UCB Convening Notice to the General Meeting of the Shareholders
2024
CONVENING
NOTICE TO THE GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
The Board of Directors invites the shareholders
for the ordinary and extraordinary general meeting of the
shareholders (the “General Meeting” or the
“GM”) which will be held on Thursday, 25
April 2024, 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
2023
2. Report of the statutory auditor
on the annual accounts for the financial year ended 31 December
2023
3. Communication of the
consolidated annual accounts of the UCB Group relating to the
financial year ended 31 December 2023
4. Approval of the annual accounts
of UCB SA/NV for the financial year ended 31 December 2023 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 2023 and the appropriation of the results
reflected therein, including the approval of a gross dividend of
€ 1.36 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 2023
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 2023 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 2023.
6. Approval of the remuneration
policy 2024
The Belgian
Corporate Governance Code 2020 (the “2020 Code”) and the BCCA
require UCB SA/NV to establish a remuneration policy and to submit
such policy or any important change thereto to the approval of the
General Meeting. UCB SA/NV’s remuneration policy was approved by
the Annual General Meeting of 30 April 2020, and reviewed by the
annual General Meetings of 29 April 2021 and 28 April 2022. UCB
SA/NV is now submitting for approval by this GM, a new version of
the Remuneration Policy, which includes the following
changes:
1) In
response to feedback, and with a view to continuously improving our
stakeholder understanding, UCB has improved the readability of the
policy, by clarifying certain policy elements and simplifying other
information which will instead be reported in the annual
Remuneration Report. The overall model, framework and mechanism of
the variable plans remains unchanged.
2) Further
clarification is provided to the previous policy deviation (or
derogation) clause and details on how and in which circumstances
the Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Governance,
Nomination and Compensation Committee (“GNCC”), would apply
discretion – both in its variable remuneration plans and other
potential applications such as recruitment remuneration. The policy
also clarifies how this information would be
disclosed.
3)
Clarification that the existing Annual Special Travel Allowance
applicable for Board members is also applicable for the Chair of
the Board.
The proposed
remuneration policy 2024 is available on the internet site of UCB
(https://www.ucb.com/investors/UCB-shareholders/Shareholders-meeting-2024).
Proposed
resolution:
The General Meeting
approves the remuneration policy 2024.
7. 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 2023.
Proposed
resolution:
The General Meeting
grants discharge to the directors for the performance of their
duties during the financial year ended 31 December 2023.
8. 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 2023.
9. Directors: appointments and
renewals of mandates of (independent) directors
The mandates
of Mr. Pierre Gurdjian, Mr. Ulf Wiinberg and Mr. Charles-Antoine
Janssen shall expire at this General Meeting. Upon recommendation
of the GNCC, the Board of Directors proposes: (i) the renewal of
the mandate of Mr. Pierre Gurdjian, as independent director, for a
term of 4 years, (ii) the renewal of the mandate of Mr. Ulf
Wiinberg, as independent director, for a term of 4 years and (iii)
the renewal of the mandate of Mr. Charles-Antoine Janssen as
director, for a term of 4 years. Upon renewal, Mr. Pierre Gurdjian,
Mr. Ulf Wiinberg and Mr. Charles-Antoine Janssen will continue to
be members of the GNCC.
Mrs. Fiona du
Monceau, previously serving as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors
and Chair of the GNCC, stepped down from her roles on 12 March
2024. Mr. Albrecht De Graeve, no longer qualifying as independent
Director since the AGM of April 28, 2022, because the total tenure
of his directorship exceeded 12 years, will also step down from the
Board of Directors with effect on the date of the AGM 2024. In this
context, the Board of Directors also proposes to the General
Meeting the appointment of: (i) Mrs. Nefertiti Greene as new
independent director, (ii) Mrs. Dolca Thomas, as new independent
director, and (iii) Mr. Rodolfo Savitzky as new independent
director, each of them for a term of four years. Upon their
respective appointment by the shareholders meeting, Mrs. Nefertiti
Greene will become a member of the GNCC, Mrs. Dolca Thomas will
become a member of the Scientific Committee and Mr. Rodolfo
Savitzky will become member and Chair of the Audit
Committee.
Mr. Pierre
Gurdjian, Mr. Ulf Wiinberg, Mrs. Nefertiti Greene, Mrs. Dolca
Thomas and Mr. Rodolfo Savitzky meet the independence criteria
stipulated by article 7:87 of the BCCA, by provision 3.5 of the
2020 Code and by the Board of Directors. Given his current
positions in other listed companies, Mr. Rodolfo Savitzky could
potentially be classified as overboarded in accordance with some
proxy voting guidelines. For his appointment as Board member of
UCB, Mr. Rodolfo Savitzky has committed to UCB to resolve this
situation within 12 months of his appointment. Subject to the
abovementioned appointment and renewals by the General Meeting, the
Board of Directors, as well as each of its special committees, 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-shareholders/Shareholders-meeting-2024).
Proposed
resolutions:9.1
A) The
General Meeting renews the appointment of Mr. Pierre
Gurdjian (*) as director for a term of four years until
the close of the annual General Meeting of 2028.
B)
The General Meeting acknowledges that, from the information made
available to the Company, Mr Pierre Gurdjian
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 him as independent director.
9.2
A)
The General Meeting renews the appointment of Mr. Ulf
Wiinberg (*) as director for a term of four years until
the close of the annual General Meeting of 2028.
B)
The General Meeting acknowledges that, from the information made
available to the Company, Mr. Ulf Wiinberg
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 him as independent director.
9.3
The General Meeting
renews the appointment of Mr. Charles-Antoine
Janssen (*) as director for a term of four years until the
close of the annual General Meeting of 2028.
9.4
A)
The General Meeting appoints Mrs. Nefertiti Greene
(*) as director for a term of four years until the close of the
annual General Meeting of 2028.
B)
The General Meeting acknowledges that, from the information made
available to the Company, Mrs. Nefertiti Greene
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.
9.5
A)
The General Meeting appoints Mrs. Dolca Thomas (*)
as director for a term of four years until the close of the annual
General Meeting of 2028.
B)
The General Meeting acknowledges that, from the information made
available to the Company, Mrs. Dolca Thomas
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.
9.6
A)
The General Meeting appoints Mr. Rodolfo Savitzky
(*) as director for a term of four years until the close of the
annual General Meeting of 2028.
B)
The General Meeting acknowledges that, from the information made
available to the Company, Mr. Rodolfo Savitzky
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 him as independent director.
(*) Curriculum vitae
and details are available
at https://www.ucb.com/investors/UCB-shareholders/Shareholders-meeting-2024
10. Statutory Auditor – renewal and extension of
mandate
The mandate
of the Statutory Auditor, Mazars Bedrijfsrevisoren - Réviseurs
d'Entreprises CVBA, will expire at this General Meeting. Upon
recommendation of the Audit Committee and upon presentation to the
Works Council, the Board of Directors is proposing (i) to renew
this mandate for a period of three years and (ii) to extend the
mandate of the Statutory Auditor to providing the assurance opinion
in respect of the sustainability reporting as set forth in
Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 14 December 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 537/2014,
Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Directive
2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD) as
will be implemented into Belgian law. The extension of the mandate
of the Statutory Auditor follows from the imminent transposition of
CSRD into Belgian law and the corresponding assurance requirement,
in the manner set forth in CSRD and its implementing legislation,
for the reporting as of financial year ending on 31 December 2024.
The permanent representative currently designated by Mazars
Bedrijfsrevisoren – Réviseurs d’Entreprises CVBA is Mr. Sébastien
Schueremans, registered auditor. In accordance with the rules of
the BCCA, the General Meeting is competent for fixing the annual
fixed remuneration of the Statutory Auditor.
Proposed
resolution:
Upon the proposal of
the Audit Committee and upon presentation to the Works Council, the
General Meeting renews the appointment of the firm Mazars
Bedrijfsrevisoren – Réviseurs d’Entreprises CVBA, Avenue du
Boulevard 21, box 8, 1210 Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Brussels) –
Belgium (“Mazars”), as Statutory Auditor for a term of three (3)
years, up to and including the General Meeting convened to decide
on the annual accounts for the financial year ended 31 December
2026. Upon the proposal of the Audit Committee and upon
presentation to the Works Council, the General Meeting also extends
the mandate of the Statutory Auditor with the mandate of providing
the assurance opinion in respect of the sustainability reporting as
set forth in Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 14 December 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No
537/2014, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Directive
2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD) as
will be implemented into Belgian law. The permanent representative
currently designated by Mazars is Mr. Sébastien Schueremans,
registered auditor. The Statutory Auditor’s annual fee, for the
audit of the annual accounts of UCB SA/NV and the consolidated
accounts is fixed at EUR 490 000 (plus potential inflation
adjustment, VAT, out-of-pocket expenses, and the IRE/IBR fee). The
Statutory Auditor’s annual fee for the assurance of the
sustainability reporting is fixed at EUR 240 000, with a one-time
additional fee in an amount of EUR 45 000, covering the first-year
implementation (plus potential inflation adjustment, VAT,
out-of-pocket expenses, and the IRE/IBR fee).
SPECIAL PART
11. 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 2023 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 1 565 000 free shares:
a)of which an estimated number of 1
345 000 shares to eligible employees under the Long-Term
Inventive policy (LTI policy), namely to approximately 3 000
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 220
000 shares to eligible employees under the Performance Share
Plan, namely to approximately 160 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 2024 and 1 April
2024.
12. Change of control provisions in
contracts or funding agreements - art. 7:151 of the
BCCA
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.
12.1 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 17 October 2023, 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 26 April 2024 until 24 April 2025, 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
applicable, 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.
12.2
Schuldschein loan agreement entered into on 24 August
2023
UCB SA/NV has
entered into a Schuldschein loan agreement, in the amount of EUR 30
million, between, UCB SA/NV as borrower, and amongst others, ING
Bank, a branch of ING-DIBA AG as original lender, dated 24 August
2023, 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.
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 Schuldschein loan
agreement in the amount of EUR 30 million, entered into
between, UCB SA/NV as borrower, and amongst others, ING Bank, a
branch of ING-DIBA AG as Original Lender, dated 24 August 2023,
under which this Schuldschein loan agreement, 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.
EXTRAORDINARY PART (Extraordinary General
Meeting)
The Extraordinary General Meeting will only
validly deliberate on the items on its agenda if at least half of
the capital is present or represented, in accordance with article
7:153 of the BCCA. If this condition is not met, a new
Extraordinary General Meeting with the same agenda will be convened
for 27 May 2024 at 11:00 am CEST. This second
Extraordinary General Meeting will validly deliberate irrespective
of the number of shares present or represented.
1. Special Report of the Board of
Directors
Submission of the special report
prepared by the Board of Directors in accordance with article 7:199
of the BCCA in which the Board requests the renewal of its powers
in relation to the authorized capital and indicates the special
circumstances where it may use its powers under the authorized
capital and the purposes that it shall pursue.
2. Renewal of the powers of the Board of Directors
under the authorized capital and amendment to article 6 of the
Articles of Association.
It is proposed to the General Meeting to
renew the two (2) year authorization granted by the General Meeting
of 28 April 2022 to the Board of Directors for another two (2)
years, to decide, under the authorized capital, to increase the
capital of the Company, within the limits of article 7:198 of the
BCCA, with an amount of up to 5% of the share capital (calculated
at the time of use of this authorization) in case of cancellation
or limitation of the preferential subscription rights of the
shareholders, or with an amount of up to 10% of the capital in case
there is no limitation nor cancellation of the preferential
subscription rights of existing shareholders. This authorization is
for general purposes and cannot be used in case a public takeover
bid has been launched on UCB. For further information on the use
and purposes of the authorized capital, please refer to the special
report of the Board of Directors prepared in accordance with
article 7:199 of the BCCA.
Proposed resolution:The General Meeting resolves
to renew the authorization to the Board of Directors to increase
the capital of the Company within the framework of the authorized
capital for another two (2) years, and to amend article 6 of the
Articles of Association accordingly to reflect this
renewal.
Subject to the approval of this resolution, the
text of article 6 of the Articles of Association of the Company
will be amended as follows:
“Article 6The capital can be
increased one or more times by a decision of a General Meeting of
shareholders constituted under the conditions required to modify
the Articles of Association.
The Board of Directors is authorized to increase
the share capital amongst other by way of the issuance of shares,
convertible bonds or subscription rights, in one or more
transactions, within the limits set by law,
- with up to 5% of the share capital
at the time of the decision of the Board of Directors to make use
of this authorization, in the event of a capital increase with
cancellation or limitation of the preferential subscription rights
of the shareholders (whether or not for the benefit of one or more
specific persons who are not part of the personnel of the Company
or of its subsidiaries, as defined in the Belgian Code of Companies
and Associations),
- with up to 10% of the share capital
at the time of the decision of the Board of Directors to make use
of this authorization, in the event of a capital increase without
cancellation or limitation of the preferential subscription rights
of the existing shareholders.
In any event, the total amount by which the
Board of Directors may increase the share capital by a combination
of the authorizations set forth in (i) and (ii) above, is limited
to 10% of the share capital at the time of the decision of the
Board of Directors to make use of this authorization.
The Board of Directors is moreover expressly
authorized to make use of this authorization, within the limits as
set out under (i) and (ii) of the second paragraph above, for the
following operations:
- a capital increase or the issuance
of convertible bonds or subscription rights with cancellation or
limitation of the preferential subscription rights of the existing
shareholders,
- a capital increase or the issuance
of convertible bonds or subscription rights with cancellation or
limitation of the preferential subscription rights of the existing
shareholders for the benefit of one or more specific persons who
are not part of the personnel of the Company or of its
subsidiaries, as defined in the Belgian Code of Companies and
Associations, and
- a capital increase by incorporation
of reserves.
Any such capital increase may take any and all
forms, including, but not limited to, contributions in cash or in
kind, with or without share premium, with issuance of shares below,
above or at par value, the incorporation of reserves and/or share
premiums and/or profits carried forward, to the maximum extent
permitted by the law.
Any decision of the Board of Directors to use
this authorization requires a 75% majority within the Board of
Directors.
This authorization is granted for a period of
two (2) years as from the date of the publication in the appendices
to the Belgian Official Gazette of the resolution of the
Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting held on 25 April 2024.
The Board of Directors is empowered, with full
power of substitution, to amend the Articles of Association to
reflect the capital increase(s) resulting from the exercise of its
powers pursuant to this article.”
3. Acquisition of own shares – renewal of
authorization
In accordance
with article 7:215 of the BCCA, it is proposed to the General
Meeting to renew the authorization granted to the Board of
Directors by the extraordinary general meeting of 28 April 2022, to
acquire own shares for up to 10% of the total number of shares of
the Company, for two (2) years expiring on 30 June 2026. The
previous authorization of 28 April 2022 will remain valid until it
expires on 30 June 2024 and the new authorization will be effective
as of 1 July 2024. As per previous years, this is a general-purpose
authorization for share buybacks. It cannot be used in case a
public takeover bid has been launched on UCB. The Board of
Directors may for example (and without being limited thereto) use
this authorization to service the Long-Term Incentive Plans of the
UCB Group for employees and management.
Proposed
resolution:The Board of Directors is authorized to acquire,
directly or indirectly, whether on or outside of the stock
exchange, by way of purchase, exchange, contribution or any other
way, up to 10% of the total number of the Company’s shares, as
calculated on the date of each acquisition, for a price or an
exchange value per share which will not be (i) higher than the
highest price of the Company’s shares on Euronext Brussels on the
day of the acquisition and (ii) lower than one (1) euro, without
prejudice to article 8:5 of the royal decree of 29 April 2019
implementing the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations. As a
result of such acquisition(s), the Company, together with its
direct or indirect subsidiaries, as well as persons acting on their
own behalf but for the account of the Company or its direct or
indirect subsidiaries, may not hold more than 10% of the total
number of shares issued by the Company at the moment of the
acquisition concerned. This authorization is granted for a period
of two years starting on 1 July 2024 and expiring on 30 June 2026.
This authorization extends to any acquisitions of the Company’s
shares, directly or indirectly, by the Company’s direct
subsidiaries in accordance with article 7:221 of the Belgian Code
of Companies and Associations. The authorization granted by the
Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company on 28 April 2022
remains valid until 30 June 2024.
***
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 11
April 2024, 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 11 April 2024, 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 11 April 2024, 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
19 April 2024, 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
19 April 2024, 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 19 APRIL 2024, 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-2024.
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 19 April 2024, 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 19 April 2024, 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 3 April 2024, 15:00 CEST. An
updated agenda will, if applicable, be published on 10 April 2024.
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 19 April 2024, 15:00
CEST at the latest.
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-2024.
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 (as, for example, bonds) 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.
***
- ENG - Convening notice AEGM April 2024 - Final
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