Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Mar 24, 2022
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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Thursday, 5 May 2022 at 10.00am Venue: Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY
It contains the resolutions to be voted on at Morgan Sindall Group plc's Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday, 5 May 2022 at 10.00am. If you are in any doubt as to the action to be taken, you should consult your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (or, if you are resident outside the UK, an appropriately qualified independent financial adviser). If you have sold or transferred all of your shares in Morgan Sindall Group plc, please pass this document, together with the accompanying documents, to the purchaser or transferee or to the person who arranged the sale or transfer, so they can pass these documents to the person who now holds the shares.
I am writing to you regarding the 2022 Annual General Meeting (the 'AGM') of Morgan Sindall Group plc (the 'Company'), which will be taking place at 10.00am on Thursday, 5 May 2022 at the offices of Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY. The AGM is an opportunity for shareholders to express their views directly to the Board and I hope you will take the opportunity to do so. I look forward to seeing shareholders in person again after last year's closed meeting. At the time of writing, I am hopeful that this will be possible. However, if Government restrictions on public gatherings are reintroduced before the date of the AGM, we may need to revisit the arrangements, in which case an update will be issued via a Regulatory Information Service and on the Company's website.
The Notice convening the meeting (the 'Notice of Meeting') is set out on pages 1 to 3. An explanation of the business to be considered at the Meeting is set out on pages 4 to 6.
The directors believe that, in the interest of shareholder democracy, it is important that the voting intentions of all members are taken into account and not just those who are able to attend the AGM. All resolutions will therefore be put to shareholders by way of a poll rather than a show of hands.
Whether or not you intend to be present at the AGM, you are strongly urged to appoint a proxy to cast your votes as soon as possible. All shareholders are sent either a proxy form or an email containing a Control Number, Shareholder Reference Number ('SRN') and PIN. You can either complete, sign and return the proxy form, or submit an electronic proxy appointment instruction at www.investorcentre.co.uk/eproxy. In order to be counted, your voting instructions must be received by the Company's Registrar at the relevant address set out in the Notes to the Notice of Meeting, by no later than 10.00am on Tuesday, 3 May 2022. Completion and return of the proxy form or submission of an electronic instruction will not preclude you from attending and voting in person at the AGM should you subsequently decide to do so.
The AGM is an important opportunity for you to express your views by asking questions and voting. Your participation in this annual event continues to be very important to us.
While we have decided to return to holding our AGM in person, we encourage those shareholders who cannot attend the meeting on the day but would like to ask a question to submit any questions to the Board in advance of the meeting by email to [email protected] (marked for the attention of the Company Secretary).
We will endeavour to publish (on an anonymised basis) any questions received before 10.00am on Tuesday, 3 May 2022 and our responses to those questions on our website (www.morgansindall.com/investors/shareholder-centre/AGM) prior to the AGM. Following the AGM, we will publish (on an anonymised basis) the full set of questions received (including those received after 10.00am on Tuesday, 3 May 2022) and answers to those questions on our website (www.morgansindall.com/investors/ shareholder-centre/AGM). However, we reserve the right to edit questions or not to respond where we consider it appropriate to do so taking account of our legal obligations.
The directors consider that all the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM are likely to promote the success of the Company and are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole, and accordingly, unanimously recommend that you vote in favour of the resolutions, as the directors themselves intend to do in respect of their own beneficial shareholdings.
The results will be published on the 'AGM' page of our website at www.morgansindall.com and will be released as soon as reasonably practicable via a Regulatory Information Service following the conclusion of the AGM.
Yours faithfully
Michael Findlay Chair
18 March 2022
Morgan Sindall Group plc Notice of Annual General Meeting 2022
Notice is hereby given that the 2022 AGM of the members of Morgan Sindall Group plc (the 'Company') will be held at 10.00am on Thursday, 5 May 2022 at the offices of Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY, to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions. Voting on all resolutions will be by way of a poll. All resolutions will be proposed as ordinary resolutions save for resolutions 16 to 19 (inclusive) which will be proposed as special resolutions.
provided that the aggregate amount of political donations made or political expenditure incurred by the Company and its subsidiaries shall not exceed £25,000 during the period beginning with the date of the passing of this resolution and ending at the conclusion of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier.
and so that the Board may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements which it considers necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, any legal, regulatory or practical problems, in, or under the laws of, any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or exchange or any other matter, provided that (unless revoked, varied or renewed) such authority shall apply until the end of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier, but, in each case, so that during this period the Company may make offers and enter into agreements which would, or might, require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or convert securities into shares to be granted after the authority ends and the Board 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.
and so that the Board may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements which it considers necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, any legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or exchange or any other matter; and
(b) in the case of the authority granted under paragraph (a) of resolution 15 and/or in the case of any sale of treasury shares, to the allotment of equity securities and/or sale of treasury shares (otherwise than under paragraph (a) above) up to a nominal amount of £115,944.85,
such power to apply until the end of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier, but, in each case, so that during this period the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and/ or treasury shares to be sold) after the power ends and the Board may allot equity securities (and/or sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not ended.
such power to apply until the end of the Company's next AGM, or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier, but, in each case, so that during this period the Company may make offers and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and/or treasury shares to be sold) after the power ends and the directors may allot equity securities (and/or sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the power had not ended.
such authority to apply until the end of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier, but so that during this period the Company may enter into a contract to purchase Ordinary Shares, which would, or might, be completed or executed wholly or partly after the authority ends and the Company may purchase Ordinary Shares pursuant to any such contract as if the authority had not ended.
By order of the Board, 18 March 2022.
Company Secretary
Registered Office: Kent House 14–17 Market Place London W1W 8AJ Registered in England and Wales No. 00521970 The explanatory notes on the following pages explain each of the proposed resolutions. Resolutions 1 to 15 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. This means that for each of these resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution. Resolutions 16 to 19 are proposed as special resolutions. For each of these resolutions to be passed, at least three quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
All resolutions at the AGM will be put to shareholders by way of a poll rather than a show of hands. A poll vote is more representative of shareholders' voting intentions because shareholder votes are counted according to the number of shares held and all votes tendered are taken into account. After the general meeting, the results of voting, including proxy directions to withhold votes, will be published on our website.
The directors of the Company are required to lay the report and accounts of the Company before the shareholders each year at the AGM. The Company's 2021 annual report and accounts (the 'Annual Report') comprises the audited financial statements, the auditor's report, the directors' and corporate governance report, the strategic report and the remuneration report.
In accordance with the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), the Company is required to offer a binding vote on the Company's forward-looking directors' remuneration policy (the 'Policy') at least once every three years; and a separate advisory vote on the implementation of the Company's existing remuneration policy (the directors' remuneration report) each year. The Policy, which is set out on pages 133 to 140 of the Annual Report, was last approved by shareholders at the 2020 AGM and is therefore not itself the subject of a resolution at this year's AGM.
The remuneration report is set out on pages 126 to 154 of the Annual Report. It gives details of the directors' remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2021. The Board considers that appropriate executive remuneration encourages the effective stewardship that is vital to delivering our strategy of creating longterm value for all stakeholders and, accordingly, and in compliance with the legislation, shareholders will be invited to approve the directors' remuneration report. The vote on this resolution is advisory only and the directors' entitlement to remuneration is not conditional on the resolution being passed.
The Board recommends the payment of a final dividend of 62p per ordinary share. Subject to approval by shareholders, the final dividend will be paid on 18 May 2022 to all ordinary shareholders on the register of members at close of business on 29 April 2022.
Each of our directors will stand for re-election at this year's AGM with the exception of Kathy Quashie who will be standing for election, this being the first AGM since her appointment. The directors' biographies are set out on pages 90 to 94 of the Annual Report and include details of the skills, competencies and experience of each director. The directors' balance of knowledge and skills, combined with their breadth of business experience, makes a significant contribution to the effective functioning of the Board and is, and continues to be, important to the Company's long-term sustainable success. Following the annual evaluation process the Board believes that the performance of each of the directors proposed to be re-elected at the AGM continues to be effective and that they demonstrate commitment to their respective roles.
Under the Company's articles of association, directors appointed by the Board are required to submit themselves for election by shareholders at the first AGM after their appointment, and for re-election every three years thereafter. However, in accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018, each director will offer themselves for either election or re-election at the AGM, irrespective of their date of appointment and length of service to the Board.
The Company is required to appoint an auditor at each general meeting at which accounts are laid to serve until the next such meeting. Ernst & Young LLP has indicated its willingness to continue in office and resolution 12 proposes its re-appointment to hold office from the conclusion of this meeting until the conclusion of the next general meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company.
In accordance with normal practice, resolution 13 proposes that the auditor's remuneration be determined by the directors. The Board will delegate this authority to the Audit committee to negotiate and agree the auditor's remuneration.
This resolution will renew the authority given at last year's AGM, which is due to expire at the 2022 AGM. Under sections 366 and 367 of the Act, the Company is required to seek shareholders' authority to make any political donations and/or incur political expenditure in the UK or any member state of the European Union. Although the Company does not make, and does not intend to make, donations to political parties and/or to independent election candidates within the normal meaning of that expression, the legislation is very broadly drafted and may catch activities such as: funding seminars and other functions to which politicians are invited; supporting certain bodies involved in policy review and law reform; and matching employees' donations to certain charities.
Therefore, in accordance with current best practice, the directors have decided to propose an ordinary resolution to authorise the Company and its subsidiaries to make certain types of political donations and/or expenditure, as more particularly described in the resolution, up to an aggregate amount of £25,000. This authority shall expire at the conclusion of next year's AGM, or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier.
The directors currently have authority to allot shares in the Company and to grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into shares in the Company. This authority is due to lapse at our 2022 AGM. The Board is seeking by this ordinary resolution to renew the directors' authority to allot shares in the capital of the Company in accordance with section 551 of the Act.
Paragraph (a) of this resolution would give directors the authority to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into shares up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to £772,965.60 (representing 15,459,312 shares). This amount represents approximately one third of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2022, the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting.
In line with guidance issued by The Investment Association (the 'IA'), paragraph (b) of this resolution would give the directors the authority to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into shares in connection with a rights issue, up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to £1,545,931.25 (representing 30,918,625 shares), as reduced by the nominal amount of any shares issued under paragraph (a) of this resolution. This amount (before any reduction) represents approximately two thirds of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting.
The authorities sought under this resolution, if passed, will expire at the conclusion of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier. The directors currently have no intention of issuing further shares or granting rights over shares other than in connection with the Company's employee share option and share incentive schemes. However, if the directors do exercise the authority granted by the resolution, the directors intend to follow the IA's recommendations concerning its use.
As at 16 March 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting, the Company held no shares in treasury.
This is a special resolution which, if approved, will give the directors the authority to allot equity securities (and/or sell any shares which the Company elects to hold in treasury) for cash without first offering them to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings. Equity securities include ordinary shares in the Company.
This authority would be limited to allotments or sales in connection with pre-emptive offers or otherwise up to a maximum aggregate nominal amount of £115,944.85 (representing 2,318,897 shares). This maximum aggregate nominal amount represents approximately 5% of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting.
The directors also confirm their intention to follow the provisions of the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles issued in March 2015 (the 'Statement of Principles') regarding cumulative usage of authorities within a rolling three-year period, where the Statement of Principles provides that (except in relation to an issue pursuant to the additional 5% referred to in the explanatory note to resolution 17) no more than 7.5% of the issued ordinary share capital should be issued for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis during any rolling three-year period without prior consultation with shareholders.
The authority sought under this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier.
The Statement of Principles states that, in addition to the general disapplication of pre-emption rights up to a maximum equal to 5% of the total issued ordinary share capital, as proposed in resolution 16, the Pre-Emption Group is supportive of extending the general disapplication authority for certain purposes. In line with the Statement of Principles, the Company is therefore proposing a separate special resolution seeking approval for the disapplication of pre-emption rights up to an additional maximum aggregate nominal amount of £115,944.85 (representing 2,318,897 shares), which represents approximately 5% of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting. The maximum nominal value of equity securities which could be allotted, if both the general disapplication authority and the additional disapplication authority were used, would be £231,889.70 (representing 4,637,794 shares) which represents approximately 10% of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting.
The directors confirm their intention that the additional authority (which represents approximately 5% of the total issued share capital of the Company) will only be used to fund one or more transactions which the directors determine to be acquisition(s) and/or specified capital investment(s) which are announced contemporaneously with the relevant issue, as referred to in the Statement of Principles. While the directors have no present intention of exercising this disapplication authority, the Board considers that the additional authority sought at this year's AGM will benefit the Company and its shareholders generally since there may be occasions in the future when the directors need the flexibility to finance acquisitions or capital investments by issuing shares for cash without a pre-emptive offer to existing shareholders.
The authority sought under this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier.
Resolution 18 is a special resolution seeking approval of the renewal of the general authority from shareholders granted at last year's AGM authorising the Company to buy back its ordinary shares in the market, either for cancellation or to be held in treasury. There are a number of reasons why the directors may, in the future, consider a buy-back of shares to be in the best interests of the Company and of its shareholders generally. These may include where the directors:
The directors therefore consider it prudent for the Company to have the flexibility to effect market purchases of its own shares in the future.
The directors will exercise this authority only if, having due regard to the interests of long-term shareholders, they consider that to do so would be in the best interests of the Company, and of its shareholders, and (amongst other things) expect such purchase to result in an increase in earnings per share. In addition, the directors confirm that the decision to propose this authority for approval at the AGM has been taken by the full Board, a majority of whom are non-executive directors who do not participate in the Company's share plans and whose interest in the Company's shares is therefore unaffected by the earnings per share metric. The Company may either retain any of its own shares which it has purchased as treasury shares with a view to possible re-issue at a future date, use them to satisfy awards under employee share plans or cancel them. Holding the shares as treasury shares gives management the ability to re-issue them quickly and cost-effectively and would provide the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base.
Under the terms of this resolution, the Company will be generally authorised to make market purchases of up to 4,637,794 shares with an aggregate nominal value of £231,889.70, representing approximately 10% of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2022, the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting. The maximum price payable per share will be based on the market price of a share as set out in more detail in the resolution itself. The minimum price payable per share, exclusive of expenses, is its nominal value.
As at 16 March 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting, the number of outstanding options to subscribe for shares granted by the Company was 1,836,746. This figure represents 3.96% of the total issued share capital of the Company at that date and would, assuming no further shares are issued, represent 4.95% of the total issued share capital if full authority to purchase shares (under the existing authority and that sought at the AGM) were used.
The Company has not undertaken any purchases of its own shares since the date of the last AGM, but the renewal of the authority is sought to preserve flexibility. The directors have no present intention of exercising this authority, which will expire at the conclusion of the Company's next AGM in 2023 or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier.
As at 16 March 2022, being the last practicable date prior to the date of this Notice of Meeting, no shares had been purchased and held as treasury shares or cancelled under the existing authority.
Under the Act, the notice period required for general meetings of the Company is 21 days unless shareholders approve a shorter notice period (which cannot, however, be less than 14 clear days). AGMs are still required to be held on at least 21 clear days' notice. Approval for a shorter notice period was sought and received from shareholders at the last AGM and, to preserve this ability, Resolution 19 seeks renewal of the approval for a notice period of 14 days to apply to general meetings. The shorter notice period will not be used as a matter of routine but only where clear flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole. If used, an electronic voting facility will be provided.
The approval will be effective until the conclusion of the Company's next AGM in 2023, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed, or close of business on 5 August 2023, whichever is earlier.
A shareholder may appoint more than one proxy in relation to the AGM provided that each proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by that shareholder. To appoint more than one proxy you may photocopy the proxy form accompanying this Notice. Please indicate the proxy holder's name and the number of shares in relation to which they are authorised to act as your proxy (which, in aggregate, should not exceed the number of shares held by you). Please also indicate if the proxy instruction is one of multiple instructions being given. All proxy forms must be signed and should be returned together in the same envelope. A failure to specify the number of shares to which each proxy appointment relates or specifying a number in excess of those held by you will result in the appointment being invalid.
If you do not have a proxy form and believe that you should have one, please contact Computershare on 0370 707 1695. Lines are open from 8.30am to 5.30pm (UK time), Monday to Friday, or you can contact Computershare by email at [email protected].
Shareholders are strongly encouraged to appoint the Chair of the meeting (rather than a named person) as their proxy and to submit voting instructions in advance of the AGM. This is to ensure that their vote will be counted if the Covid-19 legislation and public health guidance issued by the UK government changes in advance of the AGM and we are prevented from admitting shareholders to the AGM.
The valid appointment of a proxy via the return of a completed proxy form, other such instrument or any CREST Proxy Instruction (as described in note 11 below) would not prevent a shareholder from attending the AGM and voting in person if they wished.
Shareholder engagement is very important to the Board and the Company as a whole. Shareholders may also submit in advance any questions relating to the business of the AGM by email to [email protected] (marked for the attention of the Company Secretary). We will endeavour to publish any questions received before 10.00am on Tuesday, 3 May 2022 and our responses to those questions on our website (www. morgansindall.com/investors/shareholder-centre/AGM) prior to the AGM. Following the AGM, we will publish the full set of questions received (including those received after 10.00am on Tuesday, 3 May 2022) and answers to those questions on our website (www.morgansindall.com/investors/shareholdercentre/AGM). However, we reserve the right to edit questions or not to respond where we consider it appropriate, taking account of our legal obligations.
Shareholders who have administrative queries about the AGM should contact the Company Secretary by email to [email protected] (marked for the attention of the Company Secretary) no later than 10.00am on Wednesday, 4 May 2022.
(a) copies of the executive directors' service contracts; and
(b) copies of letters of appointment of the non-executive directors.
If you wish to review any of these documents, please email [email protected] (marked for the attention of the Company Secretary) to request an electronic copy or arrange a time to physically inspect the documents. Responses will be provided during normal working hours, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in the UK).
Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY

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