Ext. to deadline under Rule 2.6(c) of the Code

RNS Number : 4515C

IWG PLC

19 January 2018

 

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE"). THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT AN OFFER WILL BE MADE OR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY OFFER MIGHT BE MADE

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

19 January 2018

Extension to deadline under Rule 2.6(c) of the Code

On 23 December 2017, the Board of IWG plc ("IWG" or the "Company") announced that it had received an indicative proposal from funds managed by affiliates of Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. and Onex Corporation or its affiliates (together, the "Consortium") regarding a possible cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company (the "Possible Offer").

In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, the Consortium was required, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 20 January 2018, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for the Company in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it did not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement would have been treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies.

In accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code, the Board of IWG requested that the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Panel") extend the deadline referred to above to enable the parties to continue their discussions regarding the Possible Offer. Accordingly, an extension has been granted by the Panel and the Consortium must, by no later than 5.00 p.m. on 2 February 2018, either announce a firm intention to make an offer for IWG in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline will only be extended with the consent of the Panel.

A further announcement will be made when appropriate. There can be no certainty that any offer will be made for the Company, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.

Enquiries:

IWG plc Tim Regan, Company Secretary Wayne Gerry, Group Investor Relations Director	Tel: [phone]
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Lead Financial Adviser and Joint Corporate Broker) Alex Watkins James Robinson	Tel: [phone]
Investec (Financial Adviser and Joint Corporate Broker) James Rudd James Ireland	Tel: [phone]
Brunswick Nick Cosgrove David Litterick	Tel: [phone]

Rule 26.1 disclosure

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available at www.iwgplc.com, by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

MAR

The information contained within this announcement is considered by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No.596/2014 ("MAR").  Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information will be considered to be in the public domain.

The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Tim Regan, Company Secretary.

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on [phone] if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Disclaimer

J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove"), is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority (the "PRA") and regulated in the United Kingdom by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting exclusively as financial adviser to IWG and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than IWG for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, or for providing advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein.

Investec Bank plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, is acting exclusively for IWG and no one else in connection with the subject matter of this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than IWG for providing the protections afforded to clients of Investec Bank plc nor for giving advice in relation to the subject matter of this announcement.

 

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