SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 31, 2020
MERGER PROPOSED — YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT
Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“SES”), SES Merger Sub, Inc., a newly-formed Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of SES (“Merger Subsidiary”), and Australian Future Energy Pty Ltd., an Australian limited proprietary company (“AFE”) have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 10, 2019, as may be amended from time to time (the “Merger Agreement”), which is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement/prospectus and incorporated herein by reference.
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Merger Agreement, and as promptly as practicable, Merger Subsidiary will merge with and into AFE (the “Merger”), the separate corporate existence of Merger Subsidiary shall cease and AFE shall continue as the successor or surviving corporation and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES. The Merger is intended to qualify for federal income tax purposes as a tax-free reorganization under the provisions of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The obligations of SES and AFE to effect the Merger are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of several conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement. Upon consummation of the Merger, and subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, holders of ordinary shares of (“AFE Ordinary Shares”) other than SES, will receive, in exchange for such AFE Ordinary Shares, a total of 3,875,000 shares of common stock of SES, par value $0.01 per share (the “SES Common Stock”). Upon the consummation of the Merger, SES’ name will be changed to “Energem Corporation.”
In connection with the Merger, SES entered into securities purchase and exchange agreements with each of the existing holders of its 11% senior secured debentures issued in October 2017, whereby each of the holders agreed to exchange their debentures and accompanying warrants for new debentures and warrants, and certain of the holders agreed to provide $2,450,000 of additional debt financing (the “Interim Financing”). Additionally, in connection with the Merger, SES entered into share exchange agreements with certain shareholders of Batchfire Resources Pty Ltd, an Austrialian limited proprietary company (“BFR”), whereby such shareholders will exchange their shares of BFR for shares of SES Common Stock, and SES has offered to exchange shares of SES Common Stock to the remaining shareholders of BFR (the “BFR Share Exchange”). For more information on the Interim Financing and the BFR Share Exchange, see “The Merger – Background of the Merger.”
SES will hold a special meeting of its stockholders (the “SES Special Meeting”). At the SES Special Meeting, SES stockholders will be asked to vote on (i) a proposal to approve and adopt the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger and the issuance of 3,875,000 shares of SES Common Stock (the “Merger Proposal”); (ii) a proposal to approve an amendment to the certificate of incorporation of SES to change its name to “Energem Corporation” (the “Charter Amendment Proposal”); (iii) a proposal to approve and adopt an amendment to the Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. 2015 Long-Term Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares available to 890,625 (the “2015 Plan Amendment Proposal”); (iv) a proposal to approve the issuance of more than 20% of the issued and outstanding SES Common Stock in connection with the Interim Financing (the “Interim Financing Issuance Proposal”); (v) a proposal to approve the issuance of more than 20% of the issued and outstanding SES Common Stock in connection with BFR Share Exchange (the “BFR Share Exchange Issuance Proposal”); (vi) a proposal to authorize the SES board of directors to amend our certificate of incorporation to effect a reverse share split of our common stock (the “Reverse Split Proposal”); and (vii) a proposal to adjourn the SES Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in favor of the proposals listed above (the “Adjournment Proposal”).
The special committee and board of directors of SES have: (i) determined that the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger and the issuance of 3,875,000 shares of SES Common Stock, are fair to, and in the best interests of, SES and its stockholders; (ii) approved the Merger Agreement and recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the Merger Proposal; (iii) recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the Charter Amendment Proposal; (iv) recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the 2015 Plan Amendment Proposal; (v) recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the Interim Financing Issuance Proposal; (vi) recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the BFR Share Exchange Issuance Proposal; (vii) recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the Reverse Split Proposal, and (viii) recommend that the SES stockholders vote “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal.
Approval and adoption of the Merger Proposal, the Charter Amendment Proposal, and the Reverse Split Proposal each requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of SES Common Stock entitled to vote at the SES Special Meeting. Approval and adoption of the 2015 Plan Amendment Proposal, the Interim Financing Issuance Proposal, the BFR Share Exchange Issuance Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal each requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of SES Common Stock represented and voting in person or by proxy at the SES Special Meeting.
Because of their mutual dependence, if the Merger Proposal, the Charter Amendment Proposal, the Interim Financing Issuance Proposal, the BFR Share Exchange Issuance Proposal, and the Reverse Split Proposal are not all approved, then none will be deemed to have been approved. Approval of the 2015 Plan Amendment Proposal is not dependent on approval of the other proposals.
Your vote is important. The Merger cannot be completed unless SES stockholders approve and adopt the Merger Agreement. The obligations of SES and AFE to complete the Merger are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions. The place, date and time of the SES Special Meeting are as follows:
Porter Hedges LLP
1000 Main Street, 36th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
10:00 a.m. local time
, 2020
This proxy statement/prospectus gives you detailed information about the SES Special Meeting, and the matters proposed to be considered and acted upon at the meeting. We urge you to read this proxy statement/prospectus carefully, including “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15 for a discussion of the risks relating to the Merger and other matters. Whether or not you plan to attend the SES Special Meeting, to ensure your shares are represented at the meeting, please vote as soon as possible by either completing and submitting the enclosed proxy card or voting using the telephone or Internet voting procedures described on your proxy card. SES intends to hold the SES Special Meeting in person. However, SES is sensitive to concerns related to public health and travel that its stockholders may have and are monitoring the protocols that federal, state, and local governments may recommend or require in light of the evolving coronavirus (“COVID-19”) situation. As a result, SES may impose additional procedures or limitations on meeting attendees (beyond those described herein) or may decide to hold the SES Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication (i.e., a virtual-only meeting). In the event SES determines it is necessary or appropriate to take additional steps regarding how the SES Special Meeting is conducted, SES will announce this decision in advance, and details will be posted on its website, as well as filed with the SEC.
The SES Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital MKT under the symbol “SES” and the closing price of the SES Common Stock on , 2020 was $ per share. AFE is a privately-held company and there is no public market for its securities. As contemplated by the Charter Amendment Proposal, SES’ name will change to “Energem Corporation” and the SES Common Stock will be listed on the Nasdaq Capital MKT under the symbol “NGEM” upon the closing of the Merger.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the Merger or the securities to be issued under this proxy statement/prospectus or has passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of the disclosures in this proxy statement/prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This proxy statement/prospectus is dated , 2020 and is first being mailed to SES stockholders on or about , 2020.