F-6 1 e604573_f6-british.txt Registration No. 333 - As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 21, 2008 ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ----------------------------- FORM F-6 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 FOR AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES EVIDENCED BY AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ------------ BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO P.L.C. (Exact name of issuer of deposited securities as specified in its charter) ------------ N/A (Translation of issuer's name into English) ------------ England and Wales (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of issuer) ----------------------------- CITIBANK, N.A. (Exact name of depositary as specified in its charter) ------------ 399 Park Avenue New York, New York 10043 (212) 816-6690 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of depositary's principal executive offices) ------------ CT Corporation System 111 Eighth Avenue (13th floor) New York, New York 10011 (212) 894-8940 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) ----------------------------- Copies to: Philip J. Boeckman Herman H. Raspe, Esq. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP CityPoint 1133 Avenue of the Americas One Ropemaker Street New York, New York 10036 London EC2Y 9HR ----------------------------- It is proposed that this filing become effective under Rule 466: |_| immediately upon filing. |_| on (Date) at (Time). If a separate registration statement has been filed to register the deposited shares, check the following box : |_| ----------------------------- CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proposed Maximum Proposed Maximum Title of Each Class of Amount to be Aggregate Price Aggregate Offering Amount of Securities to be Registered Registered Per Unit* Price** Registration Fee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Depositary Shares, each 200,000,000 ADSs $5.00 $10,000,000.00 $393.00 representing two Ordinary Shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Each unit represents 100 American Depositary Shares. ** Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(k), such estimate is computed on the basis of the maximum aggregate fees or charges to be imposed in connection with the issuance of American Depositary Shares. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine. This Registration Statement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of such counterparts together shall constitute one and the same instrument. ii PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS Cross Reference Sheet Item 1. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED
Location in Form of American Depositary Receipt ("Receipt") Item Number and Caption Filed Herewith as Prospectus ----------------------- ---------------------------- 1. Name of Depositary and address of its principal executive Face of Receipt - Introductory Article. office 2. Title of Receipts and identity of deposited securities Face of Receipt - Top Center. Terms of Deposit: (i) The amount of deposited securities represented by Face of Receipt - Upper right corner. one American Depositary Share ("ADSs") (ii) The procedure for voting, if any, the deposited Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs (16) securities and (17). (iii) The collection and distribution of dividends Reverse of Receipt - Paragraph (14). (iv) The transmission of notices, reports and proxy Face of Receipt - Paragraph (13); soliciting material Reverse of Receipt - Paragraph (16). (v) The sale or exercise of rights Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs (14) and (16). (vi) The deposit or sale of securities resulting from Face of Receipt - Paragraphs (3) and (6); dividends, splits or plans of reorganization Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs (14) and (18). (vii) Amendment, extension or termination of the deposit Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs (22) and (23) (no agreement provision for extensions). (viii) Rights of holders of Receipts to inspect the Face of Receipt - Paragraph (13). transfer books of the Depositary and the list of holders of ADSs (ix) Restrictions upon the right to deposit or withdraw Face of Receipt - Paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (6), the underlying securities (7), (9) and (10).
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Location in Form of American Depositary Receipt ("Receipt") Item Number and Caption Filed Herewith as Prospectus ----------------------- ---------------------------- (x) Limitation upon the liability of the Depositary Face of Receipt - Paragraph (7); Reverse of Receipt - Paragraphs (19) and (20). 3. Fees and charges which may be imposed directly or Face of Receipt - Paragraph (10). indirectly on holders of ADSs Item 2. AVAILABLE INFORMATION Face of Receipt - Paragraph (13).
The Company publishes the information contemplated in Rule 12g3-2(b)(1)(iii) under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), on its internet website or through an electronic information delivery system generally available to the public in the Company's primary trading market. The electronic information delivery system the Company intends to use for the publication of such reports is the Regulatory News Servuce (RSN) (or any successor thereof). As of the date hereof the Company's internet website is www.bat.com. The information so published by the Company may not be in English, except that the Company is required, in order to maintain its exemption from the Exchange Act reporting obligations pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b), to translate such information into English to the extent contemplated in the instructions to Rule 12g3-2(e). The information so published by the Company cannot be retrieved from the Commission's internet website, and cannot be inspected or copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. I-2 PROSPECTUS The Prospectus consists of the proposed form of American Depositary Receipt included as Exhibit A to the Form of Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement filed as Exhibit (a) to this Registration Statement on Form F-6 and is incorporated herein by reference. I-3 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS Item 3. EXHIBITS (a) Form of Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement, by and among British American Tobacco p.l.c. (the "Company"), Citibank, N.A., as depositary (the "Depositary"), and all Holders and Beneficial Owners of American Depositary Shares issued thereunder ("Deposit Agreement"). -- Filed herewith as Exhibit (a). (b) Any other agreement to which the Depositary is a party relating to the issuance of the American Depositary Shares registered hereunder or the custody of the deposited securities represented thereby. -- None. (c) Every material contract relating to the deposited securities between the Depositary and the issuer of the deposited securities in effect at any time within the last three years. -- None. (d) Opinion of counsel for the Depositary as to the legality of the securities to be registered. -- Filed herewith as Exhibit (d). (e) Certificate under Rule 466. -- None. (f) Powers of Attorney for certain officers and directors and the authorized representative of the Company. -- Set forth on the signature pages hereto. II-1 Item 4. UNDERTAKINGS (a) The Depositary undertakes to make available at the principal office of the Depositary in the United States, for inspection by holders of ADSs, any reports and communications received from the issuer of the deposited securities which are both (1) received by the Depositary as the holder of the deposited securities, and (2) made generally available to the holders of the underlying securities by the issuer. (b) If the amount of fees charged is not disclosed in the prospectus, the Depositary undertakes to prepare a separate document stating the amount of any fee charged and describing the service for which it is charged and to deliver promptly a copy of such fee schedule without charge to anyone upon request. The Depositary undertakes to notify each registered holder of an ADS thirty (30) days before any change in the fee schedule. II-2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Citibank, N.A., acting solely on behalf of the legal entity created by the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement, by and among British American Tobacco p.l.c., Citibank, N.A., as depositary, and all Holders and Beneficial Owners from time to time of American Depositary Shares issued thereunder, certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that all the requirements for filing on Form F-6 are met and has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form F-6 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the ___ day of November 2008. Legal entity created by the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement under which American Depositary Shares registered hereunder are to be issued, each American Depositary Share representing two Ordinary Shares, nominal value 25 Pence per share, of British American Tobacco p.l.c.. CITIBANK, N.A., solely in its capacity as Depositary By: /s/ Keith Galfo ---------------------------------------- Name: Keith Galfo Title: Vice President II-3 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, British American Tobacco p.l.c. has caused this Registration Statement on Form F-6 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, in London, England, on November __, 2008. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO P.L.C. By: /s/ Paul Nicholas Adams --------------------------- Name: Paul Nicholas Adams Title: Director II-4 POWERS OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Jan Petrus du Plessis, Paul Nicholas Adams, John Benedict Stevens, Nicandro Durante, Nicola Snook and Geoffrey Charles William Cunnington to act as his/her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him/her and in his/her name, place and stead, in any and all such capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as s/he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his/her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form F-6 has been signed by the following persons in the following capacities on November __, 2008.
Signature Title --------- ----- /s/ Jan Petrus du Plessis Chairman ------------------------------------------------- Name: Jan Petrus du Plessis /s/ Paul Nicholas Adams Executive Director - Chief Executive (Principal ------------------------------------------------- Executive Officer) Name: Paul Nicholas Adams /s/ John Benedict Stevens Executive Director - Finance Director (Principal ------------------------------------------------- Financial and Accounting Officer) Name: John Benedict Stevens /s/ Nicandro Durante Executive Director - Chief Operating Officer ------------------------------------------------- Name: Nicandro Durante
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Signature Title --------- ----- /s/ Karen Maria Alida de Segundo Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Karen Maria Alida de Segundo Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Robert Earl Lerwill /s/ Ana Maria Llopis Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Dr. Ana Maria Llopis /s/ Christine Jacqueline Michelle Morin-Postel Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Christine Jacqueline Michelle Morin-Postel /s/ Anthony Ruys Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Anthony Ruys Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Sir Nicholas Scheele /s/ Matthys Hendrik Visser Non-Executive Director ------------------------------------------------- Name: Matthys Hendrik Visser
II-6 SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly acknowledged representative in the United States of British American Tobacco plc, has signed this registration statement in New York, New York, on November ___, 2008. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP By: /s/ Sarkis Jebejian ----------------------- Name: Sarkis Jebejian II-7 Index to Exhibits Sequentially Exhibit Document Numbered Page ------- -------- ------------- (a) Form of Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement (d) Opinion of counsel to the Depositary