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Scholar Education Group — AGM Information 2023
Apr 19, 2023
50155_rns_2023-04-19_cace9938-b64d-402c-82a4-377c1528ccaa.pdf
AGM Information
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THIS CIRCULAR IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of this circular or as to the action to be taken, you should consult your licensed securities dealer or registered institution in securities, bank manager, solicitor, professional accountant or other professional adviser.
If you have sold or transferred all your shares in Scholar Education Group, you should at once hand this circular and the accompanying form of proxy to the purchaser or to the transferee or to the bank, licensed securities dealer or registered institution in securities or other agent through whom the sale was effected for transmission to the purchaser or the transferee.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this circular, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this circular.
SCHOLAR EDUCATION GROUP 思 考 樂 教 育 集 團
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability) (Stock Code: 1769)
PROPOSALS FOR
RE-ELECTION OF RETIRING DIRECTORS, APPOINTMENT OF NEW DIRECTOR,
RE-APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR,
GRANT OF GENERAL MANDATES TO ISSUE AND REPURCHASE SHARES, PROPOSED ADOPTION OF THE SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION, AND
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
A notice convening the annual general meeting (the ‘‘AGM’’) of Scholar Education Group (the ‘‘Company’’) to be held at Rooms 401–410, 4th Floor, Yunfeng Garden, 29 Youyi Road, Jianan Community, Nanhu Street, Luohu District, Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China on Friday, 19 May 2023 at 10:00 a.m. is set out on pages 93 to 98 of this circular. A form of proxy for use at the AGM is also enclosed. Such form of proxy is also published on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited at www.hkexnews.hk and the website of the Company at http://www.skledu.com.
Whether or not you are able to attend the AGM, you are encouraged to complete the form of proxy in accordance with the instructions printed thereon and return it to the Hong Kong share registrar of the Company, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong as soon as possible and in any event not later than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the AGM or any adjournment thereof. Completion and return of the form of proxy will not preclude you from attending and voting at the AGM or any adjourned meeting should you so wish, and in such event the form of proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.
19 April 2023
CONTENTS
| Pages | ||
|---|---|---|
| Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 1 | |
| Letter from the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 4 | |
| 1. | Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 5 |
| 2. | Proposed Re-election of Retiring Directors and Appointment of New Director . . . . | 5 |
| 3. | Proposed Re-appointment of Auditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
6 |
| 4. | Proposed Grant of the Issue Mandate, Repurchase Mandate and | |
| Extension Mandate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
6 | |
| 5. | Proposed Adoption of the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and | |
| Articles of Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 7 | |
| 6. | Annual General Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
8 |
| 7. | Actions to be Taken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
8 |
| 8. | Closure of the Register of Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 8 |
| 9. | Voting by Way of Poll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 9 |
| 10. | Responsibility Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
9 |
| 11. | Recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 9 |
| Appendix | I — Details of Retiring Directors/New Director Proposed |
|
| for Re-Election/Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
10 | |
| Appendix | II — Explanatory Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
13 |
| Appendix | III — Details of the Proposed Amendments to the Memorandum |
|
| and Articles of Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 16 | |
| Notice of | Annual General Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
93 |
– i –
DEFINITIONS
In this circular, the following expressions have the following meanings unless the context requires otherwise:
‘‘AGM’’
the annual general meeting of the Company to be held at Rooms 401–410, 4th Floor, Yunfeng Garden, 29 Youyi Road, Jianan Community, Nanhu Street, Luohu District, Shenzhen, the PRC on Friday, 19 May 2023 at 10:00 a.m., or any adjournment thereof, and the notice of which is set out on pages 93 to 98 of this circular
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‘‘Articles of Association’’ the amended and restated articles of association of the Company adopted on 3 June 2019 and effective on 21 June 2019, being the date on which the Shares were listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange, as amended or supplemented from time to time
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‘‘Board’’ the board of Directors ‘‘Companies Act’’ the Companies Act (2021 Revision) of the Cayman Islands as amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time
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‘‘Company’’ Scholar Education Group (思考樂教育集團), a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands on 7 February 2018
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‘‘controlling shareholder(s)’’ has the meaning ascribed to it under the Listing Rules
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‘‘Director(s)’’ the director(s) of the Company
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‘‘Extension Mandate’’ a general and unconditional mandate proposed to be granted to the Directors at the AGM to extend the Issue Mandate by an amount representing the aggregate amount of Shares repurchased under the Repurchase Mandate
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‘‘Group’’ the Company and its subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities in the PRC
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‘‘HK$’’ Hong Kong dollars, the lawful currency of Hong Kong
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‘‘Hong Kong’’ the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC
– 1 –
DEFINITIONS
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‘‘Issue Mandate’’
-
‘‘Latest Practicable Date’’
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‘‘Listing Rules’’
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‘‘Memorandum of Association’’
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‘‘PRC’’
-
‘‘Proposed Amendments’’
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‘‘Repurchase Mandate’’
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‘‘Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association’’
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‘‘SFO’’
-
a general and unconditional mandate proposed to be granted to the Directors at the AGM to exercise the power of the Company to allot, issue and/or deal with Shares of not exceeding 20% of the aggregate number of issued Shares as at the date of passing of the relevant resolution granting the Issue Mandate
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18 April 2023, being the latest practicable date prior to the printing of this circular for the purpose of ascertaining certain information for inclusion in this circular
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the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange
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the amended and restated memorandum of association of the Company adopted on 3 June 2019, as amended or supplemented from time to time
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the People’s Republic of China, excluding for the purpose of this circular only, Hong Kong, Macau Special Administrative Region of the PRC and Taiwan
-
the proposed amendments to amend the Memorandum and Articles of Association in order to, among other things, bring the current Memorandum and Articles of Association in line with amendments made to the applicable laws of the Cayman Islands and the Listing Rules, with details as set out in Appendix III to this circular
-
a general and unconditional mandate to be granted to the Director at the AGM to exercise the powers of the Company to repurchase Shares of not exceeding 10% of the aggregate number of the issued Shares as at the date of passing of the relevant resolution granting the Repurchase Mandate
-
the second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association proposed to be adopted by the Company by passing a special resolution of Shareholders at the AGM, the full text of which is set out in Appendix III to this circular with the Proposed Amendments shown in mark-ups against the existing Memorandum and Articles of Association published on the websites of the Company and the Stock Exchange
the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong)
– 2 –
DEFINITIONS
‘‘Share(s)’’ ordinary share(s) of the Company of US$0.001 each in the share capital of the Company
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‘‘Shareholder(s)’’ holder(s) of the Share(s)
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‘‘Stock Exchange’’ The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
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‘‘substantial shareholder(s)’’ has the meaning ascribed to it under the Listing Rules
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‘‘Takeovers Code’’
the Codes on Takeovers and Mergers and Share Buy-backs issued by the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong
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‘‘US$’’ United States dollars, the lawful currency of the United States of America
-
‘‘%’’ per cent
– 3 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
SCHOLAR EDUCATION GROUP 思 考 樂 教 育 集 團
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability)
(Stock Code: 1769)
Executive Directors:
Mr. Chen Qiyuan (Chairman) Mr. Qi Mingzhi (Chief Executive Officer) Ms. Li Ailing Ms. Leng Xinlan
Registered Office: Cricket Square Hutchins Drive P.O. Box 2681 Grand Cayman, KY1-1111 Cayman Islands
Non-executive Director:
Mr. Shen Jing Wu (Vice Chairman)
Independent non-executive Directors: Mr. Huang Victor Dr. Liu Jianhua Mr. Yang Xuezhi
Principal Place of Business in Hong Kong: Unit 02, 3/F, Austin Plaza No. 83 Austin Road Kowloon Hong Kong 19 April 2023
To the Shareholders
Dear Sirs,
PROPOSALS FOR
RE-ELECTION OF RETIRING DIRECTORS, APPOINTMENT OF NEW DIRECTOR,
RE-APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR,
GRANT OF GENERAL MANDATES TO ISSUE AND REPURCHASE SHARES, ADOPTION OF SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION, AND
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
– 4 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
1. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this circular is to give you notice of the AGM and the information relating to the proposals for (i) the re-election of Directors and appointment of a new Director; (ii) the re-appointment of the auditor of the Company; (iii) the grant of the Issue Mandate, the Repurchase Mandate and the Extension Mandate; and (iv) the adoption of the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
2. PROPOSED RE-ELECTION OF RETIRING DIRECTORS AND APPOINTMENT OF NEW DIRECTOR
Pursuant to the Article 84(1) of the Articles of Association, Mr. Chen Qiyuan, Mr. Qi Mingzhi and Dr. Liu Jianhua will retire by rotation at the AGM. Mr. Chen Qiyuan and Mr. Qi Mingzhi, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.
Dr. Liu Jianhua will not offer himself for re-election as he would like to devote more time to his other endeavours. He accordingly will retire as an independent non-executive Director upon conclusion of the AGM. Dr. Liu Jianhua has confirmed that he has no disagreement with the Board and there are no matters that need to be brought to the attention of the Shareholders in respect of his retirement as an independent non-executive Director. The Board would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Liu Jianhua for his valuable contributions and service to the Company during his tenure of office.
Ms. Yim Ka Man has been proposed to be appointed as an independent non-executive Director at the AGM. An ordinary resolution will be proposed to appoint Ms. Yim Ka Man as an independent non-executive Director at the AGM.
The Nomination Committee is of the view that Mr. Chen Qiyuan and Mr. Qi Mingzhi should be recommended for re-election for a number of reasons. First, they have extensive knowledge of and valuable insights into the Group’s business and the industry in which the Group operates. Second, their diverse backgrounds are expected to afford the Board with a balance of skills, experiences and perspectives to support the strategic development and leadership of the Group. Accordingly, the Nomination Committee has recommended them to the Board for re-election and appointment (as the case may be) and the Board has endorsed the recommendations of the Nomination Committee and recommended Mr. Chen Qiyuan and Mr. Qi Mingzhi to stand for reelection at the AGM.
During the process of identifying a new independent non-executive Director, the Nomination Committee has evaluated the curriculum vitae and independence of Ms. Yim Ka Man. Having considered the Company’s policy for nomination of Directors and the criteria set out in Rule 3.13 of the Listing Rules, the Nomination Committee is satisfied with the character, competence, experience, integrity, time commitment and independence of Ms. Yim Ka Man. Given her experience in external audit, management accounting, operations management, internal control review, ESG reporting and enterprise risk assessment, the Nomination Committee is also of the view that Ms. Yim Ka Man has requisite perspectives, skills and experience that she could
– 5 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
contribute to the diversity and performance of the Board. Based on the above, the Nomination Committee has recommended Ms. Yim Ka Man to the Board for consideration. The Board, with the recommendation of the Nomination Committee, is of the view that Ms. Yim Ka Man is a suitable candidate for appointment as independent non-executive Director and recommends Ms. Yim Ka Man to stand for election at the AGM.
Each of Mr. Chen Qiyuan and Mr. Qi Mingzhi had abstained from the discussion and voting at the meetings of the Board and/or the Nomination Committee regarding the resolutions recommending his re-election.
In compliance with the requirements of code provision E.1.1 of the Corporate Governance Code and Corporate Governance Report set out in Appendix 14 to the Listing Rules, a separate resolution will be proposed at the AGM for the re-election of each individual Director proposed to be re-elected or the appointment of the proposed new director whether such Director is an executive Director, a non-executive Director or an independent non-executive Director and whether the proposed new director is proposed to be an executive Director, a non-executive Director or an independent non-executive Director.
The particulars (as required under the Listing Rules) of the Directors who are proposed to be re-elected and the proposed new Director are set out in Appendix I to this circular.
3. PROPOSED RE-APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR
The Board proposes to re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers as the auditor of the Company for the year ending 31 December 2023 and to hold the office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company. A resolution will also be proposed to authorise the Board to fix the auditor’s remuneration for the ensuing year. PricewaterhouseCoopers have indicated their willingness to be re-appointed as auditor of the Company for the said period.
4. PROPOSED GRANT OF THE ISSUE MANDATE, REPURCHASE MANDATE AND EXTENSION MANDATE
To ensure flexibility and give discretion to the Directors in the event that it becomes desirable for the Company to issue any new Shares, approval is to be sought from the Shareholders, pursuant to the Listing Rules, for the Issue Mandate to issue Shares. At the AGM, an ordinary resolution will be proposed to give the Directors the Issue Mandate to exercise the power of the Company to allot, issue and/or deal with Shares of not exceeding 20% of the aggregate number of issued Shares as at the date of passing of the relevant resolution granting the Issue Mandate.
As at the Latest Practicable Date, a total of 555,700,000 Shares were in issue. Subject to the passing of the proposed resolution granting the Issue Mandate to the Directors and on the basis that no Shares will be issued or repurchased by the Company after the Latest Practicable Date and prior to the AGM, the Company will be allowed under the Issue Mandate to issue a maximum of 111,140,000 Shares.
– 6 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
At the AGM, an ordinary resolution will also be proposed to give the Directors the Repurchase Mandate to exercise the powers of the Company to repurchase Shares of not exceeding 10% of the aggregate number of the issued Shares as at the date of passing of the relevant resolution granting the Repurchase Mandate. Pursuant to the Listing Rules, the Company is required to give the Shareholders all the information which is reasonably necessary to enable the Shareholders to make an informed decision as to whether to vote in favour of or against the resolution granting the Repurchase Mandate at the AGM. An explanatory statement for such purpose is set out in Appendix II to this circular.
In addition, an ordinary resolution regarding the Extension Mandate will be proposed at the AGM providing that any Shares repurchased under the Repurchase Mandate (up to a maximum of 10% of the issued Shares as at the date of passing of the relevant resolution granting the Repurchase Mandate) will be added to the total number of Shares which may be allotted and issued under the Issue Mandate.
The Issue Mandate and the Repurchase Mandate would expire on the earliest of: (a) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company; (b) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the Companies Act or any other applicable laws or the articles of association of the Company to be held; and (c) the revocation or variation by ordinary resolution(s) by the Shareholders in a general meeting prior to the next annual general meeting of the Company.
5. PROPOSED ADOPTION OF THE SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
The Board proposes to make the Proposed Amendments to the Memorandum and Articles of Association for the purposes of, among others, (i) bringing the Memorandum and Articles of Association in line with the relevant requirements of the Listing Rules, including the core shareholder protection standards set out in Appendix 3 to the Listing Rules and the applicable laws of the Cayman Islands; (ii) permitting the Company to hold general meetings as hybrid meeting or as electronic meetings; (iii) conforming with Cayman Islands law and practice; and (iv) making other housekeeping amendments, including consequential amendments in line with the Proposed Amendments to the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
A marked-up version of the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association which shows the Proposed Amendments is set out in Appendix III to this circular.
The legal advisers to the Company as to Hong Kong laws have confirmed that the Proposed Amendments conform with the requirements of Appendix 3 to the Listing Rules. The legal advisers to the Company as to Cayman Islands laws have confirmed that the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (containing the Proposed Amendments) are not inconsistent with the laws of the Cayman Islands.
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LETTER FROM THE BOARD
The primary purpose of the Proposed Amendments is to bring the constitution of the Company in compliance with the latest Listing Rules and improve certain procedural matters. The Board considers that the Proposed Amendments are in the best interests of the Company and the Shareholders as a whole. The Board confirms that there is nothing unusual about the Proposed Amendments for a company listed in Hong Kong.
The Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association are prepared in the English language. The Chinese translation of the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association is for reference only. In case there are any inconsistencies between the English version and the Chinese version, the English version shall prevail.
The Proposed Amendments are subject to the approval of the Shareholders by way of a special resolution at the AGM. Prior to the passing of the relevant special resolution at the AGM, the current Memorandum and Articles of Association shall remain valid.
6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
A notice convening the AGM is set out on pages 93 to 98 of this circular to consider the resolutions relating the matters set out in this circular.
To the extent that the Directors are aware having made all reasonable enquiries, none of the Shareholders is required to abstain from voting on the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM.
7. ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
A form of proxy for the use at the AGM is enclosed with this circular and such form of proxy is also published on the website of the Stock Exchange at www.hkexnews.hk and the website of the Company at http://www.skledu.com. Whether or not you are able to attend the AGM, you are encouraged to complete the form of proxy and return it to the Hong Kong share registrar of the Company, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong in accordance with the instructions printed thereon as soon as possible and in any event not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the AGM or any adjournment thereof. Completion and return of the form of proxy will not preclude you from attending and voting at the AGM or any adjourned meeting should you so wish, and in such event the form of proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.
8. CLOSURE OF THE REGISTER OF MEMBERS
To ascertain the Shareholders’ entitlement to attend and vote at the AGM, the register of members of the Company will be closed from Tuesday, 16 May 2023 to Friday, 19 May 2023, both days inclusive, during which period no transfer of Shares will be registered. In order to be eligible to attend and vote at the AGM, all duly completed transfer forms accompanied by the relevant share certificates must be lodged with the Hong Kong share registrar of the Company, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at Shops 1712–16, 17th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong not later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, 15 May 2023.
– 8 –
LETTER FROM THE BOARD
9. VOTING BY WAY OF POLL
Pursuant to Rule 13.39(4) of the Listing Rules, all votes at the AGM will be taken by poll except where the chairman, in good faith, decides to allow a resolution which relates purely to a procedural or administrative matter to be voted on by a show of hands and the Company will announce the results of the poll in the manner prescribed under Rule 13.39(5) of the Listing Rules.
10. RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT
This circular includes particulars given in compliance with the Listing Rules for the purpose of giving information with respect to the Company. The information contained herein relating to the Company has been supplied by the Directors, who collectively and individually accept full responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained in this circular and confirm, having made all reasonable enquiries, that to the best of their knowledge and belief, there are no other facts not contained in this circular the omission of which would make any statement herein misleading insofar as it relates to the Company.
11. RECOMMENDATION
The Board believes that the proposed re-election of Directors and appointment of new Director, the proposed re-appointment of the auditor of the Company, the proposed grant of the Issue Mandate, the Repurchase Mandate and the Extension Mandate and the proposed adoption of the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association are in the interests of the Company and the Shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the Board recommends you to vote in favour of the relevant resolutions to be proposed at the AGM.
Yours faithfully, By order of the Board Scholar Education Group Chen Qiyuan Chairman
– 9 –
APPENDIX I
DETAILS OF RETIRING DIRECTORS/NEW DIRECTOR PROPOSED FOR RE-ELECTION/APPOINTMENT
The particulars (as required under the Listing Rules) of the Directors who will retire and being eligible, offer themselves for re-election, or be appointed at the AGM are set out as follows:
Chen Qiyuan (陳啟遠), aged 40, founder of the Group, was appointed as a Director on 7 February 2018 and the chairman of the Board on 16 April 2018, respectively. He was re-designated as an executive Director on 20 December 2018. He is responsible for the overall formulation, guidance of business strategy and development of the Group.
Mr. Chen has over 12 years of experience in tutoring business. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Chen had been in preparation for the establishment of the Group. He has been the general manager of Shenzhen Scholar since 2012. Prior to founding the Group, he worked at Shenzhen Bond Cultural Development Co., Ltd* (深圳市邦德文化發展有限公司) from December 2005 to July 2008.
Mr. Chen graduated from Shaoyang University (邵陽學院) in Shaoyang, Hunan Province, the PRC in June 2006 with a bachelor’s degree of science. He received a master of business administration at Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School in July 2022. Mr. Chen obtained the qualification of a middle school senior teacher granted by Shaoyang Department of Education in July 2006. He was awarded the ‘‘Outstanding Person in Private Education in 2015’’ (2015民辦教育 風雲人物) by Southern Metropolis Daily (南方都市報). He also completed the Hong Kong Youth Leadership National Studies Workshop organised by the Chinese Academy of Governance in December 2018. Further, he completed the Oxford-Visiting Study Programme organised by the Mansfield College, University of Oxford as a visiting scholar from Peking University HSBC Business School in March 2018. He currently serves as the deputy chairman of the Guangdong Elementary Mathematical Society. Mr. Chen has been appointed as the visiting professor at Lingnan Normal University (嶺南師範學院) in March 2021. Mr. Chen has also been appointed as the committee member of the Fifth Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress in May 2021.
As at the Latest Practicable Date, Mr. Chen was deemed to be interested in 218,585,000 Shares, representing approximately 39.34% of the total issued share capital of the Company, through his 100% shareholding in Yu Xi International Company Limited (語汐國際有限公司), which in turn controls the voting shares of Sky Noon International Company Limited (天晟國際有 限公司). Mr. Chen entered into a service contract with the Company for an initial fixed term of three years commencing from 21 June 2019 and which will continue thereafter until terminated by not less than three months’ notice in writing served by either party on the other, which notice shall not expire until after the fixed term. He is subject to retirement by rotation and re-election at the annual general meetings of the Company and vacation of office in accordance with the articles of association of the Company. Mr. Chen is not entitled to any director’s fee, and he is not expected to receive any remuneration for holding his office as a Director. Mr. Chen is entitled to basic annual salaries of RMB472,000, and is eligible to receive a discretionary bonus. For the year ended 31 December 2022, Mr. Chen received a remuneration of RMB1,151,000.
– 10 –
APPENDIX I
DETAILS OF RETIRING DIRECTORS/NEW DIRECTOR PROPOSED FOR RE-ELECTION/APPOINTMENT
Save as disclosed above, there is no other information which is discloseable pursuant to any of the requirements under Rules 13.51(2)(h) to 13.51(2)(v) of the Listing Rules, and there are no other matters relating to the re-election of Mr. Chen that need to be brought to the attention of the Shareholders.
Mr. Qi Mingzhi (齊明智), aged 38, who had joined the Group in June 2012, was appointed as a Director and chief executive officer on 16 April 2018 and 8 December 2018 respectively. He was re-designated as an executive Director on 20 December 2018. Mr. Qi is in charge of the Group’s overall management and operation, contributing towards the overall strategic planning and realisation of the business objectives of the Group.
Mr. Qi has over ten years of experience in tutoring business. He was the subject co-ordinator of science of Shenzhen Scholar since September 2012 and was promoted to the head of teaching and education in April 2013. In September 2014, he became the deputy chief of Scholar Centre and also the chief of Shenzhen Cuizhu learning centre. He was further promoted to serve as the deputy chief operating officer of the Shenzhen Scholar and the principal of the middle school division of Shenzhen Scholar in July 2015. He has been serving as the chief operating officer and the executive general manager of Shenzhen Scholar since September 2016.
Prior to joining the Group, he worked in Shenzhen Bond Cultural Development Co. Ltd (深 圳市邦德文化發展有限公司) from June 2008 to November 2008. He then worked in Shenzhen Shenxin Clubhouse Management Co., Ltd (深圳市深信會所管理有限公司) from June 2009 to May 2012.
He graduated in chemistry from Anhui Normal University (安徽師範大學) in Wuhu, Anhui Province, the PRC in July 2008. He obtained the middle school senior teacher’s qualification certificate in June 2008 from Wuhu Department of Education.
As at the Latest Practicable Date, Mr. Qi was interested in 12,818,000 Shares, representing approximately 2.31% of the total issued share capital of the Company. Mr. Qi entered into a service contract with the Company for an initial fixed term of three years commencing from 21 June 2019 and which will continue thereafter until terminated by not less than three months’ notice in writing served by either party on the other, which notice shall not expire until after the fixed term. He is subject to retirement by rotation and re-election at the annual general meetings of the Company and vacation of office in accordance with the articles of association of the Company. Mr. Qi is not entitled to any director’s fee, and he is not expected to receive any remuneration for holding his office as a Director. Mr. Qi is entitled to basic annual salaries of RMB428,000, and is eligible to receive a discretionary bonus. For the year ended 31 December 2022, Mr. Qi received a remuneration of RMB757,000.
Save as disclosed above, there is no other information which is discloseable pursuant to any of the requirements under Rules 13.51(2)(h) to 13.51(2)(v) of the Listing Rules, and there are no other matters relating to the re-election of Mr. Qi that need to be brought to the attention of the Shareholders.
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DETAILS OF RETIRING DIRECTORS/NEW DIRECTOR PROPOSED FOR RE-ELECTION/APPOINTMENT
APPENDIX I
Ms. Yim Ka Man (嚴加敏), aged 43, has over 15 years of experience in external audit, management accounting, operations management, internal control review, ESG reporting and enterprise risk assessment. She has been the Head of Risk Advisory Services at Mazars CPA Limited (‘‘Mazars’’), an international audit, tax and advisory firm, in Hong Kong since April 2021. Prior to joining Mazars, she worked at BDO Risk Advisory from March 2014 to May 2015 as manager, and at Baker Tilly Hong Kong — Risk Advisory from May 2015 to April 2021, with her last position as director. Prior to that, she has worked at various international accounting firms, where she was responsible for supervising auditors in a number of systems reviews and audit assignments for both listed companies, large private enterprises and listing applicants, and she has also worked at the internal audit departments of Miramar Group, a renowned hospitality group, and Hang Lung Properties, a leading property developer in Hong Kong.
Ms. Yim is a member of CPA Australia and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Ms. Yim received a Master of Laws (International and Commercial Law) degree from the University of Greenwich, the United Kingdom in November 2020 and a Bachelor of Business (Accounting and Banking & Finance) degree from Monash University, Australia in July 2002.
Subject to Ms. Yim being elected as an independent non-executive Director by the Shareholders at the AGM, Ms. Yim shall enter into a letter of appointment with the Company for an initial fixed term of one year commencing from the date of the letter of appointment and will continue thereafter until terminated by not less than three months’ notice in writing served by the independent non-executive Director to the Company or with immediate effect following the notice in writing served by the Company to the independent non-executive Director and shall be subject to retirement by rotation and re-election at the annual general meetings of the Company and vacation of office in accordance with the articles of association of the Company. Ms. Yim is entitled to basic annual salaries of HK$180,000 pursuant to the letter of appointment to be entered into. The director’s fee of Ms. Yim is determined by the Board with reference to her duties and responsibilities. As at the Latest Practicable Date, Ms. Yim did not have any interest in any shares, underlying shares, or debentures of the Company pursuant to Part XV of the SFO. She does not have any relationship with any directors or senior management or substantial shareholders or controlling shareholders of the Company.
Save as disclosed above, there is no other information which is discloseable pursuant to any of the requirements under Rules 13.51(2)(h) to 13.51(2)(v) of the Listing Rules, and there are no other matters relating to the appointment of Ms. Yim that need to be brought to the attention of the Shareholders.
– 12 –
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
APPENDIX II
This Appendix serves as an explanatory statement, as required by the Listing Rules, to provide the requisite information to enable you to make an informed decision whether to vote in favour of or against the resolution to approve the grant of the Repurchase Mandate to the Directors.
SHARE CAPITAL
As at the Latest Practicable Date, the number of issued Shares was 555,700,000 Shares of nominal value of US$0.001 each of which had been fully paid. Subject to the passing of the resolution granting the Repurchase Mandate and on the basis that no further Shares are issued or repurchased before the AGM, the Company will be allowed to repurchase a maximum of 55,570,000 Shares which represent 10% of the issued Shares during the period ending on the earliest of (i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company; (ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the Companies Act or any other applicable laws or the articles of association of the Company to be held; and (iii) the revocation or variation by ordinary resolution(s) by the Shareholders in a general meeting prior to the next annual general meeting of the Company.
REASONS FOR AND FUNDING OF REPURCHASES
The Directors believe that it is in the best interests of the Company and the Shareholders as a whole to seek a general authority from the Shareholders to enable the Company to repurchase its Shares. Such repurchases may, depending on market conditions and funding arrangements at the time, lead to an enhancement of the net asset value per Share and/or its earnings per Share and will only be made when the Directors believe that such repurchases will benefit the Company and the Shareholders as a whole.
Repurchases of Shares will be financed out of funds legally available for the purpose and in accordance with the Articles of Association, the Listing Rules and the applicable laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands. The Directors may not repurchase the Shares on the Stock Exchange for a consideration other than cash or for settlement otherwise than in accordance with the trading rules of the Stock Exchange. Subject to the foregoing, the Directors may make repurchases with profits of the Company or out of a new issuance of shares made for the purpose of the repurchase or, if authorised by the articles of association of the Company and subject to the Companies Act, out of capital and, in the case of any premium payable on the repurchase, out of profits of the Company or from sums standing to the credit of the share premium account of the Company or, if authorised by the articles of association of the Company and subject to the Companies Act, out of capital.
The Directors have no present intention to repurchase any Shares and they would only exercise the power to repurchase in circumstances where they consider that the repurchase would be in the best interests of the Company. The Directors consider that if the Repurchase Mandate was to be exercised in full, it would not have a material adverse impact on the working capital or on the gearing position of the Company, as compared with the positions disclosed in the audited
– 13 –
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
APPENDIX II
consolidated financial statements of the Company as at 31 December 2022, being the date to which the latest published audited consolidated financial statements of the Company were made up, as set out in the annual report of the Company dated 18 April 2023.
GENERAL
As at the Latest Practicable Date, none of the Directors or, to the best of their knowledge having made all reasonable enquiries, their respective close associates (as defined in the Listing Rules) had a present intention to sell any of the Shares to the Company or its subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities, if the Repurchase Mandate is approved by the Shareholders.
The Directors have undertaken to the Stock Exchange that, so far as the same may be applicable, they will exercise the Repurchase Mandate in accordance with the Listing Rules and the applicable laws of the Cayman Islands.
As at the Latest Practicable Date, no core connected person (as defined in the Listing Rules) of the Company had notified the Company that he/she/it had a present intention to sell any Shares, or had undertaken not to do so, if the Repurchase Mandate is approved by the Shareholders.
TAKEOVERS CODE
If a Shareholder’s proportionate interest in the voting rights of the Company increases as a result of the Directors exercising the powers of the Company to repurchase Shares under the Repurchase Mandate, such increase will be treated as an acquisition of voting rights for the purposes of the Takeovers Code. As a result, a Shareholder, or group of Shareholders acting in concert, depending on the level of increase of such Shareholders’ interest, could obtain or consolidate control of the Company and become obliged to make a mandatory offer in accordance with Rule 26 of the Takeovers Code. In particular, the exercise of the Repurchase Mandate may give rise to an obligation on the part of Mr. Chen Qiyuan (the chairman of the Board, an executive Director and a controlling shareholder of the Company), who was deemed to be interested in approximately 39.34% of the issued shares capital of the Company as at the Latest Practicable Date, to make a mandatory offer under the Takeovers Code. However, the Directors do not have a present intention to exercise the Repurchase Mandate to such an extent that would result in takeover obligations under Rule 26 of the Takeovers Code or the number of Shares held by the public being reduced to less than 25%. Save as aforesaid, the Directors are not aware of any consequences which would arise under the Takeovers Code as a consequence of any repurchases pursuant to the Repurchase Mandate.
SHARE REPURCHASE MADE BY THE COMPANY
The Company had not repurchased any Shares (whether on the Stock Exchange or otherwise) during the six months immediately preceding the Latest Practicable Date.
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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
APPENDIX II
SHARE PRICES
The highest and lowest prices at which the Shares were traded on the Stock Exchange during the year ended 31 December 2022 and up to the Latest Practicable Date are as follows:
| Highest prices | Lowest prices | |
|---|---|---|
| Month | per Share | per Share |
| HK$ | HK$ | |
| 2022 | ||
| January | 1.490 | 0.900 |
| February | 1.200 | 0.920 |
| March | 1.090 | 0.590 |
| April | 0.780 | 0.530 |
| May | 0.630 | 0.385 |
| June | 1.470 | 0.455 |
| July | 0.840 | 0.580 |
| August | 1.000 | 0.700 |
| September | 0.860 | 0.680 |
| October | 0.900 | 0.630 |
| November | 1.030 | 0.690 |
| December | 2.400 | 0.750 |
| 2023 | ||
| January | 1.900 | 1.470 |
| February | 2.380 | 1.520 |
| March | 2.970 | 2.070 |
| April (up to the Latest Practicable Date) | 2.780 | 2.150 |
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
THE COMPANIES ~~LAWA~~ CT (AS REVISED)
EXEMPTED COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
Scholar Education Group 思考樂教育集團
(Adopted by a special resolution passed at the annual general meeting of the Company held on
~~3 June 2019~~ [.] 2023)
-
The name of the Company is Scholar Education Group and its dual foreign name is 思考樂 教育集團.
-
The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Conyers Trust Company (Cayman) Limited, Cricket Square, Hutchins Drive, PO Box 2681, Grand Cayman, KY1–1111, Cayman Islands.
-
Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and shall include, but without limitation:
-
(a) to act and to perform all the functions of a holding company in all its branches and to coordinate the policy and administration of any subsidiary company or companies wherever incorporated or carrying on business or of any group of companies of which the Company or any subsidiary company is a member or which are in any manner controlled directly or indirectly by the Company;
-
(b) to act as an investment company and for that purpose to subscribe, acquire, hold, dispose, sell, deal in or trade upon any terms, whether conditionally or absolutely, shares, stock, debentures, debenture stock, annuities, notes, mortgages, bonds, obligations and securities, foreign exchange, foreign currency deposits and commodities, issued or guaranteed by any company wherever incorporated, or by any government, sovereign, ruler, commissioners, public body or authority, supreme, municipal, local or otherwise, by original subscription, tender, purchase, exchange, underwriting, participation in syndicates or in any other manner and whether or not fully paid up, and to meet calls thereon.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
-
Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit, as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies ~~LawA~~ ct (As Revised).
-
Nothing in this Memorandum shall permit the Company to carry on a business for which a licence is required under the laws of the Cayman Islands unless duly licensed.
-
The Company shall not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the Cayman Islands; provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as to prevent the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands.
-
The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such member’s shares.
-
The share capital of the Company is US$1,000,000 divided into 1,000,000,000 shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.001 each, with the power for the Company, insofar as is permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or reduce the said share capital subject to the provisions of the Companies ~~Law~~ Act (As Revised) and the Articles of Association of the Company and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or increased, with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions; and so that, unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare, every issue of shares, whether declared to be preference or otherwise, shall be subject to the power hereinbefore contained.
-
The Company may exercise the power contained in the Companies ~~LawA~~ ct (As Revised) to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in another jurisdiction.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
The Companies ~~LawA~~ ct (As Revised) Exempted Company Limited by Shares
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
Scholar Education Group
==> picture [76 x 11] intentionally omitted <==
(Adopted ~~Conditionally adopted~~ by a special resolution passed at the annual general meeting of the Company held on ~~3 June 2019 with effect from~~
~~the listing of shares of the Company on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited)~~
~~(with effect from 21 June 2019[~~ .] 2023)
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
I N D E X
| SUBJECT Table A Interpretation Share Capital Alteration Of Capital Share Rights Variation Of Rights Shares Share Certificates Lien Calls On Shares Forfeiture Of Shares Register Of Members Record Dates Transfer Of Shares Transmission Of Shares Untraceable Members General Meetings Notice Of General Meetings Proceedings At General Meetings Voting Proxies Corporations Acting By Representatives Written Resolutions Of Members Board Of Directors Retirement Of Directors Disqualification Of Directors Executive Directors Alternate Directors Directors’ Fees And Expenses Directors’ Interests General Powers Of The Directors Borrowing Powers Proceedings Of The Directors Managers Officers Register of Directors and Officers Minutes Seal Authentication Of Documents |
Article No. |
|---|---|
| 1 2 3 4–7 8–9 10–11 12–15 16–21 22–24 25–33 34–42 43–44 45 46–51 52–54 55 56–58 59–60 61–65 66–74 75–80 81 82 83 84–85 86 87–88 89–92 93–96 97–100 101–106 107–110 111–120 121–123 124–127 128 129 130 131 |
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
| SUBJECT Destruction Of Documents Dividends And Other Payments Reserves Capitalisation Subscription Rights Reserve Accounting Records Audit Notices Signatures Winding Up Indemnity Amendment To Memorandum and Articles of Association And Name of Company Information Financial Year |
Article No. |
|---|---|
| 132 133–142 143 144–145 146 147–151 152–157 158–160 161 162–163 164 165 166 167 |
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
THE COMPANIES ~~LAWA~~ CT (AS REVISED) EXEMPTED COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
Scholar Education Group 思考樂教育集團
- (Adopted ~~Conditionally adopted~~ by a special resolution passed at the annual general meeting of the Company held on ~~3 June 2019 with effect from~~
~~the listing of shares of the Company on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited) (with effect from 21 June 2019~~ [.] 2023)
TABLE A
- The regulations in Table A in the Schedule to the Companies ~~Law~~ Act (as defined in Article 2 ~~Revised)~~ do not apply to the Company.
INTERPRETATION
- (1) In these Articles, unless the context otherwise requires, the words standing in the first column of the following table shall bear the meaning set opposite them respectively in the second column.
WORD MEANING
‘‘Act’’
| the Companies Act, Cap. 22 ~~(Act 3 of 1961, as consolidated~~ |
|---|
| ~~and revised)~~ 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. |
| ‘‘announcement’’ | an official publication of a Notice or document of the |
|---|---|
| Company, including a publication, subject to and to such | |
| extent permitted by the Listing Rules, by electronic |
|
| communication or by advertisement published in the |
|
| newspapers or in such manner or means ascribed and | |
| permitted by the Listing Rules and applicable laws. |
‘‘Articles’’
these Articles in their present form or as supplemented or amended or substituted from time to time.
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APPENDIX III
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
- ‘‘Auditor’’
the auditor of the Company for the time being and may include any individual or partnership.
-
‘‘Board’’ or ‘‘Directors’’
-
the board of directors of the Company or the directors present at a meeting of directors of the Company at which a quorum is present.
-
~~‘‘business day’’~~
~~shall mean a day on which the Designated Stock Exchange generally is open for the business of dealing in securities in Hong Kong. For the avoidance of doubt, where the Designated Stock Exchange is closed for the business of dealing in securities in Hong Kong on a business day for the reason of a number 8 or higher typhoon signal, black rainstorm warning or other similar event, such day shall for the purposes of these Articles be counted as a business day.~~
- ‘‘capital’’
the share capital of the Company from time to time.
-
‘‘clear days’’
-
in relation to the period of a notice that period excluding the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect.
-
‘‘clearing house’’
-
a clearing house recognised by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the shares of the Company are listed or quoted on a stock exchange in such jurisdiction including but not limited to HKSCC.
-
‘‘close associate’’
-
in relation to any Director, shall have the same meaning as App. 3 4(1)
-
defined in the ~~rules of the Designated Stock Exchange (‘‘Listing Rules’’)~~ Listing Rules as modified from time to time, except that for purposes of Article 100 where the transaction or arrangement to be approved by the Board is a connected transaction referred to in the Listing Rules, it shall have the same meaning as that ascribed to ‘‘associate’’ in the Listing Rules.
-
‘‘Company’’
-
Scholar Education Group 思考樂教育集團.
-
‘‘competent regulatory authority’’
-
a competent regulatory authority in the territory where the shares of the Company are listed or quoted on a stock exchange in such territory.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
-
‘‘debenture’’ and
-
‘‘debenture holder’’
include debenture stock and debenturestockholder respectively.
- ‘‘Designated Stock Exchange
a stock exchange in respect of which the shares of the Company are listed or quoted and where such stock exchange deems such listing or quotation to be the primary listing or quotation of the shares of the Company.
- ‘‘dollars’’ and ‘‘$’’ dollars, the legal currency of Hong Kong.
‘‘electronic a communication sent, transmitted, conveyed and received communication’’ by wire, by radio, by optical means or by other similar ~~electron~~ magnetic means in any form through any medium.
-
‘‘electronic meeting’’
-
a general meeting held and conducted wholly and exclusively by virtual attendance and participation by Members and/or proxies by means of electronic facilities.
‘‘head office’’
-
such office of the Company as the Directors may from time to time determine to be the principal office of the Company.
-
‘‘HKSCC’’ Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited.
-
‘‘hybrid meeting’’
a general meeting convened for the (i) physical attendance by Members and/or proxies at the Principal Meeting Place and where applicable, one or more Meeting Locations and (ii) virtual attendance and participation by Members and/or proxies by means of electronic facilities.
- ‘‘Listing Rules’’
the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange.
-
‘‘Meeting Location’’ has the meaning given to it in Article 64A.
-
~~‘‘Law’’~~
~~The Companies Law, Cap. 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands.~~
‘‘Member’’
a duly registered holder from time to time of the shares in the capital of the Company.
- ‘‘month’’
a calendar month.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
‘‘Notice’’ written notice unless otherwise specifically stated and as further defined in these Articles. ‘‘Office’’ the registered office of the Company for the time being. ‘‘ordinary resolution’’ a resolution shall be an ordinary resolution when it has been passed by a simple majority of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of any Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which Notice has been duly given in accordance with Article 59 ‘‘paid up’’ paid up or credited as paid up. ‘‘physical meeting’’ a general meeting held and conducted by physical attendance and participation by Members and/or proxies at the Principal Meeting Place and/or where applicable, one or more Meeting Locations. ‘‘Principal Meeting shall have the meaning given to it in Article 59(2). Place’’ ‘‘Register’’ the principal register and where applicable, any branch register of Members to be maintained at such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as the Board shall determine from time to time. ‘‘Registration Office’’ in respect of any class of share capital such place as the Board may from time to time determine to keep a branch register of Members in respect of that class of share capital and where (except in cases where the Board otherwise directs) the transfers or other documents of title for such class of share capital are to be lodged for registration and are to be registered.
‘‘Seal’’
common seal or any one or more duplicate seals of the Company (including a securities seal) for use in the Cayman Islands or in any place outside the Cayman Islands.
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APPENDIX III
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
- ‘‘Secretary’’
any person, firm or corporation appointed by the Board to perform any of the duties of secretary of the Company and includes any assistant, deputy, temporary or acting secretary.
-
‘‘special resolution’’
-
a resolution shall be a special resolution when it has been passed by a majority of not less than three-fourths of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of such Members as are corporations, by their respective duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which Notice has been duly given in accordance with Article 59.
a special resolution shall be effective for any purpose for which an ordinary resolution is expressed to be required under any provision of these Articles or the Statutes.
-
‘‘Statutes’’
-
the ~~Law~~ Act and every other law of the Legislature of the Cayman Islands for the time being in force applying to or affecting the Company, its memorandum of association and/ or these Articles.
-
‘‘substantial shareholder’’
- a person who is entitled to exercise, or to control the exercise of, 10% or more (or such other percentage as may be prescribed by the ~~rules of the Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules from time to time) of the voting power at any general meeting of the Company. -
‘‘year’’ a calendar year.
-
(2) In these Articles, unless there be something within the subject or context inconsistent with such construction:
-
(a) words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa;
-
(b) words importing a gender include both gender and the neuter;
-
(c) words importing persons include companies, associations and bodies of persons whether corporate or not;
-
(d) the words:
- (i) ‘‘may’’ shall be construed as permissive;
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
- (ii) ‘‘shall’’ or ‘‘will’’ shall be construed as imperative;
(e) ~~expressions referring to writing shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing words or figures in a visible form, and including where the representation takes the form of electronic display, provided that both the mode of service of the relevant document or notice and the Member’s election comply with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations;~~ expressions referring to writing shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words or figures in a legible and non-transitory form or, to the extent permitted by and in accordance with the Statutes and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, any visible substitute for writing (including an electronic communication), or modes of representing or reproducing words partly in one visible form and partly in another visible form, and including where the representation takes the form of electronic display, provided that both the mode of service of the relevant document or Notice and the Member’s election comply with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations;
-
(f) references to any law, ordinance, statute or statutory provision shall be interpreted as relating to any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;
-
(g) save as aforesaid words and expressions defined in the Statutes shall bear the same meanings in these Articles if not inconsistent with the subject in the context;
(h) ~~references to a document being executed include references to it being executed under hand or under seal or by electronic signature or by any other method and references to a notice or document include a notice or document recorded or stored in any digital, electronic, electrical, magnetic or other retrievable form or medium and information in visible form whether having physical substance or not;~~ references to a document (including, but without limitation, a resolution in writing) being signed or executed include references to it being signed or executed under hand or under seal or by electronic signature or by electronic communication or by any other method and references to a Notice or document include a Notice or document recorded or stored in any digital, electronic, electrical, magnetic or other retrievable form or medium and information in visible form whether having physical substance or not;
- (i) Section 8 and Section 19 of the Electronic Transactions ~~Law~~ Act (2003) of the Cayman Islands, as amended from time to time, shall not apply to these Articles to the extent it imposes obligations or requirements in addition to those set out in these Articles ~~.;~~
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
-
(j) references to the right of a Member to speak at an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting shall include the right to raise questions or make statements to the chairman of the meeting, verbally or in written form, by means of electronic facilities. Such a right shall be deemed to have been duly exercised if the questions or statements may be heard or seen by all or only some of the persons present at the meeting (or only by the chairman of the meeting) in which event the chairman of the meeting shall relay the questions raised or the statements made verbatim to all persons present at the meeting, either orally or in writing using electronic facilities;
-
(k) a reference to a meeting: (a) shall mean a meeting convened and held in any manner permitted by these Articles and any Member or Director attending and participating at a meeting by means of electronic facilities shall be deemed to be present at that meeting for all purposes of the Statutes and these Articles, and attend, participate, attending, participating, attendance and participation shall be construed accordingly, and (b) shall, where the context is appropriate, include a meeting that has been postponed by the Board pursuant to Article 64E;
-
(l) references to a person’s participation in the business of a general meeting include without limitation and as relevant the right (including, in the case of a corporation, through a duly authorised representative) to speak or communicate, vote, be represented by a proxy and have access in hard copy or electronic form to all documents which are required by the Statutes or these Articles to be made available at the meeting, and participate and participating in the business of a general meeting shall be construed accordingly;
-
(m) references to electronic facilities include, without limitation, website addresses, webinars, webcast, video or any form of conference call systems (telephone, video, web or otherwise); and
-
(n) where a Member is a corporation, any reference in these Articles to a Member shall, where the context requires, refer to a duly authorised representative of such Member.
SHARE CAPITAL
- (1) The share capital of the Company at the date on which these Articles come into effect App. 3 9
shall be divided into shares of a par value of $0.001 each.
- (2) Subject to the ~~LawA~~ ct, the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and, where applicable, the ~~rules of any Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules and/or any competent regulatory authority, the Company shall have the power to purchase or otherwise acquire its own shares and such power shall be exercisable by the Board in such manner, upon such terms and subject to such conditions as it in its absolute discretion thinks fit and any determination by the Board of the manner of purchase shall
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
be deemed authorised by these Articles for purposes of the ~~Law~~ Act. The Company is hereby authorised to make payments in respect of the purchase of its shares out of capital or out of any other account or fund which can be authorised for this purpose in accordance with the ~~Law~~ Act.
-
(3) Subject to compliance with the ~~rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchanges~~ Listing Rules and any other competent regulatory authority, the Company may give financial assistance for the purpose of or in connection with a purchase made or to be made by any person of any shares in the Company.
-
(4) The Board may accept the surrender for no consideration of any fully paid share.
-
(5) No share shall be issued to bearer.
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
-
The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution in accordance with the ~~LawA~~ ct alter the conditions of its Memorandum of Association to:
-
(a) increase its capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such amounts, as the resolution shall prescribe;
-
(b) consolidate and divide all or any of its capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares;
-
(c) divide its shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights App. 3 10(1)
-
previously conferred on the holders of existing shares attach thereto respectively any 10(2) 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 different voting rights, the designation of each class of shares, other than those with the most favourable voting rights, must include the words ‘‘restricted voting’’ or ‘‘limited voting’’;
-
(d) sub-divide its shares, or any of them, into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Company’s Memorandum of Association (subject, nevertheless, to the ~~Law~~ Act), and may by such resolution 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, deferred or other rights or be subject to any such restrictions as compared with the other or others as the Company has power to attach to unissued or new shares;
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APPENDIX III
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
-
(e) 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 capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled or, in the case of shares, without par value, diminish the number of shares into which its capital is divided.
-
The Board may settle as it considers expedient any difficulty which arises in relation to any consolidation and division under the last preceding Article and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or arrange for the sale of the shares representing fractions and the distribution of the net proceeds of sale (after deduction of the expenses of such sale) in due proportion amongst the Members who would have been entitled to the fractions, and for this purpose the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares representing fractions to their purchaser or resolve that such net proceeds be paid to the Company for the Company’s benefit. Such purchaser will not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor will his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale.
-
The Company may from time to time by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the ~~LawA~~ ct, reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve or other undistributable reserve in any manner permitted by law.
-
Except so far as otherwise provided by the conditions of issue, or by these Articles, any capital raised by the creation of new shares shall be treated as if it formed part of the original capital of the Company, and such shares shall be subject to the provisions contained in these Articles with reference to the payment of calls and instalments, transfer and transmission, forfeiture, lien, cancellation, surrender, voting and otherwise.
SHARE RIGHTS
-
’
-
- (1) Subject to the provisions of the ~~Law~~ Act and the Company s Memorandum and Articles App. 3 6(1)
-
of Association 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 Board may determine.
-
(2) Subject to the provisions of the ~~Law~~ Act, the ~~rules of any Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules and the Memorandum and Articles 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 holder 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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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
- ~~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 as may from time to time be determined by the Company in general meeting, either generally or with regard to specific purchases. If purchases are by tender, tenders shall be available to all Members alike.~~ INTENTIONALLY DELETED
App. 3 8(1) 8(2)
VARIATION OF RIGHTS
-
Subject to the ~~LawA~~ ct and without prejudice to Article 8, all or any of the special rights for the time being attached to the shares or any class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, from time to time (whether or not the Company is being wound up) be varied, modified or abrogated either with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than three-fourths in nominal value of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. To every such separate general meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company shall, mutatis mutandis, apply, but so that:
-
(a) ~~the necessary quorum (other than at 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 at any adjourned meeting of such holders, two holders present in person or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) its duly authorized representative or by proxy (whatever the number of shares held by them) shall be a quorum; and~~ the necessary quorum (other than at an adjourned meeting) shall be two persons holding or representing by proxy not less than one third in nominal value of the issued shares of that class and at any adjourned meeting of such holders, two holders present in person or by proxy (whatever the number of shares held by them) shall be a quorum; and
-
App. 3 6(1) App. 13B 2(1)
-
App. 3 6(2)
-
-
(b) every holder of shares of the class shall be entitled to one vote for every such share held by him.
-
The special rights conferred upon the holders of any shares or class of shares shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to or the terms of issue of such shares, be deemed to be varied, modified or abrogated by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu therewith.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
SHARES
-
(1) Subject to the ~~Law~~ Act, these Articles, any direction that may be given by the Company in general meeting and, where applicable, the ~~rules of any Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules and without prejudice to any special rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any shares or any class of shares, the unissued shares of the Company (whether forming part of the original or any increased capital) shall be at the disposal of the Board, which may offer, allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons, at such times and for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Board may in its absolute discretion determine but so that no shares shall be issued at a discount to their nominal value. Neither the Company nor the Board shall be obliged, when making or granting any allotment of, offer of, option over or disposal of shares, to make, or make available, any such allotment, offer, option or shares to Members or others with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories being a territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, this would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be, or be deemed to be, a separate class of members for any purpose whatsoever.
-
(2) The Board may issue warrants or convertible securities or securities of similar nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for any class of shares or securities in the capital of the Company on such terms as it may from time to time determine.
-
The Company may in connection with the issue of any shares exercise all powers of paying commission and brokerage conferred or permitted by the ~~Law~~ Act. Subject to the ~~Law~~ Act, the commission may be satisfied by the payment of cash or by the allotment of fully or partly paid shares or partly in one and partly in the other.
-
Except as required by law, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or required in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any share or any fractional part of a share or (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or by law) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder.
-
Subject to the ~~Law~~ Act and these Articles, the Board may at any time after the allotment of shares but before any person has been entered in the Register as the holder, recognise a renunciation thereof by the allottee in favour of some other person and may accord to any allottee of a share a right to effect such renunciation upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board considers fit to impose.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
SHARE CERTIFICATES
-
Every share certificate shall be issued under the Seal or a facsimile thereof or with the Seal printed thereon and shall specify the number and class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the shares to which it relates, and the amount paid up thereon and may otherwise be in such form as the Directors may from time to time determine. The seal of the Company may only be affixed or imprinted to a share certificate with the authority of the Directors, or be executed under the signature of appropriate officials with statutory authority, unless otherwise determined by the Directors. No certificate shall be issued representing shares of more than one class. The Board may by resolution determine, either generally or in any particular case or cases, that any signatures on any such certificates (or certificates in respect of other securities) need not be autographic but may be affixed to such certificates by some mechanical means or may be printed thereon.
- App. 3 2(1)
-
(1) In the case of a share held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate therefor and delivery of a certificate to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders.
-
(2) Where a share stands in the names of two or more persons, the person first named in the Register shall 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 shares, be deemed the sole holder thereof.
-
Every person whose name is entered, upon an allotment of shares, as a Member in the Register shall be entitled, without payment, to receive one certificate for all such shares of any one class or several certificates each for one or more of such shares of such class upon payment for every certificate after the first of such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as the Board from time to time determines.
-
Share certificates shall be issued within the relevant time limit as prescribed by the ~~Law~~ Act or as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine, whichever is the shorter, after allotment or, except in the case of a transfer which the Company is for the time being entitled to refuse to register and does not register, after lodgment of a transfer with the Company.
-
(1) 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 to the transferee in respect of the shares transferred to him at such fee as is provided in paragraph (2) of this Article. If any of the shares included in the certificate so given up shall be retained by the transferor a new certificate for the balance shall be issued to him at the aforesaid fee payable by the transferor to the Company in respect thereof.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
-
(2) The fee referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be an amount not exceeding the relevant maximum amount as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine provided that the Board may at any time determine a lower amount for such fee.
-
If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon request and on payment of such fee as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be the maximum fee payable or such lesser sum as the Board may determine and, subject to compliance with such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and to payment of the costs and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in investigating such evidence and preparing such indemnity as the Board may think fit and, in case of damage or defacement, on delivery of the old certificate to the Company provided always that where share warrants have been issued, no new share warrant shall be issued to replace one that has been lost unless the Directors are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the original has been destroyed.
-
App. 3 2(2)
LIEN
-
The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) for all moneys (whether presently payable or not) called or payable at a fixed time in respect of that share. The Company shall also have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) registered in the name of a Member (whether or not jointly with other Members) for all amounts of money presently payable by such Member or his estate to the Company 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 a Member or not. The Company’s lien on a share shall extend to all dividends or other moneys payable thereon or in respect thereof. The Board may at any time, generally or in any particular case, waive any lien that has arisen or declare any share exempt in whole or in part, from the provisions of this Article.
-
App. 3 1(2)
-
Subject to these Articles, the Company may sell in such manner as the Board determines any share 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 fourteen (14) clear 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 the intention to sell in default, has been served on the registered holder for the time being of the share or the person entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy.
-
The net proceeds of the sale shall be received by the Company and applied in or towards payment or discharge of the debt or liability in respect of which the lien exists, so far as the same is presently payable, and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for debts or liabilities
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APPENDIX III
not presently payable as existed upon the share prior to the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the share at the time of the sale. To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the shares so transferred and he 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 relating to the sale.
CALLS ON SHARES
-
Subject to these Articles and to the terms of allotment, the Board may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the nominal value of the shares or by way of premium), and each Member shall (subject to being given at least fourteen (14) clear days’ Notice specifying the time and place of payment) pay to the Company as required by such notice the amount called on his shares. A call may be extended, postponed or revoked in whole or in part as the Board determines but no Member shall be entitled to any such extension, postponement or revocation except as a matter of grace and favour.
-
A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Board authorising the call was passed and may be made payable either in one lump sum or by instalments.
-
A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was made. The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls and instalments due in respect thereof or other moneys due in respect thereof.
-
If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day appointed for payment thereof to the time of actual payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board may determine, but the Board may in its absolute discretion waive payment of such interest wholly or in part.
-
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 exercise any other privilege as a Member until all calls or instalments due by him to the Company, whether alone or jointly with any other person, together with interest and expenses (if any) shall have been paid.
-
On 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
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
shall not be necessary to prove the appointment of the Directors who made such call, nor any other matters whatsoever, but the proof of the matters aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of the debt.
-
Any amount payable in respect of a share upon allotment or at any fixed date, whether in respect of nominal value or premium or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call duly made and payable on the date fixed for payment and if it is not paid the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
-
On the issue of shares the Board may differentiate between the allottees or holders as to the amount of calls to be paid and the times of payment.
-
The Board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same, and App. 3 3(1)
either in money or money’s worth, all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid or instalments payable upon any shares held by him and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (if any) as the Board may decide. The Board may at any time repay the amount so advanced upon giving to such Member not less than one (1) month’s Notice 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. Such payment in advance shall not entitle the holder of such share or shares to participate in respect thereof in a dividend subsequently declared.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
-
(1) If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Board may give to the person from whom it is due not less than fourteen (14) clear days’ Notice:
-
(a) requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued and which may still accrue up to the date of actual payment; and
-
(b) stating that if the Notice is not complied with the shares on which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.
-
-
(2) If the requirements of any such Notice are not complied with, any share in respect of which such Notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before payment of all calls and interest due in respect thereof has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Board to that effect, and such forfeiture shall include all dividends and bonuses declared in respect of the forfeited share but not actually paid before the forfeiture.
-
When any share has been forfeited, notice of the forfeiture shall be served upon the person who was before forfeiture the holder of the share. No forfeiture shall be invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such Notice.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
-
The Board may accept the surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and, in such case, references in these Articles to forfeiture will include surrender.
-
Any share so forfeited shall be deemed the property of the Company and may be sold, reallotted or otherwise disposed of to such person, upon such terms and in such manner as the Board determines, and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be annulled by the Board on such terms as the Board determines.
-
A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited shares but nevertheless shall remain liable to pay the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, with (if the Directors shall in their discretion so require) interest thereon from the date of forfeiture until payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board determines. The Board may enforce payment thereof if it thinks fit, and without any deduction or allowance for the value of the forfeited shares, at the date of forfeiture, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all such moneys in respect of the shares. 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.
-
A declaration by a Director or the Secretary that a share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share, and such declaration shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer by the Company if necessary) constitute a good title to the share, and the person to whom the share is disposed of shall be registered as the holder of the share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the consideration (if any), nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the share. When any share shall have been forfeited, notice of the declaration 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, but no forfeiture shall be in any manner invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such notice or make any such entry.
-
Notwithstanding any such forfeiture as aforesaid the Board may at any time, before any shares so forfeited shall have been sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of, permit the shares forfeited to be bought back 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.
-
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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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
- 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.
REGISTER OF MEMBERS
-
(1) The Company shall keep in one or more books a Register of its Members and shall enter therein the following particulars, that is to say:
-
(a) the name and address of each Member, the number and class of shares held by him and the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on such shares;
-
(b) the date on which each person was entered in the Register; and
-
(c) the date on which any person ceased to be a Member.
-
-
(2) The Company may keep an overseas or local or other branch register of Members resident in any place, and the Board may make and vary such regulations as it determines in respect of the keeping of any such register and maintaining a Registration Office in connection therewith.
-
The Register and branch register of Members, as the case may be, shall be open to inspection for at least two (2) hours during business hours by Members without charge or by any other person, upon a maximum payment of ~~$H~~ K$2.50 or such lesser sum specified by the Board, at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the ~~Law~~ Act or, if appropriate, upon a maximum payment of ~~$~~ HK$1.00 or such lesser sum specified by the Board at the Registration Office. The Register including any overseas or local or other branch register of Members may, after notice has been given by advertisement in an appointed newspaper or any other newspapers in accordance with the requirements of any Designated Stock Exchange or by any electronic means in such manner as may be accepted by the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect, be closed at such times or for such periods not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in each year as the Board may determine and either generally or in respect of any class of shares.
-
App. 13B 3(2)
RECORD DATES
-
Subject to the ~~rules of any Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules, notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles the Company or the Directors may fix any date as the record date for:
-
(a) determining the Members entitled to receive any dividend, distribution, allotment or issue;
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APPENDIX III
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
- (b) determining the Members entitled to receive notice of and to vote at any general meeting of the Company.
TRANSFER OF SHARES
-
(1) Subject to these Articles, 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 Designated Stock 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.
-
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (1) above, for so long as any shares are listed on the Designated Stock Exchange, titles to such listed shares may be evidenced and transferred in accordance with the laws applicable to and the ~~rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchanges~~ Listing Rules that are or shall be applicable to such listed shares. The register of members of the Company in respect of its listed shares (whether the Register or a branch register) may be kept by recording the particulars required by Section 40 of the ~~Law~~ Act in a form otherwise than legible if such recording otherwise complies with the laws applicable to and the ~~rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchanges~~ Listing Rules that are or shall be applicable to such listed shares.
-
The instrument of transfer shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the transferee provided that the Board 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 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 from recognising a renunciation of the allotment or provisional allotment of any share by the allottee in favour of some other person.
-
(1) The Board may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse App. 3 1(2)
to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom 1(3) 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 (4) joint holders or a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which the Company has a lien.
- (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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APPENDIX III
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
-
(3) The Board 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 otherwise determines.
-
(4) Unless the Board otherwise agrees (which agreement may be on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board in its absolute discretion may from time to time determine, and which agreement the Board shall, without giving any reason therefor, 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 ~~Law~~ Act.
- App. 3 1(1)
-
Without limiting the generality of the last preceding Article, the Board may decline to recognise any instrument of transfer unless:
-
(a) a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be App. 3 1(1)
-
payable or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require is paid to the Company in respect thereof;
-
(b) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of share;
-
(c) the instrument of transfer is lodged at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the ~~Law~~ Act or the Registration Office (as the case may be) accompanied by the relevant share certificate(s) and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer (and, if the instrument of transfer is executed by some other person on his behalf, the authority of that person so to do); and
-
(d) if applicable, the instrument of transfer is duly and properly stamped.
-
If the Board refuses to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two (2) months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and transferee notice of the refusal.
-
~~The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may, after notice has been given by advertisement in any newspapers or by any other means in accordance with the requirements of any Designated Stock Exchange to that effect be suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in any year) as the Board may determine.~~ The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may, after notice
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
has been given by announcement or by electronic communication or by advertisement in any newspapers or by any other means in accordance with the requirements of any Designated Stock Exchange to that effect be suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in any year) as the Board may determine. The period of thirty (30) days may be extended in respect of any year if approved by the Members by ordinary resolution.
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
-
If a Member dies, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and his legal personal representatives where he was a sole or only surviving holder, will be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest in the shares; but nothing in this Article will release the estate of a deceased Member (whether sole or joint) from any liability in respect of any share which had been solely or jointly held by him.
-
Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member may, upon such evidence as to his title being produced as may be required by the Board, elect either to become the holder of the share or to have some person nominated by him registered as the transferee thereof. If he elects to become the holder he shall notify the Company in writing either at the Registration Office or Office, as the case may be, to that effect. If he elects to have another person registered he shall execute a transfer of the share in favour of that person. The provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer and registration of transfers of shares shall apply to such notice or transfer as aforesaid as if the death or bankruptcy of the Member had not occurred and the notice or transfer were a transfer signed by such Member.
-
A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member 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 72(2) being met, such a person may vote at meetings.
UNTRACEABLE MEMBERS
-
(1) Without prejudice to the rights of the Company under paragraph (2) of this Article, the Company may cease sending 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 the 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.
-
App. 3 13(1)
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
- (2) The Company shall have the power to sell, in such manner as the Board thinks fit, any shares of a Member who is untraceable, but no such sale shall be made unless:
App. 3 13(2)(a) 13(2)(b)
-
(a) all cheques or warrants in respect of dividends of the shares in question, being not less than three in total number, for any sum payable in cash to the holder of such shares in respect of them sent during the relevant period in the manner authorised by the Articles have remained uncashed;
-
(b) so far as it is aware at the end of the relevant period, the Company has not at any time during the relevant period received any indication of the existence of the Member who is the holder of such shares or of a person entitled to such shares by death, bankruptcy or operation of law; and
-
(c) ~~the Company, if so required by the rules governing the listing of shares on the Designated Stock Exchange, has given notice to, and caused advertisement in newspapers in accordance with the requirements of, the Designated Stock Exchange to be made of its intention to sell such shares in the manner required by the Designated Stock Exchange, and a period of three (3) months or such shorter period as may be allowed by the Designated Stock Exchange has elapsed since the date of such advertisement.~~ the Company has given notice of its intention to sell such shares to, and caused advertisement both in daily newspaper and in a newspaper circulating in the area of the last known address of such Member or any person entitled to the share under Article 54 and where applicable, in each case in accordance with the requirements of, the Designated Stock Exchange, and a period of three (3) months or such shorter period as may be allowed by the Designated Stock Exchange has elapsed since the date of such advertisement.
For the purpose of the foregoing, the ‘‘relevant period’’ means the period commencing twelve (12) years before the date of publication of the advertisement referred to in paragraph (c) of this Article and ending at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph.
- (3) To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the said shares and an instrument of transfer signed or otherwise executed by or on behalf of such person shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder or the person entitled by transmission to such 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 relating to the sale. The net proceeds of the sale will 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. No trust shall be created in respect of such debt and no interest shall be payable in respect of it and the Company shall not be required to account for any money earned from the net proceeds which may be employed in the business of the Company or
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as it thinks fit. Any sale under this Article shall be valid and effective notwithstanding that the Member holding the shares sold is dead, bankrupt or otherwise under any legal disability or incapacity.
GENERAL MEETINGS
| 56. | ~~AlltifthChllbhldihthththf~~ |
|---|---|
| ~~n annua genera meeng o e ompany sa e e n eac year oer an e year o~~ ~~thC’dtifthAtilithiidftthfift15~~ |
|
| ~~e ompanys aopon o ese rces (wn a pero o no more an een ()~~ ~~thftthhldifthltdilltitth~~ |
|
| ~~mons aer e ong o e as preceng annua genera meeng or no more an~~ ~~iht18thftthdtfdtifthAtilllidld~~ |
|
| ~~egeen () mons aer e ae o aopon o ese rces, uness a onger pero wou~~ ~~tifithlfthDitdStkEhifthtidl~~ |
|
| ~~no nrnge e rues o e esgnae oc xcange, any) a suc me an pace as may~~ ~~be determined by the Board.~~ An annual general meeting of the Company shall be held in each financial year and such annual general meeting must be held within six (6) months after the |
|
| end of Company’s financial year (unless a longer period would not infringe the Listing Rules | |
| or otherwise permitted by the Designated Stock Exchange, if any). |
App. 13B 3(3) 4(2)
| 57. 58. |
~~Ehltiththlltihllblldtdi~~ | ~~Ehltiththlltihllblldtdi~~ |
|---|---|---|
| ~~ac genera meeng, oer an an annua genera meeng, sa e cae an exraornary~~ ~~ltiGltibhlditfthldbdtid~~ |
||
| ~~genera meeng. enera meengs may e e n any par o e wor as may e eermne~~ ~~by the Board.~~ Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be called an extraordinary general meeting. 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 64A, as a hybrid meeting or as an | ||
| electronic meeting, as may be determined by the Board in its absolute discretion. ~~ThBdhitthikfitlltdiltiA~~ |
||
| ~~e oar may wenever ns ca exraornary genera meengs. ny one or more~~ ~~Mbhlditthdtfditfthiititlthtthfthid~~ |
||
| ~~emers ong a e ae o epos o e requson no ess an one-en o e pa~~ ~~itlfthCithihtftitltifthC~~ |
||
| ~~up capa o e ompany carryng e rg o vong a genera meengs o e ompany~~ ~~hlltlltihthihtbittiititthBdthStfth~~ |
||
| ~~sa a a mes ave e rg, y wren requson o e oar or e ecreary o e~~ ~~CtitdiltitblldbthBdfth~~ |
||
| ~~ompany, o requre an exraornary genera meeng o e cae y e oar or e~~ ~~ttifbiifidihiitidhtihllbhld~~ |
||
| ~~ransacon o any usness spece n suc requson; an suc meeng sa e e~~ ~~ithit(2)thftthditfhiitiIfithitt(21)df~~ |
||
| ~~wn wo mons aer e epos o suc requson. wn weny-one ays o~~ ~~hditthBdfiltdthtithiitiithilf~~ |
||
| ~~suc epos e oar as o procee o convene suc meeng e requsons(s) mse~~ ~~(thl)dithdllblidbth~~ |
||
| ~~emseves may o so n e same manner, an a reasonae expenses ncurre y e~~ ~~iitiit~~ ~~lt~~ ~~f~~ ~~th~~ ~~fil~~ ~~f~~ ~~th~~ ~~Bd~~ ~~hll~~ ~~b~~ ~~ibd~~ ~~t~~ ~~th~~ |
||
| ~~requsons(s)~~ ~~as~~ ~~a~~ ~~resu~~ ~~o~~ ~~requisitionist(s) by the Company.~~ general meetings. Any one or more |
~~e~~ ~~aure~~ ~~o~~ ~~e~~ ~~oar~~ ~~sa~~ ~~e~~ ~~remurse~~ ~~o~~ ~~e~~ The Board may whenever it thinks fit call extraordinary |
|
| Member(s) holding at the date of deposit of the requisition | ||
| not less than one-tenth of the paid | up capital of the Company carrying the right of voting at | |
| general meetings of the Company shall at all times have the right, by written requisition to the | ||
| Board or the Secretary of the Company, to require an extraordinary general meeting to be | ||
| called by the Board for the transaction of any business or resolution specified in such | ||
| requisition; and such meeting shall be held within two (2) months after the deposit of such | ||
| requisition. If within twenty one (21) days of such deposit the Board fails to proceed to | ||
| convene such meeting the requisitionist(s) himself (themselves) may convene a physical |
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meeting at only one location which will be the Principal Meeting Place, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the requisitionist(s) as a result of the failure of the Board shall be reimbursed to the requisitionist(s) by the Company.
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
- ~~(1) An annual general meeting must be called by Notice of not less than twenty-one (21) clear days and not less than twenty (20) clear business days. All other general meetings (including an extraordinary general meeting) must be called by Notice of not less than fourteen (14) clear days and not less than ten (10) clear business days but if permitted by the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, a general meeting may be called by shorter notice, subject to the Law, if it is so agreed:~~
App. 13B 3(1)
-
~~(a) in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting, by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and~~
-
~~(b) in the case of any other meeting, by a majority in number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together representing not less than ninety-five per cent. (95%) of the total voting rights at the meeting of all the Members.~~
~~(2) The notice shall specify the time and place of the meeting and particulars of resolutions to be considered at the meeting and, in case of special business, the general nature of the business. The notice convening an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to all Members other than to such Members as, under the provisions of these Articles or the terms of issue of the shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such notices from the Company, to all persons entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member and to each of the Directors and the Auditors.~~
(1) An annual general meeting must be called by Notice of not less than twenty-one (21) clear days. All other general meetings must be called by Notice of not less than fourteen (14) clear days but if permitted by the Listing Rules or the Designated Stock Exchange, a general meeting may be called by shorter notice, subject to the Act, if it is so agreed:
(a) in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting, by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and
- (b) in the case of any other meeting, by a majority in number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together representing not less than ninety five per cent. (95%) of the total voting rights at the meeting of all the Members.
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-
(2) The Notice 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 64A, 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 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 (d) particulars of resolutions to be considered at the meeting. The Notice convening an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to all Members other than to such Members as, under the provisions of these Articles or the terms of issue of the shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such Notices from the Company, to all persons entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding up of a Member and to each of the Directors and the Auditors.
-
The accidental omission to give Notice of a meeting or (in cases where instruments of proxy are sent out with the Notice) to send such instrument of proxy to, or the non-receipt of such Notice or such instrument of proxy by, any person entitled to receive such Notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed or the proceedings at that meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
-
(1) All business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an extraordinary general meeting, and also all business that is transacted at an annual general meeting, with the exception of:
-
(a) the declaration and sanctioning of dividends;
-
(b) consideration and adoption of the accounts and balance sheet and the reports of the Directors and Auditors and other documents required to be annexed to the balance sheet;
-
(c) the election of Directors whether by rotation or otherwise in the place of those retiring;
-
(d) appointment of Auditors (where special notice of the intention for such appointment is not required by the ~~LawA~~ ct) and other officers; and
-
(e) the fixing of the remuneration of the Auditors, and the voting of remuneration or extra remuneration to the Directors.
-
-
(2) No business other than the appointment of a chairman of a meeting shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the commencement of the business.
~~Two (2) Members entitled to vote and present in person (in the case of a Member being a~~
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~~corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy shall form a quorum for all purposes.~~ Two (2) Members entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy or, for quorum purposes only, two persons appointed by the clearing house as authorized representative or proxy shall form a quorum for all purposes.
-
~~If within thirty (30) minutes (or such longer time not exceeding one hour as the chairman of the meeting may determine to wait) after the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place or to such time and place as the Board may determine. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.~~ If within thirty (30) minutes (or such longer time not exceeding one hour as the chairman of the meeting may determine to wait) after the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and (where applicable) same place(s) or to such time and (where applicable) such place(s) and in such form and manner referred to in Article 57 as the chairman of the meeting (or in default, the Board) may absolutely determine. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.
-
~~The chairman of the Company or if there is more than one chairman, any one of them as may be agreed amongst themselves or failing such agreement, any one of them elected by all the Directors present shall preside as chairman at a general meeting. If at any meeting no chairman, is present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or is willing to act as chairman, the deputy chairman of the Company or if there is more than one deputy chairman, any one of them as may be agreed amongst themselves or failing such agreement, any one of them elected by all the Directors present shall preside as chairman. If no chairman or deputy chairman is present or is willing to act as chairman of the meeting, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to act, or if one Director only is present he shall preside as chairman if willing to act. If no Director is present, or if each of the Directors present declines to take the chair, or if the chairman chosen shall retire from the chair, the Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and entitled to vote shall elect one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.~~
-
(1) The chairman of the Company or if there is more than one chairman, any one of them as may be agreed amongst themselves or failing such agreement, any one of them elected by all the Directors present shall preside as chairman at a general meeting. If at any meeting no chairman, is present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or is willing to act as chairman, the deputy chairman of the Company or if there is more than one deputy chairman, any one of them as may be agreed amongst themselves or failing such agreement, any one of them elected by all the
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Directors present shall preside as chairman. If no chairman or deputy chairman is present or is willing to act as chairman of the meeting, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to act, or if one Director only is present he shall preside as chairman if willing to act. If no Director is present, or if each of the Directors present declines to take the chair, or if the chairman chosen shall retire from the chair, the Members present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall elect one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
-
(2) If the chairman of a general meeting is participating in the general meeting using an electronic facility or facilities and becomes unable to participate in the general meeting using such electronic facility or facilities, another person (determined in accordance with Article 63(1) above) shall preside as chairman of the meeting unless and until the original chairman of the meeting is able to participate in the general meeting using the electronic facility or facilities.
-
~~The chairman may, with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting), adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place as the meeting shall determine, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business which might lawfully have been transacted at the meeting had the adjournment not taken place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen (14) days or more, at least seven (7) clear days’ notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given specifying the time and place of the adjourned meeting but it shall not be necessary to specify in such notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Save as aforesaid, it shall be unnecessary to give notice of an adjournment.S~~ ubject to Article 64C, the chairman may, with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting), adjourn the 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, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business which might lawfully have been transacted at the meeting had the adjournment not taken place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen (14) days or more, at least seven (7) clear days’ Notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given specifying details set out in Article 59(2) but it shall not be necessary to specify in such Notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Save as aforesaid, it shall be unnecessary to give Notice of an adjournment.
64A. (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 at 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:
-
(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;
-
(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;
-
(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.
-
(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.
-
-
64B. 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
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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.
64C. If it appears to the chairman of the general meeting that:
-
(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 64A(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
-
(b) in the case of an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting, electronic facilities being made available by the Company have become inadequate; or
-
(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
-
(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.
64D. 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
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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.
-
64E. 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:
-
(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);
-
(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;
-
(c) when a meeting is postponed or changed in accordance with this Article, subject to and without prejudice to Article 64, 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
-
(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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64F. 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 64C, 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.
-
64G. Without prejudice to other provisions in Article 64, 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.
-
If an amendment is proposed to any resolution under consideration but is in good faith ruled out of order by the chairman of the meeting, the proceedings on the substantive resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in such ruling. In the case of a resolution duly proposed as a special resolution, no amendment thereto (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error) may in any event be considered or voted upon.
VOTING
-
~~(1) Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares by or in accordance with these Articles, at any general meeting on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have one vote for every fully paid share of which he is the holder but so that no amount paid up or credited as paid up on a share in advance of calls or instalments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up on the share. A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided by way of a poll save that 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 authorized 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 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.~~
-
~~(2) Where a show of hands is allowed, before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands, a poll may be demanded:~~
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-
~~(a) 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~~
-
~~(b) 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~~
-
~~(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 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.~~
~~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 the Member.~~
(1) Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares by or in accordance with these Articles, at any general meeting on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have one vote for every fully paid share of which he is the holder but so that no amount paid up or credited as paid up on a share in advance of calls or instalments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up on the share. A resolution put to the vote of a 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 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 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.
- (2) In the case of a physical meeting where a show of hands is allowed, before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands a poll may be demanded:
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(a) by at least three Members present in person or by proxy for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting; or
-
(b) by a Member or Members present in person 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
-
(c) by a Member or Members present in person 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.
A demand by a person as proxy for a Member shall be deemed to be the same as a demand by the Member.
-
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. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting. The Company shall only be required to disclose the voting figures on a poll if such disclosure is required by the ~~rules of the Designated Stock Exchange.~~ Listing Rules.
-
On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy.
-
A person entitled to more than one vote on a poll need not use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses in the same way.
-
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 ~~Law~~ Act. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman of such meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.
-
Where there are joint holders of any share any one of such joint holders may vote, either in person 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 the vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register in respect of the 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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(1) A Member who is a patient for any purpose relating to mental health or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction for the protection or management of the affairs of persons incapable of managing their own affairs may vote, by his receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person in the nature of a receiver, committee or curator bonis appointed by such court, and such receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person may vote by proxy, and may otherwise act and be treated as if he were the registered holder of such shares for the purposes of general meetings, provided that such evidence as the Board may require of the authority of the person claiming to vote shall have been deposited at the Office, head office or Registration Office, as appropriate, not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or postponed meeting, or adjourned meeting, as the case may be.
-
(2) Any person entitled under Article 53 to be registered as the holder of any shares may vote at any general meeting in respect thereof in the same manner as if he were the registered holder of such shares, provided that forty-eight (48) hours at least before the time of the holding of the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting, as the case may be, at which he proposes to vote, he shall satisfy the Board of his entitlement to such shares, or the Board shall have previously admitted his right to vote at such meeting in respect thereof.
-
(1) No Member shall, unless the Board otherwise determines, be entitled to attend and vote and to be reckoned in a quorum at any general meeting unless he is duly registered and all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid.
-
(2) All Members have the right to (a) speak at a general meeting; and (b) vote at a general meeting except where a Member is required, by the Listing Rules, to abstain from voting to approve the matter under consideration.
-
( ~~23~~ ) Where the Company has knowledge that any Member is, under the ~~rules of the~~ App. 3 14
-
~~Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules, required to abstain from voting on any particular resolution of the Company or restricted to voting only for or only against any particular resolution of the Company, any votes cast by or on behalf of such Member in contravention of such requirement or restriction shall not be counted.
-
If:
-
(a) any objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter; or
-
(b) any votes have been counted which ought not to have been counted or which might have been rejected; or
-
(c) any votes are not counted which ought to have been counted;
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the objection or error shall not vitiate the decision of the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting on any resolution unless the same is raised or pointed out at the meeting or, as the case may be, the adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered or at which the error occurs. Any objection or error shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting and shall only vitiate the decision of the meeting on any resolution if the chairman decides that the same may have affected the decision of the meeting. The decision of the chairman on such matters shall be final and conclusive.
PROXIES
-
Any Member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the Company shall be entitled to appoint another person as his proxy to attend and vote instead of him. 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 powers on behalf of the Member which he or they represent as such Member could exercise.
-
The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly 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 authorised to sign the same. In the case of an instrument of proxy purporting to be signed on behalf of a corporation by an officer thereof it shall be assumed, unless the contrary appears, that such officer was duly authorised to sign such instrument of proxy on behalf of the corporation without further evidence of the facts.
-
App. 13B 2(2)
App. 3 11(2)
-
~~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 certified copy of such power or authority, shall be delivered to such place or one of such places (if any) as may be specified for that purpose in or by way of note to or in any document accompanying the notice convening the meeting (or, if no place is so specified at the Registration Office or the Office, as may be appropriate) not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date named in it as the date of its execution, except at an adjourned meeting in cases where the meeting was originally held within twelve (12) months~~
-
~~from such date. Delivery of an instrument appointing a proxy shall not preclude a Member from attending and voting in person at the meeting convened and in such event, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.~~
-
(1) The Company may, at its absolute discretion, provide an electronic address for the receipt of any document or information relating to proxies for a general meeting (including any instrument of proxy or invitation to appoint a proxy, any document necessary to show the validity of, or otherwise relating to, an appointment of proxy
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| (whether or not required under these Articles) and notice of termination of the authority |
|---|
| of a proxy). If such an electronic address is provided, the Company shall be deemed to |
| have agreed that any such document or information (relating to proxies as aforesaid) may |
| be sent by electronic means to that address, subject as hereafter provided and subject to |
| any other limitations or conditions specified by the Company when providing the |
| address. Without limitation, the Company may from time to time determine that any such |
| electronic address may be used generally for such matters or specifically for particular |
| meetings or purposes and, if so, the Company may provide different electronic addresses |
| for different purposes. The Company may also impose any conditions on the |
| transmission of and its receipt of such electronic communications including, for the |
| avoidance of doubt, imposing any security or encryption arrangements as may be |
| specified by the Company. If any document or information required to be sent to the |
| Company under this Article is sent to the Company by electronic means, such document |
| or information is not treated as validly delivered to or deposited with the Company if the |
| same is not received by the Company at its designated electronic address provided in |
| accordance with this Article or if no electronic address is so designated by the Company |
| for the receipt of such document or information. |
-
(2) 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 certified copy of such power or authority, shall be delivered to such place or one of such places (if any) as may be specified for that purpose in or by way of note to or in any document accompanying the Notice convening the meeting (or, if no place is so specified at the Registration Office or the Office, as may be appropriate), or if the Company has provided an electronic address in accordance with the preceding paragraph, shall be received at the electronic address specified, not less than forty eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date named in it as the date of its execution, except at an adjourned meeting or postponed meeting in cases where the meeting was originally held within twelve (12) months from such date. Delivery of an instrument appointing a proxy shall not preclude a Member from attending and voting at the meeting convened and in such event, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.
-
~~Instruments of proxy shall be in any common form or in such other form as the Board may approve (provided that this shall not preclude the use of the two-way form) and the Board may, if it thinks fit, send out with the notice of any meeting forms of instrument of proxy for use at the meeting. The instrument of proxy shall 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. The instrument of proxy shall, unless the contrary is stated therein, be valid as well for any adjournment of the meeting as for the meeting to which it relates.~~ Instruments of proxy shall be in any common form or in such other form as the Board may approve (provided that this
App. 3 11(1)
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shall not preclude the use of the two way form) and the Board may, if it thinks fit, send out with the Notice of any meeting forms of instrument of proxy for use at the meeting. The instrument of proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll and to vote on any amendment of a resolution put to the meeting for which it is given as the proxy thinks fit. The instrument of proxy shall, unless the contrary is stated therein, be valid as well for any adjournment or postponement of the meeting as for the meeting to which it relates. The Board may decide, either generally or in any particular case, to treat a proxy appointment as valid notwithstanding that the appointment or any of the information required under these Articles has not been received in accordance with the requirements of these Articles. Subject to aforesaid, if the proxy appointment and any of the information required under these Articles is not received in the manner set out in these Articles, the appointee shall not be entitled to vote in respect of the shares in question.
-
A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal, or revocation of the instrument of proxy or of the authority under which it was executed, provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity or revocation shall have been received by the Company at the Office or the Registration Office (or such other place as may be specified for the delivery of instruments of proxy in the notice convening the meeting or other document sent therewith) two (2) hours at least before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting, at which the instrument of proxy is used.
-
Anything which under these Articles a Member may do by proxy he may likewise do by his duly appointed attorney and the provisions of these Articles relating to proxies and instruments appointing proxies shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to any such attorney and the instrument under which such attorney is appointed.
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES
-
(1) Any corporation which is a Member may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members. The person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of such corporation as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member and such corporation shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present thereat.
-
App. 13B 2(2)
-
(2) If a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), being a corporation, is a Member, it may App. 13B 6
-
authorise such persons as it thinks fit to act as its representatives at any meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members provided that, if more than one person is so authorised, the authorisation shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such representative is so authorised. Each person so authorised under the provisions of this Article shall be deemed to have been duly authorised without further evidence of the facts and be entitled to exercise the same rights and powers on
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behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) as if such person was the registered holder of the shares of the Company held by the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) including, the right to speak and where a show of hands is allowed, the right to vote individually on a show of hands.
- (3) Any reference in these Articles to a duly authorised representative of a Member being a corporation shall mean a representative authorised under the provisions of this Article.
WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OF MEMBERS
- A resolution in writing signed (in such manner as to indicate, expressly or impliedly, unconditional approval) by or on behalf of all persons for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings of the Company shall, for the purposes of these Articles, be treated as a resolution duly passed at a general meeting of the Company and, where relevant, as a special resolution so passed. 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, and where the resolution states a date as being the date of his signature thereof by any Member the statement shall be prima facie evidence that it was signed by him on that date. Such a resolution may consist of several documents in the like form, each signed by one or more relevant Members.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
-
(1) Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general meeting, the number of Directors shall not be less than two (2). There shall be no maximum number of Directors unless otherwise determined from time to time by the Members in general meeting. The Directors shall be elected or appointed in the first place by the subscribers to the Memorandum of Association or by a majority of them and thereafter in accordance with Article 84 called for such purpose and who shall hold office for such term as the Members may determine or, in the absence of such determination, in accordance with Article 84 or until their successors are elected or appointed or their office is otherwise vacated.
-
(2) Subject to the Articles and the ~~Law~~ Act, the Company may by ordinary resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy on the Board, or as an addition to the existing Board.
-
(3) ~~The Directors shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any~~ App. 3 4(2)
-
~~person as a Director either to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board. Any Director appointed by the Board to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office until the first general meeting of Members after his appointment and be subject to re-election at such meeting and any Director appointed by the Board as an addition to the existing Board shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for re-election.~~ The Directors shall have the
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power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a Director either to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board. Any Director so appointed shall hold office only until the first annual general meeting of the Company after his appointment and shall then be eligible for re-election.
-
(4) Neither a Director nor an alternate Director shall be required to hold any shares of the Company by way of qualification and a Director or alternate Director (as the case may be) who is not a Member shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at any general meeting of the Company and of all classes of shares of the Company.
-
(5) The Members may, at any general meeting convened and held in accordance with these Articles, by ordinary resolution remove a Director at any time before the expiration of his period of office notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under any such agreement).
-
App. 3 4(3) App. 13B 5(1)
-
(6) A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of subparagraph (5) above may be filled by the election or appointment by ordinary resolution the Members at the meeting at which such Director is removed.
-
(7) 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 never be less than two (2).
RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS
-
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Articles, at each annual general meeting one-third of the Directors for the time being (or, if their number is not a multiple of three (3), the number nearest to but not less than one-third) shall retire from office by rotation provided that every Director shall be subject to retirement at an annual general meeting at least once every three years.
-
(2) A retiring Director shall be eligible for re-election and shall continue to act as a Director throughout the meeting at which he retires. The Directors to retire by rotation shall include (so far as necessary to ascertain the number of directors to retire by rotation) any Director who wishes to retire and not to offer himself for re-election. Any further Directors so to retire shall be those of the other Directors subject to retirement by rotation who have been longest in office since their last re-election or appointment and so that as between persons who became or were last re-elected Directors on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree among themselves) be determined by lot. Any Director appointed by the Board pursuant to Article 83(3) shall not be taken into account in determining which particular Directors or the number of Directors who are to retire by rotation.
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No person other than a Director retiring at the meeting shall, unless recommended by the Directors for election, be eligible for election as a Director at any general meeting unless a Notice signed by a Member (other than the person to be proposed) duly qualified to attend and vote at the meeting for which such notice is given of his intention to propose such person for election and also a Notice signed by the person to be proposed of his willingness to be elected shall have been lodged at the head office or at the Registration Office provided that the minimum length of the period, during which such Notice(s) are given, shall be at least seven (7) days and that (if the Notices are submitted after the despatch of the notice of the general meeting appointed for such election) the period for lodgment of such Notice(s) shall commence on the day after the despatch of the notice of the general meeting appointed for such election and end no later than seven (7) days prior to the date of such general meeting.
-
App. 3 4(4) 4(5)
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
-
The office of a Director shall be vacated if the Director:
-
(1) resigns his office by notice in writing delivered to the Company at the Office or tendered at a meeting of the Board;
-
(2) becomes of unsound mind or dies;
-
(3) without special leave of absence from the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for six consecutive months, and his alternate Director, if any, shall not during such period have attended in his stead and the Board resolves that his office be vacated;
-
(4) becomes bankrupt or has a receiving order made against him or suspends payment or compounds with his creditors;
-
(5) is prohibited by law from being a Director; or
-
(6) ceases to be a Director by virtue of any provision of the Statutes or is removed from office pursuant to these Articles.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
- The Board may from time to time appoint any one or more of its body to be a managing director, joint managing director or deputy managing director or to hold any other employment or executive office with the Company for such period (subject to their continuance as Directors) and upon such terms as the Board may determine and the Board may revoke or terminate any of such appointments. Any such revocation or termination as aforesaid shall be without prejudice to any claim for damages that such Director may have against the Company or the Company may have against such Director. A Director appointed to an office under this Article shall be subject to the same provisions as to removal as the other Directors of the
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Company, and he shall (subject to the provisions of any contract 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.
- Notwithstanding Articles 93, 94, 95 and 96, an executive director appointed to an office under Article 87 hereof shall receive such remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise or by all or any of those modes) and such other benefits (including pension and/or gratuity and/or other benefits on retirement) and allowances as the Board may from time to time determine, and either in addition to or in lieu of his remuneration as a Director.
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
-
Any Director may at any time by Notice delivered to the Office or head office or at a meeting of the Directors appoint any person (including another Director) to be his alternate Director. Any person so appointed shall have all the rights and powers of the Director or Directors for whom such person is appointed in the alternative provided that such person shall not be counted more than once in determining whether or not a quorum is present. An alternate Director may be removed at any time by the body which appointed him and, subject thereto, the office of alternate Director shall continue until the happening of any event which, if he were a Director, would cause him to vacate such office or if his appointer ceases for any reason to be a Director. Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be effected by Notice signed by the appointor and delivered to the Office or head office or tendered at a meeting of the Board. An alternate Director may also be a Director in his own right and may act as alternate to more than one Director. An alternate Director shall, if his appointor so requests, be entitled to receive notices of meetings of the Board or of committees of the Board to the same extent as, but in lieu of, the Director appointing him and shall be entitled to such extent to attend and vote as a Director at any such meeting at which the Director appointing him is not personally present and generally at such meeting to exercise and discharge all the functions, powers and duties 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 were a Director save that as an alternate for more than one Director his voting rights shall be cumulative.
-
An alternate Director shall only be a Director for the purposes of the ~~Law~~ Act and shall only be subject to the provisions of the ~~LawA~~ ct insofar as they relate to the duties and obligations of a Director when performing the functions of the Director for whom he is appointed in the alternative and shall alone be responsible to the Company for his acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to be the agent of or for the Director appointing him. 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 by the Company to the same extent mutatis mutandis as if he were a Director but he shall not be entitled to receive from
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the Company any fee in his capacity as an alternate Director except only such part, if any, of the remuneration otherwise payable to his appointor as such appointor may by Notice to the Company from time to time direct.
-
Every person acting as an alternate Director shall have one vote for each Director for whom he acts as alternate (in addition to his own vote if he is also a Director). If his appointor is for the time being absent from Hong Kong or otherwise not available or unable to act, the signature of an alternate Director to any resolution in writing of the Board or a committee of the Board of which his appointor is a member shall, unless the notice of his appointment provides to the contrary, be as effective as the signature of his appointor.
-
An alternate Director shall ipso facto cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor ceases for any reason to be a Director, however, such alternate Director or any other person may be re-appointed by the Directors to serve as an alternate Director PROVIDED always that, if at any meeting any Director retires but is re-elected at the same meeting, any appointment of such alternate Director pursuant to these Articles which was in force immediately before his retirement shall remain in force as though he had not retired.
DIRECTORS’ FEES AND EXPENSES
-
The ordinary remuneration of the Directors shall from time to time be determined by the Company in general meeting and shall (unless otherwise directed by the resolution by which it is voted) be divided amongst the Board in such proportions and in such manner as the Board may agree or, failing agreement, equally, except that any Director who shall hold office for part only of the period in respect of which such remuneration is payable shall be entitled only to rank in such division for a proportion of remuneration related to the period during which he has held office. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day.
-
Each Director shall be entitled to be repaid or prepaid all travelling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of debentures of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director.
-
Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purpose of the Company or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to or in substitution for any ordinary remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article.
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- The Board shall obtain the approval of the Company in general meeting before making any payment to any Director or past Director of the Company by way of compensation for loss of office, or as consideration for or in connection with his retirement from office (not being payment to which the Director is contractually entitled).
App. 13B 5(4)
DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS
-
A Director may:
-
(a) 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. Any remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) paid to any Director in respect of any such other office or place of profit shall be in addition to any remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article;
-
(b) act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company (otherwise than as Auditor) and he or his firm may be remunerated for professional services as if he were not a Director;
-
(c) continue to be or become a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of any other company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as a vendor, shareholder or otherwise and (unless otherwise agreed) no such Director shall be accountable for any remuneration, profits 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 or from his interests in any such other company. Subject as otherwise provided by these Articles the Directors may exercise or cause to be exercised 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) or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officers of such other company and any Director may vote in favour of the exercise of such voting rights in manner aforesaid notwithstanding that he may be, or 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 manner aforesaid.
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-
Subject to the ~~Law~~ Act and to these Articles, no Director or proposed or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company, either with regard to his tenure of any office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or in any other manner whatsoever, nor shall any such contract or any other contract or arrangement in which any Director is in any way interested be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company or the Members for any remuneration, profit or other benefits realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established provided that such Director shall disclose the nature of his interest in any contract or arrangement in which he is interested in accordance with Article 99 herein.
-
A Director who to his knowledge is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at the meeting of the Board at which the question of entering into the contract or arrangement is first considered, if he knows his interest then exists, or in any other case at the first meeting of the Board after he knows that he is or has become so interested. For the purposes of this Article, a general Notice to the Board by a Director to the effect that:
-
App. 13B 5(3)
-
(a) he is a member or officer of a specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be made with that company or firm; or
-
(b) he is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be made with a specified person who is connected with him;
shall be deemed to be a sufficient declaration of interest under this Article in relation to any such contract or arrangement, provided that no such Notice shall be effective unless either it is given at a meeting of the Board or the Director takes reasonable steps to secure that it is brought up and read at the next Board meeting after it is given.
- (1) ~~A Director shall not vote (nor be counted in the quorum) on any resolution of the Board approving any contract or arrangement or any other proposal in which he or any of his close associates is materially interested, but this prohibition shall not apply to any of the following matters namely:~~
App. 3 4(1)
- ~~(i) any contract or arrangement for the giving to such Director or his close associate(s) any security or indemnity in respect of money lent by him or any of his close associate(s) or obligations incurred or undertaken by him or any of his close associate(s) at the request of or for the benefit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries;~~
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~~(ii) any contract or arrangement for the giving of any security or indemnity 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 whether alone or jointly under a guarantee or indemnity or by the giving of security;~~
-
~~(iii) any contract or arrangement concerning an offer of shares or 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;~~
-
~~(iv) any contract or arrangement in which the Director or his close associate(s) is/are interested in the same manner as other holders of shares or debentures or other securities of the Company by virtue only of his/their interest in shares or debentures or other securities of the Company; or~~
-
~~(v) any proposal or arrangement concerning the adoption, modification or operation of a share option scheme, a pension fund or retirement, death or disability benefits scheme or other arrangement which relates both to Directors or his close associate(s) and to employees of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries and does not provide in respect of any Director, or his close associate(s), as such any privilege or advantage not accorded generally to the class of persons to which such scheme or fund relates.~~ A Director shall not vote (nor be counted in the quorum) on any resolution of the Board approving any contract or arrangement or any other proposal in which he or any of his close associates is materially interested, but this prohibition shall not apply to any of the following matters namely:
-
(i) the giving of any security or indemnity either:
-
(a) to the Director or his close associate(s) in respect of money lent 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
-
(b) 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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(ii) any proposal concerning an offer of shares or 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;
-
(iii) any proposal or arrangement concerning the benefit of employees of the Company or its subsidiaries including:
-
(a) 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
-
(b) the adoption, modification or operation of a pension fund or retirement, death or disability benefits scheme which relates to the Director, his close associate(s) and employee(s) of the Company or any of its 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;
-
-
(iv) any contract or arrangement in which the Director or his close associate(s) is/ are interested in the same manner as other holders of shares or debentures or other securities of the Company by virtue only of his/their interest in shares or debentures or other securities of the Company.’’
-
(2) If any question shall arise at any meeting of the Board as to the materiality of the interest of a Director (other than the chairman of the meeting) or as to the entitlement of any Director (other than such chairman) to vote and such question is not resolved by his voluntarily agreeing to abstain from voting, such question shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting and his ruling in relation to such other Director shall be final and conclusive except in a case where the nature or extent of the interest of the Director concerned as known to such Director has not been fairly disclosed to the Board. If any question as aforesaid shall arise in respect of the chairman of the meeting such question shall be decided by a resolution of the Board (for which purpose such chairman shall not vote thereon) and such resolution shall be final and conclusive except in a case where the nature or extent of the interest of such chairman as known to such chairman has not been fairly disclosed to the Board.
GENERAL POWERS OF THE DIRECTORS
- (1) The business of the Company shall be managed and conducted by the Board, which may pay all expenses incurred in forming and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company (whether relating to the management of the business of the Company or otherwise) which are not by the Statutes or by these Articles required to be
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exercised by the Company in general meeting, subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Statutes and of these Articles and to such regulations being not inconsistent with such provisions, as may be prescribed by the Company in general meeting, but no regulations made by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such regulations had not been made. The general powers given by this Article shall not be limited or restricted by any special authority or power given to the Board by any other Article.
-
(2) Any person contracting or dealing with the Company in the ordinary course of business shall be entitled to rely on any written or oral contract or agreement or deed, document or instrument entered into or executed as the case may be by any two of the Directors acting jointly on behalf of the Company and the same shall be deemed to be validly entered into or executed by the Company as the case may be and shall, subject to any rule of law, be binding on the Company.
-
(3) Without prejudice to the general powers conferred by these Articles it is hereby expressly declared that the Board shall have the following powers:
-
(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;
-
(b) to give to any Directors, officers or servants 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; and
-
(c) to resolve that the Company be deregistered in the Cayman Islands and continued in a named jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands subject to the provisions of the ~~Law~~ Act.
-
(4) The Company shall not make any loan, directly or indirectly, to a Director or his close App. 13B 5(2)
-
associate(s) if and to the extent it would be prohibited by the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622 of the laws of Hong Kong) as if the Company were a company incorporated in Hong Kong.
Article 101(4) shall only have effect for so long as the shares of the Company are listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
- The Board may establish any regional or local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company in any place, and may appoint any persons to be members of such local boards, or any managers or agents, and may fix their remuneration (either by way of salary or by 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
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of any staff employed by them upon the business of the Company. The Board may delegate to any regional or local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in or exercisable by the Board (other than its powers to make calls and forfeit shares), with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies. Any such appointment or delegation may be made upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit, and the Board may remove any person appointed as aforesaid, and may revoke or vary such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such revocation or variation shall be affected thereby.
-
The Board may by power of attorney appoint under the Seal 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 also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him. Such attorney or attorneys may, if so authorised under the Seal of the Company, execute any deed or instrument under their personal seal with the same effect as the affixation of the Company’s Seal.
-
The Board may entrust to and confer upon a managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, an executive director or any Director any of the powers exercisable by it upon such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as it thinks fit, and either collaterally with, or to the exclusion of, its own powers, and may from time to time revoke or vary all or any of such powers but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of such revocation or variation shall be affected thereby.
-
All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other instruments, whether negotiable or transferable or not, and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed 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.
-
(1) The Board may establish or concur or join with other companies (being subsidiary companies of the Company or companies with which it is associated in business) in establishing and making contributions out of the Company’s moneys to any schemes or funds for providing pensions, sickness or compassionate allowances, life assurance or other benefits for employees (which expression as used in this and the following paragraph shall include any Director or ex-Director who may hold or have held any
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executive office or any office of profit under the Company or any of its subsidiary companies) and ex-employees of the Company and their dependants or any class or classes of such person.
- (2) The Board may pay, enter into agreements to pay or make grants of revocable or irrevocable, and either subject or not subject to any terms or conditions, pensions or other benefits to employees and ex-employees and their dependants, or to any of such persons, including pensions or benefits additional to those, if any, to which such employees or ex-employees or their dependants are or may become entitled under any such scheme or fund as mentioned in the last preceding paragraph. Any such pension or benefit may, as the Board considers desirable, be granted to an employee either before and in anticipation of or upon or at any time after his actual retirement.
BORROWING POWERS
-
The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to raise or borrow money and to mortgage or charge all or any part of the undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital of the Company and, subject to the ~~LawA~~ ct, to issue debentures, bonds and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.
-
Debentures, 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.
-
Any debentures, bonds or other securities may be issued at a discount (other than shares), 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.
-
(1) 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.
-
(2) The Board shall cause a proper register to be kept, in accordance with the provisions of the ~~Law~~ Act, of all charges specifically affecting the property of the Company and of any series of debentures issued by the Company and shall duly comply with the requirements of the ~~LawA~~ ct in regard to the registration of charges and debentures therein specified and otherwise.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE DIRECTORS
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The Board may meet for the despatch of business, adjourn or postpone and otherwise regulate its meetings as it considers appropriate. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes. In the case of any equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have an additional or casting vote.
-
~~A meeting of the Board may be convened by the Secretary on request of a Director or by any Director. The Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Board whenever he shall be required so to do by any Director. Notice of a meeting of the Board shall be deemed to be duly given to a Director if it is given to such Director in writing or verbally (including in person or by telephone) or via electronic mail or by telephone or in such other manner as the Board may from time to time determine.~~ A meeting of the Board may be convened by the Secretary on request of a Director or by any Director. The Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Board whenever he shall be required so to do by any Director. Notice of a meeting of the Board shall be deemed to be duly given to a Director if it is given to such Director in writing or verbally (including in person or by telephone) or by electronic means to an electronic address from time to time notified to the Company by such Director or (if the recipient consents to it being made available on a website) by making it available on a website or by telephone or in such other manner as the Board may from time to time determine.
-
(1) The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Board may be fixed by the Board and, unless so fixed at any other number, shall be two (2). An alternate Director shall be counted in a quorum in the case of the absence of a Director for whom he is the alternate provided that he shall not be counted more than once for the purpose of determining whether or not a quorum is present.
-
(2) Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board by means of a conference telephone, electronic or other communications equipment through which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other simultaneously and instantaneously and, for the purpose of counting a quorum, such participation shall constitute presence at a meeting as if those participating were present in person.
-
(3) Any Director who ceases to be a Director at a Board meeting may continue to be present and to act as a Director and be counted in the quorum until the termination of such Board meeting if no other Director objects and if otherwise a quorum of Directors would not be present.
-
The continuing Directors or a sole continuing Director may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the Board but, if and so long as the number of Directors is reduced below the minimum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles, the continuing Directors or Director, notwithstanding that the number of Directors is below the number fixed by or in accordance
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with these Articles as the quorum or that there is only one continuing Director, may act for the purpose of filling vacancies in the Board or of summoning general meetings of the Company but not for any other purpose.
-
The Board may elect one or more chairman and one or more deputy chairman of its meetings and determine the period for which they are respectively to hold such office. If no chairman or deputy chairman is elected, or if at any meeting no chairman or deputy chairman is present within five (5) minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
-
A meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in or exercisable by the Board.
-
(1) The Board may delegate any of its powers, authorities and discretions to committees, consisting of such Director or Directors and other persons as it thinks fit, and they may, from time to time, revoke such delegation or revoke the appointment of and discharge any such committees either wholly or in part, and either as to persons or purposes. Any committee so formed shall, in the exercise of the powers, authorities and discretions so delegated, conform to any regulations which may be imposed on it by the Board.
-
(2) All acts done by any such committee in conformity with such regulations, and in fulfilment of the purposes for which it was appointed, but not otherwise, shall have 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.
-
The meetings and proceedings of any committee consisting of two or more members shall be governed by the provisions contained in these Articles for regulating the meetings and proceedings of the Board so far as the same are applicable and are not superseded by any regulations imposed by the Board under the last preceding Article.
-
~~A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors except such as are temporarily unable to act through ill-health or disability, and all the alternate Directors, if appropriate, whose appointors are temporarily unable to act as aforesaid shall (provided that such number is sufficient to constitute a quorum and further provided that a copy of such resolution has been given or the contents thereof communicated to all the Directors for the time being entitled to receive notices of Board meetings in the same manner as notices of meetings are required to be given by these Articles) be as valid and effectual as if a resolution had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held. Such resolution may be contained in one document or in several documents in like form each signed by one or more of the Directors or alternate Directors and for this purpose a facsimile signature of a Director or an alternate Director shall be treated as valid. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a resolution in writing shall not be passed in lieu of a meeting of the Board for the purposes of considering any matter or business in which a substantial shareholder of the Company or a Director has a conflict of interest and the~~
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~~Board has determined that such conflict of interest to be material.~~ A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors except such as are temporarily unable to act through ill health or disability, and all the alternate Directors, if appropriate, whose appointors are temporarily unable to act as aforesaid shall (provided that such number is sufficient to constitute a quorum and further provided that a copy of such resolution has been given or the contents thereof communicated to all the Directors for the time being entitled to receive notices of Board meetings in the same manner as notices of meetings are required to be given by these Articles) be as valid and effectual as if a resolution had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held. A notification of consent to such resolution given by a Director in writing to the Board by any means (including by means of electronic communication) shall be deemed to be his/her signature to such resolution in writing for the purpose of this Article. Such resolution may be contained in one document or in several documents in like form each signed by one or more of the Directors or alternate Directors and for this purpose a facsimile signature of a Director or an alternate Director shall be treated as valid. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a resolution in writing shall not be passed in lieu of a meeting of the Board for the purposes of considering any matter or business in which a substantial shareholder of the Company or a Director has a conflict of interest and the Board has determined that such conflict of interest to be material.
- All acts bona fide done by the Board or by any committee or by any person acting as a Director or members of a committee, shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any member of the Board or such committee or person acting as aforesaid or that they or any of them were disqualified or had vacated office, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a Director or member of such committee.
MANAGERS
-
The Board may from time to time appoint a general manager, a 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 upon the business of the Company.
-
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 they may think fit.
-
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 their 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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OFFICERS
-
(1) The officers of the Company shall consist of at least one chairman, the Directors and Secretary and such additional officers (who may or may not be Directors) as the Board may from time to time determine, all of whom shall be deemed to be officers for the purposes of the ~~Law~~ Act and these Articles.
-
(2) The Directors shall, as soon as may be after each appointment or election of Directors, elect amongst the Directors a chairman and if more than one (1) Director is proposed for this office, the Directors may elect more than one chairman in such manner as the Directors may determine.
-
(3) The officers shall receive such remuneration as the Directors may from time to time determine.
-
(1) The Secretary and additional officers, if any, shall be appointed by the Board and shall hold office on such terms and for such period as the Board may determine. If thought fit, two (2) or more persons may be appointed as joint Secretaries. The Board may also appoint from time to time on such terms as it thinks fit one or more assistant or deputy Secretaries.
-
(2) The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Members and shall keep correct minutes of such meetings and enter the same in the proper books provided for the purpose. He shall perform such other duties as are prescribed by the ~~Law~~ Act or these Articles or as may be prescribed by the Board.
-
The officers of the Company shall have such powers and perform such duties in the management, business and affairs of the Company as may be delegated to them by the Directors from time to time.
-
A provision of the ~~Law~~ 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.
REGISTER OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
- The Company shall cause to be kept in one or more books at its Office a Register of Directors and Officers in which there shall be entered the full names and addresses of the Directors and Officers and such other particulars as required by the ~~Law~~ Act or as the Directors may determine. The Company shall send to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands a copy of such register, and shall from time to time notify to the said Registrar of any change that takes place in relation to such Directors and Officers as required by the ~~Law~~ Act.
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MINUTES
-
(1) The Board shall cause minutes to be duly entered in books provided for the purpose:
-
(a) of all elections and appointments of officers;
-
(b) of the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors;
-
(c) of all resolutions and proceedings of each general meeting of the Members, meetings of the Board and meetings of committees of the Board and where there are managers, of all proceedings of meetings of the managers.
-
-
(2) Minutes shall be kept by the Secretary at the head office.
SEAL
- (1) The Company shall have one or more Seals, as the Board may determine. For the purpose of sealing documents creating or evidencing securities issued by the Company, the Company may have a securities seal which is a facsimile of the Seal of the Company with the addition of the word ‘‘Securities’’ on its face or in such other form as the Board may approve. The Board shall provide for the custody of each Seal and no Seal shall be used without the authority of the Board or of a committee of the Board authorised by the Board in that behalf. Subject as otherwise provided in these Articles, any instrument to which a Seal is affixed shall be signed autographically by one Director and the Secretary or by two Directors or by such other person (including a Director) or persons as the Board may appoint, either generally or in any particular case, save that as regards any certificates for shares or debentures or other securities of the Company the Board may by resolution determine that such signatures or either of them shall be dispensed with or affixed by some method or system of mechanical signature. Every instrument executed in manner provided by this Article shall be deemed to be sealed and executed with the authority of the Board previously given.
App. 3 2(1)
- (2) Where the Company has a Seal for use abroad, the Board may by writing under the Seal appoint any agent or committee abroad to be the duly authorised agent of the Company for the purpose of affixing and using such Seal and the Board may impose 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 other Seal as aforesaid.
AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS
- Any Director or the Secretary or any person appointed by the Board for the purpose may authenticate any documents affecting the constitution of the Company and any resolution passed by the Company or the Board or any committee, and any books, records, documents
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and accounts relating to the business of the Company, and to certify copies thereof or extracts therefrom as true copies or extracts, and if any books, records, documents or accounts are elsewhere than at the Office or the head office the local manager or other officer of the Company having the custody thereof shall be deemed to be a person so appointed by the Board. A document purporting to be a copy of a resolution, or an extract from the minutes of a meeting, of the Company or of the Board or any committee which is so certified shall be conclusive evidence in favour of all persons dealing with the Company upon the faith thereof that such resolution has been duly passed or, as the case may be, that such minutes or extract is a true and accurate record of proceedings at a duly constituted meeting.
DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
-
(1) The Company shall be entitled to destroy the following documents at the following times:
-
(a) any share certificate which has been cancelled at any time after the expiry of one (1) year from the date of such cancellation;
-
(b) any dividend mandate or any variation or cancellation thereof or any notification of change of name or address at any time after the expiry of two (2) years from the date such mandate variation cancellation or notification was recorded by the Company;
-
(c) any instrument of transfer of shares which has been registered at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of registration;
-
(d) any allotment letters after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of issue thereof; and
-
(e) copies of powers of attorney, grants of probate and letters of administration at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years after the account to which the relevant power of attorney, grant of probate or letters of administration related has been closed;
and it shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that every entry in the Register purporting to be made on the basis of any such documents so destroyed was duly and properly made and every share certificate so destroyed was a valid certificate duly and properly cancelled and that every instrument of transfer so destroyed was a valid and effective instrument duly and properly registered and that every other document destroyed hereunder was a valid and effective document in accordance with the recorded particulars thereof in the books or records of the Company. Provided always that: (1) the foregoing provisions of 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 was relevant to a claim; (2) nothing contained in this Article shall be
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construed as imposing upon the Company any liability in respect of the destruction of any such document earlier than as aforesaid or in any case where the conditions of proviso (1) above are not fulfilled; and (3) references in this Article to the destruction of any document include references to its disposal in any manner.
- (2) Notwithstanding any provision contained in these Articles, the Directors may, if permitted by applicable law, authorise the destruction of documents set out in subparagraphs (a) to (e) of paragraph (1) of this Article and 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 and its share registrar that the preservation of such document was relevant to a claim.
DIVIDENDS AND OTHER PAYMENTS
-
Subject to the ~~LawA~~ ct, the Company in general meeting may from time to time declare dividends in any currency to be paid to the Members but no dividend shall be declared in excess of the amount recommended by the Board.
-
Dividends may be declared and paid out of the profits of the Company, realised or unrealised, or from any reserve set aside from profits which the Directors determine is no longer needed. ~~With the sanction of an ordinary resolution dividends may also be declared and paid~~ The Board may also declare and pay dividends out of share premium account or any other fund or account which can be authorised for this purpose in accordance with the ~~LawA~~ ct.
-
Except in so far as the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any share otherwise provide:
-
(a) all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares App. 3 3(1)
-
in respect of which the dividend is paid, but no amount paid up on a share in advance of calls shall be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid up on the share; and
-
(b) all dividends shall 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.
-
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
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any responsibility to the holders of shares conferring any preference for any damage that they may suffer by reason of the payment of an interim dividend on any shares having deferred or non-preferential rights and may also pay any fixed dividend which is payable on any shares of the Company half-yearly or on any other dates, whenever such profits, in the opinion of the Board, justifies such payment.
-
The Board may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to a Member by the Company on or in respect of any shares all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on account of calls or otherwise.
-
No dividend or other moneys payable by the Company on or in respect of any share shall bear interest against the Company.
-
Any dividend, interest or other sum payable in cash to the holder of shares may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post addressed to the holder at his registered address or, in the case of joint holders, addressed to the holder whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the shares at his address as appearing in the Register or addressed to such person and at such address as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, 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 payment of the cheque or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to the Company notwithstanding that it may subsequently appear that the same has been stolen or that any endorsement thereon has been forged. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any dividends or other moneys payable or property distributable in respect of the shares held by such joint holders.
-
All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one (1) year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by the Board for the benefit of the Company until claimed. Any dividend or bonuses unclaimed after a period of six (6) years from the date of declaration shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company. The payment by the Board of any unclaimed dividend or other sums payable on or in respect of a share into a separate account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof.
-
App. 3 3(2)
-
Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared, the Board may further resolve that such 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 the Company or 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 issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares, disregard fractional entitlements or round the same up or down, 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
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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 and binding on the Members. The Board may resolve that no such assets shall be made available to Members with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, such distribution of assets would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable and in such event the only entitlement of the Members aforesaid shall be to receive cash payments as aforesaid. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of Members for any purpose whatsoever.
-
(1) Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared on any class of the share capital of the Company, the Board may further resolve either:
-
(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 if the Board so determines) in cash in lieu of such allotment. In such case, the following provisions shall apply:
-
(i) the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board;
-
(ii) the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than two (2) weeks’ Notice to the holders of the relevant shares 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;
-
(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; and
-
(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 of the relevant class shall be allotted credited as fully paid up 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 (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than the Subscription Rights Reserve (as defined below)) as the Board may determine,
-
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such sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the non-elected shares on such basis; or
-
(b) that the 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:
-
(i) the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board;
-
(ii) the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than two (2) weeks’ Notice to the holders of the relevant shares 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;
-
(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; and
-
(iv) the dividend (or that part of the dividend in respect of which a right of election has been accorded) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect whereof the share election has been duly exercised (‘‘the elected shares’’) and in lieu thereof shares of the relevant class shall be allotted credited as fully paid up 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 (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than the Subscription Rights Reserve (as defined below)) as the Board may determine, such sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the elected shares on such basis.
-
-
(2) (a) The shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with shares of the same class (if any) then in issue save only as regards participation in the relevant dividend or 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 their proposal to apply the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of paragraph (1) of this Article in relation to the relevant dividend or contemporaneously with their announcement of the
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distribution, bonus or rights in question, the Board shall specify that the shares to be allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank for participation in such distribution, bonus or rights.
-
(b) The Board may do all acts and things considered necessary or expedient to give effect to any capitalisation pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article, with full power to the Board to make such provisions as it thinks fit in the case of shares becoming distributable in fractions (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). 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.
-
(3) 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 paragraph (1) of this Article a dividend may be satisfied wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up without offering any right to shareholders to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment.
-
(4) The Board may on any occasion determine that rights of election and the allotment of shares under paragraph (1) of this Article shall not be made available or made to any shareholders 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, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable, and in such event the provisions aforesaid shall be read and construed subject to such determination. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of Members for any purpose whatsoever.
-
(5) Any resolution declaring a dividend 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 distributable 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 shall be payable or distributable 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. The provisions of this Article shall mutatis mutandis apply to bonuses, capitalisation issues, distributions of realised capital profits or offers or grants made by the Company to the Members.
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RESERVES
-
(1) 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. Unless otherwise provided by the provisions of these Articles, the Board may apply the share premium account in any manner permitted by the ~~LawA~~ ct. The Company shall at all times comply with the provisions of the ~~Law~~ Act in relation to the share premium account.
-
(2) Before recommending any dividend, the Board may set aside out of the profits of the Company such sums as it determines as reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Board, be applicable for any purpose to which the profits of the Company may be properly applied and pending such application may, also at such discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments as the Board may from time to time think fit and so that it shall not be necessary to keep any investments constituting the reserve or 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.
CAPITALISATION
-
(1) The Company may, upon the recommendation of the Board, at any time and from time to time pass an ordinary resolution to the effect that it is desirable to capitalise all or any part of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve or fund (including a share premium account and capital redemption reserve and the profit and loss account) whether or not the same is available for distribution and accordingly that such amount be set free for distribution among the Members or any class of Members who would be entitled thereto if it were distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions, on the footing that the same is not paid in cash but is applied either in or towards paying up the amounts for the time being unpaid on any shares in the Company held by such Members respectively or in paying up in full unissued shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company, to be allotted and distributed credited as fully paid up among such Members, or partly in one way and partly in the other, and the Board shall give effect to such resolution provided that, for the purposes of this Article, a share premium account and any capital redemption reserve or fund representing unrealised profits, may be applied only in paying up in full unissued shares of the Company to be allotted to such Members credited as fully paid.
-
(2) Notwithstanding any provisions in these Articles, the Board may resolve to capitalise all or any part of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve or fund (including a share premium account and the profit and loss account) whether or not the same is available for distribution by applying such sum in paying up unissued shares to be allotted to (i) employees (including directors) of the Company and/or its affiliates (meaning any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company,
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trust, unincorporated association or other entity (other than the Company) that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company) upon exercise or vesting of any options or awards granted under any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Members at a general meeting, or (ii) any trustee of any trust to whom shares are to be allotted and issued by the Company in connection with the operation of any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Members at a general meeting.
- The Board may settle, as it considers appropriate, any difficulty arising in regard to any distribution under the last preceding Article and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or authorise any person to sell and transfer any fractions or may resolve that the distribution should be as nearly as may be practicable in the correct proportion but not exactly so or may ignore fractions altogether, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members in order to adjust the rights of all parties, as may seem expedient to the Board. The Board may appoint any person to sign on behalf of the persons entitled to participate in the distribution any contract necessary or desirable for giving effect thereto and such appointment shall be effective and binding upon the Members.
SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS RESERVE
-
The following provisions shall have effect to the extent that they are not prohibited by and are in compliance with the ~~LawA~~ ct:
-
(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:
- (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;
-
(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:
-
(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
-
(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
-
(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 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
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maintenance of a register therefor and other matters in relation thereto as the Board may think fit and adequate particulars thereof shall be made known to each relevant exercising warrantholder upon the issue of such certificate.
-
(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.
-
(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.
-
(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.
ACCOUNTING RECORDS
-
The Board shall cause true accounts to be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the Company, and the matters in respect of which such receipt and expenditure take place, and of the property, assets, credits and liabilities of the Company and of all other matters required by the ~~LawA~~ ct or necessary to give a true and fair view of the Company’s affairs and to explain its transactions.
-
App. 13B 4(1)
-
The accounting records shall be kept at the Office or, at such other place or places as the Board decides and shall always be open to inspection by the Directors. No Member (other than a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any accounting record or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Board or the Company in general meeting.
-
’
-
- Subject to Article 150, a printed copy of the Directors report, accompanied by the balance App. 3 5
-
sheet and profit and loss account, including every document required by law to be annexed App.3(3) 13B thereto, made up to the end of the applicable financial year and containing a summary of the 4(2) assets and liabilities of the Company under convenient heads and a statement of income and
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expenditure, together with a copy of the Auditors’ report, shall be sent to each person entitled thereto at least twenty-one (21) days before the date of the general meeting and at the same time as the notice of annual general meeting and laid before the Company at the annual general meeting held in accordance with Article 56 provided that this Article shall not require a copy of those documents to be sent to any person whose address the Company is not aware or to more than one of the joint holders of any shares or debentures.
-
Subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the ~~rules of the Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules, and to obtaining all necessary consents, if any, required thereunder, the requirements of Article 149 shall be deemed satisfied in relation to any person by sending to the person in any manner not prohibited by the Statutes, summarised financial statements derived from the Company’s annual accounts and the directors’ report which shall be in the form and containing the information required by applicable laws and regulations, provided that any person who is otherwise entitled to the annual financial statements of the Company and the directors’ 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 summarised financial statements, a complete printed copy of the Company’s annual financial statement and the directors’ report thereon.
-
The requirement to send to a person referred to in Article 149 the documents referred to in that article or a summary financial report in accordance with Article 150 shall be deemed satisfied where, in accordance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the ~~rules of the Designated Stock Exchange~~ Listing Rules, the Company publishes copies of the documents referred to in Article 149 and, if applicable, a summary financial report complying with Article 150, on the Company’s computer network or in any other permitted manner (including by sending any form of electronic communication), and that person has agreed or is deemed to have agreed to treat the publication or receipt of such documents in such manner as discharging the Company’s obligation to send to him a copy of such documents.
AUDIT
-
(1) At the annual general meeting or at a subsequent extraordinary general meeting in each year, the Members shall appoint an auditor to audit the accounts of the Company and such auditor shall hold office until the next annual general meeting. Such auditor may be a Member but no Director or officer or employee of the Company shall, during his continuance in office, be eligible to act as an auditor of the Company.
-
App. 13B 4(2)
-
(2) The Members may, at any general meeting convened and held in accordance with these Articles, by ~~special~~ ordinary resolution remove the Auditor at any time before the expiration of his term of office and shall by ordinary resolution at that meeting appoint another Auditor in his stead for the remainder of his term.
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-
(3) The remuneration of the Auditor (except for any Auditor appointed by the Directors in accordance with Article 154, the remuneration of which for the period until the next following annual general meeting of the Company may be fixed by the Directors) shall be fixed by the Company by ordinary resolution in general meeting or in such manner as the Members may determine or by a body that is independent of the Board.
-
Subject to the ~~Law~~ Act the accounts of the Company shall be audited at least once in every year.
App. 13B 4(2)
-
~~The remuneration of the Auditor shall be fixed by the Company in general meeting or in such manner as the Members may determine.~~ The Directors 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 Directors under this Article may be fixed by the Board. Subject to Article 152(2), an Auditor appointed under this Article shall hold office until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be subject to appointment by the Members under Article 152(1) at such remuneration to be determined by the Members or by a body that is independent of the Board in accordance with Article 152(3).
-
~~If the office of auditor becomes vacant by the resignation or death of the Auditor, or by his becoming incapable of acting by reason of illness or other disability at a time when his services are required, the Directors shall fill the vacancy and fix the remuneration of the Auditor so appointed.~~ INTENTIONALLY DELETED
-
The Auditor shall at all reasonable times have access to all books kept by the Company and to all accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he may call on the Directors or officers of the Company for any information in their possession relating to the books or affairs of the Company.
-
The statement of income and expenditure and the balance sheet provided for by these Articles shall be examined by the Auditor and compared by him with the books, accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he shall make a written report thereon stating whether such statement and balance sheet are drawn up so as to present fairly the financial position of the Company and the results of its operations for the period under review and, in case information shall have been called for from Directors or officers of the Company, whether the same has been furnished and has been satisfactory. The financial statements of the Company shall be audited by the Auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Auditor shall make a written report thereon in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the report of the Auditor shall be submitted to the Members in general meeting. The generally accepted auditing standards referred to herein may be those of a country or jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. If so, the financial statements and the report of the Auditor should disclose this fact and name such country or jurisdiction.
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NOTICES
- ~~Any Notice or document (including any ‘‘corporate communication’’ within the meaning ascribed thereto under the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange), whether or not, to be given or issued under these Articles from the Company to a Member shall be in writing or by cable, telex or facsimile transmission message or other form of electronic transmission or communication and any such Notice and document may be served or delivered by the Company on or to any Member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such Member at his registered address as appearing in the Register or at any other address supplied by him to the Company for the purpose or, as the case may be, by transmitting it to any such address or transmitting it to any telex or facsimile transmission number or electronic number or address or website supplied by him to the Company for the giving of Notice to him or which the person transmitting the notice reasonably and bona fide believes at the relevant time will result in the Notice being duly received by the Member or may also be served by advertisement in appropriate newspapers in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange or, to the extent permitted by the applicable laws, by placing it on the Company’s website or the website of the Designated Stock Exchange, and giving to the member a notice stating that the notice or other document is available there (a ‘‘notice of availability’’). The notice of availability may be given to the Member by any of the means set out above other than by posting it on a website. In the case of joint holders of a share all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register and notice so given shall be deemed a sufficient service on or delivery to all the joint holders.~~
App. 3 7(1) 7(2) 7(3)
-
(1) Any Notice or document (including any ‘‘corporate communication’’ within the meaning ascribed thereto under the Listing Rules), whether or not, to be given or issued under these Articles from the Company to a Member shall be in writing or by cable, telex or facsimile transmission message or other form of electronic transmission or electronic communication and any such Notice and document may be given or issued by the following means:
-
(a) by serving it personally on the relevant person;
-
(b) by sending it through the post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such Member at his registered address as appearing in the Register or at any other address supplied by him to the Company for the purpose;
-
(c) by delivering or leaving it at such address as aforesaid;
-
(d) by placing an advertisement in appropriate newspapers or other publication and where applicable, in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange;
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-
(e) by sending or transmitting it as an electronic communication to the relevant person at such electronic address as he may provide under Article 158(5), subject to the Company complying with the Statutes and any other applicable laws, rules and regulations from time to time in force with regard to any requirements for the obtaining of consent (or deemed consent) from such person;
-
(f) by publishing it on the Company’s website to which the relevant person may have access, subject to the Company complying with the Statutes and any other applicable laws, rules and regulations from time to time in force with regard to any requirements for the obtaining of consent (or deemed consent) from such person and/or for giving notification to any such person stating that the notice, document or publication is available on the Company’s computer network website (a ‘‘notice of availability’’); or
-
(g) by sending or otherwise making it available to such person through such other means to the extent permitted by and in accordance with the Statutes and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.
-
(2) The notice of availability may be given to the Member by any of the means set out above other than by posting it on a website.
-
(3) In the case of joint holders of a share all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register and notice so given shall be deemed a sufficient service on or delivery to all the joint holders.
-
(4) Every person who, by operation of law, transfer, transmission, or other means whatsoever, shall become entitled to any share, shall be bound by every notice in respect of such share, which, previously to his name and address (including electronic address) being entered in the Register as the registered holder of such share, shall have been duly given to the person from whom he derives title to such share.
-
(5) Every Member or a person who is entitled to receive notice from the Company under the provisions of the Statutes or these Articles may register with the Company an electronic address to which notices can be served upon him.
-
(6) Subject to any applicable laws, rules and regulations and the terms of these Articles, any notice, document or publication, including but not limited to the documents referred to in Articles 149, 150 and 158 may be given in the English language only or in both the English language and the Chinese language.
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~~159. Any Notice or other document:~~
-
~~(a) if served or delivered by post, shall where appropriate be sent by airmail and shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day following that on which the envelope containing the same, properly prepaid and addressed, is put into the post; in proving such service or delivery it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or document was properly addressed and put into the post and a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board that the envelope or wrapper containing the Notice or other document was so addressed and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence thereof;~~
-
~~(b) if sent by electronic communication, shall be deemed to be given on the day on which it is transmitted from the server of the Company or its agent. A Notice placed on the Company’s website or the website of the Designated Stock Exchange, is deemed given by the Company to a Member on the day following that on which a notice of availability is deemed served on the Member;~~
-
~~(c) if served or delivered in any other manner contemplated by these Articles, shall be deemed to have been served or delivered at the time of personal service or delivery or, as the case may be, at the time of the relevant despatch or transmission; and in proving such service or delivery a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board as to the act and time of such service, delivery, despatch or transmission shall be conclusive evidence thereof; and~~
| ~~(d)~~ (a) |
~~bitMbithithElihlthChil~~ | ~~bitMbithithElihlthChil~~ |
|---|---|---|
| ~~may e gven o a emer eer n e ngs anguage or e ne~~ ~~bttdliithllliblStttldlti~~ |
~~e anguage,~~ Any Notice |
|
| deemed to have been served or delivered on the day following that on which the | ||
| envelope containing the same, properly prepaid and addressed, is put into the post; in | ||
| proving such service or delivery it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or | ||
| wrapper containing the notice or document was properly addressed and put into the post | ||
| and a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or | ||
| other person appointed by the Board that the envelope or wrapper containing the Notice | ||
| or other document was so addressed and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence | ||
| thereof; |
- (b) if sent by electronic communication, shall be deemed to be given on the day on which it is transmitted from the server of the Company or its agent. A Notice placed on the Company’s website or the website of the Designated Stock Exchange, is deemed given by the Company to a Member on the day following that on which a notice of availability is deemed served on the Member;
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-
(c) if published on the Company’s website, shall be deemed to have been served on the day on which the notice, document or publication first so appears on the Company’s website to which the relevant person may have access or the day on which the notice of availability is deemed to have been served or delivered to such person under these Articles, whichever is later;
-
(d) if served or delivered in any other manner contemplated by these Articles, shall be deemed to have been served or delivered at the time of personal service or delivery or, as the case may be, at the time of the relevant despatch or transmission; and in proving such service or delivery a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board as to the act and time of such service, delivery, despatch or transmission shall be conclusive evidence thereof; and
-
(e) if published as an advertisement in a newspaper or other publication permitted under these Articles, shall be deemed to have been served on the day on which the advertisement first so appears.
-
(1) Any Notice or other document delivered or sent by post to or left at the registered address of any Member in pursuance of these Articles shall, notwithstanding that such Member is then dead or bankrupt or that any other event has occurred, and whether or not the Company has notice of the death or bankruptcy or other event, be deemed to have been duly served or delivered in respect of any share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder unless his name shall, at the time of the service or delivery of the Notice or document, have been removed from the Register as the holder of the share, and such service or delivery shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service or delivery of such Notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share.
-
(2) A Notice may be given by the Company to the person 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, envelope or wrapper addressed to him 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, 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.
-
(3) 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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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
SIGNATURES
- For the purposes of these Articles, a facsimile or electronic transmission message purporting to come from a holder of shares or, as the case may be, a Director or alternate Director, or, in the case of a corporation which is a holder of shares from a director or the secretary thereof or a duly appointed attorney or duly authorised representative thereof for it and on its behalf, shall in the absence of express evidence to the contrary available to the person relying thereon at the relevant time be deemed to be a document or instrument in writing signed by such holder or Director or alternate Director in the terms in which it is received.
WINDING UP
-
(1) The Board shall have power in the name and on behalf of the Company to present a petition to the court for the Company to be wound up.
-
(2) A resolution that the Company be wound up by the court or be wound up voluntarily shall be a special resolution.
-
(1) Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares (i) if the Company shall be wound up and 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 pari passu amongst such members in proportion to the amount paid up on the shares held by them respectively and (ii) 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.
-
(2) If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution and any other sanction required by the ~~Law~~ Act, divide among the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and whether or not the assets shall consist of properties of one kind or shall consist of properties to be divided as aforesaid of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property 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, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit, and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no contributory shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
INDEMNITY
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(1) The Directors, Secretary and other officers and every Auditor of the Company at any time, whether at present or in the past, and the liquidator or trustees (if any) acting or who have acted in relation to any of the affairs of the Company and everyone of them, and everyone of their heirs, executors and administrators, shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and profits of the Company from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of them, their or any of their heirs, executors or administrators, shall or may incur or sustain by or 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; and none of them shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of the other or others of them or for joining in any receipts for the sake of conformity, or for any bankers or other persons with whom any moneys or effects belonging to the Company shall or may be lodged or deposited for safe custody, or for insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any moneys of or belonging to the Company shall be placed out on or invested, or for any other loss, misfortune or damage which may happen in the execution of their respective offices or trusts, or in relation thereto; PROVIDED THAT this indemnity shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to any of said persons.
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(2) Each Member agrees to waive any claim or right of action he might have, whether individually or by or in the right of the Company, against any Director on account of any action taken by such Director, or the failure of such Director to take any action in the performance of his duties with or for the Company; PROVIDED THAT such waiver shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to such Director.
AMENDMENT TO MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
AND NAME OF COMPANY
-
No Article shall be rescinded, altered or amended and no new Article shall be made until the same has been approved by a special resolution of the Members. A special resolution shall be required to alter the provisions of the memorandum of association or to change the name of the Company.
-
App. 13B 1
INFORMATION
- No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of or any information respecting 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 Directors it will be inexpedient in the interests of the members of the Company to communicate to the public.
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
APPENDIX III
FINANCIAL YEAR
167 Unless otherwise determined by the Directors, the financial year end of the Company shall be 31 December in each year.
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
SCHOLAR EDUCATION GROUP 思 考 樂 教 育 集 團
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability)
(Stock Code: 1769)
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the annual general meeting (the ‘‘AGM’’) of Scholar Education Group (the ‘‘Company’’) will be held at Rooms 401–410, 4th Floor, Yunfeng Garden, 29 Youyi Road, Jianan Community, Nanhu Street, Luohu District, Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China on Friday, 19 May 2023 at 10:00 a.m. for the following purposes:
ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS
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To receive and consider the audited financial statements, the report of the directors of the Company (the ‘‘Directors) and the independent auditor’s report of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2022.
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(a) To consider and approve, each as a separate resolution, the following resolutions in relation to the re-election of the Directors:
-
(1) to re-elect Mr. Chen Qiyuan as a Director; and
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(2) to re-elect Mr. Qi Mingzhi as a Director;
-
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(b) to consider an approve, as a separate resolution, the appointment of Ms. Yim Ka Man as a Director; and
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(c) to authorise the Board to fix the Directors’ remuneration.
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To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers as the auditor of the Company and to authorise the Board to fix their remuneration.
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
- To consider and, if thought fit, pass with or without amendments, the following resolution as an ordinary resolution of the Company:
‘‘THAT
-
(a) subject to paragraph (c) of this resolution, the exercise by the Directors during the Relevant Period (as defined below) of all the powers of the Company to repurchase issued shares in the share capital of the Company subject to and in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations including the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the ‘‘Stock Exchange’’) (the ‘‘Listing Rules’’) from time to time be and is hereby generally and unconditionally approved;
-
(b) the approval in paragraph (a) shall be in addition to any other authorisation given to the Directors and shall authorise the Directors on behalf of the Company during the Relevant Period to procure the Company to repurchase its Shares at a price determined by the Directors;
-
(c) the aggregate nominal amount of the Shares which are authorised to be repurchased by the Directors pursuant to the approval in paragraph (a) of this resolution shall not exceed 10% of the aggregate nominal amount of the issued share capital of the Company as at the date of passing of this resolution, and the approval in paragraph of this resolution shall be limited accordingly; and
-
(d) for the purpose of this resolution, ‘‘Relevant Period’’ means the period from the passing of this resolution until whichever is the earliest of:
-
(i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company;
-
(ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the articles of association of the Company or any applicable laws to be held; and
-
(iii) the revocation or variation of the authority given under this resolution by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting.’’.
-
-
To consider and, if thought fit, pass with or without amendments, the following resolution as an ordinary resolution of the Company:
‘‘THAT
- (a) subject to paragraph (c) of this resolution, the exercise by the Directors during the Relevant Period (as defined below) of all the powers of the Company to issue, allot and deal with unissued shares in the capital of the Company and to make or grant offers, agreements and options (including bonds, notes, warrants, debentures and
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
other securities which carry rights to subscribe for or are convertible into shares of the Company) which would or might require the exercise of such powers be and is hereby generally and unconditionally approved;
-
(b) the approval in paragraph (a) of this resolution shall be in addition to any other authorisation given to the Directors and shall authorise the Directors during the Relevant Period to make or grant offers, agreements and options (including bonds, notes, warrants, debentures and other securities which carry rights to subscribe for or are convertible into shares of the Company) which would or might require the exercise of such powers after the end of the Relevant Period;
-
(c) the aggregate nominal amount of the shares in the capital of the Company allotted or agreed conditionally or unconditionally to be allotted (whether pursuant to an option or otherwise) by the Directors pursuant to the approvals in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this resolution during the Relevant Period, otherwise than pursuant to a Rights Issue (as defined below) or pursuant to the exercise of any options which may be granted or exercise of rights of subscription or conversion under the terms of any existing bonds, notes, warrants, debentures or other securities which carry rights to subscribe for or are convertible into shares of the Company, or any scrip dividend or similar arrangement implemented, pursuant to the articles of association of the Company (as amended from time to time), or a specific authority granted or to be granted by the shareholders of the Company in a general meeting, shall not exceed 20% of the aggregate nominal amount of the issued share capital of the Company as at the date of passing of this resolution and the approval in paragraph of this resolution shall be limited accordingly;
-
(d) for the purpose of this resolution:
‘‘Relevant Period’’ means the period from the passing of this resolution until whichever is the earliest of:
-
(i) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company;
-
(ii) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the articles of association of the Company or any applicable laws to be held; and
-
(iii) the revocation or variation of the authority given under this resolution by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting; and
‘‘Rights Issue’’ means an offer of shares or issue of options, warrants or other securities giving the right to subscribe for the shares of the Company open for a period fixed by the Directors to the shareholders of the Company or any class thereof on the register of members of the Company (and where appropriate, to
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
holders of other securities of the Company entitled to the offer) on a fixed record date in proportion to their then holdings of such shares or class thereof (subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to fractional entitlements or having regard to any restrictions or obligations under the laws of any relevant jurisdiction or the requirements of any recognised regulatory body or any stock exchange)’’.
- To consider and, if thought fit, pass with or without amendments, the following resolution as an ordinary resolution of the Company:
‘‘THAT conditional upon the passing of both ordinary resolutions no. 4 and 5 as set out in the notice convening this meeting of which these ordinary resolutions form part, the general mandate granted to the Directors pursuant to resolution no. 5 above to exercise the powers of the Company to issue, allot and deal with shares be and is hereby extended by adding thereto the aggregate nominal amount of shares in the capital of the Company repurchased by the Company under the authority granted pursuant to ordinary resolution no. 4, provided that such amount shall not exceed 10% of the aggregate nominal amount of the issued share capital of the Company as at the date of passing of this resolution.’’
SPECIAL RESOLUTION
- As special business, to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolution as a special resolution:
‘‘THAT, AS A SPECIAL RESOLUTION:
-
(a) the proposed amendments (‘‘Proposed Amendments’’) to the existing memorandum of association and articles of association of the Company, the full text of which are set out in Appendix IV to the Circular, be and are hereby approved;
-
(b) the second amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association (a copy of which has been produced to the Meeting and initialled by the chairman of the Meeting for the purpose of identification, reflecting all the Proposed Amendments) be and are hereby approved and adopted by the Company as the memorandum of association and articles of association of the Company in substitution for and to the exclusion of the existing memorandum of association and articles of association of the Company with immediate effect; and
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
- (c) any one of the Directors of the Company, the company secretary of the Company and/or the registered office provider of the Company (as applicable) be and is hereby authorised to do all things necessary in respect of the Proposed Amendments and the Company’s adoption of the second amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association, including without limitation, attending to the necessary filings with the Registrars of Companies in the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong.’’
By Order of the Board Scholar Education Group Chen Qiyuan Chairman
Hong Kong, 19 April 2023
Notes:
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A member of the Company entitled to attend and vote at the AGM shall be entitled to appoint one or more proxies (if such member is a holder of two or more shares of the Company) to attend and vote on behalf such member. A proxy does not need to be a member of the Company. Completion and return of the form of proxy will not preclude a member of the Company from attending the AGM and voting in person should such member so wish. In such event, such member’s form of proxy will be deemed to have been revoked.
-
Where there are joint registered holders of any share of the Company, any one of such persons may vote at the AGM, either personally or by proxy, in respect of such share as if such person was solely entitled thereto; but if more than one of such joint holders be present at the AGM personally or by proxy, that one of the said persons so present whose name stands first on the register of members of the Company in respect of such share shall standalone be entitled to vote in respect thereof.
-
A form of proxy for the AGM is enclosed. In order to be valid, the form of proxy together with the power of attorney or other authority, if any, under which it is signed, or a notarially certified copy of such power or authority, must be deposited at the Hong Kong share registrar of the Company, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong as soon as possible and in any event not later than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the AGM or any adjourned meeting thereof.
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To ascertain the Shareholders’ entitlement to attend and vote at the AGM, the register of members of the Company will be closed from Tuesday, 16 May 2023 to Friday, 19 May 2023, both days inclusive, during which period no transfer of Shares will be registered. In order to be eligible to attend and vote at the AGM, all duly completed transfer forms accompanied by the relevant share certificates must be lodged with the Hong Kong share registrar of the Company, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at Shops 1712–16, 17th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong not later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, 15 May 2023.
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Pursuant to Rule 13.39(4) of the Listing Rules, all votes at the meeting will be taken by poll except where the chairman, in good faith, decides to allow a resolution which relates purely to a procedural or administrative matter to be voted on by a show of hands and the Company will announce the results of the poll in the manner prescribed under Rule 13.39(5) of the Listing Rules.
-
With regard to ordinary resolution no. 2 above, the particulars (as required under the Listing Rules) of the Directors who are proposed to be re-elected and the proposed new directors are set out in Appendix I to the circular of the Company dated Wednesday, 19 April 2023 (the ‘‘Circular’’).
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
-
In respect of the ordinary resolution no. 5 above, the Directors wish to state that they have no immediate plans to issue any new Shares referred therein. Approval is being sought from the shareholders of the Company as a general mandate for the purposes of the Listing Rules.
-
In respect of ordinary resolution no. 4 above, the Directors wish to state that they will exercise the powers conferred by the Repurchase Mandate in circumstances which they deem appropriate and for the benefits of Shareholders as a whole. The explanatory statement containing the information necessary to enable Shareholders to make an informed decision on whether to vote for or against the resolution to approve the repurchase by the Company of its own shares, as required by the Listing Rules, is set out in Appendix II to the Circular.
-
As at the date of this notice, the Board comprises Mr. Chen Qiyuan, Mr. Qi Mingzhi, Ms. Li Ailing and Ms. Leng Xinian as executive Directors, Mr. Shen Jing Wu as non-executive Director and Mr. Huang Victor, Dr. Liu Jianhua and Mr. Yang Xuezhi as independent non-executive Directors.
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