AGM Information • Mar 19, 2014
AGM Information
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Chemring Group PLC
20 March 2014
This document is important and requires your immediate attention. If you are in any doubt about its contents you should consult your independent financial adviser. If you have sold or transferred all of your Chemring Group PLC ordinary shares you should send this document and all accompanying documents to the purchaser or transferee, or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
Notice is hereby given that the 108th Annual General Meeting of the shareholders will be held at 11.30am on Thursday 20 March 2014 at Holborn Bars, 138–142 Holborn, London EC1N 2HG for the purpose of considering and, if approved, passing the following resolutions:
That the Board be and is hereby generally and unconditionally authorised pursuant to and in accordance with section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act") to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot shares in the Company or to grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any securities into, shares in the Company up to an aggregate nominal amount of £644,323, provided that (unless previously revoked, varied or renewed) this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or on 20 June 2015 (whichever is the earlier), save that the Company may before the expiry of this authority make an offer or agreement 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 such expiry and the Board may allot shares or grant such rights in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired.
in each case, as if section 561(1) of the Act did not apply to any such allotment, provided that this power shall be limited:
but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates or any legal or practical problems under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange; and
(y) to the allotment of equity securities (otherwise than pursuant to paragraph (x) of this resolution) up to an aggregate nominal value of £96,648;
and (unless previously revoked, varied or reviewed) this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or on 20 June 2015 (whichever is the earlier), save that the Company may before such expiry make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Board may allot equity securities in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
and (unless previously renewed, revoked or varied), this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or on 20 June 2015 (whichever is the earlier), save that the Company may make a contract to purchase Shares which would or might be executed wholly or partly after the expiry of this authority, and may make purchases of Shares pursuant to it as if this authority had not expired.
All previous unutilised authorities to make market purchases of Shares are revoked, except in relation to the purchase of Shares under a contract or contracts concluded before the date of this resolution and where such purchase has not yet been executed.
By order of the Board
Group Legal Director & Company Secretary 12 February 2014
Chemring House 1500 Parkway Whiteley Fareham Hampshire PO15 7AF
The directors are required to present to the meeting the audited accounts and the reports of the directors and the auditor for the financial year ended 31 October 2013.
The annual report can be accessed on the Company's website (www.chemring.co.uk) or shareholders may obtain a copy by contacting the Company Secretary at the Company's registered office during usual business hours.
New requirements were introduced in 2013 in relation to the content and approval of the directors' remuneration report.
In accordance with the new provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act"), the directors' remuneration report in the 2013 annual report contains:
The directors' remuneration policy, which is set out on pages 65 to 73 of the directors' remuneration report in the 2013 annual report, is subject to a binding vote by shareholders at least every three years. If resolution 2 is passed, the policy will take effect immediately after the Annual General Meeting on 20 March 2014. Payments will continue to be made to directors in line with existing contractual arrangements until this date.
Once the directors' remuneration policy is approved, the Company may not be able to make a remuneration payment to a current or prospective director or a payment for loss of office to a current or former director, unless that payment is consistent with the policy or has been approved by a shareholder resolution.
If the directors' remuneration policy is approved and remains unchanged, it will be valid for up to three years without new shareholder approval. If the policy is not approved for any reason, the Company will, if and to the extent permitted by the Act, continue to make payments to directors in accordance with existing contractual arrangements and will seek shareholder approval for a revised policy as soon as is practicable.
Resolution 3 is the ordinary resolution to approve the annual report on directors' remuneration, other than the part containing the directors' remuneration policy. This resolution is subject to an advisory vote and does not affect the future remuneration paid to any director.
Shareholders must approve the final dividend payable for each ordinary share held. The final dividend declared cannot exceed the amount recommended by the directors.
In accordance with the Company's Articles of Association, Andy Hamment and Nigel Young will be standing for re-appointment as directors following their appointment by the Board during the year.
In accordance with the Company's Articles of Association, all directors are required to submit themselves for re-election every three years. However, in order to ensure compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code, all of the remaining directors will voluntarily submit themselves for re-election at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.
Biographical information on all of the directors is given below.
Andy Hamment was appointed as a non-executive director on 1 July 2013. Mr Hamment was the Group Marketing Director and a main Board Director of Ultra Electronics plc from May 2000 until March 2012. He has spent most of his career within the defence and manufacturing industries, primarily in business development and management roles. He joined Dowty in 1988 as Managing Director of the Controls business and participated in the management buy-out that created Ultra Electronics. Since April 2011, he has been a non-executive director of Senior plc.
Nigel Young was appointed as a non-executive director on 1 May 2013, following his appointment as Interim Chief Financial Officer between August 2012 and January 2013. Mr Young, who is a Chartered Accountant, is Chairman of the Audit Committee. He was formerly Finance Director of ALVIS PLC, First Technology PLC and Babcock International PLC. More recently, he was Group Finance Director of Morgan Advanced Materials plc, until he retired in 2004. Since then, Mr Young has undertaken a number of charitable, interim and consultancy roles, including roles with the UK Atomic Energy Authority and McBride PLC.
Peter Hickson joined the Group as a non-executive director in July 2010, and was appointed Chairman of the Board on 1 October 2010. He is currently Chairman of Communisis plc and a non-executive director of Coalfield Resources plc. He has had senior management experience with a number of large international companies, and previous appointments include Chairman of Anglian Water Group, Senior Independent Director of London & Continental Railways Ltd, Finance Director of Powergen plc, and non-executive directorships of Scottish Power plc, Marconi Corporation plc, RAC plc and Kazakhymys PLC. Mr Hickson is also a trustee and Board member of Orbis Charitable Trust, the international sight saving charity, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Steve Bowers was appointed as Group Finance Director on 7 January 2013. He was formerly Finance Director of Umeco plc. Mr Bowers joined Umeco in 1998, and for thirteen years held a number of financial roles, alongside the role of Company Secretary. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG LLP, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Sarah Ellard was appointed as Group Legal Director on 7 October 2011, having been Group Company Secretary since
Ian Much joined the Group as a non-executive director in December 2004. He is the Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee. Previous appointments include Chief Executive of De La Rue plc and T&N plc, and non-executive directorships of Admiral plc, Camelot plc, Manchester United plc and Simplyhealth Group Ltd. Mr Much is currently Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee at Senior plc and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee at BTG plc.
Vanda Murray OBE was appointed as a non-executive director on 1 November 2011. She currently holds a portfolio of non-executive directorships, including Carillion plc, where she chairs the Remuneration Committee, The Manchester Airport Group plc, and Microgen plc. She was also appointed as senior non-executive director of Fenner plc during the year. Mrs Murray's previous appointments include Deputy Chairman of the North West Regional Development Agency, non-executive director of SIG plc, Chief Executive Officer of Blick plc, and UK Managing Director of Ultraframe PLC. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and in 2002 was appointed OBE for Services to Industry and to Export.
Mark Papworth was appointed as Chief Executive on 5 November 2012. Mr Papworth was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of the Gas Turbines Services division of John Wood Group plc, where he was also a main Board executive director from 2006. His career has covered high technology, service and manufacturing companies serving aerospace, energy and infrastructure markets. Prior to joining John Wood Group, Mr Papworth spent two years as Executive Vice President of Rolls-Royce Energy based in the USA, and thirteen years with Alstom Power in various roles, finally as Managing Director of the Industrial Gas Turbines division.
These resolutions propose the re-appointment of the auditors, and authorise the directors, in accordance with standard practice, to agree the remuneration to be paid to the auditors.
The directors of the Company may only allot shares if authorised to do so by the shareholders in general meeting. This resolution, if passed, will grant new authority under section 551 of the Act and will give the directors flexibility to act in the best interests of shareholders, when opportunities arise, by issuing new ordinary shares. The authority will enable the directors to allot ordinary shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of £644,323, which represents approximately one third of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares) as at 12 February 2014. This limit is in line with the guidelines issued by the Association of British Insurers.
The directors have no present intention of exercising this authority except for the purpose of allotting shares under the terms of the Company's employee share schemes. The authority will expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting or on 20 June 2015 (whichever is the earlier).
If passed, this resolution will allow the directors, pursuant to section 571(1) of the Act, to allot shares for cash without first offering them to shareholders in accordance with the Act and renews the authority given at the Annual General Meeting in 2013. This authority is limited to the allotment of shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal amount of £96,648, which represents approximately 5 per cent of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares) as at 12 February 2014, without having to first offer them to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. This limit is in line with the guidelines issued by the Pre-emption Group. In addition, in accordance with normal practice, the resolution will enable the Board to allot shares pursuant to a rights issue or open offer, and to deal with overseas shareholders and fractional entitlements as it thinks fit in the context of any rights issue or open offer. The authority will expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting or on 20 June 2015 (whichever is the earlier). It is the directors' intention to review this authority every year. There are no present plans to exercise this authority.
If passed, this resolution will give the Company authority to purchase its own shares in the market up to a limit of 10 per cent of its issued ordinary share capital. The maximum and minimum prices are stated in the resolution. The directors believe that it is advantageous for the Company to have this flexibility to make market purchases of its own shares. In the event that shares are purchased, they will either be cancelled (and the number of shares in issue will be reduced accordingly) or retained as treasury shares, as an alternative to cancelling them.
Shares repurchased as treasury shares will be held with a view to possible resale at a future date, rather than having to cancel them. This gives the Company the ability to reissue treasury shares quickly and cost effectively, and provides the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base. Any issues of treasury shares for the purposes of the Company's employee share schemes will be made within the 10 per cent anti-dilution limit set by the Association of British Insurers.
The directors will only exercise this authority if they are satisfied that a purchase can be expected to result in an increase in earnings per share and will be in the interests of shareholders generally.
The Act provides that general meetings of a company may be held on not less than fourteen clear days' notice in writing. However, the Shareholder Rights Directive (Directive 2007/36/EC), which came into force on 1 August 2009, made it a requirement for companies whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (among other markets), to seek approval each year from its shareholders if any general meeting is to be held on less than twenty one clear days' notice in writing. Resolution 18 seeks such approval.
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