NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, NEW ZEALAND OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION TO BUY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA AND NEW ZEALAND OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR ‎CONTRAVENE ANY REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH ‎JURISDICTION‎. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR ANYTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF, OR BE RELIED UPON IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY OFFER OR COMMITMENT WHATSOEVER IN ANY JURISDICTION.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE UK VERSION OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION NO 596/2014 WHICH IS PART OF ENGLISH LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED. ON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
31 July 2023
Predator Oil & Gas Holdings plc
("Predator" or the "Company")
Proposed Placing to raise a minimum of £7 million[1]
Trading Update
Predator Oil & Gas Holdings plc (LSE: PRD), a Jersey based Oil and Gas Company with near-term gas operations focussed on Morocco, announces its intention to issue new ordinary shares in the capital of the Company (the "Placing Shares") to institutional investors at a placing price to be determined following the completion of an accelerated bookbuild process (the "Placing Price") (the "Placing").
The Company intends to raise minimum gross proceeds of £7 million through the Placing.
Highlights
· The net proceeds of the Placing will be used for completion of an extended rigless testing programme for MOU-1, MOU-3 and MOU-4, commencement of CNG development studies and tendering for long lead items, residual MOU-4 well costs and general working capital.
· The Placing will be conducted by way of an accelerated bookbuild which will be launched immediately following the release of this announcement.
· In the event of excess demand, the Company reserves the right to increase the size of the Placing in its sole discretion.
Trading update and reasons for the Placing
The Company is involved in the exploration, appraisal and further development of oil and gas assets. The Company operates in Morocco and Ireland and is currently a non-operator in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago but may become an operator conditional on the approval of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries of the Company's acquisition of TRex Holdings Trinidad Ltd.
The principal near-term activities of the Company are exploration and appraisal drilling for gas onshore Morocco, exploration and appraisal drilling for oil onshore Trinidad and injecting carbon dioxide into existing, and potentially future, wells in Trinidad for enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, the Company holds a 75 per cent working interest in and is the operator of the Guercif Petroleum Agreement in Morocco where the Company has recently completed the MOU-3 and MOU-4 wells for rigless testing. The Company will rigless test MOU-1, MOU-3 and MOU-4 to establish gas flow rates. This testing programme will determine whether or not the threshold amount of gas required of one million cubic feet of gas per day (0.35 BCF / year) for a compressed natural gas ("CNG") development in the short term for a single end user in the Moroccan industrial market has been reached. Upon the results of this testing programme a decision may be taken to initiate the CNG development, which may require further financing.
Subject to the results of the MOU-1, MOU-3 and MOU-4 rigless testing programmes, the potential for CNG growth will be evaluated in the medium term to assess the potential to scale up to 34 million cubic feet of gas per day (approximately 12 BCF/year).
The Company intends to utilise the majority of the Net Placing Proceeds for MOU-4 well costs and rigless well testing of MOU-1 and MOU-3 and MOU-4.
Details of the Placing
The Placing is seeking to raise a minimum of £7m at a minimum price of 11p. The Placing will be conducted by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process (the "Bookbuild") which will be launched with immediate effect following this Announcement in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in Appendix I. The Placing Shares are not being made available to the public. It is envisaged that the Bookbuild will close no later than 7.00 a.m. GMT tomorrow, 1 August 2023. Details of the number of Placing Shares, the Placing Price and the approximate gross proceeds of the Placing will be announced as soon as practicable after the closing of the Bookbuild. The Placing is not underwritten.
Fox-Davies Capital Limited ("Fox-Davies") and Novum Securities Limited ("Novum") (together Fox-Davies and Novum being the "Joint Brokers") are acting as joint brokers in respect of the Placing.
To bid in the Bookbuild, Placees should communicate their bid by telephone or in writing to their usual sales contact at Fox-Davies or Novum.
Admission of Placing Shares
Application will be made for the Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on the standard segment of the main market of London Stock Exchange plc ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will take place at or around 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 15 August 2023 (or such later date as many be agreed between the Company, Novum and Fox-Davies) but in any event not later than 8.00 a.m. on 31 August 2023. The Company does not currently have the ability under the Prospectus Regulation Rules to apply to the FCA for admission of the Placing Shares. The Company is working with its advisers to obtain approval of a prospectus (the "Prospectus") which is in the late stages of the vetting process with the FCA. In the event that the Prospectus is not approved by the FCA by 23 August 2023, the Company will however have sufficient headroom under the Prospectus Regulation Rules to apply for admission of the Placing Shares. The Placing is conditional upon, inter alia, Admission becoming effective and the placing agreement between the Company, Novum and Fox-Davies ("Placing Agreement") not having been ‎terminated.‎ The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the Company's existing issued ordinary shares of no par value each ("Ordinary Shares").
Total Voting Rights
As at today's date, the Company's issued share capital consists of 426,403,418 Ordinary Shares. The Company holds no Ordinary Shares in treasury.
Therefore, the total number of voting rights in Predator is 426,403,418, which is the figure which should be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, Predator shares under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
This announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand the ‎information provided in the "Important Notices" section of this announcement.‎
Further details of the Placing are set out in Appendix I, below.
-Ends-
Enquiries:
Predator Oil & Gas plc Paul Griffiths Executive Chairman Lonny Baumgardner Managing Director
| Tel: +44 (0) 1534 834 600 Info@predatoroilandgas.com |
| |
Novum Securities Limited David Coffman / Colin Rowbury
| Tel +44 (0)20 7399 9427
CRowbury@novumsecurities.com |
Fox-Davies Capital Limited Jerry Keen
| Tel +44 (0)203 884 7447 jerry@fox-davies.com |
| |
Flagstaff Strategic and Investor Communications Tim Thompson Mark Edwards Fergus Mellon
| Tel: +44 (0)207 129 1474 predator@flagstaffcomms.com |
About Predator
Predator is operator of the Guercif Petroleum Agreement onshore Morocco which is prospective for Tertiary gas less than 10 kilometres from the Maghreb gas pipeline. The MOU-1 well drilled in 2021 is being prepared for a follow-up testing programme to coordinate with a further drilling programme to move the project to a CNG development stage.
Predator is seeking to further develop the remaining oil reserves of Trinidad's mature onshore oil fields through the application of CO2 EOR techniques and by sequestrating anthropogenic carbon dioxide.
Predator owns and operates exploration and appraisal assets in licensing options offshore Ireland, for which successor authorisations have been applied for, adjoining Vermilion's Corrib gas field in the Slyne Basin on the Atlantic Margin and east of the decommissioned Kinsale gas field in the Celtic Sea.
Predator has developed a Floating Storage and Regasification Project ("FSRUP") for the import of LNG and its regassification for Ireland and is also developing gas storage concepts to address security of gas supply and volatility in gas prices during times of peak gas demand.
The Company has a highly experienced management team with a proven track record in operations in the oil and gas industry.
For more information, visit www.predatoroilandgas.com
IMPORTANT NOTICES
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This announcement includes "forward-looking statements" which include all statements other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations, or any statements proceeded by, followed by or that include the words "targets", "believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "anticipates", "would", "could" or similar expressions or negatives thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Company's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless required to do so by applicable law or the Listing Rules.
US SECURITIES LAW
This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.
JERSEY
The Jersey Financial Services Commission has not provided any consent to the circulation of this document. This document does not constitute a 'Prospectus' for the purposes of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991, the Companies (General Provisions) (Jersey) Order 2002 or the Control of Borrowing (Jersey) Order 1958 and no consent has been applied for or received in relation to the circulation of this document.
APPENDIX I
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE PLACING
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX (TOGETHER, THE "ANNOUNCEMENT"), AND THE INFORMATION IN IT IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN ARE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT: (A) IN A MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA"), PERSONS WHO ARE, UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED BY THE JOINT BROKERS, "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE EU PROSPECTUS REGULATION (WHICH MEANS REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 AND INCLUDES ANY RELEVANT IMPLEMENTING MEASURE IN ANY MEMBER STATE) (THE "PROSPECTUS REGULATION"); AND (B) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO ARE: (I) "INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (THE "ORDER"); (II) PERSONS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) ("HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC") OF THE ORDER; OR (III) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN RELATE IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS.
PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE COMPANY AND THE JOINT BROKERS TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
The contents of this Announcement have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. You are advised to exercise caution in relation to the Placing. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this Announcement, you should obtain independent professional advice. This is not an offer to the public and the Placing Documents (as defined below) will not be registered as a prospectus under the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the laws of Hong Kong) or any other applicable ordinance in Hong Kong.
This Announcement must not, therefore, be distributed, issued, circulated or possessed for the purpose of distribution or issue or circulation, to persons in Hong Kong other than (1) to professional investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the laws of Hong Kong) (including professional investors falling within the Securities and Futures (Professional Investors) Rules (Cap. 571D of the laws of Hong Kong)) or (2) in circumstances which would not constitute an offer to the public for the purpose of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the laws of Hong Kong) or the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the laws of Hong Kong).
THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ORDINARY SHARES TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, OR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH, SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL AND IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA. THE ORDINARY SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF AUSTRALIA. SUBJECT TO CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, THE ORDINARY SHARES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION, OR SOLD OR SUBSCRIBED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, WITHIN AUSTRALIA OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, ANY NATIONAL, RESIDENT OR CITIZEN OF AUSTRALIA.
NO PLACEMENT DOCUMENT, PROSPECTUS, PRODUCT DISCLOSURE STATEMENT OR OTHER DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT HAS BEEN LODGED WITH THE AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION ("ASIC") IN RELATION TO THE OFFERING. THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PROSPECTUS, PRODUCT DISCLOSURE STATEMENT OR OTHER DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT UNDER THE CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 (THE "CORPORATIONS ACT") AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO INCLUDE THE INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR A PROSPECTUS, PRODUCT DISCLOSURE STATEMENT OR OTHER DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT UNDER THE CORPORATIONS ACT. TO THE EXTENT THIS DOCUMENT IS DISTRIBUTED IN AUSTRALIA, IT IS DISTRIBUTED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.
THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR AN INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR, OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR BUY, ORDINARY SHARES TO ANY PERSON IN AUSTRALIA. ANY OFFER IN AUSTRALIA OF THE ORDINARY SHARES MAY ONLY BE MADE TO PERSONS (THE "EXEMPT INVESTORS") WHO ARE "SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS" (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 708(8) OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT), "PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS" (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 708(11) OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT) OR OTHERWISE PURSUANT TO ONE OR MORE EXCEPTIONS CONTAINED IN SECTION 708 OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT SO THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO OFFER THE ORDINARY SHARES WITHOUT DISCLOSURE TO INVESTORS UNDER CHAPTER 6D OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT.
THE ORDINARY SHARES APPLIED FOR BY EXEMPT INVESTORS IN AUSTRALIA MUST NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE IN AUSTRALIA FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF ALLOTMENT UNDER THE PLACING, EXCEPT IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE DISCLOSURE TO INVESTORS UNDER CHAPTER 6D OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION UNDER SECTION 708 OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT OR OTHERWISE OR WHERE THE OFFER IS PURSUANT TO A DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT WHICH COMPLIES WITH CHAPTER 6D OF THE CORPORATIONS ACT. ANY PERSON ACQUIRING ORDINARY SHARES MUST OBSERVE SUCH AUSTRALIAN ON-SALE RESTRICTIONS.
THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ARE OFFERED TO INVESTORS IN SWITZERLAND UNDER AN EXEMPTION TO PREPARE AND PUBLISH A PROSPECTUS PURSUANT TO THE SWISS FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT ("FINSA"), BECAUSE THE SECURITIES ARE ONLY OFFERED TO PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS AS DEFINED UNDER FINSA AND BECAUSE SUCH SECURITIES WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO TRADING ON ANY TRADING VENUE IN SWITZERLAND. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PROSPECTUS PURSUANT TO FINSA AND NO SUCH PROSPECTUS HAS BEEN OR WILL BE PREPARED FOR OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES.
THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY OR SUBSCRIBE FOR PLACING SHARES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL AND, IN PARTICULAR, IS NOT TO BE FORWARDED, DISTRIBUTED, MAILED OR OTHERWISE TRANSMITTED IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES OR POSSESSIONS, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITED EXCEPTIONS. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE FORWARDED, DISTRIBUTED, MAILED OR OTHERWISE TRANSMITTED IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA AND ITS RESPECTIVE TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS (TOGETHER, THE "PROHIBITED TERRITORY") OR TO ANY NATIONAL, RESIDENT OR CITIZEN OF THE PROHIBITED TERRITORY OR TO ANY CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP OR OTHER ENTITY CREATED OR ORGANISED UNDER THE LAWS THEREOF, OR TO ANY PERSONS IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY OUTSIDE THE UK, WHERE SUCH DISTRIBUTION, FORWARDING OR TRANSMISSION MAY LEAD TO A BREACH OF ANY LEGAL OR REGULATORY REQUIREMENT. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE JOINT BROKERS, THE COMPANY NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFER OF THE PLACING SHARES OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS DOCUMENT OR ANY OTHER PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO SUCH PLACING SHARES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS RECEIVING THIS DOCUMENT ARE REQUIRED TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN PLACING SHARES. THE PRICE OF THE PLACING SHARES AND THE INCOME FROM THEM (IF ANY) MAY GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND INVESTORS MAY NOT GET BACK THE FULL AMOUNT INVESTED ON DISPOSAL OF THE PLACING SHARES.
The relevant clearances have not been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada; no prospectus has been lodged with or registered by the Japanese Ministry of Finance or the South African Reserve Bank; and the Placing Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into Canada, Japan, the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction in which such offer, sale, resale or delivery would be unlawful.
Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of: (a) retail investors, (b) investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and (c) eligible counterparties (each as defined in MiFID II); and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the offer. In all circumstances the Joint Brokers will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Placing Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.
Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this Appendix or this Announcement of which it forms part should seek appropriate advice before taking any action.
These terms and conditions apply to persons making an offer to acquire Placing Shares. Each Placee hereby agrees with the Joint Brokers and the Company to be bound by these terms and conditions as being the terms and conditions upon which Placing Shares will be issued or acquired. A Placee shall, without limitation, become so bound if the relevant Joint Broker confirms to such Placee its allocation of Placing Shares.
Upon being notified of its allocation of Placing Shares, a Placee shall be contractually committed to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Placing Price and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, will be deemed to have agreed not to exercise any rights to rescind or terminate or otherwise withdraw from such commitment.
In this Appendix, unless the context otherwise requires, "Placee" means a Relevant Person (including individuals, funds or others) who has been invited to participate in the Placing and on whose behalf a commitment to subscribe for or acquire Placing Shares has been given.
Details of the Placing Agreement and the Placing Shares
The Company has today entered into the Placing Agreement with the Joint Brokers (the Company's brokers in connection with the Placing) under which, the Joint Brokers have, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out therein, undertaken to use their reasonable endeavours to procure subscribers for the Placing Shares. It is expected that the Placing will raise a minimum of £7 million in gross proceeds. The Placing is not being underwritten by the Joint Brokers or any other person.
It is intended that the Placing Shares will be issued on or around 15 August 2023 unless the Prospectus is not approved by that date in which event the Placing Shares will be issued on or around 23 August 2023. The Placing Shares will, when issued, be subject to the articles of association of the Company, be credited as fully paid and rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions (if any) declared, made or paid on or in respect of Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares.
The Placing Shares will trade on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under PRD with ISIN: JE00BFZ1D698.
Application for admission to trading of the Placing Shares
Applications will be made to the FCA for the Placing Shares to be admitted to the Official List maintained by the FCA by way of a standard listing under Chapter 14 of the Listing Rules and to the London Stock Exchange for the Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Admission of the Placing Shares is expected to become effective and dealings in such shares are expected to commence at 8.00 a.m. on 15 August 2023 (the "Admission") unless the Prospectus is not approved by 15 August in which event the Placing Shares will be issued on or around 23 August 2023.
In any event, the latest date for Admission is 31 August 2023 (the "Long Stop Date").
Placing
This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.
Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing are as follows:
1. The Joint Brokers are arranging the Placing as agents for, and brokers to, the Company.
2. The Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares to be issued will be determined by the Company (in consultation with the Joint Brokers) following completion of a bookbuilding exercise (the "Bookbuild"). The results of the Bookbuild will be released through a Regulatory Information Service following the completion of the Bookbuild. The Joint Brokers shall be entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative method to the Bookbuild as it may, in its absolute discretion determine, following consultation with the Company.
3. To bid in the Bookbuild, Placees should communicate their bid by telephone or in writing to their usual sales contact at Fox-Davies or Novum. Each bid should state the number of Placing Shares which the prospective Placee wishes to acquire either at the Placing Price which is ultimately established by the Company or at prices up to a price limit specified in its bid. Bids may be scaled down by the Joint Brokers on the basis referred to in paragraph 7 below.
4. The Bookbuild is expected to close no later than 7.00 a.m. on 1 August 2023 but may be closed earlier or later at the discretion of the Joint Brokers. The Joint Brokers may, in agreement with the Company, accept bids received after the Bookbuild has closed.
5. Participation in the Placing is only available to persons who are lawfully able to be, and have been, invited to participate by the Joint Brokers. The Joint Brokers are entitled (but under no obligation) to participate in the Placing as principal.
6. Following the close of the Bookbuild for the Placing, each Placee's allocation will be confirmed to Placees orally, or in writing (which can include email), by the Joint Brokers and a trade confirmation or contract note will be dispatched as soon as possible thereafter. The Joint Brokers oral or written confirmation will give rise to an irrevocable, legally binding commitment by that person (who at that point becomes a Placee), in favour of the Joint Brokers and the Company, under which it agrees to acquire by subscription the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Placing Price and otherwise on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's articles of association. Except with the Joint Brokers' consent, such commitment will not be capable of variation or revocation.
7. Each Placee's allocation will, unless otherwise agreed between the Placee and the Joint Brokers, be evidenced by a trade confirmation or contract note issued to each such Placee by the Joint Brokers. The terms and conditions of this Announcement (including this Appendix) will be deemed to be incorporated in that trade confirmation, contract note or such other confirmation and will be legally binding on the Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except with the Joint Brokers' consent, will not be capable of variation or revocation from the time at which it is issued.
8. Each Placee will have an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to the Joint Brokers (as agents for the Company), to pay to the Joint Brokers (or as the Joint Brokers may direct) in cleared funds an amount equal to the product of the Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares such Placee has agreed to acquire and the Company has agreed to allot and issue to that Placee.
9. Except as required by law or regulation, no press release or other announcement will be made by the Joint Brokers or the Company using the name of any Placee (or its agent), in its capacity as Placee (or agent), other than with such Placee's prior written consent.
10. Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Placing is confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and Settlement".
11. All obligations of the Joint Brokers under the Placing will be subject to fulfilment of the conditions referred to below "Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement".
12. By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.
13. To the fullest extent permissible by law and the applicable rules of the Financial Conduct Authority, neither of the Joint Brokers nor any of their Affiliates shall have any liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise whether or not a recipient of these terms and conditions) in respect of the Placing. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Company is responsible for the allotment of the Placing Shares to the Placees and the Joint Brokers and their Affiliates shall have no liability to the Placees for the failure of the Company to fulfil those obligations. In particular, neither the Joint Brokers nor any of their Affiliates shall have any liability (including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the Joint Brokers' conduct of the Placing or of such alternative method of effecting the Placing as the Joint Brokers and the Company may determine.
Conditions of the Placing
The Joint Brokers obligations under the Placing Agreement in respect of, amongst other things, the Placing are conditional on, inter alia:
1. the release of this Announcement to a Regulatory Information Service by no later than 4.40 p.m. on 31 July 2023;
2. application having been made by or on behalf of the Company for Admission to the London Stock Exchange not later than 8.00 a.m. on 15 August 2023 (or such later date as may be agreed between the Company and the Joint Bookrunners (acting jointly), being not later than 8.00 am on the Long Stop Date);
3. the publication of the Prospectus having been approved and filed with the FCA in accordance with the UK Prospectus Regulation Rules published by the FCA or the Company having sufficient headroom pursuant to the Prospectus Regulation Rules to seek admission of the Placing Shares without the need to publish the Prospectus ;
4. the publication of an announcement communicating the results of the Placing not later than 5.00 p.m. on the first Business Day following the date of this Announcement (or such other time and/or date as agreed by the Company and the Joint Brokers);
5. the delivery by the Company to the Joint Brokers of certain documents required under the Placing Agreement;
6. the Company having complied with its obligations under the Placing Agreement to the extent that such obligations fall to be performed prior to Admission;
7. the delivery by the Company to the Joint Brokers on the Business Day immediately before Admission of a warranty certificate signed on behalf of the Company;
8. none of the warranties given in the Placing Agreement being untrue, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect at any time between the date of the Placing Agreement and Admission, and no matter having arisen prior to Admission which might reasonably render any of the warranties untrue or inaccurate or misleading in any material respect in any respect if it was repeated as at Admission;
9. the Placing Shares having been allotted, subject only to Admission, to the Placees credited as fully paid;
10. the Company and/or the Joint Brokers not having become aware of:
10.1 any new material factor, mistake or inaccuracy in relation to the information contained in this Announcement having arisen such that the Company is or may be required to issue a notification pursuant to the Listing Rules or is otherwise material or required to make the statements in this Announcement not misleading in any material respect;
10.2 any matter which is or might be material in the context of any assumption or other matter relevant to any forecast or statement about the prospects of the Company in this Announcement;
10.3 any matter which indicates that a significant change or new matter in respect of the Company has or might have occurred before Admission;
11. the Placing Agreement not having been terminated by the Joint Brokers; and
12. admission of the Placing Shares to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange becoming effective in accordance with the Listing Rules not later than 8.00 a.m. on 15 August 2023 or such later date as may be agreed in writing between the Company, Novum and Fox-Davies, but in any event not later than 8.00 a.m. on the Long Stop Date.
If: (i) any of the conditions contained in the Placing Agreement, including those described above, are not fulfilled or (where applicable) waived by Fox-Davies and Novum by the respective time or date where specified (or such later time or date as Fox-Davies and Novum may notify to the Company); (ii) any of such conditions becomes incapable of being fulfilled; or (iii) the Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified below, the Placing will not proceed and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by the Placee in respect thereof.
Fox-Davies and Novum may, at their discretion and upon such terms as they think fit, waive, or extend the period for, compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in relation to the conditions in the Placing Agreement save that the condition relating to Admission taking place by the Long Stop Date may not be waived. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.
None of Fox-Davies, Novum or the Company nor any of their respective Affiliates shall have any liability to any Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any condition to the Placing nor for any decision they may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in respect of the Placing generally and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of Fox-Davies and Novum.
Right to terminate the Placing Agreement
Each of the Joint Brokers is entitled to cease to participate in the Placing by giving notice to the Company in certain circumstances, including, inter alia, if before Admission:
13. it shall have come to the notice of the Company or either of the Joint Brokers that:
13.1 any statement contained in the Issue Documents (as defined in the Placing Agreement) is or has become untrue, inaccurate, incomplete or misleading, or there shall have occurred any significant new factor relevant to any of the foregoing;
13.2 the Company has failed to comply with its obligations under FSMA, MAR, the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (as amended), the Listing Rules or the Prospectus Regulation Rules;
13.3 there has been a breach of any of the Warranties or other obligations of the Company under the Placing Agreement;
13.4 there has been an event or matter on or after the date of the Placing Agreement and before Admission which if it had occurred or arisen at an earlier date would have rendered any of the Warranties untrue or incorrect,
and, such event would, in the opinion of the Joint Brokers, have a materially adverse effect on the Placing;
14. any event or omission has occurred which in the opinion of the Joint Brokers is or might reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the financial position or business or prospects of the Company or the Placing;
15. any change in national or international, financial, monetary, economic, political or stock market conditions (including any suspension or material limitation in the trading of securities generally on the London Stock Exchange's market for listed securities or in commercial banking, securities settlement or clearance services in the United Kingdom) has occurred which in the opinion of any Joint Broker is or might reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Company or to the Placing;
16. any incident of terrorism has occurred which in the opinion of any the Joint Brokers is or might reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Company or the Placing or the outbreak of hostilities involving the United Kingdom or the declaration by the United Kingdom of a national emergency or war; or
17. a deterioration or escalation in the United Kingdom's response to the COVID-19 pandemic or any other epidemic and/or pandemic which, in the opinion of any Joint Broker, makes it impractical or inadvisable to continue with the Placing.
If either Joint Brokers cease to participate in the Placing, the other Joint Broker may, by notice to the Company, elect either to continue with the Placing or to terminate the Placing Agreement. If the Placing Agreement is terminated prior to Admission then the Placing will not occur.
The rights and obligations of the Placees will not be subject to termination by the Placees or any prospective Placees at any time or in any circumstances. By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by the Joint Brokers of any right of termination or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Joint Brokers and that the Joint Brokers need not make any reference to Placees in this regard and that neither the Joint Brokers nor any of their Affiliates shall have any liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise or failure so to exercise.
Reliance
The Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information contained in this Announcement (including this Appendix), the business and financial information that the Company is required to publish in accordance with the Listing Rules and all information contained in the Prospectus (the "Exchange Information") or which the Company has published via a Regulatory Information Service ("Publicly Available Information") Each Placee, by accepting a participation in the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither received nor relied on any other information (other than the Exchange Information and/or Publicly Available Information), representation, warranty or statement made by or on behalf of the Company or the Joint Brokers or any other person and none of the Joint Brokers, the Company nor any other person will be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement which the Placees may have obtained or received and, if given or made, such information, representation, warranty or statement must not be relied upon as having been authorised by the Joint Brokers, the Company or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing. Neither the Company nor any of the Joint Brokers in making any undertaking or warranty to any Placee regarding the legality of an investment in the Placing Shares by such Placee under any legal, investment or similar laws or regulations. Each Placee should not consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Each Placee should consult its own solicitor, tax adviser and financial adviser for independent legal, tax and financial advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.
Registration and Settlement
Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares will, unless otherwise agreed, take place on a delivery versus payment basis within the system administered by Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited ("CREST"). Each Placee will be deemed to agree that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed as directed by the Joint Brokers in accordance with the standing CREST settlement instructions which they have in place with such Joint Broker.
Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares following Admission will take place within CREST provided that, subject to certain exceptions, the Placing Parties reserve the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or a portion thereof) to Placees by such other means that it deems necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable within CREST within the timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in any Placee's jurisdiction.
It is expected that settlement of the Placing Shares will be on 15 August 2023 unless otherwise notified by the Joint Brokers and Admission is expected to occur by 15 August 2023 or such later time as may be agreed between the Company, Novum and Fox-Davies, not being later than the Long Stop Date.
Following the close of the Bookbuild, each Placee allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a contract note or electronic confirmation stating the number of Placing Shares to be allocated to it at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to the relevant Joint Broker or its sub-agent and settlement instructions. Each Placee will be deemed to agree that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with instructions provided by Fox-Davies or Novum.
The Company will deliver the Placing Shares to a CREST account operated the relevant Joint Broker (as appropriate) or their respective sub-agent, in each case, as agent for and on behalf of the Company and will provide delivery (DEL) instructions which will be entered into the CREST system. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant Placing Shares to that Placee against payment. It is expected that settlement will be on 15 August 2023 in accordance with the instructions set out in the contract note or electronic confirmation, or such later date to be advised.
Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date at the rate of two percentage points above SONIA as determined by the Joint Brokers.
Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, the Joint Brokers may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the Joint Brokers' account and benefit (as agent for the Company), an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable and shall indemnify the Joint Brokers on demand for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares, each Placee confers on the Joint Brokers such authorities and powers necessary to carry out any such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which the Joint Brokers lawfully take in pursuance of such sale. Legal and/or beneficial title in and to any Placing Shares shall not pass to the relevant Placee until it has fully complied with its obligations hereunder.
If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that any form of confirmation is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation.
Insofar as Placing Shares are registered in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax. Neither of the Joint Brokers nor the Company will be liable in any circumstances for the payment of stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax in connection with any of the Placing Shares. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the Placing.
Representations, Warranties and Further Terms
By participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) makes the following representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings (as the case may be) to the Joint Brokers (in their capacity as placing agents of the Company) and the Company:
1. that it has read and understood this Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and that its subscription for or purchase of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings and other information contained herein and undertakes not to redistribute or duplicate this Announcement;
2. that the shares in the capital of the Company are admitted to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, and the Company is therefore required to publish the Exchange Information, which includes a description of the nature of the Company's business and the Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account and that it is able to obtain or access such Exchange Information without undue difficulty and is able to obtain access to such information or comparable information concerning any other publicly traded company without undue difficulty;
3. that its obligations are irrevocable and legally binding and shall not be capable of rescission or termination by it in any circumstances;
4. that the exercise by the Joint Brokers of any right or discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Joint Brokers and the Joint Brokers need not have any reference to it and shall have no liability to it whatsoever in connection with any decision to exercise or not to exercise any such right and each Placee agrees that it has no rights against the Joint Brokers or the Company, or any of their respective officers, directors or employees, under the Placing Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties Act) 1999;
5. that these terms and conditions represent the whole and only agreement between it, the Joint Brokers and the Company in relation to its participation in the Placing and supersedes any previous agreement between any of such parties in relation to such participation. Accordingly, each Placee, in accepting its participation in the Placing, is not relying on any information or representation or warranty in relation to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of the Placing Shares other than as contained in this Announcement, the Exchange Information and the Publicly Available Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares. Each Placee agrees that none of the Company, the Joint Brokers nor any of their respective officers, directors or employees will have any liability for any such other information, representation or warranty, express or implied;
6. that in the case of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5 of the Prospectus Regulation, (i) the Placing Shares to be acquired by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any member state of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Regulation other than Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the Joint Brokers and the Company has been given to the offer or resale; or (ii) where Placing Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any member state of the EEA other than Qualified Investors, the offer of those Placing Shares to it is not treated under the Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such persons;
7. that neither it nor, as the case may be, its clients expect the Joint Brokers to have any duties or responsibilities to such persons similar or comparable to the duties of "best execution" and "suitability" imposed by the FCA's Conduct of Business Source Book, and that the Joint Brokers are not acting for it or its clients, and that the Joint Brokers will not be responsible for providing the protections afforded to customers of the Joint Brokers or for providing advice in respect of the transactions described herein;
8. that it has made its own assessment of the Placing Shares and has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing and none of the Joint Brokers nor the Company nor any of their respective Affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided, and will not provide, it with any material regarding the Placing Shares or the Company or any other person other than the information in this Announcement or the Publicly Available Information; nor has it requested the Joint Brokers, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such information;
9. that the only information on which it is entitled to rely on and on which it has relied in committing to subscribe for the Placing Shares is contained in this Announcement and the Publicly Available Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares and it has made its own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the terms of the Placing based on this Announcement and the Publicly Available Information;
10. that none of the Joint Brokers nor the Company nor any of their respective Affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees has made any representation or warranty to it, express or implied, with respect to the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of this Announcement or the Publicly Available Information;
11. that it and the person(s), if any, for whose account or benefit it is subscribing for the Placing Shares is not subscribing for and/or purchasing Placing Shares as a result of any "directed selling efforts" as defined in Regulation S;
12. that it and the person(s), if any, for whose account or benefit it is subscribing for the Placing Shares was given and it is not acquiring Placing Shares with a view to the offer, sale, resale, transfer, delivery or distribution, directly or indirectly, of any Placing Shares into the United States of America;
13. that it and the person(s), if any, for whose account or benefit it is subscribing for Placing Shares is, and at the time it subscribes for the Placing Shares will be either (a) outside the United States of America and acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" as defined in and pursuant to Regulation S; or (b) if in the United States of America, a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act and will have duly executed an investor letter in a form provided to it;
14. that, in relation to any Placee located in Hong Kong, it is a professional investor as defined under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571);
15. that it is not a national or resident of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or a corporation, partnership or other entity organised under the laws of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa or Japan and that it will not offer, sell, renounce, transfer or deliver, directly or indirectly, any of the Placing Shares in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or to or for the benefit of any person resident in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa or Japan and each Placee acknowledges that the relevant exemptions are not being obtained from the Securities Commission of any province of Canada, that no document has been or will be lodged with, filed with or registered by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or Japanese Ministry of Finance and that the Placing Shares are not being offered for sale and may not be, directly or indirectly, offered, sold, transferred or delivered in or into Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic South Africa or Japan;
16. that it does not have a registered address in, and is not a citizen, resident or national of, any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make or accept an offer of the Placing Shares and it is not acting on a non-discretionary basis for any such person;
17. that it has not, directly or indirectly, distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise transmitted, and will not, directly or indirectly, distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit, any presentation or offering materials concerning the Placing or the Placing Shares to any persons within the United States of America;
18. that it (and any person acting on its behalf) will make payment for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as the Joint Brokers may in their discretion determine and without liability to such Placee;
19. that it is entitled to subscribe for and/or purchase Placing Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to it and that it has fully observed such laws and obtained all governmental and other consents which may be required thereunder or otherwise and complied with all necessary formalities and that it has not taken any action which will or may result in the Company or the Joint Brokers or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents acting in breach of any regulatory or legal requirements of any territory in connection with the Placing or its acceptance;
20. that it has obtained all necessary consents and authorities to enable it to give its commitment to subscribe for and/or purchase the Placing Shares and to perform its subscription and/or purchase obligations;
21. that where it is acquiring Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it is authorised in writing by each managed account: (a) to acquire the Placing Shares for each managed account; (b) to make on its behalf the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements in this Appendix and this Announcement of which it forms part; and (c) to receive on its behalf any investment letter relating to the Placing in the form provided to it by the Joint Brokers;
22. that it is either: (a) a person of a kind described in paragraph 5 of Article 19 (persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments and who are investment professionals) of the Order; or (b) a person of a kind described in paragraph 2 of Article 49 (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, partnerships or trusts or their respective directors, officers or employees) of the Order; or (c) a person to whom it is otherwise lawful for this Announcement to be communicated and in the case of (a) and (b) undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;
23. that, unless otherwise agreed by the Joint Brokers, it is a qualified investor (as defined in section 86(7) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA"));
24. that, unless otherwise agreed by the Joint Brokers, it is a "professional client" or an "eligible counterparty" within the meaning of Chapter 3 of the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook and it is purchasing Placing Shares for investment only and not with a view to resale or distribution;
25. it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person;
26. that any money held in an account with the relevant Joint Brokers (or its nominee) on its behalf and/or any person acting on its behalf will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the FCA. Each Placee further acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the FCA's client money rules. As a consequence, this money will not be segregated from the relevant Joint Brokers' (or its nominee) money in accordance with such client money rules and will be used by the relevant Joint Brokers in the course of its own business and each Placee will rank only as a general creditor of the relevant Joint Brokers;
27. that it will (or will procure that its nominee will) if applicable, make notification to the Company of the interest in its ordinary shares in accordance with the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules published by the FCA;
28. that it is not, and it is not acting on behalf of, a person falling within subsections (6), (7) or (8) of sections 67 or 70 respectively or subsections (2) and (3) of section 93 or subsection (1) of section 96 of the Finance Act 1986;
29. that it will not deal or cause or permit any other person to deal in all or any of the Placing Shares which it is subscribing for and/or purchasing under the Placing unless and until Admission becomes effective;
30. that it appoints irrevocably any director of the relevant Joint Broker, as its agent for the purpose of executing and delivering to the Company and/or its registrars any document on its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of the Placing Shares;
31. that, as far as it is aware it is not acting in concert (within the meaning given in The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers) with any other person in relation to the Company, save as previously disclosed to the Joint Brokers;
32. that this Announcement does not constitute a securities recommendation or financial product advice and that none of the Joint Brokers nor the Company has considered its particular objectives, financial situation and needs;
33. that it has sufficient knowledge, sophistication and experience in financial, business and investment matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks of subscribing for or purchasing the Placing Shares and is aware that it may be required to bear, and it, and any accounts for which it may be acting, are able to bear, the economic risk of, and is able to sustain, a complete loss in connection with the Placing;
34. that it will indemnify and hold the Company and the Joint Brokers and their respective Affiliates harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of or in connection with any breach of the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Appendix and further agrees that the Company and the Joint Brokers will rely on the truth and accuracy of the confirmations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings herein and, if any of the foregoing is or becomes no longer true or accurate, the Placee shall promptly notify the Joint Brokers and the Company. All confirmations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings given by the Placee, pursuant to this Announcement (including this Appendix) are given to both the Joint Brokers and the Company and will survive completion of the Placing and Admission;
35. that time shall be of the essence as regards its obligations pursuant to this Appendix;
36. that it is responsible for obtaining any legal, financial, tax and other advice that it deems necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of its obligations in accepting the terms and conditions of the Placing, and that it is not relying on the Company or the Joint Brokers to provide any legal, financial, tax or other advice to it;
37. that all dates and times in this Announcement (including this Appendix) may be subject to amendment and that the Joint Brokers shall notify it of such amendments;
38. that (i) it has complied with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993, Part VIII of FSMA and the Market Abuse Regulation, (ii) in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing, it has complied with its obligations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended),the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 and (iii) it is not a person: (a) with whom transactions are prohibited under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any economic sanction programmes administered by, or regulations promulgated by, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury; (b) named on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained by HM Treasury of the United Kingdom; or (c) subject to financial sanctions imposed pursuant to a regulation of the European Union or a regulation adopted by the United Nations (together, the "Regulations"); and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and has obtained all governmental and other consents (if any) which may be required for the purpose of, or as a consequence of, such purchase, and it will provide promptly to the Joint Brokers such evidence, if any, as to the identity or location or legal status of any person which the Joint Brokers may request from it in connection with the Placing (for the purpose of complying with such Regulations or ascertaining the nationality of any person or the jurisdiction(s) to which any person is subject or otherwise) in the form and manner requested by the Joint Brokers on the basis that any failure by it to do so may result in the number of Placing Shares that are to be subscribed for and/or purchased by it or at its direction pursuant to the Placing being reduced to such number, or to nil, as the relevant Joint Broker may decide in its absolute discretion;
39. that it will not make any offer to the public of those Placing Shares to be subscribed for and/or purchased by it for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation Rules made by the FCA pursuant to Prospectus Regulation Rules Instrument 2019 (FCA 2019/80);
40. that, in relation to any Placees located in Australia, it is a "wholesale investor" being a sophisticated or experienced investor meeting the criteria in sections 708(8) or (10) of the Corporations Act 2001 (the "Corporations Act") or a "professional investor" (as defined in the Corporations Act) or does not otherwise require disclosure pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the Placing Shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act;
41. that it is not acquiring the Placing Shares for the purposes of selling or transferring them, or granting, issuing or transferring interests in, or options or warrants over, them, within Australia within the period of 12 months after the date of allotment except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act;
42. that, in relation to any Placees located in Switzerland, it is a professional investor as defined under FINSA;
43. that, in relation to any Placee located in Israel, it is a person who is listed in the first schedule of the Israeli Securities Law - 1968;
44. that it will not distribute any document relating to the Placing Shares and it will be acquiring the Placing Shares for its own account as principal or for a discretionary account or accounts (as to which it has the authority to make the statements set out herein) for investment purposes only and it does not have any contract, understanding or arrangement with any person to sell, pledge, transfer or grant a participation therein to such person or any third person with respect of any Placing Shares; save that if it is a private client stockbroker or fund manager it confirms that in purchasing the Placing Shares it is acting under the terms of one or more discretionary mandates granted to it by private clients and it is not acting on an execution only basis or under specific instructions to purchase the Placing Shares for the account of any third party;
45. that it acknowledges that these terms and conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any such contract, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company or the Joint Brokers in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which its assets are located or any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange;
46. that any documents sent to Placees will be sent at the Placees' risk. They may be sent by post to such Placees at an address notified to the Joint Brokers;
47. that neither Joint Brokers nor the Company owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement;
48. that the Joint Brokers or any of their respective Affiliates may, at their absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the Placing Shares;
49. that no prospectus, admission document or other offering document has been or will be prepared in connection with the Placing and it has not received and will not receive a prospectus, admission document or other offering document in connection with the Placing or the Placing Shares;
50. that if it has received any confidential price sensitive information concerning the Company in advance of the publication of this Announcement, it has not: (i) dealt in the securities of the Company; (ii) encouraged, required, recommended or induced another person to deal in the securities of the Company; or (iii) disclosed such information to any person, prior to such information being made publicly available;
The Company, the Joint Brokers and their respective Affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of each of the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings which are given to the Joint Brokers (for their own benefit and, where relevant, the benefit of any person acting on their behalf) and are irrevocable.
The provisions of this Appendix may be waived, varied or modified as regards specific Placees or on a general basis by the Joint Brokers.
The agreement to settle a Placee's subscription and/or purchase (and/or the subscription of a person for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax depends on the settlement relating only to a subscription by it and/or such person direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement assumes that the Placing Shares are not being subscribed for in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other subsequent dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax may be payable, for which neither the Company nor either of the Joint Brokers will be responsible, and the Placee to whom (or on behalf of whom, or in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax undertakes to pay such UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax forthwith and to indemnify on an after-tax basis and to hold harmless the Company and the Joint Brokers in the event that any of the Company and/or the Joint Brokers have incurred any such liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its own advice and notify the Joint Brokers accordingly.
In addition, Placees should note that they will be liable for any stamp duty and all other stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) payable outside the UK by them or any other person on the subscription or purchase by them of any Placing Shares or the agreement by them to subscribe for or purchase any Placing Shares.
This Announcement has been issued by, and is the sole responsibility, of the Company. No representation or warranty express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by the Joint Brokers or by any of its Affiliates or agents as to or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.
No statement in the Placing Documents is intended to be a profit forecast or estimate, and no statement in the Placing Documents should be interpreted to mean that earnings per share of the Company for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per share of the Company.
The Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than the London Stock Exchange.
Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks on the Company's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, the Placing Documents.
Pursuant to the General Data Protection Regulation as implemented in the UK by the Data Protection Act 2018 ("GDPR") the Company and/or the Joint Brokers may hold personal data (as defined in the GDPR) relating to past and present shareholders. Personal data may be retained on record for a period exceeding six years after it is no longer used. The Company and/or the Joint Brokers will only process such information for the purposes set out below (collectively, the "Purposes"), being to: (a) process its personal data to the extent and in such manner as is necessary for the performance of their obligations under the contractual arrangements between them, including as required by or in connection with its holding of Ordinary Shares, including processing personal data in connection with credit and money laundering checks on it; (b) communicate with it as necessary in connection with its affairs and generally in connection with its holding of Ordinary Shares; (c) provide personal data to such third parties as the Company and/or the Joint Brokers may consider necessary in connection with its affairs and generally in connection with its holding of Ordinary Shares or as the GDPR may require, including to third parties outside the EEA; and (d) without limitation, provide such personal data to their respective affiliates for processing, notwithstanding that any such party may be outside the EEA; and (e) process its personal data for the Company's and/or the Joint Brokers' internal administration.
By becoming registered as a holder of Placing Shares, each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the processing by the Company and/or the Joint Brokers of any personal data relating to it in the manner described above is undertaken for the purposes of: (a) performance of the contractual arrangements between them; and (b) to comply with applicable legal obligations. In providing the Company and/or the Joint Brokers with information, it hereby represents and warrants to each of them that it has notified any data subject of the processing of their personal data (including the details set out above) by the Company and/or the Joint Brokers and their respective affiliates and group companies, in relation to the holding of, and using, their personal data for the Purposes. Any individual whose personal information is held or processed by a data controller: (a) has the right to ask for a copy of their personal information held; (b) to ask for any inaccuracies to be corrected or for their personal information to be erased; (c) object to the ways in which their information is used, and ask for their information to stop being used or otherwise restricted; and (d) ask for their personal information to be sent to them or to a third party (as permitted by law). A data subject seeking to enforce these rights should contact the relevant data controller. Individuals also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office about how their personal information has been handled.
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