The invitation to the Annual General Meeting of EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG, Domat/Ems on August 9, 2008, was followed by the shareholders with a large gathering of around 1'100 persons. The shareholders approved all the motions submitted by the Board of Directors. A total of 18'209'102 registered shares were represented, corresponding to 88.67% of shares entitled to vote. The event was given a musical accompaniment by "La Compagnia Rossini" led by Armin Caduff and the tambourine society Domat/Ems led by the tambourine major Curdin Caviezel.
The Annual General Meeting approved the appropriation of retained earnings, i.e. the payment of an ordinary gross dividend of CHF 6.00 (CHF 3.90 net) and a special gross dividend of CHF 1.25 (CHF 0.8125 net) per dividend-bearing registered share and the carrying forward of the balance. The total net dividend of CHF 4.7125 per registered share (Val. number 1.644.035, ISIN CH0016440353) will be payable as of August 13, 2008 (ex date).
The motion submitted by the Board of Directors for the reduction of share capital from CHF 250'528.70 to CHF 233'890.28 through the cancellation of 1'663'842 treasury shares (representing 6.64% of the share capital) was approved. This reduction of capital results from the successful share repurchase carried out in March/April 2008.
The Annual General Meeting appointed the current members of the Board of Directors, Dr. Ulf Berg (Chairman), Magdalena Martullo (Vice-Chairman), Egbert Appel, Dr. Hansjörg Frei and Dr. Werner Prätorius for a further term of office of one year. After 44 years of successful operational activity for EMS, Albert Reich, Member of the Board, did not stand for re-election for reasons of age.
The Annual General Meeting also elected KPMG AG, Zurich, as statutory auditors for another term of one year.
