SoftwareOne Corporate NewsStans, SwitzerlandAd hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR
SoftwareOne publishes 2023 Annual Report and invitation to AGM
SoftwareOne Holding AG, a leading global software and cloud solutions provider, today published its Annual Report for the financial year 2023. Additionally, the company published the invitation to the Annual General Meeting (AGM), taking place on 18 April 2024 in the KKL Lucerne. The Board of Directors recommends the election of a balanced Board of Directors in the best interest of all stakeholders.
Today, SoftwareOne published its 2023 Annual Report which includes the Management Report, Non-Financial Report (NFR), the Compensation Report, as well as the Annual Statutory and Consolidated Financial Statements and the respective auditors' reports.
The Board proposes to distribute a dividend from non-Swiss capital contribution reserves of CHF 0.36 per registered share. The proposed dividend reflects SoftwareOne’s solid performance and strong balance sheet, resulting in the fourth consecutive dividend increase since the company's IPO in late 2019.
At the upcoming AGM, two current members of the Board of Directors will not stand for re-election: Timo Ihamuotila, member of the Board of Directors since 2019 and currently Chair of the Audit Committee, and Isabelle Romy, member of the Board of Directors since 2021, member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the ad hoc ESG Committee. The Board of Directors thanks them both for their service and valuable contributions to SoftwareOne’s growth and success over the past years and wishes them all the best for their future.
In terms of elections to the Board of Directors, the request from the company's 29%-block shareholders to replace the current Board of Directors in its entirety, except for Daniel von Stockar, will be voted on. The Board of Directors rejects such a proposal as it is considered detrimental to SoftwareOne. However, it is open to recommending a proportionate number of the 29%-block shareholders' nominees for election to the Board of Directors. This recommendation is based on the firm belief that a balanced Board of Directors is in the best interest of all stakeholders as it would provide continuity to allow the management of the company to stay focused on meeting its growth, profitability and other strategic objectives.
Accordingly, the Board of Directors proposes the re-election of Chairman Adam Warby and its members standing for re-election, Marie-Pierre Rogers, Elizabeth Theophille, Jim Freeman and José Alberto Duarte. It also proposes the election of Till Streichert as a new member. Furthermore, the Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders re-elect Daniel von Stockar and elect Annabella Bassler and Andrea Sieber as representatives of the 29%-block shareholders to the Board of Directors. If elected, the Board of Directors intends to appoint Till Streichert as new Chair of the Audit Committee.
Shareholders are asked to register their shares in the share register as soon as possible and no later than 10 April 2024 in order to be able to vote their registered shares at the AGM in person or via a representative.
Important notice
The Annual Report, a letter to shareholders and the invitation and full agenda for the AGM on 18 April 2024 in the KKL Lucerne are available here on SoftwareOne’s website.
SoftwareOne is a leading global software and cloud solutions provider that is redefining how organizations build, buy and manage everything in the cloud. By helping clients to migrate and modernize their workloads and applications – and in parallel, to navigate and optimise the resulting software and cloud changes – SoftwareOne unlocks the value of technology. The company's ~9,300 employees are driven to deliver a portfolio of 7,500 software brands with a presence in over 60 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, SoftwareOne is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SWON. Visit us at www.softwareone.com
