13:15 London, 15:15 Helsinki, 21 June 2023 - Afarak Group SE ("Afarak" or "the Company") (LSE: AFRK, NASDAQ: AFAGR)
RESOLUTIONS OF AFARAK GROUP SE’S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Afarak Group SE’s Annual General Meeting was held in Helsinki on 21 June 2023.
The AGM adopted the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements and discharged the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability for the financial period 2022. The AGM resolved that no dividend would be paid for 2022. The AGM also adopted the Remuneration Report for the Company’s governing bodies.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The AGM resolved that the Board of Directors would comprise of three (3) members: Dr Jelena Manojlovic (UK citizen), Mr Thorstein Abrahamsen (Norwegian citizen) and Mr Guy Konsbruck (Luxembourg citizen) were re-elected as Board members.
The AGM resolved that the Non-executive Board Members shall be paid EUR 5,000 per month and the Chairman of the board shall be paid an additional EUR 1,500 per month. Non-Executive Board Members who serve on the Board's Committees shall be paid additional EUR 1,500 per month for committee work. Those members of the Board of Directors that are executives of the Company are not entitled to receive any remuneration for Board membership. Board Members shall be compensated for travel and accommodation expenses as well as other costs directly related to Board and Committee work in accordance with the company's travel rules.
THE AUDITOR
The AGM resolved that the Company will pay the fee to the auditor against an invoice that is inspected by the Company and that according to the recommendation by the Audit Committee, the Authorised Public Accountant Tietotili Audit Oy was re-elected as the Auditor of the Company. Tietotili Audit Oy has informed the Company that the individual with the principal responsibility at Tietotili Audit Oy, is Authorised Public Accountant Urpo Salo.
ONE-OFF RETROACTIVE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
The AGM resolved that the Non-Executive Board Members Thorstein Abrahamsen and Dr Jelena Manojlovic shall be paid EUR 50,000 each as a one-off retroactive additional compensation for during the last couple of years having taken on substantial more work on a 24/7 availability basis, to facilitate operating through difficult times with reduced income during the pandemic and with a lot of changes in the Company (divestment of assets, downsizing, further development), and through recovery and significant improved performance of the Company to its’ best ever financial result in 2022.
CHANGE OF THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
The AGM resolved that the Articles of Association of the Company are amended by changing the Article 8 (Call to the General Meeting) so that the general meeting can be held completely without a meeting venue as a so-called remote meeting.
Following the changes, the above-mentioned Article 8 of the Articles of Association reads as follows:
“8 Call to the General Meeting
The call to the General Meeting shall be published on the company's website and as a stock exchange release no earlier than two (2) months and no later than twenty-one (21) days before the meeting, however, in any event nine (9) days before the record date of the General Meeting. The Board of Directors may, at its discretion, also publish the call to the General Meeting in one or two national newspapers or by sending the call to the meeting to the shareholders to their addresses recorded in the share register by registered mail or other verifiable means. Aside from the location of the registered office, the General Meeting may also be held in Espoo, Oulu, Oulunsalo or Vantaa. The Board of Directors may also decide that the General Meeting will be held without a meeting venue so that the shareholders will exercise their decision-making power full-on and on an up-to-date basis by means of a telecommunications connection and a technical device during the meeting.”
ACQUISITION OF LL-RESOURCES GMBH
The AGM approved the Transaction, as detailed in the Circular dated 31 May 2023, and authorized the Board of Directors to take all such steps as may be necessary or acceptable in relation thereto and to carry the same into effect with such modifications, variations, revisions or amendments (providing such modifications, variations, revisions or amendments are not of a material nature) as they shall deem necessary or desirable.
In relation to the Transaction, the AGM authorized the Board of Directors to issue ordinary shares. By virtue of the authorization shares could be issued up to a maximum of 140,000,000 new shares. This equates approximately 52.43 % of the Company’s current registered shares. The Board of Directors will be entitled to decide on the directed share issue related to the implementation of the Transaction in such a way that the payment of the whole subscription price will be made with contribution in kind (the entire share capital of LL-resources GmbH). The authorization does not replace the previous authorizations and it is valid two (2) years as from the decision of the General Meeting.
AUTHORIZATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO DECIDE UPON SHARE ISSUE AND UPON ISSUING OTHER SPECIAL RIGHTS THAT ENTITLE TO SHARES
The AGM resolved to authorize the Board of Directors to issue shares and stock options and other special rights that entitle to shares in one or more tranches up to a maximum of 250,000,000 new shares or shares owned by the Company. This equates to approximately 93.62 % of the Company's currently registered shares. The authorization may be used among other things to raise additional finance and enabling corporate and business acquisitions or other arrangements and investments of business activity or for employee incentive and commitment schemes. By virtue of the authorization, the Board of Directors can decide both on share issues
against payment and on share issues without payment. The payment of the subscription price can also be made with consideration other than money. The authorization contains the right to decide on derogating from shareholders' pre-emptive right to share subscriptions provided that the conditions set in the Finnish Companies' Act are fulfilled. The authorization replaces all previous authorizations granted in the Annual General Meeting in 2022 and is valid two (2) years from the decision of the Annual General Meeting.
THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Following the AGM, the Board of Directors held a meeting in which Mr Thorstein Abrahamsen was unanimously re-elected as the Chairperson. The Board Committees and their composition are as follows:
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Thorstein Abrahamsen, chairperson
Jelena Manojlovic
Remuneration and Nomination Committee
Jelena Manojlovic, chairperson
Thorstein Abrahamsen
Health, Safety and Sustainable Development Committee
Thorstein Abrahamsen, chairperson
Jelena Manojlovic
Guy Konsbruck
OTHER INFORMATION
Afarak Group SE has, on 21 June 2023, a total of 267,041,814 shares and votes and the Company holds in total 6,541,514 of its own shares in treasury.
The minutes of the Annual General Meeting will be available on the internet at the Company's website www.afarak.com at the latest on 5 July 2023.
IN HELSINKI, ON 21 JUNE 2023
AFARAK GROUP SE
Guy Konsbruck
CEO
For additional information, please contact:
Guy Konsbruck, CEO, +356 2122 1566, guy.konsbruck@afarak.com
Financial reports and other investor information are available on the Company's website: www.afarak.com.
Afarak Group is a specialist alloy producer focused on delivering sustainable growth with a Speciality Alloys business in southern Europe and a FerroAlloys business in South Africa. The Company is listed on NASDAQ Helsinki (AFAGR) and the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (AFRK).
Distribution:
NASDAQ Helsinki
London Stock Exchange
Main media
