The information in this preliminary proxy statement/prospectus is not complete and may be changed. Leo Holdings Corp. II. may not issue the securities offered by this preliminary proxy statement/prospectus until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, of which this preliminary proxy statement/prospectus is a part, is declared effective. This preliminary proxy statement/prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of these securities is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY - SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 4, 2023
PROXY STATEMENT FOR
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF LEO HOLDINGS CORP. II
PROSPECTUS FOR UP TO
SHARES OF COMMON STOCK AND WARRANTS OF LEO HOLDINGS CORP. II
(AFTER ITS DOMESTICATION AS A CORPORATION INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WHICH WILL BE RENAMED WORLD VIEW, INC. IN CONNECTION WITH THE DOMESTICATION DESCRIBED HEREIN)
The board of directors of Leo Holdings Corp. II, a Cayman Islands exempted company (which will migrate to and domesticate as a Delaware corporation (the “Domestication”) prior to the closing (the “Closing”) of the Business Combination) (“Leo”), has unanimously approved the transactions (collectively, the “Business Combination”) contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of January 12, 2023 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among Leo, Glimpse Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Leo (“Merger Sub I”), Glimpse Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Leo (“Merger Sub II” and together with Merger Sub I, the “Merger Subs”), and World View Enterprises Inc., a Delaware corporation (“World View”), a copy of which is attached to this proxy statement/prospectus as Annex A. As described in this proxy statement/prospectus, Leo’s shareholders are being asked to consider and vote upon each of the Domestication and the Business Combination, among other items. As used in this proxy statement/prospectus, “New World View” refers to Leo after giving effect to the consummation of the Domestication and the Business Combination.
In connection with the Domestication, prior to the Closing Date (as defined below), among other things, (i) each of the then-issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of Leo (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”) will be converted, on a one-for-one basis, into a share of common stock of New World View (“New World View Common Stock”), (ii) each of the then-issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share of Leo will be converted, on a one-for-one basis, into a share of New World View Common Stock, and (iii) each then-issued and outstanding whole warrant exercisable for one Class A Ordinary Share will be converted into a warrant exercisable for one share of New World View Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share on the terms and conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement, dated as of January 12, 2021, by and between Leo and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent (as amended or amended and restated from time to time). In connection with clauses (i) and (iii) of this paragraph, each issued and outstanding unit of Leo that has not been previously separated into the underlying Class A Ordinary Shares and the underlying Leo warrants will be canceled and will entitle the holder thereof to one share of New World View Common Stock and one-quarter of one New World View warrant.
Concurrently with the Domestication, (i) the governing documents of Leo will be replaced by governing documents for New World View and (ii) Leo will change its name to “World View, Inc.”
On the date of Closing, following the Domestication the day prior, (i) Merger Sub I will merge with and into World View (the “First Merger”), with World View being the surviving corporation of the First Merger (the date and time that the First Merger becomes effective being referred to as the “Effective Time”) and (ii) immediately following the First Merger and as part of the same overall transaction as the First Merger, World View will merge with and into Merger Sub II (the “Second Merger” and, together with the First Merger, the “Mergers”), with Merger Sub II being the surviving company of the Second Merger (Merger Sub II, in its capacity as the surviving company of the Second Merger, the “Surviving Company”), and as a result of which the Surviving Company will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Leo and change its name to “World View Enterprises Operating Company LLC.”
In accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Business Combination Agreement, immediately prior to the effective time of the First Merger, (a) each outstanding share of World View Preferred Stock (as defined below) will be converted into shares of World View Common Stock (as defined below) at the then-effective conversion rate as calculated pursuant to World View’s certificate of incorporation, (b) each outstanding World View Convertible Note (as defined below), depending on its terms, will be converted into either (x) shares of World View Common Stock at a conversion rate based on the conversion rate set out in the World View Convertible Note or (y) shares of New World View Common Stock based on a conversion price of $8.00 per share, (c) each outstanding security issued by World View in the Equity Financing (as defined below) prior to the Closing, including World View Equity Financing Convertible Notes (the “Equity Financing Securities”), will be converted into, or otherwise exchanged for, a number of shares of World View Common Stock that, at the Closing, will be converted into the right to receive a number of shares of New World View Common Stock at an effective price of $8.00 per share, (d) each outstanding World View SAFE will be converted into shares of World View Common Stock at the applicable conversion rate specified in its terms, (e) each outstanding share of World View Common Stock (the “World View Fully Diluted Shares”) (including shares of World View Common Stock resulting from the conversion of World View Preferred Stock, World View Convertible Notes, and World View SAFEs specified above, but excluding shares resulting from the conversion or exchange of Equity Financing Securities and certain World View Convertible Notes issued on or after December 1, 2022, which are deemed part of the Equity Financing (such excluded shares, the “Financing Shares”)) will be converted into the right to receive the number of shares of New World View Common Stock based on the quotient obtained by dividing $ by the number of World View Fully Diluted Shares (the “Per Share Merger Consideration”), and (f) each outstanding Financing Share will be converted into shares of New World View Common Stock as described above. Per Share Merger Consideration excludes any shares of New World View Common Stock issued directly in the Equity Financing as well as shares of New World View Common Stock issued in exchange for Financing Shares or shares of New World View Common Stock issued directly upon the conversion of certain World View Convertible Notes issued after December 1, 2022, which shares of New World View Common Stock will instead be dilutive to the equity interests in New World View of all equityholders of Leo and World View. At or prior to the Closing of the Business Combination, Leo or World View may enter into an equity or equity-linked financing with gross proceeds of up to $75,000,000, including World View Convertible Notes issued on or after December 1, 2022 (the “Equity Financing”).
The Class A Ordinary Shares of Leo are currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “LHC.” Leo will apply for listing, to be effective at the time of the Closing, of New World View Common Stock and the public and private warrants of New World View on the NYSE under the proposed symbols “WVUE” and “WVUE WS,” respectively. It is a condition of the consummation of the Business Combination that Leo receive confirmation from the NYSE (or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) if Leo’s listing with the NYSE is not effected) that the shares of New World View to be issued in connection with the Business Combination have been listed or approved for listing on the NYSE (or Nasdaq), subject only to official notice of issuance thereof, but there can be no assurance such listing condition will be met or that Leo will obtain such approval from the NYSE or Nasdaq. If such listing condition is not met or if such approval is not obtained, the Business Combination will not be consummated unless the stock exchange approval condition set forth in the Business Combination Agreement is waived by the applicable parties.
Leo reserves the right to postpone or adjourn the Shareholder Meeting on one or more occasions for an aggregate period of no longer than twenty (20) Business Days, as detailed in the Business Combination Agreement. In the event of an adjournment, the Shareholder Meeting shall be reconvened as promptly as practicable, and in no event shall the Shareholder Meeting be reconvened on a date that is later than five (5) Business Days prior to October 12, 2023.
This proxy statement/prospectus provides shareholders of Leo with detailed information about the Business Combination and other matters to be considered at the extraordinary general meeting of Leo. We encourage you to read the entire proxy statement/prospectus, including the Annexes and other documents referred to therein, carefully and in their entirety. You should also carefully consider the risk factors described in the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 67 of this proxy statement/prospectus.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES REGULATORY AGENCY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE TRANSACTIONS DESCRIBED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, PASSED UPON THE MERITS OR FAIRNESS OF THE BUSINESS COMBINATION OR RELATED TRANSACTIONS OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE DISCLOSURE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY CONSTITUTES A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The proxy statement/prospectus is dated , 2023, and is first being mailed to Leo’s shareholders on or about , 2023.