DEF 14A 1 tm242988-1_def14a.htm DEF 14A tm242988-1_def14a - none - 4.9063038s
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
Check the appropriate box:

Preliminary Proxy Statement

Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

Definitive Proxy Statement

Definitive Additional Materials

Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
CONSOLIDATED WATER CO. LTD.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

No fee required.

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

 
CONSOLIDATED WATER CO. LTD.
Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road
P.O. Box 1114
Grand Cayman, KY1-1102
Cayman Islands
Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
to be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (the Company) will be held at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, 389 West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, at 3:00 p.m. Cayman Islands time (4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time), on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Shareholders will need to have the 16-digit control number included on their Notice of Internet Availability, their proxy card or the instructions that accompanied their proxy materials to be admitted to the Annual General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting will be held for the purpose of considering and acting upon the following matters:
1.
The election of eight directors to the Board of Directors;
2.
The advisory vote on executive compensation;
3.
The ratification of the selection of Marcum LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, at the remuneration to be determined by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors; and
4.
Such other business as may properly come before the meeting.
Admittance to the meeting will be limited to shareholders. The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 28, 2024 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting and any postponement or adjournment thereof. Accordingly, only shareholders of record at the close of business on that date will be entitled to vote at the meeting. EACH SHAREHOLDER IS URGED TO SUBMIT A PROXY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE VIA THE INTERNET, TELEPHONE OR MAIL. ANY PROXY (AND ANY POWER OF ATTORNEY OR OTHER AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH IT IS SIGNED, OR A NOTARIZED COPY OF SUCH AUTHORITY) MUST BE DEPOSITED BY MAIL AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: VOTE PROCESSING, C/O BROADRIDGE, 51 MERCEDES WAY, EDGEWOOD, NY 11717 OR ELECTRONICALLY AT WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING IN ORDER TO BE VOTED AT THE MEETING. SHAREHOLDERS WHO EXECUTE A PROXY MAY ATTEND THE MEETING; HOWEVER, ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING WILL AUTOMATICALLY REVOKE A SHAREHOLDERS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED PROXY. THEREFORE, A SHAREHOLDER WHO ATTENDS THE MEETING WILL NEED TO VOTE HIS, HER OR ITS SHARES AT THE MEETING IN ORDER FOR HIS, HER OR ITS SHARES TO BE COUNTED. IN THE CASE OF JOINT HOLDERS, THE VOTE OF THE SENIOR HOLDER WHO TENDERS A VOTE, WHETHER IN PERSON OR BY PROXY, SHALL BE ACCEPTED TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE VOTES OF THE OTHER JOINT HOLDERS, AND FOR THIS PURPOSE SENIORITY SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE ORDER IN WHICH THE NAMES OF THE HOLDERS STAND IN THE REGISTER.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Wilmer F. Pergande
Chairman of the Board
April 18, 2024
Enclosures
 

 
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
April 18, 2024
Dear Shareholder:
On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is our pleasure to invite you to the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. to be held at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, 389 West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, at 3:00 p.m. Cayman Islands time (4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time), on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
These past several years have presented unprecedented challenges on a global scale. We are appreciative of the opportunities we have had to continue to serve our customers after overcoming the challenges they faced. Throughout the year, the Board of Directors and executive management collaborated closely to ensure the company met its commitments to a broad range of stakeholders, including our employees, customers, the communities we operate in, suppliers, and of course our shareholders.
Amidst the challenges, this past fiscal year offered another year for quality financial performance, and we delivered positive results for our shareholders, including returning approximately $5.5 million to shareholders in the form of dividends and increasing the stock price by over 100%. We celebrate these successes as we continue to pursue our business development efforts and look forward to more opportunities ahead as we remain committed to the long-term interests of shareholders.
Our directors represent a wide range of backgrounds and expertise, with one director identifying as female and three directors identifying as “two or more races or ethnicities” under The NASDAQ Stock Market’s diversity rules, representing over 50% of the non-executive members of the Board of Directors. We believe our diversity of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and skills contributes to the Board of Director’s effectiveness in managing risk and providing guidance that positions the Company for long-term success. Of our eight directors, seven are independent, including our Chairman, and the sole executive director is Frederick W. McTaggart, who is the Chair of our Environmental and Social Governance Committee.
This Proxy Statement contains details of the business to be conducted during the Annual General Meeting and describes our corporate governance policies and practices. We continue to be considered a smaller reporting company for this year. As such, we have elected to adopt the scaled disclosure requirements afforded to smaller reporting companies, while still communicating material information and our perspectives to our shareholders. In addition to communicating information and our perspectives, we also believe in the value of listening to our shareholders. Shareholder feedback also helps us prioritize our efforts and enhance our transparency.
Whether or not you participate in the Annual General Meeting, it is important that your shares be represented and voted during the meeting. We urge you to promptly vote and submit your proxy (1) via the Internet, (2) by phone or (3) if you received your proxy materials, by mail, by signing, dating, and returning the enclosed proxy card or voting instruction form in the envelope provided for your convenience.
As we look ahead, we remain excited about the opportunities we have in terms of our business, shareholder value creation, and contributing to the markets and parties we serve. Thank you for the trust you place in us and the opportunity to serve you and our company as directors. On behalf of all directors, I extend our gratitude for your support and request that you vote in the affirmative for the proposals to be considered at the Annual General Meeting.
Sincerely,
Wilmer F. Pergande
Chairman of the Board of Directors
 
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Note About Forward-Looking Statements
This Proxy Statement includes estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives, and expected operating results that are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. We describe risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially in “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of our Forms 10-K and 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required to do so by law.
 
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CONSOLIDATED WATER CO. LTD.
Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Proxy Statement
This Proxy Statement has been prepared and is distributed and made available by the board of directors (the “Board of Directors”) of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (the “Company”) in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company (the “Annual General Meeting”) to be held at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, 389 West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, at 3:00 p.m. Cayman Islands time (4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time), on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, and any adjournment or postponement thereof for the purpose set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Shareholders will need to have the 16-digit control number included on their Notice of Internet Availability, their proxy card or the instructions that accompany their proxy materials to be admitted to the Annual General Meeting.
This Proxy Statement and the accompanying form of proxy will be distributed to shareholders and will be made available for viewing, downloading and printing by shareholders at www.proxyvote.com, on or about April 18, 2024. The Company will bear the cost of the solicitation of proxies.
Only holders of record of the Company’s Ordinary Shares, par value CI$0.50 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), and the Company’s Redeemable Preference Shares, par value CI$0.50 per share (the “Redeemable Preference Shares”), on the books of the Company at the close of business on March 28, 2024, are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. On that date, 15,828,929 Ordinary Shares and 44,025 Redeemable Preference Shares were issued and outstanding. Our Ordinary Shares and Redeemable Preference Shares are referred to as “common stock” and “redeemable preferred stock,” respectively, in our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. All matters that come before this Annual General Meeting will be decided by a vote that will be demanded in each case by Frederick W. McTaggart or David W. Sasnett, the persons who are appointed proxies in the proxy card which accompanies this Proxy Statement. Each shareholder of record is entitled to one vote for each Ordinary Share or Redeemable Preference Share (collectively, the “Shares”) on all matters that come before the Annual General Meeting. The holders of 3313% of the issued and outstanding Shares, present in person or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual General Meeting.
For Proposal 1, the election of eight directors, each nominee shall be elected as a director if the number of Shares cast “for” such nominee’s election exceeds the number of Shares “withheld” with respect to such nominee’s election. The approval of holders of at least a majority of the Shares cast is required for: (i) Proposal 2, the advisory vote on executive compensation; and (ii) Proposal 3, the ratification of the selection of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.
Proposal 1 (the election of eight directors) and Proposal 2 (the advisory vote on executive compensation) are considered “non-routine” matters. Proposal 3 (the ratification of the appointment of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024) is considered a “routine” matter. Banks, brokers, or other nominees (“Brokers”) who hold shares on behalf of beneficial shareholders have discretion to vote such shares with respect to “routine” matters without receiving voting instructions from the beneficial holders of the shares. However, Brokers who hold shares on behalf of beneficial shareholders do not have discretion to vote such shares with respect to “non-routine” matters if they do not receive voting instructions from the beneficial holders of the shares. If no instruction is given to Brokers with respect to “non-routine” matters, a “broker non-vote” is recorded for each such uninstructed share. Abstentions and “broker non-votes” are not treated as votes cast and, therefore, will not affect the outcome of the vote.
Shares represented by a properly executed proxy must be received not later than 24 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting and, if received in time to permit its use at the meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof, will be voted in accordance with the instructions indicated therein. If no instructions are
 

 
indicated, the Shares represented by the proxy will be voted (i) “for all” in the election of the nominees for director; (ii) “for” the approval of executive compensation; and (iii) “for” the ratification of the selection of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
A shareholder of record who has given a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is voted at the meeting by giving written notice of such revocation to the office of the Secretary of the Company, or by executing and delivering to the Company not later than 24 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting a proxy bearing a later date. A proxy will be revoked automatically if a shareholder attends the meeting.
Shareholders may, by electronic means via the Internet, by telephone or by mail, appoint a proxy to vote Shares before the meeting as more fully described below:

By Internet: Go to www.proxyvote.com and follow the instructions. Shareholders should have their proxy card available when accessing the site.

By Telephone: Call 1-800-690-6903 and follow the voice prompts (have your proxy card available).

By Mail: If shareholders have received a proxy card, shareholders should mark their vote, sign their name exactly as it appears on the proxy card, date the card and return it in the envelope provided.
Shareholders that would like to request a physical copy of the material(s) for this and/or future shareholder meetings, may (1) visit www.proxyvote.com, (2) call 1-800-579-1639 or (3) send an email to sendmaterial@proxyvote.com. If sending an email, shareholders must include the 16-digit control number included on their Notice of Internet Availability, their proxy card or the instructions that accompanied their proxy materials. Unless requested, you will not otherwise receive a paper or email copy.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, all references to “$” are to United States dollars and all references to “CI$” are to Cayman Island dollars.
[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]
 
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PROPOSAL 1
Election of Directors
The shareholders of the Company will vote on the election of eight directors at the Annual General Meeting. Each nominee listed below has consented to being named a nominee in this Proxy Statement and has agreed to serve as a director if elected at the Annual General Meeting. If, prior to the Annual General Meeting, a nominee should become unavailable to serve, the proxies in such nominee’s favor will be void. The Board of Directors knows of no reason to anticipate that this will occur.
All eight directors will stand for reelection at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares cast is required to elect each director. Abstentions and “broker non-votes” are not treated as votes cast and, therefore, will not affect the outcome of the vote. Unless a shareholder specifies otherwise on the accompanying proxy, its shares will be voted “FOR ALL” nominees listed below.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR ALL” IN THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES LISTED BELOW.
Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar, age 61, has been a director of our Company since November 2018. Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar recently retired from the active practice of law; she has lived and worked in The Bahamas since 1991. From July 2015 to April 2023, she was a partner and head of the financial services practice at Glinton Sweeting O’Brien, a full-service boutique law firm located in Nassau, Bahamas, which specializes in financial services, corporate advisory services, securitization, real estate and resort development, and commercial litigation. From January 2005 to July 2015, Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar was a partner at Graham Thompson, a law firm located in The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos specializing in trust and estate planning, commercial matters, civil litigation, family law, securitization, employment and immigration matters. Prior to joining Graham Thompson, Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar worked briefly at another local law firm, before which she served as Vice President — Legal & Trademark, overseeing global intellectual property and domestic legal matters at Bacardi & Company Limited for almost nine years. Previously she was employed by two major trust companies in The Bahamas. Before moving to The Bahamas, Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar practiced law in the United States.
Upon her retirement, Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Bahamas Financial Services Board in recognition of her many years of dedicated support of the financial services industry in The Bahamas, including legislative drafting, public speaking and authorship of numerous articles for publication around the world.
Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of her nearly 30 years of experience as an attorney, her legal, business and financial knowledge acquired during that period and her knowledge of, and business contacts in, the Caribbean.
Brian E. Butler, age 74, has been a director of our Company since 1983. Mr. Butler, a full-time resident of the Cayman Islands, has since 1977 directed a consortium of property development companies presented under the Butler name specializing in luxury resort projects in the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and British Columbia, Canada.
Mr. Butler was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his over 50 years of experience as a property developer (over 45 of those years in the Caribbean), his business and financial knowledge acquired during that period and his knowledge of, and business contacts in, the Cayman Islands.
Carson K. Ebanks, age 68, became the Cayman Islands government-nominated director of our Company in May 2001. Mr. Ebanks was the Director of Planning for the Cayman Islands from 1991 to 1997. He served the Cayman Islands Government as a Chief Officer beginning in 1997, and, when he retired in November 2011, he was Chief Officer for the Ministry of Finance, Tourism and Development. Mr. Ebanks is a Justice of the Peace, a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Hons. Urban and Regional Planning — Peace and Conflict Studies Minor) from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Arts — Planning in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia. He is a trustee of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands and is the Secretary General of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee. Mr. Ebanks is also the President of the Cayman Islands National Karate-Do Association. Mr. Ebanks has served on the Boards
 
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of the Trustee of Cayman Islands National Museum, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, the Cayman Islands Port Authority, Cayman Islands Turtle Farm, Cayman Islands Airways, the Cayman Islands Civil Service Co-operative Credit Union, the Housing Development Corporation, the Water Authority — Cayman and the National Roads Authority.
Mr. Ebanks, who was nominated to serve on our Board of Directors by the Cayman Islands government, was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his knowledge of government affairs, his contacts within the Cayman Islands government and his experience in the water industry.
Clarence B. Flowers, Jr., age 68, has been a director of our Company since 1991. Mr. Flowers is, and has been since 1985, the principal of Orchid Development Company, a real estate developer in the Cayman Islands. Mr. Flowers also serves as a director of C.L. Flowers & Sons, which is the largest manufacturer of wall systems in the Cayman Islands, and Cayman National Bank, a retail bank.
Mr. Flowers was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry as a real estate developer in the Cayman Islands.
Frederick W. McTaggart, age 61, has been a director of our Company since 1998, the Company’s President since October 2000 and its Chief Executive Officer since January 1, 2004. Mr. McTaggart served as Chief Financial Officer of the Company from February 2001 to January 1, 2004. From April 1994 to October 2000, Mr. McTaggart was the Managing Director of the Water Authority — Cayman, the government-owned water utility serving certain areas of the Cayman Islands. From March 1987 to April 1994, he held the positions of Deputy Director and Operations Engineer with the Water Authority — Cayman. He received his B.S. degree in Building Construction from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1985.
Mr. McTaggart was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his extensive technical and managerial experience in the water industry, and his knowledge and managerial experience within both public and private sector water utilities.
Wilmer F. Pergande, age 84, has been a director of our Company since 1978 and Chairman since 2009. He has more than 55 years of management, sales, manufacturing and engineering experience in the desalination and chemical processing industries. Mr. Pergande is the principal of WF Pergande Consulting LLC and currently provides consulting engineering services with respect to marine industry, metallurgy, fluid dynamics and aqueous chemical solutions separation technologies. He retired in 2006 as the Global Leader for Desalination and Process Equipment for GE Infrastructure, Water and Process Technologies, which position he held since 2002. Mr. Pergande previously held the position of Vice President of Special Projects of Osmonics Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of the desalination subsidiary of Osmonics Inc., a publicly traded water treatment and purification company, until its acquisition by General Electric Co. Before joining Osmonics, Mr. Pergande was the Chief Executive Officer of Licon International Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer of liquid chemical separation, purification and processing equipment. Previously, Mr. Pergande was the President of Mechanical Equipment Company Inc. (MECO) for 14 years and held engineering, sales and executive managerial positions with AquaChem Inc., a subsidiary of Coca Cola Co. at the time, both companies being manufacturers of seawater desalination equipment. He has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University and Post Graduate Studies in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Heat Transfer and Business Management from Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Pergande served three terms as a Director of the International Desalination Association, in which he held the positions of Treasurer and Secretary. He is a Member of Five Technical Societies related to the Business and has presented numerous Technical Papers at Society Meetings.
Mr. Pergande was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his management and engineering experience in the desalination industry, and for his management, engineering, sales and marketing skills.
Leonard J. Sokolow, age 67, has been a director of our Company since June 1, 2006. Since September 2023, Mr. Sokolow has served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of SKYX Platforms Corp. (Nasdaq: SKYX). He has served as an independent director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of SKYX Platforms from 2015 to February 2022 and continues to serve as a board member of that company and a member of its Corporate Development Committee. From 2015 to August 2023, Mr. Sokolow served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Newbridge Financial, Inc., a financial services holding company. From 2015 to July 2022
 
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Mr. Sokolow served as Chairman of Newbridge Securities Corporation, Newbridge Financial, Inc.’s full-service broker-dealer. From August 2022 to August 2023 Mr. Sokolow served as CEO of Newbridge Securities Corporation and Newbridge Financial Services Group, Inc., Newbridge Financial, Inc.’s, full-service registered investment adviser. From November 1999 until July 2008, Mr. Sokolow was the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, of vFinance Inc., a publicly traded financial services company he co-founded. He also served as its Chairman from January 2007 until July 2008, when it merged into National Holdings Corporation, a publicly traded financial services company. From July 2008 until July 2013, Mr. Sokolow was President of National Holdings Corporation, and from July 2008 until July 2014 he was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Holdings Corporation. From July 2013 until December 2014, Mr. Sokolow was a consultant and partner at Caribou LLC, a strategic advisory services firm. Mr. Sokolow was a Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas Growth Fund, Inc., a closed-end 1940 Act management investment company, from 1994 to 1998. From 1988 until 1993, Mr. Sokolow was an Executive Vice President and the General Counsel of Applica Inc., a publicly traded appliance marketing and distribution company. From 1982 until 1988, Mr. Sokolow practiced corporate, securities, and tax law and was one of the founding attorneys and a partner of an international boutique law firm. From 1980 until 1982, he worked as a Certified Public Accountant for Ernst & Young and KPMG Peat Marwick. Since June 2020, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Vivos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVOS), Chairman of its Audit Committee, and a member of its Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, and since December 2021, Mr. Sokolow has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Agrify Corporation (Nasdaq: AGFY), where he currently serves as a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Sokolow was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his experience as a director and principal executive officer, his legal, accounting, auditing and consulting background, and his qualifications to serve as our “audit committee financial expert.”
Raymond Whittaker, age 70, has served as a director of our Company since 1988. Mr. Whittaker was the Managing Director of TransOcean Bank & Trust Ltd., a bank and trust company located in the Cayman Islands and a subsidiary of Johnson International Inc., a bank holding company located in Racine, Wisconsin from 1984 to December 2000. He is now the principal of his own company and management firm, FCM Ltd. On August 25, 2014, Mr. Whittaker was recognized as a Governance Fellow by the National Association of Corporate Directors (“NACD”) upon completion of NACD’s Governance Program and in recognition of an ongoing commitment to exemplary board leadership. Mr. Whittaker continues to participate in various NACD programs.
Mr. Whittaker was selected to serve as a member of our Board of Directors because of his management, financial and banking experience.
Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight
Mr. McTaggart currently serves as our principal executive officer, and Mr. Pergande, an independent director, currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has determined that having an independent director serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors is consistent with corporate governance best practices and is in the best interest of shareholders at this time. The structure ensures a greater role for the independent directors in the oversight of the Company and active participation of the independent directors in setting goals, objectives and agendas to establish priorities and procedures for the work of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors is engaged in the oversight of risk through regular updates from Mr. McTaggart, in his role as our Chief Executive Officer, and other members of our management team, regarding those risks confronting us (including risks relating to regulatory compliance, information technology and cybersecurity, environmental and sustainability, climate change and public health), the actions and strategies necessary to mitigate those risks and the status and effectiveness of those actions and strategies. The updates are provided at regularly scheduled Board of Directors and committee meetings as well as through more frequent informal meetings that include the Chairman of the Board of Directors, our Board of Directors, our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer, our Chief Operating Officer, Vice President of Information Technology
 
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and other members of our management team. The Board of Directors provides insight into the issues, based on the experience of its members, and provides constructive challenges to management’s assumptions and assertions.
Cybersecurity Risk
Our information technology (“IT”) and cybersecurity programs are crucial to maintaining secure operations, which enable us to deliver on our promise to customers and maintain stakeholder trust. Our Vice President of Information Technology (“VP IT”) is responsible for establishing, implementing, and executing our cybersecurity program and strategy. Our VP IT has more than 25 years of IT, IT audit, and cybersecurity experience, and is involved in assessing the latest developments in cybersecurity, including potential threats and innovative risk management techniques. All IT staff are obliged to include cybersecurity as part of their everyday considerations and tasks.
Our cybersecurity program is a critical component of our enterprise risk management process overseen by our Board of Directors, and we have integrated cybersecurity-related risks into our overall enterprise risk management framework. Additionally, cybersecurity-related risks are included in the risk universe that the risk management function evaluates to assess top risks to the enterprise on an annual basis.
Our IT department proactively identifies, manages, and mitigates cyber risk in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

A formal enterprise-wide cybersecurity policy and related standards;

Cybersecurity training and employee phishing simulations;

Ongoing vulnerability assessment, identification, and remediation;

Cyber incident response, IT disaster recovery, and business continuity plans;

Identity and access management controls;

Automated patch management and security updates;

Network isolation of key operations environments; and

Email filtering with attachment inspection and targeted threat protection.
The standards set in our cybersecurity program include the implementation of controls that are aligned with industry guidelines and applicable regulations to identify threats, deter attacks, and protect our information security assets. These standards are guided, in part, by the relevant National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and American Water Works Association (AWWA) frameworks and guidance. We use various tools, security measures and technologies to aid in seeking to protect our network perimeter and internal systems from unauthorized access, intrusion, or disruption. Assessments are conducted across our systems, networks, and data infrastructure to identify potential cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.
We have policies and procedures in place for selecting and managing our relationships with third-party service providers and other business partners, including monitoring compliance with our agreements and regulatory and legal requirements. We also actively engage with industry participants and related communities as part of our continuing efforts to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of our information security policies and procedures. In addition, a monitoring and detection system has been implemented to help identify cybersecurity threats and incidents. Our cybersecurity program also focuses on providing training and awareness to our employees and contractors on cybersecurity best practices.
Our Board of Directors considers cybersecurity risk as part of its risk oversight function and has delegated to the Audit Committee oversight of cybersecurity and other IT risks. The Audit Committee oversees management’s implementation of our cybersecurity risk management program.
The Audit Committee oversees the management of our cybersecurity risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures. At each quarterly meeting, the Audit Committee receives an update from our VP IT and other members of management on relevant topics, including cybersecurity program maturity progress, new capabilities implemented, testing results, key cyber risk metrics (e.g., simulated
 
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phishing testing and vulnerability management) and notable incidents or events should they occur. On an annual basis, our Board of Directors meets with our VP IT and our third-party cybersecurity consultant to review our cybersecurity strategy. In accordance with our cybersecurity incident response plan, our Board of Directors is promptly informed of potentially material cybersecurity incidents, including with respect to our third-party service providers.
Although we have experienced cybersecurity incidents from time to time that have not had a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations, there can be no assurance that a cyber-attack, security breach, or other cybersecurity incident will not have a material adverse effect on us in the future.
Our management team supervises efforts to prevent, detect, mitigate, and remediate cybersecurity risks and incidents through various means, which may include briefings from internal security personnel; threat intelligence and other information obtained from governmental, public or private sources, including external consultants engaged by us; and alerts and reports produced by security tools deployed in the IT environment.
Governance of the Company
Pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association, the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Association and Cayman Islands law, the Company’s business, property and affairs are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. Members of the Board of Directors are kept informed of the Company’s business through discussions with the Chief Executive Officer and other senior officers, by reviewing materials provided to them and by participating in meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees.
The Board of Directors has determined that the directors nominated for re-election (with the exception of Mr. McTaggart) are “independent” as such term is defined by the applicable listing standards of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”). The Board of Directors based this determination primarily on a review of the responses of the directors to questions regarding their employment, affiliations, family and other relationships.
The Company schedules meetings of the Board of Directors quarterly, in conjunction with its Annual General Meeting, and as necessary throughout the year. The Company expects that all directors will attend each meeting, absent a valid reason, such as a scheduling conflict. The Board of Directors held seven meetings during 2023.
Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of (a) the total number of meetings of the Board of Directors held during 2023 and (b) the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board of Directors on which he or she served during 2023, other than Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar who attended 69% of the aggregate number of such meetings.
The Board of Directors also has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all Company directors, officers (including the principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer) and employees. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on the “Investors — Governance” section of the Company’s website: http://www.cwco.com.
If, in the future, the Board of Directors amends the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or grants a waiver to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer with respect to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the Company will post the amendment or a description of the waiver on the “Investors — Governance” section of the Company’s website.
Insider Trading and Hedging Policy
The Board of Directors has adopted an Insider Trading and Disclosure of Non-Public Information Policy, which applies to all of the Company’s directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives and is reasonably designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws, rules and regulations, and any applicable NASDAQ listing standards. The insider trading policy expressly prohibits directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives of the Company from purchasing or selling the Company’s securities while in possession of material, non-public information, or otherwise using such information for their personal benefit. It further
 
7

 
prohibits directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives from engaging in hedging transactions, such as purchasing or writing derivative securities including puts and calls and entering into short sales or short positions with respect to the Company’s stock.
Our directors, officer, employees, agents and representatives are permitted to enter into trading plans that are intended to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), so that they can prudently diversify their asset portfolios and exercise their stock options before expiration.
Our Insider Trading and Disclosure of Non-Public Information Policy is posted on the “Investors — Governance” section of the Company’s website: http://www.cwco.com and has been filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 that was filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024.
Committees of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has four committees: (1) the Compensation Committee; (2) the Audit Committee; (3) the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee and (4) the Environmental and Social Governance Committee. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for each of these committees. The charters are posted on the “Investors — Governance” section of the Company’s website: http://www.cwco.com.
Director
Compensation
Committee
Audit
Committee
Nominations
and Corporate
Governance
Committee
Environmental and
Social Governance
Committee
Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar
X
X
X
Brian E. Butler
X
C
X
Carson K. Ebanks
X
X
Clarence B. Flowers, Jr.
X
X
Frederick W. McTaggart
C
Wilmer F. Pergande
X
X
Leonard J. Sokolow
C
X
Raymond Whittaker
C
X
X — Member of Committee
C — Chairman
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee consists of Messrs. Butler, Ebanks, Flowers and Whittaker. The Compensation Committee held three meetings during 2023.
The Compensation Committee is responsible for developing, reviewing and approving the executive compensation program for the Company and its subsidiaries; assessing executive performance; establishing and approving annual incentive compensation plans; approving certain employment agreements; and reviewing and consulting with the Company’s management regarding the executive compensation disclosure (and previously the Compensation Discussion and Analysis) that is included in the Company’s proxy statement for each annual meeting. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Compensation Committee. The Board of Directors has determined that all members of the Compensation Committee are “independent directors,” as such term is defined under the applicable rules of NASDAQ.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee consists of Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar and Messrs. Pergande, Sokolow and Whittaker. The Audit Committee held four meetings during 2023.
 
8

 
The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in monitoring the financial reporting process, the internal control structure and management’s testing of such control structure, the independent registered public accountants and the approval of outside consulting services pertaining to the financial and internal control functions of the Company. Its primary duties are to serve as an independent and objective party to monitor the Company’s financial process and internal control system, to select and determine the remuneration of the Company’s independent accountants, to review and appraise the audit effort of the independent accountants and to provide an open avenue of communications among the independent accountants, financial consultants, financial and senior management and the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, and the Audit Committee reviews and reassesses the adequacy of its charter every three years, unless changes in circumstances or regulatory requirements necessitate assessment on a more frequent basis. During the year, the Board of Directors examined the composition of the Audit Committee in light of NASDAQ’s corporate governance rules and the regulations promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to audit committees. Based upon this examination, the Board of Directors has determined that all members of the Audit Committee are “independent directors” within the meaning of applicable rules and regulations of NASDAQ and the SEC. The Board of Directors has also determined that Mr. Sokolow qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under applicable rules and regulations of NASDAQ and the SEC.
Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee
The Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar and Messrs. Butler, Ebanks, Pergande and Sokolow. The Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee held two meetings during 2023.
The Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the size and composition of the Board of Directors and the qualifications of the members of the Board of Directors, establishes procedures for the nomination process, recommends candidates for election to the Board of Directors and nominates officers for election by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has determined that all members of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee are “independent directors,” as such term is defined under applicable rules of NASDAQ. The criteria for the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee to recommend nominees for membership on the Board of Directors is contained in the “Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. Corporate Governance Guidelines,” whereby candidates should possess certain minimum qualifications for Board membership, including strong personal values and discipline, high ethical standards, a commitment to full participation on the Board of Directors and its committees and relevant career experience, and whereby diversity of thought, experience, gender and ethnicity shall be considered a priority in any such recommendations.
To recommend a prospective nominee for the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee’s consideration, a shareholder may submit the candidate’s name and qualifications in writing to the Secretary of the Company, Consolidated Water Co. Ltd., Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road, P.O. Box 1114, Grand Cayman, KY1-1102, Cayman Islands.
Environmental and Social Governance Committee
The Environmental and Social Governance Committee consists of Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar and Messrs. Butler, Flowers and McTaggart. The Environmental and Social Governance Committee held two meetings during 2023.
The Environmental and Social Governance Committee provides oversight of our policies relating to Environmental and Social Governance (“ESG”) topics and operational controls of environmental, health and safety, and social risks, and is committed to supporting the Company’s efforts to operate as a sound corporate citizen. We believe that an integrated approach to business strategy, corporate governance and corporate citizenship creates long-term value. The following summary highlights certain of our policies and initiatives in these areas.
We are committed to operating with integrity, contributing to the local communities surrounding our global offices, promoting diversity and inclusion, developing our employees and being thoughtful stewards of natural resources. We are also focused on the security of our data and safeguarding our supplier’s and clients’ privacy.
 
9

 
Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) Highlights
Healthy and Safe Work Environment

Commitment to comply with all applicable health and safety laws, regulations and other requirements to which we subscribe.

Integration of health and safety considerations into business decisions to ensure health and safety of our employees and the community.

Equal employment opportunity hiring practices, policies and management of employees.

Anti-harassment policy that prohibits hostility or aversion towards individuals in protected categories, and prohibits sexual harassment in any form, and details how to report and respond to harassment issues and strictly prohibits retaliation against any employee for reporting harassment.

Since January 1, 2022, we have not been a party to any suits, investigations, inquiries or other proceedings relating to occupational safety and health, nor have any such proceedings been overtly threatened.

During 2022 and 2023, we had no work-related fatalities or occupational diseases and one and four workplace injuries, respectively.
Diversity and Inclusion

Committed to fostering and promoting an inclusive and globally diverse work environment.

Formal policy that forbids discrimination based on protected classifications.

One director identifying as female and three directors identifying as “two or more races or ethnicities” under The NASDAQ Stock Market’s diversity rules, representing 50% of the non-executive members of the Board.
Prevention of Human Trafficking and Forced and Child Labor

Formal policy that forbids use of forced, debt bonded, indentured labor, involuntary prison labor, slavery or human trafficking in our business or supply chain.

Prohibition on employment of anyone under the age of 16 in any position, and workers under the age of 18 for hazardous work, overtime, or night shift work.
Wage and Hour Standards

Working hours not to exceed the greater of 60 hours per week or the maximum set by local law.

Prohibition on working longer than six consecutive days without at least one day off.

Commitment to comply with applicable wage laws, including those related to minimum wages, overtime hours, and legally mandated benefits.
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

Employees have the right to freely associate or not associate with third party organizations such as labor organizations.

Employees also have the right to bargain or not bargain collectively in accordance with local laws.
Privacy and Data Security

Maintaining privacy policies, management oversight, and accountability structures to protect privacy and personal data.
 
10

 
Business Conduct and Ethics Codes

A strong corporate culture that promotes the highest standards of ethics and compliance for our business; the majority of our directors have an extensive background and experience in risk management.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics sets forth principles to guide employee and director conduct.
Business Continuity

As a provider of water, which is essential to life, we have business continuity policies to ensure the safety of our personnel, facilities and critical business functions in case of natural disasters and other emergencies.
Environment

Formal policy to identify principle environmental aspects of our operations, and seek to mitigate waste, emissions, energy and water use and other impacts wherever feasible.

Commitment to environmental protection and conservation of natural resources through innovative processes and continuous improvement methodologies.

Commitment to continue to invest in energy conservation, work to reduce our environmental footprint, and adhere to environmental laws, regulations, policies and goals.
Governance

Strong focus on corporate governance since inception, striving for best practices in corporate governance.
Stakeholder Involvement

Commitment to receive feedback from such stakeholders to help improve ESG-related policies, the implementation thereof and our performance thereunder.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policies

Policies prohibiting improper or unauthorized expenditures (including commercial and public bribery) and other improper payment schemes.

Mechanism for confidential reporting of any suspected violations.
As reflected above, we have adopted a number of practices and policies that highlight our commitment to environmental and social responsibility and that seek to promote sustainability and health and well-being in the operation of our business. These practices are designed to position us as a supplier of choice to our customers, an employer of choice to our existing and prospective employees, and a neighbor of choice in our communities. We are committed to the ethical and environmentally responsible operation of our business and have undertaken a number of initiatives to reduce our environmental impact and to ensure a healthy and safe workplace.
As the highlights above demonstrate, we have and enforce a number of ESG-related policies in our workplace, and we expect our suppliers and business partners to adhere to these requirements and to promote these values. As climate-related risks evolve, so does the need to align sustainability and the assessment of risk. Our goal is to continuously enhance our understanding of enterprise-wide risk and uncertainty with comprehensive evaluation of current risks, scenario planning, and quantitative analysis. These tools strengthen our ability to successfully integrate sustainability into our strategic decision-making processes. By doing so, we are better able to assess operational, environmental, and social uncertainties and weigh their potential implications for our strategic priorities. Our commitment to operating our business in a manner that is environmentally responsible and protective of the health and safety of our employees, is formalized in the following policies:

Human Rights Policy — We maintain a Human Rights Policy that seeks to promote the operation of our business in an ethical and socially responsible way and that reflects our commitment to the corporate social responsibility principles reflected in the United Nations (“UN”) Global Compact, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, core International Labour Organization Conventions, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the laws of the countries in which we operate.
 
11

 

Environmental, Health and Safety Policy — We maintain an Environmental, Health and Safety Policy to guide the conduct of our business in a safe and environmentally sustainable and responsible manner that promotes the health of our employees, customers, community and the environment and that meets global environmental, health and safety requirements.
Copies of these policies and related information can be found on the “Investors — Governance” section of the Company’s website.
Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy
In 2023, we adopted an Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy in compliance with NASDAQ rules. Under our Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy, if we are required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance with the financial reporting requirements under United States securities laws, the Company will be entitled to recover (and will seek to recover), from our executive officers, any excess incentive-based compensation received by our executive officers during the three-year period prior to the date on which we are required to prepare the restatement. This policy applies to both equity-based and cash compensation awards. The “excess compensation” is the difference between the actual amount that was paid and the amount that would have been paid if the financial statements were prepared properly in the first instance. To ensure that we can enforce the Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy, we require each executive officer subject to the policy to execute an acknowledgement stating that the executive has received and reviewed the policy and agrees that he or she is fully bound by the policy.
Board of Directors Diversity Matrix
Board Diversity Matrix (As of March 28, 2024)
Total Number of Directors
8
Female
Male
Non-Binary
Did Not
Disclose
Gender
Part I: Gender Identity
Directors
1
7
Part II: Demographic Background
African American or Black
Alaskan Native or Native American
Asian
Hispanic or Latinx
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
White
1
4
Two or More Races or Ethnicities
3
LGBTQ+
Did Not Disclose Demographic Background
 
12

 
Shareholder Communication with Directors
Shareholders of the Company who want to communicate with the Board of Directors or any individual director may write to:
Consolidated Water Co. Ltd.
Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road
P.O. Box 1114
Grand Cayman, KY1-1102
Cayman Islands
Attn: Secretary of the Company
The letter should include a statement indicating that the sender is a shareholder of the Company. The Secretary will review all shareholder letters with the Board of Directors and depending on the subject matter will:

Regularly forward any letter that deals with the function of the Board of Directors or any committees of the Board of Directors (or any matter otherwise appropriate for Board attention) to the director or directors to whom it is addressed;

Attempt to handle the inquiry directly if it relates to routine or ministerial matters, including requests for information about the Company and stock-related matters;

Based upon the advice of appropriate legal counsel, not forward the letter if it relates to an improper or irrelevant topic; or

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, present a summary of all letters received since the last meeting that were not forwarded to the Board of Directors and make those letters available to the Board of Directors upon request.
Audit Committee Report
The Audit Committee submits the following report for 2023:
The Committee has reviewed and discussed with both management and the independent registered public accountants (the “independent auditors”) the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023. The Committee’s review included discussion with the independent auditors of the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
The Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent auditors required by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526, Communication with Audit Committees Concerning Independence, and has discussed with the independent auditors matters relating to their independence.
Based on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements referred to above be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, for filing with the SEC.
Submitted by the Members of the 2023 Audit Committee
Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar
Wilmer F. Pergande
Leonard J. Sokolow
Raymond Whittaker
 
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PROPOSAL 2
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2011 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) requires companies that are subject to the SEC’s proxy rules and regulations to hold a shareholder vote to approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, the compensation of their Named Executive Officers as disclosed in their proxy statements in accordance with the SEC’s rules.
As described in detail under the heading “Executive Compensation,” our executive compensation programs are designed to attract, motivate and retain our Named Executive Officers, who are critical to our success. Under these programs, our Named Executive Officers are rewarded for the achievement of specific annual, and long-term strategic and corporate goals. Please read the “Executive Compensation” section included in this Proxy Statement for additional details about our executive compensation programs, including information relating to the fiscal year 2023 compensation of our Named Executive Officers.
The Compensation Committee continually reviews the compensation programs for our Named Executive Officers to ensure they achieve the desired goals of aligning our executive compensation structure with our shareholders’ interests and current market practices. The Compensation Committee believes the Company’s executive compensation programs have been effective at incentivizing the achievement of financial performance and returns to shareholders.
We are asking our shareholders to indicate their support for our Named Executive Officers’ compensation as described in this Proxy Statement. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives our shareholders the opportunity to express their views on our Named Executive Officers’ compensation. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our Named Executive Officers and the philosophy, policies and practices described in this Proxy Statement. Accordingly, we will ask our shareholders to vote “FOR” the following resolution at the Annual General Meeting:
“RESOLVED, that the Company’s shareholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Named Executive Officers, as disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the 2023 Summary Compensation Table and the other related tables and disclosure.”
The say-on-pay vote is advisory, and therefore not binding on the Company, the Compensation Committee or our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors and our Compensation Committee value the opinions of our shareholders, and to the extent that there is any significant vote against the Named Executive Officers’ compensation as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, we will consider our shareholders’ concerns and the Compensation Committee will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns. In addition to the advisory vote on executive compensation, we are committed to ongoing engagement with our shareholders on executive compensation and corporate governance issues.
At the 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, approximately 92% of the votes cast on the advisory vote on the executive compensation proposal were cast in favor of our Named Executive Officers’ compensation as disclosed in the proxy statement for last year’s meeting. Our Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee reviewed these final vote results and determined that, given the level of support, the Company should maintain the components of our compensation program.
We have determined that our shareholders should vote on a say-on-pay proposal each year, consistent with the preference expressed by our shareholders at the 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
The approval of holders of at least a majority of the Shares cast is required to approve this proposal. Abstentions and “broker non-votes” are not treated as votes cast and, therefore, will not affect the outcome of the vote.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AS DISCLOSED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO THE COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE RULES OF THE SEC.
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14

 
PROPOSAL 3
Ratification of the Selection of Independent Accountants
The Audit Committee has selected Marcum LLP to continue as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, and to render other professional services as requested, at the remuneration to be determined by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. Representatives of Marcum LLP are not expected to be available at the Annual General Meeting and, therefore, will not have the opportunity to make a statement or be available to respond to questions.
We are asking our shareholders to ratify the selection of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm. Although ratification is not required by the Company’s Articles of Association or otherwise, the Board is submitting the selection of Marcum LLP to our shareholders for ratification because we value our shareholders’ views on the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and as a matter of good corporate practice. In the event that our shareholders do not ratify the selection, it will be considered as a direction to the Audit Committee to consider the selection of a different firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and our shareholders.
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares voted at the Annual General Meeting is necessary to ratify the selection of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The following table shows the fees that the Company and its affiliates paid or accrued for the audit and other services provided by Marcum LLP for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
2023
2022
Audit Fees
$ 520,000 $ 421,750
Audit-Related Fees
237,930
Tax Fees
46,930 20,980
All Other Fees
Total Fees
$ 804,860 $ 442,730
Audit: This category includes the fees for the examination of the Company’s consolidated financial statements and internal controls, review of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reviews of the interim financial statements included in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
Audit-related: This category consists of fees for services that are closely related to the financial reporting and financial audit processes and, for 2023, consists of fees paid for audits of Ramey Environmental Compliance, Inc. completed in connection with the acquisition of 100% of this company effective October 1, 2023.
Tax: This category relates to professional services for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
The Audit Committee has adopted a policy that requires their advance approval of all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditor as required by the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee approved all of the services described above in accordance with its pre-approval policies and procedures. The Audit Committee gives due consideration to the potential effect of non-audit services on maintaining the auditors’ independence.
The approval of holders of at least a majority of the Shares cast is required for this proposal. Abstentions and “broker non-votes” are not treated as votes cast and, therefore, will not affect the outcome of the vote.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF MARCUM LLP AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31,
 
15

 
2024, AT THE REMUNERATION TO BE DETERMINED BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
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16

 
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDERS MATTERS
The table below sets forth the beneficial ownership of our Ordinary Shares and Redeemable Preference Shares, of which 15,828,929 and 44,025, respectively, were outstanding as of March 28, 2024, by:

each person or entity that we know beneficially owns more than 5% of our Ordinary Shares or Redeemable Preference Shares;

each of our directors;

our Chief Executive Officer during the year ended December 31, 2023, and the two other most highly compensated executive officers who were serving as executive officers on December 31, 2023; and

all of our executive officers and directors as a group.
Title of Class
Identity of Person or Group
Amount
Owned**
Percentage of
Class**
Ordinary Shares
BlackRock, Inc.(1) 1,118,710 7.07%
Ordinary Shares
Morgan Stanley(2) 882,737 5.58%
Ordinary Shares
Wilmer F. Pergande, Director, Chairman of the Board
of Directors(3)
38,752 *
Ordinary Shares
Frederick W. McTaggart, Director, President and Chief
Executive Officer(4)
265,462 1.68%
Ordinary Shares
David W. Sasnett, Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
67,094 *
Ordinary Shares
Ramjeet Jerrybandan, Executive Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer
58,525 *
Ordinary Shares
Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar, Director(5) 16,565 *
Ordinary Shares
Brian E. Butler, Director 40,388 *
Ordinary Shares
Carson K. Ebanks, Director 31,453 *
Ordinary Shares
Clarence B. Flowers, Jr., Director(6) 303,200 1.92%
Ordinary Shares
Leonard J. Sokolow, Director(7) 34,926 *
Ordinary Shares
Raymond Whittaker, Director 7,043 *
Ordinary Shares
Directors and Executive Officers as a Group(8) 929,367 5.87%
Redeemable
Preference Shares
Kenneth Crowley, Production Manager 2,242 5.09%
Redeemable
Preference Shares
Todd Redding, VP of Purchasing and Logistics 330 *
*
Indicates less than 1%.
**
Unless otherwise indicated, to our knowledge, the persons named in the table above have sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares listed. The address of each natural person named in the table above is c/o Consolidated Water Co. Ltd., Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road, Grand Cayman, KY1-1102, Cayman Islands.
(1)
On February 6, 2024, BlackRock, Inc. filed a Schedule 13G (“Schedule 13G”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Schedule 13G states that BlackRock, Inc. has sole voting power with respect to 1,096,055 Ordinary Shares and sole dispositive power over 1,118,710 Ordinary Shares, and no shared voting or dispositive power. BlackRock, Inc. is the parent holding company of the following subsidiaries, which hold the Ordinary Shares: BlackRock Advisors, LLC; Aperio Group, LLC; BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited; BlackRock Fund Advisors; BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association; BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.; and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC. The address of BlackRock, Inc. is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.
 
17

 
(2)
On February 9, 2024, Morgan Stanley filed Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 13G (“Schedule 13G”), on behalf of itself and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Schedule 13G states that (a) Morgan Stanley has shared voting power with respect to 63,190 Ordinary Shares, shared dispositive power with respect to 882,737 Ordinary Shares, and no sole voting or dispositive power, and (b) Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has shared dispositive power over 819,547 Ordinary Shares, no shared voting power, and no sole voting or dispositive power. Morgan Stanley, a holding company, is the sole owner of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, an investment company. The address of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is 1585 Broadway New York, NY 10036.
(3)
Of the 38,752 Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by Mr. Pergande, 37,252 have shared investment power, 1,000 are held in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) of Mr. Pergande and 500 are held in an IRA of Mr. Pergande’s spouse.
(4)
Of the 265,462 Ordinary Shares owned by Mr. McTaggart, 264,162 have shared investment power.
(5)
Of the 16,565 Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar, 2,000 are evidenced by Bahamian Depository Receipts (“BDRs”), which are listed and traded on the Bahamian International Stock Exchange and have shared investment power. Ordinary Shares that underlie these BDRs are held in a custodial account in The Bahamas.
(6)
Of the 303,200 Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by Mr. Flowers, 300,476 are held by an estate of which Mr. Flowers is a beneficiary.
(7)
Of the 34,926 Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by Mr. Sokolow, all of them have shared investment power and are held by a trust of which Mr. Sokolow and his wife are co-trustees.
(8)
Of the 929,367 Ordinary Shares owned by the Directors and executive officers as a group, 344,650 have shared investment power, 2,000 are evidenced by BDRs, which are listed and traded on the Bahamian International Stock Exchange, and 300,476 are held by an estate of which a director is a beneficiary.
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18

 
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table sets forth certain information as of December 31, 2023, with respect to compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance under:

all compensation plans previously approved by our security holders; and

all compensation plans not previously approved by our security holders.
Plan category
Number of securities to
be issued upon exercise
of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(a)
Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(b)
Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans (excluding
securities reflected
in column (a))
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
151,569(1) $ 0.00 836,012
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
*
Total
151,569 $ 0.00 836,012
*
This equity compensation plan does not have any limits on the number of shares reserved for issuance under the plans.
(1)
Includes shares related to our long-term incentive compensation plan, specifically: (i) 29,392 shares that were vested as of December 31, 2023 and issued on January 2, 2024; (ii) 10,751 share grants that vest on December 31, 2024; (iii) 19,672 share grants that vest in 1∕2 increments on December 31, 2024 and 2025; (iv) 26,742 shares that were vested as of December 31, 2023 and issued on March 27, 2024 based upon the Company’s cumulative financial performance for the three-year period ended December 31, 2023 relative to the cumulative financial performance target measures for the three-year period ended December 31, 2023 set by the Board of Directors in 2021; and (v) 51,587 shares that may be issued based upon the three-year cumulative financial performance target measures set by the Board of Directors in 2022 and 2023 for the three-year periods ending December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. Of the 51,587 shares, the actual number of shares earned may be adjusted upward or downward based upon the executive’s continued employment and the financial performance of the Company relative to the long-term financial performance measures. Also includes 1,250 shares issued on January 2, 2024 as compensation to a long-time employee of the Company. In addition, 12,175 options to purchase Ordinary Shares issued to four long-serving non-executive employees are outstanding with a weighted average exercise price of $16.08 and a weighted average remaining contractual life of 2.29 years.
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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
This section provides information concerning the Company’s executive officers:
Name
Position with Consolidated Water Co. Ltd.
Frederick W. McTaggart(1) Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
David W. Sasnett Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Ramjeet Jerrybandan Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary
Brent A. Brodie Executive Vice President of Business Development
Armando V. Averhoff Vice President of Information Technology
Todd C. Redding Vice President of Purchasing and Logistics
Douglas R. Vizzini Vice President of Finance
(1)
For biographical information regarding Mr. McTaggart, see “Proposal 1 — Election of Directors.”
David W. Sasnett, age 67, became our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in June 2006, and also served on our Board of Directors from December 2004 through May 2015. From March 2014 through April 2015, Mr. Sasnett served as a member of the Board of Directors of Ominto Inc. (formerly DubLi, Inc.). In 2005 and 2006, Mr. Sasnett was the Chief Financial Officer of VoIP Inc., a publicly traded provider of communication services utilizing voice over Internet protocol technology. During 2004, he was the Vice President of Finance and Controller for MasTec, Inc., a specialty contractor and infrastructure provider traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Sasnett was the Chief Financial Officer of Catalina Lighting Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer and distributor of residential lighting and other consumer products, from 1996 to 2002. Mr. Sasnett’s experience also encompasses more than 12 years with the auditing and consulting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. Mr. Sasnett is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida. Mr. Sasnett received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Florida.
Ramjeet Jerrybandan, age 56, joined our Company in 1998 as the Operations Engineer in Grand Cayman. He was promoted to Operations Manager (Cayman) in 2005, became our Vice President of Overseas Operations in May 2006, was promoted to Executive Vice President in December 2016 and became our Chief Operating Officer in March 2020. Mr. Jerrybandan was appointed our Company Secretary in 2013. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and his Master of Science degree in Engineering Management at the University of the West Indies. Mr. Jerrybandan holds an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from the Association of Business Executives of London. He also has extensive training in the Information Technology field, including industrial automation systems.
Brent A. Brodie, age 61, was appointed Director of Sales and Marketing in September 2010, was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2012 and to Executive Vice President of Business Development in March 2023. Mr. Brodie’s experience includes 12 years in a variety of positions with GE Water and Process Technologies, the last of which was Capital Equipment Sales Manager for the Caribbean region. Mr. Brodie was responsible for the management of multiple market channels, including direct sales, indirect distribution, sales representatives, joint ventures and original equipment manufacturers. Mr. Brodie received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and his Master of Business Administration (Marketing Emphasis) from the University of Michigan.
Armando V. Averhoff, age 59, joined our Company in November 2010 as the Director of Information Technology and was promoted to Vice President of Information Technology in August 2014. Mr. Averhoff has more than 25 years of experience with various aspects of information technology including infrastructure design, networking, servers, application development, ERP systems and computer operations. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Averhoff was Information Technology Director at Arrow Cargo Airlines and Computer Operations Manager at LNR Property Corporation in Miami, Florida. Mr. Averhoff holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with Specialization in Network and Systems Engineering from Barry University.
Todd C. Redding, age 60, joined our Company in 2008 as a Senior Purchasing Officer and was promoted to Vice President of Purchasing and Logistics in January 2020. Mr. Redding has more than 25 years of experience
 
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in purchasing and supply chain management. This experience includes internal controls, system implementations, domestic as well as foreign purchasing, shipping, warehousing and logistics. Mr. Redding previously was the Vice President of North American Operations for Catalina Lighting, a manufacturer and distributor of residential lighting. Prior to joining Catalina Lighting Mr. Redding was the Manager of Internal Audit at Carnival Cruise Lines, and he started his career with the accounting firm of Grant Thornton. Mr. Redding holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Florida.
Douglas R. Vizzini, age 56, joined our Company in 2007 as the Corporate Controller, was appointed Assistant Company Secretary in 2011 and was promoted to Vice President of Finance in 2012. Mr. Vizzini has more than 25 years of experience, including more than eight years with the accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP and more than 15 years as the Corporate Controller for various public companies. Mr. Vizzini obtained a Bachelor of Accounting and Master of Science in Taxation from Florida International University and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida.
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the principal components of compensation for our Named Executive Officers were:

Base salary;

Incentive-based compensation;

Retirement and other benefits; and

Perquisites and other personal benefits.
In 2023, in furtherance of our compensation philosophy and objectives, the Compensation Committee engaged Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc. (“FW Cook”), an outside executive compensation consulting firm determined to be independent by the Compensation Committee, to conduct a review of, and recommend changes to, our compensation program for our executive officers and directors. FW Cook provided the Compensation Committee with assistance and advice in the review of our compensation elements, including base salary, target total cash compensation, long-term incentives, and target total direct compensation, and other related executive and director compensation issues. In addition, FW Cook provided advice regarding the competitiveness and reasonableness of our compensation programs.
FW Cook did not provide any services to us other than its services as the Compensation Committee’s independent compensation consultant, and FW Cook did not receive any fees or compensation from us other than the fee it received as the independent compensation consultant. FW Cook did not provide any services to us in 2022. The Compensation Committee confirmed that FW Cook’s work for the Compensation Committee did not create any conflicts of interest.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table summarizes the compensation of (1) our Chief Executive Officer and (2) our two other most highly compensated executive officers based upon total compensation (collectively, our “Named Executive Officers”) for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Name and Title
Year
Salary
($)
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(1)
Stock Awards
($)(2)
All Other
Compensation
($)(3)
Total
($)
Frederick W. McTaggart
Chief Executive Officer
2023 551,250 600,000 275,625 19,200 1,446,075
2022 525,000 525,000 262,500 18,600 1,331,100
David W. Sasnett
Executive VP & Chief
Financial Officer
2023 419,150 185,690 125,745 19,200 749,785
2022 399,195 166,755 119,759 18,600 704,309
Ramjeet Jerrybandan
Executive VP & Chief
Operating Officer
2023 409,115 199,000 122,735 19,200 750,050
2022 389,630 165,785 116,889 18,600 690,904
(1)
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation amounts have been determined pursuant to the terms outlined in our Named Executive Officers’ respective employment agreements and our short-term incentive compensation plan.
(2)
Amounts for 2023 and 2022 represent the value (based upon the share price of our stock on the grant date) of the shares that may be earned by and granted to the executive in future years under stock grant rights provided under our long-term incentive compensation plan. With respect to these stock grant rights, 50% of the underlying shares vest in equal 1∕3 increments on December 31 of each year in the three-year period following the January 1 date on which the stock grant right is awarded if the executive is employed by the Company as of the vesting date. The remaining 50% of the underlying shares associated with these stock grant rights will be earned by and granted to the executive if our Company
 
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achieves the three-year cumulative financial performance target measures established by the Board for the three-year periods ending December 31, 2025 (for the stock grants awarded in 2023) and 2024 (for the stock grants awarded in 2022) and the executive is in our employ as of the measurement date. The actual number of shares earned and granted under these performance measures may be greater or lesser than these amounts (or even zero) based upon the financial performance of the Company relative to the long-term financial performance target measures.
(3)
Represents car allowances.
Employment Agreements
Frederick W. McTaggart — President and Chief Executive Officer
On January 1, 2004, we entered into a three-year employment agreement with Frederick W. McTaggart, our President and Chief Executive Officer. This agreement is subject to extension each year upon mutual agreement such that the term will be for three years from January 1 of the next following year, which is currently through December 31, 2026. Under the terms of the employment agreement, Mr. McTaggart is entitled to an annual base salary and annual and long-term incentive compensation if certain performance goals are met. If the Company at its discretion elects not to renew Mr. McTaggart’s agreement, such agreement terminates on December 31 of that year, and Mr. McTaggart is entitled to receive a severance payment equal to twice his then annual base salary. The Company’s Compensation Committee establishes Company performance goals and Mr. McTaggart’s individual performance goals. If we terminate Mr. McTaggart without cause, he is entitled to receive the aggregate annual salaries due over the remaining term of his employment agreement.
Mr. McTaggart is also entitled to an automobile expense allowance, which amounted to $19,200 and $18,600 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. This allowance increases on January 1 of each year by $50 per month.
David W. Sasnett — Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Effective January 1, 2008, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Sasnett, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, which is subject to annual renewal and has since been extended through December 31, 2025. Under the terms of the employment agreement, Mr. Sasnett is entitled to an annual base salary and annual and long-term incentive compensation if certain performance goals are met. Our Compensation Committee establishes Company performance goals and our Chief Executive Officer establishes Mr. Sasnett’s individual performance goals. If our Chief Executive Officer or the Company decides not to extend the term of the employment agreement, the term of the employment agreement will expire on December 31 of the year in which such decision is made, and we will be obligated to pay Mr. Sasnett, in cash, a severance payment equal to his base salary on the expiration date.
Mr. Sasnett is also entitled to an automobile expense allowance, which amounted to $19,200 and $18,600 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. This allowance increases on January 1 of each year by $50 per month.
Ramjeet Jerrybandan — Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Effective January 1, 2008, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Jerrybandan, our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, which agreement was amended on March 29, 2017 and September 9, 2022. Under the terms of this employment agreement (prior to and after the amendment), Mr. Jerrybandan is entitled to an annual base salary and annual and long-term incentive compensation if certain performance goals are met. Our Compensation Committee establishes Company performance goals and our Chief Executive Officer establishes Mr. Jerrybandan’s individual performance goals. This agreement is subject to annual renewal and, if renewed, will be extended for an additional two years from December 31st of the year in which renewed. If our Chief Executive Officer or the Company decides not to extend the term of the employment agreement, the term of the employment agreement will expire on December 31 of the year in which such decision is made, and we will be obligated to pay Mr. Jerrybandan the greater of the severance payment required by the Cayman Islands Labour Act or an amount equal to his base salary for that year, plus all other accrued compensation.
 
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Mr. Jerrybandan is also entitled to an automobile expense allowance, which amounted to $19,200 and $18,600 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. This allowance increases on January 1 of each year by $50 per month.
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Awards
All of our executive officers are eligible to earn annual incentive compensation in the form of grants of Ordinary Shares that vest in the future. Under this long-term incentive compensation plan, all executive officers participate in the plan but with different measures and levels of opportunity. The plan includes a combination of performance-based and time vesting grants of Ordinary Shares.
The actual number of shares that may be earned by our Named Executive Officers under our long-term incentive compensation program varies based upon the financial performance of the Company relative to the long-term financial performance target amounts established by the Board for a three-year period.
Option Exercises and Stock Vested
The following table provides information for each of the Named Executive Officers on stock option exercises and shares vested during the year ended December 31, 2023, including the number of shares acquired and the value realized upon exercise and the number of shares acquired and the value realized upon vesting, before payment of any applicable withholding tax and broker commissions.
Named Executive Officer
Option Awards
Stock Awards
Number of
shares
acquired on
exercise
Value
realized on
exercise
Number of
shares
acquired on
vesting
Value realized
on vesting
($)
Frederick W. McTaggart
23,358 831,545
David W. Sasnett
10,574 376,434
Ramjeet Jerrybandan
10,322 367,463
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The following table summarizes the outstanding awards under our long-term incentive compensation plan as of December 31, 2023, for each Named Executive Officer.
Named Executive Officer
Equity incentive plan awards:
number of unearned shares,
units or other rights that
have not vested
(#)
Equity incentive plan awards:
market value of unearned shares,
units or other rights that
have not vested
($)
Frederick W. McTaggart
4,112(1) 146,387(1)
12,336(2) 439,162(2)
6,208(3) 221,005(3)
9,312(4) 331,507(4)
David W. Sasnett
1,876(1) 66,786(1)
5,628(2) 200,357(2)
2,832(3) 100,819(3)
4,248(4) 151,229(4)
Ramjeet Jerrybandan
1,831(1) 65,184(1)
5,493(2) 195,551(2)
2,764(3) 98,398(3)
4,146(4) 147,598(4)
(1)
Amounts represent the number and value of shares that vest on December 31, 2024, assuming continued employment.
 
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(2)
Amounts represent the number and value of shares that may be earned by the executive assuming achievement of the three-year cumulative financial performance target measures established by the Board for the three-year period ending December 31, 2024. The actual number and value of shares earned may be adjusted upward or downward based upon the executive’s continued employment and the financial performance of the Company relative to the long-term financial performance measures.
(3)
Amounts represent the number and value of shares that vest in equal 1∕2 increments on December 31, 2024 and 2025, assuming continued employment.
(4)
Amounts represent the number and value of shares that may be earned by the executive assuming achievement of the three-year cumulative financial performance target measures established by the Board for the three-year period ending December 31, 2025. The actual number and value of shares earned may be adjusted upward or downward based upon the executive’s continued employment and the financial performance of the Company relative to the long-term financial performance measures.
Pension Benefits
We do not have any defined benefit plans and only offer defined contribution plans.
Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation
We do not have any non-qualified deferred contribution plans or other deferred compensation plans.
Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control
The section below describes the payments that may be made to the Named Executive Officers upon termination or Change in Control, as defined below, pursuant to individual agreements.
Termination
Our Named Executive Officers’ employment agreements may be terminated upon:

the death of the Named Executive Officer.

the Named Executive Officer being adjudicated bankrupt.

the Named Executive Officer giving six months’ notice of termination.

the Named Executive Officer being unable to discharge his duties due to physical or mental illness for a period of more than 60 days.
Additionally, our Chief Financial Officer’s and Chief Operating Officer’s employment agreements may be terminated due to (i) his conviction of a felony; (ii) his commission of an act or omission that could result in material harm to us; (iii) or conduct justifying dismissal under Cayman Islands law. Our other Named Executive Officer’s employment agreement may be terminated due to conduct by such Named Executive Officer justifying dismissal under Cayman Islands law.
Upon termination due to the Named Executive Officer’s inability to discharge his duties due to physical or mental illness for a period of more than 60 days, the Named Executive Officer will be terminated.
Assuming our Named Executive Officers’ employment agreements were terminated on December 31, 2023, due to the Named Executive Officer’s inability to discharge his duties due to physical or mental illness for a period of more than 60 days, the compensation due to our Named Executive Officers would be as set forth in the following table.
Named Executive Officer
Salary
($)
Medical
Insurance
($)
Total
Compensation
($)
Frederick W. McTaggart(1)
2,000 77,376 79,376
David W. Sasnett(2)
1,000 29,462 30,462
Ramjeet Jerrybandan(3)
2,000 56,767 58,767
 
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(1)
In the case of our Chief Executive Officer, we will pay him $1,000 per year and provide medical insurance for him and his family for a period of two years.
(2)
In the case of our Chief Financial Officer, we will pay him $1,000 per year and provide medical insurance for him and his family for a period of one year.
(3)
In the case of our Chief Operating Officer, we will pay him $1,000 per year and provide medical insurance for him and his family for a period of two years.
Severance
Upon termination of employment, our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer are entitled to receive severance payments under their employment agreements. Our Chief Executive Officer’s, Chief Financial Officer’s and Chief Operating Officer’s employment agreements provide for a lump sum severance payment equal to 24 months, 12 months and 12 months (or the severance payment required by the Cayman Islands Labour Act, if greater), respectively, of their then current respective base salaries if their employment agreements are not renewed. The Committee negotiated these severance packages to provide them with an amount equal to their base salary for the length of their non-competition arrangements with us. The following table sets forth the total amount of severance payments that would be made to Messrs. McTaggart, Sasnett and Jerrybandan if their employment agreements were terminated without cause as of December 31, 2023:
Name
Severance
($)
Frederick W. McTaggart
1,653,750
David W. Sasnett
838,300
Ramjeet Jerrybandan
818,230
Change in Control
Upon a “Change in Control,” as defined below, our Chief Financial Officer may elect to terminate his employment and receive a lump sum payment in an amount equal to 36 months of his then current base salary. If we (or our successor) terminate our Chief Operating Officer’s employment within one year following a Change of Control, we (or our successor) will pay our Chief Operating Officer a lump sum in cash in an amount equal to two times his then-current base salary, plus all other compensation accrued as of the effective date of termination.
After reviewing the practices of companies represented in the compensation data we obtained, we believe that our Chief Financial Officer’s and our Chief Operating Officer’s Change in Control arrangements are generally in line with such arrangements offered to chief financial officers and chief operating officers of comparable companies.
In determining whether to approve and setting the terms of such Change in Control arrangements, the Committee recognizes the importance to us and our shareholders of avoiding the distraction and loss of key management personnel that may occur in connection with rumored or actual fundamental corporate changes. A properly arranged Change in Control provision protects shareholder interests by enhancing employee focus during rumored or actual Change in Control activity through:

Incentives to remain with us despite uncertainties while a transaction is under consideration or pending; and

Assurance of compensation for terminated employees after a Change in Control.
For the purposes of this discussion, a “Change in Control” occurs when: (i) any person, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, publicly announces that such person or group has become the beneficial owner of more than 30% of the combined voting power (“Controlling Voting Power”) of our then outstanding securities that may be cast for the election of directors and (ii) the persons who were our
 
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directors before such event shall cease to constitute a majority of our Board of Directors, or any successor, as the direct or indirect result of any person or group acquiring Controlling Voting Power.
The following table sets forth the total amount of change in control payments that would be made to Messrs. Sasnett and Jerrybandan if their employment agreements were terminated upon a “Change in Control” as of December 31, 2023:
Name
Change in
Control
($)
David W. Sasnett
1,257,450
Ramjeet Jerrybandan
818,230
Pay versus Performance
As required by Section 953(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following information that demonstrates the relationship between executive “Compensation Actually Paid” and the Company’s performance against several specific financial metrics.
Pay versus Performance Table: The table below reflects Compensation Actually Paid to the Company’s Principal Executive Officer (“PEO”) and Average Summary Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”) during 2023, 2022 and 2021.
Year
Summary
Compensation
Table Total
for PEO
$
Compensation
Actually
Paid to PEO(1)
$
Average
Summary
Compensation
Table Total
for Non-PEO
NEOs
$
Average
Compensation
Actually Paid
to Non-PEO
NEOs(1)
$
Value of Initial
Fixed $100
Investment
Based on
Total
Shareholder
Return(2)
$
Net
Income
$
2023
1,446,075 2,546,547 749,917 1,244,543 317.66 29,585,391
2022
1,331,100 1,547,295 697,606 794,129 129.66 5,856,294
2021
907,150 841,379 587,190 558,031 91.12 875,579
(1)
Compensation Actually Paid represents total compensation as reported in the Summary Compensation Table for that year (i) less the grant-date fair value of any stock and option awards granted during that year, (ii) plus the change in fair value of outstanding and unvested stock and option awards during that year, as well as the fair value of new stock and option awards granted during that year as of the end of the year.
(2)
The Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based on Total Shareholder Return depicts a hypothetical $100 investment in Ordinary Shares on December 31, 2020, and shows the value of that investment over time (assuming the reinvestment of dividends) for each calendar year. Historical stock performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock performance.
Relationship between Compensation Actually Paid Disclosed in the Pay versus Performance Table and Other Table Elements
Compensation Actually Paid to Mr. McTaggart and Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs for 2023, 2022 and 2021 were directionally aligned with the cumulative total shareholder return and net income for those years.
Tabular List of the Company’s Most Important Metrics that Link Compensation Actually Paid to the PEO and other NEOs
We consider the list below to be the Company’s most important metrics that link compensation paid to our NEOs, as they are the key metrics that determine the payout under our short-term incentive compensation plan and long-term incentive compensation plan.
 
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Revenue (excluding pass-through energy charges)

Net income from continuing operations

Gross margin

Earnings per share

Operating cash flows
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Director Compensation
The following table sets forth a summary of the compensation earned by our non-employee directors and/or paid to certain of our non-employee directors in 2023.
Name
Fees Earned
or Paid in
Cash
($)
Stock
Awards
($)(1)
Total
($)
Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar*(2)
52,350 47,738 100,088
Brian E. Butler*
44,400 51,755 96,155
Carson K. Ebanks*
38,500 42,875 81,375
Richard Finlay*(3)
16,838 28,098 44,936
Clarence B. Flowers, Jr.*
39,050 41,903 80,953
Wilmer F. Pergande*(4)
157,100 44,170 201,270
Leonard J. Sokolow*
62,600 47,020 109,620
Raymond Whittaker*
50,388 47,590 97,978
*
The Board of Directors has determined that each of such persons is an “independent director” under the corporate governance rules of NASDAQ.
(1)
Represents fair value on the date of grant.
(2)
Of the $100,088 fees earned or paid in cash, $10,000 consists of director fees paid by Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited for service on the board of directors of this Company subsidiary.
(3)
Of the $44,936 fees earned or paid in cash, $5,000 consists of director fees paid by Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited for service on the board of directors of this Company subsidiary. Mr. Finlay passed away on March 14, 2023.
(4)
Of the $201,270 fees earned or paid in cash, $27,500 consists of director fees paid by Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited for service on the board of directors of this Company subsidiary.
Director Compensation Policy
Our Chairman of the Board of Directors receives an annual cash retainer of $103,000 and each director who is not an executive officer is entitled to an annual cash retainer of $33,000. In addition, under the non-executive directors share plan, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and each director who is not an executive officer receives an annual equity retainer in Ordinary Shares worth $32,500 and $33,150, respectively. A Director who is also an executive officer of our Company (i.e. Mr. McTaggart) is not entitled to an annual retainer of cash or equity.
Each director who is a member of the Compensation Committee and the Chairman of the committee is entitled to an annual cash retainer of $3,300 and $5,550, respectively. In addition, under the non-executive directors share plan, each committee member and the Chairman of the committee receive an annual equity retainer in Ordinary Shares worth $5,835 and $7,485, respectively.
Each director who is a member of the Audit Committee and the Chairman of the committee is entitled to an annual cash retainer of $4,400 and $7,400, respectively. In addition, under the non-executive directors share plan, each committee member and the Chairman of the committee receive an annual equity retainer in Ordinary Shares worth $7,780 and $9,980, respectively.
Each director who is a member of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee and the Chairman of the committee is entitled to an annual cash retainer of $2,200 and $3,700, respectively. In addition, under the non-executive directors share plan, each committee member and the Chairman of the committee receive an annual equity retainer in Ordinary Shares worth $3,890 and $4,990, respectively.
Each director who is a member of the Environmental and Social Governance Committee and the Chairman of the committee is entitled to an annual cash retainer of $4,400 and $7,400, respectively. In addition, under
 
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the non-executive directors share plan, each committee member and the Chairman of the committee receive an annual equity retainer in Ordinary Shares worth $7,780 and $9,980, respectively. Mr. McTaggart is the Chairman of this committee and is not entitled to an annual retainer of cash or equity.
The number of Ordinary Shares granted to the directors is calculated by dividing the equity retainers by the prevailing market price on October 1 of the preceding year.
Transactions with Related Persons
The Company has a written policy regarding the review, approval or ratification of related person transactions. A related person transaction for the purposes of the policy is a transaction between the Company and one of the Company’s directors or nominees for director, executive officers, 5% shareholders, or a member of one of these persons’ immediate family, in which such person has a direct or indirect material interest and involves more than $120,000. Under this policy, related person transactions are prohibited unless the Audit Committee has determined in advance that the transaction is in the best interests of the Company.
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OTHER MATTERS
Deadline for Shareholder Proposals
Shareholder proposals intended to be presented under Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement and accompanying proxy for the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, including nomination of an individual for election as a director at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, must be received at the Company’s principal executive offices in the Cayman Islands by December 20, 2024 and must meet all the requirements of Rule 14a-8. To recommend a prospective nominee for the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee’s consideration, see “Committees of the Board of Directors.”
Proposals and other notices should be sent to:
Consolidated Water Co. Ltd.
Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road
P.O. Box 1114
Grand Cayman, KY1-1102
Cayman Islands
Attn: Secretary of the Company
Householding of Annual Meeting Materials
Some banks, brokers and other nominee record holders may be participating in the practice of “householding” proxy statements, annual reports and Notices of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. This means that only one copy of the Company’s proxy statement, annual report and Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials may have been sent to multiple shareholders in your household. The Company will promptly deliver a separate copy of any of the documents to you if you notify the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s executive offices of your desire to receive additional copies. If you wish to receive separate copies of the annual report, proxy statement and Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials in the future, or if you are receiving multiple copies and would like to receive only one copy for your household, you may contact your bank, broker or other nominee record holder, or you may contact the Company’s Secretary at the Company’s executive offices.
Financial Statements and Exhibits to Form 10-K
The Company’s financial statements are contained in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 that was filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024, a copy of which is included with this proxy statement. Such report and the financial statements contained therein are not to be considered a part of this soliciting material.
The Company’s 2023 Annual Report, which is included with this proxy statement, does not include copies of the exhibits to that filing. The Company will furnish any such exhibits by request sent to the Company’s Secretary.
Other Matters
Management knows of no matters that are to be presented for action at the meeting other than the matters set forth above. If any other matters properly come before the meeting, the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy will vote the shares represented by proxies in accordance with their judgment on such matters.
The Company will make available a list of shareholders of the Company before the close of business on May 8, 2024, for inspection during normal business hours from 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., at the Company’s corporate headquarters located at Regatta Office Park, Windward Three, 4th Floor, West Bay Road, Grand Cayman, KY1-1102, Cayman Islands. Shareholders wanting to inspect the shareholder list should call our Corporate Secretary at (345) 945-4277 to schedule an appointment. In addition, the list of shareholders also will be available during the meeting through the meeting website for shareholders who choose to attend.
 
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Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) DateTO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDSTHIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLYV37435-P06725-Z87046! ! !ForAllWithholdAllFor AllExceptFor Against Abstain! ! !CONSOLIDATED WATER CO. LTD. To withhold authority to vote for any individualnominee(s), mark "For All Except" and write thenumber(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below.CONSOLIDATED WATER CO. LTD.REGATTA OFFICE PARKWINDWARD THREE, 4TH FLOOR, WEST BAY ROADGRAND CAYMAN KY1-1102CAYMAN ISLANDSThe Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 2 and 3.1. The election of eight directors to the Board of Directors.The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR thefollowing:Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor,administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each signpersonally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporateor partnership name by authorized officer.Nominees:2. An advisory vote on executive compensation.3. The ratification of the selection of Marcum LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024,at the remuneration to be determined by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting.01) Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar02) Brian E. Butler03) Carson K. Ebanks04) Clarence B. Flowers, Jr.05) Frederick W. McTaggart06) Wilmer F. Pergande07) Leonard J. Sokolow08) Raymond Whittaker! ! !VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com or scan the QR Barcode aboveUse the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 27, 2024. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the websiteand follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALSIf you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you canconsent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically viae-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to voteusing the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materialselectronically in future years.VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Timeon May 27, 2024. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.VOTE BY MAILMark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have providedor return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.VOTE IN PERSONYou may attend the meeting and vote in person at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort,389 West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Have the 16-digitcontrol number included on this proxy card with you to gain entry to the meeting.SCAN TOVIEW MATERIALS & VOTE w

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V37436-P06725-Z87046Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual General Meeting:The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.PROXYConsolidated Water Co. Ltd.2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERSTO BE HELD ON MAY 28, 2024The undersigned, revoking all prior proxies, hereby appoint(s) Frederick W. McTaggart and David W. Sasnett, and each of them, with full power of substitution, as proxies to represent and vote, as designated herein, all voting shares of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd.(the "Company") that the undersigned would be entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company to be held at 3:00 p.m. Cayman Islands Time (4:00 p.m. ET), on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, and at any postponements or adjournments thereof. The Annual General Meeting will be held in person at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, 389West Bay Road, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. The 16-digit control number included on this proxy card will be required to access the meeting.This proxy when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed by the undersigned shareholder(s) and in the discretion of the proxies on such matters as may properly come before the Annual General Meeting or any postponements or adjournments thereof.IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN WITH RESPECT TO A PROPOSAL, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS FOLLOWS: "FOR ALL" THE NOMINEES IN THE ELECTION OF THE DIRECTORS IN PROPOSAL 1, "FOR" PROPOSAL 2 AND "FOR" PROPOSAL 3. Attendance of the undersigned at the Annual General Meeting or any postponements or adjournments thereof will automatically revoke this proxy. Therefore, if the undersigned attends the meeting, he, she or it will need to vote his, her or its shares at the meeting in order for his, her or its shares to be counted.Continued and to be signed on reverse side