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AIA Group Limited — AGM Information 2015
Mar 26, 2015
49833_rns_2015-03-26_d6159ae9-4255-4a24-bc49-c31306418b36.pdf
AGM Information
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THIS CIRCULAR IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of this circular or as to the action to be taken, you should consult an exchange participant or other securities dealer licensed as a licensed person under the Securities and Futures Ordinance, bank manager, solicitor, certified public accountant or other professional adviser.
If you have sold or transferred all your shares in AIA Group Limited , you should at once hand this circular and the accompanying proxy form to the purchaser or transferee or to the bank, exchange participant or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this circular, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this circular.
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AIA Group Limited 友邦保險控股有限公司
(Incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability) Stock Code: 1299
RE-ELECTION OF DIRECTORS GENERAL MANDATES TO ISSUE SHARES AND
REPURCHASE SHARES GENERAL MANDATE TO ISSUE SHARES UNDER RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT SCHEME AND
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The notice convening the annual general meeting of AIA Group Limited to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, 8 May 2015 at the Grand Ballroom, 2/F, New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel, 72 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong is set out on pages 17 to 22 of this circular.
Only light beverages will be served after the meeting.
Whether or not you are able to attend the meeting, please complete and return the enclosed proxy form in accordance with the instructions printed thereon to the Company’s share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong as soon as possible and in any event not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting (as the case may be). Completion and return of the proxy form will not preclude you from attending and voting in person at the meeting or at any adjourned meeting should you so wish.
27 March 2015
CONTENTS
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 1 |
| Letter from the Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 3 |
| Notice of Annual General Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 17 |
| Appendix I – Biographical Details of Directors Standing for Re-election . . |
23 |
| Appendix II – Explanatory Statement on the Share Repurchase Mandate. . |
26 |
– i –
DEFINITIONS
In this circular, unless the context requires otherwise, the following expressions have the following meanings:
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“2015 AGM” the annual general meeting of the Company to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, 8 May 2015 or, where the context so requires, any adjournment thereof, notice of which is set out on pages 17 to 22 of this circular
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“Annual Report 2014” Annual Report 2014 of the Company
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“Articles of Association” Articles of Association of the Company, as adopted by the special resolution passed on 9 May 2014 in accordance with the Companies Ordinance (as amended from time to time)
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“Board” the Board of Directors of the Company
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“Companies Ordinance” the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622 of the Laws of Hong Kong)
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“Company” AIA Group Limited, a company incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability, whose shares are listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
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“Corporate Governance Code”
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Corporate Governance Code set out in Appendix 14 to the Listing Rules
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“Director(s)” Director(s) of the Company
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“Hong Kong”
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The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of The People’s Republic of China
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“Hong Kong Stock Exchange” The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
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“Issue Mandate”
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the general and unconditional mandate proposed under ordinary resolution numbered 7(A) in the notice of the 2015 AGM set out on pages 17 to 22 of this circular
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“Latest Practicable Date”
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20 March 2015, being the latest practicable date prior to the printing of this circular for ascertaining certain information referred to in this circular
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“Listing Rules”
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the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
– 1 –
DEFINITIONS
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“Repurchase Mandate”
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the general and unconditional mandate proposed under ordinary resolution numbered 7(B) in the notice of the 2015 AGM set out on pages 17 to 22 of this circular
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“Restricted Share Unit Scheme” or “RSU Scheme”
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the restricted share unit scheme adopted by the Company on 28 September 2010 (as amended)
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“RSU(s)”
restricted share unit(s)
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“RSU Award”
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a restricted share unit award granted to a participant under the Restricted Share Unit Scheme
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“RSU Scheme Mandate”
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the scheme mandate of the Restricted Share Unit Scheme proposed under ordinary resolution numbered 7(C) in the notice of the 2015 AGM set out on pages 17 to 22 of this circular
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“SFO”
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the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong), as amended from time to time
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“Share(s)” ordinary share(s) in the share capital of the Company
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“Share Option Scheme”
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the share option scheme adopted by the Company on 28 September 2010 (as amended)
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“Shareholder(s)”
-
holder(s) of Shares
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“Takeovers Code”
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the Code on Takeovers and Mergers approved by the Securities and Futures Commission, as amended from time
– 2 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
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AIA Group Limited 友邦保險控股有限公司
(Incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability)
Stock Code: 1299
Non-executive Chairman and Non-executive Director: Mr. Edmund Sze-Wing Tse
Executive Director:
Registered Office: 35/F, AIA Central 1 Connaught Road Central Hong Kong
Mr. Mark Edward Tucker
Independent Non-executive Directors:
Mr. Jack Chak-Kwong So Mr. Chung-Kong Chow Mr. John Barrie Harrison
Mr. George Yong-Boon Yeo
Mr. Mohamed Azman Yahya Professor Lawrence Juen-Yee Lau
27 March 2015
Dear Shareholders,
RE-ELECTION OF DIRECTORS GENERAL MANDATES TO ISSUE SHARES AND
REPURCHASE SHARES GENERAL MANDATE TO ISSUE SHARES UNDER RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT SCHEME AND NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
1. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this circular is to provide you with notice of the 2015 AGM, including relevant information regarding certain resolutions proposed for the Shareholders to consider and, if thought fit, approve, including resolutions for (i) the re-election of Directors; (ii) the grant of the Issue Mandate and the Repurchase Mandate; and (iii) the approval of the RSU Scheme Mandate.
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
2. RE-ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Professor Lawrence Juen-Yee Lau was appointed as Independent Non-executive Director of the Company on 18 September 2014. In accordance with Article 104 of the Articles of Association, Professor Lau will hold his office until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and will then be eligible for re-election. He will offer himself for re-election at the 2015 AGM.
Mr. Chung-Kong Chow and Mr. John Barrie Harrison shall retire from office by rotation at the 2015 AGM pursuant to Article 100 of the Articles of Association and paragraph A.4.2 of the Corporate Governance Code, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election at the 2015 AGM.
Biographical details of the Directors offering themselves for re-election at the 2015 AGM are set out in Appendix I to this circular.
3. ISSUE MANDATE AND REPURCHASE MANDATE
Pursuant to the ordinary resolution passed by the Shareholders at the last annual general meeting of the Company held on 9 May 2014, general mandates were given to the Directors to issue new Shares and to repurchase existing Shares. Such general mandates will lapse at the conclusion of the 2015 AGM. Accordingly, the Company seeks Shareholders’ approval to renew this authority subject to the restrictions described in resolutions 7(A) and 7(B) and summarised herein.
The proposed Issue Mandate size is limited to 10% of the aggregate number of Shares in issue as of the date of passing of the relevant resolution. This is significantly lower than the permissible size of 20% under the Listing Rules. For clarity, Shares purchased through any exercise of the Repurchase Mandate will not be added to the number of Shares that may be issued under the Issue Mandate. In addition, any Shares to be issued for cash under the authority granted by the proposed Issue Mandate (other than on the vesting of awards under the Company’s agency share purchase plan, the terms of which are summarised in the Annual Report 2014) will only be issued subject to a maximum discount of 10% to the “benchmarked price” (defined with reference to Rule 13.36(5) of the Listing Rules). Shareholders may wish to take note that the proposed discount limit is more restrictive than the requirements of the Listing Rules which permit a maximum discount of 20% to the benchmarked price for any issuance of Shares in a placement for cash pursuant to a general issuance mandate.
The proposed Issue Mandate is necessary to give the Directors some flexibility to allot Shares where they believe it is in the best interests of Shareholders to do so, in particular pursuant to any capital raising or other strategic needs that may arise from time to time.
The Issue Mandate and the Repurchase Mandate, if approved at the 2015 AGM, will continue to be in force until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the Articles of Association or any applicable law to be held, or until revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution by the Shareholders in general meeting, whichever occurs first.
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
Details of the aforesaid ordinary resolutions are set out in ordinary resolutions numbered 7(A) and 7(B) in the notice of the 2015 AGM. An explanatory statement as required by the Listing Rules intended to provide the Shareholders with all information reasonably necessary to make an informed decision on the proposed resolution for the granting of the Repurchase Mandate is set out in Appendix II to this circular.
4. MANDATE TO ISSUE SHARES UNDER THE RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT SCHEME
The RSU Scheme was adopted by the Company on 28 September 2010. The RSU Scheme is not a share option scheme and is not subject to the provisions of Chapter 17 of the Listing Rules.
Pursuant to the ordinary resolution passed by the Shareholders at the last annual general meeting held on 9 May 2014, a scheme mandate for the RSU Scheme of 301,118,871 new Shares, representing 2.5% of the issued share capital of the Company as of the date of the last annual general meeting of the Company, was given to the Directors. Such scheme mandate will lapse at the conclusion of the 2015 AGM.
Between 9 May 2014 and the Latest Practicable Date, 17,287,414 RSU Awards were granted under the RSU Scheme. During the same period, 8,603,123 RSU Awards have lapsed and 12,817,728 RSU Awards vested in accordance with the rules of the RSU Scheme. No Shares have been issued pursuant to the RSU Scheme.
By way of example, subject to the passing of an ordinary resolution approving the RSU Scheme Mandate and assuming that no additional share options or RSU Awards will be granted and exercised or vested prior to the 2015 AGM, the effect of the resolution will be to grant to Directors an RSU Scheme Mandate to allot and issue not more than 301,148,146 Shares, representing the total number of Shares that can be allotted and issued pursuant to the vesting of RSU Awards under the RSU Scheme. On the basis of the most recently reported issued share capital of the Company of 12,045,925,856 Shares, an exercise in full of the proposed RSU Scheme Mandate would result in 301,148,146 Shares being issued, representing approximately 2.5% of the existing issued share capital of the Company. An approval has been obtained from the Listing Committee of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for the listing of and permission to deal in any new Shares so issued, not to exceed 301,100,000 Shares.
If the Company elects to settle the RSU Awards in Shares, the cost attributable to the grant of any RSU Awards under the RSU Scheme will be accounted for by reference to the market value of the Shares at the time of grant, adjusted to take into account the terms and conditions upon which Shares were granted. If the RSU Awards are to be settled in cash, the costs attributable to any unsettled or unvested RSU Awards will be re-measured based on the fair value of the underlying Shares until the final payout is made. The Company will give due consideration to any financial impact arising from the grant of RSU Awards under the RSU Scheme before exercising the RSU Scheme Mandate.
– 5 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
The following is a summary of the principal terms of the RSU Scheme:
1. Purposes of the RSU Scheme
The primary purpose of the RSU Scheme is to align the participants’ interests with those of the Company and its shareholders through encouraging participants’ ownership of Shares. Share ownership on the part of participants creates greater focus on long-term value creation and serves as a tool to retain individuals whose continuing participation is deemed important to the sustained success of the Company.
2. RSU Awards
A RSU Award gives a participant in the RSU Scheme (the “RSU Participant”) a conditional right when the RSU Award vests to obtain either Shares (existing Shares in issue or new Shares to be issued by the Company) or an equivalent value in cash with reference to the market value of the Shares on or about the date of vesting, as determined by the Board in its absolute discretion. A RSU Award may include, if so specified by the Board in its entire discretion, cash and non-cash income, dividends or distributions and/or the sale proceeds of non-cash and non-scrip distributions in respect of those Shares from the date that the RSU Award is granted to the date that it vests.
3. Participants in the RSU Scheme
Persons eligible to receive RSU Awards under the RSU Scheme are existing employees, directors (whether executive or non-executive, but excluding independent non-executive directors) or officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (“RSU Eligible Persons”). The Board selects the RSU Eligible Persons to receive RSU Awards under the RSU Scheme at its discretion.
4. Term of the RSU Scheme
The term of the RSU Scheme is 10 years commencing from the date of adoption on 28 September 2010 (the “RSU Scheme Period”), but the provisions of the RSU Scheme shall remain in full force and effect in order to give effect to the vesting of RSU Awards granted and accepted prior to the expiration of the RSU Scheme Period.
5. Grant and Acceptance
(a) Making an Offer
An offer to grant a RSU Award will be made to a RSU Eligible Person selected by the Board (“RSU Selected Person”) by a letter in such form as the Board may determine (“RSU Grant Letter”). The RSU Grant Letter will specify the value and the number of Shares underlying the RSU Award (or if the value and/or number of Shares is not available, the methodology by which that is calculated), the vesting criteria and conditions, the vesting schedule and such other details as the Board considers necessary, and will require the RSU Selected Person to undertake to hold the RSU Award on the terms on which it is granted and to be bound by the provisions of the RSU Scheme.
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
(b) Acceptance of an Offer
A RSU Selected Person accepts the grant of a RSU Award in such manner as set out in the RSU Grant Letter. Once accepted, the RSU Award is granted from the date on which it was offered to the RSU Selected Person (“RSU Grant Date”).
(c) Restrictions on Grants
The Board may not grant any RSU Awards to any RSU Selected Persons in any of the following circumstances:
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(i) the requisite approvals for that grant from any applicable regulatory authorities have not been granted;
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(ii) the securities laws or regulations require that a prospectus or other offering documents be issued in respect of the grant of the RSU Awards or in respect of the RSU Scheme, unless the Board determines otherwise;
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(iii) where granting the RSU Award would result in a breach by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their respective directors of any applicable securities laws, rules or regulations;
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(iv) after a price sensitive event in relation to the Company’s securities has occurred or a price sensitive matter in relation to the Company’s securities has been the subject of a decision, until an announcement of such price sensitive information has been duly published in accordance with the Listing Rules; or
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(v) within the period commencing one month immediately preceding the earlier of:
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(1) the date of meeting of the Board (as such date is first notified to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in accordance with the Listing Rules) for the approval of the Company’s results for any year, half-year, quarterly or any other interim period (whether or not required under the Listing Rules); and
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
- (2) the deadline to publish an announcement of the Company’s results for any year or half-year under the Listing Rules, or quarterly or any other interim period (whether or not required under the Listing Rules);
and ending on the date of the results announcement; or
- (vi) where such grant of any RSU Award would result in a breach of the limits of the RSU Scheme (as set out in paragraph 6 below).
(d) Grants to Directors
Where any RSU Award is proposed to be granted to a Director, it shall not be granted on any day on which the Company’s financial results are published and during the period of:
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(i) 60 days immediately preceding the publication date of the Company’s annual results or, if shorter, the period from the end of the Company’s relevant financial year up to the publication date of its results; and
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(ii) 30 days immediately preceding the publication date of the Company’s quarterly results (if any) and half-year results or, if shorter, the period from the end of the Company’s relevant quarterly or half-year period up to the publication date of its results.
(e) Grants to Connected Persons
Before making any grant to a Director, chief executive or substantial shareholder of the Company, or any of their respective associates, all of the Independent Non-executive Directors must approve the grant of the RSU Award, and if new Shares will be allotted to connected persons when their RSU Awards vest, the Company will comply with the applicable requirements under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules or obtain a waiver from strict compliance with such requirements from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
6. Maximum Number of Shares Pursuant to RSU Awards
(a) RSU Scheme Limit
Subject to paragraph 6(b) below, no RSU Award shall be granted pursuant to the RSU Scheme if as a result of such grant (assumed accepted), the aggregate number of Shares (or, where cash is awarded in lieu of Shares, the aggregate number of Shares as are equivalent to the amount of cash so awarded (“Share Equivalents”)) underlying all grants made pursuant to the RSU Scheme (excluding RSU Awards that have lapsed or been cancelled in accordance with the rules of the RSU Scheme) will exceed in total 301,100,000 Shares, representing 2.5% of the number of Shares in issue on 29 October 2010, being the date on which the Shares were listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (the “RSU Scheme Limit”).
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
(b) Refreshment of RSU Scheme Limit
The RSU Scheme Limit may be refreshed from time to time subject to prior approval from the Shareholders, but in any event the total number of Shares and Share Equivalents that may underlie the RSU Awards granted following the date of approval of the refreshed limit (the “New Approval Date”) under the limit as refreshed from time to time must not exceed 2.5% of the number of Shares in issue as of the relevant New Approval Date. Shares or Share Equivalents underlying RSU Awards granted under the RSU Scheme (including those outstanding, cancelled or vested RSU Awards) prior to such New Approval Date will not be counted for the purpose of determining the maximum aggregate number of Shares or Share Equivalents that may underlie the RSU Awards granted following the relevant New Approval Date.
(c) Annual Mandate
To the extent that the Company may, during the Relevant Period (defined below), grant RSU Awards pursuant to the RSU Scheme which may be satisfied by the Company allotting and issuing new Shares upon the vesting of the RSU Awards, the Company shall at its annual general meeting propose for the Shareholders to consider and, if thought fit, pass an ordinary resolution approving a mandate specifying:
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(a) the maximum number of new Shares that may underlie RSU Awards granted pursuant to the RSU Scheme during the Relevant Period; and
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(b) that the Board has the power to allot and issue Shares, procure the transfer of Shares and otherwise deal with Shares pursuant to the vesting of any RSU Awards that are granted pursuant to the RSU Scheme during the Relevant Period as and when the RSU Awards vest.
The above mandate shall remain in effect during the period from the passing of the ordinary resolution granting the mandate until the earliest of:
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(A) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company;
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(B) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the Articles of Association or any applicable law to be held; and
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(C) the date on which the authority set out in such resolution is revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting,
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(the “Relevant Period”).
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
7. Rights Attached to RSU Awards
A RSU Participant does not have any contingent interest in any Shares underlying a RSU Award unless and until such Shares are actually transferred to the RSU Participant. Further, a RSU Participant may not exercise voting rights in respect of the Shares underlying their RSU Award, nor does he/she have any rights to any cash or non-cash income, dividends or distributions and/or the sale proceeds of non-cash and non-scrip distributions from any Shares underlying a RSU Award unless otherwise specified by the Board in its sole discretion in the RSU Grant Letter to the RSU Participant.
8. Rights Attached to Shares
Any Shares transferred to a RSU Participant in respect of any RSU Award will be subject to all the provisions of the Articles of Association and will form a single class with the fully paid Shares in issue on the relevant date. Once transferred, the Shares will entitle the holder to participate in all dividends or other distributions paid or made on or after the date of the transfer applicable to the holders of Shares.
9. Assignment of RSU Awards
RSU Awards granted pursuant to the RSU Scheme will be personal to each RSU Participant, and are not assignable. RSU Participants are prohibited from selling, transferring, assigning, charging, mortgaging, encumbering, hedging or creating any interest in favour of any other person over or in relation to any property held by the Trustee (as defined below) on trust for the RSU Participants, RSU Awards, Shares underlying any RSU Awards or any interest or benefits therein.
10. Vesting of RSU Awards
(a) General
The Board can determine the vesting criteria, conditions and the time when the RSU Awards will vest, but the date between the RSU Acceptance Notice and the date of vesting must be at least six months.
Within a reasonable time after the vesting criteria and conditions have been fulfilled, satisfied or waived, the Board will send a vesting notice (“Vesting Notice”) to each of the relevant RSU Participants. The Vesting Notice will confirm the extent to which the vesting criteria and conditions have been fulfilled, satisfied or waived, and the number of Shares (and, if applicable, the cash or non-cash income, dividends or distributions and/or the sale proceeds of non-cash and non-scrip distributions in respect of those Shares) or the amount of cash the RSU Participant will receive.
(b) Role of the Trustee
A professional trustee (the “Trustee”) will hold Shares underlying the RSU Awards granted to RSU Participants pending the vesting of the RSU Awards. The Trustee shall subscribe for new Shares or purchase existing Shares from the market.
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
The Company or its subsidiaries shall provide funds to enable the Trustee to subscribe for Shares or to make such on-market purchases of Shares. None of the Directors has any direct or indirect interest in the Trustee.
(c) Award in Cash or Shares
Subject to the RSU Participant executing all documents that the Board considers necessary for vesting (which may include, without limitation, a certification to the Company or its relevant subsidiary that he/she has complied with all the terms and conditions set out in the rules of the RSU Scheme and the RSU Grant Letter), the Board may decide at its absolute discretion to:
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(i) direct and procure the Trustee to transfer the Shares underlying the RSU Award (and, if applicable, the cash or non-cash income, dividends or distributions and/or the sale proceeds of non-cash and non-scrip distributions in respect of those Shares) to the RSU Participant which the Trustee has either acquired by making on-market purchases of Shares or which the Company has allotted and issued to the Trustee as fully paid up Shares; or
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(ii) pay, or direct and procure the Trustee to pay, to the RSU Participant in cash an amount which is equivalent to the value of the Shares (and, if applicable, the cash or non-cash income, dividends or distributions and/or the sale proceeds of non-cash and non-scrip distributions in respect of those Shares) set out in paragraph 10(c)(i) above.
If a RSU Participant fails to execute the required documents in accordance with the Vesting Notice, the RSU Participant’s RSU Award will lapse.
(d) Rights on a Takeover
If a general offer to acquire the Shares (whether by takeover offer, merger, or otherwise in a like manner) is made to all of the Shareholders (or Shareholders other than the offeror and/or any person controlled by the offeror and/or any person acting in concert with the offeror) and the general offer to acquire the Shares is approved and the offer becomes or is declared unconditional in all respects, a RSU Participant’s RSU Award will vest immediately to the extent specified in a notice given by the Company to the RSU Participant, even if the vesting period has not yet commenced.
(e) Rights on a Compromise or Arrangement
If a compromise or arrangement between the Company and the Shareholders or creditors is proposed in connection with a scheme for the reconstruction of the Company or its amalgamation with any other company or companies and a notice is given by the Company to the Shareholders to convene a general meeting to consider
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
and if thought fit approve such compromise or arrangement, a RSU Participant’s RSU Award will vest immediately to the extent specified in a notice given by the Company to the RSU Participant, even if the vesting period has not yet commenced.
(f) Rights on a Voluntary Winding-Up
If an effective resolution is passed during the RSU Scheme Period for the voluntary winding-up of the Company (other than for the purposes of a reconstruction, amalgamation or scheme of arrangement), all outstanding RSU Awards shall be treated as having vested immediately before the passing of such resolution to the extent represented by the proportion that (A) the time between the RSU Grant Date and the passing of the resolution bears to (B) the entire vesting period set out in the RSU Grant Letter. No Shares will be transferred, and no cash alternative will be paid, to the RSU Participant, but the RSU Participant will be entitled to receive out of the assets available in liquidation on an equal basis with the Shareholders such sum as they would have received in respect of the RSU Award.
11. Lapse of RSU Awards
(a) Full Lapse of RSU Award
A RSU Award will automatically lapse immediately where:
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(i) such RSU Participant’s employment or service terminates for any reason, except (A) the employment or service is terminated by reason of death, retirement or disability, (B) where the employment or service is terminated because of redundancy, (C) where the company employing the RSU Participant ceases to be one of the Company’s subsidiaries or (D) any other incident occurs as the Board may at its discretion specify; or
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(ii) the RSU Participant makes any attempt or takes any action to sell, transfer, assign, charge, mortgage, encumber, hedge or create any interest in favour of any other person over or in relation to any Shares underlying the RSU Award or any interests or benefits pursuant to the RSU Award.
(b) Partial Lapse of RSU Award
A RSU Participant’s RSU Award will lapse on a proportional basis based on the proportion that (A) the time between the RSU Grant Date and the occurrence of the following relevant event bears to (B) the entire vesting period set out in the RSU Participant’s RSU Grant Letter if:
- (i) the RSU Participant’s employment or service is terminated because of the RSU Participant’s death, disability or redundancy;
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
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(ii) the RSU Participant’s employment or service is terminated because of the RSU Participant’s retirement;
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(iii) the company with which the RSU Participant is employed ceases to be one of the Company’s subsidiaries; or
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(iv) any other incident occurs as the Board may at its discretion specify,
provided that, (A) for any event stated in (i) and (iii) above, where it is not known at the time of the occurrence of the event to what extent any performance criteria set out in the Grant Letter have been satisfied, for the purpose of determining the lapse of RSU Award, those criteria shall be applied on the basis that they have been satisfied at the “target level” as referred to in the Grant Letter, if a target level is so referred to; and (B) for the event stated in (ii) above, the lapse of the RSU Award will also be based on fulfillment of the vesting criteria and conditions (including any performance criteria) set out in the RSU Grant Letter.
12. Cancellation of RSU Awards
The Board may at its discretion cancel any RSU Award that has not vested or lapsed, provided that:
-
(i) the Company or its subsidiaries pay to the RSU Participant an amount equal to the fair value of the RSU Award at the date of the cancellation as determined by the Board, after consultation with its auditors or an independent financial adviser appointed by the Board;
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(ii) the Company or its relevant subsidiary provides to the RSU Participant a replacement RSU Award (or a grant or option under any other restricted share unit scheme, share option scheme or share-related incentive scheme) of equivalent value to the RSU Award to be cancelled; or
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(iii) the Board makes any arrangement as the RSU Participant may agree in order to compensate him/her for the cancellation of the RSU Award.
13. Reorganisation of Capital Structure
In the event of any capitalisation issue, rights issue, consolidation, sub-division or reduction of the share capital of the Company, the Board may, in its absolute discretion, make such equitable adjustments, designed to protect the RSU Participants’ interests, to the number of Shares underlying the outstanding RSU Awards or to the amount of the equivalent value, as it may deem appropriate.
14. Amendment of the RSU Scheme
Save as provided in the RSU Scheme, the Board may alter any of the terms of the RSU Scheme at any time. Written notice of any amendment to the RSU Scheme shall be given to all RSU Participants.
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
Any changes to the authority of the Board in relation to any alteration of the terms of the RSU Scheme shall not be made without the prior approval of the Shareholders in general meeting.
Any alterations to the terms and conditions of the RSU Scheme which are of a material nature or any changes to the terms of the RSU Awards granted must be approved by the Shareholders in general meeting, except where the alterations or changes take effect automatically under the existing terms of the RSU Scheme. The Board’s determination shall be conclusive as to whether any proposed alteration to the terms and conditions of the RSU Scheme is material.
15. Termination of the RSU Scheme
The Board may terminate the RSU Scheme at any time before the expiry of the RSU Scheme Period and no further RSU Awards shall be granted thereafter. In the event of termination, the Company or its relevant subsidiary shall notify the Trustee and all RSU Participants of such termination and of how any property held by the Trustee on trust for the RSU Participants (including, but not limited to, any Shares held) and the outstanding RSU Awards shall be dealt with.
16. Administration of the RSU Scheme
The Board has the power to administer the RSU Scheme, including the power to construe and interpret the rules of the RSU Scheme and the terms of the RSU Awards granted under it. The Board may delegate the authority to administer the RSU Scheme to a committee of the Board. The Board may also appoint one or more independent third party contractors to assist in the administration of the RSU Scheme and delegate such powers and/or functions relating to the administration of the RSU Scheme as the Board thinks fit.
The Board’s determinations under the RSU Scheme need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively with respect to persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, RSU Awards under it. If a Director is a RSU Participant he/she may, notwithstanding his/her own interest and subject to the Articles of Association, vote on any Board resolution concerning the RSU Scheme (other than in respect of his/her own participation in it), and may retain RSU Awards under it.
Each RSU Participant waives any right to contest, amongst other things, the value and number of Shares or equivalent value of cash underlying the RSU Awards and the Board’s administration of the RSU Scheme.
17. Clawback
If following the vesting of a RSU Award, the Board determines that the rules of the RSU Scheme or the terms of the RSU Grant Letter were not satisfied, the Company may require to be paid, and the RSU Participant must pay on demand, an amount of money to the Company or its relevant subsidiary specified in a notice consistent with the requirements set out below in this paragraph 17.
– 14 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
If the Board determines that the granting or the vesting of a RSU Award was based on materially inaccurate financial statements, to the extent that the RSU Award is not vested, the RSU Award will be forfeited or if it has already vested, the Company can require the RSU Participant to pay on demand an amount of money to the Company or its relevant subsidiary specified in a notice.
5. RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT
This circular, for which the Directors collectively and individually accept full responsibility, includes particulars given in compliance with the Listing Rules for the purpose of giving information with regard to the Company. The Directors, having made all reasonable enquiries, confirm that to the best of their knowledge and belief the information contained in this circular is accurate and complete in all material aspects and not misleading or deceptive, and there are no other matters the omission of which would make any statement herein or this circular misleading.
6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
A notice convening the 2015 AGM is set out on pages 17 to 22. At the 2015 AGM, relevant resolutions will be proposed to approve the re-election of Directors, grant of the Issue Mandate, the Repurchase Mandate and the RSU Scheme Mandate.
Pursuant to the Listing Rules, any vote of shareholders at a general meeting must be taken by poll. The chairman of the 2015 AGM will therefore put each of the resolutions to be proposed at the 2015 AGM to be voted by way of a poll.
As a registered Shareholder, you are entitled to attend and vote at the 2015 AGM in person. Whether or not you intend to attend the 2015 AGM or any adjournment thereof, please complete the proxy form in accordance with the instructions printed thereon and return the same to the Company’s share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong as soon as possible and in any event not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the 2015 AGM or any adjournment thereof. You may appoint one or more proxies to attend and vote on your behalf. A proxy need not be a Shareholder. Enclosed with this circular is a proxy form for use at the 2015 AGM. Completion and return of the proxy form will not preclude you from attending and voting in person at the 2015 AGM or any adjournment thereof should you so wish. In the event that a Shareholder who has lodged a proxy form attends the 2015 AGM, his/her proxy form will be deemed to have been revoked.
As a non-registered Shareholder (i.e. your shares are held through an intermediary/a nominee), you may give your instructions to your intermediary/nominee to vote on your behalf or appoint you as a corporate representative to attend and vote at the 2015 AGM.
– 15 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
7. VOTING BY POLL
Pursuant to Rule 13.39(4) of the Listing Rules, the chairman of the 2015 AGM will exercise his right to demand a poll pursuant to Article 70 of the Articles of Association on each of the resolutions to be proposed at the 2015 AGM except where the chairman of the 2015 AGM, in good faith, decides to allow a resolution which relates purely to a procedural or administrative matter to be voted on by a show of hands.
After closure of the 2015 AGM, the poll results will be published on the websites of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Company.
8. RECOMMENDATION
The Directors consider that the re-election of Directors, the grant of the Issue Mandate, the Repurchase Mandate and the RSU Scheme Mandate are in the best interests of the Company and the Shareholders as a whole and so recommend the Shareholders to vote in favor of the resolutions to be proposed at the 2015 AGM.
No Shareholder is required to abstain from voting in respect of any of the resolutions to be proposed at the 2015 AGM.
Yours faithfully, On behalf of the Board Edmund Sze-Wing Tse Non-executive Chairman
– 16 –
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
==> picture [168 x 72] intentionally omitted <==
AIA Group Limited 友邦保險控股有限公司
(Incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability)
Stock Code: 1299
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the annual general meeting of AIA Group Limited (the “Company”) will be held at the Grand Ballroom, 2/F, New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel, 72 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong on Friday, 8 May 2015 at 11:00 a.m. for the following purposes:
ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS
-
To receive the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company, the Report of the Directors and the Independent Auditor’s Report for the year ended 30 November 2014.
-
To declare a final dividend of 34.00 Hong Kong cents per share for the year ended 30 November 2014.
-
To re-elect Professor Lawrence Juen-Yee Lau as Independent Non-executive Director of the Company.
-
To re-elect Mr. Chung-Kong Chow as Independent Non-executive Director of the Company.
-
To re-elect Mr. John Barrie Harrison as Independent Non-executive Director of the Company.
-
To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers as auditor of the Company for the term from passing of this resolution until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting and to authorise the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) to fix its remuneration.
-
To consider and, if thought fit, pass with or without amendments, the following resolutions as ordinary resolutions of the Company in relation to the proposed grant of general mandates to the Board:
-
(A) “ THAT :
- (a) subject to sub-paragraph (c) of this resolution and pursuant to the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and The Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of
– 17 –
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Hong Kong Limited, the exercise by the directors of the Company (the “Directors”) during the Relevant Period (as hereinafter defined) of all the powers of the Company to allot, issue and deal with additional shares in the Company, to grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares in the Company (including the issue of any securities convertible into shares, or options, warrants or similar rights to subscribe for any shares) and to make or grant offers, agreements and options which might require the exercise of such powers be and is hereby generally and unconditionally approved;
-
(b) the approval in sub-paragraph (a) of this resolution shall authorise the Directors during the Relevant Period to make or grant offers, agreements and options (including warrants, bonds and debentures convertible into shares in the Company) which would or might require the exercise of such powers after the end of the Relevant Period;
-
(c) the aggregate number of shares in the Company allotted or agreed conditionally or unconditionally to be allotted (whether pursuant to an option or otherwise) by the Directors pursuant to the approval in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of this resolution, otherwise than pursuant to (i) a Rights Issue as hereinafter defined, or (ii) the exercise of rights of subscription or conversion under the terms of any options, warrants or similar rights granted by the Company or any securities which are convertible into shares in the Company, or (iii) the granting or vesting of any restricted share unit awards pursuant to the restricted share unit scheme or the agency share purchase plan adopted by the Company on 28 September 2010, as amended, and 23 February 2012, respectively, or (iv) the grant of options or an issue of shares in the Company upon the exercise of options granted under the share option scheme adopted by the Company on 28 September 2010, as amended, or (v) any scrip dividend or similar arrangement providing for the allotment and issue of shares in the Company in lieu of the whole or part of a dividend on shares in the Company in accordance with the articles of association of the Company, shall not exceed 10 per cent of the aggregate number of shares in the Company in issue as of the date of passing of this resolution, and the said approval shall be limited accordingly;
-
(d) any shares in the Company to be allotted, issued or dealt with for cash pursuant to the approval in sub-paragraph (a) of this resolution (other than on the vesting of awards under the agency share purchase plan adopted by the Company on 23 February 2012) shall not be at a discount of more than 10 per cent to the Benchmarked Price (as defined below) of such shares in the Company; and
– 18 –
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
- (e) for the purposes of this resolution:
“Benchmarked Price” means the higher of:
-
(i) the closing price of the shares in the Company as quoted on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”) on the date of the agreement involving the relevant proposed issue of shares in the Company; and
-
(ii) the average closing price as quoted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange of the shares in the Company for the 5 trading days immediately preceding the earlier of the date: (A) of announcement of the transaction or arrangement involving the relevant proposed issue of shares in the Company, (B) of the agreement involving the relevant proposed issue of shares in the Company and (C) on which the price of shares in the Company that are proposed to be issued is fixed.
“Relevant Period” means the period from the passing of this resolution until the earliest of:
-
(i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company;
-
(ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the articles of association of the Company or any applicable law to be held; and
-
(iii) the date on which the authority set out in this resolution is revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting.
“Rights Issue” means an offer of shares in the share capital of the Company or an offer or issue of warrants or options or similar instruments to subscribe for, or of securities convertible into, shares in the share capital of the Company open for a period fixed by the Directors to holders of shares in the Company or any class thereof on the register on a fixed record date in proportion to their then holdings of such shares or class thereof (subject to such exclusion or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to fractional entitlements or having regard to any restrictions or obligations under the laws of, or the requirements of, or the expense or delay which may be involved in determining the existence or extent of any restrictions or obligations under the laws of, or the requirements of, any jurisdiction applicable to the Company, or any recognised regulatory body or any stock exchange applicable to the Company).”
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(B) “ THAT :
-
(a) subject to sub-paragraph (b) of this resolution and pursuant to the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and The Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, the exercise by the Directors during the Relevant Period (as defined below) of all the powers of the Company to repurchase shares in the capital of the Company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange or on any other exchange on which the securities of the Company may be listed and recognised by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for such purpose, and otherwise in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange or of any other stock exchange as amended from time to time and all applicable laws in this regard, be and is hereby generally and unconditionally approved;
-
(b) the aggregate number of the shares in the Company which may be purchased pursuant to the approval in sub-paragraph (a) of this resolution shall not exceed 10 per cent of the aggregate number of shares in the Company in issue on the date of passing of this resolution and the said approval shall be limited accordingly; and
-
(c) for the purposes of this resolution, “Relevant Period” means the period from the passing of this resolution until the earliest of:
-
(i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company;
-
(ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the articles of association of the Company or any applicable law to be held; and
-
(iii) the date on which the authority set out in this resolution is revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting.”
(C) “ THAT :
- (a) subject to sub-paragraph (b) of this resolution, the exercise by the Directors during the Relevant Period (as defined below) of all the powers of the Company to grant restricted share unit awards (“RSU Awards”) and to allot, issue, procure the transfer of and otherwise deal with shares underlying any RSU Awards granted under the restricted share unit scheme approved and adopted by the Company on 28 September 2010, as amended (the “RSU Scheme”), as and when the RSU Awards vest be and is hereby approved;
– 20 –
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
-
(b) no RSU Awards shall be granted by the Directors if as a result of such grant the aggregate number of shares (or, where cash is awarded in lieu of shares, the aggregate number of shares as are equivalent to the amount of cash so awarded) underlying all RSU Awards granted by the Directors (excluding RSU Awards that have lapsed or been cancelled in accordance with the rules of the RSU Scheme) shall exceed 2.5 per cent of the number of shares in the Company in issue on the date of passing of this resolution; and
-
(c) for the purposes of this resolution, “Relevant Period” means the period from the passing of this resolution until the earliest of:
-
(i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company;
-
(ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the articles of association of the Company or any applicable law to be held; and
-
(iii) the date on which the authority set out in this resolution is revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting.”
By Order of the Board Lai Wing Nga Group Company Secretary
Hong Kong, 27 March 2015
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Notes:
- The register of members of the Company will be closed from Wednesday, 6 May 2015 to Friday, 8 May 2015 (both days inclusive) during which period no transfer of share(s) will be registered. In order to qualify to attend and vote at the 2015 annual general meeting of the Company (“2015 AGM”), all properly completed transfer forms accompanied by the relevant share certificates must be lodged for registration with the Company’s share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited at Shops 1712-1716, 17th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong for registration by no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 May 2015.
In order to qualify for the entitlement of the final dividend to be approved at the 2015 AGM, all properly completed transfer forms accompanied by the relevant share certificates must be lodged for registration with the Company’s share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited at Shops 1712-1716, 17th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong by no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 13 May 2015.
-
A shareholder of the Company entitled to attend and vote at the meeting of the Company is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend and vote on his/her behalf. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company.
-
In order to be valid, a proxy form and the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a notarially certified copy of such power of attorney, must be deposited at the share registrar of the Company, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong, not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or any adjournment thereof. Completion and return of the proxy form will not preclude any shareholder of the Company from attending and voting in person at the meeting or any adjourned meeting should he/she so wishes.
-
Where there are joint registered holders of any shares, any one of such persons may vote at any meeting, either personally or by proxy, in respect of such shares as if he/she were solely entitled thereto; but if more than one of such joint holders be present at any meeting personally or by proxy, that one of the said persons so present being the most, or, as the case may be, the more senior shall alone be entitled to vote in respect of the relevant joint holding and, for this purpose, seniority shall be the one whose name stands first in the register of member of the Company in respect of such shares shall alone to entitle to vote in respect thereof.
-
Shareholders of the Company having any queries relating to the 2015 AGM may call the Company’s hotline at (852) 2862 8555 during business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Hong Kong time) Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
As at the date of this circular, the Board of Directors of the Company comprises:
Non-executive Chairman and Non-executive Director:
Mr. Edmund Sze-Wing Tse
Executive Director:
Mr. Mark Edward Tucker
Independent Non-executive Directors:
Mr. Jack Chak-Kwong So, Mr. Chung-Kong Chow, Mr. John Barrie Harrison, Mr. George Yong-Boon Yeo, Mr. Mohamed Azman Yahya and Professor Lawrence Juen-Yee Lau
– 22 –
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF DIRECTORS STANDING FOR RE-ELECTION
APPENDIX I
Details of the retiring Directors proposed to be re-elected at the 2015 AGM are set out as follows:
1. Professor Lawrence Juen-Yee Lau, Independent Non-executive Director
Professor Lawrence Juen-Yee Lau , aged 70, is an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company having been appointed on 18 September 2014. Professor Lau currently serves as an independent non-executive director of CNOOC Limited and Hysan Development Company Limited and an independent director of Far EasTone Telecommunications Company Limited which is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. He has been serving as Ralph and Claire Landau Professor of Economics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) since 2007. He currently also serves as a member of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee of the HKSAR and Chairman of its Governance Sub-committee and Member of its Currency Board Sub-committee. He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government in 2011. From 2004 to 2010, Professor Lau served as Vice-Chancellor (President) of the CUHK. He was appointed Chairman of CIC International (Hong Kong) Co., Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Investment Corporation, in September 2010 and retired from the same in September 2014. He also served as a non-executive director of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation from 2011 to 2014. He is a member of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the Vice-Chairman of its Sub-committee of Economics. He received his B.S. degree (with Great Distinction) in Physics from Stanford University in 1964 and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1966 and 1969 respectively. He joined the faculty of the Department of Economics at Stanford University in 1966, becoming its Professor of Economics in 1976 and the first Kwoh-Ting Li Professor in Economic Development in 1992. From 1992 to 1996, he served as a Co-Director of the Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University, and from 1997 to 1999 as the Director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. He became its Kwoh-Ting Li Professor in Economic Development, Emeritus, upon his retirement from Stanford University in 2006.
Save as disclosed above, Professor Lau has not held any other directorships in other Hong Kong or overseas listed public companies in the last three years. He does not have any relationship with any Director, senior management, substantial shareholder or controlling shareholder (as defined in the Listing Rules) of the Company. As at the Latest Practicable Date, Professor Lau does not hold any Shares within the meaning of Part XV of the SFO.
Details of Professor Lau’s remuneration are set out in the Remuneration Report and note 41 to the financial statements and details of his term of service are set out in the Corporate Governance Report in the Annual Report 2014. He is subject to retirement at the 2015 AGM in accordance with Article 104 of the Articles of Association.
Save as disclosed above, there is no information about Professor Lau that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 13.51(2)(h) – (v) of the Listing Rules.
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BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF DIRECTORS STANDING FOR RE-ELECTION
APPENDIX I
2. Mr. Chung-Kong Chow, Independent Non-executive Director
Mr. Chung-Kong Chow , aged 64, is an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company having first been appointed on 28 September 2010. Mr. Chow is the Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited. He was appointed as a non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong from 1 July 2012 and the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption of Independent Commission Against Corruption from 1 January 2013. He has also been a Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club since March 2011. In 2000, Mr. Chow was knighted in the United Kingdom for his contribution to industry. Mr. Chow was Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation Limited from 2003 to 2011, Chief Executive Officer of Brambles Industries plc, a global support services company from 2001 to 2003, and Chief Executive of GKN plc, a leading engineering company based in the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2001. He was an independent non-executive director of Anglo American plc from 2008 to 2014, independent non-executive director of Standard Chartered plc from 1997 to 2008 and the Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce from 2012 to June 2014.
Save as disclosed above, Mr. Chow has not held any other directorships in other Hong Kong or overseas listed public companies in the last three years. He does not have any relationship with any Director, senior management, substantial shareholder or controlling shareholder (as defined in the Listing Rules) of the Company. As at the Latest Practicable Date, Mr. Chow holds 86,000 Shares and underlying Shares of the Company, representing less than 1% of the total number of Shares in issue. Saved as disclosed above, Mr. Chow does not hold any Shares within the meaning of Part XV of the SFO.
Details of Mr. Chow’s remuneration are set out in the Remuneration Report and note 41 to the financial statements and details of his term of service are set out in the Corporate Governance Report in the Annual Report 2014. He is subject to retirement by rotation at the 2015 AGM in accordance with Article 100 of the Articles of Association and paragraph A.4.2 of the Corporate Governance Code.
Save as disclosed above, there is no information about Mr. Chow that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 13.51(2)(h) – (v) of the Listing Rules.
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BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF DIRECTORS STANDING FOR RE-ELECTION
APPENDIX I
3. Mr. John Barrie Harrison, Independent Non-executive Director
Mr. John Barrie Harrison , aged 58, is an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company having first been appointed on 1 July 2011. Mr. Harrison is currently an independent non-executive director of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, The London Metal Exchange Limited and LME Clear Limited. He is also an independent non-executive director of BW Group Limited and has been appointed Vice Chairman of BW LPG Limited since 2013. He is a member of the Asian Advisory Committee of AustralianSuper Pty Ltd since 2012. Mr. Harrison is a council member, standing committee member and honorary treasurer of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Harrison was Deputy Chairman of KPMG International. In 2003, he was elected Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KPMG, China and Hong Kong and Chairman of KPMG Asia Pacific. Mr. Harrison began his career with KPMG in London in 1977 and was made a partner of KPMG Hong Kong in 1987. Mr. Harrison is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Save as disclosed above, Mr. Harrison has not held any other directorships in other Hong Kong or overseas listed public companies in the last three years. He does not have any relationship with any Director, senior management, substantial shareholder or controlling shareholder (as defined in the Listing Rules) of the Company. As of the Latest Practicable Date, Mr. Harrison does not hold any Shares within the meaning of Part XV of the SFO.
Details of Mr. Harrison’s remuneration are set out in the Remuneration Report and note 41 to the financial statements and details of his term of service are set out in the Corporate Governance Report in the Annual Report 2014. He is subject to retirement by rotation at the 2015 AGM in accordance with Article 100 of the Articles of Association and paragraph A.4.2 of the Corporate Governance Code.
Save as disclosed above, there is no information about Mr. Harrison that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 13.51(2)(h) – (v) of the Listing Rules.
Save as disclosed in this Appendix I, there are no other matters that need to be brought to the attention of the Shareholders in connection with the proposed re-election of Directors.
– 25 –
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT ON THE SHARE REPURCHASE MANDATE
APPENDIX II
This serves as an explanatory statement, as required to be sent to all Shareholders under the Listing Rules, to provide the relevant information in connection with the Repurchase Mandate and constitutes the memorandum required under Sections 238 to 241 of the Companies Ordinance.
1. EXERCISE OF THE REPURCHASE MANDATE
As of the Latest Practicable Date, the number of Shares in issue was 12,045,925,856 Shares.
Subject to the passing of the resolution in relation to the Repurchase Mandate and on the basis that no further Shares are issued or repurchased by the Company from the Latest Practicable Date to date of the 2015 AGM, the Company will be allowed under the Repurchase Mandate to repurchase a maximum of 1,204,592,585 Shares (representing 10% of the aggregate number of Shares in issue and without taking into account any Shares which may be issued pursuant to the exercise of any options which may be granted pursuant to the Share Option Scheme or pursuant to the vesting of any RSU Awards which may be granted pursuant to the RSU Scheme) during the period from the date of the passing of the ordinary resolution numbered 7(B) in the notice of 2015 AGM set out on pages 17 to 22 of this circular up to:
-
(i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company; or
-
(ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the Articles of Association or any applicable law to be held; or
-
(iii) the date on which the authority set out in the ordinary resolution numbered 7(B) is revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution of the Shareholders in general meeting.
For clarity, Shares purchased through any exercise of the Repurchase Mandate will not be added to the number of Shares that may be issued under the Issue Mandate.
2. SOURCE OF FUNDS
In repurchasing Shares, the Company must be funded from the funds legally available for the purpose in accordance with the Articles of Association and the applicable laws of Hong Kong. The Company may not repurchase the Shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for a consideration other than cash or for settlement otherwise than in accordance with the trading rules of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Subject to the above, the Company may make repurchases with funds which would otherwise be available for dividend or distribution or out of an issue of new Shares for the purpose of the repurchase.
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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT ON THE SHARE REPURCHASE MANDATE
APPENDIX II
3. REASONS FOR THE REPURCHASE
The Directors believe that it is in the Company’s and the Shareholders’ best interests for the Directors to have general authority to execute repurchases of the Shares in the market. Such repurchases may, depending on market conditions and funding arrangements at the time, lead to an enhancement of the net asset value per Share and/or earnings per Share and will only be made where the Directors believe that such repurchases will benefit the Company and the Shareholders.
4. FUNDING OF REPURCHASES
In repurchasing Shares, the Company may only apply funds legally available for such purpose in accordance with the Articles of Association and the applicable laws of Hong Kong and the Listing Rules.
On basis of the financial position of the Company as disclosed in the Annual Report 2014 and taking into account the current working capital position of the Company, the Directors believe that, if the Repurchase Mandate is to be exercised in full, it might have a material adverse effect on its working capital as compared with the position disclosed in the Annual Report 2014. However, the Directors do not propose to exercise the Repurchase Mandate to such an extent as would, in the circumstances, have a material adverse effect on the working capital requirements of the Company which in the opinion of the Directors are from time to time appropriate for the Company.
5. CONFIRMATION
The Company confirms that this explanatory statement contains the information required under Rule 10.06(1)(b) of the Listing Rules and that neither this explanatory statement nor the proposed share repurchase has any unusual features.
6. GENERAL
None of the Directors nor, to the best of their knowledge having made all reasonable enquiries, any of their close associates (as defined in the Listing Rules) currently intends to sell any Shares to the Company or its subsidiaries.
The Directors have undertaken to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that, so far as the same may be applicable, they will exercise the Repurchase Mandate in accordance with the Listing Rules, the Articles of Association, the Companies Ordinance and any other applicable laws of Hong Kong.
If, as a result of any repurchase of Shares, a Shareholder’s proportionate interest in the voting rights is increased, such increase will be treated as an acquisition for the purposes of the Takeovers Code. Accordingly, a Shareholder or a group of Shareholders acting in concert could obtain or consolidate control of the Company and become obliged to make a mandatory offer in accordance with Rule 26 of the Takeovers Code. The Directors are not aware of any consequences of repurchases which would arise under the Takeovers Code.
– 27 –
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT ON THE SHARE REPURCHASE MANDATE
APPENDIX II
No core connected person as defined by the Listing Rules has notified us that he or it has a present intention to sell his or its Shares to the Company, or has undertaken not to do so, if the Repurchase Mandate is exercised.
7. SHARE REPURCHASE MADE BY THE COMPANY
Save for the purchase of 16,407,294 Shares under the Restricted Share Unit Scheme and the Employee Share Purchase Plan at a total consideration of approximately US$96.4 million in the six months up to the Latest Practicable Date, no purchase of Shares has been made by the Company during the same period. These purchases were made by the relevant scheme trustees on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. These Shares are held on trust for participants of the relevant schemes and therefore were not cancelled.
8. SHARES PRICES
The highest and lowest prices at which the Shares have been traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange during each of the twelve months before the Latest Practicable Date were as follows:
| Price per Share | Price per Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest | Lowest | |
| (HK$) | (HK$) | |
| 2014 | ||
| March | 38.10 | 34.90 |
| April | 40.15 | 36.80 |
| May | 39.15 | 36.70 |
| June | 39.60 | 38.25 |
| July | 42.30 | 38.95 |
| August | 44.20 | 41.15 |
| September | 44.00 | 39.10 |
| October | 43.45 | 39.25 |
| November | 45.65 | 42.35 |
| December | 45.20 | 40.85 |
| 2015 | ||
| January | 46.45 | 40.70 |
| February | 46.45 | 43.60 |
| March (up to the Latest Practicable Date) | 49.65 | 46.05 |
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