THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX, AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR
DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO
OR FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERCIA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG,
JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, OR SINGAPORE,
NOR IS IT TO BE TRANSMITTED OR DISTRIBUTED TO, OR SENT BY, ANY
NATIONAL OR RESIDENT OR CITIZEN OF ANY SUCH COUNTRIES OR OF ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR
DISTRIBUTION MAY CONTRAVENE LOCAL SECURITIES LAWS OR REGULATIONS.
PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICES AT THE END OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX, IS NOT AN ADMISSION DOCUMENT
OR A PROSPECTUS AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY,
ACQUIRE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR (OR THE SOLICIATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY,
ACQUIRE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR) ANY SECURITIES WHERE SUCH OFFER WOULD
BREACH ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. IN PARTICULAR, THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX, DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR
CONTAIN ANY INVITATION, SOLICITATION OR OFFER TO ANY PERSON WITH A
REGISTERED ADDRESS IN, LOCATED IN, OR WHO IS A RESIDENT OF, THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERCIA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW
ZEALAND, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, SINGAPORE, OR ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH INVITATION, SOLICITATION OR OFFER WOULD
BE UNLAWFUL OR CONTRAVENE ANY REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH
JURISDICTION.
INVESTORS
SHOULD NOT PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR ANY TRANSFERABLE SECURITIES
REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR SHOULD THEY RELY ON THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH ANY CONTRACT OR COMMITMENT
WHATSOEVER EXCEPT IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS ON
THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION IN THE ADMISSION DOCUMENT TO BE
PUBLISHED BY THE COMPANY IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION AND THE
PLACING OF ORDINARY SHARES BY THE COMPANY AND THE PROPOSED
READMISSION OF ITS THEN ISSUED ORDINARY SHARES TO TRADING ON AIM, A
MARKET OPERATED BY LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE PLC. BEFORE ANY PURCHASE
OR SUBSCRIPTION OF SHARES, PERSONS VIEWING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD
ENSURE THAT THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE RISKS WHICH ARE
SET OUT HEREIN AND WILL BE SET OUT IN THE ADMISSION DOCUMENT WHEN
PUBLISHED.
COPIES OF THE
ADMSSION DOCUMENT WILL, FOLLOWING PUBLICATION, BE AVAILABLE DURING
NORMAL BUSINESS HOUSES ON ANY DAY (EXCEPT SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AND
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS) FROM THE REGISTERED OFFICE OF THE COMPANY AND ON
THE COMPANY'S WEBSITE.
THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE
MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (596/2014/EU) AS IT FORMS PART OF UK
DOMESTIC LAW PURSUANT TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018,
AS AMENDED ("MAR").
Greatland
Gold plc (AIM: GGP)
E: info@greatlandgold.com
W: https://greatlandgold.com
:
twitter.com/greatlandgold
NEWS RELEASE
| 10 September
2024
Transformational Acquisition
of Havieron and Telfer
Underwritten US$325 million
Placing and Proposed Retail Offer
of up to ~US$9 million
Publication of AIM Admission
Document and Notice of General Meeting
Greatland Gold plc (AIM:GGP) (Greatland or the Company) and certain of its wholly
owned subsidiaries have entered into a binding agreement with
certain Newmont Corporation subsidiaries (Newmont) to acquire, subject to certain
conditions being satisfied, a 70% ownership interest in the
Havieron gold-copper project (Havieron) (consolidating Greatland's
ownership of Havieron to 100%), 100% ownership of the Telfer
gold-copper mine (Telfer),
and other related interests in assets in the Paterson region
(together, the Target
Assets) (the Acquisition).
The Company has agreed to acquire the Target Assets
for total consideration and debt repayment of up to US$475 million
(before adjustments), comprising:
§ US$207.5 million cash,
including US$155.1 million Acquisition consideration (subject to
certain adjustments) and a US$52.4 million repayment of the
outstanding Havieron joint venture loan;
§ US$167.5 million in the
form of 2,669,182,291 new Greatland shares to be issued to Newmont
at the Issue Price (as defined below); and
§ up to US$100 million in
deferred cash consideration.
Completion of the Acquisition is subject to the
satisfaction of certain conditions precedent described in the
"Further Information" section at the end of this announcement.
Completion of the Acquisition is targeted to occur during Q4
2024.
The Company has published an admission document in
relation to the Acquisition and Readmission (as defined below) (the
Admission Document) that is
available on the Company's website at https://greatlandgold.com/investors/regulatory-news/
to persons within permitted jurisdictions.
The Company has therefore requested the restoration
of trading in the Company's securities on AIM, which is expected to
take place at 7.30 am, 11 September 2024
Transaction
rationale
The acquisition of Havieron and
Telfer is a highly accretive and strategically compelling
transaction that has the potential to deliver material value to
Greatland's shareholders.
As the discoverer of Havieron and an
existing joint venture owner, Greatland's team has an unrivalled
knowledge of the project. Consolidation of 100% ownership of
Havieron and the acquisition of Telfer provides Greatland the
opportunity to control the integration and optimisation of the
combined assets, with the objective of creating a generational
Australian gold-copper mining complex.
Key highlights include:
§ Highly accretive
acquisition: 1.4x accretion on an
attributable Mineral Resources per share of the enlarged Greatland
group (the Enlarged
Group).
§ Havieron:
Havieron is a world class gold-copper project with
a Mineral Resource of 8.4Moz gold equivalent metal content. The
independently reviewed base case (the Greatland Base Case), set out in the
Competent Person's Report in the Admission Document, estimates a
2.8Mtpa mining operation with average annual production of 258koz
gold equivalent at a lowest quartile all-in sustaining cost
(AISC) globally of
US$818/oz in steady state (first 15 years), with a 20-year total
mine life. The Greatland Base Case will be refined and optimisation
opportunities will be assessed in a feasibility study targeted to
be completed within 12 months from Acquisition Completion,
including potential mining throughput expansion utilising a bulk
ore handling solution.
§ Telfer
production: The Greatland Base Case
includes the high confidence 15-month initial Telfer mine plan, as
set out in the Competent Person's Report in the Admission Document,
and such plan includes total estimated production of 426koz gold
equivalent at an estimated AISC of US$1,454/oz from the restart of
processing operations at Telfer (expected to occur in late
September or October), which has the potential to generate
significant near-term cash flow for the Company from Acquisition
Completion. In parallel, a number of additional potential Telfer
ore sources have already been drill tested and will be assessed
with a view to extending the current Telfer mine life.
§ Consolidation of mine,
infrastructure and control: Telfer
infrastructure substantially de-risks Havieron's development and
provides expansion optionality. Acquisition of 100% ownership of
the Target Assets gives Greatland the opportunity to optimise and
develop an integrated Telfer-Havieron mining and processing
operation.
§ Alignment between Greatland
and Newmont: Newmont is expected to
hold up to 20.4% of the Enlarged Group, with an initial 12 month
voluntary lock-in, a further 12 month orderly market arrangement
and a relationship agreement in place to affirm alignment. Up to
US$100 million of the Acquisition consideration is deferred until
Havieron commences commercial production and is also subject to a
gold price hurdle. Realisation of any deferred cash consideration
is linked to a successful operational scenario, demonstrating
Newmont's support of Greatland's stewardship of Havieron and
Telfer.
§ Clear pathway to fully fund
Havieron development: Greatland has
executed a non-legally binding Bank Debt Letter of Support for
A$750 million in proposed banking facilities for the development of
Havieron, with Tier-1 lenders ANZ, HSBC and ING Bank. Combined with
working capital from the Equity Raising (as defined below) and
expected cash flow generation from Telfer, the Company considers
there is a clear and non-dilutive pathway to the Havieron
development being fully funded.
§ Upside
potential: Greatland considers that
there are significant upside opportunities as a result of the
Acquisition, including potential extension of the current Telfer
mine plan, optimisation of Havieron throughput potential and Telfer
processing capacity, supplementation of Havieron ore with Telfer
ore, and a potential regional 'hub & spoke' strategy enabled by
Telfer infrastructure.
§ Underwritten, cornerstone
supported equity raising: Approximately US$325 million institutional placing is
underwritten by Canaccord Genuity Limited (the Placing Agent or the Bookrunner), with support of up to
US$100 million by Wyloo Consolidated Investments Pty Ltd
(Wyloo).
Following completion of the
Acquisition, the operating strategy for the Enlarged Group is to
renew and develop an integrated Telfer-Havieron mining and
processing operation, to create a generational Australian gold
copper mining complex. Further information about the Enlarged
Group's operating strategy and objectives is set out in the
Admission Document that is now available on the Company's website
at https://greatlandgold.com/investors/regulatory-news/.
Within approximately six months from
Acquisition Completion, Greatland intends to undertake a listing of
the Enlarged Group on the Australian Securities Exchange
(ASX), following which the
Enlarged Group would be listed on both ASX and AIM.
Equity
raising overview
In connection with the Acquisition, the Company
intends to conditionally place new ordinary shares (the
Placing Shares) at 4.8
pence per Placing Share (the Issue
Price) for a total equity raising of £248.6 million
(approximately US$325 million) (the Placing). The Issue Price represents a
discount of approximately 30% to the pre-Acquisition
announcement undisturbed price on 6 September 2024.
The Placing Shares are being offered by way of an
accelerated bookbuild available to qualifying investors, which will
be launched immediately following the release of this announcement,
in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix
at the end of this announcement. Certain directors of the Company
are intending to participate in the Placing by subscribing for up
to US$0.4 million in aggregate at the Issue Price.
In addition to the Placing, retail investors will
have the opportunity to participate by a conditional offer for
subscription for new ordinary shares (the Retail Shares) at the Issue Price via
PrimaryBid for a total equity raising of up to €8 million
(approximately £6.8 million and US$8.8 million) (the Retail Offer). A separate announcement
will be made shortly regarding the Retail Offer and its terms and
conditions. The Retail Offer is expected to close at 4:45 pm on 12
September 2024 and may close early if it is
oversubscribed.
Pursuant to the Placing and Retail Offer the Company
intends to conditionally raise up to approximately US$333.8 million
by issuing up to 5,319,736,029 new ordinary shares (the
Equity Raising). The
proceeds of the Equity Raising will be used to finance the US$155.1
million cash component of the Acquisition consideration, repayment
of the US$52.4 million outstanding Havieron joint venture loan to
Newmont, repayment of the outstanding balance of approximately
A$7.1 million under the Wyloo working capital facility, the
stamp duty payable by the Company on the Acquisition, the payment
of transaction costs and expenses in connection with the
Acquisition and the Equity Raising, and working capital
requirements.
Canaccord is acting as Global Coordinator and Sole
Bookrunner in connection with the Equity Raising. Merrill Lynch
Markets (Australia) Pty. Limited is acting as financial adviser,
and Simmons & Simmons LLP is acting as legal adviser, in
relation to the Equity Raising and Readmission (as defined below).
King & Wood Mallesons is acting as Australian legal advisor in
relation to the Acquisition. SPARK Advisory Partners Limited
(SPARK or Nominated Adviser) is acting as
Nominated Adviser in connection with the Equity Raising and
Readmission (as defined below). Sternship Advisers Pty Ltd and SCP
Resource Finance LP are acting as Co-Lead Managers in connection
with the Equity Raising.
Settlement of the Equity Raising and admission of the
ordinary shares issued pursuant to the Equity Raising to trading on
AIM is conditional upon, amongst other things, existing Company
shareholders approving the Acquisition and the issue of such
shares, but it is not conditional on completion of the Acquisition
or on Readmission (as defined below). A general meeting of the
Company's shareholders will be convened pursuant to a notice
contained in the Admission Document for 10 a.m. on
30 September 2024 (the General Meeting), and admission of the
shares issued pursuant to the Equity Raising to trading on AIM is
expected to occur shortly thereafter on at 8 a.m. on 1 October
2024.
The Acquisition constitutes a "reverse takeover"
under the AIM rules for companies published by London Stock
Exchange plc (the AIM
Rules for Companies), and
is therefore conditional upon the approval of existing Company
shareholders at the General Meeting. A reverse takeover involves
the cancellation of the existing ordinary shares of the Company
from trading on AIM and a new application for the enlarged share
capital of the Company (after completion of the Equity Raising and
the Acquisition) to be admitted to trading on AIM (Readmission).
Commenting on the
transaction, Greatland's Managing Director, Shaun Day,
said:
"We are delighted
to be combining the Havieron and Telfer projects under our single
ownership, making Greatland a material producer of gold and copper.
Through constructive bilateral discussions with Newmont, our joint
venture partner at Havieron, we now have a compelling opportunity
to create value for our shareholders.
"Havieron is a
truly world class orebody with a defined pathway to become a
low-cost long life gold-copper asset of significant
scale.
The acquisition of
Telfer, with a defined mine plan that is materially de-risked with
substantial ore stockpiles, and significant mine life extension
prospects, provides us the opportunity to take advantage of present
gold market strength. Telfer production is expected to generate
free cash flow, which we expect will help to self-fund the Havieron
development.
"The acquisition
will allow Greatland to finalise and complete the Havieron
feasibility study, to determine
the optimal mining throughput rate and development plan to deliver
maximum value from the project by leveraging the existing Telfer
infrastructure. Additionally, we look forward to integrating an
experienced and knowledgeable existing workforce into the Greatland
team.
"We have debt
funding support for our plans from a syndicate of leading banks,
and cornerstone shareholders that are supporting the equity
placement being launched today. The capital raising has been
structured to allow our shareholders to participate, and we hope
they share our excitement in this transformational step in creating
an ambitious new gold and copper producer in an exceptional and
established Australian mineral province."
Commenting on the
transaction, Greatland's Chairman, Mark Barnaba, said:
"The consolidation
of 100% ownership of Havieron and acquisition of Telfer is the
opportunity which Greatland has been coveting for the past three
years, so we are delighted to be announcing the transaction
today.
"On behalf of
Greatland I extend my sincere gratitude to the Newmont team, for
the collaborative approach they have taken to reaching this
agreement. We warmly welcome Newmont as a future major shareholder
of Greatland and will continue our strong working relationship to
make this transaction a success for all stakeholders.
"We also extend our
thanks to Wyloo as the cornerstone investor in the Equity Raising
in support of the Acquisition. This is a transformational deal for
all Greatland shareholders and we are excited to see our business
develop to become a major Australian gold and copper
producer."
Irrevocable
undertakings
The Company has received irrevocable
undertakings from the Directors that they will vote, or will
procure that the relevant registered holders vote, in favour of the
resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting in respect of
40,342,372 ordinary shares, representing, in aggregate,
approximately 0.79% of the Company's existing ordinary
shares.
The Company has also received
irrevocable undertakings from Wyloo that it will vote, or will
procure that the relevant registered holders vote, in favour of the
resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting in respect of
those 430,024,390 ordinary shares it is interested in,
representing, in aggregate, approximately 8.45% of the Company's
existing ordinary shares.
Shareholders should note that if the
resolution to approve the Acquisition is not passed, the
Acquisition and the Equity Raise will not be completed, in which
event the Company will continue to pursue its existing strategy in
respect of the future operation of the Havieron project in joint
venture.
You must
read the whole of the Admission
Document and not rely on only part of the Admission Document or
this announcement. In particular, you are recommended to consider
carefully Part 6 (Risk Factors) of the Admission
Document.
Contact
For further information, please
contact:
Greatland Gold plc
Shaun Day, Managing Director | Rowan
Krasnoff, Head of Business Development
info@greatlandgold.com
Canaccord Genuity Limited (Global Coordinator & Sole
Bookrunner)
James Asensio | Jeremy Dunlop |
Duncan St John | George Grainger
+44 207 523 8000
Merrill Lynch Markets (Australia) Pty. Limited (Financial Adviser)
Karl Rozman | Alastair McBride White
| Marcus Jackson
+61 9225 6500
SPARK Advisory Partners Limited (Nominated Adviser)
Andrew Emmott | James Keeshan | Neil
Baldwin
+44 203 368 3550
Sternship Advisers Pty Ltd (Co-Lead Manager)
Robbie Hamilton
+61 484 761 263
SCP
Resource Finance LP (Co-Lead
Manager)
Filipe Martins
+1 416 637 2707
Media Relations
Australia - Fivemark Partners |
Michael Vaughan
+61 422 602 720
UK - Gracechurch Group | Harry
Chathli / Alexis Gore / Henry Gamble
+44 204 582 3500
FURTHER INFORMATION
Defined terms used in this section of this
announcement have the meanings given in the Admission Document,
unless the context requires otherwise. References to Part and
Section throughout this section of this announcement are references
to segments of the Admission Document.
Expected
timetable of principal events
Event
|
Date
|
Publication of the Admission
Document
|
10
September 2024
|
Latest time and date for receipt of
form of proxy
|
10.00 a.m.
on 26 September 2024
|
General Meeting
|
10.00 a.m.
on 30 September 2024
|
Expected time and date of Admission
and issue of the Fundraise Shares
|
8.00 a.m.
on 1 October 2024
|
CREST accounts credited (where
applicable) in respect of the Fundraise Shares
|
8.00 a.m.
on 1 October 2024
|
Despatch of definitive share
certificates (where applicable) in respect of the Fundraise
Shares
|
By 1
October 2024
|
Expected completion of the
Acquisition, issue of the Consideration Shares and Readmission and
commencement of dealings in the Enlarged Share Capital on
AIM
|
Q4
2024
|
Placing and
Retail Offer statistics(1)
Information
|
Statistic
|
Number of Ordinary Shares in issue
as at the date of the Admission Document
|
5,090,376,282
|
Number of Placing
Shares(1)
|
5,179,010,416
|
Number of Retail Shares
|
up to
140,725,613
|
Number of Ordinary Shares in issue
immediately following Admission(1)(2)
|
10,412,770,289
|
Placing Price
|
4.8
pence
|
Placing Shares as a percentage of
the issued share capital of the Company immediately following
Admission(1)(2)
|
49.7%
|
Retail Shares as a percentage of the
issued share capital of the Company immediately following
Admission(1)(2)
|
1.4%
|
Proceeds of the Placing receivable
by the Company before expenses(1)
|
US$325.0 /
£248.6 million
|
Proceeds of the Retail Offer
receivable by the Company before expenses(1)
|
up to
US$8.8 / £6.8 million
|
Proceeds of the Fundraise receivable by the Company
before expenses(1)
|
up to
US$333.8 / £255.3 million
|
Proceeds of the Fundraise receivable by the Company
after expenses
|
up to
US$323.5 / £247.4 million
|
Market capitalisation of the Company
following Admission (approximately)(2)(3)
|
US$ 653.4
/ £ 499.8 million
|
Number of Consideration
Shares(1)(3)(4)
|
2,669,182,291
|
Consideration Shares as a percentage
of the Enlarged Share Capital immediately following
Readmission(1)(2)(4)
|
20.4%
|
Market capitalisation of the Company
following Readmission (approximately)(2)(3)
|
US$ 820.9
/ £ 627.9 million
|
Number of Ordinary Shares in issue
immediately following Readmission(2)
|
13,081,952,580
|
Notes
(1)
The Company
reserves the right to increase the size of the Placing. In the
event that the size of the Placing is increased, the first
£64.1 million (being the pounds
sterling equivalent of US$83.75 million) of additional Placing
Proceeds will be paid to Newmont and the Consideration Shares will
be reduced and any additional Placing Shares issued at Admission
will result in a corresponding reduction in Consideration Shares
issued at Readmission. In this scenario, the minimum number of
Consideration Shares that Newmont would hold would be 1,334,591,146
which are expected to represent 10.2% of the Enlarged Share
Capital. If the size of the Placing exceeds
£312.7 million (approximately US$408.75 million), the number of
Ordinary Shares in issue at Admission would increase, subject to
the passing of the Resolutions, and the excess Placing Proceeds
(following the application of such proceeds to pay Newmont the
additional cash consideration) would be applied to the
Company's working capital.
(2)
Assuming no
options are exercised prior to Admission,
the Retail Offer
is taken up in full, and the Paterson South
Consideration Shares are issued.
(3)
At the Placing
Price and calculated in accordance with the Acquisition Agreement,
using an exchange rate of £1 = US$1.307.
(4)
Assuming no
options are exercised prior to Readmission, the Retail Offer is
taken up in full, and the Paterson South Consideration Shares are
issued.
The US$325 million Placing is
underwritten by Canaccord, with support of up to
US$100 million by Wyloo and US$50 million by Tembo
Capital.
Financing and terms of the
Acquisition
The proceeds of the Placing will be
used to finance the US$155.1 million Cash Consideration, the
US$52.4 Havieron JV Loan Repayment, repayment of the outstanding
balance of approximately A$7.1 million under the Wyloo Working
Capital Facility, the Group's working capital, the stamp duty
payable on the Acquisition, and the payment of transaction costs
and expenses in connection with the Acquisition and
Placing.
The net proceeds of the Retail Offer
will be used for general working capital purposes.
Uses of Placing Proceeds
Uses of Placing Proceeds
|
US$M
|
Cash Consideration for the
acquisition of the Target Assets
|
155.1
|
Havieron JV Loan Repayment on
Acquisition Completion
|
52.4
|
Working capital from Placing
Proceeds
|
73.0
|
Repayment of outstanding balance of
Wyloo Working Capital Facility
|
4.7
|
Acquisition and Fundraise
transaction costs, Western Australian stamp duty on
Acquisition
|
39.8
|
Total uses of Placing Proceeds
|
325
|
Notes:
(1)
Assumes
Acquisition Completion occurs.
(2)
The US$155.1
million Cash Consideration is subject to the adjustments described
in the Admission Document.
(3)
Assumes Placing
Proceeds of £248.6
million
(approximately US$325 million).
(4) This amount reflects costs that are expected
to be paid after the date of the Admission Document and does not
include costs that have already been paid prior to the date of the
Admission Document. See the Admission Document for an estimate of
the total costs paid and payable by the Enlarged Group in
connection with the Acquisition, the Fundraise, Admission and
Readmission.
Principal terms of the
Acquisition
The terms of the Acquisition are
summarised in further detail in Part 2 (Summary of the terms of the Acquisition) in the Admission Document, which it is strongly recommended
that you read.
In addition to the 70% interest in
the Havieron project and 100% ownership of the Telfer mine and
infrastructure, the Acquisition also includes certain related
assets and interests in the Paterson Province.
Consideration and loan repayment
Under the terms of the Acquisition
Agreement, the Company and certain of its wholly owned subsidiaries
have agreed to acquire the Target Assets for a total consideration
and debt repayment of up to US$475 million (before adjustments) in
aggregate, comprising the following.
Cash Consideration and Havieron JV Loan
Repayment
The Cash Consideration for the
Acquisition of US$155.1 million, subject to adjustments, and the
US$52.4 million Havieron JV Loan Repayment, which will be equity
funded by proceeds of the Placing.
Consideration Shares
The Consideration Shares will be
issued to Newmont on Acquisition Completion, valued at US$167.5
million for the purposes of the Acquisition based on the Placing
Price.
The Company reserves the right to
increase the size of the Placing and in the event that the size of
the Placing is increased, the first US$83.75 million of additional
Placing Proceeds will be paid to Newmont and the Consideration
Shares will be reduced and any additional Placing Shares issued at
Admission will result in a corresponding reduction in Consideration
Shares issued at Readmission.
The Consideration Shares will be
subject to the following agreements:
§ Lock-In
and Orderly Market Deed between Newmont NOL (as the holder of the
Consideration Shares) and the Company, which provides for an
initial 12 month voluntary lock-in period in respect of the
Consideration Shares, and following that a further 12 month orderly
market arrangement, in both cases subject to certain
exceptions;
§ Relationship Agreement between Newmont NOL and the Company;
and
§ Call
Option Deed which is expected to be entered into between Newmont
NOL and Wyloo, pursuant to which 1,334,591,145 Consideration Shares
will be subject to the Wyloo Option which gives Wyloo an option to
acquire such Consideration Shares from Newmont at 7.2 pence per
Consideration Share (equivalent to a 50% premium to the Placing
Price) exercisable for four years from Readmission
and a right of first refusal in respect of any
Consideration Shares that Newmont NOL wishes to sell during the
Option Term.
Deferred Consideration
Up to a maximum US$100.0 million in
Deferred Consideration may be payable to Newmont through a gold
price linked payment structure with a 50% price upside
participation by Newmont in respect of gold produced from Havieron
pursuant to the Deferred Consideration Deed, as follows:
§ Duration:
5 calendar years
§ Commencement:
Upon declaration of commercial production at
Havieron
§ Hurdle
Price:
US$1,850/oz gold price
§ Annual Cap:
US$50 million
§ Total Cap:
US$100 million
Calculation formula: Deferred
Consideration for the relevant year ("Year") = 50% x (market price
- hurdle price) x sum of total gold sold for the relevant year
(inc. doré and concentrate), subject to the annual cap and the
total cap.
§ Interest:
No interest is payable on the Deferred
Consideration
The Deferred Consideration mechanism
supports the Acquisition and completion of Havieron development by
deferring a material component of the total consideration for the
Acquisition until Havieron commercial production
commencement.
Acquisition Conditions
Acquisition Completion is subject to
the satisfaction (or if applicable, waiver) of Acquisition
Conditions, including:
§ passing of
the Acquisition Resolution at the General Meeting;
§ completion
by Newmont of the remediation of the Telfer Tailings Storage
Facility 8, such that the deposition of tailings can recommence and
resumption by Newmont of processing operations for a period of 14
consecutive days;
§ foreign
investment approvals from the Treasurer of the Commonwealth of
Australia;
§ ministerial consent to the transfer of the Telfer and Havieron
mining tenements;
§ certain
other third party and governmental consents and approvals to the
transfer, assignment and/or novation of certain leases, contracts
and approvals related to the Target Assets; and
§ issue,
allotment and admission to trading on AIM of the
Consideration.
Subject to satisfaction (or if
applicable, waiver) of the Acquisition Conditions, Acquisition
Completion is expected to occur in Q4 2024. The Acquisition
Agreement provides for a longstop date of 14 February 2025, which may be extended in certain
circumstances by up to a further six
months.
Proposed ASX
listing
Within approximately six months
following Acquisition Completion, the Company intends to undertake
a listing of the Enlarged Group on ASX. As
such, the Enlarged Group would be listed on both ASX and
AIM.
In parallel, a corporate
reorganisation is intended to be undertaken which would result in
the Enlarged Group sitting under a new Australian incorporated
parent company, to be effected through a UK scheme of arrangement
and subject to approval by shareholders of the Enlarged Group and
by the UK Court. The reorganisation will be
subject to shareholder approval and a circular will be published at
the relevant time (1) convening a meeting at which the relevant
resolutions to effect the reorganisation will be put to
shareholders; and (2) giving shareholders information about the
effect of the proposed reorganisation, including how it affects the
rights attaching to their shares and other investor protections,
including under the Companies Act and the Takeover Code and the
Australian equivalents.
In anticipation of the proposed ASX
Listing, the Company has adopted the ASX Corporate Governance
Principles and Recommendations with effect from today.
Background to the Acquisition
and the Assets
Acquisition background
The Company's principal asset is its
30% joint venture interest in the Havieron project, a high grade
gold-copper deposit located in the Paterson Province in Western
Australia. The remaining 70% joint venture interest is currently
owned by Newmont.
Newmont acquired the Target Assets
through Newmont's acquisition of Newcrest Mining which completed in
November 2023. Havieron and Telfer are linked under the current
Havieron joint venture in that ore mined from Havieron is intended
to be processed utilising the Telfer processing facility and
related infrastructure. In February 2024, following Newmont's
acquisition of Newcrest Mining, Newmont announced a portfolio
rationalisation involving the intended divestment of six mines
(including Telfer) and two projects (including
Havieron).
The Company discovered the Havieron
deposit and is committed to delivering Havieron's full potential
for its Shareholders and other stakeholders. The Company considers
that it has unrivalled knowledge and experience of Havieron and an
organisational expertise that is exceptionally well placed to
develop and operate Havieron. Accordingly,
consistent with the Company's strategy, the Company has entered
into the binding Acquisition Agreement to acquire the Target
Assets.
Havieron
Havieron is a high grade underground
gold and copper deposit located in the Paterson province in the
East Pilbara region of Western Australia, approximately 45km to the
east of Telfer. Havieron was discovered by the Company in 2018 and
is currently being developed under an unincorporated joint venture
between Greatland Pty Ltd (30%) and Newmont NOL (70%), a wholly
owned subsidiary of Newmont.
Early works at Havieron commenced in
January 2021 following the announcement of the maiden Inferred
Mineral Resource. Completion of the box cut and portal enabled
commencement of the underground access decline in May 2021, with
over 3,060 metres of total underground development completed to
date. Underground development is currently paused prior to
development through the third and final lower confined aquifer
("LCA") that the decline
passes through before reaching the Havieron orebody. A further
three evaporation ponds are required to be constructed and utilised
in a staged manner, to manage dewatering requirements for
development through the LCA. Opportunities to bring forward
approvals for these are being progressed.
In March 2022, the Company announced
an Ore Reserve estimate of 25Mt at 3.0g/t Au and 0.44% Cu for
2.4Moz Au and 109kt Cu (2.9Moz AuEq). In December 2023, the Company
announced a Mineral Resource, inclusive of Ore Reserves, estimate
for Havieron of 131Mt at 1.7g/t Au and 0.21% Cu for 7.0Moz Au and
275kt Cu (8.4Moz AuEq).
Further information about Havieron
is included the Admission Document.
Further detailed information about Havieron,
including its ownership, geology, history, Mineral Resource and Ore
Reserve estimates, early works, the Greatland Base Case, mineral
processing, environmental and permitting approvals, costs and key
risks and opportunities, is also set out in the Competent Person's
Report in the Admission Document.
Telfer
The Telfer gold-copper mine is
located approximately 485km east-south-east from Port Hedland,
Western Australia and 45 km west of Havieron. Telfer was discovered
in 1971, commenced operating in 1975, and has produced more than
15Moz of gold to date.
Telfer is strategically well
positioned in the Paterson Province, with its existing
infrastructure and processing capacity de-risking, expediting and
reducing the cost of completing Havieron's development, and
providing significant potential future upside for the Enlarged
Group.
Ore from Telfer is currently mined
from the West Dome open pit mine and Main Dome underground. Gold
and copper is produced by a large, dual train, processing facility
that produces gold doré and a copper-gold concentrate. For the
financial year ending 30 June 2023, Telfer produced 349koz Au and
17kt Cu.
Currently, mining operations at
Telfer are ongoing, while processing operations have been paused
since April 2024 due to issues at the Telfer tailings storage
facilities. Newmont has substantially completed an investigation
and remediation planning process in respect of these issues, and is
now implementing the remediation plan for TSF8. It is a condition
of the Acquisition that the remediation of TSF8 is completed by
Newmont such that the deposition of tailings can recommence and
processing operations are resumed prior to Acquisition Completion,
such that at Acquisition Completion the Enlarged Group is expected
to acquire an operating Telfer mine and processing operation.
Remediation works have also been undertaken, and further
remediation works are planned, for TSF7. Further details in respect
of TSF8 and TSF7 and the current DEMIRS prohibition notices and
DWER environmental protection notice are set out in the Admission
Document.
For the six months ending 30 June
2024, Telfer produced 45koz Au and 1kt Cu. Processing operations
were suspended for the majority of this period due to the tailings
issues described above. Mining operations at Telfer have continued
notwithstanding the processing suspensions, resulting in the
generation of significant ore stockpiles; in this respect,
Newmont's trading update on 24 July 2024 reported that 7.81Mt of
ore was mined in the six months ended 30 June 2024, relative to
1.68Mt of ore processed. The expected availability of those
stockpiles following Acquisition Completion would operationally
de-risk gold and copper production by the Enlarged Group in the
immediate period following Acquisition Completion.
As at 31 December 2023, Newmont
reported a Mineral Resource for Telfer of 27.6Mt at 0.67g/t Au and
0.09% Cu for 0.59Moz Au and 0.02Mt Cu.
Further information about Telfer and
the related assets and interests to be acquired under the
Acquisition is included in the Admission
Document.
Further information about Telfer,
including its ownership, geology, history, Mineral Resource
estimates, exploration potential and remnant mineralisation, mining
operations, mineral processing, tailings management,
infrastructure, environmental and permitting approvals, costs and
key risks and opportunities is also set out in the Competent
Person's Report in the Admission Document.
Strategy of the Enlarged
Group
The Enlarged Group will aspire to
become a profitable multi-mine resources company by focusing on the
responsible and sustainable discovery, development, extraction,
processing and sale of precious and base metals.
The Enlarged Group's operating
strategy following Acquisition Completion is to renew and develop
an integrated Telfer-Havieron mining and processing operation, to
create a generational gold copper mining complex with a focus on
the following key phases and objectives.
Related Party
Transaction
The proposed participation of
Directors Mark Barnaba, Shaun Day, Elizabeth Gaines, Jimmy Wilson,
Paul Hallam and Yasmin Broughton in the Placing is regarded as a
related party transaction under the AIM Rules for Companies. They
will be participating on the same terms as all other investors. In
accordance with the AIM Rules, the independent directors, being
Alex Borrelli and Clive Latcham will be required to confirm that
they consider, having consulted with SPARK as the Company's
Nominated Adviser, that the terms of the transaction are fair and
reasonable insofar as Shareholders are concerned.
Share Incentive
Arrangements
The Directors recognise the role of the Group's
employees in contributing to the overall success of the Group and
the importance of the Group's ability to attract, incentivise,
motivate and retain its employees. Therefore, the Directors believe
that employees should be given the opportunity to participate and
take a financial interest in the success of the Company.
Following the publication of the Admission
Document and prior to Readmission, the Company intends to grant:
(i) additional Greatland Performance Rights over up to 80,357,509
Ordinary Shares, in aggregate, and (ii) additional Greatland
Retention Rights over 25,000,000 Ordinary Shares. Details of the
proposed awards are set out in the Admission Document and a further
announcement will be made following the grant of the
awards.
These awards includes awards to related parties
under the AIM Rules and will therefore be subject to the
independent directors considering the terms and reaching an
opinion, having consulted with SPARK, as the Company's nominated
adviser, that the terms of the awards are fair and reasonable
insofar as shareholders are concerned.
General Meeting and Summary of the
Resolutions
The Acquisition and the Fundraise
require Shareholders' approval of the Acquisition Resolution.
Notice of the General Meeting of the Company to be held at Simmons
& Simmons LLP, CityPoint, 1 Ropemaker St, London EC2Y 9SS at
10.00 a.m. on 30 September 2024 is set out at the end of the
Admission Document, at which the Resolutions will be proposed, a
summary of which is set out below.
The
Resolutions
The Acquisition Resolution and two
of the other Resolutions are special resolutions and one of the
other Resolutions is an ordinary resolution.
The purpose of the Acquisition
Resolution is to approve the Acquisition and provide the Company
with all of the authorities necessary to issue the Fundraise Shares
and the Consideration Shares.
The purpose of the other Resolutions
is to provide the Company with certain general authorities,
conditional upon Acquisition Completion, calculated by reference to
the Enlarged Share Capital immediately following
Readmission.
Special Resolution 1 (the "Acquisition
Resolution")
Paragraph (A) of the Acquisition
Resolution is to approve the terms of, and authorise the Directors
to implement, the Acquisition.
Paragraph (B) of the Acquisition
Resolution is to authorise the Directors, for the purposes of
Section 551 of the Companies Act, to allot Ordinary Shares up to an
aggregate nominal amount of £ 7,988,918.32
in connection with the Acquisition, the Placing and the Retail
Offer. This is the aggregate nominal amount of Ordinary Shares that
the Company could be required to issue and allot to Placees
pursuant to the Placing, Retail Offerees pursuant to the Retail
Offer, and to Newmont pursuant to the Acquisition.
Paragraph (C) of the Acquisition
Resolution is to disapply statutory pre-emption rights up to an
aggregate nominal amount of £ £7,988,918.32
for the purposes of allotting the Placing Shares, Retail Shares and
Consideration Shares in connection with the Acquisition, the
Placing and the Retail Offer.
Ordinary Resolution 2, Special Resolution 3 and Special
Resolution 4
The Board has the authority to allot
any shares or grant rights over shares or sell treasury shares for
cash, without first offering them to Shareholders in proportion to
their holdings. Ordinary Resolution 2 and Special Resolution 3 and
4 follow the resolutions recommended by the Pre-Emption Group in
the PEG Statement of Principles 2022, except that the authorities
are calculated by reference to the Enlarged Share Capital as it is
expected to be immediately following Readmission.
Ordinary Resolution 2 is subject to
and conditional upon the passing of the Acquisition Resolution.
Ordinary Resolution 2 is in addition to the authority granted in
the Acquisition Resolution and in substitution for the authority
granted pursuant to resolution 8 at the annual general meeting of
the Company held on 6 December 2023. Ordinary Resolution 2 seeks
authority for the Board to allot Ordinary Shares up to an aggregate
nominal amount of ££4,360,651. This is expected to represent
approximately one-third of the Enlarged Share Capital following
Readmission.
Special Resolution 3 is subject to
and conditional upon the passing of the Acquisition Resolution,
Ordinary Resolution 2. Special Resolution 3 is in addition to the
authority granted in the Acquisition Resolution and is in
substitution for the authority granted pursuant to resolution 9 at
the annual general meeting of the Company on 6 December 2023.
Special Resolution 3 seeks authority for the Board to allot
Ordinary Shares under the authority given by Ordinary Resolution 2,
and/or sell treasury shares in connection with (i) a pre-emptive
offer; and (ii) allotments of equity securities or sales of
treasury shares up to a nominal amount of £1,308,195. This is
expected to represent approximately 10% of the Enlarged Share
Capital following Readmission.
Special Resolution 4 is conditional
upon the passing of the Acquisition Resolution and Ordinary
Resolution 2. Special Resolution 4 is in addition to the authority
granted in the Acquisition Resolution and Special Resolution 3 and
is in substitution for the authority granted pursuant to resolution
10 at the annual general meeting of the Company on 6 December 2023.
Special Resolution 4, in addition to any authority granted under
Special Resolution 3, seeks authority for the Board to allot
Ordinary Shares under the authority given by Ordinary Resolution 2
and/or sell treasury shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of
£1,308,195. This is expected to represent approximately 10% of the
Enlarged Share Capital following Readmission. This additional
authority is to be used only for the purposes of financing (or
refinancing, if the authority is to be used within 12 months after
the original transaction) a transaction which the Board determines
to be an acquisition or a specified capital investment of a kind
contemplated by the PEG Statement of Principles 2022.
Special Resolutions 3 and 4 also
seek authority for the Board to allot, in each case, up to a
further 2% of what is expected to be the Enlarged Share Capital
following Readmission. These additional authorities are to be used
only in connection with a follow-on retail offer in accordance with
the PEG Statement of Principles 2022, without the Ordinary Shares
first being offered to Shareholders in proportion to their existing
holdings. The Directors confirm that they will follow the
shareholder protections in Section 2B and the expected features of
a follow-on offer in Paragraph 3 of Section 2B of the PEG Statement
of Principles 2022.
The Company intends to utilise the
authorities sought in Ordinary Resolution 2 and Special Resolutions
3 and 4 to the extent that the Placing Shares exceed the Ordinary
Shares authorised in the Acquisition Resolution.
The Notice of General Meeting is
contained at the end of the Admission Document and sets out the
Resolutions in full.
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
General
The contents of this announcement
are not to be construed as legal, financial or tax advice. Each
prospective investor should consult a legal adviser, an independent
financial adviser duly authorised under the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) or a tax
adviser for legal, financial or tax advice in relation to any
investment in or holding of ordinary shares. Each prospective
investor should consult with such advisers as needed to make its
investment decision and to determine whether it is legally
permitted to hold shares under applicable legal investment or
similar laws or regulations. Investors should be aware that they
may be required to bear the financial risks of this investment for
an indefinite period of time.
Investing in and holding the
ordinary shares involves financial risk. Prior to investing in the
ordinary shares, investors should carefully consider all of the
information contained in the Admission Document, paying particular
attention to the risk factors contained in
Part
6 (Risk Factors) of the Admission
Document. Investors should consider carefully whether an investment
in the ordinary shares is suitable for them in light of the
information contained in the Admission Document and their personal
circumstances.
To the extent permitted by law and
regulation, no undertaking, representation or warranty or other
assurance, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of
the Company, or any of their respective parent or subsidiary
undertakings or the subsidiary undertakings of any such parent
undertakings or any of their respective directors, officers,
partners, employees, agents, affiliates, representatives or
advisers, or any other person, as to the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the information or opinions contained in this
announcement. None of the Company, SPARK or Canaccord,
or any of their respective parent or subsidiary
undertakings or the subsidiary undertakings of any such parent
undertakings or any of their respective directors, officers,
partners, employees, agents, affiliates, representatives or
advisers, or any other person their
respective affiliates and advisers, agents and/or any other party
undertakes or is under any duty to update this announcement or to
correct any inaccuracies in any such information which may become
apparent or to provide any person with any additional information.
Save in the case of fraud, no responsibility or liability is
accepted by any such person for any errors, omissions or
inaccuracies in such information or opinions or for any loss, cost
or damage suffered or incurred, however arising, directly or
indirectly, from any use of, as a result of the reliance on, or
otherwise in connection with, this announcement. In addition, no
duty of care or otherwise is owed by any such person to recipients
of this announcement or any other person in relation to this
announcement.
SPARK Advisory Partners Limited
which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the FCA, is acting
as nominated adviser to the Company in connection with the Placing
and Readmission and will not be acting for any other person
(including a recipient of this announcement) or otherwise be
responsible to any person for providing the protections afforded to
clients of SPARK or for advising any other person in respect of the
proposed Placing, Retail Offer and Readmission or any transaction,
matter or arrangement referred to in this announcement. SPARK's
responsibilities as the Company's nominated adviser under the AIM
rules for nominated advisers published by London Stock Exchange plc
from time to time are owed solely to London Stock Exchange plc and
are not owed to the Company or to any director or to any other
person in respect of such person's decision to acquire shares in
the Company in reliance on any part of this announcement. SPARK is
not making any representation or warranty, express or implied, as
to the contents of this announcement.
Canaccord Genuity Limited which is
authorised and regulated in the UK by the FCA, is acting as global
coordinator, bookrunner and broker to the Company in connection
with the Placing and Readmission and will not be acting for any
other person (including a recipient of this announcement) or
otherwise be responsible to any person for providing the
protections afforded to clients of Canaccord or for advising any
other person in respect of the Placing, Retail Offer and
Readmission or any transaction, matter or arrangement referred to
in this announcement. Canaccord is not making any representation or
warranty, express or implied, as to the contents of this
announcement.
In connection with the Placing, the
Bookrunner and any of its respective affiliates, acting as an
investor for its or their own account(s), may acquire ordinary
shares, and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to
sell or otherwise deal for its or their own account(s) in ordinary
shares and other securities of the Company or related investments
in connection with the Placing or otherwise. Accordingly,
references in this announcement to the ordinary shares being
offered, acquired, placed or otherwise dealt in should be read as
including any issue or offer to, or subscription, acquisition,
dealing or placing by, the Bookrunner and any of its respective
affiliates acting as an investor for its or their own account(s).
The Bookrunner does not intend to disclose the extent of any such
investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any
legal or regulatory obligations to do so.
The Bookrunner and its affiliates
may have engaged in transactions with, and provided various
investment banking, financial advisory and other services to, the
Company for which they would have received customary fees. The
Bookrunner and any of its affiliates may provide such services to
the Company and any of its affiliates in the future.
The person responsible for arranging
the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Shaun
Day.
This announcement contains inside
information for the purposes of Article 7 of UK MAR, encompassing
information relating to the Acquisition and the Equity Raising
described herein, and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's
obligations under Article 17 of UK MAR. In addition, market
soundings (as defined in UK MAR) were taken in respect of the
Placing with the result that certain persons became aware of inside
information (as defined in UK MAR), as permitted by UK MAR. This
inside information is set out in this announcement. Therefore, upon
publication of this announcement, those persons that received such
inside information in a market sounding are no longer in possession
of such inside information relating to the Company and its
securities.
Notice to overseas persons
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT
CONSTITUTE AN OFFER, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER, TO BUY OR
SUBSCRIBE FOR, ORDINARY SHARES TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, OR IN ANY
JURISDICTION IN WHICH, SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL AND
IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO ANY RESTRICTED
JURISDICTION.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE EQUITY RAISING MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW IN
CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN OR WILL BE TAKEN BY
THE COMPANY, THE DIRECTORS, THE NOMINATED ADVISER, PRIMARYBID OR
THE BOOKRUNNER TO PERMIT A PUBLIC OFFER OF ORDINARY SHARES OR TO
PERMIT THE POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ANY
JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE MAY BE REQUIRED. THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED IN ANY JURISDICTION EXCEPT
UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL RESULT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY
APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE COMPANY, THE DIRECTORS, THE
NOMINATED ADVISER AND THE BOOKRUNNER TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND
TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY SUCH
RESTRICTIONS MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES LAWS OF
THE RELEVANT JURISDICTION.
Notice to investors in the United States
The ordinary shares have not been,
and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, (the "US Securities Act") and, subject to
certain exceptions, may not be offered or sold within the United
States (including its territories and
dependencies, any state of the United States and the District of
Columbia) or to, or for the account or
benefit of, US persons (as defined in Regulation S under the US
Securities Act), except pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the US Securities Act and applicable
State securities laws. There will be no public offering of the
ordinary shares in the United States.
THE
ORDINARY SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE US
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR BY ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER US REGULATORY
AUTHORITY, NOR HAVE ANY OF THE FOREGOING AUTHORITIES PASSED UPON OR
ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE OFFERING OF THE ORDINARY SHARES OR THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO
THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE.
In particular, the Retail Offer will
be made only to persons who are, and at the time the ordinary
shares are subscribed for, will be outside the United States and
subscribing for the ordinary shares in an "offshore transaction" as
defined in, and in accordance with Regulation S under the US
Securities Act. Persons who are resident in or otherwise located in
the United States will not be eligible to participate in the Retail
Offer or subscribe for ordinary shares.
Notice to investors in the United Kingdom
No ordinary shares have been offered
or will be offered to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the
publication of a prospectus in relation to the ordinary shares
which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority
(FCA), except that the
ordinary shares may be offered to the public in the United Kingdom
at any time:
a) to any
legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article
2(e) of the UK version of the Prospectus Regulation EU No.
2017/1129 (UK Prospectus
Regulation); or
b) to fewer
than 150 natural or legal persons (other than a qualified investor
as defined under Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation),
subject to obtaining the prior written consent of Canaccord;
and/or
c) in any
other circumstances falling within Section 86 of FSMA,
provided that no such offer of the
ordinary shares shall require the Company or any other person to
publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of FSMA or supplement a
prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation
and each person who initially acquires any ordinary shares or to
whom any offer is made under the Placing will be deemed to have
represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a "qualified investor" within the meaning
of Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation.
In the case of any ordinary shares
being offered to a "financial
intermediary", as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the
UK Prospectus Regulation, such financial intermediary will also be
deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the
ordinary shares acquired by it have not been acquired on a
non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired
with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances
which may give rise to an offer of any ordinary shares to the
public, other than their offer or resale to qualified investors in
the United Kingdom or a Member State or in circumstances in which
the prior consent of the Bookrunner has been obtained to each such
proposed offer or resale. The Company, the directors, the
Bookrunner and its affiliates, and others will rely upon the truth
and accuracy of the foregoing representation, acknowledgement and
agreement.
Neither the Company, the Nominated
Adviser nor the Bookrunner have authorised, nor do they authorise,
the making of any offer of ordinary shares in circumstances in
which an obligation arises for the Company to publish a prospectus
or a supplemental prospectus for such offer.
For the purposes of this provision,
the expression an "offer to the
public" in relation to the ordinary shares in the United
Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of
sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any ordinary
shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to
purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares.
Notice to investors in the European Economic
Area
In relation to each Member State, no
offer of ordinary shares has been offered or will be offered to the
public in that Member State prior to the publication of a
prospectus in relation to the ordinary shares which has been
approved by the competent authority in that Member State, all in
accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (Prospectus Regulation). Each person who
initially acquires any ordinary shares (other than any retail
offeree) or to whom any offer is made under the Placing will be
deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a
"qualified investor" within
the meaning of the law of the Member State implementing Article
2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.
In the case of any ordinary shares
being offered to a "financial
intermediary", as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the
Prospectus Regulation, such financial intermediary will also be
deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the
ordinary shares acquired by it have not been acquired on a
non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired
with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances
which may give rise to an offer of any ordinary shares to the
public, other than their offer or resale to qualified investors in
a Member State or in circumstances in which the prior consent of
the Bookrunner has been obtained to each such proposed offer or
resale. The Company, the directors, the Bookrunner and its
affiliates, and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the
foregoing representation, acknowledgement and agreement.
Neither the Company nor the
Bookrunner have authorised, nor do they authorise, the making of
any offer of ordinary shares in circumstances in which an
obligation arises for the Company to publish a prospectus or a
supplemental prospectus for such offer.
For the purpose of the above
provisions, the expression "an
offer to the public" in relation to any ordinary shares in
any Member State means the communication in any form and by any
means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the
ordinary shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide
to purchase or subscribe for the ordinary shares.
Notice to investors in Australia
This announcement is not a
prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure
document for the purposes of the Australian Corporations Act 2001
(Cth) (Australian Corporations
Act) and has not been lodged with, or notified to, the
Australian Securities and Investments Commission in connection with
the offer of ordinary shares in the Company and no offer or
invitation to subscribe for ordinary shares under this announcement
is made to the public in Australia and the ordinary shares may not
be offered or sold in Australia in any manner that would require
disclosure. The provision of this announcement to any person does
not constitute an offer of ordinary shares to any person to whom
such an offer or invitation would be unlawful.
Any invitation to subscribe for
ordinary shares has only been made to investors in Australia to
whom an offer can be made without a disclosure document in
accordance with Chapter 6D of the Australian Corporations Act (as
either a "sophisticated investor", a "professional investor" or an
"experienced investor" who is exempt from the disclosure
requirements under section 708(8), (10) or (11) of the Australian
Corporations Act). It is a condition of any person receiving and
retaining this announcement in Australia that they represent and
warrant to the Company, its directors and the Nominated Advisor
that they are a "sophisticated investor", "professional investor"
or an "experienced investor" and that they will not distribute this
announcement to any other person or entity.
Notice to investors in Canada
The ordinary shares referred to
herein have not been and will not be qualified for distribution or
distribution to the public under applicable Canadian securities
laws and, accordingly, any sale of the securities will be made on a
basis which is exempt from the prospectus requirements of such
securities laws only to "accredited investors" within the meaning
ascribed to that term in National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus
Exemptions, of the Canadian securities administrators (NI 45-106). The ordinary shares
referred to herein are not being offered to and may not be
purchased by, or for the benefit of, persons resident in Canada
except for "accredited investors". The information included in this
announcement is not intended to, and does not, comply with all of
the disclosure requirements that would apply under applicable
Canadian securities law if the Equity Raising was being qualified
pursuant to a prospectus filed with the relevant Canadian
securities regulatory authorities. No securities commission or
similar securities regulatory authority in Canada has reviewed or
in any way passed upon this announcement or the contents hereof, or
the merits of the ordinary shares and any representation to the
contrary is an offense under applicable Canadian securities
laws.
No offer of securities is made
pursuant to this announcement in Canada except to a person who has
represented to the Company that such person: (i) is purchasing as
principal, or is deemed to be purchasing as principal in accordance
with applicable Canadian securities laws, for investment only and
not with a view to resale or distribution; and (ii) is an
"accredited investor" as such term is defined in Section 1.1 of
National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or, in Ontario, as
such term is defined in Section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act
(Ontario). The ordinary shares are being sold in Canada in reliance
on an exemption or exemptions from the requirements to provide the
relevant subscribers with a prospectus and, as a consequence of
acquiring securities pursuant to this exemption or exemptions,
certain protections, rights and remedies provided by the applicable
Canadian securities laws will not be available to the relevant
subscriber. The ordinary shares will be subject to statutory resale
restrictions under the applicable Canadian securities laws and any
resale of the ordinary shares must be made in accordance with such
resale restrictions or in reliance on an available exemption
therefrom. The subscriber is solely responsible (and Company not in
any way responsible) for compliance with applicable securities laws
in the resale of any ordinary shares.
Notice to investors in Hong Kong
WARNING: THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAVE NOT BEEN
REVIEWED BY ANY REGULATORY AUTHORITY IN HONG KONG. YOU ARE ADVISED
TO EXERCISE CAUTION IN RELATION TO THE OFFER. IF YOU ARE IN ANY
DOUBT ABOUT ANY OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, YOU SHOULD
OBTAIN INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. NOT FOR PUBLICATION,
DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN
PART, IN OR INTO THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (HONG KONG) OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY
APPLICABLE LAW.
This announcement has not been
reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong and it has not
been, and will not be, registered as a prospectus
under the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32
of the Laws of Hong Kong) (CWUMPO), nor has it been authorised by
the Securities and Futures Commission pursuant to the Securities
and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong)
(SFO). Accordingly, the
ordinary shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means
of any document, other than:
a) to persons
who are "professional investors" as defined in the SFO and any
rules made thereunder; or
b) in other
circumstances which do not result in this announcement being a
"prospectus" as defined in the CWUMPO or which do not constitute an
offer to the public within the meaning of
the CWUMPO.
No advertisement, invitation or
document relating to the ordinary shares has been or will be
issued, or has been or will be in the possession of any person for
the purpose of issue, in Hong Kong or elsewhere that is directed
at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by,
the public of Hong Kong (except if
permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other
than with respect to the ordinary shares that are or are intended
to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to
"professional investors" (as defined in the SFO and any rules made
thereunder). No person to whom a copy of this announcement is
issued may issue, circulate or distribute this announcement in Hong
Kong or make or give a copy of this announcement to any other
person. No person to whom the ordinary shares are issued may sell,
or offer to sell, such ordinary shares in circumstances that amount
to an offer to the public in Hong Kong within six months following
the date of issue of such ordinary shares.
Notice to investors in Singapore
This announcement has not been and
will not be registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority
of Singapore. Accordingly, this announcement and any other document
or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for
subscription or purchase, of the ordinary shares may not be
circulated or distributed, nor may ordinary shares be offered or
sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or
purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in
Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined
in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore
(SFA)) pursuant to Section
274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section
275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any
person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance
with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA and (where
applicable) Regulation 3 of the Securities and Futures (Classes of
Investors) Regulations 2018 of Singapore, or (iii) otherwise
pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other
applicable provision of the SFA. A reference to any term as defined
in the SFA or any provision in the SFA is a reference to that term
or provision as modified or amended from time to time including by
such of its subsidiary legislation as may be applicable at the
relevant time.
Notification under Section 309B of
the SFA: the ordinary shares are "prescribed capital markets
products" (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital
Markets Products) Regulations 2018 of Singapore) and "Excluded
Investment Products" (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice
on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice
on Recommendations on Investment Products).
Forward-looking statements
This announcement contains
statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, many of which are beyond the group's control and all
of which are based on the directors' current beliefs and
expectations about future events. In some cases, these
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology, including, without limitation, the
terms "anticipates",
"believes", "could", "envisages", "estimates", "expects", "intends", "may", "plans", "projects", "should", "will" or, in each case, their negative
or other variations or comparable terminology. These
forward-looking statements relate to matters that are not
historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this
announcement and include statements regarding the intentions,
beliefs and current expectations of the Company or the directors
concerning, among other things, the results of operations,
financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth and strategies of
the Company and the industry in which the group operates. By their
nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties
because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may
or may not occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance. The actual results, performance
or achievements of the group or developments in the industry in
which the group operates may differ materially from the future
results, performance or achievements or industry developments
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in
this announcement. Prospective investors are strongly recommended
to read the risk factors set out in Part 6 (Risk Factors) of the Admission Document for a more complete
discussion of the factors that could affect the Company's future
performance and the industry in which the group
operates.
These forward-looking statements and
other statements contained in this announcement regarding matters
that are not historical facts involve predictions. No assurance can
be given that such future results will be achieved; actual events
or results may differ materially as a result of risks and
uncertainties facing the group. Such risks and uncertainties could
cause actual results to vary materially from the future results
indicated, expressed or implied in such forward-looking
statements.
The forward-looking statements
contained in this announcement speak only as at the date of this
announcement. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or
revise publicly the forward-looking statements contained in this
announcement to reflect any change in expectations or to reflect
events or circumstances occurring or arising after the date of this
announcement, except as required in order to comply with its legal
and regulatory obligations (including under the AIM Rules for
Companies).
No
incorporation of website information
The contents of the Company's
website, any website mentioned in this announcement or any website
directly or indirectly linked to these websites have not been
verified and do not form part of this announcement and prospective
investors should not rely on such information.
Notice to distributors - UK Product
Governance
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook
Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook
(UK Product Governance
Requirements), and disclaiming all and any liability,
whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any
"manufacturer" (for the
purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise
have with respect thereto, the ordinary shares have been subject to
a product approval process, which has determined that the ordinary
shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail
investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional
clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in Chapter 3
of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance
Sourcebook; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all
permitted distribution channels (UK Target Market Assessment).
Notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, "distributors" (for the purposes of the
UK Product Governance Requirements) should note that: the price of
the ordinary shares may decline and investors could lose all or
part of their investment; the ordinary shares offer no guaranteed
income and no capital protection; and an investment in the ordinary
shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a
guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in
conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment
and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses
that may result therefrom. The UK Target Market Assessment is
without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing or the
Retail Offer. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the UK
Target Market Assessment, Canaccord will only procure investors who
meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the UK
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or
10A respectively of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business
Sourcebook; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of
investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action
whatsoever with respect to the ordinary shares.
Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the
ordinary shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
Information to distributors - EU Product
Governance
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive
2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended
(MiFID II); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of
Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID
II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, MiFID II Product
Governance Requirements), and disclaiming all and any
liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which
any "manufacturer" (for the
purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the ordinary
shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has
determined that the ordinary shares are: (i) compatible with an end
target market of retail investors and investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each
as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible
for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted
by MiFID II (EU Target Market
Assessment). Notwithstanding the EU Target Market
Assessment, "distributors"
(for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) should
note that: the price of the ordinary shares may decline and
investors could lose all or part of their investment; the ordinary
shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an
investment in the ordinary shares is compatible only with investors
who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who
(either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or
other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of
such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to
bear any losses that may result therefrom. The EU Target Market
Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any
contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation
to the Placing or the Retail Offer. Furthermore, it is noted that,
notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, Canaccord will
only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional
clients and eligible counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the EU
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b)
a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest
in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect
to the ordinary shares.
Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the
ordinary shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
APPENDIX
-
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE
PLACING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING
THIS APPENDIX) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN
(TOGETHER, THIS "ANNOUNCEMENT") ARE FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHOSE ORDINARY
ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN ACQUIRING, HOLDING, MANAGING AND
DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS PRINCIPAL OR AGENT) FOR THE PURPOSES
OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS
RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE: (A) IF IN A MEMBER STATE OF THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA"), PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED
INVESTORS (WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF REGULATION (EU)
2017/1129, AS AMENDED (THE "EU
PROSPECTUS REGULATION")) ("EU QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), (B) IF IN
THE UNITED KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS (WITHIN THE
MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE UK VERSION OF REGULATION (EU)
2017/1129, AS IT FORMS PART OF UK LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED (THE "UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION")) WHO (I)
HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND
WHO FALL WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF "INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS" IN
ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000
(FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"), OR (II) ARE PERSONS WHO FALL
WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER ("UK QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), OR (C) IF IN
AUSTRALIA ONY TO PERSONS TO WHOM AN OFFER CAN BE MADE WITHOUT A
DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 6D OF THE
CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 (CTH) ("CORPORATIONS ACT") (AS EITHER A
"SOPHISTICATED INVESTOR", A "PROFESSIONAL INVESTOR" OR AN
"EXPERIENCED INVESTOR" WHO IS EXEMPT FROM THE DISCLOSURE
REQUIREMENTS UNDER SECTION 708(8), (10) OR (11) OF THE CORPORATIONS
ACT); (D) IF IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, ONLY TO PERSONS WHO ARE "PROFESSIONAL
INVESTORS" AS DEFINED IN THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES ORDINANCE (CAP.
571 OF THE LAWS OF HONG KONG) AND ANY RULES (MADE THEREUNDER
("PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS"),
OR (E) PERSONS IN CANADA WHO ARE AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING
OF SECTION 1.1 OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 45-106 - PROSPECTUS
EXEMPTIONS ("NI 45-106") OF
THE CANADIAN SECURITIES ADMINISTRATORS OR SUBSECTION 73.3(1) OF THE
SECURITIES ACT (ONTARIO), OR (F) IN SINGAPORE, TO PERSONS WHO ARE
(I) "INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS" (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 4A(1)(C) OF
THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES ACT 2001 OF SINGAPORE (THE "SFA")); OR (II) A "RELEVANT PERSON" (AS DEFINED IN SECTION
275(2) OF THE SFA); OR (III) A PERSON TO WHOM AN OFFER IS BEING
MADE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 275(1A) OF THE SFA, IN COMPLIANCE WITH
ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, REGULATIONS AND DIRECTIVES. PURSUANT TO
SECTION 309B OF THE SFA, PERSONS IN SINGAPORE ARE NOTIFIED THAT THE
NEW ORDINARY SHARES ARE "PRESCRIBED CAPITAL MARKETS PRODUCTS" (AS
DEFINED IN THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES (CAPITAL MARKETS PRODUCTS)
REGULATIONS 2018 OF SINGAPORE) AND "EXCLUDED INVESTMENT PRODUCTS"
(AS DEFINED IN MAS NOTICE SFA 04-N12: NOTICE ON THE SALE OF
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS AND MAS NOTICE FAA-N16: NOTICE ON
RECOMMENDATIONS ON INVESTMENT PRODUCTS) OR (G) PERSONS TO WHOM IT
MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS REFERRED
TO IN (A), (B), (C), (D), (E) (F) and (G) ABOVE TOGETHER BEING
REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT
PERSONS").
NO OTHER PERSON SHOULD ACT OR RELY
ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX) AND PERSONS
DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS
LAWFUL TO DO SO. BY ACCEPTING THE TERMS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT YOU
REPRESENT AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE A RELEVANT PERSON. THIS APPENDIX
AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR
RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT
OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS
APPENDIX) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN RELATE IS
AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH
RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX) DOES
NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE OR THE SOLICITATION
OF AN OFFER TO FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE
COMPANY.
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES
(INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED
STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES")), AUSTRALIA, CANADA,
JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN
WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL
OR REQUIRE A PROSPECTUS OR SIMILAR DOCUMENT TO BE FILED. THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE
AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA,
CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND
WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT"), OR UNDER THE APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE
OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED,
SOLD, PLEDGED, TAKEN UP, EXERCISED, RESOLD, TRANSFERRED OR
DELIVERED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WITHIN, INTO OR IN THE UNITED
STATES, ABSENT REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, EXCEPT
PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO,
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER
JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THE PLACING SHARES ARE ONLY
BEING OFFERED AND SOLD (I) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN "OFFSHORE
TRANSACTIONS" AS DEFINED IN AND PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT ("REGULATION
S"); OR (II) WITHIN THE UNITED STATES TO CERTAIN QUALIFIED
INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT IN TRANSACTIONS NOT INVOLVING A PUBLIC OFFERING IN THE UNITED
STATES. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFER OF THE PLACING SHARES IN THE
UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM OR ELSEWHERE.
THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN
APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR OTHER REGULATORY
AUTHORITY IN THE UNITED STATES, NOR HAVE ANY OF THE FOREGOING
AUTHORITIES PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE FUNDRAISE OR
THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN
ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, BUSINESS, FINANCIAL, TAX AND RELATED ASPECTS
OF ACQUIRING THE PLACING SHARES.
None of the Company or the Placing
Agent or any of its Representatives makes any representation or
warranty, express or implied to any Placees (as defined below)
regarding any investment in the securities referred to in this
Announcement under the laws applicable to such Placees.
Persons who are invited to and who choose to participate in
the placing (the "Placing") of the Placing Shares (as defined
below) by making an oral or written offer to acquire Placing Shares
(including any individuals, funds or others on whose behalf a
commitment to acquire Placing Shares is given) ("Placees") will (i)
be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement, in its
entirety; and (ii) be making such offer on the terms and
conditions, and to be providing (and shall only be permitted to
participate in the Placing on the basis that they have provided)
the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements,
undertakings and agreements, contained in this
Appendix.
In particular, each such Placee
represents, warrants, acknowledges and agrees to each of the
Company and the Placing Agent that:
·
it is a Relevant Person and undertakes that it
will subscribe for, acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing
Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business
only;
·
in the case of a Relevant Person in the United
Kingdom who acquires any Placing Shares pursuant to the
Placing:
o it
is a UK Qualified Investor; and
o in
respect of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK
Prospectus Regulation:
§ the
Placing Shares acquired by and/or subscribed for by it in the
Placing will not be acquired and/or subscribed for on a
non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired or
subscribed for with a view to their offer or resale to persons in
the United Kingdom other than to UK Qualified Investors, or in
circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the
public other than an offer or resale in the United Kingdom to UK
Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent
of the Placing Agent has been given to each such proposed offer or
resale; or
§ where the
Placing Shares have been acquired or subscribed for by it on behalf
of persons in the United Kingdom other than UK Qualified Investors,
the offer of those Placing Shares to it is not treated under the UK
Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such
persons;
·
except as otherwise permitted by the Company and
the Placing Agent and subject to any available exemptions from
applicable securities laws, that it and the person(s), if any, for
whose account or benefit it is subscribing for Placing Shares is,
and at the time it subscribes for the Placing Shares will be either
(i) located outside the United States acquiring the Placing Shares
in an "offshore transactions" as defined in and in reliance on
Regulation S under the Securities Act ("Regulation S"), or (ii) is a "qualified
institutional buyer" ("QIB") as defined in Rule 144A under the
Securities Act acquiring the Placing Shares pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance
with any applicable securities laws of any state or other
jurisdiction of the United States;
·
it understands that the Placing Shares have not
been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or under
the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the
United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or
indirectly, within the United States except pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance
with any applicable securities laws of any state or other
jurisdiction of the United States;
·
if it is a resident in Australia,
it is an investor to whom an offer can be made
without a disclosure document in accordance with Chapter 6D of the
Corporations Act (as either a "sophisticated investor", a
"professional investor" or an "experienced investor" who is exempt
from the disclosure requirements under section 708(8), (10) or (11)
of the Corporations Act);
·
in the case of a person in Canada who acquires any
Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing:
o it
is an "accredited investor" within the meaning of section 1.1
National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106") or, in Ontario, as such
term is defined in section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario)
(the "OSA"), as
applicable;
o it
is, or is deemed to be, purchasing the Placing Shares as principal
for its own account in accordance with applicable Canadian
securities laws, for investment only and not with a view to resale
or redistribution; and
o such
person was not created or used solely to purchase or hold the
Placing Shares as an accredited investor under NI
45-106;
·
in the case of a person in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region, the People's Republic of China, who acquires
any Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing, it is a Professional
Investor and (i) it is taking up the Placing Shares as principal
for its own account and (ii) it is not taking up the Placing Shares
on behalf of any other person(s) or with a view to distribute such
Placing Shares to other person(s);
·
in the case of a person in Singapore who acquires
any Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing they are:
o an
"institutional investor" (as defined in section 4A(1)(c) of the
SFA); or
o a
"relevant person" (as defined in section 275(2) of the SFA);
or
o a
person to whom an offer is being made, pursuant to section 275(1A)
of the SFA, in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and
directives;
·
it is acquiring the Placing Shares for its own
account or is acquiring the Placing Shares for an account with
respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and has
the authority to make and does make the representations,
warranties, indemnities, acknowledgments, undertakings and
agreements contained in this Announcement;
·
it understands (or if acting for the account of
another person, such person has confirmed that such person
understands) the resale and transfer restrictions set out in this
Announcement (including this Appendix) and that any Placing Shares
acquired by it in the Placing will not be acquired and/or
subscribed for on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will
they be acquired or subscribed for with a view to their offer or
resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer
of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in a
member state of the EEA to EU Qualified Investors, or in the United
Kingdom to UK Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the
prior consent of the Placing Agent has been given to each such
proposed offer or resale; and
·
the Company and the Placing Agent will rely upon
the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations,
warranties, acknowledgements and agreements.
Bookbuild
The Placing Agent will today
commence the bookbuilding process in respect of the Placing (the
"Bookbuild") to determine
demand for participation in the Placing by Placees. The book will
open with immediate effect. This Appendix gives details of the
terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in the
Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in
respect of any Placing Shares. Members of the public are not
entitled to participate in the Placing.
The Placing Agent and the Company
shall be entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative method
to the Bookbuild as they may, in their absolute discretion,
determine.
Details of the Placing and Nomad Agreement and of the Placing
Shares
The Placing Agent is acting as
global co-ordinator, sole bookrunner and Placing Agent in
connection with the Placing. The Company has today entered into an
agreement with Canaccord Genuity Limited (the "Placing Agent") (the "Placing and Nomad Agreement") with the
Placing Agent and SPARK Advisory Partners Limited (as Nominated
Adviser to the Company, the "Nomad")) under which, subject to the
terms and conditions set out therein, the Placing Agent has agreed
as agent for and on behalf of the Company, to use its reasonable
endeavours to procure Placees for new ordinary shares of £0.001
each in the capital of the Company (the "Placing Shares"), in such number, if
any, to be determined following completion of the Bookbuild and as
may be agreed between the Placing Agent and the Company and set out
in the executed final terms (the "Final Terms"). The Placing is
underwritten and, to the extent that the Placing Agent fails to
procure purchasers for 5,179,010,416 Placing Shares the
"Backstop Shares") at the
Placing Price, prior to 7.30 a.m. (London time) on the first
business day immediately following the date of this Agreement, the
Placing Agent has agreed to purchase as principal such number of
Backstop Shares. In addition to the extent any Placee defaults in
paying the Placing Price (as defined below) in respect of any of
the Placing Shares allocated to it the Placing Agent has agreed to
purchase as principal such Placing Shares. In the event that the
Placing Agent acquires Placing Shares in the Placing, it may
co-ordinate disposals of such shares in accordance with applicable
law and regulation. Except as required by applicable law or
regulation, the Placing Agent does not propose to make any public
disclosure in relation to such transactions.
The Placing Shares will, when
issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all
respects with the existing ordinary shares of £0.001 each in the
capital of the Company (the "Ordinary Shares"), including the right
to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or
paid in respect of such Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of
the Placing Shares, and will be issued free of all claims, liens,
charges, encumbrances and equities.
Application for admission
Application will be made to London
Stock Exchange plc (the "London
Stock Exchange") for admission of the Placing Shares to
trading on AIM ("Admission").
It is expected that Admission will
become effective at or around 8.00 a.m. on 1 October 2024 (or such
later time and/or date as may be agreed between the Company and the
Placing Agent) and that dealings in the Placing Shares will
commence at that time.
Participation in, and principal terms of, the
Placing
1. The
Placing Agent is acting as global co-ordinator, sole bookrunner and
agent of the Company in connection with the Placing.
2.
Participation in
the Placing will only be available to persons who may lawfully be,
and are, invited to participate by the Placing Agent. The Placing
Agent and its agents and affiliates are each entitled to enter bids
in the Bookbuild as principal.
3.
The price per
Placing Share payable to the Placing Agent by all Placees whose
bids are successful is 4.8 pence (the "Placing Price"). The final number of
Placing Shares will be determined by the Company (in consultation
with the Placing Agent) following completion of the Bookbuild but
will not be fewer than the Backstop Shares. The final number of
Placing Shares to be issued will be announced on a FCA-listed
regulatory information service (a "Regulatory Information Service")
following the completion of the Bookbuild.
4. To
bid in the Bookbuild, prospective Placees should communicate their
bid by telephone or in writing to their usual sales contact at the
Placing Agent. Each bid should state the number of Placing Shares
which the prospective Placee wishes to subscribe for at the Placing
Price. Bids may be scaled down by the Placing Agent on the basis
referred to in paragraph 12 below.
5. A bid
in the Bookbuild will be made on the terms and subject to the
conditions in this Appendix and will be legally binding on the
Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except with the Placing
Agent's consent, will not be capable of variation or revocation
after the time at which it is submitted. Each Placee's obligations
will be owed to the Company and the Placing Agent. Each Placee will
also have an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding
obligation, owed to the Placing Agent as agent of the Company, to
pay in cleared funds immediately on the settlement date, in
accordance with the registration and settlement requirements set
out below, an amount equal to the product of the Placing Price and
the number of Placing Shares such Placee has agreed to subscribe
for and the Company has agreed to allot to them.
6. The
Bookbuild is expected to close no later than 7 a.m. (London time)
on 11 September 2024, but may be closed earlier or later at the
absolute discretion of the Placing Agent. The Placing Agent may, in
agreement with the Company, accept bids that are received after the
Bookbuild has closed.
7. Each
prospective Placee's allocation will be agreed between the Placing
Agent and the Company and will be confirmed orally or in writing by
the Placing Agent (as agent of the Company) following the close of
the Bookbuild. This confirmation to such Placee will constitute an
irrevocable legally binding commitment upon that person (who will
at that point become a Placee) in favour of the Placing Agent and
the Company to subscribe for the number of Placing Shares allocated
to it at the Placing Price on the terms and conditions set out in
this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's articles of
association and each Placee will be deemed to have read and
understood this Announcement (including this Appendix) in its
entirety.
8.
The allocation of Placing Shares to Placees
located in the United States and Canada shall be conditional on the
execution by each Placee of an investor representation letter or
subscription agreement (in the form required by the Placing
Agent).
9.
All obligations
under the Bookbuild and Placing will be subject to fulfilment or,
where applicable, waiver of the conditions referred to below under
"Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated
on the basis referred to below under "Right to terminate under the
Placing and Nomad Agreement".
10. By participating
in the Bookbuild, each Placee will agree that its rights and
obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the
circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission
or termination by the Placee after confirmation (oral or otherwise)
by the Placing Agent.
11. Each prospective
Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a contract
note or trade confirmation issued to such Placee by the Placing
Agent. The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated by
reference therein.
12. Subject to
paragraphs 4 and 5 above, the Placing Agent may choose to accept
bids, either in whole or in part, on the basis of allocations
determined in agreement with the Company and may scale down any
bids for this purpose on such basis as they may determine. The
Placing Agent may also, notwithstanding paragraphs 4 and 5 above,
subject to the prior consent of the Company (i) allocate Placing
Shares after the time of any initial allocation to any person
submitting a bid after that time; and (ii) allocate Placing Shares
after the Bookbuild has closed to any person submitting a bid after
that time. The Company reserves the right (upon agreement with the
Placing Agent) to reduce or seek to increase the amount to be
raised pursuant to the Placing.
13. Except as
required by law or regulation, no press release or other
announcement will be made by the Placing Agent or the Company using
the name of any Placee (or its agent), in its capacity as Placee
(or agent), other than with such Placee's prior written
consent.
14. Irrespective of
the time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Placing is
confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be subscribed for
pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same
time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and
settlement".
15. To the fullest
extent permissible by law, neither the Company nor the Placing
Agent nor any of its affiliates or any of its Representatives shall
have any responsibility or liability (whether in contract, tort or
otherwise) to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on
behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular, neither the
Company nor the Placing Agent nor any of their respective
affiliates nor any of their respective Representatives shall have
any responsibility or liability (whether in contract, tort or
otherwise and including to the fullest extent permissible by law,
any fiduciary duties) in respect of the conduct of the Bookbuild or
of such alternative method of effecting the Placing as the Placing
Agent and the Company may agree.
Conditions of the Placing
The Placing is conditional upon the
Placing and Nomad Agreement becoming unconditional and not having
been terminated in accordance with its terms. The obligations of
the Placing Agent under the Placing and Nomad Agreement in respect
of the Placing Shares are conditional on, inter alia:
1. each
of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
the Placing and Nomad Agreement being true and accurate and not
misleading or becoming untrue or inaccurate on and as of the date
of the Placing and Nomad Agreement and at all times before
Admission;
2. the
Company complying with its obligations and undertakings under the
Placing and Nomad Agreement, so far as the same fall to be
performed or satisfied on or prior to Admission;
3. there
not having occurred, in the good faith opinion of the Placing Agent
and the Nomad, any material adverse change in respect of the
Company and the Group at any time prior to Admission;
4. the
Admission Document being published;
5. the
shareholders of the Company authorising the acquisition by the
Company ("Acquisition") of
the 70 per cent joint venture interest in the Havieron gold-copper
project, the 100 per cent of the Telfer gold-copper mine and the
selected Paterson Province assets ("Target Assets") and the
Placing;
6. the
Wyloo Irrevocable Undertaking being in full force and effect and
not having been terminated;
7. the
Tembo Irrevocable Undertaking being in full force and effect and
not having been terminated;
8. the
Directors Irrevocable Undertaking being in full force and effect
and not having been terminated at any time prior to
Admission;
9. the
Company allotting, subject only to Admission, the Placing Shares in
accordance with the terms of the Placing and Nomad
Agreement;
10. the placing
results announcement being published;
11. no supplementary
admission document being published before Admission which is
materially adverse in the context of the Placing; and
12. Admission taking
place by not later than 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 1 October 2024
(or such later time and/or date as may be agreed between the
Company and the Placing Agent, being not later than 8 October
2024).
Each of the Placing Agent and the
Nomad may at their discretion waive compliance by the Company with
certain of the conditions and/or agree an extension in time for its
satisfaction. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees'
commitments as set out in this Announcement.
If (a) any of the conditions
contained in the Placing and Nomad Agreement, including those
described above, are not fulfilled (or, where permitted, waived or
extended in writing by the Placing Agent) or become incapable of
fulfilment on or before the date or time specified for the
fulfilment thereof (or such later date and/or time as the Placing
Agent and Nomad may agree); or (b) the Placing and Nomad Agreement
is terminated in the circumstances specified below, the Placing
will not proceed and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder
in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such
time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by the Placee
in respect thereof, save that the Placing Agent shall return any
monies received by prospective Placees to them in accordance with
these terms and conditions and the Placing and Nomad
Agreement.
Neither the Placing Agent, the Nomad
nor any of their respective affiliates nor any of their respective
Representatives shall have any responsibility or liability to any
Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee
or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to
whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or the date for
the satisfaction of any condition to the Placing nor for any
decision they may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or
in respect of the Placing generally, and by participating in the
Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is in the
absolute discretion of the Placing Agent.
By participating in the Bookbuild,
each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations hereunder
terminate only in the circumstances described above and under
"Right to terminate under the Placing and Nomad Agreement" below,
and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the
Placee.
Should Shareholder approval of the
Acquisition and Placing not be obtained at the Extraordinary
General Meeting, none of the Placing nor Admission will
occur.
The Placing is not conditional on
the Acquisition Agreement having become unconditional in all
respects. In the event that the Acquisition Agreement does not
become unconditional in all respects or is terminated after
Admission, Admission will still have occurred.
In the event that the Placing
proceeds, but ultimately the Acquisition Completion does not occur,
the Directors intend to use the funds raised by the Company to
satisfy the Group's working capital requirements and costs of the
Acquisition, Placing and Retail Offer, repay the amounts drawn down
(of approximately A$7.1 million) under the Wyloo working capital
facility. Where Acquisition Completion does not occur, the Company
may seek to utilise part of the Fundraise proceeds to exercise its
right of last refusal under the Havieron JV in the event that
Newmont proposes to sell its interest in the Havieron JV to a third
party and to seek other suitable acquisition opportunities. The
Company may apply the Placing Proceeds for another acquisition of a
company or mineral licence by the Group. If no other acquisition
opportunity can be found on acceptable terms the Company will take
steps to return such sums to Shareholders as a whole and not just
Placees.
Restriction on further issue of securities
The Company has undertaken that it
will not, and will procure that none of its subsidiaries will, at
any time between the date of the Placing and Nomad Agreement and
the date which is 90 days after the date of Admission, or the
termination of the Placing and Nomad Agreement whichever is
earlier, without the prior written consent of the Placing Agent
enter into certain transactions involving or relating to the
Ordinary Shares, subject to certain customary carve-outs agreed
between the Placing Agent and the Company.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees agree that the exercise by the Placing Agent of any power
to consent to waive the undertaking by the Company of a transaction
which would otherwise be subject to such undertaking in the Placing
and Nomad Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the
Placing Agent, and that neither the Placing Agent nor the Company
need to make any reference to, consult with, or seek consent from,
Placees and that the Placing Agent shall have no liability to
Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise of the
power to grant consent or failure so to exercise.
Right to terminate under the Placing and Nomad
Agreement
At any time before Admission, the
Placing Agent and the Nomad are each entitled to terminate the
Placing and Nomad Agreement in the following circumstances, amongst
others: (i) if any of the Company's warranties or representations
are not or cease to be true and accurate or have become misleading;
or (ii) if any of the conditions have not been satisfied (or, where
capable of waiver, waived by the Placing Agent) by the date
specified therein; or (iii) the Company fails to comply with any of
its obligations or undertakings under the Placing and Nomad
Agreement (save for any such breach which in the opinion of either
the Placing Agent or Nomad is not material); or (iv) in the good
faith opinion of the Placing Agent, there shall have occurred any
material adverse change in respect of the Company and the Group
(within the meaning of the Placing and Nomad Agreement).
Upon notice being given to the
Company, the parties to the Placing and Nomad Agreement shall be
released and discharged (except for any liability arising before or
in relation to such termination) from their respective obligations
under or pursuant to the Placing and Nomad Agreement, subject to
certain exceptions.
Any termination by either the
Placing Agent or the Nomad of its rights under the Placing
Agreement shall be without prejudice to the obligations (if any)
and rights of the other and the Placing Agreement shall continue in
full force and effect in respect of the other parties.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees agree that the exercise or non-exercise by the Placing
Agent of any right of termination or other discretion under the
Placing and Nomad Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion
of the Placing Agent, and that neither the Placing Agent nor the
Company need to make any reference to, consult with, or seek
consent from, Placees and that neither the Placing Agent nor the
Company shall have any liability to Placees whatsoever in
connection with any such exercise or failure so to
exercise.
No
Prospectus
The Placing Shares are being offered
to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and will
not be offered in such a way as to require any prospectus or other
offering document to be published. No
prospectus has been or will be prepared or submitted to be approved
by the FCA or submitted to the London Stock Exchange or in any
other jurisdiction in relation to the Placing and no such
prospectus is required (in accordance with the UK Prospectus
Regulation and the EU Prospectus Regulation) to be published.
Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of their own
assessment of the Company, the Placing and the Placing Shares based
on information contained in this Announcement (including this
Appendix), the Admission Document and any information publicly
announced to a Regulatory Information Service by or on behalf of
the Company simultaneously with or prior to the date of this
Announcement, and subject to the further terms set forth in the
contract note or trade confirmation to be provided to individual
prospective Placees. Each Placee, by accepting a participation in
the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement, the
Admission Document and all other publicly available information
previously and simultaneously published by or on behalf of the
Company by notification to a Regulatory Information Service is
exclusively the responsibility of the Company and has not been
independently verified by the Placing Agent. Each Placee, by
accepting a participation in the Placing, further confirms that it
has neither received nor relied on any other information,
representation, warranty or statement made by or on behalf of the
Company, the Placing Agent or any other person and none of the
Company or the Placing Agent or any of its affiliates or any of its
Representatives will be liable for any Placee's decision to
participate in the Placing based on any other information,
representation, warranty or statement which the Placee may have
obtained or received. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it
has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or
other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the
Placing. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude or limit the
liability of any person for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
by that person.
The Acquisition constitutes a
reverse takeover under the AIM Rules of the London Stock Exchange
and the Company has concurrently with this Announcement published
an Admission Document in accordance with the AIM Rules for the
re-application for admission to listing of the Company's share
capital following completion of the Acquisition (the "Admission Document"); and such
Admission Document includes additional disclosure in relation to
the Target Assets, including without limitation, a competent
persons report on the Target Assets, which may be different from
and which will update, supplement and/or supersede the publicly
available information previously published by or on behalf of the
Company.
Registration and settlement
Settlement of transactions in the
Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00B15XDH89) following Admission will take
place within the CREST system, subject to certain exceptions. In
the event of any difficulties or delays in the admission of the
Placing Shares to CREST or the use of CREST in relation to the
Placing, the Company and the Placing Agent may agree that the
Placing Shares should be issued in certificated form. The Placing
Agent and the Company reserve the right to require settlement for
and delivery of the Placing Shares (or a portion thereof) to
Placees in certificated form or by such other means as they deem
necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable
within the CREST system or would not be consistent with the
regulatory requirements in the Placee's jurisdiction.
Following the close of the
Bookbuild, each Placee allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will
be sent a contract note or trade confirmation stating the number of
Placing Shares to be allocated to it at the Placing Price and
settlement instructions. It is expected that such contract note or
trade confirmation will be despatched on or around 11 September
2024 and that this will also be the trade date.
Each Placee agrees that it will do
all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is
completed in accordance with the standing CREST or certificated
settlement instructions that it has in place with the Placing
Agent.
The Company will deliver the Placing
Shares to a CREST account operated by the Placing Agent as agent
for the Company and the Placing Agent will enter its delivery (DEL)
instruction into the CREST system. The Placing Agent will hold any
Placing Shares delivered to this account as nominee for the Placees
until settlement. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or
acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant
Placing Shares to that Placee against payment.
It is expected that settlement will
be on 1 October 2024 following approval of the Acquisition and the
Placing by the Company's shareholder on a delivery versus payment
basis in accordance with the instructions given to the Placing
Agent. Should Shareholder approval of the Acquisition and Placing
not be obtained at the Extraordinary General Meeting, none of the
Placing nor Admission will occur. Interest is chargeable daily on
payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance
with the arrangements set out above at the rate of two percentage
points above SONIA as determined by the Placing Agent.
Each Placee is deemed to agree that,
if it does not comply with these obligations, the Placing Agent may
sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on
such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the account
and benefit of each of the Placing Agent, an amount equal to the
aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The
relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall
below the aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear
any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes
(together with any interest or penalties thereon) imposed in any
jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares
on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares,
each Placee confers on each of the Placing Agent all such
authorities and powers necessary to carry out any such transaction
and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which each of the
Placing Agent lawfully takes on such Placee's behalf.
If Placing Shares are to be
delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure
that the contract note or trade confirmation is copied and
delivered immediately to the relevant person within that
organisation.
Insofar as Placing Shares are
registered in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name
of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of
a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject as
provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If there are any other
circumstances in which any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or
other similar taxes (and/or any interest, fines or penalties
relating thereto) is payable in respect of the allocation,
allotment, issue or delivery of the Placing Shares (or for the
avoidance of doubt if any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax is
payable in connection with any subsequent transfer of or agreement
to transfer Placing Shares), none of the Placing Agent or the
Company shall be responsible for the payment thereof.
Placees (or any nominee or other
agent acting on behalf of a Placee) will not be entitled to receive
any fee or commission in connection with the Placing.
Representations and warranties
By submitting a bid and/or
participating in the Placing, each prospective Placee (and any
person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably acknowledges,
confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees (as the case
may be) with the Placing Agent and the Company, in each case as a
fundamental term of its application for Placing Shares,
that:
1. it
has read and understood this Announcement (including this Appendix)
in its entirety and that its participation in the Bookbuild and the
Placing and its acquisition of Placing Shares is subject to and
based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties,
indemnities, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and
other information contained herein and it undertakes not to
redistribute or duplicate this Announcement and that it has not
relied on, and will not rely on, any information given or any
representations, warranties or statements made at any time by any
person in connection with Admission, the Bookbuild, the Placing,
the Company, the Placing Shares or otherwise;
2. no
prospectus has been or will be prepared in connection with the
Placing or is required under the UK Prospectus Regulation, the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA"), the Securities Act,
the Corporations Act, Canadian securities laws,
the HK Professional Investor Regulation or the SFA or any
other applicable law and it has not received and will not receive a
prospectus or other offering document in connection with Admission,
the Bookbuild, the Placing, the Company or the Placing
Shares;
3. that
the Company has prepared and will issue or has issued the
Acquisition Announcement, which includes information based on the
Target Assets which information is subject to change and
finalisation;
4. that
the Acquisition constitutes a reverse takeover under the AIM Rules
of the London Stock Exchange and the Company has, concurrently to
this Announcement, published an Admission Document, which includes
additional disclosure in relation to the Target Assets, including,
without limitation, a competent persons report on the Target Assets
which may be an update, supplement and/or supersede the publicly
available information previously published by or on behalf of the
Company;
5. that
any information with which it may have been or will be furnished by
or on behalf of the Company in connection with the Placing and/or
the Acquisition was, or will be, prepared and issued by and is the
sole responsibility of the Company, was or will be furnished to it
solely for information purposes, and should not be considered as a
recommendation by the Company or any other person to acquire
Placing Shares;
6. the
Placing does not constitute a recommendation or financial product
advice and the Placing Agent has not had regard to its particular
objectives, financial situation and needs and the Placing Agent is
not responsible or liable for any information that has been or will
be disclosed or made available by the Company or any misstatements
or omissions from any such information, in relation to or in
connection with the Company, the Target Assets, the Placing and/or
the Acquisition, other than to the extent that such liability
cannot be excluded or limited as a matter of law;
7. if it
has received any "inside information" concerning the Company or its
shares or other securities or related financial instruments in
advance of the Placing, that it has not: (i) dealt in the
securities of the Company; (ii) encouraged or required another
person to deal in the securities of the Company; or (iii) disclosed
such information to any person except as permitted by the UK
version of Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms
part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act
2018, as amended ("UK MAR")
and any delegating acts, implementing acts, technical standards and
guidelines thereunder, prior to the information being made publicly
available;
8. it
has the power and authority to carry on the activities in which it
is engaged, to subscribe and/or acquire Placing Shares and to
execute and deliver all documents necessary for such subscription
and/or acquisition;
9.
neither the Company or the Placing Agent or any of its affiliates
or any of its Representatives or any person acting on behalf of any
of them has provided, and none of them will provide, it with any
material or information regarding the Placing Shares or the Company
or any other person other than this Announcement, nor has it
requested any of the Company or the Placing Agent or any of its
affiliates or any of its Representatives or any person acting on
behalf of any of them to provide it with any such material or
information;
10. (i) it has made
its own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the terms
of the Placing based on this Announcement and any information
publicly announced to a Regulatory Information Service by or on
behalf of the Company simultaneously with or prior to the date of
this Announcement (the "Publicly
Available Information"); and (ii) the Company's Ordinary
Shares are admitted to trading on AIM and the Company is therefore
required to publish certain business and financial information in
accordance with UK MAR, the rules and practices of the London Stock
Exchange and relevant regulatory authorities (the "Exchange Information"), which includes
a description of the nature of the Company's business, most recent
balance sheet and profit and loss account, and it has reviewed such
Exchange Information as it has deemed necessary or that it is able
to obtain or access the Exchange Information without undue
difficulty; and (iii) it has had access to such financial and other
information (including the business, financial condition,
prospects, creditworthiness, status and affairs of the Company, the
Placing and the Placing Shares, as well as the opportunity to ask
questions) concerning the Company, the Placing, the Acquisition and
the Placing Shares as it has deemed necessary in connection with
its own investment decision to acquire any of the Placing Shares
and has satisfied itself that the information is still current and
relied on that investigation for the purposes of its decision to
participate in the Placing. Each Placee further acknowledges and
agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business,
financial or other position of the Company in deciding to
participate in the Placing;
11. (i) none of the
Company or the Placing Agent or any of its affiliates or any of its
Representatives or any person acting on their behalf has made any
warranties or representations to it, express or implied, with
respect to the Company, the Acquisition, the Placing and the
Placing Shares or the accuracy, fairness, completeness or adequacy
of the Publicly Available Information or the Exchange Information,
and each of them expressly disclaims any liability in respect
thereof; and (ii) it will not hold the Placing Agent or any of its
affiliates or any of its Representatives or any person acting on
their behalf responsible for any misstatements in or omissions from
any Publicly Available Information or any Exchange Information.
Nothing in this paragraph or otherwise in this Announcement
excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent
misrepresentation made by that person;
12.
the content of this
Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and
that neither the Placing Agent, the Nomad nor any of their
respective affiliates nor any of their respective Representatives
nor any person acting on their behalf has or shall have any
responsibility or liability for any information, representation or
statement contained in this Announcement or any information
previously or subsequently published by or on behalf of the
Company, including, without limitation, any Publicly Available
Information or Exchange Information, and will not be liable for any
Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any
information, representation or statement contained in this
Announcement or any information previously or simultaneously
published by or on behalf of the Company or otherwise. Each Placee
further represents, warrants and agrees that the only information
on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied
in committing itself to acquire the Placing Shares is contained in
this Announcement and any Publicly Available Information including
(without limitation) the Exchange Information, such information
being all that it deems necessary and/or appropriate to make an
investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares and that it
has neither received nor relied on any other information given,
investigation made or representations, warranties or statements
made by either of the Company or the Placing Agent or any of its
affiliates or any of its Representatives or any person acting on
their behalf and neither the Placing Agent, the Nomad nor the
Company nor any of their respective affiliates nor any of their
respective Representatives nor any person acting on its or their
behalf will be liable for any Placee's decision to accept an
invitation to participate in the Placing based on any other
information, representation, warranty or statement, provided that
nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for
fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;
13. it has not
relied on any information relating to the Company contained in any
research reports prepared by the Placing Agent or any of its
affiliates or any of its Representatives or any person acting on
their behalf and understands that (i) none of the Placing Agent,
the Nomad or any of their respective affiliates or any of their
respective Representatives or any person acting on their behalf has
or shall have any liability for public information or any
representation; (ii) none of the Placing Agent, the Nomad or any of
their respective affiliates or any of their respective
Representatives or any person acting on their behalf has or shall
have any liability for any additional information that has
otherwise been made available to such Placee, whether at the date
of publication, the date of this Announcement or otherwise; and
(iii) none of the Placing Agent, the Nomad or any of their
respective affiliates or any of their respective Representatives or
any person acting on their behalf makes any representation or
warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or
completeness of such information, whether at the date of
publication, the date of this Announcement or otherwise;
14. in making any
decision to acquire Placing Shares, (i) it has such knowledge,
sophistication and experience in financial, business and
international investment matters as is required to evaluate the
merits and risks of taking up the Placing Shares; (ii) it is
experienced in investing in securities of a similar nature to the
Ordinary Shares and in the sector in which the Company operates and
is aware that it may be required to bear, and is able to bear, the
economic risk of participating in, and is able to sustain a
complete loss in connection with, the Placing; (iii) it has relied
on its own examination, due diligence and analysis of the Company
and its affiliates taken as a whole, including the markets in which
the Company and its affiliates operate, and the terms of the
Placing, including the merits and risks involved, and not upon any
view expressed or information provided by or on behalf of the
Placing Agent; (iv) it has had sufficient time and access to
information to consider and conduct its own investigation with
respect to the offer and purchase of the Placing Shares, including
the legal, regulatory, tax, business, currency and other economic
and financial considerations relevant to such investment and has so
conducted its own investigation to the extent it deems necessary
for the purposes of its investigation, and (v) it will not look to
the Company, the Placing Agent, the Nomad any of their respective
affiliates, any of their respective Representatives or any person
acting on their behalf for all or part of any such loss or losses
it or they may suffer;
15. it satisfies any
and all standards for investors in the Placing Shares imposed by
the jurisdiction of its residence or otherwise;
16. unless otherwise
specifically agreed with the Placing Agent, it and each account it
represents is not and, at the time the Placing Shares are acquired,
will not be, located in Australia, Japan, the Republic of South
Africa or any other jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make or
accept an offer to acquire the Placing Shares;
17. (i) it and each
account it represents is acquiring the Placing Shares for
investment purposes, and is not acquiring the Placing Shares with a
view to the offer, sale, resale, transfer, delivery or
distribution, directly or indirectly of any such Placing Shares in
or into Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of South Africa, or
any other jurisdiction in which the same would be unlawful; (ii) it
understands, and each account it represents has been advised, that
the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered or
qualified for distribution by way of a prospectus under the
securities legislation of Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of
South Africa and, subject to certain exceptions under the relevant
securities law being applicable, may not be offered, sold,
acquired, renounced, distributed or delivered or transferred,
directly or indirectly, within or into those jurisdictions or in
any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose
is required; and (iii) it understands, and each account it
represents has been advised, that no placement document,
prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure
document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission in relation to this Announcement, the
contents of this Announcement do not constitute a prospectus,
product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the
Corporations Act and does not purport to include the information
required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other
disclosure document under the Corporations Act;
18. it understands,
and each account it represents has been advised that, (i) the
Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the
Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state or other
jurisdiction of the United States; (ii) the Placing Shares are
being offered and sold only (a) to persons reasonably believed to
be QIBs in transactions exempt from the registration requirements
of the Securities Act or (b) in an "offshore transaction" within
the meaning of and pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities
Act; (iii) the Placing Shares may only be reoffered or resold in
transactions exempt from, or not subject to, the registration
requirements of the Securities Act and no representation has been
made as to the availability of any exemption under the Securities
Act or any relevant state or other jurisdiction's securities laws
for the reoffer, resale, pledge or transfer of the Placing Shares;
and (iv) a prospectus will not be published in
respect of any of the Placing Shares under the Securities Act or
the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the
United States;
19. it is not
acquiring any of the Placing Shares as a result of any form of
"directed selling efforts" within the meaning of Regulation S or as
a result of any form of "general solicitation" or "general
advertising" within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D
under the Securities Act and that it will not
offer or sell, directly or indirectly, any of the Placing Shares in
the United States except in accordance with Regulation S or
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the registration requirements of the Securities
Act;
20. it is not an
affiliate (as defined in Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act) of
the Company, and is not acting on behalf of an affiliate of the
Company;
21. the Placing
Shares offered and sold in the United States are "restricted
securities" within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the
Securities Act and for so long as the Placing Shares are restricted
securities, it will segregate such Placing Shares from any other
shares in the Company that it holds that are not restricted
securities, will not deposit the Placing Shares into any depositary
receipt facility maintained by any depositary bank in respect of
the Company's ordinary shares and will notify any subsequent
transferee of such Placing Shares of the applicable transfer
restrictions;
22. it will not
distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit this
Announcement or any other materials concerning the Placing
(including any electronic copies thereof), directly or indirectly,
whether in whole or in part, in or into the United States,
Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South
Africa;
23. if it is a
pension fund or investment company, its acquisition of Placing
Shares is in full compliance with applicable laws and
regulations;
24. if the Placing
Shares were offered to it in the United States, it has consulted its
own independent advisors or otherwise has satisfied itself
concerning, without limitation, the effects of United States
federal, state and local income tax laws (including as to the
consequences of the Company being or becoming a "passive foreign
investment company" (as defined in Sec on 1297 of the U.S. Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code")) and foreign tax laws generally
and the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA"), the U.S.
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Securities
Act;
25. either: (a) it
is not and for so long as it holds the Placing Shares (or any
interests therein) will not be a "benefit plan investor" as defined
in Sec on 3(42) of ERISA, or a governmental, church or non-U.S.
plan which is subject to any federal, state, local or non-U.S. law
that is substantially similar to Sec on 406 of ERISA or Sec on 4975
of the Code ("Similar
Law"); or (b) its acquisition, holding and disposition of
the Placing Shares will not result in a non-exempt prohibited
transaction under Sec on 406 of ERISA or Sec on 4975 of the Code,
or, in the case of such a governmental, church or non-U.S. plan, a
violation of any Similar Law;
26. neither it, nor
the person specified by it for registration as holder of Placing
Shares is, or is acting as nominee or agent for, and the Placing
Shares will not be allotted to, a person who is or may be liable to
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax under any of sections 67, 70,
93 and 96 of the Finance Act 1986 (depositary receipts and
clearance services), it is not participating in the Placing as
nominee or agent for any person to whom the allocation, allotment,
issue or delivery of the Placing Shares would give rise to such a
liability and the Placing Shares are not being acquired in
connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to
issue or transfer Placing Shares into a clearance
service;
27. it has complied
and will continue to comply with its obligations under the Criminal
Justice Act 1993, UK MAR and any delegating acts, implementing
acts, technical standards and guidelines thereunder, and in
connection with money laundering and terrorist financing, under the
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as
amended), the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering,
Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the
Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended) and any related or similar
rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced
by any government agency having jurisdiction in respect thereof
(the "Regulations") and, if
making payment on behalf of a third party, satisfactory evidence
has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the
third party as required by the Regulations. If within a reasonable
time after a request for verification of identity, the Placing
Agent has not received such satisfactory evidence, the Placing
Agent may, in their absolute discretion, terminate the Placee's
Placing participation in which event all funds delivered by the
Placee to the Placing Agent will be returned without interest to
the account of the drawee bank or CREST account from which they
were originally debited;
28. if it is a
financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 2(d) of the
EU Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation: (a) any
Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing will not be acquired
on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be
acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any
member state of the EEA other than EU Qualified Investors or
persons in the United Kingdom other than UK Qualified Investors, or
in circumstances in which the prior consent of the Placing Agent
has been given to each such proposed offer or resale; or (b) where
Placing Shares will be acquired by it on behalf of persons in any
member state of the EEA other than EU Qualified Investors or
persons in the United Kingdom other than UK Qualified Investors,
the offer of those Placing Shares will not be treated under the EU
Prospectus Regulation or UK Prospectus Regulation as having been
made to such persons;
29. it has not
offered or sold and, prior to the expiry of a period of six months
from Admission, will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to
persons in the United Kingdom, except to persons whose ordinary
activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or
disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes
of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not
resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in the
United Kingdom within the meaning of Article 2(d)
of the Prospectus Regulation;
30. it understands
that any investment or investment activity to which this
Announcement relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will
be engaged in only with Relevant Persons, and further understands
that this Announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons
who are not Relevant Persons;
31. if it is in a
member state of the EEA, it is an EU Qualified Investor and, to the
extent applicable, any funds on behalf of which it is acquiring the
Placing Shares that are located in a member state of the EEA are
each themselves such an EU Qualified Investor;
32. if it is in the
United Kingdom, it and any person acting on its behalf is a UK
Qualified Investor and it is a "professional client" or an
"eligible counterparty" within the meaning set out in chapter 3 of the FCA's Conduct of Business
Sourcebook;
33. it undertakes
that it will acquire, hold, manage and (if applicable) dispose of
any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its
business only;
34. it has not
offered or sold and, prior to the expiry of a period of six months
from Admission, will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to the
public in any member state of the EEA except in circumstances
falling within Article 1(4) of the EU Prospectus Regulation which
do not result in any requirement for the publication of a
prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the EU Prospectus
Regulation;
35. it has only
communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate
or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage
in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA)
relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section
21(1) of FSMA does not require the approval of the communication by
an authorised person and it acknowledges and agrees that this
Announcement has not been approved by the Placing Agent in their
capacity as an authorised person under section 21 of FSMA and it
may not therefore be subject to the controls which would apply if
it was made or approved as a financial promotion by an authorised
person;
36. it has complied
and will comply with all applicable laws (including all relevant
provisions of FSMA in the United Kingdom) with respect to anything
done by it in relation to the Placing Shares;
37. no action has
been or will be taken by either the Company or the Placing Agent or
any person acting on behalf of the Company or the Placing Agent
that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing
Shares in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for
that purpose is required;
38.
it is acting as principal only
in respect of the Placing or, if it is acting for any other person:
(i) it is duly authorised to do so and has full power to make the
acknowledgments, undertakings, representations and agreements and
give the indemnities herein on behalf of each such person; and (ii)
it is and will remain liable to the Company and/or the Placing
Agent for the performance of all its obligations as a Placee in
respect of the Placing (regardless of the fact that it is acting
for another person). Each Placee agrees that the provisions of this
paragraph shall survive the resale of the Placing Shares by or on
behalf of any person for whom it is acting;
39. (i) it and any
person acting on its behalf is entitled to acquire the Placing
Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to
it; (ii) it has paid any issue, transfer or other taxes due in
connection with its participation in any territory; (iii) it has
fully observed such laws and obtained all such governmental and
other guarantees, permits, authorisations, approvals and consents
which may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary
formalities and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take
any action which will or may result in the Company or the Placing
Agent or any of its affiliates or any of its Representatives acting
in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any
jurisdiction in connection with the Placing; and (iv) the
acquisition of the Placing Shares by it or any person acting on its
behalf will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations
in the jurisdiction of its residence, the residence of the Company,
or otherwise;
40. it has all
necessary capacity and has obtained all necessary consents and
authorities to enable it to commit to its participation in the
Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto
(including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose
behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to
agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and
will honour such obligations;
41. it (and any
person acting on its behalf) has the funds available to pay for the
Placing Shares it has agreed to acquire and acknowledges, agrees
and undertakes that it (and any person acting on its behalf) will
make payment for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance
with the terms and conditions of this Announcement (including this
Appendix) on the due time and date set out herein, failing which
the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other persons or
sold as the Placing Agent may in their absolute discretion
determine and without liability to such Placee, and it will remain
liable for any amount by which the net proceeds of such sale falls
short of the product of the Placing Price and the number of Placing
Shares allocated to it and may be required to bear any stamp duty
or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes (together with any
interest or penalties due pursuant to the terms set out or referred
to in this Announcement) which may arise upon the sale of such
Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;
42. its allocation
(if any) of Placing Shares will represent a maximum number of
Placing Shares which it will be entitled, and required, to acquire,
and that the Placing Agent or the Company may call upon it to
acquire a lower number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event
in aggregate more than the aforementioned maximum;
43. neither the
Placing Agent nor any of its affiliates nor any of its
Representatives nor any person acting on behalf of any of them, are
making any recommendations to it or advising it regarding the
suitability or merits of any transactions it may enter into in
connection with the Placing and participation in the Placing is on
the basis that it is not and will not be a client of the Placing
Agent and the Placing Agent has no duties or responsibilities to it
for providing the protections afforded to its clients or customers
or for giving advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of
any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities
contained in the Placing and Nomad Agreement nor for the exercise
or performance of any of their rights and obligations thereunder
including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise
any termination right;
44. the person whom
it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will
be (i) itself; or (ii) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither the
Placing Agent nor the Company will be responsible for any liability
to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes
resulting from a failure to observe this requirement. Each Placee
and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to indemnify
on an after-tax basis and hold harmless the Company, the Placing
Agent and its affiliates and each of its Representatives in respect
of the same on an after-tax basis on the basis that the Placing
Shares will be allotted to the CREST stock account of the Placing
Agent who will hold them as nominee on behalf of such Placee until
settlement in accordance with its standing settlement
instructions;
45. it will
indemnify, on an after-tax basis, and hold harmless the Company,
each of the Placing Agent and its affiliates and each of its
Representatives from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and
expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising, directly or
indirectly, out of or in connection with any breach by it of the
representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings in this Appendix and further agrees that the
provisions of this Appendix shall survive after completion of the
Placing;
46. it acknowledges
that it irrevocably appoints any director or authorised signatories
of the Placing Agent as its agent for the purposes of executing and
delivering to the Company and/or its registrars any documents on
its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of
any of the Placing Shares agreed to be taken up by it under the
Placing;
47. in connection
with the Placing, the Placing Agent and any of its affiliates
acting as an investor for their own account may acquire Placing
Shares and in that capacity may acquire, retain, purchase or sell
for their own account such Ordinary Shares in the Company and any
other securities of the Company or related investments and may
offer or sell such securities or other investments otherwise than
in connection with the Placing. Accordingly, references in this
Announcement to shares being issued, offered or placed should be
read as including any issue, offering or placement of such shares
in the Company to the Placing Agent or its affiliates in such
capacity. In addition, the Placing Agent may enter into financing
arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which the
Placing Agent may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of
such securities of the Company, including the Placing Shares.
Neither the Placing Agent nor its affiliates intend to disclose the
extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in
accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do
so;
48. the Placing
Agent and its affiliates may have engaged in transactions with, and
provided various commercial banking, investment banking, financial
advisory transactions and services in the ordinary course of their
business with the Company and/or its affiliates for which they
would have received customary fees and commissions. The Placing
Agent and its affiliates may provide such services to the Company
and/or its affiliates in the future;
49. a communication
that the transaction or the book is "covered" (i.e. indicated
demand from investors in the book equals or exceeds the amount of
the securities being offered) is not any indication or assurance
that the book will remain covered or that the transaction and
securities will be fully distributed by the Placing Agent. The
Placing Agent reserves the right to take up a portion of the
securities in the Placing as a principal position at any stage at
their sole discretion, inter alia, to take account of the Company's
objectives, MiFID II or other regulatory requirements and/or their
allocation policies;
50. its commitment
to acquire Placing Shares on the terms set out in this Announcement
(including this Appendix) and in the contract note or trade
confirmation will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may
in the future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing
and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that
their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or the
Placing Agent' conduct of the Placing;
51. neither the
Company nor the Placing Agent owes any fiduciary or other duties to
any Placee in respect of any acknowledgements, confirmations,
representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the
Placing and Nomad Agreement;
52. it may not rely
on any investigation that any of the Placing Agent or any person
acting on its behalf may or may not have conducted with respect to
the Company and its affiliates, the Placing Shares or the Placing
and the Placing Agent has not made any representation or warranty
to it, express or implied, with respect to the suitability or
merits of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the
Placing, or as to the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
Company and its affiliates, or as to any other matter relating
thereto, and no information has been prepared by, or is the
responsibility of, the Placing Agent for the purposes of the
Placing;
53. where it is
acquiring the Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it
is authorised in writing by each managed account to acquire the
Placing Shares for each managed account and it has full power to
make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on
behalf of each such account;
54. time is of the
essence as regard its obligations in respect of its participation
in the Placing under these terms and conditions;
55. these terms and
conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these
terms and conditions (including any non-contractual obligations
arising out of or in connection with such agreements) shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England
and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on
whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out
of any such agreements and such non-contractual obligations, except
that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make
payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest
chargeable thereon) may be taken by either the Company or the
Placing Agent in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is
incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on
a recognised stock exchange;
55. if it is
resident in Canada:
(i) it understands that
the offering of the Placing Shares is being made on a private
placement basis only in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta,
British Columbia and Manitoba (the "Canadian Private Placement Provinces")
on a basis exempt from the requirement that the Company prepare and
file a prospectus with the relevant securities regulatory
authorities in Canada and as such, any resale of the Placing Shares
must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a
transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of
applicable securities laws;
(ii) it is resident in one
of the Canadian Private Placement Provinces;
(iii)
it is purchasing the Placing Shares as principal, or is deemed to
be purchasing as principal in accordance with applicable Canadian
securities laws, for investment only and not with a view to resale
or redistribution;
(iv) it is
not an individual;
(v) it
is an "accredited investor" as such term is defined in section 1.1
of NI 45-106 or, in Ontario, as such term is defined in section
73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), as applicable;
(vi) it is a
"permitted client" as such term is defined in section 1.1 of NI
31-103;
(vii) it has
not received any offering memorandum (as such term is defined under
Canadian securities law) from any party in respect of the Placing
or the Placing Shares;
(viii) it
understands that any resale of the Placing Shares acquired by it in
the Placing must be made in accordance with applicable Canadian
securities laws, which may vary depending on the relevant
jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made in
accordance with Canadian prospectus requirements, a statutory
exemption from the prospectus requirements, in a transaction not
subject to the prospectus requirements or otherwise under a
discretionary exemption from the prospectus requirements granted by
the applicable local Canadian securities regulatory authority and
that these resale restrictions may under certain circumstances
apply to resales of the Placing Shares outside of Canada;
and
61. if it is a
person in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the People's
Republic of China, that it is a Professional Investor and (i) it is
taking up the Placing Shares as principal for its own account and
(ii) it is not taking up the Placing Shares on behalf of any other
person(s) or with a view to distribute such Placing Shares to other
person(s); and
62.
if it is a person in Singapore:
(i)
it acknowledges the
Company's notification under Section 309B of the Securities and
Futures Act 2001 of Singapore (the "SFA") that the Subscription
Shares are "prescribed capital markets products" (as defined in the
Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018
of Singapore) and "Excluded Investment Products" (as defined in MAS
Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and
MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment
Products); and
(ii)
it is:
(i) an
"institutional investor" (as defined in section 4A(1)(c) of the
SFA); or
(ii) a "relevant
person" (as defined in section 275(2) of the SFA); or
(iii) a person to whom an
offer is being made, pursuant to section 275(1A) of the
SFA.
56.
if it is a resident in Australia,
it is an investor to whom an offer can be made
without a disclosure document in accordance with Chapter 6D of the
Corporations Act (as either a "sophisticated investor", a
"professional investor" or an "experienced investor" who is exempt
from the disclosure requirements under section 708(8), (10) or (11)
of the Corporations Act);
57. no person
has made any written or oral representations to such Placee (i)
that any person will resell or repurchase the Instruments, (ii)
that any person will refund the purchase price of the Placing
Shares, or (iii) as to the future price or value of the Placing
Shares;
57. the Company, the
Placing Agent and its affiliates and its Representatives and others
will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the acknowledgements,
representations, warranties, indemnities, undertakings and
agreements set forth herein and which are given to the Placing
Agent on its own behalf and on behalf of the Company and are
irrevocable and it irrevocably authorises the Company and the
Placing Agent to produce this Announcement, pursuant to, in
connection with, or as may be required by any applicable law or
regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry
with respect to the matters set forth herein. It agrees that if any
of the acknowledgements, representations, warranties, undertakings
and agreements made in connection with its subscribing and/or
acquiring of Placing Shares is no longer true or accurate, it shall
promptly notify the Company and the Placing Agent;
58. that any
documents sent to Placees will be sent at the Placees' risk. They
may be sent by post to such Placees at an address notified to the
Placing Agent;
59.
that, as far as it is aware it
is not acting in concert (within the meaning given in The City Code
on Takeovers and Mergers) with any other person in relation to the
Company;
60.
that, it and the person(s), if
any, for whose account or benefit it is subscribing for the Placing
Shares is not acquiring Placing Shares with a view to the offer,
sale, resale, transfer, delivery or distribution, directly or
indirectly, of any Placing Shares into the United
States;
The foregoing representations,
warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings are given for the benefit of the Company and the
Placing Agent and are irrevocable.
In addition, each Placee not
acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" pursuant
to Regulation S (each a "U.S.
Placee") shall make specific representations, warranties,
agreements and acknowledgements pursuant to a U.S. investor
representation letter. Each U.S. Placee acknowledges that it will
not be permitted to purchase, subscribe for or otherwise take up
Placing Shares unless it has signed and returned such a
representation letter in accordance with the terms thereof.
Participation by prospective U.S. Placees shall be on a limited
basis at the absolute discretion and satisfaction of the Company
and the Placing Agent.
The agreement to allot and issue
Placing Shares to Placees (or the persons for whom Placees are
contracting as nominee or agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty
reserve tax relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees,
or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct from the
Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement is
subject to the representations, warranties and further terms above
and assumes, and is based on the warranty and representation from
each Placee, that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in
connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to
issue or transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If
there are any such arrangements, or the settlement relates to any
other dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty
reserve tax or other similar taxes may be payable, for which
neither the Company nor the Placing Agent will be responsible and
each Placee shall indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold harmless
the Company, the Placing Agent and its affiliates and its
Representatives for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or
other similar tax paid or otherwise payable by them in respect of
any such arrangements or dealings. If this is the case, each Placee
should seek its own advice and notify the Placing Agent
accordingly.
Neither the Company nor the Placing
Agent is liable to bear any capital duty, stamp duty and all other
stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or
other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties
relating thereto) payable in or outside the United Kingdom by any
Placee or any other person on a Placee's acquisition of any Placing
Shares or the agreement by a Placee to acquire any Placing Shares.
Each Placee agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold
harmless the Company, the Placing Agent and its affiliates and its
Representatives from any and all interest, fines or penalties in
relation to any such duties or taxes.
Each Placee should seek its own
advice as to whether any of the above tax liabilities arise and
notify the Placing Agent accordingly.
Each Placee, and any person acting
on behalf of each Placee, acknowledges and agrees that the Placing
Agent and/or any of its affiliates may, at their absolute
discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of
the Placing Shares. Each Placee acknowledges and is aware that the
Placing Agent are receiving a fee in connection with their role in
respect of the Placing as detailed in the Placing and Nomad
Agreement. When a Placee or person acting on behalf of the Placee
is dealing with the Placing Agent any money held in an account with
the Placing Agent on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting
on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within
the meaning of the rules and regulations of the FCA made under
FSMA. The Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to
the protections conferred by the client money rules; as a
consequence, this money will not be segregated from the Placing
Agent's money in accordance with the client money rules and will be
used by the Placing Agent in the course of its own business; and
the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of the Placing
Agent.
Past performance is no guide to
future performance and persons needing advice should consult an
independent financial adviser.
The rights and remedies of the
Placing Agent and the Company under these terms and conditions are
in addition to any rights and remedies which would otherwise be
available to each of them and the exercise or partial exercise of
one will not prevent the exercise of others.
All times and dates in this
Announcement may be subject to amendment by the Placing Agent (in
their absolute discretion). The Placing Agent shall notify the
Placees and any persons acting on behalf of the Placees of any
changes.
In this Announcement, "after-tax
basis" means in relation to any payment made to the Company, the
Placing Agent or its affiliates or its Representatives pursuant to
this Announcement where the payment (or any part thereof) is
chargeable to any tax, a basis such that the amount so payable
shall be increased so as to ensure that after taking into account
any tax chargeable (or which would be chargeable but for the
availability of any relief unrelated to the loss, damage, cost,
charge, expense or liability against which the indemnity is given
on such amount (including on the increased amount)) there shall
remain a sum equal to the amount that would otherwise have been so
payable.