Articles of Association
Preliminary
| 1 | In these articles the following words bear the following meanings: | ||||||||
| "the 1985 Act" means the Companies Act 1985 to the extent in force from time to time; | |||||||||
| "the 2006 Act" means the Companies Act 2006 to the extent in force from time to time; | |||||||||
| "the Acts" means the 1985 Act and the 2006 Act; | |||||||||
| "electronic address" means any number or address used for the purposes of sending or receiving notices, documents or information by electronic means; | |||||||||
| "these articles" means the articles of the Company; | |||||||||
| "clear days" means in relation to the period of a notice, that period excluding the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect; | |||||||||
| "electronic form" has the same meaning as in the 2006 Act; | |||||||||
| "electronic means" has the same meaning as in the 2006 Act; | |||||||||
| "executed" means any mode of execution; | |||||||||
| "holder" means in relation to shares, the member whose name is entered in the register of members as the holder of the shares; | |||||||||
| "the Stock Exchange" means the London Stock Exchange PLC; | |||||||||
| "Office" means the registered office of the Company; | |||||||||
| "the seal" means the common seal (if any) of the Company and an official seal (if any) kept by the Company by virtue of section 40 of the 1985 Act, or either of them as the case may require; | |||||||||
| "secretary" means the secretary of the Company or any other person appointed to perform the duties of the secretary of the Company, including a joint, assistant or deputy secretary; and | |||||||||
| "the Uncertificated Securities Regulations" means the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001. | |||||||||
| 2 | In these articles, references to a share being in uncertificated form are references to that share being an uncertificated unit of a security and references to a share being in certificated form are references to that share being a certificated unit of a security, provided that any reference to a share in uncertificated form applies only to a share of a class which is, for the time being, a participating security, and only for so long as it remains a participating security. | ||||||||
| 3 | Save as aforesaid and unless the context otherwise requires, words or expressions contained in these articles have the same meaning as in the Acts or the Uncertificated Securities Regulations (as the case may be). | ||||||||
| 4 | Except where otherwise expressly stated, a reference in these articles to any primary or delegated legislation or legislative provision includes a reference to any modification or re-enactment of it for the time being in force. | ||||||||
| 5 | In these articles, unless the context otherwise requires:
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| 6 | In these articles:
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| 7 | The headings are inserted for convenience only and do not affect the construction of these articles. | ||||||||
| 8 | The regulations contained in Table A in the Companies (Tables A to F) Regulations 1985 do not apply to the Company. |
Share capital
| 2 | The share capital of the Company is £250,000 divided into 1,154,705,882 ordinary shares of £0.0002 each and 95,294,118 deferred shares of £0.0002 each. | ||||
| 3 | The holders of the deferred shares shall not be entitled to receive a dividend. | ||||
| 4 | On a distribution of assets of the Company among its members on a winding up, liquidation or otherwise the holders of the deferred shares have no right to participate in any distribution of the Company's assets. | ||||
| 5 | On a return, repayment or reduction of capital or a return of assets the holders of the deferred shares shall have no right to participate in any distributions of the Company's assets. | ||||
| 6 | A holder of deferred shares shall not be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote upon any resolution at any general meeting of the Company but shall not have the right to vote in respect of its holding of deferred shares, unless it is proposed at the meeting to consider any resolution which abrogates or varies the rights and privileges attaching to the deferred shares, in which case holders of deferred shares shall have the right to attend such a meeting and to speak and vote only on such resolution or any motion for adjournment of the meeting before such resolution is voted on. | ||||
| 7 | If entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company, every holder of deferred shares present in person or by proxy (or, being a corporation, by a duly authorised representative) shall have one vote for every deferred share held by such member. | ||||
| 8 | Notwithstanding the rights of the holders of deferred shares under article 6, the written consent of the holders of three-quarters in nominal value of the issued deferred shares or the sanction of an extraordinary resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of deferred shares is required if the rights and privileges attaching to the deferred shares are to be varied or abrogated in any way. | ||||
| 9 | All the provisions of the articles relating to general meetings of the Company shall apply, with any necessary changes, to every general meeting of the holders of deferred shares. | ||||
| 10 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts and without prejudice to any rights attached to any existing shares, any share may be issued with such rights or restrictions as the Company may by ordinary resolution determine (or, if the Company has not so determined, as the directors may determine). | ||||
| 11 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, any share may be issued which is or is to be liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the holder on such terms and in such manner as may be provided by these articles. | ||||
| 12 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts and these articles, the unissued shares in the Company shall be at the disposal of the directors, who may offer, allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons and on such terms as the directors think fit. | ||||
| 13 | The Company may exercise the powers of paying commissions conferred by the Acts. Subject to the provisions of the Acts, any such commission may be satisfied by the payment of cash or by the allotment of fully or partly paid shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. | ||||
| 14 | Except as required by law, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and (except as otherwise provided by these articles or by law) the Company shall not be bound by or recognise any interest in any share except an absolute right to the entirety of it in the holder. | ||||
| 15 | Without prejudice to any powers which the Company or the
directors may have to issue, allot, dispose of, convert, or
otherwise deal with or make arrangements in relation to shares and
other securities in any form:
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If and to the extent that any provision of these articles is inconsistent with such holding or transfer as is referred to in paragraph 15(a) above or with any provision of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations, it shall not apply to any share in uncertificated form. | |||||
| 16 | Notwithstanding anything else contained in these articles, where any class of shares is, for the time being, a participating security, unless the directors otherwise determine, shares of any such class held by the same holder or joint holder in certificated form and uncertificated form shall be treated as separate holdings. |
Variation of rights
| 17 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, if at any time the
capital of the Company is divided into different classes of shares,
the rights attached to any class may be varied, either while the
Company is a going concern or during or in contemplation of a
winding up:
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but not otherwise. To every such separate meeting the provisions of these articles relating to general meetings shall apply, except that the necessary quorum at any such meeting other than an adjourned meeting shall be two persons together holding or representing by proxy at least one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of the class in question (excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares) and at an adjourned meeting shall be one person holding shares of the class in question (other than treasury shares) or his proxy. | |||||
| 18 | Unless otherwise expressly provided by the rights attached to any class of shares, those rights shall be deemed not to be varied by the purchase by the Company of any of its own shares or the holding of such shares as treasury shares. |
Share certificates
| 19 |
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Lien
| 20 | The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) for all amounts (whether presently payable or not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that share. The directors may declare any share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this article. The Company's lien on a share shall extend to all amounts payable in respect of it. |
| 21 | The Company may sell, in such manner as the directors determine, any share on which the Company has a lien if an amount in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable and is not paid within fourteen clear days after notice has been given to the holder of the share, or the person entitled to it in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of the holder, demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the shares may be sold. |
| 22 | To give effect to the sale the directors may, in the case of a share in certificated form, authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer of the share sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser; and, in the case of a share in uncertificated form, the directors may, to enable the Company to deal with the share in accordance with the provisions of this article, require the Operator of a relevant system to convert the share into certificated form and after such conversion may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer and/or take such other steps (including the giving of directions to or on behalf of the holder, who shall be bound by them) as they think fit to effect the transfer. The title of the transferee to the share shall not be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the sale. |
| 23 | The net proceeds of the sale, after payment of the costs, shall be applied in payment of so much of the amount for which the lien exists as is presently payable, and any residue shall (upon surrender to the Company for cancellation of the certificate for the share sold, in the case of a share in certificated form, and subject to a like lien for any amount not presently payable as existed upon the share before the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the share at the date of the sale. |
Calls on shares and forfeiture
| 24 | Subject to the terms of allotment, the directors may make calls upon the members in respect of any amounts unpaid on their shares (whether in respect of nominal value or premium) and each member shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen clear days' notice specifying when and where payment is to be made) pay to the Company as required by the notice the amount called on his shares. A call may be required to be paid by instalments. A call may, before receipt by the Company of an amount due under it, be revoked in whole or in part and payment of a call may be postponed in whole or part. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was made |
| 25 | A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the directors authorising the call was passed. |
| 26 | The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of it. |
| 27 | If a call or an instalment of a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the person from whom it is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid, from the day it became due and payable until it is paid at the rate fixed by the terms of allotment of the shares in question or in the notice of the call or, if no rate is fixed, at the appropriate rate (as defined by the Acts) but the directors may waive payment of the interest wholly or in part. |
| 28 | An amount payable in respect of a share on allotment or at any fixed date, whether in respect of nominal value or premium or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call and if it is not paid these articles shall apply as if that sum had become due and payable by virtue of a call. |
| 29 | Subject to the terms of allotment, the directors may differentiate between the holders in the amounts and times of payment of calls on their shares |
| 30 | The directors may receive from any member willing to advance it all or any part of the amount unpaid on the shares held by him (beyond the sums actually called up) as a payment in advance of calls, and such payment shall, to the extent of it, extinguish the liability on the shares in respect of which it is advanced. The Company may pay interest on the amount so received, or so much of it as exceeds the sums called up on the shares in respect of which it has been received, at such rate (if any) as the member and the directors agree. |
| 31 | If a call or an instalment of a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the directors may give to the person from whom it is due not less than fourteen clear days' notice requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued. The notice shall name the place where payment is to be made and shall state that if the notice is not complied with the shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited. If the notice is not complied with, any shares in respect of which it was given may, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the directors and the forfeiture shall include all dividends and other amounts payable in respect of the forfeited shares and not paid before the forfeiture.; |
| 32 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, a forfeited share may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the directors determine either to the person who was before the forfeiture the holder or to any other person and, at any time before the disposition, the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the directors determine. Where for the purposes of its disposal a forfeited share is to be transferred to any person, the directors may, in the case of a share in certificated form, authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer and, in the case of a share in uncertificated form, the directors may, to enable the Company to deal with the share in accordance with the provisions of this article, require the Operator of a relevant system to convert the share into certificated form and after such conversion may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer and/or take such other steps (including the giving of directions to or on behalf of the holder, who shall be bound by them) as they think fit to effect the transfer of the share to that person. |
| 33 | A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a member in respect of the shares forfeited and shall surrender to the Company for cancellation any certificate for the shares forfeited but shall remain liable to the Company for all amounts which at the date of forfeiture were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of those shares with interest at the rate at which interest was payable on those amounts before the forfeiture or, if no interest was so payable, at the appropriate rate (as defined in the Acts) from the date of forfeiture until payment, but the directors may waive payment wholly or in part or enforce payment without any allowance for the value of the shares at the time of forfeiture or for any consideration received on their disposal. |
| 34 | A statutory declaration by a director or the secretary that a share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in it as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share and the declaration shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer if necessary, in the case of a share in certificated form) constitute a good title to the share and the person to whom the share is disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the consideration, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings relating to the forfeiture or disposal of the share. |
Transfer of shares
| 35 | The instrument of transfer of a share in certificated form may be in any usual form or in any other form which the directors approve and shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and, where the share is not fully paid, by or on behalf of the transferee. | ||||||||||
| 36 | Where any class of shares is, for the time being, a participating security, title to shares of that class which are recorded on an Operator register of members as being held in uncertificated form may be transferred by means of the relevant system concerned. The transfer may not be in favour of more than four transferees. | ||||||||||
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| 38 | If the directors refuse to register a transfer of a share, they shall within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company (in the case of a transfer of a share in certificated form) or the date on which the Operator - instruction was received by the Company (in the case of a transfer of a share in uncertificated form to a person who is to hold it thereafter in certificated form) send to the transferee notice of the refusal. | ||||||||||
| 39 | Subject to the Uncertificated Securities Regulations, the registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may be suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding thirty days in any year) as the directors may determine. | ||||||||||
| 40 | No fee shall be charged for the registration of any instrument of transfer or other document or instruction relating to or affecting the title to any share. | ||||||||||
| 41 | The Company shall be entitled to retain any instrument of transfer which is registered, but any instrument of transfer which the directors refuse to register shall (except in the case of fraud) be returned to the person lodging it when notice of the refusal is given. | ||||||||||
| 42 | Nothing in these articles shall preclude the directors from recognising a renunciation of the allotment of any share by the allottee in favour of some other person. |
Transmission of shares
| 43 | If a member dies the survivor or survivors where he was a joint holder, or his personal representatives where he was a sole holder or the only survivor of joint holders, shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest; but nothing in this article shall release the estate of a deceased member from any liability in respect of any share which had been jointly held by him. |
| 44 | A person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a member may, upon such evidence being produced as the directors may properly require, elect either to become the holder of the share or to have some person nominated by him registered as the transferee. If he elects to become the holder he shall give notice to the Company to that effect. If he elects to have another person registered he shall transfer title to the share to that person. All the provisions of these articles relating to the transfer of shares shall apply to the notice or instrument of transfer (if any) as if it were an instrument of transfer signed by the member and the death or bankruptcy of the member had not occurred. |
| 45 | A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of a member shall have the rights to which he would be entitled if he were the holder of the share, except that he shall not, before being registered as the holder of the share, be entitled in respect of it to attend or vote at any general meeting or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares. |
Disclosure of interests
| 46 |
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Untraced members
| 47 |
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Alteration of capital
| 48 | The Company may by ordinary resolution:
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| 49 | Subject to compliance with the terms of any resolution referred to in article 42, where any difficulty arises in regard to any consolidation or division, the Board may settle such difficulty as it sees fit. In particular, without limitation, the directors may sell to any person (including, subject to the provisions of the Acts, the Company) the shares representing the fractions for the best price reasonably obtainable and distribute the net proceeds of sale in due proportion among those members or retain such net proceeds for the benefit of the Company, and the directors may, in the case of shares in certificated form, authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer of the shares to or in accordance with the directions of the purchaser; and, in the case of shares in uncertificated form, the directors may, to enable the Company to deal with the share in accordance with the provisions of this article, require the Operator of a relevant system to convert the share into certificated form and after such conversion may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer and/or take such other steps (including the giving of directions to or on behalf of the holder, who shall be bound by them) as they think fit to effect the transfer. The transferee shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the sale. | ||||||||||
| 50 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, the Company may by special resolution reduce its share capital, any capital redemption reserve and any share premium account, in any way. |
Purchase of own shares
| 51 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, the Company may purchase its own shares, (including redeemable shares) and may hold such shares as treasury shares or cancel them. |
General meetings
| 52 | All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. |
| 53 | The directors may call general meetings. If there are not within the United Kingdom sufficient directors to call a general meeting, any director may call a general meeting. If there is no director, any member of the Company may call a general meeting. |
Notice of general meetings
| 54 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, an annual general meeting and an extraordinary general meeting called for the passing of a special resolution shall be called by at least twenty-one clear days' notice, and all other extraordinary general meetings shall be called by at least fourteen clear days' notice. The notice shall specify the place, the day and the time of meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted, and in the case of an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such. Where the Company has given an electronic address in any notice of meeting, any document or information relating to proceedings at the meeting may be sent by electronic means to that address, subject to any conditions or limitations specified in the relevant notice of meeting. Subject to the provisions of these articles and to any rights or restrictions attached to any shares, notices shall be given to all members, to all persons entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a member and to the directors and auditors of the Company. |
| 55 | The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the failure to give notice due to circumstances beyond the Company's control to, or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting by, any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting. |
Proceedings at general meetings
| 56 | No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum is present. Two persons entitled to vote upon the business to be transacted, each being a member or a proxy for a member or a duly authorised representative of a corporation which is a member, shall be a quorum. | ||||||||||
| 57 | If a quorum is not present within half an hour after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or if during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place, or to such day, time and place as the directors may determine. If at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved. | ||||||||||
| 58 | The chairman (if any) of the board of directors, or in his absence some other director nominated by the directors, shall preside as chairman of the meeting, but if neither the chairman nor such other director (if any) is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting and willing to act, the directors present shall elect one of their number present to be chairman and, if there is only one director present and willing to act, he shall be chairman. | ||||||||||
| 59 | If no director is willing to act as chairman, or if no director is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to be chairman. | ||||||||||
| 60 | The directors or the chairman of the meeting may direct that any person wishing to attend any general meeting should submit to such searches or other security arrangements (including without limitation, requiring evidence of identity to be produced before entering the meeting and placing restrictions on the items of personal property which may be taken into the meeting) as they or he consider appropriate in the circumstances. The directors or the chairman of the meeting may in their or his absolute discretion refuse entry to, or eject from, any general meeting any person who refuses to submit to a search or otherwise comply with such security arrangements. | ||||||||||
| 61 | The directors or the chairman of the meeting may take such action, give such direction or put in place such arrangements as they or he consider appropriate to secure the safety of the people attending the meeting and to promote the orderly conduct of the business of the meeting. Any decision of the chairman of the meeting on matters of procedure or matters arising incidentally from the business of the meeting, and any determination by the chairman of the meeting as to whether a matter is of such a nature, shall be final. | ||||||||||
| 62 | A director shall, notwithstanding that he is not a member, be entitled to attend and speak at any general meeting and at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares. | ||||||||||
| 63 | In the case of any general meeting, the directors may, notwithstanding the specification in the notice convening the general meeting of the place at which the chairman of the meeting shall preside (the "Principal Place"), make arrangements for simultaneous attendance and participation (including by way of video link) at satellite meeting places. The arrangements for simultaneous attendance and participation may include arrangements for controlling or regulating the level of attendance at any particular venue (including without limitation the issue of tickets or the use of a random method of selection) provided that such arrangements shall operate so that all members and proxies wishing to attend the meeting are able to attend at one or other of the venues. | ||||||||||
| 64 | The members or proxies at the satellite meeting places shall be
counted in the quorum for, and be entitled to vote at, the general
meeting in question, and that meeting shall be duly constituted and
its proceedings valid if the chairman of the meeting is satisfied
that adequate facilities are available throughout the meeting to
ensure that the members or proxies attending at the satellite
meeting places are able to:
If it appears to the chairman of the meeting that the facilities at the Principal Place or any satellite meeting place have become inadequate for the purposes set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) above, the chairman may, without the consent of the meeting, interrupt or adjourn the general meeting. All business conducted at the general meeting up to the point of the adjournment shall be valid. The provisions of Article 65 shall apply to that adjournment. | ||||||||||
| 65 | Without prejudice to any other power of adjournment he may have
under these articles or at common law:
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| 66 | No amendment to a resolution duly proposed as a special or
extraordinary resolution may be considered or voted on unless the
amendment is only to correct a clear error. No amendment to a
resolution duly proposed as an ordinary resolution may be
considered or voted on unless:
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| 67 | With the consent of the chairman, an amendment may be withdrawn by its proposer before it is voted on. If an amendment proposed to any resolution under consideration is ruled out of order by the chairman, the proceedings on the resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in the ruling. | ||||||||||
| 68 | A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a
show of hands unless before or on the declaration of the result of
the show of hands, a poll is duly demanded. Subject to the
provisions of the Acts, a poll may be demanded:
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| 69 | Unless a poll is duly demanded, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, or not carried by a particular majority, and an entry to that effect in the minutes of the meeting, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution. | ||||||||||
| 70 | The demand for a poll may, before the poll is taken, be withdrawn but only with the consent of the chairman, and a demand so withdrawn shall not be taken to have invalidated the result of a show of hands declared before the demand was made. | ||||||||||
| 71 | A poll shall be taken as the chairman directs, and he may appoint scrutineers (who need not be members) and fix a time and place for declaring the result of the poll. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. | ||||||||||
| 72 | In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman shall be entitled to a casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have. | ||||||||||
| 73 | A poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken either forthwith or at such time and place as the chairman directs, not being more than thirty days after the poll is demanded. The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting for the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll was demanded. If a poll is demanded before the declaration of the result of a show of hands and the demand is duly withdrawn, the meeting shall continue as if the demand had not been made. | ||||||||||
| 74 | No notice need be given of a poll not taken forthwith if the time and place at which it is to be taken are announced at the meeting in respect of which it is demanded. In any other case, at least seven clear days' notice shall be given specifying the time and place at which the poll is to be taken. |
Votes of members
| 75 | Subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any shares and to the provisions of the Acts, on a show of hands every member who (being an individual) is present in person or (being a corporation) is present by a duly authorised representative who is not himself a member entitled to vote, shall have one vote, and on a poll every member shall have one vote for every share of which he is the holder. | ||||||||
| 76 | In the case of joint holders the vote of the senior who tenders a vote shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names of the holders stand in the register of members. | ||||||||
| 77 | A member in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction (whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere) in matters concerning mental disorder may vote, on a show of hands or on a poll, by any person authorised in that behalf by that court, who may on a poll vote by proxy. Evidence to the satisfaction of the directors of the authority of the person claiming the right to vote shall be deposited at or sent to the Office, or such other place as is specified in accordance with these articles for the deposit or receipt of appointments of proxy, not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the right to vote is to be exercised, and in default the right to vote shall not be exercisable. | ||||||||
| 78 | No member shall have the right to vote at any general meeting or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares, either in person or by representative or proxy, in respect of any share held by him unless all amounts presently payable by him in respect of that share have been paid. | ||||||||
| 79 | No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter or to the counting of, or failure to count, any vote, except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is tendered. Subject to any objection made in due time, every vote counted and not disallowed at the meeting shall be valid and every vote disallowed or not counted shall be invalid. Any objection made in due time shall be referred to the chairman whose decision shall be final and conclusive. | ||||||||
| 80 | On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy or (in the case of a corporate member) by a duly authorised representative. A member entitled to more than one vote need not, if he votes, use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses the same way. A proxy need not be a member. A member may appoint more than one proxy to attend on the same occasion. Submitting an appointment of proxy shall not preclude a member from attending and voting at the meeting or at any adjournment of it. | ||||||||
| 81 | Subject to article 82 below, an appointment of proxy shall be in writing in any usual form or in any other form which the directors may approve and shall be executed by or on behalf of the appointor which in the case of a corporation may be either under its common seal or under the hand of a duly authorised officer. | ||||||||
| 82 | The directors may allow the appointment of a proxy to be sent or supplied in electronic form subject to any conditions or limitations as the directors may specify, and where the Company has given an electronic address in any instrument of proxy or invitation to appoint a proxy, any document or information relating to proxies for the meeting (including any document necessary to show the validity of, or otherwise relating to, the appointment of a proxy, or notice of the termination of the authority of a proxy) may be sent by electronic means to that address, subject to any conditions or limitations specified in the relevant notice of meeting. | ||||||||
| 83 | The appointment of a proxy and any authority under which it is
executed or a copy of the authority certified notarially or in some
other way approved by the directors may:
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| 84 | A vote given or poll demanded by proxy or by the duly authorised representative of a corporation shall be valid notwithstanding the previous determination of the authority of the person voting or demanding a poll, unless notice of the determination was received by the Company at the Office, or at such other place at which an appointment of proxy may be duly deposited or the address where an appointment in electronic form may be duly received, before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote is given or the poll demanded or (in the case of a poll not taken on the same day as the meeting or adjourned meeting) the time appointed for taking the poll. | ||||||||
| 85 | The appointment of a proxy to vote at a meeting shall be deemed also to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll but shall not confer any further right to speak at the meeting, except with the permission of the chairman (and for the purposes of these articles a demand for a poll made by a person as proxy for a member or as the duly authorised representative of a corporate member shall be the same as a demand made by the member). | ||||||||
| 86 | The directors may at the expense of the Company send or make available instruments of proxy or invitations to appoint a proxy to the members by post or by electronic means or otherwise (with or without provision for their return prepaid) for use at any general meeting or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares, either in blank or nominating in the alternative any one or more of the directors or any other person. If for the purpose of any meeting instruments of proxy or invitations to appoint as proxy a person or one of a number of persons specified in the invitations are issued at the Company's expense, they shall be issued to all (and not to some only) of the members entitled to be sent a notice of the meeting and to vote at it. The accidental omission, or the failure due to circumstances beyond the Company's control, to send or make available such an instrument of proxy or give such an invitation to, or the non-receipt thereof by, any member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting. | ||||||||
| 87 | Where two or more valid but differing appointments of proxy are received in respect of the same share for use at the same meeting the one which is last sent shall be treated as replacing and revoking the other or others. If the Company is unable to determine which is last sent, the one which is last received shall be so treated. If the Company is unable to determine either which is last sent or which is last received, none of them shall be treated as valid in respect of that share. |
Corporations acting by representatives
| 88 | Any corporation (other than the Company itself) which is a member of the Company may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body, authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company, or at any separate meeting of the holders of any class of shares. Except as otherwise provided in these articles, the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same power on behalf of the corporation as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual member of the Company, and the corporation shall for the purposes of these articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present at it. |
Directors
| 89 | Unless otherwise determined by the Company by ordinary resolution the number of directors (other than alternate directors) shall not be subject to any maximum but shall not be less than two.. | ||||||
| 90 | A director shall not require a share qualification. | ||||||
| 91 |
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Alternate directors
| 92 | Any director (other than an alternate director) may appoint any other director, or any other person approved by resolution of the directors and willing to act, to be an alternate director and may remove from office an alternate director appointed by him. |
| 93 | An alternate director shall (unless he is absent from the United Kingdom) be entitled to receive notices of meetings of the directors and of committees of the directors of which his appointor is a member, to attend and vote at any such meeting at which the director appointing him is not present, and generally to perform all the functions of his appointor as a director in his absence, but shall not (unless the Company by ordinary resolution otherwise determines) be entitled to any fees for his services as an alternate director. |
| 94 | An alternate director shall cease to be an alternate director if his appointor ceases to be a director; but, if a director retires by rotation or otherwise but is reappointed or deemed to have been re-appointed at the meeting at which he retires, any appointment of an alternate director made by him which was in force immediately prior to his retirement shall continue after his reappointment. |
| 95 | An appointment or removal of an alternate director shall be by notice to the Company executed by the director making or revoking the appointment or in any other manner approved by the directors. |
| 96 | Save as otherwise provided in these articles, an alternate director shall be deemed for all purposes to be a director and shall alone be responsible for his own acts and defaults, and he shall not be deemed to be the agent of the director appointing him. |
Powers of directors
| 97 | The business of the Company shall be managed by the directors who, subject to the provisions of the Acts, the memorandum and these articles and to any directions given by special resolution, may exercise all the powers of the Company. No alteration of the memorandum or these articles and no such direction shall invalidate any prior act of the directors which would have been valid if that alteration had not been made or that direction had not been given. The powers given by this article shall not be limited by any special power given to the directors by these articles and a meeting of the directors at which a quorum is present may exercise all powers exercisable by the directors. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 98 |
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Delegation of directors’ powers
| 99 |
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| 100 | The directors may, by power of attorney or otherwise, appoint any person, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the directors, to be the agent of the Company for such purposes and subject to such conditions as they think fit, and may delegate any of their powers to such an agent. The directors may revoke or vary any such appointment or delegation and may also authorise the agent to sub-delegate all or any of the powers vested in him. |
Appointment and retirement of directors
| 101 | At the annual general meeting in every year, all directors who held office at the time of the two preceding annual general meetings and did not retire by rotation or pursuant to article 106 at either of them shall retire from office by rotation. A retiring director shall be eligible for reappointment. | ||||
| 102 | If the Company, at the meeting at which a director retires under any provision of these articles, does not fill the vacancy the retiring director shall, if willing to act, be deemed to have been reappointed unless at the meeting it is resolved not to fill the vacancy or a resolution for the reappointment of the director is put to the meeting and lost. | ||||
| 103 | No person other than a director retiring at the meeting shall
be appointed or reappointed a director at any general meeting
unless:
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| 104 | At a general meeting a motion for the appointment of two or more persons as directors by a single resolution shall not be made, unless a resolution that it shall be so made has been first agreed to by the meeting without any vote being given against it, and for the purposes of this article a motion for approving a person's appointment or for nominating a person for appointment shall be treated as a motion for his appointment. | ||||
| 105 | Subject as aforesaid, the Company may by ordinary resolution appoint a person who is willing to act to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional director. | ||||
| 106 | The directors may appoint a person who is willing to act to be a director, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional director, provided that the appointment does not cause the number of directors to exceed any number fixed as the maximum number of directors. A director so appointed shall retire at the next annual general meeting and shall then be eligible for reappointment. | ||||
| 107 | Subject as aforesaid, a director who retires at an annual general meeting may be reappointed. If he is not reappointed or deemed to have been reappointed, he shall retain office until the meeting elects someone in his place or, if it does not do so, until the end of the meeting. |
Disqualification and removal of directors
| 108 | Without prejudice to the provisions of the Acts, the Company may, by extraordinary resolution, remove a director before the expiration of his period of office (but such removal shall be without prejudice to any claim to damages for breach of any contract of service between the director and the Company) and, subject to these articles, may, by ordinary resolution, appoint another person instead of him. A person so appointed shall be subject to retirement at the same time as if he had become a director on the day on which the director in whose place he is appointed was last appointed or reappointed a director.. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 109 | The office of a director shall be vacated if:
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Director's appointments and interests
| 110 | The directors may appoint one or more of their number to the office of managing director or to any other executive office under the Company and, subject to the provisions of the Acts, any such appointment may be made for such term, at such remuneration and on such other conditions as the directors think fit. Any appointment of a director to an executive office shall terminate if he ceases to be a director but without prejudice to any claim to damages for breach of the contract of service between the director and the Company. | ||||||||||||||
| 111 |
|
Directors’ gratuities and pensions
| 112 | The directors may (by the establishment of, or maintenance of, schemes or otherwise) provide benefits, whether by the payment of gratuities or pensions, or by insurance or death or disability benefits or otherwise, for any director or any former director who holds or has held but no longer holds any executive office or employment with the Company or with any body corporate which is or has been a subsidiary of the Company or a predecessor in business of the Company or of any such subsidiary, and for any member of his family (including a spouse or civil partner and a former spouse and former civil partner) or any person who is or was dependent on him and may (as well before as after he ceases to hold such office or employment) contribute to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any such benefit. |
Proceedings of directors
| 113 |
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| 114 | No business shall be transacted at any meeting of the directors unless a quorum is present. The quorum may be fixed by the directors and unless so fixed at any other number shall be two. An alternate director who is not himself a director shall, if his appointor is not present, be counted in the quorum. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 115 | The continuing directors or a sole continuing director may act notwithstanding any vacancies in their number, but, if the number of directors is less than the number fixed as the quorum, the continuing directors or director may act only for the purpose of filling vacancies or of calling a general meeting. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 116 | The directors may elect from their number, and remove, a chairman of the board of directors. The chairman shall preside at all meetings of the directors, but if there is no chairman, or if at the meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, or if neither of them is willing to act as chairman, the directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 117 | All acts done by a meeting of the directors, or of a committee of the directors, or by a person acting as a director, shall notwithstanding that it may afterwards be discovered that there was a defect in the appointment of any director or that any of them were disqualified from holding office, or had vacated office, or were not entitled to vote, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a director and had been entitled to vote. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 118 | A resolution in writing executed by all the directors entitled to receive notice of a meeting of the directors or of a committee of the directors shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the directors or (as the case may be) of that committee, duly convened and held, and may consist of several documents in the like form each executed by one or more directors, but a resolution executed by an alternate director need not also be executed by his appointor and, if it is executed by a director who has appointed an alternate director, it need not also be executed by the alternate director in that capacity. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 119 |
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| 120 | A director shall not be counted in the quorum present at a meeting in relation to a resolution on which he is not entitled to vote. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 121 | The Company may by ordinary resolution suspend or relax to any extent, in respect of any particular matter, any provision of these articles prohibiting a director from voting at a meeting of the directors or of a committee of the directors. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 122 | If a question arises at a meeting of the directors as to the right of a director to vote, the question may, before the conclusion of the meeting, be referred to the chairman of the meeting (or, if the director concerned is the chairman, to the other directors at the meeting), and his ruling in relation to any director other than himself (or, as the case may be, the ruling of the majority of the other directors in relation to the chairman) shall be final and conclusive. |
Minutes
| 123 | The directors shall cause minutes to be made in books kept for
the purpose
|
Secretary
| 124 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, the secretary shall be appointed by the directors for such term, at such remuneration and on such other conditions as they think fit; and any secretary so appointed may be removed by them. |
The seal
| 125 | The seal shall be used only by the authority of a resolution of
the directors or of a committee of the directors. The directors may
determine whether any instrument to which the seal is affixed,
shall be signed and, if it is to be signed, who shall sign it.
Unless otherwise determined by the directors:
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| 126 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, the Company may have an official seal for use in any place abroad. |
Dividends
| 127 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, the Company may by ordinary resolution declare dividends in accordance with the respective rights of the members, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the directors. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 128 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts, the directors may pay interim dividends if it appears to them that they are justified by the profits of the Company available for distribution. If the share capital is divided into different classes, the directors may pay interim dividends on shares which confer deferred or non-preferred rights with regard to dividend as well as on shares which confer preferential rights with regard to dividend, but no interim dividend shall be paid on shares carrying deferred or non-preferred rights if, at the time of payment, any preferential dividend is in arrear. The directors may also pay at intervals settled by them any dividend payable at a fixed rate if it appears to them that the profits available for distribution justify the payment. If the directors act in good faith they shall not incur any liability to the holders of shares conferring preferred rights for any loss they may suffer by the lawful payment of an interim dividend on any shares having deferred or non-preferred rights. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 129 | Subject to the provisions of the Acts and except as otherwise provided by these articles or the rights attached to shares, all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares on which the dividend is paid. If any share is issued on terms that it ranks for dividend as from a particular date, it shall rank for dividend accordingly. In any other case (and except as aforesaid), dividends shall be apportioned and paid proportionately to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid. For the purpose of this article, an amount paid up on a share in advance of a call shall be treated, in relation to any dividend declared after the payment but before the call, as not paid up on the share. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 130 | A general meeting declaring a dividend may, upon the recommendation of the directors, direct that it shall be satisfied wholly or partly by the distribution of assets and, where any difficulty arises in regard to the distribution, the directors may settle the same as they think fit and in particular (but without limitation) may issue fractional certificates or other fractional entitlements (or ignore fractions) and fix the value for distribution of any assets, and may determine that cash shall be paid to any member upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of members, and may vest any assets in trustees. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 131 |
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| 132 | No dividend or other money payable in respect of a share shall bear interest against the Company, unless otherwise provided by the rights attached to the share. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 133 | Any dividend which has remained unclaimed for twelve years from the date when it became due for payment shall, if the directors so resolve, be forfeited and cease to remain owing by the Company. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 134 | The directors may, with the authority of an ordinary resolution
of the Company, offer any holders of ordinary shares the right to
elect to receive ordinary shares, credited as fully paid, instead
of cash in respect of the whole (or some part, to be determined by
the directors) of any dividend specified by the ordinary
resolution. The following provisions shall apply:
|
Capitalisation of profits
| 135 |
|
Record dates
| 136 | Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, but without prejudice to the rights attached to any shares, the Company or the directors may fix a date as the record date by reference to which a dividend will be declared or paid or a distribution, allotment or issue made, and that date may be before, on or after the date on which the dividend, distribution, allotment or issue is declared, paid or made. Where such a record date is fixed, references in these articles to a holder of shares or member to whom a dividend is to be paid or a distribution, allotment or issue is to be made shall be construed accordingly. |
Accounts
| 137 | No member (other than a director) shall have any right of inspecting any accounting record or other document of the Company, unless he is authorised to do so by statute, by order of the court, by the directors or by ordinary resolution of the Company. |
Notices etc.
| 138 | Any notice to be given to or by any person pursuant to these articles shall be in writing other than a notice calling a meeting of the directors which need not be in writing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 139 |
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| 140 | A member present either in person or by proxy, or in the case of a corporate member by a duly authorised representative, at any meeting of the Company or of the holders of any class of shares shall be deemed to have received notice of the meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for whi |
