27 Apr 2017 17:30
27 April 2017 17:30 BST
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Results of Annual General Meeting held on 27 April 2017
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AstraZeneca PLC announced the results of the voting at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) today. As proposed in the Notice of AGM, all Resolutions were decided by poll vote. Resolutions 1 - 9 were passed as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 10 - 12 were passed as special resolutions.
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RESOLUTION | VOTES FOR | % OF VOTES CAST | VOTES AGAINST | % OF VOTES CAST | VOTES CAST IN TOTAL | TOTAL VOTES CAST AS A % OF ISSUED SHARE CAPITAL | VOTES WITHHELD | |
1 | To receive the Company's Accounts, the Reports of the Directors and Auditor and the Strategic Report for the year ended 31 December 2016 Â | 914,348,647 | 99.94 | 561,046 | 0.06 | 914,909,693 | 72.29 | 14,055,053 |
2 | To confirm dividends  | 925,733,259 | 99.75 | 2,281,327 | 0.25 | 928,014,586 | 73.32 | 950,160 |
3 | To appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as Auditor  | 925,181,852 | 99.71 | 2,679,401 | 0.29 | 927,861,253 | 73.31 | 1,103,493 |
4 | To authorise the Directors to agree the remuneration of the Auditor  | 925,654,910 | 99.76 | 2,210,534 | 0.24 | 927,865,444 | 73.31 | 1,099,302 |
5a | To re-elect Leif Johansson as a Director  | 894,505,361 | 98.41 | 14,457,865 | 1.59 | 908,963,226 | 71.82 | 20,001,520 |
5b | To re-elect Pascal Soriot as a Director  | 923,508,459 | 99.55 | 4,220,473 | 0.45 | 927,728,932 | 73.30 | 1,235,814 |
5c | To re-elect Marc Dunoyer as a Director  | 913,734,060 | 98.52 | 13,766,446 | 1.48 | 927,500,506 | 73.28 | 1,464,240 |
5d | To re-elect Geneviève Berger as a Director  | 924,823,332 | 99.69 | 2,847,336 | 0.31 | 927,670,668 | 73.30 | 1,294,078 |
5e | To elect Philip Broadley as a Director  | 925,526,658 | 99.77 | 2,104,123 | 0.23 | 927,630,781 | 73.29 | 1,332,733 |
5f | To re-elect Bruce Burlington as a Director  | 924,643,428 | 99.68 | 2,996,388 | 0.32 | 927,639,816 | 73.29 | 1,324,930 |
5g | To re-elect Graham Chipchase as a Director  | 893,623,270 | 97.01 | 27,555,509 | 2.99 | 921,178,779 | 72.78 | 7,785,967 |
5h | To re-elect Rudy Markham as a Director  | 906,931,686 | 97.77 | 20,689,307 | 2.23 | 927,620,993 | 73.29 | 1,343,753 |
5i | To re-elect Shriti Vadera as a Director  | 921,267,292 | 99.31 | 6,370,592 | 0.69 | 927,637,884 | 73.29 | 1,326,862 |
5j | To re-elect Marcus Wallenberg as a Director  | 856,206,532 | 94.86 | 46,431,752 | 5.14 | 902,638,284 | 71.32 | 26,326,461 |
6 | To approve the Annual Report on Remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2016 Â | 560,051,300 | 61.17 | 355,474,215 | 38.83 | 915,525,515 | 72.34 | 13,439,230 |
7 | To approve the Directors' Remuneration Policy  | 877,620,302 | 96.08 | 35,804,933 | 3.92 | 913,425,235 | 72.17 | 15,539,511 |
8 | To authorise limited political donations  | 898,169,470 | 97.87 | 19,518,267 | 2.13 | 917,687,737 | 72.51 | 11,278,009 |
9 | To authorise the Directors to allot shares  | 842,959,080 | 91.03 | 83,045,083 | 8.97 | 926,004,163 | 73.17 | 2,960,583 |
10 | To authorise the Directors to disapply pre-emption rights  | 922,652,653 | 99.48 | 4,785,159 | 0.52 | 927,437,812 | 73.28 | 1,526,934 |
11 | To authorise the Company to purchase its own shares  | 916,489,233 | 98.82 | 10,984,147 | 1.18 | 927,473,380 | 73.28 | 1,491,366 |
12 | To reduce the notice period for general meetings  | 845,957,281 | 91.63 | 77,228,645 | 8.37 | 923,185,926 | 72.94 | 5,778,819 |
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AstraZeneca is pleased to have achieved shareholder support for all resolutions proposed at the AGM. AstraZeneca received a 96.08% binding vote approving the Remuneration Policy and a 61.17% advisory vote in favour of its Annual Report on Remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2016.
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AstraZeneca engaged extensively with its major shareholders on remuneration matters during 2016 and the Remuneration Committee's proposals were based on shareholder feedback. AstraZeneca notes that its major shareholders exercised their independent judgement following this consultation, with the majority of them voting in favour of the Remuneration Report. The lower level of support for the Remuneration Report is considered to reflect concerns regarding how the AstraZeneca Investment Plan (AZIP) will be operated for the outstanding AZIP awards previously made, and the level of information given about the annual bonus plan and awards. AstraZeneca's Remuneration Committee will continue the dialogue with shareholders, as appropriate, regarding any concerns following its AGM.
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Issued capital
As at 25 April 2017, the number of issued shares of the Company was 1,265,630,929 ordinary shares, which was the total number of shares entitling the holders to attend and vote for or against all the resolutions at the AGM. In accordance with the Company's Articles of Association, on a poll every member present in person or by proxy has one vote for every share held.
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About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three main therapy areas - Oncology, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases and Respiratory. The Company also is selectively active in the areas of Autoimmunity, Neuroscience and Infection. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca.com and follow us on Twitter @AstraZeneca.
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Adrian Kemp
Company Secretary, AstraZeneca PLC
Astrazeneca (AZN)