The Chief Executive Officer is vested with the most extensive powers to act under all circumstances on behalf of the Company, within the limits set out by the corporate purposes, and subject to the powers expressly granted by law to the Board of Directors and the General Shareholders Meeting.
The Chief Executive Officer represents the Company with third parties. The Company is bound by the acts of the Chief Executive Officer overcoming the corporate purposes, unless proven that the third party knew such act overcame the corporate purposes or could not ignore so in light of the circumstances; yet, the sole publication of the bylaws is not enough to constitute a sufficient evidence thereof.
The remuneration of the Chief Executive Officer is decided by the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer can be revoked at any time by the Board of Directors. If this revocation is not justified, damages may be allocated to the Chief Executive Officer, except when the Chief Executive Officer is also the Chairman of the Board.
The Chief Executive Officer may not hold another position as Chief Executive Officer or member of a Supervisory Board in a company registered in France except when (i) such company is controlled (as referred to in Section L.233-16 of the French Commercial Code) by the Company and (ii) when this controlled company’s shares are not quoted on a regulated market.
The Chief Executive Officer cannot be over seventy years old. In case the Chief Executive Officer reaches this limit during his/her tenure, he/she will automatically be considered as having resigned. However, his/her tenure is extended until the next Board of Directors meeting, during which his/her successor shall be appointed.
ARTICLE 17 - DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Upon the Chief Executive Officer’s proposal, the Board of Directors may appoint one or several individual(s) as Deputy Chief Executive(s) with the aim of assisting the Chief Executive Officer.
The Deputy Chief Executive may be revoked at any time by the Board, upon proposal of the Chief Executive Officer.
In agreement with the Chief Executive Officer, the Board of Directors shall determine the scope and duration of the powers delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive. The remuneration of the Deputy Chief Executive is decided by the Board of Directors.
Towards third parties, the Deputy Chief Executive has the same powers as the Chief Executive Officer, among which the ability to represent the Company in court.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer cannot be over seventy years old. In case a Deputy Chief Executive Officer would reach this limit during his/her office, he/she would automatically be considered as having resigned. However, his/her office is extended until the soonest Board of Directors meeting, during which his/her successor shall be appointed.
In any case, the maximum number of Deputy Chief Executive(s) cannot exceed five.
ARTICLE 18 - AGREEMENTS SUBJECT TO AUTHORIZATION
18.1. Securities, endorsement of drafts and guarantees provided for by the Company shall be authorized by the Board of Directors in compliance with the conditions provided for by the law.
18.2. Any agreement to be entered into - either directly or indirectly or through an intermediary - between the Company and one of its Directors, its Chief Executive Officer or Deputy Chief Executive, one of its shareholders holding more than 5% of the voting rights or, if it is a company, the company controlling it (as referred to in the Section L.233-3 of the French Commercial Code) is subject to a prior authorization of the Board of Directors. The same authorization applies to the agreements in which these persons are indirectly interested.
Such prior authorization is not required for agreements which, even though they are entered into by the above mentioned persons, concern usual operations which have been entered into on standard conditions. Nevertheless, such agreements have to be reported to the Chairman by the concerned person. Furthermore, the lists and purposes of these agreements shall be communicated by the Chairman to the Board of Directors and to the Statutory Auditors.
The same shall apply for agreements between the Company and another company, whenever one of the Directors, Chief Executive Officer(s) or Deputy Chief Executive(s) of the Company is the owner, a partner with unlimited liability, a manager, Director, Chief Executive Officer, member of the Executive Board or Supervisory Board of said company.