EX-3.1 2 d842509dex31.htm THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION Third Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association

Exhibit 3.1

THE COMPANIES LAW (2013 REVISION)

OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

OF

Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited

(Adopted by Special Resolutions passed on 19 December 2014)


THE COMPANIES LAW (2013 REVISION)

OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

OF

Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited

(Adopted by Special Resolutions passed on 19 December 2014)

 

1 The name of the Company is Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited.

 

2 The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Maples Corporate Services Limited, PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands, or at such other place within the Cayman Islands as the Directors may decide.

 

3 The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by the laws of the Cayman Islands.

 

4 The liability of each Member is limited to the amount unpaid on such Member’s shares.

 

5 The share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 50,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.001 each.

 

6 The Company has power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands.

 

7 Capitalised terms that are not defined in this Third Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association bear the respective meanings given to them in the Third Amended and Restated Articles of Association of the Company adopted by Special Resolutions passed on 19 December 2014.


THE COMPANIES LAW (2013 REVISION)

OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

OF

Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited

(Adopted by Special Resolutions passed on 19 December 2014)

 

1 Interpretation

 

1.1 In the Articles Table A in the First Schedule to the Statute does not apply and, unless there is something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith:

 

“Affiliate”    means (i) in the case of a natural person, such person’s parents, parents-in-law, spouse, children or grandchildren, a trust for the benefit of any of the foregoing, a company, partnership or any natural person or entity wholly or jointly owned by such person or any of the foregoing, (ii) in the case of an entity, a partnership, a corporation or any natural person or entity which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such entity. The term “control” shall mean the ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the corporation, or the partnership or other entity (other than, in the case of corporation, share having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency), or having the power to control the management or elect a majority of members to the board of directors or equivalent decision-making body of such corporation, partnership or other entity.
“Articles”    means these articles of association of the Company.
“Auditor”    means the person for the time being performing the duties of auditor of the Company (if any).
“Code”    means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any federal statute from time to time in effect that has replaced such statute, and any reference in these Articles to a provision of the Code or a rule or regulation promulgated thereunder means such provision, rule or regulation as amended from time to time or any provision of a federal law, or any federal rule or regulation, from time to time in effect that has replaced such provision, rule or regulation.


“Company”    means the above named company.
“Controlled Shares”    means in reference to any Person means all Shares directly, indirectly or constructively owned by such Person as determined pursuant to Section 958 of the Code.
“Designated Stock Exchange”    means the NASDAQ Stock Market or any other stock exchange or automated quotation system on which, any or all of, the Company’s Units, Warrants and Shares are then traded.
“Directors”    means the directors for the time being of the Company.
“Dividend”    means any dividend (whether interim or final) resolved to be paid on Shares pursuant to the Articles.
“Electronic Record”    has the same meaning as in the Electronic Transactions Law.
“Electronic Transactions Law”    means the Electronic Transactions Law (2003 Revision) of the Cayman Islands.
“Eligible Investor”    means a person eligible to hold Shares, as determined from time to time by the Directors.
“Member”    has the same meaning as in the Statute.
“Memorandum”    means the memorandum of association of the Company, as amended and restated from time to time.
“Ordinary Resolution”    means a resolution passed by a simple majority of the Members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting, and includes a written resolution passed by the holders of a simple majority of the issued Shares giving such entitlement. In computing the majority when a poll is demanded regard shall be had to the number of votes to which each Member is entitled by the Articles.
“Ordinary Share”    has the same meaning as a Share and which Share has no preferred, deferred or other rights or restrictions, whether in regard to Dividend or other distribution, voting, return of capital or otherwise.
“Oxbridge Reinsurance”    means Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands which is the holder of a ‘Class C’ insurance licence issued by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority.
“Person”    means any individual, company, corporation, firm, partnership, trust or any other business, enterprise, entity or person, whether or not recognised as constituting a separate legal entity.

 

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“Register of Members”    means the register of Members maintained in accordance with the Statute and includes (except where otherwise stated) any branch or duplicate register of Members.
“Registered Office”    means the registered office for the time being of the Company.
“Seal”    means the common seal of the Company and includes every duplicate seal.
“Share”    means a share in the Company and includes a fraction of a share in the Company.
“Special Resolution”    has the same meaning as in the Statute, and includes a unanimous written resolution.
“Statute”    means the Companies Law (2013 Revision) of the Cayman Islands.
“Subscriber”    means the subscriber to the Memorandum.
“Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member”    means a Person that, but for adjustments to the voting rights of shares pursuant to Article 22 would be a 9.9% U.S. Member.
“Transfer”    means, in respect of any Share, any sale, assignment, exchange, transfer, pledge, encumbrance or other disposition of that Share, and “Transferred” shall be construed accordingly.
“Treasury Share”    means a Share held in the name of the Company as a treasury share in accordance with the Statute.
“U.S. Person”    means a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“Unit”    means an investment unit consisting of one Ordinary Share and one Warrant.
“Warrant”    means a warrant representing a right to purchase one Ordinary Share exercisable at any time until 31 May 2018 at an exercise price of US$7.50.
“9.9% U.S. Member”    means a U.S. Person whose Controlled Shares constitutes nine and nine-tenths per cent. (9.9%) or more of the voting power of the Shares and who would be generally required to recognise income with respect to the Company under Section 951(a)(1) of the Code if the Company were a controlled foreign corporation as defined in Section 957 of the Code and if the ownership threshold under Section 951(b) of the Code were 9.9%.

 

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1.2 In the Articles:

 

  (a) words importing the singular number include the plural number and vice versa;

 

  (b) words importing the masculine gender include the feminine gender;

 

  (c) words importing persons include corporations as well as any other legal or natural person;

 

  (d) “written” and “in writing” include all modes of representing or reproducing words in visible form, including in the form of an Electronic Record;

 

  (e) “shall” shall be construed as imperative and “may” shall be construed as permissive;

 

  (f) references to provisions of any law or regulation shall be construed as references to those provisions as amended, modified, re-enacted or replaced;

 

  (g) any phrase introduced by the terms “including”, “include”, “in particular” or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms;

 

  (h) the term “and/or” is used herein to mean both “and” as well as “or.” The use of “and/or” in certain contexts in no respects qualifies or modifies the use of the terms “and” or “or” in others. The term “or” shall not be interpreted to be exclusive and the term “and” shall not be interpreted to require the conjunctive (in each case, unless the context otherwise requires);

 

  (i) headings are inserted for reference only and shall be ignored in construing the Articles;

 

  (j) any requirements as to delivery under the Articles include delivery in the form of an Electronic Record;

 

  (k) any requirements as to execution or signature under the Articles including the execution of the Articles themselves can be satisfied in the form of an electronic signature as defined in the Electronic Transactions Law;

 

  (l) sections 8 and 19(3) of the Electronic Transactions Law shall not apply;

 

  (m) the term “clear days” in relation to the period of a notice means that period excluding the day when the notice is received or deemed to be received and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect; and

 

  (n) the term “holder” in relation to a Share means a person whose name is entered in the Register of Members as the holder of such Share.

 

2 Commencement of Business

 

2.1 The business of the Company may be commenced as soon after incorporation of the Company as the Directors shall see fit.

 

2.2 The Directors may pay, out of the capital or any other monies of the Company, all expenses incurred in or about the formation and establishment of the Company, including the expenses of registration.

 

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3 Issue of Shares

 

3.1 Subject to the provisions, if any, in the Memorandum (and to any direction that may be given by the Company in general meeting) and without prejudice to any rights attached to any existing Shares, the Directors may allot, issue, grant options over or otherwise dispose of Shares (including fractions of a Share) with or without preferred, deferred or other rights or restrictions, whether in regard to Dividend or other distribution, voting, return of capital or otherwise and to such persons, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper, and may also (subject to the Statute and the Articles) vary such rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Subscriber shall have the power to:

 

  (a) issue one Share to itself;

 

  (b) transfer that Share by an instrument of transfer to any person; and

 

  (c) update the Register of Members in respect of the issue and transfer of that Share.

 

3.2 The Company shall not issue Shares to bearer.

 

3.3 Unless determined by the Directors, the Company shall not issue any Shares in a manner that would by reason of such issuance cause the total Shares held by any Member to equal or equal or exceed nine and nine-tenths per cent. (9.9%) of the total Shares then issued and outstanding.

 

4 Register of Members

 

4.1 The Company shall maintain or cause to be maintained the Register of Members in accordance with the Statute.

 

4.2 The Directors may determine that the Company shall maintain one or more branch registers of Members in accordance with the Statute. The Directors may also determine which register of Members shall constitute the principal register and which shall constitute the branch register or registers, and to vary such determination from time to time.

 

5 Closing Register of Members or Fixing Record Date

 

5.1 For the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of, or to vote at any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or Members entitled to receive payment of any Dividend or other distribution, or in order to make a determination of Members for any other purpose, the Directors may provide that the Register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period which shall not in any case exceed forty days.

 

5.2 In lieu of, or apart from, closing the Register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance or arrears a date as the record date for any such determination of Members entitled to notice of, or to vote at any meeting of the Members or any adjournment thereof, or for the purpose of determining the Members entitled to receive payment of any Dividend or other distribution, or in order to make a determination of Members for any other purpose.

 

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5.3 If the Register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of Members entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting of Members or Members entitled to receive payment of a Dividend or other distribution, the date on which notice of the meeting is sent or the date on which the resolution of the Directors resolving to pay such Dividend or other distribution is passed, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of Members entitled to vote at any meeting of Members has been made as provided in this Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.

 

6 Certificates for Shares

 

6.1 A Member shall only be entitled to a share certificate if the Directors resolve that share certificates shall be issued. Share certificates representing Shares, if any, shall be in such form as the Directors may determine. Share certificates shall be signed by one or more Directors or other person authorised by the Directors. The Directors may authorise certificates to be issued with the authorised signature(s) affixed by mechanical process. All certificates for Shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified and shall specify the Shares to which they relate. All certificates surrendered to the Company for transfer shall be cancelled and subject to the Articles no new certificate shall be issued until the former certificate representing a like number of relevant Shares shall have been surrendered and cancelled.

 

6.2 The Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate for Shares held jointly by more than one person and delivery of a certificate to one joint holder shall be a sufficient delivery to all of them.

 

6.3 If a share certificate is defaced, worn out, lost or destroyed, it may be renewed on such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and on the payment of such expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in investigating evidence, as the Directors may prescribe, and (in the case of defacement or wearing out) upon delivery of the old certificate.

 

6.4 Every share certificate sent in accordance with the Articles will be sent at the risk of the Member or other person entitled to the certificate. The Company will not be responsible for any share certificate lost or delayed in the course of delivery.

 

7 Transfer of Shares

 

7.1 Subject to these Articles, any Member may transfer all or any of his shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in any other form approved by the board of Directors and may be under hand or, if the transferor or transferee is a clearing house or it nominee(s), by hand or by machine imprinted signature or by such other manner of execution as the board of Directors may approve from time to time.

 

7.2 The instrument of transfer shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor. Without prejudice to the last preceding Article, the board of Directors may also resolve, either generally or in any particular case, upon request by the transferor or transferee to accept mechanically executed transfers. The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of the share until the name of the transferee is entered into the Register in respect thereof. Nothing in these Articles shall preclude the board of Directors from recognizing a renunciation of the allotment or provisional allotment of any share by the allotee in favour of some other person.

 

7.3

(a) The board of Directors may, in its absolute discretion (except with respect to a transfer from a Member to its Affiliates(s)), and without giving any reason therefor, refuse to register a

 

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  transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom it does not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which the Company has a lien. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a transfer complies with the holder’s transfer obligations and restrictions set forth under the applicable law and rules of the Designated Stock Exchange (including, but not limited to U.S. securities law provisions related to insider trading) and these Articles, the Directors shall promptly register such transfer.

(b) The board of Directors in so far as permitted by any applicable law and rules of the Designated Stock Exchange may, in its absolute discretion, at any time and from time to time transfer any share upon the Register of Members to any branch register or any share on any branch register to the Register of Members or any other branch register. In the event of any such transfer, the shareholder requesting such transfer shall bear the cost of effective such transfer unless the board of Directors otherwise determines.

(c) Unless the board of Directors otherwise agrees (which agreement may be on such terms and subject to such conditions as the board of Directors in its absolute discretion may from time to time determine, and which agreement the board of Directors shall, without giving any reason therefore, be entitled in its absolute discretion to give or withhold), no shares upon the Register of Members shall be transferred to any branch register nor shall shares on any branch register be transferred to the Register of Members or any other branch register and all transfers and other documents of title shall be lodged for registration, and registered, in the case of any shares on a branch register, at the relevant registration office, and, in the case of any shares on the Register of Members, at the Office or such other place at which the Register of Members is kept in accordance with the Statute.

(d) Without limiting the generality of the last preceding Article, the board of Directors may decline to recognise any instrument of transfer unless:

 

  (i) a fee of such maximum sum as the board of Directors may from time to time require is paid to the Company in respect thereof;

 

  (ii) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of share;

 

  (iii) the instrument of transfer is lodged at the registration office or such other place as the Register of Members is kept in accordance with the Statute accompanied by the relevant share certificate(s) or such other evidence as the board of Directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer (and, if the instrument of transfer is executed by some other person on his behalf, the authority of that person so to do); and

 

  (iv) the instrument of transfer is duly and properly signed.

(e) If the board of Directors refuses to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of the refusal.

 

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7.4 The registration of transfers may be suspended at such time and for such periods as the Directors may from time to time determine, provided always that such registration shall not be suspended for more than thirty (30) days in any year.

 

8 Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Shares

 

8.1 Subject to the provisions, if any, in the Articles, the Memorandum, applicable law, including the Statute, and the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company may:

 

  (a) issue shares on terms that they are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the Member on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may, before the issue of such shares, determine;

 

  (b) purchase its own shares (including any redeemable shares) provided that the manner of purchase is in accordance with the following provisions (this authorization is in accordance with sections 37(2) and 37(3)(d) of the Statute or any modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force):

 

  (i) the Company is authorised to purchase any Share listed on a Designated Stock Exchange in accordance with the following manner of purchase: (1) the maximum number of shares that may be repurchased shall be equal to the number of issued and outstanding shares less one share, and (2) at such time, at not less than the Market Price, and on such other terms as determined and agreed by the Board in its discretion; provided, however, that (x) such repurchase transaction shall be in accordance with the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the shares on the Designated Stock Exchange; and (y) that the Company shall be able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business and be solvent immediately before and after the date on which the payment in respect of the repurchase transaction is proposed to be made; provided, further, that, in the case of a purchase of shares intended to comply with Rule 10b-18 promulgated under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the purchase price shall equal the prevailing market price at the time of such purchase as determined by independent bids or transaction prices, rather than the Market Price;

 

  (ii) the Company is authorised to purchase any Share not listed on a Designated Stock Exchange in accordance with the following manner of purchase: (1) the Company shall serve a repurchase notice in a form approved by the Board on the Member from whom the Shares are to be repurchased at least two (2) days prior to the date specified in the notice as being the repurchase date, (2) the price for the Shares being repurchased shall be such price agreed between the Board and the applicable Member, (3) the date of repurchase shall be the date specified in the repurchase notice, (4) the repurchase shall be on such other terms as specified in the repurchase notice as determined and agreed by the Board and the applicable Member in their sole discretion, and (5) the Company shall be able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business and be solvent immediately before and after the date on which the payment in respect of the repurchase transaction is proposed to be made; and

 

  (c) make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own shares otherwise than out of profits or the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares

 

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8.2 Any share in respect of which notice of redemption has been given shall not be entitled to participate in the profits of the Company in respect of the period after the date specified as the date of redemption in the notice of redemption

 

8.3 The redemption or purchase of any share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption or purchase of any other share.

 

8.4 The Directors may when making payments in respect of redemption or purchase of shares, if authorised by the terms of issue of the shares being redeemed or purchased or with the agreement of the holder of such shares, make such payment in any form of consideration permitted by the Statute.

 

8.5 The Directors may accept the surrender for no consideration of any fully paid Share.

 

9 Treasury Shares

 

9.1 The Directors may, prior to the purchase, redemption or surrender of any Share, determine that such Share shall be held as a Treasury Share.

 

9.2 The Directors may determine to cancel a Treasury Share or transfer a Treasury Share on such terms as they think proper (including, without limitation, for nil consideration).

 

10 Variation of Rights of Shares

 

10.1 If at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes of Shares, all or any of the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class) may, whether or not the Company is being wound up, be varied without the consent of the holders of the issued Shares of that class where such variation is considered by the Directors not to have a material adverse effect upon such rights; otherwise, subject to these Articles, any such variation shall be made only with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than two thirds of the issued Shares of that class, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two thirds of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the Shares of that class. For the avoidance of doubt, the Directors reserve the right, notwithstanding that any such variation may not have a material adverse effect, to obtain consent from the holders of Shares of the relevant class. To any such meeting all the provisions of the Articles relating to general meetings shall apply mutatis mutandis, except that the necessary quorum shall be one person holding or representing by proxy at least one third of the issued Shares of the class and that any holder of Shares of the class present in person or by proxy may demand a poll.

 

10.2 For the purposes of a separate class meeting, the Directors may treat two or more or all the classes of Shares as forming one class of Shares if the Directors consider that such class of Shares would be affected in the same way by the proposals under consideration, but in any other case shall treat them as separate classes of Shares.

 

10.3

The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares, or any class of Shares issued with preferred or other rights, shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further Shares (“New Shares”) ranking pari passu therewith or in priority thereto. For avoidance of doubt, the rights conferred upon the holders of any Shares, or any class of Shares, shall be deemed not to be varied by the issue and allotment of New Shares even if such New Shares do or will rank in priority for payment

 

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  of a dividend or in respect of return of capital or surplus or will confer on the holder of the New Shares voting and other rights more favourable than those conferred by such existing Shares or class of Shares.

 

11 Commission on Sale of Shares

The Company may, in so far as the Statute permits, pay a commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe (whether absolutely or conditionally) or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions (whether absolutely or conditionally) for any Shares. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash and/or the issue of fully or partly paid-up Shares. The Company may also on any issue of Shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.

 

12 Non Recognition of Trusts

The Company shall not be bound by or compelled to recognise in any way (even when notified) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any Share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by the Articles or the Statute) any other rights in respect of any Share other than an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the holder.

 

13 Lien on Shares

 

13.1 The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on all Shares (whether fully paid-up or not) registered in the name of a Member (whether solely or jointly with others) for all debts, liabilities or engagements to or with the Company (whether presently payable or not) by such Member or his estate, either alone or jointly with any other person, whether a Member or not, but the Directors may at any time declare any Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The registration of a transfer of any such Share shall operate as a waiver of the Company’s lien thereon. The Company’s lien on a Share shall also extend to any amount payable in respect of that Share.

 

13.2 The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors think fit, any Shares on which the Company has a lien, if a sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, and is not paid within fourteen clear days after notice has been received or deemed to have been received by the holder of the Shares, or to the person entitled to it in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of the holder, demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the Shares may be sold.

 

13.3 To give effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Shares sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. The purchaser or his nominee shall be registered as the holder of the Shares comprised in any such transfer, and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the sale or the exercise of the Company’s power of sale under the Articles.

 

13.4 The net proceeds of such sale after payment of costs, shall be applied in payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable and any balance shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently payable as existed upon the Shares before the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the Shares at the date of the sale.

 

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14 Call on Shares

 

14.1 Subject to the terms of the allotment and issue of any Shares, the Directors may make calls upon the Members in respect of any monies unpaid on their Shares (whether in respect of par value or premium), and each Member shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen clear days’ notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on the Shares. A call may be revoked or postponed, in whole or in part, as the Directors may determine. A call may be required to be paid by instalments. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the Shares in respect of which the call was made.

 

14.2 A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising such call was passed.

 

14.3 The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect thereof.

 

14.4 If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable, the person from whom it is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day it became due and payable until it is paid at such rate as the Directors may determine (and in addition all expenses that have been incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment), but the Directors may waive payment of the interest or expenses wholly or in part.

 

14.5 An amount payable in respect of a Share on issue or allotment or at any fixed date, whether on account of the par value of the Share or premium or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a call and if it is not paid all the provisions of the Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call.

 

14.6 The Directors may issue Shares with different terms as to the amount and times of payment of calls, or the interest to be paid.

 

14.7 The Directors may, if they think fit, receive an amount from any Member willing to advance all or any part of the monies uncalled and unpaid upon any Shares held by him, and may (until the amount would otherwise become payable) pay interest at such rate as may be agreed upon between the Directors and the Member paying such amount in advance.

 

14.8 No such amount paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Member paying such amount to any portion of a Dividend or other distribution payable in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such amount would, but for such payment, become payable.

 

15 Forfeiture of Shares

 

15.1 If a call or instalment of a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Directors may give to the person from whom it is due not less than fourteen clear days’ notice requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued and any expenses incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment. The notice shall specify where payment is to be made and shall state that if the notice is not complied with the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.

 

15.2 If the notice is not complied with, any Share in respect of which it was given may, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors. Such forfeiture shall include all Dividends, other distributions or other monies payable in respect of the forfeited Share and not paid before the forfeiture.

 

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15.3 A forfeited Share may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit. Where for the purposes of its disposal a forfeited Share is to be transferred to any person the Directors may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Share in favour of that person.

 

15.4 A person any of whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of them and shall surrender to the Company for cancellation the certificate for the Shares forfeited and shall remain liable to pay to the Company all monies which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of those Shares together with interest at such rate as the Directors may determine, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all monies due and payable by him in respect of those Shares.

 

15.5 A certificate in writing under the hand of one Director or officer of the Company that a Share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in it as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the Share. The certificate shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer) constitute a good title to the Share and the person to whom the Share is sold or otherwise disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the Share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the Share.

 

15.6 The provisions of the Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a Share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the par value of the Share or by way of premium as if it had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.

 

16 Transmission of Shares

 

16.1 If a Member dies the survivor or survivors (where he was a joint holder) or his legal personal representatives (where he was a sole holder), shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his Shares. The estate of a deceased Member is not thereby released from any liability in respect of any Share, for which he was a joint or sole holder.

 

16.2 Any person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution of a Member (or in any other way than by transfer) may, upon such evidence being produced as may be required by the Directors, elect, by a notice in writing sent by him to the Company, either to become the holder of such Share or to have some person nominated by him registered as the holder of such Share. If he elects to have another person registered as the holder of such Share he shall sign an instrument of transfer of that Share to that person. The Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the relevant Member before his death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution, as the case may be.

 

16.3

A person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution of a Member (or in any other case than by transfer) shall be entitled to the same Dividends, other distributions and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the holder of such Share. However, he shall not, before becoming a Member in respect of a Share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to general

 

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  meetings of the Company and the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered himself or to have some person nominated by him be registered as the holder of the Share (but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the relevant Member before his death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution or any other case than by transfer, as the case may be). If the notice is not complied with within ninety days of being received or deemed to be received (as determined pursuant to the Articles) the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all Dividends, other distributions, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the Share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.

 

17 Amendments of Memorandum and Articles of Association and Alteration of Capital

 

17.1 The Company may by Ordinary Resolution:

 

  (a) increase its share capital by such sum as the Ordinary Resolution shall prescribe and with such rights, priorities and privileges annexed thereto, as the Company in general meeting may determine;

 

  (b) consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into Shares of larger amount than its existing Shares;

 

  (c) convert all or any of its paid-up Shares into stock, and reconvert that stock into paid-up Shares of any denomination;

 

  (d) by subdivision of its existing Shares or any of them divide the whole or any part of its share capital into Shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Memorandum or into Shares without par value; and

 

  (e) cancel any Shares that at the date of the passing of the Ordinary Resolution have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled.

 

17.2 All new Shares created in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Article shall be subject to the same provisions of the Articles with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer, transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as the Shares in the original share capital.

 

17.3 Subject to the provisions of the Statute and the provisions of the Articles as regards the matters to be dealt with by Ordinary Resolution, the Company may by Special Resolution:

 

  (a) change its name;

 

  (b) alter or add to the Articles;

 

  (c) alter or add to the Memorandum with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein; and

 

  (d) reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve fund.

 

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18 Offices and Places of Business

Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Company may by resolution of the Directors change the location of its Registered Office. The Company may, in addition to its Registered Office, maintain such other offices or places of business as the Directors determine.

 

19 General Meetings

 

19.1 All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings.

 

19.2 The Company may, but shall not (unless required by the Statute) be obliged to, in each year hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting, and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. Any annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as the Directors shall appoint. At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented.

 

19.3 Further to a resolution of the Directors, the Directors may call general meetings, and they shall on a Members’ requisition forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company.

 

19.4 A Members’ requisition is a requisition of Members holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than sixty-six point six-six (66.66%) per cent. in par value of the issued Shares which as at that date carry the right to vote at general meetings of the Company.

 

19.5 The Members’ requisition must state the objects of the meeting and must be signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the Registered Office, and may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or more requisitionists.

 

19.6 If there are no Directors as at the date of the deposit of the Members’ requisition or if the Directors do not within twenty-one days from the date of the deposit of the Members’ requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting to be held within a further twenty-one days, the requisitionists, or any of them representing more than one-half of the total voting rights of all of the requisitionists, may themselves convene a general meeting, but any meeting so convened shall be held no later than the day which falls three months after the expiration of the said twenty-one day period.

 

19.7 A general meeting convened as aforesaid by requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings are to be convened by Directors.

 

20 Notice of General Meetings

 

20.1 At least seven (7) calendar days’ notice (but not more than sixty (60) calendar days’ notice) shall be given of any general meeting. Every notice shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be conducted at the general meeting and shall be given in the manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may be prescribed by the Company, provided that a general meeting of the Company shall, whether or not the notice specified in this Article has been given and whether or not the provisions of the Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly convened if it is so agreed:

 

  (a) in the case of an annual general meeting, by all of the Members (or their proxies) entitled to attend and vote thereat; and

 

  (b) in the case of an extraordinary general meeting, by a majority in number of the Members (or their proxies) having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, together holding not less than ninety five per cent. in par value of the Shares giving that right.

 

20.2 The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to, or the non receipt of notice of a general meeting by, any person entitled to receive such notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that general meeting.

 

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21 Proceedings at General Meetings

 

21.1 No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. Two Members holding a majority in par value of the total issued Shares, as at the relevant record date pursuant to Article 5, being individuals present in person or by proxy or if a corporation or other non-natural person by its duly authorised representative or proxy shall be a quorum.

 

21.2 A person may participate at a general meeting by conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all the persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participation by a person in a general meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting.

 

21.3 A resolution (including a Special Resolution) in writing (in one or more counterparts) signed by or on behalf of all of the Members for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings (or, being corporations or other non-natural persons, signed by their duly authorised representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the resolution had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held.

 

21.4 If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting to commence or if during such a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting, if convened upon a Members’ requisition, shall be dissolved and in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and/or place or to such other day, time and/or place as the Directors may determine, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the Members present shall be a quorum.

 

21.5 The Directors may, at any time prior to the time appointed for the meeting to commence, appoint any person to act as chairman of a general meeting of the Company or, if the Directors do not make any such appointment, the chairman, if any, of the board of Directors shall preside as chairman at such general meeting. If there is no such chairman, or if he shall not be present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the meeting to commence, or is unwilling to act, the Directors present shall elect one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

 

21.6 If no Director is willing to act as chairman or if no Director is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the Members present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

 

21.7 The chairman may, with the consent of a meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.

 

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21.8 When a general meeting is adjourned for thirty days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Otherwise it shall not be necessary to give any such notice of an adjourned meeting.

 

21.9 A resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless before, or on the declaration of the result of, the show of hands, the chairman demands a poll, or any other Member or Members collectively present in person or by proxy (or in the case of a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorised representative or proxy) and holding at least ten per cent. in par value of the Shares giving a right to attend and vote at the meeting demand a poll.

 

21.10 Unless a poll is duly demanded and the demand is not withdrawn a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost or not carried by a particular majority, an entry to that effect in the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting shall be conclusive evidence of that fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against such resolution.

 

21.11 The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.

 

21.12 Except on a poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment, a poll shall be taken as the chairman directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the general meeting at which the poll was demanded.

 

21.13 A poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such date, time and place as the chairman of the general meeting directs, and any business other than that upon which a poll has been demanded or is contingent thereon may proceed pending the taking of the poll.

 

21.14 In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

 

22 Votes of Members

 

22.1 Subject to Articles 22.8-22.10 and subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any Shares, on a show of hands every Member who (being an individual) is present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person is present by its duly authorised representative or by proxy, shall have one (1) vote and on a poll every Member present in any such manner shall have one vote for every Share of which he is the holder. No cumulative voting shall be allowed.

 

22.2 In the case of joint holders the vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorised representative or proxy), shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names of the holders stand in the Register of Members.

 

22.3 A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court, having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his committee, receiver, curator bonis, or other person on such Member’s behalf appointed by that court, and any such committee, receiver, curator bonis or other person may vote by proxy.

 

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22.4 No person shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless he is registered as a Member on the record date for such meeting nor unless all calls or other monies then payable by him in respect of Shares have been paid.

 

22.5 No objection shall be raised as to the qualification of any voter except at the general meeting or adjourned general meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered and every vote not disallowed at the meeting shall be valid. Any objection made in due time in accordance with this Article shall be referred to the chairman whose decision shall be final and conclusive.

 

22.6 On a poll or on a show of hands votes may be cast either personally or by proxy (or in the case of a corporation or other non-natural person by its duly authorised representative or proxy). A Member may appoint more than one proxy or the same proxy under one or more instruments to attend and vote at a meeting. Where a Member appoints more than one proxy the instrument of proxy shall state which proxy is entitled to vote on a show of hands and shall specify the number of Shares in respect of which each proxy is entitled to exercise the related votes.

 

22.7 On a poll, a Member holding more than one Share need not cast the votes in respect of his Shares in the same way on any resolution and therefore may vote a Share or some or all such Shares either for or against a resolution and/or abstain from voting a Share or some or all of the Shares and, subject to the terms of the instrument appointing him, a proxy appointed under one or more instruments may vote a Share or some or all of the Shares in respect of which he is appointed either for or against a resolution and/or abstain from voting a Share or some or all of the Shares in respect of which he is appointed.

 

22.8 No Member shall be permitted to vote any Shares for or against the appointment or removal of Directors or directors of any subsidiary of the Company that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes if the holding of the power to vote such shares would cause any Person to be a 9.9% U.S. Member of the Company or any such subsidiary.

 

22.9 The voting power of each Share is hereby adjusted (and shall be automatically adjusted in the future) to the extent necessary so that no U.S. Person is a 9.9% U.S. Member. This Article 22.9 shall be applied prior to the application of Article 22.8. The board of Directors shall implement the foregoing in the manner provided below:

 

  (a) The board of Directors shall from time to time, including prior to any time at which a vote of Members is taken, take all reasonable steps to ascertain through communication with Members or otherwise, whether there exists, or will exist at the time any vote of Members is taken, a Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member.

 

  (b)

In the event that a Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member exists, the aggregate votes conferred by Shares held by a Member which are treated as Controlled Shares of that Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member shall be reduced to the extent necessary such that the Controlled Shares of that Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member will constitute less than 9.9% of the voting power of all Shares. In applying the previous sentence where Shares held by more than one Member are treated as Controlled Shares of such Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member, the reduction in votes shall apply to such Members in descending order according to their respective Attribution Percentages, provided that, in the event of a tie, the reduction shall apply first to the Member whose Shares are Controlled Shares of the Tentative

 

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  9.9% U.S. Member by virtue of the Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member’s economic interest in (as opposed to voting control with respect to) such Shares. The votes attributable to Shares of Members owning no Shares treated as Controlled Shares of any Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member shall, in the aggregate, be increased by the same number of votes subject to reduction as described above. Such increase shall apply to all such Members in proportion to their voting power at that time, provided that such increase shall be limited to the extent necessary to avoid causing any person to be a 9.9% U.S. Member. The adjustments of voting power described in this Article shall apply repeatedly until there would be no 9.9% U.S. Member. The board of Directors may deviate from any of the principles described in this Article and determine that Shares held by a Member shall carry different voting rights as it determines appropriate (1) to avoid the existence of any 9.9% U.S. Member or (2) to avoid adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences to the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any other Member or its affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, in applying the provisions of this Article 22, each Share may carry a fraction of a vote.

 

22.10 Any Member that acquires actual knowledge that it is a Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member or that the Shares that it owns are Controlled Shares of a Tentative 9.9% U.S. Member shall give notice to the Company within fifteen (15) days following the date of acquisition of such actual knowledge. The board of Directors shall have the authority to request from any Member, and such Member shall provide, such information as the board of Directors may request for the purpose of determining whether any Member’s voting rights are to be adjusted pursuant to this Article 22. If such Member fails to respond to such a request, or submits incomplete or inaccurate information in response to such a request, the board of Directors may in its sole and absolute discretion determine that such Member’s Shares shall carry no voting rights, in which case such Shares shall not carry any voting rights until otherwise determined by the board of Directors in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

23 Proxies

 

23.1 The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing and shall be executed under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing, or, if the appointor is a corporation or other non natural person, under the hand of its duly authorised representative. A proxy need not be a Member.

 

23.2 The Directors may, in the notice convening any meeting or adjourned meeting, or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, specify the manner by which the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited and the place and the time (being not later than the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting to which the proxy relates) at which the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited. In the absence of any such direction from the Directors in the notice convening any meeting or adjourned meeting or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited physically at the Registered Office not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the meeting or adjourned meeting to commence at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote.

 

23.3 The chairman may in any event at his discretion declare that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited. An instrument of proxy that is not deposited in the manner permitted, or which has not been declared to have been duly deposited by the chairman, shall be invalid.

 

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23.4 The instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form (or such other form as the Directors may approve) and may be expressed to be for a particular meeting or any adjournment thereof or generally until revoked. An instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to include the power to demand or join or concur in demanding a poll.

 

23.5 Votes given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or revocation of the proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed, or the transfer of the Share in respect of which the proxy is given unless notice in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer was received by the Company at the Registered Office before the commencement of the general meeting, or adjourned meeting at which it is sought to use the proxy.

 

24 Corporate Members and Clearing Houses

 

24.1 Any corporation or other non-natural person which is a Member may in accordance with its constitutional documents, or in the absence of such provision by resolution of its directors or other governing body, authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members, and the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member.

 

24.2 If a clearing house (or its nominee) is a member of the Company it may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by power of attorney, authorize such person or persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative or representatives at any general meeting of the Company or at any general meeting of any class of members of the Company provided that, if more than one person is so authorised, the authorization shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such person is so authorised. A person so authorised pursuant to this provision shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee) which he represents as that clearing house (or its nominee) could exercise if it were an individual member of the Company holding the number and class of shares specified in such authorization

 

25 Shares that May Not be Voted

Shares in the Company that are beneficially owned by the Company shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding Shares at any given time.

 

26 Directors

There shall be a board of Directors consisting of not less than four (4) Directors (exclusive of alternate Directors), the exact number of Directors to be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the majority of the Directors then in office; provided, however, that if no such resolution shall be in effect the number of Directors shall be six (6) Directors. Any increase in the size of the board of Directors pursuant to this Article 26 shall be deemed to a vacancy and be filled in accordance with Article 28.2.

 

27 Powers of Directors

 

27.1 Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Memorandum and the Articles and to any directions given by Special Resolution, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors who may exercise all the powers of the Company. No alteration of the Memorandum or Articles and no such direction shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid if that alteration had not been made or that direction had not been given. A duly convened meeting of Directors at which a quorum is present may exercise all powers exercisable by the Directors.

 

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27.2 All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable or transferable instruments and all receipts for monies paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed as the case may be in such manner as the Directors shall determine by resolution.

 

27.3 The Directors on behalf of the Company may pay a gratuity or pension or allowance on retirement to any Director who has held any other salaried office or place of profit with the Company or to his widow or dependants and may make contributions to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any such gratuity, pension or allowance.

 

27.4 The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital or any part thereof and to issue debentures, debenture stock, mortgages, bonds and other such securities whether outright or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.

 

27.5 The board of Directors may, from time to time, and except as required by applicable law or the listing rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives, which shall be intended to set forth the policies of the Company and the board of Directors on various corporate governance related matters, as the board of Directors shall determine by resolution from time to time.

 

28 Appointment and Removal of Directors

 

28.1 The Company may by Ordinary Resolution appoint any person to be a Director or may by Ordinary Resolution remove any Director.

 

28.2 The Directors may appoint any person to be a Director, either to fill a vacancy or as an additional Director provided that the appointment does not cause the number of Directors to exceed any number fixed by or in accordance with the Articles as the maximum number of Directors.

 

29 Vacation of Office of Director

The office of a Director shall be vacated if:

 

  (a) the Director gives notice in writing to the Company that he resigns the office of Director; or

 

  (b) the Director dies, becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally; or

 

  (c) the Director is found to be or becomes of unsound mind.

 

30 Proceedings of Directors

 

30.1 The quorum for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors, and unless so fixed shall be a majority of the Directors. A person who holds office as an alternate Director shall, if his appointor is not present, be counted in the quorum. A Director who also acts as an alternate Director shall, if his appointor is not present, count twice towards the quorum.

 

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30.2 Subject to the provisions of the Articles, the Directors may regulate their proceedings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. A Director who is also an alternate Director shall be entitled in the absence of his appointor to a separate vote on behalf of his appointor in addition to his own vote.

 

30.3 A person may participate in a meeting of the Directors or committee of Directors by conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all the persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other at the same time. Participation by a person in a meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting. Unless otherwise determined by the Directors the meeting shall be deemed to be held at the place where the chairman is located at the start of the meeting.

 

30.4 A resolution in writing (in one or more counterparts) signed by all the Directors or all the members of a committee of the Directors or, in the case of a resolution in writing relating to the removal of any Director or the vacation of office by any Director, all of the Directors other than the Director who is the subject of such resolution (an alternate Director being entitled to sign such a resolution on behalf of his appointor and if such alternate Director is also a Director, being entitled to sign such resolution both on behalf of his appointer and in his capacity as a Director) shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Directors, or committee of Directors as the case may be, duly convened and held.

 

30.5 A Director or alternate Director may, or other officer of the Company on the direction of a Director or alternate Director shall, call a meeting of the Directors by at least two days’ notice in writing to every Director and alternate Director which notice shall set forth the general nature of the business to be considered unless notice is waived by all the Directors (or their alternates) either at, before or after the meeting is held. To any such notice of a meeting of the Directors all the provisions of the Articles relating to the giving of notices by the Company to the Members shall apply mutatis mutandis.

 

30.6 The continuing Directors (or a sole continuing Director, as the case may be) may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to the Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors the continuing Directors or Director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of Directors to be equal to such fixed number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose.

 

30.7 The Directors may elect a chairman of their board and determine the period for which he is to hold office; but if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

 

30.8 All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of the Directors (including any person acting as an alternate Director) shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any Director or alternate Director, and/or that they or any of them were disqualified, and/or had vacated their office and/or were not entitled to vote, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and/or not disqualified to be a Director or alternate Director and/or had not vacated their office and/or had been entitled to vote, as the case may be.

 

30.9 A Director but not an alternate Director may be represented at any meetings of the board of Directors by a proxy appointed in writing by him. The proxy shall count towards the quorum and the vote of the proxy shall for all purposes be deemed to be that of the appointing Director.

 

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31 Presumption of Assent

A Director or alternate Director who is present at a meeting of the board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such action with the person acting as the chairman or secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered post to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director or alternate Director who voted in favour of such action.

 

32 Directors’ Interests

 

32.1 A Director or alternate Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and on such terms as to remuneration and otherwise as the Directors may determine.

 

32.2 A Director or alternate Director may act by himself or by, through or on behalf of his firm in a professional capacity for the Company and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director or alternate Director.

 

32.3 A Director or alternate Director may be or become a director or other officer of or otherwise interested in any company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as a shareholder, a contracting party or otherwise, and no such Director or alternate Director shall be accountable to the Company for any remuneration or other benefits received by him as a director or officer of, or from his interest in, such other company.

 

32.4 No person shall be disqualified from the office of Director or alternate Director or prevented by such office from contracting with the Company, either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director or alternate Director shall be in any way interested be or be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director or alternate Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by or arising in connection with any such contract or transaction by reason of such Director or alternate Director holding office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established. A Director (or his alternate Director in his absence) shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is interested provided that the nature of the interest of any Director or alternate Director in any such contract or transaction shall be disclosed by him at or prior to its consideration and any vote thereon.

 

32.5 A general notice that a Director or alternate Director is a shareholder, director, officer or employee of any specified firm or company and is to be regarded as interested in any transaction with such firm or company shall be sufficient disclosure for the purposes of voting on a resolution in respect of a contract or transaction in which he has an interest, and after such general notice it shall not be necessary to give special notice relating to any particular transaction.

 

33 Minutes

The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books kept for the purpose of all appointments of officers made by the Directors, all proceedings at meetings of the Company or the holders of any class of Shares and of the Directors, and of committees of the Directors, including the names of the Directors or alternate Directors present at each meeting.

 

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34 Delegation of Directors’ Powers

 

34.1 The Directors may delegate any of their powers, authorities and discretions, including the power to sub-delegate, to any committee consisting of one or more Directors. They may also delegate to any managing director or any Director holding any other executive office such of their powers, authorities and discretions as they consider desirable to be exercised by him provided that an alternate Director may not act as managing director and the appointment of a managing director shall be revoked forthwith if he ceases to be a Director. Any such delegation may be made subject to any conditions the Directors may impose and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of their own powers and any such delegation may be revoked or altered by the Directors. Subject to any such conditions, the proceedings of a committee of Directors shall be governed by the Articles regulating the proceedings of Directors, so far as they are capable of applying.

 

34.2 The Directors may establish any committees, local boards or agencies or appoint any person to be a manager or agent for managing the affairs of the Company and may appoint any person to be a member of such committees, local boards or agencies. Any such appointment may be made subject to any conditions the Directors may impose, and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of their own powers and any such appointment may be revoked or altered by the Directors. Subject to any such conditions, the proceedings of any such committee, local board or agency shall be governed by the Articles regulating the proceedings of Directors, so far as they are capable of applying.

 

34.3 The Directors may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any person to be the agent of the Company on such conditions as the Directors may determine, provided that the delegation is not to the exclusion of their own powers and may be revoked by the Directors at any time.

 

34.4 The Directors may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any company, firm, person or body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or authorised signatory of the Company for such purpose and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under the Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such powers of attorney or other appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorneys or authorised signatories as the Directors may think fit and may also authorise any such attorney or authorised signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in him.

 

34.5 The Directors may appoint such officers of the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt and without limitation, any secretary) as they consider necessary on such terms, at such remuneration and to perform such duties, and subject to such provisions as to disqualification and removal as the Directors may think fit. Unless otherwise specified in the terms of his appointment an officer of the Company may be removed by resolution of the Directors or Members. An officer of the Company may vacate his office at any time if he gives notice in writing to the Company that he resigns his office.

 

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35 Alternate Directors

 

35.1 Any Director (but not an alternate Director) may by writing appoint any other Director, or any other person willing to act, to be an alternate Director and by writing may remove from office an alternate Director so appointed by him.

 

35.2 An alternate Director shall be entitled to receive notice of all meetings of Directors and of all meetings of committees of Directors of which his appointor is a member, to attend and vote at every such meeting at which the Director appointing him is not personally present, to sign any written resolution of the Directors, and generally to perform all the functions of his appointor as a Director in his absence.

 

35.3 An alternate Director shall cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor ceases to be a Director.

 

35.4 Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be by notice to the Company signed by the Director making or revoking the appointment or in any other manner approved by the Directors.

 

35.5 Subject to the provisions of the Articles, an alternate Director shall be deemed for all purposes to be a Director and shall alone be responsible for his own acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to be the agent of the Director appointing him.

 

36 No Minimum Shareholding

The Company in general meeting may fix a minimum shareholding required to be held by a Director, but unless and until such a shareholding qualification is fixed a Director is not required to hold Shares.

 

37 Remuneration of Directors

 

37.1 The remuneration to be paid to the Directors, if any, shall be such remuneration as the Directors shall determine. The Directors shall also be entitled to be paid all travelling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in connection with their attendance at meetings of Directors or committees of Directors, or general meetings of the Company, or separate meetings of the holders of any class of Shares or debentures of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of the Company or the discharge of their duties as a Director, or to receive a fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be determined by the Directors, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other.

 

37.2 The Directors may by resolution approve additional remuneration to any Director for any services which in the opinion of the Directors go beyond his ordinary routine work as a Director. Any fees paid to a Director who is also counsel, attorney or solicitor to the Company, or otherwise serves it in a professional capacity shall be in addition to his remuneration as a Director.

 

38 Seal

 

38.1 The Company may, if the Directors so determine, have a Seal. The Seal shall only be used by the authority of the Directors or of a committee of the Directors authorised by the Directors. Every instrument to which the Seal has been affixed shall be signed by at least one person who shall be either a Director or some officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Directors for the purpose.

 

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38.2 The Company may have for use in any place or places outside the Cayman Islands a duplicate Seal or Seals each of which shall be a facsimile of the common Seal of the Company and, if the Directors so determine, with the addition on its face of the name of every place where it is to be used.

 

38.3 A Director or officer, representative or attorney of the Company may without further authority of the Directors affix the Seal over his signature alone to any document of the Company required to be authenticated by him under seal or to be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere wheresoever.

 

39 Dividends, Distributions and Reserve

 

39.1 Subject to the Statute and this Article and except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any Shares, the Directors may resolve to pay Dividends and other distributions on Shares in issue and authorise payment of the Dividends or other distributions out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. A Dividend shall be deemed to be an interim Dividend unless the terms of the resolution pursuant to which the Directors resolve to pay such Dividend specifically state that such Dividend shall be a final Dividend. No Dividend or other distribution shall be paid except out of the realised or unrealised profits of the Company, out of the share premium account or as otherwise permitted by the Statute.

 

39.2 Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any Shares, all Dividends and other distributions shall be paid according to the par value of the Shares that a Member holds. If any Share is issued on terms providing that it shall rank for Dividend as from a particular date, that Share shall rank for Dividend accordingly.

 

39.3 The Directors may deduct from any Dividend or other distribution payable to any Member all sums of money (if any) then payable by him to the Company on account of calls or otherwise.

 

39.4 The Directors may resolve that any Dividend or other distribution be paid wholly or partly by the distribution of specific assets and in particular (but without limitation) by the distribution of shares, debentures, or securities of any other company or in any one or more of such ways and where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Directors may settle the same as they think expedient and in particular may issue fractional Shares and may fix the value for distribution of such specific assets or any part thereof and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members upon the basis of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all Members and may vest any such specific assets in trustees in such manner as may seem expedient to the Directors.

 

39.5 Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any Shares, Dividends and other distributions may be paid in any currency. The Directors may determine the basis of conversion for any currency conversions that may be required and how any costs involved are to be met.

 

39.6 The Directors may, before resolving to pay any Dividend or other distribution, set aside such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Directors, be applicable for any purpose of the Company and pending such application may, at the discretion of the Directors, be employed in the business of the Company.

 

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39.7 Any Dividend, other distribution, interest or other monies payable in cash in respect of Shares may be paid by wire transfer to the holder or by cheque or warrant sent through the post directed to the registered address of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the registered address of the holder who is first named on the Register of Members or to such person and to such address as such holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall be made payable to the order of the person to whom it is sent. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any Dividends, other distributions, bonuses, or other monies payable in respect of the Share held by them as joint holders.

 

39.8 No Dividend or other distribution shall bear interest against the Company.

 

39.9 Any Dividend or other distribution which cannot be paid to a Member and/or which remains unclaimed after six months from the date on which such Dividend or other distribution becomes payable may, in the discretion of the Directors, be paid into a separate account in the Company’s name, provided that the Company shall not be constituted as a trustee in respect of that account and the Dividend or other distribution shall remain as a debt due to the Member. Any Dividend or other distribution which remains unclaimed after a period of six years from the date on which such Dividend or other distribution becomes payable shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company.

 

40 Capitalisation

The Directors may at any time capitalise any sum standing to the credit of any of the Company’s reserve accounts or funds (including the share premium account and capital redemption reserve fund) or any sum standing to the credit of the profit and loss account or otherwise available for distribution; appropriate such sum to Members in the proportions in which such sum would have been divisible amongst such Members had the same been a distribution of profits by way of Dividend or other distribution; and apply such sum on their behalf in paying up in full unissued Shares for allotment and distribution credited as fully paid-up to and amongst them in the proportion aforesaid. In such event the Directors shall do all acts and things required to give effect to such capitalisation, with full power given to the Directors to make such provisions as they think fit in the case of Shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Directors may authorise any person to enter on behalf of all of the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental or relating thereto and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all such Members and the Company.

 

41 Books of Account

 

41.1 The Directors shall cause proper books of account (including, where applicable, material underlying documentation including contracts and invoices) to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Company and the matters in respect of which the receipt or expenditure takes place, all sales and purchases of goods by the Company and the assets and liabilities of the Company. Such books of account must be retained for a minimum period of five years from the date on which they are prepared. Proper books shall not be deemed to be kept if there are not kept such books of account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s affairs and to explain its transactions.

 

41.2

The Directors shall determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Members not being Directors and no Member (not being a

 

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  Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by Statute or authorised by the Directors or by the Company in general meeting.

 

41.3 The Directors may cause to be prepared and to be laid before the Company in general meeting profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, group accounts (if any) and such other reports and accounts as may be required by law.

 

42 Audit

 

42.1 The Directors may appoint an Auditor of the Company who shall hold office on such terms as the Directors determine.

 

42.2 Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and officers of the Company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the Auditor.

 

42.3 Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next annual general meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an ordinary company, and at the next extraordinary general meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an exempted company, and at any other time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members.

 

43 Notices

 

43.1 Notices shall be in writing and may be given by the Company to any Member either personally or by sending it by courier, post, cable, telex, fax or e-mail to him or to his address as shown in the Register of Members (or where the notice is given by e-mail by sending it to the e-mail address provided by such Member). Any notice, if posted from one country to another, is to be sent by airmail.

 

43.2 Where a notice is sent by courier, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by delivery of the notice to a courier company, and shall be deemed to have been received on the third day (not including Saturdays or Sundays or public holidays) following the day on which the notice was delivered to the courier. Where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre paying and posting a letter containing the notice, and shall be deemed to have been received on the fifth day (not including Saturdays or Sundays or public holidays in the Cayman Islands) following the day on which the notice was posted. Where a notice is sent by cable, telex or fax, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing and sending such notice and shall be deemed to have been received on the same day that it was transmitted. Where a notice is given by e-mail service shall be deemed to be effected by transmitting the e-mail to the e-mail address provided by the intended recipient and shall be deemed to have been received on the same day that it was sent, and it shall not be necessary for the receipt of the e-mail to be acknowledged by the recipient.

 

43.3

A notice may be given by the Company to the person or persons which the Company has been advised are entitled to a Share or Shares in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member in the same manner as other notices which are required to be given under the Articles

 

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  and shall be addressed to them by name, or by the title of representatives of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description at the address supplied for that purpose by the persons claiming to be so entitled, or at the option of the Company by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death or bankruptcy had not occurred.

 

43.4 Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner authorised by the Articles to every holder of Shares carrying an entitlement to receive such notice (which shall include his voting entitlement) on the record date for such meeting except that in the case of joint holders the notice shall be sufficient if given to the joint holder first named in the Register of Members and every person upon whom the ownership of a Share devolves by reason of his being a legal personal representative or a trustee in bankruptcy of a Member where the Member but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting, and no other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.

 

44 Winding Up

 

44.1 If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator shall apply the assets of the Company in satisfaction of creditors’ claims in such manner and order as such liquidator thinks fit. Subject to the rights attaching to any Shares, in a winding up:

 

  (a) if the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the Company’s issued share capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the par value of the Shares held by them; or

 

  (b) if the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the Company’s issued share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst the Members in proportion to the par value of the Shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up subject to a deduction from those Shares in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to the Company for unpaid calls or otherwise.

 

44.2 If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, subject to the rights attaching to any Shares and with the sanction of a Special Resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the Statute, divide amongst the Members in kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether such assets shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any asset upon which there is a liability.

 

45 Indemnity and Insurance

 

45.1

Every Director and officer of the Company (which for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include auditors of the Company), together with every former Director and former officer of the Company (each an “Indemnified Person”) shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against any liability, action, proceeding, claim, demand, costs, damages or expenses, including legal expenses, whatsoever which they or any of them may incur as a result of any act or failure to act in carrying out their functions other than such liability (if any) that they may incur by reason of their own actual fraud or wilful default. No Indemnified Person shall be liable to the Company for

 

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  any loss or damage incurred by the Company as a result (whether direct or indirect) of the carrying out of their functions unless that liability arises through the actual fraud or wilful default of such Indemnified Person. No person shall be found to have committed actual fraud or wilful default under this Article unless or until a court of competent jurisdiction shall have made a finding to that effect.

 

45.2 The Company shall advance to each Indemnified Person reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with the defence of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation involving such Indemnified Person for which indemnity will or could be sought. In connection with any advance of any expenses hereunder, the Indemnified Person shall execute an undertaking to repay the advanced amount to the Company if it shall be determined by final judgment or other final adjudication that such Indemnified Person was not entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Article. If it shall be determined by a final judgment or other final adjudication that such Indemnified Person was not entitled to indemnification with respect to such judgment, costs or expenses, then such party shall not be indemnified with respect to such judgment, costs or expenses and any advancement shall be returned to the Company (without interest) by the Indemnified Person.

 

45.3 Notwithstanding the last proceeding Article, the Directors, on behalf of the Company, may purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of any Director or other officer of the Company against any liability which, by virtue of any rule of law, would otherwise attach to such person in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which such person may be guilty in relation to the Company.

 

46 Financial Year

Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on 31st December in each year and, following the year of incorporation, shall begin on 1st January in each year.

 

47 Transfer by Way of Continuation

If the Company is exempted as defined in the Statute, it shall, subject to the provisions of the Statute and with the approval of a Special Resolution, have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands.

 

48 Mergers and Consolidations

The Company shall, with the approval of a Special Resolution, have the power to merge or consolidate with one or more constituent companies (as defined in the Statute), upon such terms as the Directors may determine.

 

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