UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of November 2024
Commission file number: 001-38726
CNFinance Holdings Limited
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
44/F, Tower G, No.
16 Zhujiang Dong Road
Tianhe District, Guangzhou
City, Guangdong Province 510620
People’s Republic
of China
+86-20-62316688
(Address of Principal
Executive Offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F
☒ Form 40-F ☐
EXPLANATORY NOTE
On November 29, 2024, CNFinance Holdings Limited (the “Company”)
held an extraordinary general meeting in Guangzhou (the “EGM”).
The Company hereby submits this current report on Form 6-K (the “Report”)
to furnish (i) a press release announcing the voting results of the EGM as set forth in Exhibit 99.1 hereto and (ii) the Second Amended
and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company as set forth in Exhibit 3.1 hereto. For more details, please refer
to exhibits to this Report.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Exhibit 3.1 to this Report shall be incorporated by reference into
the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3, as amended, which became effective on February 15, 2023 (File no. 333-259304),
and be a part thereof from the date on which this Report is furnished to the SEC, to the extent not superseded by documents or reports
subsequently filed or furnished.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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CNFINANCE HOLDINGS LIMITED |
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Date: November 29,
2024 |
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By: |
/s/ Bin Zhai |
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Name: |
Bin Zhai |
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Title: |
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman |
4
Exhibit 3.1
THE
COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
OF
THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY
LIMITED BY SHARES
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
Memorandum
AND articles OF association
of
CNFinance Holdings Limited
深泛联控股有限公司
(AMENDED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION DATED November
29, 2024)
THE COMPANIES
LAW (AS AMENDED)
OF THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED
BY SHARES
SECOND
AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM of
ASSOCIATION
OF
CNFINANCE HOLDINGS
Limited
深泛联控股有限公司
(AMENDED
BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION DATED November 29, 2024)
| 1. | The name of the Company is CNFinance Holdings
Limited 深泛联控股有限公司
(the “Company”). |
| 2. | The registered office of the Company will be
situated at the offices of Walkers Corporate Limited, Cayman Corporate Centre, 27 Hospital
Road, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-9008, Cayman Islands or at such other location as the
Directors may from time to time determine. |
| 3. | The objects for which the Company is established
are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object
not prohibited by any law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Law (as amended) of
the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Law”). |
| 4. | The Company shall have and be capable of exercising
all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate
benefit as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies Law. |
| 5. | The Company will not trade in the Cayman Islands
with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company
carried on outside the Cayman Islands; provided that nothing in this section shall be construed
as to prevent the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising
in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside
the Cayman Islands. |
| 6. | The liability of the shareholders of the Company
is limited to the amount from time to time, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held
by them. |
| 7. | The authorised share capital of the Company
is US$380,000 divided into 3,800,000,000 Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.0001
each. Subject to the Companies Law and the Articles of Association, the Company shall have
power to redeem or purchase any of its shares, and to sub-divide or consolidate the said
shares or any of them and to issue all or any part of its capital whether original, redeemed,
increased or reduced with or without any preference, priority, special privilege or other
rights or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions whatsoever
and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly provide every issue
of shares whether stated to be ordinary, preference or otherwise shall be subject to the
powers on the part of the Company hereinbefore provided. |
| 8. | The Company may exercise the power contained
in Section 206 of the Companies Law to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered
by way of continuation in some other jurisdiction. |
| 9. | Capitalized terms that are not defined in this
Memorandum of Association bear the same meaning as those given in the Articles of Association
of the Company. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CLAUSE |
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PAGE |
TABLE A |
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1 |
Interpretation |
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1 |
Preliminary |
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4 |
Shares |
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5 |
Modification Of Rights |
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6 |
Certificates |
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7 |
Fractional Shares |
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7 |
Lien |
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7 |
Calls On Shares |
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8 |
Forfeiture Of Shares |
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8 |
Transfer Of Shares |
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9 |
Transmission Of Shares |
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10 |
Alteration Of SHARE Capital |
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10 |
Redemption, Purchase and Surrender Of Shares |
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11 |
Treasury Shares |
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11 |
General Meetings |
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12 |
Proceedings At General Meetings |
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13 |
Votes Of shareholders |
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14 |
Corporations Acting By Representatives At
Meetings |
|
15 |
clearing houses |
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16 |
Directors |
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16 |
Alternate Director |
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17 |
Powers And Duties Of Directors |
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17 |
Borrowing Powers Of Directors |
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18 |
The Seal |
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18 |
Disqualification Of Directors |
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19 |
Proceedings Of Directors |
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19 |
presumption of assent |
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21 |
Dividends |
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21 |
Accounts, Audit and annual return and declaration |
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22 |
Capitalisation Of reserves |
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22 |
Share Premium Account |
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24 |
Notices |
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24 |
Indemnity |
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25 |
Non-Recognition Of Trusts |
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26 |
Winding Up |
|
26 |
Amendment Of Articles Of Association |
|
26 |
Closing of register or fixing record date |
|
26 |
Registration By Way Of Continuation |
|
27 |
disclosure |
|
27 |
THE COMPANIES
LAW (AS AMENDED)
OF THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS
COMPANY
LIMITED BY SHARES
SECOND
AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES
OF ASSOCIATION
OF
CNFinance holdings
Limited
深泛联控股有限公司
(AMENDED
BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION DATED November 29, 2024)
TABLE A
The Regulations contained or incorporated
in Table ‘A’ in the First Schedule of the Companies Law shall not apply to CNFinance Holdings Limited 深泛联控股有限公司
(the “Company”) and the following Articles shall comprise the Articles of Association of the Company.
Interpretation
| 1. | In these Articles the following defined terms
will have the meanings ascribed to them, if not inconsistent with the subject or context: |
“ADS” means an American
depositary share, each representing such number of Ordinary Shares as set out in the registration statements of the Company;
“Affiliate” means
in respect of a Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, through (1) one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled
by, or is under common control with, such Person, and (i) in the case of a natural person, shall include, without limitation, such
person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, a trust for the
benefit of any of the foregoing, and a corporation, partnership or any other entity wholly or jointly owned by any of the foregoing,
and (ii) in the case of an entity, shall include a partnership, a corporation or any other entity or any natural person which directly,
or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such entity. The term
“control” shall mean the ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares possessing more than fifty per cent (50%) of the voting
power of the corporation, partnership or other entity (other than, in the case of a corporation, securities having such power only by
reason of the happening of a contingency), or having the power to control the management or elect a majority of members to the board
of directors or equivalent decision-making body of such corporation, partnership or other entity;
“Articles” means these
articles of association of the Company, as amended or substituted from time to time;
“Board” and “Board
of Directors” and “Directors” means the directors of the Company for the time being, or as the case may be,
the directors assembled as a board or as a committee thereof;
“Chairman” means
the chairman of the Board of Directors;
“Class” or “Classes“
means any class or classes of Shares as may from time to time be issued by the Company;
“Commission” means
Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America or any other federal agency for the time being administering the Securities
Act;
“Companies Law” means
the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands;
“Company” means CNFinance
Holdings Limited 深泛联控股有限公司,
a Cayman Islands exempted company;
“Company’s Website”
means the website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been notified to Shareholders;
“Designated Stock Exchange”
means the stock exchange in the United States on which any Shares and ADSs are listed for trading;
“Designated Stock Exchange
Rules” means the relevant code, rules and regulations, as amended, from time to time, applicable as a result of the original
and continued listing of any Shares or ADSs on the Designated Stock Exchange;
“electronic” means
the meaning given to it in the Electronic Transactions Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands and any amendment thereto or re-enactments
thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefor;
“electronic communication”
means electronic posting to the Company’s Website, transmission to any number, address or internet website or other electronic
delivery methods as otherwise decided and approved by not less than a majority of the vote of the Board;
“Independent Director”
means a Director who is an independent director as defined in the Designated Stock Exchange Rules;
“Memorandum of Association”
means the memorandum of association of the Company, as amended or substituted from time to time;
“Month” means calendar
month;
“Office” means the
registered office of the Company as required by the Companies Law;
“Officer” means the
offices for the time being and from time to time of the Company;
“Ordinary Resolution”
means a resolution:
| (a) | passed by a simple majority of the votes
cast by such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are
allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company and where a poll is taken regard shall
be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Shareholder is entitled
by these Articles; or |
| (b) | approved in writing by all of the Shareholders
entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed
by one or more of the Shareholders and the effective date of the resolution so adopted shall
be the date on which the instrument, or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is
executed; |
“Ordinary Shares”
means an ordinary share of par value of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company having the rights and subject to the restrictions
set out in these Articles, including a fraction of a share;
“paid up” means paid
up as to the par value in respect of the issue of any Shares and includes credited as paid up;
“Person” means any
natural person, firm, company, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association or other entity (whether or not having a separate
legal personality) or any of them as the context so requires, other than in respect of a Director or Officer in which circumstances Person
Shall mean any person or entity permitted to act as such in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands;
“Register” means the
register of Members of the Company required to be kept pursuant to the Companies Law;
“Seal” means the common
seal of the Company (if adopted) including any facsimile thereof;
“Secretary” means
any Person appointed by the Directors to perform any of the duties of the secretary of the Company;
“Securities Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States of America, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time;
“Share” means a share
in the capital of the Company. All references to “Shares” herein shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all Classes as the
context may require. For the avoidance of doubt in these Articles the expression “Share” shall include a fraction of a Share;
“Shareholder” or “Member”
means a Person who is registered as the holder of Shares in the Register and includes each subscriber to the Memorandum of Association
pending entry in the Register of such subscriber;
“Share Premium Account”
means the share premium account established in accordance with these Articles and the Companies Law;
“signed” means bearing
a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means or an electronic symbol or process attached to or logically
associated with an electronic communication and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic communication;
“Special Resolution”
means a special resolution of the Company passed in accordance with the Companies Law being a resolution:
| (b) | passed by not less than two-thirds of
the votes cast by such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where
proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which notice specifying
the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given and where
a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which
each Shareholder is entitled; or |
| (b) | approved in writing by all of the Shareholders
entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed
by one or more of the Shareholders and the effective date of the special resolution so adopted
shall be the date on which the instrument or the last of such instruments, if more than one,
is executed; |
“Treasury
Shares” means Shares that were previously issued but were purchased, redeemed, surrendered or otherwise acquired by the
Company and not cancelled;
“United States” means
the United States of America, its territories, its possessions and all areas subject to its jurisdiction; and
“year” means calendar
year.
| 2. | In these Articles, save where the context requires
otherwise: |
| (a) | words importing the singular number shall
include the plural number and vice versa; |
| (b) | words importing the masculine gender only
shall include the feminine gender and any Person as the context may require; |
| (c) | the word “may” shall be construed
as permissive and the word “shall” shall be construed as imperative; |
| (d) | reference to a dollar or dollars (or US$)
and to a cent or cents is reference to dollars and cents of the United States of America; |
| (e) | reference to a statutory enactment shall
include reference to any amendment or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force; |
| (f) | reference to any determination by the
Directors shall be construed as a determination by the Directors in their sole and absolute
discretion and shall be applicable either generally or in any particular case; |
| (g) | reference to “in writing” shall
be construed as written or represented by any means reproducible in writing, including any
form of print, lithograph, email, facsimile, photograph or telex or represented by any other
substitute or format for storage or transmission for writing including in the form of an
electronic record or partly one and partly another; |
| (h) | any requirements as to delivery under
the Articles include delivery in the form of an electronic record or an electronic communication;
and |
| (i) | any requirements as to execution or signature
under the Articles, including the execution of the Articles themselves, can be satisfied
in the form of an electronic signature as defined in the Electronic Transaction Law (as amended).
Sections 8 and 19 of the Electronic Transactions Law (as amended) shall not apply. |
| 3. | Subject to the last two preceding Articles,
any words defined in the Companies Law shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context,
bear the same meaning in these Articles. |
Preliminary
| 4. | The business of the Company may be conducted
as the Directors see fit. |
| 5. | The Office shall be at such address in the
Cayman Islands as the Directors may from time to time determine. The Company may in addition
establish and maintain such other offices and places of business and agencies in such places
as the Directors may from time to time determine. |
| 6. | The expenses incurred in the formation of the
Company and in connection with the offer for subscription and issue of Shares shall be paid
by the Company. Such expenses may be amortised over such period as the Directors may determine
and the amount so paid shall be charged against income and/or capital in the accounts of
the Company as the Directors shall determine. |
| 7. | The Directors shall keep, or cause to be kept,
the Register at such place or (subject to compliance with the Companies Law and these Articles)
places as the Directors may from time to time determine. In the absence of any such determination,
the Register shall be kept at the Office. |
Shares
| 8. | Subject to these Articles, all Shares for the
time being unissued shall be under the control of the Directors who may, in their absolute
discretion and without the approval of the Members, cause the Company to: |
| (a) | issue, allot or dispose of the same (whether
in certificated form or non-certificated form, including fractions of a Share) to such Persons,
in such manner, on such terms and having such rights and being subject to such restrictions
as they may from time to time determine; |
| (b) | grant rights over Shares or other securities
to be issued in one or more classes or series as they deem necessary or appropriate and determine
the designations, powers, preferences, privileges and other rights attaching to such Shares
or securities, including dividend rights, voting rights, conversion rights, terms of redemption
and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the powers, preferences,
privileges and rights associated with the then issued and outstanding Shares, at such times
and on such other terms as they think proper; and |
| (c) | grant options with respect to such Shares
and issue warrants, convertible securities or similar instruments with respect thereto; |
and, for such purposes, the Directors
may reserve an appropriate number of Shares for the time being unissued.
| 9. | The Directors, or the Shareholders by Ordinary
Resolution, may authorise the division of Shares into any number of Classes and sub-classes
and the different Classes and sub-classes shall be authorised, established and designated
(or re-designated as the case may be) and the variations in the relative rights (including,
without limitation, voting, dividend and redemption rights), restrictions, preferences, privileges
and payment obligations as between the different Classes (if any) may be fixed and determined
by the Directors or by the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution. The Directors may issue Shares
with such preferred or other rights, all or any of which may be greater than the rights of
Ordinary Shares, at such time and on such terms as they may think appropriate. Notwithstanding
Article 12 the Directors may issue from time to time, out of the authorised share capital
of the Company (other than the authorised but unissued Ordinary Shares), series of preferred
shares in their absolute discretion and without approval of the Members; provided, however,
before any preferred shares of any such series are issued, the Directors shall by resolution
of Directors determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights
of that series, including: |
| (a) | the designation of such series, the number
of preferred shares to constitute such series and the subscription price thereof if different
from the par value thereof; |
| (b) | whether the preferred shares of such series
shall have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the
terms of such voting rights, which may be general or limited; |
| (c) | the dividends, if any, payable on such
series, whether any such dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what dates, the
conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, and the preference or relation
which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any shares of any other class
or any other series of shares; |
| (d) | whether the preferred shares of such series
shall be subject to redemption by the Company, and, if so, the times, prices and other conditions
of such redemption; |
| (e) | whether the preferred shares of such series
shall have any rights to receive any part of the assets available for distribution amongst
the Members upon the liquidation of the Company, and, if so, the terms of such liquidation
preference, and the relation which such liquidation preference shall bear
to the entitlements of the holders of shares of any other class or any other series of shares; |
| (f) | whether the preferred shares of such series
shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund and, if so, the extent
to and manner in which any such retirement or sinking fund shall be applied to the purchase
or redemption of the preferred shares of such series for retirement or other corporate purposes
and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof; |
| (g) | whether the preferred shares of such series
shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or any other series
of preferred shares or any other securities and, if so, the price or prices or the rate or
rates of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjusting the same, and any other
terms and conditions of conversion or exchange; |
| (h) | the limitations and restrictions, if any,
to be effective while any preferred shares of such series are outstanding upon the payment
of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and upon the purchase, redemption or
other acquisition by the Company of, the existing shares or shares of any other class of
shares or any other series of preferred shares; |
| (i) | the conditions or restrictions, if any,
upon the creation of indebtedness of the Company or upon the issue of any additional shares,
including additional shares of such series or of any other class of shares or any other series
of preferred shares; and |
| (j) | any other powers, preferences and relative,
participating, optional and other special rights, and any qualifications, limitations and
restrictions thereof; |
and, for such purposes,
the Directors may reserve an appropriate number of Shares for the time being unissued. The Company is not obliged to issue, allot or
dispose of shares if it is, in the opinion of the Directors, unlawful or impracticable. The Company shall not issue Shares to bearer.
| 10. | The Company may insofar as may be permitted
by law, pay a commission to any Person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to
subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any Shares. Such commissions may be satisfied
by the payment of cash or the lodgement of fully or partly paid-up Shares or partly in one
way and partly in the other. The Company may also pay such brokerage as may be lawful on
any issue of Shares. |
| 11. | The Directors may refuse to accept any application
for Shares, and may accept any application in whole or in part, for any reason or for no
reason. |
Modification Of
Rights
| 12. | Whenever the capital of the Company is divided
into different Classes (and as otherwise determined by the Directors) the rights attached
to any such Class may, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached
to any Class, only be materially adversely varied or abrogated with the consent in writing
of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the issued Shares of the relevant Class, or
with the sanction of a resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the Shares
of such Class by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast at such a meeting. To every such
separate meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the
Company or to the proceedings thereat shall, mutatis mutandis, apply, except that
the necessary quorum shall be one or more Persons at least holding or representing by proxy
one-third in nominal or par value amount of the issued Shares of the relevant Class (but
so that if at any adjourned meeting of such holders a quorum as above defined is not present,
those Shareholders who are present shall form a quorum) and that, subject to any rights or
restrictions for the time being attached to the Shares of that Class, every Shareholder of
the Class shall on a poll have one vote for each Share of the Class held by him. For the
purposes of this Article the Directors may treat all the Classes or any two or more Classes
as forming one Class if they consider
that all such Classes would be affected in the same way by the proposals under consideration, but in any other case shall treat
them as separate Classes. |
| 13. | The rights conferred upon the holders of the
Shares of any Class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, subject to any rights
or restrictions for the time being attached to the Shares of that Class, be deemed to be
materially adversely varied or abrogated by, inter alia, the creation, allotment or
issue of further Shares ranking pari passu with or subsequent to them or the redemption
or purchase of any Shares of any Class by the Company. The rights of the holders of Shares
shall not be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation or issue of Shares
with preferred or other rights including, without limitation, the creation of Shares with
enhanced or weighted voting rights. |
Certificates
| 14. | Every Person whose name is entered as a Member
in the Register shall, without payment, be entitled to a certificate within two months after
allotment or lodgement of transfer (or within such other period as the conditions of issue
shall provide) in the form determined by the Directors. All certificates shall specify the
Share or Shares held by that person and the amount paid up thereon, provided that in respect
of a Share or Shares held jointly by several persons the Company shall not be bound to issue
more than one certificate, and delivery of a certificate for a Share to one of several joint
holders shall be sufficient delivery to all. All
certificates for Shares shall be delivered personally or sent through the post addressed
to the member entitled thereto at the Member’s registered address as appearing in the
Register. |
| 15. | Every share certificate of the Company shall
bear legends required under the applicable laws, including the Securities Act. |
| 16. | Any two or more certificates representing
Shares of any one Class held by any Member may at the Member’s request be cancelled
and a single new certificate for such Shares issued in lieu on payment (if the Directors
shall so require) of US$1.00 or such smaller sum as the Directors shall determine. |
| 17. | If a share certificate shall be damaged or
defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing
the same Shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon request subject to delivery up
of the old certificate or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance
with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of out-of-pocket expenses
of the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit. |
| 18. | In the event that Shares are held jointly
by several persons, any request may be made by any one of the joint holders and if so made
shall be binding on all of the joint holders. |
Fractional Shares
| 19. | The Directors may issue fractions of a Share
and, if so issued, a fraction of a Share shall be subject to and carry the corresponding
fraction of liabilities (whether with respect to nominal or par value, premium, contributions,
calls or otherwise), limitations, preferences, privileges, qualifications, restrictions,
rights (including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, voting and participation
rights) and other attributes of a whole Share. If more than one fraction of a Share of the
same Class is issued to or acquired by the same Shareholder such fractions shall be accumulated. |
Lien
| 20. | The Company has a first and paramount lien
on every Share (whether or not fully paid) for all amounts (whether presently payable or
not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that Share. The Company also has a first
and paramount lien on every Share registered in the name of a Person indebted or under liability
to the Company (whether he is the sole registered holder of a Share or one of two or more
joint holders) for all amounts owing by him or his estate to the Company (whether or not
presently payable). The Directors may at any time declare a Share to be wholly or in part exempt
from the provisions of this Article. The Company’s lien on a Share extends to any amount payable in respect of it. |
| 21. | The Company may sell, in such manner as the
Directors may determine, any Share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be
made unless an amount in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable nor until
the expiration of fourteen days after a notice in writing, demanding payment of such part
of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, has been given
to the registered holder for the time being of the Share, or the Persons entitled thereto
by reason of his death or bankruptcy. |
| 22. | For giving effect to any such sale the Directors
may authorise some Person to transfer the Shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser
shall be registered as the holder of the Shares comprised in any such transfer and he shall
not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the
Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the
sale. |
| 23. | The proceeds of the sale after deduction of
expenses, fees and commission incurred by the Company shall be received by the Company and
applied in payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently
payable, and the residue shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently payable as
existed upon the Shares prior to the sale) be paid to the Person entitled to the Shares immediately
prior to the sale. |
Calls On Shares
| 24. | The Directors may from time to time make calls
upon the Shareholders in respect of any moneys unpaid on their Shares, and each Shareholder
shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen days’ notice specifying the time or times of
payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on such Shares. |
| 25. | The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly
and severally liable to pay calls in respect thereof. |
| 26. | If a sum called in respect of a Share is not
paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Person from whom the sum is
due shall pay interest upon the sum at the rate of eight percent per annum from the day appointed
for the payment thereof to the time of the actual payment, but the Directors shall be at
liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part. |
| 27. | The provisions of these Articles as to the
liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest shall apply in the case of non-payment
of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a Share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether
on account of the amount of the Share, or by way of premium, as if the same had become payable
by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
| 28. | The Directors may make arrangements on the
issue of partly paid Shares for a difference between the Shareholders, or the particular
Shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment. |
| 29. | The Directors may, if they think fit, receive
from any Shareholder willing to advance the same all or any part of the moneys uncalled and
unpaid upon any partly paid Shares held by him, and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced
may (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at
such rate (not exceeding without the sanction by Ordinary Resolution, eight percent per annum)
as may be agreed upon between the Shareholder paying the sum in advance and the Directors.
No such sum paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Member paying such sum to any portion
of a dividend declared in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such sum would,
but for such payment, become presently payable. |
Forfeiture Of
Shares
| 30. | If a Shareholder fails to pay any call or
instalment of a call in respect of partly paid Shares on the day appointed for payment, the
Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of such call or instalment
remains unpaid, serve a notice on him requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest
which may have accrued. |
| 31. | The notice shall name a further day (not earlier
than the expiration of fourteen days from the date of the notice) on or before which the
payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that in the event of non-payment
at or before the time appointed the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be
liable to be forfeited. |
| 32. | If the requirements of any such notice as
aforesaid are not complied with, any Share in respect of which the notice has been given
may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by notice has been made, be forfeited
by a resolution of the Directors to that effect. |
| 33. | A forfeited Share may be sold or otherwise
disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit, and at any time
before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors
think fit. |
| 34. | A Person whose Shares have been forfeited
shall cease to be a Shareholder in respect of the forfeited Shares, but shall, notwithstanding,
remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were payable
by him to the Company in respect of the Shares forfeited, but his liability shall cease if
and when the Company receives payment in full of the amount unpaid on the Shares forfeited.
A certificate in writing under the hand of a Director that a Share has been duly forfeited
on a date stated in the certificate, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts in the certificate
as against all Persons claiming to be entitled to the Share. |
| 35. | The Company may receive the consideration,
if any, given for a Share on any sale or disposition thereof pursuant to the provisions of
these Articles as to forfeiture and may execute a transfer of the Share in favour of the
Person to whom the Share is sold or disposed of and that Person shall be registered as the
holder of the Share, and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money,
if any, nor shall his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in
the proceedings in reference to the disposition or sale. |
| 36. | The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture
shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which by the terms of issue of a Share
becomes due and payable, whether on account of the amount of the Share, or by way of premium,
as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
Transfer Of Shares
| 37. | The instrument of transfer of any Share shall
be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may determine and be executed
by or on behalf of the transferor and if in respect of a nil or partly paid up Share, or
if so required by the Directors, shall also be executed on behalf of the transferee and shall
be accompanied by the certificate (if any) of the Shares to which it relates and such other
evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make
the transfer. The transferor shall be deemed to remain a Shareholder until the name of the
transferee is entered in the Register in respect of the relevant Shares. |
38. | (a) | Subject to the terms of issue thereof, the Directors
may determine to decline to register any transfer of Shares without assigning any reason therefor. |
| (b) | The Directors may also decline to register any transfer of
any Share unless: |
| (i) | the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company, accompanied
by the certificate for the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board
may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; |
| (ii) | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one Class of Shares; |
| (iii) | the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; |
| (iv) | in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders
to whom the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four; or |
| (v) | a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated
Stock Exchange may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as the Board of Directors may
from time to time require, is paid to the Company in respect thereof. |
| 39. | The registration of transfers may, on ten
calendar days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic
means or by any other means in accordance with the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, be suspended
and the Register of Members closed at such times and for such periods as the Directors may,
in their absolute discretion, from time to time determine, provided always that such registration
of transfer shall not be suspended nor the Register of Members closed for more than 30 days
in any year. |
| 40. | All instruments of transfer that are registered
shall be retained by the Company. If the Directors refuse to register a transfer of any Shares,
they shall within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company
send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of the refusal. |
Transmission Of
Shares
| 41. | The legal personal representative of a deceased
sole holder of a Share shall be the only Person recognised by the Company as having any title
to the Share. In the case of a Share registered in the name of two or more holders, the survivors
or survivor, or the legal personal representatives of the deceased holder of the Share, shall
be the only Person recognised by the Company as having any title to the Share. |
| 42. | Any Person becoming entitled to a Share in
consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall upon such evidence being produced
as may from time to time be required by the Directors, have the right either to be registered
as a Shareholder in respect of the Share or, instead of being registered himself, to make
such transfer of the Share as the deceased or bankrupt Person could have made; but the Directors
shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would
have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the deceased or bankrupt Person before
the death or bankruptcy. |
| 43. | A Person becoming entitled to a Share by reason
of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other
advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered Shareholder, except that
he shall not, before being registered as a Shareholder in respect of the Share, be entitled
in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of
the Company, provided however, that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any
such person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the Share, and if the
notice is not complied with within ninety days, the Directors may thereafter withhold payment
of all dividends, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the Share until the requirements
of the notice have been complied with. |
Registration Of
Empowering Instruments
| 44. | The Company shall be entitled to charge a
fee not exceeding one dollar (US$1.00) on the registration of every probate, letters of administration,
certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, notice in lieu of distringas, or other
instrument. |
Alteration Of
SHARE Capital
| 45. | The Company may from time to time by Ordinary
Resolution increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into Shares of such Classes
and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe and with such rights, priorities and privileges
annexed thereto, as the Company in general meeting may determine. |
| 46. | The Company may by Ordinary Resolution: |
| (a) | consolidate and divide all or any of its
share capital into Shares of a larger amount than its existing Shares; |
| (b) | subdivide its existing Shares, or any
of them into Shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between
the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced Share shall be the same as
it was in case of the Share from which the reduced Share is derived; |
| (c) | convert all or any of its paid up Shares
into stock and reconvert that stock into paid up Shares of any denomination; |
| (d) | cancel any Shares that, at the date of
the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any Person and
diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled. |
| 47. | The Company may by Special Resolution reduce
its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorised by law. |
Redemption, Purchase
and Surrender Of Shares
| 48. | Subject to the Companies Law and these Articles,
the Company may: |
| (a) | issue Shares on terms that they are to
be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the Shareholder
on such terms and in such manner as may be determined, before the issue of such Shares, by
either the Board or by the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution; |
| (b) | purchase its own Shares (including any
redeemable Shares) on such terms and in such manner as have been approved by the Board or
by the Members by Ordinary Resolution, or are otherwise authorised by these Articles; |
| (c) | make a payment in respect of the redemption
or purchase of its own Shares in any manner permitted by the Companies Law, including out
of its capital; and |
| (d) | accept the surrender for no consideration
of any paid up Share (including any redeemable Share) on such terms and in such manner as
the Directors may determine. |
| 49. | The holder of the Shares being purchased shall
be bound to deliver up to the Company the certificate(s) (if any) thereof. Any Share in respect
of which notice of redemption has been given shall not be entitled to participate in the
profits of the Company in respect of the period after the date specified as the date of redemption
in the notice of redemption. |
| 50. | The redemption, purchase or surrender of any
Share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption, purchase or surrender of any other
Share. |
| 51. | The Directors may when making payments in
respect of redemption or purchase of Shares, if authorised by the terms of issue of the Shares
being redeemed or purchased or with the agreement of the holder of such Shares, make such
payment either in cash or in specie including without limitation, interests in a special
purpose vehicle holding assets of the Company or holding entitlement to the proceeds of assets
held by the Company or in a liquidation structure. |
Treasury Shares
| 52. | Shares that the Company purchases, redeems
or acquires (by way of surrender or otherwise) may, at the option of the Company, be cancelled
immediately or held as Treasury Shares in accordance with the Companies Law. In the event
that the Directors do not specify that the relevant Shares are to be held as Treasury Shares,
such Shares shall be cancelled. |
| 53. | No dividend may be declared or paid, and no
other distribution (whether in cash or otherwise) of the Company’s assets (including any
distribution of assets to members on a winding up) may be declared or paid in respect of
a Treasury Share. |
| 54. | The Company shall be entered in the Register
as the holder of the Treasury Shares provided that: |
| (a) | the Company shall not be treated as a
member for any purpose and shall not exercise any right in respect of the Treasury Shares,
and any purported exercise of such a right shall be void; |
| (b) | a Treasury Share shall not be voted, directly
or indirectly, at any meeting of the Company and shall not be counted in determining the
total number of issued shares at any given time, whether for the purposes of these Articles
or the Companies Law, save that an allotment of Shares as fully paid bonus shares in respect
of a Treasury Share is permitted and Shares allotted as fully paid bonus shares in respect
of a treasury share shall be treated as Treasury Shares. |
| 55. | Treasury Shares may be disposed of by the
Company on such terms and conditions as determined by the Directors. |
General Meetings
| 56. | All general meetings other than annual general
meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. |
57. | (a) | The Company may, but shall not (unless
required by the Companies Law) be obliged to hold a general meeting in each year as its annual
general meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. The annual
general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Directors. |
| (b) | At these meetings the report of the Directors
(if any) shall be presented. |
58. | (a) | The Chairman or a majority of the Directors
may call general meetings, and they shall on a Members’ requisition forthwith proceed
to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company. |
| (b) | A Members’ requisition is a requisition
of Members of the Company holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than
one-third of such of the paid-up capital of the Company as at that date of the deposit carries
the right of voting at general meetings of the Company. |
| (c) | The requisition must state the objects
of the meeting and must be signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the registered
office of the Company, and may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one
or more requisitionists. |
| (d) | If the Directors do not within 21 days
from the date of the deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting
to be held within a further twenty-one days, the requisitionists, or any of them representing
more than one-half of the total voting rights of all of them, may themselves convene a general
meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of three months
after the expiration of the said 21 days. |
| (e) | A general meeting convened as aforesaid
by requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in
which general meetings are to be convened by Directors. |
Notice Of General Meetings
| 59. | At least ten (10) calendar days’ notice
shall be given for any general meeting. Every notice shall be exclusive of the day on which
it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall specify
the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business and
shall be given in the manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may
be prescribed by the Company, provided that a general meeting of the Company shall, whether
or not the notice specified in this Article has been given and whether or not the provisions
of these Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been
duly convened if it is so agreed: |
| (a) | in the case of an annual general meeting
by all the Members (or their proxies) entitled to attend and vote thereat; and |
| (b) | in the case of an extraordinary general
meeting by a majority in number of the Members (or their proxies) having a right to attend
and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than seventy five per
cent (75%) in par value of the Shares giving that right. |
| 60. | The accidental omission to give notice of
a meeting to or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any Shareholder shall not invalidate
the proceedings at any meeting. |
Proceedings At
General Meetings
| 61. | No business shall be transacted at any general
meeting without the consent of all Shareholders entitled to receive notice of that meeting
unless notice of such business has been given in the notice convening that meeting. |
| 62. | No business shall be transacted at any general
meeting unless a quorum of Members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business.
The holders of Shares being not less than an aggregate of one-third of all Shares in issue
present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall be a quorum for all purposes. |
| 63. | If within half an hour from the time appointed
for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of
Shareholders, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same
day in the next week, at the same time and place, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum
is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting the Shareholder
or Shareholders present and entitled to vote shall form a quorum. |
| 64. | If the Directors wish to make this facility
available for a specific general meeting or all general meetings of the Company, participation
in any general meeting of the Company may be by means of a telephone or similar communication
equipment by way of which all Persons participating in such meeting can communicate with
each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the
meeting. |
| 65. | The chairman, if any, of the Directors shall
preside as chairman at every general meeting of the Company. |
| 66. | If there is no such chairman, or if at any
general meeting he is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding
the meeting or is unwilling to act as chairman, any Director or Person nominated by the Directors
shall preside as chairman, failing which the Shareholders present in person or by proxy shall
choose any Person present to be chairman of that meeting. |
The chairman of the
general meeting may with the consent of any general meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn
a meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business
left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting, or adjourned meeting, is adjourned for fourteen
days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in the manner provided for the original meeting. Save as aforesaid, it shall
not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
| 67. | The Directors may cancel or postpone any duly
convened general meeting at any time prior to such meeting, except for general meetings requisitioned
by the Shareholders in accordance with these Articles, for any reason or for no reason, upon
notice in writing to Shareholders. A postponement may be for a stated period of any length
or indefinitely as the Directors may determine. |
| 68. | At any general meeting a resolution put to
the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before or
on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded by the chairman or one or
more Shareholders present in person or by proxy entitled to vote, and unless a poll is so
demanded, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried,
or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect
in the book of the proceedings of the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact,
without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of, or against,
that resolution. |
| 69. | If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken
in such manner as the chairman directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be
the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. |
| 70. | In the case of an equality of votes, whether
on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes
place or at which the poll is demanded, shall be entitled to a second or casting vote. |
| 71. | All questions submitted to a meeting shall
be decided by an Ordinary Resolution except where a greater majority is required by these
Articles or by the Law. A poll demanded on the election of a chairman of the meeting or on
a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question
shall be taken at such time as the chairman of the meeting directs. |
Votes Of shareholders
| 72. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for
the time being attached to any Share, on a show of hands every Shareholder present in person
and every Person representing a Shareholder by proxy (or, if a corporation or other non-natural person,
by its duly authorized representative or proxy) shall, at a general meeting or extraordinary
general meeting of the Company, each have one (1) vote and on a poll every Shareholder and
every Person representing a Shareholder by proxy (or, if a corporation or other non-natural person,
by its duly authorized representative or proxy) shall have one (1) vote for each Share of
which he or the Person represented by proxy is the holder. |
| 73. | In the case of joint holders the vote of the
senior who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy (or, if a corporation or other non-natural person,
by its duly authorized representative or proxy), shall be accepted to the exclusion of the
votes of the other joint holders and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the
order in which the names stand in the Register. |
| 74. | Shares carrying the right to vote are held
by a Shareholder of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court
having jurisdiction in lunacy, may be voted in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote
held by him, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his committee, or other Person in
the nature of a committee appointed by that court, and any such committee or other Person,
may vote in respect of such Shares by proxy. |
| 75. | No Shareholder shall be entitled to vote at
any general meeting of the Company unless he is registered as a Shareholder on the record
date for such meeting or unless all calls, if any, or other sums presently payable by him
in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him have been paid. |
| 76. | On a poll votes may be given either personally
or by proxy. |
| 77. | Each Shareholder, other than a recognised
clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)), may only appoint one
proxy on a show of hand and on a poll, each such proxy is under no obligation to cast all
his votes in the same way. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly
authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under Seal or under the hand of an Officer or attorney duly authorised.
A proxy need not be a Shareholder. On a poll a Shareholder entitled to more than one vote need not use all his votes or cast all his
votes in the same way. |
| 78. | An instrument appointing a proxy may be in
any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve and may be expressed
to be for a particular meeting or any adjournment thereof or generally until revoked. |
| 79. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be
deposited at the Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice
convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company: |
| (a) | not less than forty-eight (48) hours
before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in
the instrument proposes to vote; or |
| (b) | in the case of a poll taken more than
forty-eight (48) hours after it is demanded, be deposited as aforesaid after the poll has
been demanded and not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time appointed for the
taking of the poll; or |
| (c) | where the poll is not taken forthwith
but is taken not more than forty-eight (48) hours after it was demanded be delivered at the
meeting at which the poll was demanded to the chairman or to the secretary or to any director; |
provided that the Directors
may in the notice convening the meeting, or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, direct that the instrument appointing
a proxy may be deposited (no later than the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting) at the Registered Office or at such other
place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company. The
Chairman may in any event at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited. An instrument
of proxy that is not deposited in the manner permitted shall be invalid.
| 80. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be
deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll. |
| 81. | A resolution in writing signed by all the
Shareholders for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general
meetings of the Company (or being corporations by their duly authorised representatives)
shall be as valid and effective as if the same had been passed at a general meeting of the
Company duly convened and held. |
| 82. | Votes given in accordance with the terms of
an instrument of proxy, which has been deposited in accordance with Article 79, shall be
valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or revocation of the
proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed, or the transfer of the Share
in respect of which the proxy is given unless notice in writing of such death, insanity,
revocation or transfer was received by the Company at the Registered Office before the commencement
of the general meeting, or adjourned meeting at which it is sought to use the proxy. |
Corporations Acting
By Representatives At Meetings
| 83. | Any corporation which is a Shareholder or
a Director may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such Person
as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any meeting
of holders of a Class or of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, and the Person
so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation
which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were an individual Shareholder
or Director. |
clearing houses
| 84. | If a clearing house (or its nominee) is a
Member of the Company it may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by
power of attorney, authorise such person or persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative
or representatives at any general meeting of the Company or at any general meeting of any
class of Members of the Company provided that, if more than one person is so authorised,
the authorisation shall specify the number and class of Shares in respect of which each such
person is so authorised. A person so authorised pursuant to this Article shall be entitled
to exercise the same powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee) which he represents
as that clearing house (or its nominee) could exercise if it were an individual Member holding
the number and Class of Shares specified in such authorisation. |
Directors
85. | (a) | Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general
meeting, the number of Directors shall not be less than three Directors, the exact number of Directors to be determined from
time to time by the Board of Directors. |
| (b) | The Board of Directors shall have a Chairman
elected and appointed by a majority of the Directors then in office. The period for which
the Chairman will hold office will also be determined by a majority of all of the Directors
then in office. The Chairman shall preside as chairman at every meeting of the Board of Directors.
To the extent the Chairman is not present at a meeting of the Board of Directors within fifteen
minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, or if the Chairman is unable to or
unwilling to act as the chairman of a meeting of the Directors, the attending Directors may
choose one of their number to be the chairman of the meeting. |
| (c) | The Company may by Ordinary Resolution
appoint any Person to be a Director. |
| (d) | The Directors may by the affirmative vote
of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting, appoint
any person to be a Director either to fill a vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the
existing Board. |
| (e) | An appointment of a Director may be on
terms that the Director shall automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated
office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or
after any specified period in a written agreement between the Company and the Director, if
any; but no such term shall be implied in the absence of express provision. Each Director
whose term of office expires shall be eligible for re-election at a meeting of the Shareholders
or re-appointment by the Board. |
| 86. | A Director may be removed from office by Ordinary
Resolution of the Company, notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement
between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under
such agreement). A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the previous
sentence may be filled by Ordinary Resolution or by the affirmative vote of a simple majority
of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting. The notice of any meeting
at which a resolution to remove a Director shall be proposed or voted upon must contain a
statement of the intention to remove that Director and such notice must be served on that
Director not less than ten (10) calendar days before the meeting. Such Director is entitled
to attend the meeting and be heard on the motion for his removal. |
| 87. | The Board may, from time to time, and except
as required by applicable law or Designated Stock Exchange Rules, adopt, institute, amend,
modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives, which shall be intended
to set forth the policies of the Company and the Board on various corporate governance related
matters as the Board shall determine by resolution from time to time. |
| 88. | Subject to applicable law, Designated Stock
Exchange Rules and the Articles, the Board may establish any committee of the Board as it
deems appropriate from time to time, and committees of the Board shall have the rights,
powers and privileges delegated to such committees by the Board from time to time. |
| 89. | A Director shall not be required to hold any
Shares in the Company by way of qualification. A Director who is not a member of the Company
shall nevertheless be entitled to attend and speak at general meetings. |
| 90. | The remuneration of the Directors may be determined
by the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 91. | The Directors shall be entitled to be paid
their travelling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in going to, attending
and returning from meetings of the Directors, or any committee of the Directors, or general
meetings of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of the Company, or
to receive such fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be determined by the Directors
from time to time, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other. |
Alternate Director
| 92. | Any Director may in writing appoint another
Person to be his alternate and, save to the extent provided otherwise in the form of appointment,
such alternate shall have authority to sign written resolutions on behalf of the appointing
Director, but shall not be authorised to sign such written resolutions where they have been
signed by the appointing Director, and to act in such Director’s place at any meeting of
the Directors. Every such alternate shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings
of the Directors as the alternate of the Director appointing him and where he is a Director
to have a separate vote in addition to his own vote. A Director may at any time in
writing revoke the appointment of an alternate appointed by him. Such alternate shall
not be an Officer solely as a result of his appointment as an alternate other than in respect
of such times as the alternate acts as a Director. The remuneration of such alternate
shall be payable out of the remuneration of the Director appointing him and the proportion
thereof shall be agreed between them. |
Powers And Duties
Of Directors
| 93. | Subject to the Companies Law, these Articles
and to any resolutions passed in a general meeting, the business of the Company shall be
managed by the Directors, who may pay all expenses incurred in setting up and registering
the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company. No resolution passed by the Company
in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors that would have been valid
if that resolution had not been passed. |
| 94. | Subject to Article 122, the Directors may
from time to time appoint any Person, whether or not a Director to hold such office in the
Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including
but not limited to, chief executive officers, one or more other executive officers, the office
of president, one or more vice-presidents, treasurer, assistant treasurer, manager or controller,
and for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary or commission or participation
in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers and duties as
the Directors may think fit. Any Person so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the
Directors. The Directors may also appoint one or more of their number to the office of managing
director upon like terms, but any such appointment shall ipso facto terminate if any managing
director ceases from any cause to be a Director, or if the Company by Ordinary Resolution
resolves that his tenure of office be terminated. |
| 95. | The Directors may appoint any Person to be
a Secretary (and if need be an assistant Secretary or assistant Secretaries) who shall hold
office for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions and with such powers
as they think fit. Any Secretary or assistant Secretary so appointed by the Directors may
be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 96. | The Directors may delegate any of their powers
to committees consisting of such member or members of their body as they think fit; any committee
so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that
may be imposed on it by the Directors. |
| 97. | The Directors may from time to time and at
any time by power of attorney (whether under Seal or under hand) or otherwise appoint any
company, firm or Person or body of Persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the
Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys or authorised signatory (any such person being
an “Attorney” or “Authorised Signatory”, respectively)
of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretion (not exceeding
those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period
and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such power of attorney or other
appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of Persons dealing
with any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory as the Directors may think fit, and may also
authorise any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory to delegate all or any of the powers,
authorities and discretion vested in him. |
| 98. | The Directors may from time to time provide
for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and
the provisions contained in the three next following Articles shall not limit the general
powers conferred by this Article. |
| 99. | The Directors from time to time and at any
time may establish any committees, local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs
of the Company and may appoint any Person to be a member of such committees or local boards
and may appoint any managers or agents of the Company and may fix the remuneration of any
such Person. |
| 100. | The Directors from time to time and at any
time may delegate to any such committee, local board, manager or agent any of the powers,
authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise
the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill any vacancies
therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be
made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the
Directors may at any time remove any Person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation,
but no Person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation
shall be affected thereby. |
| 101. | Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised
by the Directors to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretion for
the time being vested in them. |
| 102. | The Directors may agree with a Shareholder
to waive or modify the terms applicable to such Shareholder’s subscription for Shares without
obtaining the consent of any other Shareholder; provided that such waiver or modification
does not amount to a variation or abrogation of the rights attaching to the Shares of such
other Shareholders. |
Borrowing Powers
Of Directors
| 103. | The Directors may from time to time at their
discretion exercise all the powers of the Company to raise or borrow money and to mortgage
or charge its undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital
or any part thereof, or to otherwise provide for a security interest to be taken in such
undertaking, property or uncalled capital, and to issue debentures, debenture stock, bonds
and other securities, whether outright or as collateral, whenever money is borrowed or as
security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party. |
The Seal
| 104. | The Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument
except by the authority of a resolution of the Directors provided always that such authority
may be given prior to or after the affixing of the Seal and if given after may be in general
form confirming a number of affixings of the Seal. The Seal shall be affixed in the presence
of a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or
more Persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose and every Person as aforesaid shall sign
every instrument to which the Seal is so affixed in their presence. |
| 105. | The Company may maintain a facsimile of the
Seal in such countries or places as the Directors may appoint and such facsimile Seal shall
not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Directors
provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of such facsimile
Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of such facsimile
Seal. The facsimile Seal shall be affixed in the presence of such Person or Persons as the
Directors shall for this purpose appoint and such Person or Persons as aforesaid shall sign
every instrument to which the facsimile Seal is so affixed in their presence and such affixing
of the facsimile Seal and signing as aforesaid shall have the same meaning and effect as
if the Seal had been affixed in the presence of and the instrument signed by a Director or
a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or more Persons as
the Directors may appoint for the purpose. |
| 106. | Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Secretary
or any assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix the Seal, or the facsimile Seal,
to any instrument for the purposes of attesting authenticity of the matter contained therein
but which does not create any obligation binding on the Company. |
Disqualification
Of Directors
| 107. | The office of Director shall be vacated,
if the Director: |
| (a) | becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement
or composition with his creditors; |
| (b) | dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound
mind; |
| (c) | resigns his office by notice in writing
to the Company; or |
| (d) | is prohibited by any applicable Law or
Designated Stock Exchange Rules from being a Director; |
| (e) | without special leave of absence from
the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for three consecutive meetings and the Board
resolves that his office be vacated;; or |
| (f) | is removed from office pursuant to any
other provision of these Articles. |
Proceedings Of
Directors
| 108. | The Directors may meet together (either within
or outside the Cayman Islands) for the despatch of business, adjourn, and otherwise regulate
their meetings and proceedings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall
be decided by a majority of votes of the Directors present at a meeting. At any meeting of
the Directors, each Director present in person or represented by his alternate shall be entitled
to one vote. In case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting
vote. A Director may, and a Secretary or assistant Secretary on the requisition of a Director
shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors. |
| 109. | A Director may participate in any meeting
of the Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Directors of which such Director is
a member, by means of telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all Persons
participating in such meeting can communicate with each other and such participation shall
be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting. |
| 110. | The quorum necessary for the transaction
of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors, and unless so fixed, if there
be two or more Directors the quorum shall be two, and if there be one Director the quorum
shall be one. A Director represented by an alternate Director at any meeting shall be deemed
to be present for the purposes of determining whether or not a quorum is present. |
| 111. | A Director who is in any way, whether directly
or indirectly, interested in a contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction
with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the Directors.
A general notice given to the Directors by any Director to the effect that he is a member
of any specified company or firm or is to be regarded as interested in any contract or other
arrangement which may thereafter be made with that company or firm shall be deemed a sufficient
declaration of interest in regard to any contract so made. Subject to the Designated Stock
Exchange Rules and disqualification by the chairman of the relevant Board meeting, a
Director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement notwithstanding
that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote shall be counted and he may
be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the Directors at which any such contract or proposed
contract or arrangement shall come before the meeting for consideration. |
| 112. | A Director may hold any other office or place
of profit under the Company (other than the office of auditor) in conjunction with his office
of Director for such period and on such terms (as to remuneration and otherwise) as the Directors
may determine and no Director or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from
contracting with the Company either with regard to his tenure of any such other office or
place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or arrangement
entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director is in any way interested,
be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be
liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or arrangement
by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established.
A Director, notwithstanding his interest, may be counted in the quorum present at any meeting
of the Directors whereat he or any other Director is appointed to hold any such office or
place of profit under the Company or whereat the terms of any such appointment are arranged
and he may vote on any such appointment or arrangement. |
| 113. | Any Director may act by himself or his firm
in a professional capacity for the Company, and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration
for professional services as if he were not a Director; provided that nothing herein contained
shall authorise a Director or his firm to act as auditor to the Company. |
| 114. | The Directors shall cause minutes to be made
in books or loose-leaf folders provided for the purpose of recording: |
| (a) | all appointments of Officers made by the
Directors; |
| (b) | the names of the Directors present at
each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; and |
| (c) | all resolutions and proceedings at all
meetings of the Company, and of the Directors and of committees of Directors. |
| 115. | When the chairman of a meeting of the Directors
signs the minutes of such meeting the same shall be deemed to have been duly held notwithstanding
that all the Directors have not actually come together or that there may have been a technical
defect in the proceedings. |
| 116. | A resolution in writing signed by all the
Directors or all the members of a committee of Directors entitled to receive notice of a
meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be (an alternate Director,
subject as provided otherwise in the terms of appointment of the alternate Director, being
entitled to sign such a resolution on behalf of his appointer), shall be as valid and effectual
as if it had been passed at a duly called and constituted meeting of Directors or committee
of Directors, as the case may be. When signed a resolution may consist of several documents
each signed by one or more of the Directors or his duly appointed alternate. |
| 117. | The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding
any vacancy in their body but if and for so long as their number is reduced below the number
fixed by or pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors, the continuing
Directors may act for the purpose of increasing the number, or of summoning a general meeting
of the Company, but for no other purpose. |
| 118. | The Directors may elect a chairman of their
meetings and determine the period for which he is to hold office but if no such chairman
is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen minutes after
the time appointed for holding the meeting, or if the Chairman is unable to or unwilling
to act as the chairman, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman
of the meeting. |
| 119. | Subject to any regulations imposed on it
by the Directors, a committee appointed by the Directors may elect a chairman of its meetings.
If no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen
minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or if the Chairman is unable to
or unwilling to act as the chairman, the committee members present may choose one of their
number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| 120. | A committee appointed by the Directors may
meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors,
questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the committee
members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting
vote. |
| 121. | All acts done by any meeting of the Directors
or of a committee of Directors, or by any Person acting as a Director, shall notwithstanding
that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such
Director or Person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be
as valid as if every such Person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a Director. |
presumption of
assent
| 122. | A Director of the Company who is present
at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall
be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the
Minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such action with
the person acting as the chairman or secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof
or shall forward such dissent by registered post to such person immediately after the adjournment
of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of
such action. |
Dividends
| 123. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for
the time being attached to any Shares, or as otherwise provided for in the Companies Law
and these Articles, the Directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim
dividends) and other distributions on Shares in issue and authorise payment of the same out
of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. |
| 124. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for
the time being attached to any Shares, the Company by Ordinary Resolution may declare dividends,
but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors. |
| 125. | The Directors may determine, before recommending
or declaring any dividend, to set aside out of the funds legally available for distribution
such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall, in the absolute discretion
of the Directors, be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends or
for any other purpose to which those funds may be properly applied and pending such application
may in the absolute discretion of the Directors, either be employed in the business of the
Company or be invested in such investments as the Directors may from time to time think fit. |
| 126. | Any dividend may be paid in any manner as
the Directors may determine. If paid by cheque it will be sent through the post to the registered
address of the Shareholder or Person entitled thereto, or in the case of joint holders, to
any one of such joint holders at his registered address or to such Person and such address
as the Shareholder or Person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct.
Every such cheque shall be made payable to the order of the Person to whom it is sent or
to the order of such other Person as the Shareholder or Person entitled, or such joint holders
as the case may be, may direct. |
| 127. | The Directors when paying dividends to the
Shareholders in accordance with the foregoing provisions of these Articles may make such
payment either in cash or in specie and may determine the extent to which amounts may be
withheld therefrom (including, without limitation, any taxes, fees, expenses or other liabilities
for which a Shareholder (or the Company, as a result of any action or inaction of the Shareholder)
is liable). |
| 128. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for
the time being attached to any Shares, all dividends shall be declared and paid according
to the amounts paid up on the Shares, but if and for so long as nothing is paid up on any
of the Shares dividends may be declared and paid according to the par value of the Shares.
No amount paid on a Share in advance of calls shall, while carrying interest, be treated
for the purposes of this Article as paid on the Share. |
| 129. | If several Persons are registered as joint
holders of any Share, any of them may give effectual receipts for any dividend or other moneys
payable on or in respect of the Share. |
| 130. | No dividend shall bear interest against the
Company. |
| 131. | Any dividend unclaimed after a period of
six calendar years from the date of declaration of such dividend may be forfeited by the
Board of Directors and, if so forfeited, shall revert to the Company. |
Accounts, Audit
and annual return and declaration
| 132. | The books of account relating to the Company’s
affairs shall be kept in such manner as may be determined from time to time by the Directors. |
| 133. | The books of account shall be kept at the
Office, or at such other place or places as the Directors think fit, and shall always be
open to the inspection of the Directors. |
| 134. | The Directors may from time to time determine
whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations
the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Shareholders
not being Directors, and no Shareholder (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting
any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by
the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 135. | The accounts relating to the Company’s
affairs shall be audited in such manner and with such financial year end as may be determined
from time to time by the Directors or failing any determination as aforesaid shall not be
audited. |
| 136. | The Directors may appoint an Auditor of the
Company who shall hold office until removed from office by a resolution of the Directors
and may fix his or their remuneration. |
| 137. | Every Auditor of the Company shall have a
right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall
be entitled to require from the Directors and Officers of the Company such information and
explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors. |
| 138. | Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors,
make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next annual
general meeting following their appointment, and at any time during their term of office,
upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members. |
| 139. | The Directors in each year shall prepare,
or cause to be prepared, an annual return and declaration setting forth the particulars required
by the Companies Law and deliver a copy thereof to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman
Islands. |
Capitalisation
Of reserves
| 140. | Subject to the Companies Law and these Articles,
the Directors may: |
| (a) | resolve to capitalise an amount standing
to the credit of reserves (including a Share Premium Account, capital redemption reserve
and profit and loss account), whether or not available for distribution; |
| (b) | appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised
to the Shareholders in proportion to the nominal amount of Shares (whether or not fully paid)
held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards: |
| (i) | paying up the amounts (if any) for the time
being unpaid on Shares held by them respectively, or |
| (ii) | paying up in full unissued Shares or debentures
of a nominal amount equal to that sum, |
and
allot the Shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the Shareholders (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in
one way and partly in the other, but the Share Premium Account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for
distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued Shares to be allotted to Shareholders credited
as fully paid;
| (c) | make any arrangements they think fit to
resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular,
without limitation, where Shares or debentures become distributable in fractions the Directors
may deal with the fractions as they think fit; |
| (d) | authorise a Person to enter (on behalf
of all the Shareholders concerned) into an agreement with the Company providing for either: |
| (i) | the allotment to the Shareholders respectively,
credited as fully paid, of Shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation,
or |
| (ii) | the payment by the Company on behalf of
the Shareholders (by the application of their respective proportions of the reserves resolved
to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing
Shares, |
and any such agreement made under this
authority being effective and binding on all those Shareholders; and
| (e) | generally do all acts and things required
to give effect to any of the actions contemplated by this Article. |
| 141. | Notwithstanding any provisions in these Articles,
the Directors may resolve to capitalise any sum standing to the credit of any of the Company’s
reserve accounts or funds (including the Share Premium Account and capital redemption reserve
fund) or any sum standing to the credit of the profit and loss account or otherwise available
for distribution by applying such sum in paying up in full unissued Shares to be allotted
and issued to: |
| (a). | employees (including Directors) or service
providers of the Company or its Affiliates upon exercise or vesting of any options or awards
granted under any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement
which relates to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Directors or the Members; |
| (b). | any trustee of any trust or administrator
of any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme to whom shares are to be allotted
and issued by the Company in connection with the operation of any share incentive scheme
or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates to such persons that has been
adopted or approved by the Directors or Members; or |
| (a) | any depositary of the Company for the
purposes of the issue, allotment and delivery by the depositary of ADSs to employees (including
Directors) or service providers of the Company or its Affiliates upon exercise
or vesting of any options or awards granted under any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates
to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Directors or the Members. |
Share Premium
Account
| 142. | The Directors shall in accordance with the
Companies Law establish a Share Premium Account and shall carry to the credit of such account
from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of
any Share. |
| 143. | There shall be debited to any Share Premium
Account on the redemption or purchase of a Share the difference between the nominal value
of such Share and the redemption or purchase price provided always that at the determination
of the Directors such sum may be paid out of the profits of the Company or, if permitted
by the Companies Law, out of capital. |
Notices
| 144. | Except as otherwise provided in these Articles,
any notice or document may be served by the Company or by the Person entitled to give notice
to any Shareholder either personally, or by posting it airmail or air courier service in
a prepaid letter addressed to such Shareholder at his address as appearing in the Register,
or by electronic mail to any electronic mail address such Shareholder may have specified
in writing for the purpose of such service of notices, or by facsimile or by placing it on
the Company’s Website should the Directors deem it appropriate provided that the Company
shall notify the Shareholders of the placement of such notice by any of the means set out
above. In the case of joint holders of a Share, all notices shall be given to that one of
the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the joint holding,
and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders. |
| 145. | Notices posted to addresses outside the Cayman
Islands shall be forwarded by prepaid airmail. |
| 146. | Any Shareholder present, either personally
or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have received
due notice of such meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which such meeting was
convened. |
| 147. | Any notice or other document, if served by: |
| (a) | post, shall be deemed to have been served
five days after the time when the letter containing the same is posted; |
| (b) | facsimile, shall be deemed to have been
served upon production by the transmitting facsimile machine of a report confirming transmission
of the facsimile in full to the facsimile number of the recipient; |
| (c) | recognised courier service, shall be deemed
to have been served 48 hours after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered
to the courier service; or |
| (d) | electronic mail, shall be deemed to have
been served immediately upon the time of the transmission by electronic mail. |
In proving service by post or courier
service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or
delivered to the courier service.
| 148. | Any notice or document delivered or sent
by post to or left at the registered address of any Shareholder in accordance with the terms
of these Articles shall notwithstanding that such Shareholder be then dead or bankrupt, and
whether or not the Company has notice of his death or bankruptcy, be deemed to have been
duly served in respect of any Share registered in the name of such Shareholder as sole or
joint holder, unless his name shall at the time of the service of the notice or document,
have been removed from the Register as the holder of the Share, and such service shall for all
purposes be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on all Persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through
or under him) in the Share. |
| 149. | Notice of every general meeting of the Company
shall be given to: |
| (a) | all Shareholders holding Shares with the
right to receive notice and who have supplied to the Company an address for the giving of
notices to them; and |
| (b) | every Person entitled to a Share in consequence
of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder, who but for his death or bankruptcy would be
entitled to receive notice of the meeting. |
No other
Person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
Information
| 150. | No Member shall be entitled to require discovery
of any information in respect of any detail of the Company’s trading or any information
which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to
the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Board would not
be in the interests of the Members of the Company to communicate to the public. |
| 151. | The Board shall be entitled to release or
disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its
affairs to any of its Members including, without limitation, information contained in the
Register and transfer books of the Company. |
Indemnity
| 152. | Every Director (including for the purposes
of this Article any alternate Director appointed pursuant to the provisions of these Articles),
Secretary, assistant Secretary, or other Officer (but not including the Company’s auditors)
and the personal representatives of the same (each an “Indemnified
Person”) shall be indemnified and secured harmless against all actions, proceedings,
costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such Indemnified
Person, other than by reason of such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default
or fraud as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, in or about the conduct of the
Company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the
execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without
prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities
incurred by such Indemnified Person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any
civil proceedings concerning the Company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman
Islands or elsewhere. |
| 153. | No Indemnified Person shall be liable: |
| (a) | for the acts, receipts, neglects, defaults
or omissions of any other Director or Officer or agent of the Company; or |
| (b) | for any loss on account of defect of title
to any property of the Company; or |
| (c) | on account of the insufficiency of any
security in or upon which any money of the Company shall be invested; or |
| (d) | for any loss incurred through any bank,
broker or other similar Person; or |
| (e) | for any loss occasioned by any negligence,
default, breach of duty, breach of trust, error of judgement or oversight on such Indemnified
Person’s part; or |
| (f) | for any loss, damage or misfortune whatsoever
which may happen in or arise from the execution or discharge of the duties, powers, authorities,
or discretions of such Indemnified Person’s office or in relation thereto; |
unless the same shall happen through
such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Financial Year
| 154. | Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe,
the financial year of the Company shall end on December 31st in each year and
shall begin on January 1st in each year. |
Non-Recognition
Of Trusts
| 155. | No Person shall be recognised by the Company
as holding any Share upon any trust and the Company shall not, unless required by law, be
bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable,
contingent, future or partial interest in any Share or (except only as otherwise provided
by these Articles or as the Companies Law requires) any other right in respect of any Share
except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in each Shareholder registered in the Register. |
Winding Up
| 156. | If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator
may, with the sanction of a Special Resolution of the Company and any other sanction required
by the Companies Law, divide amongst the Members in kind the whole or any part of the assets
of the Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for
that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between
the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like sanction,
vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of
the Members as the liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no Member
shall be compelled to accept any asset upon which there is a liability. |
| 157. | If the Company shall be wound up, and the
assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be insufficient to repay the
whole of the share capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be,
the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the par value of the Shares held
by them. If in a winding up the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall
be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the
winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst the Members in proportion to the par
value of the Shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up subject to a deduction
from those Shares in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to the
Company for unpaid calls or otherwise. This Article is without prejudice to the rights of
the holders of Shares issued upon special terms and conditions. |
Amendment Of Articles
Of Association
| 158. | Subject to the Companies Law and the rights
attaching to the various Classes, the Company may at any time and from time to time by Special
Resolution alter or amend these Articles in whole or in part. |
Closing of register
or fixing record date
| 159. | For the purpose of determining those Shareholders
that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of Shareholders or
any adjournment thereof, or those Shareholders that are entitled to receive payment of any
dividend, or in order to make a determination as to who is a Shareholder for any other purpose,
the Directors may provide that the Register shall be closed for transfers for a stated period
which shall not exceed in any case 30 days. If the Register shall be so closed for the purpose
of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote
at a meeting of Shareholders the Register shall be so closed for at least ten days immediately preceding
such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register. |
| 160. | In lieu of or apart from closing the Register,
the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of
those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of
the Shareholders and for the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled
to receive payment of any dividend the Directors may, at or within 90 days prior to the date
of declaration of such dividend, fix a subsequent date as the record date for such determination. |
| 161. | If the Register is not so closed and no record
date is fixed for the determination of those Shareholders entitled to receive notice of,
attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders or those Shareholders that are entitled to receive
payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is posted or the date on which
the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall
be the record date for such determination of Shareholders. When a determination of those
Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders
has been made as provided in this Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment
thereof. |
Registration By
Way Of Continuation
| 162. | The Company may by Special Resolution resolve
to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands or such
other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing.
In furtherance of a resolution adopted pursuant to this Article, the Directors may cause
an application to be made to the Registrar of Companies to deregister the Company in the
Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated,
registered or existing and may cause all such further steps as they consider appropriate
to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company. |
disclosure
| 163. | The Directors, or any service providers (including
the Officers, the Secretary and the registered office agent of the Company) specifically
authorised by the Directors, shall be entitled to disclose to any regulatory or judicial
authority or to any stock exchange on which securities of the Company may from time to time
be listed any information regarding the affairs of the Company including without limitation
information contained in the Register and books of the Company. |
27
Exhibit 99.1
CNFinance Announces Change of Name and the Results
of its Extraordinary General Meeting
GUANGZHOU, China, November 29, 2024/PRNewswire/
-- CNFinance Holdings Limited (NYSE: CNF) (“CNFinance” or the “Company”), a leading home equity loan service provider
in China, today announced the results of its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders held at 44/F, Tower G, NO. 16 Zhujiang Dong
Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, at 10:00 AM (Hong Kong time) on November
29, 2024.
At the extraordinary general meeting, each of
the following resolutions submitted for shareholder approval was adopted, and after the adoption of the proposed resolutions, all corporate
authorizations and actions contemplated thereunder were approved:
(i) As a Special Resolution that the name of the
Company be changed from “CNFinance Holdings Limited 泛華金融控股有限公司”
to “CNFinance Holdings Limited 深泛联控股有限公司”
(the “Change of Name”) and as an Ordinary Resolution, each of the directors and officers of the Company be authorized
to make filings, take any and all action that might be necessary, appropriate or desirable to effect the foregoing resolution as such
director or officer, in his or her absolute discretion, thinks fit;
(ii) As a Special Resolution, in connection with the Change of Name,
that the existing Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company be and are hereby replaced in their entirety
with the Second Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, a copy of which is annexed to the notice of extraordinary
general meeting.
The Change of Name will take effect on or around
November 29, 2024. The Company’s ISIN and CUSIP codes will remain unchanged. Shareholders are not required to take any specific
action regarding the above changes.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the
“safe harbor” provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will”, “expects”,
“anticipates”, “future”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “estimates”,
“confident” and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed
with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written
materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical
facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and
risks include, but not limited to the following: its goals and strategies, its ability to achieve and maintain profitability, its ability
to retain existing borrowers and attract new borrowers, its ability to maintain and enhance the relationship and business collaboration
with its trust company partners and to secure sufficient funding from them, the effectiveness of its risk assessment process and risk
management system, its ability to maintain low delinquency ratios for loans it originated, fluctuations in general economic and business
conditions in China, and relevant government laws, regulations, rules, policies or guidelines relating to the Company’s corporate
structure, business and industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release,
and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
About CNFinance Holdings Limited
CNFinance Holdings Limited (NYSE: CNF) (“CNFinance”
or the “Company”) is a leading home equity loan service provider in China. CNFinance, through its operating subsidiaries
in China, conducts business by connecting demands and supplies through collaborating with sales partners and trust companies under the
trust lending model, and sales partners, local channel partners and commercial banks under the commercial bank partnership model. Sales
partners and local channel partners are responsible for recommending micro- and small-enterprise (“MSE”) owners with
financing needs to the Company and the Company introduces eligible borrowers to licensed financial institutions with sufficient funding
sources including trust companies and commercial banks who will then conduct their own risk assessments and make credit decisions. The
Company’s primary target borrower segment is MSE owners who own real properties in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities and other major cities
in China. The Company’s risk mitigation mechanism is embedded in the design of its loan products, supported by an integrated online
and offline process focusing on risks of both borrowers and collateral and further enhanced by effective post-loan management procedures.
For more information, please contact:
CNFinance
E-mail: ir@cashchina.cn
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