with Article 2.42.42.4;
"London Stock
Exchange"
means London Stock Exchange plc or its successor from
time to time;
"Market Rules" means the Admission and Disclosure Standards of the
London
Stock
Exchange
(including
any
modification,
amendment or replacement thereof) and/or, where the
context so requires, the rules from time to time of any other
recognised investment exchange on which the securities of
the Company are listed, traded or dealt in;
"Memorandum of
Association"
means the memorandum of association of the Company for
the time being;
"month" means a calendar month;
"Office" means the registered office of the Company for the time
being;
"Official List" means the Official List maintained by the FCA;
"paid" or "paid up" includes credited as paid up;
"recognised
investment exchange"
means an investment exchange granted recognition under
the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;
"Register" means the register of members of the Company kept
pursuant to the Statutes and, where the context requires, any
register maintained by the Company of persons holding any
renounceable right of allotment of a share;
"registrar's office" means the place where the Register is kept for the time
being;
"Regulations" means the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI
2001 No. 3755);
"seal" means the Common Seal of the Company;
"Secretary" means any person, body corporate or partnership appointed
by the Directors to perform any of the duties of the secretary
of the Company, including, but not limited to, an assistant or

3

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4
deputy secretary, and where two or more persons are
appointed to act as joint secretaries the term shall include
any one of those persons;
"securities seal" means an official sealthe common or securities seal kept by
the Company pursuant to the Statutes for use for sealing
securities issued by the Company or for sealing documents
creating or evidencing securities so issued;
"share" has the meaning given to it in Article 113; Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
"Statutes"
"UK Listing Authority"
"uncertificated"
"Uncertificated Proxy
Instruction"
"United Kingdom" or
"UK"
means all statutes (and any regulations subordinate thereto)
for the time being in force concerning companies and
affecting the Company;
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means the FSA acting in its capacity as the competent
authority for the purpose of Part VI of the Financial Services
and Markets Act 2000 and in the exercise of its functions in
respect of the admission of securities to the Official List of the
UK Listing Authority;
means in relation to a share, a share, title to which is
recorded in the Register as being held in uncertificated form
and which, by virtue of the Regulations, may be transferred
by means of a relevant system;
has the meaning given in Article 81.381.382.3;
means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland; and
"US Tax Code" means the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; Formatted: Line spacing: 1.5 lines
and
"year" means a calendar year. Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
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2.2 In these Articles, unless the context otherwise requires:
2.2.1 words denoting the singular shall include the plural and vice versa and words
denoting the masculine shall include the feminine and neuter and vice versa;
2.2.2 others; words denoting persons shall include individuals, any company, corporation,
body corporate, association, partnership, firm, government authority or society
(whether incorporated or not) and references to any of the same include the
2.2.3 the expressions "debenture" and "debenture holder" shall respectively
include "debenture stock" and "debenture stockholder";
2.2.4 the words "include" and "including" shall be construed as if they were
immediately followed by the words "but not limited to";
  • 2.2.5 references to "writing" include references to any visible and non-transitory substitute for writing whether sent or supplied in hard copy, in electronic form or by being made available on a website;
  • 2.2.6 references to a document being "signed" or to a "signature" include references to it being executed under hand or under seal or by any other method and, in the case of a document in electronic form, are to its bearing an electronic signature;
  • 2.2.72.2.6 references to a document being "executed" or "signed" or to a "signature" include references to its being executed under hand or under seal or by any other method permitted by the Directors in their absolute discretion and, in the case of a communication in an electronic form, such references also include except by means of 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); and
  • 2.2.82.2.7 references to a "relevant system" shall be deemed to relate to the relevant 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 the provisions of 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:
    • (a) the facilities and requirements of the relevant system;
    • (b) the extent permitted by the Regulations; and
    • (c) the extent permitted by or practicable under the rules, procedures and practices from time to time of the operator of the relevant system.
  • 2.3 In these Articles:
    • 2.3.1 powers of delegation shall not be restrictively construed but the widest possible interpretation shall be given to them and except where expressly provided by the terms of delegation, the delegation of a power shall not exclude the concurrent exercise of that power by any other person who is for the time being authorised to exercise it under the provisions of these Articles or under another delegation of the power;
    • 2.3.2 no power of delegation shall be limited by the existence or, except where expressly provided by the terms of delegation, the exercise of that or any other power of delegation;
    • 2.3.3 references to "Directors" in the context of the exercise of any power contained in the provisions of these Articles includes reference to any committee consisting of one or more Directors from time to time, any Director from time to time holding executive office and any local or divisional board, managers or agents of the Company to which or, as the case may be, to whom the power in question has been delegated.
  • 2.4 All of the provisions of these Articles which apply to paid up shares apply also to stock, and the words "share" and "shareholder" and "member" shall be construed accordingly. The words "shareholder" and "holder" and "member" also include

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(subject to the provisions of these Articles and except where the context in which such word is used requires otherwise) the bearer of any share warrant.

  • 2.5 A special resolution shall be effective for any purpose for which an ordinary resolution is expressed to be required under any provision of these Articles. The expression "special notice" shall mean notice given in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes in any case where special notice of a resolution is required.
  • 2.6 Subject as set out in the preceding provisions of this Article 222 and if not inconsistent with the subject or the context in which the word or expression is used, any words or expressions defined in the Act or the Regulations (as the case may be) shall have the same meanings in these Articles, but excluding any statutory modification thereof not in force at the date of adoption of these Articles. In particular, the expressions "operator", "participating issuer", "participating security" and "relevant system" have the same meanings as in the Regulations.
  • 2.7 Unless otherwise stated, any reference in the provisions of these Articles to the provisions of any statute or any regulations subordinate thereto shall extend to and include any amendment or re-enactment of or substitution for the same effected by any subsequent statute or regulations.
  • 2.8 In these Articles the headings are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of the provisions of these Articles.

SHARE CAPITAL

3. AMOUNT

The authorised share capital of the Company is £10,500,000 divided into 42,000,000 ordinary shares of 25 pence each (the "shares").

4.3. SHARES

4.13.1 Ordinary Shares

Subject to the superior rights of any other class or classes of shares that are, or may be, issued by the Company, the rights and restrictions attaching to the shares as regards participation in the profits and assets of the Company shall be as follows:

4.1.13.1.1 Income

Any profits which the Company may determine to distribute in respect of any financial year shall be distributed among the holders of the shares pro rata according to the amounts paid up or credited as paid up on the shares held by them.

4.1.23.1.2 Capital

The capital and assets of the Company on a winding-up or other return of capital shall be applied in repaying to the holders of shares the amounts paid up or credited as paid up on such shares and subject thereto shall belong to and be distributed according to the number of such shares held by them respectively.

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5.4. REDEEMABLE SHARES AND SHARES WITH SPECIAL RIGHTS

  • 5.14.1 Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, and without prejudice to any rights attached to any class of shares for the time being in issue, any share in the Company may be issued:
    • 5.1.14.1.1 on terms that they are, or are liable to be, redeemed at the option of the Company or the holder; and
    • 5.1.24.1.2 with such preferred, deferred or other rights, or subject to such restrictions, whether as regards dividend, return of capital, voting, conversion or otherwise, as the Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution determine (or, in the absence of any such determination, as the Directors may determine).

6.5. WARRANTS TO SUBSCRIBE FOR SHARES

The Company may, subject to the Statutes, the provisions of these Articles, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, issue warrants or options to subscribe for shares in the Company upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may determine.

VARIATION OF RIGHTS

7.6. MANNER OF VARIATION OF RIGHTS

  • 7.16.1 Whenever the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes of shares, all or any of the rights attached to any class may, subject to the provisions of the Statutes, be varied or abrogated:
    • 7.1.16.1.1 in such manner (if any) as may be provided by those rights; or
    • 7.1.26.1.2 in the absence of such provision, either with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than three-quarters in nominal value of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class (but not otherwise),

and may be so varied or abrogated either whilst the Company is a going concern or during or in contemplation of a winding-up. To every such separate general meeting, all the provisions of the Statutes and these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company or to the proceedings thereat shall apply mutatis mutandis, except that:

  • 7.1.36.1.3 no member shall be entitled to receive notice of such meeting or to attend it unless he is a holder of shares of the class in question and no vote shall be given except in respect of a share of that class;
  • 7.1.46.1.4 the necessary quorum at any such meeting (other than an adjourned meeting) shall be two individuals, being two members present in person (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a member present through a corporate representative in accordance with Article 838384) or by proxy, together holding not less than one third in nominal amount of the issued shares of the class in question (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any shares of that class held as treasury shares), unless all the shares of the class are registered in the name of a single member, in which case the quorum shall be that single member, and where a member is present by proxy, he shall be treated as holding only the shares in respect of which that proxy or those proxies are authorised to exercise voting rights;

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  • 7.1.56.1.5 at any adjourned meeting the necessary quorum shall be one individual, being a member present in person or by proxy, holding shares of the class in question (whatever the number of shares held by him);
  • 7.1.66.1.6 each holder of shares of the class in question present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote may demand a poll;
  • 7.1.76.1.7 on a show of hands, every holder of shares of the class in question entitled to vote on the resolution who is present in person has one vote and every proxy present who has been duly appointed by a holder of shares of the class in question entitled to vote on the resolution has one vote; and
  • 7.1.86.1.8 each holder of shares of the class in question present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall, on a poll, have one vote in respect of every share of the class held by him.

The preceding provisions of this Article 667 shall apply to the variation or abrogation of all or any of the rights attached to some only of the shares of any class as if each group of shares of the class differently treated formed a separate class, the rights of which are to be varied or abrogated.

8.7. MATTERS NOT CONSTITUTING VARIATION OF RIGHTS

  • 8.17.1 The rights attached to any class of shares shall, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of such shares or by the terms upon which such shares are for the time being held, be deemed not to be varied or abrogated by:
    • 8.1.17.1.1 the creation, allotment or issue of further shares ranking equally in some or all respects with (but not having, in any respect, any priority over) such shares as regards participation in the profits or assets of the Company; or
    • 8.1.27.1.2 the purchase or redemption by the Company of any of its own shares (whether for cancellation or otherwise) or the cancellation of any of its shares following a reduction of capital approved by the Court under the Statutes; or
    • 8.1.37.1.3 the transfer or sale by the Company of any shares which it may hold as treasury shares from time to time in accordance with the Statutes; or
    • 8.1.47.1.4 the Directors resolving that a class of shares shall become, or the operator of the relevant system permitting such class of shares to be, a participating security.

ALTERATION OF CAPITAL

9.8. INCREASE IN CAPITAL

The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution increase its share capital by such sum to be divided into shares of such amount(s) and currency or currencies as the resolution shall prescribe. All new shares shall be subject to the provisions of the Statutes and these Articles with reference to allotment, payment of calls, forfeiture, lien, transfer, transmission and all other matters.

10.9. CONSOLIDATION, SUB-DIVISION AND CANCELLATION OF SHARES

10.19.1 The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution:

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  • 10.1.19.1.1 consolidate, or consolidate and divide, all or any of its share capital into shares of a larger nominal amount than its existing shares;
  • 10.1.29.1.2 subject to the provisions of the Statutes, sub-divide its shares, or any of them, (whether or not following a consolidation) into shares of a smaller nominal amount than is fixed by the Memorandum of Association and the resolution may determine that, as between the shares resulting from such subdivision, any of them may, as compared with the others, have any such preferred, deferred or other rights, or be subject to any such restrictions, as the Company has power to attach to unissued or new shares; and
  • 10.1.39.1.3 cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken, or agreed to be taken, by any person and diminish the amount of the Company's share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.
  • 10.29.2 Where any difficulty arises as a result of any consolidation or sub-division pursuant to Article 9.19.110.1, the Directors may settle the same as they consider expedient and in particular, but without prejudice to the foregoing generality, may make such provision as they think fit for any fractional entitlements which may or would arise, including arrangements under which (treating holdings of a member of uncertificated shares and certificated shares of the same class as if they were separate holdings, unless the Directors otherwise determine) they may:
    • 10.2.19.2.1 sell fractions of a share to a person (including, subject to the Statutes, the Company) for the best price reasonably obtainable and distribute the net proceeds of sale in due proportion among the persons entitled (except that if the amount due to a person is less than £5.00, or such other sum as the Directors may from time to time decide, the sum may be retained for the benefit of the Company); or
    • 10.2.29.2.2 subject to the Statutes, allot or issue to a member, credited as fully paid by way of capitalisation, the minimum number of shares required to round his holding of shares up to a number which, following consolidation and division or sub-division, leaves a whole number of shares (such allotment or issue being deemed to have been effected immediately before consolidation or subdivision, as the case may be).
  • 10.39.3 To give effect to a sale pursuant to Article 9.2.19.2.110.2.1, the Directors may exercise their powers under Article 363637.
  • 10.49.4 If shares are allotted or issued pursuant to Article 9.2.29.2.210.2.2, the amount required to pay up those shares may be capitalised as the Directors think fit out of amounts standing to the credit of reserves (including a share premium account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), whether or not available for distribution, and applied in paying up in full the appropriate number of shares. A resolution of the Directors capitalising part of the reserves for the purpose set out in Article 9.2.29.2.210.2.2 shall have the same effect as if the capitalisation had been declared by ordinary resolution of the Company pursuant to Article 141141145.

11.10. REDUCTION OF CAPITAL

Subject to the Statutes and to the rights attached to any class of shares for the time being in issue, the Company may from time to time by special resolution reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve, share premium account or other undistributable reserve in any manner.

12.11. PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES

Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the rights attached to any class of shares for the time being in issue, the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA and the Market Rules, the Company may from time to time purchase, or enter into a contract under which it will, or may, purchase any or all of its own shares (including any redeemable shares) at any price (whether at par or above or below par), and so that any shares to be so purchased may be selected in any manner whatsoever. Every contract for the purchase of, or under which the Company may become entitled or obliged to purchase, shares in the Company shall be authorised by such resolution of the Company as may be required by the Statutes and, where appropriate, the UK Listing AuthorityFCA.

SHARES

13.12. AUTHORITY TO ALLOT

Subject to the Statutes, the provisions of these Articles and to any resolution of the Company in general meeting passed pursuant thereto, all unissued shares of the Company (whether forming part of the original or any increased capital) shall be at the disposal of the Directors and they may allot (with or without conferring a right of renunciation), grant options over or otherwise deal with or dispose of in any other way, unissued shares or rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares to such persons, at such times and on such terms as they think proper, but no share may be issued at a discount.

14.13. COMMISSIONS/BROKERAGE

The Company may exercise the powers of paying commissions conferred by the Statutes to the full extent thereby permitted. The Company may also on any issue of shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.

15.14. RENUNCIATION OF ALLOTMENT

The Directors may at any time after the allotment of any share, but before any person has been entered in the Register as the holder of such share, recognise a renunciation thereof by the allottee in favour of some other person and may give to any allottee of a share a right to effect such renunciation upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the Directors may think fit to impose.

16.15. TRUSTS MAY BE RECOGNISED

The Company shall be entitled, but shall not (except as required by the Statutes or the provisions of these Articles) be bound (even when having express notice of the trust), to recognise in such manner and to such extent as it may think fit any trust(s) 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 expressed, implied or constructive, in respect of any shares of 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 purposes of this Article 151516 "trust" includes any right or interest (whether equitable, contingent, future, partial or otherwise) in respect of any share, or any fractional part of a share, of the Company, other than an absolute right of the registered holder to the entirety of the same or, in the case of a share warrant, the rights of the bearer of the warrant for the time being.

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EVIDENCE OF TITLE TO SHARES

17.16. MEMBERS' RIGHTS TO SHARE CERTIFICATES

Subject to Article 181819, every person (other than a member whose shares are in uncertificated form in accordance with Article 222223 or a financial institution in respect of whom the Company is not by law required to complete and have ready for delivery a certificate) whose name is entered as a member in the Register in respect of any certificated share shall be entitled, without payment, to receive a certificate therefor within 1 month of the date of allotmentthe time limits prescribed by the Statutes (or, 2 months after the date of expiration of any right of renunciation, if earlier) or within 1 month of the lodgement of a transfer or (subject to the foregoing) within such other period as the terms of the issue shall provideany time specified when the shares were issued) one certificate for all the shares such member holds of any one class.

18.17. ISSUE OF CERTIFICATES

Share certificates shall be issued under seal (including under securities seal or, in the case of shares on a branch register, an official seal for use in the relevant territory), which may be affixed or printed on it, or in such other manner as the Directors may approve, having regard to the terms of allotment or issue of the certificated shares, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA. Every share certificate shall specify the number, class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the shares to which it relates and the amount paid up thereon. No certificate shall be issued representing shares of more than one class. The Directors may determine, either generally or in particular cases, that any signature on share certificates need not be autographic but may be affixed to such certificates mechanically, electronically, by laser printing or by such other means or that such certificates need not be signed by any person.

19.18. JOINT HOLDERS

In the case of a share held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be obliged to issue more than one certificate for such certificated share and delivery of a certificate to one of the joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all.

20.19. BALANCE CERTIFICATES

Where some only of the certificated shares comprised in a share certificate are transferred, the old certificate shall be cancelled and a new certificate for the balance of such shares issued in lieu without charge.

21.20. REPLACEMENT OF SHARE CERTIFICATES

  • 21.120.1 Any two or more certificates representing certificated shares of any one class held by any member may, at his request, be cancelled and a single new certificate for such shares issued in lieu without charge.
  • 21.220.2 If any member surrenders for cancellation a share certificate representing certificated shares held by him and requests the Company to issue in lieu two or more share certificates representing such shares in such proportions as he may specify, the Directors may, if they think fit and on payment by the member of such reasonable sum as the Directors may decide, comply with such request.
  • 21.320.3 If a share certificate has been worn out, damaged or defaced or is alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued

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to the holder upon request subject to delivery up of the old certificate or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of any exceptional out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit.

21.420.4 In the case of shares held jointly by several persons, any such request may be made by any one of the joint holders.

DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATE TO BROKER OR AGENT

21.

  • 21.1 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.
  • 21.2 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 lost or delayed in the course of delivery.

22. UNCERTIFICATED SHARES

  • 22.1 Pursuant and subject to the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA and the Regulations, the Directors may permit title to shares and securities of any class to be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate, and title to shares and securities of such a class to be transferred by means of a relevant system, and may make arrangements for each share of a class of shares (if all shares of that class are in all respects identical) to become a participating security. Title to shares of a particular class may only be evidenced otherwise than by a certificate where that class of shares is at the relevant time a participating security. The Directors 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 Directors 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.
  • 22.2 For so long as a class of shares remains a participating security, no provision of these Articles shall apply or have effect in relation to uncertificated shares of that class to the extent that they are inconsistent in any respect with:
    • 22.2.1 the holding of shares of that class in uncertificated form;
    • 22.2.2 the transfer of title to shares of that class by means of a relevant system; and
    • 22.2.3 any provision of the Regulations.
  • 22.3 Any share of a class which is at the relevant time a participating security may be changed from an uncertificated share to a certificated share, and from a certificated share to an uncertificated share, in accordance with and subject as provided in the Regulations and the rules of any relevant system.
  • 22.4 Unless the Directors otherwise determine or the Regulations or the rules of the relevant system concerned otherwise require, any shares issued or created out of or in respect of any uncertificated shares shall be uncertificated shares and any shares issued or created out of or in respect of any certificated shares shall be certificated shares.

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  • 22.5 Where the Company is entitled in terms of the Statutes, the Regulations, the rules, procedures or practices of any relevant system, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA to dispose of, forfeit, accept the surrender of, enforce a lien over, re-allot or sell, transfer or otherwise procure the sale of any shares which are held in uncertificated form, the Directors shall have the power (subject to the Statutes, the Regulations, the rules, procedures and practices of the relevant system, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA) to take such steps as the Directors consider appropriate, by instruction by means of a relevant system or otherwise, to effect such disposal, forfeiture, surrender, enforcement, re-allotment, sale or transfer and such powers shall (subject as aforesaid) include the right to:
    • 22.5.1 request or require the deletion of any computer-based entries in the relevant system relating to the holding of such shares in uncertificated form; and/or
    • 22.5.2 alter such computer-based entries so as to divest the holder of such shares of the power to transfer such shares to a person other than the transferee, purchaser or his nominee identified by the Company for this purpose; and/or
    • 22.5.3 require any holder of any uncertificated shares, which are the subject of any exercise by the Company of any such entitlement, by notice in writing to the holder concerned, to convert his holding of such uncertificated shares into certificated form within such period as may be specified in the notice prior to completion of any disposal, sale or transfer of such shares or direct the holder to take such steps as may be necessary to sell or transfer such shares; and/or
    • 22.5.4 appoint any person to take such other steps in the name of the holder of such shares as may be required to effect the conversion and/or transfer of such shares and such steps shall be as effective as if they had been taken by the registered holder of the uncertificated shares concerned.
  • 22.6 The Company shall not issue to any person a certificate in respect of an uncertificated share.
  • 22.622.7 The Company shall be entitled to assume that the entries on any record of securities maintained by it in accordance with the Regulations and regularly reconciled with the relevant operator's register of securities are a complete and accurate reproduction of the particulars entered in the operator's register of securities and shall accordingly not be liable in respect of any act or thing done or omitted to be done by or on behalf of the Company in reliance on such assumption. In particular, any provision of these Articles which requires or envisages that action will be taken in reliance on information contained in the register shall be construed to permit that action to be taken in reliance on information contained in any relevant record of securities (as so maintained and reconciled).

CALLS ON SHARES

23. POWER TO MAKE CALLS

The Directors 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 value or, when permitted, in respect of any premium) and not by the terms of issue thereof made payable at fixed times. A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising the call was passed and may be made payable by instalments.

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24. LIABILITY FOR CALLS

Each member shall (subject to receiving at least 14 clear days' notice specifying the time or times and place of payment) pay to the Company as required by the notice the amount called on his shares. The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of such share. A call may, before receipt by the Company of any sum due thereunder, be revoked or postponed in whole or in part if and as the Directors may determine. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable to pay the amount called notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was made.

25. INTEREST ON OVERDUE AMOUNTS

If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from and including the day appointed for payment thereof to the time of actual payment at such rate fixed by the terms of allotment or issue of the share concerned or in the notice of the call, or if no rate is fixed, at the rate (not exceeding without the sanction of the Company given by ordinary resolution, a rate of 1 per cent. per annum above the base lending rate charged by the Company's bankers (or any of them) for the time being) as the Directors determine, but the Directors shall be at liberty in any case or cases to waive payment of all or part of such interest.

26. DEEMED CALLS

Any amount which, by or pursuant to the terms of allotment or issue of a share, becomes payable on allotment or issue or at any fixed date, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, shall for the purposes of the provisions of these Articles be deemed to be a call duly made and payable on the date on which, by or pursuant to the terms of allotment or issue, the same becomes payable and in case of non-payment all the relevant provisions of these Articles as to payment of interest and expenses, forfeiture or otherwise shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.

27. POWER TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN HOLDERS

Subject to the terms of allotment or issue, the Directors may, at any time and from time to time, differentiate between the allottees or the holders as to the amount of calls to be paid and the times of payment.

28. PAYMENT OF CALLS IN ADVANCE

28.1 The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any member willing to advance the same, all or any part of the moneys (whether on account of the nominal value of the shares or in respect of any premium) uncalled and unpaid upon the shares held by him and such payment in advance of calls shall extinguish, to that extent, the liability upon the shares in respect of which it is made and upon the money so received, or upon so much thereof as from time to time exceeds the amount then called upon such shares. The Company may pay interest at such rate (not exceeding without the sanction of the Company given by ordinary resolution, a rate of 1 per cent. per annum above the base lending rate charged by the Company's bankers (or any of them) for the time being) as the member paying such sum and the Directors may agree on the moneys so received (until and to the extent that the same would but for such advance become payable). Sums so paid in advance shall not entitle participation in any dividend.

28.2 The Directors may at any time repay moneys paid up in advance of calls upon giving to the member not less than 3 months notice in writing.

FORFEITURE, SURRENDER AND LIEN

29. NOTICE ON FAILURE TO PAY A CALL

  • 29.1 If a member fails to pay in full any call or instalment of a call on or before the due date for payment thereof, the Directors may at any time thereafter give to him not less than 14 clear days' notice requiring payment of the amount unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued thereon and any costs, charges and expenses incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment.
  • 29.2 The notice shall specify a further day (not being less than 14 clear days from the date of service 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 if the amount specified in the notice is not paid in full as required by the notice, the shares on which the call has been made will be liable to be forfeited.

30. FORFEITURE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

  • 30.1 If the requirements of any notice given under Article 292930 are not complied with, any share in respect of which such notice has been given may, at any time after such noncompliance and before payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect. Such forfeiture shall include all dividends declared and other moneys payable in respect of the forfeited share and not actually paid before forfeiture. The Directors may accept a surrender of any share liable to be forfeited under the provisions of these Articles and, in such case, references herein to forfeiture shall include surrender.
  • 30.2 When any share has been forfeited, the Company shall serve notice of the forfeiture on the person who was before forfeiture the holder of the share or the person who was before forfeiture entitled to the share by transmission; but no forfeiture shall be in any manner invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such notice as aforesaid. An entry of the fact and date of forfeiture or surrender shall be made in the Register.

31. DISPOSAL OF FORFEITED SHARES

Subject to the Statutes, a share which has been forfeited or surrendered and all rights attaching to it shall become the property of the Company and may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of either to the person who was before such forfeiture or surrender the holder of or entitled thereto or to any other person upon such terms and in such manner as the Directors shall think fit in accordance with Article 363637. At any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition, the forfeiture or surrender may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit. Any share which has been so forfeited or surrendered and has not been sold, re-allotted or disposed of shall be cancelled within 3 years of such forfeiture or surrender in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes.

32. LIABILITY FOLLOWING FORFEITURE

A person whose share has been forfeited or surrendered shall cease to be a member in respect of such share and shall, if the share is in certificated form, surrender to the Company for cancellation the certificate for such share. Such member shall, notwithstanding the forfeiture or surrender, remain liable (unless payment is waived in whole or in part by the Directors) to pay to the Company all moneys which, at the date of forfeiture or surrender, were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of the

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share, together with interest on such sum at such rate as may be fixed by the terms of allotment or issue of the share or in the notice of the call, or, if no rate is fixed, at such rate (not exceeding, without the sanction of the Company given by ordinary resolution, 1 per cent. per annum above the base lending rate charged by the Company's bankers (or any of them) for the time being) as the Directors may determine from and including the date of forfeiture or surrender until payment. The Directors may, in their absolute discretion, enforce payment without any allowance for the value of the shares at the time of forfeiture or surrender or waive payment in whole or in part.

33. LIEN ON PARTLY PAID SHARES

The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) registered in the name of a member (whether solely or jointly with another person) for all moneys (whether presently payable or not) called or payable at a fixed time in respect of such share. The Company's lien (if any) on a share shall extend to any amount, including, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, dividends payable in respect of it. The Directors may at any time or in a particular case waive any lien which has arisen or declare any share to be exempt wholly or partially from the provisions of this Article 333334.

34. ENFORCEMENT OF LIEN BY SALE

  • 34.1 The Company may exercise its powers under Article 363637 and sell in such manner as the Directors think fit any share on which the Company has a lien. No sale shall be made unless:
    • 34.1.1 some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable;
    • 34.1.2 a notice in writing shall have been given to the holder for the time being of the share, or to the person entitled thereto by transmission, demanding payment of the sum then payable and giving notice of the intention to sell in default of such payment; and
    • 34.1.3 not less than 14 clear days have expired after the delivery of such notice.

35. APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS OF SALE

The net proceeds of any sale pursuant to Article 343435, after payment of the costs of such sale, shall be received by the Company and applied in or towards payment or satisfaction of the amount in respect of which the lien exists, so far as the same is then payable. Any balance remaining shall (in respect of certificated shares, upon surrender to the Company for cancellation of the certificate for the shares sold or the provision of an indemnity as to any lost or stolen or destroyed certificate required by the Directors), subject to a like lien for amounts not presently payable as existed on the shares before the sale, be paid to the person entitled to the shares immediately before the sale.

COMPULSORY SALE POWERS

36. POWERS OF SALE

The Directors may exercise the powers conferred on them by this Article 363637 only when they are empowered to do so pursuant to any of Articles 9.39.310.3, 313132, 343435 and 515153. The Directors may, if necessary, authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of a certificated share on behalf of the holder of (or the person entitled by transmission to) the shares to any person. The Directors may, if necessary, exercise any of the powers conferred on the Company by Article

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22.522.523.5 to effect the transfer of an uncertificated share on behalf of the holder of (or the person entitled by transmission to) the share to any person. In either case, the transfer shall be as effective as if it had been made by the holder of (or the person entitled by transmission to) the share and the Company may receive the consideration (if any) for the disposal and may register the transferee as the holder of the share.

37. EVIDENCE OF DUE FORFEITURE AND SALE

A statutory declaration in writing by a Director or the Secretary of the Company that a share has been sold to deal with fractional entitlements or duly forfeited or surrendered or sold to satisfy a lien of the Company or sold pursuant to Article 515153 on a date specified in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated therein as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. Such declaration shall (subject to the execution of a transfer if necessary) constitute a good title to the share and the person to whom the share is sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of shall be registered as the holder of the share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the consideration (if any), nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating the forfeiture, surrender, sale, re-allotment or disposal of the share.

TRANSFER OF SHARES

38. FORM OF TRANSFER

  • 38.1 Subject to such of the restrictions of these Articles as may be applicable, any member may transfer all or any of his certificated shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in any other form acceptable to the Directors. The instrument of transfer of a share shall be signed by or on behalf of the transferor and, unless the share is fully paid, by or on behalf of the transferee.
  • 38.2 Subject to such of the restrictions of these Articles as may be applicable, an uncertificated share may be transferred in accordance with the Regulations and the rules of any relevant system.
  • 38.3 A transferor shall remain the holder of the share concerned (whether a certificated share or an uncertificated share) until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register as the holder of that share.

39. RIGHT TO DECLINE REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF CERTIFICATED SHARES

  • 39.1 Subject to Article 787879, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Directors may refuse to register the transfer of a certificated share which is not fully paid or on which the Company has a lien provided that this power will not be exercised so as to disturb the market in those shares.
  • 39.2 Subject to Article 787879, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Directors may also refuse to register the transfer of a certificated share or a renunciation of a renounceable letter of allotment (except where to do so would disturb the market in the shares) unless all of the following conditions are satisfied:
    • 39.2.1 it is in respect of only one class of share;
    • 39.2.2 it is in favour of a single transferee or renouncee or not more than 4 joint transferees or renouncees;

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  • 39.2.3 it is duly stamped (if required); and
  • 39.2.4 it is delivered for registration to the registrar's office or such other place as the Directors may determine, accompanied by the certificate(s) for the shares to which it relates (except in the case of a transfer by a financial institution where a certificate has not been issued or in the case of a renunciation) and such other evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to prove the title of the transferor or person renouncing and the due execution by him of the transfer or renunciation or, if the transfer or renunciation is executed by some other person on his behalf, the authority of that person to do so.
  • 39.3 If the Directors refuse to register the transfer of a certificated share, the Directors shall, as soon as practicable and in any event within 2 months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send notice of the refusal to the purported transferee, together with the reasons for the refusal and the Directors shall provide the purported transferee with such further information about the reasons for the refusal as the purported transferee may reasonably request.

40. REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF UNCERTIFICATED SHARES

  • 40.1 Subject to the Statutes, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Company shall register a transfer of title to any uncertificated share or any renounceable right of allotment of a share which is a participating security held in uncertificated form in accordance with the Regulations, but so that the Directors may refuse to register such a transfer in favour of more than 4 persons jointly or in any other circumstance permitted by the Regulations (except where to do so would disturb the market in the shares).
  • 40.2 If the Directors refuse to register the transfer of an uncertificated share or of any such uncertificated renounceable right of allotment of a share, the Company shall, as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within 2 months after the date on which the transfer instruction relating to such transfer was received by the Company, send notice of the refusal to the purported transferee together with the reasons for the refusal, and the Directors shall provide the purported transferee with such further information about the refusal as the purported transferee may reasonably request.

41. NO FEE ON REGISTRATION

No fee will be charged by the Company in respect of the registration of any transfer of a share or the renunciation of a renounceable letter of allotment or instruction or other document relating to or affecting the title to a share or otherwise for making any other entry in the Register.

42. CLOSURE OF REGISTER

  • 42.1 Subject to the Statutes, the registration of transfer of shares may be suspended and the Register closed at such times and for such periods as the Directors may from time to time determine and either generally or in respect of any class of shares, provided that:
    • 42.1.1 the Register shall not be closed for more than 30 days in any year;
    • 42.1.2 the Company shall not close the Register relating to a participating security without the consent of the operator of the relevant system; and
    • 42.1.3 notice of such closing shall be given by advertisement in accordance with the Statutes.

43. BRANCH REGISTER

Subject to, and to the extent permitted by, the Statutes, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Company, or the Directors on behalf of the Company, may arrange for a branch register to be kept in any territory of members resident in such territory. The Directors may make, and vary, such regulations as it may think fit regarding the keeping of any such register.

44. RETENTION OF TRANSFERS

All instruments of transfer which are registered shall, subject to Article 153153154, be retained by the Company but any instrument of transfer which the Directors refuse to register shall (except in the case where fraud or any other crime involving dishonesty is suspected in relation to such transfer) be returned to the person lodging it when notice of the refusal is given.

TRANSMISSION OF SHARES

45. TRANSMISSION ON DEATH

If a member dies, the survivors or survivor where the deceased was a joint holder, and the executors or personal representatives or administrators of the deceased where he was a sole or only surviving holder, shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest in the shares. However, nothing in this Article shall release the estate of a deceased holder (whether sole or joint) from any liability in respect of any share held by him.

46. ELECTION BY PERSON ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION

  • 46.1 Subject to the provisions of Article 454546, any person becoming entitled to a share by transmission may (subject as hereinafter provided) upon supplying to the Company such evidence as the Directors may from time to time reasonably require to show his title to the share, elect either to (i) be registered as holder of the share in either a personal or representative capacity or (ii) transfer such share to some other person nominated by him. If he elects to become registered himself, he shall give notice to the Company to that effect. If he elects to transfer such share to another person, he shall:
    • 46.1.1 if such share is a certificated share, execute an instrument of transfer of the share in favour of that person; or
    • 46.1.2 if such share is an uncertificated share, either procure that instructions are given by means of the relevant system to effect the transfer of the share to that person or change the share to a certificated share and transfer it in accordance with Article 46.1.146.1.147.1.1.
  • 46.2 All the provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer and the registration of shares shall apply to any such notification or transfer or instruction (as the case may be) which shall be treated as if it were a transfer executed, or instruction given (as the case may be), by the member registered as the holder of any such share.
  • 46.3 The Directors may at any time require a person to make the election referred to in Article 46.146.147.1 to be registered himself or to transfer the share and if the requirements are not complied with within 60 days of being issued, the Directors may withhold payment of all dividends and other moneys payable in respect of the share until the requirements have been met.

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47. RIGHTS OF PERSONS ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION

Save as otherwise provided by or in accordance with the provisions of these Articles, a person becoming entitled to a share by transmission (upon supplying to the Company such evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show his title to the share) shall have the rights, including rights as to dividends and other moneys payable in respect of the share, to which he would be entitled if he were the holder of the share, except that he shall not before being registered as the holder of the share be entitled in respect of it to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of the Company or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the Company.

SHARE WARRANTS

48. SHARE WARRANTS

  • 48.1 The Company may, with respect to any of its fully paid certificated shares, issue a warrant to bearer stating that the bearer of the warrant is entitled to the shares specified in the warrant, and may provide (by coupons or otherwise) for the payment of future dividends on the shares included in such warrant.
  • 48.2 A share warrant shall entitle the bearer of the same to the shares included in it. Those shares may be transferred by the delivery of the share warrant and the provisions of these Articles regarding the transfer and transmission of shares shall not apply to the same. Each share warrant shall be issued under seal (including under 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 Directors may approve.
  • 48.3 The Directors shall be entitled to accept a certificate (in such form and from such person as the Directors may approve) to the effect that a specified person is shown in the records of the person issuing such certificate as being entitled to the shares comprised in a specified share warrant as sufficient evidence of the facts stated in such certificate. The Directors shall also be entitled to treat the deposit of such certificate at the registrar's office (or any other place specified from time to time by the Directors) as equivalent to the deposit there of the share warrant, and may allot to the person named in such certificate any shares to which the bearer of the share warrant referred to in such certificate may be entitled. The right of the allottee to the allotment shall not, after any such allotment, be questioned by any person.
  • 48.4 The Directors may determine, and from time to time vary, the conditions upon which share warrants shall be issued, including those:
    • 48.4.1 upon which a new share warrant or coupon will be issued in the place of one worn out, damaged or defaced, or one alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed (but no new share warrant may be issued to replace one that is alleged to have been lost unless the Directors are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the original share warrant has been destroyed);
    • 48.4.2 upon which (subject as set out below) the bearer of a share warrant shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings;
    • 48.4.3 upon which dividends will be paid; and
    • 48.4.4 upon which a share warrant may be surrendered and the name of the holder entered in the Register in respect of the shares specified in such share warrant.

The conditions for the time being in force relating to share warrants (whether made before or after the issue of any particular share warrant) shall apply to the bearer of a share warrant unless stated to the contrary in any such conditions or in these Articles.

48.5 Subject to the terms of any conditions for the time being in force relating to share warrants and except as specifically stated to the contrary in these Articles, the bearer of a share warrant may at any time deposit the share warrant at the registrar's office (or at such other place as the Directors may from time to time nominate). So long as the share warrant remains so deposited, the depositor shall have the same right of signing a requisition for calling a meeting of the Company or of any class of member of the Company, of giving notice of intention to submit a resolution to a meeting and of attending and voting, giving a proxy and exercising the other privileges of a member, at any meeting held after the expiry of 48 hours from the time of deposit, as if his name were inserted in the Register as the holder of the shares included in the deposited share warrant. If a share warrant is deposited elsewhere than at the registrar's office (or such other place as the Directors have nominated), the depositor must obtain from the person with whom the same is deposited a certificate of such deposit in such form as the Directors may require specifying the share warrant and the number of shares included in that share warrant and must lodge the certificate of deposit at the registrar's office (or such other place as the Directors have nominated) at least 48 hours before the time of the meeting at which the depositor desires to attend or to be represented. Not more than one person shall be recognised as a depositor of any share warrant. Every share warrant which shall have been so deposited shall remain so deposited until after the closing of the meeting at which the depositor desires to attend or to be represented.

48.6 Except as specifically stated to the contrary in these Articles or in the terms of any conditions for the time being in force relating to share warrants, no person shall, as the bearer of a share warrant, be entitled to sign a requisition for calling a meeting of the Company or of any class of member of the Company or to give notice of intention to submit a resolution to a meeting or attend or vote or give a proxy or exercise any other privilege of a member at a meeting of the Company, or at a meeting of any class of member of the Company, or be entitled to receive any notices from the Company. However, the bearer of a share warrant shall be entitled in all other respects to the same privileges and advantages as if he were named in the Register as the holder of the shares included in the share warrant, and he shall be deemed to be a member of the Company.

STOCK

49.48. CONVERSION

The Company may from time to time, by ordinary resolution, convert any fully paid up certificated shares into stock or reconvert any stock into fully paid up shares of any denomination. If and whenever any unissued shares of any class in the capital of the Company for the time being shall have been issued and be fully paid and at that time the shares of that class previously issued shall stand converted into stock, such further shares upon being fully paid shall ipso facto be converted into stock transferable in the same units as the existing stock of that class.

50.49. TRANSFER

The holders of stock may transfer all or any part of such stock in the same manner and subject to the same regulations as and subject to which the certificated shares from which the stock arose might have been transferred (or as near to the same as circumstances permit). However, no stock shall be transferable except in such units

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(which shall not be greater than the nominal amount of the certificated shares from which the stock arose) as the Directors may from time to time determine.

51.50. RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

The holders of the stock shall, according to the amount of the stock held by them, have the same rights, privileges and advantages as regards dividends, return of capital, voting and other matters as if they held the certificated shares from which the stock arose; but no such right, privilege or advantage (except as regards participation in the profits or assets of the Company) shall be conferred by an amount of stock which would not, if existing in shares, have conferred such right, privilege or advantage.

UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS

52.51. SALES OF SHARES OF UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS

  • 52.151.1 The Company may exercise its powers under Article 363637 and sell, at the best price reasonably obtainable at the time of sale, the shares of a member, or the shares to which a person is entitled by transmission, if:
    • 51.1.1 during the period of 12 years immediately prior to the date of the publicationsending of the advertisements notice referred to in Article 51.1.253.1.2 (or, if published on different dates, the first such date) no cheque or warrant sent by the Company through the post in a pre-paid letter addressed to the member or to the person entitled by transmission to the share at his address on the Register or the last known address given by the member or the person entitled by transmission to which cheques and warrants are to be sent has been cashed and no communication has been received by the Company from the member or the person entitled by transmission, provided that at least 3 dividends (whether interim or final) in respect of those shares have become payable and no dividend in respect of those shares during that period has been claimed;
    • 52.1.151.1.2 the Company has sent a notice to the last known address given by the member or person concerned stating that the Company intends to sell the shares, provided that before sending such notice the Company is satisfied that it has taken the steps it considers reasonable in the circumstances to trace the relevant member or person concerned engaging, if considered appropriate, a professional asset reunification company or other tracing agent;
    • 52.1.2 the Company has, on or after the expiry of the period referred to in Article 53.1.1, inserted an advertisement in both a United Kingdom national newspaper and in a newspaper circulating in the area in which the last known address of such member or such person, or the address at which service of notices may be effected in the manner authorised by the provisions of these Articles, is located and (if the shares have been admitted to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority) by giving notice to the UK Listing Authority (and, if required, to the London Stock Exchange or other stock exchange or recognised investment exchange on which the shares are traded) of its intention to sell the relevant shares; and
    • 51.1.3 during the further period of 3 months following the date of the publication of such advertisements (or, if published on different dates, the last such date)sending of the notice referred to in Article 51.1.2, the Company, so far as the Directors are aware, has not received any communication from such

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member or person (in his capacity as member or person entitled by transmission); and 52.1.351.1.4 shares of the class concerned are listed on the Official List of the FCA or dealt in on the London Stock Exchange, the Company shall have given notice to the FCA and the London Stock Exchange of its intention to make such sale.. 52.2 The Company shall also be entitled to sell, in the manner provided for in this Article 515153, any share (an "additional share") issued during the period or periods of 12 years and 3 months in respect of any share to which Article 51.151.153.1 applies or in respect of any share issued during such periods, provided that the requirements of Articles 51.1.2 to 51.1.4 : 52.2.1 Article 53.1.1, but modified to exclude the words "during the period of 12 years immediately prior to the date of the publication of the advertisements referred to in Article 53.1.2 (or, if published on different dates, the first such date) no cheque or warrant sent by the Company through the post in a pre-paid letter addressed to the member or to the person entitled by transmission to the share at his address on the Register or the last known address given by the member or the person entitled by transmission to which cheques and warrants are to be sent has been cashed and no communication has been received by the Company from the member or the person entitled by transmission, provided that"; 52.2.2 Article 53.1.2, but modified to exclude the words "on or after the expiry of the period referred to in Article 53.1.1"; and 52.2.3 Article 53.1.3, 51.2 are satisfied in respect of such additional share. 52.351.3 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 , but the Company shall will not be obliged to account liable in any respect to the former member holder of, or person entitled by transmission to, the share for such proceeds of sale or dividends or other moneys. The Company may use such proceeds of sale, dividends and other moneys for any purpose as the Directors may from time to time decideor other person previously entitled by transmission to the relevant shares for an amount equal to such net proceeds and shall enter the name of such former member or other person in its books as a creditor for such amount. Such amount shall be a permanent debt of the Company. No trust shall be created in respect of such debt, nor shall any interest be payable in respect of the same. The Company shall not be required to account for any money earned on the net proceeds, which may be employed in the business of the Company or invested in such investments as the Directors may from time to time think fit. GENERAL MEETINGS 53.52. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Formatted: Indent: Left: 1.52 cm, Hanging: 1.52 cm, Line spacing: single Formatted: Level 2

An annual general meeting shall be held in accordance with the Statutes at such date, time and at such place and in such manner as the Directors may determine.

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54.53. OTHER GENERAL MEETINGS

The Directors may whenever they think fit convene a general meeting to be held at such date, time and place and in such manner as they may determine. The Directors shall, on requisition in accordance with the Statutes, proceed with proper expedition to convene a general meeting accordingly and if the Directors fail to do so the meeting may be convened by the requisitionists. If at any time there are not within the United Kingdom sufficient Directors to call a general meeting, any Director may convene a general meeting.

54.1

55.54. CLASS MEETINGS

  • 54.1 Subject to Article 54.2, tThe provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply, with necessary modifications, to any general meeting of the holders of a separate class of shares ("class meeting").
  • 54.2 Notwithstanding that it has been called by less than 14 days' notice, a class meeting shall be deemed to have been duly called if it is so agreed by a majority in number of the members having a right to attend and vote at that meeting, being a majority together holding not less than 95 per cent. in nominal value of the shares giving that right (excluding any shares held as treasury shares).

NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS

56.55. PERIOD OF NOTICE AND PERSONS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE NOTICE

  • 56.155.1 An annual general meeting shall be called by not less than 21 clear days' notice in writing and any other general meeting by not less than 14 clear days' notice in writing.
  • 56.255.2 The notice shall be given to the Auditors, to the Directors and to all members who are entitled under the provisions of these Articles to receive such notices from the Company.
  • 56.355.3 The Directors may determine that persons entitled to receive notice of meetings are those persons entered on the Register at the close of business on a day determined by the Directors, but if the Company is a participating issuer, the day determined by the Directors may not be more than 21 clear days before the date upon which the relevant notice is being sent.
  • 56.455.4 A general meeting, notwithstanding that it has been called by a shorter notice than that specified above, shall be deemed to have been duly called if it is so agreed:
    • 56.4.155.4.1 in the case of an annual general meeting, by all the members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and
    • 56.4.255.4.2 in the case of any other general meeting, by a majority in number of the members having a right to attend and vote at that meeting, being a majority together holding not less than 95 per cent. in nominal value of the shares giving that right.
  • 56.555.5 Notice of a general meeting shall be given in hard copy form, in electronic form or by means of a website in accordance with section 309 of the Act, or partly by one such means and partly by another.

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57.56. CONTENTS OF NOTICE

  • 57.156.1 Every notice calling a general meeting shall specify the date, time and place and the day and time of the meeting (including any satellite meeting places arranged in accordance with Article 595961 which shall be identified as such) and any electronic facilities (if any). The notice shall also state reasonably prominently that a member is entitled to appoint another person as his proxy to exercise all or any of his rights to attend and to speak and vote at the meeting, and that he may appoint more than one proxy provided that each proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by him.
  • 57.256.2 In the case of an annual general meeting, the notice shall also specify the meeting as such.
  • 57.356.3 In the case of any general meeting at which business other than ordinary business (as defined in Article 575759) is to be transacted, the notice shall specify the general nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting.
  • 57.456.4 In the case of any general meeting at which any resolution is to be proposed as a special resolution, the notice shall include the text of the resolution and specify the intention to propose it as a special resolution.
  • 57.556.5 The notice shall include details of any arrangements made in accordance with Article 595961, making clear that participation in those arrangements will amount to attendance at the meeting to which the notice relates.
  • 57.656.6 The notice may specify a time (which, if the Company is a participating issuer, shall not be more than 48 hours before the time fixed for the meeting) by which a person must be entered on the Register in order to be entitled to attend or vote at the meeting. No person shall have the right to attend or vote at the meeting if he is entered on the Register after the specified time.

58.57. ORDINARY BUSINESS

58.157.1 Ordinary business shall mean and include only business transacted at an annual general meeting of the following classes:

58.1.157.1.1 declaring a dividend;

  • 58.1.257.1.2 receiving, considering and/or adopting the accounts, the reports of the Directors and Auditors and other documents required to be annexed to the accounts;
  • 58.1.357.1.3 appointing or re-appointing the Auditors and determining or authorising the Directors to determine the remuneration of the Auditors;
  • 58.1.457.1.4 appointing or re-appointing Directors to fill vacancies arising at the meeting on retirement by rotation or otherwise; and
  • 58.1.557.1.5 any other business which pursuant to the Statutes shall be required to be transacted at an annual general meeting.

59.58. OMISSION OR NON-RECEIPT OF NOTICE

The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting or of any resolution intended to be moved at a general meeting or the accidental omission to send any document relating to any meeting to, or the non-receipt of any such notice or document by, any person

entitled to receive the notice or document shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting.

60.59. GENERAL MEETINGS AT MORE THAN ONE PLACE

60.159.1 The Directors may resolve to enable persons entitled to attend a general meeting to do so by attendance and participation (concurrently with the proceedings at the principal meeting place) at any satellite meeting place anywhere in the world and the members present in person or by proxy at satellite meeting places shall be counted in the quorum for and be entitled to vote at, the general meeting in question, and that meeting shall be duly constituted and its proceedings valid provided that the chairman of the general meeting is satisfied that adequate facilities are available throughout the general meeting to ensure that members attending at each of the meeting places are able to:

60.1.159.1.1 participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened;

60.1.259.1.2 hear and see all persons who speak (whether by the use of microphones, loudspeakers, audio-visual communications equipment or otherwise) in the principal meeting place and any satellite meeting place; and

59.1.3 be heard and seen by all other persons so present in the same way; and

60.1.359.1.4 vote, during the meeting, on any resolution on which they are entitled to vote which is put to the vote at the meeting and that their votes can be taken into account in determining whether or not such resolutions are passed at the same time as the votes of all the other persons attending the meeting..

60.259.2 The chairman of the general meeting shall be present at, and the meeting shall be deemed to take place at, the principal meeting place.

61. CHANGE IN PLACE AND/OR TIME OF MEETING

61.1 If, after the giving of notice of a general meeting but before the meeting is held, or after the adjournment of a general meeting but before the adjourned meeting is held (whether or not notice of the adjourned meeting is required), the Directors decide that it is impracticable or unreasonable to hold the meeting at the declared place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 61 applies) and/or time, it may change the place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 61 applies) and/or postpone the time at which the meeting is to be held. If such a decision is made, the Directors may change the place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 61 applies) and/or postpone the time again if it decides that it is reasonable to do so. In either case:

61.1.1 no new notice of the meeting need be given, but the Directors shall, if practicable, advertise the date, time and place of the meeting in at least one United Kingdom national newspaper and shall make arrangements for notices of the change of place and/or postponement to appear at the original place and/or at the original time; and

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61.1.2 notwithstanding Article 83, an appointment of proxy in relation to the meeting may be deposited at any time not less than 48 hours before any new time appointed for holding the meeting.

PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETING

60. ELECTRONIC MEETINGS
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  • 60.1 The Directors may resolve to enable persons entitled to attend a general meeting to do so by participation by electronic means and the members participating in person or by proxy by such means shall be counted in the quorum for and be entitled to speak and vote at the general meeting in question, provided that the chairman of the general meeting is satisfied that the member or members participating by electronic means can be identified and are able to:
    • 60.1.1 communicate to all other persons attending the meeting, during the meeting, any information or opinions which they have on the business of the meeting and to have communicated to them any information or opinions which any other person attending the meeting may wish to communicate; and
    • 60.1.2 vote, during the meeting, on any resolution on which they are entitled to vote which is put to the vote at the meeting and that their votes can be taken into account in determining whether or not such resolutions are passed at the same time as the votes of all the other persons attending the meeting.

61. POSTPONEMENT OF GENERAL MEETING

  • 61.1 If, after the giving of notice of a general meeting but before the meeting is held, or after the adjournment of a general meeting but before the adjourned meeting is held (whether or not notice of the adjourned meeting is required), the Board, in its absolute discretion, decides that it is impracticable or unreasonable for any reason to hold the meeting on the date or at the time or at the declared place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 59 applies) and/or by means of the electronic facility or facilities, it may postpone the general meeting to another date, time and/or place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 59 applies) and/or change the electronic facility or facilities. If such a decision is made, the Board may change the place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 59 applies) and/or the electronic facility or facilities and/or postpone the date and/or time again if it decides that it is reasonable to do so. The Board shall take reasonable steps to ensure that notice of the date, time and place of the postponed meeting is given to any member trying to attend the meeting at the original date, time and place. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Article 61 shall apply not only to postponements of general meetings but also to changes in the location of general meetings (including whether or not the meeting shall be held by electronic means) where the date and time are not changing, and "postponed meeting" and similar terms shall be interpreted accordingly.
  • 61.2 When a general meeting is so postponed, notice of the date, time and place (or places, as applicable), including any electronic facility if applicable, of the postponed meeting shall be given in such manner as the Board may, in its absolute discretion, determine.
  • 61.3 No business shall be transacted at any postponed meeting other than business which might properly have been transacted at the original 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 61, the appointment of a proxy will be valid if it is delivered and received as required by these

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Articles not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the postponed meeting.

62. CHAIRMAN

  • 62.1 The chairman of the Directors (if any), or in his absence a deputy chairman (if any), shall preside as chairman at a general meeting. If neither the chairman nor the deputy chairman is present within 5 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting and willing to act, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting or, if there is only one Director present and willing to act, he shall be chairman of the meeting. If no Director is present within 5 minutes, or if all the Directors present decline to take the chair, the members present and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. If there are two or more deputy chairmen willing to act as chairman of the meeting, the provisions of Article 110.2110.2112.2 shall apply.
  • 62.2 The decision of the chairman on points of order, matters of procedure or arising incidentally out of the business of a general meeting is conclusive, as is the chairman's decision, acting in good faith, on whether a point or matter is of this nature.
  • 62.3 Nothing in the provisions of these Articles is intended to restrict or exclude any of the powers or rights of a chairman of a meeting which are given by law.

63. QUORUM

No business, other than the appointment of a chairman of the meeting, shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Two individuals, being two members present in person (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a member present through a corporate representative in accordance with Article 838384) or by proxy, shall be a quorum for all purposes.

64. LACK OF QUORUM

If within 5 minutes from the time appointed for a general meeting (or such longer interval not exceeding one hour as the chairman of the meeting may think fit to allow), a quorum is not present or if, during the meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to such other day (being not less than 14 clear days nor more than 28 clear days later) and at such time and place as may have been specified for the purpose in the notice convening the meeting or, if not so specified, as the chairman of the meeting (or, in default, the Directors) may determine. If a quorum is not present within 5 minutes from the time appointed for holding the adjourned meeting, the adjourned meeting shall be dissolved. The provisions of Article 65.465.466.466.4 shall apply to any such adjourned meeting.

65. ADJOURNMENT

  • 65.1 The chairman of any general meeting at which a quorum is present may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn the meeting to another date and time (or indefinitely, to no fixed date and time), and another place (or to no fixed placeplaces as applicable) and/or to participation by means of different electronic facility or facilities. All business conducted at a general meeting up to the time of adjournment shall be valid.
  • 65.2 Without prejudice to any other power which he may have under the provisions of these Articles or at common law, the chairman may, without the consent of the meeting,

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interrupt or adjourn a meeting from time to time and from place to place or for an indefinite period if he decides that it has become necessary to do so in order to:

  • 65.2.1 secure the proper and orderly conduct of the meeting; or
  • 65.2.2 give all persons entitled to do so a reasonable opportunity of speaking and voting at the meeting; or
  • 65.2.3 ensure the safety of persons attending the meeting; or
  • 65.2.4 ensure that the business of the meeting is properly disposed of.
  • 65.3 No business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting except business which might lawfully have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. Where a meeting is adjourned indefinitely, the date, time, and place (or places) and electronic facility or facilities for the adjourned meeting shall be fixed by the Directors. When a meeting is adjourned for 28 clear days or more or indefinitely, seven clear days notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in like manner as the notice of the original meeting. Save as set out in this Article 656566, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
  • 65.4 The chairman of the meeting or the Directors may adjourn a meeting to more than one place and hold such adjourned meeting in accordance with Article 59595961 (even if the meeting from which the adjournment took place was held in only one place), or adjourn a meeting to be held by electronic means in accordance with Article 60 (even if the meeting from which the adjournment took place was not held by electronic means) without having to give notice of the adjourned meeting except as otherwise provided in this Article 65.465.466.4. A meeting may be adjourned in the circumstances set out in Article 646465 and this Article 656566 notwithstanding that by reason of such adjournment some members may be unable to be present at the adjourned meeting. Any such member may nevertheless execute a form of proxy for the adjourned meeting which, if delivered by him 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 the provisions of these Articles.

66. DIRECTORS' RIGHT TO ATTEND AND SPEAK

Each Director is entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at any general meeting of the Company (and at all separate meetings of the holders of a class of shares or debentures) irrespective of whether or not he is a member.

67. AMENDMENTS TO RESOLUTIONS

If an amendment shall be proposed to any resolution under consideration, but shall in good faith be ruled out of order by the chairman of the meeting, the proceedings on the main resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in such ruling. With the consent of the chairman, an amendment may be withdrawn by its proposer before it is voted on. In the case of a resolution duly proposed as a special resolution, no amendment thereto (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error) may in any event be considered or voted upon. No amendment (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error) to a resolution duly proposed as an ordinary resolution may be considered or voted upon unless the chairman in his absolute discretion so decides or at least 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting (or adjourned meeting) at which the ordinary resolution is to be considered, notice of the amendment and intention to move it has been received by the Company.

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68. ACCOMMODATION OF MEMBERS AT MEETING

  • 68.1 If it appears to the chairman that the principal meeting place or any satellite meeting place is inadequate to accommodate all members entitled and wishing to attend, the meeting is duly constituted and its proceedings valid if the chairman is satisfied that adequate facilities are available to ensure that a member who is unable to be accommodated is able to:
    • 68.1.1 participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened;
    • 68.1.2 hear and see all persons present who speak (whether by the use of microphones, loudspeakers, audio-visual communications equipment or otherwise), whether in the meeting place or elsewhere; and

68.1.3 be heard and seen by all other persons so present in the same way; and

68.1.368.1.4 vote, during the meeting, on any resolution on which they are entitled to vote which is put to the vote at the meeting and that their votes can be taken into account in determining whether or not such resolutions are passed at the same time as the votes of all the other persons attending the meeting..

69. SECURITY AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS AT MEETING

The Directors may from time to time make any arrangement and impose any restriction they consider appropriate to ensure the security and safety of a meeting, or the health and safety of the participants therein, including (but not limited to) controlling the level of attendance at the meeting, requiring evidence as to identity to be produced by a person attending the meeting, searching of a person attending the meeting and restriction of the items of property which may be taken into the meeting place. The Directors may refuse entry to, and/or remove from, a meeting any person who refuses to comply with these arrangements or restrictions.

VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS

70. METHODS OF VOTING

  • 70.1 A resolution put to the vote at any general meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll in accordance with Article 70.270.271.2) demanded. Subject to the Statutes, a poll may be demanded by:
    • 70.1.1 the chairman of the meeting; or
    • 70.1.2 not less than 3 members present in person or by proxy having the right to vote on the resolution; or
    • 70.1.3 a member or members present in person or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all the members having the right to vote on the resolution (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any voting rights attached to any shares in the Company held as treasury shares), and so that a demand by a proxy counts as a demand by a member representing the voting rights that the proxy is able to exercise; or
    • 70.1.4 a member or members present in person or by proxy holding shares in the Company conferring a right to vote on the resolution being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total

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sum paid up on all the shares conferring that right (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any voting rights attached to any shares in the Company held as treasury shares), and so that a demand by a proxy counts as a demand by a member holding the shares to which the voting rights that the proxy is able to exercise are attached.

70.2 A demand for a poll may, before the poll is taken, be withdrawn but only with the consent of the chairman of the meeting. A demand so withdrawn shall, in the absence of any other demand for a poll validly made in accordance with this Article 707071 and not already withdrawn, validate the result of a show of hands declared before the demand for a poll was made. If a poll is demanded before the declaration of the result of a show of hands and the demand is duly withdrawn, the meeting shall continue as if the demand had not been made.

71. PROCEDURES ON A POLL

  • 71.1 If a poll is duly demanded (and the demand is not withdrawn), it shall be taken in such manner (including the use of ballot, electronic voting or voting papers or tickets) as the chairman of the meeting may direct. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded.
  • 71.2 The chairman of the meeting may (and if so directed by the meeting shall) appoint scrutineers (who need not be members) and may adjourn the meeting to some place and time fixed by him for the purpose of declaring the result of the poll.

72. TIMING OF A POLL

A poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken immediately. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken either immediately or at such subsequent time (being not more than 30 days from the date of the meeting), and place and/or by means of electronic facility(ies) as the chairman of the meeting may direct. No notice need be given of a poll not taken immediately if the time, and place and/or electronic facility(ies) at and by which it is to be taken are announced at the meeting at which it is demanded. In any other case, not less than 7 clear days' notice shall be given specifying the time, and place and/or electronic facility(ies) at and by which the poll is to be taken. The demand for a poll (other than on the choice of the chairman or on a question of adjournment) shall not prevent the continuance at the meeting for the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll has been demanded.

73. VOTING ON A POLL

A person entitled to more than one vote need not use all his votes or cast all the votes he has in the same way.

VOTING RIGHTS

74. VOTES ATTACHING TO SHARES

Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting on which shares have been allotted or issued or in accordance with the provisions of these Articles, on a show of hands every member entitled to vote on the resolution who is present in person has one vote, and every proxy present who has been duly appointed by a member entitled to Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, Bold, Complex Script Font: Arial

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vote on the resolution has one vote; and on a poll every member who is present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote on the resolution has one vote for every share held by him.

75. VOTES OF JOINT HOLDERS

In the case of joint holders of a share the vote of the senior member 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 share.

76. CHAIRMAN'S CASTING VOTE

In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the poll is demanded shall be entitled to a casting vote, in addition to any other vote he may have.

77. MEMBER UNDER INCAPACITY

If in the United Kingdom or elsewhere a guardian, receiver or other person (by whatever name called) has been appointed by any court claiming the right or entitlement to exercise powers with respect to the property or affairs of a member on the grounds (howsoever formulated) of mental health, the Directors may in their absolute discretion, upon or subject to production of such evidence of the appointment as the Directors may require of the appointment, permit such guardian, receiver or other person on behalf of such member to vote in person or by proxy at any general meeting or to exercise any other right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company.

78. RESTRICTION ON VOTING

  • 78.1 No member shall, unless the Directors otherwise determine, be entitled in respect of any share held by him to attend or vote or speak at a general meeting (including a separate meeting of the holders of shares of a particular class) either personally or by proxy, or to exercise any other right conferred by membership in relation to such meetings of the Company, if any call or other sum presently payable by him to the Company in respect of such share remains unpaid. This restriction shall cease to apply when all amounts due (including interest) are paid together with all costs, charges and expenses incurred by the Company by reason of the non-payment.
  • 78.2 Subject to the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA and the Market Rules (where appropriate), if a member, or any other person appearing to be interested in shares held by such member, has been duly served with a notice under section 793 of the Act (such notice to be served in accordance with Article 147147148) and is in default for the prescribed period (as defined in Article 78.8.278.8.279.8.2) in supplying to the Company the information required by such notice, then (unless the Directors otherwise determine) in respect of the relevant shares (as defined in Article 78.3.178.3.179.3.1), the member shall not (for so long as the default continues) nor shall any transferee to whom any of such shares are transferred (other than pursuant to an approved transfer (as defined in Article 78.8.378.8.379.8.3) or pursuant to Article 78.4.378.4.379.4.3) be entitled to attend or vote or speak, either personally or by proxy, at a general meeting (including a separate meeting of the holders of shares of a particular class) or to exercise any other right conferred by membership in relation to such meetings. Where, on the basis of information obtained from a member in respect of a share held by him, the Company issues a notice under section 793 of the Act to another person, it shall at the same time send a copy of the notice to the member, but

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the accidental omission to do so, or the non-receipt by the member of the copy, does not invalidate or otherwise affect the application of this Article 787879.

78.3 In this Article 787879:

  • 78.3.1 "relevant shares" means:
    • (a) all the shares in the shareholding account in the Register which comprises or includes the default shares; and
    • (b) any other shares from time to time held by the member concerned;
  • 78.3.2 "default shares" means those shares in relation to which the default referred to in Article 78.278.279.2 has occurred and any further shares allotted or issued in right of those shares after the date of the notice under section 793 of the Act; and
  • 78.3.3 reference to a person being in default in supplying to the Company the information required by a notice under section 793 of the Act includes:
    • (a) reference to his having failed or refused to give all or any part of it; and
    • (b) reference to his having given information which he knows to be false in a material particular or having recklessly given information which is false in a material particular.
  • 78.4 In addition, where the default shares represent not less than 0.25 per cent. of the issued shares of the class in question, the Directors may, in their absolute discretion, by giving notice (a "direction notice") to the member concerned direct that:
    • 78.4.1 the whole or any part of any dividend which would otherwise be payable in respect of the default shares shall be retained by the Company (without any liability to pay interest on such moneys if and when they are fully paid to the member); and/or
    • 78.4.2 all or any shares which would otherwise be issued by the Company in lieu of a cash dividend on the default shares shall be withheld from the member or otherwise retained by the Company (without any liability to pay compensation in respect of such shares if and when they are finally issued or released to the member); and/or
    • 78.4.3 no transfer of any certificated relevant shares shall be registered unless the transfer is an approved transfer (as defined in Article 78.8.378.8.379.8.3) or:
      • (a) the member is not himself in default as regards supplying the information required; and
      • (b) the transfer is of part only of the member's holding and, when presented for registration, is accompanied by a certificate from the member in a form and substance satisfactory to the Directors to the effect that, after due and careful enquiry, the member is satisfied that none of the shares comprised in the transfer is a default share.

The terms of a direction notice shall apply as soon as it has been given.

78.5 For the purpose of enforcing the sanction in Article 78.4.378.4.379.4.3, the Directors may exercise their powers set out in Article 22.522.523.5.

  • 78.6 The Company shall send to each other person appearing to be interested in the shares covered by a direction notice a copy of the notice, but the failure or omission by the Company so to do, or the non-receipt by each person of the notice, shall not invalidate such notice.
  • 78.7 Except as provided in this Article 787879, any direction notice shall have effect in accordance with its terms for so long as the default in respect of which the direction notice was issued continues and shall cease to have effect 7 days following:
    • 78.7.1 due compliance, to the reasonable satisfaction of the Directors, with the notice referred to in Article 78.278.279.2; or
    • 78.7.2 if earlier, the transfer of any relevant shares by an approved transfer or in accordance with Article 78.4.378.4.379.4.3 (but only in relation to the relevant shares so transferred).

The Directors shall notify promptly in writing the member concerned if the direction notice ceases to have effect pursuant to Article 78.7.178.7.179.7.1.

  • 78.8 For the purposes of this Article 787879:
    • 78.8.1 a person shall be treated as appearing to be interested in any shares if the member holding such shares has been served with a notice under section 793 of the Act and either:
      • (a) the member has named such person as being so interested; or
      • (b) (after taking into account the response of the member to such notice and any other relevant information) the Company knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the person in question is or may be interested in the shares;
    • 78.8.2 the "prescribed period" is 28 days from the date of service of the notice under section 793 of the Act except where the default shares represent at least 0.25% in nominal value of the issued shares of the class concerned in which case the prescribed period shall be reduced to 14 days from such date;
    • 78.8.3 a transfer of shares is an "approved transfer" if:
      • (a) it is a transfer of shares to an offeror by way of, or pursuant to, acceptance of a takeover offer for the Company (within the meaning of section 974 of the Act); or
      • (b) the Directors are satisfied that the transfer is made pursuant to a bona fide sale of the whole of the beneficial ownership of the shares to a party unconnected with the member or with any person appearing to be interested in such shares (including any such sale made through the London Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange or recognised investment exchange outside the United Kingdom on which the Company's shares are normally traded). For the purposes of this Article (b)(b)(b), any associate (as that term is defined in section 435 of the Insolvency Act 1986) shall be included among the persons who are connected with the member or any person appearing to be interested in such shares; and

78.8.4 "interested" shall be construed as it is for the purpose of section 793 of the Act.

78.9 The provisions of this Article 787879 are in addition to, and shall not limit or restrict any powers available under, the Statutes.

79. VALIDITY AND RESULT OF VOTE

  • 79.1 No objection shall be raised as to the admissibility of any vote except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is tendered and every vote not disallowed at such meeting shall be valid for all purposes and every vote not counted which ought to have been counted shall be disregarded. Any objection shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting whose decision shall be final and conclusive.
  • 79.2 If any votes shall be counted which ought not to have been counted, or which might have been rejected or are not counted which ought to have been counted, the error shall not vitiate the result of the voting unless it is pointed out at the same meeting or at any adjournment thereof, and not in that case unless it shall in the opinion of the chairman of the meeting be of sufficient magnitude to vitiate the result of the voting.
  • 79.3 Unless a poll is duly demanded, a declaration by the chairman of the meeting that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, (or an entry to that effect in the minute book) shall be conclusive evidence of that fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded for or against such resolution.

PROXIES AND CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES

80. IDENTITY OF PROXY

A proxy need not be a member of the Company. A member may appoint more than one proxy in relation to a meeting, provided that each proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by him. Unless the Directors otherwise determine, when two or more valid but differing appointments of proxy are delivered for the same share for use at the same meeting, the one which was signed last shall be treated as replacing and revoking the others as regards that share. If in such circumstances (where the Directors have not so otherwise determined) the Company is unable to determine which form of proxy was signed last, none of them shall be treated as valid in respect of that share.

81. FORM OF PROXY

  • 81.1 The Directors may at the expense of the Company send or make available invitations to appoint a proxy to members by post or by electronic means or otherwise (with or without provision for their return prepaid) for use at any general meeting or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares, either in blank or nominating in the alternative any one or more of the Directors or any other person. If for the purpose of any meeting invitations to appoint as proxy a person or one of a number of persons specified in the invitations are issued at the Company's expense they shall be issued to all of the members entitled to be sent a notice of the meeting and to vote at it (and not some only). The accidental omission to send or make available such an appointment of proxy or give such an invitation to, or the non-receipt thereof by, any member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.
  • 81.2 An appointment of a proxy shall:

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  • 81.2.1 be in writing and be in any common form or in any other form which the Directors may approve, and
    • (a) if not in electronic form, be:
      • (i) executed by the appointor or his attorney; or
      • (ii) in the case of a member which is a body corporate, either sealed with its common seal or signed on its behalf by a director or an attorney or other person duly authorised by the body corporate;
    • (b) if in electronic form, be submitted by or on behalf of the appointor, subject to such terms and conditions and authenticated in such manner as the Directors may in their absolute discretion determine.
  • 81.3 Without limiting the foregoing, in relation to uncertificated shares, the Directors may from time to time permit appointments of a proxy to be made in the form of an Uncertificated Proxy Instruction, (that is an instruction or other notification, which is sent by means of the relevant system concerned and received by such participant in that system acting on behalf of the Company as the Directors may prescribe, in such form and subject to such terms and conditions as may from time to time be prescribed by the Directors (subject always to the facilities and requirements of the relevant system concerned)); and may in a similar manner permit supplements to, or amendments or revocations of, any such Uncertificated Proxy Instruction to be made by like means. The Directors may, in addition, prescribe the method of determining the time at which any such instruction (or other notification) is to be treated as received by the Company or such participant. The Directors may treat any such Uncertificated Proxy Instruction which purports to be or is expressed to be sent on behalf of a holder of a share as sufficient evidence of the authority of the person sending that instruction to send it on behalf of that holder.
  • 81.4 Where an appointment of proxy is executed or submitted on behalf of the appointor by an attorney or, on behalf of a member being a body corporate, by a person on its behalf, the letter or power of attorney or other authority, or a notarially certified copy thereof (or a copy certified in some other way approved by the Directors), must (failing previous registration with the Company) be deposited with the appointment of proxy pursuant to Article 828283, failing which the appointment may be treated as invalid.

82. DEPOSIT OF PROXY

  • 82.1 Subject to Articles 82.282.283.2 and 82.382.383.3, an appointment of proxy must be delivered to a proxy notification address not less than 48 hours (or such shorter time as the Directors may determine) before the general meeting or adjourned meeting at which the proxy proposes to vote.
  • 82.2 In the case of a poll taken more than 48 hours after it is demanded, an appointment of proxy may be delivered to a proxy notification address not less than 24 hours (or such shorter time as the Directors may determine) before the time appointed for the taking of the poll.
  • 82.3 In the case of a poll not taken immediately but taken not more than 48 hours after it was demanded, an appointment of proxy may be delivered at the meeting at which the poll was demanded to the chairman of the meeting, the Secretary or any Director.
  • 82.4 For the purposes of this Article 828283, a proxy notification address is:

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  • 82.4.1 an address specified for that purpose in or by way of note to the notice convening the meeting, or in any form of appointment of proxy sent out by the Company in relation to the meeting, or in any invitation to appoint a proxy issued by the Company in relation to the meeting; or
  • 82.4.2 in the case of an appointment in electronic form, an address specified by the Company for that purpose either generally or specifically; or
  • 82.4.3 in the case of an appointment not in electronic form, the Office.
  • 82.5 An appointment of proxy which is not received in accordance with this Article 828283 shall be invalid. An appointment of proxy will be valid for any adjournment of a meeting to which it relates, unless it is stated on the relevant appointment that the proxy cannot be used at any such adjournment. If an appointment of proxy relates to more than one meeting (including any adjournment of any meeting) and has been received as required by this Article 828283 for or in respect of one of those meetings, it will be valid for all subsequent meetings to which it relates and need not be re-delivered. Such an appointment of proxy shall not be valid for more than 12 months after its date of execution. Delivery of an appointment of proxy does not prevent a member attending and voting in person at the meeting or at an adjournment of the meeting or on a poll.

83. BODY CORPORATES ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES

Any body corporate which is a member of the Company may, by resolution of its directors, members or other governing body, authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of members of the Company. The person so authorised shall, in respect of the shares to which the authorisation relates, be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of such body corporate as the body corporate could exercise if it were an individual member of the Company and such body corporate shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present thereat. A Director or the Secretary of the Company (or a person so authorised by a Director or the Secretary) may demand the representative of the body corporate which he represents to provide a certified copy of, or a certificate under the hand of a director or the secretary of the body corporate or such other authorised signatory of the relevant body corporate as the Directors deem appropriate, evidencing the passing of the authorising resolution and the representative shall not be entitled to exercise the powers conferred upon him by the provisions of these Articles unless and until any such demand has been satisfied.

84. REVOCATION OF PROXY OR CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE

A vote cast or poll demanded by a proxy or by the duly authorised representative of a body corporate shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or by the transfer of the shares in respect of which the vote is given or poll demanded or by the revocation of the appointment of the proxy or of the authority under which the appointment was made (or, in the case of a body corporate, the revocation of the appointment of its authorised representative) unless written notice of such death, insanity, transfer or revocation (as the case may be) has been received by the Company not later than the last time at which an instrument of proxy should have been delivered before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting or (in the case of a poll which is not taken at, or on the same day as, the meeting or adjourned meeting) the time appointed for the taking of the poll at which the vote is cast.

DIRECTORS

85. NUMBER OF DIRECTORS

Unless otherwise determined by ordinary resolution of the Company, the Directors (other than alternate Directors) shall not be less than 2 nor more than 8 in number.

86. SHARE QUALIFICATION

A Director shall not be required to hold any shares of the Company by way of qualification.

87. DIRECTORS' REMUNERATION

The ordinary remuneration of the Directors (other than any Director who holds any executive office, including for this purpose the office of chairman or deputy chairman where such office is held in an executive capacity, or employment with the Company or any associated company, entitling him to remuneration under any agreement and who is not thereby entitled to any fees as a Director) shall not exceed in aggregate £120,000275,000 per annum (or such other amount as may from time to time be determined by ordinary resolution of the Company). Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day and shall be divisible among the Directors in such proportion and manner as the Directors may determine.

88. ADDITIONAL REMUNERATION

Any Director who holds any executive office (including for this purpose the office of chairman or deputy chairman where such office is held in an executive capacity), or employment with the Company or any associated company, or who serves on any committee of the Directors, or who otherwise performs services which in the opinion of the Directors are outside the scope of the ordinary duties of a Director, may be paid such remuneration or benefits by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise, in addition to or in substitution for his ordinary remuneration as a Director, as the Directors or any committee of the Company authorised by the Directors may determine, and such additional remuneration or benefits shall not be taken into account for the purposes of the limitation contained in Article 878788.

89. DIRECTORS' EXPENSES

Each Director may be paid or repaid his reasonable travelling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred in attending and returning from meetings of the Directors or any committees of the Directors or general meetings of the Company or otherwise properly and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the business of the Company.

90. RETIREMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS

  • 90.1 The Directors shall have power:
    • 90.1.1 to pay pension, retirement, superannuation, death and/or disability benefits, annuities and other emoluments to (or to any person in respect of) any person who is or was a Director or officer or employee of the Company or any associated company and in each case, for his benefit or for the benefit of any member of his family, including a spouse or former spouse, or a person who is or was dependent on him; and

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90.1.2 for the purpose of providing any benefits referred to in Article 90.1.190.1.191.1.1, to establish and/or to contribute to any scheme or fund or to pay premiums (whether such contributions are made by the Company alone or by any other person or persons).

91. DIRECTORS' INTERESTS

  • 91.1 Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and, in particular, to section 175 of the Act being in force, the Directors may authorise any matter which would or might otherwise constitute or give rise to a breach of the duty of a Director to avoid a situation in which he has, or can have, a direct or indirect interest that conflicts, or possibly may conflict, with the interests of the Company. Any such authorisation shall be subject to such conditions or limitations as the Directors may determine, whether at the time such authorisation is given or subsequently, and may be terminated by the Directors at any time. Neither the Director in question nor any other interested Director shall vote on (or, if he does vote, his vote shall not be counted), or be counted in the quorum at a meeting in relation to, any resolution of the Directors concerning any such authorisation. This Article 91.191.192.1 is not applicable to a transaction or arrangement with the Company.
  • 91.2 Provided that he has disclosed to the Directors the nature and extent of any direct or indirect, proposed or existing interest to the extent required by and in accordance with the Statutes, and subject to Article 108108110, a Director, notwithstanding his office:
    • 91.2.1 may be party to or in any way interested in any contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal to which the Company is a party or in which the Company is in any way interested (whether directly or indirectly); and
    • 91.2.2 may act in a professional capacity for the Company and be remunerated therefor

and shall not (unless it is otherwise agreed) be liable to account to the Company for any profit, remuneration or other benefits realised or receivable by him in consequence thereof, nor shall any contract, transaction or arrangement relating thereto be liable to be avoided on the grounds of his conflict of interests.

  • 91.3 A Director, notwithstanding his office, may be or become a director or other officer of, or hold any place of profit in, or act in a professional capacity for, or otherwise be interested in, any undertaking in which the Company has an interest and shall not (unless it is otherwise agreed) be liable to account to the Company for any profit, remuneration or other benefits realised or receivable by him in consequence thereof. The Directors may exercise any voting rights exercisable by the Company in any such undertaking in such manner and in such respects as they think fit, including voting in favour of any resolution appointing them or any of their number directors or officers of such undertaking or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the directors or officers of such undertaking.
  • 91.4 Where a Director has, or can have, a direct or indirect interest that conflicts, or possibly may conflict, with the interests of the Company and the matter constituting or giving rise to such conflict or potential conflict has been authorised by the Company or by the Directors in accordance with Article 91.191.192.1, or is otherwise permitted by this Article 919192, subject to the terms on which any authorisation has been given:
    • 91.4.1 the Director in question need not disclose to or use for the benefit of the Company any information relating to the relevant matter which he obtains or has obtained otherwise than as a Director or employee of the Company and in

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respect of which he owes a duty of confidentiality to a person other than the Company;

  • 91.4.2 the Director in question shall not (unless it is otherwise agreed) be liable to account to the Company for any profit, remuneration or other benefits realised or receivable by him in consequence of the relevant matter and no contract, transaction or arrangement relating thereto shall be liable to be avoided on the grounds of his conflict of interests;
  • 91.4.3 the Director in question need not consider board papers, nor participate in discussion of the Directors, relating to the relevant matter;
  • 91.4.4 any Director may act in any way authorised by any guidance for dealing with conflicts of interest issued by the Directors from time to time.
  • 91.5 For the purpose of this Article 919192, a conflict of interests includes a conflict of interest and duty and a conflict of duties.
  • 91.6 Where a Director has, or can have, a direct or indirect interest that conflicts, or possibly may conflict, with the interests of the Company, the duties which the Directors owe to the Company shall not be infringed by anything done (or omitted) by the Directors, or any of them, in accordance with this Article 919192.

92. EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

  • 92.1 The Directors may from time to time appoint one or more of their body to be holder of any executive office (including where considered appropriate, the office of chairman or deputy chairman) on such terms and for such period as they may (subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA) determine and, without prejudice to the terms of any contract entered into in any particular case, may at any time revoke any such appointment. Subject to the Statutes, the Directors may enter into an agreement or arrangement with any Director for his employment by the Company or for the provision by him of any services outside the scope of the ordinary duties of a Director. The Directors may, without limiting or prejudicing in any way the terms of any contract entered into in any particular case, at any time revoke or vary the terms of any such appointment. A Director appointed to an executive office shall not cease to be a Director merely because his appointment to such executive office terminates.
  • 92.2 The appointment of any Director to any executive office shall automatically terminate if he ceases to be a Director, but without prejudice to any claim for damages for breach of any contract of service between him and the Company.

93. DELEGATION OF POWERS

Without prejudice to the power to delegate in terms of Article 113113115, the Directors may entrust to and confer upon any Director any of the powers exercisable by them as Directors upon such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as they think fit, and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of their own powers, and may from time to time revoke, withdraw, alter or vary all or any of such powers.

94. DESIGNATION OF NON-DIRECTORS

The Directors may from time to time appoint any person to an office of employment having a designation or title including the word "director" or attach to any existing office of employment with the Company such a designation or title and may at any time

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terminate any such appointment or the use of any such designation or title. The inclusion of the word "director" in the designation or title of such office of employment with the Company shall not imply that the holder thereof is a Director of the Company nor shall such holder thereby be empowered in any respect to act as a Director of the Company or be deemed to be a Director for any of the purposes of the Statutes or the provisions of these Articles.

ALTERNATE DIRECTORS

95. APPOINTMENT

  • 95.1 Any Director (other than an alternate Director) shall have the power at any time to appoint as his alternate, to act in his place during his absence (whether for a limited or an unlimited term), either another Director or any other person approved for that purpose by a resolution of the Directors and, at any time, to terminate such appointment. Any such alternate is referred to in these Articles as an alternate Director.
  • 95.2 Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be by notice in writing to the Company or tendered at a meeting of the Directors, signed by the appointing Director and shall take effect on receipt of such notice.
  • 95.3 The appointment of an alternate Director shall automatically determine on the happening of any of the following events:
    • 95.3.1 if his appointor shall terminate the appointment by notice in writing to the Company or tendered at a meeting of the Directors;
    • 95.3.2 on the happening of any event which, if he were a Director, would cause him to vacate the office of Director;
    • 95.3.3 if by notice in writing to the Company or tendered at a meeting of the Directors he shall resign such appointment; and
    • 95.3.4 if his appointor shall cease for any reason to be a Director otherwise than by retiring and being re-appointed at the same meeting.
  • 95.4 An alternate Director shall (subject to his giving to the Company a postal address within the United Kingdom at which notices may be served upon him and/or an address to which notices may be sent using electronic means) be entitled to receive notice of meetings of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors of which his appointor is a member and to attend and, in place of his appointor, to vote and be counted for the purpose of a quorum at any such meeting at which his appointor is not personally present and generally to perform all functions as a Director of his appointor in his absence, and such alternate Director shall, except as provided in this Article and as regards power to appoint an alternate, be subject to the provisions of these Articles with regard to Directors.
  • 95.5 An alternate Director may be paid or repaid by the Company such expenses as might properly have been paid or repaid to him if he had been a Director but shall not in respect of his office of alternate Director be entitled to receive any remuneration from the Company. An alternate Director shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Company to the same extent as if he were a Director.
  • 95.6 An alternate Director shall, during his appointment, be an officer of the Company and shall not be deemed to be an agent of his appointor and shall alone be responsible for his acts and defaults.

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95.7 A Director or any other person may act as an alternate Director to represent more than one Director and an alternate Director shall be entitled at meetings of the Directors or any committee of the Directors to one vote for every Director whom he represents in addition to his own vote (if any) as a Director, but he will only be counted once for any quorum requirements.

APPOINTMENT AND RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS

96. VACATION OF OFFICE

  • 96.1 A Director shall cease to be a Director on the happening of any of the following events, namely:
    • 96.1.1 he becomes prohibited by law from acting as a director, or shall cease to be a director by virtue of any provision of the Statutes; or
    • 96.1.2 not being a Director holding executive office for a fixed period, he resigns by notice in writing to the Company or tendered at a meeting of the Directors or if by notice in writing to the Company or tendered at a meeting of the Directors he offers to resign and the Directors resolve to accept such offer; or
    • 96.1.3 having been appointed for a fixed term, the term expires; or
    • 96.1.4 he has a bankruptcy order made against him or settles or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally or applies to the court for an interim order under section 253 of the Insolvency Act 1986 in connection with a voluntary arrangement under that Act; or
    • 96.1.5 he becomes incapable by reason of illness or injury of managing and administering his property and affairs and the Directors resolve that his office be vacated; or
    • 96.1.6 he and his alternate (if any) are absent from meetings of the Directors for the greater of 6 consecutive months and 6 consecutive meetings without the consent of the Directors and the Directors shall resolve that his office be vacated;
    • 96.1.7 having retired pursuant to Article 979798, he is not re-elected as a Director; or
    • 96.1.8 he is removed from office as a Director by notice in writing sent to him at his last known address signed by all his co-Directors, but so that if he holds an appointment to an executive office which thereby automatically determines such removal shall be deemed to be an act of the Company and shall have effect without prejudice to any claim for damages for breach of any contract of service between him and the Company or otherwise.
  • 96.2 A resolution of the Directors to the effect that a Director has ceased to be a Director under this Article 969697 shall be conclusive as to the facts and reasons for his ceasing to hold office as stated in the resolution.

97. RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS

97.1 At each annual general meeting of the Company, one-third of the Directors who are subject to retirement by rotation or if their number is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest to but not exceeding one-third shall retire from office.

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97.2 The Directors to retire by rotation shall include (so far as necessary to obtain the number required) any Director who wishes to retire and not to offer himself for reelection. In each year one-third of the Directors who have been longest in office shall retire or, if their number is not any multiple of three then the number nearest to one-third shall retire from office, but if there is only one Director who is subject to retirement by rotation, he shall retire. As between two or more Directors who have been in office an equal length of time, the Director to retire shall in default of agreement between them be determined by lot. The length of time a Director has been in office shall be computed from his last election or appointment when he has previously vacated office.

98. RE-ELECTION OF RETIRING DIRECTORS

  • 98.1 The Company, at the general meeting at which a Director retires under any provision of these Articles, may by ordinary resolution, fill the office being vacated by electing thereto the retiring Director or some other person eligible for appointment. The names of Directors submitted for election or re-election shall be accompanied by sufficient biographical details and other relevant information to enable shareholders to make an informed decision on the election or re-election of such Directors or other persons.
  • 98.2 The retirement of a Director shall not have effect until the conclusion of the meeting at which he is retiring, except where a resolution is passed to appoint some other person in the place of the retiring Director (other than with effect from a time later than the conclusion of the meeting) or a resolution for his reappointment is put to the meeting and lost (in either which case the retirement shall take effect from the passing of the relevant resolution). Accordingly, a retiring Director who is re-appointed will continue in office without a break.

99. APPOINTMENT OF TWO OR MORE DIRECTORS

The election or re-election of two or more persons proposed as Directors shall be effected by separate resolutions.

100. NOMINATION OF DIRECTORS FOR ELECTION

  • 100.1 No person, other than a Director retiring at the meeting, shall be eligible for election or re-election as a Director at any general meeting unless:
    • 100.1.1 he is recommended by the Directors; or
    • 100.1.2 notice has been given of a resolution to appoint that person as a Director in place of a Director intended to be removed by ordinary resolution pursuant to Article 101101102; or
    • 100.1.3 not less than 7 (nor more than 42) days before the date appointed for the meeting, there shall have been received by the Company notice in writing containing all details in relation to the nominee which would be required (in the reasonable opinion of the nominee) to be disclosed pursuant to Article 98.198.199.1 and to be included in the Company's register of Directors were the nominee a Director, signed by some member (other than the nominee) duly qualified to attend and vote at the meeting for which such notice is given, of his intention to propose such person for election, together with notice signed by the person to be proposed of his willingness to be appointed or re-appointed.

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101. REMOVAL OF DIRECTOR

The Company may (in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the Statutes), by ordinary resolution of which special notice has been given, remove any Director from office as a Director (notwithstanding any provision of these Articles or of any agreement between the Company and such Director, but without prejudice to any claim he may have for damages for breach of any such agreement or otherwise). The Company may, subject to the provisions of these Articles, also appoint another person willing to act in place of a Director so removed from office and any person so appointed shall be treated, for the purpose of determining the time at which he or any other Director is to retire, as if he had become a Director on the day on which the Director in whose place he is appointed was last elected a Director. In default of such appointment, the vacancy arising upon the removal of a Director from office may be filled as a casual vacancy.

102. ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS AND CASUAL VACANCIES

The Company may by ordinary resolution appoint any person who is willing to act to be a Director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional Director and may also determine the rotation in which any additional Directors are to retire. Without prejudice thereto, the Directors shall have power at any time so to do, but so that the total number of Directors shall not thereby exceed any maximum number fixed by or in accordance with the provisions of these Articles. Any person so appointed by the Directors shall hold office only until the conclusion of business at the next annual general meeting and shall be eligible for reappointment by ordinary resolution at that meeting. If not reappointed at such annual general meeting, he shall vacate office at the conclusion thereof.

MEETINGS AND PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS

103. CONVENING OF BOARD MEETINGS

Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Directors may meet together and regulate their proceedings as they think fit. At any time any Director may, and the Secretary at the request of a Director shall, call a meeting of the Directors. Notice of a meeting of the Directors shall be deemed to be duly and properly given to a Director by being given to him personally or by word of mouth (including in either case via telephone) or sent in writing to him at his last known postal address or to an address specified by the Director to the Company for the purpose of communications in electronic form. A Director may waive his entitlement to notice of any meeting either prospectively or retrospectively.

104. QUORUM

The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed from time to time by the Directors and unless so fixed at any other number shall be 2. A duly convened meeting of the Directors at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all powers and discretions for the time being exercisable by the Directors. Any Director ceasing to be a Director at a meeting of the Directors may continue to act as a Director and be present at the meeting and be counted in the quorum unless and until a Director objects.

105. AUTHORITY TO VOTE

A Director who is unable to attend any meeting of the Directors and who has not appointed an alternate Director may authorise any other Director to vote on his behalf at that meeting; and in that event the Director so authorised shall have a vote for each Director by whom he is so authorised in addition to his own vote, provided that he shall

only be counted once in the quorum at the meeting. Any such authority must be in writing and be produced at the meeting at which it is to be used and be left with the Secretary for retention.

106. VIDEO CONFERENCE AND TELEPHONE MEETINGS

Any Director (or his alternate Director) may participate in a meeting of the Directors or a committee of the Directors by means of video conference, conference telephone or similar form of communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other and such meeting shall be deemed to have occurred at the place, if any, where most of the Directors participating are present and otherwise where the chairman of the meeting is present. Participation in a meeting in such manner shall constitute presence in person at such meeting for the purposes of these Articles. The word "meeting" when referring to a meeting of the Directors, or of a committee of the Directors, in these Articles shall be construed accordingly.

107. CASTING VOTE OF CHAIRMAN

Questions arising at any meeting of the Directors 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.

108. PRESIDENT

The Directors may from time to time elect a President of the Company and may determine the period for which he shall hold office. Such President may be either honorary or paid such remuneration as the Directors in their discretion shall think fit and need not be a Director but shall, if not a Director, be entitled to receive notice of and attend and speak but not to vote at all meetings of the Board.

109.108. RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING

  • 109.1108.1 Except as provided in these Articles, a Director shall not vote (or, if he does vote, his vote shall not be counted) on any resolution of the Directors in respect of any contract, arrangement, transaction or any other kind of proposal in which he has an interest unless:
    • 109.1.1108.1.1 his interest cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interests; or
    • 109.1.2108.1.2 the resolution relates to one of the permitted matters listed in Article 108.3108.3110.3 and he has no other interest beyond that indicated in that Article.
  • 109.2108.2 A Director shall not be counted as part of the quorum at a meeting in relation to any resolution on which he is not entitled to vote.
  • 109.3108.3 The following are permitted matters for the purposes of Article 108.1.2108.1.2110.1.2:

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  • 109.3.1108.3.1 the giving of any security, guarantee or indemnity in respect of money lent or obligations incurred by him or by any other person at the request of, or for the benefit of, the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings;
  • 109.3.2108.3.2 the giving of any security, guarantee or indemnity to a third party in respect of a debt or obligation of the Company or any of its subsidiary

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undertakings for which he himself has assumed responsibility in whole or in part, whether alone or jointly with others, under a guarantee or indemnity or by the giving of security;

  • 109.3.3108.3.3 any contract, arrangement, transaction or other proposal concerning an offer of shares, debentures or other securities of or by the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings for subscription or purchase, in an offer in which he is, or may be, entitled to participate as a holder of securities or in the underwriting or sub-underwriting of which he is to participate;
  • 109.3.4108.3.4 any contract, arrangement, transaction or other proposal to which the Company is or is to be a party concerning any other body corporate in which he or any persons connected with him do not to his knowledge, directly or indirectly, hold an interest in shares (as that term is defined in sections 820 to 825 of the Act) representing 1 per cent. or more of either any class of the equity share capital, or the voting rights, in such body corporate;
  • 109.3.5108.3.5 any contract, arrangement, transaction or other proposal concerning in any way a pension, retirement, superannuation, death and/or disability benefits scheme or fund or employees' share scheme under which he may benefit and which either:
    • (a) has been approved, or is conditional upon approval, by the board of HM Revenue and Customs for taxation purposes; or
    • (b) relates both to employees and Directors of the Company (or any associated company) and does not award him any privilege or benefit not generally awarded to the employees to whom such scheme or fund relates; and
  • 109.3.6108.3.6 any contract or other proposal concerning any insurance which the Company is empowered to purchase and/or maintain for or for the benefit of any Directors or for persons including Directors.
  • 109.4108.4 Where proposals are under consideration concerning the appointment (including fixing or varying the terms of, or termination of, appointment) of two or more Directors to offices or other positions with the Company or any associated company, the proposals may be divided and considered in relation to each Director separately. In any such case, each of the Directors concerned (if not barred from voting under Article 108.3.4108.3.4110.3.4 shall be entitled to vote (and be counted in the quorum) in respect of each resolution except that concerning his own appointment.
  • 109.5108.5 If a question arises at any time as to whether a Director's interest can reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interests or as to his entitlement to vote or be counted in a quorum and such question is not resolved by his voluntarily agreeing to abstain from voting or being counted in the quorum, such question shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting and his ruling in relation to any Director other than himself shall be conclusive and binding on all concerned, except in a case where the nature or extent of the interest of such Director has not been fairly disclosed.
  • 109.6108.6 If a question arises at any time as to whether the interest of the chairman of the meeting can reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interests or as to the entitlement of the chairman to vote or be counted in a quorum and such question is not resolved by his voluntarily agreeing to abstain from voting or being counted in the quorum, such question shall be decided by resolution of the Directors or committee

members present at the meeting (excluding the chairman) whose majority vote shall be conclusive and binding on all concerned, except in a case where the nature or the extent of the interest of such chairman has not been fairly disclosed. In the event of an equality of votes, the chairman shall not be entitled to vote or be counted in the quorum.

109.7108.7 Subject to the Statutes, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Company may by ordinary resolution suspend or relax the provisions of this Article 108108110 (either generally or to a specific extent) or ratify any transaction not duly authorised by reason of a contravention of this Article.

109.8108.8 For the purposes of this Article 108108110:

  • 109.8.1108.8.1 the interest of a person who is connected with a Director (within the meaning of section 252 of the Act) is treated as the interest of the Director;
  • 109.8.2108.8.2 in relation to an alternate Director, the interest of his appointor is treated as the interest of the alternate Director in addition to an interest which the alternate Director otherwise has;
  • 109.8.3108.8.3 interests arising solely by virtue of interests in shares, debentures or other securities of, or otherwise in or through, the Company are disregarded; and
  • 109.8.4108.8.4 a conflict of interests includes a conflict of interest and duty and a conflict of duties.
  • 109.9108.9 This Article 108108110 applies to an alternate Director as if he were a Director otherwise appointed.

110.109. NUMBER OF DIRECTORS BELOW MINIMUM

The continuing Directors or a sole continuing Director may act notwithstanding any vacancies but, if and so long as the number of Directors is reduced below any minimum number fixed by or in accordance with Article 858586, the continuing Directors or Director may act only for the purpose of filling up such vacancies or of calling general meetings. If there are no Directors able or willing to act, then any two members may summon a general meeting for the purpose of appointing Directors. Any additional Director so appointed by the Directors or Director shall, subject to the provisions of these Articles, hold office until the conclusion of business at the following annual general meeting of the Company, unless he is re-appointed during that meeting.

111.110. CHAIRMAN

111.1110.1 The Directors may appoint from their number a chairman and a deputy chairman (or two or more deputy chairmen) and may at any time remove any of them from such office. Any chairman or deputy chairman so elected without any fixed period of office shall, if he be re-elected a Director following retirement at any annual general meeting, continue as chairman or deputy chairman (as the case may be) unless the Directors otherwise determine. If, at any meeting of the Directors, both the chairman and the deputy chairman are present, the chairman shall be the chairman of the meeting, unless he declines so to act, in which case the deputy chairman shall be the chairman of the meeting. If no chairman or deputy chairman has been appointed or if, at any meeting of the Directors, no chairman or deputy chairman is present and willing to act within 5 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Directors (including any alternate Director whose appointor is absent) present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

  • 111.2110.2 If at any meeting, in the absence of the chairman, or in circumstances where the chairman is unwilling to act, there is more than one deputy chairman present and willing to act and the Directors present cannot resolve which one should preside at that meeting of the Directors or of the Company (as the case may be), the deputy chairman who was appointed first to that post shall preside. If two of them were appointed deputy chairmen at the same time, the Directors present shall resolve which of them shall preside and, in the event of an equality of votes, lots shall be cast to decide which of them shall preside.
  • 111.3110.3 A chairman or deputy chairman may hold executive office or employment with the Company.

112.111. WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS

A resolution in writing signed by such number of the Directors (or, in the case of a committee, such number of the members of such committee) as are for the time being entitled to receive notice of a meeting of Directors or a meeting of that committee and comprise together in number not less than a quorum for a meeting of the Directors or that committee, shall be as effective as a resolution duly passed at a meeting of the Directors (or of such committee) duly convened and held and may consist of several documents in like form, each signed by one or more Directors or members of the committee concerned. A resolution in writing signed by an alternate Director in the absence of his appointor need not be signed by his appointor and a resolution in writing signed by the appointor need not be signed by the alternate Director in that capacity.

113.112. VALIDITY OF PROCEEDINGS

All acts done by any meeting of the Directors, or of any committee of the Directors, or by any person acting as a Director or alternate Director or as a member of any such committee shall, as regards all persons dealing in good faith with the Company, be as valid as if every such Director or person had been duly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a Director or member of the committee and had been entitled to vote, even if there was some defect in the appointment or continuance of any such Director or other person, or that any of them was disqualified or had left office, or was not entitled to vote.

COMMITTEES OF THE DIRECTORS

114.113. APPOINTMENT AND CONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEES

Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Directors may, as they think fit, delegate any of their powers, authorities and/or discretions (including any power, authority and/or discretion relating to the remuneration of Directors) to committees consisting of one or more Directors and, if thought fit, one or more other persons who have been co-opted on to such committee in accordance with this Article on such terms as they think fit, but so that (a) the number of co-opted members shall be less than one half of the total number of members of the committee and (b) no resolution of the committee shall be effective unless a majority of the members of that committee present throughout the meeting are Directors. Any committee appointed under this Article shall, when exercising any powers, authorities and/or discretions delegated to it, abide by any regulations imposed by the Directors which may then subsist. Any such regulations may also provide for or permit the sub-delegation of powers, authorities and/or discretions by the committee. If any power, authority and/or discretion of the Directors referred to in these Articles has been delegated to a committee (or by a committee to a sub-delegate) under this Article 113113115, any reference in these Articles to the

exercise by the Directors of that power, authority and/or discretion shall be interpreted accordingly as if it were a reference to the exercise of the same by that committee (or sub-delegate). For the avoidance of doubt, the delegation by the Directors (or by the committee) shall be construed as having been permitted. The Directors may, if they think fit, provide in such regulations that the Directors may by themselves, either directly or not, exercise such powers, authorities and/or discretions as the delegate under this Article 113113115 concurrently with such delegation remaining in force. The Directors may at any time revoke the delegation of its powers, authorities and/or discretions and discharge any committee or otherwise alter the terms of the delegation.

115.114. PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The meetings and proceedings of any committee appointed pursuant to Article 113113115 shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of these Articles regulating the meetings and proceedings of the Directors, so far as they are capable of applying and are not superseded by any regulations made by the Directors under Article 113113115. It is not necessary for a Director who is not a member of a committee to be given notice of any meeting of the committee.

POWERS OF DIRECTORS

116.115. GENERAL POWERS

The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by the Directors who, in addition to the powers and authorities expressly conferred upon them by the provisions of these Articles or otherwise, may exercise all the powers of the Company, subject to the provisions of the Statutes, these Articles and the Memorandum of Association and any directions given by the Company in general meeting; provided that no such direction given by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid if such direction had not been given, and that the general powers given by this Article shall not be limited or restricted by any special authority or power given to the Directors by any other Article.

117.116. LOCAL MANAGEMENT

The Directors may establish any local or divisional boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company, either in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, and may appoint any persons to be members of any such boards or agencies, or any managers or agents, and may determine their remuneration. The Directors may also delegate to any local or divisional board, agency, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and/or discretions vested in the Directors, with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any local or divisional board, or any of them to fill any vacancies on such board, and to act despite any vacancy. Any such appointment or delegation may be made upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit. The Directors may remove any persons so appointed, and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected by the same. Subject to the terms of establishment of, or delegation to, a local or divisional board, all the provisions of these Articles relating to proceedings of the Directors shall, with such changes as are necessary and applicable, apply to any such board.

118.117. APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEY

The Directors may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any body corporate, firm or person or any fluctuating body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by

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the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys or agents of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under the provisions of these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit. Any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney or agent as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such attorney or agent to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and/or discretions vested in him or it. The Directors may at any time revoke or alter the terms of any such appointment or delegation. The Directors may, if they think fit, provide that the Directors may either exercise or not exercise such powers, authorities and/or discretions as it delegates under this Article 117117119 concurrently with such delegation remaining in force.

119. SIGNATURE ON CHEQUES

All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange, and other negotiable or transferable instruments, and all receipts for moneys 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.

120. PROVISION FOR EMPLOYEES

120.1 The Directors may give or award pensions, annuities, gratuities, superannuation, allowances and bonuses or any share or interest in the profits of the Company's business or any part thereof to any persons who are or have at any time been in the employment or service of the Company, or of any associated company, or who are or have at any time been Directors or officers of the Company or any such other associated company, and who hold or held salaried employment in the Company or such other associated company, and to the dependants of such persons; and may (whether or not in conjunction with one or more associated companies) establish, support and maintain funds or schemes (whether contributory or non-contributory) for providing pensions, sickness or compassionate allowances, life assurance or other benefits for such persons or dependants as aforesaid or any of them or any class of them; and may establish and support or aid in the establishment and support of any schools and any educational, scientific, literary, religious or charitable institutions or trade societies, whether or not such societies be solely in connection with the trade carried on by the Company or such other associated company, and any club or other establishment calculated directly or indirectly to advance the interests of the Company or its members or such other associated company or of such persons as aforesaid; and may subscribe or guarantee money for any exhibition or for any public, general or useful object.

  • 120.2 The Directors may pay, enter into agreements to pay or make grants (revocable or irrevocable and either subject or not subject to any terms or conditions) of pensions or other benefits to employees and ex-employees and their dependants (as such persons are described in Article 121.1), or to any of such persons, including pensions or benefits additional to those, if any, to which such employees or ex-employees or their dependants are or may become entitled under any such scheme or fund as mentioned in Article 121.1. Any such pension or benefit may, as the Directors consider desirable, be granted to an employee either before and in anticipation of, or upon or at any time after, his actual retirement.
  • 120.3 The Directors may exercise the powers conferred on the Company by the Statutes to make provision for the benefit of a person employed or formerly employed by the

Company or any of its subsidiaries in connection with the cessation, or the transfer to any person of the whole or part, of the undertaking of the Company or the subsidiary.

BORROWING POWERS

121.118. POWER TO RAISE MONEY

  • 121.1118.1 Subject as hereinafter provided and to the provisions of the Acts, the Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money, and to mortgage and charge its undertaking, property (present and future) and uncalled capital or any part or parts thereof and to issue debentures and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.
  • 121.2118.2 The Directors shall restrict the borrowings of the Company and exercise all voting and other rights or powers of control exercisable by the Company in relation to its subsidiary companies (if any) so as to secure (so far, as regards subsidiaries, as by such exercise they can secure) that the aggregate amount for the time being remaining outstanding of all moneys borrowed by the Group and for the time being owing to persons outside the Group shall not at any time without the previous sanction of an ordinary resolution of the Company exceed an amount equal to the Adjusted Capital and Reserves provided that until the first audited balance sheet of the Company and its subsidiaries becomes available the said aggregate amount shall not exceed the aggregate of the amount paid up on the issued share capital of the Company and the amount standing to the credit of any share premium account.

121.3118.3 For the purpose of the foregoing limit the following provisions shall apply:-

  • 121.3.1118.3.1 there shall be deemed, subject as hereinafter provided, to have been borrowed and to be outstanding as borrowed moneys of the relevant member of the Group (to the extent that the same would not otherwise fall to be taken into account):-
    • (a) the principal amount of all debentures of any member of the Group which are not for the time being beneficially owned within the Group;
    • (b) the outstanding amount of acceptances (not being acceptances of trade bills in respect of the purchase of sale of goods in the ordinary course of trading) by any member of the Group or by any bank or accepting house under any acceptance credit opened on behalf of and in favour of any member of the Group;
    • (c) the nominal amount of any issued and paid up share capital (other than equity share capital) of any subsidiary of the Company not for the time being beneficially owned by other members of the Group;
    • (d) the nominal amount of any other issued and paid up share capital and the principal amount of any other debentures (not being shares or debentures) which are, or borrowed moneys the indebtedness in respect of which is, for the time being beneficially owned within the Group) the redemption whereof is guaranteed or wholly or partly secured by any member of the Group;
    • (e) any fixed or minimum premium payable on final redemption or repayment of any debentures, share capital or other borrowed moneys falling to be taken into account;

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  • 121.3.2118.3.2 moneys borrowed by any member of the Group for the purpose of repaying or redeeming (with or without premium) in whole or in part any other borrowed moneys falling to be taken into account and intended to be applied for such purpose within six months after the borrowing thereof shall not during such period, except to the extent so applied, themselves be taken into account;
  • 121.3.3118.3.3 moneys borrowed by a partly-owned subsidiary and not owing to another member of the Group shall be taken into account subject to the exclusion of a proportion thereof equal to the minority proportion and moneys borrowed and owing to partly-owned subsidiaries by another member of the Group shall be taken into account to the extent of a proportion thereof equal to the minority proportion; for the purposes aforesaid "minority proportion" shall mean the proportion of the issued equity share capital of such partly-owned subsidiary which is not attributable to the Company;
  • 121.3.4118.3.4 when the aggregate principal amount of borrowings required to be taken into account for the purposes of this Article on any particular date is being ascertained, any of such moneys denominated or repayable in a currency other than sterling shall be converted for the purpose of calculating the sterling equivalent at the rate of exchange prevailing on such date in London provided that any of such moneys shall be converted at the rate of exchange prevailing in London six months before such date if thereby such aggregate amount would be less (and so that for this purpose the rate of exchange shall be taken as the middle market rate as at the close of business).
  • 121.4118.4 In this Article the expression "Adjusted Capital and Reserves" means at any material time a sum equal to the aggregate of:-
    • 121.4.1118.4.1 the amount paid up on the issued share capital of the Company; and
    • 121.4.2118.4.2 the amount standing to the credit of the reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries (including any share premium account or capital redemption reserve) after adding thereto or deducting therefrom any balance to the credit or debit of profit and loss account;

based on a consolidation of the then latest available audited balance sheets of the Company and its subsidiaries but after:-

  • (a) excluding any sums set aside for taxation (other than deferred taxation) less any sum properly added back in respect thereof;
  • (b) making such adjustments as may be appropriate in respect of any variation in the amount of such paid up share capital or any such reserves subsequent to the relevant balance sheet date and so that for this purpose any share capital called up or payable at any fixed future date within the following six months shall be treated as already paid and if any issue or proposed issue of shares by the Company for cash has been underwritten then such shares shall be deemed to have been issued and the amount (including any premium) of the subscription moneys payable in respect thereof (not being moneys payable later than six months after the date of allotment) shall to the extent so underwritten be deemed to have been paid up on the date when the issue of such shares was underwritten (or, if such underwriting was conditional, on the date when it became unconditional);

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  • (c) making such adjustments as may be appropriate in respect of any distributions declared, recommended or made by the Company or its subsidiaries (otherwise than attributable directly or indirectly to the Company) out of profits earned up to and including the date of the latest audited balance sheet of the Company or subsidiary (as the case may be) to the extent that such distribution is not provided for in such balance sheet;
  • (d) making such adjustments as may be appropriate in respect of any variation in the interest of the Company in its subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited balance sheet of the Company;
  • (e) if the calculation is required for the purpose of or in connection with a transaction under or in connection with which any company is to become or cease to be a subsidiary, making all such adjustments as would be appropriate if such transaction had been carried into effect;
  • (f) excluding minority interests in subsidiaries; and
  • (g) making such other adjustments (if any) as the Auditors may consider appropriate.

The determination of the Auditors as to the amount of the Adjusted Capital and Reserves at any time shall be conclusive and binding on all concerned.

121.5118.5 No person dealing with the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall by reason of the foregoing provision be concerned to see or inquire whether the said limit is 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 security given express notice that the said limit had been or would thereby be exceeded.

122.119. MODE OF BORROWING

The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow or raise money upon or by the issue or sale of any bonds, debentures or securities, and upon such terms as to time of repayments, rate of interest, price of issue or sale, payment of premium or bonus upon redemption or repayment or otherwise as they may think proper, including a right for the holders of bonds, debentures or securities to exchange the same for shares in the Company of any class authorised to be issued.

123.120. SECURITY FOR PAYMENT OF MONEYS BORROWED OR RAISED

Subject as aforesaid the Directors may secure or provide for the payment of any moneys to be borrowed or raised by a mortgage of or charge upon all or any part of the undertaking or property of the Company, both present and future, and upon any capital remaining unpaid upon the shares of the Company whether called up or not, or by any other security, and the Directors may confer upon any mortgagees or persons in whom any debenture or security is vested, such rights and powers as they think necessary or expedient; and they may vest any property of the Company in trustees for the purpose of securing any moneys so borrowed or raised, and confer upon the trustees or any receiver to be appointed by them or by any debenture-holder such rights and powers as the Directors may think necessary or expedient in relation to the undertaking or property of the Company or the management or the realisation thereof or the making, receiving, or enforcing of calls upon the members in respect of unpaid capital, and otherwise, and

may make and issue debentures to trustees for the purpose of further security, and any such trustees may be remunerated.

124.121. SECURITY FOR PAYMENT OF MONEYS

The Directors may give security for the payment of any moneys payable by the Company in like manner as for the payment of moneys borrowed or raised, but in such case the amount shall for the purposes of the above limitation be reckoned as part of the money borrowed.

SECRETARY

125.122. APPOINTMENT

Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the Secretary shall be appointed by the Directors for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions as they may think fit. Any Secretary so appointed may at any time be removed from office by a simple majority of the Directors, but without prejudice to any claim for damages for breach of any contract of service between him and the Company. The Directors may, if they think fit, appoint two or more persons as joint secretaries. The Directors may also appoint from time to time on such terms and for such period as they may think fit, one or more deputy and/or assistant secretaries. Any provision of the Statutes or these Articles requiring or authorising a thing to be done by or to a Director and the Secretary shall not be satisfied by its being done by or to the same person acting both as Director and as, or in the place of, the Secretary.

REGISTERS

126.123. MEMBERS

  • 126.1123.1 Subject to the Statutes and the Regulations, the Company shall enter on the Register how many certificated and uncertificated shares each member holds.
  • 126.2123.2 Subject to the Statutes and the Regulations, the Directors may exercise the powers conferred on the Company with regard to keeping an overseas, local or other Register in any place and may make and vary Regulations as they think fit concerning the keeping of the Register, provided, however, that those members who hold uncertificated shares may not be entered as holders of those shares on an overseas Register.

127.124. CHARGES

The Company shall keep a register of charges in accordance with the Statutes and the fee to be paid by a person other than a creditor or member for each inspection of the register of charges is the maximum sum prescribed by the Statutes, or failing which, decided by the Directors.

SEALS

128.125. SEALS

128.1125.1 The Directors are responsible for arranging for every seal and securities seal (if any) to be kept in safe custody.

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  • 128.2125.2 Any seal and/or securities seal shall be used only by the authority of the Directors or of a committee authorised by the Directors in that behalf.
  • 128.3125.3 The Directors may determine who shall sign any instrument to which the seal (if any) may be affixed and unless otherwise so determined it shall be signed autographically by one Director and the Secretary or by two Directors, save that the provisions of Article 171718 shall apply as regards any certificates for shares or debentures or other securities of the Company.
  • 128.4125.4 The securities seal (if any) shall be used only for sealing securities issued by the Company and documents creating or evidencing securities so issued.
  • 128.5125.5 The Company may exercise the powers conferred by the Statutes with regard to having an official seal for use abroad and such powers shall be vested in the Directors.
  • 128.6125.6 The Directors may resolve that the Company shall not have a seal.

AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS

129.126. AUTHENTICATION

  • 129.1126.1 Any Director or the Secretary or any person appointed by the Directors for the purpose shall have power to authenticate any document comprising or affecting the constitution of the Company, any resolution passed by the Company or the Directors or any committee and any books, records, documents and accounts relating to the business of the Company, and to certify copies thereof or extracts therefrom as true copies or extracts. Where any book, record, document or account is kept elsewhere than at the Office, the local manager or other officer of the Company having the custody thereof shall be deemed to be a person appointed by the Directors as aforesaid. A document purporting to be a copy of a resolution, or an extract from the minutes of a meeting, of the Company or of the Directors or any committee which is certified as aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence in favour of all persons dealing with the Company upon the faith thereof that such resolution has been duly passed or, as the case may be, that any minute so extracted is a true and accurate record of proceedings at a duly constituted meeting.
  • 129.2126.2 Any books, documents or records which are held by the Company in digital, imaged or other electronic form can be authenticated under this Article 126126130 as if they were books, documents or records held in hard copy form.

RESERVES

130.127. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESERVES

130.1127.1 Subject to the Act and to this Article the Directors may before recommending any dividends, whether preferential or otherwise, carry to reserve out of the profits of the Company such sums as they think proper. All sums standing to reserve may be applied from time to time at the discretion of the Directors for any purpose to which the profits of the Company may be properly 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 Directors think fit. The Directors may divide the reserve 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 reserve may have been divided as they think fit. Any sum which the Directors may carry to reserve out of the unrealised profits of the Company shall not be mixed with any reserve to which profits available for

distribution have been carried. The Directors may also without placing the same to reserve carry forward any profits which they may think it not prudent to divide.

130.2127.2 All moneys realised from the sale, realisation or repayment of any capital assets of the Company in excess of the price at which such assets stand in the books of the Company at the time and all other moneys in the nature of accretion of capital including but not limited to any moneys representing surplus resulting from the writing up of the book values of any capital assets shall be credited to a capital reserve. All sums carried and standing to the credit of the capital reserve may be applied for some capital purpose, including the depreciation or improvement of capital assets, but may also be applied for any of the purposes to which sums standing to the debit of any reserve under the provisions of Article 127.1 may be applied, including for the purposes of distribution (within the meaning of the Act). Any loss on the sale, realisation, repayment or revaluation of capital assets may be charged wholly or partially against any funds of the Company, including All monies realised from the sale of any capital assets of the Company in excess of the price at which such assets stand in the books of the Company at the time (hereinafter called the "book price") and all other monies in the nature of accretion to capital including but not limited to any monies representing surplus resulting from the writing up of the book values of any capital assets shall be credited to a capital reserve ("the capital reserve") or applied for some capital purpose. Such monies may be used for the purpose of providing for depreciation or improvement of capital assets or for such other capital purposes as the Directors may think appropriate and shall not in any event be available for dividend. Any loss on the sale, realisation, repayment or revaluation of any investment or other capital assets may be charged fully or partially against any funds of the Company including reserve funds as the Directors may in their discretion determine.

130.2.1 Any reserve arising in the books of the Company on any cancellation or reduction of any share capital, share premium account or capital redemption reserve shall, not withstanding paragraph 131.1.1 above, be applicable in purchasing issued Ordinary Shares of the Company.

130.2.2127.3 Taxation arising in consequence of the disposal of any capital asset and any deficit below book value resulting on the disposal of any capital asset may be debited in whole or in part against the capital reserve.

130.2.3127.4 Subject to the Act, the Directors shall debit the realised capital reserve of the Company with the whole or such part of any management fees (including any value added tax payable thereon) incurred by the Company or as may be deemed appropriate by the Directors.

131.128. PROFITS FROM ACQUIRED BUSINESS

Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, where any asset, business or property is bought by the Company as from a past date, the profits and losses thereof as from such date may, at the discretion of the Directors, in whole or in part be carried to revenue account and treated for all purposes as profit or losses of the Company. Subject as aforesaid, if any shares or securities are purchased cum dividend or interest, such dividend or interest may, at the discretion of the Directors, be treated as revenue, and it shall not be obligatory to capitalise the same (or any part thereof).

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133.130. INTERIM AND PREFERENTIAL DIVIDENDS Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial,
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declare and/or pay the fixed dividends on any class of shares carrying a fixed
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provide, in such manner and on such terms as they may think fit, for the payment
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of any dividends (whether fixed or calculated by reference to or in accordance with the
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from time to time pay interim dividends on the shares of any class of such
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NO DIVIDEND EXCEPT OUT OF PROFITS
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No dividend or interim dividend shall be paid otherwise than out of profits of the
Company available for distribution under the provisions of the Statutes. The declaration
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distribution under the provisions of the Statutes. The declaration of the Directors as to the amount of the profits of the Company available for payment of dividends shall be conclusive.

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135.132. RANKING OF SHARES FOR DIVIDEND

Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any shares or the terms of issue thereof, all dividends shall (as regards any shares not fully paid throughout the period in respect of which the dividend is paid) be apportioned and paid in proportion to the amounts paid on the shares during any part or parts of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid. For the purposes of this Article 132132136 no amount paid on a share in advance of calls shall be treated as paid on the share.

136.133. NO INTEREST ON DIVIDENDS

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 such share.

137.134. RETENTION OF DIVIDENDS

  • 137.1134.1 The Directors may retain any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share on which the Company has a lien and may apply the same in or towards satisfaction of the moneys payable to the Company in respect of that share.
  • 137.2134.2 The Directors may retain any dividend payable on a share in respect of which any person is, under the provisions of these Articles dealing with the transmission of shares, entitled to become a member or which any person is under those provisions entitled to transfer until such person shall become a member in respect of such shares or shall transfer the same.

138.135. WAIVER OF DIVIDENDS

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 shareholder (or the person entitled to the share by transmission) and delivered to the Company and if, or to the extent that, the same is accepted as such or acted upon by the Company.

139.136. CURRENCY AND PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS

139.1136.1 Any dividend or any other moneys payable on or in respect of shares may be paid by s uch method as the Directors may decide. The Directors may decide to use different methods of payment for different holders or groups of holders of shares. Without limiting any other method of payment which the Directors may decide upon, the Directors may decide that payment can be made, wholly or partly and exclusively or optionally:one of the following methods to be determined from time to time by the Directors as they see fit:

139.1.1136.1.1 in cash; or

  • 139.1.2136.1.2 by cheque (made payable to or to the order of the person entitled to the payment and which may, at the Company's option, be crossed "account payee" where appropriate), warrant or other financial instrument; or
  • 139.1.3136.1.3 by a bank or other funds transfer system to an account designated in writing by the person entitled to the payment; or
  • 139.1.4136.1.4 by means of the relevant system in respect of an uncertificated share if the Directors decide and the person entitled to payment has in writing authorised the payment to be made by means of that system; or
  • 139.1.5136.1.5 by such other method as the person entitled to the payment may agree in writing.
  • 139.2136.2 The Company may send a cheque, warrant or other financial instrument for amounts payable in respect of a share by post to the registered address of the member or person entitled to the same (or, if two or more persons are registered as joint holders of the share or are entitled to the same by transmission, to any one of such persons) or to such person and/or such address as such member or person(s) may in writing direct. Payment of the cheque, warrant or other financial instrument by the banker upon whom it is drawn shall be a good discharge to the Company. Every such cheque, warrant or

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58

other financial instrument shall be sent at the risk of the person(s) entitled to the money represented by the same. Payment by bank or other funds transfer, by means of a relevant system or by another method at the direction of the person(s) entitled to payment shall be a good discharge to the Company and the Company shall have no responsibility for any amounts lost or delayed in the course of making that payment. If any such cheque, warrant or other financial instrument has been, or shall be alleged to have been, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Directors may, at the request of the person(s) entitled to it, issue a replacement cheque, warrant or other financial instrument or other form of payment, subject to compliance with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of such out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles relating to payments in respect of shares, where:

  • 139.2.1136.2.1 the Directors determine to make payments in respect of uncertificated shares through the relevant system, they may also determine to enable any holder of uncertificated shares to elect not to receive dividends through the relevant system and, in such event, establish procedures to enable such holder to make, vary or revoke any such election; and
  • 139.2.2136.2.2 the Company receives an authority in respect of such payments in respect of shares in a form satisfactory to it from a holder of any shares (whether such authority is given in writing or by means of the relevant system or otherwise), the 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.
  • 139.3136.3 Subject to the provisions of these Articles and to the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any shares, any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share may be paid in such currency as the Directors may determine.
  • 139.4136.4 If any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share are to be paid in a currency other than sterling, the Directors may make such provisions as they think fit to enable such payment to be made, including making arrangements to enable payment to be made in the relevant currency for value on the date due for payment or on such later date as the Directors may decide.
  • 139.5136.5 Where a dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share are to be paid in a currency other than sterling, the rate of exchange to be used to calculate the relevant amount of foreign currency shall be such market rate selected by the Directors as they shall consider appropriate, ruling at any time between the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the day on which the Directors publicly announce their intention to pay or recommend (as the case may be) the relevant dividend and the close of business on the day on which that dividend is paid.

140.137. JOINT HOLDERS AND PERSONS ENTITLED BY TRANSMISSION

If two or more persons are registered as joint holders of any share, or are entitled jointly to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of the holder or otherwise through the operation of law, any one of them may give a good receipt for any dividend or other moneys payable, or property distributable, on or in respect of the share. The Company may rely in relation to the share on the written direction or designation in relation to Articles 134134138, 135135139 and 136136140 of any one joint holder of the share or any one person entitled by transmission to the share.

141.138. UNCLAIMED AND UNCASHED DIVIDENDS

  • 141.1138.1 Any unclaimed dividend, interest or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share 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 for the Company's own account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof. Any dividend which has remained unclaimed for a period of 12 years from the due date for payment of such dividend shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company.
  • 141.2138.2 If, in respect of any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share, on any one occasion:
    • 141.2.1138.2.1 a cheque, warrant or other financial instrument is returned undelivered or left uncashed; or
    • 141.2.2138.2.2 a transfer made by a bank or other funds transfer system is not accepted,

and reasonable enquiries have still to establish another address or account of the person entitled to the payment, the Company shall not be obliged to send or transfer a dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of that share to that person until he notifies the Company of an address or account to be used for that purpose. If the cheque, warrant or other financial instrument is returned undelivered or left uncashed or the transfer is not accepted on two consecutive occasions, the Company may exercise its power without making any such enquiries. Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Company shall recommence sending cheques, warrants or other financial instruments in respect of the dividends or other moneys payable in respect of those shares if the holder or person entitled by transmission claims the arrears of any dividend or other moneys payable and does not instruct the Company to pay future dividends or other moneys payable in some other way.

142.139. DISTRIBUTION IN SPECIE

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 body corporate), or partly in one way and partly in another or others and the Directors shall give effect to such resolution. Where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Directors may settle the same as they think expedient and in particular may:

142.1139.1 make such provisions as they think fit for dealing with fractional entitlements which may or would arise (including provisions under which fractional entitlements are ignored or the benefit of the same belongs to the Company rather than the relevant members or the issue of fractional certificates);

142.2139.2 fix the value for distribution of such specific assets or any part thereof;

142.3139.3 determine that cash payments shall be made to any members upon the basis of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all parties entitled to participate in the dividend; and

142.4139.4 vest any such specific assets in trustees.

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SCRIP DIVIDENDS

143.140. SCRIP DIVIDENDS

  • 143.1140.1 The Directors may, if authorised by an ordinary resolution of the Company, offer any holders of shares of a particular class the right to elect to receive further shares (whether or not of that class), credited as fully paid (each an "additional share"), instead of cash in respect of all (or some part) of any dividend or dividends proposed to be paid or declared at any time during a specified period (such period not expiring later than the beginning of the fifth annual general meeting following the date on which the resolution is passed) upon such terms and conditions as may be specified in such ordinary resolution or otherwise decided upon by the Directors (subject always to the provisions of this Article 140140144).
  • 143.2140.2 The Directors may in their absolute discretion amend, suspend or withdraw (whether temporarily or otherwise) any offer previously made to shareholders to elect to receive additional shares at any time prior to the allotment and/or transfer (as the case may be) of the additional shares and may do such acts and things considered necessary or expedient with regard to, or in order to effect, any such amendment, suspension or withdrawal.
  • 143.3140.3 When a right to elect is to be offered to holders of shares of a particular class pursuant to this Article, the Directors shall notify such holders of that right and shall make available or provide to such holders forms of election (in such form as the Directors may approve) in order to exercise such right. Such forms may also provide for the right to elect to receive additional shares instead of cash in respect of future dividends not yet declared or resolved upon (and accordingly in respect of which the basis of allotment has not yet been decided upon) as well as in respect of the relevant dividend. The Directors shall also specify the procedures to be followed in order to exercise any such right or rights of election and, where applicable, to vary or revoke any such right or rights.
  • 143.4140.4 The basis of allotment and/or transfer (as the case may be) shall be determined by the Directors so that each holder of shares of a particular class who elects to receive additional shares shall be entitled to receive such number of additional shares, calculated at the relevant price for each such share, as is nearly as possible equal to (but not in excess of) the cash amount of the relevant dividend which such holder would otherwise have received. For the purposes of this Article 140140144, the "relevant price" of an additional share shall be such price as is equal to the average of the middle market prices for a share of that class on the London Stock Exchange during the period of 5 dealing days commencing on the day when such shares are first quoted "ex" the relevant dividend or to the nominal value of such a share (whichever is the higher), or commencing on such other date as the Directors may deem appropriate to take account of a subsequent issue of shares by the Company. A certificate or report by the Auditors as to the value of an additional share in respect of any dividend shall be conclusive evidence of that value. No member may receive a fraction of a share.
  • 143.5140.5 The cash amount of a dividend (or part of the dividend) on shares in respect of which an election to receive additional shares has been made shall not be payable and in lieu additional shares shall be allotted and/or transferred (as the case may be) to the relevant holders on the basis of allotment and/or transfer determined under Article 140.3140.3144.3. For the purpose of any such allotment, the Directors may (without limiting or restricting in any way their powers under this Article 140140144) capitalise out of such of the sums for the time being standing to the credit of any of the Company's reserve accounts (including any share premium account or capital redemption reserve)

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or profit and loss account as the Directors may determine a sum equal to the aggregate nominal amount of the additional shares to be allotted, and shall apply the same in paying up in full the appropriate number of unissued shares for allotment and distribution credited as fully paid to the relevant holders of shares.

  • 143.6140.6 Article 141141145 shall apply (with appropriate modifications) to any capitalisation made pursuant to this Article 140140144.
  • 143.7140.7 Any additional shares allotted in terms of this Article 140140144 shall rank equally in all respects with the fully paid shares of that class then in issue (other than any shares continuing to be held as treasury shares by the Company) save only as regards participation in the relevant dividend (or share election in lieu).
  • 143.8140.8 The Directors shall not proceed with any election unless the Company has sufficient shares held as treasury shares which it is authorised to transfer in lieu of payment of the relevant dividend(s) in cash and/or sufficient unissued authorised share capital for issue and, in such case, sufficient reserves or funds that may be capitalised to give effect to the election after the basis of allotment and/or transfer (as the case may be) has been determined.
  • 143.9140.9 The Directors may on any occasion determine that rights of election shall be subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to any legal or practical problems under the laws of, or the requirements of any recognised regulatory body or any stock exchange in, any territory. In any such case, the preceding provisions of this Article 140140144 shall be construed accordingly.
  • 143.10140.10 A resolution to be proposed at an annual general meeting that a dividend be declared at that meeting shall be deemed to take effect at the end of the meeting if at the meeting a resolution under Article 140.1140.1144.1 is also to be proposed.

CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES

144.141. CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES

  • 144.1141.1 Subject to the Statutes, the Directors may, with the authority of an ordinary resolution of the Company:
    • 144.1.1141.1.1 resolve to capitalise any undistributed profits of the Company not required for paying any preferential dividend (whether or not they are available for distribution) or any sum standing to the credit of any reserve (including a share premium account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account);
    • 144.1.2141.1.2 appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the members who would have been entitled to it if it were distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions, and apply such sum in or on their behalf towards:
      • (a) paying up the amounts, if any, for the time being unpaid on any shares held by them respectively; or
      • (b) paying up in full unissued shares or debentures of the Company of a nominal amount equal to that sum,

and allot the shares or debentures credited as fully paid to those members, or as they may direct, in those proportions or partly in one way and partly in the

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other; but the share premium account, the capital redemption reserve and any profits which are not available for distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued shares to be allotted to members credited as fully paid;

  • 144.1.3141.1.3 subject to the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, make any arrangements it thinks fit to resolve any difficulty arising in the distribution of the capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where shares or debentures become distributable in fractions, the Directors may:-
    • (a) in a capitalisation in lieu of dividend, deal with the fraction as it thinks fit, including issuing fractional certificates, disregarding fractions or selling shares or debentures representing fractions to a person for the best price reasonably obtainable and distributing the net proceeds of the sale in due proportion among the members (except that if the amount due to a member does not exceed £3.00 or such other sum as the Directors may decide, the sum may be retained for the benefit of the Company);
    • (b) in a capitalisation other than one in lieu of dividend, if a member's entitlement includes a fraction of the security, sell that fraction for the benefit of the Company save that if its value exceeds £5.00 it must instead be sold for the benefit of the member;
    • (c) authorise any person to enter on behalf of all the members concerned into an agreement with the Company providing for either:
      • (i) the allotment to the members respectively, credited as fully paid, of any shares or debentures to which they may be entitled upon such capitalisation; or
      • (ii) subject to the restrictions described in Article 141.1.2141.1.2145.1.2, the payment by the Company on behalf of the members (by the application of their respective proportions of the sum to be resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing shares,

and any agreement made under this authority shall be effective and binding on all such members; and

144.1.4141.1.4 generally do all acts and things required to give effect to the resolution.

ACCOUNTS, VALUATION AND NET ASSET VALUE

145.142. SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Subject to the Statutes, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA and if the Directors so decide, the Company need not send copies of its full annual accounts and reports to those persons entitled to receive them, but may instead send such persons a summary financial statement derived from the Company's annual accounts and reports in such form and containing such information as may be required by the Statutes, the Market Rules and the UK Listing AuthorityFCA and provided further that copies of the full annual accounts and reports shall be sent to any such person who in accordance with the Statutes wishes to receive them.

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143. ACCOUNTS

The Directors 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.

144. VALUATION

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).

145. NET ASSET VALUE

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.

NOTICES, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION

146. NATURE OF NOTICE

Any notice to be given to or by any person pursuant to the provisions of these Articles (other than a notice calling a meeting of Directors) shall be in writing and shall be sent in accordance with the Statutes.

147. SERVICE OF NOTICES, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION

  • 147.1 Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Statutes and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Company may give any notice or send or supply any other document (including a share certificate) or information to any member:
    • 147.1.1 by delivering it to him personally; or
    • 147.1.2 by leaving it at, or sending it by post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such member at, his registered address or address for service in the United Kingdom; or
    • 147.1.3 by sending it by electronic means to an address for the time being notified to the Company by the member (generally or specifically) for that purpose.
  • 147.2 Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Statutes and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the Company may give any notice or send or supply any other document or information to any member by making it available on a website in accordance with the Statutes, where:
    • 147.2.1 that member has agreed (generally or specifically) that the document or information may be sent or supplied to him in that manner or that member is deemed to have so agreed in accordance with the Statutes and in either case has not revoked that agreement;

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  • 147.2.2 that member is notified in accordance with Article 147.1147.1148.1 or Article 147.3147.3148.3 of:
    • (a) the fact that the document or information has been made available on the website;
    • (b) the address of the website; and
    • (c) the place on the website where the document or information may be accessed and how it may be accessed.
  • 147.3 If at any time, by reason of the suspension or curtailment of postal services within the United Kingdom, the Company is unable to give the notification required by Article 147.2.2147.2.2148.2.2 by post, such notification may be given (without prejudice to any other means of giving such notification) by a notice advertised in at least two leading national daily newspaper. Such notification shall be deemed to have been received by all members entitled to receive the same at noon on the day when the advertisement appears or, if more than one advertisement is placed, at noon on the day when the last advertisement appears. In regard to any other kind of notice, a single insertion in at least one national daily newspaper shall be deemed sufficient.
  • 147.4 The provisions of this Article 147147148 apply, subject to the provisions of the Statutes and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, in relation to any notice, document or information referred to in these Articles whether or not the provisions of the Article(s) in question use the words "give", "send" or "supply" or uses other words (such as "deliver" or "provide") to refer to the sending or supplying of a document, notice or information.
  • 147.5 A member whose registered address is not within the United Kingdom and who gives the Company a postal address in the United Kingdom as his address for the service of notices and other documents and information, or an address to which notices and other documents and information may be sent using electronic means, shall be entitled to have notices and other documents and information sent or supplied to him at that address (or, where Article 147.2.1147.2.1148.2.1 applies to that member, to have notification in accordance with Article 147.2.2147.2.2148.2.2 sent to him at that address). In the case of a member registered on a branch register, any such notice, document or information may be sent either in the United Kingdom or in the territory in which such branch register is maintained. Otherwise, no such member shall be entitled to receive a notice or other document or information from the Company.
  • 147.6 Where a notice or other document or information is:
    • 147.6.1 delivered to a member personally or left at his registered address or address for service in the United Kingdom, it shall be deemed to have been received on the day it was so delivered or left;
    • 147.6.2 sent by post, it shall be deemed to have been received at the expiration of 24 hours (where first class post is used) or 48 hours where second class post is used) after the time when the envelope containing the same is posted and in proving such receipt, it shall be sufficient to prove that such envelope was properly addressed, prepaid and posted;
    • 147.6.3 sent or supplied by electronic means, it shall be deemed to be received on the day that it was sent and in proving such receipt, it shall be sufficient to prove that it was sent in accordance with guidance issued by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators;

147.6.4 made available on a website, it is deemed to have been received when it was first made available on the website, or, if later, on the date on which the notification pursuant to Article 147.2.2147.2.2148.2.2 is received or deemed to be received;

and in calculating when a notice or other document or information is deemed to be received, no account shall be taken of any part of a day that is not a working day.

  • 147.7 A member present in person or by proxy at the meeting of the Company, or a meeting of the holders of a particular class of shares, is deemed to have received notice of the meeting and, where required, of the purposes for which it was called.
  • 147.8 If the Company has attempted to send a notice or other document or information using electronic means to an address for the time being notified to the Company by a member for that purpose, but the Company is aware that there has been a failure of delivery of such document or information, then the Company shall send a copy of the document or information by post to such member at his registered address or his address for the service of notices in the United Kingdom.
  • 147.9 If on two consecutive occasions notices or other documents have been sent by post to any member at his registered address or his address for the service of notices in the United Kingdom but have been returned undelivered, such member shall not thereafter be entitled to receive notices or other documents or information from the Company until he shall have communicated with the Company and supplied in writing a new registered address or a new postal address within the United Kingdom for the service of notices and other documents and information as the case may be, or an address to which notices and other documents and information may be sent to him using electronic means.

148. JOINT HOLDERS

  • 148.1 Any notice, document or information given to that one of the joint holders of a share whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the share shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders in their capacity as such. For such purpose, a joint holder whose registered address is not within the United Kingdom and who has not given the Company a postal address within the United Kingdom as his address for the service of notices and other documents and information, or an address to which notices and other documents and information may be sent to him using electronic means, shall be disregarded. The joint holder to whom, in accordance with this Article, notice may be given, such that the notice is sufficient notice to all of the joint holders in their capacity as such, shall be called the "First Named Holder".
  • 148.2 In the case of joint holders of a share, the consent or deemed consent (generally or specifically) of the First Named Holder that any notice or other document or information may be sent by the Company to those joint holders in electronic form or by being made available on a website and/or the notification to the Company by such First Named Holder of an address for the purposes of receipt of any communications by electronic means, shall be effective consent and/or notification (as the case may be) of all joint holders of such share. The First Named Holder may also effectively revoke any such consent and/or notification of address.

149. DECEASED AND BANKRUPT MEMBERS AND TRANSFEREES

149.1 A person entitled to a share by transmission upon supplying to the Company such evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show his title to the share, and upon supplying also a postal address within the United Kingdom for the service of

notices and other documents and information or an address to which notices and other documents and information may be sent to him using electronic means, shall be entitled to have sent or supplied to him at such address any notice or other document or information to which the member, but for his death or bankruptcy, would have been entitled. Such sending or supply shall, for all purposes, be deemed to be sufficient sending or supply of such notice or other document or information on all persons interested (whether jointly with or claiming through or under him) in the share. Until such evidence and address have been supplied, any notice or other document or information may be sent or supplied in any manner in which it might have been sent or supplied if the death or bankruptcy or other event giving rise to the transmission had not occurred.

149.2 Every person who becomes entitled to a share by transmission, transfer or otherwise shall be bound by any notice in respect of that share (other than a notice served by the Company under section 793 of the Act) which, before his name is entered in the Register in respect of such share, has been duly served on or delivered to a person from whom he derives his title.

150. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AS TO NOTICES

Nothing in any of the Articles 146146147 to 149149150 shall affect any requirements of the Statutes that any particular offer, notice or other document be served in any particular manner.

RECORD DATES

151. RECORD DATE FOR SERVICE OF NOTICES

Subject to Articles 55.355.357.3 and 56.656.658.6, any notice or other document may be served or delivered by the Company by reference to the Register as it stands at any time not more than 21 clear days before the date of service or delivery and no change in the Register after that time shall invalidate that service or delivery.

152. RECORD DATE FOR DIVIDENDS, ISSUES OF SHARES, ETC.

Subject to the Statutes, the Market Rules and the requirements of the UK Listing AuthorityFCA, the provisions of these Articles and the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any shares, the Company in general meeting or the Directors by resolution, may specify any date (the "record date") as the date at the close of business on which persons registered as the holders of shares or other securities shall be entitled to receipt of any dividend, distribution, interest, allotment, issue or other right and such record date may be on, or at any time before or after, that on which the resolution is passed. Such dividend, distribution, interest, allotment, issue or other right shall then be payable or due to them in accordance with their respective registered holdings, but shall not, of itself, prejudice the rights between transferors and transferees of any such shares or other securities in respect of such dividend, distribution, interest, allotment, issue or other right.

DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

  • 153. DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
  • 153.1 The Company may destroy or delete:

  • 153.1.1 all transfer forms or operator instructions (as defined in the Regulations) transferring shares, and documents sent to support transfer, and any other documents which were the basis for making an entry on the Register, at any time after the expiration of 6 years from the date of registration or entry in the Register (as the case may be);

  • 153.1.2 all dividend mandates, variations or cancellations, payment instructions and notifications of a change of address or name, at any time after the expiry of 2 years from the date of recording such notification or cancellation (as the case may be);
  • 153.1.3 all cancelled share certificates, after the expiry of 1 year from the date they were cancelled;
  • 153.1.4 all paid dividend warrants and cheques at any time after the expiry of 1 year from the date of actual payment; and
  • 153.1.5 all proxy appointments at any time after the expiry of 1 year from the date of the general meeting to which the appointment relates or, if later, the date on which any poll was taken in relation to which the appointment was used.

Any such document may be disposed of in any manner.

  • 153.2 If the Company destroys or deletes a document pursuant to Article 153.1153.1154.1, it is conclusively treated as having been a valid and effective document and duly and properly registered (in the case of a form of transfer) or cancelled (in the case of a share certificate) or recorded (in the case of any other document). Every entry in the Register or in any other books or records of the Company made or recorded from any such document shall conclusively be regarded as having been duly and properly made.
  • 153.3 Article 153.2153.2154.2 only applies to a document destroyed or deleted in good faith and where the Company has not received notice of any claim (regardless of the parties to the document) to which the document may be relevant.
  • 153.4 This Article 153153154 shall not impose upon the Company any liability:
    • 153.4.1 if it destroys or deletes a document earlier than referred to in Article 153.1153.1154.1; or
    • 153.4.2 in any other circumstances which would not attach to the Company in the absence of this Article.

INDEMNITY AND INSURANCE

154. INDEMNITY

154.1 Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and Article 154.2154.2155.2 below, but without prejudice to any indemnity to which he may otherwise be entitled, every Director or Secretary of the Company or of any associated company shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities which he may sustain or incur in the execution or purported execution or discharge of his duties or in the exercise or purported exercise of his powers or otherwise in relation to or in connection with his duties, powers or office.

154.2 Article 154.1154.1155.1 shall not operate to provide an indemnity against any liability attaching to a Director in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the Company except as permitted by the Statutes.

155. INSURANCE

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 154154155, the Directors shall have power to purchase and/or maintain insurance for, or for the benefit of, any persons who are or were at any time Directors, alternate Directors or other officers of the Company or any associated company or who are or were at any time trustees of any retirement benefits scheme or employee share scheme in which employees of the Company or any associated company are or were interested, including insurance against any liability incurred by such persons which may lawfully be insured against by the Company in respect of any act or omission in the execution of their powers and/or otherwise in relation to the Company or in connection with their duties, powers or offices in relation to any associated company, or any such retirement benefits scheme or employee share scheme.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS

156. INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS

  • 156.1 Investor Disclosures shall be made available to members and prospective members in such manner as may be determined by the Directors from time to time (including without limitation, and where so determined, by posting some or all of the Investor Disclosures on the Company's website or by electronic notice).
  • 156.2 For the purposes of Article 156.1, the term "Investor Disclosures" means solely the information required to be made available to members and prospective members pursuant to the AIFM Rules.

REPORTING

157. OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE COMPANY

  • 157.1 In addition to the right of the Directors to serve a statutory notice on any person pursuant to the Statues and Article 78, the Directors 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 Directors determine from time to time is necessary or appropriate for the Company to have in order to:
    • 157.1.1 satisfy any account or payee identification, documentation or other diligence requirements and any reporting requirements imposed under or in relation to FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard or the requirements of any similar laws or regulations of any jurisdiction or territory to which the Company may be subject from time to time ("Similar Laws"); or
    • 157.1.2 avoid or reduce any tax (including withholding tax) otherwise imposed by FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard or Similar Laws (including any withholding upon any dividends or other distributions or payments payable, paid or made to such holder by the Company); or

ABE/0041/00002/8055875

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  • 157.1.3 permit the Company to enter into, comply with, or prevent a default under or termination of, an agreement of the type described in or required under FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard, the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as amended) or Similar Laws.
  • 157.2 The Company and its agents shall be entitled to hold and process the Information, and to disclose any Information and information about a holder's or beneficial owner's interests in the Company to any government division or department (including any taxation authority) or to any person or entity from which the Company receives or is required to make any payment, for the purposes of carrying out the business of the Company and the administration and protection of its interests and assets, including without limitation for the purposes referred to in Article 157.1 above and where the member is not the beneficial owner of the relevant shares the member shall procure that the beneficial owner shall give its consent and authorisation to the Company in respect of the holding, processing and disclosure of any Information relating to the beneficial owner.
  • 157.3 If any holder fails to supply all or any Information to the Company or its agents within the period set out in the notice referred to in Article 157.1 (which period shall not be less than ten days after the service of the notice), then the Directors may give written notice to such holder requiring them either:
    • 157.3.1 to provide the Company or its agents within 21 days of service of such notice with Information to the satisfaction of the Directors (in their discretion); or
    • 157.3.2 to sell or transfer the holder's shares within 21 days of service of such notice and within such 21 days to provide the Directors with satisfactory evidence of such sale or transfer, and pending such sale or transfer the Directors may suspend 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.
  • 157.4 Where the relevant requirement set out in Article 157.3.1 or 157.3.2 above is not satisfied within 21 days of service of the relevant notice (or such longer period as the Directors may determine), the holder will be deemed, upon the expiration of such 21 days, to have forfeited their shares. If the Directors in their absolute discretion so determine, the Company may dispose of the relevant shares at the best price reasonably obtainable and pay the net proceeds of such disposal to the former holder.
  • 157.5 If at any time the holding or beneficial ownership of any shares in the Company by any person (whether on its own or taken with other shares), in the opinion of the Directors, would or might cause the Company to become subject to any withholding tax or reated reporting obligation under FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard or Similar Laws or to be unable to avoid or reduce any such tax or to be unable to comply with any reporting obligation (each an "Onerous Obligation") (including by reason of the failure of the person concerned or its associates or nominee holder(s) to provide to the Company any Information pursuant to this Article 157), then the Directors may at any time give written notice to the holder or holders of the relevant shares requiring them to sell or transfer the relevant shares within 21 days of service of such notice to such person or persons as shall ensure that the Company shall no longer be subject to the relevant Onerous Obligation and within such 21 days to provide the Directors with satisfactory evidence of such sale or transfer, and pending such sale or transfer the Directors may suspend 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

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other distributions or payments with respect to the relevant shares. Where such sale or transfer is not completed within 21 days of service of such notice (or such longer period as the Directors may determine), the holder or holders of the relevant shares will be deemed, upon the expiration of such 21 days to have forfeited their shares. If the Directors in their absolute discretion so determine, the Company may dispose of the relevant shares at the best price reasonably obtainable and pay the net proceeds of such disposal to the former holder or holders.

  • 157.6 If requested by the Company, a holder shall execute any and all documents, opinions, instruments and certificates as the Directors may reasonably request to give effect to or to enforce the Company's rights and entitlements under this Article 157.
  • 157.7 Nothing in these Articles (including, without limitation, this Article 157) shall prevent, limit or restrict the Company from withholding or deducting any taxes or other sums required to be withheld or deducted by the Company pursuant to FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard, any Similar Laws or any other applicable legislation, regulations, rules or agreements.
  • 157.8 To the extent that monies received by the Company become subject to a deduction or withholding under or relating to FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard, any Similar Laws or any other applicable legislation, regulations, rules or agreements:
    • 157.8.1 the Company shall not be required to compensate, indemnify or in any way make good the holders in respect of such deduction or withholding and, therefore, without limitation:
      • (a) the Company shall not be required to increase any dividend or other distribution or payment to the holders in order to reflect any amount deducted or withheld; and
      • (b) any monies paid or distributed to the holders by the Company shall be paid net of the amount deducted or withheld; and
    • 157.8.2 the holders shall have no recourse to the Company in respect of a credit or refund from any person relating to the amount so deducted or withheld.
  • 157.9 Without limiting the generality of the obligations under FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard or Similar Laws, each holder of shares:

157.9.1 must notify the Company of any material changes which affect the holder's status (and to the extent relevant, the status of the beneficial owner of the shares) under FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard or Similar Laws or which result in any information, waivers, forms or other documentation previously provided to the Company (pursuant to this Article) becoming inaccurate or incomplete within the earlier of 90 days of becoming aware of such changes and any other period provided under FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard or Similar Laws for such event; and

157.9.2 must, to the extent there have been material changes as described in Article 157.9.1157.9.1 above, promptly provide the Company with updated information, waivers, forms or other documentation, as applicable.

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NAME

156.158. NAME

In the event that Aberdeen Fund Managers (Singapore) Limitedabrdn Asia Ltd, a company incorporated in Singapore with registered number 1991055448E, or any associated company thereof ceases to be the Investment Manager of the Company, then abrdn Asia Ltd Aberdeen Fund Managers (Singapore) Limited shall be entitled at any time thereafter to serve notice upon the Company requiring that the name of the Company is changed to a name which does not contain the words "abrdn", "Aberdeen" or "Aberdeen Fund ManagersStandard". If within three months after the giving of such notice the name of the Company has not been changed, then abrdn Asia LtdAberdeen Fund Managers (Singapore) Limited shall be entitled to convene a general meeting of the Company for the purpose of passing a special resolution ("the Name Change Resolution") adopting as the name of the Company a name selected by abrdn Asia LtdAberdeen Fund Managers (Singapore) Limited and at such general meeting the shares held by members voting in favour of the Name Change Resolution shall, in respect of such resolution, carry in aggregate such number of votes as is equal to three quarters of the votes cast upon such resolution.

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