(e) At the meeting at which a director retires under any provision of our articles of association, we may by ordinary resolution fill the vacated office by appointing a person to it, and in default the retiring director shall be deemed to have been re-appointed except where:
(i) that director has given notice to us that he or she is unwilling to be elected; or
(ii) at such meeting it is expressly resolved not to fill such vacated office or a resolution for the reappointment of such director shall have been put to the meeting and not passed.
(f) In the event of the vacancy not being filled at such meeting, it may be filled by the directors as a vacancy in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) above.
(g) In filling any vacancy, the new director’s appointment will be in the same class as the retiring director, and such new director shall retire from office at the annual general meeting in the same year as the director he or she is replacing would have retired. If any additional directors are appointed, the board shall as part of any such appointment specify in which year such director will be eligible for re-election, keeping each class of directors as close to one-third of the total number of directors as possible.
(h) The retirement of a director pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (d) shall not have effect until the conclusion of the relevant meeting except where a resolution is passed to elect some other person in the place of the retiring director or a resolution for his re-election is put to the meeting and not passed and accordingly a retiring director who is re-elected or deemed to have been re-elected will continue in office without break.
Removal of directors. Under the U.K. Companies Act 2006 and our articles of association, directors can be removed from office at any time by ordinary resolution or by a majority vote of the board of directors before the expiration of his or her term with or without cause.
Indemnity of directors. Under our articles of association, each of our directors is entitled to be indemnified by us against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred by such director or officer in the execution and discharge of his or her duties or in relation to those duties to the fullest extent permissible under the U.K. Companies Act 2006. The U.K. Companies Act 2006 renders void an indemnity for a director against any liability attaching to him or her in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company of which he or she is a director, as described in “—Differences in Corporate Law—Liability of Directors and Officers.”
Shareholder rights plan
The articles of association provide our board of directors with the power to establish a rights plan and to grant rights to subscribe for ordinary shares in the Company and/or depositary receipts, certificates, instruments or other documents of title representing such ordinary shares (the “depositary interests”) pursuant to a rights plan where, in the opinion of our board of directors, acting in good faith, in the context of an acquisition or potential acquisition of 15% or more of the issued voting shares of the Company, to do so would improve the likelihood that:
1) any process which may result in an acquisition or change of control of the Company is conducted in an orderly manner;
2) an optimum price is achieved for the ordinary shares or depositary interests;
3) the board of directors would have time to gather relevant information or pursue appropriate strategies;
4) the success of the Company would be promoted for the benefit of its members as a whole;
5) the long term interests of the Company, its members and business would be safeguarded; and/or
6) the Company would not suffer serious economic harm.
The articles of association further provide that our board of directors may, in accordance with the terms of a rights plan, determine to (i) allot ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of rights or (ii) exchange rights for
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