Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Apr 21, 2018
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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This document is important and requires your immediate attention. If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of the proposals referred to in this document or as to the action you should take, you should consult your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other professional adviser or other independent adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 immediately. If you have sold or otherwise transferred all your shares in Spire Healthcare Group plc, please pass this document, together with the accompanying Form of Proxy, to the purchaser or transferee, orto the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom you made the sale or transfer, for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
The fourth annual general meeting of Spire Healthcare Group plc will be held at the offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Northcliffe House, 28 Tudor Street, London EC4Y 0AY on Thursday, 24 May 2018 at 11.00am.
Dear Shareholder,
I am delighted to invite you to the fourth annual general meeting (the 'AGM' or the 'Meeting') of Spire Healthcare Group plc (the 'Company') which will be held atthe offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Northcliffe House, 28 Tudor Street, London EC4Y 0AY on Thursday, 24 May 2018 at 11.00am.
Full details of the business of the AGM and the resolutions that will be put to Shareholders are set out in the enclosed notice of the Meeting. All of your Board will stand for election or re-election at the AGM in line with best practice and the biographies of each of them can be found on pages 7 and 8 of the notice of the Meeting.
The AGM gives the Board of Directors the opportunity to present the Company's performance and strategy to Shareholders and to listen and respond to their questions. Shareholders who wish to put any questions to the Board prior to the Meeting are invited to send these for the attention of the Group Company Secretary to [email protected]. There will also be the opportunity to meet Directors and senior management of the Company both before and after the Meeting.
If you cannot come to the AGM in person, your vote is still important and I would urge you to complete, sign and return the enclosed proxy card to our registrar, Equiniti Limited ('Equiniti'). Alternatively, you can appoint a proxy online at www.sharevote.co.uk and further instructions are provided on the reverse of the enclosed form. Proxy appointments must be received by Equiniti no later than 11.00am on Tuesday, 22 May 2018. If you hold your share(s) through a corporate sponsored nominee, you will need to cast your vote no later than 11.00am on Monday, 21 May 2018.
At the AGM, all resolutions will be voted on a poll which ensures Shareholders' votes are counted according to the number of shares held. Following the conclusion of the Meeting the results of the poll will be announced via a regulated information service and made available on the Company's website at www.spirehealthcare.com.
If you would like to receive notice of future general meetings electronically, please register through the online service provided by Equiniti at www.shareview.co.uk.
Your Directors believe all the proposals to be considered at the Meeting to be in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole. They therefore unanimously recommend Shareholders to vote in favour of each of these resolutions, as they intend to in respect of their own beneficial shareholdings.
Your Board, and I, look forward to welcoming you to the AGM and to meeting as many of you as possible.
Yours faithfully
Garry Watts Chairman
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the fourth annual general meeting ('AGM' or the 'Meeting') of Spire Healthcare Group plc (the 'Company') will be held at the offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Northcliffe House, 28 Tudor Street, London EC4Y 0AY on Thursday, 24 May 2018 at 11.00am for the transaction of the following business:
To consider and, if thought fit, to pass resolutions 1 to 15 below as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 16 to 19 below as special resolutions:
up to an aggregate amount of £100,000, and the amounts authorised under paragraphs (ï) to (ïïi) shall in each case also be limited to £100,000.
Words and expressions defined for the purposes of the Companies Act shall have the same meaning in this Resolution (see Explanatory Notes on page 9).
For the purposes of this Resolution 'rights issue' means an offer to Shareholders in proportion (as nearly as may be practicable) to their existing holdings, to subscribe for further securities by means of the issue of a renounceable letter (or other negotiable document) which may be traded for a period before payment forthe securities is due, but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical difficulties which may arise under the laws of or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange in any territory or any other matter whatsoever (see Explanatory Notes on page 9).
continued
as if Section 561 of the Companies Act did not apply to any such allotment or sale, provided that this power shall be limited to the allotment of equity securities for cash and the sale of treasury shares:
and shall expire at the end of the next annual general meeting or on 23 August 2019, whichever is the earlier, save that the Company may, at any time before such expiry, make any offer, agreement or other arrangement which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted, or treasury shares to be sold, after such expiry and the Board may allot equity securities, or sell treasury shares pursuant to any such offer, agreement or other arrangement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
as if Section 561 of the Companies Act did not apply to any such allotment or sale, provided that this power shall be limited to the allotment of equity securities for cash and the sale of treasury shares otherwise than pursuant to the said Resolution 16, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £200,540 and provided that the allotment is for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, ifthe power is used within six months of the original transaction) a transaction which the Directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles on Disapplying Pre-emption Rights most recently published by the Pre-emption Group prior to the date of the notice of the annual general meeting, and shall expire at the end of the next annual general meeting or on 23 August 2019, whichever is the earlier, save that the Company may, at any time before such expiry, make any offer or agreement that would or might require equity securities to be allotted, or treasury shares to be sold, after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities, or sell treasury shares in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
THAT the Company be generally and unconditionally authorised for the purposes of Section 701 of the Companies Act to make market purchases (within the meaning of Section 693(4) of the Companies Act) of any of its ordinary shares in the capital of the Company on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine from time to time, provided that:
(a) the maximum number of ordinary shares hereby authorised to be purchased is 40,108,139, representing 10% of the issued share capital of the Company as at 22 April 2018;
By Order of the Board
Registered office: 3 Dorset Rise, London EC4Y 8EN
Pursuant to Regulation 41 of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001, only those Shareholders registered in the register of members of the Company as at 6.30pm on Tuesday, 22 May 2018 will be entitled to attend or vote at the AGM in respect of the number of shares registered in their name at thattime. Changes to entries on the relevant register of members after 6.30pm on Tuesday, 22 May 2018 will be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to attend or vote at the AGM.
The right to appoint a proxy does not apply to persons whose shares are held on their behalf by another person and who have been nominated to receive communications from the Company in accordance with Section 146 of the Companies Act ('Nominated persons'). Nominated persons may have a right under an agreement with the Shareholder on whose behalf they hold the shares to be appointed (or to have someone else appointed) as a proxy. Alternatively, if Nominated persons do not have such a right, or do not wish to exercise it, they may have a right under such an agreement to give instructions to the person holding the shares as to the exercise of voting rights.
average sum per Shareholder of at least £100. A resolution may properly be moved or a matter may properly be included in the business unless:
Such a request may be in hard copy form or electronic form and must be received by the Company not later than six clear weeks before the AGM or, if later, the time at which notice is given ofthe AGM. In the case of a request relating to Section 338A ofthe Companies Act, the request must be accompanied by a statement setting out the grounds for the request.
Resolutions 16 to 19 are special resolutions; the remainder are ordinary resolutions. Ordinary resolutions require a simple majority of Shareholders voting in person or by proxy to pass the resolutions, whereas special resolutions require at least 75% of Shareholders voting in person or by proxy to pass the resolutions.
Resolution 1 deals with the receipt of the Directors' report and audited accounts of the Company.
In accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act the Directors' Remuneration Report contained within the 2017 Annual Report comprises:
Resolution 2 seeks shareholder approval for the Directors' Remuneration Report as set out on pages 78 and 79, and pages 87 to 93 (inclusive) of the 2017 Annual Report. This vote by ordinary resolution is advisory only.
Resolution 3 seeks approval for the Company's Remuneration Policy. A copy of the Remuneration Policy can be found repeated in full on pages 80 to 86 inclusive of the 2017 Annual Report. This vote by ordinary resolution is binding.
Resolution 4 deals with the declaration of the final dividend of 2.5 pence per ordinary share for the year ended 31 December 2017. If approved, the final dividend will be paid on 26 June 2018 to Shareholders on the register of members at 1 June 2018.
All the Directors, except for Danie Meintjes, will retire and offer themselves for election or re-election at the AGM in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association and the UK Corporate Governance Code (which recommends that all Directors of FTSE 350 companies be subject to annual election by Shareholders).
The Company completed a formal evaluation of the Board's performance and effectiveness in 2017 in relation to the fulfilment of its duty to act in the long-term interest of the Company on behalf of its members (while also having due regard for other stakeholders). The Company concluded that the Board was operating effectively, in an open and transparent manner, and providing support and challenge to senior management. Each Non-Executive Director has shown sufficient time commitment to the role. As such, the Chairman recommends the election or re-election of each ofthe Directors standing.
The biographies on pages 7 and 8 contain details of the individual skills and experience that each Director brings to the Board.
Adèle Anderson was appointed an independent Non-Executive Director in July 2016.
Adèle has gained extensive financial experience throughout her career and has significant knowledge of audit committees. Until July 2011, she was a partner in KPMG LLP and held a number of senior roles across their business including chief financial officer of KPMG UK, chief executive officer of KPMG's captive insurer and chief financial officer of KPMG Europe.
Adèle was a member of the board of trustees of Save the Children UK until December, 2017.
Tony Bourne was appointed an independent Non-Executive Director in June 2014.
Tony brings considerable knowledge of the healthcare industry to his role, having been chief executive of the British Medical Association for nine years until 2013. Priorto this, he was in investment banking for over 25 years, including as a partner at Hawkpoint and as global head of the equities division and a member of the managing board of Paribas. Tony has also previously served as a non-executive director of Bioquell Plc, Southern Housing Group, and the charity, Scope.
Dame Janet Husband was appointed an independent Non-Executive Director in June 2014.
Having trained in medicine at Guy's Hospital Medical School, Dame Janet's extensive career in healthcare allows her to bring invaluable insight and knowledge of the healthcare industry. She has previously served as a specially appointed commissioner to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, was president of the Royal College of Radiologists, chaired the National Cancer Research Institute in the UK and was a non- executive director of Nuada Medical Group. Dame Janet was appointed as Professor of Diagnostic Radiology at the University of London, Institute of Cancer Research, in addition to more than 30 years as a practising consultant radiologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital.
Simon Rowlands was appointed a Non‑Executive Director in June 2014, although he served in a similar capacity prior to Admission having been an appointment of Cinven, the Company's former principal shareholder. The Company does not consider Simon to be independent due to the senior position he held with Cinven Partners.
Simon's extensive knowledge of the Company and its markets, combined with his wise counsel over a number of years, were among the reasons he was asked to continue to serve as a member ofthe Board following Cinven's sale of their shareholding in 2015. He was a founding partner of the private equity firm Cinven until 2013, establishing and leading its healthcare team, and then served as a senior adviser until 2017. Simon founded a new private equity firm in 2016 focused on healthcare and consumer sectors of Sub Sahara Africa. Priorto joining Cinven, he worked with an international consulting firm on multidisciplinary engineering projects in the UK and southern Africa.
Garry Watts joined the Group as Executive Chairman in 2011 before becoming Non-Executive Chairman between Admission and March 2016. He again served as Executive Chairman between March 2016 and June 2017 before resuming his Non-Executive Chairman role in July 2017. The Company does not consider Garry to be independent due to his previous executive role.
A chartered accountant by profession and former partner at KPMG, Garry's extensive business knowledge and leadership on other listed company boards, including SSL International plc and Celltech Group plc, has ensured a seamless transition from private to public for the Company. He has a deep understanding of the healthcare sector, having served as a member of the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Supervisory Board for 17 years. Garry was also previously an executive director of Medeva plc, deputy chairman of Stagecoach Group plc and a non-executive director of Protherics plc.
Justin Ash was appointed Chief Executive Officer and an Executive Director at the end of October 2017.
Justin was previously chief executive of Oasis Dental Care between 2008 and 2017 before leading its sale to Bupa. Prior to this, he was managing director of Lloyds Pharmacy and has held several other senior retail positions including general manager of KFC in the UK/Ireland, and commercial director of Allied Domecq Spirits and Wines (Europe).
Justin was previously a senior consultant with Bain and Company in London and Paris.
Peter Bamford was appointed as Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director in May 2017.
Peter was chairman of Six Degrees Holdings Limited from 2011 to 2015 and a non-executive director of Rentokil Initial plc from 2006 until 2016. He was also a director of Vodafone Group plc from 1998 to 2006 where he held senior executive roles, including chief marketing officer, chief executive of Northern Europe, Middle East and Africa and chief executive of Vodafone UK.
Prior to this, Peter held senior positions with WH Smith plc (being a director between 1995 and 1997), Tesco plc and Kingfisher plc. He has served on the boards of public companies for the last 21 years and has extensive experience in developing and growing businesses and brands internationally. Peter was also a director of PRS for Music Limited between 2008 and 2014, being their chairman from 2010.
Resolutions 12 and 13 deal, respectively, with the reappointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Auditor of the Company and the authorisation of the Directors to determine its remuneration for the current financial year. The level of remuneration paid in 2017 by way of audit fees to the Auditor, together with the amounts paid in respect of non-audit fees, are shown in note 10 on page 125 of the 2017 Annual Report.
Resolution 14 is an ordinary resolution which authorises the Company and its UK subsidiaries to make political donations and to incur political expenditure. The Companies Act requires companies to obtain Shareholders' authority for donations to registered political parties, other political organisations and independent election candidates totalling more than £5,000 in any twelve month period, and for any political expenditure, subject to limited exceptions. The definitions of 'donations', 'political organisations', 'independent election candidates' and 'political expenditure' are very wide in this context and there is concern that they may have had the effect of covering a number of normal business activities that would not be thought to be political donations in the usual sense.
As required by the Companies Act, the resolution is in general terms and does not purport to authorise particular donations. It remains the policy of the Company not to make political donations or incur political expenditure as those expressions are normally understood, and the Company has no present intention of using such authority granted. This was previously approved by Shareholders at the annual general meeting in May 2017.
Hence, to avoid inadvertent infringement of the Companies Act, the Directors are again seeking Shareholders' authority for the Company and its subsidiaries to make political donations and to incur political expenditure during the period from the passing of the resolution until the conclusion of the Company's next annual general meeting or 23 August 2019, whichever is the earlier, up to a maximum aggregate amount of £100,000.
Under the Companies Act the Directors may only allot unissued shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into shares if authorised to do so by the Shareholders in a general meeting. The authority conferred on the Directors at last year's annual general meeting held on 26 May 2017 under Section 551 of the Companies Act to allot shares expires on the date of the AGM.
Resolution 15, part (a), thus seeks new authority to allow the Directors to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares: (a) up to an aggregate nominal amount of £1,336,938; and (b) in connection with a fully pre-emptive rights issue up to an aggregate nominal amount (reduced by allotments under part (a) of the resolution) of £2,673,876.
These amounts represent no more than one third and two thirds respectively of the Company's total issued share capital as at 22 April 2018 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document). The authorities granted in Resolution 15 will expire on the date of the Company's next annual general meeting or 23 August 2019, whichever is the earlier.
The Investment Association guidance on the Directors' authority to allot permits resolutions seeking authority to allot shares representing two-thirds of the Company's issued share capital, provided that the extra authority (i.e. that provided by part (b) of Resolution 15) shall only be used to allot shares pursuant to a fully pre-emptive rights issue.
The Company has no present intention of undertaking a rights issue, or of allotting new shares other than in connection with any outstanding share option awards. However, if they do exercise the authority, the Directors intend to follow emerging best practice as regards its use as recommended by the Investment Association. The Company's Directors intend to renew this authority annually.
The Directors consider it desirable to have the maximum flexibility permitted by corporate governance guidelines to respond to market developments and to enable allotments to take place. If this authority – as set out in part (b) of Resolution 15 – was used, the Board anticipates that all Directors would submit themselves for re-election at the subsequent annual general meeting.
Following on from Resolution 15, Resolution 16 would give the Directors additional authority from shareholders to allot equity securities or sell treasury shares for cash otherwise than to existing shareholders pro rata to their holdings. The authority granted at the last annual general meeting is due to expire at the end of this year's annual general meeting. Accordingly, a special resolution will be proposed at this year's annual general meeting to renew such authority.
Apart from offers or invitations in proportion to the respective number of shares held, the power will be limited to the allotment of equity securities and the sale of treasury shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal value of £200,540 (which represents 5% of the Company's issued share capital as at 22 April 2018, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document). If given, this authority will expire on the date of the Company's next annual general meeting or 23 August 2019, whichever is the earlier. This authority is in line with the guidance issued by the Investment Association and The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association.
The Directors will have due regard to institutional guidelines in relation to the exercise of this authority, in particular the requirement for advance consultation and explanation before making any non-pre-emptive cash issue pursuant to this resolution which exceeds 7.5% of the Company's issued share capital in any rolling three year period. The Directors do not have any present intention of exercising this authority, but consider it desirable to have the flexibility to use it should opportunities arise.
The Directors are again seeking this year a power from shareholders to allot equity securities or sell treasury shares for cash otherwise than to existing shareholders pro rata to their holdings, to reflect the Pre-emption Group 2015 Statement of Principles for the disapplication of pre-emption rights (the 'Statement of Principles'). Accordingly, Resolution 17 will be proposed as a special resolution to grant such a power. The power will be limited to the allotment of equity securities and sales of treasury shares for cash up to an aggregate nominal value of £200,540 (which represents 5% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital at 22 April 2018, being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this notice).
This is in addition to the 5% referred to in Resolution 16. If given, this power will expire on the date of the Company's next annual general meeting or 23 August 2019, whichever is the earlier. The Directors will have due regard to the Statement of Principles in relation to any exercise of this power and in particular they confirm that they intend to use this power only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment (within the meaning of the Statement of Principles from time to time) which is announced contemporaneously with the issue, or which has taken place in the preceding six month period and is disclosed in the announcement ofthe issue.
Resolution 18 to be proposed at the annual general meeting will give the Company the authority to purchase up to 40,108,139 ordinary shares (which represents 10% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital as at 22 April 2018, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document). The maximum and minimum prices are stated in the Resolution. This would give the Company the ability to buy and sell treasury shares quickly and cost effectively and provide the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base. The Directors have no present intention of exercising this authority and, in the event that market purchases were made, the shares would be cancelled and the number of shares in issue reduced accordingly or, in accordance with the Companies Act, retained as treasury shares. The authority will be exercised only if the Directors believe that to do so would result in an increase in earnings per share and would be likely to promote the success of the Company for the benefit of its shareholders as a whole. These regulations enable companies to hold repurchased shares as treasury shares with a view to possible re-sale at a future date rather than having to cancel them. This authority is in line with the Listing Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority and the Investment Association's guidance.
Under the Companies Act, the notice period required for all general meetings of the Company is 21 days. Annual general meetings will always be held on at least 21 clear days' notice but Shareholders can approve a shorter notice period for other general meetings, as long as this is not less than 14 clear days.
Resolution 19 is a special resolution which will preserve the ability of the Company to call general meetings (other than an annual general meeting) on 14 clear days' notice. The Company does not propose to use this reduced notice period as a matter of routine, but wishes to maintain the flexibility to do so where it is merited by the business of the meeting (for example because the matter to be discussed is time sensitive) and is thought to be to the advantage of Shareholders as a whole. The approval will be effective until the Company's next annual general meeting, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
The Company will also need to meet the requirements for electronic voting under the Companies (Shareholders' Rights) Regulations 2009 in order to be able to call a general meeting on 14 clear days' notice.
If you are planning to attend the annual general meeting, the offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP are a short walk from Blackfriars station, which can be accessed from both the District and Circle London Underground lines and also main line services. Nearby Blackfriars Bridge, Victoria Embankment and New Bridge Street are all well served by London buses.
The venue has facilities for attendees with disabilities and, if you require assistance, please contact the Group Company Secretary prior to the Meeting by e-mail at [email protected]. There will be an opportunity to meet the Company's Directors both before and after the Meeting.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Northcliffe House 28 Tudor Street London EC4Y 0AY
Thursday, 24 May 2018 at 11.00am
| The annual report and accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2017 |
|---|
| The admission of the shares to the premium listed segment of the official list and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities |
| The 2018 annual general meeting, notice of which is contained in this document |
| The board of directors of the Company |
| The Companies Act 2006 |
| 'Company' or 'Spire Healthcare' |
Spire Healthcare Group plc, registered in England and Wales with company number 09084066 |
|---|---|
| 'Director' | A director of the Company |
| 'Listing Rules' | The United Kingdom Listing Authorities' listing rules relating to the admission of securities to the official list of the London Stock Exchange |
| 'Share' | An ordinary share of 1 pence each in the capital of the Company |
| 'Shareholder' | A holder of Shares |
3 Dorset Rise London EC4Y 8EN
Company number: 09084066 Registered in England and Wales
spirehealthcare.com
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