AGM Information • Jul 20, 2021
AGM Information
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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of the proposals referred to in this document or as to the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own advice immediately from a stockbroker, solicitor, accountant or other professional adviser authorised pursuant to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) if you are in the United Kingdom, or from another appropriately authorised independent financial adviser if you are in a territory outside the United Kingdom.
If you have sold or transferred all of your Ordinary Shares in the Company, please forward this document without delay to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for delivery to the purchaser or transferee. Such documents should not, however, be forwarded or transmitted in or into any jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a violation of the relevant laws in such jurisdiction. If you have sold or transferred only part of your holding of Ordinary Shares, you should retain these documents and consult the stockbroker bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected.
This document should be read in conjunction with the application of the definitions set out in Part 2 of this document. The whole of this document should be read and, in particular, your attention is drawn to the letter from the Chairman of the Company set out in Part 1 of this document which contains the recommendation by the Directors to Shareholders to vote in favour of the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM.
A Notice convening the AGM of the Company to be held at 10.00 a.m. on 17 August 2021 at Third Floor, 15 Stratford Place, London W1C 1BE is set out in Part 3 of this document.
The release, publication or distribution of this document in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this document comes should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable restrictions or requirements. Any failure to comply with such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This document has been prepared for the purposes of complying with Guernsey law and the Listing Rules and the applicable rules and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this document had been prepared in accordance with the laws and regulations of any jurisdiction outside of Guernsey. The statements contained in this document are made as at the date of this document, unless some other time is specified in relation to them, and publication of this document shall not give rise to any implication that there has been no change in the facts set forth herein since such date. Nothing contained in this document shall be deemed to be a forecast, projection or estimate of the future financial performance of the Company except where otherwise stated.
This document contains certain 'forward-looking statements' with respect to certain plans and objectives of the members of the Group. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms 'anticipates', 'believes', 'estimates', 'expects', 'intends', 'plans', 'prepares', 'goal', 'target', 'will', 'may', 'should', 'could' or 'would' or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by the Directors in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe appropriate. Shareholders should specifically consider the factors identified in this document that could cause actual results to differ before making an investment decision. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company or the Group, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. They are also based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's and/or the Group's present and future business strategies and the environment in which it is believed that the Group will operate in the future. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this document. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this document to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto, any new information or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless required to do so by law or any appropriate regulatory authority. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this document.
| Expected Timetable of Events | 3 |
|---|---|
| Part 1: Letter from the Executive Chairman of Esken Limited | 4 |
| Part 2: Definitions | 7 |
| Part 3: Notice of AGM | 8 |
Last time and date for receipt of Proxy Forms for the AGM 10.00 a.m. on 13 August 2021 Last time and date for receipt of CREST Proxy Instructions 10.00 a.m. on 13 August 2021 Last time and date for registration in the Register Close of business on 13 August 2021 AGM 10.00 a.m. on 17 August 2021
Nick Dilworth (Chief Operating Officer) Les Banques Lewis Girdwood (Chief Financial Officer) St Peter Port Ginny Pulbrook (Non-Executive Director) Guernsey John Coombs (Non-Executive Director) GY1 4YL David Blackwood (Non-Executive Director) Clive Condie (Non-Executive Director) 20 July 2021
Directors Registered Office David Shearer (Executive Chairman) 2nd Floor, Trafalgar Court
Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to enclose the Notice set out in Part 3 of this document (including the explanatory notes) convening the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Esken Limited (the Company). The AGM will be held at 10.00 a.m. on 17 August 2021 at Third Floor, 15 Stratford Place, London W1C 1BE where the resolutions set out in the Notice will be proposed and Shareholders' approval sought.
On 30th June 2021, we announced our annual results for the year ending 28th February 2021, and referred in that announcement to our plans for a new funding package of £60m gross comprising a new £20m working capital facility to support treasury management and an equity issue of around £40m by way of a documented prospectus offering. Doing this will allow us to refinance fully our existing bank debt, meet certain of our remaining legacy obligations and provide the necessary working capital to underpin our business plan. It is also our intention to actively look to realise residual infrastructure assets with a net book value of £39m at the year end to provide additional resources for investment. These are still our plans and we expect them to proceed towards a planned conclusion in August 2021, alongside consummation of the planned investment in London Southend Airport by Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund, L.P. (Carlyle) by way of a convertible loan. As we said at the time, those transaction will require the approval of shareholders and it is our intention to hold the meeting (the EGM) to approve the resolutions relevant to those matters immediately following the AGM in order that both the business of the AGM and the fundraising initiatives can be concluded with a minimum of inconvenience for shareholders and cost to the Company. As a result, it is possible that we may need to adjourn the AGM if the finalization of plans for the fundraising initiatives does not permit the EGM to be held on 17th August 2021 alongside the AGM. We will, of course, strive to keep you informed as soon as possible should it be our intention to adjourn the AGM on 17th August 2021 to coincide with the date of the EGM. You will be notified of any such proposed change via a Regulatory Information Service and via the Company's website www.esken.com.
Your attention is drawn to the Notice of AGM set out in Part 3 at the end of this document and the definitions set out in Part 2. You are advised to read the whole of this document, including the explanatory notes to the resolutions, and not rely on the summary information provided above.
There are 15 resolutions which form the business of the AGM. Further information about each resolution can be found in the Explanatory Notes to this document at pages 12 to 15.
Resolutions 1 to 11 are to be proposed as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 13 to 15 are to be proposed as special resolutions. The ordinary resolutions 1 to 12 will require a simple majority of those voting in person or by proxy (whether on a show of hands or on a poll) in favour of such resolutions. The special resolutions 13 to 15 will require approval by not less than 75 per cent. of those voting in person or by proxy (whether on a show of hands or on a poll) in favour of such resolutions.
Only holders of Ordinary Shares may vote at the AGM.
The Company is continuing to monitor public health guidance and legislation issued by the UK Government. Considering the continued unpredictability of UK Government guidance due to COVID-19, the AGM will be held in the first instance as a hybrid meeting which will enable Shareholders to participate and attend electronically in the safest manner possible, without leaving their homes and will permit Shareholders to be heard and to vote. We strongly encourage you to make full use of the electronic meeting facilities available to you.
The Board is keen to ensure that Shareholders are able to exercise their right to vote and, accordingly, strongly recommends that Shareholders vote by way of proxy or by way of the electronic meeting facilities. The Board strongly encourages Shareholders to appoint the Chairman of the meeting, rather than any other person, as their proxy to exercise their right to vote at the AGM in accordance with their instructions as you or your proxy may not attend the meeting in person other than by way of the electronic meeting facilities.
The health and wellbeing of the Company's employees, Shareholders and the wider communities in which it operates is of paramount importance to the Board and the steps set out in this section are necessary and appropriate ones to take given the current pandemic.
The Company recognises the importance of being able to answer Shareholders' questions. Shareholders are invited to email Matthew Joy, Company Secretary ([email protected]) including their Shareholder Reference Number (shown on their share certificate as Investor Code or IVC), with any questions relating to the business of the AGM which they would like to have considered. The Company requests that questions be submitted by 7 August 2021 at the latest. The Company will attempt to answer as many of Shareholders' questions as it can via the Company's website (www.esken.com) in advance of the AGM. If the Company receives a large number of questions on similar topics, it may group those questions and respond to them generally. Shareholders may also ask questions through the electronic meeting facilities.
Shareholders may attend the meeting electronically by accessing the Lumi AGM website at https://web.lumiagm.com.
Lumi can also be accessed online using most well-known internet browsers such as Internet Explorer (not compatible with versions 10 and below), Chrome, Firefox and Safari on a PC, laptop or internet- enabled device such as a tablet or smartphone. If you wish to access the AGM using this method, please go to https://web.lumiagm.com on the day.
On accessing the AGM website, you will be asked to enter a Meeting ID, which is 155-493-987. You will then be prompted to enter your unique 11 digit Investor Code (IVC) including any leading zeros, and 'PIN'. Your PIN is the last 4 digits of your IVC. This will authenticate you as a shareholder.
Your IVC can be found on your share certificate, or Signal Shares users (www.signalshares.com) will find this under 'Manage your account' when logged in to the Signal Shares portal. You can also obtain this by contacting Link Group, the Registrar, by calling 0371 664 0321. Lines are open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate.
Access to the AGM will be available from 30 minutes before meeting start time, although the voting functionality will not be enabled until the chairman of the meeting declares the poll open. During the AGM, you must ensure you are connected to the internet at all times in order to vote when the chairman commences polling on the Resolutions. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure connectivity for the duration of the AGM. A user guide to the Lumi website is available on our website at: https://www.esken.com/investors/shareholder-centre/documents-circulars/?year=2021.
Shareholders are strongly encouraged to submit a proxy vote in advance of the AGM. You can submit your proxy vote online or by returning any Form of Proxy posted to you on your request. Given the current arrangements regarding attendance, we would urge shareholders to appoint the Executive Chairman as their proxy rather than a named person. Shareholders who participate in the AGM electronically or in person will be able to vote in real time. All voting on the day will be via the dedicated online platform, http://web.lumiagm.com.
If you hold your Shares directly you are asked to submit your proxy electronically by accessing the Registrar's website at www.signalshares.com.Instead of voting online, you may request a hard copy form of proxy directly from the Company Registrar, Link Group, by email at [email protected], or you may call Link on 0371 664 0321 (or +44 (0) 371 664 0321 if calling from outside the United Kingdom). Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate. The helpline is open between 9.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales. If you request a hard copy, please complete and sign it in accordance with the instructions printed on it and return it either (i) by post or, (ii) during normal business hours only, by hand, to the Company's registrar, Link Group, PXS1, 10th Floor, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL, so as to be received as soon as possible and in any event not later than 10.00 (London time) on 13 August 2021, or, if the AGM is adjourned, the Form of Proxy should be received not later than 48 hours before the time fixed for the adjourned AGM.
The Form of Proxy must be returned by the time mentioned above, or it will be invalid.
Shareholders are entitled to appoint a proxy in respect of some or all of their Shares and may also appoint more than one proxy, provided that each proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares held by such holder. Shareholders who wish to appoint more than one proxy in respect of their holding of Shares should contact Link Group for further Forms of Proxy.
Completion and return of a Form of Proxy, or the appointment of a proxy electronically using CREST (or any other procedure described below), will not prevent you from attending, asking questions via the text function on the meeting platform and voting in person at the AGM (by electronic means), or any adjournment thereof, if you wish and are entitled to do so.
Shareholders entitled to attend and vote at the AGM may appoint a proxy electronically by logging on to the Registrar's website at www.signalshares.com and entering the Voting ID, Task ID and Shareholder Reference Number shown on their Form of Proxy. For an electronic proxy appointment to be valid, the appointment must be received by the Company's registrar, Link Group, no later than 10.00 a.m. London time on 13 August 2021 (or, in the case of adjournment(s), not later than 48 hours before the time fixed for the adjourned meeting). Full details of the procedure to be followed to appoint a proxy electronically are given on the website.
If you hold Shares in uncertificated form through CREST and wish to appoint a proxy or proxies for the meeting (or any adjourned meeting) by using the CREST electronic proxy appointment service, you may do so by using the procedures described in the CREST Manual. CREST personal members or other CREST sponsored members, and those CREST members who have appointed any voting service provider(s), should refer to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take the appropriate action on their behalf.
In order for a proxy appointment or instruction made using the CREST service to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (a CREST Proxy Instruction) must be properly authenticated in accordance with the specifications of Euroclear and must contain the information required for such instructions as described in the CREST Manual. The message (regardless of whether it constitutes the appointment of a proxy or an amendment to the instructions given to a previously appointed proxy), must, in order to be valid, be transmitted so as to be received by the Company's registrar, Link Group not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for the AGM (not counting non-working days) (or adjourned meeting). For this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to be the time (as determined by the timestamp applied to the message by the CREST Application Host) from which Link Group is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST. After this time, any change of instructions to proxies appointed through CREST should be communicated to the appointee through other means.
CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers, should note that Euroclear does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular messages. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST personal member or sponsored member or has appointed any voting service provider(s), to procure that his/her CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time. In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings.
The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in the CREST Regulations.
If you have any questions about this document or the AGM, or are in any doubt as to how to complete the Form of Proxy or submit a proxy form electronically, please contact the Company's registrars, Link Group, at PXS 1, 10th Floor, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL or call on 0371 664 0321 or, if telephoning from outside the UK, on +44 (0) 371 664 0321, between 9.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. (London time), Monday to Friday (excluding English and Welsh public holidays). Calls to the helpline from outside the UK will be charged at applicable international rates. Calls may be recorded and monitored for security and training purposes. Please note that, for legal reasons, the helpline cannot give any legal, tax or financial advice.
The electronic meeting will be broadcast in audio format only. Once logged in, and at the commencement of the meeting, you will be able to listen to the proceeding of the meeting on your device and to ask questions.
An active internet connection is required at all times to listen to the audiocast. It is the user's responsibility to ensure you remain connected for the duration of the meeting.
If you wish to appoint a proxy other than the chairman of the meeting and for them to attend the virtual meeting on your behalf, please submit your proxy appointment in the usual way before contacting Link Group on 0371 664 0321 in order to obtain their IVC and PIN. It is suggested that you do this as soon as possible and at least 48 hours (excluding non-business days) before the meeting.
If your shares are held within a nominee and you wish to attend the electronic meeting, you will need to contact your nominee as soon as possible. Your nominee will need to present a corporate letter of representation to Link Group, the Company Registrar, as soon as possible and at least 72 hours (excluding non-business days) before the meeting, in order that they can obtain your unique IVC and PIN to enable you to attend the electronic meeting.
The Board considers the passing of the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM to be in the best interests of the Company and Shareholders as a whole.
Accordingly, the Board recommends that Shareholders vote in favour of the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM, as the Directors intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings of Ordinary Shares, which amount in aggregate to 1,517,633 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 0.24% per cent. of the issued Ordinary Shares of the Company (excluding treasury shares) at the Latest Practicable Date.
Yours faithfully
David Shearer Executive Chairman
The following definitions apply to words and phrases used in this document except where the context requires otherwise:
| AGM | the Annual General Meeting of the Company convened for 10.00 a.m. on 17 August 2021, notice of which is set out in Part 3 of this document; |
|---|---|
| Annual Report and Accounts | the Annual Report and Accounts of Esken for the financial year ended 28 February 2021; |
| Articles of Incorporation | the articles of incorporation of the Company adopted pursuant to a resolution passed at the annual general meeting of the Company on 30 July 2020; |
| Board | the Directors of the Company (or, where the context requires, any duly constituted committee thereof); |
| Company | Esken Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 39117; |
| CREST | the CREST system (as defined in the CREST Regulations); |
| CREST Manual | the rules governing the operation of CREST, consisting of the CREST Reference Manual, CREST International Manual, CREST Central Counterparty Service Manual, CREST Rules, Registrars Service Standards, Settlement Discipline Rules, CCSS Operations Manual, Daily Timetable, CREST Application Procedures and CREST Glossary of Terms (all as defined in the CREST Glossary of Terms promulgated by Euroclear on 15 July 1996 and as subsequently amended); |
| CREST member | a person who has been admitted by Euroclear as a member (as defined in the CREST Regulations) of CREST; |
| CREST participant | a person who is, in relation to CREST, a user (as defined in the CREST Regulations); |
| CREST Proxy Instruction | an appropriate and valid CREST computer instruction appointing a proxy by means of CREST; |
| CREST Regulations | the Uncertificated Securities (Guernsey) Regulations, 2009 (SI 2009 No. 48), as amended; |
| CREST sponsor | a sponsor (as defined in the CREST Regulations) in relation to CREST; |
| Director(s) | the Directors of the Company; |
| electronic means | a document sent in electronic form and by electronic means, which means that it is sent and received at its destination by means of electronic equipment for the processing (which expression includes, without limitation, digital compression) or storage of data, and entirely transmitted and received by wire, by radio, by optical means or by other electromagnetic means, or is sent by other means; |
| Euroclear | Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited; |
| FSMA | the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended from time to time; |
| Group | the Company, its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings from time to time; |
| Latest Practicable Date | 14 July 2021 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this Notice); |
| Listing Rules | the listing rules made by the UK Listing Authority under section 73A of FSMA, as amended from time to time; |
| Notice | the notice of AGM set out in Part 3 of this document; |
| Ordinary Share or Ordinary Shares | the issued Ordinary Shares of 10p each in the capital of the Company; |
| Proxy Form | the form of proxy which can now be submitted online through www.signalshares.com or in hard copy to the Company's registrars, Link Group; |
| Regulatory Information Service | any channel recognised as a channel for the dissemination of regulatory information by listed companies, as defined in the Listing Rules; |
| Shareholder | a registered holder of an Ordinary Share. |
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the AGM of the Company will be held at 10.00 a.m. on 17 August 2021 at Third Floor, 15 Stratford Place, London W1C 1BE. Resolutions 1 to 12 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 13 to 15 will be proposed as special resolutions. You will be asked to consider and vote on the resolutions below. For further information on all of the resolutions, please refer to the explanatory notes which can be found on pages 12 to 15.
12 To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolution which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution:
"THAT, for the purposes of article 4.4 of the Articles of Incorporation, the Directors of the Company be and they are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised to exercise all or any of the powers of the Company to issue Ordinary Shares in the Company or to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, Ordinary Shares in the Company:
and so that the Directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements as the Directors may otherwise consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter, and generally on such terms and conditions as the Directors may determine (subject always to the Articles of Incorporation), provided that this authority shall, unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting, expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or at close of business on 17 November 2022 (if earlier) save that the Directors of the Company may, before the expiry of such period, make an offer or agreement which would or might require Ordinary Shares to be issued, or rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into Ordinary Shares to be granted, after the expiry of such period and the Directors of the Company may issue Ordinary Shares and grant rights in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred by this resolution had not expired."
"THAT, subject to the passing of Resolution 12, the Directors of the Company be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised to issue equity securities (as defined in the Articles of Incorporation) for cash, under the authority given by Resolution 12, and/or to sell Ordinary Shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash, as if article 5.2 of the Articles of Incorporation did not apply to any such issue or sale, provided that this power shall be limited to:
and so that the Directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements as the Directors may otherwise consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter; and
(b) the issue of equity securities or sale of treasury shares otherwise than pursuant to paragraph (a) above up to an aggregate nominal amount of £3,154,630.60,
and such power shall, unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting, expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or at close of business on 17 November 2022 (if earlier) save that the Directors of the Company may, before the expiry of such period, make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be issued and treasury shares to be sold after the expiry of such period and the Directors of the Company may issue equity securities and sell treasury shares in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if such power had not expired."
"THAT, subject to the passing of Resolutions 12 and 13, the Directors of the Company be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised to issue equity securities (as defined in the Articles of Incorporation) for cash, under the authority given by Resolution 12, and/or to sell Ordinary Shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash, as if article 5.2 of the Articles of Incorporation did not apply to any such issue or sale, provided that:
and such power shall, unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Company in general meeting, expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or at close of business on 17 November 2022 (if earlier) save that the Directors of the Company may, before the expiry of such period, make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be issued and treasury shares to be sold after the expiry of such period and the Directors of the Company may issue equity securities and sell treasury shares in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if such power had not expired."
"THAT in accordance with the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 as amended, and in substitution for all existing authorities, the Company be, and hereby is generally, and unconditionally authorised to make one or more market acquisitions as defined in section 316 of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 of its Ordinary Shares on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine, provided that:
By order of the Board
| Matthew Joy | Registered Office |
|---|---|
| Company Secretary | Floor 2 |
| Esken Limited | Trafalgar Court |
| Les Banques | |
| St Peter Port | |
| Guernsey | |
| GY1 4LY |
Registered in Guernsey with registered number 39117
20 July 2021
Resolutions 1 to 12 (inclusive) are proposed as ordinary resolutions. For each of these to be passed, a simple majority in favour of the relevant resolution will be required of those voting. Resolutions 13 to 15 are proposed as special resolutions. For each of these to be passed, at least 75 per cent of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
An explanation of each of the resolutions is set out below:
The Directors are obliged to lay the Directors' and Auditor's Reports and audited financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2021 before Shareholders at a general meeting.
Under the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Directors of all companies admitted to the premium segment of the Official List should be subject to annual re-election by the Shareholders. David Shearer offers himself to be appointed as Executive Chairman, Nick Dilworth and Lewis Girdwood each offer themselves for re-election as Executive Directors. Ginny Pulbrook, John Coombs, David Blackwood and Clive Condie each offer themselves for re-appointment or appointment (as applicable) as Non-Executive Directors.
The Directors believe that all four of the Non-Executive Directors are independent in character and judgement, such that half of the Board (excluding the Executive Chairman) are independent. In addition, the Executive Chairman confirms that, following formal procedure evaluation in relation to their duty to act in the long-term interest of the Company on behalf of its Shareholders (while also having due regard for other stakeholders), each of the Non-Executive Director's performance is and continues to be effective and they each demonstrate commitment to their role.
The diverse experience, skills and contribution offered by each Director across a variety of industries and sectors (as more particularly described in their individual biographies) are very valuable to the Company and complement its strategy. Given that these attributes are, and will continue to be, important to the Company's long-term sustainable success, the Executive Chairman believes that it is appropriate that each of them who wish to continue to serve on the Board, do so.
The biographies below summarise the skills and experience of each Director and set out the specific reasons why each Director is, and continues to be, important to the sustainability of the Company's long-term success.
David joined the Board on 1 June 2019 and was appointed Non- Executive Chairman on 23 July following the 2019 AGM. He became Executive Chairman on an interim basis with effect from 9 February 2021. David is an experienced independent director, corporate financier and turnaround specialist. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Speedy Hire Plc, Socium Group Holdings Limited and the Scottish Edge Fund. David was previously the senior partner of Deloitte LLP for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and a UK executive board member of the firm until 2003. Since then, David has held the positions of co-Chairman of Martin Currie (Holdings) Limited, Chairman of Mouchel Group plc and Crest Nicholson plc and Non-Executive Director of City Inn Limited, in each case standing down after completing the successful restructuring of these businesses.
David was also Non-Executive Chairman of Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust plc, Liberty Living Group plc and Liberty Living Finance plc, Senior Independent Director of Renold plc, STV Group plc and Superglass Holdings plc and a Non-Executive Director of Mithras Investment Trust plc and a Governor of The Glasgow School of Art.
David is the Chairman of the Nomination Committee.
Nick was appointed Chief Operating Officer in September 2018, having worked as Group Commercial Director since October 2017.
Nick previously worked for BES Utilities, where he was Managing Director. He has also previously occupied a number of leadership roles at Practice Plan Limited and Medenta Finance and has a strong commercial background.
Nick qualified as a Chartered Accountant with BDO LLP before joining Grant Thornton as a Corporate Financier.
Nick is also currently a Non-Executive Director of AirportR Limited.
Lewis was appointed Chief Financial Officer on 1 April 2019.
Lewis previously served as Chief Financial Officer to IAG Cargo Limited, which provides global cargo services to British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and other IAG airlines. Prior to that, he was Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at easyJet, responsible for financial business partnering across the airline.
Lewis has also held senior finance roles at Premier Foods PLC, British Bakeries Limited and Racal Electronics Group International.
He is also a member of the Audit Committee of charity Tommy's.
David has significant experience at senior levels of finance, audit and risk. He is currently Non-Executive Chairman of Smith's News plc and has previously been Audit Committee Chairman and Senior Independent Director of Scapa plc and Dignity plc.
Previously, David was the Chief Financial Officer of Synthomer plc, where he served for seven years until 2015, prior to which he held a number of senior roles with ICI plc.
David has previously served as a member of the Cabinet Office Audit and Risk Committee and the Board for Actuarial Standards. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.
David is the Senior Independent Director, the Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees.
In 2018, John stepped down after 16 years from the position of Managing Director of Unilever Ventures Limited, during which time he chaired the Investment Committee and made investments in 50 early-stage businesses in the UK, US and Europe.
John has sat on the boards of 20 companies, five as Chairman. Currently he is Non-Executive Chairman of the Co-op's Federal Retail and Trading Services Limited, which coordinates purchasing for Co-operative retailers in the UK.
John is the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit and Nomination Committees.
With a background in investment banking and financial public relations, Ginny brings more than 30 years' experience as a boardlevel adviser to quoted companies in the infrastructure, industrial and support services sectors. Her specific areas of expertise include high-profile capital markets transactions, ESG and change management.
Ginny is currently a Partner at Capital Market Communications (Camarco) and is Vice Chair and Chair of the Nomination Committee of Carers UK, the leading charity for unpaid carers.
Previous positions include co-founder and Director of Citigate Dewe Rogerson, and Chair, Patrons' Programme and Development Council Member of the Natural History Museum.
Ginny is the designated Non-Executive Director for People Engagement within Esken.
Ginny is the Chairwoman of the ESG Committee and a member of the Remuneration, Nomination and Audit Committees.
Clive was Chairman of London Luton Airport until June 2018, a position he held for almost 5 years. Besides being Chairman, he was interim CEO during 2014. Clive was also a director of Exolum Pipeline System Ltd (formerly CLH-PS Ltd), the owner and operator of the UK's largest fuel pipeline and storage facility until resigning in March 2021.
Clive has 40 years' experience in the aviation industry having worked for Manchester Airport and British Airways amongst others. He has also served on the boards of a number of airports including London Luton Airport, Lima in Peru and Curacao in the Dutch Antilles. Clive is a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Clive is a member of the Remuneration, Nomination and Audit Committees.
The auditors of a company must be appointed at each general meeting at which accounts are presented to shareholders. Resolution 9 proposes the re-appointment of the Company's existing auditors, KPMG LLP, until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2022. The current appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's auditors will end at the conclusion of the AGM and it has advised of its willingness to stand for re-appointment.
In accordance with current best practice, Resolution 10 is a separate resolution which gives authority to the Directors to determine the auditors' remuneration.
For UK incorporated companies, there are requirements in relation to the content and approval of the Directors' Remuneration Report. Although, as a Guernsey-incorporated company, Esken is not subject to these requirements, the Board considers that Shareholders would expect the Company to voluntarily mirror the requirements of the UK legislation applicable to a Main Market company so far as is practicable. Resolution 11 seeks separate Shareholder approval for the Directors' Remuneration Report which gives details of the Directors' remuneration for the financial year ended 28 February 2021 and which is set out on pages 88 to 100 of the Annual Report and Accounts. The vote is advisory only and no Director's remuneration is conditional on the vote being passed.
In accordance with The Investment Association's Share Capital Management Guidelines, this resolution authorises the general issue of Ordinary Shares:
Such authority will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or 17 November 2022 (whichever is earlier).
The Directors have no current intention to exercise this authority (except to satisfy awards made under employee share schemes), but the Board wishes to ensure that the Company has maximum flexibility in managing the financial resources of the Company. This resolution revokes and replaces all unexercised authorities previously granted to the Directors to issue Ordinary Shares or to grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any securities into Ordinary Shares but without prejudice to any issue of shares or grant of rights already made, offered or agreed to be made pursuant to such authorities.
The Company held no treasury shares as at the Latest Practicable Date.
These resolutions authorise the Directors to issue equity securities (as defined in the Articles of Incorporation) for cash without first offering them to the existing Shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings. The authority under these resolutions would be limited to:
The disapplication authorities in Resolution 13 are in accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles which allow a board to allot equity securities for cash otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer up to 5 per cent of a company's issued share capital for use on an unrestricted basis.
The disapplication authorities in Resolution 14 are in addition to the authorities in Resolution 13, in accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles which allow a board to allot equity securities for cash otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer up to a further 5 per cent of a company's issued share capital for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the waiver is used within six months of the original transaction) a transaction which the directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Pre-emption Group's Statement of Principles.
In accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles, the Board confirms its intention that no more than 7.5 per cent of the issued share capital of the Company will be issued for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis during any rolling three-year period (except in accordance with Resolution 14) without prior consultation with Shareholders. The Directors have no present intention to exercise this authority, but it is considered prudent to maintain the flexibility that this authority provides.
This resolution seeks Shareholder approval for the Company to make market purchases of up to 63,092,612 Ordinary Shares, being approximately 10 per cent of the issued share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares) as at the Latest Practicable Date and specifies the minimum and maximum prices at which the Ordinary Shares may be bought. The authority conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or on 17 November 2022 (if earlier). The Directors have no present intention of exercising the authority to purchase the Company's Ordinary Shares, however, in certain circumstances it may be advantageous for the Company to purchase its own shares and the Directors consider it to be desirable for the general authority to be available to provide flexibility in the management of the Company's capital resources. Purchases of the Company's own shares will be made if to do so would be in the best interests of the Company and of its Shareholders generally, and would result in an increase in earnings per share. The Company may either retain any of its own shares which it has purchased as treasury shares with a view to possible use at a future date or cancel them. Holding the shares as treasury shares gives the Company the ability to use them quickly and cost-effectively and would provide the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base. No dividends will be paid on and no voting rights will be exercised in respect of treasury shares. It is the Company's current intention that shares repurchased under this authority and held in treasury will, at the appropriate time, be transferred to the Esken Employee Benefit Trust to meet the requirements, as they arise, of the Company's share incentive arrangements (unless otherwise agreed by the Board). The total number of awards and options to subscribe for Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Company outstanding as at the Latest Practicable Date was 2,624,890, representing approximately 0.4 per cent of the issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) at that date. If the authority being sought under this resolution was utilised in full, the issued share capital would be reduced by an equivalent amount and the outstanding awards and options would represent approximately 0.4 per cent of the issued share capital as at the Latest Practicable Date. No warrants over Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Company are in existence as at the Latest Practicable Date.
Esken plc Notice of Meeting 2021 19 20 Esken plc Notice of Meeting 2021
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