AGM Information • Jun 4, 2021
AGM Information
Open in ViewerOpens in native device viewer
THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. IT CONTAINS PROPOSALS RELATING TO BIOPHARMA CREDIT PLC (THE "COMPANY") ON WHICH YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO VOTE.
If you are in any doubt about the contents of this document or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek immediately your own personal financial advice from an appropriately qualified independent adviser authorised pursuant to the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if in the United Kingdom or otherwise regulated under the laws of your own country.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your Ordinary Shares, please send this document together with the accompanying Proxy Appointment at once to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, banker or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected, for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
This document should be read as a whole. Your attention is drawn in particular to the letter from your Chairman which is set out on pages 3 to 5 of this document and which recommends that you vote in favour of the Resolutions to be proposed at a general meeting of the Company (the "General Meeting") referred to in this document. Your attention is also drawn to the section entitled "Action to be Taken" on page 4 of this document.
A Shareholder may appoint one or more proxies to exercise all or any of their rights to attend, speak and vote at the meeting, provided that each proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different ordinary share or ordinary shares held by that Shareholder. A proxy need not be a member of the Company. To be valid, your Proxy Appointment must be received: (1) online at www.signalshares.com, in accordance with the procedures set out in the notes to the notice of the General Meeting; or (2) in the case of CREST members, by utilising the CREST electronic proxy appointment service in accordance with the procedures set out in the notes to the notice of the General Meeting by no later than 1:00 p.m. on 22 June 2021. Please note no Proxy Form will accompany this document. Please see the Notes of the Notice of Meeting.
(the "Company")
(incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 10443190 and registered as an investment company under section 833 of the Companies Act 2006)
The Proposals described in this notice are conditional on Shareholder approval at the General Meeting. Notice of the General Meeting to be held at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, EC2A 2EG at 1:00 p.m. on 24 June 2021 is set out at the end of this notice.
This notice is not a prospectus and is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The Ordinary Shares have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Company has not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Latest time and date for receipt of Proxy Appointment for the General Meeting
1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 22 June 2021
General Meeting 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, 24 June 2021
All references to times in this notice are to London times, unless otherwise stated.
(Incorporated in England and Wales with registered no. 10443190 and registered as an investment company under section 833 of the Companies Act 2006)
Harry Hyman (Chairman) Colin Bond Duncan Budge Stephanie Léouzon Rolf Soderstrom
Registered Office: 51 New North Road Exeter EX4 4EP United Kingdom
4 June 2021
Dear Shareholder,
On 25 May 2021, BioPharma Credit plc (the "Company") published the notice of the Company's annual general meeting to be held on 17 June 2021 (the "AGM"). The resolutions due to be put to Shareholders at the AGM include resolutions concerning the appointment of Ernst & Young, Chartered Accountants ("EY") as auditor of the Company following an audit tender process carried out earlier this year.
Regrettably, EY has now informed the Board that it has come to light that the tax work carried out by its U.S. offices for the Company for previous financial years up to the financial year ending on 31 December 2020 technically precludes EY from accepting the proposed appointment as auditor for the year to 31 December 2021. As a result, the Board has concluded that resolutions 9 and 10 at the AGM in connection with the appointment of EY can no longer be put to Shareholders and the Board intends to withdraw these resolutions. Following this, and giving consideration to matters including the level of relevant experience of the team, the audit fee and independence, the Audit and Risk Committee recommended to the Board that the Company's previous auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PwC"), be appointed for one further year. The Board accepted this recommendation and is therefore proposing that PwC be appointed for one further year.
The purpose of this document is therefore to convene a general meeting at which the appropriate Shareholder authorities will be sought to appoint PwC as auditor in place of EY for the year to 31 December 2021 (the "General Meeting"). The General Meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. on 24 June 2021 at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, EC2A 2EG. In order to enable the appointment of the auditor to be effected with minimum delay, the Board is utilising its authority to call the additional General Meeting on 14 clear days' notice.
Under the Companies Act 2006, the appointment of the auditor must be made before the end of the accounts meeting of the Company at which the annual report and accounts for the previous financial year are laid. Accordingly, the Board intends that resolution 1 (being the receipt and acceptance of the strategic report, directors' report, auditor's report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020) will not be proposed at the AGM on 17 June 2021. All other business to be proposed at the AGM will proceed as planned on 17 June 2021 and questions will be invited on all resolutions. The AGM will then be adjourned and resolution 1 will be proposed at the adjourned meeting. The adjourned AGM will take place at 1:05 p.m. on 24 June 2021 at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, EC2A 2EG (or, if later, as soon as possible after the conclusion of the General Meeting). All votes cast by proxy in respect of resolution 1 at the AGM will remain valid for the adjourned meeting unless superseded by a subsequent instruction delivered no later than 48 hours before the time of the adjourned AGM.
You will find set out at the end of this document a notice convening the General Meeting at which Shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought fit, approve the Resolutions, which will both be proposed as ordinary resolutions. The Resolutions will, if passed, re-appoint PwC as auditors for the financial year ending 31 December 2021 and authorise the Directors to determine their remuneration. PwC may or may not be re-appointed for the following year to 31 December 2022. A recommendation on the auditor of that year's accounts will be made to Shareholders in the normal way with the financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2021.
Given the risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, if government guidance at the time of the General Meeting continues to preclude gatherings of more than a very limited number, the Company will in all likelihood have to impose entry restrictions on shareholder attendance at the General Meeting. In light of this, the Board strongly recommends all Shareholders to vote on the Resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting in advance by form of proxy and encourages Shareholders to consider whether, given the circumstances, it is necessary for them to physically attend the General Meeting in person. If you appoint the Chairman of the meeting as your proxy, this will ensure your votes are cast in accordance with your wishes without you having to attend the meeting in person. See page 7 for further information on how to appoint a proxy.
The Board will continue to monitor the law and guidance relating to the pandemic and may, if necessary, make further changes to the arrangements for the General Meeting. Any updates on the arrangements for the General Meeting shall be announced by a Regulatory Information Service and placed on the Company's website.
All persons holding Ordinary Shares at close of business on 22 June 2021 or, if the General Meeting is adjourned, on the register of Shareholders of the Company 48 hours before the time of the adjourned General Meeting, shall be entitled to attend, speak and vote at the General Meeting and shall be entitled on a poll to one vote per Ordinary Share held. As at 3 June 2021 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this notice), there were 1,373,932,067 Ordinary Shares in issue (with 59,694 Ordinary Shares held in treasury and no other class of shares in issue).
You should ensure that your Proxy Appointment is returned to the Company's registrar, Link Group, by one of the following means:
In each case, the Proxy Appointment must be received by the Company not less than 48 hours before the time for holding of the General Meeting. In calculating such 48-hour period, no account shall be taken of any part of a day that is not a Business Day. To be valid, the relevant Proxy Appointment should be completed in accordance with the instructions accompanying it and lodged with the Company's registrars by the relevant time. Completion and return of the Proxy Appointment will not affect a Shareholder's right to attend, speak and vote at the General Meeting.
A quorum consisting of two Shareholders present or by proxy is required for the General Meeting.
Copies of the current Articles will be available for inspection at the registered office of the Company at Beaufort House, 51 New North Road, Exeter EX4 4EP during normal business hours on any Business Day, from the date of this notice until the conclusion of the General Meeting, and at the place of the General Meeting for at least 15 minutes prior to, and during, the General Meeting.
The Directors regret the need to hold the further meeting but have been advised it is unavoidable in the cirumstances. The Directors therefore consider the passing of the Resolutions to be in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the Directors unanimously recommend that Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions.
The Directors intend to vote in favour of each of the Resolutions in respect of their own beneficial holdings of Ordinary Shares (amounting to an aggregate 402,550 Ordinary Shares1 , representing approximately 0.029 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at the date of this notice).
Yours faithfully
Harry Hyman Chairman
1 The legal and beneficial interest in 50 per cent. of Mr Budge's 100,000 Ordinary Shares is held by Mrs Budge. Mr Hyman has an interest in 102,550 Ordinary Shares. 2,550 of these shares are held by Anita Hyman, a connected person of Mr Hyman. Mr Soderstrom has an interest in 100,000 Ordinary Shares. 50,000 of these Ordinary Shares are held by Linda Davey, a connected person of Mr Soderstrom.
| "AGM" | the annual general meeting of the Company convened for 1.00 p.m. on 17 June 2021 (or any adjournment thereof) |
|---|---|
| "Articles" | the articles of association of the Company adopted from time to time |
| "Auditor" | the Company's auditor from time to time |
| "Board" or "Directors" | the board of directors of the Company, including any duly constituted committee of the board of directors of the Company |
| "Business Day" | a day (excluding Saturdays and Sundays or public holidays in England and Wales) on which banks generally are open in London for the transaction of normal, non-automatic business |
| "Company" | BioPharma Credit PLC, a limited liability company incorporated under the Companies Act 2006 in England and Wales with registration number 10443190, whose registered office is at Beaufort House, 51 New North Road, Exeter EX4 4EP |
| "Ordinary Shares" | ordinary shares of US\$0.01 each in the capital of the Company |
| "Proposals" | the business of the General Meeting |
| "Proxy Appointment" | the form of appointment of a proxy on behalf of a Shareholder in accordance with the procedures described in this notice |
| "Resolutions" | the resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting and contained in the notice of General Meeting |
| "Shareholder" | a holder of Ordinary Shares |
(Incorporated in England and Wales with registered no. 10443190 and registered as an investment company under section 833 of the Companies Act 2006)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a general meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, EC2A 2EG at 1:00 p.m. on 24 June 2021 to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following ordinary resolutions (for each of those ordinary resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour) set out below:
By order of the Board
4 June 2021
Registered Office: Beaufort House 51 New North Road Exeter EX4 4EP
Notes
In order for a proxy appointment to be valid a form of proxy must be completed. In each case the form of proxy must be received by Link Group, PXS 1, 10th Floor, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL by no later than 1:00 p.m. on 22 June 2021.
service provider(s), should refer to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take the appropriate action on their behalf.
Building tools?
Free accounts include 100 API calls/year for testing.
Have a question? We'll get back to you promptly.