AGM Information • Aug 3, 2021
AGM Information
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Notice of the 2021 Annual General Meeting of TheWorks.co.uk plc
To be held at Boldmere House, Faraday Avenue, Hams Hall Distribution Park, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 1AL on 30 September 2021 at 9.00am (British Summer Time)
This document is important and requires your immediate attention
If you are in any doubt as to the action you should take, please take advice immediately from an independent financial advisor authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares, please send this document, together with the accompanying documents, at once to the purchaser or transferee, or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
3 August 2021
On behalf of the Board of Directors of TheWorks.co.uk plc (together, the "Directors"), I am pleased to inform you of the 2021 Annual General Meeting ("AGM" or "Meeting") of TheWorks.co.uk plc (the "Company") which will be held at 9.00am (British Summer Time) on 30 September 2021 at Boldmere House, Faraday Avenue, Hams Hall Distribution Park, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 1AL.
The formal Notice of AGM is set out on the following pages of this document, detailing the resolutions that the shareholders are being asked to vote on along with explanatory notes of the business to be conducted at the AGM.
At the time of publication of this Notice of AGM, it is anticipated that the AGM will proceed as an open meeting. However, given ongoing uncertainty, and bearing in mind the broader public health considerations and for the safety of others, any shareholders wishing to attend the AGM in person are asked to register their intention to do so as soon as possible and by no later than 5.00pm on 28 September 2021, by emailing [email protected]. Any such communication will not provide a guarantee of admittance to the AGM where to do so would be in breach of any official guidelines governing public gatherings at the time and/or the need to protect the health and safety of those already in the Meeting.
Shareholders can exercise their votes by submitting their proxy electronically or by post as soon as possible, and these must be received by no later than 9.00am on 28 September 2021. Shareholders who wish to appoint a proxy are recommended to appoint the Chair of the Meeting as their proxy. In light of the uncertainty around whether any restrictions on attendance may be in place at the time, if a shareholder appoints someone else as their proxy, that proxy may not be able to attend the Meeting in order to cast the shareholder's vote.
Your votes do matter. Proxy instructions (which include the ability to lodge proxies electronically) are set out below. Shareholders are also invited to submit questions on any business to be dealt with at the AGM in advance via email to [email protected] by no later than 9.00am on 28 September 2021. We will aim to answer questions received in advance by publishing responses on thematic topics on our website either prior to, or as soon as practicable after, the AGM.
We will continue to monitor government guidance in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and if any changes to the arrangements set out in this document are required, we will communicate these via a regulatory information service and the Company's website.
You can vote electronically at www.sharevote.co.uk using the relevant reference numbers printed on your Proxy Form. Alternatively, if you have already registered with our registrar's (Equiniti Limited) online portfolio service, Shareview, you can submit your proxy by logging on to your portfolio at www.shareview.co.uk using your usual user ID and password. Once logged in simply click "View" on the "My Investments" page, click on the link to vote then follow the onscreen instructions. CREST members may use the CREST electronic proxy appointment service to submit their proxy appointment in respect of the AGM, as detailed in the Further Notes to the Notice of the AGM on pages 8 to 9.
Please note that all Proxy Forms and appointments must be received by 9.00am on 28 September 2021.
Voting on the business of the Meeting will be conducted by way of a poll. The results of voting on the resolutions will be posted on the Company's website as soon as practicable after the AGM.
On 20 July 2021, my decision not to seek re-election at the AGM was announced and I am delighted that Carolyn Bradley has agreed to join the Board as my successor immediately following the AGM. We are very fortunate to have someone with Carolyn's experience and expertise to take on the role, and I am confident that I leave the Board and Company in very capable hands.
The Directors believe that the resolutions set out in the Notice of AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole and unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of all of the resolutions, as the Directors intend to do, or procure to be done, in respect of their own beneficial holdings.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours faithfully,
Dean Hoyle Chair of the Board
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the AGM of the Company will be held at Boldmere House, Faraday Avenue, Hams Hall Distribution Park, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 1AL on 30 September 2021 at 9.00am (British Summer Time) to consider and, if thought appropriate, pass the following resolutions of which Resolutions 1 to 9 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 10 to 13 will be proposed as special resolutions.
such authorities to apply in substitution for all previous authorities pursuant to Section 551 of the 2006 Act and to expire at the end of the next Annual General Meeting or on 31 October 2022, whichever is the earlier, but in each case so that the Company may make offers and enter into agreements during the relevant period which would, or might, require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares to be granted after the authority ends.
For the purposes of this resolution, "rights issue" means an offer to:
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 for the securities is due, but subject in both cases to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory.
such authority to expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, at the close of business on 31 October 2022 but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.
such authority to expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, at the close of business on 31 October 2022 but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.
By order of the Board
Company Secretary 3 August 2021
Registered in England and Wales No. 11325534
Registered Office: Boldmere House Faraday Avenue Hams Hall Distribution Park Coleshill Birmingham England B46 1AL
The notes on the following pages give an explanation of the proposed resolutions.
Resolutions 1 to 9 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. For each of these resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution. Resolutions 10 to 13 are proposed as special resolutions. For each of these resolutions to be passed, at least three quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
The first item of business is the receipt by the shareholders of the Directors' report and the accounts of the Company for the 53-week period ended 2 May 2021. The Directors' report, the accounts and the report of the Company's auditor on the accounts and on those parts of the Directors' remuneration report that are capable of being audited are contained within the 2021 Annual Report.
Resolution 2 seeks shareholder approval of the Directors' remuneration report for the 53-week period ended 2 May 2021, which is set out on pages 51 to 60 of the 2021 Annual Report. The Company's auditor, KPMG LLP, has audited those parts of the Directors' remuneration report that are required to be audited and its report may be found on pages 65 to 71 of the 2021 Annual Report. The vote on this resolution is advisory in nature and Directors' remuneration is not conditional on the passing of this resolution.
The Company's Articles of Association (the "Articles") require all Directors to stand for reappointment at each AGM, and for Directors appointed since the date of the Company's last AGM to retire at the next AGM following their appointment. As announced on 20 July 2021, Dean Hoyle has decided not to seek reappointment at the AGM and will step down from the Board following the Meeting. Accordingly, and in line with the Articles and provision 18 of the UK Corporate Governance Code, all the remaining Directors are submitting themselves for appointment (in the case of Stephen Alldridge, who has been appointed to the Board since the AGM in 2020) or reappointment by shareholders.
Biographical details of each of the Directors who are seeking appointment or reappointment appear on page 10 of this document. The Board believes that each Director brings considerable and wide-ranging skills and experience to the Board as a whole and continues to make an effective and valuable contribution to the deliberations of the Board. Each Director has continued to perform effectively and demonstrate commitment to their role.
The Board carries out a review of the independence of its Directors on an annual basis. In considering the independence of the Independent Non-Executive Directors proposed for reappointment, the Board has taken into consideration the guidance provided by the UK Corporate Governance Code. Accordingly, the Board considers Catherine Glickman and Harry Morley to be independent.
All Directors will continue to submit themselves for annual reappointment by shareholders in accordance with the Articles of Association and the UK Corporate Governance Code.
The auditor of a company must be appointed or reappointed at each general meeting at which the accounts are laid. Resolution 7 proposes, on the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the reappointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's auditor, until the conclusion of the next general meeting of the Company at which accounts are laid.
This resolution seeks shareholder consent for the Audit Committee of the Company to set the remuneration of the auditor.
The purpose of Resolution 9 is to renew the Directors' power to allot shares. The authority in paragraph (a) will allow the Directors to allot new shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert other securities into, shares up to approximately one third (33.33%) of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares) which, as at 16 July 2021, being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this Notice of AGM (the "Latest Practicable Date"), is equivalent to a nominal value of £208,333.
The authority in paragraph (b) will allow the Directors to allot new shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert other securities into, shares only in connection with a rights issue up to a further nominal value of £208,333, which is equivalent to approximately one third (33.3%) of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares) as at the Latest Practicable Date. The Company currently holds no shares in treasury.
There are no present plans to undertake a rights issue, or to allot new shares, other than in connection with employee share incentive plans. 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 to finance business opportunities as they arise.
If the resolution is passed the authority will expire on the earlier of 31 October 2022 and the end of the AGM in 2022.
If the Directors wish to allot new shares and other equity securities, or sell treasury shares, for cash (other than in connection with an employee share scheme), company law requires that these shares are offered first to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings.
Resolution 10 deals with the authority of the Directors to allot new shares or other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by Resolution 9, or sell treasury shares, for cash without the shares or other equity securities first being offered to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. Such authority shall only be used in connection with a pre-emptive offer or, otherwise, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £31,250, being approximately 5% of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company as at the Latest Practicable Date. The Company does not hold any treasury shares as at the Latest Practicable Date.
The Pre-Emption Group Statement of Principles supports the annual disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of allotments of shares and other equity securities (and sales of treasury shares for cash) representing no more than an additional 5% of issued Ordinary Share capital (exclusive of treasury shares), to be used only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment. The Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles defines "specified capital investment" as meaning one or more specific capital investment related uses for the proceeds of an issuance of equity securities, in respect of which sufficient information regarding the effect of the transaction on the Company, the assets the subject of the transaction and (where appropriate) the profits attributable to them is made available to shareholders to enable them to reach an assessment of the potential return.
Accordingly, and in line with the template resolutions published by the Pre-Emption Group, Resolution 11 seeks to authorise the Directors to allot new shares and other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by Resolution 9, or sell treasury shares, for cash up to a further nominal amount of £31,250, being approximately 5% of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company as at the Latest Practicable Date, only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment, or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue.
If the authority given in Resolution 11 is used, the Company will publish details of the placing in its next Annual Report.
If these resolutions are passed, the authorities will expire at the end of the next AGM, or on 31 October 2022, whichever is the earlier.
The Board considers the authorities in Resolutions 10 and 11 to be appropriate in order to allow the Company flexibility to finance business opportunities or to conduct a rights issue or other pre-emptive offer without the need to comply with the strict requirements of the statutory pre-emption provisions.
The Board intends to adhere to the provisions in the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles not to allot shares for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis (other than pursuant to a rights issue or pre-emptive offer) in excess of an amount equal to 7.5% of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company within a rolling three-year period other than: (i) after prior consultation with shareholders; or (ii) in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the allotment.
The effect of Resolution 12 is to grant authority to the Company to purchase its own Ordinary Shares, up to a maximum of 6,250,000 Ordinary Shares, until the AGM in 2022 or 31 October 2022, whichever is the earlier. This represents 10% of the Company's Ordinary Share capital in issue (excluding shares held in treasury) as at the Latest Practicable Date. The Company's exercise of this authority is subject to the stated upper and lower limits on the price payable.
Pursuant to the 2006 Act, the Company can hold any shares which are repurchased as treasury shares and either resell them for cash, cancel them, either immediately or at a point in the future, or use them for the purposes of its employee share schemes. Holding the repurchased shares as treasury shares will give the Company the ability to resell or transfer them in the future and will provide the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base. No dividends will be paid on, and no voting rights will be exercised in respect of, treasury shares. Shares held as treasury shares will not automatically be cancelled and will not be taken into account in future calculations of earnings per share (unless they are subsequently resold or transferred out of treasury).
The Directors consider it desirable and in the Company's interests for shareholders to grant this authority. The Directors have no present intention to exercise this authority, and will only do so if and when conditions are favourable with a view to enhancing net asset value per share.
The Company will not, save in accordance with a predetermined, irrevocable and non-discretionary programme, repurchase shares in the period immediately preceding the preliminary announcement of its annual or interim results as dictated by the Listing Rules or Market Abuse Regulation (as applicable in the UK) (UK MAR) or, if shorter, between the end of the financial period concerned and the time of a relevant announcement or, except in accordance with the Listing Rules and UK MAR, at any other time when the Directors would be prohibited from dealing in shares.
Options to subscribe for a total of 3,787,169 shares, being 6.06 per cent of the issued Ordinary Share capital (excluding treasury shares), were outstanding at the Latest Practicable Date. If the existing authority given at the 2020 AGM and the authority being sought under Resolution 12 were to be fully used, this would represent 7.57 per cent of the Company's issued Ordinary Share capital (excluding treasury shares) at the Latest Practicable Date.
Under the 2006 Act, as amended, the notice period required for all general meetings of the Company is 21 days, though shareholders can approve a shorter notice period for general meetings that are not annual general meetings, which cannot, however, be less than 14 clear days. Annual general meetings will continue to be held on at least 21 clear days' notice. The shorter notice period for which shareholder approval is sought under Resolution 13 would not be used as a matter of routine for such meetings, but only where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole. In the event that a general meeting is called on less than 21 days' notice, the Company will meet the requirements for electronic voting under The Companies (Shareholders' Rights) Regulations 2009. Shareholder approval will be effective until the Company's next AGM, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
Our website, www.theworksplc.co.uk, contains the latest information for shareholders and will be updated before the AGM should there be any changes to the arrangements set out above. Where appropriate, we will notify shareholders of the change via a Regulatory Information Service announcement as early as is possible before the date of the Meeting.
The appointment of a proxy does not preclude a shareholder from attending and voting in person at the AGM.
For additional Proxy Forms you may photocopy the Proxy Forms provided with this document, indicating on each copy the name of the proxy you wish to appoint and the number of Ordinary Shares in respect of which the proxy is appointed. All Proxy Forms should be returned together in the same envelope.
Please note that all Proxy Forms and appointments, whether postal or electronic, must be received by 9.00am on 28 September 2021.
The website address for online voting is www.sharevote.co.uk. Shareholders will need to enter the Voting ID, Task ID and Shareholder Reference Number, as printed on the Proxy Form, and to agree to certain terms and conditions. Alternatively, if you have already registered with our registrar's (Equiniti Limited) online portfolio service, Shareview, you can submit your proxy by logging on to your portfolio at www.shareview.co.uk, using your usual user ID and password. Once logged in simply click "View" on the "My Investments" page, click on the link to vote then follow the on-screen instructions.
The total number of issued Ordinary Shares in the Company on the Latest Practicable Date is 62,500,000. Therefore, the total number of votes exercisable as at the Latest Practicable Date is 62,500,000.
The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5) (a) of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001.
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at JD Wetherspoon plc and The Mercantile Investment Trust plc and Trustee of the Ascot Authority. He is also a Director of Cadogan Group Limited and two related subsidiary companies
July 2018
Harry joined the Board as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director in July 2018. Harry was CEO of Armajaro Asset Management LLP from 2010 until 2016, and a Non-Executive Director of Bibendum Wine Holdings Ltd until May 2016. He was co-founder and CFO of Tragus Holdings Ltd, owner of the Café Rouge and Bella Italia restaurant chains, and also worked in the shipping industry for P&O. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of JD Wetherspoon plc, TheWorks.co.uk plc and Cadogan Group Limited and a Trustee of The Ascot Authority. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse.
Harry is the Chair of the Audit and Nomination Committees and a member of the Remuneration Committee.
Chief Financial Officer
Career and experience
Steve joined the Group on an interim basis as CFO in June 2020, and was appointed as permanent CFO, and as a Board Director, with effect from 14 May 2021. Steve has over 20 years' experience of working in retail, most recently as CFO of Bonmarché Holdings plc where he led a highly effective finance function, and completed several significant transactions, including a private equity backed management buyout, and two stock market listings. Prior to joining Bonmarché in 2003, Steve qualified as a Chartered Accountant with EY, followed by seven years working at discount retailer Peacocks.
Independent Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Renishaw plc and RPS Group plc
Catherine joined the Board as Independent Non-Executive Director in July 2018. Catherine retired as Group HR Director of Genus plc in February 2018 having previously held the same role at Tesco where she led retail management development and customer service training during a period of significant expansion in the UK and overseas. Prior to this she held positions at Somerfield and Boots. Working closely with the Remuneration Committees at Genus and Tesco, Catherine has developed reward structures that align leadership motivation with group strategy. She is a graduate of Durham University with a BA Hons in English.
Catherine is the Chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit and Nomination Committees.
Chief Executive Officer
Date joined TheWorks.co.uk plc April 2018
Gavin was appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Works in January 2020 after joining as Chief Financial Officer in April 2018. Prior to this he was Commercial Director at Card Factory plc where he was responsible for the Commercial function (buying, space and merchandising) alongside leadership of the Commercial Finance team. Gavin joined Card Factory in April 2011 and was a key member of a successful team that grew the business from a portfolio of 530 stores generating £56m EBITDA to a portfolio of over 900 stores generating close to £100m EBITDA, playing a key role in the successful IPO of Card Factory in 2014 and its subsequent growth and evolution as a listed business.
Gavin is a Chartered Accountant, having started his career at PwC where he spent eight years working in the audit and corporate finance departments, and has a BSc in Economics from The London School of Economics.
Boldmere House Faraday Avenue Hams Hall Distribution Park Coleshill Birmingham B46 1AL
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