Remuneration Information • May 30, 2022
Remuneration Information
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REMUNERATION REPORT
This report on salaries and other remuneration to leading personnel (the "report") of REC Silicon ASA (the "Company") is based on the guidelines for the determination of salaries and other remuneration of leading personnel in the Company which were approved by the Company's general meeting on May 11, 2021 ("Guidelines").
This report is based on the requirements set out in the Norwegian Public Limited Companies Act of June 13, 1997 no. 45 (the "Companies Act") section 6-16a and 6-16b, as well as Regulation on guidelines and report on remuneration for leading personnel of December 11, 2020 No. 2730 (the "Regulation"). The report is formulated in line with the European Commission's template for remuneration reports.
The information included in the report is derived from the audited annual report of REC Silicon ASA for the financial year 2021. The report also contains additional information to meet the requirements of the Regulation, and to explain Board and EMT remuneration. All amounts are in USD unless otherwise specified.
Information required by the Norwegian Act relating to Annual Accounts of July 17, 1998 no. 56 ("Accounting Act") section 7-31 b is included in the Company's annual report for 2021.
REC Silicon is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, delivering high-purity polysilicon and silicon gas to the solar and electronics industries worldwide. We combine 30 years of experience and proprietary technology with the needs of our customers, with annual production capacity of more than 20,000 MT of polysilicon from the Company's two US-based manufacturing plants, based in Moses Lake, Washington and Butte, Montana.
The Moses Lake operation uses a proprietary FBR technology while the Butte operations are based on the Siemens technology. Both technologies are based on the use of Silane Gas to produce polysilicon. The Company has a total silane production capacity of over 30,000 MT available for the production of polysilicon or for commercial shipments of silicon gases.
Financial criteria evaluate the overall profitability of the Company compared to the annual budget. During 2021, the financial goals were designed as a threshold goal such that if the financial goal was not met, there would be no payout under any of the criteria.
Operational goals included sales and production targets, cost efficiency, and non-financial goals related to quality and safety.
Strategic goals were designed to accelerate the restart of the Moses Lake facility. This included putting the building blocks in place to ensure sufficient offtake of products from the Moses Lake facility. Goals also included the development of opportunities to supply silane gas for Silicon Anode initiatives in battery applications. For the Butte production facility, strategic goals were designed to increase production capacity utilization, maintain market share, improve semiconductor polysilicon product offerings, and to maintain cashflow generation.
Earnings per share from continuing operations
All remuneration in 2021 to Executive Management (the "Management") was in line with the approved Guidelines. Total remuneration of Management amounted to USD 2,194,526 in 2021 as compared with USD 2,471,741 in 2020. The remuneration level is a result of continued challenging market conditions, particularly for the FBR operations, individual performance by the executives, and in alignment with benchmark salary data for like positions within our industry. The 11.2% decrease in total remuneration compared to 2020 is mainly due to the changes in the Company's share price and its impact on share option expense.
During the year, the Company's CEO Tore Torvund stepped down after twelve years. He was replaced on an interim basis by James May II, effective December 1, 2021. At the same time Douglas Moore took position as CFO, also on an interim basis, until permanent replacements are assigned.
The total remuneration for Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") in 2021 amounted to USD 1,754,082 (USD 1,955,838 for 2020). Of the total remuneration, USD 1,018,458 is fixed and USD 320,695 is variable remuneration. In addition, severance of USD 414,929 was paid to Mr. Torvund in 2021.
The remuneration to the senior executives covered by the guidelines may consist of
Remuneration packages for the Executive Management comprise a base salary, a short-term cash-based incentive or "STIP", a long-term sharebased incentive, "LTIP", a pension contribution and other benefits. The fixed remuneration enables the executives to take decisions with a longterm perspective in mind without undue considerations for short- or long-term incentives. The variable remuneration is designed to promote performance in line with the Company's strategy and to further align the interests of the Executive Management and shareholders.
Company guidelines do not include a right to reclaim variable compensation. Therefore, there is no claw-back of compensation provided under the Company's variable compensation plans.
Members of group management subject to prevailing guidelines in 2021:
CFO - James May – January 1 to November 30
CFO - Douglas Moore – December 1 to December 31
| (AMOUNTS IN USD) | 1. FIXED REMUNERATION | 2. VARIABLE REMUNERATION | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAME AND POSITION | BASE SALARY |
STIPEND | PENSION EXPENSE |
FRINGE BENEFITS |
ONE-YEAR VARIABLE EARNED |
MULTI-YEAR VARIABLE EARNED |
3. SEVERANCE | 4. TOTAL REMUNER ATION |
5. PROPORTION OF FIXED AND VARIABLE REMUNERATION |
|
| Tore Torvund, CEO January 1 - November 30, 2021 |
760,044 | 0 | 105,807 | 122,088 | 0 | 313,164 | 414,929 | 1,716,032 | 75.9% | 24.1% |
| James A. May II, CEO | 23,080 | 7,440 | 0 | 0 | 7,530 | 0 | 0 | 38,050 | 80.2% | 19.8% |
| December 1 - December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||
| James A. May II, CFO | 275,961 | 0 | 20,300 | 2,108 | 89,658 | 36,626 | 0 | 424,654 | 70.3% | 29.7% |
| January 1 - November 30, 2021 | ||||||||||
| Douglas Moore, CFO | 10,685 | 3,055 | 748 | 133 | 1,169 | 0 | 0 | 15,790 | 92.6% | 7.4% |
| December 1 - December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||
| Totals | 1,069,770 | 10,495 | 126,855 | 124,329 | 98,357 | 349,790 | 414,929 | 2,194,526 | 74.8% | 25.2% |
| (AMOUNTS IN USD) | 1. FIXED REMUNERATION | 2. VARIABLE REMUNERATION | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAME AND POSITION | BASE SALARY |
STIPEND | PENSION EXPENSE |
FRINGE BENEFITS |
ONE-YEAR VARIABLE EARNED |
MULTI-YEAR VARIABLE EARNED |
3. SEVERANCE | 4. TOTAL REMUNER ATION |
5. PROPORTION OF FIXED AND VARIABLE REMUNERATION |
|
| Tore Torvund, CEO | 807,649 | 0 | 102,975 | 132,127 | 323,060 | 590,028 | 0 | 1,955,838 | 53.3% | 46.7% |
| January 1 - December 31, 2020 | ||||||||||
| James A. May II, CFO | 290,851 | 0 | 12,385 | 2,083 | 58,630 | 151,953 | 0 | 515,902 | 59.2% | 40.8% |
| January 1 - December 31, 2020 | ||||||||||
| Totals | 1,098,500 | 0 | 115,360 | 134,210 | 381,690 | 741,981 | 0 | 2,471,741 | 54.5% | 45.5% |
The share-based incentive program is intended to award and incentivize outstanding performance by eligible employees and to attract and retain strong talent in business-critical functions.
Table 3 below contains information on the number of shares and share options granted or offered to group management and information on the number of share options granted or offered for the reported financial year respectively. In the tables, the main conditions for the exercise of the rights including the exercise price and date and any change thereof appear. The cash payment due is limited to a maximum amount in each calendar year. The maximum amount is each employee's base salary effective January 1 in the year of the relevant disbursement date. The options entitlement does not need to be exercised by any action of the eligible employee and will be automatically disbursed by REC following the applicable disbursement date for such year.
The value of unvested options is calculated using the Black Scholes option pricing model and may not match actual payments made depending upon the market value of the Company's stock on the exercise date. During 2021, members of group management were paid USD 0.3 million for options granted in 2016, 2017, and 2018 (see table below).
During 2021 Tore Torvund was granted 350,000 share options at a strike price of NOK 17.5. The strike price applicable to options was calculated as 10 percent above the average of the weighted average trading price of REC shares on the Oslo Stock Exchange on each of the last 5 trading days before the award date.
Mr. Torvund's options awarded in 2021 will begin to vest beginning June 30, 2024 when 116,667 share options or 1/3rd vest. Each subsequent June 30th an additional 116,667 shares will vest, and all shares will be fully vested on June 30, 2026.
During 2021 James May was granted 81,077 share options at a strike price of NOK 17.5. The strike price applicable to options was calculated as 10 percent above the average of the weighted average trading price of REC shares on the Oslo Stock Exchange on each of the last 5 trading days before the award date.
Mr. Mays's options awarded in 2021 will begin to vest beginning June 30, 2024 when 27,026 shares or 1/3rd vest. Each subsequent June 30th an additional 27,056 shares will vest, and all shares will be fully vested on June 30, 2026.
The synthetic options under this Program entitle the holder to receive a cash payment equivalent to the difference between a specific number of options multiplied by the strike price for such options and the same number of REC shares multiplied by the weighted average market price of REC shares on the disbursement dates. The options entitlement does not need to be exercised by any action by the eligible employee and will be automatically disbursed by REC following the applicable Disbursement Date for such year. The share options granted to eligible employees can be cancelled in its entirety if the eligible employee ceases to be employed by REC Silicon. Employees who retire retain share options granted under the plan.
Mr. Torvund retired from REC Silicon on November 30, 2021 and retained his synthetic share options upon retirement. Mr. Torvund passed away in early 2022 and his options are now held by his estate.
TORE TORVUND
CEO JANUARY 1 - NOVEMBER 30 2021
| OPENING BALANCE |
DURING THE YEAR | CLOSING BALANCE | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPECIFICATION OF PLAN |
PLAN PERIOD |
AWARD DATE |
VESTING DATES |
END OF HOLDING PERIOD |
SHARES AWARDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR |
SHARES AWARDED |
SHARES VESTED / VALUE |
SHARES SUBJECT TO A PERFORMANCE CONDITION |
SHARES AWARDED AND UNVESTED AT YEAR END SUBJECT TO A HOLDING PERIOD / VALUE |
| 2021 Plan - Strike Price NOK 17.5 |
2021 - June 30 2026 |
May 11, 2021 |
June 30, 2024 33.33% June 30, 2025 |
July 1, 2026 | 0 | 350,000 | 0 | 350,000 | 350,000 |
| 33.33% June 30, 2026 |
\$0 | \$37,319 | |||||||
| 2020 Plan - Strike Price NOK 3.5 |
2020 - June 30 2025 |
May 12, 2020 |
33.33% June 30, 2023 33.33% |
July 1, 2025 | 350,000 | 0 | 0 | 350,000 | 350,000 |
| June 30, 2024 33.33% June 30, 2025 |
\$0 | \$184,775 | |||||||
| 2019 Plan - Strike Price NOK 8.1 |
2019 - June 30 2024 |
May 9, 2019 |
33.33% June 30, 2022 33.33% |
July 1, 2024 | 350,000 | 0 | 0 | 350,000 | 350,000 |
| June 30, 2023 33.33% June 30, 2024 |
\$0 | \$252,054 | |||||||
| 2018 Plan - Strike Price NOK 15.2 |
2018 - June 30 2023 |
April 26, 2018 |
33.33% June 30, 2021 33.33% |
July 1, 2023 | 350,000 | 0 | 116,666 | 233,334 | 233,334 |
| June 30, 2022 33.33% June 30, 2023 |
\$54,755 | \$107,267 | |||||||
| 2017 Plan - Strike Price NOK 11.9 |
2017 - June 30 2022 |
May 5, 2017 |
33.33% June 30, 2020 33.33% |
July 1, 2022 | 350,000 | 0 | 233,334 | 116,666 | 116,666 |
| June 30, 2021 33.33% |
\$199,472 | \$74,295 | |||||||
| June 30, 2022 33.33% |
|||||||||
| 2016 Plan - Strike Price NOK 19.2 |
2016 - June 30 2021 |
May 5, 2016 |
June 30, 2019 33.33% |
July 1, 2021 | 122,048 | 0 | 122,048 | 0 | 0 |
| June 30, 2020 33.33% June 30, 2021 |
\$244 | \$0 | |||||||
| 33.33% | Total Shares | 1,522,048 | 350,000 | 472,048 | 1,400,000 | 1,400,000 | |||
| Total USD | \$254,471 | \$655,710 |
| OPENING BALANCE |
DURING THE YEAR | CLOSING BALANCE | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPECIFICATION OF PLAN |
PERFORMANCE PERIOD |
AWARD DATE |
VESTING DATES |
END OF HOLDING PERIOD |
SHARES AWARDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR |
SHARES AWARDED |
SHARES VESTED / VALUE |
SHARES SUBJECT TO A PERFORMANCE CONDITION |
SHARES AWARDED AND UNVESTED AT YEAR END SUBJECT TO A HOLDING PERIOD / VALUE |
| 2021 Plan - Strike Price NOK 17.5 |
2021 - June 30 2026 |
May 11, 2021 |
June 30, 2024 33.33% |
July 1, 2026 | 0 | 81,077 | 0 | 81,077 | 81,077 |
| June 30, 2025 33.33% June 30, 2026 33.33% |
\$0 | \$11,700 | |||||||
| 2020 Plan - Strike Price NOK 3.5 |
2020 - June 30 2025 |
May 12, 2020 |
June 30, 2023 33.33% |
July 1, 2025 | 73,917 | 0 | 0 | 73,917 | 73,917 |
| June 30, 2024 33.33% June 30, 2025 33.33% |
\$0 | \$46,222 | |||||||
| 2019 Plan - Strike Price NOK 8.1 |
2019 - June 30 2024 |
May 9, 2019 |
June 30, 2022 33.33% |
July 1, 2024 | 75,253 | 0 | 0 | 75,253 | 75,253 |
| June 30, 2023 33.33% June 30, 2024 33.33% |
\$0 | \$59,793 | |||||||
| 2018 Plan - Strike Price NOK 15.2 |
2018 - June 30 2023 |
April 26, 2018 |
June 30, 2021 33.33% June 30, 2022 33.33% |
July 1, 2023 | 70,011 | 0 | 23,337 \$10,953 |
46,674 | 46,674 \$23,440 |
| June 30, 2023 33.33% |
|||||||||
| 2017 Plan - Strike Price NOK 11.9 |
2017 - June 30 2022 |
May 5, 2017 |
June 30, 2020 33.33% June 30, 2021 33.33% June 30, 2022 33.33% |
July 1, 2022 | 50,692 | 0 | 33,795 \$28,890 |
16,897 | 16,897 \$10,760 |
| 2016 Plan - Strike Price NOK 19.2 |
2016 - June 30 2021 |
May 5, 2016 |
June 30, 2019 33.33% June 30, 2020 |
July 1, 2021 | 40,642 | 0 | 40,642 | 0 | 0 |
| 33.33% June 30, 2021 33.33% |
\$81 | \$0 | |||||||
| Total Shares | 310,515 | 81,077 | 97,774 | 293,818 | 293,818 |
Total USD \$39,924 \$151,915
CFO DECEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2021
| OPENING BALANCE |
DURING THE YEAR | CLOSING BALANCE | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPECIFICATION OF PLAN |
PERFORMANCE PERIOD |
AWARD DATE |
VESTING DATES |
END OF HOLDING PERIOD |
SHARES AWARDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR |
SHARES AWARDED |
SHARES VESTED / VALUE |
SHARES SUBJECT TO A PERFORMANCE CONDITION |
SHARES AWARDED AND UNVESTED AT YEAR END SUBJECT TO A HOLDING PERIOD / VALUE |
| 2021 Plan - Strike Price NOK 17.5 |
2021 - June 30 2026 |
May 11, 2021 |
June 30, 2024 33.33% |
July 1, 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| June 30, 2025 33.33% |
\$0 | \$0 | |||||||
| June 30, 2026 33.33% |
|||||||||
| Total Shares | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total USD | \$0 | \$0 |
Each year, the nomination committee proposes fees for the Chairmen of the Board of Directors, members of the Board of Directors, and additional compensation for Board members who serve on the compensation or the audit committees. Amounts are fixed in NOK. The board does not receive variable remuneration. The table below shows the past five years remuneration paid to board members and is presented in USD.
Prior to 2020, Board members were paid annually in arrears. Beginning in May of 2020, frequency of payments was changed to monthly in advance except where noted. This change resulted in additional fees during 2020.
| (AMOUNTS IN USD) | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAME | BOARD | COMMITTEE | BOARD | COMMITTEE | BOARD | COMMITTEE | BOARD | COMMITTEE | BOARD | COMMITTEE | |
| Kristian Røkke | Chair | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kjell Inge Røkke 1) | Chair | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62,507 | 0 |
| Annette Malm Justad | Chair/Member | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45,005 | 0 | 50,393 | 0 |
| Auden Stensvold | Member | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25,203 | 0 | 39,006 | 0 |
| Lene Landøy 1) | Member | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35,857 | 0 |
| Espen Klitzing | Member | 36,306 | 6,051 | 37,736 | 6,289 | 39,966 | 5,709 | 59,589 | 4,912 | 6,784 | 0 |
| Inger Berg Ørstavik | Member | 36,306 | 6,051 | 37,736 | 6,289 | 35,969 | 5,709 | 56,151 | 4,912 | 6,784 | 0 |
| Jens Ulltveit-Moe | Chair | 60,510 | 0 | 62,894 | 0 | 59,949 | 0 | 51,579 | 4,912 | 0 | 0 |
| Ragnhild Wiborg | Member | 36,306 | 6,051 | 37,736 | 6,289 | 35,969 | 5,709 | 30,948 | 4,912 | 0 | 0 |
| Terje Osmundsen | Member | 36,306 | 6,051 | 37,736 | 6,289 | 35,969 | 5,709 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 205,734 | 24,204 | 213,838 | 25,157 | 207,822 | 22,838 | 268,475 | 19,649 | 201,330 | 0 |
1) Amounts reported for for Kjell Inge Røkke and Lene Landøy were earned in 2021 and will be paid to Aker in 2022
The remuneration of the Board and key group management complies with the Remuneration Guidelines adopted by the Annual General Meeting on May 11, 2021.
The table below shows the targets and results for short-term variable compensation plans for group management. Targets were established by the Board of Directors to incentivize and reward the achievement of Company goals related to financial performance and the strategic direction of the Company.
| PERFORMANCE | PERFORMANCE TARGETS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAME AND POSITION | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
CRITERIAL WEIGHTING |
MINIMUM TARGET | MAXIMUM TARGET | ACTUAL PERFORMANCE | |||||
| Tore Torvund | Financial Goals | 50 % | 100 percent of Budget | 100 % | 100 % | |||||
| CEO January 1 - November 30, 2021 | Strategic Goals | 50 % | 0 % | 100 % | 30 % | |||||
| Subjective evaluation of performance versus goal by Board of Directors | ||||||||||
| James A. May II | Financial Goals | 50 % | 100 percent of Budget | 100 % | 100 % | |||||
| CFO January 1 – November 30, 2021 | Strategic Goals | 50 % | 0 % | 100 % | 30 % | |||||
| CFO December 1 – December 31, 2021 | Subjective evaluation of performance versus goal by Board of Directors | |||||||||
| Douglas Moore | Financial Goals | 29 % | 100 percent of Budget | 100 % | 100 % | |||||
| CFO December 1 – December 31, 2021 | Operational Goals | 71 % | 0 % | 125 % | 48 % | |||||
| Objective evaluation of performances versus goal by Board of Directors |
The Company's bonus program includes the requirement that the employee must be employed by the Company at the date of the bonus payout date. Accordingly, Tore Torvund did not receive a bonus because he was not employed by the Company on the date the bonus was paid.
The Guidelines were approved by the Company's Annual General Meeting on May 11, 2021 and as of the date of this report no changes to the Guidelines have been proposed.
The table below contains information on the annual amount and change of remuneration of each individual member of group management compared to the prior year. Additionally, the performance of the Company and average remuneration on a full-time equivalent basis of employees of the Company over the five most recent years is presented.
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remuneration of Group Management | |||||
| Tore Torvund | 1,812,887 | 950,018 | 991,544 | 1,955,838 | 1,716,032 |
| Percent change from prior year | 83.2% | -47.6% | 4.4% | 97.3% | -12.3% |
| James A. May II | 423,492 | 291,439 | 301,637 | 515,902 | 462,704 |
| Percent change from prior year | 41.8% | -31.2% | 3.5% | 71.0% | -10.3% |
| Douglas Moore | NA | NA | NA | NA | 15,790 |
| NA | |||||
| (USD IN MILLION) | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Group Revenues | 272.4 | 221.2 | 160.2 | 122.1 | 143.2 |
| Group EBITDA | 19.8 | -4.9 | -12.9 | 23.8 | 7.7 |
| Average remuneration on a full-time equivalent basis of employees | |||||
| Employees of the Group | 143,711 | 134,349 | 132,324 | 141,954 | 147,876 |
| Average number of employees | 514 | 444 | 340 | 277 | 282 |
Pursuant to the Companies Act Section 6-16 b (3), this report shall include an explanation on how the result of the general meeting's advisory vote over the report on salary and other remuneration to leading personnel for the previous year has been regarded. However, guidelines were approved by the annual general meeting on May 11, 2021 and therefore no report was prepared for 2020.
The Board of Directors of REC Silicon has today considered and approved the remuneration report for REC Silicon ASA for the year ended December 31, 2021. The remuneration report has been prepared in accordance with Section 6-16 b of the Public Limited Liability Companies Act and the regulations pursuant to this Act.
The remuneration report will be presented to the Annual General Meeting on June 22, 2022 for final decision.
May 26, 2022 Board of Directors
Mr. Koo Yung Lee Chairman of the Board
Mr. Maeng Yoon Kim Deputy Chair
Dr. Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz Member of the Board
Ms. Heike Heiligtag Member of the Board
James A. May II President and CEO
KPMG AS, a Norwegian limited liability company and member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated
Offices in: Oslo Alta
Arendal Bergen Bodø Drammen
Elverum Finnsnes Hamar
Knarvik
Haugesund Kristiansand Mo i Rana Molde Skien Sandefjord Sandnessjøen Stavanger Stord Straume Tromsø Trondheim Tynset Ålesund
with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. Statsautoriserte revisorer - medlemmer av Den norske Revisorforening
REC Silicon ASA Lysaker Torg 5, 3 etg. PO Box 63 1324 Lysaker Norway Phone +47,407 24,086
REC Silicon ASA is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, supplying high-purity polysilicon and silicon gases to the solar and electronics industries worldwide. We combine over 30 years experience and best-in-class proprietary technology to deliver on customer expectations. Our two U.S. based plants have a capacity of more than 20,000 MT high-purity polysilicon. REC Silicon is headquartered in Lysaker, Norway and listed on the Oslo stock exchange under the ticker: RECSI.
For more information, go to: www.recsilicon.com
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