Exhibit 3.2
THE COMPANIES LAW (2007 Revision)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
BCD SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING LIMITED
Adopted by Special Resolution
passed on [•], 2007 and
effective immediately upon completion of the initial public offering of the Company’s
American Depositary Shares representing the Company’s Ordinary Shares.
INTERPRETATION
1. In these Articles, Table A in the First Schedule to the Statute does not apply and, unless otherwise defined, the defined terms shall have the meanings assigned to them as follows:
“Articles”
the Fourth Amended and Restated Articles of Association adopted by Special Resolution on [•] 2007 and effective immediately upon completion of the initial public offering of the Company’s American Depositary Shares representing the Company’s Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Global Market, as from time to time altered or added to in accordance with the Statute and these Articles;
“Board”
the Board of Directors for the time being of the Company;
“Business Day”
a day, excluding Saturdays or Sundays, on which banks in Shanghai and New York are open for general banking business throughout their normal business hours;
“Commission”
Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America or any other federal agency for the time being administering the Securities Act;
“Company”
BCD Semiconductor Manufacturing Limited, a Cayman Islands company limited by shares;
“Company’s Website”
the website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been notified to Members;
-1-
“Directors”and “Board of Directors”and “Board”
the directors of the Company for the time being, or as the case may be, the Directors assembled as a Board or as a committee thereof;
“Dividend”
includes an interim dividend.
“electronic and electronic record”
the meaning given to it in the Electronic Transactions Law (2003 Revision) of the Cayman Islands and any amendment thereto or re-enactments thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefore;
“electronic communication”
electronic transmission to any number, address or internet website or other electronic delivery methods as otherwise decided and approved by not less than a majority vote of the Board;
“Exchange”
shall mean any securities exchange or other system on which the shares of the Company may be listed, quoted or otherwise authorised for trading from time to time.
“in writing”
includes writing, printing, lithograph, photograph, type-writing and every other mode of representing words or figures in a legible and non-transitory form and, only where used in connection with a notice served by the Company on Members or other persons entitled to receive notices hereunder, shall also include a record maintained in an electronic medium which is accessible in visible form so as to be useable for subsequent reference;
“Member”
has the same meaning as in the Statute;
“Memorandum of Association”
the Third Memorandum of Association of the Company, as amended and re-stated from time to time;
“month”
calendar month;
“Ordinary Resolution”
a resolution passed by a simple majority of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, in the case of any Member being an organization, by its duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company;
“Ordinary Shares”
shares in the capital of the Company of US$0.001 nominal value designated as Ordinary Shares and having the rights provided for in these Articles;
“paid up”
paid up as to the par value and any premium payable in respect of the issue of any shares and includes credited as paid up;
“Preference Shares”
shares in the capital of the Company of US$0.001 nominal value designated as Preference Shares and having the rights provided for in these Articles;
“Register of Members”
the register maintained in accordance with the Statute and includes (except where otherwise stated) any duplicate Register of Members;
“Seal”
the common seal of the Company including any facsimile thereof;
“Securities Act”
the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States of America, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time;
“share”
any share in the capital of the Company, including the Ordinary Shares and shares of other classes;
“signed”
includes a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means or an electronic symbol or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic communication and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic communication;
“Special Resolution”
has the same meaning as in the Statute except that it shall not include a written resolution unless authorised by the Articles;
“Statute”
the Companies Law (2007 Revision) of the Cayman Islands and any statutory amendment or re-enactment thereof. Where any provision of the Statute is referred to, the reference is to that provision as amended by any law for the time being in force;
“year”
calendar year.
2. In these Articles, save where the context requires otherwise:
(a) words importing the singular number shall include the plural number and vice versa;
(b) words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender;
(c) words importing persons only shall include companies or associations or bodies of persons, whether corporate or not;
(d) “written” and “in writing” includes all modes of representing or reproducing words in visible form, including in the form of an electronic record;
(e) “may” shall be construed as permissive and “shall” shall be construed as imperative;
(f) a reference to a dollar or dollars (or $) is a reference to dollars of the United States;
(g) references to a statutory enactment shall include reference to any amendment or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;
(h) any phrase introduced by the terms “including”, “include”, “in particular” or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms; and
(i) Section 8 of the Electronic Transactions Law (2003 Revision) shall not apply.
3. Subject to the last two preceding Articles, any words defined in the Statute shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meaning in these Articles.
PRELIMINARY
4. The business of the Company may be commenced as soon after incorporation as the Directors see fit, notwithstanding that only part of the shares may have been allotted or issued.
5. The registered office of the Company shall be at such address in the Cayman Islands as the Directors shall from time to time determine. The Company may in addition establish and maintain such other offices and places of business and agencies in such places as the Directors may from time to time determine.
SHARE CAPITAL
6. The authorised share capital of the Company at the date of adoption of these Articles is US$495,000,000 divided into 480,000,000 Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.001 each and 15,000,000 Preference Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.001 each, with power for the Company insofar as is permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or reduce the said capital subject to the provisions of the Statute and these Articles and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained.
ISSUE OF SHARES
7. Subject to the provisions, if any, in the Articles, the Memorandum of Association and applicable law, including the Statute, the Directors may, in their absolute discretion and without approval of the holders of Ordinary Shares, cause the Company to issue such amounts of Ordinary Shares and/or Preference Shares or similar securities in one or more series or grant rights over existing shares as they deem necessary and appropriate and determine designations, powers, preferences, privileges and other rights, including dividend rights, conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the powers and rights associated with the Ordinary Shares, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper. The Company shall not issue shares in bearer form.
REGISTER OF MEMBERS AND SHARE CERTIFICATES
8. The Company shall maintain or cause to be maintained a Register of its Members and every person whose name is entered as a Member in the Register of Members shall, without payment, be entitled to a certificate within two months after allotment or lodgement of transfer (or within such other period as the conditions of issue shall provide) in the form determined by the Directors. All certificates shall specify the share or shares held by that person and the amount paid up thereon, provided that in respect of a share or shares held jointly by several persons the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate, and delivery of a certificate for a share to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all. All certificates for shares shall be delivered personally or sent through the post addressed to the member entitled thereto at the Member’s registered address as appearing in the register.
9. Every share certificate of the Company shall bear legends required under the applicable laws, including the Securities Act.
10. Any two or more certificates representing shares of any one class held by any Member may at the Member’s request be cancelled and a single new certificate for such shares issued in lieu on payment (if the Directors shall so require) of US$1.00 or such smaller sum as the Directors shall determine.
11. If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued to the relevant member upon request subject to delivery up of the old certificate or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit.
12. In the event that shares are held jointly by several persons, any request may be made by any one of the joint holders and if so made shall be binding on all of the joint holders.
TRANSFER OF SHARES
13. The instrument of transfer of any share shall be in writing in the usual or common form or any other form approved by the Directors and executed by or on behalf of the transferor and shall be accompanied by the certificate of the shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer. The transferor shall be deemed to remain a holder of the share until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register of Members in respect thereof. All instruments of transfer that shall be registered shall be retained by the Company or its duly authorised agent.
14. The Directors may, in their absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of shares without assigning any reason therefor. If the Directors refuse to register a transfer they shall notify the transferee within two months of such refusal.
15. The registration of transfers may be suspended at such time and for such periods as the Directors may from time to time determine, provided always that such registration shall not be suspended for more than forty-five (45) days in any year.
REDEMPTION AND PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES
16. Subject to the provisions of the Statute the Company may issue Shares that are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Member or the Company. The redemption of Ordinary Shares shall be effected in such manner as the Company may, by Special Resolution, determine before the issue of the Ordinary Shares and the redemption of Preference Shares shall be effected in such manner as the Board may, by resolution, determine before the issue of the Preference Shares (this authorisation is in accordance with Section 37(1) of the Statute or any modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force).
17. Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Company may purchase its own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) provided that the Members shall have approved the manner of
purchase by Ordinary Resolution or that the manner of purchase is in accordance with the following Articles (this authorisation is in accordance with Section 37(2) of the Statute or any modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force).
18. (a) Purchase of Ordinary Shares listed on an Exchange. The Company is authorised to purchase any Ordinary Share listed on such Exchange in accordance with the following manner of purchase: The maximum number of Ordinary Shares that may be repurchased shall be equal to the number of issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares less one Ordinary Share; at such time; at such price and on such other terms as determined and agreed by the Board in their sole discretion,provided,however, that (i) such repurchase transactions shall be in accordance with the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange; and (ii) at the time of the repurchase the Company is able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of its business.
(b) Purchase of Ordinary Shares not listed on an Exchange. The Company is authorised to purchase any Ordinary Share not listed on an Exchange in accordance with the following manner of purchase: The Company shall serve a repurchase notice in a form approved by the Board on the Member from whom the Ordinary Shares are to be repurchased at least two (2) days prior to the date specified in the notice as being the repurchase date; the price for the Ordinary Shares being repurchased shall be such price agreed between the Board and the applicable Member; the date of repurchase shall be the date specified in the repurchase notice; and the repurchase shall be on such other terms as specified in the repurchase notice as determined and agreed by the Board and the applicable Member in their sole discretion.
19. (a) The redemption or purchase of any Share shall not obligate the Company to redeem or purchase any other Share other than as may be required pursuant to applicable law and any other contractual obligations of the Company.
(b) The Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner permitted by the Statute, including out of capital.
(c) The holder of the Shares being purchased shall be bound to deliver up to the Company at its registered office or such other place as the Board shall specify, the certificate(s) (if any) thereof for cancellation and thereupon the Company shall pay to him the purchase or redemption monies or consideration in respect thereof.
VARIATION OF RIGHTS ATTACHING TO SHARES
20. If at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class and as set forth in the Articles) may, subject to these Articles, be varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of at lease a majority of the holders of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a Special Resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
21. The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply to every such general meeting of the holders of one class of shares except that the necessary quorum shall be one person holding or representing by proxy at least one-third of the issued shares of the class and that any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy may demand a poll.
22. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking in priority to or pari passu therewith.
COMMISSION ON SALE OF SHARES
23. The Company may in so far as the Statute from time to time permits pay a commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any shares of the Company. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgement of fully or partly paid-up shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also on any issue of shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.
NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS
24. No person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future, or partial interest in any share, or any interest in any fractional part of a share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by these Articles or the Statute) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder.
LIEN ON SHARES
25. The Company shall have a first and paramount lien and charge on all shares (whether fully paid-up or not) registered in the name of a Member (whether solely or jointly with others) for all debts, liabilities or engagements to or with the Company (whether presently payable or not) by such Member or his estate, either alone or jointly with any other person, whether a Member or not, but the Directors may at any time declare any share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The registration of a transfer of any such share shall operate as a waiver of the Company’s lien (if any) thereon. The Company’s lien (if any) on a share shall extend to all dividends or other monies payable in respect thereof.
26. The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors think fit, any shares on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable nor until the expiration of fourteen (14) calendar days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, has been given to the registered holder for the time being of the share, or the persons entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy.
27. For giving effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise some person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the shares comprised in any such transfer and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the sale.
28. The proceeds of the sale shall be received by the Company and applied in payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, and the residue shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently payable as existed upon the shares prior to the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the shares at the date of the sale.
CALLS ON SHARES
29. The Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any money unpaid on their shares whether in respect of nominal or par value or share premium, and each member shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen (14) calendar days notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on his shares. A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising such call was passed.
30. The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay calls in respect thereof.
31. If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest upon the sum at the rate of eight percent per annum from the day appointed for the payment thereof to the time of the actual payment, but the Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part.
32. The provisions of these Articles as to the liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the amount of the share, or by way of premium, as if the same had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
33. The Directors may make arrangements on the issue of shares to differentiate between the Members, or the particular shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment.
34. The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any member willing to advance the same all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid upon any shares held by him, and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced may (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (not exceeding without the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution, eight percent per annum) as may be agreed upon between the Member paying the sum in advance and the Directors. No such sum paid in advance of calls shall entitle the member paying such sum to any portion of a dividend declared in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such sum would, but for such payment, become presently payable.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
35. If a Member fails to pay any call or instalment of a call on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of such call or instalment remains unpaid, serve a notice on him requiring payment of such amount of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued.
36. The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the notice) on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed the shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.
37. If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect.
38. A forfeited share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit, and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit.
39. A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company receives payment in full of all money due and payable by him in respect of those shares.
40. A statutory declaration in writing that the declarant is a Director of the Company, and that a share in the Company has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for the share or any sale or disposition thereof and may execute a transfer of the share in favour of the person to whom the share is sold or disposed of and he shall thereupon be registered as the holder of the share, and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the share.
41. The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which by the terms of issue of a share becomes due and payable, whether on account of the amount of the nominal or par value share, or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS
42. The Company shall be entitled to charge a fee not exceeding one dollar (US$1.00) on the registration of every probate, letters of administration, certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, or other instrument.
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
43. The legal personal representative of a deceased sole holder of a share shall be the only person recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest. In the case of a share registered in the name of two or more holders, the survivors or survivor, or the legal personal representatives of the deceased survivor, shall be the only person recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest. The estate of a deceased Member is not thereby released from any liability in respect of any share which had been held by him solely or jointly with other persons.
44. Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution of a Member or in any other way than transfer may upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be properly required by the Directors, have the right either to be registered as a member in respect of the share or, instead of being registered himself, to have some other person nominated by him as transferee. If the person so becoming entitled shall elect to be registered himself as holder he shall deliver or send to the Company a notice in writing signed by him stating that he so elects.
45. A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution or in any other case than by transfer of the holder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered holder of the share, except that he shall not, before being registered as a Member in respect of the share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company, provided however, that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the share, and if the notice is not complied with within ninety (90) calendar days, the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all dividends, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
46. Subject to these Articles, the Company may from time to time by Ordinary Resolution increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe.
47. Subject to these Articles, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution:
(a) consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares;
(b) sub-divide its existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any unpaid on each reduced share shall be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; or
(c) cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.
48. Subject to these Articles, the Company may by Special Resolution:
(a) change its name;
(b) alter or add to these Articles;
(c) alter or add to the Memorandum of Association with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein; or
(d) reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorised by law.
49. All new shares created hereunder shall be subject to the same provisions with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer, transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as the shares in the original share capital.
CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE
50. For the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or those Members that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination as to who is a Member for any other purpose, the Directors may provide that the Register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period but not to exceed in any case sixty (60) calendar days. If the Register of Members shall be so closed for the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members such register shall be so closed during the period at least ten (10) calendar days (but not more than sixty (60) calendar days) immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register of Members.
51. In lieu of or apart from closing the Register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of the Members and for the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend the Directors may, at or within ninety (90) calendar days prior to the date of declaration of such dividend fix a subsequent date as the record date of such determination.
52. If the Register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of those Members entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members or those Members that are entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is posted or the date on which the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members has been made as provided in this section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.
GENERAL MEETINGS
53. All general meetings of the Company other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings.
54. (a) The Company may hold an annual general meeting but shall not (unless required by the Statute) be obliged to hold an annual general meeting.
(b) At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented.
55. (a) A majority of the Directors then in office may call general meetings, including extraordinary general meetings.
(b) General meetings of the Company may be held at such place, either within or without the Cayman Islands, as determined by the Directors.
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
56. At least ten (10) calendar days’ notice (but not more than sixty (60) calendar days’ notice) shall be given for any general meeting. Every notice shall be exclusive of the day on which it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business and shall be given in the manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may be prescribed by the Company, provided that a general meeting of the Company shall, whether or not the notice specified in this regulation has been given and whether or not the provisions of Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly convened if it is so agreed (either before or after such general meeting):
(a) in the case of an annual general meeting by all the Members (or their proxies) entitled to attend and vote thereat; and
(b) in the case of an extraordinary general meeting by a majority in number of the Members (or their proxies) having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than ninety five per cent in par value of the shares giving that right.
57. The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
58. No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Members holding not less than an aggregate of one-third of all voting share capital of the Company in issue present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall be a quorum for all purposes. A person may participate at a general meeting by conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all the persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participation by a person in a general meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting.
59. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.
60. The chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside as chairman at every general meeting of the Company.
61. If at any meeting the chairman of the Board of Directors is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting or is unwilling to act as chairman, the Members present shall choose a chairman of the meeting.
62. The chairman of any meeting at which a quorum is present may with the consent of such meeting (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn a meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting is adjourned for ten (10) calendar days or more, not less than seven (7) Business Days’ notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
63. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll.
64. A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting.
65. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote.
VOTES OF MEMBERS
66. Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares, every Member present in person and every person representing a Member by proxy at a general meeting of the Company shall have one vote for each share registered in his name in the Register of Members.
67. In the case of joint holders the vote of the senior who tenders a vote whether in person or by proxy shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the joint holders and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register of Members.
68. A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote on a poll by his committee, or other person in the nature of a committee appointed by that court, and any such committee or other person, may on a poll, vote by proxy.
69. No Member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid.
70. On a poll, votes may be given either personally or by proxy.
71. Written resolutions of the Members shall not be permitted except as authorised by these Articles.
PROXIES
72. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under seal or under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorised. A proxy need not be a Member of the Company. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the registered office of the Company or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting no later than the time for holding the meeting, or adjourned meeting of the Company and in default the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid, provided that the chairman of the meeting may at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited upon receipt of telex, cable or facsimile confirmation from the appointor that the instrument of proxy duly signed is in the course of transmission to the Company.
73. An instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve.
74. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll.
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES AT MEETING
75. Any corporation which is a Member or a Director may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members or of the Board of Directors or of a committee of Directors, and the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member or Director.
CLEARING HOUSES
76. If a clearing house (or its nominee) is a member of the Company it may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by power of attorney, authorise such person or persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative or representatives at any general meeting of the Company or at any general meeting of any class of members of the Company provided that, if more than one person
is so authorised, the authorisation shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such person is so authorised. A person so authorised pursuant to this provision shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee) which he represents as that clearing house (or its nominee) could exercise if it were an individual member of the Company holding the number and class of shares specified in such authorisation.
DIRECTORS
77. (a) There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of up to seven (7) Directors or such other number as shall be fixed from time to time by the Directors. The Directors shall be elected or appointed in the first place by the subscribers to the Memorandum of Association or by a majority of them and thereafter at a general meeting as provided for in Article 77(b).
(b) The Directors shall be divided into three (3) classes designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively. Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors. At the first annual general meeting of Members following the initial meeting after the adoption of these Articles, the term of office of the Class I Directors shall expire and Class I Directors shall be elected for a full term of three (3) years. At the second annual general meeting of Members following the initial meeting, the term of office of the Class II Directors shall expire and Class II Directors shall be elected for a full term of three (3) years. At the third annual general meeting of Members following the initial meeting, the term of office of the Class III Directors shall expire and Class III Directors shall be elected for a full term of three (3) years. At each succeeding annual general meeting of Members, Directors shall be elected for a full term of three (3) years to succeed the Directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual general meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article 77, each Director shall hold office until the expiration of his term, until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until his death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.
(c) The Board of Directors shall have a chairman of the Board of Directors (the “chairman”) elected and appointed by a majority of the Directors then in office. The Directors may also elect a Vice-chairman of the Board of Directors (the “Vice-chairman”). The chairman shall preside as chairman at every meeting of the Board of Directors. To the extent the chairman is not present at a meeting of the Board of Directors, the Vice-chairman (if any), or in his absence, the attending Directors may choose one Director to be the chairman of the meeting. The chairman’s voting right as to the matters to be decided by the Board of Directors shall be the same as other Directors.
(d) Subject to these Articles, applicable law and the listing rules of the stock exchange or automated quotation system where the Company’s securities are traded, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy on the Board (other than a vacancy caused by the death, resignation or removal of a Director appointed by the holders of any series of Preference Shares, if any) or as an addition to the existing Board. Any Director so appointed shall hold office until the next succeeding annual general meeting of Members or until his death, resignation or removal.
(e) The Directors by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a Director to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board, subject to these Articles, applicable law and the listing rules of the stock exchange or automated quotation system where the Company’s securities are traded. Any Director so appointed shall hold office until the next succeeding annual general meeting of Members or until his death, resignation or removal.
78. A Director may be removed from office by Special Resolution for negligence or other reasonable cause at any time before the expiration of his term notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under such agreement).
79. A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of Article 78 above (other than a vacancy caused by the removal of a Director appointed by the holders of any series of Preference Shares, if any) may be filled by the election or appointment by Ordinary Resolution at the meeting at which such Director is removed or by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting, subject to these Articles, applicable law and the listing rules of the stock exchange or automated quotation system where the Company’s securities are traded. Any Director so appointed shall hold office until the next succeeding annual general meeting of Members or until his death, resignation or removal.
80. The Board may, from time to time, and except as required by applicable law or the listing rules of the recognized stock exchange or automated quotation system where the Company’s securities are traded, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives, which shall be intended to set forth the policies of the Company and the Board on various corporate governance related matters as the Board shall determine by resolution from time to time.
81. A Director shall not be required to hold any shares in the Company by way of qualification. A Director who is not a member of the Company shall nevertheless be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at general meetings of the Company and all classes of shares of the Company.
DIRECTORS’ FEES AND EXPENSES
82. The Directors may receive such remuneration as the Board may from time to time determine. The Directors may be entitled to be repaid all traveling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of debentures of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director.
83. Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purpose of the Company or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to or in substitution for any ordinary remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article.
DIRECTOR PROXY
84. Any Director may appoint any person, whether or not a Director, to be the proxy of that Director to attend and vote on his behalf, in accordance with instructions given by that Director, or in the absence of such instructions at the discretion of the proxy, at a meeting or meetings of the Directors which that Director is unable to attend personally. The instrument appointing the proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointing Director and shall be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve, and must be lodged with the chairman of the meeting of the Directors at which such proxy is to be used, or first used, prior to the commencement of the meeting.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS
85. Subject to the provisions of the Statute, these Articles and to any resolutions made in a general meeting, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors, who may pay all expenses incurred in setting up and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company. No resolution made by the Company in a general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors that would have been valid if that resolution had not been made.
86. Subject to these Articles, the Directors may from time to time appoint any person, whether or not a director of the Company to hold such office in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including without prejudice to the foregoing generality, the office of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, Manager or Controller, and for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary or commission or participation in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers and duties as the Directors may think fit. The Directors may also appoint one or more of their number to the office of Managing Director upon like terms, but any such appointment shall ipso facto determine if any Managing Director ceases from any cause to be a Director, or if the Company by Ordinary Resolution resolves that his tenure of office be terminated.
87. The Directors may delegate any of their powers to committees consisting of such member or members of their body as they think fit; any committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the Directors.
88. The Directors may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney appoint any company, firm or person or body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretion (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such attorney to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretion vested in him.
89. The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions contained in the following paragraphs shall be without prejudice to the general powers conferred by this paragraph.
90. The Directors from time to time and at any time may establish any committees, local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company and may appoint any persons to be members of such committees or local boards and may appoint any managers or agents of the Company and may fix the remuneration of any of the aforesaid.
91. The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any such committee, local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill up any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time remove any person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby.
92. Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors to subdelegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretions for the time being vested to them.
93. The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any part thereof, to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
94. The office of Director shall be vacated, if the Director:
(a) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors;
(b) is found to be or becomes of unsound mind;
(c) resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company;
(d) without special leave of absence from the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for six consecutive months and the Board resolves that his office be vacated; or
(e) if he or she shall be removed from office pursuant to these Articles or the Statute.
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
95. Subject to Article 77, the Directors may meet together (whether within or outside the Cayman Islands) for the dispatch of business, adjourn, and otherwise regulate their meetings and
proceedings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting of the Directors in which a quorum is present shall be decided by a majority of votes of the Directors present at the meeting. In case of an equality of votes the chairman shall not have a second or casting vote. A Director may at any time summon a meeting of the Directors by at least two (2) Business Days’ notice to every other Director. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Director (i) who signs a waiver of notice or a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof, whether before or after the meeting, or (ii) who attends the meeting without protesting, prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to such Director. All such waivers, consents, and approvals shall be filed with the corporate records or made part of the minutes of the meeting. A waiver of notice need not specify the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.
96. A Director or Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Board of Directors of which such Director or Directors are members, by means of telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all persons participating in such meeting can hear each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting.
97. The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors and unless so fixed shall be a majority of the then existing Directors. If at any time there is only a sole Director, the quorum shall be one (1) Director. A meeting of the Directors at which a quorum is present when the meeting commences shall be competent to exercise all powers and discretions for the time being exercisable by the Directors. A meeting of the Directors may be held by means of telephone or teleconferencing or any other telecommunications facility provided that all participants are thereby able to communicate immediately by voice with all other participants.
98. A Director who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the Directors. A general notice given to the Directors by any Director to the effect that he is a member of any specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract which may thereafter be made with that company or firm shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of interest in regard to any contract so made. A Director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement notwithstanding that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote shall be counted and he may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the Directors at which any such contract or proposed contract or arrangement shall come before the meeting for consideration.
99. A Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and on such terms (as to remuneration and otherwise) as the Directors may determine and no Director or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company either with regard to his tenure of any such other office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director is in any way interested, be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established. A Director, notwithstanding his interest, may be counted in the quorum present at any
meeting whereat he or any other Director is appointed to hold any such office or place of profit under the Company or whereat the terms of any such appointment are arranged and he may vote on any such appointment or arrangement.
100. Any Director may act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company, and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director; provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise a Director or his firm to act as auditor to the Company.
101. The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books or loose-leaf folders provided for the purpose of recording:
(a) all appointments of officers made by the Directors;
(b) the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; and
(c) all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company, and of the Directors and of committees of Directors.
102. When the chairman of a meeting of the Directors signs the minutes of such meeting the same shall be deemed to have been duly held notwithstanding that all the directors may not actually have come together or that there may have been a technical defect in the proceedings.
103. A resolution signed by all the Directors shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Directors duly called and constituted. When signed a resolution may consist of several documents each signed by one or more of the Directors.
104. The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors, the continuing Directors may act for the purpose of increasing the number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose.
105. A committee appointed by the Directors may elect a chairman of its meetings. If no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
106. A committee appointed by the Directors may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the committee members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
107. All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, or by any person acting as a Director, shall notwithstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such Director or person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a Director.
PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT
108. A Director of the Company who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such action with the person acting as the chairman or secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered post to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of such action.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVE
109. Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares and these Articles, the Directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and other distributions on shares in issue and authorise payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor.
110. The Directors may, before recommending or declaring any dividend, set aside out of the funds legally available for distribution such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Directors be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends or for any other purpose to which those funds be properly applied and pending such application may, at the like discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments (other than shares of the Company) as the Directors may from time to time think fit.
111. Any dividend may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post to the registered address of the Member or person entitled thereto, or in the case of joint holders, to any one of such joint holders at his registered address or to such person and such address as the Member or person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall be made payable to the order of the person to whom it is sent or to the order of such other person as the Member or person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct.
112. The Directors when paying dividends to the Members in accordance with the foregoing provisions may make such payment either in cash or in specie.
113. No dividend shall be paid otherwise than out of profits or, subject to the restrictions of the Statute, the share premium account.
114. Subject to the rights of persons, if any, entitled to shares with special rights as to dividends, all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid or credited as fully paid on the shares, but if and so long as nothing is paid up on any of the shares in the Company dividends may be declared and paid according to the amounts of the shares. No amount paid on a share in advance of calls shall, while carrying interest, be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid on the share.
115. If several persons are registered as joint holders of any share, any of them may give effectual receipts for any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of the share.
116. No dividend shall bear interest against the Company.
BOOK OF ACCOUNTS
117. The books of account relating to the Company’s affairs shall be kept in such manner as may be determined from time to time by the Directors.
118. The books of account shall be kept at such place or places as the Directors think fit, and shall always be open to the inspection of the Directors.
119. The Directors shall from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Members not being Directors, and no Member (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution.
120. The accounts relating to the Company’s affairs shall be audited in such manner and with such financial year end as may be determined from time to time by the Company by Ordinary Resolution or failing any such determination by the Directors or failing any determination as aforesaid shall not be audited.
ANNUAL RETURNS AND FILINGS
121. The Board shall make the requisite annual returns and any other requisite filings in accordance with the Statute.
AUDIT
122. The Directors may appoint an Auditor of the Company who shall hold office until removed from office by a resolution of the Directors and may fix his or their remuneration.
123. Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and Officers of the Company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors.
124. Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next annual general meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an ordinary company, and at the next special meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an exempted company, and at any time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members.
THE SEAL
125. The Seal of the Company shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Board of Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of the Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of the Seal. The Seal shall be affixed in the presence of any one or more persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose and every person as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the Seal of the Company is so affixed in their presence.
126. The Company may maintain a facsimile of its Seal in such countries or places as the Directors may appoint and such facsimile Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Board of Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of such facsimile Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of such facsimile Seal. The facsimile Seal shall be affixed in the presence of such person or persons as the Directors shall for this purpose appoint and such person or persons as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the facsimile Seal of the Company is so affixed in their presence of and the instrument signed by a Director or the secretary (or an Assistant secretary) of the Company or in the presence of any one or more persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose.
127. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Director shall have the authority to affix the Seal, or the facsimile Seal, to any instrument for the purposes of attesting authenticity of the matter contained therein but which does not create any obligation binding on the Company.
OFFICERS
128. Subject to Article 86, the Company may have a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, Manager or Controller, appointed by the Directors. The Directors may also from time to time appoint such other officers as they consider necessary, all for such terms, at such remuneration and to perform such duties, and subject to such provisions as to disqualification and removal as the Directors from time to time subscribe.
CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS
129. Subject to the Statute and these Articles, the Board may capitalise any sum standing to the credit of any of the Company’s reserve accounts (including a share premium account or a capital redemption reserve fund) or any sum standing to the credit of profit and loss account or otherwise available for distribution and to appropriate such sum to Members in the proportions in which such sum would have been divisible amongst them had the same been a distribution of profits by way of dividend and to apply such sum on their behalf in paying up in full unissued shares for allotment and distribution credited as fully paid up to and amongst them in the proportion aforesaid. In such event the Directors shall do all acts and things required to give effect to such capitalisation, with full power to the Directors to make such provisions as they think fit for the case of shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Directors may
authorise any person to enter on behalf of all of the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned.
NOTICES
130. Except as otherwise provided in these Articles, any notice or document may be served by the Company or by the person entitled to give notice to any Member either personally, by facsimile or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter or via a recognised courier service, fees prepaid, addressed to the Member at his address as appearing in the Register of Members or, to the extent permitted by all applicable laws and regulations, by electronic means by transmitting it to any electronic number or address or website supplied by the member to the Company or by placing it on the Company’s Website provided that with respect to notification via electronic means or posting to the Company’s Website, the Company has obtained the Member’s prior express consent in writing to receive or otherwise have made available to him notices in such fashion. In the case of joint holders of a share, all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register of Members in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.
131. Notices posted to addresses outside the Cayman Islands shall be forwarded by prepaid airmail.
132. Any Member present, either personally or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have received due notice of such meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which such meeting was convened.
133. Any notice or other document, if served by (a) post, shall be deemed to have been served when the letter containing the same is posted and if served by courier, shall be deemed to have been served when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier (in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or document was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier), or (b) facsimile, shall be deemed to have been served upon confirmation of receipt, or (c) recognised delivery service, shall be deemed to have been served when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier service and in proving such service it shall be sufficient to provide that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier or (d) electronic means as provided herein shall be deemed to have been served and delivered on the day on which it is successfully transmitted or at such later time as may be prescribed by any applicable laws or regulations.
134. Any notice or document delivered or sent to any Member in accordance with the terms of these Articles shall notwithstanding that such Member be then dead or bankrupt, and whether or not the Company has notice of his death or bankruptcy, be deemed to have been duly served in respect of any share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder, unless his name shall at the time of the service of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register of Members as the holder of the share, and such service shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share.
135. Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner hereinbefore authorised to:
(a) all Members who have supplied to the Company an address for the giving of notices to them except that in the case of joint holders, the notice shall be sufficient if given to the joint holder first named in the Register of Members;
(b) every person entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member, who but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting; and
(c) each Director.
No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
INFORMATION
136. No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of any information in respect of any detail of the Company’s trading or any information which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Board would not be in the interests of the members of the Company to communicate to the public.
137. The Board shall be entitled to release or disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its affairs to any of its members including, without limitation, information contained in the Register of Members and transfer books of the Company.
INDEMNITY
138. The Directors and officers for the time being of the Company and any trustee for the time being acting in relation to any of the affairs of the Company and their heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives respectively shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company from and against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or any of them shall or may incur or sustain by reason of any act done or omitted in or about the execution of their duty in their respective offices or trusts, except such (if any) as they shall incur or sustain by or through their own wilful neglect or default respectively. No such Director, officer or trustee shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of any other Director, officer or trustee or for joining in any receipt of any monies for the sake of conformity or for the solvency or honesty of any banker or other persons with whom any monies or effects belonging to the Company may be lodged or deposited for safe custody or for any insufficiency of any security upon which any monies of the Company may be invested or for any other loss or damage due to any such cause as aforesaid or which may happen in or about the execution of his office or trust unless the same shall happen through the wilful neglect or default of such Director, officer or trustee. No such Director, officer or trustee shall be liable to the Company for any loss or damage unless such liability arises through the wilful neglect or default of such Director, officer or trustee. Each Member agrees to waive any claim or right of action he might have, whether individually or by or in the right of the Company, against any Director, officer or trustee on account of any action taken by such Director, officer or trustee or the failure of such Director, officer or
trustee to take any action in the performance of his duties with or for the Company; provided that such waiver shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to such Director, officer or trustee.
FINANCIAL YEAR
139. Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on December 31st in each year and shall begin on January 1st in each year.
WINDING UP
140. Subject to these Articles, if the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, with the sanction of a Special Resolution of the Company distributed amongst the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company available for distribution among the Members (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may, for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any property to be divided as aforesaid and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the contributories as the liquidator, with the like sanction shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any shares or other securities whereon there is any liability.
AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND NAME
OF COMPANY
141. Subject to the Statute and these Articles, the Company may at any time and from time to time by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles or the Memorandum of Association of the Company, in whole or in part, or change the name of the Company.
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION
142. If the Company is exempted as defined in the Statute, it shall, subject to the provisions of the Statute and with the approval of a Special Resolution, have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands.