The UK Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (the "UK Takeover Panel")
- Concert Party Ruling -
March 5, 2014
The Board of Directors of OIM plc (the "Company") has been informed by the UK Takeover Panel that it considers Mercurius Beleggingsmaatschappij BV ("Mercurius") and Budeste Maastricht BV ("Budeste") (being both shareholders in the Company thought to be controlling respectively 30,13% and 12,88% of the voting rights) to be persons acting in concert for the purposes of the UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "UK Code").
The UK Takeover Panel is an independent statutory body in the United Kingdom whose main function is to administer the UK Code and to supervise and regulate takeovers and other matters to which the UK Code applies. As the Company is incorporated in the United Kingdom, it is subject to the provisions of the UK Code and falls within the jurisdiction of the UK Takeover Panel.
This decision by the UK Takeover Panel follows the 2011 acquisition by Budeste of 2.524.791 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company.
As a result of this decision, the UK Takeover Panel has also determined that Mercurius and Budeste (together, the "Concert Party") should dispose of a sufficient number of shares in the Company so as to reduce its voting rights in the Company to 30,13 %. Until such time as such sufficient number of shares are disposed of, the voting rights in respect of the shares held by the Concert Party are suspended, limiting the total number of shares which they would be entitled to vote at any shareholders meeting at 4.772.326 shares or 30,13 % of the maximum number of votes exercisable at such meeting if all shares were to be present or represented.
The full text of the decision of the UK Takeover Panel can be found at:
http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk/statements/panel-statements/ps2014
The Board of Directors of the Company intends to seek the agreement of the Concert Party to work together to ensure an orderly disposal of the shares in the Company.
For additional information, please contact:
OIM plc
Marius Ritskes, CEO
+31 (0)40 214 65 65
info@oimplc.com