Clariant’s shareholders approve all agenda items

• Integrated Report, Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements of Clariant for the fiscal year 2022 approved
• Increased distribution of CHF 0.42 per share confirmed
• Proposed amendments to the Articles of Association approved
• Günter von Au, Chairman of the Board of Directors, confirmed in office
• All members of the Board of Directors discharged and reelected

MUTTENZ, APRIL 4, 2023 – Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, today held its 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) where shareholders approved all agenda items and resolutions as proposed by the Board of Directors. The meeting in Basel, Switzerland, was attended by 237 shareholders and shareholder representatives accounting for 228'758'357 shares or around 68.92 % of the share capital of Clariant.

The Integrated Report 2022 as well as the Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements of Clariant for the 2022 fiscal year were approved with 94.65 % of the votes. The 2022 Compensation Report was also approved on an advisory basis with 89.09 % of the votes. The members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Steering Committee/Executive Committee were discharged with 90.86 % of the votes.

The Annual General Meeting reelected Günter von Au as Chairman of the Board of Directors until the Annual General Meeting 2024 with 89.51 %. The ten other members of the Board of Directors were also reelected by a large majority until the next Annual General Meeting. The four members of the Compensation Committee were confirmed in office for another year.

Following the proposal by the Board of Directors, the shareholders agreed to a distribution of CHF 0.42 per share with 94.74 %. This increased distribution shall be made through capital reduction by way of par value reduction.

“We can be proud of the transformation that Clariant went through over the past years to evolve into a true specialty chemicals company,” said Günter von Au, Chairman of Clariant’s Board of Directors. “Thanks to the trust and continuous support from all our stakeholders including our shareholders, Clariant was able to demonstrate that we set the right strategy for sustainable value creation and profitable growth. Now it is about implementing our concept and convincing the capital market.”

Conrad Keijzer, Chief Executive Officer of Clariant added: “In 2022, we successfully progressed towards our 2025 financial and non-financial targets, despite a turbulent environment. Our colleagues worked hard to deliver our own sustainability transformation and that of our customers. Our future value creation will be driven by our purpose-led growth strategy, by our strong value-based culture and by our new operating model, that allows us to be closer to our customers, act faster and empower our people.”

All proposed amendments to the Articles of Association were approved by the shareholders. The amendments were required as a consequence of the revision of the Swiss Code of Obligations regarding corporate law or recommended by Clariant to simplify certain provisions or to adapt its Articles to newer standards.

Further, Dr. Balthasar Settelen, attorney, was reelected as independent proxy until the next Annual General Meeting and KPMG was confirmed as the statutory auditor for 2023.

The proposal for total compensation of the Board of Directors for the term from the 2023 to the 2024 Annual General Meeting was approved with 92.03 % of the votes, as was the total compensation of the Executive Steering Committee for the 2024 fiscal year, with 89.41 % of the votes.  

Please find additional documents related to the AGM available for download on https://www.clariant.com/agm