AGM Information • Mar 22, 2022
AGM Information
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to be held at the Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8QZ
If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of the proposals referred to in this document or as to the action you should take, you should seek your own advice from a stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor or accountant or other independent professional adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if you are in the United Kingdom, or another appropriately authorised independent adviser if you are in a territory outside the United Kingdom.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares in Croda International Plc, you should pass this Notice and accompanying documents to the purchaser or transferee, or to the person through whom the sale or transfer was effected, for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
You will not have received a hard copy proxy form for the 2022 AGM in the post. You can instead submit your proxy vote electronically by accessing the shareholder portal at www.signalshares.com, logging in and selecting the 'Vote Online Now' link. You will require your username and password in order to log in and vote. If you have forgotten your username or password you can request a reminder via the shareholder portal. If you have not previously registered to use the portal you will require your investor code ('IVC') which can be found on your share certificate or dividend notification. Proxy votes should be submitted as early as possible and in any event, no later than 12 noon on Wednesday 18 May 2022.
You may request a hard copy proxy form directly from the Registrars, Link Group by emailing [email protected] or by post at Link Group, 10th Floor, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL. If you hold shares in CREST you can use the CREST electronic proxy appointment service. Further details on how to do this are set out in the Notes to this Notice.
Croda International Plc Cowick Hall Snaith Goole East Yorkshire DN14 9AA England Tel +44 (0)1405 860551 Fax +44 (0)1405 861767
22 March 2022
Dear Fellow Shareholder
I am pleased to enclose the Notice convening the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (the 'AGM' or the 'Meeting') for shareholders of Croda International Plc, which will be held on Friday 20 May 2022. The AGM will be at The Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8QZ and will commence at 12 noon. The business to be considered at the AGM is set out in the Notice, which you can find on pages 4 to 6 of this document. Explanatory notes on each Resolution to be considered at the AGM appear on pages 7 to 9 of this document.
Shareholders are being asked to approve a final dividend of 56.5 pence per ordinary share for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. If shareholders approve the recommended final dividend, this will be paid on 6 June 2022 to all ordinary shareholders who are on the Register of Members at close of business on 6 May 2022.
I would like to take this opportunity to make special mention of Resolutions 4 to 13, which relate to the election and re-election of directors. The Board contains a broad range of skills and experience from different industries and advisory roles and from international markets. These skills support the strategic aims of the Company. A summary of the key strengths and experience of each director and the value they bring to the Board, as well as their biographical details, are included on pages 10 and 11 of this document. Each of the directors being proposed for election or re-election has been subject to a formal performance evaluation and is considered to be effective in their role and to be committed to making available the appropriate time for Board meetings and other duties. Further details of the formal performance evaluation are set out in the Corporate Governance report on page 74 of the Annual Report and Accounts.
The Board is looking forward to welcoming shareholders to the AGM, which you will be able to attend in person in the Wharfe Room at the Pavilions of Harrogate. To help ensure your safety and manage the numbers attending the AGM, this year, we are asking that only shareholders or their duly nominated proxies attend the Meeting in person. Persons who are not shareholders or their duly nominated proxies should not attend the Meeting unless arrangements have been made in advance with the Group Company Secretariat, whose contact details can be found on page 15.
This year, for the first time, shareholders will be able to participate in our AGM through an online facility. We have decided to introduce this facility to enable shareholders to follow the AGM remotely should they wish to do so, although only those shareholders or their duly nominated proxies who attend in person will be deemed to be present at the Meeting and will be entitled to speak and vote at the AGM.
Shareholders who use the online facility will not be entitled to speak and vote at the AGM. However, they will be able to submit questions before and during the Meeting, up to and throughout the question and answer session. This can be done by accessing the AGM section of our website, www.croda.com/agm. Full details of how to follow the Meeting online are set out on page 16 of this document.
The Company may be required to change the arrangements for the Meeting at short notice should government restrictions on public gatherings or other social distancing measures be reintroduced. In such circumstances, the Company may be required to hold the Meeting entirely in electronic form, without shareholders being able to attend the Meeting in person. If this is the case, we will publish the relevant information on the Company's website www.croda.com and make an announcement to the London Stock Exchange.
Please check the Company's website in advance of the Meeting in case there are any changes made to the arrangements for the AGM.
Voting on all of the proposed Resolutions at the AGM will be conducted on a poll rather than on a show of hands. Voting by way of a poll will give as many shareholders as possible the opportunity to have their votes counted. The results of the poll will be announced via a Regulatory News Service and made available at www.croda.com as soon as practicable after the AGM.
If you are unable to attend the AGM in person, we strongly encourage you to vote in advance by appointing the Chair of the AGM as your proxy. This will ensure that your vote will be counted. We would encourage you to submit your proxy vote to our Registrars as soon as possible but, in any event, no later than 12 noon on 18 May 2022 online at www.signalshares.com or, if you hold shares in CREST, via the CREST electronic proxy appointment service in accordance with the procedures set out in the Notes to the Notice. Please refer to pages 12 and 13 of the Notice for further details of how to do this.
Your Board considers all of the proposed Resolutions set out in this Notice to be put to the AGM to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the directors unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions, as the directors intend to do in respect of their own shareholdings.
Yours sincerely
Anita Frew Chair
Holders of ordinary shares are entitled to vote on all the Resolutions to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.
Notice is hereby given that the ninetyseventh Annual General Meeting (the 'AGM' or the 'Meeting') of Croda International Plc (the 'Company') will be held at the Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8QZ on Friday 20 May 2022 at 12 noon to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the Resolutions set out below (the 'Resolutions').
Resolutions numbered 1 to 16 (inclusive) will be proposed as Ordinary Resolutions and Resolutions numbered 17 to 21 (inclusive) will be proposed as Special Resolutions.
To authorise the Company's Audit Committee to determine the remuneration of the auditors on behalf of the directors.
This is provided that any such donations and expenditure made by the Company or by any such subsidiary during the period in which this Resolution has effect shall not exceed £50,000 in aggregate.
For the purposes of this Resolution the terms 'political donations', 'political parties', 'independent election candidates', 'political organisation' and 'political expenditure' have the meanings given by sections 363 to 365 of the Act.
limit any shares or rights issued or granted under paragraph (i) above) in connection with an offer by way of a rights issue:
and so that the directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements that they consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter,
such authorities to apply from the conclusion of this AGM until (unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in a general meeting) the earlier of (i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company, and (ii) the close of business on 20 August 2023 provided that, in each case, during this period the Company may make offers and enter into agreements which would, or might, require shares in the Company to be allotted or rights to subscribe for, or convert securities into, shares to be granted, after the authority ends and the directors may allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for, or convert securities into, shares under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not ended.
(b) Subject to paragraph (c), all existing authorities given to the directors pursuant to section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 to allot shares and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, shares by way of the special resolution of the Company passed on 21 May 2021 be revoked by this Resolution; and
(c) Paragraph (b) above shall be without prejudice to the continuing authority of the directors to allot shares, or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares, pursuant to an offer or agreement made by the Company before the expiry of the authority pursuant to which such offer or agreement was made.
b.to people who hold other equity securities, if this is required by the rights of those securities or, if the directors consider it necessary, as permitted by the rights of those securities,
and so that the directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements which they consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter; and
iii.in the case of the authority granted under paragraph (i) of Resolution 17 or a sale of treasury shares shall be limited to the allotment of equity securities for cash otherwise than pursuant to paragraph (ii) up to an aggregate nominal value of £740,130.
This power applies in relation to a sale of shares which is an allotment of equity securities by virtue of section 560(3) of the Act as if in the first paragraph of this Resolution the words "pursuant to the authority conferred by Resolution 17 in this Notice" were omitted.
Company after the date on which this Resolution is passed (or, if earlier, at the close of business on 20 August 2023), but the Company may make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after expiry of this power and the directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of that offer or agreement as if this power had not expired; and
ii. in the case of the authority granted under paragraph (i) of Resolution 17 or a sale of treasury shares shall be limited to the allotment of equity securities for cash otherwise than pursuant to paragraph (ii) of Resolution 18 up to an aggregate nominal amount of £740,130 and provided that the allotment is for the purposes of financing (or refinancing if the power is used within six months of the original transaction) a transaction which the directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles on Disapplying Preemption Rights most recently published by the Pre-emption Group prior to the date of this Notice.
This power applies in relation to a sale of shares which is an allotment of equity securities by virtue of section 560(3) of the Act as if in the first paragraph of this Resolution the words "pursuant to the authority conferred by Resolution 17 in this Notice" were omitted.
Group General Counsel and Company Secretary 22 March 2022
Registered Office: Cowick Hall Snaith Goole East Yorkshire DN14 9AA
Registered in England and Wales No: 206132
The directors are required to present to the AGM the Company's and the Group's audited financial statements and the directors' and auditors' reports for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. These are contained within the Annual Report and Accounts and include the strategic report.
The Directors' Remuneration Report, which may be found on pages 84 to 105 of the Annual Report and Accounts, gives details of the directors' remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2021. KPMG LLP have audited those parts of the Directors' Remuneration Report capable of being audited and their report may be found on pages 112 to 119 of the Annual Report and Accounts. The Directors' Remuneration Policy (which is summarised on pages 106 to 108 of the Annual Report and Accounts) was approved at the 2020 AGM and does not form part of the Directors' Remuneration Report being considered in Resolution 2.
The vote on the Directors' Remuneration Report is advisory in nature in that payments made or promised to directors will not have to be repaid, reduced or withheld in the event that Resolution 2 is not passed.
The directors are recommending that the ordinary shareholders declare a final dividend of 56.5 pence per ordinary share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2021. The final dividend declared may not exceed the amount recommended by the directors and must be approved by the ordinary shareholders. If approved, the final dividend will be paid on 6 June 2022 to ordinary shareholders who are on the Register of Members at close of business on 6 May 2022.
These Resolutions concern the re-appointment of directors. All directors are standing for election and re-election at this AGM in accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code. Biographical details of the directors appear on pages 10 and 11 of this document. Julie Kim was appointed to the Board in September 2021 and Nawal Ouzren was appointed to the Board in February 2022. Both are seeking shareholder election for the first time. With the exception of Keith Layden, the Board considers that all non-executive directors are independent in character and judgement. Keith Layden is not considered independent, having served as the Company's Chief Technology Officer prior to retirement from the Company and appointment as a non-executive director in May 2017. This follows a formal performance evaluation during the year that confirmed that each of the directors makes an effective and valuable contribution to the Board and demonstrates commitment to the role (including making sufficient time available for Board and committee meetings and other duties as requested). The Board is recommending that shareholders should elect or re-elect the directors.
The Company is required to appoint auditors at each general meeting at which accounts are presented to shareholders. Resolution 14 proposes the re-appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's auditors until the conclusion of the next AGM. It is normal practice for a company's directors to be authorised to determine the level of the auditors' remuneration for the ensuing year. Resolution 15 proposes to give such authority to the Company's Audit Committee on behalf of the directors.
This Resolution enables the directors to incur expenditure of up to £50,000 in aggregate in respect of the activities identified in Resolution 16 (including any such expenditure by a subsidiary company) without unintentionally breaching the provisions of the Act. It is not proposed or intended to alter the Company's policy of not making political donations, within the normal meaning of that expression. However, without the authorisation contained in this Resolution, some of the Company's activities may inadvertently fall within the prohibition contained in the Act and the Company's ability to communicate its views effectively to political audiences and to relevant interest groups could therefore be inhibited without such authority. The authority sought will, if granted, last until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company when the directors intend to seek renewal of this authority. The Company will continue its policy of not giving any cash contributions to any political party. Any expenditure which may be incurred under authority of this Resolution will be disclosed in next year's Annual Report. During 2021, no donations were made by the Company or any of its subsidiaries for political purposes.
Under section 551 of the Act, the directors of the Company may only allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into shares if authorised to do so by shareholders. The Company's articles of association give a general authority to the directors to allot shares.
This Resolution, which complies with guidance issued by the Investment Association (the 'IA'), will, if passed, authorise the directors to allot ordinary shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into ordinary shares up to:
This brings the aggregate authority for allotments in connection with a rights issue to approximately 66% of the issued ordinary share capital as at 16 March 2022, excluding shares held in treasury.
As at 16 March 2022, the Company held 3,018,203 ordinary shares in treasury, representing 2.16% of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company, excluding shares held in treasury as at that date.
The directors have no present intention to exercise either of the authorities sought under this Resolution, other than where set out in the Notice.
However, the directors may consider doing so if they believe it would be appropriate in respect of business opportunities that may arise consistent with the Company's strategic objectives. The authorities will last until the earlier of (i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company and (ii) 20 August 2023.
If the directors wish to allot shares, or grant rights to subscribe for, or convert securities into, shares, or sell treasury shares for cash (other than pursuant to an employee share scheme), they must first offer them to existing shareholders in proportion to their holdings. There may be occasions when the directors need the flexibility to finance business opportunities by allotting shares without a pre-emptive offer to existing shareholders, and this can be done if the shareholders have first given a limited waiver of their pre-emption rights. Resolution 18 and Resolution 19 ask shareholders to grant this limited waiver. The Resolutions will be proposed as Special Resolutions.
Resolution 18 contains a two-part waiver. One part is limited to the allotment of shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal value of £740,130 (which includes the sale on a non-preemptive basis of any shares held in treasury), which represents approximately 5% of the issued ordinary share capital, excluding shares held in treasury, as at 16 March 2022 (the latest practicable date before the publication of this Notice).
The other part is limited to the allotment of shares for cash in connection with a pre-emptive rights issue so as to allow the directors to make appropriate exclusions and other arrangements to resolve legal or practical problems which, for example, might arise in relation to overseas shareholders.
The waiver granted by Resolution 19 is in addition to the waiver granted by Resolution 18. It is limited to the allotment of shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal value of £740,130 (which includes the sale on a non-preemptive basis of any shares held in treasury), which represents a further 5% (approximately) of the issued ordinary share capital, excluding shares held in treasury, as at 16 March 2022 (the latest practicable date before the publication of this Notice). This further waiver may only be used for an allotment of shares for cash for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the waiver is used within six months of the original transaction) a transaction which the directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Preemption Group's Statement of Principles.
The directors do not intend, in any three year rolling period, to issue more than 7.5% of the issued ordinary share capital for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis, in accordance with the Preemption Group's Statement of Principles.
If the Resolutions are passed, the waivers will expire at the end of the next annual general meeting of the Company after the date on which this Resolution is passed (or, if earlier, at the close of business on 20 August 2023).
Resolution 20 is a Special Resolution seeking to renew the authority granted at the 2021 AGM to purchase by way of market purchases up to 10% of the Company's issued ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares). The Company is seeking authority to make market purchases of up to 13,951,868 ordinary shares (being approximately 10 per cent. of the number of ordinary shares in issue of the Company (excluding treasury shares) as at 16 March 2022, the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Notice). The maximum price to be paid on any occasion for each ordinary share will be the higher of (a) an amount equal to 105% of the average of the middle market quotations of an ordinary share taken from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the five business days immediately preceding the date on which the ordinary share is contracted to be purchased, and (b) an amount equal to the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid on the trading venue where the purchase is carried out. The minimum price to be paid on any occasion for each ordinary share will be 10.609756 pence. In exercising this authority the directors will comply with the rules of the London Stock Exchange and the IA guidelines on the purchase of own shares. This authority will expire on the date of the earlier of (i) the next annual general meeting of the Company, and (ii) 20 November 2023.
As at 16 March 2022 (the latest practicable date prior to publication of this Notice) the full exercise of all options and satisfaction of all awards outstanding under the Company's employee share plans would require the issue of 515,530 ordinary shares. This represents approximately 0.37% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares).
In the event that the proposed new authority to repurchase shares were to be exercised in full, these options and awards would represent 0.41% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital (not including treasury shares).
The directors will only purchase the Company's shares from the market if they believe that such purchases will improve earnings per share and will be in the best interests of the shareholders generally. It is the intention of the directors that any such shares purchased will be held as treasury shares. Shares held in treasury may subsequently be sold for cash, transferred for the purposes of employee share schemes or cancelled. This would give the Company the ability to re-issue treasury shares quickly and cost-effectively and provide the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base.
The Act requires that all general meetings must be held on 21 clear days' notice unless shareholders agree to a shorter notice period which is subject to a minimum of 14 clear days. Annual general meetings will continue to be held on at least 21 clear days' notice. In order to be able to call a general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, on less than 21 clear days' notice the Company must make an electronic means of voting available to all shareholders for the meeting. This condition is met by the Company providing the facility for shareholders to appoint a proxy via an online shareholder portal operated by our Registrars. It is not the Company's intention to use the shorter notice period as a matter of routine but only when the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be in the interests of shareholders as a whole. If given, this approval will be effective until the end of the next AGM.
Chair
Board skills and competencies: Anita has served on Plc boards in the chemical, resources, engineering, water and financial services industries for over 20 years. Prior to joining Croda, she was Chair of Victrex Plc and Senior Independent Director of Aberdeen Asset Management Plc, IMI Plc and was Deputy Chair of Lloyds Banking Group Plc. During her time as a Director, she has chaired main Boards, Remuneration, Responsible Business and Risk Committees.
Anita brings extensive experience as Chair to the Croda Board as well as leadership in strategic management, mergers and acquisitions and risk experience from working internationally across many sectors.
External appointments: Chair of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Committee membership: Chair of the Nomination Committee
Group Chief Executive Appointment: July 2010 and Group Chief Executive since January 2012
Board skills and competencies: Steve joined Croda as a Graduate Trainee in 1990 and brings to the Board a business, strategic and operational background gained from a number of senior leadership roles across the Group. Having spent several years leading many different Croda businesses, he has also gathered extensive insight into the markets served, the importance of customer focus and the power of an innovative culture. Outside of Croda, Steve's role as Industry co-Chair of the UK Chemistry Council enables him to work alongside Government Ministers and industry peers to bring wider industry knowledge into the Croda business.
External appointments: Industry co-Chair of the Chemistry Council
Committee membership: Chair of Executive and Finance Committees, member of Group SHEQ Committee
Group Finance Director
Appointment: January 2015 as Group Finance Director Nationality: British
Board skills and competencies: Jez is an experienced Group Finance Director, having served in this role on five UK listed company Boards. As a chartered management accountant, his expertise in all aspects of finance management, gained in speciality chemical, FMCG and other manufacturing environments, allows him to support the Board and Executive of Croda in managing the performance of the business, risk management and control, and in capital allocation and investment evaluation. Jez acts as business partner to the Group Chief Executive and leads the finance, IT and digital teams. He has also been a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair in two other UK Plcs.
External appointments: Non-executive Director of the Centre for Process Innovation Ltd which supports the development of next-generation manufacturing in the UK
Committee membership: member of the Executive and Finance Committees and Chair of the Risk and IT Steering Committees and Digital Advisory Group
Non-Executive Director (Senior Independent Director) Appointment: February 2014
Board skills and competencies: With 23 years of experience in marketing and corporate strategy at Unilever and a further eight as a strategic consultant for other multinational businesses, Helena brings marketing skills and an end-consumer perspective to the Croda boardroom, as well as challenge and support to the CEO in strategy development. Her academic roots in engineering, with a PhD from Cambridge University, drive her passion and curiosity for both product and process innovation.
External appointments: Helena is a Non-Executive Director and Remuneration Committee Chair of Greggs Plc; she also runs a consulting business helping organisations to develop and implement their strategies
Committee membership: Chair of Remuneration Committee, member of Audit and Nomination Committees
Non-Executive Director Appointment: January 2020 Nationality: British
Board skills and competencies: John has over 30 years' broad-based international finance background with Life Science businesses such as ICI, AstraZeneca and Syngenta. A large part of this experience was gained while working in Latin American and Asian countries. John brings extensive knowledge of business strategy to the Croda Board as well as a keen interest in building on Croda's strong culture to deliver superior business performance.
External appointments: member of the Supervisory Board at Koninklijke DSM N.V., Non-Executive Director of Babcock International Group PLC and Non-Executive Director of RHI Magnesita N.V.; Audit Committee Chair at each of these companies.
Committee membership: Chair of the Audit Committee, member of Nomination and Remuneration Committees
Non-Executive Director Appointment: April 2018 Nationality: Swiss
Board skills and competencies: With ten years' experience as Country and Group CEO in the Service and Health Care industries, and many years spent as a strategy practitioner in Europe and Asia, Roberto brings knowledge of, and passion for, growth and operations to the Croda boardroom. He can also share lessons learned from large transformations and M&A. Roberto's engineering background enables him to link Croda's R&D and production competences with the evolving demands of its multinational markets. He was previously the Group CEO at Optegra Eye Health Care Ltd, France CEO and Group COO at Sodexo SA and Associate Partner at McKinsey & Co.
External appointments: CEO of Swiss Post, national postal service of Switzerland
Committee membership: member of Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees
Non-Executive Director
Appointment: September 2018
Nationality: British
Board skills and competencies: Jacqui is an experienced CEO from the technology industry with general management and M&A experience in international and emerging markets. She has first-hand insight of transformational/disruptive digital, cyber security, technology and business process solutions. Jacqui spent three years in Silicon Valley as Chief of Staff at Hewlett Packard, focused on a new company strategy and turnaround.
External appointments: Non-Executive Director of John Wood Group Plc and Non-Executive Director of Tesco Bank; a fellow of the IET, a Trustee of Engineering UK; a member of the Scottish First Ministers Advisory Board for Women and Girls and a member of the Advisory Board of Engie UK
Committee membership: member of Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees
Non-Executive Director
Appointment: February 2012 and Non-Executive Director since May 2017
Nationality: British
Board skills and competencies: Keith brings to the Croda Board 33 years' experience of working at Croda in a variety of positions, most recently leading the Global Research, Development and Innovation function and as President of the Global Life Sciences business. He also has an interest and background in organisational culture, which is a key consideration in the decision making of the Board. In his external roles he widens his network of emerging technology companies and research institutes to spot new talent that will aid Croda's future success.
External appointments: Honorary Professor of Chemistry and Industry at the University of Nottingham where he is also Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Board for chemistry; at the University of Sheffield he is a member of Council, a Representative of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Health and Safety Committee and Alumni Board; Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and member of its Industry and Technology Division Council Committee membership: member of Nomination Committee
Julie Kim, 51
Non-Executive Director Appointment: September 2021 Nationality: US
Board skills and competencies: Julie has nearly 30 years of experience in the health care industry, with more than 15 years in international leadership positions. She is currently President, Plasma-Derived Therapies at Takeda Pharmaceutical, a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan.
Her geographic experience covers both global and regional roles, focused on Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Previous executive positions include roles as Head of International Market Access and Global Franchise Head of multiple therapeutic areas at Shire, Baxalta and Baxter.
External appointments: President, Plasma-Derived Therapies at Takeda Pharmaceutical. Julie also sits on the industry board for the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association.
Committee membership: member of Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees
Non-Executive Director Appointment: February 2022 Nationality: French
Board skills and competencies: Nawal has 20 years of expertise across a wide range of international business roles, including clinical development, operational and strategic management roles within the pharmaceutical industry. Nawal currently serves as CEO at Sensorion, a Euronext listed biopharmaceutical company headquartered in France. Nawal brings with her first-hand experience in biologics and novel gene therapies and is a Non-Executive Director of Arena Pharmaceuticals, the US headquartered biopharmaceutical company.
External appointments: Non-Executive Director of Arena Pharmaceuticals, the US headquartered biopharmaceutical company.
Committee membership: member of Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees
To be entitled to vote at the AGM (and for the purpose of the determination by the Company of the votes they may cast), shareholders must be registered in the Register of Members of the Company at close of business on 18 May 2022 (or, in the event of any adjournment, 48 hours before the time of the adjourned meeting). Changes to the Register of Members after the relevant deadline shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to vote at the Meeting. Shareholders are encouraged to appoint the Chair of the AGM as their proxy to ensure their votes are counted.
You may request a hard copy proxy form directly from the Registrars, Link Group by emailing enquiries@ linkgroup.co.uk or by post at Link Group, 10th Floor, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL. To be valid, any hard copy proxy form must be received by post or (during normal business hours only) by hand at the Company's registrars, Link Group, PXS1, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL no later than 12 noon on Wednesday 18 May 2022.
For this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to be the time (as determined by the time stamp applied to the message by the CREST Application Host) from which the issuer's agent is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST. After this time any change of instructions to proxies appointed through CREST should be communicated to the appointee through other means.
As at 16 March 2022 (being the last practicable date before the publication of this Notice) the Company's issued ordinary share capital consisted of 142,536,884 ordinary shares, carrying one vote each. Croda International Plc holds 3,018,203 ordinary shares in treasury and so the total number of voting rights in the Company at that date was 139,518,681
Any corporation which is a member can appoint one or more corporate representatives who may exercise on its behalf all of its powers as a member provided that, if two or more representatives purport to vote in respect of the same shares, they do not do so in relation to the same shares:
Any person appointed as a corporate representative should bring a certified copy of the authority under which they have been appointed to the meeting.
Under section 527 of the Act, members meeting the threshold requirements set out in that section have the right to require the Company to publish on a website a statement setting out any matter relating to: (i) the audit of the Company's accounts (including the auditors' report and the conduct of the audit) that are to be laid before the AGM; or (ii) any circumstance connected with an auditor of the Company ceasing to hold office since the previous meeting at which annual accounts and reports were laid in accordance with section 437 of the Act. The Company may not require the shareholders requesting any such website publication to pay its expenses in complying with sections 527 or 528 of the Act. Where the Company is required to place a statement on a website under section 527 of the Act, it must forward the statement to the Company's auditor not later than the time when it makes the statement available on the website. The business which may be dealt with at the AGM includes any statement that the Company has been required under section 527 of the Act to publish on a website.
The Company must cause to be answered any question put by a shareholder attending the Meeting relating to the business being dealt with at the Meeting but no such answer need be given if (a) to do so would interfere unduly with the preparation for the Meeting or involve the disclosure of confidential information, (b) the answer has already been given on a website in the form of an answer to a question, or (c) it is undesirable in the interests of the Company or the good order of the Meeting that the question be answered.
A copy of this Notice, and other information required by section 311A of the Act, can be found on the Company's website at www.croda.com/agm.
The following documents are available for inspection at the registered office of the Company during normal business hours on any business day, and will also be available for inspection during the AGM and for 15 minutes beforehand:
You may not use any electronic address provided in either this Notice or any related documents to communicate with the Company for any purposes other than those expressly stated.
Under section 338 and section 338A of the Act, shareholders meeting the threshold requirements in those sections have the right to require the Company (i) to give to shareholders of the Company entitled to receive this Notice, notice of a resolution which may properly be moved and is intended to be moved at the AGM and/or (ii) to include in the business to be dealt with at the AGM any matter (other than a proposed resolution) which may be properly included in the business. A resolution may properly be moved or a matter may properly be included in the business unless (a) (in the case of a resolution only) it would, if passed, be ineffective (whether by reason of inconsistency with any enactment or the Company's constitution or otherwise), (b) it is defamatory, or (c) it is frivolous or vexatious.
Such a request may be in hard copy or electronic form and must identify the resolution of which notice is to be given or the matter to be included in the business, must be authorised by the person or persons making it, must be received by the Company not later than 7 April 2022 (being the date six clear weeks before the AGM) or if later, by the time at which the Notice is given, and (in the case of a matter to be included in the business only) must be accompanied by a statement setting out the grounds for the request.
You may find it useful to bring this Notice and the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts in order that you may refer to them in the Meeting. All joint shareholders may attend and speak at the AGM. However, it is only the most senior shareholder by reference to the Register of Members and in attendance who is entitled to vote.
Confirmation of name and address should be sufficient to facilitate entry to the meeting. However, ID verification may be required in the form of a driving licence/passport.
To assist with arrangements you may email the Company at [email protected] if you propose to attend the Meeting.
Whoever you appoint as a proxy (whether you appoint them using the CREST service, online or via a hard copy proxy form) can attend, speak, vote or abstain from voting, as he or she decides on any other business which may validly come before the AGM.
Details of how to appoint a proxy are given in the notes to this Notice.
Link Group maintain the Company's share register. If you have any enquiries about the Meeting or about your Croda International Plc shareholding, you may contact Link
Link Group 10th Floor Central Square 29 Wellington Street Leeds LS1 4DL
or by telephone to the shareholder helpline: (from the UK) 0371 664 0300 (from outside the UK) + 44 (0)371 664 0300
Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate; lines are open 9.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales.
Cowick Hall Snaith Goole East Yorkshire DN14 9AA
Croda is committed to reducing paper and improving efficiency wherever possible in its communications with shareholders.
Once again this year we are no longer sending paper proxy cards to shareholders unless specifically asked to do so. Advice on how to request a paper proxy is set out in Note 2(ii) in the Notes to this Notice.
Your personal data includes all data provided by you, or on your behalf, which relates to you as a shareholder, including your name and contact details, the votes you cast and your Reference Number (attributed to you by the Company). The Company determines the purposes for which and the manner in which your personal data are to be processed.
The Company and any third party to which it discloses the data (including the Company's Registrars) may process your personal data for the purposes of compiling and updating the Company's records, fulfilling its legal obligations and processing the shareholder rights you exercise.
The Pavilions of Harrogate is accessible by plane, rail, bus or car. Leeds Bradford International Airport is just over 10 miles away and Harrogate train station is less than two miles from the venue.
Satellite navigation post code HG2 8QZ. The Pavilions of Harrogate is just over five miles from junction 47 of the A1(M).
There is free on-site car parking for over 500 cars.
We are pleased to be able to provide a facility for shareholders to follow the AGM remotely and submit questions to the Board on the business of the meeting.
You will need to visit www.croda.com/agm using your smartphone, tablet or computer. You will then be prompted to enter your unique 11 digit Investor Code (IVC) including any leading zeros and 'PIN'. Your PIN is the last 4 digits of your IVC. This will authenticate you as a shareholder.
Your IVC can be found on your share certificate, or Signal Shares users (www.signalshares.com) will find this under 'Manage your account' when logged in to the Signal Shares portal. You can also obtain this by contacting Link, our Registrar, by calling +44 (0) 371 277 1020.*
Access to the AGM will be available from 30 minutes before the start of the event, although you will not be able to submit questions until you are logged in.
If you wish to appoint a proxy other than the Chair of the meeting and for them to attend the virtual meeting on your behalf, please contact Link Group on +44 (0) 371 277 1020* in order to obtain their IVC and PIN. It is suggested that you do this as soon as possible and at least 48 hours (excluding non-business days) before the meeting.
If your shares are held within a nominee and you wish to attend the electronic meeting, you will need to contact your nominee as soon as possible. Your nominee will need to present a corporate letter of representation to Link Group as soon as possible and at least 72 hours (excluding non-business days) before the meeting, in order that they can obtain for you your unique IVC and PIN to enable you to attend the electronic meeting.
* Lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate.
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