
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 August 2025
Ocean Wilsons Holdings Limited
("Ocean Wilsons" or the "Company")
Response to Arnhold LLC's letter to shareholders
Ocean Wilsons acknowledges the open letter dated 25 August 2025 addressed to its shareholders that was published by Arnhold LLC on 26 August 2026 (the "Open Letter"). The Company welcomes feedback from all shareholders and continues to engage extensively with them as has long been its practice. The Open Letter was published following substantial private engagement by Ocean Wilsons with Arnhold LLC, and the topics raised in the letter were discussed at length as part of this engagement. Given the public nature of the Open Letter, the Ocean Wilsons Independent Committee wishes to respond in a similar manner in order to address and correct a number of misleading and inaccurate statements made by Arnhold LLC relating to the proposed combination between Ocean Wilsons and Hansa Investment Company Limited ("Hansa") (the "Combination").
The Company's response to the Open Letter is published on its website and can be accessed via this link: https://www.oceanwilsons.bm/investors/proposed-all-share-combination-hansa-investment-company-limited-and-ocean-wilsons
In addition to the Company's response to the Open letter, shareholders can also access via the link above the Combination FAQs, the Combination presentation as well as the key documents pertaining to the Combination such as the Scheme Document and Form of Proxy.
ENDS
About Ocean Wilsons
Ocean Wilsons is a Bermuda investment holding company listed on both the London Stock Exchange and the Bermuda Stock Exchange. Ocean Wilsons' active business comprises Ocean Wilsons (Investments) Limited, an entity that holds an actively managed diversified portfolio of international investments.
LEI: 213800U1K395G8PK4I21
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Ocean Wilsons Holdings Limited Leslie Rans | +1 (441) 295 1309 |
| |
Peel Hunt LLP - Financial adviser and broker to Ocean Wilsons Ed Allsopp Charles Batten Tom Graham | +44 (0) 20 7418 8900 |
| |
FTI Consulting - PR adviser to Ocean Wilsons Ed Berry Alex Le May Alexander Davis | +44 (0) 20 3727 1000 oceanwilsons@fticonsulting.com
|
Important Notices
Peel Hunt LLP ("Peel Hunt"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is
acting exclusively as financial adviser and broker to Ocean Wilsons and for no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to any person other than Ocean Wilsons for providing the protections afforded to clients of Peel Hunt, nor for providing advice in relation to the matters referred to herein. Neither Peel Hunt nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Peel Hunt in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement, or otherwise.
Further Information
This announcement is for information purposes only. It is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Combination or otherwise nor will there be any sale, issuance, exchange or transfer of securities of Hansa or Ocean Wilsons pursuant to the Combination or otherwise in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.
The Combination will be implemented solely pursuant to the terms of Scheme Document sent to Ocean Wilsons shareholders in connection with the Scheme, which, together with the form of proxy or form of direction (as applicable) contained therein, will contain the full terms and conditions of the Combination including details of how to vote in respect of the Combination. Any decision by Ocean Wilsons shareholders in respect of, or other response to, the Combination (including any vote in respect of the resolution to approve the Scheme), should be made only on the basis of the information contained in the Scheme Document and the prospectus published by Hansa in connection with the Combination.
This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with Bermudian and English law, the Market Abuse Regulation and the UK Listing Rules and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom and Bermuda.
The Combination will be subject to the applicable requirements of the London Stock Exchange, the Bermuda Stock Exchange and the FCA.
This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus exemption document for the purposes of Article 1(4) or (5) of the UK Prospectus Regulation.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement (including information incorporated by reference into this announcement), statements made regarding the Combination, and other information to be published by Ocean Wilsons, may include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes", "estimates", "plans", "projects", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statements reflect Ocean Wilsons' current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks relating to future events and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to Ocean Wilsons' businesses, results of operations, financial position, liquidity, prospects, growth and strategies. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made.
Neither Ocean Wilsons, nor any of its associates or directors, officers or advisers, provides any representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements in this announcement will actually occur. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place any reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Other than in accordance with their legal or regulatory obligations, Ocean Wilsons is under no obligation, and Ocean Wilsons expressly disclaim any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
A non-exclusive list of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements includes: (a) changes in the global political, economic, business and competitive environments and in market and regulatory forces; (b) changes in future exchange and interest rates; (c) changes in tax rates; (d) future business combinations or disposals; (e) changes in general economic and business conditions; (f) changes in the behaviour of other market participants; (g) weak, volatile or illiquid capital and/or credit markets; and (h) changes in laws or in supervisory expectations or requirements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected in the forward-looking statements. If any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialises or if any one or more of the assumptions proves incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in the light of such factors.
Additionally, the Combination is subject to risks and uncertainties, including: (i) Hansa and Ocean Wilsons may be unable to complete the Combination because, among other reasons, conditions to completion may not be satisfied or waived, or either party may be entitled to terminate the Combination; (ii) uncertainty as to the timing of Completion; (iii) the ability to obtain approval of the Combination by Ocean Wilsons shareholders or of the Hansa resolutions by Hansa shareholders; (iv) uncertainty as to the long-term value of the new Hansa shares to be issued to Ocean Wilsons shareholders in connection with the Combination; (v) the ability of the Independent Committees of each of Ocean Wilsons and Hansa to withdraw their respective recommendations relating to the Combination; and (vi) the outcome of any legal proceedings to the extent initiated against Hansa, Ocean Wilsons and others relating to the Combination, as well as the responses of Hansa and Ocean Wilsons to any of the aforementioned factors.
Neither Ocean Wilsons nor Hansa undertakes any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
No profit forecasts or estimates
No statement in this announcement (including any statement of estimated costs savings or synergies) is intended as a profit forecast or estimate for any period and no statement in this announcement should be intended to mean that earnings, earnings per share, net asset value or net asset value per share for Ocean Wilsons or the Combined Group, as appropriate, for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings, earnings per share, net asset value or net asset value per share for Ocean Wilsons or Hansa, as appropriate.
RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.