9 November 2018
F&C GLOBAL SMALLER COMPANIES PLC
("the Company")
LEI: 2138008RRULYQP8VP386
CHANGE OF NAME
The Board of F&C Global Smaller Companies PLC announces that it has today resolved to change the name of the Company to BMO Global Smaller Companies PLC.
The change has been approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association.
The Company's ordinary shares and the 3.5 per cent Convertible Unsecured Loan Stock 2019 ("CULS") will trade under the new name on the London Stock Exchange from 8.00 a.m. London time on 12 November 2018.
The Company's trading instrument display mnemonic (TIDM) for the ordinary shares will change to BGSC. The TIDM for the CULS remains unchanged and the ISIN and SEDOL numbers will remain unchanged for both the ordinary shares and the CULS.
Shareholders, and CULS holders, are unaffected by the changes and existing share and stock certificates will remain valid and should be retained. The investment policy and process remains the same under the same Manager with Peter Ewins as Lead Manager.
The Company's website can now be found at bmoglobalsmallers.com.
Background
The Company's Manager, F&C Investment Business Limited, became part of the BMO Financial Group in 2014. BMO was founded over 200 years ago as Bank of Montreal and is now the 8th largest bank by assets in North America. It provides a broad range of financial products to over 12 million customers worldwide. BMO has decided that it will now re-brand those of its investment products and legal entities which currently operate under the "F&C" prefix to "BMO".
Rationale
The BMO rebranding programme will include the F&C savings plans becoming BMO. It is through these savings plans that many of the Company's shareholders invest. This led to the Board giving careful consideration to the change of the Company's name. In considering the matter and their duty to promote the success of the Company in the interests of its Shareholders, the Directors concluded that common branding of the Company with the savings plans and the Manager will help to avoid confusion and allow the Company to benefit from investment by BMO in its brand.
Name of contact and telephone number for enquiries:
Campbell Hood, Director, External Communications, BMO Global Asset Management
Telephone: 020 7628 8000