AGM Information • Mar 30, 2021
AGM Information
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IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT AS TO WHAT ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE, YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO SEEK YOUR OWN FINANCIAL ADVICE IMMEDIATELY FROM YOUR STOCKBROKER, BANK MANAGER, SOLICITOR, ACCOUNTANT OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVISER AUTHORISED UNDER THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000.
COPIES OF THIS DOCUMENT ARE BEING SENT TO SHAREHOLDERS. IF YOU HAVE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED ALL OF YOUR ORDINARY SHARES IN THE COMPANY, PLEASE FORWARD THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER WITH THE ACCOMPANYING ANNUAL REPORT AND FORM OF PROXY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THE PURCHASER OR TRANSFEREE OR TO THE STOCKBROKER, BANK MANAGER OR OTHER AGENT THROUGH WHOM THE SALE OR TRANSFER WAS EFFECTED FOR DELIVERY TO THE PURCHASER OR TRANSFEREE. IF YOU HAVE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED PART ONLY OF YOUR HOLDING OF ORDINARY SHARES, YOU SHOULD RETAIN THIS DOCUMENT AND CONSULT THE STOCKBROKER, BANK MANAGER OR OTHER AGENT THROUGH WHOM THE SALE OR TRANSFER WAS EFFECTED.
(Incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 4948078)
Registered shareholders may submit questions in writing to the Company by email to [email protected].
We will consider all questions received and, if appropriate, provide a written response.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held at 10 York Road, London SE1 7ND at 12.30pm on Wednesday 12 May 2021 is set out at the end of this document. A Form of Proxy for use at the Meeting is enclosed. Shareholders are requested to complete and return the Form of Proxy accompanying this document in accordance with the instructions set out therein to the Company's Registrars, Share Registrars Limited, The Courtyard, 17 West Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7DR as soon as possible but in any event by no later than 12.30pm on 10 May 2021.
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Directors:
Mr C Jones (Chair) Mr S Mukerji (Chief Executive) Mr S Longfield (Chief Financial Officer) Mr C W Eccleshare (Senior Independent Director) Mrs C Hosey (Non-Executive Director) Ms L-A Reed (Non-Executive Director)
Floor M 10 York Road London SE1 7ND
To holders of ordinary shares of 10p each in the Company and, for information purposes only, to holders of deferred shares of 10p each in the Company.
This letter accompanies the Company's annual report for the year ended 31 December 2020 (the '2020 Annual Report') and gives details of the business to be transacted at the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the Company.
Due to the Covid pandemic and the current UK Government guidance on social distancing and prohibition on non-essential travel and public gatherings, the Board regrets that it will not be possible for shareholders to attend this year's AGM in person.
Only two shareholders are required to be present at the AGM to be quorate and we propose that those two shareholders are directors or employees of the Company. Other shareholders must not attend the meeting in person.
The usual format of the AGM will be condensed to include only the Ordinary and Special Business published in the Notice of AGM and there will be no management presentations.
The Board intends that all resolutions will be put to a vote on a poll, rather than being decided by a 'show of hands'.
A form of proxy is enclosed with this Notice of AGM and shareholders are strongly encouraged to vote on all matters of business by appointing the Chairman of the Meeting as their proxy. This will ensure that shareholder votes still count despite being unable to attend the meeting in person. The results of the poll will be announced as soon as possible after the AGM.
We will consider all questions received and, if appropriate, provide a written response.
Any update regarding arrangements for the AGM will be notified via a Stock Exchange Announcement and posting further information on our website, www.centaurmedia.com.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting is given on page 6 of this document.
Company law requires the Directors to present the Company's annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020 to shareholders for formal adoption. These are included in the 2020 Annual Report.
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Under the Act, the Directors must prepare an annual report detailing the remuneration of the Directors and a statement by the Chair of the Remuneration Committee (together, the 'Directors' Remuneration Report'). The Act also requires that a resolution be put to shareholders each year for their approval of that report. This resolution is an advisory vote only and the Directors' entitlement to remuneration is not conditional on it.
The Directors' Remuneration Report can be found on pages 51 to 52 and 58 to 65 of the 2020 Annual Report.
The articles of association of the Company (the "Articles") require Directors to stand for election at the first AGM following their appointment, and thereafter to retire by rotation. In line with best practice, the Directors have decided that all Directors not otherwise required to stand for election should offer themselves for re-election annually. Resolutions 3 to 8 propose the re-election of all Directors of the Company. Brief biographies of the Directors are set out in the 2020 Annual Report.
The Company is required to appoint an auditor at each Annual General Meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company, to hold office until the conclusion of the next such meeting. In October 2020 it was decided that an audit tender should be undertaken and following this tender process Crowe U.K. LLP ('Crowe') were appointed on 10 November 2020 for the year end audit.
The Board now propose resolution 9 to reappoint Crowe as auditor of the Company. Resolution 10 authorises the Audit Committee to negotiate and agree the remuneration of the auditor.
The resolution asks shareholders to grant the Directors authority under section 551 Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act') to allot shares or grant such subscription or conversion rights as are contemplated by sections 551(1)(a) and (b) respectively of the Act up to a maximum aggregate nominal value of £9,790,669.80 being approximately 66.67% (two thirds) of the nominal value of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares) as at 16 March 2021. As at 16 March 2021, the Company held 4,550,179 treasury shares representing 3.01% of the total ordinary issued share capital of the Company. £4,895,334.90 of this authority is reserved for a fully pre-emptive rights issue. This is the maximum permitted amount under best practice corporate governance guidelines. The authority will expire at the next Annual General Meeting of the Company. The Directors have no present intention of exercising such authority other than to allot shares pursuant to the Company's share schemes in the ordinary course.
If the Directors wish to allot new shares and other equity securities, or sell treasury shares, for cash (other than in connection with an employee share scheme), company law requires that these shares are offered first to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings.
Resolution 12 deals with the authority of the Directors to allot new shares or other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by resolution 11, or sell treasury shares, for cash without the shares or other equity securities first being offered to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. Such authority shall only be used in connection with a pre-emptive offer, or otherwise, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £734,300.20, being approximately 5% of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares) as at 16 March 2021.
The Pre-emption Group Statement of Principles supports the annual disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of allotments of shares and other equity securities (and sales of treasury shares for cash) representing no more than an additional 5% of issued ordinary share capital (exclusive of treasury shares), to be used only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment. The Pre-emption Group's Statement of Principles defines 'specified capital investment' as meaning one or more specific capital investment related uses for the proceeds of an issuance of equity securities, in respect of which sufficient information regarding the effect of the transaction on the Company, the assets the subject of the transaction and (where appropriate) the profits attributable to them is made available to shareholders to enable them to reach an assessment of the potential return.
Accordingly, and in line with the template resolutions published by the Pre-emption Group, resolution 13 seeks to authorise the Directors to allot new shares and other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by resolution 11, or sell treasury shares, for cash up to a further nominal amount of £734,300.20, being approximately 5% of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 16 March 2021, only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment, or which has taken place in the preceding sixmonth period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue. If the authority given in resolution 13 is used, the UK company will publish details of the placing in its next annual report.
If these resolutions are passed, the authorities will expire at the end of the next AGM or on 30 June 2022, whichever is the earlier.
The Board considers the authorities in resolutions 12 and 13 to be appropriate in order to allow the Company flexibility to finance business opportunities or to conduct a rights issue or other pre-emptive offer without the need to comply with the strict requirements of the statutory preemption provisions.
The Board does not intend to issue more than 7.5% of the issued share capital of the Company for cash on a non pre-emptive basis in any rolling three-year period (other than in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment as described in the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles) without prior consultation with shareholders.
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Resolution 14 seeks authority from holders of ordinary shares for the Company to make market purchases of its own ordinary shares, such authority being limited to the purchase of 14,686,004 ordinary shares with an aggregate nominal value of £1,468,600.40, being 10% of the ordinary shares in issue as at 16 March 2021 (excluding shares in treasury).
The Company's exercise of this authority is subject to the stated upper and lower limits on the price payable, the upper limit being the price stipulated in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 as referred to in Article 5(6) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and the Listing Rules.
The authority to purchase the Company's own ordinary shares will only be exercised if the Directors consider that there is likely to be a beneficial impact on earnings per ordinary share and that it is in the best interests of the Company at the time. The Act permits the Company to hold shares in treasury, as an alternative to cancelling them, following a purchase of own shares by the Company. Shares held in treasury may subsequently be cancelled, sold for cash or used to satisfy share options and share awards under the Company's employees' share schemes. Once held in treasury, the Company is not entitled to exercise any rights, including the right to attend and vote at meetings in respect of the shares. Further, no dividend or other distribution of the Company's assets may be made to the Company in respect of the treasury shares.
If the Directors exercise the authority conferred by resolution 14, they may consider holding those shares in treasury, rather than cancelling them. The Directors believe that holding shares in treasury would provide the Company with greater flexibility in the management of its share capital. The Directors will also consider using the treasury shares to satisfy share options/awards under the Company's employees' share schemes.
The total number of options to subscribe for ordinary shares that were outstanding at 16 March 2021 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this circular) was 7,510,120. The proportion of issued share capital that they represented at that time was 5.11% and the proportion of issued share capital that they will represent if the full authority to purchase shares (existing and being sought) is used is 6.39%.
If resolution 14 is passed, the authority will expire at the end of the next AGM or on 30 June 2022, whichever is the earlier.
Resolution 15 seeks authority from shareholders to hold general meetings (other than Annual General Meetings) on 14 days' clear notice. This is permissible under the Articles and the Act. However, pursuant to the Companies Shareholders' Rights Regulations 2009, specific shareholder approval is required annually in order to retain this ability and shareholders must have the facility to vote by electronic means at the relevant meeting. Although the Company does not currently offer such a facility, the Directors believe that there may be circumstances in which it will be important for the Company to be able to call meetings at such short notice (at which shareholders would be able to vote electronically). Accordingly, the Directors believe that it is important for the Company to retain this flexibility.
The Board is proposing that the Company adopt new articles of association (the 'New Articles') to reflect changes to company law and market practice. In addition, a marked-up version of the new articles of association is available on our website at www.centaurmedia.com in the section headed Shareholder Information/Shareholder Meetings.
The principal changes in the New Articles are summarised below. They are intended to reflect developments in market practice, certain legal and regulatory changes and provide additional flexibility where this is considered appropriate.
In addition, the Company has taken the opportunity to incorporate amendments of a more minor, technical or clarifying nature which are not summarised below. These seek to modernise the language in the document and clarify how certain provisions should operate.
The New Articles (Article 22) confirm that share certificates are sent at the member's risk.
In relation to calls on amounts unpaid on any shares, the New Articles update the interest rate on any unpaid call to the interest rate specified in the Companies Act 2006 - currently 5 per cent (Articles 31, 33 and 40).
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The New Articles provide that the Company may hold 'hybrid' general meetings (including annual general meetings) in such a way that enables members to attend and participate in the business of the meeting by attending a physical location or by attending by means of an electronic facility. Voting at hybrid meetings will, by default, be decided on a poll. Hybrid meetings may be adjourned in the event of a technological failure. The New Articles allow the Company, where appropriate, to make changes to the arrangements for general meetings (including the introduction, change or cancellation of electronic facilities) after notice of the meeting has been issued.
In line with the views expressed by the Investment Association and Institutional Shareholder Services, the changes will not permit meetings to be held exclusively on an electronic basis, so a physical meeting will still be required.
The New Articles also specifically refer to the possibility of satellite/multi-venue meetings, such as the use of overflow rooms. Satellite meetings are legally valid even without such a provision but reference has been added for clarity.
These changes are primarily contained in articles 60 to 68, 77 to 79 and 83 in the New Articles. A number of other consequential amendments have been made to the New Articles.
In line with the requirements of the UK Corporate Governance Code, the New Articles require directors to retire and seek re-election at each annual general meeting of the Company (Article 131). This reflects existing Company practice.
The process of selling shares belonging to shareholders who remain untraced for over 12 years has been modernised in the New Articles (Article 222-225) to bring them more in line with current market practice. The changes include removing the requirement for notices in relation to untraced shareholders to be published in a national newspaper (notices must still be sent to the registered address or last known address of the shareholder). The Company is also required to use reasonable steps to trace the untraced shareholder, for example, using a professional asset reunification company or other tracing agent.
Amendments have also been made to the process of the sale of shares of untraced members. The obligation to obtain the "best price reasonably obtainable" for such shares has been deleted in the New Articles.
The scope and application of the provisions in relation to indemnification by the Company have also been clarified (Article 231).
You will find enclosed with the Notice of Annual General Meeting a Form of Proxy. You are requested to complete the Form of Proxy and return it in accordance with the instructions printed thereon so that it is received as soon as possible and in any event by not later than 12.30pm on 10 May 2021.
The Annual General Meeting will be held at 10 York Road, London SE1 7ND but shareholders should not attend the AGM in person.
The Directors believe that the resolutions set out in the Notice of Annual General Meeting ('AGM') are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole and unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of all of the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM. The Directors who own ordinary shares intend to vote in favour of the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM.
The board would like to thank all shareholders for their co-operation and understanding.
Yours sincerely
Colin Jones Chair
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(Incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 4948078)
NOTICE is hereby given that the seventeenth Annual General Meeting of Centaur Media Plc (the "Company") will be held at 10 York Road, London SE1 7ND on Wednesday 12 May 2021 at 12.30pm to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions, of which numbers 1 to 11 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and numbers 12 to 16 will be proposed as special resolutions:
such authorities to apply in substitution for all previous authorities pursuant to Section 551 of the 2006 Act and to expire at the end of the next Annual General Meeting or on 30 June 2022, whichever is the earlier, but in each case so that the Company may make offers and enter into agreements during the relevant period which would, or might, require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares to be granted after the authority ends.
For the purposes of this Resolution, "rights issue" means an offer to:
to subscribe for further securities by means of the issue of a renounceable letter (or other negotiable document) which may be traded for a period before payment for the securities is due, but subject in both cases to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory.
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such authority to expire at the end of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company (or, if earlier, at the close of business on 30 June 2022) but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Board may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.
such authority to expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, on 30 June 2022 but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Board may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD 30 March 2021
Helen Silver
Company Secretary Floor M 10 York Road London SE1 7ND
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Executive Directors' service contracts and letters of appointment of the Non-Executive Directors and a copy of the proposed New Articles.
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