Ashmore Group plc
16 October 2020
Results of Annual General Meeting ("AGM")
Ashmore Group plc held its AGM earlier today and in view of the COVID-19 pandemic it was held as a 'closed meeting', attended by the minimum necessary quorum of two shareholders. All valid proxy votes were included in the poll taken at the meeting.
All resolutions were passed. Resolutions 5, 6, 7 and 8, relating to the re-election of Independent Non-Executive Directors, were carried by a majority of votes cast by both Independent Shareholders as well as by a majority of votes cast by all shareholders.
The Company welcomes the approval by shareholders of its Remuneration Policy and Remuneration Report, however it notes the 30.84% vote against the Remuneration Policy. The Company has an ongoing programme of engagement with its shareholders and proxy advisers and consequently it understands the views held by certain governance teams. This engagement will continue and the Company will provide an update within the next six months, as required by the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018.
The results of the poll on each resolution were as follows:
Resolution number: |
FOR |
AGAINST |
ABSTAIN* |
TOTAL VOTE |
% age of total votes in favour |
|
No. of Votes
|
No. of Votes
|
No. of Votes
|
|
|||
1
|
To receive and adopt the Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2020 |
595,353,065 |
776,200 |
1,565,996 |
596,129,265 |
99.87 |
2 |
To declare a final dividend for the year ended 30 June 2020 of 12.1 pence per Ordinary Share |
597,695,261 |
0 |
0 |
597,695,261 |
100.00 |
3 |
To re-elect Mark Coombs as a Director |
595,016,718 |
2,678,113 |
430 |
597,694,831 |
99.55 |
4 |
To re-elect Tom Shippey as a Director |
595,072,219 |
2,622,612 |
430 |
597,694,831 |
99.56 |
5 |
To re-elect Clive Adamson as a Director (all shareholders) |
562,794,706 |
34,900,125 |
430 |
597,694,831 |
94.16 |
5 |
To re-elect Clive Adamson as a Director (independent shareholders) |
319,347,233 |
34,900,125 |
430
|
354,247,358 |
90.15
|
6 |
To re-elect David Bennett as a Director (all shareholders) |
559,193,500 |
37,272,606 |
1,229,155 |
596,466,106 |
93.75
|
6 |
To re-elect David Bennett as a Director (independent shareholders) |
315,746,027 |
37,272,606 |
1,229,155 |
353,018,633 |
89.44
|
7 |
To elect Jennifer Bingham as a Director (all shareholders) |
563,192,046 |
34,502,785 |
430
|
597,694,831 |
94.23
|
7 |
To elect Jennifer Bingham as a Director (independent shareholders) |
319,744,573 |
34,502,785 |
430
|
354,247,358 |
90.26
|
8 |
To re-elect Dame Anne Pringle as a Director (all shareholders) |
537,392,969
|
60,302,292 |
0
|
597,695,261 |
89.91
|
8 |
To re-elect Dame Anne Pringle as a Director (independent shareholders) |
293,945,496 |
60,302,292 |
0
|
354,247,788 |
82.98
|
9 |
To approve the Directors' remuneration policy |
386,652,049 |
172,385,927 |
38,657,285 |
559,037,976 |
69.16 |
10 |
To approve the Remuneration Report for the year ended 30 June 2020 |
538,465,590 |
59,225,066 |
4,605 |
597,690,656 |
90.09 |
11 |
To re-appoint KPMG LLP as auditors |
511,426,634 |
83,671,233 |
2,597,394 |
595,097,867 |
85.94 |
12 |
To authorise the Audit and Risk Committee to agree the remuneration of the auditors |
589,968,176 |
7,724,715 |
2,370 |
597,692,891 |
98.71 |
13 |
To authorise political donations and political expenditure |
575,734,797 |
3,810,118 |
18,150,346 |
579,544,915 |
99.34 |
14 |
To authorise the Directors to allot shares |
593,449,991 |
4,240,600 |
4,670 |
597,690,591 |
99.29 |
15 |
To authorise the dis-application of pre-emption rights up to 35,637,040 shares** |
597,591,907 |
98,410 |
4,944 |
597,690,317 |
99.98 |
16 |
To authorise the dis-application of pre-emption rights up to a further 35,637,040 shares** |
595,616,663 |
2,073,654 |
4,944 |
597,690,317 |
99.65 |
17 |
To authorise market purchases of shares** |
594,859,010 |
2,768,176 |
68,075 |
597,627,186 |
99.54 |
18 |
To approve the renewal of the waiver of the obligation under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code *** |
333,094,999 |
20,064,810 |
1,087,979 |
353,159,809 |
94.32 |
19 |
To reduce the notice period for general meetings other than an Annual General Meeting** |
589,120,951 |
8,572,370 |
1,940 |
597,693,321 |
98.57 |
20 |
To adopt the New Articles** |
597,684,220 |
5,171 |
5,870 |
597,689,391 |
100.00 |
* A vote withheld is not a vote in law and is not counted in the calculation of the proportion of votes "for" or "against" a resolution.
** Indicates Special Resolutions requiring a 75% majority
*** Mark Coombs has not voted on Resolution 18 as an interested party
Ashmore Group PLC's Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is 549300U3L59WB4YI2X12
In accordance with LR 9.6.2R, copies of resolutions concerning special business passed at the Annual General Meeting today, have been submitted to the Financial Conduct Authority's national storage mechanism. This document will shortly be available to view at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism
For further details, please contact:
John Taylor
Group Company Secretary
Ashmore Group plc
61 Aldwych
London WC2B 4AE
+44 (0)20 3077 6000
FTI Consulting
Neil Doyle +44 (0)20 3727 1141
Laura Ewart +44 (0)20 3727 1160