Regulatory Filings • Apr 27, 2020
Regulatory Filings
Open in ViewerOpens in native device viewer
of
Adopted by special resolution of the Company passed by shareholders on 11 June 2014 with effect from 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday 8 July 2014.
Articles 216-228 (Rights and Restrictions attached to B shares), 229-255 (Rights and Restrictions attached to C shares) and Articles 256-265 (Rights and Restrictions attached to Deferred shares) have been deleted and replaced with "Article has been deleted". There are no longer any B,C or Deferred shares in existence.
| 1. | PRELIMINARY 1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 2. | SHARE CAPITAL6 | |
| 3. | VARIATION OF RIGHTS 12 |
|
| 4. | SHARE CERTIFICATES13 | |
| 5. | LIEN14 | |
| 6. | CALLS ON SHARES15 | |
| 7. | FORFEITURE AND SURRENDER17 | |
| 8. | TRANSFER OF SHARES 20 |
|
| 9. | TRANSMISSION OF SHARES21 | |
| 10. | ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL22 | |
| 11. | GENERAL MEETINGS 23 |
|
| 12. | NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS 25 |
|
| 13. | PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS29 | |
| 14. | VOTES OF MEMBERS35 | |
| 15. | PROXIES AND CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES40 |
|
| 16. | NUMBER OF DIRECTORS 45 |
|
| 17. | APPOINTMENT AND RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS45 | |
| 18. | ALTERNATE DIRECTORS47 | |
| 19. | POWERS OF THE BOARD49 | |
| 20. | DELEGATION OF POWERS OF THE BOARD50 | |
| 21. | BORROWING POWERS51 | |
| 22. | DISQUALIFICATION AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS52 |
|
| 23. | NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 54 |
|
| 24. | DIRECTORS' EXPENSES 54 |
|
| 25. | EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS55 | |
| 26. | DIRECTORS' INTERESTS 56 |
|
| 27. | GRATUITIES, PENSIONS, INDEMNITIES AND INSURANCE59 |
|
| 28. | PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD61 | |
| 29. | SECRETARY67 |
| 30. | MINUTES67 | |
|---|---|---|
| 31. | THE SEAL 68 |
|
| 32. | REGISTERS 68 |
|
| 33. | DIVIDENDS70 | |
| 34. | CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS AND RESERVES 77 |
|
| 35. | RECORD DATES 79 |
|
| 36. | ACCOUNTS80 | |
| 37. | COMMUNICATIONS81 | |
| 38. | INFORMATION RIGHTS86 | |
| 39. | DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS87 | |
| 40. | UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS88 | |
of
(Adopted by special resolution passed on 8 February 2008 with effect from the entry into force of Parts 17 and 18 of the Companies Act 2006)
The regulations in Table A as in force at the date of the incorporation of the Company shall not apply to the Company. Table A
In these Articles, except where the subject or context otherwise requires: Definitions
address includes a number or address used for the purposes of sending or receiving documents or information by electronic means;
Articles means these articles of association as altered from time to time by special resolution;
auditors means the auditors of the Company;
the board means the directors or any of them acting as the board of directors of the Company;
certificated share means a share in the capital of the Company that is not an uncertificated share and references in these Articles to a share being held in certificated form shall be construed accordingly;
clear days in relation to the sending of a notice means the period excluding the day on which a notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is sent or on which it is to take effect;
Companies Acts has the meaning given by section 2 of the Companies Act 2006 and includes any enactment passed after that Act which may, by virtue of that or any other such enactment, be cited together with that Act as the "Companies Acts" (with or without the addition of an indication of the date of any such enactment);
director means a director of the Company;
dividend means dividend or bonus;
electronic copy, electronic form and electronic means has the meaning given by section 1168 of the Companies Act 2006;
entitled by transmission means, in relation to a share in the capital of the Company, entitled as a consequence of the death or bankruptcy of the holder or otherwise by operation of law;
hard copy and hard copy form have the meanings given to them by section 1168 of the Companies Act 2006;
holder in relation to a share in the capital of the Company means the member whose name is entered in the register as the holder of that share;
member means a member of the Company;
office means the registered office of the Company;
paid means paid or credited as paid;
recognised person means a recognised clearing house or a nominee of a recognised clearing house or of a recognised investment exchange, each of which terms has the meaning given to it by section 778 of the Companies Act 2006;
register means either or both of the issuer register of members and the Operator register of members of the Company;
Regulations means the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001, including any modification or re-enactment of them for the time being in force;
seal means the common seal of the Company and includes any official seal kept by the Company by virtue of section 49 or 50 of the Companies Act 2006;
secretary means the secretary of the Company and includes a joint, assistant, deputy or temporary secretary and any other person appointed to perform the duties of the secretary;
uncertificated share means (subject to Regulation 42(11)(a) of the Regulations) a share in the capital of the Company title to which is recorded on the Operator register of members of the Company and which may, by virtue of the Regulations, be transferred by means of a relevant system and references in these articles to a share being held in uncertificated form shall be construed accordingly;
United Kingdom means Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and
working day means a day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday or any day that is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 (c. 80) in the part of the United Kingdom where the Company is registered.
Construction
References to a document or information being sent, supplied or given to or by a person mean such document or information, or a copy of such document or information, being sent, supplied, given, delivered, issued or made available to or by, or served on or by, or deposited with or by that person by any method authorised by these Articles, and sending, supplying and giving shall be construed accordingly.
References to writing mean the representation or reproduction of words, symbols or other information in a visible form by any method or combination of methods, whether in electronic form or otherwise, and written shall be construed accordingly.
Words denoting the singular number include the plural number and vice versa; words denoting the masculine gender include the feminine gender; and words denoting persons include corporations.
Words or expressions contained in these Articles which are not defined in Article 2 but are defined in the Companies Acts have the same meaning as in those Acts (but excluding any modification of those Acts not in force at the date of adoption of these Articles) unless inconsistent with the subject or context.
Words or expressions contained in these Articles which are not defined in Article 2 but are defined in the Regulations have the same meaning as in the Regulations (but excluding any modification of the Regulations not in force at the date of adoption of these Articles) unless inconsistent with the subject or context.
Subject to the preceding two paragraphs, references to any provision of any enactment or of any subordinate legislation (as defined by section 21(1) of the Interpretation Act 1978) include any modification or re-enactment of that provision for the time being in force.
Headings and marginal notes are inserted for convenience only and do not affect the construction of these Articles.
In these Articles, (a) powers of delegation shall not be restrictively construed but the widest interpretation shall be given to them; (b) the word board in the context of the exercise of any power contained in these Articles includes any committee consisting of one or more directors, any director, any other officer of the Company and any local or divisional board, manager or agent of the Company to which or, as the case may be, to whom the power in question has been delegated; (c) no power of delegation shall be limited by the existence or, except where expressly provided by the terms of delegation, the exercise of that or any other power of delegation; and (d) except where expressly provided by the terms of delegation, the delegation of a power shall not exclude the concurrent exercise of that power by any other body or person who is for the time being authorised to exercise it under these Articles or under another delegation of the power.
The liability of the members is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares held by them. Liability of members
Conditions of issue of share warrants
(a) a new warrant or coupon shall be issued in place of one worn-out, defaced, lost or destroyed (but no new warrant shall be issued unless the Company is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the original has been destroyed); or
The bearer of such a warrant shall be subject to the conditions for the time being in force in relation to the warrant, whether made before or after the issue of the warrant. Subject to those conditions and to the provisions of the Companies Acts, the bearer shall be deemed to be a member of the Company and shall have the same rights and privileges as he would have if his name had been included in the register as the holder of the shares comprised in the warrant.
The Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise any right in respect of the share represented by a share warrant other than the bearer's absolute right to the warrant. No right in relation to share
Exercise of Company's entitlements in respect of uncertificated share
11. Where any class of shares is a participating security and the Company is entitled under any provision of the Companies Acts, the Regulations or these Articles to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, forfeit, re-allot, accept the surrender of or otherwise enforce a lien over a share held in uncertificated form, the Company shall be entitled, subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, the Regulations, these Articles and the facilities and requirements of the relevant system:
12. The board has general and unconditional authority to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot shares in the Company or to grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares in the Company up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to the section 551 amount, for each prescribed period. Section 551 authority
Section 561 disapplication 13. The board is empowered for each prescribed period to allot equity securities for cash pursuant to the authority conferred by Article 12 as if section 561 of the Companies Act 2006 did not apply to any such allotment, provided that its power shall be limited to:
prescribed period means any period for which the authority conferred by Article 12 is given by ordinary or special resolution stating the section 551
amount and/or the power conferred by Article 13 is given by special resolution stating the section 561 amount;
pre-emptive issue means an offer of equity securities to ordinary shareholders or an invitation to ordinary shareholders to apply to subscribe for equity securities and, if in accordance with their rights the board so determines, holders of other equity securities of any class (whether by way of rights issue, open offer or otherwise) where the equity securities respectively attributable to the interests of ordinary shareholders or holders of other equity securities, if applicable, are proportionate (as nearly as practicable) to the respective numbers of ordinary shares or other equity securities, as the case may be, held by them, but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the board may deem necessary or expedient in relation to fractional entitlements or any legal, regulatory or practical problems under the laws or regulations of any overseas territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange;
section 551 amount means, for any prescribed period, the amount stated in the relevant ordinary or special resolution; and
section 561 amount means, for any prescribed period, the amount stated in the relevant special resolution.
Residual allotment powers
Section 561 disapplication for the sale of treasury shares
- Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts relating to authority, pre-emption rights or otherwise and of any resolution of the Company in
general meeting passed pursuant to those provisions, and, in the case of redeemable shares, the provisions of Article 18:
The board may determine the terms, conditions and manner of redemption of shares provided that it does so before the shares are allotted.
22. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, if at any time the capital of the Company is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class may (unless otherwise provided by the terms of allotment of the shares of that class) be varied or abrogated, whether or not the Company is being wound up, either:
but not otherwise.
(a) the reduction of the capital paid up on that share or class of shares otherwise than by a purchase or redemption by the Company of its own shares; and
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 12
When rights deemed to be varied
Method of varying rights (b) the allotment of another share ranking in priority for payment of a dividend or in respect of capital or which confers on its holder voting rights more favourable than those conferred by that share or class of shares,
but shall not be deemed to be varied by:
(a) be executed under the seal or otherwise in accordance with Article 172 or in such other manner as the board may approve; and
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 13
Members' rights to certificates (b) specify the number, class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the shares to which it relates and the amount or respective amounts paid up on the shares.
The Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate for certificated shares held jointly by more than one person and delivery of a certificate to one joint holder shall be a sufficient delivery to all of them. Shares of different classes may not be included in the same certificate.
Replacement certificates
The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) for all moneys payable to the Company (whether presently or not) in respect of that share. The board may at any time (generally or in a particular case) waive any lien or declare any share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The Company's lien on a share shall extend to any amount (including without limitation dividends) payable in respect of it.
The Company may sell, in such manner as the board determines, any share on which the Company has a lien if a sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable and is not paid within 14 clear days after notice has been sent to the holder of the share, or to the person entitled to it by
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 14
Company to have lien on shares
Enforcement of lien by sale
transmission, demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the share may be sold.
To give effect to that sale the board may, if the share is a certificated share, authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer in respect of the share sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the buyer. If the share is an uncertificated share, the board may exercise any of the Company's powers under Article 11 to effect the sale of the share to, or in accordance with the directions of, the buyer. The buyer shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money and his title to the share shall not be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in relation to the sale. Giving effect to
The net proceeds of the sale, after payment of the costs, shall be applied in or towards payment or satisfaction of so much of the sum in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable. Any residue shall (if the share sold is a certificated share, on surrender to the Company for cancellation of the certificate in respect of the share sold and, whether the share sold is a certificated or uncertificated share, subject to a like lien for any moneys not presently payable as existed on the share before the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the share at the date of the sale. Application of proceeds
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 15
Power to make calls
sale
A call may be revoked in whole or part and the time fixed for payment of a call may be postponed in whole or part as the board may determine. A person on whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made on him even if the shares in respect of which the call was made are subsequently transferred.
A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the board authorising the call was passed. Time when call made
The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of it. Liability of joint holders
Differentiation on calls
Subject to the terms of allotment, the board may make arrangements on the issue of shares for a difference between the allottees or holders in the amounts and times of payment of calls on their shares.
The board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any member all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid on any share held by him. Such payment in advance of calls shall extinguish the liability on the share in respect of which it is made to the extent of the payment. The Company may pay on all or any of the moneys so advanced (until they would but for such advance become presently payable) interest at such rate agreed between the board and the member not exceeding (unless the Company by ordinary resolution otherwise directs) 15 per cent. per annum or, if higher, the appropriate rate (as defined in the Companies Acts).
- If that notice is not complied with, any share in respect of which it was sent may, at any time before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the board. The forfeiture shall include all dividends or other moneys payable in respect of the forfeited share which have not been paid before the forfeiture. When a share has been forfeited,
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 17
Payment of calls in advance
Forfeiture for non-compliance notice of the forfeiture shall be sent to the person who was the holder of the share before the forfeiture. Where the forfeited share is held in certificated form, an entry shall be made promptly in the register opposite the entry of the share showing that notice has been sent, that the share has been forfeited and the date of forfeiture. No forfeiture shall be invalidated by the omission or neglect to send that notice or to make those entries.
Liability following forfeiture
forfeiture until payment. The board may waive payment wholly or in part or enforce payment without any allowance for the value of the share at the time of forfeiture or for any consideration received on its disposal.
The board may accept the surrender of any share which it is in a position to forfeit on such terms and conditions as may be agreed. Subject to those terms and conditions, a surrendered share shall be treated as if it had been forfeited. Surrender
The forfeiture of a share shall involve the extinction at the time of forfeiture of all interest in and all claims and demands against the Company in respect of the share and all other rights and liabilities incidental to the share as between the person whose share is forfeited and the Company, except only those rights and liabilities expressly saved by these Articles, or as are given or imposed in the case of past members by the Companies Acts. Extinction of rights
- A statutory declaration by a director or the secretary that a share has been duly forfeited or surrendered on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in it as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. The declaration shall (subject if necessary to the execution of an instrument of transfer or transfer by means of the relevant system, as the case may be) constitute a good title to the share. The person to whom the share is disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, and his title to the share shall not be affected by any irregularity in, or invalidity of, the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, surrender, sale, re-allotment or disposal of the share.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 19
Evidence of forfeiture or surrender
| Form and execution of transfer of certificated share |
44. The instrument of transfer of a certificated share may be in any usual form or in any other form which the board may approve. An instrument of transfer shall be signed by or on behalf of the transferor and, unless the share is fully paid, by or on behalf of the transferee. An instrument of transfer need not be under seal. |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfers of partly paid certificated shares |
45. The board may, in its absolute discretion and without giving any reason, refuse to register the transfer of a certificated share which is not fully paid, provided that the refusal does not prevent dealings in shares in the Company from taking place on an open and proper basis. |
||
| 46. Invalid transfers of certificated share unless the instrument of transfer: shares |
The board may also refuse to register the transfer of a certificated | ||
| (a) | is lodged, duly stamped (if stampable), at the office or at another place appointed by the board accompanied by the certificate for the share to which it relates and such other evidence as the board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; |
||
| (b) | is in respect of only one class of shares; and | ||
| (c) | is in favour of not more than four transferees. | ||
| Transfers by recognised persons |
47. | In the case of a transfer of a certificated share by a recognised person, the lodging of a share certificate will only be necessary if and to the extent that a certificate has been issued in respect of the share in question. |
Notice of refusal to register
If the board refuses to register a transfer of a share in certificated form, it shall send the transferee notice of its refusal within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged with the Company.
No fee shall be charged for the registration of any instrument of transfer or other document relating to or affecting the title to a share. No fee payable
The Company shall be entitled to retain an instrument of transfer which is registered, but an instrument of transfer which the board refuses to register shall be returned to the person lodging it when notice of the refusal is sent. Retention of transfers
52. A person becoming entitled by transmission to a share may, on production of any evidence as to his entitlement properly required by the board, elect either to become the holder of the share or to have another person nominated by him registered as the transferee. If he elects to become the holder he shall send notice to the Company to that effect. If he elects to have another person registered and the share is a certificated share, he shall execute an instrument of transfer of the share to that person. If he elects to have himself or another person registered and the share is an uncertificated share, he shall take any action the board may require (including without limitation Elections permitted
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 21
on registration
the execution of any document and the giving of any instruction by means of a relevant system) to enable himself or that person to be registered as the holder of the share. All the provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer of shares apply to that notice or instrument of transfer as if it were an instrument of transfer executed by the member and the death or bankruptcy of the member or other event giving rise to the transmission had not occurred.
Elections required
Rights of persons entitled by transmission
The board may at any time send a notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the share. If the notice is not complied with within 60 days, the board may after the expiry of that period withhold payment of all dividends or other moneys payable in respect of the share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.
A person becoming entitled by transmission to a share shall, on production of any evidence as to his entitlement properly required by the board and subject to the requirements of Article 52, have the same rights in relation to the share as he would have had if he were the holder of the share, subject to Article 182. That person may give a discharge for all dividends and other moneys payable in respect of the share, but he shall not, before being registered as the holder of the share, be entitled in respect of it to receive notice of, or to attend or vote at, any meeting of the Company or to receive notice of or to attend or vote at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the capital of the Company.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 22
New shares subject to these Articles
(b) unclassified, unless otherwise provided by these Articles, by the resolution creating the shares or by the terms of allotment of the shares.
Whenever any fractions arise as a result of a consolidation or subdivision of shares, the board may on behalf of the members deal with the fractions as it thinks fit. In particular, without limitation, the board may sell shares representing fractions to which any members would otherwise become entitled to any person (including, subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, the Company) and distribute the net proceeds of sale in due proportion among those members. Where the shares to be sold are held in certificated form the board may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, the buyer. Where the shares to be sold are held in uncertificated form, the board may do all acts and things it considers necessary or expedient to effect the transfer of the shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, the buyer. The buyer shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase moneys and his title to the shares shall not be affected by any irregularity in, or invalidity of, the proceedings in relation to the sale.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 23
Fractions arising
Types of general meeting
All provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to every separate general meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the capital of the Company, except that: Class meetings
(a) the necessary quorum shall be two persons holding or representing by proxy at least one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of the class (excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares) or, at any adjourned meeting of such holders, one holder present in person or by proxy, whatever the amount of his holding, who shall be deemed to constitute a meeting;
(d) each holder of shares of the class shall, on a poll, have one vote in respect of every share of the class held by him.
The board may call general meetings whenever and at such times and places as it shall determine. On the requisition of members pursuant to the provisions of the Companies Acts, the board shall promptly convene an extraordinary general meeting in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Acts. If there are insufficient directors in the United Kingdom to call a general meeting any director of the Company may call a general meeting, but where no director is willing or able to do so, any two members of the Company may summon a meeting for the purpose of appointing one or more directors.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 24
Convening general meetings
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 25 60. An annual general meeting shall be called by at least 21 clear days' notice. An extraordinary general meeting shall be called by at least 14 clear days' notice. 61. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, to the provisions of these Articles and to any restrictions imposed on any shares, the notice shall be sent to all the members and to each of the directors. The auditors shall be entitled to receive all notices of, and other communications relating to, any general meeting which a member of the Company is entitled to receive. 62. The notice shall specify the time, date and place of the meeting (including without limitation any satellite meeting place arranged for the purposes of Article 65, which shall be identified as such in the notice) and the general nature of the business to be dealt with. 63. In the case of an annual general meeting, the notice shall specify the meeting as such. In the case of a meeting to pass a special resolution, the notice shall specify the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution. 64. The notice shall include details of any arrangements made for the purpose of Article 67 (making clear that participation in those arrangements will not amount to attendance at the meeting to which the notice relates). 65. The board may resolve to enable persons entitled to attend a general meeting to do so by simultaneous attendance and participation at a satellite meeting place anywhere in the world. The members present in person or by proxy at satellite meeting places shall be counted in the quorum for, and Period of notice Recipients of notice Contents of notice: general Contents of notice: additional requirements Article 67 arrangements General meetings at more than one place
entitled to vote at, the general meeting in question, and that meeting shall be duly constituted and its proceedings valid if the chairman of the general meeting is satisfied that adequate facilities are available throughout the general meeting to ensure that those attending at all the meeting places are able to:
The chairman of the general meeting shall be present at, and the meeting shall be deemed to take place at, the principal meeting place.
66. If it appears to the chairman of the general meeting that the facilities at the principal meeting place or any satellite meeting place have become inadequate for the purposes referred to in Article 65, then the chairman may, without the consent of the meeting, interrupt or adjourn the general meeting. All business conducted at that general meeting up to the time of that adjournment shall be valid. The provisions of Article 78 shall apply to that adjournment.
67. The board may make arrangements for persons entitled to attend a general meeting or an adjourned general meeting to be able to view and hear the proceedings of the general meeting or adjourned general meeting and to speak at the meeting (whether by the use of microphones, loudspeakers,
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 26
Interruption or adjournment where facilities inadequate
Other arrangements for viewing and hearing proceedings
audio-visual communications equipment or otherwise) by attending at a venue anywhere in the world not being a satellite meeting place. Those attending at any such venue shall not be regarded as present at the general meeting or adjourned general meeting and shall not be entitled to vote at the meeting at or from that venue. The inability for any reason of any member present in person or by proxy at such a venue to view or hear all or any of the proceedings of the meeting or to speak at the meeting shall not in any way affect the validity of the proceedings of the meeting.
Controlling level of attendance
Change in place and/or time of meeting 68. The board may from time to time make any arrangements for controlling the level of attendance at any venue for which arrangements have been made pursuant to Article 67 (including without limitation the issue of tickets or the imposition of some other means of selection) it in its absolute discretion considers appropriate, and may from time to time change those arrangements. If a member, pursuant to those arrangements, is not entitled to attend in person or by proxy at a particular venue, he shall be entitled to attend in person or by proxy at any other venue for which arrangements have been made pursuant to Article 67. The entitlement of any member to be present at such venue in person or by proxy shall be subject to any such arrangement then in force and stated by the notice of meeting or adjourned meeting to apply to the meeting.
69. If, after the giving of notice of a general meeting but before the meeting is held, or after the adjournment of a general meeting but before the adjourned meeting is held (whether or not notice of the adjourned meeting is required), the board decides that it is impracticable or unreasonable for a reason beyond its control to hold the meeting at the declared place (or any of the declared places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 65 applies) and/or time, it may change the place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 65 applies) and/or postpone the time at which the
meeting is to be held. If such a decision is made, the board may then change the place (or any of the places, in the case of a meeting to which Article 65 applies) and/or postpone the time again if it decides that it is reasonable to do so. In either case:
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 28
Meaning of participate
The accidental omission to send a notice of a meeting or resolution, or to send any notification where required by the Companies Acts or these Articles in relation to the publication of a notice of meeting on a website, or to send a form of proxy where required by the Companies Acts or these Articles, to any person entitled to receive it, or the non-receipt for any reason of any such notice, resolution or notification or form of proxy by that person, whether or not the Company is aware of such omission or non-receipt, shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting. Accidental omission to give notice
The board and, at any general meeting, the chairman may make any arrangement and impose any requirement or restriction it or he considers appropriate to ensure the security of a general meeting including, without limitation, requirements for evidence of identity to be produced by those attending the meeting, the searching of their personal property and the restriction of items that may be taken into the meeting place. The board and, at any general meeting, the chairman are entitled to refuse entry to a person who refuses to comply with these arrangements, requirements or restrictions. Security
No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present, but the absence of a quorum shall not preclude the choice or appointment of a chairman, which shall not be treated as part of the business of the meeting. Save as otherwise provided by these Articles, two persons present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote on the business to be transacted shall be a quorum. Quorum
If such a quorum is not present within five minutes (or such longer time not exceeding 30 minutes as the chairman of the meeting may decide to wait) from the time appointed for the meeting, or if during a meeting such a If quorum not present
quorum ceases to be present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of members, shall be dissolved, and in any other case shall stand adjourned to such time and place as the chairman of the meeting may determine. The adjourned meeting shall be dissolved if a quorum is not present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting.
Directors entitled to speak
Adjournment: chairman's powers
A director shall, notwithstanding that he is not a member, be entitled to attend and speak at any general meeting and at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares in the capital of the Company.
The chairman may, with the consent of a meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting), adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place. No business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than business which might properly have been transacted at the meeting had the adjournment not taken place. In addition (and without prejudice to the chairman's power to adjourn a meeting conferred by Article 66), the chairman may adjourn the meeting to another time and place without such consent if it appears to him that:
(a) it is likely to be impracticable to hold or continue that meeting because of the number of members wishing to attend who are not present; or
If an amendment is proposed to any resolution under consideration but is in good faith ruled out of order by the chairman, the proceedings on the substantive resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in such ruling. to resolutions
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 31
Amendments
With the consent of the chairman, an amendment may be withdrawn by its proposer before it is voted on. No amendment to a resolution duly proposed as a special resolution may be considered or voted on (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error). No amendment to a resolution duly proposed as an ordinary resolution may be considered or voted on (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error) unless either:
(b) the chairman in his absolute discretion decides that the amendment may be considered and voted on.
A resolution put to the vote of a general meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless before, or on the declaration of the result of, a vote on the show of hands, or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll, a poll is duly demanded. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, a poll may be demanded by:
(a) the chairman of the meeting; or
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 32
Methods of voting
(c) for the purposes of paragraph 80(d) above, as a demand by a member holding the shares to which those rights are attached.
Unless a poll is duly demanded (and the demand is not withdrawn before the poll is taken) a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, or not carried by a particular majority shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 33
Declaration of result
| Withdrawal of demand for poll |
83. The demand for a poll may be withdrawn before the poll is taken, but only with the consent of the chairman. A demand so withdrawn shall not be taken to have invalidated the result of a show of hands declared before the demand was made. If the demand for a poll is withdrawn, the chairman or any other member entitled may demand a poll. |
|---|---|
| Conduct of poll |
84. Subject to Article 85, a poll shall be taken as the chairman directs and he may, and shall if required by the meeting, appoint scrutineers (who need not be members) and fix a time and place for declaring the result of the poll. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. |
| When poll to be taken |
85. A poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken immediately. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken either at the meeting or at such time and place as the chairman directs not being more than 30 days after the poll is demanded. The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting for the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll was demanded. If a poll is demanded before the declaration of the result of a show of hands and the demand is duly withdrawn, the meeting shall continue as if the demand had not been made. |
| Notice of poll | 86. No notice need be sent of a poll not taken at the meeting at which it is demanded if the time and place at which it is to be taken are announced at the meeting. In any other case notice shall be sent at least seven clear days' before the taking of the poll specifying the time and place at which the poll is to be taken. |
| Effectiveness | 87. Where for any purpose an ordinary resolution of the Company is |
required, a special resolution shall also be effective. resolutions
of special
case, that in calculating the period of 48 hours, no account shall be taken of any part of a day that is not a working day.
92. If at any time the board is satisfied that any member, or any other person appearing to be interested in shares held by such member, has been duly served with a notice under section 793 of the Companies Act 2006 (a section 793 notice) and is in default for the prescribed period in supplying to the Company the information thereby required, or, in purported compliance with such a notice, has made a statement which is false or inadequate in a material particular, then the board may, in its absolute discretion at any time thereafter by notice (a direction notice) to such member, direct that:
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 36
Section 793 of the Act:
restrictions if in default
93. The Company shall send the direction notice to each other person appearing to be interested in the default shares, but the failure or omission by the Company to do so shall not invalidate such notice.
94. Any direction notice shall cease to have effect not more than seven days after the earlier of receipt by the Company of:
(a) a notice of an approved transfer, but only in relation to the shares transferred; or
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 37
Notice to interested persons
When restrictions cease to have effect
(b) all the information required by the relevant section 793 notice, in a form satisfactory to the board. 95. The board may at any time send a notice cancelling a direction notice. 96. The Company may exercise any of its powers under Article 10 in respect of any default share that is held in uncertificated form. 97. For the purposes of this Article and Articles 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96: (a) a person shall be treated as appearing to be interested in any shares if the member holding such shares has sent to the Company a notification under section 793 of the Companies Act 2006 which either (i) names such person as being so interested or (ii) fails to establish the identities of all those interested in the shares, and (after taking into account the said notification and any other relevant section 793 notification) the Company knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the person in question is or may be interested in the shares; (b) the prescribed period is 14 days from the date of service of the section 793 notice; and (c) a transfer of shares is an approved transfer if: (i) it is a transfer of shares pursuant to an acceptance of a takeover offer (within the meaning of section 974 of the Act); or (ii) the board is satisfied that the transfer is made pursuant to a sale of the whole of the beneficial ownership of the shares the subject of the transfer to a party unconnected with the member Board may cancel restrictions Conversion of uncertificated shares Supplementary provisions
and with any other person appearing to be interested in the shares; or
(iii) the transfer results from a sale made through a recognised investment exchange as defined in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or any other stock exchange outside the United Kingdom on which the Company's shares are normally traded.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 40 102. The appointment of a proxy shall be made in writing and shall be in any usual form or in any other form which the board may approve. Subject thereto, the appointment of a proxy may be: (a) in hard copy form; or (b) in electronic form, if the Company agrees. 103. The appointment of a proxy, whether made in hard copy form or in electronic form, shall be executed in such manner as may be approved by or on behalf of the Company from time to time. Subject thereto, the appointment of a proxy shall be executed by the appointor or any person duly authorised by the appointor or, if the appointor is a corporation, executed by a duly authorised person or under its common seal or in any other manner authorised by its constitution or any law. 104. The board may, if it thinks fit, but subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, at the Company's expense send hard copy forms of proxy for use at the meeting and issue invitations in electronic form to appoint a proxy in relation to the meeting in such form as may be approved by the board. The appointment of a proxy shall not preclude a member from attending and voting in person at the meeting or poll concerned. A member may appoint more than one proxy to attend on the same occasion, provided that each such proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by that member. 105. Without prejudice to Article 69(b) or to the second sentence of Article 78, the appointment of a proxy shall: Appointment of proxy: form Execution of proxy Proxies: other provisions Delivery of proxy
not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting (or any postponed time appointed for holding the meeting pursuant to Article 69) at which the person named in the appointment proposes to vote; or
holding the meeting pursuant to Article 69) at which the person named in the appointment proposes to vote; or
In calculating the periods mentioned in this Article the board may specify, in any case, that no account shall be taken of any part of a day that is not a working day.
Where the appointment of a proxy is expressed to have been or purports to have been made, sent or supplied by a person on behalf of the holder of a share: Authentication of proxy appointment not made by holder
(a) the Company may treat the appointment as sufficient evidence of the authority of that person to make, send or supply the appointment on behalf of that holder;
request and, if the request is not complied with in any respect, the appointment may be treated as invalid; and
Corporate representatives
A director, the secretary or other person authorised for the purpose by the secretary may require such person to produce a certified copy of the resolution of authorisation or other authority before permitting him to exercise his powers.
The grantor shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present at it.
Revocation of authority
directors (other than alternate directors) shall be not less than two nor more than twenty in number. APPOINTMENT AND RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS re-appointment, he shall retire at that annual general meeting. 113. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts and these Articles, the directors to retire by rotation shall be first, those who wish to retire and not be re-appointed to office and second, those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or re-appointment. As between persons who became or were last re-appointed directors on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree among themselves) be determined by lot. The directors to retire on each occasion (both as to number and identity) shall be determined by the composition of the board at the date of the notice convening the annual general meeting. No director shall be required to retire or be relieved from retiring or be retired by reason of any change in the number or identity of the directors after the date of the notice but before the close of the meeting. 114. If the Company does not fill the vacancy at the meeting at which a director retires by rotation or otherwise, the retiring director shall, if willing to act, be deemed to have been re-appointed unless at the meeting it is resolved Limits on number of directors Number of directors to retire Which directors to retire When director deemed to be reappointed
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 45
Unless otherwise determined by ordinary resolution, the number of
At every annual general meeting one-third of the directors or, if their number is not three or a multiple of three, the number nearest to one-third shall retire from office, but if any director has at the start of the annual general meeting been in office for more than three years since his last appointment or
not to fill the vacancy or unless a resolution for the re-appointment of the director is put to the meeting and lost.
Eligibility for election
No person other than a director retiring by rotation shall be appointed a director at any general meeting unless:
(a) he is recommended by the board; or
(b) not less than seven nor more than forty-two days before the date appointed for the meeting, notice by a member qualified to vote at the meeting (not being the person to be proposed) has been received by the Company of the intention to propose that person for appointment stating the particulars which would, if he were so appointed, be required to be included in the Company's register of directors, together with notice by that person of his willingness to be appointed.
Except as otherwise authorised by the Companies Acts, the appointment of any person proposed as a director shall be effected by a separate resolution. Separate resolutions on appointment
Subject as aforesaid, the Company may by ordinary resolution appoint a person who is willing to act to be a director either to fill a vacancy or as an additional director and may also determine the rotation in which any additional directors are to retire. The appointment of a person to fill a vacancy or as an additional director shall take effect from the end of the meeting. Additional powers of the Company
118. The board may appoint a person who is willing to act to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional director and in either case whether or not for a fixed term, provided that the appointment does not cause the Appointment by board
number of directors to exceed the number, if any, fixed by or in accordance with these Articles as the maximum number of directors. Irrespective of the terms of his appointment, a director so appointed shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting and shall not be taken into account in determining the directors who are to retire by rotation at the meeting. If not re-appointed at such annual general meeting, he shall vacate office at its conclusion.
A director who retires at an annual general meeting may, if willing to act, be re-appointed. If he is not re-appointed, he shall retain office until the meeting appoints someone in his place, or if it does not do so, until the end of the meeting. Position of retiring directors
A director shall not be required to hold any shares in the capital of the Company by way of qualification. No share qualification
An alternate director shall be entitled to receive notice of all meetings of the board and of all meetings of committees of the board of which his appointor is a member, to attend and vote at any such meeting at which his appointor is not personally present, and generally to perform all the functions of his appointor (except as regards power to appoint an alternate) as a director in his absence. It shall not be necessary to send notice of such a meeting to an alternate director who is absent from the United Kingdom. Alternates entitled to receive notice
A director or any other person may act as alternate director to represent more than one director, and an alternate director shall be entitled at meetings of the board or any committee of the board to one vote for every director whom he represents (and who is not present) in addition to his own vote (if any) as a director, but he shall count as only one for the purpose of determining whether a quorum is present. 124. An alternate director may be repaid by the Company such expenses as might properly have been repaid to him if he had been a director but shall not be entitled to receive any remuneration from the Company in respect of his services as an alternate director except such part (if any) of the remuneration otherwise payable to his appointor as such appointor may by notice to the Company from time to time direct. An alternate director shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Company to the same extent as if he were a director. 125. An alternate director shall cease to be an alternate director: (a) if his appointor ceases to be a director; but, if a director retires by rotation or otherwise but is re-appointed or deemed to have been reappointed at the meeting at which he retires, any appointment of an alternate director made by him which was in force immediately prior to his retirement shall continue after his re-appointment; or (b) on the happening of any event which, if he were a director, would cause him to vacate his office as director; or (c) if he resigns his office by notice to the Company. 126. Any appointment or removal of an alternate director shall be by notice to the Company executed by the director making or revoking the appointment Alternates representing more than one director Expenses and remuneration of alternates Termination of appointment Method of
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 48
appointment and revocation and shall take effect in accordance with the terms of the notice (subject to any approval required by Article 121) on receipt of such notice at the office by the Company which shall be in hard copy form or in electronic form sent to such address (if any) for the time being specified by or on behalf of the Company for that purpose.
Exercise by Company of voting rights 129. The board may exercise the voting power conferred by the shares in any body corporate held or owned by the Company in such manner in all respects as it thinks fit (including without limitation the exercise of that power
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 49
Alternate not an agent of appointor
Business to be managed by board in favour of any resolution appointing its members or any of them directors of such body corporate, or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the directors of such body corporate).
Committees of the board
The board may delegate any of its powers to any committee consisting of one or more directors. The board may also delegate to any director holding any executive office such of its powers as the board considers desirable to be exercised by him. Any such delegation shall, in the absence of express provision to the contrary in the terms of delegation, be deemed to include authority to sub-delegate to one or more directors (whether or not acting as a committee) or to any employee or agent of the Company all or any of the powers delegated and may be made subject to such conditions as the board may specify, and may be revoked or altered. The board may co-opt on to any such committee persons other than directors, who may enjoy voting rights in the committee. Subject to any conditions imposed by the board, the proceedings of a committee with two or more members shall be governed by these Articles regulating the proceedings of directors so far as they are capable of applying.
The board may establish local or divisional boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company, either in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, and may appoint any persons to be members of the local or divisional boards, or any managers or agents, and may fix their remuneration. The board may delegate to any local or divisional board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in or exercisable by the board, with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any local or divisional board, or any of them, to fill any vacancies and to act notwithstanding vacancies. Any appointment or delegation made pursuant to Local boards, etc.
this Article may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the board may decide. The board may remove any person so appointed and may revoke or vary the delegation but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of the revocation or variation shall be affected by it.
Disqualification as a director
(d) he resigns his office by notice to the Company or, having been appointed for a fixed term, the term expires or his office as a director is vacated pursuant to Article 118; or
(e) he has been absent for more than six consecutive months without permission of the board from meetings of the board held during that period and his alternate director (if any) has not attended in his place during that period and the board resolves that his office be vacated; or
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 53
Power of Company to remove director
Arrangements with non-executive directors
Ordinary remuneration 137. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, the board may enter into, vary and terminate an agreement or arrangement with any director who does not hold executive office for the provision of his services to the Company. Subject to Articles 138 and 139, any such agreement or arrangement may be made on such terms as the board determines.
138. The ordinary remuneration of the directors, including the Chairman, who do not hold executive office for their services (excluding amounts payable under any other provision of these Articles) shall not exceed in aggregate £2,250,000* per annum or such higher amount as the Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution determine. Subject thereto, each such director shall be paid a fee for their services (which shall be deemed to accrue from day to day) at such rate as may from time to time be determined by the board.
139. Any director who does not hold executive office and who performs special services which in the opinion of the board are outside the scope of the ordinary duties of a director, may (without prejudice to the provisions of Article 138) be paid such extra remuneration by way of additional fee, salary, commission or otherwise as the board may determine.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 54 *By ordinary resolution passed on 02.02.2017, authority increased from £1,500,000 to £2,250,000.
Additional remuneration for special services
Directors may be paid expenses
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts, the board may appoint one or more of its body to be the holder of any executive office (except that of auditor) in the Company and may enter into an agreement or arrangement with any such director for his employment by the Company or for the provision by him of any services outside the scope of the ordinary duties of a director. Any such appointment, agreement or arrangement may be made on such terms, including without limitation terms as to remuneration, as the board determines. The board may revoke or vary any such appointment but without prejudice to any rights or claims which the person whose appointment is revoked or varied may have against the Company because of the revocation or variation.
Any appointment of a director to an executive office shall terminate if he ceases to be a director but without prejudice to any rights or claims which he may have against the Company by reason of such cessation. A director appointed to an executive office shall not cease to be a director merely because his appointment to such executive office terminates.
The emoluments of any director holding executive office for his services as such shall be determined by the board, and may be of any description, including without limitation admission to, or continuance of, membership of any scheme (including any share acquisition scheme) or fund instituted or established or financed or contributed to by the Company for the provision of pensions, life assurance or other benefits for employees or their dependants, or the payment of a pension or other benefits to him or his dependants on or after retirement or death, apart from membership of any such scheme or fund.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 55
Appointment to executive office
Termination of appointment to executive office
Emoluments to be determined by the board
144.
145. Provided that he has disclosed to the board the nature and extent of his interest (unless the circumstances referred to in section 177(5) or section 177(6) apply, in which case no such disclosure is required), a director notwithstanding his office:
(c) may be a director or other officer of, or employed by, or a party to a transaction or arrangement with, or otherwise interested in, any body corporate in which the Company is otherwise (directly or indirectly) interested.
A director shall not, by reason of his office, be accountable to the Company for any remuneration or other benefit which he derives from any office or employment or from any transaction or arrangement or from any interest in any body corporate:
(a) the acceptance, entry into or existence of which has been approved by the board pursuant to Article 144 (subject, in any such case, to any limits or conditions to which such approval was subject); or
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 57
Directors may contract with the Company
nor shall the receipt of any such remuneration or other benefit constitute a breach of his duty under section 176 Companies Act 2006.
148. A director shall be under no duty to the Company with respect to any information which he obtains or has obtained otherwise than as a director of the Company and in respect of which he owes a duty of confidentiality to another person. However, to the extent that his relationship with that other person gives rise to a conflict of interest or possible conflict of interest, this article applies only if the existence of that relationship has been approved by the board pursuant to Article 144. In particular, the director shall not be in breach of the general duties he owes to the Company by virtue of sections 171 to 177 Companies Act 2006 because he fails:
149. Where the existence of a director's relationship with another person has been approved by the board pursuant to Article 144 and his relationship with that person gives rise to a conflict of interest or possible conflict of interest, the director shall not be in breach of the general duties he owes to the Company by virtue of sections 171 to 177 Companies Act 2006 because he:
for so long as he reasonably believes such conflict of interest (or possible conflict of interest) subsists.
The provisions of Articles 148 and 149 are without prejudice to any equitable principle or rule of law which may excuse the director from:
(a) disclosing information, in circumstances where disclosure would otherwise be required under these articles; or
Gratuities and pensions
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 59 151. The board may (by establishment of, or maintenance of, schemes or otherwise) provide benefits, whether by the payment of gratuities or pensions or by insurance or otherwise, for any past or present director or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings or any body corporate associated with, or any business acquired by, any of them, and for any member of his family (including a spouse and a former spouse) or any person who is or was dependent on him, and may (as well before as after he ceases to hold such office or employment) contribute to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any such benefit.
Indemnity to directors and officers
152. Without prejudice to any indemnity to which the person concerned may otherwise be entitled, every director or other officer of the Company (other than any person, whether an officer or not, engaged by the Company as auditor) shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against any liability incurred by him for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the affairs of the Company, including where the Company is trustee of an occupational pension scheme, provided that this Article 152 shall be deemed not to provide for, or entitle any such person to, indemnification to the extent that it would cause this Article 152, or any element of it, to be treated as void under the Companies Acts.
including without limitation insurance against any liability incurred by such person in respect of any act or omission in the actual or purported execution or discharge of his duties or in the exercise or purported exercise of his powers or otherwise in relation to his duties, powers or offices in relation to the relevant body or fund.
Directors not liable to account
No director or former director shall be accountable to the Company or the members for any benefit provided pursuant to these Articles. The receipt of any such benefit shall not disqualify any person from being or becoming a director of the Company.
Pursuant to section 247 of the Companies Act 2006, the board is hereby authorised to make such provision as may seem appropriate for the benefit of any persons employed or formerly employed by the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings in connection with the cessation or the transfer of the whole or part of the undertaking of the Company or any subsidiary undertaking. Any such provision shall be made by a resolution of the board in accordance with section 247. Section 247 of the Act
156. Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the board may regulate its proceedings as it thinks fit. A director may, and the secretary at the request of a director shall, call a meeting of the board. Notice of a board meeting shall be deemed to be properly sent to a director if it is given to him personally or by word of mouth or sent in hard copy form to him, at his last known address or such other address (if any) for the time being specified by him or on his behalf to the Company for that purpose, or sent in electronic form to such address (if any) for the time being specified by him or on his behalf to the Company for that purpose. A director absent or intending to be absent from Convening meetings
the United Kingdom may request the board that notices of board meetings shall during his absence be sent in hard copy form or in electronic form to such address (if any) for the time being notified by him or on his behalf to the Company for that purpose, or sent using electronic communications to such address (if any) for the time being specified by him or on his behalf to the Company for that purpose, but such notices need not be sent any earlier than notices sent to directors not so absent and, if no such request is made to the board, it shall not be necessary to send notice of a board meeting to any director who is for the time being absent from the United Kingdom. No account is to be taken of directors absent from the United Kingdom when considering the adequacy of the period of notice of the meeting. Questions arising at a meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. Any director may waive notice of a meeting and any such waiver may be retrospective. Any notice pursuant to this Article need not comprise writing if the board so determines.
Powers of directors if number falls below minimum 158. The continuing directors or a sole continuing director may act notwithstanding any vacancies in their number, but, if the number of directors is less than the number fixed as the quorum, the continuing directors or director may act only for the purpose of filling vacancies or of calling a general meeting.
The board may appoint one of their number to be the chairman, and one of their number to be the deputy chairman, of the board and may at any time remove either of them from such office. Unless he is unwilling to do so, the director appointed as chairman, or in his stead the director appointed as deputy chairman, shall preside at every meeting of the board at which he is present. If there is no director holding either of those offices, or if neither the chairman nor the deputy chairman is willing to preside or neither of them is present within five minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, the directors present may appoint one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. Chairman and deputy chairman
agreement to the resolution authenticated in the manner permitted by the Companies Acts for a document in the relevant form;
(d) if a director signifies his agreement to the proposed written resolution, an alternate director appointed by him need not also signify his agreement in that capacity.
Without prejudice to the first sentence of Article 156, a person entitled to be present at a meeting of the board or of a committee of the board shall be deemed to be present for all purposes if he is able (directly or by telephonic or other communication) to speak to and be heard by all those present or deemed to be present simultaneously. A director so deemed to be present shall be entitled to vote and be counted in a quorum accordingly. Such a meeting shall be deemed to take place where it is convened to be held or (if no director is present in that place) where the largest group of those participating is assembled, or, if there is no such group, where the chairman of the meeting is. The word meeting in these Articles shall be construed accordingly.
Directors' power to vote on contracts in which they are interested
163. Except as otherwise provided by these Articles, a director shall not vote at a meeting of the board or a committee of the board on any resolution of the board concerning a matter in which he has an interest (other than by virtue of his interests in shares or debentures or other securities of, or otherwise in or through, the Company) which is to his knowledge material
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 64
Meetings by telephone, etc. unless his interest arises only because the resolution concerns one or more of the following matters:
body corporate (any such interest being deemed for the purpose of this Article to be a material interest in all circumstances);
(f) a contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal concerning any insurance which the Company is empowered to purchase or maintain for, or for the benefit of, any directors of the Company or for persons who include directors of the Company.
For the purposes of Article 163, in relation to an alternate director, an interest of his appointor shall be treated as an interest of the alternate director without prejudice to any interest which the alternate director has otherwise.
The Company may by ordinary resolution suspend or relax to any extent, either generally or in respect of any particular matter, any provision of these Articles prohibiting a director from voting at a meeting of directors or of a committee of directors.
Where proposals are under consideration concerning the appointment (including without limitation fixing or varying the terms of appointment) of two or more directors to offices or employments with the Company or any body corporate in which the Company is interested, the proposals may be divided and considered in relation to each director separately. In such cases each of the directors concerned shall be entitled to vote in respect of each resolution except that concerning his own appointment.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 66
Interests of connected person and alternate director
Division of proposals
Decision of chairman final and conclusive
Appointment and removal of secretary
The board shall cause minutes to be recorded in hard copy form or electronic copy form, of:
(a) all appointments of officers made by the board; and
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 67
Minutes required to be kept
Conclusiveness of minutes
Authority required for execution of deed 171. The seal shall only be used by the authority of a resolution of the board. The board may determine who shall sign any document executed under the seal. If they do not, it shall be signed by at least one director and the secretary or by at least two directors. Any document may be executed under the seal by impressing the seal by mechanical means or by printing the seal or a facsimile of it on the document or by applying the seal or a facsimile of it by any other means to the document. A document executed, with the authority of a resolution of the board, by a director and the secretary or by two directors or by a director in the presence of a witness who attests the signature and expressed (in whatever form of words) to be executed by the Company has the same effect as if executed under the seal. For the purpose of the preceding sentence only, "secretary" shall have the same meaning as in the Companies Acts and not the meaning given to it by Article 2.
Certificates for shares and debentures
172. The board may by resolution determine either generally or in any particular case that any certificate for shares or debentures or representing any other form of security may have any signature affixed to it by some mechanical or electronic means, or printed on it or, in the case of a certificate executed under the seal, need not bear any signature.
Overseas and local registers
Authentication and certification of copies and extracts
Any director or the secretary or any other person appointed by the board for the purpose shall have power to authenticate and certify as true copies of and extracts from:
(a) any document comprising or affecting the constitution of the Company, whether in hard copy form or electronic form;
If certified in this way, a document purporting to be a copy of a resolution, or the minutes or an extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Company, the holders of any class of shares in the capital of the Company, the board or a committee of the board, whether in hard copy form or electronic form, shall be conclusive evidence in favour of all persons dealing with the Company in reliance on it or them that the resolution was duly passed or that the minutes are, or the extract from the minutes is, a true and accurate record of proceedings at a duly constituted meeting.
If the board acts in good faith it shall not incur any liability to the holders of shares conferring preferred rights for any loss they may suffer by the lawful payment of an interim dividend on any shares having deferred or nonpreferred rights.
and the relevant date for determining the value of the dividend in any currency.
Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to shares, all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares on which the dividend is paid; but no amount paid on a share in advance of the date on which a call is payable shall be treated for the purpose of this Article as paid on the share. All dividends shall be apportioned and paid proportionately to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid; but, if any share is allotted or issued on terms providing that it shall rank for dividend as from a particular date, that share shall rank for dividend accordingly. Apportionment
A general meeting declaring a dividend may, on the recommendation of the board, by ordinary resolution direct that it shall be satisfied wholly or partly by the distribution of assets, including without limitation paid up shares or debentures of another body corporate. The board may make any arrangements it thinks fit to settle any difficulty arising in connection with the distribution, including without limitation (a) the fixing of the value for distribution of any assets, (b) the payment of cash to any member on the basis of that value in order to adjust the rights of members, and (c) the vesting of any asset in a trustee. Dividends in specie
180. The board may, if authorised by an ordinary resolution of the Company (the Resolution), offer any holder of shares the right to elect to receive shares, credited as fully paid, instead of cash in respect of the whole (or some part, to be determined by the board) of all or any dividend specified by the Resolution. The offer shall be on the terms and conditions and be made in the manner specified in Article 181 or, subject to those provisions, specified in the Resolution.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 71
of dividends
Scrip dividends: authorising resolution
The following provisions shall apply to the Resolution and any offer made pursuant to it and Article 180.
(a) The Resolution may specify a particular dividend, or may specify all or any dividends declared within a specified period.
A certificate or report by the auditors as to the value of a new share in respect of any dividend shall be conclusive evidence of that value.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 72 (c) On or as soon as practicable after announcing that any dividend is to be declared or recommended, the board, if it intends to offer an election in respect of that dividend, shall also announce that intention. If, after determining the basis of allotment, the board decides to proceed with the offer, it shall notify the holders of shares of the terms
Scrip dividends: procedures
and conditions of the right of election offered to them, specifying the procedure to be followed and place at which, and the latest time by which, elections or notices amending or terminating existing elections must be delivered in order to be effective.
(f) The dividend (or that part of the dividend in respect of which a right of election has been offered) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect of which an election has been made (the elected shares) and instead such number of new shares shall be allotted to each holder of elected shares as is arrived at on the basis stated in Article 181(b). For that purpose the board shall appropriate out of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve or fund (including without limitation the profit and loss account), whether or not it is available for distribution, a sum equal to the aggregate nominal amount of the new shares to be allotted and apply it in paying up in full the appropriate number of new shares for allotment and distribution to each holder of elected shares as is arrived at on the basis stated in Article 181(b).
(g) The new shares when allotted shall rank equally in all respects with the fully paid shares of the same class then in issue except that they shall not be entitled to participate in the relevant dividend.
182. The board may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to any member in respect of a share any moneys presently payable by him to the Company in respect of that share. Where a person is entitled by transmission to a share, the board may retain any dividend payable in respect of that share until that person (or that person's transferee) becomes the holder of that share.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 74
Permitted deductions and retentions
| others entitled | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | in cash; or | |
| (b) | by cheque or warrant made payable to or to the order of the holder or person entitled to payment; or |
|
| (c) | by any direct debit, bank or other funds transfer system to the holder or person entitled to payment or, if practicable, to a person designated in writing by the holder or person entitled to payment; or |
|
| (d) | by any other method approved by the board and agreed (in such form as the Company thinks appropriate) by the holder or person entitled to payment including (without limitation) in respect of an uncertificated share by means of the relevant system (subject to the facilities and requirements of the relevant system). |
|
| Joint entitlement |
184. | If two or more persons are registered as joint holders of any share, or are entitled by transmission jointly to a share, the Company may: |
| (a) | pay any dividend or other moneys payable in respect of the share to any one of them and any one of them may give effectual receipt for that payment; and |
|
| (b) | for the purpose of Article 183, rely in relation to the share on the written direction, designation or agreement of, or notice to the Company by, any one of them. |
|
| Payment by post |
185. | A cheque or warrant may be sent by post: |
| NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 75 |
183. Any dividend or other moneys payable in respect of a share may be
paid:
Procedure for payment to holders and
(d) in any case, to such person and to such address as the person entitled to payment may direct by notice to the Company.
Payment of a cheque or warrant by the bank on which it was drawn or the transfer of funds by the bank instructed to make the transfer or, in respect of an uncertificated share, the making of payment in accordance with the facilities and requirements of the relevant system (which, if the relevant system is CREST, may include the sending by the Company or by any person on its behalf of an instruction to the Operator of the relevant system to credit the cash memorandum account of the holder or joint holders or, if permitted by the Company, of such person as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct) shall be a good discharge to the Company. Every cheque or warrant sent or transfer of funds made by the relevant bank or system in accordance with these Articles shall be at the risk of the holder or person entitled. The Company shall have no responsibility for any sums lost or delayed in the course of payment by any method used by the Company in accordance with Article 183.
No dividend or other moneys payable in respect of a share shall bear interest against the Company unless otherwise provided by the rights attached to the share. payable
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 76
Discharge to Company and risk
Interest not
Forfeiture of unclaimed dividends
The board may with the authority of an ordinary resolution of the Company: Power to capitalise
(a) subject to the provisions of this Article, resolve to capitalise any undistributed profits of the Company not required for paying any preferential dividend (whether or not they are available for distribution) or any sum standing to the credit of any reserve or other fund, including without limitation the Company's share premium account and capital redemption reserve, if any;
who would have been entitled to it if it were distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions;
(f) authorise any person to enter into an agreement with the Company on behalf of all the members concerned providing for either:
(i) the allotment to the members respectively, credited as fully paid, of any shares, debentures or other obligations to which they are entitled on the capitalisation; or
and any agreement made under that authority shall be binding on all such members;
(a) fix any date as the record date for any dividend, distribution, allotment or issue, which may be on or at any time before or after any date on which the dividend, distribution, allotment or issue is declared, paid or made;
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 79
Record dates for dividends, etc.
192. Subject to the Companies Acts, a copy of the Company's annual accounts, together with a copy of the directors' report for that financial year Sending of annual accounts
and the auditors' report on those accounts shall, at least 21 clear days before the date of the meeting at which copies of those documents are to be laid in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Acts, be sent to every member and to every holder of the Company's debentures of whose address the Company is aware, and to every other person who is entitled to receive notice of meetings from the Company under the provisions of the Companies Acts or of these Articles or, in the case of joint holders of any share or debenture, to one of the joint holders. Copies do not need to be sent to a person for whom the Company does not have a current address.
Summary financial statements 193. Subject to the Companies Acts, the requirements of Article 192 shall be deemed satisfied in relation to any person by sending to the person, instead of such copies, a summary financial statement derived from the Company's annual accounts and the directors' report, which shall be in the form and containing the information prescribed by the Companies Acts and any regulations made under the Companies Acts.
When notice required to be in writing
Methods of giving notice
194. Any notice to be sent to or by any person pursuant to these Articles (other than a notice calling a meeting of the board) shall be in writing.
sent or supplied by the Companies Acts shall, the necessary changes having been made, also apply to sending or supplying any document or information required or authorised to be sent by these Articles or any other rules or regulations to which the Company may be subject.
Subject to Article 194 and unless otherwise provided by these Articles, a member or a person entitled by transmission to a share shall send a document or information pursuant to these Articles to the Company in such form and by such means as it may in its absolute discretion determine provided that:
(a) the determined form and means are permitted by the Companies Acts for the purpose of sending or supplying a document or information of that type to a company pursuant to a provision of the Companies Acts; and
Unless otherwise provided by these Articles or required by the board, such document or information shall be authenticated in the manner specified by the Companies Acts for authentication of a document or information sent in the relevant form.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 82
Methods of member etc sending document or information
Notice to joint holders Registered address outside the EEA
A member whose registered address is not within an EEA State and who sends to the Company an address within an EEA State at which a document or information may be sent to him shall be entitled to have the document or information sent to him at that address (provided that, in the case of a document or information sent by electronic means, including without limitation any notification required by the Companies Acts that the document or information is available on a website, the Company so agrees, which agreement the Company shall be entitled to withhold in its absolute discretion including, without limitation, in circumstances in which the Company considers that the sending of the document or information to such address using electronic means would or might infringe the laws of any other jurisdiction) but otherwise:
(a) no such member shall be entitled to receive any document or information from the Company; and
Terms and Conditions for electronic means
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 83
Notice to persons entitled by transmission persons entitled by transmission and by members or persons entitled by transmission to the Company.
201. A notice or other document may be sent by the Company to the person or persons entitled by transmission to a share by sending it in any manner the Company may choose authorised by these Articles for the sending of a document or information to a member, addressed to them by name, or by the title of representative of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt or by any similar description at the address, if any, as may be supplied for that purpose by or on behalf of the person or persons claiming to be so entitled. Until such an address has been supplied, a document or information may be sent in any manner in which it might have been sent if the death or bankruptcy or other event giving rise to the transmission had not occurred.
203. Proof that a document or information was properly addressed, prepaid and posted shall be conclusive evidence that the document or information was sent. Proof that a document or information sent or supplied by electronic means was properly addressed shall be conclusive evidence that the document or information was sent or supplied. A document or information sent by the Company to a member by post shall be deemed to have been received:
(a) if sent by first class post or special delivery post from an address in the United Kingdom to another address in the United Kingdom, or by a
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 84
Transferees etc. bound by prior notice
Proof of sending/when notices etc. deemed sent by post
postal service similar to first class post or special delivery post from an address in another country to another address in that other country, on the day following that on which the envelope containing it was posted;
204. A document or information sent or supplied by the Company to a member in electronic form shall be deemed to have been received by the member on the day following that on which the document or information was sent to the member. Such a document or information shall be deemed received by the member on that day notwithstanding that the Company becomes aware that the member has failed to receive the relevant document or information for any reason and notwithstanding that the Company subsequently sends a hard copy of such document or information by post to the member.
(a) when the document or information was first made available on the website; or
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 85
When notices etc. deemed sent by electronic means
(b) if later, when the member is deemed by Article 204 or 203 to have received notice of the fact that the document or information was available on the website. Such a document or information shall be deemed received by the member on that day notwithstanding that the Company becomes aware that the member has failed to receive the relevant document or information for any reason and notwithstanding that the Company subsequently sends a hard copy of such document or information by post to the member.
Notice during disruption of services
| Power of | 208. | The Company shall be entitled to destroy: |
|---|---|---|
| Company to destroy documents |
(a) | all instruments of transfer of shares which have been registered, and all other documents on the basis of which any entry is made in the register, at any time after the expiration of six years from the date of registration; |
| (b) | all dividend mandates, variations or cancellations of dividend mandates, and notifications of change of address at any time after the expiration of two years from the date of recording; |
|
| (c) | all share certificates which have been cancelled at any time after the expiration of one year from the date of the cancellation; |
|
| (d) | all paid dividend warrants and cheques at any time after the expiration of one year from the date of actual payment; |
|
| (e) | all proxy appointments which have been used for the purpose of a vote at any time after the expiration of one year from the date of use; and |
|
| (f) | all proxy appointments which have not been used for the purpose of a vote at any time after one month from the end of the meeting to which the proxy appointment relates and at which no poll was demanded. |
|
| Presumption in relation to |
209. | It shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that: |
| destroyed documents |
(a) | every entry in the register purporting to have been made on the basis of an instrument of transfer or other document destroyed in accordance with Article 208 was duly and properly made; |
| NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 87 |
but:
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 88
Power to dispose of shares of untraced
(b) where the shares are held in uncertificated form, do all acts and things it considers necessary or expedient to effect the transfer of the shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, the buyer.
An instrument of transfer executed by that person in accordance with Article 211(a) shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the holder of, or person entitled by transmission to, the shares. An exercise by the Company of its powers in accordance with Article 211(b) shall be as effective as if exercised by the registered holder of or person entitled by transmission to the shares. The transferee shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, and his title to the shares shall not be affected by any irregularity in, or invalidity of, the proceedings in reference to the sale. Effectiveness of transfer
The net proceeds of sale shall belong to the Company which shall be obliged to account to the former member or other person previously entitled for an amount equal to the proceeds. The Company shall enter the name of such former member or other person in the books of the Company as a creditor for that amount. In relation to the debt, no trust is created and no interest is payable. The Company shall not be required to account for any money earned on the net proceeds of sale, which may be used in the Company's business or invested in such a way as the board from time to time thinks fit. Proceeds of sale
If the Company is wound up, the liquidator may, with the sanction of a special resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the Insolvency Act 1986: Liquidator may distribute in specie
(a) divide among the members in specie the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and may, for that purpose, value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between the members or different classes of members;
but no member shall be compelled to accept any asset on which there is a liability.
NEW ARTICLES: EFFECTIVE ON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTS 17 AND 18, CA2006 Page 91
Disposal of assets by liquidator
Building tools?
Free accounts include 100 API calls/year for testing.
Have a question? We'll get back to you promptly.