UCB Convening Notice to the General Meeting of theShareholders 2023
CONVENING NOTICE TO THE GENERAL MEETING OF
SHAREHOLDERS |
The Board of Directors invites the shareholders
for the general meeting of shareholders (the “General
Meeting”) which will be held on
Thursday,
27 April
2023,
at
11:00
am
CEST, at
the registered office of UCB SA/NV, Allée
de la Recherche 60 - 1070
Brussels, for the purpose of considering and voting on the
items shown on the agenda set out below.
Applicable participation formalities are detailed at the end of
this convening notice. Shareholders may, to the extent indicated,
also use the Lumi Connect platform (www.lumiconnect.com) to
complete all participation formalities and to vote by proxy at the
General Meeting. The Lumi Connect platform is free of charge for
the shareholders. |
ORDINARY PART
1. Report of the Board
of Directors on the annual accounts for the financial year ended 31
December 2022
2. Report of the
statutory auditor on the annual accounts for the financial year
ended 31 December 2022
3. Communication of the
consolidated annual accounts of the UCB Group relating to the
financial year ended 31 December 2022
4. Approval of the
annual accounts of UCB SA/NV for the financial
year ended 31 December 2022 and
appropriation of the results
Proposed resolution: The General Meeting
approves the annual accounts of UCB SA/NV for the financial
year ended 31 December 2022 and the appropriation of the results
reflected therein, including the approval of a gross dividend of
€ 1.33 per share (*).
(*) The UCB shares held by UCB SA/NV
(own shares) are not entitled to a dividend. Therefore, the
aggregate amount to be distributed to the shareholders may
fluctuate depending on the number of UCB shares held by
UCB SA/NV (own shares) on the dividend approval date.
5. Approval of the
remuneration report for the financial year ended 31 December
2022
The Belgian Code of Companies and
Associations (BCCA) requires the General Meeting to approve the
remuneration report each year by separate vote.
This report includes a description of the remuneration
policy that was applicable in 2022
and information on remuneration of the members of the Board
of Directors and of the Executive Committee.
Proposed resolution: The General Meeting
approves the remuneration report for the financial year ended 31
December 2022.
6. Discharge in favour
of the directors
Pursuant to the BCCA, the General
Meeting must, after approval of the annual accounts, vote on the
discharge of liability of the directors for the financial year
ended on 31 December
2022.
Proposed resolution: The General Meeting grants
discharge to the directors for the performance of their duties
during the financial year ended 31 December 2022.
7. Discharge in favour
of the statutory auditor
Pursuant to the BCCA, the General
Meeting must, after approval of the annual accounts, vote on the
discharge of liability of the statutory auditor
(Mazars).
Proposed resolution: The General Meeting grants
discharge to the statutory auditor for the performance of its
duties during the financial year ended 31 December 2022.
8. Directors:
appointment and renewal of
mandates of (independent) directors
The mandates of
Mrs. Jan Berger
and Mr. Cyril
Janssen shall expire at this General
Meeting. Also, Mrs. Viviane
Monges will step down from the Board of
Directors and Audit Committee on 27 April 2023.
She accepted a mandate as chair of the board of another
listed company and decided to end her mandate with UCB to avoid a
situation where she could not ensure to dedicate the time needed
for a full engagement as director of UCB. Upon
recommendation of the Governance, Nomination and Compensation
Committee (“GNCC”), the Board of Directors proposes:
(i) the renewal of the mandate of
Mrs. Jan Berger as independent
director for a term of 4 years
and (ii) the renewal of the mandate of Mr. Cyril
Janssen as director for a
term of 4 years.
The Board of Directors also
proposes to the General Meeting the appointment of
Mrs. Maëlys
Castella as new
independent director, for a term of four years, in
replacement of Mrs. Viviane
Monges. Upon appointment, Mrs.
Maëlys Castella will also replace Mrs.
Viviane Monges as member of the
Audit Committee. Both
Mrs. Jan Berger and
Mrs.
Maëlys Castella
meet the independence criteria stipulated by article 7:87
of the BCCA, by provision 3.5 of the 2020 Code and by the
Board. Subject to the abovementioned
appointment and renewals by the General
Meeting, the Board of Directors
will continue to be composed of a majority
of independent directors. The
curriculum vitae, information on other
board mandates and skills of these
directors are available on the internet site of UCB
(https://www.ucb.com/investors/UCB-Governance).
Proposed resolutions:8.1
A) The General Meeting renews the appointment of
Mrs. Jan Berger (*) as director
for a term of four years until the close of the annual General
Meeting of 2027.
B) The General Meeting
acknowledges that, from the information made available to the
Company, Mrs. Jan Berger
qualifies as an independent director according to the independence
criteria provided for by article 7:87 of the Belgian Code of
Companies and Associations, by provision 3.5 of the 2020 Belgian
Corporate Governance Code and by the Board of Directors and
appoints her as independent director.
8.2 The General Meeting renews
the appointment of Mr. Cyril
Janssen (*) as director for a term of four years until the
close of the annual General Meeting of 2027.
8.3 A) The
General Meeting appoints
Mrs.
Maëlys Castella (*) as director
for a term of four years until the close of the annual General
Meeting of 2027.
B) The General Meeting
acknowledges that, from the information made available to the
Company, Mrs. Maëlys
Castella qualifies as an independent director
according to the independence criteria provided for by article 7:87
of the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations, by provision 3.5
of the 2020 Belgian Corporate Governance Code and by the Board of
Directors and appoints her as independent director.
(*) Curriculum vitae and details are available at
https://www.ucb.com/investors/UCB
shareholders/Shareholders-meeting-2023
SPECIAL PART
9. Long-Term Incentive
Plans - Program of free allocation of shares
This approval requested from the General
Meeting is not as such a hard requirement
under Belgian law but is sought
in order to ensure transparency and, as
the case may be, compliance with foreign law for certain
jurisdictions where our Long-Term Incentive Plans (LTI plans) are
offered to our employees. For more information on UCB’s LTI plans,
please refer to the 2022
remuneration report. For the avoidance of doubt,
UCB SA/NV confirms that it covers
all its obligations under the LTI Plans with existing
shares, i.e. through share
buybacks, so there is no dilution for existing shareholders of UCB
SA/NV.
Proposed resolution:The General Meeting approves
the decision of the Board of Directors to allocate an estimated
number of 1 435 000 free shares:a) of which an estimated number of
1 220 000 shares to eligible employees under the Long-Term
Inventive policy (LTI policy), namely to approximately 2 900
individuals, according to the applicable allocation criteria. These
free shares will only vest if and when the eligible employees are
still employed within the UCB Group three years after the grant of
the awards;b) of which an estimated number of 215 000 shares
to eligible employees under the Performance Share Plan, namely to
approximately 150 individuals, according to the applicable
allocation criteria. These free shares will be delivered after a
three-year vesting period and the number of shares actually
allocated will vary from 0% to 150% of the number of shares
initially granted depending on the level of achievement of the
performance conditions set by the Board of Directors of UCB SA/NV
at the moment of grant.
The estimated figures under a) and b) do not
take into account employees hired or promoted to eligible levels
between 1 January 2023 and 1 April 2023.
10.
Change of control provisions in
contracts or funding agreements - art.
7:151 of the Belgian Code of Companies and
Associations
Pursuant to article 7:151 of the BCCA,
the General Meeting is solely competent to approve so-called
‘change of control’ clauses, i.e., provisions whereby third parties
are granted rights having a substantial influence on the assets of
the Company or causing a substantial debt or liability for the
Company, if the exercise of such rights depends on the launch of a
public takeover bid on the shares of the Company or a change of
control thereof. These clauses are standard requests from our
creditors and/or in the legal documentation of our financing
arrangements.
10.1
EMTN Program – renewal
UCB SA/NV has
entered into a Euro Medium Term Note
Program dated 6 March 2013 for an amount of
EUR 5
000 000 000, with last update of the Base Prospectus
on 18 October 2022,
as this program may be further amended, extended or updated
from time to time (the “EMTN
Program”). The terms of the EMTN
Program provide for a change of control clause - condition 5 (e)
(i) - under which, for any of the
Notes issued under the EMTN Program where a change of control put
is included in the relevant final terms, any and all of the holders
of such notes can, in certain circumstances, require UCB SA/NV to
redeem that Note, following a change of control at the level of UCB
SA/NV, upon exercise of the change of control put, for a value
equal to the put redemption amount increased with, if appropriate,
interest accrued until the date of exercise of the change of
control put (all as more particularly described in the Base
Prospectus of the EMTN Program). In accordance with said article
7:151 of the BCCA, this clause must be approved by the
General Meeting and it is
hereby proposed to renew this approval for any series of notes
issued under the EMTN Program including such clause during the next
12 months.
Proposed resolution:Pursuant to article 7:151 of
the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations, the General Meeting
renews its approval: (i) of condition 5 (e) (i) of the
Terms and Conditions of the EMTN Program (Redemption at the Option
of Noteholders – Upon a Change of Control (Change of Control Put)),
in respect of any series of notes to which such condition is made
applicable being issued under the Program from 27 April 2023 until
26 April 2024, under which any and all of the holders of the
relevant notes can, in certain circumstances when a change of
control at the level of UCB SA/NV occurs, require UCB SA/NV to
redeem that note on the change of control put date at the put
redemption amount together, if appropriate, with interest accrued
to such change of control put date, following a change of control
of UCB SA/NV; and (ii) of any other provision of the EMTN Program
or notes issued under the EMTN Program granting rights to third
parties which could affect an obligation on UCB SA/NV where in each
case the exercise of these rights is dependent on the occurrence of
a change of control.
10.2
Schuldschein Loan Agreements
entered on 2
November 2022
UCB SA/NV has entered
into the following
Schuldschein Loan agreements
between, amongst others, UCB SA/NV as borrower,
and ING Bank, a branch of ING-DIBA AG
as original
lender, dated 2
November 2022,
each of them including
a clause
(Article 5
b) under which any and all of the
lenders can, in certain circumstances, cancel their commitments and
require repayment of their participations in the loans, together
with accrued interests and all other amounts accrued and
outstanding thereunder, following a change of control of UCB
SA/NV:
-
A Schuldschein loan
agreement in the amount of EUR 108.5
million;
-
A Schuldschein loan
agreement in the amount of EUR 20.5
million;
-
A Schuldschein loan
agreement in the amount of EUR 15
million;
-
A Schuldschein loan
agreement in the amount of USD 20
million.
Proposed resolution:Pursuant to article 7:151 of
the Belgian Code of the Companies and Associations, the General
Meeting approves Article 5 b) of the four Schuldschein loan
agreements in the amounts of EUR 108.5 million, EUR 20.5 million,
EUR 15.0 million and USD 20.0 million respectively, entered into
between, amongst others, UCB SA/NV as borrower, and ING Bank, a
branch of ING-DIBA AG as Original Lender, dated 2 November 2022,
under which each of these four Schuldschein loan agreements,
together with accrued interests and all other amounts accrued and
outstanding thereunder, could in certain circumstances become
immediately due and payable, at the discretion of any and all of
the lenders following a change of control of UCB SA/NV.
10.3 Revolving credit
facility agreement to replace the existing EUR 1
000 000 000 revolving
credit facility agreement as amended, restated and/or refinanced
from time to time, including on 5 December 2019 and 3 December
2021
UCB SA/NV may enter into a revolving
credit facility agreement of up to an amount of EUR 1
000 000 000 on any date
between the date of this convening notice and 25 April 2024 (the
“New RCF”), to replace the existing EUR 1
000 000 000 revolving
credit facility agreement as amended, restated and/or refinanced
from time to time, including on 5 December 2019 and 3 December 2021
(the “Existing RCF”) of which the change of control clause was last
approved by the shareholders meeting of 30 April
2020. The terms of the New RCF would include a change of control
clause on substantially the same terms as in the Existing RCF under
which any and all of the lenders
can, in certain circumstances, cancel their commitments and require
repayment of their participations in the loans, together with
accrued interest and all other amounts accrued and outstanding
thereunder, following a change of control of UCB SA/NV. It is now
proposed to the General Meeting
to approve the change of control clause to be included in
the New RCF on substantially the same terms as those of the
Existing RCF and as further described above.
Proposed resolution: Pursuant to article 7:151
of the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations, the General
Meeting approves the change of control clause as provided for in a
revolving credit facility agreement of up to an amount of EUR 1 000
000 000 which has been entered into prior to the date of this
General Meeting or, if this is not the case, may be entered into by
UCB SA/NV on any date prior to 25 April 2024 (the “New
RCF”), replacing the existing EUR 1 000 000 000 revolving
credit facility agreement as amended, restated and/or refinanced
from time to time, including on 5 December 2019 and 3 December 2021
(the “Existing RCF”), under which any and all of
the lenders can, in certain circumstances, cancel their commitments
and require repayment of their participations in the loans,
together with accrued interest and all other amounts accrued and
outstanding thereunder, following a change of control of UCB SA/NV.
The General Meeting approves, such change of control clause of the
New RCF, substantially the same terms as in the Existing RCF or any
other ancillary document that would be referred to in the New RCF
and would confer certain rights on third parties which have a
substantial impact on the assets and liabilities of UCB SA/NV or
result in a substantial debt or obligation for UCB SA/NV where the
exercise of such rights depends on the launch of a public takeover
bid on UCB SA/NV or a change of control over UCB SA/NV.
***
PARTICIPATION FORMALITIES
In order to participate in the General Meeting,
shareholders must comply with the following formalities:
1. Kindly note that all due dates and times
mentioned herein are the final deadlines and that these will not be
extended due to a weekend, holiday or for any other reason.
2. Registration
Date: the registration date is
13 April
2023, at 24:00 CEST.
a) Owners of registered shares
must be registered as a shareholder in UCB SA/NV’s share register,
held by Euroclear, on 13 April 2023, at 24:00 CEST.b) Owners of
dematerialized shares must be registered as a
shareholder on an account with a recognized account holder or
settlement institution on 13 April 2023, at 24:00 CEST.
3. Voting in
person: the shareholder who intends to
participate in the General Meeting in person must declare his/her
intent to participate, in the General Meeting, as follows:
a) Owners of registered shares
must declare their intention to participate in person to the
General Meeting, at the latest by
21 April
2023, 15:00 CEST, to UCB
SA/NV’s registered office (c/o Mrs. Muriel Le Grelle) or via e-mail
to shareholders.meeting@ucb.com. The Company will verify if the
owners of registered shares who declared their intention to
participate in person to the General Meeting are effectively listed
in the share register.
For owners of registered shares who choose to use the Lumi Connect
electronic platform, this platform enables them to directly declare
their intention to participate in person in the General
Meeting. |
b) Owners of dematerialized
shares must declare their intention to participate in
person at the General Meeting, at the latest by
21 April
2023, 15:00 CEST, to UCB
SA/NV’s registered office (c/o Mrs. Muriel Le Grelle) or via e-mail
to shareholders.meeting@ucb.com. Owners of dematerialized shares
must always include a certificate issued by a recognized account
holder or settlement institution evidencing their holding of
dematerialized shares on the registration date.
For owners of dematerialized shares who choose to use the Lumi
Connect electronic platform, this platform (i) enables them to
directly declare their intention to participate in person in the
General Meeting and (ii) allows the above-mentioned certificate of
dematerialized shares to be issued directly. |
Only persons having notified their
intent to participate in person
at the General Meeting at the latest by
21 APRIL
2023, 15:00 CEST
and in accordance with the aforementioned formalities will
be allowed to attend and
vote at the General
Meeting.
4. Voting by proxy: the
shareholders are allowed to be represented by a proxy holder at the
General Meeting. In the case of voting by proxy, the proxy form
will serve as declaration of the intention to participate in the
General Meeting, but owners of dematerialized shares must still
provide a certificate issued by a recognized account holder or
settlement institution evidencing their holding of dematerialized
shares on the registration date to UCB SA/NV (c/o Mrs. Muriel Le
Grelle) or via e-mail to shareholders.meeting@ucb.com.
For owners of dematerialized
shares who choose to use the
Lumi Connect platform,
this platform allows the above-mentioned certificate of
dematerialized shares to be issued directly.
a) Original proxy: the proxy form approved by
UCB SA/NV, which must be used to be represented at the General
Meeting, can be downloaded and printed from
https://www.ucb.com/investors/UCB-shareholders/Shareholders-meeting-2023.
Shareholders must deposit or send these proxies,
duly filled out and signed, to UCB SA/NV’s registered office (c/o
Mrs. Muriel Le Grelle) or send them via e-mail to
shareholders.meeting@ucb.com, in such a way that they arrive at UCB
at the very latest by 21
April 2023, 15:00
CEST. Scans by e-mail are allowed and recommended,
provided that the proxy holder produces the original proxy at the
latest prior to the General Meeting. Failure to comply with these
requirements may result in UCB SA/NV not acknowledging the powers
of the proxy holder.
b) Electronic proxy: for shareholders who choose
to use the Lumi Connect platform, this platform enables them to
electronically complete and submit proxies. In that case, no
original must be provided.
Only persons having notified their
intention to participate by proxy in the General Meeting at the
latest by 21 April
2023, 15:00 CEST and in
accordance with the aforementioned
formalities will be allowed to vote by proxy at the General
Meeting.
5. New agenda items and new
resolutions: in accordance with article 7:130 of the BCCA
and under certain conditions, one or more shareholder(s) holding
(together) at least 3% of the share capital of the Company may
request to add items to the agenda and may file resolution
proposals relating to the items on the agenda or to be added to the
agenda.
Such request will only be valid if it is duly
notified to UCB SA/NV’s registered office in writing (c/o Mrs.
Muriel Le Grelle) and received or via shareholders.meeting@ucb.com
at the latest by 5 April
2023, 15:00
CEST. An updated agenda will, if applicable, be
published on 12 April 2023. In such case, the Company will make an
updated proxy form available on UCB website in order to allow
shareholders to give specific voting instructions thereon. The
additional items on the agenda and the proposed resolutions will
only be discussed at the General Meeting if this/these
shareholder(s) holding (together) at least 3% of the share capital
of the Company has/have fulfilled the admission formalities as
detailed under points 3 and 4 above.
6. Questions: in accordance
with article 7:139 of the BCCA and under certain conditions,
shareholders are entitled to submit questions (i) in writing prior
to the General Meeting or (ii) orally during the General Meeting,
to the Board of Directors or the statutory auditor regarding their
reports or items on the agenda. The questions will be answered
during the General Meeting provided (i) the shareholders concerned
have complied with all required admission formalities and (ii) any
communication of information or fact in response to such question
does not prejudice the Company’s business interests or the
confidentiality undertaking of UCB SA/NV, its directors and
statutory auditor.
Questions asked prior to the General Meeting
must be sent in writing to UCB SA/NV’s registered office (c/o Mrs.
Muriel Le Grelle) or by e-mail to shareholders.meeting@ucb.com in a
way that they arrive at UCB by 21
April 2023, 15:00
CEST at the latest.
For shareholders who choose to use the Lumi Connect platform, this
platform enables them to submit questions in writing in advance,
subject to the above-mentioned deadline. |
7. Available documentation: as
of the date of publication of this notice, the documents to be
presented at the General Meeting, the (amended) agenda, and the
(amended) proxy form are available on
https://www.ucb.com/investors/UCB-shareholders/Shareholders-meeting-2023.
The shareholders shall be able to access and consult the documents
during working hours on business days at UCB NV/SA’s registered
office, and/or preferably can receive a free hard copy of these
documents.
The documents can also be accessed via the Lumi Connect
platform. |
8. Arrival time and facilities:
Shareholders attending the General Meeting are requested to arrive
at least 45 minutes before the time set for the General Meeting in
order to complete the participation formalities at the registered
office of UCB SA/NV, Allée de la Recherche 60 - 1070 Brussels.
Outside parking facilities will be available. Once the General
Meeting has started, shareholders are kindly requested to stay in
the room until the end of the General Meeting.
9. Privacy notice: the Company
is responsible for the processing of the personal data it receives
from shareholders, holders of other securities issued by the
Company (if any) and proxy holders in the context of the General
Meeting of the shareholders in accordance with the applicable data
protection legislation. The processing of such personal data will
in particular take place for the analysis and management of the
participation and voting procedure in relation to the General
Meeting of the shareholders, in accordance with the applicable
legislation and the Company’s Privacy Policy. These personal data
will be transferred to third parties for the purpose of providing
assistance in the management of participation and voting
procedures, and for analyzing the composition of the shareholder
base of the Company. The personal data will not be stored any
longer than necessary in light of the aforementioned objectives.
Shareholders, holders of other securities issued by the Company and
proxy holders can find the Company’s Privacy Policy on the
Company’s website. This Privacy Policy contains detailed
information regarding the processing of the personal data of, among
others, shareholders, holders of other securities issued by the
Company and proxy holders, including the rights that they can
assert towards the Company in accordance with the applicable data
protection legislation. The aforementioned can exercise their
rights with regard to their personal data provided to the Company
by contacting the Company’s Data Protection Officer via
dataprivacy@ucb.com.
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