Exhibit 3.2
THE COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
ECMOHO LIMITED
(ADOPTED BY A SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS DATED 2019 AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE COMPANY’S INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES ON THE DESIGNATED STOCK EXCHANGE)
THE COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
ECMOHO LIMITED
(ADOPTED BY A SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS DATED 2019 AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE COMPANY’S INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES ON THE DESIGNATED STOCK EXCHANGE)
1. | The name of the company is ECMOHO Limited (the “Company”). |
2. | The registered office of the Company will be situated at the offices of Hermes Corporate Services Ltd., Fifth Floor, Zephyr House, 122 Mary Street, George Town, P.O. Box 31493 or at such other location as the Directors may from time to time determine. |
3. | The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by any law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Law”). |
4. | The Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies Law. |
5. | The Company will not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the Cayman Islands;provided that nothing in this section shall be construed as to prevent the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands. |
6. | The liability of the shareholders of the Company is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them. |
7. | The authorised share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into (i) 4,924,849,600 Class A Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.00001 each, and (ii) 75,150,400 Class B Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.00001 each, provided always that subject to the Companies Law and the Articles of Association the Company shall have power to redeem or purchase any of its shares and tosub-divide or consolidate the said shares or any of them and to issue all or any part of its capital whether original, redeemed, increased or reduced with or without any preference, priority, special privilege or other rights or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions whatsoever and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly provide every issue of shares whether stated to be ordinary, preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers on the part of the Company hereinbefore provided. |
8. | The Company may exercise the power contained in Section 206 of the Companies Law to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in some other jurisdiction. |
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THE COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
ECMOHO LIMITED
(ADOPTED BY A SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS DATED 2019 AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE COMPANY’S INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES ON THE DESIGNATED STOCK EXCHANGE)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE | PAGE | |||
TABLE A | 1 | |||
INTERPRETATION | 1 | |||
PRELIMINARY | 5 | |||
SHARES | 6 | |||
SHARE RIGHTS | 7 | |||
CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES AND CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES | 8 | |||
MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS | 9 | |||
CERTIFICATES | 9 | |||
FRACTIONAL SHARES | 10 | |||
LIEN | 10 | |||
CALLS ON SHARES | 11 | |||
FORFEITURE OF SHARES | 12 | |||
TRANSFER OF SHARES | 13 | |||
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES | 14 | |||
REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS | 14 | |||
ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL | 14 | |||
REDEMPTION, PURCHASE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES | 15 | |||
TREASURY SHARES | 16 | |||
GENERAL MEETINGS | 16 | |||
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS | 17 |
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PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS | 18 | |||
VOTES OF SHAREHOLDERS | 19 | |||
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES AT MEETINGS | 21 | |||
DEPOSITARY AND CLEARING HOUSES | 21 | |||
DIRECTORS | 21 | |||
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS | 23 | |||
ALTERNATE DIRECTOR | 23 | |||
POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS | 23 | |||
COMMITTEES | 25 | |||
PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS | 26 | |||
INSURANCE | 26 | |||
BORROWING POWERS OF DIRECTORS | 26 | |||
THE SEAL | 26 | |||
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS | 27 | |||
DIVIDENDS | 29 | |||
UNTRACEABLE SHAREHOLDERS | 30 | |||
ACCOUNTS, AUDIT AND ANNUAL RETURN AND DECLARATION | 32 | |||
CAPITALISATION OF RESERVES | 33 | |||
SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT | 34 | |||
NOTICES | 34 | |||
INFORMATION | 35 | |||
INDEMNITY | 36 | |||
NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS | 36 |
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WINDING UP | 37 | |||
AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION | 37 | |||
CLOSING OF REGISTER OR FIXING RECORD DATE | 38 | |||
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION | 38 | |||
MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATION | 38 | |||
DISCLOSURE | 39 |
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COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
ECMOHO LIMITED
(ADOPTED BY A SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF SHAREHOLDERS DATED 2019 AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE COMPANY’S INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES ON THE DESIGNATED STOCK EXCHANGE)
TABLE A
The Regulations contained or incorporated in Table ‘A’ in the First Schedule of the Companies Law shall not apply to ECMOHO Limited (the “Company”) and the following Articles shall comprise the Articles of Association of the Company.
INTERPRETATION
1. | In these Articles the following defined terms will have the meanings ascribed to them, if not inconsistent with the subject matter or context: |
“ADS” means an American depositary share, each representing such number of Class A Ordinary Shares as set out in the registration statements of the Company.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such specified Person.
“Articles” means these articles of association of the Company, as amended or substituted from time to time.
“Audit Committee” means the audit committee formed by the Board of Directors pursuant to Article 125 hereof, or any successor audit committee.
“Auditor” means the independent auditor of the Company which shall be an internationally recognised firm of independent accountants.
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“Branch Register” means any branch Register of such category or categories of Members as the Company may from time to time determine.
“Class” or “Classes” means any class or classes of Shares as may from time to time be issued by the Company.
“Class A Ordinary Shares” means the class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.00001 per share, having the rights and being subject to the restrictions as provided for under these Articles with respect to such Share.
“Class B Ordinary Shares” means the class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.00001 per share, having the rights and being subject to the restrictions as provided for under these Articles with respect to such Share.
“Company’s Website” means the main corporate/investor relations website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been notified to Shareholders.
“Companies Law” means the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands.
“Designated Stock Exchange” means NASDAQ on which any Class A Ordinary Shares and ADSs are listed for trading.
“Designated Stock Exchange Rules” means the relevant code, rules and regulations, as amended, from time to time, applicable as a result of the original and continued listing of any Shares or ADSs on the Designated Stock Exchange;
“Directors” or “Board of Directors” means 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.
“electronic”means the meaning given to it in the Electronic Transactions Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands and any amendment thereto orre-enactments thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefor;
“Electronic Transactions Law” means the Electronic Transactions Law (2003 Revision) of the Cayman Islands and any statutory amendment orre-enactment thereof.
“Employee Share Option Plan” means the 2018 Employee Share Option Plan to be adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by the Company.
“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Group Companies” means the Company, ECMOHO (Hong Kong) Health Technology Limited, Shanghai ECMOHO Health Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and their respective Subsidiaries.
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“Indemnified Person” has the meaning given to it in Article 182.
“Memorandum of Association” means the memorandum of association of the Company, as amended or substituted from time to time.
“Office” means the registered office of the Company as required by the Companies Law.
“Officers” means the officers for the time being and from time to time of the Company.
“Ordinary Resolution” means a resolution:
(a) | passed by a simple majority of such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company. Where a poll is taken, regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Shareholder is entitled; or |
(b) | approved in writing by all of the Shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Shareholders. The effective date of the resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument, or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is executed. |
“Ordinary Shares” means together the Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares.
“paid up” means paid up as to the par value in respect of the issue of any Shares and includes credited as paid up.
“Person” means any natural person, firm, company, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association or other entity (whether or not having a separate legal personality) or any of them as the context so requires, other than in respect of a Director or Officer in which circumstances Person shall mean any person or entity permitted to act as such in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands.
“Principal Register”, where the Company has established one or more Branch Registers pursuant to the Companies Law and these Articles, means the Register maintained by the Company pursuant to the Companies Law and these Articles that is not designated by the Directors as a Branch Register.
“Register” means the register of Members of the Company required to be kept pursuant to the Companies Law and includes any Branch Register(s) established by the Company in accordance with the Companies Law.
“Seal” means the common seal of the Company (if adopted) including any facsimile thereof.
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“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Secretary” means any Person appointed by the Directors to perform any of the duties of the secretary of the Company.
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Share” means a share in the capital of the Company. All references to “Shares” herein shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all Classes as the context may require, as well as American Depositary Shares traded on the Designated Stock Exchange. For the avoidance of doubt in these Articles the expression “Share” shall include a fraction of a Share.
“Shareholder” or “Member” means a Person who is registered as the holder of Shares in the Register and includes each subscriber to the Memorandum of Association pending entry in the Register of such subscriber.
“Share Premium Account” means the share premium account established in accordance with these Articles and the Companies Law.
“signed” means bearing a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means.
“Special Resolution” means a special resolution of the Company passed in accordance with the Companies Law, being a resolution:
(a) | passed by a majority of not less thantwo-thirds of such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given and where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Shareholder is entitled; or |
(b) | approved in writing by all of the Shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Shareholders and the effective date of the special resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is executed. |
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any and all corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint ventures, associations, variable interest entities or other entities controlled by such Person directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
“Treasury Shares” means Shares that were previously issued but were purchased, redeemed, surrendered or otherwise acquired by the Company and not cancelled.
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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 and any Person as the context may require; |
(c) | the word “may” shall be construed as permissive and the word “shall” shall be construed as imperative; |
(d) | reference to a dollar or dollars or USD (or US$) and to a cent or cents is reference to dollars and cents of the United States of America; |
(e) | reference to a statutory enactment shall include reference to any amendment orre-enactment thereof for the time being in force; |
(f) | reference to any determination by the Directors shall be construed as a determination by the Directors in their sole and absolute discretion and shall be applicable either generally or in any particular case; and |
(g) | reference to “in writing” shall be construed as written or represented by any means reproducible in writing, including any form of print, lithograph, email, facsimile, photograph or telex or represented by any other substitute or format for storage or transmission for writing or partly one and partly another. |
3. | Subject to the preceding Articles, any words defined in the Companies Law 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 at any time after incorporation. |
5. | The Office shall be at such address in the Cayman Islands as the Directors may 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. |
6. | The expenses incurred in the formation of the Company and in connection with the offer for subscription and issue of Shares shall be paid by the Company. Such expenses may be amortised over such period as the Directors may determine and the amount so paid shall be charged against income and/or capital in the accounts of the Company as the Directors shall determine. |
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7. | The Directors shall keep, or cause to be kept, the Register at such place or (subject to compliance with the Companies Law and these Articles) places as the Directors may from time to time determine. In the absence of any such determination, the Register shall be kept at the Office. The Directors may keep, or cause to be kept, one or more Branch Registers as well as the Principal Register in accordance with the Companies Law, provided always that a duplicate of such Branch Register(s) shall be maintained with the Principal Register in accordance with the Companies Law. |
SHARES
8. | Subject to these Articles, all unissued Shares shall be under the control of the Directors who may: |
(a) | issue, allot and dispose of the same to such Persons, in such manner, on such terms and having such rights and being subject to such restrictions as they may from time to time determine; |
(b) | grant options with respect to such Shares and issue warrants or similar instruments with respect thereto; and |
(c) | issue warrants or convertible securities or securities of a similar nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for, purchase or receive Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company on such terms as it may from time to time determine; |
and, for such purposes, the Directors may reserve an appropriate number of unissued Shares.
9. | Subject to these Articles, the Directors, or the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution, may authorise the division of Shares into any number of Classes andsub-classes and the different Classes andsub-classes shall be authorised, established and designated (orre-designated as the case may be) and the variations in the relative rights (including, without limitation, voting, dividend and redemption rights), restrictions, preferences, privileges and payment obligations as between the different Classes (if any) may be fixed and determined by the Directors or the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution. |
10. | The Company may insofar as may be permitted by law, pay a commission to any Person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any Shares. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgement of fully or partlypaid-up Shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also pay such brokerage as may be lawful on any issue of Shares. |
11. | The Directors may refuse to accept any application for Shares, and may accept any application in whole or in part, for any reason or for no reason. |
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12. | The Company shall at all times keep available out of its authorised but unissued Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of exercising of options under the Employee Share Option Plan, such number of its Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the exercise of such options, and if at any time the number of authorised but unissued Ordinary Shares shall not be sufficient to effect the exercise of such options, in addition to such other remedies as shall be available to the holder of such options, the Company and its Members will take such corporate action as may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary to increase its authorised but unissued Ordinary Shares to such number of Shares as shall be sufficient for such purposes. |
13. | Neither the Company nor the Board of Directors shall be obliged, when making or granting any allotment of, offer of, option over or disposal of shares, to make, or make available, any such allotment, offer, option or shares to Shareholders or others with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories being a territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement or other special formalities, this would or might, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, be unlawful or impracticable. Shareholders affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be, or be deemed to be, a separate class of members for any purpose whatsoever. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of preferred shares, no vote of the holders of preferred shares or ordinary shares shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any class or series of the preferred shares authorised by and complying with the conditions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. |
14. | Except as required by the Companies Law, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or required in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any share or any fractional part of a share or (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or by the Companies Law) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder. |
15. | Subject to the Companies Law and these Articles, the Board of Directors may at any time after the allotment of shares but before any person has been entered in the Register as the Member, recognise a renunciation thereof by the allottee in favour of some other person and may accord to any allottee of a share a right to effect such renunciation upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors considers fit to impose. |
SHARE RIGHTS
16. | Issue |
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and these Articles and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or class of shares, any share in the Company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as the Board of Directors may determine, including without limitation on terms that they may be, or at the option of the Company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as the Board of Directors may deem fit.
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17. | Subject to the Companies Law and the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, any preferred shares may be issued or converted into shares that, at a designated date or at the option of the Company or the holder if so authorised by its Memorandum of Association, are liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as the Members before the issue or conversion may by Ordinary Resolution determine. Where the Company purchases for redemption a redeemable share, purchases not made through the market or by tender shall be limited to a maximum price as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors, either generally or with regard to specific purchases. If purchases are by tender, tenders shall comply with applicable laws and the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange. |
18. | Dividend |
The holders of the Ordinary Shares shall have right to receive dividends of the Company if declared by the Directors and in such amount as the Directors consider appropriate.
CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES AND CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES
19. | Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall at all times vote together as one class on all resolutions submitted to a vote by the Members. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company, and each Class B ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to ten votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company. |
20. | Each Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one Class A Ordinary Share at any time at the option of the holder thereof on aone-for-one basis. The right to convert shall be exercisable by the holder of the Class B Ordinary Share delivering a written notice to the Company that such holder elects to convert a specified number of Class B Ordinary Shares into Class A Ordinary Shares. In no event shall Class A Ordinary Shares be convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares. |
21. | Any conversion of Class B Ordinary Shares into Class A Ordinary Shares pursuant to these Articles shall be effected by the Directors by repurchasing the relevant Class B Ordinary Shares and in consideration therefor issuing fully-paid Class A Ordinary Shares in equal number (the “Conversion”). Such Conversion shall become effective forthwith upon entries being made in the Register to record the Conversion. Any reference to are-designation andre-classification of the Class B Ordinary Shares as Class A Ordinary Shares shall mean a Conversion. |
22. | Save and except for voting rights and conversion rights as set out in Articles 19 to 21 (inclusive), the Class A Ordinary Shares and the Class B Ordinary Shares shall rankpari passu with one another and shall have the same rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions. |
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MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS
23. | Whenever the capital of the Company is divided into different Classes (and as otherwise determined by the Directors), the rights attached to any such Class may, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any Class only, be materially adversely varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of not less thantwo-thirds of the issued Shares of the relevant Class, or with the sanction of a resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the Shares of such Class by atwo-thirds majority of the votes cast at such a meeting. |
24. | To every such separate meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company or to the proceedings thereat shall,mutatis mutandis, apply, except that the necessary quorum shall be one or more Persons at least holding or representing by proxy at least a majority of the votes of the issued Shares of the relevant Class on anas-converted basis (but so that if at any adjourned meeting of such holders a quorum as above defined is not present, those Shareholders who are present shall form a quorum) and that, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to the Shares of that Class, every Shareholder of the Class shall have such number of votes for each Share of the Class held by him as per the voting rights attached to that Class. For the purposes of this Article the Directors may treat all the Classes or any two or more Classes as forming one Class if they consider that all such Classes would be affected in the same way by the proposals under consideration, but in any other case shall treat them as separate Classes. The Directors may vary the rights attaching to any Class without the consent or approval of Shareholders provided that the rights will not, in the determination of the Directors, be materially adversely varied or abrogated by such action. |
25. | The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares of any Class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to the Shares of that Class, be deemed to be materially adversely varied or abrogated by,inter alia, the creation, allotment or issue of further Shares rankingpari passu with or subsequent to them or the redemption or purchase of any Shares of any Class by the Company. The rights of the holders of Shares shall not be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation or issue of Shares with preferred or other rights including, without limitation, the creation of Shares with enhanced or weighted voting rights. |
CERTIFICATES
26. | Every Person whose name is entered as a member in the Register 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. |
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27. | Every share certificate of the Company shall bear legends required under the applicable laws, including the Securities Act. |
28. | 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. |
29. | 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 ofout-of-pocket expenses of the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit. |
30. | 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. |
FRACTIONAL SHARES
31. | The Directors may issue fractions of a Share and, if so issued, a fraction of a Share shall be subject to and carry the corresponding fraction of liabilities (whether with respect to nominal or par value, premium, contributions, calls or otherwise), limitations, preferences, privileges, qualifications, restrictions, rights (including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, voting and participation rights) and other attributes of a whole Share. If more than one fraction of a Share of the same Class is issued to or acquired by the same Shareholder such fractions shall be accumulated. |
LIEN
32. | The Company has a first and paramount lien on every Share (whether or not fully paid) for all amounts (whether presently payable or not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that Share. The Company also has a first and paramount lien on every Share (whether or not fully paid) registered in the name of a Person indebted or under liability to the Company (whether he is the sole registered holder of a Share or a joint holder) for all amounts owing by him or his estate to the Company (whether or not presently payable). The Directors may at any time declare a Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The Company’s lien on a Share extends to any amount payable in respect of it. |
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33. | The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors may determine, any Share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless an amount in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable nor until the expiration of fourteen (14) days after a notice in writing, 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. |
34. | 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. |
35. | The proceeds of the sale after deduction of expenses, fees and commission incurred by the Company 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 immediately prior to the sale. |
CALLS ON SHARES
36. | The Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Shareholders in respect of any moneys unpaid on their Shares, and each Shareholder shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen (14) days’ notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on such Shares. |
37. | The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay calls in respect thereof. |
38. | 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. The Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part. |
39. | The provisions of these Articles as to the liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest shall apply in the case ofnon-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. |
40. | The Directors may make arrangements on the issue of partly paid Shares for a difference between the Shareholders, or the particular Shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment. |
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41. | The Directors may receive from any Shareholder willing to advance the same all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid upon any partly paid 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 (8%) per annum) as may be agreed upon between the Shareholder paying the sum in advance and the Directors. |
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
42. | If a Shareholder fails to pay any call or instalment of a call in respect of any Shares on the day appointed for payment, 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 so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued from the date of forfeiture until the date of actual payment (including the payment of such interest) at such rate not exceeding 20% per annum as the Board may prescribe. |
43. | The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen (14) 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 ofnon-payment at or before the time appointed the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited. |
44. | 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. |
45. | 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 may from time to time determine. |
46. | A Person whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Shareholder 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 forfeited, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company receives payment in full of the amount unpaid on the Shares forfeited. |
47. | A statutory declaration in writing that the declarant is a Director, and that a Share has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts in the declaration as against all Persons claiming to be entitled to the Share. |
48. | The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for a Share on any sale or disposition thereof pursuant to the provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture and may execute a transfer of the Share in favour of the Person to whom the Share is sold or disposed of and that Person shall 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 Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the disposition or sale. |
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49. | The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case ofnon-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 Share, or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
TRANSFER OF SHARES
50. | The instrument of transfer of any Share shall be in any usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange or such other form as the Directors may determine and be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and if in respect of a nil or partly paid up Share, or if so required by the Directors, shall also be executed on behalf of the transferee and shall be accompanied by the certificate (if any) 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 Shareholder until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register in respect of the relevant Shares. |
51. | The Directors may in their absolute discretion decline to register any transfer of Shares which is not fully paid up or on which the Company has a lien. |
52. | The Directors may also decline to register any transfer of any Share unless: |
(a) | the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company, accompanied by the certificate for the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; |
(b) | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one Class of Shares; |
(c) | the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; |
(d) | in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four; or |
(e) | a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as the Board of Directors may from time to time require, is paid to the Company in respect thereof. |
53. | The registration of transfers may, on ten calendar days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic means or by any other means in accordance with the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, be suspended and the Register closed at such times and for such periods as the Directors may, in their absolute discretion, from time to time determine, provided always that such registration of transfer shall not be suspended nor the Register closed for more than 30 days in any year. |
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54. | All instruments of transfer that are registered shall be retained by the Company, but any instrument of transfer that the Directors decline to register shall (except in any case of fraud) be returned to the Person depositing the same. |
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
55. | 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 the Share. In the case of a Share registered in the name of two or more holders, the survivors or survivor, or the legal personal representative(s) of the deceased holder(s) of the Share, shall be the only Persons recognised by the Company as having any title to the Share. |
56. | Any Person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be required by the Directors, have the right either to be registered as a Shareholder in respect of the Share or, instead of being registered himself, to make such transfer of the Share as the deceased or bankrupt Person could have made; but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the deceased or bankrupt Person before the death or bankruptcy. |
57. | A Person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered Shareholder, except that he shall not, before being registered as a Shareholder 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. |
REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS
58. | 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, notice in lieu of distringas, or other instrument. |
ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL
59. | 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. |
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60. | Subject to these Articles, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution: |
(a) | consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into Shares of a larger amount than its existing Shares; |
(b) | convert all or any of its paid up Shares into stock and reconvert that stock into paid up Shares of any denomination; |
(c) | subdivide 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; and |
(d) | cancel any Shares that, 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. |
61. | The Company may by Special Resolution reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorised by law. |
REDEMPTION, PURCHASE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES
62. | Subject to the Companies Law, the Company may: |
(a) | issue Shares on terms that they are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the Shareholder on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine; |
(b) | purchase its own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine and agree with the Shareholder; |
(c) | make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner authorised by the Companies Law, including out of its capital; and |
(d) | accept the surrender for no consideration of any paid up Share (including any redeemable Share) on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine. |
63. | Any Share in respect of which notice of redemption has been given shall not be entitled to participate in the profits of the Company in respect of the period after the date specified as the date of redemption in the notice of redemption. |
64. | The redemption, purchase or surrender of any Share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption, purchase or surrender of any other Share. |
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65. | The holder of the Shares being purchased shall be bound to deliver up to the Company 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. |
66. | The Directors may when making payments in respect of redemption or purchase of Shares, if authorised by the terms of issue of the Shares being redeemed or purchased or with the agreement of the holder of such Shares, make such payment either in cash or in specie including, without limitation, interests in a special purpose vehicle holding assets of the Company or holding entitlement to the proceeds of assets held by the Company or in a liquidating structure. |
TREASURY SHARES
67. | Shares that the Company purchases, redeems or acquires (by way of surrender or otherwise) may, at the option of the Company, be cancelled immediately or held as Treasury Shares in accordance with the Companies Law. In the event that the Directors do not specify that the relevant Shares are to be held as Treasury Shares, such Shares shall be cancelled. |
68. | No dividend may be declared or paid, and no other distribution (whether in cash or otherwise) of the Company’s assets (including any distribution of assets to members on a winding up) may be declared or paid in respect of a Treasury Share. |
69. | The Company shall be entered in the Register as the holder of the Treasury Shares provided that: |
(a) | the Company shall not be treated as a member for any purpose and shall not exercise any right in respect of the Treasury Shares, and any purported exercise of such a right shall be void; and |
(b) | a Treasury Share shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting of the Company and shall not be counted in determining the total number of issued shares at any given time, whether for the purposes of these Articles or the Companies Law, save that an allotment of Shares as fully paid bonus shares in respect of a Treasury Share is permitted and Shares allotted as fully paid bonus shares in respect of a treasury share shall be treated as Treasury Shares. |
70. | Treasury Shares may be disposed of by the Company on such terms and conditions as determined by the Directors. |
GENERAL MEETINGS
71. | All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. |
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72. | The Company may (but shall not be obliged to) in each year hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Directors. |
73. | At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented. |
74. | The Directors may, from time to time as they determine, convene a general meeting of the Company. |
75. | The Directors may cancel or postpone any duly convened general meeting at any time prior to such meeting, except for general meetings requisitioned by the Shareholders in accordance with these Articles, for any or no reason at any time prior to the time for holding such meeting or, if the meeting is adjourned, the time for holding such adjourned meeting. The Directors shall give Shareholders, notice of any cancellation or postponement. A postponement may be for a stated period of any length or indefinitely as the Directors may determine. |
76. | General meetings shall also be convened on the requisition in writing of any Shareholder or Shareholders entitled to attend and vote at general meetings of the Company holding at least ten percent (10%) of the vote on anas-converted basis deposited at the Office specifying the objects of the meeting by notice given no later than twenty one (21) days from the date of deposit of the requisition signed by the requisitionists, and if the Directors do not convene such meeting for a date not later than forty five (45) days after the date of such deposit, the requisitionists themselves may convene the general meeting in the same manner, as nearly as possible, as that in which general meetings may be convened by the Directors, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the requisitionists as a result of the failure of the Directors to convene the general meeting shall be reimbursed to them by the Company. |
77. | If at any time there are no Directors, any two Shareholders (or if there is only one Shareholder then that Shareholder) entitled to vote at general meetings of the Company may convene a general meeting in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings may be convened by the Directors. |
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
78. | At least seven (7) 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 Article has been given and whether or not the provisions of these Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly convened if it is so agreed: |
(a) | in the case of an annual general meeting by all the Members (or their proxies) entitled to attend and vote thereat (such agreement to be deemed unless otherwise expressly communicated by a Member to the Company); and |
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(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. |
79. | The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to or thenon-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any Shareholder shall not invalidate the proceedings at any meeting. |
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
80. | All business carried out at a general meeting shall be deemed special with the exception of sanctioning a dividend, the consideration of the accounts, balance sheets, any report of the Directors or of the Company’s auditors, and the fixing of the remuneration of the Company’s auditors. No special business shall be transacted at any general meeting without the consent of all Shareholders entitled to receive notice of that meeting unless notice of such special business has been given in the notice convening that meeting. |
81. | No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Shareholders is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Save as otherwise provided by these Articles, the Shareholders holding at least a majority of thepaid-up voting share capital of the Company on anas-converted basis, present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at that meeting, shall form a quorum. |
82. | 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 Shareholders, 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 Shareholder or Shareholders present and entitled to vote shall form a quorum. |
83. | If the Directors wish to make this facility available for a specific general meeting or all general meetings of the Company, participation in any general meeting of the Company may be by means of a telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all Persons participating in such meeting can communicate with each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting. |
84. | The chairman, if any, of the Directors shall preside as chairman at every general meeting of the Company. |
85. | If there is no such chairman, or if at any general meeting he is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or is unwilling to act as chairman, any Director or Person nominated by the Directors shall preside as chairman, failing which the Shareholders present in person or by proxy shall choose any Person present to be chairman of that meeting. |
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86. | The chairman may adjourn a meeting from time to time and from place to place either: |
(a) | with the consent of any general meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting); or |
(b) | without the consent of such meeting if, in his sole opinion, he considers it necessary to do so to: |
(i) | secure the orderly conduct or proceedings of the meeting; or |
(ii) | give all persons present in person or by proxy and having the right to speak and/or vote at such meeting, the ability to do so, |
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, or adjourned meeting, is adjourned for fourteen (14) days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in the manner provided for the 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.
87. | At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll and not on a show of hands. |
88. | All questions submitted to a meeting shall be decided by an Ordinary Resolution except where a greater majority is required by these Articles or by the Companies Law. A poll demanded on the election of a chairman of the meeting or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such time as the chairman of the meeting directs. |
VOTES OF SHAREHOLDERS
89. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any Share, on a poll every Shareholder present in person or by proxy (or, if a corporation or othernon-natural person, by its duly authorised representative or proxy) shall have one vote for each Class A Ordinary Share and ten votes for each Class B Ordinary Share, in each case of which he or the Person represented by proxy is the holder. |
90. | 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 other joint holders and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register. |
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91. | A Shareholder of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him, by his committee, or other Person in the nature of a committee appointed by that court, and any such committee or other Person may vote in respect of such Shares by proxy. |
92. | No Shareholder shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting of the Company unless he is registered as a Shareholder on the record date for such meeting nor unless all calls, if any, or other sums presently payable by him in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him have been paid. |
93. | Votes may be given either personally or by proxy. |
94. | 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 Shareholder. |
95. | An instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve. |
96. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company: |
(a) | not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote; |
(b) | in the case of a poll taken more than forty-eight (48) hours after it is demanded, be deposited as aforesaid after the poll has been demanded and not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll; |
(c) | where the poll is not taken forthwith but is taken not more than forty-eight (48) hours after it was demanded be delivered at the meeting at which the poll was demanded to the chairman or to the secretary or to any director; |
provided that the Directors may in the notice convening the meeting, or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, direct that the instrument appointing a proxy may be deposited (no later than the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting) at the Registered Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company. The chairman may in any event at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited. An instrument of proxy that is not deposited in the manner permitted shall be invalid.
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97. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll. |
98. | A resolution in writing signed by all the Shareholders for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings of the Company (or being corporations by their duly authorised representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the same had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held. |
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES AT MEETINGS
99. | Any corporation which is a Shareholder 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 meeting of holders of a Class or of the 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 Shareholder or Director. |
DEPOSITARY AND CLEARING HOUSES
100. | If a recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) 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(s) as it thinks fit to act as its representative(s) at any general meeting of the Company or of any Class of Shareholders 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 Article shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) which he represents as that recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) could exercise if it were an individual Member holding the number and Class of Shares specified in such authorisation. |
DIRECTORS
101. | Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the number of Directors shall not be less than five (5). There shall be no maximum number of Directors unless otherwise determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. For so long as Shares are listed on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Directors shall include such number of independent directors as applicable law, rules or regulations or the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange require, unless the Board of Directors resolves to follow any available exceptions or exemptions. |
102. | Subject to the Articles and the Companies Law, the Members may by ordinary resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board. |
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103. | The Directors 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. |
104. | An appointment of a Director may be on terms that the Director shall automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or after any specified period in a written agreement between the Company and the Director, if any; but no such term shall be implied in the absence of express provision. Each Director whose term of office expires shall be eligible forre-election at a meeting of the Shareholders orre-appointment by the Board. |
105. | Subject to any provision to the contrary in these Articles, a Director may be removed by way of Ordinary Resolution at any time before the expiration of his period of office notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under any such agreement). |
106. | A vacancy on the Board of Directors created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of Article 105 above 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 meeting of the Board of Directors. |
107. | The Board may, from time to time, and except as required by applicable law or Designated Stock Exchange Rules, 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. |
108. | The Board of Directors shall have a chairman elected and appointed by a majority of the Directors then in office. The period for which the chairman will hold office will also be determined by a majority of all of the Directors then in office. |
109. | Subject to these Articles, a Director shall hold office until such time as he is removed from office pursuant to Article 105. |
110. | The remuneration of the Directors may be determined by the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution. |
111. | No Director shall be required to hold any shares of the Company by way of qualification and a Director who is not a Member shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at any general meeting of the Company and of all classes of shares of the Company. Each Director shall hold office until the expiration of his term, or his resignation from the Board of Directors, or until his successor shall have been elected and qualified. |
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112. | The Directors shall have power at any time and from time to time to appoint any Person to be a Director, either as a result of a casual vacancy or as an additional Director, subject to the maximum number as set out in these Articles. |
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
113. | The office of Director shall be vacated, if the Director: |
(a) | becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; |
(b) | dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound mind; |
(c) | resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company; |
(d) | becomes unable to serve; |
(e) | is removed from office by Ordinary Resolution in accordance with Article 105; or |
(f) | is prohibited by any applicable Law or Designated Stock Exchange Rules from being a Director. |
ALTERNATE DIRECTOR
114. | Any Director may in writing appoint another Person to be his alternate and, save to the extent provided otherwise in the form of appointment, such alternate shall have authority to sign written resolutions on behalf of the appointing Director, but shall not be authorised to sign such written resolutions where they have been signed by the appointing Director, and to act in such Director’s place at any meeting of the Directors. Every such alternate shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the Directors as the alternate of the Director appointing him and where he is a Director to have a separate vote in addition to his own vote. A Director may at any time in writing revoke the appointment of an alternate appointed by him. Such alternate shall not be an Officer solely as a result of his appointment as an alternate other than in respect of such times as the alternate acts as a Director. The remuneration of such alternate shall be payable out of the remuneration of the Director appointing him and the proportion thereof shall be agreed between them. |
POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS
115. | Subject to the Companies Law, these Articles and to any resolutions passed 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 passed by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors that would have been valid if that resolution had not been passed. |
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116. | The Directors may from time to time appoint any Person, whether or not a Director, to hold such office in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including but not limited to, the office of president, one or more vice-presidents, treasurer, assistant treasurer, 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. Any Person so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. The Directors may also appoint one or more of their number to the office of managing director upon like terms, but any such appointment shallipso facto terminate if any managing director ceases for any cause to be a Director, or if the Company by Ordinary Resolution resolves that his tenure of office be terminated. |
117. | The Directors may appoint any Person to be a Secretary (and if need be an assistant Secretary or assistant Secretaries) who shall hold office for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions and with such powers as they may determine from time to time. Any Secretary or assistant Secretary so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. |
118. | 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. |
119. | The Directors may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney (whether under Seal or under hand) or otherwise appoint any company, firm or Person or body of Persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys or authorised signatory (any such person being an “Attorney” or “Authorised Signatory”, respectively) 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 or other appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of Persons dealing with any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretion vested in him. |
120. | 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 three next following Articles shall not limit the general powers conferred by this Article. |
121. | 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 Person to be a member of such committees or local boards and may appoint any managers or agents of the Company and may fix the remuneration of any such Person. |
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122. | 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 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. |
123. | Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors tosub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretion for the time being vested in them. |
124. | The Directors may agree with a Shareholder to waive or modify the terms applicable to such Shareholder’s subscription for Shares without obtaining the consent of any other Shareholder; provided that such waiver or modification does not amount to a variation or abrogation of the rights attaching to the Shares of such other Shareholders. |
COMMITTEES
125. | Without prejudice to the freedom of the Directors to establish any other committees, for so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board of Directors shall establish and maintain an Audit Committee as a committee of the Board of Directors, the composition and responsibilities of which shall comply with the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and the rules and regulations of the SEC. |
126. | The Audit Committee shall meet at least once every financial quarter, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. |
127. | For so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company shall conduct an appropriate review of all related party transactions on an ongoing basis and shall utilise the Audit Committee for the review and approval of potential conflicts of interest. Specially, the Audit Committee shall approve any transaction or transactions between the Company and any of the following parties: (i) any shareholder owning an interest in the voting power of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company that gives such shareholder significant influence over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any director or executive officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company and any relative of such director or executive officer, (iii) any person in which a substantial interest in the voting power is owned, directly or indirectly, by any person described in (i) or (ii) or over which such a person is able to exercise significant influence, and (iv) any affiliate (other than a subsidiary) of the Company. |
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PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS
128. | [Reserved] |
INSURANCE
129. | The Company shall obtain from financially sound and reputable insurers, directors and officers liability insurance in an amount and on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Board of Directors, and will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurance policy to be maintained until such time as the Board of Directors determines that such insurance should be discontinued. |
BORROWING POWERS OF DIRECTORS
130. | 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, or to otherwiseprovide for a security interest to be taken in such undertaking, property or uncalled capital, and 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. |
THE SEAL
131. | The Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the 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 a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or 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 is so affixed in their presence. |
132. | The Company may maintain a facsimile of the 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 Directorsprovided 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 is so affixed in their presence and such affixing of the facsimile Seal and signing as aforesaid shall have the same meaning and effect as if the Seal had been affixed in the presence of and the instrument signed by a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or more Persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose. |
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133. | Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Secretary or any assistant Secretary 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. |
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
134. | The Directors may meet together (either within or outside the Cayman Islands) for the despatch of business, adjourn, and otherwise regulate their meetings and proceedings as they think fit. On all actions to be taken and matters to be decided by the Board of Directors, each Director shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote, and the affirmative vote of the Directors having a majority of the total voting power represented at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall constitute an act of the Board of Directors. In case of an equality of votes, the chairman, if any, or in the absence of the chairman, a Director designated by the Board of Directors to preside at a meeting of the Board of Directors shall have a second or casting vote. A Director may, and a Secretary or assistant Secretary on the requisition of a Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors. |
135. | A Director may participate in any meeting of the Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Directors of which such Director is a member, by means of telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all Persons participating in such meeting can communicate with each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting. |
136. | At all meetings of the Board of Directors a majority of the number of the Directors shall be necessary and sufficient to form a quorum. A Director represented by an alternate Director at any meeting shall be deemed to be present for the purposes of determining whether or not a quorum is present. 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 a majority of the number of the Directors, 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 Directors present and entitled to vote shall form a quorum. |
137. | 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 to be regarded as interested in any contract or other arrangement 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. Subject to the Designated Stock Exchange Rules and disqualification by the chairman of the relevant Board meeting, 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. |
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138. | 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 of the Directors 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. |
139. | 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. |
140. | 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. |
Minutes shall be kept at the Office.
141. | 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 have not actually come together or that there may have been a technical defect in the proceedings. |
142. | A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors or all the members of a committee of Directors entitled to receive notice of a meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be (an alternate Director, subject as provided otherwise in the terms of appointment of the alternate Director, being entitled to sign such a resolution on behalf of his appointer), shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a duly called and constituted meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be. When signed, a resolution may consist of several documents each signed by one or more of the Directors or his duly appointed alternate. |
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143. | The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body but if and for 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. |
144. | The Directors may elect a chairman of their meetings and determine the period for which he is to hold office but if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
145. | Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors, 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 fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the committee members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
146. | A committee appointed by the Directors may meet and adjourn as it so determines. Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors, 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. |
147. | 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. |
DIVIDENDS
148. | Articles 149 to 157 inclusive are subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any Shares, or as otherwise provided for in the Companies Law and other parts of these Articles (including among others Article 18). |
149. | 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. |
150. | The Company by Ordinary Resolution may declare dividends, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors. |
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151. | The Directors may determine, before recommending or declaring any dividend, to set aside out of the funds legally available for distribution such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves, which shall be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends or for any other purpose to which those funds may be properly applied and pending such application may, at the determination of the Directors, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments as the Directors may from time to time think fit. |
152. | Any dividend may be paid in any manner as the Directors may determine. If paid by cheque it will be sent through the post to the registered address of the Shareholder 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 Shareholder or Person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct. Every such cheque 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 Shareholder or Person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct. |
153. | The Directors, when paying dividends to the Shareholders in accordance with the foregoing provisions of these Articles, may make such payment either in cash or in specie and may determine the extent to which amounts may be withheld therefrom (including, without limitation, any taxes, fees, expenses or other liabilities for which a Shareholder (or the Company, as a result of any action or inaction of the Shareholder) is liable). |
154. | All dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the Shares, but if and for so long as nothing is paid up on any of the Shares, dividends may be declared and paid according to the par value of the Shares. |
155. | 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. |
156. | No dividend shall bear interest against the Company. |
157. | All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one (1) year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by the Board of Directors for the benefit of the Company until claimed. Any dividend or bonuses unclaimed after a period of six (6) years from the date of declaration shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company. The payment by the Board of Directors of any unclaimed dividend or other sums payable on or in respect of a share into a separate account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof. |
UNTRACEABLE SHAREHOLDERS
158. | Without prejudice to the rights of the Company under Article 159 below, the Company may cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants by post if such cheques or warrants have been left uncashed on two consecutive occasions. However, the Company may exercise the power to cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants after the first occasion on which such a cheque or warrant is returned undelivered. |
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159. | The Company shall have the power to sell, in such manner as the Board of Directors thinks fit, any shares of a Shareholder who is untraceable, but no such sale shall be made unless: |
(a) | all cheques or warrants in respect of dividends of the shares in question, being not less than three in total number, for any sum payable in cash to the holder of such shares sent during the relevant period in the manner authorised by these Articles have remained uncashed; |
(b) | so far as it is aware at the end of the relevant period, the Company has not at any time during the relevant period received any indication of the existence of the Shareholder who is the holder of such shares or of a person entitled to such shares by death, bankruptcy or operation of law; and |
(c) | the Company, if so required by the rules governing the listing of shares on the Designated Stock Exchange, has given notice to, and caused advertisement in newspapers to be made in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange of its intention to sell such shares in the manner required by the Designated Stock Exchange, and a period of three months or such shorter period as may be allowed by the Designated Stock Exchange has elapsed since the date of such advertisement. |
For the purpose of the foregoing, the “relevant period” means the period commencing twelve (12) years before the date of publication of the advertisement referred to in paragraph (c) of this Article and ending at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph.
160. | To give effect to any sale under Article 159, the Board of Directors may authorise some person to transfer the said shares and an instrument of transfer signed or otherwise executed by or on behalf of such person shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder or the person entitled by transmission to such shares, and the purchaser 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 relating to the sale. The net proceeds of the sale will belong to the Company and upon receipt by the Company of such net proceeds it shall become indebted to the former Shareholder for an amount equal to such net proceeds. No trust shall be created in respect of such debt and no interest shall be payable in respect of it and the Company shall not be required to account for any money earned from the net proceeds which may be employed in the business of the Company or as it thinks fit. Any sale under Article 159 shall be valid and effective notwithstanding that the Shareholder holding the shares sold is dead, bankrupt or otherwise under any legal disability or incapacity. |
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ACCOUNTS, AUDIT AND ANNUAL RETURN AND DECLARATION
161. | 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. |
162. | The books of account shall be kept at the Office, or at such other place or places as the Directors think fit, and shall always be open to the inspection of the Directors. |
163. | The Directors may 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 Shareholders not being Directors, and no Shareholder (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 Ordinary Resolution. |
164. | Subject to applicable law and rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board of Directors may appoint an Auditor, who shall hold office until removed from office by a resolution of the Board of Directors, to audit the accounts of the Company. Such auditor may be a Shareholder but no Director or officer or employee of the Company shall, during his continuance in office, be eligible to act as an auditor of the Company. |
165. | Subject to the Companies Law the accounts of the Company shall be audited at least once in every year. |
166. | The remuneration of the Auditor shall be determined by the Audit Committee or, in the absence of such an Audit Committee, by the Board of Directors. |
167. | If the office of auditor becomes vacant by the resignation or death of the Auditor, or by his becoming incapable of acting by reason of illness or other disability at a time when his services are required, the Directors shall fill the vacancy and determine the remuneration of such Auditor. |
168. | The Auditor shall at all reasonable times have access to all books kept by the Company and to all accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he may call on the Directors or officers of the Company for any information in their possession relating to the books or affairs of the Company. |
169. | The financial statements of the Company shall be audited by the Auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Auditor shall make a written report thereon in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the report of the Auditor shall be submitted to the Audit Committee. The generally accepted auditing standards referred to herein may be those of a country or jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. If so, the financial statements and the report of the Auditor should disclose this fact and name such country or jurisdiction. |
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170. | The Directors in each year shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, an annual return and declaration setting forth the particulars required by the Companies Law and deliver a copy thereof to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands. |
CAPITALISATION OF RESERVES
171. | Subject to the Companies Law and these Articles, the Directors may: |
(a) | resolve to capitalise an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including a Share Premium Account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), whether or not available for distribution; |
(b) | appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the Shareholders in proportion to the nominal amount of Shares (whether or not fully paid) held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards: |
(i) | paying up the amounts (if any) for the time being unpaid on Shares held by them respectively, or |
(ii) | paying up in full unissued Shares or debentures of a nominal amount equal to that sum, |
and allot the Shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the Shareholders (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but the Share Premium Account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued Shares to be allotted to Shareholders credited as fully paid;
(c) | make any arrangements they determine are necessary to resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where Shares or debentures become distributable in fractions, the Directors may deal with the fractions as they think fit; |
(d) | authorise a Person to enter (on behalf of all the Shareholders concerned) into an agreement with the Company providing for either: |
(i) | the allotment to the Shareholders respectively, credited as fully paid, of Shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation; or |
(ii) | the payment by the Company on behalf of the Shareholders (by the application of their respective proportions of the reserves resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing Shares; |
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and any such agreement made under this authority being effective and binding on all those Shareholders; and
(e) | generally do all acts and things required to give effect to any of the actions contemplated by this Article. |
SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT
172. | The Directors shall in accordance with the Companies Law establish a Share Premium Account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any Share. |
173. | There shall be debited to any Share Premium Account on the redemption or purchase of a Share the difference between the nominal value of such Share and the redemption or purchase priceprovided always that at the determination of the Directors such sum may be paid out of the profits of the Company or, if permitted by the Companies Law, out of capital. |
NOTICES
174. | 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 Shareholder either personally, or by posting it airmail or air courier service in a prepaid letter addressed to such Shareholder at his address as appearing in the Register, or by electronic mail to any electronic mail address such Shareholder may have specified in writing for the purpose of such service of notices, or by facsimile or by placing it on the Company’s Website should the Directors deem it appropriate. 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 in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders. |
175. | Notices posted to addresses outside the Cayman Islands shall be forwarded by prepaid airmail. |
176. | Any Shareholder 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. |
177. | Any notice or other document, if served by: |
(a) | post, shall be deemed to have been served five (5) clear days after the time when the letter containing the same is posted; |
(b) | facsimile, shall be deemed to have been served upon production by the transmitting facsimile machine of a report confirming transmission of the facsimile in full to the facsimile number of the recipient; |
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(c) | recognised courier service, shall be deemed to have been served 48 hours after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier service; or |
(d) | electronic mail, shall be deemed to have been served immediately upon the time of the transmission by electronic mail. |
In proving service by post or courier service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier service.
178. | Any notice or document delivered or sent in accordance with the terms of these Articles shall, notwithstanding that such Shareholder 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 Shareholder 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 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. |
179. | Notice of every general meeting of the Company shall be given to: |
(a) | all Shareholders holding Shares with the right to receive notice and who have supplied to the Company an address for the giving of notices to them; and |
(b) | every Person entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder, who but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting. |
No other Person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
INFORMATION
180. | 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 of Directors would not be in the interests of the Members of the Company to communicate to the public. |
181. | The Board of Directors 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 and transfer books of the Company. |
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INDEMNITY
182. | Every Director (including for the purposes of this Article any alternate Director appointed pursuant to the provisions of these Articles), Secretary, assistant Secretary, or other Officer (but not including the Company’s auditors) and the personal representatives of the same (each an “Indemnified Person”) shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and funds of the Company against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such Indemnified Person, other than by reason of such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, in or about the conduct of the Company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such Indemnified Person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. |
183. | No Indemnified Person shall be liable: |
(a) | for the acts, receipts, neglects, defaults or omissions of any other Director or Officer or agent of the Company; or |
(b) | for any loss on account of defect of title to any property of the Company; or |
(c) | on account of the insufficiency of any security in or upon which any money of the Company shall be invested; or |
(d) | for any loss incurred through any bank, broker or other similar Person; or |
(e) | for any loss occasioned by any negligence, default, breach of duty, breach of trust, error of judgement or oversight on such Indemnified Person’s part; or |
(f) | for any loss, damage or misfortune whatsoever which may happen in or arise from the execution or discharge of the duties, powers, authorities, or discretions of such Indemnified Person’s office or in relation thereto, |
unless the same shall happen through such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS
184. | Subject to the proviso hereto, no Person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any Share upon any trust and the Company shall not, unless required by law, 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 (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or as the Companies Law requires) any other right in respect of any Share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in each Shareholder registered in the Register, provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to recognise any such interests as shall be determined by the Directors. |
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WINDING UP
185. | The Board of Directors shall have power in the name and on behalf of the Company to present a petition to the court for the Company to be wound up. |
186. | If the Company shall be wound up, the liquidator shall apply the assets of the Company in such manner and order as he thinks fit in satisfaction of creditors’ claims. |
187. | Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares (i) if the Company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members of the Company shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributedpari passu amongst such members in proportion to the amount paid up on the shares held by them respectively and (ii) if the Company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members as such shall be insufficient to repay the whole of thepaid-up capital such assets shall be distributed so that, a nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the capital paid up, or which ought to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively. |
188. | If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution and any other sanction required by the Companies Law, divide among the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company and whether or not the assets shall consist of properties of one kind or shall consist of properties to be divided as aforesaid of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property 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 authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit, and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no contributory shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability. |
AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
189. | Subject to the Companies Law and the rights attaching to the Shares, the Company may at any time and from time to time by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles in whole or in part. |
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CLOSING OF REGISTER OR FIXING RECORD DATE
190. | For the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of Shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or those Shareholders that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination as to who is a Shareholder for any other purpose, the Directors may provide that the Register shall be closed for transfers for a stated period which shall not exceed in any case forty (40) days. If the Register shall be so closed for the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders the Register shall be so closed for at least ten (10) days immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register. |
191. | In lieu of or apart from closing the Register, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of the Shareholders and for the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, the Directors may, at or within ninety (90) days prior to the date of declaration of such dividend, fix a subsequent date as the record date for such determination. |
192. | If the Register is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of those Shareholders entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders or those Shareholders 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 Shareholders. When a determination of those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders has been made as provided in this Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof. |
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION
193. | The Company may by Special Resolution resolve to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing. In furtherance of a resolution adopted pursuant to this Article, the Directors may cause an application to be made to the Registrar of Companies to deregister the Company in the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing and may cause all such further steps as they consider appropriate to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company. |
MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATION
194. | The Company may merge or consolidate in accordance with the Companies Law. |
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195. | To the extent required by the Companies Law, the Company may by Special Resolution resolve to merge or consolidate the Company. |
DISCLOSURE
196. | The Directors, or any service providers (including the officers, the Secretary and the registered office agent of the Company) specifically authorised by the Directors, shall be entitled to disclose to any regulatory or judicial authority or to any stock exchange on which securities of the Company may from time to time be listed any information regarding the affairs of the Company including without limitation information contained in the Register and books of the Company. |
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