The combined annual general meeting of Arkema’s shareholders was held on 20 May 2021, at the Company’s headquarters in Colombes, France, under the chairmanship of Thierry Le Hénaff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and health measures decided by the French government, the shareholders’ meeting was again held behind closed doors, without the physical presence of shareholders and was broadcast live and in full on the Company’s website www.arkema.com.
Around its Chairman, the Bureau was assembled with a secretary of the meeting and two scrutineers, Fonds Stratégique de Participations and FCPE Arkema Actionnariat France, appointed among the ten shareholders holding the most important number of voting rights at the date of the convening notice.
Representing a quorum of 74.34%, the shareholders approved all the resolutions recommended by the Board of Directors, including among others:
- the approval of the 2020 financial statements and distribution of a dividend of €2.50 per share which will be paid from 28 May 2021;
- the appointment as directors, for a four-year term, of Ilse Henne, Thierry Pilenko and Bpifrance Investissement represented by Sébastien Moynot ;
- the compensation policy of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer as well as the components of compensation due or awarded to him for the year ended 31 December 2020;
- the compensation policy of non-executive directors, other than the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and the information relating to the compensation of directors in 2020;
- the authorization granted to the Board of Directors to carry out a share buyback program; and
- the aproval of the updating of the Company’s Articles of Association in accordance with new legal provisions in force
This annual general meeting was an opportunity to review the achievements and announcements which marked 2020, the Group’s robust financial performance in view of the Covid-19 context and in particular the good resilience of its Specialty Materials, as well as the very good start to 2021. It was also an opportunity to present the significant breakthroughs regarding the implementation of the strategic roadmap toward sustainable and innovative Specialty Materials, notably the dynamic related to innovation and new business development, industrial start-ups, as well as acquisitions and divestments.
The Group’s strong commitment and continuous progress in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility were also highlighted during this general meeting.
Lastly, Thierry Morin, Chairman of the Nominating Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee, presented the Company’s latest developments in corporate governance matter, with the continued implementation of best practices in this area, and the creation of the Innovation and Sustainable Growth Committee.
The full results of the vote as well as the recording for replay of the shareholders’ meeting will be available in the coming days on the Company’s website www.arkema.com.