Believes Nano’s Ongoing Value Destruction,
Worst-In-Class Corporate Governance and Misallocation of Corporate
Resources Warrants Urgent Change in Company’s Boardroom
Murchinson’s Nominees Would Bring Independent
Perspectives and Relevant Experience to Restore Shareholders’
Confidence in Leadership, Establish Appropriate Capital Allocation
Processes, Hold Management Accountable and Oversee Strategy
Development and Implementation
Murchinson Ltd. (collectively with its affiliates and funds it
advises and/or sub-advises, “Murchinson” or “we”), a significant
shareholder with approximately 7.1% of the outstanding shares of
Nano Dimension Ltd. (NASDAQ: NNDM) (“Nano” or the “Company”), today
announced it has nominated two director candidates – Robert (Bob)
Pons and Ofir Baharav – for election to the Nano Board of Directors
(the “Board”) at the upcoming 2024 Annual General Meeting of
Shareholders (the “2024 Annual Meeting”), scheduled for December 6,
2024.
In addition to its director nominations, Murchinson has also
submitted proposals for inclusion on the agenda for the 2024 Annual
Meeting related to amendments and additions to the Company’s
Articles of Association.
Murchinson stated:
“For the past two years, we have been advocating for changes in
the Nano boardroom that are critical in order to protect and create
long-term shareholder value. In March 2023, Nano shareholders sent
a clear message when they voted overwhelmingly at the special
general meeting we called in favor of removing CEO Yoav Stern, Oded
Gera, Igal Rotem and Yoav Nissan-Cohen from the Board. Despite
85% of voting shareholders voting to remove them, Messrs.
Stern, Gera and Nissan-Cohen have refused to recognize these
results and depart the Board.
Since then, Nano has gone to great lengths to ignore this clear
desire for change and disenfranchise shareholders, including by
manipulating the voting process at last year’s annual general
meeting of shareholders and weaponizing the legal systems in Israel
and the U.S. at shareholders’ expense. While we are confident that
the merits of our case will prevail, we cannot wait for the Israeli
Court’s decision. Despite Nano’s so-called “refreshment” of the
Board, it is clear to us that the problems identified by Murchinson
persist and the Board remains subservient to Mr. Stern.
Nano’s Board has demonstrated that it is unable to improve the
Company’s valuation. The Company’s share price is stagnant and the
Board, having spent approximately $160 million on share
repurchases, appears to have no ideas to improve it.
The Board has shown that it is incapable of holding management
accountable. The proposed compensation package for Mr. Stern, which
we find offensive because, among other things, it is misaligned
with actual performance, confirms that the Board is not protecting
shareholders’ interests nor properly overseeing management.
The Board’s actions reveal that it lacks the necessary judgment
to use Nano’s cash and other resources responsibly. Between the
related-party acquisition of DeepCube from two sitting directors at
an inflated value in 2021, the overpriced, misguided acquisitions
of Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE: DM) and Markforged Holding Corp.
(NYSE: MKFG), and management’s demonstrated inability to integrate
acquired businesses and generate synergies, there is compelling
evidence that additional independent voices with M&A experience
are needed.
When a publicly traded company is valued at a discount to its
cash, shareholders are signaling that they do not believe the
company’s leadership can create value. This persistent negative
enterprise value reveals that the Nano Board either does not care
or is not able to convince shareholders otherwise.
Our experienced and independent nominees are:
- Robert (Bob) Pons, who has more than four decades of
experience as a CEO and senior executive at high-growth technology
companies, as well as corporate governance expertise and unique
turnaround insights from service on more than sixteen public
company boards.
- Ofir Baharav, who was a Nano Dimension director from
2015 to 2021, including as Chairman from 2019 to 2021, has a career
spanning more than two decades in the technology and 3D printing
sector, including as VP Product Management of Nano’s competitor
Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS), and brings experience in M&A,
operational improvements, product development, corporate governance
and enhancing shareholder value.
By electing these nominees, shareholders will be adding
independent, objective directors with the right skills and
experience to help the Company implement a long-overdue solution to
its significant valuation issue and ensure the Company’s resources
are used to advance shareholders’ interests. Importantly, these
director candidates are not beholden to Mr. Stern and are committed
to acting in accordance with their fiduciary duties at all
times.
We look forward to sharing more with our fellow shareholders in
the near-term, including evidence that the Board’s priorities are
in direct conflict with shareholders’ best interests.”
***
Biographies of Murchinson’s
Nominees
Robert (Bob) Pons
Mr. Pons has more than four decades of experience as a CEO and
senior executive in high-growth companies. He brings significant
corporate governance expertise having served on the boards of more
than sixteen publicly traded companies. Nano shareholders will
benefit from adding his experience as a turnaround specialist to
the Board.
- Served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Spartan
Advisors, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in
telecom and technology companies, since 2017.
- Previously served as Executive Vice President of PTGi-ICS, a
wholly owned subsidiary of HC2 Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded
holding company operating subsidiaries in infrastructure, telecom,
construction, energy, technology, gaming and life sciences.
- Public boards experience includes roles as Executive Chairman
of SeaChange International, Inc. (formerly NASDAQ: SEAC) as well as
Director at CCUR Holdings, Inc. (OTCPK: CCUR), Alaska
Communications, Inc., Inseego Corp. (NASDAQ: INSG) and MRV
Communications, Inc.
Ofir Baharav
Mr. Baharav is a seasoned senior executive with a career
spanning more than two decades in product development for the
technology and 3D printing sector. In his various public company
director roles, he has focused on M&A, operational
improvements, corporate governance and enhancing shareholder
value.
- Previously served as Chairman of the Nano Dimension Board from
2019 to 2021, and as a director at the Company from 2015 to 2021
(during which period Nano was valued at a premium to its
cash). Prior to Nano, from 2014 to 2015, Mr. Baharav was VP,
Product Management of Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS), where he led
the turnaround and redesign of Stratasys’ flagship product.
- Currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Maxify
Solutions, Inc., which he founded in 2022 to acquire the assets of
Breezer Holdings LLC and SimiGon Inc.; was SimiGon Inc.’s CEO from
2016 to 2022.
- Founded RelayHealth Corporation in 1999 and served as CEO until
it was acquired by McKesson Corp. (NYSE: MCK) in 2006.
***
About Murchinson Founded in 2012 and based in Toronto,
Canada, Murchinson is an alternative asset management firm that
serves institutional investors, family offices and qualified
clients. The firm has extensive experience capturing the best
returning opportunities across global markets. Murchinson’s
multi-strategy approach allows it to execute investments at all
points in the market cycle with fluid allocation between
strategies. Our team targets corporate action, distressed
investing, private equity and structured finance situations,
leveraging its broad market experience with a variety of
specialized products and sophisticated hedging techniques to
deliver alpha within a risk-averse mandate. Learn more at
www.murchinsonltd.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking information within the
meaning of applicable securities laws. In general, forward-looking
information refers to disclosure about future conditions, courses
of action, and events. All statements contained in this press
release that are not clearly historical in nature or that
necessarily depend on future events are forward‐looking, and the
use of any of the words “anticipates”, “believes”, “expects”,
“intends”, “plans”, “will”, “would”, and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements
are based on current expectations of Murchinson and currently
available information. Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and
uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and are based upon
assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate.
Murchinson undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by
applicable securities legislation.
Disclaimer The information contained or referenced herein
is for information purposes only in order to provide the views of
Murchinson and the matters which Murchinson believes to be of
concern to shareholders described herein. The information is not
tailored to specific investment objections, the financial
situations, suitability, or particular need of any specific
person(s) who may receive the information, and should not be taken
as advice in considering the merits of any investment decision. The
views expressed herein represent the views and opinions of
Murchinson, whose opinions may change at any time and which are
based on analyses of Murchinson and its advisors.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241028374105/en/
Okapi Partners LLC Bruce Goldfarb / Chuck Garske 212-297-0720
info@okapipartners.com
Longacre Square Partners Ashley Areopagita
murchinson@longacresquare.com
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