The Board of Directors proposes that the Meeting authorize the Board to resolve to repurchase a maximum of 550 million shares, which corresponds to less than 10 per cent of the Company's total number of shares. The repurchases under the authorization are proposed to be carried out by using funds in the unrestricted equity, as resolved by the Board, which means that the repurchases will reduce distributable funds of the Company. The price paid for the shares under the authorization shall be based on the market price of Nokia shares on the securities markets on the date of the repurchase. Shares may be repurchased to be cancelled, held to be reissued, transferred further or for other purposes resolved by the Board. The Company may enter into derivative, share lending or other arrangements customary in capital market practice. The shares may be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shares held by the shareholders (directed repurchase). The Board shall resolve on all other matters related to the repurchase of Nokia shares. It is proposed that the authorization be effective until October 7, 2022 and terminate the authorization for repurchasing the Company's shares granted by the Annual General Meeting on May 27, 2020. 17. Authorization to the Board of Directors to resolve to issue shares and special rights entitling to shares The Board proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorize the Board to resolve to issue in total a maximum of 550 million shares through issuance of shares or special rights entitling to shares under Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act in one or more issues during the effective period of the authorization. The Board may issue either new shares or treasury shares held by the Company. The proposed maximum amount corresponds to less than 10 per cent of the Company's total number of shares as of the date of this proposal. Shares and special rights entitling to shares may be issued in deviation from the shareholders' pre-emptive rights as a directed share issue within the limits set by law. The authorization may be used to develop the Company's capital structure, diversify the shareholder base, finance or carry out acquisitions or other arrangements, to settle the Company's equity-based incentive plans or for other purposes resolved by the Board. The Board would resolve on all terms and conditions of the issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares under Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act. It is proposed that the authorization be effective until October 7, 2022 and terminate the authorization for issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares resolved at the Annual General Meeting on May 27, 2020. 18. Closing of the Meeting B. Documents of the Annual General Meeting This notice, all the proposals by the Board of Directors relating to the agenda of Meeting, the Remuneration Report as well as the "Nokia in 2020" annual report, which includes the Company's Annual Accounts, the review by the Board of Directors and the auditor's report, are expected to be available on the Company's website at www.nokia.com/agm in week 9 of 2021. The "Nokia in 2020" annual report will be sent to shareholders upon request. The minutes of the Annual General Meeting will be available on the Company's website www.nokia.com/agm latest on April 22, 2021. C. Instructions for the participants of the Annual General Meeting The Company takes the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic seriously, and in its efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Annual General Meeting has been decided to be held without shareholders and their proxy representatives' presence at the Meeting venue. This is necessary especially in order to ensure the health and safety of the Company's shareholders, employees and other stakeholders. The Company's shareholders and their proxies can participate in the Meeting and use their shareholder rights only by voting in advance and by submitting counterproposals and asking questions in advance by following the below instructions. It is possible to follow the Annual General Meeting through a webcast, provided that the webcast can be arranged in compliance with all regulatory rules and restrictions imposed by the Finnish authorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructions regarding the webcast will be available on the Company's website www.nokia.com/agm. It is not possible to ask questions, make counterproposals or vote through the webcast, and following the webcast without voting in advance, or issuing a proxy related thereto, is not considered as participation or any kind of exercise of shareholder rights in the Meeting. 1. The right to participate in the Meeting Each shareholder, who on March 25, 2021 is registered in the Register of Shareholders of the Company, maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy, has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder, whose shares are registered on his/her Finnish book-entry account, is automatically registered in the Register of Shareholders of the Company. If you do not have a Finnish book-entry account, see section 4. Holders of nominee-registered shares or section 5. Holders of American Depositary Receipts (ADR). Shareholders cannot participate in the Meeting by any other means than voting in advance in the manner instructed below as well as by submitting counterproposals and asking questions in advance. 2. Registration and voting in advance for shareholders registered in the shareholders' register maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy Shareholders with a Finnish book-entry account, who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting, must register for the Meeting by giving a prior notice of participation and by delivering their votes in advance no later than by March 30, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. (EET) by which time the notice and votes need to be received. Registration and advance voting will open on March 10, 2021 by 10:00 a.m. and end on March 30, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. (EET). A shareholder, who has a Finnish book-entry account, may register and vote in advance by the following means: a) through the Company's website at www.nokia.com/agm Private persons can register and vote by using strong authentication (for example Finnish bank ID). For legal persons, a business ID and the book-entry account number of the shareholder are needed for voting in advance. b) by email or mail A shareholder may send the advance voting form available on the Company's website to Euroclear Finland Oy by email at yhtiokokous@euroclear.eu or by regular mail to Euroclear Finland Oy, Yhtiökokous/Nokia Oyj, P.O. Box 1110, FI-00101 Helsinki. In connection with the registration, a shareholder or a proxy representative is required to provide the personal information requested. The personal information collected will only be used in connection with the Annual General Meeting and registrations related to it. If a shareholder participates in the Meeting by sending the votes in advance by mail or email to Euroclear Finland Oy, in accordance with applicable instructions, the delivery of the votes constitutes due registration for the Meeting. No other separate notification of participation is required. Further instructions relating to the advance voting will be available on the Company's website www.nokia.com/agm and information is also available by telephone at +358 20 770 6870 from Monday to Friday at 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (EET). 3. Proxy representatives and powers of attorney A shareholder may participate in the Annual General Meeting by proxy. The proxy representative of a shareholder is also required to vote in advance in the manner instructed in this notice. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate their right to represent the shareholder. Should a shareholder participate in the Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares in different book-entry accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the Meeting. Proxy authorization documents should be delivered to Euroclear Finland Oy by letter to Euroclear Finland Oy, Yhtiökokous/Nokia Oyj, P.O. Box 1110, FI-00101 Helsinki or by email at yhtiokokous@euroclear.eu at the latest by March 30, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. (EET). 4. Holders of nominee-registered shares A holder of nominee-registered shares has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which they on the record date of the Annual General Meeting, i.e. on March 25, 2021, would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Oy. The right to participate in the Meeting requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered into the temporary shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy at the latest by April 1, 2021 by 2:00 p.m. (EET). As regards nominee-registered shares this constitutes due registration for the Annual General Meeting. A holder of nominee-registered shares is advised to request without delay necessary instructions regarding the temporary registration in the shareholders' register of the company, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the AGM from his/her custodian bank. The account management organization of the custodian bank shall temporarily register a holder of nominee-registered shares, who wants to participate in the AGM, into the shareholders' register of the company at the latest by the time stated above. In addition, the account management organization of the custodian bank shall arrange advance voting on behalf of the holders
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
03-04-21 0515ET