AGM Information • Mar 23, 2022
AGM Information
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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 seek your own independent advice from a stockbroker, solicitor, accountant, or other authorised professional adviser.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your ordinary shares in The Vitec Group plc ("the Company"), please pass this document together with the accompanying documents to the purchaser or transferee, or to the person who arranged the sale or transfer, so they can pass these documents to the person who now holds the shares.
(Incorporated and registered in England and Wales with number 227691)
Notice of the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of The Vitec Group plc to be held at The Academy of Medical Sciences, 41 Portland Place, London, W1B 1QH on Tuesday, 17 May 2022 at 11.00am is set out in this Notice.
Whether or not you propose to attend the Annual General Meeting, please complete and submit a proxy form in accordance with the instructions printed on the enclosed form. The proxy form must be received by 11.00am on Friday, 13 May 2022. Please note that a proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company.
23 March 2022
To the ordinary shareholders of The Vitec Group plc
Dear Shareholder,
The AGM will be held at 11.00am on Tuesday, 17 May 2022 at The Academy of Medical Sciences, 41 Portland Place, London, W1B 1QH and the notice of the AGM ("the Notice") can be found on pages 5 to 8 of this document. A map of the venue is shown on the reverse of the attendance card.
At this point in time, it is our hope and expectation to hold the AGM in person. However, should restrictions around COVID-19 necessitate a change in plans, we will inform shareholders by issuing an RNS announcement to the market.
I will be exercising my right under the Company's Articles that all resolutions at the AGM be voted by way of a poll rather than a show of hands. The Board and I consider that a poll is in accordance with good corporate governance since it allows the votes of all shareholders who have submitted a proxy form to be counted. Shareholders attending the AGM will have the opportunity to ask questions of your Board and vote on the resolutions proposed. The outcome of the vote at the AGM will be announced by way of a Stock Exchange announcement after the close of the AGM and will be published on our website.
Whether you propose to attend the AGM or not, please complete the enclosed proxy form and return it to our registrars, Equiniti Limited. They must receive it no later than 11.00am on Friday, 13 May 2022. The return of the proxy form will not prevent you from attending the AGM and voting in person should you wish.
Set out below is a short explanation of each resolution at the AGM. Resolutions 1 to 12 are ordinary business as the Company considers these to be matters that would usually be dealt with at an AGM. Resolutions 13 to 17 are special business. Resolutions 1 to 12 and 14 are ordinary resolutions and require a simple majority of votes cast to be in favour of the resolution to be approved. Resolutions 13 and 15 to 17 are special resolutions and require at least 75 per cent of votes cast to be in favour of the resolution to be approved.
The Directors present the report and audited Group accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 ("2021 Annual Report") for adoption. Copies of the 2021 Annual Report will be available at the meeting. The 2021 Annual Report may also be accessed on the Company's website at www.vitecgroup.com.
The Directors' Remuneration Report is set out on pages 106 to 135 of the 2021 Annual Report, which sets out payments made to the Company's Directors in 2021. It is confirmed that this annual remuneration report and payments made to Directors in 2021 are in accordance with the Directors' Remuneration Policy approved by shareholders at the 27 May 2020 AGM.
Deloitte LLP ("Deloitte") audited those parts of the Directors' Remuneration Report that are required to be audited and their report can be found on pages 139 to 145 of the 2021 Annual Report.
The Directors have recommended a final dividend for the year ended 31 December 2021 of 24 pence per ordinary share.
Subject to approval at the 2022 AGM, the final dividend will be paid on Friday, 20 May 2022 to eligible shareholders on the Company's register of members at close of business on Friday, 22 April 2022.
Information on the Company's Dividend Reinvestment Plan or having dividends paid in your local currency can be found on page 205 of the 2021 Annual Report.
The Company's Articles require that each Director must offer himself or herself for reappointment by shareholders every year. Accordingly, a separate resolution for each Director to seek reappointment is included in this Notice. We ask shareholders to approve the reappointment of each of the following members of the Board: Ian McHoul, Stephen Bird, Martin Green, Christopher Humphrey, Caroline Thomson, Richard Tyson and Erika Schraner. As previously announced, Erika Schraner will become a Director of the Company with effect from 1 May 2022, thereby necessitating her reappointment at the 2022 AGM.
The Company also announced that Duncan Penny will not be seeking reappointment at the 2022 AGM and he will therefore cease to be a Director of the Company at the close of the AGM on Tuesday, 17 May 2022.
Biographical details for each Director are set out on pages 78 and 79 of the 2021 Annual Report. Since Erika Schraner will join the Board on 1 May 2022, her biographical details are set out below:
Erika Schraner, age 54, independent Non-Executive Director and a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nominations Committees. Erika holds UK, Swiss and US citizenship and was born in Switzerland. Erika brings over 25 years' experience in senior leadership positions and spent nearly two decades working in Silicon Valley and has held senior professional services roles with Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers ("PwC").
Erika earned a PhD in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, and in 1995 began her executive career with IBM. She went on to hold roles at REL Consultancy Group, Computer Science Corporation and Symantec Corporation. During her tenure at Symantec, Erika led the team responsible for M&A in its Sales & Services Division, completing a large number of acquisitions, including the \$13.5 billion merger between Symantec and Veritas. Since then, Erika has further built her transaction experience at Ernst & Young, where she led the firm's technology M&A Advisory Services (OTS) for the Americas, and more recently with PwC, where she was the UK Leader for M&A Integration Services and TMT M&A Advisory Services.
Erika is currently a Non-Executive Director of FTSE 250-listed JTC plc, where she is also Chair of the Nomination Committee, and at FTSE 250-listed Bytes Technologies plc. Other current directorships include a Non-Executive Director at AIM-listed Aferian plc, where she is also Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, and a Non-Executive Director at Pod Point plc.
In accordance with the 2018 UK Corporate Governance Code, an external Board evaluation was carried out in 2021 and the Board believes that each of the Directors seeking reappointment is performing to the highest standards, continues to be an effective member of the Board and demonstrates commitment to the role. The Board further confirms that each Director continues to provide independent character and judgement to the running of the business particularly reviewing strategy, risk management, succession planning and ongoing financial and business performance.
The Company is required to reappoint its auditor annually and at the 2021 AGM the Company reappointed Deloitte LLP as its auditor. The Audit Committee considered the performance of Deloitte LLP at its meeting on 21 February 2022 and recommended the reappointment of Deloitte LLP to the Board.
Resolution 11 therefore proposes the reappointment of Deloitte LLP as the Company's auditor to hold office from the conclusion of this meeting until the conclusion of the next general meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company.
Resolution 12 seeks to authorise the Board to set the remuneration payable to the Company's auditor. Details of the remuneration paid during the year ended 31 December 2021 to Deloitte LLP can be found on page 103 of the 2021 Annual Report. Following best practice, this resolution seeks authority for the Audit Committee, for and on behalf of the Board, to set the auditor's remuneration.
This special resolution would approve the change of the Company name to Videndum plc with effect from Monday, 23 May 2022. This change is due to the need to differentiate ourselves from other companies around the world who also operate under the Vitec name and to better reflect our purpose. It is also necessary to avoid financial penalties under a now settled dispute with a third party with claimed prior rights to the term "Vitec" in some territories.
Building on structural change and growth in our end markets, and our leading market positions, we are using this opportunity to refresh and frame our brand. "Videndum" is a Latin noun – which means "That which must be seen" or "A must see" – and better reflects our purpose, presence and opportunity in the multiple market segments of the growing content creation market in which we operate.
A subsequent announcement will be made when the Company's name change becomes effective, which is expected to be on 23 May 2022, with a revised stock ticker ("VID"). Until such an announcement is made, trading will continue under the existing ticker ("VTC"). No action is required on the part of any equity holders with respect to their rights as an equity holder.
The rebranding roll-out process for the new name and associated visual identity will begin on 23 May 2022 and progress through 2022 and early 2023 alongside implementation of a full stakeholder communications plan to manage the transition. The cost to implement this change to the Group name is expected to be less than £1.0 million, including legal, trademark, branding and IT costs.
At the same time in May, we will change the name of our Imaging Solutions Division to "Media Solutions". As the Division has grown its portfolio to include audio under the JOBY, Rycote and Audix brands, the new name better represents its customer base and the exciting opportunities ahead.
The following are some key questions and answers for shareholders relating to the change of name:
This resolution would give the Directors authority to allot ordinary shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into ordinary shares up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to £925,069 (representing 4,625,345 ordinary shares of 20 pence each). This amount represents approximately 10% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 February 2022, the latest practicable date prior to publication of this Notice. A similar resolution was approved at the 2021 AGM and will expire at the 2022 AGM. The Directors therefore wish to seek renewal of this authority.
The authority sought under this resolution will expire at the earlier of 16 August 2023 or the conclusion of the 2023 AGM. The Directors have no present intention to exercise the authority sought under this resolution other than to allot shares to satisfy
the exercise of share options to the Company's employees under the Company's share plans, notably including the International Sharesave Plan.
The Directors will not be authorised under this resolution to exercise powers of the Company to allot equity securities in connection with any offer by way of a rights issue.
As at 23 February 2022, the Company held 133,600 ordinary shares in treasury representing 0.29% of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at that date, being the last practicable date prior to the date of this Notice.
This special resolution would give the Directors the authority to allot ordinary shares (or sell any ordinary shares which the Company elects to hold in treasury) for cash without first offering them to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings.
This authority would be similar to previous years, limited to allotments or sales in connection with pre-emptive offers and offers to holders of other equity securities if required by the rights of those shares or as the Board otherwise considers necessary, or otherwise up to an aggregate nominal amount of £462,534 (representing 2,312,670 ordinary shares). This aggregate nominal amount represents approximately 5% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital as at 23 February 2022, the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Notice.
The Directors confirm their intention to follow the provisions of the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles regarding cumulative usage of authorities within a rolling three-year period where the principles provide that usage in excess of 7.5% should not take place without prior consultation with shareholders.
The authority, if approved, will expire at the earlier of 16 August 2023 or the conclusion of the Company's AGM to be held in 2023.
As at 23 February 2022, the Company held 133,600 ordinary shares in treasury.
This special resolution seeks authority for the Company to purchase up to 10% of its issued ordinary shares (excluding any treasury shares), renewing the authority granted by the shareholders at previous AGMs. The Company did not purchase any shares to be held in treasury during the period since the 2021 AGM to the publication of this Notice.
The Directors have no present intention of exercising the authority to make market purchases; however, the authority provides the flexibility to allow them to do so in future.
The minimum price, exclusive of expenses, which may be paid for an ordinary share is 20 pence (its nominal value). The maximum price, exclusive of expenses, which may be paid for an ordinary share is the highest of:
Shares purchased by the Company pursuant to this authority may be held in treasury or may be cancelled, depending on which course of action is considered by the Directors to be in the best interest of shareholders at that time.
The Company has options outstanding over 1,564,591 ordinary shares, representing 3.38% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at 23 February 2022. If the authority given by this resolution were to be fully used, these options would represent 3.76% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares) at that date.
The authority will expire at the earlier of 16 August 2023 or the conclusion of the Company's AGM to be held in 2023.
This special resolution is required to reflect changes made to the Companies Act 2006 by the Companies (Shareholders' Rights) Regulations 2009 which increase the notice period required for general meetings of the Company to 21 days unless shareholders approve a shorter notice period, which cannot however be less than 14 clear days. (AGMs will continue to be held on at least 21 clear days' notice.)
This special resolution seeks shareholders' approval to hold general meetings on a shorter notice period of no less than 14 clear days. The shorter notice period of 14 days 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.
The provisions of the Companies Act 2006 mean that, in order to be able to call a general meeting on less than 21 clear days' notice, the Company must make a means of electronic voting available to all shareholders for that meeting.
The approval will be effective until the Company's AGM in 2023, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
A similar authority was sought and given by shareholders at the 2021 AGM.
The Directors consider that all the resolutions to be put to the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole. Your Directors will be voting in favour of them in respect of their respective share interests in the Company and unanimously recommend that you do so as well.
Yours sincerely,
Chairman
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of The Vitec Group plc ("the Company") will be held at The Academy of Medical Sciences, 41 Portland Place, London, W1B 1QH on Tuesday, 17 May 2022 at 11.00am.
You will be asked to consider and, if thought fit, pass the resolutions below. Resolutions 1 to 12 and 14 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions. Resolutions 13 and 15 to 17 will be proposed as special resolutions.
Change of Company Name
Authority to allot share capital
This resolution shall not authorise the Directors to exercise powers of the Company to allot any equity securities in connection with an offer by way of a rights issue.
Disapply pre-emption rights
Authority to make market purchases
in each case, exclusive of expenses, such power to expire at the conclusion of next year's AGM (or, if earlier, on the close of business on 16 August 2023) save that, in each case, the Company may enter into a contract or contracts to purchase ordinary shares which will or may be completed or executed wholly or partly after the expiry of such power and the Company may purchase ordinary shares pursuant to any such contract as if the power had not ended.
Notice period for general meetings
By order of the Board
Group Company Secretary
23 March 2022
Registered Office: Bridge House, Heron Square, Richmond, TW9 1EN Registered in England and Wales No. 227691
Company's register of members by close of business on Friday, 13 May 2022 at 6.30pm, or, in the event of any adjournment, by close of business on the date which is two working days before the time of the adjourned meeting. Changes to the register of members after the relevant deadline shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to attend and vote at the meeting.
of a matter to be included in the business only) must be accompanied by a statement setting out the grounds for the request. You may not use any electronic address provided in either this Notice or in any related documents (including the Chairman's Letter and proxy form) to communicate with the Company for any purposes other than those expressly stated.
The service contracts and letters of appointment are also available for inspection on the Company's website at www.vitecgroup.com.
The Vitec Group plc Registered in England and Wales with number 227691
Registered office: Bridge House, Heron Square, Richmond, TW9 1EN
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