NUM.L Regulatory News (NUM)

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF THAT JURISDICTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

18 May 2023

RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITIONOFNUMIS CORPORATION PLC ("NUMIS")BYDEUTSCHE BANK AG ("DEUTSCHE BANK")

Publication of Scheme Document

On 28 April 2023, the Board of Numis and the Management Board of Deutsche Bank announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended all cash offer pursuant to which Deutsche Bank will acquire the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Numis (the "Transaction"). The Transaction is being implemented by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Scheme").

The Board of Numis announces that a circular in relation to the Transaction (the "Scheme Document") setting out, amongst other things, a letter from the Chairman of Numis, the full terms and conditions of the Scheme, an explanatory statement pursuant to section 897 of the Companies Act 2006, an expected timetable of principal events, notices of the Court Meeting and the General Meeting and details of the actions to be taken by Numis Shareholders, has been published today on Numis' website (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons in Restricted Jurisdictions) at www.numis.com/investors. 

Hard copies of the Scheme Document and Forms of Proxy for the Court Meeting and the General Meeting are being sent to Numis Shareholders. Numis is also sending a copy of the Scheme Document to participants in the Numis Share Schemes and details of the proposals being made to such participants will be sent to them separately.

Capitalised terms used in this announcement ("Announcement") shall, unless otherwise defined, have the same meanings as set out in the Scheme Document. 

The contents of Numis' website are not incorporated into, and do not form part of, this Announcement.

Action required and notices of the Court Meeting and General Meeting

As further detailed in the Scheme Document, in order to become Effective, the Scheme must be approved by a majority in number of the Scheme Shareholders voting at the Court Meeting, either in person or by proxy, representing at least 75 per cent. in value of the Scheme Shares voted. In addition, the Special Resolution must be passed by the requisite majority at the General Meeting.

Notices convening the Court Meeting and General Meeting to be held at Travers Smith LLP, 10 Snow Hill, London EC1A 2AL on 21 June 2023 at 10.00 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. (or, if later, as soon as the Court Meeting has been concluded or adjourned) respectively are set out in the Scheme Document. Forms of Proxy for use at the Court Meeting and the General Meeting will be enclosed with the Scheme Document. 

Any changes to the arrangements for the Court Meeting and the General Meeting will be communicated to the Scheme Shareholders and Numis Shareholders before the relevant Meeting, through Numis' website at www.numis.com/investors through a Regulatory Information Service.

Numis Shareholders are asked to submit proxy appointments and instructions for the Court Meeting and the General Meeting (by post, online or electronically through CREST) as soon as possible and in any event so that the proxy appointment and instructions are received no later than 10.00 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. respectively, on 19 June 2023 or, in the case of any adjournment, not later than 48 hours before the time set for the adjourned Meeting(s) (excluding any non-working days).

It is important that, for the Court Meeting in particular, as many votes as possible are cast so that the Court may be satisfied that there is a fair representation of the opinion of Scheme Shareholders.

Timetable

The Scheme Document contains an expected timetable of principal events in relation to the Scheme, which is also set out in the Appendix to this Announcement. The Scheme remains conditional on the approval of the requisite majority of eligible Scheme Shareholders at the Court Meeting and the requisite majority of eligible Numis Shareholders at the General Meeting. The Scheme is also subject to the satisfaction (or, where applicable, waiver) of the other Conditions (including the sanction of the Court) and further terms, as described more fully in the Scheme Document. 

The Scheme is expected to become effective in the fourth quarter of 2023. Numis will make further announcements through a Regulatory Information Service, with such announcements also being made available on Numis' website at www.numis.com/investors and an update to the expected timetable is expected to be announced following satisfaction of the relevant regulatory clearances upon which the Transaction is conditional.

Subject to the Scheme becoming Effective, it is intended that an application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the cancellation of admission to trading of Numis Shares on AIM, with effect shortly following the Effective Date. Deutsche Bank intends to re-register Numis as a private company following the Effective Date. The last day of dealings in, and registration of transfers of, Numis Shares on AIM is expected to be the Business Day immediately prior to the Effective Date.

Recommendation

The Numis Directors, who have been so advised by Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP ("Fenchurch") as to the financial terms of the Transaction, consider the terms of the Transaction to be fair and reasonable. In providing its advice to the Numis Directors, Fenchurch has taken into account the commercial assessments of the Numis Directors. Fenchurch is providing independent financial advice to the Numis Directors for the purposes of Rule 3 of the Code.

The Numis Directors consider the Transaction to be in the best interests of the Numis Shareholders taken as a whole. Accordingly, the Numis Directors recommend unanimously that Numis Shareholders vote or procure votes to approve the Scheme at the Court Meeting and vote or procure votes in favour of the Special Resolution at the General Meeting, as they have irrevocably undertaken to do (or procure to be done) in respect of their entire beneficial holdings of 4,795,099 Numis Shares in aggregate and representing approximately 4.4 per cent. of Numis' entire issued share capital at the Latest Practicable Date. Alexander Ham has entered into a deed of variation in respect of his irrevocable undertaking entered into on 28 April 2023 in connection with the Transaction, in relation to the transfer of legal title to 1,829,067 Numis Shares from one brokerage account to another brokerage account, and he retains beneficial ownership over all such Numis Shares. A copy of this deed of variation is available at www.numis.com/investors.

Numis Shareholders should carefully read the Scheme Document in its entirety before making a decision with respect to the Scheme.

Additional Information

If you have any questions relating to this Announcement, the Scheme Document or the completion and return of your Forms of Proxy, please contact the Shareholder Helpline operated by Computershare by calling 0370 707 1203 (or +44 (0)370 707 1203 if calling from outside the UK). Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate. The Shareholder Helpline is open between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). Different charges may apply to calls from mobile telephones and calls may be recorded and randomly monitored for security and training purposes. Please note the Shareholder Helpline cannot provide advice on the merits of the Scheme nor give any financial, investment, legal or tax advice.

Enquiries:

Deutsche Bank +49 80 0910 8000

Ioana Patriniche - Head of Investor Relations

Silke-Nicole Szypa

Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (Financial Adviser to Deutsche Bank) +44 20 7545 8000

Daniel Ross

Derek Shakespeare

Oliver Ives

Nicholas Hunt

Lazard (Financial Adviser to Deutsche Bank) +44 20 7187 2000

Cyrus Kapadia

Nicholas Millar

Stephen Dibsdale

FGS Global (PR Adviser to Deutsche Bank) +44 20 7251 3801

James Murgatroyd

Rory King

Numis (Communications) +44 7904 529 515

Noreen Biddle Shah

Fenchurch Advisory Partners (Financial Adviser to Numis) +44 20 7382 2222

Kunal Gandhi

Rob Williams

Richard Locke

Grant Thornton UK LLP (Nominated Adviser to Numis) +44 20 7383 5100

Philip Secrett

Harrison Clarke

FTI Consulting LLP (PR Adviser to Numis) +44 20 3727 1000

Edward Bridges

Daisy Hall

Cat Stirling

Ambrose Fullalove

Slaughter and May is acting as legal adviser, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is acting as US regulatory legal adviser and Arthur Cox LLP is acting as Irish regulatory legal adviser to Deutsche Bank.

Travers Smith LLP is acting as legal adviser, Latham & Watkins LLP is acting as remuneration regulatory legal adviser and Holland & Knight LLP is acting as US regulatory legal adviser to Numis.

Appendix

Expected Timetable of Principal Events

The following indicative timetable is based on Numis' and Deutsche Bank's current expected dates for the implementation of the Scheme and is subject to change. If any of the dates and/or times in this expected timetable change, the revised dates and/or times will be notified to Numis Shareholders by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service of the London Stock Exchange.

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(1) It is requested that BLUE Forms of Proxy for the Court Meeting be lodged not later than 10.00 a.m. on 19 June 2023 or, if the Court Meeting is adjourned, 48 hours prior to the time and date set for any adjourned Court Meeting (excluding any part of such 48-hour period falling on a non-working day). If the BLUE Form of Proxy for the Court Meeting is not returned by such time, it may be handed to a representative of Computershare, on behalf of the Chair of the Court Meeting, or to the Chair of the Court Meeting before the taking of the poll at the Court Meeting (or any adjournment of it) and it will be valid.

(2) In order to be valid, the WHITE Forms of Proxy for the General Meeting must be lodged not later than 10.15 a.m. on 19 June 2023 or, if the General Meeting is adjourned, 48 hours prior to the time and date set for any adjourned General Meeting (excluding any part of such 48-hour period falling on a non-working day).

(3) If either the Court Meeting or the General Meeting is adjourned, the Voting Record Time for the relevant adjourned Meeting will be 6.30 p.m. on the date which is two days (excluding non-working days) prior to the date set for such adjourned Meeting.

(4) To commence at 10.15 a.m. or as soon thereafter as the Court Meeting shall have concluded or adjourned.

(5) These dates are indicative only and will depend, among other things, on the date upon which: (i) the Conditions are satisfied or (if capable of waiver) waived; (ii) the Court sanctions the Scheme; and (iii) the Court Order is delivered to the Registrar of Companies. Numis will give adequate notice of all of these dates and times, when known, by issuing an announcement through a Regulatory Information Service, with such announcement being made available on Numis' website at https://www.numis.com/investors. Participants in the Numis Share Schemes will be contacted separately regarding the effect of the Transaction on their rights under these schemes and provided with further details concerning the proposals being made to them.

(6) Subject to satisfaction of certain regulatory conditions as set out in Part 3 (Conditions to and Further Terms of the Scheme and the Acquisition) of the Scheme Document.

(7) Following sanction of the Scheme by the Court, the Scheme will become Effective in accordance with its terms upon a copy of the Court Order being delivered to the Registrar of Companies. This is presently expected to occur within two Business Days after the date of the Sanction Hearing, subject to satisfaction or (where capable of waiver), waiver of the Conditions.

(8) This is the latest date by which the Scheme may become Effective. However, the Long Stop Date may be extended to such later date as Numis and Deutsche Bank may agree in writing (with the Panel's consent and as the Court may approve (should such approval(s) be required)).

Important notices

This Announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer or inducement to sell or an invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to the Transaction or otherwise.

The Transaction will be made solely pursuant to the terms of the Scheme Document (or, if the Transaction is implemented by way of an Offer, the Offer Document), which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Transaction, including details of how to vote in respect of the Transaction. Any decision in respect of, or other response to, the Transaction should be made only on the basis of the information in the Scheme Document (or, if the Transaction is implemented by way of an Offer, the Offer Document).

Numis and Deutsche Bank urge Numis Shareholders to read the Scheme Document (or, if the Transaction is implemented by way of an Offer, the Offer Document) carefully because it will contain important information relating to the Transaction.

This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus, prospectus equivalent document or an exempted document.

This Announcement has been prepared in connection with proposals in relation to a scheme of arrangement pursuant to and for the purpose of complying with the laws of England and Wales and the Code and information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside England and Wales. Nothing in this Announcement should be relied on for any other purpose.

Disclaimers

Deutsche Bank AG is a joint stock corporation incorporated with limited liability in the Federal Republic of Germany, with its head office in Frankfurt am Main where it is registered in the Commercial Register of the District Court under number HRB 30 000. Deutsche Bank AG is authorised under German banking law. The London branch of Deutsche Bank AG is registered in the register of companies for England and Wales (registration number BR000005) with its registered address and principal place of business at Winchester House, 1 Great Winchester Street, London EC2N 2DB. Deutsche Bank AG is authorised and regulated by the European Central Bank and the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). With respect to activities undertaken in the United Kingdom, Deutsche Bank AG is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. It is subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of Deutsche Bank AG's authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from Deutsche Bank AG on request.

Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch is acting as financial adviser to Deutsche Bank and no-one else in connection with the matters described in this Announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Deutsche Bank for providing the protections afforded to clients of Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch nor for providing advice in connection with the subject matter of this Announcement or any other matter referred to in this Announcement.

Lazard & Co., Limited ("Lazard"), which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Deutsche Bank and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this Announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Deutsche Bank for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lazard nor for providing advice in relation to the matters set out in this Announcement. Neither Lazard nor any of its affiliates (nor their respective directors, officers, employees or agents) owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Lazard in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively for Numis and no-one else in connection with the Transaction described in this Announcement and accordingly will not be responsible to anyone other than Numis for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the matters described in this Announcement.

Grant Thornton UK LLP, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively for Numis and no-one else in connection with the Transaction described in this Announcement and accordingly will not be responsible to anyone other than Numis for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the matters described in this Announcement.

Overseas jurisdictions

The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions other than the UK may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the UK should inform themselves about, and observe any applicable requirements. In particular, the ability of persons who are not resident in the UK to vote their Numis Shares with respect to the Scheme at the Court Meeting, or to execute and deliver forms of proxy appointing another to vote at the Court Meeting on their behalf, may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. This Announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law, the AIM Rules and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the UK.

Copies of this Announcement and any formal documentation relating to the Transaction are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. If the Transaction is implemented by way of an Offer (unless otherwise permitted by applicable law and regulation), the Offer may not be made directly or indirectly, in or into, or by the use of mails or any means or instrumentality (including, but not limited to, facsimile, e-mail or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and the Offer may not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means, instrumentality or facilities.

The Transaction shall be subject to the applicable requirements of the Code, the Panel, the London Stock Exchange and the AIM Rules.

Notice to US investors in Numis

The Transaction relates to the shares of an English company and is being made by means of a scheme of arrangement provided for under English company law. A transaction effected by means of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to the tender offer rules or the proxy solicitation rules under the US Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, the Transaction and the Scheme will be subject to the disclosure requirements and practices applicable in the UK to schemes of arrangement which differ from the disclosure requirements of United States tender offer and proxy solicitation rules. If, in the future, Deutsche Bank exercises the right to implement the Transaction by way of an Offer and determines to extend the Offer into the United States, the Transaction will be made in compliance with applicable United States laws and regulations. 

Financial information included in this Announcement has been or will have been prepared in accordance with accounting standards applicable in the UK that may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Transaction by a US holder of Numis Shares as consideration for the transfer of its Scheme Shares pursuant to the Scheme may be a taxable transaction for United States federal income tax purposes and under applicable United States state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each Numis Shareholder is urged to consult with independent professional advisers immediately regarding the tax consequences of the Transaction applicable to it.

It may be difficult for US holders of Numis Shares to enforce their rights and any claim arising out of the US federal laws, since Deutsche Bank and Numis are located in non-US jurisdictions, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of a non-US jurisdiction. US holders of Numis Shares may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of the US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgement.

Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission nor any US state securities commission has approved or disapproved the Transaction, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Transaction or passed any opinion upon the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of this Announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This Announcement (including information incorporated by reference into this Announcement) may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, strategies, objectives, results of operations and businesses of the Deutsche Bank Group and the Numis Group. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Deutsche Bank and the Deutsche Bank Group and Numis and the Numis Group to market risks, statements as to accretion and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions, including as to future potential cost savings, synergies, earnings, cash flow, return on capital employed, production and prospects. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aims", "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "goals", "hopes", "intend", "may", "objectives", "outlook", "plan", "probably", "project", "risks", "seek", "should", "target", "will", "would" and similar terms and phrases.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Deutsche Bank and the Deutsche Bank Group and Numis and the Numis Group and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Announcement. 

Such factors include the conditions in the financial markets in Germany, in Europe, in the United States and elsewhere from which the Deutsche Bank Group and/or the Numis Group derives a substantial portion of its revenues and in which the Deutsche Bank Group and/or the Numis Group holds a substantial portion of its assets, the development of asset prices and market volatility, potential defaults of borrowers or trading counterparties, the implementation of Deutsche Bank's and/or Numis' strategic initiatives, the reliability of Deutsche Bank's and/or Numis' risk management policies, procedures and methods, and other risks referenced in Deutsche Bank's and/or Numis' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors are described in detail in Deutsche Bank's SEC Form 20-F of 17 March 2023 under the heading "Risk Factors" (available at http://www.db.com/ir). These factors also should be considered by the reader.

Neither Deutsche Bank, Numis, the Wider Deutsche Bank Group nor the Wider Numis Group, nor any of their respective associates or directors, officers or advisers, provide any representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any forward looking statements in this Announcement will actually occur. Given these risks and uncertainties, potential investors are cautioned not to place any reliance on these forward looking statements. 

Other than in accordance with their legal or regulatory obligations, neither Deutsche Bank, Numis, the Wider Deutsche Bank Group nor the Wider Numis Group is under any obligation, and each such person expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No profit forecasts, estimates or quantified benefits statements

No statement in this Announcement, or incorporated by reference in this Announcement, is intended as a profit forecast, profit estimate or quantified benefits statement for any period and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings or earnings per share for Numis or Deutsche Bank, as appropriate, for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or earnings per share for Numis or Deutsche Bank, as appropriate.

Disclosure Requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Responsibility statement

The Numis Directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this Announcement relating to Numis. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Numis Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in this Announcement (including any expressions of opinion) is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.

Publication on website and requesting hard copies

A copy of this Announcement will be available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions) on https://www.numis.com/investors by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following the date of this Announcement. The content of the websites referred to in this Announcement is not incorporated into, and does not form part of, this Announcement.

In accordance with Rule 30.3 of the Code, Numis Shareholders, persons with information rights and participants in the Numis Share Schemes may request a hard copy of this Announcement by contacting Computershare during business hours (8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.) on +44 (0)370 707 1203 or by submitting a request in writing to Computershare Investor Services PLC at The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZZ. In accordance with Rule 30.3 of the Code, you may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to you in relation to the Transaction should be in hard copy form.

Electronic Communications

Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain information provided by Numis Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from Numis may be provided to Deutsche Bank during the Offer Period as required under Section 4 of Appendix 4 of the Code to comply with Rule 2.11(c) of the Code.

General

If you are in any doubt about the contents of this Announcement or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor or independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if you are resident in the UK or, if not, from another appropriate authorised independent financial adviser.