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CStone Pharmaceuticals — Governance Information 2023
Jun 21, 2023
50715_rns_2023-06-21_e3d42d4b-d666-4749-9677-5630b4c190ed.pdf
Governance Information
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THE COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
FIFTH AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
CSTONE PHARMACEUTICALS基石藥業
(adopted by special resolution passed on 21 June 2023)
Registered Office: c/o Vistra (Cayman) Limited, P.O. Box 31119 Grand Pavilion, Hibiscus Way, 802 West Bay Road, Grand Cayman KY1-1205, Cayman Islands
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
FIFTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
CSTONE PHARMACEUTICALS 基石藥業
(adopted by special resolution passed on 21 June 2023)
- 1 The name of the Company is CStone Pharmaceuticals 基石藥業 .
2 The registered office of the Company shall be at the offices of Vistra (Cayman) Limited, P.O. Box 31119 Grand Pavilion, Hibiscus Way, 802 West Bay Road, Grand Cayman KY1-1205, Cayman Islands, or at such other place as the Directors may from time to time decide.
3 The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by any law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Act (as amended).
4 The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such member's shares.
5 The share capital of the Company is US$200,000 divided into 2,000,000,000 shares of par value US$0.0001 each.
6 If the Company is registered as exempted, its operations will be carried on subject to the provisions of Section 174 of the Companies Act (as amended) and, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act (as amended) and the Articles of Association, it shall have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| 1 | EXCLUSION OF TABLE A |
|---|---|
| 2 | INTERPRETATION |
| 3 | SHARE CAPITAL AND MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS |
| 4 | REGISTER OF MEMBERS AND SHARE CERTIFICATES |
| 5 | LIEN |
| 6 | CALLS ON SHARES |
| 7 | TRANSFER OF SHARES |
| 8 | TRANSMISSION OF SHARES |
| 9 | FORFEITURE OF SHARES |
| 10 | ALTERATION OF CAPITAL |
| 11 | BORROWING POWERS |
| 12 | GENERAL MEETINGS |
| 13 | PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS |
| 14 | VOTES OF MEMBERS |
| 15 | REGISTERED OFFICE |
| 16 | BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
| 17 | MANAGING DIRECTORS |
| 18 | MANAGEMENT |
| 19 | MANAGERS |
| 20 | PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS |
| 21 | SECRETARY |
| 22 | GENERAL MANAGEMENT AND USE OF THE SEAL |
| 23 | CAPITALISATION OF RESERVES |
| 24 | DIVIDENDS AND RESERVES |
| 25 | UNTRACEABLE MEMBERS |
| 26 | DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION |
| 27 | ANNUAL RETURNS AND FILINGS |
| 28 | ACCOUNTS |
| 29 | AUDIT |
| 30 | SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS RESERVE |
| 31 | NOTICES |
| 32 | INFORMATION |
| 33 | WINDING UP |
| 34 | INDEMNITIES |
| 35 | FINANCIAL YEAR |
| 36 | AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES |
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
FIFTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
CSTONE PHARMACEUTICALS 基石藥業
(adopted by special resolution passed on 21 June 2023)
1 Exclusion of Table A
The regulations contained in Table A in the First Schedule to the Companies Act shall not apply to the Company.
2 Interpretation
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2.1 The marginal notes to these Articles shall not affect the interpretation hereof.
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2.2 In these Articles, unless there be something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith:
" Articles "
shall mean these Articles of Association and all supplementary, amended or substituted Articles for the time being in force.
" Auditors " shall mean the persons appointed by the Company from time to time to perform the duties of auditors of the Company.
" Board " shall mean the majority of the Directors present and voting at a meeting of Directors at which a quorum is present.
- " capital " shall mean the share capital from time to time of the Company.
" Chairman " shall mean the Chairman presiding at any meeting of members or of the Board.
" Close Associate " shall have the meaning attributed to it in the Listing Rules.
" Companies Act " or " Act " shall mean the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands and any amendments thereto or re-enactments thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefor.
" Companies Ordinance " shall mean the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622 of the Laws of Hong Kong) as in force from time to time.
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" Company "
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" Company's Website "
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" Director "
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" dividend "
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" dollars " and " HK$ "
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" electronic "
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“ electronic communication ”
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" electronic means "
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“ electronic meeting ”
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" Electronic Signature "
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" Electronic Transactions Act "
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" Exchange "
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"HK$" or "the dollars" and "HK cents"
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" HK Code on Takeovers and Mergers "
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" holding company "
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“ hybrid meeting ”
shall mean CStone Pharmaceuticals 基石藥業 .
shall mean the website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been notified to members.
shall mean any director from time to time of the Company.
- shall include bonus dividends and distributions permitted by the Act to be categorised as dividends.
shall mean dollars legally current in Hong Kong.
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shall have the meaning given to it in the Electronic Transactions Act.
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shall mean a communication sent, transmitted, conveyed and received by wire, by radio, by optical means or by other electron magnetic means in any form through any medium.
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includes sending or otherwise making available to the intended recipients of the communication in electronic format.
shall mean a general meeting held and conducted wholly and exclusively by virtual attendance and participation by members, proxies and/or Directors by means of electronic facilities.
shall mean an electronic symbol or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic communication and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic communication.
- shall mean the Electronic Transactions Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands and any amendment thereto or re-enactments thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefor.
shall mean The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
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shall mean Hong Kong dollars and cents, respectively the lawful currency of Hong Kong.
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shall mean the Code on Takeovers and Mergers issued by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong as amended from time to time.
shall have the meaning attributed to such term in the Companies Ordinance.
shall mean a general meeting convened for the (i) physical attendance and participation by members, proxies, and/or Directors at the Principal Meeting Place and where applicable, one or more Meeting Locations and (ii) virtual attendance and participation by members, proxies and/or Directors by means of electronic facilities.
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"listed shares register"
shall have the same meaning as in the Companies Act.
" Listing Rules "
shall mean the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Exchange as amended from time to time.
“Meeting Location”
shall have the meaning attributed to such term in Article 13.14.
"members "
shall mean the persons who are duly registered as the holders from time to time of shares in the register including persons who are jointly so registered.
" month "
shall mean a calendar month.
“notices”
shall mean written notice unless otherwise specifically stated and as further defined in these Articles.
"non-listed shares register " shall have the same meaning as in the Companies Act
" ordinary resolution "
means a resolution:
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(a) passed by a simple majority of such members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, in the case of such members being corporations, by their duly authorised representatives or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which Notice has been duly given in accordance with these Articles and where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each member is entitled; or
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(b) approved in writing by all of the members entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the members and the effective date of the resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument, or the last of such instruments if more than one, is executed.
“ physical meeting ”
shall mean a general meeting held and conducted by physical attendance and participation by members, proxies and/or Directors at the Principal Meeting Place and/or where applicable, one or more Meeting Locations.
“ Principal Meeting Place ”
shall have the meaning attributed to such term in Article 12.4.
" published in the newspapers "
shall mean published as a paid advertisement in English in at least one English language newspaper and in Chinese in at least one Chinese language newspaper, being in each case a newspaper published daily and circulating generally in Hong Kong in accordance with the Listing Rules.
" published on the Exchange's website "
shall mean published in English and Chinese on the Exchange's website in accordance with the Listing Rules.
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- " recognised clearing house "
shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Part I of Schedule 1 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance of Hong Kong and any amendments thereto or re-enactments thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefor.
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" register " shall mean the listed shares register and the non-listed shares register.
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" seal " shall include the common seal of the Company, the securities seal or any duplicate seal adopted by the Company pursuant to Article 22.2.
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" Secretary "
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shall mean the person appointed as company secretary by the Board from time to time.
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" share "
shall mean a share in the capital of the Company.
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" special resolution " (a) passed by a majority of not less than three-fourths of such members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, in the case of such members being corporations, by their respective duly authorised representatives or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which Notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a Special Resolution has been duly given in accordance with these Articles and where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each member is entitled; or
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(b) approved in writing by all of the members entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the members and the effective date of the Special Resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument or the last of such instruments if more than one, is executed.
" subsidiary " shall have the meaning attributed to such term in the Companies Ordinance, but interpreting the term "subsidiary" in accordance with the definition of "subsidiary" under the Listing Rules.
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" transfer office " shall mean the place where the principal register is situate for the time being.
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2.3 Subject as aforesaid, any words defined in the Act shall, if not inconsistent with the subject and/or context, bear the same meanings in these Articles.
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2.4 Words importing either gender shall include the other gender and the neuter; words importing persons and the neuter shall include companies and corporations and vice versa; and words denoting the singular shall include the plural and words denoting the plural shall include the singular.
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2.5 " Writing " or " printing " shall include writing, printing, lithograph, photograph, type-writing and every other mode of representing words or figures in a legible and non-transitory form and, only
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where used in connection with a notice served by the Company on members or other persons entitled to receive notices hereunder, shall also include a record maintained in an electronic medium which is accessible in visible form so as to be useable for subsequent reference.
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2.6 Section 8 of the Electronic Transactions Act shall not apply.
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3
Share Capital and Modification of Rights
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3.1 The capital of the Company at the date of the adoption of these Articles is US$200,000 divided into 2,000,000,000 shares of par value US$0.0001 each.
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3.2 (a) Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, the Memorandum of Association and these Articles, and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or class of shares, any share in the Company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as the Company may by Ordinary Resolution determine or, if there has not been any such determination or so far as the same shall not make specific provision, as the Board of Directors may determine. No shares shall be issued to bearer.
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(b) Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, the Listing Rules and the Memorandum of Association and these Articles, and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or attaching to any class of shares, shares may be issued on the terms that they may be, or at the option of the Company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as the Board of Directors may deem fit.
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3.3 Subject to the Listing Rules, the Board may issue warrants to subscribe for any class of shares or other securities of the Company on such terms as it may from time to time determine. No warrants shall be issued to bearer for so long as a recognised clearing house (in its capacity as such) is a member of the Company. Where warrants are issued to bearer, no new warrant shall be issued to replace one that has been lost unless the Board is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the original has been destroyed and the Company has received an indemnity in such form as the Board shall think fit with regard to the issue of any such new warrant.
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3.4 Subject to the Companies Act and without prejudice to Article 3.2, if at any time the share capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attaching to the shares or any class of shares may (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class) be varied or abrogated only with the consent of the holders of at least three-fourths in nominal value of the issued shares of that class present and voting in person or by proxy at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of the class. To every such separate general meeting the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company shall mutatis mutandis apply, but so that:
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(a) the necessary quorum (including an adjourned meeting) shall be two persons (or in the case of a member being a corporation, its duly authorized representative) holding or representing by proxy not less than one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of that class; and
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(b) every holder of shares of the class shall be entitled on a poll to one vote for every such share held by him.
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3.5 The special rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares
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of that class, be deemed to be varied or abrogated by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu therewith or by the redemption or purchase of shares of any class by the Company.
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3.6 Subject to the Act, or any other law or so far as not prohibited by any law and subject to any rights conferred on the holders of any class of shares, the Company shall have the power to purchase or otherwise acquire all or any of its own shares (which expression as used in this Article includes redeemable shares) provided that the manner of purchase has first been authorised by a resolution of the members or a resolution of the Directors and to purchase or otherwise acquire warrants for the subscription or purchase of its own shares, and shares and warrants for the subscription or purchase of any shares in any company which is its holding company and may make payment therefor in any manner authorised or not prohibited by law, including out of capital, or to give, directly or indirectly, by means of a loan, a guarantee, a gift, an indemnity, the provision of security or otherwise howsoever, financial assistance for the purpose of or in connection with a purchase or other acquisition made or to be made by any person of any shares or warrants in the Company or any company which is a holding company of the Company and should the Company purchase or otherwise acquire its own shares or warrants neither the Company nor the Board shall be required to select the shares or warrants to be purchased or otherwise acquired rateably or in any other manner as between the holders of shares or warrants of the same class or as between them and the holders of shares or warrants of any other class or in accordance with the rights as to dividends or capital conferred by any class of shares provided always that any such purchase or other acquisition or financial assistance shall only be made in accordance with any relevant code, rules or regulations issued by the Exchange or the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong from time to time in force.
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3.7 The Company in general meeting may, from time to time, whether or not all the shares for the time being authorised shall have been issued and whether or not all the shares for the time being issued shall have been fully paid up, by ordinary resolution, increase its share capital by the creation of new shares, such new capital to be of such amount and to be divided into shares of such respective amounts as the resolution shall prescribe.
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3.8 Subject to the provisions of the Act and the Memorandum of Association of the Company, and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or attaching to any class of shares, shares may be issued on the terms that they may be, or at the option of the Company or the holders are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as the Board may deem fit.
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3.9 Where the Company purchases for redemption a redeemable share, purchases not made through the market or by tender shall be limited to a maximum price, and if purchases are by tender, tenders shall be available to all members alike.
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3.10 The purchase or redemption of any share shall not be deemed to give rise to the purchase or redemption of any other share.
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3.11 The holder of the shares being purchased, surrendered or redeemed shall be bound to deliver up to the Company at its principal place of business in Hong Kong or such other place as the Board shall specify the certificate(s) thereof for cancellation and thereupon the Company shall pay to him the purchase or redemption monies in respect thereof.
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3.12 Subject to the provisions of the Act, of the Memorandum of Association of the Company, and of these Articles relating to new shares, the unissued shares in the Company (whether forming part of its original or any increased capital) shall be at the disposal of the Board, which may
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offer, allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons, at such times and for such consideration, and generally upon such terms, as the Board shall in their absolute discretion determine.
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3.13 The Company may, unless prohibited by law, at any time pay a commission to any person for subscribing or agreeing to subscribe (whether absolutely or conditionally) for any shares in the Company or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions (whether absolute or conditional) for any shares in the Company, but so that the conditions and requirements of the Act shall be observed and complied with, and in each case the commission shall not exceed 10% of the price at which the shares are issued.
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3.14 Except as otherwise expressly provided by these Articles or as required by law or as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any shares or any interest in any fractional part of a share or any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder.
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4 Register of Members and Share Certificates
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4.1 The Board shall cause to be kept at such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as it deems fit a non-listed shares register and there shall be entered therein the particulars of the members and the shares issued to each of them and other particulars required under the Act.
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4.2 For as long as the shares of the Company are listed on the Exchange, the Board shall cause to be kept at such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as it deems fit and in accordance with the Listing Rules and the Companies Act a listed shares register. References to the register shall be to each of the listed shares register and the non-listed shares register.
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4.3 Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article, the Company shall as soon as practicable and on a regular basis record in the principal register all transfers of shares effected on any branch register and shall at all times maintain the principal register in such manner as to show at all times the members for the time being and the shares respectively held by them, in all respects in accordance with the Companies Act.
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4.4 Except when a register is closed and, if applicable, subject to the additional provisions of Article 4.6, the principal register and any branch register shall during business hours be kept open to the inspection of any member without charge.
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4.5 The reference to business hours in Article 4.5 is subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Company in general meeting may impose, but so that not less than two hours in each business day is to be allowed for inspections.
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4.6 The register may, on 14 days' notice being given by advertisement published on the Exchange's website, or, subject to the Listing Rules, by electronic communication in the manner in which notices may be served by the Company by electronic means as herein provided or by advertisement published in the newspapers, be closed at such times and for such periods as the Board may from time to time determine, either generally or in respect of any class of shares, provided that the register shall not be closed for more than 30 days in any year (or such longer period as the members may by ordinary resolution determine provided that such period shall not be extended beyond 60 days in any year). The Company shall, on demand, furnish any person seeking to inspect the register or part thereof which is closed by virtue of these Articles with a certificate under the hand of the Secretary stating the period for which, and by whose authority, it is closed.
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4.7 Any register held in Hong Kong shall during normal business hours (subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Board may impose) be open to inspection by a member without charge and any other person on payment of such fee not exceeding HK$2.50 (or such higher amount as may from time to time be permitted under the Listing Rules) as the Board may determine for each inspection. Any member may require a copy of the register, or any part thereof, on payment of HK$0.25, or such lesser sum as the Company may prescribe, for every 100 words or fractional part thereof required to be copied. The Company shall cause any copy so required by any person to be sent to that person within a period of 10 days commencing on the date next after the day on which the request is received by the Company.
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4.8 Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, but without prejudice to the rights attached to any shares and subject to the Act, the Company or the Board may fix any date ("the record date") as the date at the close of business (or such other time as the Board may decide) on which persons registered as the holders of shares or other securities shall be entitled to receipt of any dividend, distribution, interest, allotment, issue, notice, information, document or circular. A record date may be on or at any time before any date on which such item is paid, made, given or served or (in the case of any dividend, distribution, interest, allotment or issue) after any date on which such item is recommended, resolved, declared or announced.
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4.9 Every person whose name is entered as a member in the register shall be entitled, for such fee not exceeding HK$2.50 (or such higher amount as may from time to time be permitted under the Listing Rules), to receive, within the relevant time limit as prescribed in the Act or as the Exchange may from time to time determine, whichever is shorter, after allotment or lodgment of transfer (or within such other period as the conditions of issue shall provide), one certificate for all his shares of each class or, if he shall so request, in a case where the allotment or transfer is of a number of shares in excess of the number for the time being forming an Exchange board lot, upon payment, in the case of a transfer, of a sum equal to the relevant maximum amount as the Exchange may from time to time determine for every certificate after the first or such lesser sum as the Board shall from time to time determine, such numbers of certificates for shares in Exchange board lots or multiples thereof as he shall request and one for the balance (if any) of the shares in question, provided that in respect of a share or shares held jointly by several persons the Company shall not be bound to issue a certificate or certificates to each such person, and the issue and delivery of a certificate or certificates to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders. All certificates for shares shall be delivered personally or sent through the post addressed to the member entitled thereto at his registered address as appearing in the register.
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4.10 Every certificate for shares or debentures or representing any other form of security of the Company must be issued under the seal of the Company, which may only be affixed with the authority of the Board.
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4.11 Every share certificate shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which it is issued and the amount paid thereon or the fact that they are fully paid, as the case may be, and may otherwise be in such form as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
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4.12 The Company shall not be bound to register more than four persons as joint holders of any share. If any share shall stand in the names of two or more persons, the person first named in the register shall be deemed the sole holder thereof as regards service of notices and, subject to the provisions of these Articles, all or any other matters connected with the Company, except the transfer of the share.
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4.13 If a share certificate is defaced, lost or destroyed, it may be replaced on payment of such fee, if any, not exceeding such amount as may from time to time be permitted under the Listing Rules or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require) and on such terms and conditions, if any, as to publication of notices, evidence and indemnity, as the Board thinks fit
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and where it is defaced or worn out, after delivery up of the old certificate to the Company for cancellation.
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5 Lien
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5.1 The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid up share) for all moneys, whether presently payable or not, called or payable at a fixed time in respect of such share; and the Company shall also have a first and paramount lien and charge on all shares (other than fully paid up shares) standing registered in the name of a member (whether solely or jointly with others) for all the debts and liabilities of such member or his estate to the Company and whether the same shall have been incurred before or after notice to the Company of any equitable or other interest of any person other than such member, and whether the period for the payment or discharge of the same shall have actually arrived or not, and notwithstanding that the same are joint debts or liabilities of such member or his estate and any other person, whether such person is a member of the Company or not.
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5.2 The Company's lien (if any) on a share shall extend to all dividends and bonuses declared in respect thereof. The Board may resolve that any share shall for some specified period be exempt wholly or partially from the provisions of this Article.
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5.3 The Company may sell in such manner as the Board thinks fit any shares on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable or the liability or engagement in respect of which such lien exists is liable to be presently fulfilled or discharged, nor until the expiration of 14 days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of the sum presently payable or specifying the liability or engagement and demanding fulfilment or discharge thereof and giving notice of intention to sell in default, shall have been given to the registered holder for the time being of the shares or the person, of which the Company has notice, entitled to the shares by reason of such holder's death, mental disorder or bankruptcy.
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5.4 The net proceeds of such sale by the Company after the payment of the costs of such sale shall be applied in or towards payment or satisfaction of the debt or liability or engagement in respect whereof the lien exists, so far as the same is presently payable, and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for debts or liabilities not presently payable as existed upon the shares prior to the sale and upon surrender, if required by the Company, for cancellation of the certificate for the share sold) be paid to the holder immediately before such sale of the share. For giving effect to any such sale, the Board may authorise any person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof and may enter the purchaser's name in the register as holder of the shares, and the purchaser shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the sale.
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6
Calls on Shares
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6.1 The Board may from time to time make such calls as it may think fit upon the members in respect of any monies unpaid on the shares held by them respectively (whether on account of the nominal amount of the shares or by way of premium or otherwise) and not by the conditions of allotment thereof made payable at fixed times. A call may be made payable either in one sum or by instalments. A call may be revoked or postponed as the Board may determine.
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6.2 At least 14 days' notice of any call shall be given to each member specifying the time and place of payment and to whom such payment shall be made.
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6.3 A copy of the notice referred to in Article 6.2 shall be sent in the manner in which notices may be sent to members by the Company as herein provided.
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6.4 Every member upon whom a call is made shall pay the amount of every call so made on him to the person and at the time or times and place or places as the Board shall specify. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable on such call notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was made.
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6.5 In addition to the giving of notice in accordance with Article 6.3, notice of the person appointed to receive payment of every call and of the times and places appointed for payment may be given to the members effected by notice published on the Exchange's website, or, subject to the Listing Rules, by electronic communication in the manner in which notices may be served by the Company by electronic means as herein provided or by advertisement published in the newspapers.
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6.6 A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Board authorising such call was passed.
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6.7 The joint holders of a share shall be severally as well as jointly liable for the payment of all calls and instalments due in respect of such share or other moneys due in respect thereof.
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6.8 The Board may from time to time at its discretion extend the time fixed for any call, and may extend such time as to all or any of the members, whom by reason of residence outside Hong Kong or other cause the Board considers it reasonable to grant an extension to, but no member shall be entitled to any such extension as a matter of grace and favour.
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6.9 If the sum or any instalment payable in respect of any call is unpaid on or before the day appointed for payment thereof, the person or persons from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the same at such rate not exceeding 20% per annum as the Board shall determine from the day appointed for the payment thereof to the time of actual payment, but the Board may waive payment of such interest wholly or in part.
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6.10 No member shall be entitled to receive any dividend or bonus or to be present and vote (save as proxy for another member) at any general meeting, either personally or by proxy, or be reckoned in a quorum, or to exercise any other privilege as a member until all sums or instalments due from him to the Company in respect of any call, whether alone or jointly with any other person, together with interest and expenses (if any) shall have been paid.
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6.11 At the trial or hearing of any action or other proceedings for the recovery of any money due for any call, it shall be sufficient to prove that the name of the member sued is entered in the register as the holder, or one of the holders, of the shares in respect of which such debt accrued; that the resolution making the call is duly recorded in the minute book; and that notice of such call was duly given to the member sued, in pursuance of these Articles; and it shall not be necessary to prove the appointment of the Directors who made such call, nor any other matters whatsoever, and the proof of the matters aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of the debt.
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6.12 Any sum which by the terms of allotment of a share is made payable upon allotment or at any fixed date, whether on account of the nominal value of the share and/or by way of premium or otherwise, shall for all purposes of these Articles be deemed to be a call duly made and payable on the date fixed for payment, and in case of non-payment, all the relevant provisions of these Articles as to payment of interest and expenses, liabilities of joint holders, forfeiture and the like, shall apply as if such sum had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
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6.13 The Board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any member willing to advance the same, and either in money or money's worth, all or any part of the money uncalled and unpaid or instalments payable upon any shares held by him, and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced the Company may pay interest at such rate (if any) not exceeding 20% per annum as the Board may decide. The Board may at any time repay the amount so advanced upon giving to such
11
member not less than one month's notice in writing of its intention in that behalf, unless before the expiration of such notice the amount so advanced shall have been called up on the shares in respect of which it was advanced. No such sum paid in advance of calls shall entitle the member paying such sum to any portion of a dividend declared in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such sum would, but for such payment, become presently payable.
7 Transfer of Shares
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7.1 Any member may transfer all or any of his shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the Exchange or in any other form approved by the Board and may be under hand or, if the transferor or transferee is a clearing house or its nominee(s), by hand or by machine imprinted signature or by such other manner of execution as the Board may approve from time to time.
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7.2 The instrument of transfer shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the transferee provided that the Board of Directors may dispense with the execution of the instrument of transfer by the transferee in any case which it thinks fit in its discretion to do so. Without prejudice to the last preceding Article, the Board of Directors may also resolve, either generally or in any particular case, upon request by either the transferor or transferee, to accept mechanically executed transfers. The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of the share until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register in respect thereof. Nothing in these Articles shall preclude the Board of Directors from recognising a renunciation of the allotment or provisional allotment of any share by the allottee in favour of some other person.
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7.3 (1) Fully paid Shares shall be free from any restriction with respect to the right of the holder thereof to transfer such Shares (except when permitted by the HK Stock Exchange) and shall also be free from all liens. The Board of Directors may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom it does not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which the Company has a lien.
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(2) No transfer shall be made to an infant or to a person of unsound mind or under other legal disability.
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(3) The Board of Directors in so far as permitted by any applicable law may, in its absolute discretion, at any time and from time to time transfer any share upon the Register to any branch register or any share on any branch register to the Register or any other branch register. In the event of any such transfer, the shareholder requesting such transfer shall bear the cost of effecting the transfer unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines.
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(4) Unless the Board of Directors otherwise agrees (which agreement may be on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its absolute discretion may from time to time determine, and which agreement the Board of Directors shall, without giving any reason therefore, be entitled in its absolute discretion to give or withhold), no shares upon the Register shall be transferred to any branch register nor shall shares on any branch register be transferred to the Register or any other branch register and all transfers and other documents of title shall be lodged for registration, and registered, in the case of any shares on a branch register, at the relevant Registration Office, and, in the case of any shares on the Register, at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Companies Act.
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7.4 The Board may also decline to register any transfer of any shares unless:
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(a) the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company accompanied by the certificate for the shares to which it relates (which shall upon registration of the transfer be cancelled) and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;
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(b) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares;
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(c) the instrument of transfer is properly stamped (in circumstances where stamping is required);
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(d) a fee of such maximum as the Exchange may from time to time determine to be payable (or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require) is paid to the Company in respect thereof.
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7.5 If the Board shall refuse to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
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7.6 Upon every transfer of shares the certificate held by the transferor shall be given up to be cancelled, and shall forthwith be cancelled accordingly, and a new certificate shall be issued , for such fee not exceeding HK$2.50 (or such higher amount as may from time to time be permitted under the Listing Rules), to the transferee in respect of the shares transferred to him, and if any of the shares included in the certificate so given up shall be retained by the transferor, a new certificate in respect thereof shall be issued to him without charge. The Company shall also retain the instrument(s) of transfer.
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7.7 The registration of transfers may, on 14 days' notice being given by advertisement published on the Exchange's website, or, subject to the Listing Rules, by electronic communication in the manner in which notices may be served by the Company by electronic means as herein provided or by advertisement published in the newspapers, be suspended and the register closed at such times for such periods as the Board may from time to time determine, provided always that such registration shall not be suspended or the register closed for more than 30 days in any year (or such longer period as the members may by ordinary resolution determine provided that such period shall not be extended beyond 60 days in any year).
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8 Transmission of Shares
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8.1 In the case of the death of a member, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and the legal personal representatives of the deceased where he was a sole holder, shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest in the shares; but nothing herein contained shall release the estate of a deceased holder (whether sole or joint) from any liability in respect of any share solely or jointly held by him.
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8.2 Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or windingup of a member may, upon such evidence as to his title being produced as may from time to time be required by the Board and subject as hereinafter provided, either be registered himself as holder of the share or elect to have some other person nominated by him registered as the transferee thereof.
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8.3 If the person so becoming entitled shall elect to be registered himself, he shall deliver or send to the Company a notice in writing signed by him stating that he so elects. If he shall elect to have his nominee registered he shall testify his election by executing in favour of his nominee a transfer of such share. All the limitations, restrictions and provisions of these Articles relating
13
to the right to transfer and the registration of transfers of shares shall be applicable to any such notice or transfer as aforesaid as if the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of the member had not occurred and the notice or transfer were a transfer executed by such member.
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8.4 A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of the holder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered holder of the share. However, the Board may, if it thinks fit, withhold the payment of any dividend payable or other advantages in respect of such share until such person shall become the registered holder of the share or shall have effectually transferred such share, but, subject to the requirements of Article 14.3 being met, such a person may vote at meetings.
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9 Forfeiture of Shares
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9.1 If a member fails to pay any call or instalment of a call on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Board may, at any time during such time as any part thereof remains unpaid, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 6.10, serve a notice on him requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued and which may still accrue up to the date of actual payment.
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9.2 The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of 14 days from the date of service of the notice) on or before which, and the place where, the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that in the event of non-payment at or before the time and at the place appointed, the shares in respect of which the call was made or instalment is unpaid will be liable to be forfeited. The Board may accept a surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and in such case, references in these Articles to forfeiture shall include surrender.
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9.3 If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Board to that effect. Such forfeiture shall include all dividends and bonuses declared in respect of the forfeited share, and not actually paid before the forfeiture.
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9.4 Any share so forfeited shall be deemed to be the property of the Company, and may be reallotted sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Board thinks fit and at any time before a re-allotment, sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled by the Board on such terms as it thinks fit.
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9.5 A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a member in respect of the forfeited shares but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which, at the date of forfeiture, were payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, together with (if the Board shall in its discretion so require) interest thereon from the date of forfeiture until payment at such rate not exceeding 20% per annum as the Board may prescribe, and the Board may enforce the payment thereof if it thinks fit, and without any deduction or allowance for the value of the shares forfeited, at the date of forfeiture. For the purposes of this Article any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, is payable thereon at a fixed time which is subsequent to the date of forfeiture, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, shall notwithstanding that time has not yet arrived, be deemed to be payable at the date of forfeiture, and the same shall become due and payable immediately upon the forfeiture, but interest thereon shall only be payable in respect of any period between the said fixed time and the date of actual payment.
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9.6 A statutory declaration in writing that the declarant is a Director or Secretary, and that a share in the Company has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share.
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The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for the share on any re-allotment, sale or disposition thereof and the Board may authorise any person to execute a letter of re-allotment or transfer the share in favour of the person to whom the share is re-allotted, sold or disposed of and he shall thereupon be registered as the holder of the share, and shall not be bound to see to the application of the subscription or purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, re-allotment, sale or other disposal of the share.
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9.7 When any share shall have been forfeited, notice of the forfeiture shall be given to the member in whose name it stood immediately prior to the forfeiture, and an entry of the forfeiture, with the date thereof, shall forthwith be made in the register. Notwithstanding the above, no forfeiture shall be in any manner invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such notice as aforesaid.
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9.8 Notwithstanding any such forfeiture as aforesaid, the Board may at any time, before any share so forfeited shall have been re-allotted, sold, or otherwise disposed of, permit the share forfeited to be redeemed upon the terms of payment of all calls and interest due upon and expenses incurred in respect of the share, and upon such further terms (if any) as it thinks fit.
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9.9 The forfeiture of a share shall not prejudice the right of the Company to any call already made or instalment payable thereon.
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9.10 The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
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10 Alteration of Capital
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10.1 The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution:
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(a) increase its share capital;
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(b) consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of larger or smaller amount than its existing shares. On any consolidation of fully paid shares and division into shares of larger amount, the Board may settle any difficulty which may arise as it thinks expedient and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) may as between the holders of shares to be consolidated determine which particular shares are to be consolidated into each consolidated share, and if it shall happen that any person shall become entitled to fractions of a consolidated share or shares, such fractions may be sold by some person appointed by the Board for that purpose and the person so appointed may transfer the shares so sold to the purchaser thereof and the validity of such transfer shall not be questioned, and so that the net proceeds of such sale (after deduction of the expenses of such sale) may either be distributed among the persons who would otherwise be entitled to a fraction or fractions of a consolidated share or shares rateably in accordance with their rights and interests or may be paid to the Company for the Company's benefit;
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(c) divide its shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the holders of existing shares attach thereto respectively any preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges, conditions or such restrictions which in the absence of any such determination by the Company in general meeting, as the Directors may determine provided always that where the Company issues shares which do not carry voting rights, the words "non-voting" shall appear in the designation of such shares and where the equity capital includes shares with
15
different voting rights, the designation of each class of shares, other than those with the most favourable voting rights, much include the words "restricted voting" or "limited voting;
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(d) cancel any shares which at the date of the passing of the resolution have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person, and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled subject to the provisions of the Companies Act;
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(e) sub-divide its shares or any of them into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Memorandum of Association of the Company, subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Act, and so that the resolution whereby any share is sub-divided may determine that, as between the holders of the shares resulting from such sub-division, one or more of the shares may have any such preferred or other special rights, over, or may have such deferred rights or be subject to any such restrictions as compared with the others as the Company has power to attach to unissued or new shares; and
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(f) convert all or any of its paid up shares into stock and reconvert that stock its paid up shares of any denomination.
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10.2 The Company may by special resolution reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve or any other undistributed reserve in any manner authorised and subject to any conditions prescribed by the Act. The Company may apply its share premium account in any manner permitted by Act.
11 Borrowing Powers
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11.1 The Board may from time to time at its discretion exercise all the powers of the Company to raise or borrow or to secure the payment of any sum or sums of money for the purposes of the Company and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital or any part thereof.
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11.2 The Board may raise or secure the payment or repayment of such sum or sums in such manner and upon such terms and conditions in all respects as it thinks fit and, in particular but subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, by the issue of debentures, debenture stock, bonds or other securities of the Company, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligations of the Company or of any third party.
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11.3 Debentures, debenture stock, bonds and other securities may be made assignable free from any equities between the Company and the person to whom the same may be issued.
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11.4 Any debentures, debenture stock, bonds or other securities may be issued at a discount, premium or otherwise and with any special privileges as to redemption, surrender, drawings, allotment of shares, attending and voting at general meetings of the Company, appointment of Directors and otherwise.
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11.5 The Board shall cause a proper register to be kept, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, of all mortgages and charges specifically affecting the property of the Company and shall duly comply with the requirements of the Act in regard to the registration of mortgages and charges therein specified and otherwise.
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11.6 If the Company issues debentures or debenture stock (whether as part of a series or as individual instruments) not transferable by delivery, the Board shall cause a proper register to be kept of the holders of such debentures.
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11.7 Where any uncalled capital of the Company is charged, all persons taking any subsequent charge thereon shall take the same subject to such prior charge, and shall not be entitled, by notice to the members or otherwise, to obtain priority over such prior charge.
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12 General Meetings
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12.1 The Company shall in each financial year hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting and such general meeting shall be held within 6 months (or such other period as may be permitted by the Listing Rules or the Exchange) after the end of the Company’s financial year. The annual general meeting shall be specified as such in the notices calling it and shall be held at such time and place as the Board shall appoint.
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12.2 All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. All general meetings (including an annual general meeting, any adjourned meeting or postponed meeting) may be held as a physical meeting in any part of the world and at one or more locations as provided in Article 13.14, as a hybrid meeting or as an electronic meeting as may be determined by the Board in its absolute discretion.
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12.3 The Board may, whenever it thinks fit, convene an extraordinary general meeting. General meetings shall also be convened or resolutions shall be added to the agenda of the general meetings on the written requisition of any one or more members of the Company deposited at the principal office of the Company in Hong Kong or, in the event the Company ceases to have such a principal office, the registered office specifying the objects of the meeting and signed by the requisitionists, provided that such requisitionists held as at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than one-tenth of the voting rights, on a one vote per share basis, of the Company which carry the right of voting at general meetings of the Company. General meetings may also be convened or resolutions shall be added to the agenda of the general meetings on the written requisition of any one member of the Company which is a recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s) or corporate representative) deposited at the principal office of the Company in Hong Kong or, in the event the Company ceases to have such a principal office, the registered office specifying the objects of the meeting and signed by the requisitionist, provided that such requisitionist held as at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than one-tenth of the voting rights, on a one vote per share basis, of the Company which carry the right of voting at general meetings of the Company. A written requisition shall be deposited at the principal office of the Company in Hong Kong or, in the event the Company ceases to have such a principal office, the registered office specifying the objects of the meeting and the resolutions to be added to the meeting agenda, and signed by the requisitionist(s). If the Board does not within 21 days from the date of deposit of the requisition proceed duly to convene the meeting to be held within a further 21 days, the requisitionist(s) themselves or any of them representing more than one-half of the total voting rights of all of them, may convene a physical meeting at only one location which will be the Principal Meeting Place, as nearly as possible, as that in which meetings may be convened by the Board provided that any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of three months from the date of deposit of the requisition, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the requisitionist(s) as a result of the failure of the Board shall be reimbursed to them by the Company.
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12.4 An annual general meeting and any extraordinary general meeting called for the passing of a special resolution shall be called by not less than 21 days' notice in writing and any other extraordinary general meeting shall be called by not less than 14 days' notice in writing. Subject to the requirement under the Listing Rules, the notice shall be inclusive of the day on which it is served or deemed to be served and of the day for which it is given, and shall specify (a) the time and date of the meeting, (b) save for an electronic meeting, the place of the meeting and if there is more than one meeting location as determined by the Board pursuant to Article 13.14, the principal place of the meeting (the " Principal Meeting Place "), (c) if the general meeting is to be a hybrid meeting or an electronic meeting, the notice shall include a statement to that
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effect and with details of the electronic facilities for attendance and participation by electronic means at the meeting or where such details will be made available by the Company prior to the meeting and the Meeting Location or the Principal Meeting Place (as applicable), and (d) an agenda of the meeting, particulars of the resolutions to be considered at the meeting and in the case of special business (as defined in Article 13.1) the general nature of that business. The notice convening an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such, and the notice convening a meeting to pass a special resolution shall specify the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to the Auditors and to all members other than such as, under the provisions hereof or the terms of issue of the shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such notice from the Company.
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12.5 Notwithstanding that a meeting of the Company is called by shorter notice than that referred to in Article 12.4, it shall be deemed to have been duly called if it is so agreed:
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(a) in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting, by all the members of the Company entitled to attend and vote thereat or their proxies; and
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(b) in the case of any other meeting, by a majority in number of the members having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than 95% in nominal value of the shares giving that right.
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12.6 There shall appear with reasonable prominence in every notice of general meetings of the Company a statement that a member entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote instead of him and that a proxy need not be a member of the Company.
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12.7 The accidental omission to give any such notice to, or the non-receipt of any such notice by, any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed or any proceeding at any such meeting.
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12.8 In cases where instruments of proxy are sent out with notices, the accidental omission to send such instrument of proxy to, or the non-receipt of such instrument of proxy by, any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed or any proceeding at any such meeting.
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13 Proceedings at General Meetings
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13.1 All business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an extraordinary general meeting and also all business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an annual general meeting with the exception of the following, which shall be deemed ordinary business:
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(a) the declaration and sanctioning of dividends;
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(b) the consideration and adoption of the accounts and balance sheets and the reports of the Directors and Auditors and other documents required to be annexed to the balance sheet;
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(c) the election of Directors whether by rotation or in place of those retiring;
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(d) the appointment of Auditors;
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(e) the fixing of, or the determining of the method of fixing of, the remuneration of the Directors and of the Auditors;
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(f) the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to offer, allot, grant options over, or otherwise dispose of the unissued shares of the Company representing not
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more than 20% (or such other percentage as may from time to time be specified in the Listing Rules) in nominal value of its then existing issued share capital and the number of any securities repurchased pursuant to Article 13.1(g); and
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(g) the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to repurchase securities of the Company.
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13.2 For all purposes the quorum for a general meeting shall be two members present in person (including attendance by electronic means) (or in the case of a corporation, by its duly authorised representative) or by proxy provided always that if the Company has only one member of record the quorum shall be that one member present in person or by proxy. No business (except the appointment of a Chairman) shall be transacted at any general meeting unless the requisite quorum shall be present (including attendance by electronic means) at the commencement of the business and continues to be present until the conclusion of the meeting.
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13.3 If within 15 minutes from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of members, shall be dissolved, but in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week and at such time and (where applicable) same place (s) and in such form and manner referred to in Article 12.2 as shall be decided by the Board, and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within 15 minutes from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the member or members present in person (including attendance by electronic means) (or in the case of a corporation, by its duly authorised representative) or by proxy shall be a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was called.
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13.4 The Chairman shall take the chair at every general meeting, or, if there be no such Chairman or, if at any general meeting such Chairman shall not be present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding such meeting or is unwilling to act, the Directors present shall choose another Director as Chairman, and if no Director be present, or if all the Directors present decline to take the chair, or if the Chairman chosen shall retire from the chair, then the members present (whether in person or represented by proxy or duly authorised representative) shall choose one of their own number to be Chairman.
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13.5 The Chairman of a general meeting (be it a physical meeting, a hybrid meeting or an electronic meeting) may attend, preside as Chairman at, and conduct proceedings or, such meeting by means of electronic facilities.
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13.6 Subject to Article 13.16, the Chairman may, with the consent of any general meeting at which a quorum is present, and shall, if so directed by the meeting, adjourn any meeting from time to time (or indefinitely) and/or from place to place(s) and/or from one form to another (a physical meeting, a hybrid meeting or an electronic meeting) as the meeting shall determine. Whenever a meeting is adjourned for 14 days or more, at least seven clear days' notice, specifying details set out in Article 12.4 shall be given in the same manner as in the case of an original meeting but it shall not be necessary to specify in such notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting. Save as aforesaid, no member shall be entitled to any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at any adjourned meeting. No business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business which might have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.
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13.7 At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided by way of a poll save that in the case of a physical meeting, the Chairman of the meeting may in good faith, allow a resolution which relates purely to a procedural or administrative matter to be voted on by a show of hands in which case every member present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorised representative), or by proxy(ies) shall have one vote provided that where more than one proxy is appointed by a member which is a clearing house (or its
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nominee(s)), each such proxy shall have one vote on a show of hands. For purposes of this Article, procedural and administrative matters are those that (i) are not on the agenda of the general meeting or in any supplementary circular that may be issued by the Company to its members; and (ii) relate to the Chairman’s duties to maintain the orderly conduct of the meeting and/or allow the business of the meeting to be properly and effectively dealt with, whilst allowing all members a reasonable opportunity to express their views. Votes (whether on a show of hands or by way of poll) may be cast by such means, electronic or otherwise, as the Directors or the Chairman of the meeting may determine. In the case of a physical meeting where a show of hands is allowed, before or on the declaration of the show of hands, a poll may be demanded:
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(a) by the chairman of such meeting; or
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(b) by at least three members present in person or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting; or
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(c) by a member or members present in person or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all members having the right to vote at the meeting; or
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(d) by a member or members present in person or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and holding shares in the Company conferring a right to vote at the meeting being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all shares conferring that right; or
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(e) if required by the Listing Rules, by any Director or Directors who, individually or collectively, hold proxies in respect of shares representing five per cent. or more of the total voting rights at such meeting.
A demand by a person as proxy for a member or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative shall be deemed to be the same as a demand by a member.
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13.8 In the case of a physical meeting where a resolution is voted on by a show of hands, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or not carried by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect made in the minute book of the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded for or against the resolution.
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13.9 A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman of the meeting directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. The Company shall only be required to disclose the voting figures on a poll if such disclosure is required by the Listing Rules.
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13.10 Any poll on the election of a Chairman of a meeting or any question of adjournment shall be taken at the meeting and without adjournment. A poll on any other question shall be taken in such manner (including the use of ballot or voting papers or tickets) and either forthwith or at such time (being not later than thirty days after the date of the demand) and place as the chairman of the meeting directs. It shall not be necessary (unless the chairman otherwise directs) for notice to be given of a poll not taken immediately.
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13.11 The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting or the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll has been demanded, and, with the consent
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of the chairman, it may be withdrawn at any time before the close of the meeting or the taking of the poll, whichever is the earlier.
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13.12 All questions submitted to a meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes except where a greater majority is required by these Articles or by the Companies Act. In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of such meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.
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13.13 A resolution in writing (in one or more counterparts), including a special resolution, signed by all members for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings (or being corporations by their duly appointed representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the same had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held. Any such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed at a meeting held on the date on which it was signed by the last member to sign.
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13.14 (1) The Board may, at its absolute discretion, arrange for persons entitled to attend a general meeting to do so by simultaneous attendance and participation by means of electronic facilities at such location or locations (“ Meeting Location(s) ”) determined by the Board in its absolute discretion. Any Member or any proxy attending and participating in such way or any Member or proxy attending and participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities is deemed to be present at and shall be counted in the quorum of the meeting.
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(2) All general meetings are subject to the following and, where appropriate, all references to a “member” or “members” in this sub-paragraph (2) shall include a proxy or proxies respectively:
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(a) where a member is attending a Meeting Location and/or in the case of a hybrid meeting, the meeting shall be treated as having commenced if it has commenced at the Principal Meeting Place;
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(b) members present in person or by proxy at a Meeting Location and/or members attending and participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities shall be counted in the quorum for and entitled to vote at the meeting in question, and that meeting shall be duly constituted and its proceedings valid provided that the chairman of the meeting is satisfied that adequate electronic facilities are available throughout the meeting to ensure that members at all Meeting Locations and members participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities are able to participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened;
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(c) where members attend a meeting by being present at one of the Meeting Locations and/or where members participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities, a failure (for any reason) of the electronic facilities or communication equipment, or any other failure in the arrangements for enabling those in a Meeting Location other than the Principal Meeting Place to participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened or in the case of an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting, the inability of one or more members or proxies to access, or continue to access, the electronic facilities despite adequate electronic facilities having been made available by the Company, shall not affect the validity of the meeting or the resolutions passed, or any business conducted there or any action taken pursuant to such business provided that there is a quorum present throughout the meeting; and
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- (d) if any of the Meeting Locations is not in the same jurisdiction as the Principal Meeting Place and/or in the case of a hybrid meeting, the provisions of these Articles concerning the service and giving of Notice for the meeting, and the time for lodging proxies, shall apply by reference to the Principal Meeting Place; and in the case of an electronic meeting, the time for lodging proxies shall be as stated in the Notice for the meeting.
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13.15 The Board and, at any general meeting, the Chairman of the meeting may from time to time make arrangements for managing attendance and/or participation and/or voting at the Principal Meeting Place, any Meeting Location(s) and/or participation in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities (whether involving the issue of tickets or some other means of identification, passcode, seat reservation, electronic voting or otherwise) as it shall in its absolute discretion consider appropriate, and may from time to time change any such arrangements, provided that a member who, pursuant to such arrangements, is not entitled to attend, in person or by proxy, at any Meeting Location shall be entitled so to attend at one of the other Meeting Locations; and the entitlement of any member so to attend the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting at such Meeting Location or Meeting Locations shall be subject to any such arrangement as may be for the time being in force and by the Notice of meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting stated to apply to the meeting.
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13.16 If it appears to the chairman of the general meeting that:
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(a) the electronic facilities at the Principal Meeting Place or at such other Meeting Location(s) at which the meeting may be attended have become inadequate for the purposes referred to in Article 13.14(1) or are otherwise not sufficient to allow the meeting to be conducted substantially in accordance with the provisions set out in the Notice of the meeting; or
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(b) in the case of an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting, electronic facilities being made available by the Company have become inadequate; or
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(c) it is not possible to ascertain the view of those present or to give all persons entitled to do so a reasonable opportunity to communicate and/or vote at the meeting; or
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(d) there is violence or the threat of violence, unruly behaviour or other disruption occurring at the meeting or it is not possible to secure the proper and orderly conduct of the meeting;
then, without prejudice to any other power which the chairman of the meeting may have under these Articles or at common law, the chairman may, at his/her absolute discretion, without the consent of the meeting, and before or after the meeting has started and irrespective of whether a quorum is present, interrupt or adjourn the meeting (including adjournment for indefinite period). All business conducted at the meeting up to the time of such adjournment shall be valid.
- 13.17 The Board and, at any general meeting, the chairman of the meeting may make any arrangement and impose any requirement or restriction the Board or the chairman of the meeting, as the case may be, considers appropriate to ensure the security and orderly conduct of a 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, determining the number and frequency of and the time allowed for questions that may be raised at a meeting). Members shall also comply with all requirements or restrictions imposed by the owner of the premises at which the meeting is held. Any decision made under this Article shall be final and conclusive and a person who refuses to comply with any such arrangements, requirements or restrictions may be refused entry to the meeting or ejected (physically or electronically) from the meeting.
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13.18 If, after the sending of Notice of a general meeting but before the meeting is held, or after the adjournment of a meeting but before the adjourned meeting is held (whether or not Notice of the adjourned meeting is required), the Directors, in their absolute discretion, consider that it is inappropriate, impracticable, unreasonable or undesirable for any reason to hold the general meeting on the date or at the time or place or by means of electronic facilities specified in the Notice calling the meeting, they may change or postpone the meeting to another date, time and/or place and/ or change the electronic facilities and/or change the form of the meeting (a physical meeting, an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting) without approval from the members. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Directors shall have the power to provide in every Notice calling a general meeting the circumstances in which a postponement of the relevant general meeting may occur automatically without further notice, including without limitation where a number 8 or higher typhoon signal, black rainstorm warning or other similar event is in force at any time on the day of the meeting. This Article shall be subject to the following:
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(a) when a meeting is so postponed, the Company shall endeavour to post a Notice of such postponement on the Company’s website as soon as practicable (provided that failure to post such a Notice shall not affect the automatic postponement of a meeting);
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(b) when only the form of the meeting or electronic facilities specified in the Notice are changed, the Board shall notify the members of details of such change in such manner as the Board may determine;
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(c) when a meeting is postponed or changed in accordance with this Article, subject to and without prejudice to Article 13.5, unless already specified in the original Notice of the meeting, the Board shall fix the date, time, place (if applicable) and electronic facilities (if applicable) for the postponed or changed meeting and shall notify the members of such details in such manner as the Board may determine; further all proxy forms shall be valid (unless revoked or replaced by a new proxy) if they are received as required by these Articles not less than 48 hours before the time of the postponed meeting; and
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(d) notice of the business to be transacted at the postponed or changed meeting shall not be required, nor shall any accompanying documents be required to be recirculated, provided that the business to be transacted at the postponed or changed meeting is the same as that set out in the original Notice of general meeting circulated to the members.
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13.19 All persons seeking to attend and participate in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting shall be responsible for maintaining adequate facilities to enable them to do so. Subject to Article 13.16, any inability of a person or persons to attend or participate in a general meeting by way of electronic facilities shall not invalidate the proceedings of and/or resolutions passed at that meeting.
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13.20 Without prejudice to other provisions in Article 13.5, a physical meeting may also be held by means of such telephone, electronic or other communication facilities as permit all persons participating in the meeting to communicate with each other simultaneously and instantaneously, and participation in such a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
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13.21 Without prejudice to Articles 13.13 to 13.20, and subject to the Listing Rules and any other applicable laws, the Board may resolve to enable persons entitled to attend an electronic meeting to do so by simultaneous attendance by means of electronic facilities with no member necessarily in physical attendance and without any particular Meeting Location being designated. Each member or (in the case of a member being a corporation) its duly authorised representative or its proxy shall be counted in the quorum for, and entitled to vote at, the electronic meeting in question, and that general meeting shall be duly constituted and its
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proceedings valid if the chairman of the electronic meeting is satisfied that adequate facilities are available throughout the electronic meeting to ensure that members attending the electronic meeting who are not present together at the same place may, by means of electronic facilities, attend and speak or communicate and vote at it.
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14 Votes of Members
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14.1 Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares, members have the right to: (a) speak at general meetings of the Company; and (b) vote at general meetings except where a member is required by the Listing Rules to abstain from voting to approve the matter under consideration, and at any general meeting on a show of hands every member present in person (or, in the case of a member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative) or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll every member present in person (or, in the case of a member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative) or by proxy shall have one vote for every share of which he is the holder which is fully paid or credited as fully paid (but so that no amount paid or credited as paid on a share in advance of calls or installments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid on the share) for each share registered in his name in the register. Votes (whether on a show of hands or by way of a poll) may be cast by such means, electronic or otherwise, as the Board or the chairman of the meeting may in its/his sole discretion determine. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Articles of Association, where more than one proxy is appointed by a shareholder which is a clearing house (or its nominees), each such proxy shall have one vote on a show of hands. On a poll, a member or a proxy entitled to more than one vote need not use all his votes or cast all his votes in the same way.
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14.2 Where any member is, under the Listing Rules, required to abstain from voting on any particular resolution or restricted to voting only for or only against any particular resolution, any votes cast by or on behalf of such member whether by proxy or, as the case may be corporate representative in contravention of such requirement whether or restriction shall not be counted.
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14.3 Any person entitled under Article 8.2 to be registered as a member may speak and vote at any general meeting in respect thereof in the same manner as if he were the registered holder of such shares, provided that at least 48 hours before the time of the holding of the meeting or adjourned meeting (as the case may be) at which he proposed to vote, he shall satisfy the Board of his right to be registered as the holder of such shares or the Board shall have previously admitted his right to vote at such meeting in respect thereof.
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14.4 Where there are joint registered holders of any share, any one of such persons may vote at any meeting, either personally or by proxy, in respect of such share as if he were solely entitled thereto; but if more than one of such joint holders be present at any meeting personally or by proxy, that one of the said persons so present being the most or, as the case may be, the more senior shall alone be entitled to vote in respect of the relevant joint holding and, for this purpose, seniority shall be determined by reference to the order in which the names of the joint holders stand on the register in respect of the relevant joint holding. Several executors or administrators of a deceased member in whose name any share stands shall for the purposes of this Article be deemed joint holders thereof.
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14.5 A member in respect of whom an order has been made by any competent court or official on the grounds that he is or may be suffering from mental disorder or is otherwise incapable of managing his affairs may vote by any person authorised in such circumstances to do so, and such person may vote by proxy.
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14.6 Save as expressly provided in these Articles or as otherwise determined by the Board, no person other than a member duly registered and who shall have paid all sums for the time being due from him payable to the Company in respect of his shares shall be entitled to be present
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or to vote (save as proxy for another member), or to be reckoned in a quorum, either personally or by proxy at any general meeting.
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14.7 No objection shall be raised as to the qualification of any person exercising or purporting to exercise any vote or to the admissibility of any vote except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person exercising or purporting to exercise his vote or the vote objected to is given or tendered, and every vote not disallowed at such meeting shall be valid for all purposes. In the case of any dispute as to the admission or rejection of any vote, the Chairman of the meeting shall determine the same and such determination shall be final and conclusive.
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14.8 Any member of the Company entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the Company shall be entitled to appoint another person (who must be an individual) as his proxy to attend and vote instead of him and a proxy so appointed shall have the same right as the member to speak at the meeting. Votes may be given either personally or by proxy. A member who is the holder of two or more shares may appoint more than one proxy to represent him and vote on his behalf at a general meeting of the Company or at a class meeting. A proxy need not be a member. In addition, a proxy or proxies representing either a member who is an individual or a member which is a corporation shall be entitled to exercise the same rights and powers on behalf of the member (including the right to speak and vote) which he or they represent as such member could exercise.
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14.9 The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney authorised in writing, or if the appointor is a corporation, either under its seal or under the hand of an officer, attorney or other person duly authorised to sign the same.
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14.10 The instrument appointing a proxy and (if required by the Board) the power of attorney or other authority, (if any) under which it is signed, or a notarially certified copy of such power or authority, shall be delivered at the registered office of the Company (or at such other place as may be specified in the notice convening the meeting or in any notice of any adjournment or, in either case, in any document sent therewith) not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote, or, in the case of a poll taken subsequently to the date of a meeting or adjourned meeting, not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll, and in default the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid provided always that the Chairman of the meeting may at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited upon receipt of telex or cable or facsimile confirmation from the appointor that the instrument of proxy duly signed is in the course of transmission to the Company. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of 12 months from the date named in it as the date of its execution. Delivery of any instrument appointing a proxy shall not preclude a member from attending and voting in person at the meeting or poll concerned and, in such event, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.
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14.11 Every instrument of proxy, whether for a specified meeting or otherwise, shall be in common form or such other form that complies with the Listing Rules as the Board may from time to time approve, provided that it shall enable a member, according to his intention, to instruct his proxy to vote in favour of or against (or in default of instructions or in the event of conflicting instructions, to exercise his discretion in respect of) each resolution to be proposed at the meeting to which the form of proxy relates.
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14.12 The instrument appointing a proxy to vote at a general meeting shall: (a) be deemed to confer authority to vote on any amendment of a resolution put to the meeting for which it is given as the proxy thinks fit; and (b) unless the contrary is stated therein, be valid as well for any adjournment of the meeting as for the meeting to which it relates, provided that the meeting was originally held within 12 months from such date.
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14.13 A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy or resolution of a member shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or revocation of the proxy or power of attorney or other authority under which the proxy or resolution of a member was executed or revocation of the relevant resolution or the transfer of the share in respect of which the proxy was given, provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer as aforesaid shall have been received by the Company at its registered office, or at such other place as is referred to in Article 14.10, at least two hours before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the proxy is used.
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14.14 Any corporation which is a member of the Company may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by power of attorney, authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of members of any class of shares of the Company and the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were an individual member of the Company and where a corporation is so represented, it shall be treated as being present at any meeting in person.
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14.15 Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, where that shareholder is a recognised clearing house (within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571) of the Laws of Hong Kong) or its nominee(s), it may authorise such person or persons (including a corporate representative) as it thinks fit to act as its representative(s) or proxy(ies) at any shareholders' meetings or any meetings of any class of shareholders provided that, if more than one person or corporate representative is so authorised, the authorisation or proxy form must specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such representative is so authorised. Each person or corporate representative so authorised will be deemed to have been duly authorised without the need of producing any documents of title, notarised authorisation and/or further evidence for substantiating the facts that it is duly authorised and will be entitled to exercise the same power and rights on behalf of the recognised clearing house (including the right to speak and vote) as that clearing house or its nominee(s) could exercise if it were an individual shareholder of the Company.
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15 Registered Office
The registered office of the Company shall be at such place in the Cayman Islands as the Board shall from time to time appoint.
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16 Board of Directors
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16.1 The number of Directors shall not be less than one.
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16.2 The Board shall have power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a Director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the Board. Any Director so appointed shall hold office only until the first annual general meeting of the Company after his/her appointment and shall then be eligible for re-election at that meeting.
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16.3 The Company may from time to time in general meeting by ordinary resolution increase or reduce the number of Directors but so that the number of Directors shall not be less than one. Subject to the provisions of these Articles and the Act, the Company may by ordinary resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Directors.
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16.4 No person shall, unless recommended by the Board, be eligible for election to the office of Director at any general meeting unless during the period, which shall be at least seven days, commencing no earlier than the day after the despatch of the notice of the meeting appointed for such election and ending no later than seven days prior to the date of such meeting, there
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has been given to the Secretary notice in writing by a member of the Company (not being the person to be proposed), entitled to attend and vote at the meeting for which such notice is given, of his intention to propose such person for election and also notice in writing signed by the person to be proposed of his willingness to be elected.
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16.5 The Company shall keep at its office a register of directors and officers containing their names and addresses and occupations and any other particulars required by the Act and shall send to the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands a copy of such register and shall from time to time notify to the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands any change that takes place in relation to such Directors as required by the Act.
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16.6 The Company may by ordinary resolution at any time remove any Director (including a Managing Director or other executive Director) before the expiration of his/her term of office notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director and may by ordinary resolution elect another person in his stead. Any person so elected shall hold office during such time only as the Director in whose place he is elected would have held the same if he had not been removed. Nothing in this Article should be taken as depriving a Director removed under any provisions of this Article of compensation or damages payable to him in respect of the termination of his appointment as Director or of any other appointment or office as a result of the termination of his appointment as Director or as derogatory from any power to remove a Director which may exist apart from the provision of this Article.
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16.7 A Director may at any time by notice in writing delivered to the registered office of the Company or at a meeting of the Board, appoint any person (including another Director) to be his alternate Director in his place during his absence and may in like manner at any time determine such appointment. Such appointment, unless previously approved by the Board, shall have effect only upon and subject to being so approved, provided that the Board may not withhold approval of any such appointment where the proposed appointee is a Director.
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16.8 The appointment of an alternate Director shall determine on the happening of any event which, were he a Director, would cause him to vacate such office or if his appointor ceases to be a Director.
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16.9 An alternate Director shall (except when absent from Hong Kong), be entitled to receive and waive (in lieu of his appointor) notices of meetings of the Directors and shall be entitled to attend and vote as a Director and be counted in the quorum at any such meeting at which the Director appointing him is not personally present and generally at such meeting to perform all the functions of his appointor as a Director and for the purposes of the proceedings at such meeting the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if he (instead of his appointor) were a Director. If he shall be himself a Director or shall attend any such meeting as an alternate for more than one Director his voting rights shall be cumulative and he need not use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses in the same way. If his appointor is for the time being absent from Hong Kong or otherwise not available or unable to act (as to which a certificate by the alternate shall in the absence of actual notice to the contrary to other Directors be conclusive), his signature to any resolution in writing of the Directors shall be as effective as the signature of his appointor. To such extent as the Board may from time to time determine in relation to any committee of the Board, the provisions of this Article shall also apply mutatis mutandis to any meeting of any such committee of which his appointor is a member. An alternate Director shall not, save as aforesaid, have power to act as a Director nor shall he be deemed to be a Director for the purposes of these Articles.
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16.10 An alternate Director shall be entitled to contract and be interested in and benefit from contracts or arrangements or transactions and to be repaid expenses and to be indemnified to the same extent mutatis mutandis as if he were a Director, but he shall not be entitled to receive from the
27
Company in respect of his appointment as alternate Director any remuneration except only such part (if any) of the remuneration otherwise payable to his appointor as such appointor may by notice in writing to the Company from time to time direct.
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16.11 In addition to the provisions of Articles 16.7 to 16.10, a Director may be represented at any meeting of the Board (or of any committee of the Board) by a proxy appointed by him, in which event the presence or vote of the proxy shall for all purposes be deemed to be that of the Director. A proxy need not himself be a Director and the provisions of Articles 14.8 to 14.13 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the appointment of proxies by Directors save that an instrument appointing a proxy shall not become invalid after the expiration of twelve months from its date of execution but shall remain valid for such period as the instrument shall provide or, if no such provision is made in the instrument, until revoked in writing and save also that a Director may appoint any number of proxies although only one such proxy may attend in his stead at meetings of the Board (or of any committee of the Board).
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16.12 A Director need not hold any qualification shares. No Director shall be required to vacate office or be ineligible for re-election or re-appointment as a Director and no person shall be ineligible for appointment as a Director by reason only of his having attained any particular age.
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16.13 The Directors shall be entitled to receive by way of ordinary remuneration for their services such sum as shall from time to time be determined by the Company in general meeting such sum (unless otherwise directed by the resolution by which it is voted) to be divided amongst the Directors in such proportions and in such manner as they may agree, or failing agreement, equally, except that in such event any Director holding office for less than the whole of the relevant period in respect of which the remuneration is paid shall only rank in such division in proportion to the time during such period for which he has held office.
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16.14 Payment to any Director or past Director of any sum by way of compensation for loss of office or as consideration for or in connection with his retirement from office (not being a payment to which the Director is contractually entitled) must first be approved by the Company in general meeting.
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16.15 The Directors shall be entitled to be paid all travelling, hotel and other expenses, reasonably incurred by them in or about the performance of their duties as Directors including their expenses of travelling to and from Board meetings, committee meetings or general meetings or otherwise incurred whilst engaged on the business of the Company or in the discharge of their duties as Directors.
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16.16 The Board may grant special remuneration to any Director, who shall perform any special or extra services to or at the request of the Company. Such special remuneration may be made payable to such Director in addition to or in substitution for his ordinary remuneration as a Director, and may be made payable by way of salary, commission or participation in profits or otherwise as may be agreed.
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16.17 The remuneration of the managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director or an executive director or a Director appointed to any other office in the management of the Company may be fixed from time to time be fixed by the Board and may be by way of salary, commission, or participation in profits or otherwise or by all or any of those modes and with such other benefits (including share option and/or pension and/or gratuity and/or other benefits on retirement) and allowances as the Board may from time to time decide. Such remuneration shall be in addition to such ordinary remuneration as the recipient may be entitled to receive as a Director.
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16.18 The office of a Director shall be vacated:
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(a) if he resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company at its registered office or its principal office in Hong Kong;
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(b) if an order is made by any competent court or official on the grounds that he is or may be suffering from mental disorder or is otherwise incapable of managing his affairs and the Board resolves that his office be vacated;
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(c) if, without leave, he is absent from meetings of the Board (unless an alternate Director appointed by him attends in his place) for a continuous period of 12 months, and the Board resolves that his office be vacated;
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(d) if he becomes bankrupt or has a receiving order made against him or suspends payment or compounds with his creditors generally;
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(e) if he ceases to be or is prohibited from being a Director by law or by virtue of any provisions in these Articles;
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(f) if he shall be removed from office by notice in writing served upon him signed by not less than three-fourths in number (or, if that is not a round number, the nearest lower round number) of the Directors (including himself) then in office; or
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(g) if he shall be removed from office by an ordinary resolution of the members of the Company under Article 16.6.
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16.19 At every annual general meeting of the Company one-third of the Directors for the time being (or, if their number is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest to, but not less than, one-third) shall retire from office by rotation provided that every Director (including those appointed for a specific term) shall be subject to retirement by rotation at least once every three years. The Directors to retire in every year will be those who have been longest in office since their last election but as between persons who became Directors on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree between themselves) be determined by lot. Any Director appointed pursuant to Article 16.2 or Article 16.3 shall not be taken into account in determining which Directors are to retire by rotation. A retiring Director shall retain office until the close of the meeting at which he retires and shall be eligible for re-election thereat. The Company at any annual general meeting at which any Directors retire may fill the vacated office by electing a like number of persons to be Directors.
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16.20 Subject to the Companies Act and these Articles no Director or proposed Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise nor shall any such contract or any contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the Company with any person, company or partnership of or in which any Director shall be a member or otherwise interested be capable on that account of being avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being any member or so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit so realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason only of such Director holding that office or the fiduciary relationship thereby established, provided that such Director shall, if his interest in such contract or arrangement is material, declare the nature of his interest at the earliest meeting of the Board at which it is practicable for him to do so, either specifically or by way of a general notice stating that, by reason of the facts specified in the notice, he is to be regarded as interested in any contracts of a specified description which may subsequently be made by the Company.
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16.21 Any Director may continue to be or become a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of
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any other company in which the Company may be interested and (unless otherwise agreed between the Company and the Director) no such Director shall be liable to account to the Company or the members for any remuneration or other benefits received by him as a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of any such other company. The Directors may exercise the voting powers conferred by the shares in any other company held or owned by the Company, or exercisable by them as directors of such other company in such manner in all respects as they think fit (including the exercise thereof in favour of any resolution appointing themselves or any of them directors, managing directors, joint managing directors, deputy managing directors, executive directors, managers or other officers of such company) and any Director may vote in favour of the exercise of such voting rights in manner aforesaid notwithstanding that he may be, or is about to be, appointed a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer of such a company, and that as such he is or may become interested in the exercise of such voting rights in the manner aforesaid.
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16.22 A Director may hold any other office or place of profit with the Company (except that of Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and upon such terms as the Board may determine, and may be paid such extra remuneration therefor (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profit or otherwise) as the Board may determine, and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to any remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article.
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16.23 A Director shall not be entitled to vote on (nor shall be counted in the quorum in relation to) any resolution of the Board in respect of any contract or arrangement or any other proposal whatsoever in which he or any of his Close Associates has any material interest, and if he shall do so his vote shall not be counted (nor is he to be counted in the quorum for the resolution), but this prohibition shall not apply to any of the following matters, namely:
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(a) the giving of any security or indemnity either:
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(i) to the Director or his Close Associate(s) in respect of money lent by him or any of them or obligations incurred or undertaken by him or any of them at the request of or for the benefit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or
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(ii) to a third party in respect of a debt or obligation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for which the Director or his Close Associate(s) has himself/themselves assumed responsibility in whole or in part and whether alone or jointly under a guarantee or indemnity or by the giving of security;
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(b) any proposal concerning an offer of the shares, debentures or other securities of or by the Company or any other company which the Company may promote or be interested in for subscription or purchase where the Director or his Close Associate(s) is/are or is/are to be interested as a participant in the underwriting or sub-underwriting of the offer;
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(c) any proposal concerning any other company in which the Director or his Close Associate(s) is/are interested only, whether directly or indirectly, as an officer or executive or shareholder or in which the Director or his Close Associates are not in aggregate beneficially interested in 5% or more of the issued shares of any class of such company (or of any third company through which his interest or that of his Close Associates is derived) or of the voting rights;
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(d) any proposal or arrangement concerning the benefit of employees of the Company or our subsidiaries including:-
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- (i) the adoption, modification or operation of any employees' share scheme or any share incentive or share option scheme under which the Director or his Close Associate(s) may benefit; or
- (ii) the adoption, modification or operation of a pension fund or retirement, death or disability benefit scheme which relates both to Director, his Close Associate(s) and employees of the Company or of any of our subsidiaries and does not provide in respect of any Director, or his Close Associate(s), as such any privilege or advantage not generally accorded to the class of persons to which such scheme or fund relates; and
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(e) any contractor arrangement in which the Director or his Close Associate(s) is/are interested in the same manner as other holders of shares or debenture or other securities of the Company by virtue only of his/their interest in shares or debentures or other securities of the Company.
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16.24 Where proposals are under consideration concerning the appointment (including fixing or varying the terms of or terminating the appointment) of two or more Directors to offices or employments with the Company or any company in which the Company is interested, such proposals shall be divided and considered in relation to each Director separately and in such case each of the Directors concerned (if not prohibited from voting under Article 16.23 shall be entitled to vote (and be counted in the quorum) in respect of each resolution except that concerning his own appointment.
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16.25 If any question shall arise at any meeting of the Board as to the materiality of a Director's interest or the significance of a contract, arrangement or transaction or proposed contract, arrangement or transaction or as to the entitlement of any Director to vote or form part of a quorum and such question is not resolved by his voluntarily agreeing to abstain from voting or not to be counted in the quorum, such question shall be referred to the Chairman of the meeting (or, where question relates to the interest of the Chairman, to the other Directors at the meeting) and his ruling (or, as appropriate, the ruling of the other Directors) in relation to any other Director (or, as appropriate, the Chairman) shall be final and conclusive except in a case where the nature or extent of the interests of the Director concerned (or, as appropriate, the Chairman) as known to such Director (or, as appropriate, the Chairman) has not been fairly disclosed to the Board.
17 Managing Directors
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17.1 The Board may from time to time appoint any one or more of its body to the office of Managing Director, Joint Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, or other Executive Director and/or such other employment or executive office in the management of the business of the Company as it may decide for such period and upon such terms as it thinks fit and upon such terms as to remuneration as it may decide in accordance with Article 16.17.
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17.2 Every Director appointed to an office under Article 17.1 hereof shall, without prejudice to any claim for damages that such Director may have against the Company or the Company may have against such Director for any breach of any contract of service between him and the Company, be liable to be dismissed or removed therefrom by the Board.
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17.3 A Director appointed to an office under Article 17.1 shall be subject to the same provisions as to removal as the other Directors, and he shall, without prejudice to any claim for damages that such Director may have against the Company or the Company may have against such Director for any breach of any contract of service between him and the Company, ipso facto and immediately cease to hold such office if he shall cease to hold the office of Director for any cause.
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- 17.4 The Board may from time to time entrust to and confer upon a Managing Director, Joint Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director or Executive Director all or any of the powers of the Board that it may think fit. But the exercise of all powers by such Director shall be subject to such regulations and restrictions as the Board may from time to time make and impose, and the said powers may at any time be withdrawn, revoked or varied but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of such withdrawal, revocation or variation shall be affected thereby.
18 Management
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18.1 Subject to any exercise by the Board of the powers conferred by Articles 19.1 to 19.3, the management of the business of the Company shall be vested in the Board which, in addition to the powers and authorities by these Articles expressly conferred upon it, may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done or approved by the Company and are not hereby or by the Act expressly directed or required to be exercised or done by the Company in general meeting, but subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Act and of these Articles and to any regulation from time to time made by the Company in general meeting not being inconsistent with such provisions or these Articles, provided that no regulation so made shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such regulation had not been made.
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18.2 Without prejudice to the general powers conferred by these Articles, it is hereby expressly declared that the Board shall have the following powers:
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(a) to give to any person the right or option of requiring at a future date that an allotment shall be made to him of any share at par or at such premium as may be agreed; and
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(b) to give to any Directors, officers or employees of the Company an interest in any particular business or transaction or participation in the profits thereof or in the general profits of the Company either in addition to or in substitution for a salary or other remuneration.
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18.3 Except as would, if the Company were a company incorporated in Hong Kong, be permitted by Section 55 of the Companies Ordinance as in force at the date of adoption of these Articles, and except as permitted under the Companies Act, the Company shall not directly or indirectly:
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(a) make a loan to a Director or his Close Associates or a director of any holding company of the Company or a body corporate controlled by such a director or Director;
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(b) enter into any guarantee or provide any security in connection with a loan made by any person to a Director or such a director or a body corporate controlled by such a director or Director; or
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(c) if any one or more of the Directors hold (jointly or severally or directly or indirectly) a controlling interest in another company, make a loan to that other company or enter into any guarantee or provide any security in connection with a loan made by any person to that other company.
provided that the Company may grant any loan or provide any guarantee, indemnity or security (i) to be applied for, or in respect of a liability incurred for any business of the Company, (ii) for the purchase by a Director (or the repayment of a loan for his purchase) of a residence where the amount of the loan, the liability under the guarantee or indemnity or the value of the security does not exceed 80% of the fair market value of such residence nor 5% of the consolidated net asset value of the Company as shown in our latest audited accounts; provided that any such loan is on normal commercial terms and is secured by a legal charge over the residence; or, (iii) of any amount to, or in respect of a liability of, a company in which the Company has an equity
32
interest, and the amount of such loan, or the liability assumed by the Company under such guarantee, indemnity or security, does not exceed its proportional interest in such company.
19 Managers
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19.1 The Board may from time to time appoint a general manager, manager or managers of the Company and may fix his or their remuneration either by way of salary or commission or by conferring the right to participation in the profits of the Company or by a combination of two or more of these modes and pay the working expenses of any of the staff of the general manager, manager or managers who may be employed by him or them in connection with the conduct of the business of the Company.
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19.2 The appointment of such general manager, manager or managers may be for such period as the Board may decide and the Board may confer upon him or them all or any of the powers of the Board as it may think fit.
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19.3 The Board may enter into such agreement or agreements with any such general manager, manager or managers upon such terms and conditions in all respects as the Board may in its absolute discretion think fit, including a power for such general manager, manager or managers to appoint an assistant manager or managers or other employees whatsoever under them for the purpose of carrying on the business of the Company.
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20
Proceedings of Directors
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20.1 The Board may meet together for the despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings and proceedings as it thinks fit in any part of the world and may determine the quorum necessary for the transaction of business. Unless otherwise determined two Directors shall be a quorum. For the purposes of this Article an alternate Director shall be counted in a quorum in place of the Director who appointed him and an alternate Director who is an alternate for more than one Director shall for quorum purposes be counted separately in respect of himself (if he is a Director) and in respect of each Director for whom he is an alternate (but so that nothing in this provision shall be construed as authorising a meeting to be constituted when only one person is physically present). A meeting of the Board or any committee of the Board may be held by means of a telephone or tele-conferencing or any other telecommunications facility provided that all participants are thereby able to communicate contemporaneously by voice with all other participants and participation in a meeting pursuant to this provision shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
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20.2 A Director may, and on request of a Director the Secretary shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Board. Failing any determination by the Board, not less than 48 hours notice thereof shall be given to each Director either in writing or by telephone or by facsimile, telex or telegram at the address or telephone, facsimile or telex number from time to time notified to the Company by such Director or in such other manner as the Board may from time to time determine.
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20.3 Subject to Articles 16.19 to 16.24, questions arising at any meeting of the Board shall be decided by a majority of votes, and in case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
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20.4 The Board may elect a Chairman of its meetings and determine the period for which he is to hold office; but if no such Chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the Chairman is not present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be Chairman of the meeting.
33
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20.5 A meeting of the Board for the time being at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all or any of the authorities, powers and discretions by or under these Articles for the time being vested in or exercisable by the Board generally.
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20.6 The Board may delegate any of its powers to committees consisting of such member or members of the Board (including alternate Directors in the absence of their appointers) and such other persons as the Board thinks fit, and it may from time to time revoke such delegation or revoke the appointment of and discharge any committees either wholly or in part, and either as to persons or purposes, but every committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that may from time to time be imposed upon it by the Board.
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20.7 All acts done by any such committee in conformity with such regulations and in fulfilment of the purposes for which it is appointed, but not otherwise, shall have the like force and effect as if done by the Board, and the Board shall have power, with the consent of the Company in general meeting, to remunerate the members of any such committee, and charge such remuneration to the current expenses of the Company.
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20.8 The meetings and proceedings of any such committee consisting of two or more members of the Board shall be governed by the provisions herein contained for regulating the meetings and proceedings of the Board so far as the same are applicable thereto and are not replaced by any regulations imposed by the Board pursuant to Article 20.6.
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20.9 The Board shall cause minutes to be made of:
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(a) all appointments of officers made by the Board;
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(b) the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Board and of committees appointed pursuant to Article 20.6;
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(c) all declarations made or notices given by any Director of his interest in any contract or proposed contract or of his holding of any office or property whereby any conflict of duty or interest may arise; and
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(d) all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company and of the Board and of such committees.
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20.10 Any such minutes shall be conclusive evidence of any such proceedings if they purport to be signed by the chairman of the meeting or by the chairman of the succeeding meeting.
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20.11 All acts bona fide done by any meeting of the Board or by a committee of Directors or by any person acting as Director shall, notwithstanding that it shall be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of such Director or persons acting as aforesaid or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a Director or member of such committee as the case may be.
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20.12 The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but, if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors, the continuing Director or Directors may act for the purpose of increasing the number of Directors to that number or of summoning a general meeting of the Company but for no other purpose.
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20.13 Unless required otherwise by the Listing Rules, a resolution in writing signed by each and every one of the Directors (or their respective alternates pursuant to Article 16.9) shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held and may
34
consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or more of the Directors or alternate Directors.
21 Secretary
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21.1 The Secretary shall be appointed by the Board for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions as it may think fit, and any Secretary so appointed may be removed by the Board. Anything by the Act or these Articles required or authorised to be done by or to the Secretary, if the office is vacant or there is for any other reason no Secretary capable of acting, may be done by or to any assistant or deputy Secretary appointed by the Board, or if there is no assistant or deputy Secretary capable of acting, by or to any officer of the Company authorised generally or specifically in that behalf by the Board.
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21.2 A provision of the Act or of these Articles requiring or authorising a thing to be done by or to a Director and the Secretary shall not be satisfied by its being done by or to the same person acting both as Director and as or in place of the Secretary.
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22 General Management and Use of the Seal
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22.1 The Board shall provide for the safe custody of the seal which shall only be used by the authority of the Board or of a committee of the Board authorised by the Board in that behalf, and every instrument to which such seal shall be affixed shall be signed by a Director and shall be countersigned by the Secretary or by a second Director or by some other person appointed by the Board for the purpose. The securities seal which shall be a facsimile of the common seal with the word "Securities" engraved thereon shall be used exclusively for sealing securities issued by the Company and for sealing documents creating or evidencing securities so issued. The Board may either generally or in any particular case resolve that the securities seal or any signatures or any of them may be affixed to certificates for shares, warrants, debentures or any other form of security by facsimile or other mechanical means specified in such authority or that any such certificates sealed with the securities seal need not be signed by any person. Every instrument to which the seal is affixed as aforesaid shall, as regards all persons dealing in good faith with the Company, be deemed to have been affixed to that instrument with the authority of the Directors previously given.
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22.2 The Company may have a duplicate seal for use outside of the Cayman Islands as and where the Board shall determine, and the Company may by writing under the seal appoint any agents or agent, committees or committee abroad to be the agents of the Company for the purpose of affixing and using such duplicate seal and they may impose such restrictions on the use thereof as may be thought fit. Wherever in these Articles reference is made to the seal, the reference shall, when and so far as may be applicable, be deemed to include any such duplicate seal as aforesaid.
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22.3 All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments, and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, indorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as the Board shall from time to time by resolution determine. The Company's banking accounts shall be kept with such banker or bankers as the Board shall from time to time determine.
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22.4 The Board may from time to time and at any time, by power of attorney under the seal, appoint any company, firm or person or any fluctuating body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Board under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as it may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Board may think fit, and may
35
also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him.
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22.5 The Company may, by writing under its seal, empower any person, either generally or in respect of any specified matter, as its attorney to execute deeds and instruments on its behalf in any part of the world and to enter into contracts and sign the same on its behalf and every deed signed by such attorney on behalf of the Company and under his seal shall bind the Company and have the same effect as if it were under the seal of the Company.
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22.6 The Board may establish any committees, regional or local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company, either in the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the People's Republic of China or elsewhere, and may appoint any persons to be members of such committees, regional or local boards or agencies and may fix their remuneration, and may delegate to any committee, regional or local board or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in the Board (other than its powers to make calls and forfeit shares), with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any local board or any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies, and any such appointment or delegation may be upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit, and the Board may remove any person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby.
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22.7 The Board may establish and maintain or procure the establishment and maintenance of any contributory or non-contributory pension or provident or superannuation funds or (with the sanction of an ordinary resolution) employee or executive share option schemes for the benefit of, or give or procure the giving of donations, gratuities, pensions, allowances or emoluments to any persons who are or were at any time in the employment or service of the Company, or of any company which is a subsidiary of the Company, or is allied or associated with the Company or with any such subsidiary company, or who are or were at any time directors or officers of the Company or of any such other company as aforesaid, and holding or who have held any salaried employment or office in the Company or such other company, and the spouses, wives, widows, widowers, families and dependents of any such persons and may make payments for or towards the payment of such persons. The Board may also establish and subsidise or subscribe to any institutions, associations, clubs or funds calculated to be for the benefit of or to advance the interests and well-being of the Company or of any such other company as aforesaid, and may make payments for or towards the insurance of any such persons as aforesaid, and subscribe or guarantee money for charitable or benevolent objects or for any exhibition or for any public, general or useful object. The Board may do any of the matters aforesaid, either alone or in conjunction with any such other company as aforesaid. Any Director holding any such employment or office shall be entitled to participate in and retain for his own benefit any such donation, gratuity, pension, allowance or emolument.
23 Capitalisation of Reserves
- 23.1 The Company in general meeting may upon the recommendation of the Board by ordinary resolution resolve that it is desirable to capitalise all or any part of the amount for the time being standing to the credit of any of the Company's reserve accounts or funds or to the credit of the profit and loss account or otherwise available for distribution (and not required for the payment or provision of dividend on any shares with a preferential right to dividend) and accordingly that such sums be set free for distribution amongst the members who would have been entitled thereto if distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportion on condition that the same be not paid in cash but be applied either in or towards paying up any amounts for the time being unpaid on any shares held by such members respectively or paying up in full unissued shares, debentures or other securities of the Company to be allotted and distributed credited as fully paid up to and amongst such members in proportion aforesaid or partly in one way and partly
36
in the other, and the Board shall give effect to such resolution, provided that a share premium account and a capital redemption reserve and any reserve or fund representing unrealised profits may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued shares to be issued to members of the Company as fully paid up shares or paying up calls or instalments due or payable on partly paid securities of the Company subject always to the provisions of the Act.
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23.2 Wherever such a resolution as referred to in Article 23.1 shall have been passed the Board shall make all appropriations and applications of the undivided profits resolved to be capitalised thereby, and all allotments and issues of fully paid up shares, debentures or other securities, if any, and generally shall do all acts and things required to give effect thereto, with full power to the Board:
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(a) to make such provision by the issue of fractional certificates or by payment in cash or otherwise (including provisions whereby, in whole or in part, fractional entitlements are aggregated and sold and the net proceeds distributed to those entitled, or are disregarded or rounded up or down or whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrues to the Company rather than to the members concerned) as they think fit in cases where shares, debentures or other securities become distributable in fractions;
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(b) to exclude the right of participation or entitlement of any member with a registered address outside any territory where in the absence of a registration statement or other special or onerous formalities the circulation of an offer of such right or entitlement would or might be unlawful or where the Board consider the costs, expense or possible delays in ascertaining the existence or extent of the legal and other requirements applicable to such offer or the acceptance of such offer out of proportion to the benefits of the Company; and
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(c) to authorise any person to enter on behalf of all members entitled thereto into an agreement with the Company providing for the allotment to them respectively, credited as fully paid up, of any further shares, debentures or other securities to which they may be entitled upon such capitalisation, or, as the case may require, for the payment up by the Company on their behalf, by the application thereto of their respective proportions of the profits resolved to be capitalised, of the amounts or any part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing shares, and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all such members.
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23.3 The Board may, in relation to any capitalisation sanctioned under Article 23.2 in its absolute discretion specify that, and in such circumstances and if directed so to do by a member or members entitled to an allotment and distribution credited as fully paid up of unissued shares or debentures in the Company pursuant to such capitalisation, the unissued shares, debentures or other securities to which that member is entitled shall be allotted and distributed credited as fully paid up to such person or persons as that member may nominate by notice in writing to the Company, such notice to be received not later than the day for which the general meeting of the Company to sanction the capitalisation is convened.
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24 Dividends and Reserves
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24.1 Subject to the Act and these Articles, the Company in general meeting may declare dividends in any currency but no dividends shall exceed the amount recommended by the Board.
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24.2 The dividends, interest and bonuses and any other benefits and advantages in the nature of income receivable in respect of the Company's investments, and any commissions, trusteeship, agency, transfer and other fees and current receipts of the Company shall, subject to the payment thereout of the expenses of management, interest upon borrowed money and other
37
expenses which in the opinion of the Board are of a revenue nature, constitute the profits of the Company available for distribution.
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24.3 The Board may from time to time pay to the members such interim dividends as appear to the Board to be justified by the profits of the Company and, in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing), if at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes, the Board may pay such interim dividends in respect of those shares in the capital of the Company which confer on the holders thereof deferred or non-preferential rights as well as in respect of those shares which confer on the holders thereof preferential rights with regard to dividend and provided that the Board acts bona fide, the Board shall not incur any responsibility to the holders of shares conferring any preferential rights.
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24.4 The Board may also pay half-yearly or at other intervals to be selected by it any dividend which may be payable at a fixed rate if the Board is of the opinion that the profits available for distribution justify the payment.
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24.5 The Board may in addition from time to time declare and pay special dividends on shares of any class of such amounts and on such dates as they think fit, and the provisions of Article 24.3 as regards the powers and the exemption from liability of the Board as relate to declaration and payment of interim dividends shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the declaration and payment of any such special dividends.
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24.6 No dividend shall be declared or payable except out of the profits and reserves of the Company lawfully available for distribution including share premium. No dividend shall carry interest against the Company.
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24.7 Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared on the share capital of the Company, the Board may further resolve:
EITHER
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(a) that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up, provided that the members entitled thereto will be entitled to elect to receive such dividend (or part thereof) in cash in lieu of such allotment. In such case, the following provisions shall apply:
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(i) the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board;
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(ii) the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than two weeks' notice in writing to the members of the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be lodged in order to be effective;
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(iii) the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of election has been accorded;
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(iv) the dividend (or that part of the dividend to be satisfied by the allotment of shares as aforesaid) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect whereof the cash election has not been duly exercised (the " non-elected shares ") and in satisfaction thereof shares shall be allotted credited as fully paid to the holders of the non-elected shares on the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company or any part of any of the Company's reserve accounts (including any special account, share premium account and capital
38
redemption reserve (if there be any such reserve)) or profit or loss account or amounts otherwise available for distribution as the Board may determine, a sum equal to the aggregate nominal amount of the shares to be allotted on such basis and apply the same in paying up in full the appropriate number of shares for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the non-elected shares on such basis;
OR
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(b) that members entitled to such dividend shall be entitled to elect to receive an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up in lieu of the whole or such part of the dividend as the Board may think fit. In such case, the following provisions shall apply:
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(i) the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board;
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(ii) the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than two weeks' notice in writing to members of the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be lodged in order to be effective;
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(iii) the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of election has been accorded;
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(iv) the dividend (or that part of the dividend in respect of which a right of election has been accorded) shall not be payable on shares in respect whereof the share election has been duly exercised (the " elected shares ") and in lieu thereof shares shall be allotted credited as fully paid to the holders of the elected shares on the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company's reserve accounts (including any special account, share premium account and capital redemption reserve (if there be any such reserve)) or profit and loss account or amounts otherwise available for distribution as the Board may determine, a sum equal to the aggregate nominal amount of the shares to be allotted on such basis and apply the same in paying up in full the appropriate number of shares for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the elected shares on such basis.
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24.8 The shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of Article 24.7 shall be of the same class as the class of, and shall rank pari passu in all respects with the shares then held by the respective allottees save only as regards participation:
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(a) in the relevant dividend (or share or cash election in lieu thereof as aforesaid); or
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(b) in any other distributions, bonuses or rights paid, made, declared or announced prior to or contemporaneously with the payment or declaration of the relevant dividend, unless contemporaneously with the announcement by the Board of its proposal to apply the provisions of Article 24.7(a) or 24.7(b) in relation to the relevant dividend or contemporaneously with its announcement of the distribution, bonus or rights in question, the Board shall specify that the shares to be allotted pursuant to the provisions of Article 24.7 shall rank for participation in such distributions, bonuses or rights.
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24.9 The Board may do all acts and things considered necessary or expedient to give effect to any capitalisation pursuant to the provisions of Article 24.8 with full power to the Board to make such provisions as it thinks fit in the case of shares becoming distributable in fractions (including
39
provisions whereby, in whole or in part, fractional entitlements are aggregated and sold and the net proceeds distributed to those entitled, or are disregarded or rounded up or down or whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrues to the Company rather than to the members concerned). The Board may authorise any person to enter into on behalf of all members interested, an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made pursuant to such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned.
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24.10 The Company may upon the recommendation of the Board by ordinary resolution resolve in respect of any one particular dividend of the Company that notwithstanding the provisions of Article 24.7 a dividend may be satisfied wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid without offering any right to members to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment.
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24.11 The Board may on any occasion determine that rights of election and the allotment of shares under Article 24.7 shall not be made available or made to any members with registered addresses in any territory where in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities the circulation of an offer of such rights of election or the allotment of shares would or might be unlawful, or where the Board considers the costs, expenses or possible delays in ascertaining the existence or extent of the legal and other requirements applicable to such offer or the acceptance of such offer out of proportion to the benefit of the Company, and in any such case the provisions aforesaid shall be read and construed subject to such determination.
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24.12 The Board shall establish an account to be called the share premium account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any share in the Company. The Company may apply the share premium account in any manner permitted by the Companies Act. The Company shall at all times comply with the provisions of the Companies Act in relation to the share premium account.
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24.13 The Board may, before recommending any dividend, set aside out of the profits of the Company such sums as it thinks fit as a reserve or reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Board, be applicable for meeting claims on or liabilities of the Company or contingencies or for paying off any loan capital or for equalising dividends or for any other purpose to which the profits of the Company may be properly applied, and pending such application may, at the like discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments (including shares, warrants and other securities of the Company) as the Board may from time to time think fit, and so that it shall not be necessary to keep any reserves separate or distinct from any other investments of the Company. The Board may also without placing the same to reserve carry forward any profits which it may think prudent not to distribute by way of dividend.
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24.14 Unless and to the extent that the rights attached to any shares or the terms of issue thereof otherwise provide, all dividends shall (as regards any shares not fully paid throughout the period in respect of which the dividend is paid) be apportioned and paid pro rata according to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid. For the purpose of this Article no amount paid up on a share in advance of calls shall be treated as paid up on the share.
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24.15 The Board may retain any dividends or other moneys payable on or in respect of a share upon which the Company has a lien, and may apply the same in or towards satisfaction of the debts, liabilities or engagements in respect of which the lien exists.
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24.16 The Board may retain any dividends or other monies payable upon shares in respect of which any person is, under the provisions as to the transmission of shares hereinbefore contained, entitled to become a member, or in respect of which any person is under those provisions
40
entitled to transfer, until such person shall become a member in respect of such shares or shall transfer the same.
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24.17 The Board may deduct from any dividend or other monies payable to any member all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on account of calls, instalments or otherwise.
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24.18 Any general meeting sanctioning a dividend may make a call on the members of such amount as the meeting resolves, but so that the call on each member shall not exceed the dividend payable to him, and so that the call be made payable at the same time as the dividend, and the dividend may, if so arranged between the Company and the member, be set off against the call.
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24.19 The Board, with the sanction of the members in general meeting, may direct that any dividend be satisfied wholly or in part by the distribution of specific assets of any kind and in particular of paid up shares, debentures or warrants to subscribe securities of any other company, or in any one or more of such ways, and where any difficulty arises in regard to the distribution the Board may settle the same as it thinks expedient, and in particular may disregard fractional entitlements, round the same up or down or provide that the same shall accrue to the benefit of the Company, and may fix the value for distribution of such specific assets, or any part thereof, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all parties, and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the Board and may appoint any person to sign any requisite instruments of transfer and other documents on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend and such appointment shall be effective. Where required, a contract shall be filed in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Board may appoint any person to sign such contract on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend and such appointment shall be effective.
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24.20 A transfer of shares shall not pass therewith the right to any dividend or bonus declared thereon before the registration of the transfer.
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24.21 Any resolution declaring or resolving upon the payment of a dividend or other distribution on shares of any class, whether a resolution of the Company in general meeting or a resolution of the Board, may specify that the same shall be payable or made to the persons registered as the holders of such shares at the close of business on a particular date, notwithstanding that it may be a date prior to that on which the resolution is passed, and thereupon the dividend or other distribution shall be payable or made to them in accordance with their respective holdings so registered, but without prejudice to the rights inter se in respect of such dividend of transferors and transferees of any such shares.
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24.22 If two or more persons are registered as joint holders of any shares, any one of such persons may give effectual receipts for any dividends, interim and special dividends or bonuses and other moneys payable or rights or property distributable in respect of such shares.
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24.23 Unless otherwise directed by the Board, any dividend, interest or other sum payable in cash to a holder of shares may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post to the registered address of the member entitled, or, in case of joint holders, to the registered address of the person whose name stands first in the register in respect of the joint holding or to such person and to such address as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every cheque or warrant so sent shall be made payable to the order of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the register in respect of such shares and shall be sent at his or their risk, and the payment of any such cheque or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall operate as a good discharge to the Company in respect of the dividend and/or bonus represented thereby, notwithstanding that it may subsequently appear that the same has been stolen or that any endorsement thereon has been forged.
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24.24 The Company may cease sending such cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants by post if such cheques or warrants have been left uncashed on two consecutive occasions. However, the Company may exercise its power to cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants after the first occasion on which such a cheque or warrant is returned undelivered.
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24.25 All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by the Board for the exclusive benefit of the Company until claimed and the Company shall not be constituted a trustee in respect thereof or be required to account for any money earned thereon. All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for six years after having been declared may be forfeited by the Board and shall revert to the Company and after such forfeiture no member or other person shall have any right to or claim in respect of such dividends or bonuses.
25 Untraceable Members
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25.1 The Company shall be entitled to sell any shares of a member or the shares to which a person is entitled by virtue of transmission on death or bankruptcy or operation of law if and provided that:
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(a) all cheques or warrants, not being less than three in number, for any sums payable in cash to the holder of such shares have remained uncashed for a period of 12 years;
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(b) the Company has not during that time or before the expiry of the three month period referred to in Article 25.1(d) below received any indication of the whereabouts or existence of the member or person entitled to such shares by death, bankruptcy or operation of law;
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(c) during the 12-year period, at least three dividends in respect of the shares in question have become payable and no dividend during that period has been claimed by the member; and
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(d) upon expiry of the 12-year period, the Company has caused an advertisement to be published in the newspapers, or, subject to the Listing Rules, by electronic communication in the manner in which notices may be served by the Company by electronic means as herein provided, giving notice of its intention to sell such shares, and a period of three months has elapsed since such advertisement and the Exchange has been notified of such intention.
The net proceeds of any such sale shall belong to the Company and upon receipt by the Company of such net proceeds it shall become indebted to the former member for an amount equal to such net proceeds.
- 25.2 To give effect to any sale contemplated by Article 25.1 the Company may appoint any person to execute as transferor an instrument of transfer of the said shares and such other documents as are necessary to effect the transfer, and such documents shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder of or person entitled by transmission to such shares and the title of the transferee shall not be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating thereto. 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 as aforesaid for an amount equal to such proceeds and shall enter the name of such former member or other person in the books of the Company as a creditor for such amount. No trust shall be created in respect of the debt, no interest shall be payable in respect of the same and the Company shall not be required to account for any money earned on the net proceeds, which may be employed in the business of the Company or invested in such investments (other than shares or other
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securities in or of the Company or its holding company if any) or as the Board may from time to time think fit.
26 Document Destruction
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26.1 The Company shall be entitled to destroy all instruments of transfer, probate, letters of administration, stop notices, powers of attorney, certificates of marriage or death and other documents relating to or affecting title to securities in or of the Company (" Registrable Documents ") which have been registered at any time after the expiration of six years from the date of registration thereof and all dividend mandates and notifications of change of address at any time after the expiration of two years from the date of recording thereof and all share certificates which have been cancelled at any time after the expiration of one year from the date of the cancellation thereof and it shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that every entry in the register if purporting to have been made on the basis of an instrument of transfer or Registrable Document so destroyed was duly and properly made and every instrument of transfer or Registrable Document so destroyed was a valid and effective instrument or document duly and properly registered and every share certificate so destroyed was a valid and effective certificate duly and properly cancelled and every other document hereinbefore mentioned so destroyed was a valid and effective document in accordance with the recorded particulars thereof in the books or records of the Company, provided always that:
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(a) the provisions aforesaid shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice of the Company of any claim (regardless of the parties thereto) to which the document might be relevant;
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(b) nothing herein contained shall be construed as imposing upon the Company any liability in respect of the destruction of any such document earlier than as aforesaid or in any other circumstances which would not attach to the Company in the absence of this Article; and
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(c) references herein to the destruction of any document include references to the disposal thereof in any manner.
Notwithstanding any provision contained in these Articles, the Directors may, if permitted by applicable law, authorise the destruction of any documents referred to in this Article or any other documents in relation to share registration which have been microfilmed or electronically stored by the Company or by the share registrar on its behalf provided always that this Article shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice to the Company that the preservation of such document might be relevant to a claim.
27 Annual Returns and Filings
The Board shall make the requisite annual returns and any other requisite filings in accordance with the Act.
28 Accounts
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28.1 The Board shall cause to be kept such books of account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the state of the Company's affairs and to show and explain its transactions and otherwise in accordance with the Act. The Board shall cause all such books of account to be retained for a minimum period of five years from the date of which they are prepared.
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28.2 The books of account shall be kept at the Company's principal place of business in Hong Kong or, subject to the provisions of the Act, at such other place or places as the Board thinks fit and shall always be open to the inspection of the Directors.
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28.3 The Board shall from time to time determine whether, to what extent, at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations, the accounts and books of the Company, or any of them, shall be open to the inspection of the members (other than officers of the Company) and no member shall have any right of inspecting any accounts or books or documents of the Company except as conferred by the Act or any other relevant law or regulation or as authorised by the Board or by the Company in general meeting.
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28.4 The Board shall, commencing with the first annual general meeting cause to be prepared and to be laid before the members of the Company at every annual general meeting a profit and loss account for the period, in the case of the first account, since the incorporation of the Company and, in any other case, since the preceding account, together with a balance sheet as at the date to which the profit and loss account is made up and a Directors' report with respect to the profit or loss of the Company for the period covered by the profit and loss account and the state of the Company's affairs as at the end of such period, an Auditors' report on such accounts prepared pursuant to Article 29.1 and such other reports and accounts as may be required by law.
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28.5 Copies of those documents to be laid before the members of the Company at an annual general meeting shall not less than 21 days before the date of the meeting be sent in the manner in which notices may be served by the Company as provided herein to every member of the Company and every holder of debentures of the Company, provided that the Company shall not be required to send copies of those documents to any person of whose address the Company is not aware or to more than one of the joint holders of any shares or debentures.
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28.6 To the extent permitted by and subject to due compliance with these Articles, the Act and all applicable rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the rules of the Exchange, and to obtaining all necessary consents, if any, required thereunder, the requirements of Article 28.5 shall be deemed satisfied in relation to any member or any holder of debentures of the Company by sending to such person instead of such copies, not less than 21 days before the date of the annual general meeting, in any manner not prohibited by these Articles and the Act, a summary financial statement derived from the Company's annual accounts, together with the Directors' report and the Auditors' report on such accounts, which shall be in the form and containing the information required by these Articles, the Act and all applicable laws and regulations, provided that any person who is otherwise entitled to the annual accounts of the Company, together with the Director's report and the Auditor's report thereon may, if he so requires, by notice in writing served on the Company, demand that the Company sends to him, in addition to the summary financial statement, a complete printed copy of the Company's annual accounts, together with the Directors' report and the Auditor's report thereon.
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29 Audit
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29.1 The Auditors shall audit the profit and loss account and balance sheet of the Company in each year and shall prepare a report thereon to be annexed thereto. Such report shall be laid before the Company at its annual general meeting in each year and shall be open to inspection by any member. The Auditors shall at the next annual general meeting following their appointment and at any other time during their term of office, upon request of the Board or any general meeting of the members, make a report on the accounts of the Company in general meeting during their tenure of office.
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29.2 The Company shall by ordinary resolution at any annual general meeting appoint an auditor or auditors of the Company who shall hold office until the next annual general meeting. The remuneration of the Auditors shall be fixed by the Company by ordinary resolution at the annual general meeting at which they are appointed provided that in respect of any particular year the Company in general meeting may delegate the fixing of such remuneration to the Board. No person may be appointed as the, or an, Auditor, unless he is independent of the Company. The
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Board may before the first annual general meeting appoint an auditor or auditors of the Company who shall hold office until the first annual general meeting unless previously removed by an ordinary resolution of the members in general meeting in which case the members at that meeting may appoint Auditors. The Board may fill any casual vacancy in the office of Auditor but while any such vacancy continues the surviving or continuing Auditor or Auditors, if any, may act. The remuneration of any Auditor appointed by the Board under this Article may be fixed by the Board. Subject to this Article, any Auditor so appointed to fill any casual vacancy in the office of Auditor shall hold office until the first annual general meeting after his/her appointment and shall then be subject to appointment by the members at such remuneration to be fixed by an ordinary resolution of the members in general meeting under this Articles. The removal of an Auditor before the expiration of his/her period of office shall require the approval of an ordinary resolution of the members in general meeting.
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29.3 Every statement of accounts audited by the Auditors and presented by the Board at an annual general meeting shall after approval at such meeting be conclusive except as regards any error discovered therein within three months of the approval thereof. Whenever any such error is discovered within that period, it shall forthwith be corrected, and the statement of account amended in respect of the error shall be conclusive.
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30 Subscription Rights Reserve
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30.1 The following provisions shall have effect to the extent that they are not prohibited by and are in compliance with the Companies Act:
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(1) If, so long as any of the rights attached to any warrants issued by the Company to subscribe for shares of the Company shall remain exercisable, the Company does any act or engages in any transaction which, as a result of any adjustments to the subscription price in accordance with the provisions of the conditions of the warrants, would reduce the subscription price to below the par value of a share, then the following provisions shall apply:
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(a) as from the date of such act or transaction the Company shall establish and thereafter (subject as provided in this Article) maintain in accordance with the provisions of this Article a reserve (the " Subscription Rights Reserve ") the amount of which shall at no time be less than the sum which for the time being would be required to be capitalised and applied in paying up in full the nominal amount of the additional shares required to be issued and allotted credited as fully paid pursuant to sub- paragraph (c) below on the exercise in full of all the subscription rights outstanding and shall apply the Subscription Rights Reserve in paying up such additional shares in full as and when the same are allotted;
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(b) the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be used for any purpose other than that specified above unless all other reserves of the Company (other than share premium account) have been extinguished and will then only be used to make good losses of the Company if and so far as is required by law;
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(c) upon the exercise of all or any of the subscription rights represented by any warrant, the relevant subscription rights shall be exercisable in respect of a nominal amount of shares equal to the amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the case may be the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the subscription rights) and, in addition, there shall be allotted in respect of such subscription rights to the exercising warrantholder, credited as fully paid, such additional nominal amount of shares as is equal to the difference between:
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(i) the said amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the case may be, the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the subscription rights); and
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(ii) the nominal amount of shares in respect of which such subscription rights would have been exercisable having regard to the provisions of the conditions of the warrants, had it been possible for such subscription rights to represent the right to subscribe for shares at less than par and immediately upon such exercise so much of the sum standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve as is required to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares shall be capitalised and applied in paying up in full such additional nominal amount of shares which shall forthwith be allotted credited as fully paid to the exercising warrantholders; and
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(d) if, upon the exercise of the subscription rights represented by any warrant, the amount standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve is not sufficient to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares equal to such difference as aforesaid to which the exercising warrantholder is entitled, the Board of Directors shall apply any profits or reserves then or thereafter becoming available (including, to the extent permitted by law, share premium account) for such purpose until such additional nominal amount of shares is paid up and allotted as aforesaid and until then no dividend or other distribution shall be paid or made on the fully paid shares of the Company then in issue. Pending such payment and allotment, the exercising warrantholder shall be issued by the Company with a certificate evidencing his right to the allotment of such additional nominal amount of shares. The rights represented by any such certificate shall be in registered form and shall be transferable in whole or in part in units of one share in the like manner as the shares for the time being are transferable, and the Company shall make such arrangements in relation to the maintenance of a register therefor and other matters in relation thereto as the Board of Directors may think fit and adequate particulars thereof shall be made known to each relevant exercising warrantholder upon the issue of such certificate.
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(2) Shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with the other shares allotted on the relevant exercise of the subscription rights represented by the warrant concerned. Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (1) of this Article, no fraction of any share shall be allotted on exercise of the subscription rights.
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(3) The provision of this Article as to the establishment and maintenance of the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be altered or added to in any way which would vary or abrogate, or which would have the effect of varying or abrogating the provisions for the benefit of any warrantholder or class of warrantholders under this Article without the sanction of a Special Resolution of such warrantholders or class of warrantholders.
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(4) A certificate or report by the auditors for the time being of the Company as to whether or not the Subscription Rights Reserve is required to be established and maintained and if so the amount thereof so required to be established and maintained, as to the purposes for which the Subscription Rights Reserve has been used, as to the extent to which it has been used to make good losses of the Company, as to the additional nominal amount of shares required to be allotted to exercising warrantholders credited as fully paid, and as to any other matter concerning the Subscription Rights Reserve shall (in the absence of manifest error) be conclusive and binding upon the Company and all warrantholders and shareholders.
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31 Notices
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31.1 Except as otherwise provided in these Articles, any notice or document may be served by the Company and any notices may be served by the Board on any member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his registered address as appearing in the register or, to the extent permitted by the Listing Rules and all applicable laws and regulations, by electronic means by transmitting it to any electronic number or address or website supplied by the member to the Company or by placing it on the Company's Website provided that the Company has obtained either (a) the member's prior express positive confirmation in writing or (b) the member's deemed consent, in the manner specified in the Listing Rules to receive or otherwise have made available to him notices and documents to be given or issued to him by the Company by such electronic means, or (in the case of notice) by advertisement published in the manner prescribed under the Listing Rules. In the case of joint holders of a share, all notices shall be given to that holder for the time being whose name stands first in the register and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.
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31.2 Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner hereinbefore authorised to:
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(a) every person shown as a member in the register of members as of the record date for such meeting except that in the case of joint holders the notice shall be sufficient if given to the joint holder first named in the register of members;
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(b) every person upon whom the ownership of a share devolves by reason of his being a legal personal representative or a trustee in bankruptcy of a member of record where the member of record but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting;
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(c) the Auditors;
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(d) each Director and alternate Director;
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(e) the Exchange; and
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(f) such other person to whom such notice is required to be given in accordance with the Listing Rules.
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31.3
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No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
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31.4 A member shall be entitled to have notice served on him at any address within Hong Kong. Any member who has not given an express positive confirmation in writing to the Company in the manner specified in the Listing Rules to receive or otherwise have made available to him notices and documents to be given or issued to him by the Company by electronic means and whose registered address is outside Hong Kong may notify the Company in writing of an address in Hong Kong which for the purpose of service of notice shall be deemed to be his registered address. A member who has no registered address in Hong Kong shall be deemed to have received any notice which shall have been displayed at the transfer office and shall have remained there for a period of 24 hours and such notice shall be deemed to have been received by such member on the day following that on which it shall have been first so displayed, provided that, without prejudice to the other provisions of these Articles, nothing in this Article shall be construed as prohibiting the Company from sending, or entitling the Company not to send, notices or other documents of the Company to any member whose registered address is outside Hong Kong.
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31.5 Any notice or document sent by post shall be deemed to have been served on the day following that on which it is put into a post office situated within Hong Kong and in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or document was properly prepaid, addressed and put into such post office and a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other person appointed by the Board that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or document was so addressed and put into such post office shall be conclusive evidence thereof.
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31.6 Any notice or other document delivered or left at a registered address otherwise than by post shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day it was so delivered or left.
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31.7 Any notice served by advertisement shall be deemed to have been served on the day of issue of the official publication and/or newspaper(s) in which the advertisement is published (or on the last day of issue if the publication and/or newspaper(s) are published on different dates).
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31.8 Any notice given by electronic means as provided herein shall be deemed to have been served and delivered on the day following that on which it is successfully transmitted or at such later time as may be prescribed by the Listing Rules or any applicable laws or regulations.
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31.9 A notice may be given by the Company to the person or persons entitled to a share in consequence of the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy of a member by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to him or them by name, or by the title of representative of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description, at the address, if any, within Hong Kong supplied for the purpose by the person claiming to be so entitled, or (until such an address has been so supplied) by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy had not occurred.
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31.10 Any person who by operation of law, transfer or other means whatsoever shall become entitled to any share shall be bound by every notice in respect of such share which prior to his name and address being entered on the register shall have been duly given to the person from whom he derives his title to such share.
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31.11 Any notice or document delivered or sent to any member in pursuance of these Articles, shall notwithstanding that such member be then deceased and whether or not the Company has notice of his death be deemed to have been duly served in respect of any registered shares whether held solely or jointly with other persons by such member until some other person be registered in his stead as the holder or joint holder thereof, and such service shall for all purposes of these Articles be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on his personal representatives and all persons (if any) jointly interested with him in any such shares.
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31.12 The signature to any notice to be given by the Company may be written or printed by means of facsimile or, where relevant, by Electronic Signature.
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32 Information
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32.1 No member shall be entitled to require discovery of or any information in respect of any detail of the Company's trading or any matter which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Board would not be in the interests of the members or the Company to communicate to the public.
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32.2 The Board shall be entitled to release or disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its affairs to any of its members including, without limitation, information contained in the register of members and transfer books of the Company.
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33 Winding Up
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33.1 Subject to the Act, a resolution that the Company be wound up by the court or be wound up voluntarily shall be passed by way of a special resolution at any time and from time to time.
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33.2 If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary, under supervision or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the Act divide among the members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether the assets shall consist of property of one kind or shall consist of properties of different kinds) and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any property to be divided and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the members or different classes of members. The liquidator may, with the like authority or sanction vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the members as the liquidator, with the like authority or sanction and subject to the Act, shall think fit, and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no member shall be compelled to accept any assets, shares or other securities in respect of which there is a liability.
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33.3 If the Company shall be wound up, and the assets available for distribution amongst the members as such shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the paid-up capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the members in proportion to the capital paid up, or which ought to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively. And if in a winding up the assets available for distribution amongst the members shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributed amongst the members in proportion to the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively. This Article is to be without prejudice to the rights of the holders of shares issued upon special terms and conditions.
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33.4 In the event of a winding-up of the Company in Hong Kong, every member of the Company who is not for the time being in Hong Kong shall be bound, within 14 days after the passing of an effective resolution to wind up the Company voluntarily, or the making of an order for the winding-up of the Company, to serve notice in writing on the Company appointing some person resident in Hong Kong and stating that person's full name, address and occupation upon whom all summonses, notices, process, orders and judgments in relation to or under the winding-up of the Company may be served, and in default of such nomination the liquidator of the Company shall be at liberty on behalf of such member to appoint some such person, and service upon any such appointee, whether appointed by the member or the liquidator, shall be deemed to be good personal service on such member for all purposes, and, where the liquidator makes any such appointment, he shall with all convenient speed give notice thereof to such member by advertisement as he shall deem appropriate or by a registered letter sent through the post and addressed to such member at his address as appearing in the register, and such notice shall be deemed to be service on the day following that on which the advertisement first appears or the letter is posted.
34 Indemnities
- 34.1 Every Director, Auditor or other officer of the Company shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses incurred or sustained by him as a Director, Auditor or other officer of the Company by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their duty or supposed duty in their respective offices or trusts, except such (if any) as they shall incur or sustain through their own fraud or dishonesty.
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34.2 Subject to the Companies Act, if any Director or other person shall become personally liable for the payment of any sum primarily due from the Company, the Board may execute or cause to be executed any mortgage, charge, or security over or affecting the whole or any part of the assets of the Company by way of indemnity to secure the Director or person so becoming liable as aforesaid from any loss in respect of such liability.
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35
Financial Year
Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on 31st December in each year and shall begin on 1st January in each year.
36 Amendment of Memorandum and Articles
Subject to the Act, the Company may at any time and from time to time by special resolution alter or amend its Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association in whole or in part.
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