EX-1.1 2 exhibit01x1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1 exhibit01x1
exhibit01x1p1i0
Exhibit 1.1
 
2
ABB LTD, ZURICH
MARCH 24, 2022
Articles of Incorporation
of ABB Ltd, Zurich
This is a translation of the
 
original German version.
 
In case of any discrepancy,
 
the German version shall prevail.
 
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
3
SECTION 1:
Name, Place of Incorporation,
Purpose and Duration
Name, Place of
Incorporation
ARTICLE 1
Under the name
 
ABB Ltd
 
ABB AG
 
ABB SA
 
there exists a corporation with
 
its place of incorporation in Zurich.
Purpose
ARTICLE 2
1.
The purpose of the Company
 
is to hold interests in
 
business enterprises,
particularly in enterprises active
 
in the areas of industry, trade and
 
services.
2.
The Company may acquire,
 
encumber, exploit
 
or sell real estate and intellectual
property rights in Switzerland
 
and abroad and may also finance other
companies.
3.
The Company may engage in
 
all types of transactions and may take
 
all
measures that appear appropriate
 
to promote, or that are
 
related to, the
purpose of the Company.
4.
In pursuing its purpose, the Company
 
shall strive for long-term sustainable
value creation.
Duration
ARTICLE 3
The duration of the Company
 
shall be unlimited.
 
 
 
4
SECTION 2:
Share Capital
Share Capital
ARTICLE 4
1
The share capital of the
 
Company is CHF 235 769 409.00
 
and is divided into
1 964 745 075 fully paid
 
registered shares. Each share
 
has a par value of
CHF 0.12.
2
Upon resolution of the
 
General Meeting of Shareholders,
 
registered shares may
be converted into bearer shares
 
and bearer shares may
 
be converted into
registered shares.
Contingent
Share Capital
ARTICLE 4
BIS
1
The share capital may be increased in
 
an amount not to exceed CHF 25 200
 
000
through the issuance of
 
up to 210 000 000 fully paid
 
registered shares with a
par value of CHF 0.12
 
per share,
 
a)
up to the amount of
 
CHF 24 000 000 through the exercise of
 
conversion
rights and/or warrants granted in
 
connection with the issuance on national
or international capital markets
 
of newly or already issued bonds or
 
other
financial market instruments
 
by the Company or one of
 
its group
companies, and
 
b)
up to the amount of
 
CHF 1 200 000 through the exercise of
 
warrant rights
granted to the shareholders
 
by the Company or one of
 
its group
companies. The Board of
 
Directors may grant warrant
 
rights not taken up
by shareholders for other purposes
 
in the interest of the Company.
The pre-emptive rights
 
of the shareholders shall be excluded in
 
connection with
the issuance of convertible or
 
warrant-bearing bonds or other
 
financial market
instruments or the grant of
 
warrant rights. The then current owners of
conversion rights and/or warrants
 
shall be entitled to subscribe for the new
shares. The conditions of the
 
conversion rights and/or warrants shall be
determined by the Board
 
of Directors.
2
The acquisition of shares
 
through the exercise of conversion
 
rights and/ or
warrants and each subsequent transfer
 
of the shares shall be subject to the
restrictions of Art. 5 of these
 
Articles of Incorporation.
3
In connection with the issuance
 
by the Company or one of its
 
group companies
of convertible or warrant-bearing
 
bonds or other financial market
 
instruments,
the Board of Directors
 
shall be authorized to restrict
 
or deny the advance
subscription rights of shareholders
 
if such issuances are for the purpose of
financing or refinancing the acquisition
 
of an enterprise, parts of
 
an enterprise,
participations or new investments
 
or the issuance on national or international
capital markets.
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
5
If advance subscription rights
 
are denied by the Board of
 
Directors, the
following shall apply: the
 
convertible or warrant-bearing bonds or
 
other
financial market instruments
 
shall be issued at the relevant
 
market conditions
and the new shares shall be issued
 
pursuant to the relevant market
 
conditions
taking into account the share
 
price and/or other comparable
 
instruments
having a market price.
 
Conversion rights may be exercised during a
 
maximum
10-year period, and warrants
 
may be exercised during a maximum 7-year
period, in each case from the
 
date of the respective issuance.
 
The advance
subscription rights of the shareholders
 
may be granted indirectly.
4
The share capital may be increased in
 
an amount not to exceed CHF 11 284
 
656
through the issuance of
 
up to 94 038 800 fully paid
 
registered shares with a par
value of CHF 0.12
 
per share by the issuance of new shares
 
to employees of the
Company and group companies.
 
The pre-emptive and advance
 
subscription
rights of the shareholders of
 
the Company shall thereby be excluded.
 
The
shares or rights to subscribe
 
for shares shall be issued to employees
 
pursuant to
one or more regulations
 
to be issued by the Board of
 
Directors, taking into
account performance, functions, levels
 
of responsibility and profitability
 
criteria.
Shares or subscription rights
 
may be issued to employees at
 
a price lower than
that quoted on the stock exchange.
5
The acquisition of shares
 
within the context of employee share
 
ownership and
each subsequent transfer of
 
the shares shall be subject to the
 
restrictions of Art.
5 of these Articles of Incorporation.
Authorized
Share Capital
ARTICLE 4
TER
1
The Board of Directors
 
shall be authorized to increase the
 
share capital in an
amount not to exceed CHF 24
 
000 000 through the issuance of
 
up to
200 000 000 fully paid registered
 
shares with a par value
 
of CHF 0.12 per share
by not later than March
 
25, 2023. Increases in partial amounts
 
shall be
permitted.
2
The subscription and acquisition
 
of the new shares, as well as
 
each subsequent
transfer of the shares, shall
 
be subject to the restrictions of
 
Art. 5 of these
Articles of Incorporation.
3
The Board of Directors
 
shall determine the date of
 
issue of new shares, the issue
price, the type of payment,
 
the conditions for the exercise of pre-emptive
 
rights,
and the beginning date for dividend
 
entitlement. In this regard,
 
the Board of
Directors may issue new shares
 
by means of a firm underwriting through
 
a
banking institution, a
 
syndicate or another third party with a
 
subsequent offer
of these shares to the
 
shareholders. The Board of
 
Directors may permit pre-
emptive rights that have not been
 
exercised to expire or it
 
may place these
rights and/or shares as to
 
which pre-emptive rights have been granted
 
but not
exercised, at
 
 
 
6
market conditions or use them
 
for other purposes in the interest
 
of the
Company.
4
The Board of Directors
 
is further authorized to restrict or deny the
 
pre-emptive
rights of shareholders and
 
allocate such rights to third parties if
 
the shares are
to be used:
a)
for the acquisition of an
 
enterprise, parts of an enterprise, or
 
participations,
or for new investments, or,
 
in case of a share placement,
 
for the financing
or refinancing of such transactions;
 
or
b)
for the purpose of broadening
 
the shareholder constituency in connection
with a listing of shares
 
on domestic or foreign stock exchanges.
Share Register
and Restrictions
on Registration,
Nominees
ARTICLE 5
1
The Company shall maintain
 
a share register listing the surname
 
and first name
(in the case of legal entities,
 
the company name) and address of
 
the holders and
usufructuaries of the registered
 
shares.
 
2
Acquirers of registered shares
 
shall be registered upon
 
request in the share
register as shareholders with
 
the right to vote, provided that
 
they expressly
declare that they acquired
 
the registered shares in their
 
own name and for their
own account.
3
If persons fail to expressly declare in
 
their registration applications that they
hold the shares for their
 
own account (the “Nominees”), the Board
 
of Directors
shall enter such persons in the
 
share register with the right to
 
vote, provided
that the Nominee has entered
 
into an agreement with the Board
 
of Directors
concerning his status and is
 
subject to a recognized bank or financial
 
market
supervision.
4
After hearing the registered shareholder
 
or Nominee, the Board of
 
Directors
may cancel registrations in
 
the share register,
 
retroactive to the date
 
of
registration, if such registrations
 
were made based on incorrect information.
 
The
relevant shareholder or
 
Nominee shall be informed immediately
 
as to the
cancellation.
5
The Board of Directors
 
shall regulate the details and issue
 
the instructions
necessary for compliance with the preceding provisions.
 
In special cases, it may
grant exemptions from the
 
rule concerning Nominees. The Board
 
of Directors
may delegate its duties.
6
Notwithstanding paras. 2–4
 
of this article, acquirers of registered
 
shares may be
registered in the share
 
register with Euroclear Sweden
 
AB (“Euroclear”) in
accordance with Swedish
 
law.
 
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
7
Share Certificates
and
Intermediated
Securities
ARTICLE 6
1
The Company may issue its registered
 
shares in the form of
 
single certificates,
global certificates and uncertificated securities.
 
Under the conditions set forth
by statutory law, the Company
 
may convert its registered shares from
 
one form
into another form at any time
 
and without the approval of
 
the shareholders. The
Company shall bear the cost
 
of any such conversion.
2
If registered shares are
 
issued in the form of single certificates
 
or global
certificates, they shall bear the signatures
 
of two members of the Board
 
of
Directors. These signatures
 
may be facsimile signatures.
 
3
The shareholder has no
 
right to demand a conversion of the
 
form of the
registered shares. Each
 
shareholder may, however,
 
at any time request a written
confirmation from the
 
Company of the registered
 
shares held by such
shareholder,
 
as reflected in the share
 
register.
4
Intermediated securities based
 
on registered shares of
 
the Company cannot be
transferred by way of assignment.
 
A security interest in any such intermediated
securities also cannot be granted
 
by way of assignment.
5
Uncertificated registered shares
 
registered with Euroclear
 
may be pledged in
accordance
 
with Swedish law.
Exercise of Rights
ARTICLE 7
1
The Company shall only accept
 
one representative per share.
2
The right to vote and rights
 
relating thereto under a registered
 
share may be
exercised vis-à-vis the Company
 
only by a shareholder,
 
usufructuary or
Nominee registered in the
 
share register with the right to vote.
Dividend
Access Facility
ARTICLE 8
1
The Company has established
 
a dividend access facility under which
shareholders who are resident
 
in Sweden have the option to
 
be registered with
Euroclear as holders of
 
a total of up to 600 004 716 registered
 
shares of the
Company, with
 
suspended dividend entitlement. The
 
claim to dividends against
the Company on such registered
 
shares shall be suspended as long as
 
such
registered shares are registered
 
with Euroclear.
 
In lieu thereof, on
 
each such
registered share, an
 
amount equivalent to the dividend resolved
 
on a registered
share of the Company
 
shall be paid in Swedish
 
krona by ABB Norden Holding
AB based on the dividend
 
entitlement on a preference
 
share.
2
In deciding on the appropriation
 
of dividends, the General Meeting
 
of
Shareholders shall take into
 
account that the Company will
 
pay dividends only
on shares that do not participate
 
in the dividend access facility.
 
 
 
 
 
8
SECTION 3:
Corporate Bodies
A. General Meeting of
Shareholders
Competence
ARTICLE 9
The General Meeting of Shareholders
 
is the supreme body of the
 
Company.
Ordinary
General
Meetings
ARTICLE 10
The Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders
 
shall be held each year within six
months after the close of the fiscal
 
year of the Company; the business
 
report, the
compensation report and the Auditors’
 
reports shall be made available for
inspection by the shareholders
 
at the place of incorporation
 
of the Company by no
later than twenty days prior to the
 
meeting. Each shareholder is entitled to
 
request
immediate delivery of a copy of
 
these documents. Shareholders will
 
be notified of
this in writing.
Extraordinary
General Meetings
ARTICLE 11
1
Extraordinary General Meetings of Shareholders
 
shall be held when deemed
necessary by the Board of Directors
 
or the Auditors.
2
Furthermore, Extraordinary General Meetings
 
of Shareholders shall be convened
upon resolution of a General
 
Meeting of Shareholders or if this is
 
requested by
one or more shareholders who
 
represent an aggregate of
 
at least one-tenth of
the share capital and who submit
 
a petition signed by such shareholder(s),
specifying the items for the agenda
 
and the proposals.
Notice of
General
Meetings
ARTICLE 12
1
Notice of General Meetings
 
of Shareholders shall be given
 
by the Board of
Directors or,
 
if necessary, by the Auditors, by no later
 
than twenty days prior to
the meeting date. Notice of
 
the meeting shall be given by way of
 
an
announcement appearing once
 
in the official publication organ
 
of the
Company. Shareholders
 
may also be informed by ordinary mail. Liquidators
 
and
representatives of bondholders
 
shall also be entitled to
 
call a General Meeting
of Shareholders.
2
The notice of a meeting
 
shall state the items on the agenda
 
and the proposals
of the Board of
 
Directors and of the shareholders
 
who demanded that a General
Meeting of Shareholders be held
 
or that an item be included on the
 
agenda
and,
 
in case of elections, the names of
 
the nominated candidates.
 
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
9
Agenda
ARTICLE 13
1
One or more shareholders whose combined
 
shareholdings represent
 
an
aggregate par value
 
of at least CHF 48 000 may demand
 
that an item be
included on the agenda of
 
a General Meeting of Shareholders.
 
Such inclusion
must be requested in
 
writing at least forty days prior to the meeting
 
and shall
specify the agenda items and
 
proposals of such shareholder(s).
2
No resolutions may be passed at
 
a General Meeting of Shareholders concerning
agenda items for which proper notice
 
was not given. This provision shall
 
not
apply, however,
 
to proposals made during a
 
General Meeting of Shareholders
to convene an Extraordinary General
 
Meeting of Shareholders or to
 
initiate a
special audit.
3
No previous notification
 
shall be required for proposals concerning
 
items
included on the agenda and for
 
debates as to which no vote is taken.
Presiding
Officer, Minutes,
Vote Counters
ARTICLE 14
1
The General Meeting of Shareholders
 
shall be held at the place of incorporation
of the Company,
 
unless the Board of
 
Directors decides otherwise. The Chairman
of the Board or,
 
in his absence, a Vice-Chairman
 
or any other Member
appointed by the Board,
 
shall take the chair.
 
2
The presiding officer shall
 
appoint the secretary and the vote counters.
 
The
minutes shall be signed by the
 
presiding officer and the secretary.
 
3
The presiding officer shall
 
have all powers and authority necessary to ensure
 
the
orderly and undisturbed conduct of
 
the General Meeting of Shareholders.
Proxies
ARTICLE 15
1
The Board of Directors
 
shall issue procedural rules regarding
 
participation in
and representation at the
 
General Meeting of Shareholders.
 
2
A shareholder may be represented
 
only by the independent proxy
("Unabhängiger Stimmrechtsvertreter"),
 
his legal representative or,
 
by means of
a written proxy,
 
another shareholder with the right
 
to vote. All shares held by
one shareholder may be represented
 
by only one representative.
 
3
The General Meeting of Shareholders
 
shall elect the independent proxy for
 
a
term of office extending
 
until completion of the next Ordinary
 
General Meeting
of Shareholders. Re-election
 
is possible.
 
4
If the Company does not have
 
an independent proxy,
 
the Board of Directors
shall appoint the independent proxy
 
for the next General Meeting
 
of
Shareholders.
 
 
 
 
10
Voting Rights
ARTICLE 16
Subject to Art. 5 para. 2 of these
 
Articles of Incorporation, each share shall grant
 
the
right to one vote.
Resolutions,
Elections
ARTICLE 17
1
Unless otherwise required by law,
 
the General Meeting of Shareholders
 
shall
pass resolutions and
 
decide elections upon an absolute majority
 
of the votes
represented.
2
Resolutions and elections
 
shall be decided by a show of hands,
 
unless a secret
ballot is resolved by the
 
General Meeting of Shareholders
 
or is ordered by the
presiding officer.
 
The presiding officer may also
 
arrange for resolutions and
elections to be carried out by electronic
 
means. Resolutions and elections
carried out by electronic
 
means are deemed to have the same
 
effect as secret
ballots.
3
The presiding officer may
 
at any time order that an election
 
or resolution be
repeated if,
 
in his view, the results
 
of the vote are in doubt.
 
In this case, the
preceding election or resolution
 
shall be deemed to have not occurred.
4
If the first ballot fails to result
 
in an election and more than one candidate
 
is
standing for election, the presiding
 
officer shall order a second ballot
 
in which a
relative majority shall
 
be decisive.
Specific Powers
of the General
Meeting
ARTICLE 18
The following powers shall be vested
 
exclusively in the General Meeting
 
of
Shareholders:
a)
adoption and amendment
 
of the Articles of Incorporation;
b)
election of the members of
 
the Board of Directors, the
 
Chairman of the Board of
Directors, the members of the
 
Compensation Committee, the Auditors
 
and the
independent proxy;
c)
approval of the
 
annual management report and consolidated financial
statements;
d)
approval of the
 
annual financial statements and decision
 
on the allocation of
profits shown on the
 
balance sheet, in particular with regard
 
to dividends;
e)
approval of the
 
compensation of the Board of
 
Directors and of the Executive
Committee pursuant to Article 34
 
of these Articles of Incorporation;
f)
granting discharge to the
 
members of the Board of
 
Directors and the persons
entrusted with management;
g)
passing resolutions as to
 
all matters reserved to the authority of the
 
General
Meeting by law or under these
 
Articles of Incorporation or that are
 
submitted to
the General Meeting by the
 
Board of Directors, subject to
 
Art. 716a Swiss Code
of Obligations.
 
 
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
11
Special
Quorum
ARTICLE 19
The approval of at least
 
two-thirds of the votes
 
represented shall be required
 
for
resolutions of the General
 
Meeting of Shareholders with
 
respect to:
a)
a modification of the purpose
 
of the Company;
b)
the creation of shares
 
with increased voting powers;
c)
restrictions on the transfer of
 
registered shares and
 
the removal of such
restrictions;
d)
restrictions on the exercise
 
of the right to vote and the
 
removal of such
restrictions;
e)
an authorized or conditional increase
 
in share capital;
f)
an increase in share capital
 
through the conversion of
 
capital surplus, through
an in-kind contribution or in exchange for
 
an acquisition of property,
 
and a
grant of special benefits;
g)
the restriction or denial
 
of pre-emptive rights;
h)
a transfer of the place of incorporation
 
of the Company;
i)
the dissolution of the
 
Company.
B. Board of Directors
Number
of Directors
ARTICLE 20
The Board of Directors
 
shall consist of no fewer than 7
 
and no more than 13
members.
Election, Term
of Office
ARTICLE 21
1
The members of the Board
 
of Directors and the Chairman
 
of the Board of
Directors shall be individually
 
elected by the General Meeting of Shareholders
for a term of office extending
 
until completion of the next Ordinary
 
General
Meeting of Shareholders.
2
Members whose terms of office
 
have expired shall be immediately
 
eligible for
re-election.
3
If the office of the Chairman
 
of the Board of Directors is
 
vacant, the Board of
Directors shall appoint a new
 
Chairman from among its members for
 
a term of
office extending until completion
 
of the next Ordinary General Meeting of
Shareholders.
Organization
of the Board,
Reimbursement
of Expenses
ARTICLE 22
1
Except for the election of
 
the Chairman of the Board of
 
Directors and the
members of the Compensation
 
Committee by the General Meeting
 
of
Shareholders, the Board
 
of Directors shall constitute itself.
 
It may elect from
among its members one or several
 
Vice-Chairmen. It shall appoint a secretary
who need not be a member of
 
the Board.
2
The members of the Board
 
of Directors shall be entitled
 
to the reimbursement
of all expenses incurred in
 
the interests of the Company.
 
 
 
 
12
Convening of
Meetings
ARTICLE 23
The Chairman shall convene meetings
 
of the Board of Directors if
 
and when the
need arises or whenever a member or
 
the chief executive officer
 
so requests in
writing.
Resolutions
ARTICLE 24
1
In order to pass resolutions,
 
at least a majority of the members of
 
the Board of
Directors must be present.
 
No attendance quorum shall be required
 
for
resolutions of the Board
 
of Directors providing for the confirmation
 
of capital
increases or for the amendment
 
of the Articles of Incorporation in connection
therewith.
2
Resolutions of the
 
Board of Directors shall be adopted upon
 
a majority of the
votes cast. In the event
 
of a tie, the
 
Chairman shall have the casting vote.
3
Resolutions may be passed by way
 
of circulation
 
(in writing), provided that no
member requests oral deliberation.
Specific Powers
of the Board
ARTICLE 25
1
The Board of Directors
 
has, in particular, the following
 
nondelegable and
inalienable duties:
a)
the ultimate direction of the
 
business of the Company and the issuance
 
of
the necessary instructions;
b)
the determination of the
 
organization of the Company;
c)
the administration of accounting,
 
financial control and financial planning;
d)
the appointment and removal
 
of the persons entrusted with management
and representation of
 
the Company;
e)
the ultimate supervision of the persons entrusted
 
with management of the
Company, specifically
 
in view of their compliance with law,
 
these Articles of
Incorporation, the regulations
 
and directives;
f)
the preparation of
 
the business report, the compensation report
 
and the
General Meetings of Shareholders
 
as well as the implementation
 
of the
resolutions adopted by the
 
General Meetings of Shareholders;
g)
the adoption of resolutions
 
concerning an increase in share
 
capital to the
extent that such power is vested in
 
the Board of Directors (Art. 651
 
para. 4
Swiss Code of Obligations) and
 
of resolutions concerning
 
the confirmation
of capital increases and
 
corresponding amendments to the
 
Articles of
Incorporation, as well as making
 
the required report on the capital increase;
 
h)
the notification of the
 
court if liabilities exceed assets.
2
In addition, the Board of
 
Directors may pass resolutions
 
with respect to all
matters that are not reserved to the
 
authority of the General Meeting
 
of
Shareholders by law or under
 
these Articles of Incorporation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
13
Delegation
of Powers
ARTICLE 26
Subject to Art. 25 of these Articles of
 
Incorporation, the Board of Directors
 
may
delegate management of
 
the Company in whole or in part to individual
 
directors or
to third persons pursuant to
 
regulations governing the internal
 
organization.
Signature
Power
ARTICLE 27
The due and valid representation
 
of the Company by members of the
 
Board of
Directors or other persons shall
 
be set forth in regulations governing the internal
organization.
C. Compensation Committee
Number
of Members
ARTICLE 28
The Compensation Committee
 
shall consist of no fewer than three
 
members of the
Board of Directors.
Election, Term
of Office
ARTICLE 29
1
The members of the Compensation
 
Committee shall be individually elected
 
by
the General Meeting of Shareholders
 
for a term of office extending
 
until
completion of the next
 
Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders.
2
Members whose terms of office
 
have expired shall be immediately
 
eligible for
re-election.
3
If there are vacancies
 
on the Compensation Committee, the
 
Board of Directors
may appoint substitute members from
 
among its members for a term of office
extending until completion of
 
the next Ordinary General Meeting of
Shareholders.
Organization
of the
Compensation
Committee
ARTICLE 30
1
The Compensation Committee
 
shall constitute itself.
 
The Board of Directors
shall elect the chairman of the
 
Compensation Committee.
2
The Board of Directors
 
shall issue regulations establishing the
 
organization and
decision-making process of the
 
Compensation Committee.
Powers
ARTICLE 31
1
The Compensation Committee
 
shall support the Board of Directors
 
in
establishing and reviewing
 
the compensation strategy and guidelines
 
as well as
in preparing the proposals
 
to the General Meeting of
 
Shareholders regarding
the compensation of the
 
Board of Directors and
 
of the Executive Committee,
and may submit proposals to
 
the Board of Directors in
 
other compensation-
related issues.
 
 
14
2
The Board of Directors
 
shall determine in regulations
 
for which positions of the
Board of Directors
 
and of the Executive Committee
 
the Compensation
Committee shall submit proposals
 
for the performance metrics, target
 
values
and the compensation to the
 
Board of Directors, and
 
for which positions it shall
itself determine, in accordance with
 
the Articles of Incorporation and the
compensation guidelines established
 
by the Board of Directors,
 
the
performance metrics, target values
 
and the compensation.
3
The Board of Directors
 
may delegate further tasks to the Compensation
Committee that shall be determined
 
in regulations.
D.
 
Auditors
Term, Powers
and Duties
ARTICLE 32
The Auditors, which shall be elected
 
by the General Meeting of
 
Shareholders each
year, shall
 
have the powers and duties vested in
 
them by law.
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
15
SECTION 4:
 
Compensation of the Members
of the Board of Directors
 
and of
the Executive Committee
General
Compensation
Principles
ARTICLE 33
1
Compensation of the
 
members of the Board of Directors
 
consists of fixed
compensation. Total
 
compensation shall take into account
 
position and level of
responsibility of the
 
recipient.
2
Compensation of the
 
members of the Executive Committee
 
consists of fixed
and variable compensation elements.
 
Fixed compensation comprises the base
salary and other compensation elements. Variable
 
compensation may comprise
short-term and long-term variable
 
compensation elements. Total
 
compensation
shall take into account
 
position and level of responsibility
 
of the recipient.
3
Short-term variable
 
compensation elements shall be governed by performance
metrics that take into account
 
the performance of the Company,
 
the group or
parts thereof,
 
targets in relation to the
 
market, other companies or
 
comparable
benchmarks and/or individual targets,
 
and achievement of which is
 
generally
measured during a one-year
 
period. Depending on achieved performance,
 
the
compensation may amount to a
 
multiplier of target level.
4
Long-term variable
 
compensation elements shall be governed by performance
metrics that take into account
 
strategic and/or financial objectives,
 
achievement
of which is generally measured
 
during a perennial period, as well
 
as retention
elements. Depending on achieved
 
performance, the compensation may amount
to a multiplier of target
 
level.
5
The Board of Directors
 
or, to the extent
 
delegated to it, the Compensation
Committee shall determine the
 
performance metrics and target levels of
 
the
short-
 
and long-term variable
 
compensation elements, as well
 
as their
achievement.
6
Compensation may be paid in
 
the form of cash, shares,
 
or in the form of other
types of benefits; for the
 
Executive Committee, compensation
 
may in addition
be paid in the form of
 
share-based instruments or units.
 
The Board of Directors
or, to
 
the extent delegated to it, the
 
Compensation Committee shall determine
grant, vesting, exercise and
 
forfeiture
 
 
 
 
16
conditions. In particular,
 
they may provide for continuation,
 
acceleration or
removal of vesting
 
and exercise conditions, for
 
payment or grant of
compensation based upon assumed target
 
achievement, or for forfeiture, in
each case in the event of pre-determined
 
events such as a change-of-control
 
or
termination of an employment
 
or mandate agreement. The Company
 
may
procure the required
 
shares through purchases in
 
the market or by using
contingent share capital.
7
Compensation may be paid by
 
the Company or companies controlled
 
by it.
Approval of
Compensation by
the General
Meeting of
Shareholders
ARTICLE 34
1
The General Meeting of Shareholders
 
shall approve the proposals of
 
the Board
of Directors in relation
 
to the maximum aggregate amounts
 
of
 
a)
compensation of the Board
 
of Directors for the next term of
 
office;
b)
compensation of the Executive
 
Committee for the following financial
 
year.
2
The Board of Directors
 
may submit for approval by
 
the General Meeting of
Shareholders deviating or additional
 
proposals relating to the same
 
or different
periods.
3
In the event the General Meeting
 
of Shareholders does not approve a proposal
of the Board of
 
Directors, the Board of
 
Directors shall determine, taking into
account all relevant factors,
 
the respective (maximum) aggregate amount
 
or
(maximum) partial amounts, and submit
 
the amount(s) so determined for
approval by a General
 
Meeting of Shareholders.
4
Compensation may be paid out
 
prior to approval by the General
 
Meeting of
Shareholders subject to
 
subsequent approval.
Supplementary
Amount for
Changes to the
Executive
Committee
ARTICLE 35
If the maximum aggregate
 
amount of compensation already
 
approved by the
General Meeting of Shareholders
 
is not sufficient to also cover the
 
compensation of
one or more persons who become members
 
of the Executive
 
Committee or are
being promoted within the
 
Executive Committee after the General
 
Meeting of
Shareholders has approved the
 
compensation of the Executive Committee
 
for the
relevant period, then the
 
Company or companies controlled
 
by it shall be
authorized to pay such members
 
a supplementary amount during the
compensation period(s) already approved.
 
The supplementary amount per
compensation period shall not
 
exceed 30% of the maximum aggregate
 
amount of
compensation of the
 
Executive Committee last approved.
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
17
SECTION 5:
Agreements with Members of
the Board of Directors and the
Executive Committee, Credits
Agreements with
Members of the
Board of
Directors and the
Executive
Committee
ARTICLE 36
1
The Company or companies controlled
 
by it may enter into agreements
 
for a
fixed term or for an indefinite
 
term with members of the Board
 
of Directors
relating to their compensation.
 
Duration and termination shall comply
 
with the
term of office and
 
the law.
2
The Company or companies controlled
 
by it may enter into employment
agreements for a fixed term
 
or for an indefinite term with members
 
of the
Executive Committee.
 
Employment agreements for a fixed
 
term may have a
maximum duration of one
 
year. Renewal
 
is possible. Employment agreements
for an indefinite term may have
 
a termination notice period of maximum
 
twelve
months.
3
The Company or companies controlled
 
by it may enter into non-compete
agreements with members of
 
the Executive Committee for the
 
time after
termination of employment.
 
Their duration shall not exceed one year,
 
and
consideration paid for such non-compete
 
undertaking shall not exceed the last
total annual compensation of
 
such member of the Executive Committee.
Credits
ARTICLE 37
Credits may not be granted to
 
a member of the Board of
 
Directors or of the
Executive Committee.
 
 
18
SECTION 6:
Mandates Outside the Group
Mandates
Outside the
Group
ARTICLE 38
1
No member of the Board
 
of Directors may hold more than
 
ten additional
mandates, of which no
 
more than four may be in listed companies.
2
No member of the Executive
 
Committee may hold more than
 
five mandates, of
which no more than one may
 
be in a listed company.
3
The following mandates shall not
 
be subject to the limitations set
 
forth in paras.
1 and 2 of this Article:
a)
mandates in companies which
 
are controlled by the Company
 
or which
control the Company;
b)
mandates held at the request
 
of the Company or companies
 
controlled by
it. No member of the Board
 
of Directors or of the Executive
 
Committee shall
hold more than ten such
 
mandates; and
c)
mandates in associations,
 
charitable organizations, foundations, trusts,
employee welfare foundations,
 
educational institutions, nonprofit
institutions and other similar
 
organizations. No member of the
 
Board of
Directors or of the Executive
 
Committee shall hold more than twenty
 
-five
such mandates.
4
Mandates shall mean mandates
 
in the supreme governing body of
 
a legal entity
which is required to be registered
 
in the commercial register
 
or a comparable
foreign register.
 
Mandates in different legal entities
 
that are under joint control
or same beneficial ownership are
 
deemed one mandate.
 
 
 
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
19
SECTION 7:
Annual Financial Statements,
Consolidated Financial
Statements and Profit Allocation
Fiscal Year,
Business Report
ARTICLE 39
1
The fiscal year shall close as of
 
December 31 of each year,
 
closing for the first
time on December 31, 1999.
 
2
For each fiscal year,
 
the Board of Directors
 
shall prepare a business report
including the annual financial statements
 
(consisting of the profit
 
and loss
statements, balance sheet,
 
cash flow statements and notes to the
 
financial
statements), the annual management
 
report and consolidated financial
statements.
Allocation of
Profit Shown on
the Balance
Sheet, Reserves
ARTICLE 40
1
The profit shown on the
 
balance sheet shall be allocated by the
 
General
Meeting of Shareholders within
 
the limits set by applicable law.
 
The Board of
Directors shall submit its proposals
 
to the General Meeting of
 
Shareholders.
 
2
Further reserves may be taken in addition to
 
the reserves required by law.
3
Dividends that have not
 
been collected within five years after their expiry date
shall pass to the Company
 
and be allocated to the general
 
reserves.
 
 
20
SECTION 8:
Announcements,
Communications
Announcements,
Communications
ARTICLE 41
1
The official publication organ
 
of the Company shall be the Swiss
 
Official Gazette
of Commerce.
2
To the
 
extent that personal notification is
 
not mandated by law, all
communications to the shareholders
 
shall be deemed valid if published
 
in the
Swiss Official Gazette of
 
Commerce. Written communications
 
by the Company
to its shareholders shall be sent
 
by ordinary mail to the last address of the
shareholder or authorized recipient
 
entered in the share register.
 
exhibit01x1p21i0