Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Apr 20, 2021
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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If you have sold or transferred all your shares in Computacenter plc, you should forward this document and other documents enclosed as soon as possible to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
PLEASE READ THE SECTION OF THIS DOCUMENT HEADED 'COVID-19 AND CONTINGENCIES' CAREFULLY.
Computacenter plc Registered in England No: 3110569
Registered Office Hatfield Avenue Hatfield Hertfordshire AL10 9TW
20 April 2021
I am pleased to be writing to you with details of the 2021 Annual General Meeting ('AGM') of Computacenter plc (the 'Company' and together with its subsidiaries, the 'Group'). This will be held on Thursday 20 May 2021 at 11.30am, at the Company's UK and Group Headquarters at Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9TW.
Attached on pages 2 to 3 is the notice setting out the business to be conducted at this year's AGM ('Notice of AGM'). An explanation of the business of the AGM can be found within the appendices on pages 6 to 9.
In 2020, we were unable to welcome any shareholders in person to our AGM, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, the UK Government's published roadmap out of the current lockdown envisages that, by 20 May 2021, it may be possible to hold some indoor meetings with limited capacity and with COVID-secure guidance in place. We may therefore be permitted to welcome shareholders to our 2021 AGM in person, subject to the maximum number as is compatible with both safety constraints and government guidelines. Hand sanitiser will be provided at the entrance, and attendees will each be required to wear a face covering (unless exempt), to practice social distancing and to follow the one-way system where indicated.
However, given the constantly evolving nature of the situation, we want to ensure that we are able to adapt our arrangements efficiently to respond to changes in circumstances. On that basis, should the situation change such that we consider that it is no longer possible for shareholders to attend the meeting in person, we will notify shareholders of the change, prior to the AGM, via an RNS announcement and on the Company's investor website at: https://investors.computacenter.com/shareholder-centre/agm. Should we have to change the arrangements in this way, we will not be in a position to accommodate shareholders beyond the minimum required to hold a quorate meeting, which will be achieved through the attendance of employee shareholders, as was the case in 2020.
Shareholders intending to attend the Annual General Meeting, should this be possible, are asked to register their intentions as soon as practicable by contacting the Company Secretary at [email protected].
Given the uncertainty around whether shareholders will be able to attend the Annual General Meeting in person, because of tighter restrictions (or a delay in relaxing the current restrictions) due to a change in the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage all shareholders to appoint the chairman of the AGM as their proxy to exercise their right to vote at the AGM in accordance with their instructions. This will ensure that their vote will be counted if ultimately they (or any other proxy they might otherwise appoint) are not able to attend the meeting. Further information on the required process is detailed under the section in this letter entitled 'Action To Be Taken – Form of Proxy'.
Shareholders should note that, in the interests of minimising unnecessary travel and exposure to possible COVID transmission as required by Government guidance, not all members of the Board are expected to attend the AGM in person. Only Francis Anthony Conophy, Group Finance Director, will be present in person, along with Raymond Gray, Group Company Secretary.
In accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Board has decided that all of the Directors will offer themselves for re-election, and resolutions 4a to 4i are to re-elect them as Directors. Brief biographies of all of the Directors standing for re-election at the forthcoming AGM can be found on pages 80 and 81 of the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts.
Since the Company's 2020 AGM, the Board and each of its Directors have been subject to an internal evaluation process, further details of which can be found within the Governance Report on page 84 of the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts. I am pleased to confirm that the performance of each Director continues to be effective and that all are able to demonstrate continued commitment to their respective roles as members of the Board and, where relevant, its Committees.
You will find enclosed a Form of Proxy for use at the AGM. Please complete, sign and return the Form of Proxy as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions printed thereon. The Form of Proxy should be returned to Equiniti, the Company's Registrar, as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to be received not later than 11.30am on Tuesday 18 May 2021.
Alternatively, shareholders may register proxy vote instructions by electronic means. If you wish to register your voting instructions in this way, please refer to the guidance set out in notes 6 to 8 to the Notice of AGM on page 4. Communications giving voting instructions by electronic means must be received by Equiniti not later than 11.30am on Tuesday 18 May 2021.
The Directors consider that the proposals being put to shareholders at the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and of the shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the Directors recommend that you vote in favour of the resolutions set out in the attached Notice of AGM, as they intend to do in respect of their own interests (both beneficial and non-beneficial) amounting to 48,209,924 ordinary shares, representing approximately 42.2 per cent of the Company's issued share capital excluding treasury shares (as at 26 March 2021).
Chairman
Notice is hereby given that the AGM of Computacenter plc will be held at 11.30am on Thursday 20 May 2021 at the Company's UK and Group Headquarters at Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9TW for the following purposes:
To consider and if thought fit, pass the following ordinary resolutions:
To consider and if thought fit, pass the following special resolutions:
b. used for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the authority is to be used within six months after the original transaction) a transaction which the Directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles on Disapplying Pre-Emption Rights most recently published by the Pre-Emption Group prior to this notice, for the period referred to in Resolution 7, save that the Company shall be entitled to make offers or agreements before the expiry of such power, which would or might require equity securities to be allotted and treasury shares to be sold after such expiry and the Directors shall be entitled to allot equity securities and sell treasury shares pursuant to any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
10. That the Company be and is hereby unconditionally and generally authorised for the purposes of Section 701 of the Companies Act 2006 to make market purchases (as defined in Section 693(4) of that Act) of ordinary shares of 7 5/9 pence each ('ordinary shares') in the capital of the Company provided that:
Resolutions 1 to 7 (inclusive) will be proposed as ordinary resolutions while resolutions 8 to 11 (inclusive) will be proposed as special resolutions.
Registered Office Hatfield Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9TW
By order of the Board
Company Secretary 20 April 2021
6. Only those shareholders registered in the Register of Members of the Company at 6.30pm on Tuesday 18 May 2021 shall be entitled to attend or vote at the AGM in respect of the number of shares registered in their name at that time or, if the AGM is adjourned, shareholders must be entered on the Company's Register of Members as at 6.30pm two business days prior to the time fixed for the adjourned AGM.
7. Shareholders who prefer to register the appointment of their proxy electronically via the internet may do so through Equiniti's website at www.sharevote.co.uk, where full instructions on the procedure are provided. The Voting ID, Task ID and Shareholder Reference Number printed on the Form of Proxy will be required to enable a shareholder to use this electronic system or proxy appointment. Alternatively, shareholders who have already registered with Equiniti's online portfolio service, Shareview, may appoint their proxy electronically by logging on to their portfolio at www.shareview.co.uk using their user ID and password. Once logged in simply click 'View' on the 'My Investments' page, click on the link to vote then follow the on-screen instructions. A proxy appointment made electronically will not be valid if sent to any address other than those provided or if received later than 11.30am on Tuesday 18 May 2021. Please note that any electronic communication found to contain a computer virus will not be accepted.
CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers should note that Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular messages. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST personal or sponsored member or has appointed a voting service provider(s), to procure that his/her CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time. In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings.
Computacenter plc may treat as invalid any CREST Proxy Instruction it receives which falls within the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5)(a) of the Uncertified Securities Regulations 2001.
Resolutions 1 to 7 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
Resolutions 8 to 11 are proposed as special resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, at least three-quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
The business of the AGM will start with a resolution to lay before the shareholders, the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020 and the reports of the Directors and Auditor thereon.
The Implementation Report for the year ended 31 December 2020, comprising the Annual Statement from the Chair of the Remuneration Committee and the Annual Remuneration Report is set out on pages 96 to 116 (save for pages 100 to 104, which contain the Remuneration Policy Summary) of the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts.
The Remuneration Policy is required to be put to a shareholder vote at least once every three years or if any changes are proposed. As the policy was approved by shareholders at the 2020 Annual General Meeting and remains unchanged, a resolution to re-approve the Remuneration Policy has not been proposed.
The Implementation Report describes the remuneration arrangements in place for each Executive Director and the Non-Executive Directors (including the Chairman) during 2020. The Annual statement for the Chair of the Remuneration Committee provides context to the 2020 remuneration outcomes, together with information to help shareholders understand what the executives were paid in 2020.
This is an advisory vote and will not affect the actual remuneration paid to any individual Director.
The Board has recommended a final dividend of 38.4 pence per ordinary share, in respect of the year ended 31 December 2020. Members will be asked to approve this payment and if approved, the dividend will be payable on 2 July 2021, to those shareholders on the register of members at the close of business on 4 June 2021.
The Board has adopted a policy, in line with the UK Corporate Governance Code, whereby all Directors are required to seek re-election by shareholders on an annual basis. Accordingly, all Directors will retire and offer themselves for re-election. All of the Directors seeking re-election have been subject to a performance evaluation, as described in the Governance Report in the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts. Based on that evaluation, it is considered that each Director continues to be effective and their contribution supports the long-term sustainable success of the Company. Each Director demonstrates the level of commitment required in connection with their role and the needs of the business (including making sufficient time available for Board and Committee meetings and other duties).
The skills and experience of each Director, which can be found below and on page 80 and 81 of the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts, demonstrate why their contribution is, and continues to be, important to the Company's long-term sustainable success.
The Board has also adopted a framework on Directors' independence and is satisfied that each Non-Executive Director standing for re-election at the meeting is independent in accordance with this framework.
Biographical details in support of each Director's re-election are provided below. In addition, the Committees on which each of the Non-Executive Directors serve are shown on pages 80 and 81 of the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts.
Non-Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Nomination Committee. Appointed February 2019.
Peter has, since 1980, had a successful international career in technology encompassing all dimensions of the industry including software, services, systems integration, outsourcing and infrastructure. Over the last 10 years, Peter has held roles such as Chief Sales Officer with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Chief Client Office at Logica plc and Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Services with Sun Microsystems Inc.
Non-Executive Chairman and Director of privately held Ocean Technologies Group since June 2020.
Peter is recommended for re-election.
Chief Executive Officer. Appointed December 1994.
Mike graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from East Anglia University in 1983. He joined Computacenter in 1984 as a salesman in the City Office. Following appointments in senior roles, he became Chief Executive in December 1994, with responsibility for all day to day activities and reporting channels across Computacenter. Mike also led the Company through flotation on the London stock Exchange in 1998. Mike was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Hertfordshire in 2010.
None
Mike is recommended for re-election.
Group Finance Director. Appointed March 1998.
Tony has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants since 1982. He qualified with Semperit (Ireland) Ltd and then worked five years at Cape Industries plc. He joined Computacenter in 1987 as Financial Controller, rising in 1991 to General Manager of Finance. In 1996, he was appointed Finance and Commercial Director of Computacenter (UK) Limited with responsibility for all financial, purchasing and vendor relations activities. In March 1998 he was appointed Group Finance Director.
None
Tony is recommended for re-election.
Founder Non-Executive Director. Appointed 1998.
Philip founded Computacenter with Peter Ogden in 1981 and worked for the Company on a full-time basis until stepping down as Executive Chairman in 2001. He was previously a Vice President and Director of the Boston Consulting Group.
None
Philip is recommended for re-election.
Founder Non-Executive Director. Appointed 1998.
Peter founded Computacenter with Philip Hulme in 1981 and was Chairman of the Company until 1998, when he became a Non-Executive Director. Prior to founding Computacenter, he was a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley and Co.
None
Peter is recommended for re-election.
Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee. Appointed December 2014.
Minnow was a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Superdry plc from 2012 to 2019. He was a Director and chaired the Audit Committee of Tui Travel plc from 2011 to 2014 and was a member of the Supervisory Board of Tui AG from December 2014 to February 2016. Minnow spent 35 years with Deloitte where he became a Partner in 1985. Minnow's audit client portfolio included companies within the same sector, and with similar business models, as Computacenter. He is a Chartered Accountant and was a member of the Auditing Practice Board for six years.
None
Minnow is recommended for re-election.
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee. Appointed November 2016.
Ros was appointed as the Group's Designated Non-Executive Director for Workforce Engagement in 2017. Ros is a Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at Victrex plc. Ros is Chair of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and a Non-Executive Director of the Ministry of Defence – Defence Equipment and Support Board, where she is a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees and is a Non-Executive Director at Luxembourg based Aperam SA. She was a Non-Executive Director of ConvaTec plc, RPC Group plc, CEVA Logistics AG, Rexam plc and Deputy Chair of the Council of the University of Southampton for 10 years. Ros was previously Chief Operating Officer for Smith & Nephew plc and held senior management positions in global companies including Exxon, Diageo, ICI and Tate & Lyle Group.
Non-Executive Director of the Ministry of Defence – Defence Equipment and Support Board since November 2016. Chair of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority since April 2020. Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at Victrex plc since May 2020. Non-Executive Director at Luxembourg based Aperam SA. since May 2020.
Ros is recommended for re-election.
Independent Non-Executive Director. Appointed May 2019.
Ljiljana has more than 25 years' experience in the IT industry. She was a global Head of financial services and a member of the executive committee as Atos SE, following its take over of Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH where she headed the worldwide banking and insurance sales business. Ljiljana has also held senior roles at Hewlett-Packard and WestLBAG. Since 2016, she has focused on technology start-ups as a Senior Partner of Impact51 AG. Ljiljana is a Non-Executive Director of Grenke AG, a global financing partner for small and medium- sized companies.
Non-Executive Director at Grenke AG since May 2019.
Ljiljana is recommended for re-election.
Independent Non-Executive Director. Appointed August 2019.
Rene is a US national. He has over 30 years' experience in executive and general management marketing and sales. He is currently a Group President of Arm Limited, the world leader in semiconductor IP and provider of IoT device and data management platforms. Rene leads Arm's Intellectual Property Group and is an Executive Committee Member. Prior to his current role, Rene was, amongst other appointments, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing at Arm and spent seven years as Vice President and General Manager Computing Products at NVDIA Corporation.
None
Rene is recommended for re-election.
Shareholders are being asked to confirm the re-appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's Auditor, to hold office until the conclusion of the next AGM.
This resolution asks shareholders to authorise the Directors to set the Auditor's remuneration.
This resolution asks shareholders to renew, by Ordinary Resolution, the Directors' authority under Section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 to allot shares and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, shares in the Company. This resolution is similar to the resolutions passed in previous years. This renewed authority will, if granted, expire at the conclusion of the AGM held in 2022 or, if earlier, on 30 June 2022, although offers or agreements can be made before the expiry of that period, which might require for shares to be allotted or rights granted after the expiry of that period. In accordance with corporate governance best practice recommendations, the Directors' authority, if approved, will be limited to a maximum nominal amount of £2,874,664.94, representing a maximum of 38,047,036 ordinary shares, equivalent to approximately one-third of the issued share capital of the Company excluding treasury shares (as at 26 March 2021, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document). As at 26 March 2021 (being the latest practicable date before the publication of this document), the Company held 8,546,861 treasury shares which represented 7.49% of the total ordinary issued share capital, excluding treasury shares, at that date. There are no present plans to allot shares other than in connection with employee share and incentive schemes. The Directors believe that they should have the authority proposed in the resolution to enable such allotments to take place to finance business opportunities as they arise.
If the Directors wish to allot shares and other equity securities for cash, Section 561 of the Companies Act 2006 requires that these shares are offered first to existing shareholders in proportion to their holdings. This is known as shareholders' pre-emption rights. There may be occasions, however, when the Directors need the flexibility to finance business opportunities as they arise without offering securities on a pre-emptive basis. The Companies Act 2006 allows a limited disapplication of these pre-emption rights in certain circumstances.
The purpose of Resolution 8 is to authorise the Directors to allot new shares (and sell treasury shares) for cash pursuant to the authority given by Resolution 7 up to a nominal value of £431,199.71, equivalent to five per cent of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company excluding treasury shares (as at 26 March 2021), without the shares first being offered to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings.
Resolution 9 seeks a separate and additional authority to dis-apply pre-emption rights in respect of an additional five per cent of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company excluding treasury shares (as at 26 March 2021) for an acquisition or specified capital investment pursuant to guidance from the Pre-Emption Group (PEG). On 12 March 2015, the PEG issued a revised Statement of Principles ('2015 Statement of Principles'). This stated that, in addition to previous standard annual disapplication of pre-emption rights up to a maximum of five per cent, the PEG was supportive of extending the general disapplication authority by an additional five per cent for an acquisition or specified capital investment.
The Directors confirm, in accordance with the 2015 Statement of Principles, that they will only allot shares representing more than five per cent of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company excluding treasury shares for cash pursuant to the authority referred to in Resolution 9, where the allotment is in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment, which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue. Where the authority granted under Resolution 9 is used, the circumstances that have led to its use and details of its use will be disclosed by the Company in its next Annual Report.
Resolutions 8 and 9 will be proposed subject to Resolution 7 first being carried by the AGM and the authorities sought, if granted, will be for the same period as that granted under Resolution 7.
In addition, the Board will not (except in relation to an issue pursuant to Resolution 9 in respect of the additional five per cent referred to above) allot shares for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis pursuant to the authority granted in Resolution 8 in excess of an amount equal to 7.5 per cent of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company, excluding treasury shares, within a rolling three-year period, without prior consultation with shareholders.
The Board has no current intention to allot shares for cash on a nonpre-emptive basis, but the Directors consider that the authority sought is appropriate as it provides the Company with the necessary flexibility to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise.
Resolutions 8 and 9 will expire at the conclusion of the Company's AGM in 2022 or, if earlier, 30 June 2022, at which time the Board expects to seek the renewal of such authorities.
The authority, under Section 701 of the Companies Act 2006, which will be proposed as a Special Resolution, would permit the Company to purchase, on the London Stock Exchange, up to 11,414,110 ordinary shares, which is equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of the issued share capital of the Company excluding treasury shares (as at 26 March 2021) and the Company's exercise of this authority is subject to the stated upper and lower limits on the price payable.
The Company was given authority at the 2020 AGM to make market purchases of up to 11,414,110 ordinary shares. To date, no shares have been purchased under this authority. The Directors will use the authority to purchase shares only after careful consideration, taking into account market conditions, other investment opportunities, appropriate gearing levels and the overall financial position of the Company. The Directors will only purchase such shares after taking into account the effects on earnings per share and the benefit for shareholders generally.
Any shares bought by the Company under this authority will either be held in treasury, with a view to possible re-issue at a future date or cancelled. The Directors will decide at the time of purchase whether to cancel the shares immediately or to hold them in treasury. In relation to treasury shares, the Board will also have regard to any investor guidelines, in relation to the purchase of shares intended to be held in treasury or in relation to their holding or resale, which may be in force at the time of any such purchase, holding or resale.
As at 26 March 2021, there were options outstanding over 5,673,644 ordinary shares, granted under all share options schemes operated by the Company, representing 4.97 per cent of the Company's issued ordinary share capital, excluding shares held in treasury (as at 26 March 2021). If the authority given by Resolution 10 were exercised in full, that percentage would increase to 5.52 per cent. There were no warrants outstanding as at 26 March 2021.
The authority under Resolution 10 will expire at the conclusion of the Company's AGM in 2022 or, if earlier, 30 June 2022, at which time the Board expects to seek its renewal.
9
Section 307A of the Companies Act 2006 requires the notice period for General Meetings of the Company to be at least 21 days. For General Meetings, other than AGMs, a shorter notice period of not less than 14 clear days may be given, provided that shareholder approval was given at the most recently held AGM (or at a General Meeting held since the last AGM) to hold such meetings on a shorter notice period.
The shareholders are being asked to authorise the convening of a General Meeting, other than an AGM, on a notice period of not less than 14 clear days. This authority, if granted, will expire at the conclusion of next year's AGM, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
Whilst every effort will be made to give as much notice as possible for General Meetings, the Directors believe that the ability to convene a meeting on not less than 14 clear days' notice gives a greater degree of flexibility when seeking shareholder approval. The Directors are therefore proposing this resolution, as a Special Resolution, to approve 14 clear days as the minimum period of notice for all General Meetings of the Company, other than AGMs.
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