Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Jan 15, 2024
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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Investec Bank, 30 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QP
If you are in any doubt about its contents you should consult your independent financial adviser. If you have sold or transferred all of your Chemring Group PLC ordinary shares you should send this document and all accompanying documents to the purchaser or transferee, or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
Notice is hereby given that the 118th Annual General Meeting of the shareholders will be held at 11.00am on 23 February 2024 at the offices of Investec Bank, 30 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QP for the purpose of considering and, if approved, passing the following resolutions:
provided that the total amount of all such donations and expenditure made by all companies to which this authority relates shall not exceed £100,000. This authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or on 23 August 2025 (whichever is earlier), Words and expressions used in this resolution that are defined for the purpose of Part 14 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act") shall have the same meaning for the purpose of this resolution,
(A) up to an aggregate nominal amount of £919,729; and
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;
for a period expiring (unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting) 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 23 May 2025); and
(ii) 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;
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 16 in the notice of the meeting" were omitted.
allotment pursuant to this paragraph (c) is for the purposes of a follow-on offer determined by the directors to be of a kind contemplated by paragraph 3 of section 2B of the Statement of Principles on Disapplying Pre-Emption Rights most recently published by the Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of the notice of the meeting
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 16 in the notice of the meeting" were omitted.
and (unless previously renewed, revoked or varied), this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or on 23 May 2025 (whichever is the earlier), save that the Company may, before such expiry, make a contract to purchase Shares which would or might be executed wholly or partly after the expiry of this authority, and may make purchases of Shares pursuant to it as if this authority had not expired.
All previous unutilised authorities to make market purchases of Shares are revoked, except in relation to the purchase of Shares under a contract or contracts concluded before the date of this resolution and where such purchase has not yet been executed.
By order of the Board
Group Legal Director & Company Secretary 20 December 2023
CHEMRING GROUP PLC Roke Manor, Old Salisbury Lane, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 0ZN
Resolutions 1 to 16 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution. Resolutions 17 to 20 are proposed as special resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, at least three quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
The directors are required to present to the meeting the audited accounts, the strategic report, the directors' report and the auditor's report for the financial year ended 31 October 2023.
The annual report and accounts can be accessed on the Company's website (www.chemring.com) or shareholders may obtain a copy by contacting the Company Secretary at the Company's registered office during usual business hours
In accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act"), the directors' remuneration report in the 2023 annual report and accounts contains:
Resolution 2 is the ordinary resolution to approve the annual implementation report on directors' remuneration, other than the part containing the directors' remuneration policy. This resolution is an advisory vote and does not affect the future remuneration paid to any director.
The directors' remuneration policy, a summary of which is set out on pages 115 to 119 of the directors' remuneration report in the 2023 annual report and accounts, is subject to a binding vote by shareholders at least every three years. As this policy was approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting held on 3 March 2022, it remains valid until the 2025 annual general meeting. No changes are proposed to be made to the policy this year, and the summary of the policy has only been included in the 2023 annual report and accounts for ease of reference.
Shareholders must approve the final dividend payable for each ordinary share held. The final dividend declared cannot exceed the amount recommended by the directors. If approved, the dividend will be paid on 12 April 2024 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 22 March 2024.
In accordance with the Company's articles of association, all directors are required to submit themselves for election or re-election at every annual general meeting. Biographical information relating to each of the directors seeking election or re-election is set out on page 6 of this notice.
The Board considers that each director of the Company who is proposed for election or re-election has appropriate and relevant skills, experience and knowledge to enable them to continue to discharge the duties and responsibilities of a director of the Company effectively. The Chairman of the Board considers that each of these individuals continues to demonstrate commitment to their role and to make an effective and valuable contribution to the Board.
These resolutions propose the re-appointment of KPMG as auditor, and authorise the directors, in accordance with standard practice, to agree the remuneration to be paid to the auditor.
KPMG was appointed as auditor in March 2018 to replace Deloitte, who had been the external auditor for a number of years. The Audit Committee unanimously recommends the re-appointment of KPMG.
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, it may be that some of the Company's activities may fall within the potentially wide definition of a political donation in the Act and, without the necessary authorisation, the Company's ability to communicate its views effectively to political audiences and to relevant interest groups could be inhibited. Such activities may include briefings at receptions or conferences - when the Company seeks to communicate its views on issues vital to its business interests – including, for example, conferences of a party political nature or of special interest groups.
Accordingly, the directors believe that the authority contained in this resolution is necessary to allow it to fund activities which it is in the interests of shareholders to support. The authority will enable the Company to be sure that it does not, because of any uncertainty as to the bodies or the activities covered by the Act, unintentionally commit a technical breach of the Act. Any expenditure which may be incurred under authority of this resolution will be disclosed in next year's annual report.
The directors of the Company may only allot shares if authorised to do so by the shareholders in a general meeting. This resolution, if passed, will grant new authority under section 551 of the Act and will give the directors flexibility to act in the best interests of shareholders, when opportunities arise, by issuing new ordinary shares. Paragraph (A) of the resolution authorises the directors to allot ordinary shares, and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £919,729 which represents approximately one third of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 20 December 2023 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this notice). Paragraph (B) of the resolution authorises the directors to allot shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £1,839,458 in connection with a pre-emptive offer to existing shareholders by way of a rights issue (with exclusions to deal with fractional entitlements to shares and overseas shareholders to whom the rights issue cannot be made due to legal and practical problems). This limit is in line with the latest guidelines issued by the Investment Association
The directors have no present intention of exercising this authority except for the purpose of allotting shares under the terms of the Company's employee share schemes. The authority will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or on 23 May 2025 (whichever is the earlier).
The Company does not currently hold any ordinary shares in treasury.
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 17 and resolution 18 ask shareholders to grant this limited waiver. The resolutions will be proposed as special resolutions.
Resolution 17 contains a three-part waiver. The first is limited to the allotment of shares for cash in connection with a rights issue, 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 second is limited to the allotment of shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal value of £275,918 (which includes the sale on a non-pre-emptive basis of any shares held in treasury), which represents approximately 10 per cent of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 20 December 2023 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this notice), without having to first offer them to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. The third applies to the allotment of shares for cash for the purposes of a follow-on offer when an allotment of shares has been made under the second waiver. It is limited to the allotment of shares having an aggregate nominal value of up to 20 per cent of the nominal value of any shares allotted under the second waiver. The follow-on offer must be determined by the directors to be of a kind contemplated by the Pre-Emption Group's 2022 Statement of Principles.
The waiver granted by resolution 18 is in addition to the waiver granted by resolution 17 and itself has two parts. The first part is limited to the allotment of shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal value of £275,918 (which includes the sale on a non-pre-emptive basis of any shares held in treasury), which represents approximately 10 per cent of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 20 December 2023 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this notice), without having to first offer them to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. 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 twelve 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 Pre-emption Group's March 2022 Statement of Principles. The second part applies to the allotment of shares for cash for the purposes of a follow-on offer when an allotment of shares has been made under the second part of the waiver. It is limited to the allotment of shares having an aggregate nominal value of up to 20 per cent of the nominal value of any shares allotted under the second waiver. The follow-on offer must be determined by the directors to be of a kind contemplated by the Pre-Emption Group's 2022 Statement of Principles.
The authority will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or on 23 May 2025 (whichever is the earlier). It is the directors' intention to review this authority every year. There are no present plans to exercise this authority.
If passed, this resolution will give the Company authority to purchase its own shares in the market up to a limit of 10 per cent of the Company's issued ordinary share capital as at 20 December 2023 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this notice). The maximum and minimum prices are stated in the resolution. The directors believe that it is advantageous for the Company to have this flexibility to make market purchases of its own shares. In the event that shares are purchased, they will either be cancelled (and the number of shares in issue will be reduced accordingly) or retained as treasury shares, as an alternative to cancelling them.
Shares repurchased as treasury shares will be held with a view to possible resale at a future date, rather than having to cancel them, This gives the Company the ability to reissue treasury shares quickly and cost effectively, and provides the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base. Any issues of treasury shares for the purposes of the Company's employee share schemes will be made within the 10 per cent anti-dilution limit set by the Investment Association.
On 1 August 2023, the Company announced a £50 million share buyback programme, which will end on 31 July 2024. This is currently being carried out by the Company using the authority to purchase its own shares as approved by shareholders at the 2023 annual general meeting and will continue pursuant to the authority under this resolution 19 which is being sought to enable the Company to complete this programme and commence any further tranches as may be announced in due course. The authority will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or on 23 May 2025 (whichever is the earlier).
As at 20 December 2023 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this notice), there were options over 1,956,745 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company which represents 0.71 per cent of the issued ordinary share capital at that date. If the authority to purchase ordinary shares was exercised in full, these options would represent 0.79 per cent of the issued ordinary share capital.
The Act provides that general meetings of a company may be held on not less than fourteen clear days' notice in writing. However, the Shareholder Rights Directive (Directive 2007/36/EC), which came into force on 1 August 2009, made it a requirement for a company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (among other markets), to seek approval each year from its shareholders if any general meeting is to be held on less than twenty one days' notice in writing. Resolution 20 seeks such approval. It will only be effective until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting, when the Company may propose a similar resolution. It is intended that the shorter notice period would not be used as a matter of routine for such meetings but only where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be in the interests of shareholders as a whole.
CHAIRMAN Board tenure: 7 years, 7 months Independent: Yes (on appointment)
Formerly held senior leadership positions in some of the world's largest automotive manufacturers, including BMW, General Motors and Tata Motors (including Jaguar Land Rover).
Significant international strategic and operational experience.
Significant non-executive director experience, including previous appointments at IMI plc, Rexam PLC, Rolls-Royce plc and Cosworth Ltd; formerly served Chairman of the Hella KGaA Shareholder Committee, The London Electric Vehicle Company Ltd and Friedola Tech GmbH; and as a member of the Boards of Volvo Cars Corporation and Geely Automobile Holdings.
Senior Independent Director at Babcock International Group PLC* and Chairman of Vesuvius plc*. He is also Chairman of StoreDot and a member of the Boards of The Mobility House AG, Kinexon GmbH, Envisics Ltd and Gordon Murray Design Ltd.
GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE Board tenure: 5 years, 6 months Independent: No
Formerly held a number of senior management roles with BAE Systems including Managing Director of the Naval Ships and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter businesses.
Significant leadership and operational experience in the defence sector, both in the UK and internationally.
Successful career in the Royal Navy prior to moving into industry, serving for twelve years in a number of engineering management roles
Non-executive director of TT Electronics plc*.
IAMES MORTENSEN CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JANUARY 2024) Board tenure: 0 years, 2 months Independent: No
Relevant skills and experience: A chartered accountant having trained and qualified at KPMG.
Formerly Group Head of Corporate Development at Smiths Group plc and Chief Financial Officer of Smiths Medical Division from 2020 to 2022. Spent eight years at Smith & Nephew plc prior to joining Smiths Group
Significant financial, strategy and M&A experience
GROUP LEGAL DIRECTOR & COMPANY SECRETARY Board tenure: 12 years, 3 months
Independent: No
Trained as a chartered secretary with EY before joining the Group in 1994; fellow of The Chartered Governance Institute.
Significant governance, legal/compliance and M&A experience, both in the UK and internationally.
In-depth knowledge of the defence sector.
SENIOR INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR Board tenure: 7 years, 7 months Independent: Yes
Significant defence sector experience, having served in senior operational and strategic roles at executive committee level at BAE Systems plc for more than fourteen years.
Significant experience of strategy development and M&A.
Formerly Chief Executive of Wates Group Ltd.
Principal current external appointments: Chief Executive of Kier Group plc*.
ALPNA AMAR Non-Executive Director Board tenure: 0 years, 6 months Independent: Yes
Prior to joining Kier Group, held senior investor relations and corporate development roles at global automotive suppliers, TI Fluid Systems plc and International Automotive Components Group SA.
Significant corporate, operational and commercial finance, strategy, M&A and investor relations experience in both corporate and consulting positions.
Corporate Development Director of Kier
Group plc.
non-executive director Board tenure: 4 years, 5 months Independent: Yes
Over thirty years of leadership experience at large multinational telecommunications and technology companies including Cable & Wireless Communications plc, Tata Communications, BT Group plc and IBM; most recently, Chief Executive of Telecom Italia Sparkle in the Americas.
Significant operational, commercial and marketing experience in the US
Non-executive director experience, including a former appointment at Transcom Worldwide AB
Non-executive director of Ricardo plc* and SBA Communications Corporation*.
non-executive director Board tenure: 5 years, 1 month Independent: Yes
A chartered accountant, with a wealth of senior level experience within the industrial, engineering and manufacturing sectors. Formerly Group Finance Director of Caledonia Investments plc, De La Rue plc and Midlands Electricity plc.
Significant non-executive director experience, including appointments as a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at The Weir Group plc, a non-executive director and Senior Independent Director at TT Electronics plc, a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee and Risk Committee at Signature Aviation plc, and a non-executive director of Camelot plc.
Principal current external appointments: None
non-executive director Board tenure: 3 years, 6 months Independent: Yes
Previously held a number of senior operational roles within the oil and gas sector, including a two-year appointment as Chief Executive of Echo Energy plc in 2017.
Non-executive director experience, including previously as Chairman of IOG plc and a non-executive director of Coro Energy Plc.
Experience of operating in high hazard industries.
Significant non-executive director experience.
Non-executive director of Ferrexpo plc*, Costain Group PLC*, Dowlais Group plc* and EPI Group Ltd.
* Denotes current public company appointments.
Roke Manor Old Salisbury Lane Romsey Hampshire SO51 0ZN United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1794 463401 Email: [email protected]
www.chemring.com

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