Baijiayun Group Ltd 6-K/A, filed May 17, 2024
Baijiayun Group Ltd (RTCJF)
6-K/A
2024-05-17
For: 2024-05-17
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Added on
August 22, 2026
About this 6-K/A
Baijiayun Group Ltd filed this 6-K/A on May 17, 2024.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 6-K/A
(Amendment no.1)
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of May 2024
Commission File No. 001-33176
Baijiayun Group Ltd
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road
Yuhuatai District, Nanjing
People’s Republic of China
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Baijiayun Group Ltd (the “Company”) is filing this Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Report on Form 6-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, 2024 (the “Original 6-K”), to amend and restate the notice of annual general meeting of shareholders and proxy statement of the Company (the “Original AGM Notice and Proxy Statement”), which was filed as exhibit 99.1 to the Original 6-K. The amended and restated notice of annual general meeting of shareholders and proxy statement revised the proposal 3 in the Original AGM Notice and Proxy Statement by separating it into two proposals, so that the proposed share consolidation may be effected from the first business day immediately following the date on which the share consolidation is approved by the shareholders of the Company.
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| Exhibit 99.1 | Amended and Restated Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement of Baijiayun Group Ltd |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Baijiayun Group Ltd | ||
| By: | /s/ Fangfei Liu | |
| Name: | Fangfei Liu | |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
Dated: May 17, 2024
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Exhibit 99.1
BAIJIAYUN GROUP LTD
24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road
Yuhuatai District, Nanjing
People’s Republic of China
| May 17, 2024 |
Dear Shareholders:
You are cordially invited to attend the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “2024 Annual General Meeting”) of Baijiayun Group Ltd to be held at 24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road, Yuhuatai District, Nanjing, China on May 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing Time). The matters to be acted upon at the 2024 Annual General Meeting are set forth and described in the amended and restated notice of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of shareholders and proxy statement which are attached hereto. We request that you read all of them carefully.
We hope that you will attend the 2024 Annual General Meeting. Whether or not you expect to attend the 2024 Annual General Meeting in person, we urge you to sign, date and return the enclosed Proxy Card in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope (if mailed in the United States) as promptly as possible in accordance with the instructions printed on it, not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for holding the 2024 Annual General Meeting or adjourned 2024 Annual General Meeting in accordance with the third amended and restated memorandum of association and second amended and restated articles of association. You may, of course, attend the 2024 Annual General Meeting and vote in person even if you have signed and returned your Proxy Card to us.
| Sincerely, | |
| /s/ Yi Ma | |
| Yi Ma | |
| Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company | |
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU VOTE, SIGN AND RETURN
THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
BAIJIAYUN GROUP LTD
24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road
Yuhuatai District, Nanjing
People’s Republic of China
AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTICE OF 2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON May 29, 2024
To the Shareholders of Baijiayun Group Ltd:
AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “2024 Annual General Meeting”) of Baijiayun Group Ltd (“Baijiayun” or the “Company”) will be held at 24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road, Yuhuatai District, Nanjing, China on May 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing Time), to consider and act upon the following matters:
| 1. | as an ordinary resolution, to elect each of Ms. Qiong Ni and Ms. Xin Zhang as a director of the Company in accordance with the third amended and restated memorandum of association and second amended and restated articles of association (the “Existing M&AA “) of the Company; |
| 2. | as an ordinary resolution, to approve and ratify the appointment of Shandong Haoxin Certified Public Accountants Co., Ltd. (“Shandong Haoxin”) as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 and to authorize the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company to fix its remuneration; |
| 3 | as an ordinary resolution, to: |
| (a) | approve a share consideration (the “Share Consolidation”) with effect from the first business day immediately following the date on which this resolution is passed, whereby: |
| (i) | every five (5) issued and unissued class A ordinary shares of the Company of a nominal or par value of US$0.519008 each be consolidated into one (1) class A ordinary share of US$2.59504 par value each (each a “Consolidated Class A Ordinary Shares”), such Class A Consolidated Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu in all respects with each other; |
| (ii) | every five (5) issued and unissued class B ordinary shares of the Company of a nominal or par value of US$0.519008 each be consolidated into one (1) class B ordinary share of US$2.59504 par value each (each a “Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares”), such Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu in all respects with each other, so that following the Share Consolidation the authorized share capital of the Company will be changed from US$2,231,734,400 divided into 4,300,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.519008 each comprising (a) 2,000,000,000 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.519008 each and (b) 2,300,000,000 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.519008 each, to US$2,231,734,400 divided into 860,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$2.59504 each comprising (a) 400,000,000 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$2.59504 each and (b) 460,000,000 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$2.59504 each; |
| (b) | upon the Share Consolidation becoming effective, any fractional shares resulting from the Share Consolidation be rounded up such that each shareholder will be entitled to receive one Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share or one Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share in lieu of the fractional share that would have resulted from the Share Consolidation and that the Company satisfy from any lawfully available reserves the par value of such fractional shares required to be issued to make up a whole Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share of par value of US$2.59504 each or a whole Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share of par value of US$2.59504 each (as the case may be); and |
| (c) | the directors be and are hereby authorized to do all such acts and things and execute all such documents, which are ancillary to the Share Consolidation and of administrative nature, on behalf of the Company, including under seal where applicable, as they may consider necessary or expedient to give effect to the Share Consolidation. |
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| 4 | as a special resolution, to approve a capital reduction (the “Capital Reduction”) and the change of authorized share capital (collectively, the “Capital Reorganization”), subject to and conditional upon (i) an order being made by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (“Court”) confirming the Capital Reduction (as defined below) (if applicable); (ii) compliance with any condition which the Court may impose in relation to the Capital Reduction (if applicable); (iii) registration by the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands of a copy of the order of the Court confirming the Capital Reduction (if applicable) and the minute containing the particulars required under the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands in respect of the Capital Reduction, in the following manner: |
| (a) | (i) any fractional Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share and fractional Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share in the issued share capital of the Company arising from the Share Consolidation will be cancelled and (ii) the par value of (A) each issued Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share be reduced from US$2.59504 to US$0.0001 by cancelling the paid up share capital to the extent of US$2.59494 per issued Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share by way of a reduction of capital and (B) each issued Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share be reduced from US$2.59504 to US$0.0001 by cancelling the paid up share capital to the extent of US$2.59494 per issued Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share by way of a reduction of capital, so as to form new issued class A ordinary share(s) with par value of US$0.0001 each (“New Class A Ordinary Share(s)”) and new issued class B ordinary share(s) with par value of US$0.0001 each (“New Class B Ordinary Share(s)”) immediately following the Capital Reduction becoming effective; |
| (b) | the credit arising from the Capital Reduction be applied towards offsetting the accumulated losses (if any) of the Company as at the effective date of the Capital Reduction, and the balance (if any) will be transferred to a distributable reserve account of the Company which may be utilized by the directors as a distributable reserve in accordance with the articles of association of the Company and all applicable laws and rules including, without limitation, eliminating or setting off the accumulated losses of the Company which may arise from time to time and/or paying dividends and/or making any other distribution out of such account from time to time and all actions in relation thereto be approved, ratified and confirmed; |
| (c) | immediately following the Capital Reduction becoming effective, the authorized but unissued share capital of the Company be diminished by US$2,186,221,148.23 by the cancellation of the 388,419,136 authorized but unissued Consolidated Class A Ordinary Shares with par value of US$2.59504 each, and 454,042,309 authorized but unissued Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares with par value of US$2.59504 each in the capital of the Company (the “Diminution”); and |
| (d) | immediately following the Diminution, the authorized share capital of the Company will be increased from US$1,753.8555 divided into 17,538,555 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each comprising (a) 11,580,864 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and (b) 5,957,691 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each, to US$86,000 divided into 860,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each comprising (a) 400,000,000 New Class A Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and (b) 460,000,000 New Class B Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each, by creation of 388,419,136 New Class A Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and 454,042,309 New Class B Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each (the “Increase”). |
| 5 | as a special resolution, to approve the adoption of the fourth amended and restated memorandum of association and third amended and restated articles of association (“Amended and Restated M&AA”), which is attached as Annex A to the proxy statement accompanying this notice, in substitution for and to the exclusion of the Existing M&AA of the Company, with effect upon the Capital Reorganization taking effect, which, among others, reflects the authorized share capital of the Company after the Capital Reorganization and other changes; and |
| 6 | to transact such other business which may properly come before the 2024 Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof. |
Information regarding the matters to be acted upon at the 2024 Annual General Meeting is contained in the accompanying proxy statement. This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board.
The close of business on April 29, 2024 has been fixed as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive the notice of and vote at the 2024 Annual General Meeting or any adjournments thereof (the “Record Date”).
All shareholders registered on the register of members of the Company on the Record Date are cordially invited to attend the 2024 Annual General Meeting. Whether or not you expect to attend, you are respectfully requested by the Board to sign, date and return the enclosed proxy promptly. Shareholders who execute proxies retain the right to revoke them at any time prior to the voting thereof. A return envelope which requires no postage if mailed within the United States is enclosed for your convenience.
The amended and restated notice of the 2024 Annual General Meeting, proxy statement, and form of proxy will first be mailed to shareholders on or about May 17, 2024.
| By Order of the Board of Directors, | |
| /s/ Yi Ma | |
| Yi Ma | |
| Chairman of the Board | |
| May 17, 2024 |
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VOTING SECURITIES
Only holders of ordinary shares (the “Shares”) of the Company of record at the close of business on April 29, 2024, are entitled to attend and vote at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. On the Record Date, the Company had (1) 57,904,261 Class A ordinary shares and (2) 29,788,452 Class B ordinary shares, issued and outstanding and entitled to vote. For purposes of voting at the 2024 Annual General Meeting, each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one (1) vote, and each Class B ordinary share is entitled to fifteen (15) votes, upon all matters to be acted upon at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. Two shareholders entitled to vote and present at the 2024 Annual General Meeting in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a corporate shareholder, by its duly authorized representative) representing not less than 33 1/3% of the total outstanding voting shares in the Company shall constitute a quorum at the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
The affirmative vote of a simple majority of the shareholders present and entitled to vote at the 2024 Annual General Meeting is required to approve the election of directors and the approval and ratification of the appointment of Shandong Haoxin as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 and the Share Consolidation as set out in the amended and restated notice of the 2024 Annual General Meeting. The affirmative vote of a majority of no less than two-thirds of the shareholders present and entitled to vote at the 2024 Annual General Meeting is required to approve the Capital Reorganization and the adoption of the Amended and Restated M&AA.
Any Shares not voted (whether by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise) in respect to any matter are not considered as votes cast.
PROPOSAL 1
AS AN ORDINARY RESOLUTION, TO APPROVE THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Under the Company’s Existing M&AA, the Board shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a director to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board. Any director so appointed by the Board shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for re-election. The Board approved the appointment of each of Ms. Qiong Ni and Ms. Xin Zhang to serve as a director of the Company, effective from January 22, 2024. As such, the Board has recommended Ms. Qiong Ni and Ms. Xin Zhang for election at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. There are no other directors required to be elected under the aforesaid article at the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
Upon the election, each of Ms. Qiong Ni and Ms. Xin Zhang will serve as a director of the Company until such director’s resignation, disqualification, or removal from office pursuant to the terms of such director’s service agreement with the Company and the Existing M&AA, or until her successor is elected in accordance with the Company’s Existing M&AA.
DIRECTORS
The directors of the Company are currently as follows:
| Name | Age | |
| Mr. Yi Ma (1) (2) | 46 | |
| Ms. Qiong Ni (1) | 44 | |
| Ms. Xin Zhang (2) | 35 | |
| Mr. Chun Liu (3) | 57 | |
| Mr. Erlu Lin (3) | 41 |
(1) Member of the Compensation Committee.
(2) Member of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.
(3) Member of the Audit Committee.
Information about Directors
Set forth below is certain information with respect to Ms. Qiong Ni and Ms. Xin Zhang.
Ms. Qiong Ni has served as our director since January 2024. She has also been the general manager of JiaJia Holdings Co., Ltd. since March 2017, where she is mainly responsible for coordinating the investment and holding management and leading the operations and development at the headquarters level. Ms. Ni received her bachelor’s degree in environmental art and design from Donghua University in June 2003.
Ms. Xin Zhang has served as our director since January 2024. She joined the Company in July 2017 and has served as the secretary of the Board since January 2020. She is responsible for organizing and coordinating the Company’s information disclosure, strengthening communications and coordination with the capital markets, and formulating affairs management policies. Before joining Baijiayun, Ms. Zhang worked at the human resources department of Gaotu Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GOTU, formerly known as GSX Techedu Inc.) from September 2014 to May 2017, and served as the assistant to chief technology officer of Baidu Inc. (HKEx: 9888) from July 2011 to August 2014. Ms. Zhang received her bachelor’s degree in network engineering from Dalian Minzu University in June 2011.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF THE ABOVE NOMINEES AS DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY.
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PROPOSAL 2
AS AN ORDINARY RESOLUTION, TO APPROVE AND RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Effective from October 31, 2023, the Company appointed Shandong Haoxin as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, to replace MaloneBailey, LLP. The appointment of Shandong Haoxin was made after a careful and thorough evaluation process, and was approved by the Board and the Audit Committee.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AND RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF SHANDONG HAOXIN CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS CO., LTD. AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD TO FIX ITS REMUNERATION.
PROPOSAL 3
AS AN ORDINARY RESOLUTION, TO APPROVE THE SHARE CONSOLIDATION
The Board approved, and directed that there be submitted to the shareholders of the Company for approval, as an ordinary resolution, to:
| (a) | approve a share consideration (the “Share Consolidation”) with effect from the first business day immediately following the date on which this resolution is passed, whereby: |
| (i) | every five (5) issued and unissued class A ordinary shares of the Company of a nominal or par value of US$0.519008 each be consolidated into one (1) class A ordinary share of US$2.59504 par value each (each a “Consolidated Class A Ordinary Shares”), such Class A Consolidated Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu in all respects with each other; |
| (ii) | every five (5) issued and unissued class B ordinary shares of the Company of a nominal or par value of US$0.519008 each be consolidated into one (1) class B ordinary share of US$2.59504 par value each (each a “Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares”), such Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu in all respects with each other, so that following the Share Consolidation the authorized share capital of the Company will be changed from US$2,231,734,400 divided into 4,300,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.519008 each comprising (a) 2,000,000,000 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.519008 each and (b) 2,300,000,000 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.519008 each, to US$2,231,734,400 divided into 860,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$2.59504 each comprising (a) 400,000,000 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$2.59504 each and (b) 460,000,000 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$2.59504 each; |
| (b) | upon the Share Consolidation becoming effective, any fractional shares resulting from the Share Consolidation be rounded up such that each shareholder will be entitled to receive one Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share or one Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share in lieu of the fractional share that would have resulted from the Share Consolidation and that the Company satisfy from any lawfully available reserves the par value of such fractional shares required to be issued to make up a whole Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share of par value of US$2.59504 each or a whole Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share of par value of US$2.59504 each (as the case may be); and |
| (c) | the directors be and are hereby authorized to do all such acts and things and execute all such documents, which are ancillary to the Share Consolidation and of administrative nature, on behalf of the Company, including under seal where applicable, as they may consider necessary or expedient to give effect to the Share Consolidation. |
The Board believes that the adoption of the Share Consolidation is prudent for the Company to remain in compliance with the continued listing requirement of Nasdaq.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE SHARE CONSOLIDATION.
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PROPOSAL 4
AS A SPECIAL RESOLUTION, TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL REORGANIZATION
The Board approved, and directed that there be submitted to the shareholders of the Company for approval, as a special resolution, a capital reduction (the “Capital Reduction”) and the change of authorized share capital (collectively, the “Capital Reorganization”), subject to and conditional upon (i) an order being made by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (“Court”) confirming the Capital Reduction (as defined below) (if applicable); (ii) compliance with any condition which the Court may impose in relation to the Capital Reduction (if applicable); (iii) registration by the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands of a copy of the order of the Court confirming the Capital Reduction (if applicable) and the minute containing the particulars required under the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands in respect of the Capital Reduction, in the following manner:
| (a) | (i) any fractional Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share and fractional Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share in the issued share capital of the Company arising from the Share Consolidation will be cancelled and (ii) the par value of (A) each issued Consolidated Class A Ordinary Shares be reduced from US$2.59504 to US$0.0001 by cancelling the paid up share capital to the extent of US$2.59494 per issued Consolidated Class A Ordinary Share by way of a reduction of capital and (B) each issued Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares be reduced from US$2.59504 to US$0.0001 by cancelling the paid up share capital to the extent of US$2.59494 per issued Consolidated Class B Ordinary Share by way of a reduction of capital, so as to form new issued class A ordinary share(s) with par value of US$0.0001 each (“New Class A Ordinary Share(s)”) and new issued class B ordinary share(s) with par value of US$0.0001 each (“New Class B Ordinary Share(s)”) immediately following the Capital Reduction becoming effective; |
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| (b) | the credit arising from the Capital Reduction be applied towards offsetting the accumulated losses (if any) of the Company as at the effective date of the Capital Reduction, and the balance (if any) will be transferred to a distributable reserve account of the Company which may be utilized by the directors as a distributable reserve in accordance with the articles of association of the Company and all applicable laws and rules including, without limitation, eliminating or setting off the accumulated losses of the Company which may arise from time to time and/or paying dividends and/or making any other distribution out of such account from time to time and all actions in relation thereto be approved, ratified and confirmed; |
| (c) | immediately following the Capital Reduction becoming effective, the authorized but unissued share capital of the Company be diminished by US$2,186,221,148.23 by the cancellation of the 388,419,136 authorized but unissued Consolidated Class A Ordinary Shares with par value of US$2.59504 each, and 454,042,309 authorized but unissued Consolidated Class B Ordinary Shares with par value of US$2.59504 each in the capital of the Company (the “Diminution”); and |
| (d) | immediately following the Diminution, the authorized share capital of the Company will be increased from US$1,753.8555 divided into 17,538,555 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each comprising (a) 11,580,864 class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and (b) 5,957,691 class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each, to US$86,000 divided into 860,000,000 ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each comprising (a) 400,000,000 New Class A Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and (b) 460,000,000 New Class B Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each, by creation of 388,419,136 New Class A Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each and 454,042,309 New Class B Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each (the “Increase”). |
The Board believes that the adoption of the Capital Reorganization is prudent because reducing the par value of the Shares provides the Company with more flexibility to employ various financing and transaction strategies involving the issuance of equity securities.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE CAPITAL REORGANIZATION.
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PROPOSAL 5
AS A SPECIAL RESOLUTION, TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AND RESTATED M&AA
In connection with the Capital Reorganization, and certain other changes, the Board of the Company approved, and directed that there be submitted to the shareholders of the Company for approval, the adoption of the fourth amended and restated memorandum of association and third amended and restated articles of association (“Amended and Restated M&AA”), in substitution for and to the exclusion of the Existing M&AA of the Company, with effect upon the Capital Reorganization taking effect.
The text of the Amended and Restated M&AA, which also shows the proposed changes against the Existing M&AA, is set forth in Annex A to this proxy statement and is incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.
If the proposal is approved by our shareholders, the Company’s registered office provider will file the Amended and Restated M&AA with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AND RESTATED M&AA.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for certain forward-looking statements made in the Company’s disclosures to the public. Any such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this proxy statement. When used herein, the word “estimate,” “project,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “believe,” “plan,” and similar expression are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
GENERAL
The Company will bear the cost of preparing, printing, assembling and mailing the proxy, proxy statement and other material which may be sent to shareholders in connection with this solicitation. It is contemplated that brokerage houses will forward the proxy materials to beneficial owners at the Company’s request. In addition to the solicitation of proxies by use of the mails, officers and regular employees of the Company may solicit proxies without additional compensation, by telephone or telegraph. The Company has engaged Equiniti Trust Company, LLC to assist in the distribution of proxy solicitation materials and the solicitation of votes. Other than reimbursement of certain out-of-pocket expenses, there is no additional fee for its service to distribute proxy solicitation materials and the solicitation of votes. The Company may reimburse brokers or other persons holding Shares in their names or the names of their nominees for the expenses of forwarding soliciting material to their principals and obtaining their proxies.
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AVAILABILITY OF FORM 20-F
The Company is providing without charge to each person solicited by this proxy statement a copy of its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, but excluding the exhibits to its Annual Report. The Annual Report includes a list of exhibits filed within, and the Company will furnish a copy of any such exhibit to any person who requests it upon the payment of the Company’s reasonable expenses in providing the requested exhibit.
IMPORTANT
NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE 2024
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON May 29, 2024
The proxy statement, annual report to shareholders and related materials are available on the Company’s website https://investor.baijiayun.com/.
OTHER MATTERS
The management of the Company does not know of any matters other than those stated in this proxy statement that are to be presented for action at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. If any other matters should properly come before the 2024 Annual General Meeting, it is intended that proxies in the accompanying form will be voted on any such other matters in accordance with the judgment of the persons voting such proxies. Discretionary authority to vote on such matters is conferred by such proxies upon the persons voting them.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
The Company files annual and current reports on Forms 20-F and 6-K, respectively, and other documents with the SEC under the Exchange Act. The Company’s SEC filings made electronically through the SEC’s EDGAR system are available to the public at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
| By Order of the Board, | |
| /s/ Yi Ma | |
| Yi Ma | |
| Chairman of the Board | |
| May 17, 2024 |
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Annex A
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS REVISED)
EXEMPTED COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
THE THIRD
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
Baijiayun Group Ltd
百家云集团有限公司
(Adopted by way of a special resolution passed
on and effective on
) September 24, 2022 and effective on December 23, 2022)
| 1. | The name of the Company is Baijiayun Group Ltd and its dual foreign name is 百家云集团有限公司. |
| 2. | The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Conyers Trust Company (Cayman) Limited, Cricket Square, Hutchins Drive, P.O. Box 2681, Grand Cayman, KY1-1111, Cayman Islands. |
| 3. | Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted. |
| 4. | Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit, as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies Act (As Revised). |
| 5. | Nothing in this Memorandum shall permit the Company to carry on a business for which a licence is required under the laws of the Cayman Islands unless duly licensed. |
| 6. | The Company shall not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the Cayman Islands; provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as to prevent the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands. |
| 7. | The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such member’s shares. |
| 8. | The authorized share capital of the Company is US$ |
| 9. | The Company may exercise the power contained in the Companies Act (as amended) to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in another jurisdiction. |
The Companies Act (As Amended)
Exempted Company Limited by Shares
THE SECOND
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
Baijiayun Group Ltd
百家云集团有限公司
(Adopted by way of a special resolution passed
on [*] September
24, 2022 and effective on December 23, 2022[*] )
INDEX
| SUBJECT | Article No. |
| Table A | 1 |
| Interpretation | 2 |
| Share Capital | 3 |
| Alteration Of Capital | 4-7 |
| Share Rights | 8-9 |
| Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares | 10-14 |
| Variation Of Rights | 15-17 |
| Shares | 18-21 |
| Share Certificates | 22-28 |
| Lien | 29-31 |
| Calls On Shares | 32-40 |
| Forfeiture Of Shares | 41-49 |
| Register Of Members | 50-51 |
| Record Dates | 52 |
| Transfer Of Shares | 53-58 |
| Transmission Of Shares | 59-61 |
| Untraceable Members | 62 |
| General Meetings | 63-65 |
| Notice Of General Meetings | 66-67 |
| Proceedings At General Meetings | 68-72 |
| Voting | 73-84 |
| Proxies | 85-90 |
| Corporations Acting By Representatives | 91 |
| No Action By Written Resolutions Of Members | 92 |
| Board Of Directors | 93 |
| Disqualification Of Directors | 94 |
| Executive Directors | 95-96 |
| Directors’ Fees And Expenses | 97-98 |
| Directors’ Interests | 99-102 |
| General Powers Of The Directors | 103-108 |
| Borrowing Powers | 109-112 |
| Proceedings Of The Directors | 113-122 |
| Audit Committee | 123-125 |
| Officers | 126-129 |
| Register of Directors and Officers | 130 |
| Minutes | 131 |
| Seal | 132 |
| Authentication Of Documents | 133 |
| Destruction Of Documents | 134 |
| Dividends And Other Payments | 135-144 |
| Reserves | 145 |
| Capitalisation | 146-147 |
| Subscription Rights Reserve | 148 |
| Accounting Records | 149-153 |
| Audit | 154-159 |
| Notices | 160-162 |
| Signatures | 163 |
| Winding Up | 164-165 |
| Indemnity | 166 |
| Amendment To Memorandum and Articles of Association And Name of Company | 167 |
| Information | 168 |
| Financial Year | 169 |
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INTERPRETATION
TABLE A
| 1 | The regulations in Table A in the Schedule to the Companies Act (2022 Revision) do not apply to the Company. |
INTERPRETATION
| 2 | (1) | In these Articles, unless the context otherwise requires, the words standing in the first column of the following table shall bear the meaning set opposite them respectively in the second column. |
| WORD | MEANING | |
| “Affiliate” | means, with respect to a Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with such Person. In the case of a natural Person, the term “Affiliate” also includes, without limitation, such Person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, whether by blood, marriage or adoption or anyone residing in such person’s home, and the Affiliates of one or more of the foregoing individuals and/or such Person. The term “Control” shall mean the ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities or interests possessing more than fifty per cent (50%) of the voting power of the corporation, partnership or other entity, or having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or elect or cause the election of a majority of members to the board of directors or equivalent decision-making body of such corporation, partnership or other entity, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. | |
| “Audit Committee” | the audit committee of the Company formed by the Board pursuant to Article 123 hereof, or any successor audit committee. | |
| “Auditor” | the independent auditor of the Company which shall be an internationally recognized firm of independent accountants. | |
| “Articles” | these Articles in their present form or as supplemented or amended or substituted from time to time. | |
| “Board” or “Directors” or “Board of Directors” | the board of directors of the Company or the directors present at a meeting of directors of the Company at which a quorum is present. | |
| “capital” | the share capital from time to time of the Company. | |
| “class” or “classes” | any class or classes of shares as may from time to time be issued by the Company. | |
| “Class A Ordinary Share” | class A ordinary share of a par value of US$0.0001 | |
| “Class B Ordinary Share” | class B ordinary share of a par value of US$0.0001 |
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| “clear days” | in relation to the period of a notice, that period excluding the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect. | |
| “clearing house” | a clearing house recognised by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on a stock exchange or interdealer quotation system in such jurisdiction. | |
| “Closing” | has the meaning ascribed to it under the Merger Agreement between the Company and Baijiayun Limited dated July 18, 2022. | |
| “Company” | Baijiayun Group Ltd 百家云集团有限公司, formerly known as Fuwei Films (Holdings) Co., Ltd. 富維薄膜(控股)有限公司 | |
| “competent regulatory authority” | a competent regulatory authority in the territory where the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on a stock exchange or interdealer quotation system in such territory. | |
| “debenture” and “debenture holder” | include debenture stock and debenture stockholder respectively. | |
| “Designated Stock Exchange” | the Global Market, the Global Select Market or the Capital Market of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange or the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board, provided, however, that until the Shares are listed on any such “Exchange” the rules of any such Designated Stock Exchange shall be inapplicable to these Articles of Association of the Company. | |
| “dollars” and “$” | dollars, the legal currency of the United States of America. | |
| “electronic communication” | a communication sent, transmitted, conveyed and received by wire, by radio, by optical means or by other electron magnetic means in any form through any medium. | |
| “electronic meeting” | a general meeting held and conducted wholly and exclusively by virtual attendance and participation by Members and/or proxies by means of electronic facilities. |
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| “hybrid meeting” | a general meeting convened for the (i) physical attendance by Members and/or proxies at the Principal Meeting Place and where applicable, one or more Meeting Locations and (ii) virtual attendance and participation by Members and/or proxies by means of electronic facilities. | |
| “Meeting Location” | has the meaning given to it in Article 71A. | |
| “Exchange Act” | the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. | |
| “head office” | such office of the Company as the Directors may from time to time determine to be the principal office of the Company. | |
| “Act” | The Companies Act (2022 Revision) of the Cayman Islands and any statutory amendment or re-enactment thereof. | |
| “Member” | a duly registered holder from time to time of the shares in the capital of the Company. | |
| “Memorandum of Association” or “Memorandum” | the memorandum of association of the Company. | |
| “month” | a calendar month. | |
| “Notice” | written notice unless otherwise specifically stated and as further defined in these Articles. | |
| “Office” | the registered office of the Company for the time being. | |
| “ordinary resolution” | a resolution shall be an ordinary resolution when it has been passed by a simple majority of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of any Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which not less than ten (10) clear days’ Notice has been duly given; | |
| “paid up” | paid up or credited as paid up. | |
| “physical meeting” | a general meeting held and conducted by physical attendance and participation by Members and/or proxies at the Principal Meeting Place and/or where applicable, one or more Meeting Locations. | |
| “Principal Meeting Place” | shall have the meaning given to it in Article 66(2). |
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| “Register” | the principal register and where applicable, any branch register of Members of the Company to be maintained at such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as the Board shall determine from time to time. | |
| “Registration Office” | in respect of any class of share capital such place as the Board may from time to time determine to keep a branch register of Members in respect of that class of share capital and where (except in cases where the Board otherwise directs) the transfers or other documents of title for such class of share capital are to be lodged for registration and are to be registered. | |
| “SEC” | the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. | |
| “Seal” | common seal or any one or more duplicate seals of the Company (including a securities seal) for use in the Cayman Islands or in any place outside the Cayman Islands. | |
| “Secretary” | any person, firm or corporation appointed by the Board to perform any of the duties of secretary of the Company and includes any assistant, deputy, temporary or acting secretary. | |
| “special resolution” | a resolution shall be a special resolution when it has been passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of such Members as are corporations, by their respective duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which not less than ten (10) clear days’ Notice, specifying (without prejudice to the power contained in these Articles to amend the same) the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution, has been duly given. Provided that, except in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by a majority in number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at any such meeting, being a majority together holding not less than ninety-five (95) per cent. in nominal value of the shares giving that right and in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by all Members entitled to attend and vote thereat, a resolution may be proposed and passed as a special resolution at a meeting of which less than ten (10) clear days’ Notice has been given; a special resolution shall be effective for any purpose for which an ordinary resolution is expressed to be required under any provision of these Articles or the Statutes. |
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| “Statutes” | the Act and every other law of the legislature of the Cayman Islands for the time being in force applying to or affecting the Company, its Memorandum of Association and/or the Articles. | |
| “year” | a calendar year. |
| (2) | In these Articles, unless there be something within the subject or context inconsistent with such construction: |
| (a) | words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; |
| (b) | words importing a gender include both genders and the neuter; |
| (c) | words importing persons include companies, associations and bodies of persons whether corporate or not; |
| (d) | the words: |
| (i) | “may” shall be construed as permissive; |
| (ii) | “shall” or “will” shall be construed as imperative; |
| (e) | expressions referring to writing shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing words or figures in a visible form, and including where the representation takes the form of electronic display, provided that both the mode of service of the relevant document or notice and the Member’s election comply with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations; |
| (f) | references to any law, ordinance, statute or statutory provision shall be interpreted as relating to any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force; |
| (g) | save as aforesaid words and expressions defined in the Statutes shall bear the same meanings in these Articles if not inconsistent with the subject in the context; |
| (h) | references to a document (including, but without limitation, a resolution in writing) being signed or executed include references to it being signed or executed under hand or under seal or by electronic communication or by electronic signature or by any other method and references to a notice or document include a notice or document recorded or stored in any digital, electronic, electrical, magnetic or other retrievable form or medium and information in visible form whether having physical substance or not; |
| (i) | a reference to a meeting: (a) shall mean a meeting convened and held in any manner permitted by these Articles and any Member or Director attending and participating at a meeting by means of electronic facilities shall be deemed to be present at that meeting for all purposes of the Statutes and these Articles, and attend, participate, attending, participating, attendance and participation shall be construed accordingly, and (b) shall, where the context is appropriate, include a meeting that has been postponed by the Board pursuant to Article 71E; |
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| (j) | references to a person’s participation in the business of a general meeting include without limitation and as relevant the right (including, in the case of a corporation, through a duly authorised representative) to speak or communicate, vote, be represented by a proxy and have access in hard copy or electronic form to all documents which are required by the Statutes or these Articles to be made available at the meeting, and participate and participating in the business of a general meeting shall be construed accordingly; |
| (k) | references to electronic facilities include, without limitation, website addresses, webinars, webcast, video or any form of conference call systems (telephone, video, web or otherwise); and |
| (l) | where a Member is a corporation, any reference in these Articles to a Member shall, where the context requires, refer to a duly authorised representative of such Member. |
SHARE CAPITAL
| 3 | (1) | The share capital of the Company at the date on which these Articles come into effect shall be |
| (2) | Subject to the Act, the Memorandum of Association and the Articles and, where applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and/or any competent regulatory authority, any power of the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire its own shares shall be exercisable by the Board in such manner, upon such terms and subject to such conditions as it thinks fit. |
| (3) | No share shall be issued to bearer. |
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
| 4 | The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution in accordance with the Act alter the conditions of Memorandum of Association to: |
| (a) | increase its share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such amounts, as the resolution shall prescribe; |
| (b) | consolidate and divide all or any of its capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares; |
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| (c) | without prejudice to the powers of the Board under Article 18, divide its shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the holders of existing shares attach thereto respectively any preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges, conditions or such restrictions which in the absence of any such determination by the Company in general meeting, as the Directors may determine provided always that, for the avoidance of doubt, where a class of shares has been authorized by the Company no resolution of the Company in general meeting is required for the issuance of shares of that class and the Directors may issue shares of that class and determine such rights, privileges, conditions or restrictions attaching thereto as aforesaid, and further provided that where the Company issues shares which do not carry voting rights, the words “non-voting” shall appear in the designation of such shares and where the equity capital includes shares with different voting rights, the designation of each class of shares, other than those with the most favourable voting rights, must include the words “restricted voting” or “limited voting”; |
| (d) | sub-divide its shares, or any of them, into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Memorandum of Association (subject, nevertheless, to the Act), and may by such resolution determine that, as between the holders of the shares resulting from such sub-division, one or more of the shares may have any such preferred, deferred or other rights or be subject to any such restrictions as compared with the other or others as the Company has power to attach to unissued or new shares; |
| (e) | cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken, or agreed to be taken, by any person, and diminish the amount of its capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled or, in the case of shares, without par value, diminish the number of shares into which its capital is divided. |
| 5 | The Board may settle as it considers expedient any difficulty which arises in relation to any consolidation and division under the last preceding Article and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or arrange for the sale of the shares representing fractions and the distribution of the net proceeds of sale (after deduction of the expenses of such sale) in due proportion amongst the Members who would have been entitled to the fractions, and for this purpose the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares representing fractions to their purchaser or resolve that such net proceeds be paid to the Company for the Company’s benefit. Such purchaser will not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor will his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale. |
| 6 | The Company may from time to time by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the Act, reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve or other undistributable reserve in any manner permitted by law. |
| 7 | Except so far as otherwise provided by the conditions of issue, or by these Articles, any capital raised by the creation of new shares shall be treated as if it formed part of the original capital of the Company, and such shares shall be subject to the provisions contained in these Articles with reference to the payment of calls and instalments, transfer and transmission, forfeiture, lien, cancellation, surrender, voting and otherwise. |
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SHARE RIGHTS
| 8 | Subject to the provisions of the Act, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and the Memorandum of Association and Articles and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or class of shares, and without prejudice to Article 18 hereof, any share in the Company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as the Board may determine, including without limitation on terms that they may be, or at the option of the Company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as the Board may deem fit. |
| 9 | Subject to the Act, any preferred shares may be issued or converted into shares that, at a determinable date or at the option of the Company or the holder if so authorised by the Memorandum of Association, are liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as the Company before the issue or conversion may by ordinary resolution of the Members determine. Where the Company purchases for redemption a redeemable share, purchases not made through the market or by tender shall be limited to a maximum price as may from time to time be determined by the Board, either generally or with regard to specific purchases. If purchases are by tender, tenders shall comply with applicable laws. |
CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES AND CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES
| 10 | Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall at all times vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote by the Members. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall be entitled to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote by the Members whether at general meetings of the Company or otherwise, and each Class B Ordinary Share shall be entitled to 15 votes on all matters subject to vote by the Members whether at general meetings of the Company or otherwise. Each Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one (1) Class A Ordinary Share at any time by the holder thereof. The right to convert shall be exercisable by the holder of the Class B Ordinary Share delivering a written notice to the Company that such holder elects to convert a specified number of Class B Ordinary Shares into fully paid Class A Ordinary Shares on a one to one basis. |
| 11 | Any number of Class B Ordinary Shares held by a holder thereof will be automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of fully paid Class A Ordinary Shares on a one to one basis upon the occurrence of any of the following: |
| (1) | any direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of such number of Class B Ordinary Shares by the holder thereof or an Affiliate of such holder or the direct or indirect transfer or assignment of the voting power attached to such number of Class B Ordinary Shares through voting proxy or otherwise to any person or entity that is not an Affiliate of such holder; for the avoidance of doubt, the creation of any pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right of whatever description on any of Class B Ordinary Shares to secure contractual or legal obligations shall not be deemed as a sale, transfer, assignment or disposition unless and until any such pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right is enforced and results in the third party that is not an Affiliate of such holder holding directly or indirectly beneficial ownership or voting power through voting proxy or otherwise to the related Class B Ordinary Shares, in which case all the related Class B Ordinary Shares shall be automatically converted into the same number of Class A Ordinary Shares; or |
8
| (2) | the direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of a majority of the issued and outstanding voting securities of, or the direct or indirect transfer or assignment of the voting power attached to such voting securities through voting proxy or otherwise, a holder of Class B Ordinary Shares that is an entity to any person or entity that is not an Affiliate of such holder; for the avoidance of doubt, the creation of any pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right of whatever description on the issued and outstanding voting securities of a holder of Class B Ordinary Shares that is an entity to secure contractual or legal obligations shall not be deemed as a sale, transfer, assignment or disposition under this clause (2) unless and until any such pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right is enforced and results in the third party that is not an Affiliate of such holder holding directly or indirectly beneficial ownership or voting power through voting proxy or otherwise to the related issued and outstanding voting securities or the assets. |
| 12 | Any conversion of Class B Ordinary Shares into Class A Ordinary Shares pursuant to these Articles shall be effected by means of the re-designation of each relevant Class B Ordinary Share as a Class A Ordinary Share. |
| 13 | Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares under any circumstances. |
| 14 | Save and except for voting rights and conversion rights as set out in Articles 10 to 13 (inclusive), the Class A Ordinary Shares and the Class B Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu and shall have the same rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions. |
VARIATION OF RIGHTS
| 15 | Subject to the Act and without prejudice to Article 8, all or any of the special rights for the time being attached to the shares or any class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, from time to time (whether or not the Company is being wound up) be varied, modified or abrogated with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. To every such separate general meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company shall, mutatis mutandis, apply, but so that: |
| (a) | the necessary quorum (whether at a separate general meeting or at its adjourned meeting) shall be a person or persons (or in the case of a Member being a corporation, its duly authorized representative) together holding or representing by proxy not less than one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of that class; |
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| (b) | every holder of shares of the class shall be entitled on a poll to one vote for every such share held by him; and |
| (c) | any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy or authorised representative may demand a poll. |
| 16 | For the purposes of convening and holding a meeting pursuant to the preceding Article, the Directors may treat all the classes or any two or more classes as forming one class if they consider that the variation or abrogation of the rights attached to such classes proposed for consideration at such meeting is the same variation or abrogation for all such relevant classes, but in any other case shall treat them as separate classes. |
| 17 | The special rights conferred upon the holders of any shares or class of shares shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to or the terms of issue of such shares, be deemed to be varied, modified or abrogated by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu therewith. |
SHARES
| 18 | (1) | Subject to the Act, these Articles and, where applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and without prejudice to any special rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any shares or any class of shares, the unissued shares of the Company (whether forming part of the original or any increased capital) shall be at the disposal of the Board, which may offer, allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons, at such times and for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Board may in its absolute discretion determine but so that no shares shall be issued at a discount to their par value. The Board may authorise the division of shares into any number of classes and the different classes shall be authorised, established and designated (or re-designated as the case may be) and the variations in the relative rights (including, without limitation, voting, dividend and redemption rights), privileges, preferences, restrictions and payment obligations as between the different classes (if any) may be fixed and determined by the Board. In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Board is hereby empowered to authorize by resolution or resolutions from time to time the issuance of one or more classes or series of preferred shares and to fix the designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, including, without limitation, the number of shares constituting each such class or series, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges, voting powers, full or limited or no voting powers, and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease the size of any such class or series (but not below the number of shares of any class or series of preferred shares then outstanding) to the extent permitted by Law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of preferred shares may, to the extent permitted by law, provide that such class or series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to the preferred shares of any other class or series. |
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| (2) | Neither the Company nor the Board shall be obliged, when making or granting any allotment of, offer of, option over or disposal of shares, to make, or make available, any such allotment, offer, option or shares to Members or others with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories being a territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, this would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be, or be deemed to be, a separate class of members for any purpose whatsoever. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of preferred shares, no vote of the holders of preferred shares of or ordinary shares shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any class or series of the preferred shares authorized by and complying with the conditions of the Memorandum of Association and Articles. |
| (3) | The Board may issue options, warrants or convertible securities or securities of similar nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for, purchase or receive any class of shares or securities in the capital of the Company on such terms as it may from time to time determine. |
| (4) | In order to comply with the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, and subject to the Act, the Company is authorized to issue shares electronically, in an uncertificated form, and permit the electronic transfer of shares and permit the electronic direct registration of securities in the name of any Member on the register of members of the Company which may be kept by is authorized agent. |
| 19 | The Company may in connection with the issue of any shares exercise all powers of paying commission and brokerage conferred or permitted by the Act. Subject to the Act, the commission may be satisfied by the payment of cash or by the allotment of fully or partly paid shares or other securities or partly in one and partly in the other. |
| 20 | Except as required by law, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or required in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any share or any fractional part of a share or (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or by law) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder. |
| 21 | Subject to the Act and these Articles, the Board may at any time after the allotment of shares but before any person has been entered in the Register as the holder, recognise a renunciation thereof by the allottee in favour of some other person and may accord to any allottee of a share a right to effect such renunciation upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board considers fit to impose. |
SHARE CERTIFICATES
| 22 | Every share certificate shall be issued under the Seal or a facsimile thereof and shall specify the number and class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the shares to which it relates, and the amount paid up thereon and may otherwise be in such form as the Directors may from time to time determine. No certificate shall be issued representing shares of more than one class. The Board may by resolution determine, either generally or in any particular case or cases, that any signatures on any such certificates (or certificates in respect of other securities) need not be autographic but may be affixed to such certificates by some mechanical means or may be printed thereon. |
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| 23 | (1) | In the case of a share held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate therefor and delivery of a certificate to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders. |
| (2) | Where a share stands in the names of two or more persons, the person first named in the Register shall as regards service of notices and, subject to the provisions of these Articles, all or any other matters connected with the Company, except the transfer of the shares, be deemed the sole holder thereof. |
| 24 | Every person whose name is entered, upon an allotment of shares, as a Member in the Register shall be entitled, without payment, to receive one certificate for all such shares of any one class or several certificates each for one or more of such shares of such class. |
| 25 | Every person whose name is entered, upon an allotment of shares, as a Member in the Register shall be entitled, without payment, to receive one certificate for all such shares of any one class or several certificates each for one or more of such shares of such class upon payment for every certificate after the first of such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as the Board from time to time determines. |
| 26 | Share certificates shall be issued within the relevant time limit as prescribed by the Act or as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine, whichever is the shorter, after allotment or, except in the case of a transfer which the Company is for the time being entitled to refuse to register and does not register, after lodgment of a transfer with the Company. |
| 27 | (1) | Upon every transfer of shares the certificate held by the transferor shall be given up to be cancelled, and shall forthwith be cancelled accordingly, and a new certificate shall be issued to the transferee in respect of the shares transferred to him at such fee as is provided in paragraph (2) of this Article. If any of the shares included in the certificate so given up shall be retained by the transferor a new certificate for the balance shall be issued to him at the aforesaid fee payable by the transferor to the Company in respect thereof. |
| (2) | The fee referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be an amount not exceeding the relevant maximum amount as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine provided that the Board may at any time determine a lower amount for such fee. |
| 28 | If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon request and on payment of such fee as the Company may determine and, subject to compliance with such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and to payment of the costs and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in investigating such evidence and preparing such indemnity as the Board may think fit and, in case of damage or defacement, on delivery of the old certificate to the Company provided always that where share warrants have been issued, no new share warrant shall be issued to replace one that has been lost unless the Board has determined that the original has been destroyed. |
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LIEN
| 29 | The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) for all moneys (whether presently payable or not) called or payable at a fixed time in respect of that share. The Company shall also have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share) registered in the name of a Member (whether or not jointly with other Members) for all amounts of money presently payable by such Member or his estate to the Company whether the same shall have been incurred before or after notice to the Company of any equitable or other interest of any person other than such member, and whether the period for the payment or discharge of the same shall have actually arrived or not, and notwithstanding that the same are joint debts or liabilities of such Member or his estate and any other person, whether a Member of the Company or not. The Company’s lien on a share shall extend to all dividends or other moneys payable thereon or in respect thereof. The Board may at any time, generally or in any particular case, waive any lien that has arisen or declare any share exempt in whole or in part, from the provisions of this Article. |
| 30 | Subject to these Articles, the Company may sell in such manner as the Board determines any share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, or the liability or engagement in respect of which such lien exists is liable to be presently fulfilled or discharged nor until the expiration of fourteen (14) clear days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of the sum presently payable, or specifying the liability or engagement and demanding fulfilment or discharge thereof and giving notice of the intention to sell in default, has been served on the registered holder for the time being of the share or the person entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy. |
| 31 | The net proceeds of the sale shall be received by the Company and applied in or towards payment or discharge of the debt or liability in respect of which the lien exists, so far as the same is presently payable, and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for debts or liabilities not presently payable as existed upon the share prior to the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the share at the time of the sale. To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the shares so transferred and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale. |
CALLS ON SHARES
| 32 | Subject to these Articles and to the terms of allotment, the Board may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the nominal value of the shares or by way of premium), and each Member shall (subject to being given at least fourteen (14) clear days’ Notice specifying the time and place of payment) pay to the Company as required by such notice the amount called on his shares. A call may be extended, postponed or revoked in whole or in part as the Board determines but no member shall be entitled to any such extension, postponement or revocation except as a matter of grace and favour. |
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| 33 | A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Board authorising the call was passed and may be made payable either in one lump sum or by instalments. |
| 34 | A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was made. The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls and instalments due in respect thereof or other moneys due in respect thereof. |
| 35 | If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day appointed for payment thereof to the time of actual payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board may determine, but the Board may in its absolute discretion waive payment of such interest wholly or in part. |
| 36 | No Member shall be entitled to receive any dividend or bonus or to be present and vote (save as proxy for another Member) at any general meeting either personally or by proxy, or be reckoned in a quorum, or exercise any other privilege as a Member until all calls or instalments due by him to the Company, whether alone or jointly with any other person, together with interest and expenses (if any) shall have been paid. |
| 37 | On the trial or hearing of any action or other proceedings for the recovery of any money due for any call, it shall be sufficient to prove that the name of the Member sued is entered in the Register as the holder, or one of the holders, of the shares in respect of which such debt accrued, that the resolution making the call is duly recorded in the minute book, and that notice of such call was duly given to the Member sued, in pursuance of these Articles; and it shall not be necessary to prove the appointment of the Directors who made such call, nor any other matters whatsoever, but the proof of the matters aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of the debt. |
| 38 | Any amount payable in respect of a share upon allotment or at any fixed date, whether in respect of nominal value or premium or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call duly made and payable on the date fixed for payment and if it is not paid the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
| 39 | On the issue of shares the Board may differentiate between the allottees or holders as to the amount of calls to be paid and the times of payment. |
| 40 | The Board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same, and either in money or money’s worth, all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid or instalments payable upon any shares held by him and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (if any) as the Board may decide. The Board may at any time repay the amount so advanced upon giving to such Member not less than one month’s Notice of its intention in that behalf, unless before the expiration of such notice the amount so advanced shall have been called up on the shares in respect of which it was advanced. Such payment in advance shall not entitle the holder of such share or shares to participate in respect thereof in a dividend subsequently declared. |
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FORFEITURE OF SHARES
| 41 | (1) | If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Board may give to the person from whom it is due not less than fourteen (14) clear days’ Notice: |
| (a) | requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued and which may still accrue up to the date of actual payment; and |
| (b) | stating that if the Notice is not complied with the shares on which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited. |
| (2) | If the requirements of any such Notice are not complied with, any share in respect of which such Notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before payment of all calls and interest due in respect thereof has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Board to that effect, and such forfeiture shall include all dividends and bonuses declared in respect of the forfeited share but not actually paid before the forfeiture. |
| 42 | When any share has been forfeited, notice of the forfeiture shall be served upon the person who was before forfeiture the holder of the share. No forfeiture shall be invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such Notice. |
| 43 | The Board may accept the surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and, in such case, references in these Articles to forfeiture will include surrender. |
| 44 | Any share so forfeited shall be deemed the property of the Company and may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of to such person, upon such terms and in such manner as the Board determines, and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be annulled by the Board on such terms as the Board determines. |
| 45 | A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited shares but nevertheless shall remain liable to pay the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, with (if the Directors shall in their discretion so require) interest thereon from the date of forfeiture until payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board determines. The Board may enforce payment thereof if it thinks fit, and without any deduction or allowance for the value of the forfeited shares, at the date of forfeiture, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all such moneys in respect of the shares. For the purposes of this Article any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, is payable thereon at a fixed time which is subsequent to the date of forfeiture, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, shall notwithstanding that time has not yet arrived be deemed to be payable at the date of forfeiture, and the same shall become due and payable immediately upon the forfeiture, but interest thereon shall only be payable in respect of any period between the said fixed time and the date of actual payment. |
| 46 | A declaration by a Director or the Secretary that a share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share, and such declaration shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer by the Company if necessary) constitute a good title to the share, and the person to whom the share is disposed of shall be registered as the holder of the share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the consideration (if any), nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the share. When any share shall have been forfeited, notice of the declaration shall be given to the Member in whose name it stood immediately prior to the forfeiture, and an entry of the forfeiture, with the date thereof, shall forthwith be made in the register, but no forfeiture shall be in any manner invalidated by any omission or neglect to give such notice or make any such entry. |
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| 47 | Notwithstanding any such forfeiture as aforesaid the Board may at any time, before any shares so forfeited shall have been sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of, permit the shares forfeited to be bought back upon the terms of payment of all calls and interest due upon and expenses incurred in respect of the share, and upon such further terms (if any) as it thinks fit. |
| 48 | The forfeiture of a share shall not prejudice the right of the Company to any call already made or instalment payable thereon. |
| 49 | The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
REGISTER OF MEMBERS
| 50 | (1) | The Company shall keep in one or more books a Register of its Members and shall enter therein the following particulars, that is to say: |
| (a) | the name and address of each Member, the number and class of shares held by him and the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on such shares; |
| (b) | the date on which each person was entered in the Register; and |
| (c) | the date on which any person ceased to be a Member. |
| (2) | The Company may keep an overseas or local or other branch register of Members resident in any place, and the Board may make and vary such regulations as it determines in respect of the keeping of any such register and maintaining a Registration Office in connection therewith. |
| 51 | The Register and branch register of Members, as the case may be, shall be open to inspection for such times and on such days as the Board shall determine by Members without charge or by any other person, upon a maximum payment of $2.50 or such other sum specified by the Board, at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Act or, if appropriate, upon a maximum payment of $1.00 or such other sum specified by the Board at the Registration Office. The Register including any overseas or local or other branch register of Members may, after notice has been given by advertisement in an appointed newspaper or any other newspapers in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange or by any electronic means in such manner as may be accepted by the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect, be closed at such times or for such periods not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in each year as the Board may determine and either generally or in respect of any class of shares. |
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RECORD DATES
| 52 | For the purpose of determining the Members entitled to notice of or to vote at any general meeting, or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of shares or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for any such determination of Members, which date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other such action. |
If the Board does not fix a record date for any general meeting, the record date for determining the Members entitled to a notice of or to vote at such meeting shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if in accordance with these Articles notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. If corporate action without a general meeting is to be taken, the record date for determining the Members entitled to express consent to such corporate action in writing, when no prior action by the Board is necessary, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Company by delivery to its head office. The record date for determining the Members for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
A determination of the Members of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Members shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
TRANSFER OF SHARES
| 53 | Subject to these Articles, any Member may transfer all or any of his shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange or in any other form approved by the Board and may be under hand or, if the transferor or transferee is a clearing house or its nominee(s), by hand or by machine imprinted signature or by such other manner of execution as the Board may approve from time to time. |
| 54 | The instrument of transfer shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the transferee provided that the Board may dispense with the execution of the instrument of transfer by the transferee in any case which it thinks fit in its discretion to do so. Without prejudice to the last preceding Article, the Board may also resolve, either generally or in any particular case, upon request by either the transferor or transferee, to accept mechanically executed transfers. The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of the share until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register in respect thereof. Nothing in these Articles shall preclude the Board from recognising a renunciation of the allotment or provisional allotment of any share by the allottee in favour of some other person. |
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| 55 | (1) | The Board may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom it does not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which the Company has a lien. |
| (2) | The Board in so far as permitted by any applicable law may, in its absolute discretion, at any time and from time to time transfer any share upon the Register to any branch register or any share on any branch register to the Register or any other branch register. In the event of any such transfer, the shareholder requesting such transfer shall bear the cost of effecting the transfer unless the Board otherwise determines. |
| (3) | Unless the Board otherwise agrees (which agreement may be on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board in its absolute discretion may from time to time determine, and which agreement the Board shall, without giving any reason therefor, be entitled in its absolute discretion to give or withhold), no shares upon the Register shall be transferred to any branch register nor shall shares on any branch register be transferred to the Register or any other branch register and all transfers and other documents of title shall be lodged for registration, and registered, in the case of any shares on a branch register, at the relevant Registration Office, and, in the case of any shares on the Register, at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Act. |
| 56 | Without limiting the generality of the last preceding Article, the Board may decline to recognise any instrument of transfer unless: |
| (a) | a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require is paid to the Company in respect thereof; |
| (b) | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of share; |
| (c) | the instrument of transfer is lodged at the Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Act or the Registration Office (as the case may be) accompanied by the relevant share certificate(s) and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer (and, if the instrument of transfer is executed by some other person on his behalf, the authority of that person so to do); and |
| (d) | if applicable, the instrument of transfer is duly and properly stamped. |
| 57 | If the Board refuses to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and transferee notice of the refusal. |
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| 58 | The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may, after notice has been given by advertisement in an appointed newspaper or any other newspapers or by any other means in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect be suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in any year) as the Board may determine. |
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
| 59 | If a Member dies, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and his legal personal representatives where he was a sole or only surviving holder, will be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest in the shares; but nothing in this Article will release the estate of a deceased Member (whether sole or joint) from any liability in respect of any share which had been solely or jointly held by him. |
| 60 | Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member may, upon such evidence as to his title being produced as may be required by the Board, elect either to become the holder of the share or to have some person nominated by him registered as the transferee thereof. If he elects to become the holder he shall notify the Company in writing either at the Registration Office or Office, as the case may be, to that effect. If he elects to have another person registered he shall execute a transfer of the share in favour of that person. The provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer and registration of transfers of shares shall apply to such notice or transfer as aforesaid as if the death or bankruptcy of the Member had not occurred and the notice or transfer were a transfer signed by such Member. |
| 61 | A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered holder of the share. However, the Board may, if it thinks fit, withhold the payment of any dividend payable or other advantages in respect of such share until such person shall become the registered holder of the share or shall have effectually transferred such share, but, subject to the requirements of Article 82(2) being met, such a person may vote at meetings. |
UNTRACEABLE MEMBERS
| 62 | (1) | Without prejudice to the rights of the Company under paragraph (2) of this Article, the Company may cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants by post if such cheques or warrants have been left uncashed on two consecutive occasions. However, the Company may exercise the power to cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants after the first occasion on which such a cheque or warrant is returned undelivered. |
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| (2) | The Company shall have the power to sell, in such manner as the Board thinks fit, any shares of a Member who is untraceable, but no such sale shall be made unless: |
| (a) | all cheques or warrants in respect of dividends of the shares in question, being not less than three in total number, for any sum payable in cash to the holder of such shares in respect of them sent during the relevant period in the manner authorised by the Articles of the Company have remained uncashed; |
| (b) | so far as it is aware at the end of the relevant period, the Company has not at any time during the relevant period received any indication of the existence of the Member who is the holder of such shares or of a person entitled to such shares by death, bankruptcy or operation of law; and |
| (c) | the Company, if so required by the rules governing the listing of shares on the Designated Stock Exchange, has given notice to, and caused advertisement in newspapers to be made in accordance with the requirements of, the Designated Stock Exchange of its intention to sell such shares in the manner required by the Designated Stock Exchange, and a period of three months or such shorter period as may be allowed by the Designated Stock Exchange has elapsed since the date of such advertisement. |
For the purpose of the foregoing, the “relevant period” means the period commencing twelve (12) years before the date of publication of the advertisement referred to in paragraph (c) of this Article and ending at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph.
| (3) | To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the said shares and an instrument of transfer signed or otherwise executed by or on behalf of such person shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder or the person entitled by transmission to such shares, and the purchaser shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale. The net proceeds of the sale will belong to the Company and upon receipt by the Company of such net proceeds it shall become indebted to the former Member for an amount equal to such net proceeds. No trust shall be created in respect of such debt and no interest shall be payable in respect of it and the Company shall not be required to account for any money earned from the net proceeds which may be employed in the business of the Company or as it thinks fit. Any sale under this Article shall be valid and effective notwithstanding that the Member holding the shares sold is dead, bankrupt or otherwise under any legal disability or incapacity. |
GENERAL MEETINGS
| 63 | An annual general meeting of the Company shall be held in each year other than the year of the Company’s incorporation at such time and place as may be determined by the Board. |
| 64 | Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be called an extraordinary general meeting. All general meetings (including an annual general meeting, any adjourned meeting or postponed meeting) may be held as a physical meeting in any part of the world and at one or more locations as provided in Article 71A, as a hybrid meeting or as an electronic meeting, as may be determined by the Board in its absolute discretion. |
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| 65 |
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
| 66 | (1) | An annual general meeting and any extraordinary general meeting may be called by not less than ten (10) clear days’ Notice but a general meeting may be called by shorter notice, subject to the Act, if it is so agreed: |
| (a) | in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting, by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and |
| (b) | in the case of any other meeting, by a majority in number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than ninety-five per cent. (95%) in nominal value of the issued shares giving that right. |
| (2) | The notice shall specify (a) the time and date of the meeting, (b) save for an electronic meeting, the place of the meeting and if there is more than one meeting location as determined by the Board pursuant to Article 71A, the principal place of the meeting (the “Principal Meeting Place”), (c) if the general meeting is to be a hybrid meeting or an electronic meeting, the Notice shall include a statement to that effect and with details of the electronic facilities for attendance and participation by electronic means at the meeting or where such details will be made available by the Company prior to the meeting, and (d) particulars of resolutions to be considered as the meeting. The notice convening an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to all Members other than to such Members as, under the provisions of these Articles or the terms of issue of the shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such notices from the Company, to all persons entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member and to each of the Directors and the Auditors. |
| 67 | The accidental omission to give Notice of a meeting or (in cases where instruments of proxy are sent out with the Notice) to send such instrument of proxy to, or the non-receipt of such Notice or such instrument of proxy by, any person entitled to receive such Notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed or the proceedings at that meeting. |
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
| 68 | (1) | All business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an extraordinary general meeting, and also all business that is transacted at an annual general meeting, with the exception of: |
| (a) | the declaration and sanctioning of dividends; |
| (b) | consideration and adoption of the accounts and balance sheet and the reports of the Directors and Auditors and other documents required to be annexed to the balance sheet; |
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| (c) | the election of Directors; |
| (d) | appointment of Auditors (where special notice of the intention for such appointment is not required by the Act) and other officers; |
| (e) | the fixing of the remuneration of the Auditors, and the voting of remuneration or extra remuneration to the Directors; and |
| (f) | the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to repurchase securities of the Company. |
| (2) | No business other than the appointment of a chairman of a meeting shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the commencement of the business. At any general meeting of the Company, two (2) Members entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy or (in the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative representing not less than thirty three and one third (33 1/3) percent of the total outstanding voting shares in the Company throughout the meeting shall form a quorum for all purposes. |
| 69 | If within thirty (30) minutes (or such longer time not exceeding one hour as the chairman of the meeting may determine to wait) after the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and (where applicable) same place(s) or to such time and (where applicable) such place and in such form and manner referred to in Article 64 as the chairman of the meeting (or in default, the Board) may absolutely determine. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved. |
| 70 | The chairman of the Company shall preside as chairman at every general meeting. If at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or is not willing to act as chairman, the Directors present shall choose one of their number to act, or if one Director only is present he shall preside as chairman if willing to act. If no Director is present, or if each of the Directors present declines to take the chair, or if the chairman chosen shall retire from the chair, the Members present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall elect one of their number to be chairman. |
| 71 | Subject to Article 71C, the chairman may adjourn the meeting from time to time (or indefinitely) and/or from place to place(s) and/or from one form to another (a physical meeting, a hybrid meeting or an electronic meeting), but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business which might lawfully have been transacted at the meeting had the adjournment not taken place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen (14) days or more, at least seven (7) clear days’ notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given specifying the details set out in Article 66(2) but it shall not be necessary to specify in such notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Save as aforesaid, it shall be unnecessary to give notice of an adjournment. |
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| 71A | (1) | The Board may, at its absolute discretion, arrange for persons entitled to attend a general meeting to do so by simultaneous attendance and participation by means of electronic facilities at such location or locations (“Meeting Location(s)”) determined by the Board at its absolute discretion. Any Member or any proxy attending and participating in such way or any Member or proxy attending and participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities is deemed to be present at and shall be counted in the quorum of the meeting. |
| (2) | All general meetings are subject to the following and, where appropriate, all references to a “Member” or “Members” in this sub-paragraph (2) shall include a proxy or proxies respectively: |
| (a) | where a Member is attending a Meeting Location and/or in the case of a hybrid meeting, the meeting shall be treated as having commenced if it has commenced at the Principal Meeting Place; |
| (b) | Members present in person or by proxy at a Meeting Location and/or Members attending and participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities shall be counted in the quorum for and entitled to vote at the meeting in question, and that meeting shall be duly constituted and its proceedings valid provided that the chairman of the meeting is satisfied that adequate electronic facilities are available throughout the meeting to ensure that Members at all Meeting Locations and Members participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities are able to participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened; |
| (c) | where Members attend a meeting by being present at one of the Meeting Locations and/or where Members participating in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities, a failure (for any reason) of the electronic facilities or communication equipment, or any other failure in the arrangements for enabling those in a Meeting Location other than the Principal Meeting Place to participate in the business for which the meeting has been convened or in the case of an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting, the inability of one or more Members or proxies to access, or continue to access, the electronic facilities despite adequate electronic facilities having been made available by the Company, shall not affect the validity of the meeting or the resolutions passed, or any business conducted there or any action taken pursuant to such business provided that there is a quorum present throughout the meeting; |
| (d) | if any of the Meeting Locations is not in the same jurisdiction as the Principal Meeting Place and/or in the case of a hybrid meeting, the provisions of these Articles concerning the service and giving of Notice for the meeting, and the time for lodging proxies, shall apply by reference to the Principal Meeting Place; and in the case of an electronic meeting, the time for lodging proxies shall be as stated in the Notice for the meeting. |
| 71B | The Board and, at any general meeting, the chairman of the meeting may from time to time make arrangements for managing attendance and/or participation and/or voting at the Principal Meeting Place, any Meeting Location(s) and/or participation in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting by means of electronic facilities (whether involving the issue of tickets or some other means of identification, passcode, seat reservation, electronic voting or otherwise) as it shall in its absolute discretion consider appropriate, and may from time to time change any such arrangements, provided that a Member who, pursuant to such arrangements, is not entitled to attend, in person or by proxy, at any Meeting Location shall be entitled so to attend at one of the other Meeting Locations; and the entitlement of any Member so to attend the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting at such Meeting Location or Meeting Locations shall be subject to any such arrangement as may be for the time being in force and by the Notice of meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting stated to apply to the meeting. |
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| 71C | If it appears to the chairman of the general meeting that: |
| (a) | the electronic facilities at the Principal Meeting Place or at such other Meeting Location(s) at which the meeting may be attended have become inadequate for the purposes referred to in Article 71A(1) or are otherwise not sufficient to allow the meeting to be conducted substantially in accordance with the provisions set out in the Notice of the meeting; or |
| (b) | in the case of an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting, electronic facilities being made available by the Company have become inadequate; or |
| (c) | it is not possible to ascertain the view of those present or to give all persons entitled to do so a reasonable opportunity to communicate and/or vote at the meeting; or |
| (d) | there is violence or the threat of violence, unruly behaviour or other disruption occurring at the meeting or it is not possible to secure the proper and orderly conduct of the meeting; |
then, without prejudice to any other power which the chairman of the meeting may have under these Articles or at common law, the chairman may, at his/her absolute discretion, without the consent of the meeting, and before or after the meeting has started and irrespective of whether a quorum is present, interrupt or adjourn the meeting (including adjournment for indefinite period). All business conducted at the meeting up to the time of such adjournment shall be valid.
| 71D | The Board and, at any general meeting, the chairman of the meeting may make any arrangement and impose any requirement or restriction the Board or the chairman of the meeting, as the case may be, considers appropriate to ensure the security and orderly conduct of a meeting (including, without limitation, requirements for evidence of identity to be produced by those attending the meeting, the searching of their personal property and the restriction of items that may be taken into the meeting place, determining the number and frequency of and the time allowed for questions that may be raised at a meeting). Members shall also comply with all requirements or restrictions imposed by the owner of the premises at which the meeting is held. Any decision made under this Article shall be final and conclusive and a person who refuses to comply with any such arrangements, requirements or restrictions may be refused entry to the meeting or ejected (physically or electronically) from the meeting. |
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| 71E | If, after the sending of Notice of a general meeting but before the meeting is held, or after the adjournment of a meeting but before the adjourned meeting is held (whether or not Notice of the adjourned meeting is required), the Directors, in their absolute discretion, consider that it is inappropriate, impracticable, unreasonable or undesirable for any reason to hold the general meeting on the date or at the time or place or by means of electronic facilities specified in the Notice calling the meeting, they may change or postpone the meeting to another date, time and/or place and/or change the electronic facilities and/or change the form of the meeting (a physical meeting, an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting) without approval from the Members. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Directors shall have the power to provide in every Notice calling a general meeting the circumstances in which a postponement of the relevant general meeting may occur automatically without further notice, including without limitation where a number 8 or higher typhoon signal, black rainstorm warning or other similar event is in force at any time on the day of the meeting. This Article shall be subject to the following: |
| (a) | when a meeting is so postponed, the Company shall endeavour to post a Notice of such postponement on the Company’s website as soon as practicable (provided that failure to post such a Notice shall not affect the automatic postponement of a meeting); |
| (b) | when only the form of the meeting or electronic facilities specified in the Notice are changed, the Board shall notify the Members of details of such change in such manner as the Board may determine; |
| (c) | when a meeting is postponed or changed in accordance with this Article, subject to and without prejudice to Article 71, unless already specified in the original Notice of the meeting, the Board shall fix the date, time, place (if applicable) and electronic facilities (if applicable) for the postponed or changed meeting and shall notify the Members of such details in such manner as the Board may determine; further all proxy forms shall be valid (unless revoked or replaced by a new proxy) if they are received as required by these Articles not less than 48 hours before the time of the postponed meeting; and |
| (d) | Notice of the business to be transacted at the postponed or changed meeting shall not be required, nor shall any accompanying documents be required to be recirculated, provided that the business to be transacted at the postponed or changed meeting is the same as that set out in the original Notice of general meeting circulated to the Members. |
| 71F | All persons seeking to attend and participate in an electronic meeting or a hybrid meeting shall be responsible for maintaining adequate facilities to enable them to do so. Subject to Article 71C, any inability of a person or persons to attend or participate in a general meeting by way of electronic facilities shall not invalidate the proceedings of and/or resolutions passed at that meeting. |
| 71G | Without prejudice to other provisions in Article 71, a physical meeting may also be held by means of such telephone, electronic or other communication facilities as permit all persons participating in the meeting to communicate with each other simultaneously and instantaneously, and participation in such a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. |
| 72 | If an amendment is proposed to any resolution under consideration but is in good faith ruled out of order by the chairman of the meeting, the proceedings on the substantive resolution shall not be invalidated by any error in such ruling. In the case of a resolution duly proposed as a special resolution, no amendment thereto (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent error) may in any event be considered or voted upon. |
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VOTING
| 73 | Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares by or in accordance with these Articles (including Article 10), at any general meeting on a show of hands every Member present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorised representative), or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have one vote for every fully paid share of which he is the holder but so that no amount paid up or credited as paid up on a share in advance of calls or instalments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up on the share. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Articles, where more than one proxy is appointed by a Member which is a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), each such proxy shall have one vote on a show of hands. A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll) a poll is demanded: |
| (a) | by the chairman of such meeting; or |
| (b) | by at least three Members present in person or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting; or |
| (c) | by a Member or Members present in person or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all Members having the right to vote at the meeting; or |
| (d) | by a Member or Members present in person or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and holding shares in the Company conferring a right to vote at the meeting being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all shares conferring that right. |
A demand by a person as proxy for a Member or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative shall be deemed to be the same as a demand by a Member. Votes (whether on a show of hands or by way of poll) may be cast by such means, electronic or otherwise, as the Directors or the chairman of the meeting may determine.
| 74 | Unless a poll is duly demanded and the demand is not withdrawn, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or not carried by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect made in the minute book of the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded for or against the resolution. |
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| 75 | If a poll is duly demanded the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. There shall be no requirement for the chairman to disclose the voting figures on a poll. |
| 76 | A poll demanded on the election of a chairman, or on a question of adjournment, shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken in such manner (including the use of ballot or voting papers or tickets) and either forthwith or at such time (being not later than thirty (30) days after the date of the demand) and place as the chairman directs. It shall not be necessary (unless the chairman otherwise directs) for notice to be given of a poll not taken immediately. |
| 77 | The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting or the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll has been demanded, and, with the consent of the chairman, it may be withdrawn at any time before the close of the meeting or the taking of the poll, whichever is the earlier. |
| 78 | On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy. |
| 79 | A person entitled to more than one vote on a poll need not use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses in the same way. |
| 80 | All questions submitted to a meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes except where a greater majority is required by these Articles or by the Act. In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of such meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have. |
| 81 | Where there are joint holders of any share any one of such joint holder may vote, either in person or by proxy, in respect of such share as if he were solely entitled thereto, but if more than one of such joint holders be present at any meeting the vote of the senior who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register in respect of the joint holding. Several executors or administrators of a deceased Member in whose name any share stands shall for the purposes of this Article be deemed joint holders thereof. |
| 82 | (1) | A Member who is a patient for any purpose relating to mental health or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction for the protection or management of the affairs of persons incapable of managing their own affairs may vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person in the nature of a receiver, committee or curator bonis appointed by such court, and such receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person may vote on a poll by proxy, and may otherwise act and be treated as if he were the registered holder of such shares for the purposes of general meetings, provided that such evidence as the Board may require of the authority of the person claiming to vote shall have been deposited at the Office, head office or Registration Office, as appropriate, not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting, or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting, or poll, as the case may be. |
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| (2) | Any person entitled under Article 60 to be registered as the holder of any shares may vote at any general meeting in respect thereof in the same manner as if he were the registered holder of such shares, provided that forty-eight (48) hours at least before the time of the holding of the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting, as the case may be, at which he proposes to vote, he shall satisfy the Board of his entitlement to such shares, or the Board shall have previously admitted his right to vote at such meeting in respect thereof. |
| 83 | No Member shall, unless the Board otherwise determines, be entitled to attend and vote and to be reckoned in a quorum at any general meeting unless he is duly registered and all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid. |
| 84 | If: |
| (a) | any objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter; or |
| (b) | any votes have been counted which ought not to have been counted or which might have been rejected; or |
| (c) | any votes are not counted which ought to have been counted; |
the objection or error shall not vitiate the decision of the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting on any resolution unless the same is raised or pointed out at the meeting or, as the case may be, the adjourned meeting or postponed meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered or at which the error occurs. Any objection or error shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting and shall only vitiate the decision of the meeting on any resolution if the chairman decides that the same may have affected the decision of the meeting. The decision of the chairman on such matters shall be final and conclusive.
PROXIES
| 85 | Any Member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the Company shall be entitled to appoint another person as his proxy to attend and vote instead of him. A Member who is the holder of two or more shares may appoint more than one proxy to represent him and vote on his behalf at a general meeting of the Company or at a class meeting. A proxy need not be a Member. In addition, a proxy or proxies representing either a Member who is an individual or a Member which is a corporation shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the Member which he or they represent as such Member could exercise. |
| 86 | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under its seal or under the hand of an officer, attorney or other person authorised to sign the same. In the case of an instrument of proxy purporting to be signed on behalf of a corporation by an officer thereof it shall be assumed, unless the contrary appears, that such officer was duly authorised to sign such instrument of proxy on behalf of the corporation without further evidence of the facts. |
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| 87 | (1) | The Company may, at its absolute discretion, provide an electronic address for the receipt of any document or information relating to proxies for a general meeting (including any instrument of proxy or invitation to appoint a proxy, any document necessary to show the validity of, or otherwise relating to, an appointment of proxy (whether or not required under these Articles) and notice of termination of the authority of a proxy). If such an electronic address is provided, the Company shall be deemed to have agreed that any such document or information (relating to proxies as aforesaid) may be sent by electronic means to that address, subject as hereafter provided and subject to any other limitations or conditions specified by the Company when providing the address. Without limitation, the Company may from time to time determine that any such electronic address may be used generally for such matters or specifically for particular meetings or purposes and, if so, the Company may provide different electronic addresses for different purposes. The Company may also impose any conditions on the transmission of and its receipt of such electronic communications including, for the avoidance of doubt, imposing any security or encryption arrangements as may be specified by the Company. If any document or information required to be sent to the Company under this Article is sent to the Company by electronic means, such document or information is not treated as validly delivered to or deposited with the Company if the same is not received by the Company at its designated electronic address provided in accordance with this Article or if no electronic address is so designated by the Company for the receipt of such document or information. |
| (2) | The instrument appointing a proxy and (if required by the Board) the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a certified copy of such power or authority, shall be delivered to such place or one of such places (if any) as may be specified for that purpose in or by way of note to or in any document accompanying the notice convening the meeting (or, if no place is so specified at the Registration Office or the Office, as may be appropriate), or if the Company has provided an electronic address in accordance with the preceding paragraph, shall be received at the electronic address specified, not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote or, in the case of a poll taken subsequently to the date of a meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting, not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll and in default the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date named in it as the date of its execution, except at an adjourned meeting or on a poll demanded at a meeting or an adjourned meeting in cases where the meeting was originally held within twelve (12) months from such date. Delivery of an instrument appointing a proxy shall not preclude a Member from attending and voting at the meeting convened and in such event, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to be revoked. |
| 88 | Instruments of proxy shall be in any common form or in such other form as the Board may approve (provided that this shall not preclude the use of the two-way form) and the Board may, if it thinks fit, send out with the notice of any meeting forms of instrument of proxy for use at the meeting. The instrument of proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll and to vote on any amendment of a resolution put to the meeting for which it is given as the proxy thinks fit. The instrument of proxy shall, unless the contrary is stated therein, be valid as well for any adjournment or postponement of the meeting as for the meeting to which it relates. The Board may decide, either generally or in any particular case, to treat a proxy appointment as valid notwithstanding that the appointment or any of the information required under these Articles has not been received in accordance with the requirements of these Articles. Subject to aforesaid, if the proxy appointment and any of the information required under these Articles is not received in the manner set out in these Articles, the appointee shall not be entitled to vote in respect of the shares in question. |
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| 89 | A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal, or revocation of the instrument of proxy or of the authority under which it was executed, provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity or revocation shall have been received by the Company at the Office or the Registration Office (or such other place as may be specified for the delivery of instruments of proxy in the notice convening the meeting or other document sent therewith) two hours at least before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting or postponed meeting, or the taking of the poll, at which the instrument of proxy is used. |
| 90 | Anything which under these Articles a Member may do by proxy he may likewise do by his duly appointed attorney and the provisions of these Articles relating to proxies and instruments appointing proxies shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to any such attorney and the instrument under which such attorney is appointed. |
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES
| 91 | (1) | Any corporation which is a Member may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class ofMembers. The person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of such corporation as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member and such corporation shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present thereat. |
| (2) | If a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), being a corporation, is a Member, it may authorise such persons as it thinks fit to act as its representatives at any meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members provided that the authorisation shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such representative is so authorised. Each person so authorised under the provisions of this Article shall be deemed to have been duly authorised without further evidence of the facts and be entitled to exercise the same rights and powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) as if such person was the registered holder of the shares of the Company held by the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) including the right to vote individually on a show of hands. |
| (3) | Any reference in these Articles to a duly authorised representative of a Member being a corporation shall mean a representative authorised under the provisions of this Article. |
NO ACTION BY WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OF MEMBERS
| 92 | Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or extraordinary general meetings of the Company may be taken only upon the vote of the Members at an annual or extraordinary general meeting duly noticed and convened in accordance with these Articles and the Act and may not be taken by written resolution of Members without a meeting. |
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
| 93 | (1) | Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general meeting, the number of Directors shall not be less than two (2). |
| (2) | Subject to the Articles and the Act, the Company may by ordinary resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board. |
| (3) | Subject to Article 93(1), the Directors shall have the power to determine the maximum number of Directors. The Directors shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a Director to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board. Any Director so appointed by the Board shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for re-election. |
| (4) | An appointment of a Director may be on terms that the Director shall automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or after any specified period in a written agreement between the Company and the Director, if any; but no such term shall be implied in the absence of express provision. Each Director whose term of office expires shall be eligible for re-election at a meeting of the Members or re-appointment by the Board. |
| (5) | No Director shall be required to hold any shares of the Company by way of qualification and a Director who is not a Member shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at any general meeting of the Company and of all classes of shares of the Company. |
| (6) | Subject to any provision to the contrary in these Articles, a Director may be removed by way of an ordinary resolution of the Members at any time before the expiration of his period of office notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under any such agreement). |
| (7) | A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of subparagraph (5) above may be filled by the election or appointment by ordinary resolution of the Members at the meeting at which such Director is removed or by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting. |
| (8) | The Company may from time to time in general meeting by ordinary resolution increase or reduce the number of Directors but so that the number of Directors shall never be less than two (2). |
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DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
| 94 | The office of a Director shall be vacated if the Director: |
| (1) | resigns his office by notice in writing delivered to the Company at the Office or tendered at a meeting of the Board; |
| (2) | becomes of unsound mind or dies; |
| (3) | without special leave of absence from the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for six consecutive months and the Board resolves that his office be vacated; or |
| (4) | becomes bankrupt or has a receiving order made against him or suspends payment or compounds with his creditors; |
| (5) | is prohibited by law from being a Director; or |
| (6) | ceases to be a Director by virtue of any provision of the Statutes or is removed from office pursuant to these Articles. |
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
| 95 | The Board may from time to time appoint any one or more of its body to be a managing director, joint managing director or deputy managing director or to hold any other employment or executive office with the Company for such period (subject to their continuance as Directors) and upon such terms as the Board may determine and the Board may revoke or terminate any of such appointments. Any such revocation or termination as aforesaid shall be without prejudice to any claim for damages that such Director may have against the Company or the Company may have against such Director. A Director appointed to an office under this Article shall be subject to the same provisions as to removal as the other Directors of the Company, and he shall (subject to the provisions of any contract between him and the Company) ipso facto and immediately cease to hold such office if he shall cease to hold the office of Director for any cause. |
| 96 | Notwithstanding Articles 97 and 98, an executive director appointed to an office under Article 95 hereof shall receive such remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise or by all or any of those modes) and such other benefits (including pension and/or gratuity and/or other benefits on retirement) and allowances as the Board may from time to time determine, and either in addition to or in lieu of his remuneration as a Director. |
DIRECTORS’ FEES AND EXPENSES
| 97 | The ordinary remuneration of the Directors shall from time to time be determined by the Company in general meeting and shall (unless otherwise directed by the resolution by which it is voted) be divided amongst the Board in such proportions and in such manner as the Board may agree or, failing agreement, equally, except that any Director who shall hold office for part only of the period in respect of which such remuneration is payable shall be entitled only to rank in such division for a proportion of remuneration related to the period during which he has held office. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day. Each Director shall be entitled to be repaid or prepaid all traveling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending meetings of the Board or committees of the board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of debenture of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director. |
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| 98 | Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purpose of the Company or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to or in substitution for any ordinary remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article. |
DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS
| 99 | A Director may: |
| (a) | hold any other office or place of profit with the Company (except that of Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and upon such terms as the Board may determine. Any remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) paid to any Director in respect of any such other office or place of profit shall be in addition to any remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article; |
| (b) | act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company (otherwise than as Auditor) and he or his firm may be remunerated for professional services as if he were not a Director; |
| (c) | continue to be or become a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of any other company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as a vendor, shareholder or otherwise and (unless otherwise agreed) no such Director shall be accountable for any remuneration, profits or other benefits received by him as a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of or from his interests in any such other company. Subject as otherwise provided by these Articles the Directors may exercise or cause to be exercised the voting powers conferred by the shares in any other company held or owned by the Company, or exercisable by them as Directors of such other company in such manner in all respects as they think fit (including the exercise thereof in favour of any resolution appointing themselves or any of them directors, managing directors, joint managing directors, deputy managing directors, executive directors, managers or other officers of such company) or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officers of such other company and any Director may vote in favour of the exercise of such voting rights in manner aforesaid notwithstanding that he may be, or about to be, appointed a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer of such a company, and that as such he is or may become interested in the exercise of such voting rights in manner aforesaid. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, no “Independent Director” as defined in rules of the Designated Stock Exchange or in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, and with respect of whom the Board has determined constitutes an “Independent Director” for purposes of compliance with applicable law or the Company’s listing requirements, shall without the consent of the Audit Committee take any of the foregoing actions or any other action that would reasonably be likely to affect such Director’s status as an “Independent Director” of the Company.
| 100 | Subject to the Act and to these Articles, no Director or proposed or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company, either with regard to his tenure of any office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or in any other manner whatever, nor shall any such contract or any other contract or arrangement in which any Director is in any way interested be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company or the Members for any remuneration, profit or other benefits realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established provided that such Director shall disclose the nature of his interest in any contract or arrangement in which he is interested in accordance with Article 101 herein. Any such transaction that would reasonably be likely to affect a Director’s status as an “Independent Director. |
| 101 | A Director who to his knowledge is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at the meeting of the Board at which the question of entering into the contract or arrangement is first considered, if he knows his interest then exists, or in any other case at the first meeting of the Board after he knows that he is or has become so interested. For the purposes of this Article, a general Notice to the Board by a Director to the effect that: |
| (a) | he is a member or officer of a specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be made with that company or firm; or |
| (b) | he is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be made with a specified person who is connected with him; |
shall be deemed to be a sufficient declaration of interest under this Article in relation to any such contract or arrangement, provided that no such Notice shall be effective unless either it is given at a meeting of the Board or the Director takes reasonable steps to secure that it is brought up and read at the next Board meeting after it is given.
| 102 | Following a declaration being made pursuant to the last preceding two Articles, subject to any separate requirement for Audit Committee approval under applicable law or the listing rules of the Company’s Designated Stock Exchange, and unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant Board meeting, a Director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement in which such Director is interested and may be counted in the quorum at such meeting. |
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GENERAL POWERS OF THE DIRECTORS
| 103 | (1) | The business of the Company shall be managed and conducted by the Board, which may pay all expenses incurred in forming and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company (whether relating to the management of the business of the Company or otherwise) which are not by the Statutes or by these Articles required to be exercised by the Company in general meeting, subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Statutes and of these Articles and to such regulations being not inconsistent with such provisions, as may be prescribed by the Company in general meeting, but no regulations made by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such regulations had not been made. The general powers given by this Article shall not be limited or restricted by any special authority or power given to the Board by any other Article. |
| (2) | Any person contracting or dealing with the Company in the ordinary course of business shall be entitled to rely on any written or oral contract or agreement or deed, document or instrument entered into or executed as the case may be by any two of the Directors acting jointly on behalf of the Company and the same shall be deemed to be validly entered into or executed by the Company as the case may be and shall, subject to any rule of law, be binding on the Company. |
| (3) | Without prejudice to the general powers conferred by these Articles it is hereby expressly declared that the Board shall have the following powers: |
| (a) | To give to any person the right or option of requiring at a future date that an allotment shall be made to him of any share at par or at such premium as may be agreed. |
| (b) | To give to any Directors, officers or employees of the Company an interest in any particular business or transaction or participation in the profits thereof or in the general profits of the Company either in addition to or in substitution for a salary or other remuneration. |
| (c) | To resolve that the Company be deregistered in the Cayman Islands and continued in a named jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands subject to the provisions of the Act. |
| 104 | The Board may establish any regional or local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company in any place, and may appoint any persons to be members of such local boards, or any managers or agents, and may fix their remuneration (either by way of salary or by commission or by conferring the right to participation in the profits of the Company or by a combination of two or more of these modes) and pay the working expenses of any staff employed by them upon the business of the Company. The Board may delegate to any regional or local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in or exercisable by the Board (other than its powers to make calls and forfeit shares), with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies. Any such appointment or delegation may be made upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit, and the Board may remove any person appointed as aforesaid, and may revoke or vary such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such revocation or variation shall be affected thereby. |
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| 105 | The Board may by power of attorney appoint any company, firm or person or any fluctuating body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Board under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as it may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Board may think fit, and may also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him. Such attorney or attorneys may, if so authorised under the Seal of the Company, execute any deed or instrument under their personal seal with the same effect as the affixation of the Company’s Seal. |
| 106 | The Board may entrust to and confer upon a managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, an executive director or any Director any of the powers exercisable by it upon such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as it thinks fit, and either collaterally with, or to the exclusion of, its own powers, and may from time to time revoke or vary all or any of such powers but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of such revocation or variation shall be affected thereby. |
| 107 | All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other instruments, whether negotiable or transferable or not, and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as the Board shall from time to time by resolution determine. The Company’s banking accounts shall be kept with such banker or bankers as the Board shall from time to time determine. |
| 108 | (1) | The Board may establish or concur or join with other companies (being subsidiary companies of the Company or companies with which it is associated in business) in establishing and making contributions out of the Company’s moneys to any schemes or funds for providing pensions, sickness or compassionate allowances, life assurance or other benefits for employees (which expression as used in this and the following paragraph shall include any Director or ex-Director who may hold or have held any executive office or any office of profit under the Company or any of its subsidiary companies) and ex-employees of the Company and their dependants or any class or classes of such person. |
| (2) | The Board may pay, enter into agreements to pay or make grants of revocable or irrevocable pensions or other benefits to employees and ex-employees and their dependants, or to any of such persons, including pensions or benefits additional to those, if any, to which such employees or ex-employees or their dependants are or may become entitled under any such scheme or fund as mentioned in the last preceding paragraph. Any such pension or benefit may, as the Board considers desirable, be granted to an employee either before and in anticipation of or upon or at any time after his actual retirement, and may be subject or not subject to any terms or conditions as the Board may determine. |
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BORROWING POWERS
| 109 | The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to raise or borrow money and to mortgage or charge all or any part of the undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital of the Company and, subject to the Act, to issue debentures, bonds and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party. |
| 110 | Debentures, bonds and other securities may be made assignable free from any equities between the Company and the person to whom the same may be issued. |
| 111 | Any debentures, bonds or other securities may be issued at a discount (other than shares), premium or otherwise and with any special privileges as to redemption, surrender, drawings, allotment of shares, attending and voting at general meetings of the Company, appointment of Directors and otherwise. |
| 112 | (1) | Where any uncalled capital of the Company is charged, all persons taking any subsequent charge thereon shall take the same subject to such prior charge, and shall not be entitled, by notice to the Members or otherwise, to obtain priority over such prior charge. |
| (2) | The Board shall cause a proper register to be kept, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, of all charges specifically affecting the property of the Company and of any series of debentures issued by the Company and shall duly comply with the requirements of the Act in regard to the registration of charges and debentures therein specified and otherwise. |
PROCEEDINGS OF THE DIRECTORS
| 113 | The Board may meet for the despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it considers appropriate. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes. In the case of any equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have an additional or casting vote. |
| 114 | A meeting of the Board may be convened by the Secretary on request of a Director or by any Director. The Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Board of which notice may be given in writing or by telephone or in such other manner as the Board may from time to time determine whenever he shall be required so to do by the president or chairman, as the case may be, or any Director. |
| 115 | (1) | The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Board may be fixed by the Board and, unless so fixed at any other number, shall be two (2). An alternate Director shall be counted in a quorum in the case of the absence of a Director for whom he is the alternate provided that he shall not be counted more than once for the purpose of determining whether or not a quorum is present. |
| (2) | Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment through which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other simultaneously and instantaneously and, for the purpose of counting a quorum, such participation shall constitute presence at a meeting as if those participating were present in person. |
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| (3) | Any Director who ceases to be a Director at a Board meeting may continue to be present and to act as a Director and be counted in the quorum until the termination of such Board meeting if no other Director objects and if otherwise a quorum of Directors would not be present. |
| 116 | The continuing Directors or a sole continuing Director may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the Board but, if and so long as the number of Directors is reduced below the minimum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles, the continuing Directors or Director, notwithstanding that the number of Directors is below the number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles as the quorum or that there is only one continuing Director, may act for the purpose of filling vacancies in the Board or of summoning general meetings of the Company but not for any other purpose. |
| 117 | The Chairman of the Board shall be the chairman of all meetings of the Board. If the Chairman of the Board is not present at any meeting within five (5) minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| 118 | A meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in or exercisable by the Board. |
| 119 | (1) | The Board may delegate any of its powers, authorities and discretions to committees (including, without limitation, the Audit Committee), consisting of such Director or Directors and other persons as it thinks fit, and they may, from time to time, revoke such delegation or revoke the appointment of and discharge any such committees either wholly or in part, and either as to persons or purposes. Any committee so formed shall, in the exercise of the powers, authorities and discretions so delegated, conform to any regulations which may be imposed on it by the Board. |
| (2) | All acts done by any such committee in conformity with such regulations, and in fulfilment of the purposes for which it was appointed, but not otherwise, shall have like force and effect as if done by the Board, and the Board (or if the Board delegates such power, the committee) shall have power to remunerate the members of any such committee, and charge such remuneration to the current expenses of the Company. |
| 120 | The meetings and proceedings of any committee consisting of two or more members shall be governed by the provisions contained in these Articles for regulating the meetings and proceedings of the Board so far as the same are applicable and are not superseded by any regulations imposed by the Board under the last preceding Article, indicating, without limitation, any committee charter adopted by the Board for purposes or in respect of any such committee. |
| 121 | A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors except such as are temporarily unable to act through ill-health or disability shall (provided that such number is sufficient to constitute a quorum and further provided that a copy of such resolution has been given or the contents thereof communicated to all the Directors for the time being entitled to receive notices of Board meetings in the same manner as notices of meetings are required to be given by these Articles) be as valid and effectual as if a resolution had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held. Such resolution may be contained in one document or in several documents in like form each signed by one or more of the Directors and for this purpose a facsimile signature of a Director shall be treated as valid. |
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| 122 | All acts bona fide done by the Board or by any committee or by any person acting as a Director or members of a committee, shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any member of the Board or such committee or person acting as aforesaid or that they or any of them were disqualified or had vacated office, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a Director or member of such committee. |
AUDIT COMMITTEE
| 123 | Without prejudice to the freedom of the Directors to establish any other committees, for so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board shall establish and maintain an audit committee as a committee of the Board, the composition and responsibilities of which shall comply with the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and the rules and regulations of the SEC. |
| 124 | (1) | The Board shall adopt a formal written audit committee charter and review and assess the adequacy of the formal written charter on an annual basis. |
| (2) | The Audit Committee shall meet at least once every financial quarter, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. |
| 125 | For so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company shall conduct an appropriate review of all related party transactions on an ongoing basis and shall utilize the Audit Committee for the review and approval of potential conflicts of interest. Specially, the Audit Committee shall approve any transaction or transactions between the Company and any of the following parties: (i) any shareholder owning an interest in the voting power of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company that gives such shareholder significant influence over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any director or executive officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company and any relative of such director or executive officer, (iii) any person in which a substantial interest in the voting power of the Company is owned, directly or indirectly, by any person described in (i) or (ii) or over which such a person is able to exercise significant influence, and (iv) any affiliate (other than a subsidiary) of the Company. |
OFFICERS
| 126 | (1) | The officers of the Company shall consist of the Chairman of the Board, the Directors and Secretary and such additional officers (who may or may not be Directors) as the Board may from time to time determine, all of whom shall be deemed to be officers for the purposes of the Act and these Articles. |
| (2) | The Directors shall, as soon as may be after each appointment or election of Directors, elect amongst the Directors a chairman and if more than one Director is proposed for this office, the election to such office shall take place in such manner as the Directors may determine. |
| (3) | The officers shall receive such remuneration as the Directors may from time to time determine. |
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| 127 | (1) | The Secretary and additional officers, if any, shall be appointed by the Board and shall hold office on such terms and for such period as the Board may determine. If thought fit, two or more persons may be appointed as joint Secretaries. The Board may also appoint from time to time on such terms as it thinks fit one or more assistant or deputy Secretaries. |
| (2) | The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Members and shall keep correct minutes of such meetings and enter the same in the proper books provided for the purpose. He shall perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Act or these Articles or as may be prescribed by the Board. |
| 128 | The officers of the Company shall have such powers and perform such duties in the management, business and affairs of the Company as may be delegated to them by the Directors from time to time. |
| 129 | A provision of the Act or of these Articles requiring or authorising a thing to be done by or to a Director and the Secretary shall not be satisfied by its being done by or to the same person acting both as Director and as or in place of the Secretary. |
REGISTER OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
| 130 | The Company shall cause to be kept in one or more books at its Office a Register of Directors and Officers in which there shall be entered the full names and addresses of the Directors and Officers and such other particulars as required by the Act or as the Directors may determine. The Company shall send to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands a copy of such register, and shall from time to time notify to the said Registrar of any change that takes place in relation to such Directors and Officers as required by the Act. |
MINUTES
| 131 | (1) | The Board shall cause minutes to be duly entered in books provided for the purpose: |
| (a) | of all elections and appointments of officers; |
| (b) | of the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; |
| (c) | of all resolutions and proceedings of each general meeting of the Members, meetings of the Board and meetings of committees of the Board and where there are managers, of all proceedings of meetings of the managers. |
| (2) | Minutes shall be kept by the Secretary at the Office. |
SEAL
| 132 | (1) | The Company may have one or more Seals, as the Board may determine. For the purpose of sealing documents creating or evidencing securities issued by the Company, the Company may have a securities seal which is a facsimile of the Seal of the Company with the addition of the word “Securities” on its face or in such other form as the Board may approve. The Board shall provide for the custody of each Seal and no Seal shall be used without the authority of the Board or of a committee of the Board authorised by the Board in that behalf. Subject as otherwise provided in these Articles, any instrument to which a Seal is affixed shall be signed autographically by one Director and the Secretary or by two Directors or by such other person (including a Director) or persons as the Board may appoint, either generally or in any particular case, save that as regards any certificates for shares or debentures or other securities of the Company the Board may by resolution determine that such signatures or either of them shall be dispensed with or affixed by some method or system of mechanical signature. Every instrument executed in manner provided by this Article shall be deemed to be sealed and executed with the authority of the Board previously given. |
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| (2) | Where the Company has a Seal for use abroad, the Board may by writing under the Seal appoint any agent or committee abroad to be the duly authorised agent of the Company for the purpose of affixing and using such Seal and the Board may impose restrictions on the use thereof as may be thought fit. Wherever in these Articles reference is made to the Seal, the reference shall, when and so far as may be applicable, be deemed to include any such other Seal as aforesaid. |
AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS
| 133 | Any Director or the Secretary or any person appointed by the Board for the purpose may authenticate any documents affecting the constitution of the Company and any resolution passed by the Company or the Board or any committee, and any books, records, documents and accounts relating to the business of the Company, and to certify copies thereof or extracts therefrom as true copies or extracts, and if any books, records, documents or accounts are elsewhere than at the Office or the head office the local manager or other officer of the Company having the custody thereof shall be deemed to be a person so appointed by the Board. A document purporting to be a copy of a resolution, or an extract from the minutes of a meeting, of the Company or of the Board or any committee which is so certified shall be conclusive evidence in favour of all persons dealing with the Company upon the faith thereof that such resolution has been duly passed or, as the case may be, that such minutes or extract is a true and accurate record of proceedings at a duly constituted meeting. |
DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
| 134 | (1) | The Company shall be entitled to destroy the following documents at the following times: |
| (a) | any share certificate which has been cancelled at any time after the expiry of one (1) year from the date of such cancellation; |
| (b) | any dividend mandate or any variation or cancellation thereof or any notification of change of name or address at any time after the expiry of two (2) years from the date such mandate variation cancellation or notification was recorded by the Company; |
| (c) | any instrument of transfer of shares which has been registered at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of registration; |
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| (d) | any allotment letters after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of issue thereof; and |
| (e) | copies of powers of attorney, grants of probate and letters of administration at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years after the account to which the relevant power of attorney, grant of probate or letters of administration related has been closed; |
and it shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that every entry in the Register purporting to be made on the basis of any such documents so destroyed was duly and properly made and every share certificate so destroyed was a valid certificate duly and properly cancelled and that every instrument of transfer so destroyed was a valid and effective instrument duly and properly registered and that every other document destroyed hereunder was a valid and effective document in accordance with the recorded particulars thereof in the books or records of the Company. Provided always that: (1) the foregoing provisions of this Article shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice to the Company that the preservation of such document was relevant to a claim; (2) nothing contained in this Article shall be construed as imposing upon the Company any liability in respect of the destruction of any such document earlier than as aforesaid or in any case where the conditions of proviso (1) above are not fulfilled; and (3) references in this Article to the destruction of any document include references to its disposal in any manner.
| (2) | Notwithstanding any provision contained in these Articles, the Directors may, if permitted by applicable law, authorise the destruction of documents set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e) of paragraph (1) of this Article and any other documents in relation to share registration which have been microfilmed or electronically stored by the Company or by the share registrar on its behalf provided always that this Article shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice to the Company and its share registrar that the preservation of such document was relevant to a claim. |
DIVIDENDS AND OTHER PAYMENTS
| 135 | Subject to the Act, the Company in general meeting or the Board may from time to time declare dividends in any currency to be paid to the Members but no dividend shall be declared in excess of the amount recommended by the Board. |
| 136 | Dividends may be declared and paid out of the profits of the Company, realised or unrealised, or from any reserve set aside from profits which the Directors determine is no longer needed. The Board may also declare and pay dividends out of share premium account or any other fund or account which can be authorised for this purpose in accordance with the Act. |
| 137 | Except in so far as the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any share otherwise provide: |
| (a) | all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares in respect of which the dividend is paid, but no amount paid up on a share in advance of calls shall be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid up on the share; and |
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| (b) | all dividends shall be apportioned and paid pro rata according to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid. |
| 138 | The Board may from time to time pay to the Members such interim dividends as appear to the Board to be justified by the profits of the Company and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) if at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes, the Board may pay such interim dividends in respect of those shares in the capital of the Company which confer on the holders thereof deferred or non-preferential rights as well as in respect of those shares which confer on the holders thereof preferential rights with regard to dividend and provided that the Board acts bona fide the Board shall not incur any responsibility to the holders of shares conferring any preference for any damage that they may suffer by reason of the payment of an interim dividend on any shares having deferred or non-preferential rights and may also pay any fixed dividend which is payable on any shares of the Company half-yearly or on any other dates, whenever such profits, in the opinion of the Board, justifies such payment. |
| 139 | The Board may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to a Member by the Company on or in respect of any shares all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on account of calls or otherwise. |
| 140 | No dividend or other moneys payable by the Company on or in respect of any share shall bear interest against the Company. |
| 141 | Any dividend, interest or other sum payable in cash to the holder of shares may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post addressed to the holder at his registered address or, in the case of joint holders, addressed to the holder whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the shares at his address as appearing in the Register or addressed to such person and at such address as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the Register in respect of such shares, and shall be sent at his or their risk and payment of the cheque or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to the Company notwithstanding that it may subsequently appear that the same has been stolen or that any endorsement thereon has been forged. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any dividends or other moneys payable or property distributable in respect of the shares held by such joint holders. |
| 142 | All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one (1) year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by the Board for the benefit of the Company until claimed. Any dividend or bonuses unclaimed after a period of six (6) years from the date of declaration shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company. The payment by the Board of any unclaimed dividend or other sums payable on or in respect of a share into a separate account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof. |
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| 143 | Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared, the Board may further resolve that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part by the distribution of specific assets of any kind and in particular of paid up shares, debentures or warrants to subscribe securities of the Company or any other company, or in any one or more of such ways, and where any difficulty arises in regard to the distribution the Board may settle the same as it thinks expedient, and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares, disregard fractional entitlements or round the same up or down, and may fix the value for distribution of such specific assets, or any part thereof, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all parties, and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the Board and may appoint any person to sign any requisite instruments of transfer and other documents on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend, and such appointment shall be effective and binding on the Members. The Board may resolve that no such assets shall be made available to Members with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, such distribution of assets would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable and in such event the only entitlement of the Members aforesaid shall be to receive cash payments as aforesaid. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of Members for any purpose whatsoever. |
| 144 | (1) | Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared on any class of the share capital of the Company, the Board may further resolve either: |
| (a) | that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up, provided that the Members entitled thereto will be entitled to elect to receive such dividend (or part thereof if the Board so determines) in cash in lieu of such allotment. In such case, the following provisions shall apply: |
| (i) | the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board; |
| (ii) | the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than ten (10) days’ Notice to the holders of the relevant shares of the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be lodged in order to be effective; |
| (iii) | the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of election has been accorded; and |
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| (iv) | the dividend (or that part of the dividend to be satisfied by the allotment of shares as aforesaid) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect whereof the cash election has not been duly exercised (“the non-elected shares”) and in satisfaction thereof shares of the relevant class shall be allotted credited as fully paid up to the holders of the non-elected shares on the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than the Subscription Rights Reserve) as the Board may determine, such sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the non-elected shares on such basis; or |
| (b) | that the Members entitled to such dividend shall be entitled to elect to receive an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up in lieu of the whole or such part of the dividend as the Board may think fit. In such case, the following provisions shall apply: |
| (i) | the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the Board; |
| (ii) | the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give not less than ten (10) days’ Notice to the holders of the relevant shares of the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be lodged in order to be effective; |
| (iii) | the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of election has been accorded; and |
| (iv) | the dividend (or that part of the dividend in respect of which a right of election has been accorded) shall not be payable in cash on shares in respect whereof the share election has been duly exercised (“the elected shares”) and in lieu thereof shares of the relevant class shall be allotted credited as fully paid up to the holders of the elected shares on the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than the Subscription Rights Reserve) as the Board may determine, such sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the elected shares on such basis. |
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| (2)(a) | The shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with shares of the same class (if any) then in issue save only as regards participation in the relevant dividend or in any other distributions, bonuses or rights paid, made, declared or announced prior to or contemporaneously with the payment or declaration of the relevant dividend unless, contemporaneously with the announcement by the Board of their proposal to apply the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of paragraph (2) of this Article in relation to the relevant dividend or contemporaneously with their announcement of the distribution, bonus or rights in question, the Board shall specify that the shares to be allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank for participation in such distribution, bonus or rights. |
| (b) | The Board may do all acts and things considered necessary or expedient to give effect to any capitalisation pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article, with full power to the Board to make such provisions as it thinks fit in the case of shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby, in whole or in part, fractional entitlements are aggregated and sold and the net proceeds distributed to those entitled, or are disregarded or rounded up or down or whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrues to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Board may authorise any person to enter into on behalf of all Members interested, an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made pursuant to such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned. |
| (3) | The Company may upon the recommendation of the Board by ordinary resolution resolve in respect of any one particular dividend of the Company that notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article a dividend may be satisfied wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up without offering any right to shareholders to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment. |
| (4) | The Board may on any occasion determine that rights of election and the allotment of shares under paragraph (1) of this Article shall not be made available or made to any shareholders with registered addresses in any territory where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, the circulation of an offer of such rights of election or the allotment of shares would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable, and in such event the provisions aforesaid shall be read and construed subject to such determination. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of Members for any purpose whatsoever. |
| (5) | Any resolution declaring a dividend on shares of any class, whether a resolution of the Company in general meeting or a resolution of the Board, may specify that the same shall be payable or distributable to the persons registered as the holders of such shares at the close of business on a particular date, notwithstanding that it may be a date prior to that on which the resolution is passed, and thereupon the dividend shall be payable or distributable to them in accordance with their respective holdings so registered, but without prejudice to the rights inter se in respect of such dividend of transferors and transferees of any such shares. The provisions of this Article shall mutatis mutandis apply to bonuses, capitalisation issues, distributions of realised capital profits or offers or grants made by the Company to the Members. |
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RESERVES
| 145 | (1) | The Board shall establish an account to be called the share premium account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any share in the Company. Unless otherwise provided by the provisions of these Articles, the Board may apply the share premium account in any manner permitted by the Act. The Company shall at all times comply with the provisions of the Act in relation to the share premium account. |
| (2) | Before recommending any dividend, the Board may set aside out of the profits of the Company such sums as it determines as reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Board, be applicable for any purpose to which the profits of the Company may be properly applied and pending such application may, also at such discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments as the Board may from time to time think fit and so that it shall not be necessary to keep any investments constituting the reserve or reserves separate or distinct from any other investments of the Company. The Board may also without placing the same to reserve carry forward any profits which it may think prudent not to distribute. |
CAPITALISATION
| 146 | The Company may, upon the recommendation of the Board, at any time and from time to time pass an ordinary resolution to the effect that it is desirable to capitalise all or any part of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve or fund (including a share premium account and capital redemption reserve and the profit and loss account) whether or not the same is available for distribution and accordingly that such amount be set free for distribution among the Members or any class of Members who would be entitled thereto if it were distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions, on the footing that the same is not paid in cash but is applied either in or towards paying up the amounts for the time being unpaid on any shares in the Company held by such Members respectively or in paying up in full unissued shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company, to be allotted and distributed credited as fully paid up among such Members, or partly in one way and partly in the other, and the Board shall give effect to such resolution provided that, for the purposes of this Article, a share premium account and any capital redemption reserve or fund representing unrealised profits, may be applied only in paying up in full unissued shares of the Company to be allotted to such Members credited as fully paid. |
| 147 | The Board may settle, as it considers appropriate, any difficulty arising in regard to any distribution under the last preceding Article and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or authorise any person to sell and transfer any fractions or may resolve that the distribution should be as nearly as may be practicable in the correct proportion but not exactly so or may ignore fractions altogether, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members in order to adjust the rights of all parties, as may seem expedient to the Board. The Board may appoint any person to sign on behalf of the persons entitled to participate in the distribution any contract necessary or desirable for giving effect thereto and such appointment shall be effective and binding upon the Members. |
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SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS RESERVE
| 148 | The following provisions shall have effect to the extent that they are not prohibited by and are in compliance with the Act: |
| (1) | If, so long as any of the rights attached to any warrants issued by the Company to subscribe for shares of the Company shall remain exercisable, the Company does any act or engages in any transaction which, as a result of any adjustments to the subscription price in accordance with the provisions of the conditions of the warrants, would reduce the subscription price to below the par value of a share, then the following provisions shall apply: |
| (a) | as from the date of such act or transaction the Company shall establish and thereafter (subject as provided in this Article) maintain in accordance with the provisions of this Article a reserve (the “Subscription Rights Reserve”) the amount of which shall at no time be less than the sum which for the time being would be required to be capitalised and applied in paying up in full the nominal amount of the additional shares required to be issued and allotted credited as fully paid pursuant to sub-paragraph (c) below on the exercise in full of all the subscription rights outstanding and shall apply the Subscription Rights Reserve in paying up such additional shares in full as and when the same are allotted; |
| (b) | the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be used for any purpose other than that specified above unless all other reserves of the Company (other than share premium account) have been extinguished and will then only be used to make good losses of the Company if and so far as is required by law; |
| (c) | upon the exercise of all or any of the subscription rights represented by any warrant, the relevant subscription rights shall be exercisable in respect of a nominal amount of shares equal to the amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the case may be the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the subscription rights) and, in addition, there shall be allotted in respect of such subscription rights to the exercising warrantholder, credited as fully paid, such additional nominal amount of shares as is equal to the difference between: |
| (i) | the said amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the case may be, the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the subscription rights); and |
| (ii) | the nominal amount of shares in respect of which such subscription rights would have been exercisable having regard to the provisions of the conditions of the warrants, had it been possible for such subscription rights to represent the right to subscribe for shares at less than par and immediately upon such exercise so much of the sum standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve as is required to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares shall be capitalised and applied in paying up in full such additional nominal amount of shares which shall forthwith be allotted credited as fully paid to the exercising warrantholders; and |
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| (d) | if, upon the exercise of the subscription rights represented by any warrant, the amount standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve is not sufficient to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares equal to such difference as aforesaid to which the exercising warrantholder is entitled, the Board shall apply any profits or reserves then or thereafter becoming available (including, to the extent permitted by law, share premium account) for such purpose until such additional nominal amount of shares is paid up and allotted as aforesaid and until then no dividend or other distribution shall be paid or made on the fully paid shares of the Company then in issue. Pending such payment and allotment, the exercising warrantholder shall be issued by the Company with a certificate evidencing his right to the allotment of such additional nominal amount of shares. The rights represented by any such certificate shall be in registered form and shall be transferable in whole or in part in units of one share in the like manner as the shares for the time being are transferable, and the Company shall make such arrangements in relation to the maintenance of a register therefor and other matters in relation thereto as the Board may think fit and adequate particulars thereof shall be made known to each relevant exercising warrantholder upon the issue of such certificate. |
| (2) | Shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with the other shares allotted on the relevant exercise of the subscription rights represented by the warrant concerned. Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (1) of this Article, no fraction of any share shall be allotted on exercise of the subscription rights. |
| (3) | The provision of this Article as to the establishment and maintenance of the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be altered or added to in any way which would vary or abrogate, or which would have the effect of varying or abrogating the provisions for the benefit of any warrantholder or class of warrantholders under this Article without the sanction of a special resolution of such warrantholders or class of warrantholders. |
| (4) | A certificate or report by the auditors for the time being of the Company as to whether or not the Subscription Rights Reserve is required to be established and maintained and if so the amount thereof so required to be established and maintained, as to the purposes for which the Subscription Rights Reserve has been used, as to the extent to which it has been used to make good losses of the Company, as to the additional nominal amount of shares required to be allotted to exercising warrantholders credited as fully paid, and as to any other matter concerning the Subscription Rights Reserve shall (in the absence of manifest error) be conclusive and binding upon the Company and all warrantholders and shareholders. |
ACCOUNTING RECORDS
| 149 | The Board shall cause true accounts to be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the Company, and the matters in respect of which such receipt and expenditure take place, and of the property, assets, credits and liabilities of the Company and of all other matters required by the Act or necessary to give a true and fair view of the Company’s affairs and to explain its transactions. |
| 150 | The accounting records shall be kept at the Office or, at such other place or places as the Board decides and shall always be open to inspection by the Directors. No Member (other than a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any accounting record or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Board or the Company in general meeting. |
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| 151 | Subject to Article 157 and only if required by the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, a printed copy of the Directors’ report, accompanied by the balance sheet and profit and loss account, including every document required by law to be annexed thereto, made up to the end of the applicable financial year and containing a summary of the assets and liabilities of the Company under convenient heads and a statement of income and expenditure, together with a copy of the Auditors’ report, shall be sent to each person entitled thereto at least ten (10) days before the date of the general meeting and laid before the Company at the annual general meeting held in accordance with Article 62 provided that this Article shall not require a copy of those documents to be sent to any person whose address the Company is not aware or to more than one of the joint holders of any shares or debentures. |
| 152 | Subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, and to obtaining all necessary consents, if any, required thereunder, the requirements of Article 155 shall be deemed satisfied in relation to any person by sending to the person in any manner not prohibited by the Statutes, a summary financial statement derived from the Company’s annual accounts and the directors’ report which shall be in the form and containing the information required by applicable laws and regulations, provided that any person who is otherwise entitled to the annual financial statements of the Company and the directors’ report thereon may, if he so requires by notice in writing served on the Company, demand that the Company sends to him, in addition to a summary financial statement, a complete printed copy of the Company’s annual financial statement and the directors’ report thereon. |
| 153 | The requirement to send to a person referred to in Article 155 the documents referred to in that article or a summary financial report in accordance with Article 157 shall be deemed satisfied where, in accordance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company publishes copies of the documents referred to in Article 155 and, if applicable, a summary financial report complying with Article 157, on the Company’s computer network or in any other permitted manner (including by sending any form of electronic communication), and that person has agreed or is deemed to have agreed to treat the publication or receipt of such documents in such manner as discharging the Company’s obligation to send to him a copy of such documents. |
AUDIT
| 154 | Subject to applicable law and rules of the Designated Stock Exchange: |
| (1) | At the annual general meeting or at a subsequent extraordinary general meeting in each year, the Members shall appoint an auditor to audit the accounts of the Company and such auditor shall hold office until the Members appoint another auditor. Such auditor may be a Member but no Director or officer or employee of the Company shall, during his continuance in office, be eligible to act as an auditor of the Company. |
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| (2) | A person, other than a retiring Auditor, shall not be capable of being appointed Auditor at an annual general meeting unless notice in writing of an intention to nominate that person to the office of Auditor has been given not less than fourteen (14) days before the annual general meeting and furthermore, the Company shall send a copy of any such notice to the retiring Auditor. |
| (3) | The Members may, at any general meeting convened and held in accordance with these Articles, by special resolution remove the Auditor at any time before the expiration of his term of office and shall by ordinary resolution at that meeting appoint another Auditor in his stead for the remainder of his term. |
| 155 | Subject to the Act the accounts of the Company shall be audited at least once in every year. |
| 156 | The remuneration of the Auditor shall be fixed by the Company in general meeting or in such manner as the Members may determine. |
| 157 | If the office of auditor becomes vacant by the resignation or death of the Auditor, or by his becoming incapable of acting by reason of illness or other disability at a time when his services are required, the Directors shall fill the vacancy and determine the remuneration of such Auditor. |
| 158 | The Auditor shall at all reasonable times have access to all books kept by the Company and to all accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he may call on the Directors or officers of the Company for any information in their possession relating to the books or affairs of the Company. |
| 159 | The statement of income and expenditure and the balance sheet provided for by these Articles shall be examined by the Auditor and compared by him with the books, accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he shall make a written report thereon stating whether such statement and balance sheet are drawn up so as to present fairly the financial position of the Company and the results of its operations for the period under review and, in case information shall have been called for from Directors or officers of the Company, whether the same has been furnished and has been satisfactory. The financial statements of the Company shall be audited by the Auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Auditor shall make a written report thereon in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the report of the Auditor shall be submitted to the Members in general meeting. The generally accepted auditing standards referred to herein may be those of a country or jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. If so, the financial statements and the report of the Auditor should disclose this act and name such country or jurisdiction. |
NOTICES
| 160 | Any Notice or document, whether or not, to be given or issued under these Articles from the Company to a Member shall be in writing or by cable, telex or facsimile transmission message or other form of electronic transmission or communication and any such Notice and document may be served or delivered by the Company on or to any Member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such Member at his registered address as appearing in the Register or at any other address supplied by him to the Company for the purpose or, as the case may be, by transmitting it to any such address or transmitting it to any telex or facsimile transmission number or electronic number or address or website supplied by him to the Company for the giving of Notice to him or which the person transmitting the notice reasonably and bona fide believes at the relevant time will result in the Notice being duly received by the Member or may also be served by advertisement in appropriate newspapers in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange or, to the extent permitted by the applicable laws, by placing it on the Company’s website and giving to the member a notice stating that the notice or other document is available there (a “notice of availability”). The notice of availability may be given to the Member by any of the means set out above. In the case of joint holders of a share all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register and notice so given shall be deemed a sufficient service on or delivery to all the joint holders. |
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| 161 | Any Notice or other document: |
| (a) | if served or delivered by post, shall where appropriate be sent by airmail and shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day following that on which the envelope containing the same, properly prepaid and addressed, is put into the post; in proving such service or delivery it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or document was properly addressed and put into the post and a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or other document was so addressed and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence thereof; |
| (b) | if sent by electronic communication, shall be deemed to be given on the day on which it is transmitted from the server of the Company or its agent. A notice placed on the Company’s website is deemed given by the Company to a Member on the day following that on which a notice of availability is deemed served on the Member; |
| (c) | if served or delivered in any other manner contemplated by these Articles, shall be deemed to have been served or delivered at the time of personal service or delivery or, as the case may be, at the time of the relevant despatch or transmission; and in proving such service or delivery a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board as to the act and time of such service, delivery, despatch or transmission shall be conclusive evidence thereof; and |
| (d) | may be given to a Member either in the English language or the Chinese language, subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations. |
| 162 | (1) | Any Notice or other document delivered or sent by post to or left at the registered address of any Member in pursuance of these Articles shall, notwithstanding that such Member is then dead or bankrupt or that any other event has occurred, and whether or not the Company has notice of the death or bankruptcy or other event, be deemed to have been duly served or delivered in respect of any share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder unless his name shall, at the time of the service or delivery of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register as the holder of the share, and such service or delivery shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service or delivery of such Notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share. |
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| (2) | A notice may be given by the Company to the person entitled to a share in consequence of the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy of a Member by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter, envelope or wrapper addressed to him by name, or by the title of representative of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description, at the address, if any, supplied for the |
purpose by the person claiming to be so entitled, or (until such an address has been so supplied) by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy had not occurred. (3)Any person who by operation of law, transfer or other means whatsoever shall become entitled to any share shall be bound by every notice in respect of such share which prior to his name and address being entered on the Register shall have been duly given to the person from whom he derives his title to such share.
SIGNATURES
| 163 | For the purposes of these Articles, a cable or telex or facsimile or electronic transmission message purporting to come from a holder of shares or, as the case may be, a Director, or, in the case of a corporation which is a holder of shares from a director or the secretary thereof or a duly appointed attorney or duly authorised representative thereof for it and on its behalf, shall in the absence of express evidence to the contrary available to the person relying thereon at the relevant time be deemed to be a document or instrument in writing signed by such holder or Director in the terms in which it is received. |
WINDING UP
| 164 | (1) | The Board shall have power in the name and on behalf of the Company to present a petition to the court for the Company to be wound up. |
| (2) | A resolution that the Company be wound up by the court or be wound up voluntarily shall be a special resolution. |
| 165 | (1) | Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares (i) if the Company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members of the Company shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributed pari passu amongst such members in proportion to the amount paid up on the shares held by them respectively and (ii) if the Company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members as such shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the paid-up capital such assets shall be distributed so that, a nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the capital paid up, or which ought to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively. |
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| (2) | If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution and any other sanction required by the Act, divide among the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and whether or not the assets shall consist of properties of one kind or shall consist of properties to be divided as aforesaid of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit, and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no contributory shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability. |
| (3) | In the event of winding-up of the Company in the People’s Republic of China, every Member of the Company who is not for the time being in the People’s Republic of China shall be bound, within 14 days after the passing of an effective resolution to wind up the Company voluntarily, or the making of an order for the winding-up of the Company, to serve notice in writing on the Company appointing some person resident in the People’s Republic of China and stating that person’s full name, address and occupation upon whom all summonses, notices, process, orders and judgements in relation to or under the winding-up of the Company may be served, and in default of such nomination the liquidator of the Company shall be at liberty on behalf of such Member to appoint some such person, and service upon any such appointee, whether appointed by the Member or the liquidator, shall be deemed to be good personal service on such Member for all purposes, and, where the liquidator makes any such appointment, he shall with all convenient speed give notice thereof to such Member by advertisement as he shall deem appropriate or by a registered letter sent through the post and addressed to such Member at his address as appearing in the register, and such notice shall be deemed to be service on the day following that on which the advertisement first appears or the letter is posted. |
INDEMNITY
| 166 | (1) | The Directors, Secretary and other officers and every Auditor for the time being of the Company following the Closing and the liquidator or trustees (if any) for the time being acting in relation to any of the affairs of the Company following the Closing and everyone of them, and everyone of their heirs, executors and administrators, shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and profits of the Company from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of them, their or any of their heirs, executors or administrators, shall or may incur or sustain by or by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their duty, or supposed duty, in their respective offices or trusts; and none of them shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of the other or others of them or for joining in any receipts for the sake of conformity, or for any bankers or other persons with whom any moneys or effects belonging to the Company shall or may be lodged or deposited for safe custody, or for insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any moneys of or belonging to the Company shall be placed out on or invested, or for any other loss, misfortune or damage which may happen in the execution of their respective offices or trusts, or in relation thereto; PROVIDED THAT this indemnity shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to any of said persons. |
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| (2) | Each Member agrees to waive any claim or right of action he might have, whether individually or by or in the right of the Company, against any Director on account of any action taken by such Director following the Closing, or the failure of such Director to take any action in the performance of his duties with or for the Company following the Closing; PROVIDED THAT such waiver shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to such Director. |
AMENDMENT TO MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
AND NAME OF COMPANY
| 167 | No Article shall be rescinded, altered or amended and no new Article shall be made until the same has been approved by a special resolution of the Members. A special resolution shall be required to alter the provisions of the Memorandum of Association or to change the name of the Company. |
INFORMATION
| 168 | No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of or any information respecting any detail of the Company’s trading or any matter which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Directors it will be inexpedient in the interests of the members of the Company to communicate to the public. |
FINANCIAL YEAR
| 169 | Unless otherwise determined by the Directors, the financial year end of the Company shall be 31 of December in each year. |
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BAIJIAYUN GROUP LTD
PROXY FOR THE 2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
TO BE HELD ON May 29, 2024
The undersigned shareholder of Baijiayun Group Ltd, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), holding ______________ [Class A /Class B] ordinary shares in the Company, hereby acknowledges receipt of the notice of 2024 annual general meeting of shareholders and proxy statement and hereby appoints Yi Ma as proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power to each of substitution and revocation, on behalf and in the name of the undersigned, to represent the undersigned at the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company to be held at 24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road, Yuhuatai District, Nanjing, China on May 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing Time), or at any adjournment thereof, and to vote, as designated below, all [Class A/Class B] ordinary shares of the Company which the undersigned would be entitled to vote if then and there personally present, on the matters set forth below and hereby revokes any proxy or proxies heretofore given.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” EACH PROPOSAL.
1. As an ordinary resolution, to elect the following individuals to serve as Directors of the Company:
Ms. Qiong Ni
| ☐ FOR | ☐ AGAINST | ☐ ABSTAIN |
Ms. Xin Zhang
| ☐ FOR | ☐ AGAINST | ☐ ABSTAIN |
A vote FOR the nominee includes discretionary authority to vote for a substitute nominee(s) if any nominee listed becomes unable or unwilling to serve.
2. As an ordinary resolution, to approve and ratify the appointment of Shandong Haoxin Certified Public Accountants Co., Ltd. as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 and to authorize the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company to fix its remuneration.
| ☐ FOR | ☐ AGAINST | ☐ ABSTAIN |
3. As an ordinary resolution, to approve the Share Consolidation, as described in the accompanying amended and restated notice of the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
| ☐ FOR | ☐ AGAINST | ☐ ABSTAIN |
4. As a special resolution, to approve the Capital Reorganization, as described in the accompanying amended and restated notice of the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
| ☐ FOR | ☐ AGAINST | ☐ ABSTAIN |
5. As a special resolution, to approve the adoption of the fourth amended and restated memorandum of association and third amended and restated articles of association, in substitution for and to the exclusion of the existing third amended and restated memorandum of association and second amended and restated articles of association, with effect upon the Capital Reorganization taking effect.
| ☐ FOR | ☐ AGAINST | ☐ ABSTAIN |
To transact any other business as may properly be presented at the 2024 Annual General Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED OR, IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN, WILL BE VOTED “FOR” EACH PROPOSAL SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED ABOVE.
To change the address on your account, please check the box at right and indicate your new address in the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the account may not be submitted via this method.
| I PLAN ON ATTENDING THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING | Yes | No |
| Signature of Shareholder |
Date: |
NOTE:
| a) | A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company. A shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the 2024 Annual General Meeting is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend and vote in his/her stead. |
| b) | Any standing proxy previously deposited by a shareholder with the Company will be voted in favor of the resolutions to be proposed at the 2024 Annual General Meeting unless revoked prior to the 2024 Annual General Meeting or the shareholder attends the 2024 Annual General Meeting in person or executes a specific proxy. |
| c) | Please sign exactly as your name or names appear on the register of members of the Company on this Proxy. |
| d) | When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. If two or more persons are jointly registered as holders of a share, the vote of the senior person who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of other joint holders. For this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand on the Company’s register of shareholders in respect of the relevant shares. |
| e) | When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person. |
| f) | A shareholder holding more than one share entitled to attend and vote at the 2024 Annual General Meeting need not cast the votes in respect of such shares in the same way on any resolution and therefore may vote a share or some or all such shares either for or against a resolution and/or abstain from voting a share or some or all of the shares and, subject to the terms of the instrument appointing any proxy, a proxy appointed under one or more instruments may vote a share or some or all of the shares in respect of which he is appointed either for or against a resolution and/or abstain from voting. |
| g) | Two shareholders entitled to vote and present at the 2024 Annual General Meeting in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a corporate shareholder, by its duly authorized representative) representing not less than 33 1/3% of the total outstanding voting shares in the Company shall constitute a quorum at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. |
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
BAIJIAYUN GROUP LTD
2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON May 29, 2024
The undersigned hereby appoints Yi Ma as proxy and attorney-in-fact, with full power to each of substitution and revocation, on behalf and in the name of the undersigned, to represent and vote for the undersigned in accordance with this proxy, at the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company to be held at 24F, A1 South Building, No. 32 Fengzhan Road, Yuhuatai District, Nanjing, China on May 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing Time), or at any adjournment thereof, with all powers the undersigned would possess if personally present. In his discretion, the Proxy is authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
(Continued and to be signed on the reverse side.)