Notice to the Ordinary Annual General Meeting of Alma Media

Alma Media Corporation        Stock Exchange Release        10 February 2017, 9:10 a.m. (EET) 

NOTICE TO THE ORDINARY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ALMA MEDIA 

Shareholders of Alma Media Corporation are invited to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held in the Pörssisali room of the Pörssitalo building (the Helsinki Stock Exchange), at the address Fabianinkatu 14, Helsinki, Finland, on Wednesday 22 March 2017 at 13:00 hrs (1:00 p.m.) EET. The reception of registered participants, the distribution of voting slips and the coffee service will commence at 12:00 noon. 

A. Matters on the agenda at the AGM 

The following matters will be considered at the Annual General Meeting: 

1.      Opening of the meeting

2.      Calling the meeting to order

3.      Election of persons to scrutinise the minutes and supervise the counting of votes

4.     Recording the legal convening of the meeting

5.      Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes

6.     Presentation of the 2016 Financial Statements, the Report by the Board of Directors and the Auditors’ Report

Review by the President and CEO 

7.      Adoption of the Financial Statements

8.     Resolution on the use of the profit shown on the balance sheet and the payment of dividend

The Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of EUR 0.16 per share be paid for the financial year 2016.  The dividend will be paid to shareholders who are registered in Alma Media Corporation’s shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd on the record date, 24 March 2017. The Board of Directors proposes that the dividend be paid on 31 March 2017. 

9.     Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the President and CEO from liability

10.   Resolution on the remuneration and travel allowances of the members of the Board of Directors

The Shareholders’ Nomination Committee proposes that the remuneration of the Board of Directors be kept unchanged, and that the following annual remuneration be paid to the members of the Board of Directors to be elected at the Annual General Meeting for the term of office ending at the close of the Annual General Meeting 2018: to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, EUR 40,000 per year; to the Vice Chairman, EUR 32,000 per year, and to members EUR 27,000 per year.

Additionally, and in accordance with the resolution of the 2016 Annual General Meeting, the Chairmen of the Board and its Committees would be paid a fee of EUR 1,000, Vice Chairmen a fee of EUR 700 and members a fee of EUR 500 for those Board and Committee meetings that they attend. It is proposed that Board members’ travel expenses be compensated in accordance with company travel regulations.

The members of the Board shall, as decided by the Annual General Meeting, acquire a number of Alma Media Corporation shares corresponding to approximately 40% of the full amount of the annual remuneration for Board members, taking into account tax deduction at source, at the trading price on the regulated market arranged by the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Members of the Board are obligated to arrange the acquisition of the shares within two weeks of the release of the first quarter 2017 interim report or, if this is not possible because of insider trading regulations, at the earliest possible time thereafter. If it was not possible to acquire the shares by the end of 2017 for a reason such as pending insider transactions, the remuneration shall be paid in cash. Shares acquired in this way may not be transferred until the recipient’s membership on the Board has expired. The company is liable to pay any asset transfer taxes which may arise from the acquisition of shares.

11.   Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors

The Shareholders’ Nomination Committee proposes that seven (7) members serve on the Board of Directors. 

12.   Election of the members of the Board of Directors

The Shareholders’ Nomination Committee proposes that the following current Board members be re-elected for the term ending at the close of the next Annual General Meeting: Niklas Herlin, Matti Korkiatupa, Esa Lager, Petri Niemisvirta, Catharina Stackelberg-Hammarén, Mitti Storckovius and Harri Suutari. The personal details of the current members of the Board and information on their positions of trust can be found on the company website at http://www.almamedia.fi/en/investors/governance/board-of-directors. 

All proposed members of the Board of Directors have given their permission for their election. 

Shareholders representing more than half of Alma Media’s shares and voting rights have indicated that they support the Shareholders’ Nomination Committee's proposal. 

13.   Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor

In accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes that the auditor’s fees be paid according to the invoice approved by the company.  

14.  Election of the auditor

In accordance with the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes that the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy be elected as the company’s auditor for the 2017 financial year.  

15.   Authorisation to the Board of Directors to repurchase own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorise it to decide on the repurchase of a maximum of 824,000 shares in one or more lots. The proposed maximum authorised quantity represents approximately one (1) per cent of the company’s entire share capital. The shares shall be acquired using the company’s non-restricted shareholders’ equity through trading in a regulated market arranged by Nasdaq Helsinki Oy and in accordance with its rules and instructions, which is why the acquisition is directed, that is, the shares are purchased otherwise than in proportion to shareholders’ current holdings. The price paid for the shares shall be based on the price of the company share in the regulated market, so that the minimum price of purchased shares is the lowest market price of the share quoted in the regulated market during the term of validity of the authorisation and the maximum price, correspondingly, the highest market price quoted in the regulated market during the term of validity of the authorisation. Shares may be purchased for the purpose of improving the company’s capital structure, financing or carrying out corporate acquisitions or other arrangements, implementing incentive schemes for the management or key employees, or to be otherwise transferred or cancelled. It is proposed that the authorisation be valid until the following AGM; however, no longer than until 30 June 2018.  

16.  Authorisation to the Board of Directors to decide on the transfer of own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorise it to decide on a share issue by transferring shares in possession of the company.  A maximum of 824,000 shares may be issued on the basis of the authorisation. The proposed maximum authorised quantity represents approximately one (1) per cent of the company's entire share capital. The authorisation entitles the Board to decide on a directed share issue, which entails deviating from the pre-emption rights of shareholders. The Board can use the authorisation in one or more parts. The Board of Directors may use the authorisation to implement incentive programmes for the management or key employees of the company. 

It is proposed that the authorisation be valid until the following AGM; however, no longer than until 30 June 2018. This authorisation would override the corresponding share issue authorisation granted at the AGM of 17 March 2016. 

17.   Authorisation to the Board of Directors to decide on a share issue

The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorise it to decide on a share issue. The authorisation would entitle the Board to issue a maximum of 16,500,000 shares. The proposed maximum amount of shares corresponds to approximately 20 per cent of the total number of shares in the company. The share issue may be implemented by issuing new shares or transferring shares now in possession of the company. The authorisation entitles the Board to decide on a directed share issue, which entails deviating from the pre-emption rights of shareholders. The Board can use the authorisation in one or more parts.

The Board may use the authorisation for developing the capital structure of the company, widening the ownership base, financing or realising acquisitions or other arrangements, or for other purposes decided on by the Board. The authorisation may not, however, be used to implement incentive programmes for the management or key employees of the company.

It is proposed that the authorisation be valid until the following AGM; however, no longer than until 30 June 2018. This authorisation would override the corresponding share issue authorisation granted at the AGM of 17 March 2016, but not the share issue authorisation proposed above in section 16.

18.   Charitable donations

The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorise it to decide on donations amounting to no more than EUR 50,000 to universities in 2017–2018, with the more detailed conditions of the donations to be decided by the Board of Directors.

19.  Closing of the meeting

B. Documents of the AGM 

The above proposals on the company's agenda and this notice to the Annual General Meeting are available on the Alma Media Corporation website at http://www.almamedia.fi/en/investors/governance/general-meeting/2017. The Financial Statements, the Report by the Board of Directors and the Auditor’s Report will be available on the company website no later than 1 March 2017. The proposals and other aforementioned documents will also be available at the AGM, and copies of these and this notice will be sent to shareholders on request. The minutes of the AGM will be available on the above website no later than 5 April 2017. 

C. Instructions to the participants of the AGM 

1. Shareholders registered in the shareholder register 

Shareholders who are registered on 10 March 2017 in the shareholder register of the company, maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd, have the right to attend the AGM. A shareholder whose shares are registered on his/her personal Finnish book-entry account is registered in the company’s shareholder register. 

Registered shareholders wishing to attend the AGM must register no later than 4:00 p.m. EET on 17 March 2017, by which time their registrations must have arrived at the company.  Participants may register for the AGM starting from 9:00 a.m. EET on 16 February 2017 

a)              through the company website at http://www.almamedia.fi/en/investors/governance/general-meeting/2017 or by email at yhtiokokous@almamedia.fi

b)             by telephone on +358 10 665 2220 from Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EET

c)              by letter to Alma Media Corporation, Sirpa Jyräsalo, P.O. Box 140, 00101 Helsinki, Finland.

When registering, shareholders shall provide their name, personal identification number, address and telephone number, as well as the name of any assistant or proxy representative and the personal identification number of the proxy representative. Personal information provided by shareholders to Alma Media Corporation will only be used for processing AGM registrations and other related registrations. 

The shareholder or their appointed representative or proxy representative must be able to provide proof of their identification and/or representation rights at the venue of the AGM. 

2. Holders of nominee-registered shares 

Holders of nominee-registered shares are entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting based on the shares that would entitle them to be entered in the shareholder register, maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd, on 10 March 2017. In addition, participation in the AGM requires that such shareholders are, based on these shares, temporarily entered in the shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd no later than 17 March 2017 at 10:00 a.m. For nominee-registered shares, this will be considered as a registration to participate in the Annual General Meeting. 

Holders of nominee-registered shares are advised to consult their asset manager well in advance for instructions on being entered in the temporary shareholder register, giving proxies and registering for participation in the AGM. The asset manager’s account manager must announce the holder of nominee-registered shares who wishes to attend the AGM for temporary registration in the company’s shareholder register no later than the aforementioned date and time. 

Further information is available on the Alma Media Corporation website at http://www.almamedia.fi/en/investors/governance/general-meeting/2017.  

3. Proxy representatives and proxy documents 

Shareholders may participate in the AGM and exercise their rights at the meeting through proxy representatives. The proxy representative of a shareholder must present a dated proxy document or provide other reliable proof that they are entitled to represent the shareholder. Should a shareholder participate in the AGM via several proxy representatives representing this shareholder's shares stored in different securities accounts, the shares by virtue of which each proxy representative is representing the shareholder must be specified in connection with the registration. 

Any proxy documents should be delivered as originals to the address Alma Media Corporation,  

Sirpa Jyräsalo, P.O. Box 140, 00101 Helsinki, Finland before the expiry of the registration period.               

4. Other instructions/information 

Shareholders present at the AGM have the right, under subsection 25 of section 5 of the Limited Liability Companies Act, to pose questions on the matters dealt with by the meeting. 

On the date of this notice to the AGM, 10 February 2017, Alma Media Corporation has a total of 82,383,182 shares and votes. 

Helsinki, 10 February 2017 

ALMA MEDIA CORPORATION 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

For more information, please contact: Mikko Korttila, General Counsel of Alma Media Corporation, secretary to the Board of Directors, tel. +358 10 665 2201 

Distribution:  

NASDAQ Helsinki Stock Exchange, main media, www.almamedia.com

Alma Media in brief

Alma Media is a media company focusing on the service business and journalistic content. The company’s best-known brands are Kauppalehti, Talouselämä, Affärsvärlden, Iltalehti, Aamulehti, Etuovi.com and Monster. Alma Media builds sustainable growth for its customers by utilising the opportunities of digitality, including information services, system and expert services and advertising solutions. Alma Media’s operations have expanded from Finland to the Nordic countries, the Baltics and Central Europe. Alma Media employs approximately 2,300 professionals (excluding delivery personnel), of whom approximately 30% work outside Finland. Alma Media’s revenue in 2016 was EUR 353.2 million. Alma Media’s share is listed on NASDAQ Helsinki. Read more at www.almamedia.com.