Tevogen Inc PRE 14A, filed Nov 13, 2023
Tevogen Inc. (TVGN)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant ☒
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check the appropriate box:
| ☒ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
| ☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
| ☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
| ☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
| ☐ | Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12 |
SEMPER PARATUS ACQUISITION CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
| Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): | |
| ☒ | No fee required. |
| ☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
| ☐ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation
767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor
New York, New York 10017
(646) 807-8832
NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 6, 2023
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF SEMPER PARATUS ACQUISITION CORPORATION:
You are cordially invited to attend the extraordinary general meeting, which we refer to as the “Extraordinary General Meeting,” of shareholders of Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation, which we refer to as “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company,” to be held at [●] Eastern Time on December 6, 2023.
The Extraordinary General Meeting will be a completely virtual meeting of shareholders, which will be conducted via live webcast. You will be able to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting online, vote and submit your questions during the Extraordinary General Meeting by visiting [●]. If you plan to attend the virtual online Extraordinary General Meeting, you will need your 12-digit control number to vote electronically at the Extraordinary General Meeting. We are pleased to utilize the virtual shareholder meeting technology to provide ready access and cost savings for our shareholders and the Company. The virtual meeting format allows attendance from any location in the world.
Even if you are planning on attending the Extraordinary General Meeting online, please promptly submit your proxy vote by telephone, or, if you received a printed form of proxy in the mail, by completing, dating, signing and returning the enclosed proxy, so your shares will be represented at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Instructions on voting your shares are on the proxy materials you received for the Extraordinary General Meeting. Even if you plan to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting online, it is strongly recommended you complete and return your proxy card before the Extraordinary General Meeting date, to ensure that your shares will be represented at the Extraordinary General Meeting if you are unable to attend.
The accompanying proxy statement, which we refer to as the “Proxy Statement,” is dated November [●], 2023, and is first being mailed to shareholders of the Company on or about November [●], 2023. The sole purpose of the Extraordinary General Meeting is to consider and vote upon the following proposals:
| ● | a proposal, by special resolution, to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association which we refer to as the “existing charter”, in the form set forth in Annex A to the accompanying Proxy Statement, which we refer to as the “Extension Amendment” and such proposal the “Extension Amendment Proposal”, to extend the date by which the Company must (i) consummate a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Company and one or more businesses, which we refer to as a “business combination,” (ii) cease its operations if it fails to complete such business combination, and (iii) redeem or repurchase 100% of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares (the “public shares”) included as part of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering consummated on November 8, 2021, which we refer to as the “IPO,” from December 15, 2023 (the “Termination Date”) to December 15, 2024 in a series of up to twelve (12) one-month extensions, unless the closing of the Company’s business combination shall have occurred, which we refer to as the “Extension,” and such later date, the “Extended Date,” provided that (i) SSVK Associates, LLC, the Company’s sponsor (the “Sponsor”) (or its affiliates or permitted designees), will deposit into the Trust Account the lesser of (x) $[●] or (y) $[●] per share for each Public Share outstanding as of the applicable Deadline Date for each such one-month extension (the “Extension Payment”) and (ii) the procedures relating to any such extension, as set forth in the Trust Agreement, shall have been complied with; |
| ● | a proposal, by ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, which we refer to as the “Adjournment Proposal.” The Adjournment Proposal will only be presented at the Extraordinary General Meeting if there are not sufficient votes to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. |
Each of the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal is more fully described in the accompanying Proxy Statement.
The purpose of the Extension Amendment Proposal and, if necessary, the Adjournment Proposal, is to allow us additional time and a lower incremental and aggregate cost for each Extension to complete the proposed transaction contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated June 28, 2023, by and among the Company, Semper Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), SSVK Associates, LLC, Company’s sponsor, in its capacity as purchaser representative, Tevogen Bio Inc, a Delaware corporation (“Tevogen”), and Ryan Saadi, in his capacity as seller representative (as may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, the parties will effect the merger of Merger Sub with and into Tevogen, with Tevogen continuing as the surviving entity (the “Merger”), as a result of which all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Tevogen shall be exchanged for shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Share Exchange”), subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, with Tevogen surviving the Share Exchange as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the Merger, the Share Exchange and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, together, the “Transaction”). Prior to the closing of the Merger Agreement, the Company will migrate out of the Cayman Islands and domesticate (the “Domestication”) as a Delaware corporation in accordance with Section 388 of the DGCL and Part XIII of the Cayman Islands Companies Act (2021 Revision). For more information about the Merger Agreement, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 29, 2023, and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
While we are using our best efforts to complete the Merger as soon as practicable, our board of directors (the “Board”) believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete the Merger without incurring significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate the Merger, we will need to obtain the Extension. Without the Extension, the Board believes that there is significant risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete the Merger on or before the Termination Date. If that were to occur, we would be precluded from completing the Merger and would be forced to liquidate even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger.
If the Extension is approved and implemented, subject to satisfaction of the conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement (including, without limitation, receipt of shareholder approval of the Merger), we intend to complete the Merger as soon as possible and in any event on or before the Extended Date.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved by the requisite vote of shareholders, the remaining holders of public shares will retain their right to redeem their public shares when the Merger is submitted to the shareholders, subject to any limitations set forth in our existing charter as amended by the Extension Amendment. In addition, public shareholders who do not make the Election would be entitled to have their public shares redeemed for cash if the Company has not completed the Merger or a business combination by the Extended Date.
To exercise your redemption rights, you must demand that the Company redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account and tender your shares to the Company’s transfer agent at least two business days prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting (or December 4, 2023). You may tender your shares by either delivering your share certificate to the transfer agent or by delivering your shares electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system. If you hold your shares in street name, you will need to instruct your bank, broker, or other nominee to withdraw the shares from your account in order to exercise your redemption rights.
Based upon the current amount in the Trust Account, the Company anticipates that the per-share price at which public shares will be redeemed from cash held in the Trust Account will be approximately $[●] at the time of the Extraordinary General Meeting. The closing price of the Company’s public shares on [●], was $[●]. The approximate redemption price per share to be paid for redemptions is $[●] per share, (the “Redemption Price”). The Company cannot assure shareholders that they will be able to sell their public shares in the open market, even if the market price per share is higher than the Redemption Price, as there may not be sufficient liquidity in its securities when such shareholders wish to sell their shares.
The Adjournment Proposal, if adopted, will allow the Board to adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates to permit further solicitation of proxies. The Adjournment Proposal will only be presented to our shareholders in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we do not consummate a business combination by December 15, 2023, in accordance with our existing charter, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up.
On November 3, 2021, the Company entered into a letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) with Semper Paratus Sponsor LLC (the “Original Sponsor” and certain individuals party thereto (the “Insiders”), pursuant to which Original Sponsor and Insiders agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to its founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of the Company’s business combination and (ii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares if the Company fails to complete the Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Company’s IPO (although the Original Sponsor will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares it holds if the Company fails to complete the business combination within the prescribed time frame). These waivers were made at the time that the founder shares and public shares were purchased for no additional consideration. Pursuant to the Sponsor Share Purchase Agreement (as defined below) the Sponsor has agreed to be bound by certain terms of the Letter Agreement.
On May 4, 2023, the Company, the Original Sponsor, and the Sponsor entered into a Sponsor Purchase Agreement (the “Sponsor Share Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase from the Original Sponsor 7,988,889 Class A ordinary shares and 1,000,000 private placement units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share. Additionally, the Sponsor agreed to assume the responsibilities and obligations of the Original Sponsor related to the Company. In the event of a liquidation, Original Sponsor, the Sponsor, the officers, and directors, will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the founder shares or the private placement units.
Subject to the foregoing, the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote will be required to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. Shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. Notwithstanding shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment at any time without any further action by our shareholders.
Approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of holders of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares represented in person or by proxy at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Our Board has fixed the close of business on November 15, 2023, as the date for determining the Company shareholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting and any adjournment thereof. Only holders of record of the Company’s ordinary shares on that date are entitled to have their votes counted at the Extraordinary General Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal or implement the Extension Amendment.
You are not being asked to vote on the Merger at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a shareholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Merger, you will retain the right to vote on the Merger when it is submitted to shareholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Merger is approved and completed or we have not consummated the Merger by the Extended Date.
After careful consideration of all relevant factors, the Board has determined that the Extension Amendment Proposal and, if presented, the Adjournment Proposal are advisable and recommends that you vote or give instruction to vote “FOR” such proposals.
Under the Company’s existing charter, no other business may be transacted at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Enclosed is the Proxy Statement containing detailed information concerning the Extension Amendment Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal and the Extraordinary General Meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting, we urge you to read this material carefully and vote your shares.
| [●], 2023 | By Order of the Board of Directors |
| /s/ Surendra Ajjarapu | |
| Surendra Ajjarapu | |
| Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Your vote is important. If you are a shareholder of record, please sign, date and return your proxy card as soon as possible to make sure that your shares are represented at the Extraordinary General Meeting. If you are a shareholder of record, you may also cast your vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting. If your shares are held in an account at a brokerage firm or bank, you must instruct your broker or bank how to vote your shares, or you may cast your vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting by obtaining a proxy from your brokerage firm or bank. Your failure to vote or instruct your broker or bank how to vote will have the same effect as voting “AGAINST” the Extension Amendment Proposal, and an abstention will have the same effect as voting “AGAINST” the Extension Amendment Proposal.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on December 6, 2023: This notice of meeting and the accompanying Proxy Statement are available at [●].
Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation
767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor
New York, New York 10017
(646) 807-8832
NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 6, 2023
PROXY STATEMENT
The Extraordinary General Meeting, which we refer to as the “Extraordinary General Meeting,” of shareholders of Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation, which we refer to as the “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company,” will be held at [●] Eastern Time on December 6, 2023, as a virtual meeting. You will be able to attend, vote your shares, and submit questions during the Extraordinary General Meeting via a live webcast available at [●]. If you plan to attend the virtual online Extraordinary General Meeting, you will need your 12 digit control number to vote electronically at the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Extraordinary General Meeting will be held for the sole purpose of considering and voting upon the following proposals:
| ● | a proposal, by special resolution, to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, which refer to as the “existing charter”, in the form set forth in Annex A to the accompanying Proxy Statement, which we refer to as the “Extension Amendment” and such proposal the “Extension Amendment Proposal,” to extend the date by which the Company must (i) consummate a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Company and one or more businesses, which we refer to as a “business combination,” (ii) cease its operations if it fails to complete such business combination, and (iii) redeem or repurchase 100% of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares (the “public shares”) included as part of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering consummated on November 8, 2021, which we refer to as the “IPO,” from December 15, 2023 (the “Termination Date”) to December 15, 2024, in a series of up to twelve (12) one-month extensions, unless the closing of the Company’s business combination shall have occurred, which we refer to as the “Extension,” and such later date, the “Extended Date,” provided that (i) SSVK Associates, LLC, the Company’s sponsor (the “Sponsor”) (or its affiliates or permitted designees), will deposit into the Trust Account the lesser of (x) $[●] or (y) $[●] per share for each Public Share outstanding as of the applicable Deadline Date for each such one-month extension (the “Extension Payment”) and (ii) the procedures relating to any such extension, as set forth in the Trust Agreement, shall have been complied with; and |
| ● | a proposal, by ordinary resolution, to approve the adjournment of the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, which we refer to as the “Adjournment Proposal.” The Adjournment Proposal will only be presented at the Extraordinary General Meeting if there are not sufficient votes to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. |
The purpose of the Extension Amendment Proposal and, if necessary, the Adjournment Proposal, is to allow us additional time and a lower incremental and aggregate cost for each Extension to complete the proposed transaction contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated June 28, 2023, by and among the Company, Semper Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), SSVK Associates, LLC, Company’s sponsor, in its capacity as purchaser representative, Tevogen Bio Inc, a Delaware corporation (“Tevogen”), and Ryan Saadi, in his capacity as seller representative (as may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, the parties will effect the merger of Merger Sub with and into Tevogen, with Tevogen continuing as the surviving entity (the “Merger”), as a result of which all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Tevogen shall be exchanged for shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Share Exchange”), subject to the conditions set forth in the merger Agreement, with Tevogen Bio surviving the Share Exchange as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the Merger, the Share Exchange and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, together, the “Transaction”). For more information about the Merger Agreement, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 29, 2023, and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
While we are using our best efforts to complete the Merger as soon as practicable, our board of directors (the “Board”) believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete the Merger. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate the Merger, we will need to obtain the Extension. Without the Extension, the Board believes that there is significant risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete the Merger on or before the Termination Date. If that were to occur, we would be precluded from completing the Merger and would be forced to liquidate even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger.
If the Extension is approved and implemented, subject to satisfaction of the conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement (including, without limitation, receipt of shareholder approval of Merger), we intend to complete the Merger as soon as possible and in any event on or before the Extended Date.
In connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal, public shareholders may elect to redeem their public shares for a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (the “Trust Account”), including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding shares of Class A ordinary shares issued in our IPO, which shares we refer to as the “public shares,” and which election we refer to as the “Election,” regardless of whether such public shareholders vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal. We cannot predict the amount that will remain in the Trust Account if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the amount remaining in the Trust Account may be only a small fraction of the approximately $[●] that was in the Trust Account as of November 15, 2023, the record date.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved by the requisite vote of shareholders, the remaining holders of public shares will retain their right to redeem their public shares when the Merger is submitted to the shareholders, subject to any limitations set forth in our existing charter as amended by the Extension Amendment. In addition, public shareholders who do not make the Election would be entitled to have their public shares redeemed for cash if the Company has not completed a business combination by the Extended Date.
On November 3, 2021, the Company entered into a letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) with Semper Paratus Sponsor LLC (the “Original Sponsor” and certain individuals party thereto (the “Insiders”), pursuant to which Original Sponsor and Insiders agreed to (i) waive their redemption rights with respect to its founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of the Company’s business combination and (ii) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares if the Company fails to complete the Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Company’s IPO (although the Original Sponsor will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares it holds if the Company fails to complete the business combination within the prescribed time frame). These waivers were made at the time that the founder shares and public shares were purchased for no additional consideration. Pursuant to the Sponsor Share Purchase Agreement (as defined below) the Sponsor has agreed to be bound by certain terms of the Letter Agreement.
On May 4, 2023, the Company, the Original Sponsor, and the Sponsor entered into a Sponsor Purchase Agreement (the “Sponsor Share Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase from the Original Sponsor 7,988,889 Class A ordinary shares and 1,000,000 private placement units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share. Additionally, the Sponsor agreed to assume the responsibilities and obligations of the Original Sponsor related to the Company. In the event of a liquidation, Original Sponsor, the Sponsor, the officers, and directors, will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the founder shares or the private placement units.
To exercise your redemption rights, you must demand that the Company redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the Trust Account and tender your shares to the Company’s transfer agent at least two business days prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting (or December 4, 2023). You may tender your shares by either delivering your share certificate to the transfer agent or by delivering your shares electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) system. If you hold your shares in street name, you will need to instruct your bank, broker or other nominee to withdraw the shares from your account in order to exercise your redemption rights.
Based upon the current amount in the Trust Account, the Company anticipates that the per-share price at which public shares will be redeemed from cash held in the Trust Account will be approximately $[●] at the time of the Extraordinary General Meeting. The closing price of the Company’s public shares on [●], was $[●]. The approximate redemption price per share to be paid for redemptions is $[●] per share, (the “Redemption Price”). The Company cannot assure shareholders that they will be able to sell their public shares in the open market, even if the market price per share is higher than the Redemption Price, as there may not be sufficient liquidity in its securities when such shareholders wish to sell their shares.
Approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal is a condition to the implementation of the Extension.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we do not consummate a business combination by December 15, 2023, in accordance with our existing charter, we will incur significant cost to extend the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter or otherwise (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, the Original Sponsor and the Sponsor will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of waiving their redemption rights with respect to all of their founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of the Company’s initial business combination and any proposed amendment to the existing charter prior to the consummation of the Merger. As a consequence, a liquidating distribution will be made only with respect to the public shares held by public shareholders. Certain of our executive officers have beneficial interests in the Sponsor.
We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal or implement the Extension Amendment. In the event the Extraordinary General Meeting is cancelled, we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the existing charter.
If the Company liquidates, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify us to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or any claims by a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into an acquisition agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $[●] per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to our Trust Account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. We cannot assure you, however, that the Sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Based upon the current amount in the Trust Account, we anticipate that the per-share price at which public shares will be redeemed from cash held in the Trust Account will be approximately $[●]. Nevertheless, the Company cannot assure you that the per share distribution from the Trust Account, if the Company liquidates, will not be less than $[●], plus interest, due to unforeseen claims of creditors.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement, will (i) remove from the Trust Account an amount, which we refer to as the “Withdrawal Amount,” equal to the number of public shares properly redeemed multiplied by the per-share price, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares and (ii) deliver to the holders of such redeemed public shares their portion of the Withdrawal Amount. The remainder of such funds shall remain in the Trust Account and be available for use by the Company to complete a business combination on or before the Extended Date. Holders of public shares who do not redeem their public shares now will retain their redemption rights and their ability to vote on a business combination through the Extended Date if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved.
Our Board has fixed the close of business on November 15, 2023, as the date for determining the Company shareholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting and any adjournment thereof (the “record date”). Only holders of record of the Company’s ordinary shares on that date are entitled to have their votes counted at the Extraordinary General Meeting or any adjournment thereof. On the record date of the Extraordinary General Meeting, there were [●] Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share issued and outstanding. The Company’s warrants do not have voting rights in connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal or the Adjournment Proposal.
This Proxy Statement contains important information about the Extraordinary General Meeting and the proposals. Please read it carefully and vote your shares.
We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies from our working capital. We have engaged Laurel Hill Advisory Group, LLC (the “Proxy Solicitor”) to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Extraordinary General Meeting. We have agreed to pay the Proxy Solicitor its customary fee. We will also reimburse the Proxy Solicitor for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and will indemnify the Proxy Solicitor and its affiliates against certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses. In addition to these mailed proxy materials, our directors and officers may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone or by other means of communication. These parties will not be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may also reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other agents for the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners. While the payment of these expenses will reduce the cash available to us to consummate a business combination if the Extension is approved, we do not expect such payments to have a material effect on our ability to consummate a business combination.
This Proxy Statement is dated [●], 2023, and is first being mailed to shareholders on or about November [●], 2023.
| November [●], 2023 | By | Order of the Board of Directors |
| /s/ Surendra Ajjarapu | ||
| Surendra Ajjarapu | ||
| Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
These Questions and Answers are only summaries of the matters they discuss. They do not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should carefully read the entire document, including the annexes to this Proxy Statement.
| Why am I receiving this Proxy Statement? | We are a blank check company formed in the Cayman Islands on April 21, 2021, for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. On November 8, 2021, we consummated our IPO from which we derived gross proceeds of $345 million, before underwriting discounts and expenses, including the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option. Simultaneously with the closing of our IPO, we complete the private sale of units, generating gross proceeds of $14.5 million. Like most blank check companies, our existing charter provides for the return of our IPO proceeds held in trust to the holders of public shares if there is no qualifying business combination(s) consummated on or before a certain date, which is initially December 15, 2023. Our Board believes that it is in the best interests of the shareholders to continue our existence until the Extended Date in order to allow us more time to complete a business combination.
The purpose of the Extension Amendment Proposal and, if necessary, the Adjournment Proposal, is to allow us additional time to complete the Merger. For more information about the Merger, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023 and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023. |
| What is being voted on? | You are being asked to vote on: | ||
| ● | a proposal to amend our existing charter to extend the date by which we have to consummate an initial business combination from December 15, 2023, to December 15, 2024, or such earlier date as determined by the Board, in a series of twelve (12) one-month extensions; | ||
| ● | a proposal to approve the adjournment of the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal. | ||
| The Extension Amendment Proposal is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date that we have to complete our initial business combination at a lower incremental and aggregate cost for each Extension. The purpose of the Extension Amendment is to allow the Company more time to complete the Merger or a business combination. Approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal is a condition to the implementation of the Extension. | |||
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement, will (i) remove from the Trust Account an amount, which we refer to as the “Withdrawal Amount,” equal to the number of public shares properly redeemed multiplied by the per-share price, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares and (ii) deliver to the holders of such redeemed public shares their portion of the Withdrawal Amount. The remainder of such funds shall remain in the Trust Account and be available for use by the Company to complete an initial business combination on or before the Extended Date. Holders of public shares who do not redeem their public shares now will retain their redemption rights and their ability to vote on an initial business combination through the Extended Date if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved.
We cannot predict the amount that will remain in the Trust Account if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved and the amount remaining in the Trust Account may be only a small fraction of the approximately $[●] that was in the Trust Account as of the record date. In such event, we may need to obtain additional funds to complete an initial business combination, and there can be no assurance that such funds will be available on terms acceptable to the parties or at all.
We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal or implement the Extension Amendment. In the event the Extraordinary General Meeting is cancelled, and we do not complete an initial business combination by the Termination Date, we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the existing charter.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated a business combination by December 15, 2023, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, our Sponsor and directors and officers will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the founders shares and the private placement units. |
| Why is the Company proposing the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal? | Our existing charter provides that we have until December 15, 2023, to complete our business combination. Our Board has determined that it is in the best interests of our shareholders to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal and, if necessary, the Adjournment Proposal, to allow for additional time to consummate an initial business combination and a lower incremental and aggregate cost for each Extension. While we are using our best efforts to complete an initial business combination as soon as practicable, the Board believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete an initial business combination without incurring significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate an initial business combination efficiently, we will need to obtain the Extension. Without the Extension, the Board believes that there is significant risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete an initial business combination on or before December 15, 2023, or without incurring significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter. If an initial business combination is not consummated before the Termination Date or the Termination Date is otherwise extended on the higher-cost terms of the existing charter, we would be precluded from completing the Merger or an initial business combination and would be forced to liquidate even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger. |
If the Extension is approved and implemented, subject to satisfaction of the conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement (including, without limitation, receipt of shareholder approval of the Merger), we intend to complete the Merger as soon as possible and in any event on or before the Extended Date.
The Company believes that given its expenditure of time, effort and money on completing the Merger, circumstances warrant providing public shareholders an opportunity to consider the Merger. Accordingly, the Board is proposing the Extension Amendment Proposal to amend our existing charter in the form set forth in Annex A hereto to extend the date by which we must (i) consummate an initial business combination, (ii) cease our operations if we fail to complete such initial business combination, and (iii) redeem or repurchase 100% of our public shares included as part of the units sold in our IPO, from December 15, 2023 to not later than December 15, 2024, by electing to extend the date to consummate an initial business combination by up to an additional twelve (12) months after the Termination Date, until December 15, 2024, unless the closing of the Company’s initial business combination shall have occurred, which we refer to as the “Extension,” and such later date, the “Extended Date,” provided that (i) the Sponsor (or its affiliates or permitted designees), will deposit into the Trust Account the lesser of (x) $[●] or (y) $[●] per share for each Public Share outstanding as of the applicable Deadline Date for each such one-month extension and (ii) the procedures relating to any such extension, as set forth in the Trust Agreement, shall have been complied with.
You are not being asked to vote on the Merger at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a shareholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Merger, you will retain the right to vote on the Merger when it is submitted to shareholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Merger is approved and completed or we have not consummated a merger by the Extended Date.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved, we may put the Adjournment Proposal to a vote in order to seek additional time to obtain sufficient votes in support of the Extension. If the Adjournment Proposal is not approved, the Board may not be able to adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal. |
| We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal or implement the Extension Amendment. In the event the Extraordinary General Meeting is cancelled and we do not complete the Merger or an initial business combination by the Termination Date, we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the existing charter. |
| Why should I vote “FOR” the Extension Amendment Proposal? | Our Board believes shareholders will benefit from the consummation of the Merger and is proposing the Extension Amendment Proposal to extend the date by which we have to complete an initial business combination until the Extended Date in a series of twelve (12) one-month extensions. The Extension would give us additional time to complete the Merger and a lower incremental and aggregate cost for each Extension.
The Board believes that it is in the best interests of our shareholders that the Extension be obtained to provide additional amount of time to consummate an initial business combination. Without the Extension, we believe that there is substantial risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete the Merger on or before December 15, 2023. If that were to occur, we would be precluded from completing the Merger and would be forced to liquidate even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger. |
We believe that given our expenditure of time, effort and money on completing the Merger, it is in the best interests of our shareholders that we obtain the Extension. Our Board believes the Merger will provide significant benefits to our shareholders. For more information about the Merger, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023 and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
Our Board recommends that you vote in favor of the Extension Amendment Proposal. | ||
Why should I vote “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal?
|
If the Adjournment Proposal is not approved by our shareholders, our Board may not be able to adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.
We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal or implement the Extension Amendment. In the event the Extraordinary General Meeting is cancelled and we are unable to complete the Merger or a business combination by the Termination Date, we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the existing charter. | |
| When would the Board abandon the Extension Amendment Proposal? | We intend to hold the Extraordinary General Meeting to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal only if the Board has determined as of the time of the Extraordinary General Meeting that we may not be able to complete the Merger or an initial business combination on or before December 15, 2023. If we complete the Merger or an initial business combination on or before December 15, 2023, we will not implement the Extension. Additionally, our Board will abandon the Extension Amendment if our shareholders do not approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. Notwithstanding shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment at any time without any further action by our shareholders. | |
| How do the Company insiders intend to vote their shares? | The Sponsor and all of our directors and officers are expected to vote any ordinary shares over which they have voting control (including any public shares owned by them) in favor of the Extension Amendment Proposal. Currently, our Sponsor and our officers and directors own approximately [●]% of our issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares. Our Sponsor, directors and officers do not intend to purchase ordinary shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in connection with the shareholder vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal. |
| What vote is required to adopt the proposals? | The approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal will require the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the holders of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote on the record date.
The approval of the Adjournment Proposal will require the affirmative vote of a simple majority of holders of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares represented in person or by proxy. |
| What if I don’t want to vote “FOR” the Extension Amendment Proposal? | If you do not want the Extension Amendment Proposal to be approved, you must abstain, not vote, or vote “AGAINST” such proposal. You will be entitled to redeem your public shares for cash in connection with this vote whether or not you vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal so long as you elect to redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds available in the Trust Account in connection with the Extension Amendment. If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, and the Extension is implemented, then the Withdrawal Amount will be withdrawn from the Trust Account and paid to the redeeming holders. |
| What happens if the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved? | Our Board will abandon the Extension Amendment if our shareholders do not approve the Extension Amendment Proposal.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated an initial business combination by the Termination Date, we will incur significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter or otherwise (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the shares of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants which will expire worthless in the event we wind up.
In the event of a liquidation, our Sponsor, directors and officers will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the founder shares or private placement units. |
| If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, what happens next? | If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, we will continue to attempt to consummate the Merger until the Extended Date. We expect to seek shareholder approval of the Merger. If shareholders approve the Merger, we expect to consummate the Merger as soon as possible following such shareholder approval. Because we have only a limited time to complete our initial business combination, even if we are able to effect the Extension, our failure to complete the Merger within the requisite time period will require us to liquidate or incur significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter. If we liquidate, our public shareholders may only receive [●] per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company. | |
| Upon approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal by holders of at least two-thirds of the holders of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote as of the record date, we will amend our existing charter in the form set forth in Annex A hereto to extend the time it has to complete a business combination until the Extended Date. We will remain a reporting company under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and our units, public shares and public warrants will remain publicly traded. |
| What happens to the Company’s warrants if the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved? | If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated an initial business combination by the Termination Date, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. |
| What happens to the Company’s warrants if the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved? | If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, we will retain the blank check company restrictions previously applicable to us and continue to attempt to consummate an initial business combination until the Extended Date. The public warrants will remain outstanding and only become exercisable until the later of 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination and 12 months from the closing of our IPO, provided we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available (or we permit holders to exercise warrants on a cashless basis). |
| Am I able to exercise my redemption rights in connection with the Merger? | If you were a holder of ordinary shares as of the close of business on the record date for a meeting to seek shareholder approval of the Merger, you will be able to vote on the Merger. The Extraordinary General Meeting relating to the Extension Amendment Proposal does not affect your right to elect to redeem your public shares in connection with the Merger, subject to any limitations set forth in our existing charter (including the requirement to submit any request for redemption in connection with the Merger on or before the date that is one business day before the Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders to vote on the Merger). If you disagree with the Merger you will retain your right to redeem your public shares upon consummation of the Merger in connection with the shareholder vote to approve the Merger, subject to any limitations set forth in our existing charter. |
| How do I attend the meeting? | You will need your control number for access. If you do not have your control number, contact Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company at the phone number or e-mail address below. Beneficial investors who hold shares through a bank, broker or other intermediary, will need to contact them and obtain a legal proxy. Once you have your legal proxy, contact Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to have a control number generated. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company contact information is as follows: 1 State Street Plaza, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004, or email proxy@continentalstock.com.
Shareholders will also have the option to listen to the Extraordinary General Meeting by telephone by calling:
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| ● | Within the U.S. and Canada: +1 800- 450-7155 (toll-free) | ||
| ● | Outside of the U.S. and Canada: +1 857-999-9155 (standard rates apply) | ||
| The passcode for telephone access: [●]. You will not be able to vote or submit questions unless you register for and log in to the Extraordinary General Meeting webcast as described herein. |
| How do I change or revoke my vote? | You may change your vote by e-mailing a later dated, signed proxy card to proxy@continentalstock.com, so that it is received by us prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting or by attending the Extraordinary General Meeting online and voting. You also may revoke your proxy by sending a notice of revocation to us, which must be received by us prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Please note, however, that if on the record date your shares were held, not in your name, but rather in an account at a brokerage firm, custodian bank, or other nominee, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. If your shares are held in street name, and you wish to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting and vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting online, you must follow the instructions included with the enclosed proxy card. |
| How are votes counted? | Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for the meeting, who will separately count “FOR” and “AGAINST” votes and abstentions. The Extension Amendment Proposal must be approved by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote as of the record date, including the founder shares, voting together as a single class. Accordingly, a Company shareholder’s failure to vote by proxy or to vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting or an abstention with respect to the Extension Amendment Proposal will have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” such proposal.
The approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the holders of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares represented in person or by proxy. Accordingly, a Company shareholder’s failure to vote by proxy or to vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting will not be counted towards the number of ordinary shares required to validly establish a quorum, and if a valid quorum is otherwise established, it will have no effect on the outcome of any vote on the Adjournment Proposal.
Abstentions will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on the outcome of the Adjournment Proposal. |
| If my shares are held in “street name,” will my broker automatically vote them for me? | No. Under the rules of various national and regional securities exchanges, your broker, bank, or nominee cannot vote your shares with respect to non-discretionary matters unless you provide instructions on how to vote in accordance with the information and procedures provided to you by your broker, bank, or nominee. We believe all the proposals presented to the shareholders will be considered non-discretionary and therefore your broker, bank, or nominee cannot vote your shares without your instruction. Your bank, broker, or other nominee can vote your shares only if you provide instructions on how to vote. You should instruct your broker to vote your shares in accordance with directions you provide. If your shares are held by your broker as your nominee, which we refer to as being held in “street name,” you may need to obtain a proxy form from the institution that holds your shares and follow the instructions included on that form regarding how to instruct your broker to vote your shares. |
| What is a quorum requirement? | A quorum of shareholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting. A quorum will be present at the Extraordinary General Meeting if one or more shareholders who together hold not less than a majority of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares entitled to vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting are represented in person or by proxy at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker, bank or other nominee) or if you vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Abstentions will be counted towards the quorum requirement. In the absence of a quorum, the chairman of the meeting has power to adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting. As of the record date for the Extraordinary General Meeting, [●] shares of our ordinary shares would be required to achieve a quorum. |
| Who can vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting? | Only holders of record of our ordinary shares at the close of business on November 15, 2023, are entitled to have their vote counted at the Extraordinary General Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof. On this record date, [●] of our Class A ordinary shares were outstanding and entitled to vote.
Shareholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name. If on the record date your shares were registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, then you are a shareholder of record. As a shareholder of record, you may vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting or vote by proxy. Whether or not you plan to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting online, we urge you to fill out and return the enclosed proxy card to ensure your vote is counted.
Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a Broker or Bank. If on the record date your shares were held, not in your name, but rather in an account at a brokerage firm, bank, dealer, or other similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or other agent on how to vote the shares in your account. You are also invited to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting. However, since you are not the shareholder of record, you may not vote your shares online at the Extraordinary General Meeting unless you request and obtain a valid proxy from your broker or other agent. |
| Does the Board recommend voting for the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal? | Yes. After careful consideration of the terms and conditions of these proposals, our Board has determined that the Extension Amendment and, if presented, the Adjournment Proposal are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. The Board recommends that our shareholders vote “FOR” the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal. |
| What interests do the Company’s Sponsor, directors and officers have in the approval of the proposals? | Our Sponsor, directors and officers have interests in the proposals that may be different from, or in addition to, your interests as a shareholder. These interests include ownership of 8,988,889 founder shares and 1,000,000 private placement units (purchased for $1), which would expire worthless if an initial business combination is not consummated. See the section entitled “The Extension Amendment Proposal — Interests of our Sponsor, Directors and Officers.” |
| Do I have appraisal rights if I object to the Extension Amendment Proposal? | Our shareholders do not have appraisal rights in connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal. |
| What do I need to do now? | We urge you to read carefully and consider the information contained in this Proxy Statement, including the annexes, and to consider how the proposals will affect you as our shareholder. You should then vote as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions provided in this Proxy Statement and on the enclosed proxy card. |
| How do I vote? | If you are a holder of record of our ordinary shares, you may vote online at the Extraordinary General Meeting or by submitting a proxy for the Extraordinary General Meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting online, we urge you to vote by proxy to ensure your vote is counted. You may submit your proxy by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying pre-addressed postage paid envelope. You may still attend the Extraordinary General Meeting and vote online if you have already voted by proxy.
If your ordinary shares are held in “street name” by a broker or other agent, you have the right to direct your broker or other agent on how to vote the shares in your account. You are also invited to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting. However, since you are not the shareholder of record, you may not vote your shares online at the Extraordinary General Meeting unless you request and obtain a valid proxy from your broker or other agent. |
| How do I redeem my public shares? | If the Extension is implemented, each of our public shareholders may seek to redeem all or a portion of its public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. You will also be able to redeem your public shares in connection with any shareholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination, or if we have not consummated an initial business combination by the Extended Date.
In order to exercise your redemption rights, you must, prior to [●] Eastern time on December 4, 2023 (two business days before the Extraordinary General Meeting) tender your shares physically or electronically and submit a request in writing that we redeem your public shares for cash to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, our transfer agent, at the following address:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company 1 State Street Plaza, 30th Floor New York, New York 10004 Attn: SPAAC Redemptions E-mail: spacredemptions@continentalstock.com |
| What should I do if I receive more than one set of voting materials? | You may receive more than one set of voting materials, including multiple copies of this Proxy Statement and multiple proxy cards or voting instruction cards, if your shares are registered in more than one name or are registered in different accounts. For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you will receive a separate voting instruction card for each brokerage account in which you hold shares. Please complete, sign, date and return each proxy card and voting instruction card that you receive in order to cast a vote with respect to all of your Company shares. |
| Who is paying for this proxy solicitation? | We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies from our working capital. We have engaged Laurel Hill Advisory Group, LLC to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Extraordinary General Meeting. We have agreed to pay the Proxy Solicitor their usual and customary fees. We will also reimburse the Proxy Solicitor for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and will indemnify the Proxy Solicitor and its affiliates against certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses. In addition to these mailed proxy materials, our directors and officers may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone or by other means of communication. These parties will not be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may also reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other agents for the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners. While the payment of these expenses will reduce the cash available to us to consummate a business combination if the Extension is approved, we do not expect such payments to have a material effect on our ability to consummate a business combination. | |
| Who can help answer my questions? | If you have questions about the proposals or if you need additional copies of the Proxy Statement or the enclosed proxy card you should contact our Proxy Solicitor:
Laurel Hill Advisory Group, LLC 2 Robbins Lane, Suite 201 Jericho, NY 11753 855-414-2266 Email: semperparatus@laurelhill.com
You may also contact us at:
Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation 767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor New York, New York 10017 Attn: [●] Telephone No.: (646) 807-8832
You may also obtain additional information about the Company from documents filed with the SEC by following the instructions in the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.” | |
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this Proxy Statement constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, the pending Merger, our capital resources and results of operations. Likewise, our financial statements and all of our statements regarding market conditions and results of operations are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of terminology such as “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words or phrases.
The forward-looking statements contained in this Proxy Statement reflect our current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause its actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. We do not guarantee that the transactions and events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all). The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in the forward-looking statements:
| ● | our ability to complete an initial business combination; |
| ● | The anticipated benefits of an initial business combination; |
| ● | the volatility of the market price and liquidity of our securities; |
| ● | the use of funds not held in the Trust Account; and |
| ● | the competitive environment in which our successor will operate following the Merger. |
While forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes after the date of this Proxy Statement, except as required by applicable law. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause our future results, performance or transactions to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, please see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on April 17, 2023 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 22, 2023 and August 21, 2023, as amended on October 23, 2023, and in other reports we file with the SEC. Risks regarding the Merger are also discussed in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023 and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to us (or to third parties making the forward-looking statements).
RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider all of the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 17, 2023 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 22, 2023 and August 21, 2023, as amended on October 23, 2023, and in the other reports we file with the SEC before deciding to invest in our securities. Furthermore, if any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected, or we could face liquidation. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risks and uncertainties described in the aforementioned filings and below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results or result in our liquidation.
There are no assurances that the Extension will enable us to complete a business combination.
Approving the Extension involves a number of risks. Even if the Extension is approved, the Company can provide no assurances that the Merger or an initial business combination will be consummated prior to the Extended Date. Our ability to consummate any business combination is dependent on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. If the Extension is approved, the Company expects to seek shareholder approval of the Merger with Tevogen following the SEC declaring a registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023. As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Company cannot estimate when, or if, the SEC will declare the Form S-4 effective.
We are required to offer shareholders the opportunity to redeem shares in connection with the Extension Amendment, and we will be required to offer shareholders redemption rights again in connection with any shareholder vote to approve the Merger. Even if the Extension or the Merger are approved by our shareholders, it is possible that redemptions will leave us with insufficient cash to consummate the Merger on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. The fact that we will have separate redemption periods in connection with the Extension and the Merger vote could exacerbate these risks. Other than in connection with a redemption offer or liquidation, our shareholders may be unable to recover their investment except through sales of our shares on the open market. The price of our shares may be volatile, and there can be no assurance that shareholders will be able to dispose of our shares at favorable prices, or at all.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), we would be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities would be severely restricted. As a result, in such circumstances, we would expect to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and liquidate the Trust Account.
There is currently some uncertainty concerning the applicability of the United States Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”) to a SPAC, including a Company like ours. As a result, it is possible that a claim could be made that we have been operating as an unregistered investment company.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities would be severely restricted. In addition, we would be subject to burdensome compliance requirements. We do not believe that our principal activities will subject us to regulation as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. However, if we are deemed to be an investment company and subject to compliance with and regulation under the Investment Company Act, we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and expenses for which we have not allotted funds. As a result, unless we are able to modify our activities so that we would not be deemed an investment company, we may abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and instead liquidate the Company. Were we to liquidate, our warrants would expire worthless, and our securityholders would lose the investment opportunity associated with an investment in the combined company, including any potential price appreciation of our securities.
To mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to liquidate the securities held in the Trust Account and instead to hold the funds in the Trust Account in cash until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation. As a result, following the liquidation of securities in the Trust Account, we would likely receive minimal interest, if any, on the funds held in the Trust Account, which would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.
The funds in the Trust Account have, since our initial public offering, been held only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. However, to mitigate the risk of us being deemed to be an unregistered investment company (including under the subjective test of Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act) and thus subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, and we expect that we will, on or prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement, instruct Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the trustee with respect to the Trust Account, to liquidate the U.S. government treasury obligations or money market funds held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash until the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination or liquidation of the Company. Following such liquidation, we would likely receive minimal interest, if any, on the funds held in the Trust Account. However, interest previously earned on the funds held in the Trust Account still may be released to us to pay our taxes, if any, and certain other expenses as permitted. As a result, any decision to liquidate the securities held in the Trust Account and thereafter to hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash would reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.
In addition, even prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement, we may be deemed to be an investment company. The longer that the funds in the Trust Account are held in short-term U.S. government treasury obligations or in money market funds invested exclusively in such securities, even prior to the 24-month anniversary, the greater the risk that we may be considered an unregistered investment company, in which case we may be required to liquidate the Company. Accordingly, we may determine, in our discretion, to liquidate the securities held in the Trust Account at any time, even prior to the 24-month anniversary, and instead hold all funds in the Trust Account in cash, which would further reduce the dollar amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.
Since the Sponsor and our directors and officers will lose their entire investment in us if an initial business combination is not completed, they may have a conflict of interest in the approval of the proposals at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up. In the event of a liquidation, Original Sponsor, the Sponsor, the officers, and directors, will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the founder shares or the private placement units. As a consequence, a liquidating distribution will be made only with respect to the public shares. In addition, certain of executive officers have beneficial interests in the Sponsor. Such persons have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to these securities, and all of such investments would expire worthless if an initial business combination is not consummated. Additionally, such persons can earn a positive rate of return on their overall investment in the combined company after an initial business combination, even if other holders of our ordinary shares experience a negative rate of return, due to having initially purchased the founder shares for an aggregate of $1 from the Original Sponsor. The personal and financial interests of our Sponsor, directors and officers may be influenced their motivation in identifying and selecting Tevogen for its target business combination and consummating the Merger in order to close the Merger and therefore may have interests different from, or in addition to, your interests as a shareholder in connection with the proposals at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
We have incurred and expect to incur significant costs associated with the Merger. Whether or not the Merger is completed, the incurrence of these costs will reduce the amount of cash available to be used for other corporate purposes by us if the Merger is not completed.
The Company and Tevogen expect to incur significant transaction and transition costs associated with the Merger and operating as a public company following the closing of the Merger. The Company and Tevogen may also incur additional costs to retain key employees. Certain transaction expenses incurred in connection with the Merger Agreement, including all legal, accounting, consulting, investment banking and other fees, expenses and costs, will be paid by the combined company following the closing of the Merger. Even if the Merger is not completed, we have incurred over $1.0 million in expenses in aggregate. These expenses will reduce the amount of cash available to be used for other corporate purposes by us if the Merger is not completed.
BACKGROUND
We are a blank check company formed in the Cayman Islands on April 21, 2021, for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. There are currently [●] Class A ordinary shares, and no Class B ordinary shares of the registrant issued and outstanding. On November 8, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering of 34,500,000 units. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the Company, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share for $11.50 per share. The units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $345,000,000. Prior to the closing of our initial public offering, the underwriters for our initial public offering exercised their over-allotment option in full.
Simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, we completed the private sale of an aggregate of 1,450,000 units (1,300,000 units to the Original Sponsor and 150,000 units to Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., the representative of the underwriters in our IPO (“Cantor”)) at a purchase price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $14,500,000.
A total of $351,900,000, comprised of the proceeds from the initial public offering after offering expenses and a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the private placement units, was placed in the trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee invested in U.S. “government securities,” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by us meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, until the earlier of: (i) the consummation of a merger or (ii) the distribution of the proceeds in the Trust Account as described below.
As of October 23, 2023, there are 18,700,000 outstanding warrants to acquire ordinary shares, comprised of 725,000 private placement warrants held by the Sponsor, the Original Sponsor, and Cantor through the private placement units purchased simultaneously with the consummation of the initial public offering and 17,975,000 public warrants. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share.
Approximately $[●] was held in the Trust Account as of the record date. The mailing address of the Company’s principal executive office is 767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, New York 10017.
Tevogen Merger
As previously announced, we entered into the Merger Agreement on June 28, 2023. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the parties agreed, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, to effect the Merger. For more information about the Merger, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023, 2023 and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
We are not aware of any material regulatory approvals or actions that are required for completion of the Merger. It is presently contemplated that if any such additional regulatory approvals or actions are required, those approvals or actions will be sought. There can be no assurance, however, that any additional approvals or actions will be obtained. This includes any potential review by a U.S. government entity, such as CFIUS, on account of certain foreign ownership restrictions on U.S. businesses.
While we are using our best efforts to complete the Merger as soon as practicable, the Board believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete the Merger. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate the Merger, we will need to obtain the Extension. Without the Extension, the Board believes that there is significant risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete the Merger on or before December 15, 2023. If that were to occur, we would be precluded from completing the Merger and would be forced to liquidate even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger.
Because we have only a limited time to complete our initial business combination, even if we are able to effect the Extension, our failure to complete the Merger or an initial business combination within the requisite time period may require us to liquidate. If we liquidate, our public shareholders may only receive $[●] per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. This will also cause you to lose any potential investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.
You are not being asked to vote on the Merger at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a shareholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Merger, you will retain the right to vote on the Merger when it is submitted to shareholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Merger is approved and completed or we have not consummated the Merger by the Extended Date.
THE EXTENSION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL
The Company is proposing to amend its existing charter to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate an initial business combination to the Extended Date.
The Extension Amendment Proposal is required for the implementation of the Board’s plan to allow the Company more time to complete the Merger or an initial business combination.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated an initial business combination by December 15, 2023, we will incur significant cost to extend of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter or otherwise (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal and implement the Extension Amendment.
The Board believes that given our expenditure of time, effort and money on the Merger, circumstances warrant providing public shareholders an opportunity to consider the Merger and that it is in the best interests of our shareholders that we obtain the Extension. The Board believes that the Merger will provide significant benefits to our shareholders. For more information about the Merger, see Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023, and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
A copy of the proposed amendment to the existing charter of the Company is attached to this Proxy Statement in Annex A.
Reasons for the Extension Amendment Proposal
The Company’s existing charter provides that the Company has until December 15, 2023, to complete the purposes of the Company. The purpose of the Extension Amendment is to allow the Company more time to complete its initial business combination and at a lower incremental and aggregate cost for each Extension.
As previously announced, we entered into the Merger Agreement on June 28, 2023. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the parties agreed, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, to effect the Merger. While we are using our best efforts to complete the Merger as soon as practicable, the Board believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete the Merger. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate the Merger, we will need to obtain the Extension. Without the Extension, the Board believes that there is significant risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete the Merger on or before December 15, 2023. If that were to occur, we would be precluded from completing the Merger and would be forced to liquidate even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger.
If the Extension is approved and implemented, subject to satisfaction of the conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement (including, without limitation, receipt of shareholder approval of the Merger), we intend to complete the Merger as soon as possible and in any event on or before the Extended Date.
The Company’s IPO prospectus and existing charter provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares of the Company is required to extend our corporate existence, except in connection with, and effective upon, consummation of an initial business combination. Additionally, our IPO prospectus and existing charter provide for all public shareholders to have an opportunity to redeem their public shares in the case our corporate existence is extended as described above. Because we continue to believe that the consummation of an initial business combination would be in the best interests of our shareholders, and because we will not be able to conclude an initial business combination within the permitted time period, the Board has determined to seek shareholder approval to extend the date by which we have to complete an initial business combination beyond December 15, 2023, to the Extended Date. We intend to hold another shareholder meeting prior to the Extended Date in order to seek shareholder approval of the Merger.
We believe that the foregoing charter provision was included to protect Company shareholders from having to sustain their investments for an unreasonably long period if the Company failed to find a suitable business combination in the timeframe contemplated by the existing charter. We also believe that, given the Company’s expenditure of time, effort and money on finding an initial business combination and our entry into the Merger Agreement with respect to the Merger, circumstances warrant providing public shareholders an opportunity to consider the Merger.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is Not Approved
Shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. Therefore, our Board will abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment unless our shareholders approve the Extension Amendment Proposal.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved and we have not consummated an initial business combination by December 15, 2023, we will incur significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter or otherwise (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
There will be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to the Company’s warrants, which will expire worthless in the event we wind up. In the event of a liquidation, our Sponsor, directors and officers will not receive any monies held in the Trust Account as a result of their ownership of the Founder Shares or the Private Placement Warrants.
If the Extension Amendment Proposal Is Approved
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, the Company will amend its existing charter in the form set forth in Annex A hereto to extend the time it has to complete an initial business combination until the Extended Date. The Company will remain a reporting company under the Exchange Act and its units, public shares, and public warrants will remain publicly traded. The Company will then continue to work to consummate the Merger by the Extended Date.
Notwithstanding shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension at any time without any further action by our shareholders, subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement. We reserve the right at any time to cancel the Extraordinary General Meeting and not to submit to our shareholders the Extension Amendment Proposal and implement the Extension Amendment. In the event the Extraordinary General Meeting is cancelled, we will dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the existing charter.
You are not being asked to vote on the Merger at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, provided that you are a shareholder on the record date for a meeting to consider the Merger, you will retain the right to vote on the Merger when it is submitted to shareholders and the right to redeem your public shares for cash in the event the Merger is approved and completed or we have not consummated an initial business combination by the Extended Date.
Redemption Rights
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, and the Extension is implemented, each public shareholder may seek to redeem its public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Holders of public shares who do not elect to redeem their public shares in connection with the Extension will retain the right to redeem their public shares in connection with any shareholder vote to approve a proposed business combination, or if the Company has not consummated an initial business combination by the Extended Date.
TO EXERCISE YOUR REDEMPTION RIGHTS, YOU MUST SUBMIT A REQUEST IN WRITING THAT WE REDEEM YOUR PUBLIC SHARES FOR CASH TO CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY AT THE ADDRESS BELOW, AND, AT THE SAME TIME, ENSURE YOUR BANK OR BROKER COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENTS IDENTIFIED ELSEWHERE HEREIN, INCLUDING DELIVERING YOUR SHARES TO THE TRANSFER AGENT PRIOR TO THE VOTE ON THE EXTENSION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL PRIOR TO P.M. EASTERN TIME ON [●].
In connection with tendering your shares for redemption, prior to [●] Eastern time on December 4, 2023, (two business days before the Extraordinary General Meeting), you must elect either to physically tender your stock certificates to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 1 State Street Plaza, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004, Attn: SPAC Redemptions, e-mail: spacredemptions@continentalstock.com, or to deliver your shares to the transfer agent electronically using DTC’s DWAC system, which election would likely be determined based on the manner in which you hold your shares. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to [●] Eastern time on December 4, 2023, (two business days before the Extraordinary General Meeting) ensures that a redeeming holder’s election is irrevocable once the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved. In furtherance of such irrevocable election, shareholders making the election will not be able to tender their shares after the vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Through the DWAC system, this electronic delivery process can be accomplished by the shareholder, whether or not it is a record holder or its shares are held in “street name,” by contacting the transfer agent or its broker and requesting delivery of its shares through the DWAC system. Delivering shares physically may take significantly longer. In order to obtain a physical stock certificate, a shareholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC, and the Company’s transfer agent will need to act together to facilitate this request. There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $100 and the broker would determine whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. It is the Company’s understanding that shareholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. The Company does not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, and it may take longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. Such shareholders will have less time to make their investment decision than those shareholders that deliver their shares through the DWAC system. Shareholders who request physical stock certificates and wish to redeem may be unable to meet the deadline for tendering their shares before exercising their redemption rights and thus will be unable to redeem their shares.
Certificates that have not been tendered in accordance with these procedures prior to [●] Eastern time December 4, 2023, (two business days before the Extraordinary General Meeting) will not be redeemed for cash held in the Trust Account on the redemption date. In the event that a public shareholder tenders its shares and decides prior to the vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting that it does not want to redeem its shares, the shareholder may withdraw the tender. If you delivered your shares for redemption to our transfer agent and decide prior to the vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting not to redeem your public shares, you may request that our transfer agent return the shares (physically or electronically). You may make such request by contacting our transfer agent at the address listed above. In the event that a public shareholder tenders shares and the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved, these shares will not be redeemed and the physical certificates representing these shares will be returned to the shareholder promptly following the determination that the Extension Amendment Proposal will not be approved. The Company anticipates that a public shareholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal would receive payment of the Redemption Price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension Amendment. The transfer agent will hold the certificates of public shareholders that make the election until such shares are redeemed for cash or returned to such shareholders.
If properly demanded, the Company will redeem each public share for a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Based upon the current amount in the Trust Account, the Company anticipates that the per-share price at which public shares will be redeemed from cash held in the Trust Account will be approximately [●] at the time of the Extraordinary General Meeting. The closing price of the Company’s public shares on the record date was [●].
If you exercise your redemption rights, you will be exchanging your public shares for cash and will no longer own the shares. You will be entitled to receive cash for these shares only if you properly demand redemption and tender your stock certificate(s) to the Company’s transfer agent prior to [●] Eastern time on December 4, 2023, (two business days before the Extraordinary General Meeting). The Company anticipates that a public shareholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal would receive payment of the Redemption Price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension.
Vote Required for Approval
The affirmative vote by holders of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote is required to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal. If the Extension Amendment Proposal is not approved, the Extension Amendment will not be implemented and, if an initial business combination has not been consummated by December 15, 2023, the Company will be required by its existing charter to incur significant cost to extension of the Termination Date under the current terms of the existing charter or otherwise (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the public shares in consideration of a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (net of taxes payable, less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses), by (B) the total number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish rights of public shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the Board in accordance with applicable law, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. Shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment is required for the implementation of our Board’s plan to extend the date by which we must consummate our initial business combination. Therefore, our Board will abandon and not implement such amendment unless our shareholders approve the Extension Amendment Proposal.
Notwithstanding shareholder approval of the Extension Amendment, our Board will retain the right to abandon and not implement the Extension Amendment at any time without any further action by our shareholders.
Our Sponsor and all of our directors and officers are expected to vote any ordinary shares owned by them in favor of the Extension Amendment Proposal. On the record date, our Sponsor, directors and officers beneficially owned and were entitled to vote an aggregate of 8,988,889 Shares, representing approximately 56.6% of the Company’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Our Sponsor and directors do not intend to purchase Class A ordinary shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in connection with the shareholder vote on the Extension Amendment.
Interests of our Sponsor, Directors and Officers
When you consider the recommendation of our Board, you should keep in mind that our Sponsor, executive officers, and members of our Board and special advisors have interests that may be different from, or in addition to, your interests as a shareholder. These interests include, among other things:
| ● | the fact that our Sponsor holds 8,988,889 Class A ordinary shares, all such securities beneficially owned by our Chief Executive Officer. In addition, certain of our executive officers have beneficial interests in the Sponsor. All of such investments would expire worthless if an initial business combination is not consummated; on the other hand, if an initial business combination is consummated, such investments could earn a positive rate of return on their overall investment in the combined company, even if other holders of our ordinary shares experience a negative rate of return, due to having initially purchased the Founder Shares for $1; |
| ● | the fact that, if the Trust Account is liquidated, including in the event we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify us to ensure that the proceeds in the Trust Account are not reduced below $10.20 per public share, or such lesser per public share amount as is in the Trust Account on the liquidation date, by the claims of prospective target businesses with which we have entered into an acquisition agreement or claims of any third party for services rendered or products sold to us, but only if such a third party or target business has not executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account; and |
| ● | the fact that none of our officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to the Company, and all of the current members of our Board are expected to continue to serve as directors at least through the date of the Extraordinary General Meeting to vote on a proposed business combination and may even continue to serve following any potential business combination and receive compensation thereafter. |
See our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023 for more information about the interests of our Sponsor, directors, and officers in the Merger.
The Board’s Reasons for the Extension Amendment Proposal and Its Recommendation
As discussed below, after careful consideration of all relevant factors, our Board has determined that the Extension Amendment is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Our Board has approved and declared advisable adoption of the Extension Amendment Proposal and recommends that you vote “FOR” such proposal.
Our existing charter provides that the Company has until December 15, 2023, to complete the purposes of the Company. As previously announced, we entered into the Merger Agreement on June 28, 2023. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the parties agreed, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, to effect the Merger. While we are using our best efforts to complete the Merger as soon as practicable, the Board believes that there will not be sufficient time before the Termination Date to complete the Merger. Accordingly, the Board believes that in order to be able to consummate the Merger, we will need to obtain the Extension. Without the Extension, the Board believes that there is significant risk that we might not, despite our best efforts, be able to complete the Merger on or before December 15, 2023. If that were to occur, we would incur significant expense in completing the Merger and would be forced to consider liquidation even if our shareholders are otherwise in favor of consummating the Merger. For more information about the Merger, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023, and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
Our existing charter states that if the Company’s shareholders approve an amendment to the Company’s existing charter that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if it does not complete an initial business combination before December 15, 2023, the Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon such approval at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. We believe that this charter provision was included to protect the Company shareholders from having to sustain their investments for an unreasonably long period if the Company failed to find a suitable business combination in the timeframe contemplated by the existing charter.
In addition, the Company’s IPO prospectus and existing charter provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote is required to extend our corporate existence, except in connection with, and effective upon the consummation of, an initial business combination. We believe that, given the Company’s expenditure of time, effort and money on finding an initial business combination and our entry into the Merger Agreement with respect to the Merger, circumstances warrant providing public shareholders an opportunity to consider the Merger. Because we continue to believe that the Merger would be in the best interests of our shareholders, the Board has determined to seek shareholder approval to extend the date by which we have to complete an initial business combination beyond December 15, 2023, to the Extended Date, in the event we cannot consummate an initial business combination by December 15, 2023.
The Company is not asking you to vote on the Merger at this time. If the Extension is implemented and you do not elect to redeem your public shares, you will retain the right to vote on the Merger in the future and the right to redeem your public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, in the event the Merger is approved and completed or the Company has not consummated another initial business combination by the Extended Date. For more information about the Merger, see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 29, 2023, and our Form S-4 filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023.
After careful consideration of all relevant factors, the Board determined that the Extension Amendment is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
Full Text Resolution
Please see Annex A for the full text of the resolution to be proposed at the extraordinary general meeting in respect of the Extension Amendment Proposal.
Recommendation of the Board
Our Board unanimously recommends that our shareholders vote “FOR” the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following discussion is a summary of certain United States federal income tax considerations for holders of our Class A ordinary shares with respect to the exercise of redemption rights in connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal. This summary is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the “Code,” the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Treasury Department, current administrative interpretations and practices of the Internal Revenue Service, which we refer to as the “IRS,” and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect and all of which are subject to differing interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain a position contrary to any of the tax considerations described below. This summary does not discuss all aspects of United States federal income taxation that may be important to particular investors in light of their individual circumstances, such as investors subject to special tax rules (e.g., financial institutions, insurance companies, mutual funds, pension plans, S corporations, broker-dealers, traders in securities that elect mark-to-market treatment, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, trusts and estates, partnerships and their partners, and tax-exempt organizations (including private foundations)) and investors that will hold Class A ordinary shares as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion,” “synthetic security,” “constructive ownership transaction,” “constructive sale,” or other integrated transaction for United States federal income tax purposes, investors subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code, U.S. Holders (as defined below) that have a functional currency other than the United States dollar, U.S. expatriates, investors that actually or constructively own 5 percent or more of the Class A ordinary shares of the Company, and Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below, and except as otherwise discussed below), all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ materially from those summarized below. In addition, this summary does not discuss any state, local, or non-United States tax considerations, any non-income tax (such as gift or estate tax) considerations, alternative minimum tax or the Medicare tax. In addition, this summary is limited to investors that hold our Class A ordinary shares as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment) under the Code.
If a partnership (including an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) holds our Class A ordinary shares, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. If you are a partner of a partnership holding our Class A ordinary shares, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of a redemption.
WE URGE HOLDERS OF OUR PUBLIC SHARES CONTEMPLATING EXERCISE OF THEIR REDEMPTION RIGHTS TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND FOREIGN INCOME AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES THEREOF.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to U.S. Holders
This section is addressed to U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares that elect to have their Class A ordinary shares of the Company redeemed for cash. For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner that so redeems its Class A ordinary shares of the Company and is:
| ● | an individual who is a United States citizen or resident of the United States; |
| ● | a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| ● | an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for United States federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or |
| ● | a trust (a) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons (within the meaning of the Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) that has in effect a valid election under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares
In the event that a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares of the Company is redeemed, the treatment of the transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on whether the redemption qualifies as a sale of the Class A ordinary shares under Section 302 of the Code. Whether the redemption qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely on the total number of shares of our stock treated as held by the U.S. Holder (including any stock constructively owned by the U.S. Holder as a result of owning warrants) relative to all of our shares both before and after the redemption. The redemption of Class A ordinary shares generally will be treated as a sale of the Class A ordinary shares (rather than as a distribution) if the redemption (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. Holder, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. Holder’s interest in us or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. Holder. These tests are explained more fully below.
In determining whether any of the foregoing tests are satisfied, a U.S. Holder takes into account not only stock actually owned by the U.S. Holder, but also shares of our stock that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. Holder may constructively own, in addition to stock owned directly, stock owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. Holder has an interest or that have an interest in such U.S. Holder, as well as any stock the U.S. Holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include Class A ordinary shares which could be acquired pursuant to the exercise of the warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately following the redemption of Class A ordinary shares must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder immediately before the redemption. There will be a complete termination of a U.S. Holder’s interest if either (i) all of the shares of our stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed or (ii) all of the shares of our stock actually owned by the U.S. Holder are redeemed and the U.S. Holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of stock owned by certain family members and the U.S. Holder does not constructively own any other stock. The redemption of the Class A ordinary shares will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend if a U.S. Holder’s conversion results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us. Whether the redemption will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. Holder’s proportionate interest in us will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a “meaningful reduction.”
If none of the foregoing tests are satisfied, then the redemption will be treated as a distribution and the tax effects will be as described below under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to U.S. Holders — Taxation of Distributions.”
U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares considering exercising their redemption rights should consult their own tax advisors as to whether the redemption of their Class A ordinary shares of the Company will be treated as a sale or as a distribution under the Code.
Gain or Loss on a Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares Treated as a Sale
If the redemption qualifies as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, a U.S. Holder must treat any gain or loss recognized as capital gain or loss. Any such capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Class A ordinary shares so disposed of exceeds one year. Generally, a U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (i) the amount of cash received in such redemption (or, if the Class A ordinary shares is held as part of a unit at the time of the disposition, the portion of the amount realized on such disposition that is allocated to the Class A ordinary shares based upon the then fair market values of the Class A ordinary shares and the one-half of one warrant included in the unit) and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares so redeemed. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A ordinary shares generally will equal the U.S. Holder’s acquisition cost (that is, the portion of the purchase price of a unit allocated to a share of Class A ordinary shares or the U.S. Holder’s initial basis for Class A ordinary shares upon exercise of a whole warrant) less any prior distributions treated as a return of capital. Long-term capital gain realized by a non-corporate U.S. Holder generally will be taxable at a reduced rate. The deduction of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Taxation of Distributions
If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder will be treated as receiving a distribution. In general, any distributions to U.S. Holders generally will constitute dividends for United States federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal income tax principles. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits will constitute a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce (but not below zero) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in our Class A ordinary shares. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the Class A ordinary shares and will be treated as described under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to U.S. Holders — Gain or Loss on a Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares Treated as a Sale.” Dividends we pay to a U.S. Holder that is a taxable corporation generally will qualify for the dividends received deduction if the requisite holding period is satisfied. With certain exceptions, and provided certain holding period requirements are met, dividends we pay to a non-corporate U.S. Holder generally will constitute “qualified dividends” that will be taxable at a reduced rate.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to Non-U.S. Holders
This section is addressed to Non-U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares that elect to have their Class A ordinary shares of the Company redeemed for cash. For purposes of this discussion, a “Non-U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner (other than a partnership) that so redeems its Class A ordinary shares of the Company and is not a U.S. Holder.
Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares
The characterization for United States federal income tax purposes of the redemption of a Non-U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares generally will correspond to the United States federal income tax characterization of such a redemption of a U.S. Holder’s Class A ordinary shares, as described under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to U.S. Holders.”
Non-U.S. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares considering exercising their redemption rights should consult their own tax advisors as to whether the redemption of their Class A ordinary shares of the Company will be treated as a sale or as a distribution under the Code.
Gain or Loss on a Redemption of Class A Ordinary Shares Treated as a Sale
If the redemption qualifies as a sale of Class A ordinary, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to United States federal income or withholding tax in respect of gain recognized on a sale of its Class A ordinary shares of the Company, unless:
| ● | the gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by the Non-U.S. Holder within the United States (and, under certain income tax treaties, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder), in which case the Non-U.S. Holder will generally be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. Holder with respect to the redemption, and a corporate Non-U.S. Holder may be subject to the branch profits tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty); |
| ● | the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year in which the redemption takes place and certain other conditions are met, in which case the Non-U.S. Holder will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s net capital gain for the year; or |
| ● | we are or have been a “U.S. real property holding corporation” for United States federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of disposition or the period that the Non-U.S. Holder held our Class A ordinary shares, and, in the case where shares of our Class A ordinary shares are regularly traded on an established securities market, the Non-U.S. Holder has owned, directly or constructively, more than 5% of our Class A ordinary shares at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition or such Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period for the shares of our Class A ordinary shares. We do not believe we are or have been a U.S. real property holding corporation. |
Taxation of Distributions
If the redemption does not qualify as a sale of Class A ordinary shares, the Non-U.S. Holder will be treated as receiving a distribution. In general, any distributions we make to a Non-U.S. Holder of shares of our Class A ordinary shares, to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under United States federal income tax principles), will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, provided such dividends are not effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States, we will be required to withhold tax from the gross amount of the dividend at a rate of 30%, unless such Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for a reduced rate of withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty and provides proper certification of its eligibility for such reduced rate. Any distribution not constituting a dividend will be treated first as reducing (but not below zero) the Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares of our Class A ordinary shares and, to the extent such distribution exceeds the Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis, as gain realized from the sale or other disposition of the Class A ordinary shares, which will be treated as described under “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations to Non-U.S. Holders — Gain on Sale, Taxable Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Class A Ordinary Shares.” Dividends we pay to a Non-U.S. Holder that are effectively connected with such Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States generally will not be subject to United States withholding tax, provided such Non-U.S. Holder complies with certain certification and disclosure requirements. Instead, such dividends generally will be subject to United States federal income tax, net of certain deductions, at the same graduated individual or corporate rates applicable to U.S. Holders (subject to an exemption or reduction in such tax as may be provided by an applicable income tax treaty). If the Non-U.S. Holder is a corporation, dividends that are effectively connected income may also be subject to a “branch profits tax” at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty).
As previously noted above, the foregoing discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences is included for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or tax advice to any shareholder. We once again urge you to consult with your own tax adviser to determine the particular tax consequences to you (including the application and effect of any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign income or other tax laws) of the receipt of cash in exchange for shares in connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal.
THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
Overview
Date, Time and Place. The Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company’s shareholders will be held at [●] Eastern Time on [●] as a virtual meeting. You will be able to attend, vote your shares and submit questions during the Extraordinary General Meeting via a live webcast available at [●]. If you plan to attend the virtual online Extraordinary General Meeting, you will need your 12-digit control number to vote electronically at the Extraordinary General Meeting. The meeting will be held virtually over the internet by means of a live audio webcast. Only shareholders who own shares of our ordinary shares as of the close of business on the record date will be entitled to attend the virtual meeting.
To register for the virtual meeting, please follow these instructions as applicable to the nature of your ownership of our ordinary shares.
If your shares are registered in your name with our transfer agent and you wish to attend the online-only virtual meeting, go to [●] and enter the control number you received on your proxy card and click on the “Click here” to preregister for the online meeting link at the top of the page. Just prior to the start of the meeting you will need to log back into the meeting site using your control number. Pre-registration is recommended but is not required in order to attend.
Beneficial shareholders who wish to attend the online-only virtual meeting must obtain a legal proxy by contacting their account representative at the bank, broker, or other nominee that holds their shares and e-mail a copy (a legible photograph is sufficient) of their legal proxy to proxy@continentalstock.com. Beneficial shareholders who e-mail a valid legal proxy will be issued a meeting control number that will allow them to register to attend and participate in the online-only meeting. After contacting our transfer agent, a beneficial holder will receive an e-mail prior to the meeting with a link and instructions for entering the virtual meeting. Beneficial shareholders should contact our transfer agent no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting date.
Shareholders will also have the option to listen to the Extraordinary General Meeting by telephone by calling:
| ● | Within the U.S. and Canada: +1 800-450-7155 (toll-free) |
| ● | Outside of the U.S. and Canada: +1 857-999-9155 (standard rates apply) |
The passcode for telephone access: [●]. You will not be able to vote or submit questions unless you register for and log in to the Extraordinary General Meeting webcast as described herein.
Voting Power; record date. You will be entitled to vote or direct votes to be cast at the Extraordinary General Meeting, if you owned the Company’s Class A ordinary shares at the close of business on [●], the record date for the Extraordinary General Meeting. You will have one vote per proposal for each share of the Company’s ordinary shares you owned at that time. The Company’s warrants do not carry voting rights.
Votes Required. Approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal will require the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote on the record date. If you do not vote or if you abstain from voting on a proposal, your action will have the same effect as an “AGAINST” vote. Broker non-votes will have the same effect as “AGAINST” votes.
At the close of business on the record date of the Extraordinary General Meeting, there were [●] Class A ordinary shares, and no Class B ordinary shares of the registrant issued and outstanding, each of which entitles its holder to cast one vote per proposal.
If you do not want the Extension Amendment Proposal approved, you must abstain, not vote, or vote “AGAINST” such proposal. You will be entitled to redeem your public shares for cash in connection with this vote whether or not you vote on the Extension Amendment Proposal so long as you elect to redeem your public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds available in the Trust Account in connection with the Extension Amendment Proposal. The Company anticipates that a public shareholder who tenders shares for redemption in connection with the vote to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal would receive payment of the Redemption Price for such shares soon after the completion of the Extension Amendment Proposal.
Proxies; Board Solicitation; Proxy Solicitor. Your proxy is being solicited by the Board on the proposals being presented to shareholders at the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Company has engaged Laurel Hill Advisory Group, LLC to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Extraordinary General Meeting. No recommendation is being made as to whether you should elect to redeem your public shares. Proxies may be solicited in person or by telephone. If you grant a proxy, you may still revoke your proxy and vote your shares online at the Extraordinary General Meeting if you are a holder of record of the Company’s ordinary shares. You may contact the Proxy Solicitor at Laurel Hill Advisory Group, LLC, 2 Robbins Lane, Suite 201, Jericho, NY 11753, 855-414-2266, email: semperparatus @laurelhill.com.
THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL
Overview
The Adjournment Proposal, if adopted, will allow our Board to adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates to permit further solicitation of proxies. The Adjournment Proposal will only be presented to our shareholders in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal. In no event will our Board adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting beyond December 15, 2023.
Consequences if the Adjournment Proposal is Not Approved
If the Adjournment Proposal is not approved by our shareholders, our Board may not be able to adjourn the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal.
Vote Required for Approval
The approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires the affirmative vote of the simple majority of the votes cast by shareholders represented in person or by proxy at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Accordingly, if a valid quorum is otherwise established, a shareholder’s failure to vote by proxy or online at the Extraordinary General Meeting will have no effect on the outcome of any vote on the Adjournment Proposal. Abstentions will be counted in connection with the determination of whether a valid quorum is established but will have no effect on the outcome of the Adjournment Proposal.
Full Text of Resolution
“RESOLVED, as an ordinary resolution, to adjourn the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies if, based upon the tabulated vote at the time of the extraordinary general meeting, there are not sufficient votes to approve the Extension Amendment Proposal.”
Recommendation of the Board
Our Board unanimously recommends that our shareholders vote “FOR” the approval of the Adjournment Proposal.
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Company’s ordinary shares as of the record date based on information obtained from the persons named below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of shares of the Company’s ordinary shares, by:
| ● | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares; |
| ● | each of our executive officers and directors that beneficially owns ordinary shares; and |
| ● | all our officers and directors as a group. |
As of the record date, there were [●] Class A ordinary shares, and no Class B ordinary shares of the registrant issued and outstanding. Unless otherwise indicated, all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | Number of Ordinary Shares(2) | % of Ordinary Shares(3) | ||||||
| Surendra Ajjarapu (1)(2) | 8,988,889 | 56.6 | % | |||||
| Francis Knuettel II (1) | — | — | % | |||||
| Michael Peterson (1) | — | — | % | |||||
| Donald Fell (1) | — | — | % | |||||
| Avinash Wadhwani (1) | — | — | ||||||
| Scott Sussman (1) | — | — | ||||||
| All Company directors and executive officers as a group (6 individuals) | 8,988,889 | 56.6 | % | |||||
| 5% Holders of the Company | ||||||||
| Semper Paratus Sponsor LLC(3) | 4,294,444 | 27.2 | % | |||||
| SSVK Associates, LLC (our Sponsor)(1)(2) | 8,988,889 | 56.6 | % | |||||
| Saba Capital Management, L.P.(4) | 3,244,945 | 20.5 | % | |||||
| Polar Asset Management Partners Inc.(5) | 1,815,722 | 11.5 | % | |||||
| Entities affiliated with Citadel Advisors(6) | 933,454 | 5.9 | % | |||||
| (1) | The business address of each of these entities or individuals is c/o Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation, 767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10017. |
| (2) | Represents shares held by SSVK Associates, LLC, our Sponsor. Suren Ajjarapu is the managing member of our Sponsor and may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the ordinary shares held directly by our Sponsor. Suren Ajjarapu disclaims any beneficial ownership of the reported shares other than to the extent of any pecuniary interest they may have therein, directly or indirectly. |
| (3) | According to a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC on June 8, 2023, on behalf of Semper Paratus Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, The address for the principal business office of this shareholder is 200 East 78th Street, New York, NY 10075. |
| (4) | According to Schedule 13G/A filed jointly with the SEC on February 14, 2023, by Saba Capital Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Saba Capital”), Saba Capital Management GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Saba GP”) and Mr. Boaz R. Weinstein, a U.S. citizen, and represents shares held by Saba Capital. The business address of Saba Capital, Saba GP and Mr. Weinstein is 405 Lexington Avenue, 58th Floor, New York, New York 10174. |
| (5) | This information is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 13, 2023 by Polar Asset Management Partners Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of Ontario, Canada (“Polar”), which serves as an investment advisor to the Investor and represents shares held directly by the Investor. The business address of Polar is 16 York Street, Suite 2900, Toronto, ON, Canada M5J 0E6. |
| (6) | According to a Schedule 13G filed jointly with the SEC on July 27, 2023 by Citadel Advisors LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Citadel Advisors”), Citadel Advisors Holdings LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“CAH”), Citadel GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CGP”), Citadel Securities LLC, a limited liability company (“Citadel Securities”), Citadel Securities Group LP (“CALC4”), a Delaware limited partnership, Citadel Securities GP LLC (“CSGP”), a Delaware limited liability company, and Kenneth Griffin, a U.S. citizen, with respect to shares owned by Citadel Multi-Strategy Equities Master Fund Ltd., a Cayman Islands company (“CM”), and Citadel Securities. Citadel Advisors is the portfolio manager for CM. CAH is the sole member of Citadel Advisors. CGP is the general partner of CAH. CALC4 is the non-member manager of Citadel Securities. CSGP is the general partner of CALC4. Mr. Griffin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of CGP, and owns a controlling interest in CGP and CSGP. Mr. Griffin has shared voting and dispositive power over these shares, Citadel Advisors, CAH, and CGP have shared voting and dispositive power over 926,480 of these shares, and Citadel Securities, CALC4, and CSGP have shared voting and dispositive power over 6,974 of these shares. The address of each of these persons is Southeast Financial Center, 200 S. Biscayne Blvd., Suite 3300, Miami, Florida 33131. |
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
If the Extension Amendment Proposal is approved, we anticipate that we will hold another extraordinary general meeting before the Extended Date to consider and vote upon a proposed business combination and related transactions. Accordingly, our next annual general meeting of shareholders would be held at a future date to be determined by the post-business combination company. We expect that the post-business combination company would notify shareholders of the deadline for submitting a proposal for inclusion in the proxy statement for its next annual general meeting following the completion of the Merger. For any proposal to be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy for submission to shareholders at the 2024 annual general meeting of shareholders, it must be submitted in writing and comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act and the Articles in place at such time.
HOUSEHOLDING INFORMATION
Unless we have received contrary instructions, we may send a single copy of this Proxy Statement to any household at which two or more shareholders reside if we believe the shareholders are members of the same family. This process, known as “householding,” reduces the volume of duplicate information received at any one household and helps to reduce our expenses. However, if shareholders prefer to receive multiple sets of our disclosure documents at the same address this year or in future years, the shareholders should follow the instructions described below. Similarly, if an address is shared with another shareholder and together both of the shareholders would like to receive only a single set of our disclosure documents, the shareholders should follow these instructions:
| ● | If the shares are registered in the name of the shareholder, the shareholder should contact us at [●] to inform us of his or her request; or |
| ● | If a bank, broker or other nominee holds the shares, the shareholder should contact the bank, broker or other nominee directly. |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC as required by the Exchange Act. You can read the Company’s SEC filings, including this Proxy Statement, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
If you would like additional copies of this Proxy Statement or if you have questions about the proposals to be presented at the Extraordinary General Meeting, you should contact the Company’s proxy solicitation agent at the following address, telephone number and email:
Laurel Hill Advisory Group, LLC
2 Robbins Lane, Suite 201
Jericho, NY 11753
855-414-2266
Email: semperparatus@laurelhill.com
You may also obtain these documents by requesting them from the Company at:
Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation
767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor
New York, New York 10017
Attn: [●]
Telephone No.: (646) 807-8832
If you are a shareholder of the Company and would like to request documents, please do so by [●], in order to receive them before the Extraordinary General Meeting. If you request any documents from us, we will mail them to you by first class mail, or another equally prompt means.
ANNEX A
SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF
SEMPER PARATUS ACQUISITION CORPORATION
ADOPTED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION ON DECEMBER 6, 2023
SEMPER PARATUS ACQUISITION CORPORATION, a company limited by shares organized under the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), does hereby certify as follows:
| 1. | The name of the Company is Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation. The Company’s original memorandum and articles of association were filed with the General Registry of the Cayman Islands on 21 April 2021, as amended by the Amended and Restated Articles of Association on 3 November 2021 by Special Resolution (as defined below), and further amended by the first amendment to the amended and restated articles of association on3 February 2023, by Special Resolution (the “Charter”) . |
| 2. | This second amendment further amends the Charter (the “Second Amendment”). |
| 3. | This Second Amendment was duly adopted by special resolution of the shareholders of the Company (the “Special Resolution”), being the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the ordinary shares of the Company present and entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company’s shareholders, held on December 6, at which a quorum of the Company’s shareholders was present. |
| 4. | The text of Article 49.7 of the Charter is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows: |
“49.7 If the Company does not consummate a Business Combination within 36 months after the closing of the IPO, the Company may seek an Ordinary Resolution of the Public Shareholders for any extension beyond 36 months at a meeting called for such purpose. Public Shareholders will be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their Shares in connection with the approval of such extension beyond such 36-month period. Alternatively, or in the event that there is an unsuccessful effort to obtain Public Shareholder approval for the proposed extension(s), the Company may, but is not obligated to, extend the period in which the Company must complete the Business Combination up to twelve more times, each by an additional one month, for an aggregate of up to twelve additional months, provided that the Company or SSVK Associates, LLC, the Company’s sponsor (or any of either of their affiliates or designees) will deposit, on or prior to:
| (i) | in case of the first such extension, the deadline for the Company to consummate a Business Combination prior to such extension, or the next business day if such deadline is not a business day; and |
| (ii) | for each subsequent extension, the last day of the immediately preceding extension for each such extension, or the next business day if such last day is not a business day, |
(each a “Deadline Date”), into the Trust Account the lesser of:
| (x) | $[●],000; or |
| (y) | $[●]per share for each Public Share outstanding as of the applicable Deadline Date for each extension (after giving effect to redemptions properly requested prior to such date with respect to the first such extension), |
in exchange for non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory notes payable upon consummation of a Business Combination, which notes may be convertible at the option of the holder at any time after the consummation of the Business Combination into warrants that are identical to the placement warrants (as defined in the registration statement) at a conversion price of $1.00 per warrant; and further provided in each case that the procedures relating to any such extension, as set forth in the agreement relating to the Trust Account, shall have been complied with. The gross proceeds from the issuance of such promissory note(s) shall be held in the Trust Account and used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares in accordance with Article 49.5. Public Shareholders will not be offered the opportunity to vote on and/or redeem their Shares in connection with such extension. If the Company is unable to complete the Business Combination within such 36-month period (or as extended by the Shareholders in accordance with these Articles, as described in more detail in the registration statement), the Company shall:
| (a) | cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; |
| (b) | as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-Share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay taxes, if any, (less up to US$100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of Public Shares then in issue, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as Shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and | |
| (c) | as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining Shareholders and the Directors, liquidate and dissolve, |
subject in each case to its obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of Applicable Law.”
| 5. | The text of Section (a) of Article 49.8 of the Charter is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows: |
| (a) | “to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with a Business Combination or redeem 100 per cent of the Public Shares if the Company does not consummate a Business Combination within 36 months from the consummation of the IPO or such later time as the Members may approve in accordance with the Articles; or” |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation has caused this Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation to be duly executed in its name and on its behalf by an authorized officer as of December 8, 2023.
| SEMPER PARATUS ACQUISITION CORPORATION | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Surendra Ajjarapu | |
| Title: | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | |
Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation
767 Third Avenue, 38th Floor
New York, New York 10017
(646) 807-8832
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
DECEMBER 6, 2023
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 6, 2023
The undersigned, revoking any previous proxies relating to these shares, hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice dated [●] and Proxy Statement, dated [●], 2023, in connection with the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held at [●] on December 6, 2023, as a virtual meeting (the “Extraordinary General Meeting”) for the sole purpose of considering and voting upon the following proposals, and hereby appoints Surendra Ajjarapu (with full power to act alone), the attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution to each, to vote all ordinary shares of the Company registered in the name provided, which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting and at any adjournments thereof, with all the powers the undersigned would have if personally present. Without limiting the general authorization hereby given, said proxies are, and each of them is, instructed to vote or act as follows on the proposals set forth in the accompanying Proxy Statement.
THIS PROXY, WHEN EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED “FOR” THE EXTENSION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL (PROPOSAL 1) AND “FOR” THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL (PROPOSAL 2), IF PRESENTED.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” ALL PROPOSALS.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on December 6, 2023: This notice of meeting and the accompanying proxy statement are available at [●].
| Proposal 1 — Extension Amendment Proposal | FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | |||
| Amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate to extend the date by which the Company has to complete an initial business combination from December 15, 2023, to December 15, 2024, or such earlier date as determined by the Board of Directors, in a series of up to twelve (12) one-month extensions, which we refer to as the “Extension Amendment Proposal.” | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Proposal 2 — Adjournment Proposal | FOR | AGAINST | ABSTAIN | |||
| Approve the adjournment of the Extraordinary General Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes for, or otherwise in connection with, the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal, which we refer to as the “Adjournment Proposal.” | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Dated: [●] | ||
| Shareholder’s Signature | ||
| Shareholder’s Signature |
Signature should agree with name printed hereon. If stock is held in the name of more than one person, EACH joint owner should sign. Executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, and attorneys should indicate the capacity in which they sign. Attorneys should submit powers of attorney.
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE ENCLOSED TO CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED SHAREHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED “FOR” THE PROPOSAL SET FORTH IN PROPOSAL 1, AND “FOR” THE PROPOSAL SET FORTH IN PROPOSAL 2, IF SUCH PROPOSAL IS PRESENTED AT THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING. THIS PROXY WILL REVOKE ALL PRIOR PROXIES SIGNED BY YOU.