Press release
ASA International Group plc announces result of Annual General Meeting
London, United Kingdom / Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 20 June 2024 - ASA International Group plc (LSE: ASAI) ('ASA International', the 'Company' or the 'Group'), one of the world's largest international microfinance institutions, today held its Annual General Meeting ('AGM') at the offices of Cavendish Capital Markets, 1 Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7BL, United Kingdom, at 11.00am BST.
Each of the resolutions contained in the Notice of Meeting was put to the AGM and voted on by way of a poll. All were duly approved.
As stated in the Company's AGM Notice and under Listing Rule 9.2.2.E, a resolution to elect or re-elect an Independent Director must be passed by both a majority of the independent shareholders (i.e. shareholders of the Company who are entitled to vote on the election of Directors and who are not controlling shareholders) and a majority of all shareholders (including the majority shareholder). In order to determine this, votes cast by the independent shareholders were counted separately in respect of the election of Guy Dawson, Hanny Kemna, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, and Chris Low and are set out below.
The total number of votes received on each resolution put to the AGM was as follows:
| No. |
Resolution |
Votes FOR (a) |
% |
Votes AGAINST |
% |
Votes WITHHELD (b) |
|
| 1 |
Receive 2023 Annual Report and Financial Statements |
83,652,902 |
98.83 |
992,697 |
1.17 |
0 |
|
| 2 |
Approve Annual Report on Remuneration |
80,371,145 |
94.95 |
4,274,454 |
5.05 |
0 |
|
| 3 |
Elect Guy Dawson as a Director |
All Independent |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
| 38,306,655 |
99.97 |
10,000 |
0.03 |
0 |
|||
| 4 |
Elect Karin Kersten as a Director |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
|
| 5 |
Elect Dirk Brouwer as a Director |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
|
| 6 |
Elect Hanny Kemna as a Director |
All Independent |
84,630,004 |
99.98 |
15,595 |
0.02 |
0 |
| 38,301,060 |
99.96 |
15,595 |
0.04 |
0 |
|||
| 7 |
Elect Salehuddin Ahmed as a Director |
All Independent |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
| 38,306,655 |
99.97 |
10,000 |
0.03 |
0 |
|||
| 8 |
Elect Chris Low as a Director |
All Independent |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
| 38,306,655 |
99.97 |
10,000 |
0.03 |
0 |
|||
| 9 |
Re-appoint Ernst & Young LLP as Auditor |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
|
| 10 |
Authorise Audit & Risk Committee to approve Auditor remuneration |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
|
| 11 |
Authorise Directors to allot shares |
81,697,999 |
96.52 |
2,947,600 |
3.48 |
0 |
|
| 12 |
Authority to disapply pre-emption rights (up to 5% of issued share capital) (c) |
84,635,599 |
99.99 |
10,000 |
0.01 |
0 |
|
| 13 |
Authority to disapply pre-emption rights in connection with specific acquisition/ investment (further 5% of issued share capital) (c) |
84,632,745 |
99.98 |
12,854 |
0.02 |
0 |
|
| 14 |
Authority to purchase own shares (c) |
84,632,745 |
99.98 |
12,854 |
0.02 |
0 |
|
| 15 |
Authority to call General Meetings (except AGMs) by notice of not less than 14 days (c) |
82,675,101 |
97.67 |
1,970,498 |
2.33 |
0 |
|
| 16 |
Approval of waiver given by the Takeover Panel regarding Rule 9 of the Takeover Code (in the event of a share buyback) |
36,974,206 |
96.50 |
1,342,449 |
3.50 |
2 |
|
| 17 |
Approval of waiver given by the Takeover Panel regarding Rule 9 of the Takeover Code (in the event of a share option exercise under the LTIP) |
36,974,206 |
96.50 |
1,342,449 |
3.50 |
2 |
|
NOTES:
(a) The "For" proxy vote includes those giving the Chairman discretion.
(b) A vote "Withheld" is not a vote in law and is not counted in the calculation of the proxy votes "For" or "Against" the resolution.
(c) Special resolution .
The total number of ordinary shares in issue on 18 June 2024, the deadline for casting votes by proxy in advance of the AGM, was 100,000,000 shares. 84.65% of voting capital, including votes withheld, was instructed in respect of the resolutions put to the AGM.
The full text of the resolutions can be found in the Notice of Annual General Meeting, which is available on the Company's website at https://www.asa-international.com/investors/shareholder-information/agm/ In accordance with the UK Listing Authority's Listing Rule 9.6.2, copies of all the resolutions passed by the Company's shareholders, other than ordinary business will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism
Enquiries:
ASA International Group plc
Head of Investor Relations
Mischa Assink
About ASA International Group plc
ASA International is one of the world's largest international microfinance institutions, with a strong commitment to financial inclusion and socioeconomic progress. The company provides small, socially responsible loans to low-income, financially underserved entrepreneurs, predominantly women, across South Asia, South East Asia, West and East Africa.