printing expenses. A number of brokerage firms have instituted householding. As a result, if a shareholder holds shares through a broker and resides at an address at which two or more shareholders reside, that residence may receive only one annual report and proxy statement or notice, as applicable, unless any shareholder at that address has given the broker contrary instructions. However, if any such shareholder residing at such an address wishes to receive a separate annual report and proxy statement or notice in the future, or if any such shareholder that elected to continue to receive such materials wishes to receive a single set of materials in the future, that shareholder should contact their broker, call our Corporate Secretary at (441) 292-1510, or send a request to our Corporate Secretary at Crown House Second Floor, 4 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton, HM08 Bermuda. The Company will deliver, promptly upon written or oral request to the Corporate Secretary, a separate copy of the annual report and proxy statement or notice, as applicable, to a shareholder at a shared address to which a single copy of the documents was delivered.
PROXY SOLICITATION
We have retained Georgeson LLC, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, 9
th
Floor, New York, NY 10104, for a fee of approximately $15,000, plus reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs and expenses, to solicit proxies on behalf of the Board by mail, in person and by telephone. We will pay all expenses associated with this solicitation and the preparation of proxy materials. In addition, certain of our directors, officers, and employees may solicit proxies by telephone, personal contact, or other means of communication. They will not receive any additional compensation for these activities.
VOTING INFORMATION
Quorum.
A majority of the common shares outstanding on the record date, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum to transact business at the meeting. Abstentions, withheld votes, and broker nonvotes will be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum.
Submitting voting instructions for shares held in your name.
As an alternative to voting in person at the meeting, you may direct your vote for the meeting by telephone or via the Internet, which saves the Company money, or, for those shareholders who receive a paper proxy card in the mail, by mailing a completed and signed proxy card. A properly submitted proxy will be voted in accordance with your instructions, unless you subsequently revoke your instruction. If you submit a signed proxy without indicating your vote, the person voting the proxy will vote your shares according to the Boards recommendation unless they lack the discretionary authority to do so.
Submitting voting instructions for shares held in street name.
If you hold your shares through your broker, follow the instructions you receive from your broker. If you want to vote in person, you must obtain a legal proxy from your broker and bring it to the meeting. If you do not submit voting instructions to your broker, your broker may still be permitted to vote your shares. New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) member brokers may vote your shares on the approval and appointment of the Companys independent auditor and authorization for the Audit Committee to set the independent auditors remuneration, which is a discretionary item. All other items to be voted on at the meeting are nondiscretionary items. Absent specific voting instructions from the beneficial owners, NYSE member brokers may not vote on these proposals. If your broker does not have discretion to vote your shares on a matter, your shares will not be voted on that matter, resulting in a broker nonvote. Broker nonvotes will be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum, but will not be counted in determining the outcome of non-discretionary items. In other words, broker nonvotes will have no effect on the proposal.
Withholding your vote or voting to abstain.
You may withhold your vote for any nominee for election as a director. Withheld votes will be excluded from the vote. Because directors are elected by a plurality of votes and there are only seven nominees for the seven director positions, withheld votes will have no effect on the election of directors. On the other proposals, you may vote to abstain. If you vote to abstain, your shares will be counted as present at the meeting, and your abstention will have the effect of a vote
against
the proposal.
Revoking your proxy.
You may revoke your proxy at any time before it is actually voted by (1) delivering a written revocation notice prior to the meeting to the Corporate Secretary in person or by courier at the address on the notice of meeting appearing at the front of this Proxy Statement or by mail to P.O. Box HM3349, Hamilton, HMPX Bermuda; (2) submitting a later-dated proxy that we receive no later than the conclusion of voting at the meeting; or (3) actually voting in person at the meeting. Please note that merely attending the meeting will not, by itself, constitute a revocation of a proxy.