UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): July 26, 2021

 

Linde plc

 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Ireland

 

001-38730

 

98-1448883

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

10 Riverview Dr.

Danbury, Connecticut

United States 06810

 

The Priestley Centre

10 Priestley Road

Surrey Research Park

Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XY

United Kingdom

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

+44 1483 242200

(Registrant’s telephone numbers, including area code)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

Ordinary shares (€0.001 nominal value per share)

 

LIN

 

New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 

ITEM 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Linde plc was held on July 26, 2021 (the “AGM”), at which shareholders voted upon the items set forth below. The total number of shares that were present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting was 410,049,926, which was 78.08% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote and which constituted a quorum. The final voting results of the items submitted to a vote of the shareholders are set forth below.

 

Proposal 1

 

The twelve nominees for election as a director were elected to serve until the 2022 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. The vote results were as follows:

 

Director Nominees

Shares For

Shares Against

Shares Abstained

Broker Non-Votes

% of Votes

Cast For

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle

 368,999,057

 26,957,840

 214,183

13,878,846

93.19%

Stephen F. Angel

 383,851,034

12,000,457

 319,589

13,878,846

96.97%

Prof DDr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner

 382,070,375

13,063,863

 1,036,842

13,878,846

96.69%

Prof. Dr. Clemens A.H. Börsig

 365,933,586

30,010,215

 227,279

13,878,846

92.42%

Dr. Nance K. Dicciani

 378,563,840

17,387,124

 220,116

13,878,846

95.61%

Dr. Thomas Enders

 392,526,281

 3,418,138

 226,661

13,878,846

99.14%

Franz Fehrenbach

 382,687,210

13,226,052

 257,818

13,878,846

96.66%

Edward G. Galante

 371,351,607

24,557,528

 261,945

13,878,846

93.80%

Larry D. McVay

 374,081,859

21,820,969

 268,252

13,878,846

94.49%

Victoria E. Ossadnik

 390,051,402

 5,709,213

 410,465

13,878,846

98.56%

Prof. Dr. Martin H. Richenhagen

 381,794,416

14,130,986

 245,678

13,878,846

96.43%

Robert L. Wood

 368,233,358

25,935,700

 2,002,022

13,878,846

93.42%

 

Proposal 2a

 

Shareholders ratified, on an advisory and non-binding basis, the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PWC”) as the independent auditor by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

377,707,666

 

32,082,275

 

259,985

 

N/A

(92.11% of votes cast)

 

(7.82% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Proposal 2b

 

Shareholders approved the authorization of the Board, acting through the Audit Committee, to determine PWC’s remuneration by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

398,945,978

 

10,635,038

 

468,910

 

N/A

(97.29% of votes cast)

 

(2.59% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal 3

 

Shareholders approved, on an advisory and non-binding basis, the compensation of Linde plc’s Named Executive Officers as disclosed in the 2021 proxy statement by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

368,554,600

 

27,153,191

 

463,289

 

13,878,846

(93.03% of votes cast)

 

(6.62% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal 4

 

Shareholders approved, on an advisory and on-binding basis, the Linde plc Directors’ Remuneration Policy as disclosed in the 2021 proxy statement by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

374,262,022

 

19,903,240

 

2,005,818

 

13,878,846

(94.47% of votes cast)

 

(4.85% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal 5

 

Shareholders approved, on an advisory and non-binding basis, the Directors’ Remuneration Report (excluding the Directors’ Remuneration Policy) as set forth in the Linde plc IFRS Annual Report for the financial year ended December 31, 2020 by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

371,365,133

 

24,309,603

 

496,344

 

13,878,846

(93.74% of votes cast)

 

(5.93% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal 6

 

Shareholders approved the 2021 Linde plc Long Term Incentive Plan by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

369,659,704

 

26,100,457

 

410,919

 

13,878,846

(93.31% of votes cast)

 

(6.37% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

  

Proposal 7

 

Shareholders approved the determination of the price range at which Linde plc can re-allot shares that it acquires as treasury shares under Irish law as disclosed in the 2021 proxy statement by the votes set forth below.

 

Shares Voted For

 

Shares Voted Against

 

Shares Abstained

 

Broker Non-Votes

407,563,778

 

1,042,507

 

1,443,641

 

N/A

(99.39% of votes cast)

 

(0.25% of votes cast)

 

 

 

 

 

 
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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

LINDE PLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Guillermo Bichara

 

 

Name:

Guillermo Bichara

 

 

Title:

General Counsel

 

 

Date: July 28, 2021

 

 
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