The shareholders attending the Adecco Group’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which took place in Lausanne today, confirmed the following members of Adecco’s Board of Directors for a further term of one year: Rolf Dörig (Chairman), Dominique-Jean Chertier, Jean-Christophe Deslarzes, Alexander Gut, Didier Lamouche, Thomas O’Neill, David Prince, Wanda Rapaczynski, and Kathleen P. Taylor.
Shareholders voted in favour of the proposal for a total dividend distribution of CHF 2.40 per share for 2015, a 14% increase on the prior year. The amount of the total dividend distribution will be split into two dividend payments, one of CHF 0.90 per share and one of CHF 1.50 per share. The dividend payment of CHF 0.90 per share will be allocated from Adecco S.A.’s remaining reserve from capital contributions to the free reserves, and subsequently distributed to shareholders. This payment is therefore expected to be exempt from Swiss withholding tax. The dividend payment of CHF 1.50 per share will be paid out of available earnings. The dividend distributions will be made on May 3, 2016 to shareholders on the register as of May 2, 2016.
Furthermore, shareholders approved the maximum total amount of remuneration of the Board of Directors for the office period from the AGM 2016 until the AGM 2017 as well as the maximum total amount of remuneration of the Executive Committee for the fiscal year 2017, with 94.5% and 93.3% favourable votes respectively. The Remuneration Report 2015, which includes details of the actual remuneration paid for the fiscal year 2015, was approved by shareholders in an advisory vote with 86.3% of votes in favour.
The Compensation Committee was extended from 3 members to 4 members, which were elected directly by the shareholders. The Compensation Committee consists of the following members: Jean-Christophe Deslarzes, Alexander Gut, Thomas O’Neill and Wanda Rapaczynski.
The shareholders also approved the proposal to change the corporate seat of Adecco S.A from Chéserex to Opfikon (Zurich) and, subsequently, to amend the corporate name of the top holding company from Adecco S.A to Adecco Group AG. All other agenda items were approved, including the reduction of share capital by way of cancellation of 3,318,750 shares, and the re-election of Ernst & Young Ltd, Zurich as auditors for the fiscal year 2016.
Forward-looking statements
Information in this release may involve guidance, expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to Adecco S.A. as of the date of this release, and we assume no duty to update any such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Numerous factors could cause or contribute to such differences. Factors that could affect the Company’s forward-looking statements include, among other things: global GDP trends and the demand for temporary work; changes in regulation of temporary work; intense competition in the markets in which the Company operates; integration of acquired companies; changes in the Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified internal and external personnel or clients; the potential impact of disruptions related to IT; any adverse developments in existing commercial relationships, disputes or legal and tax proceedings.
