Proxy Solicitation

With the increasing influence of dissident shareholders, lack of transparency in shareholdings and average initial shareholder response rates as low as 10-15%, your corporate activity may be at risk. In today’s challenging corporate environment, companies need to actively manage the voting process, communicate with shareholders and minimise the opportunity for an activist to take control.

Maximising shareholder responsiveness will help ensure crucial resolutions go in your favour. A proxy solicitation campaign increases voting participation at Scheme Meetings by as much as 150% and in some transactions Georgeson has increased participation to more than 60%.

Utilising our proprietary databases, infrastructure and global reach, together with our extensive knowledge of the complex proxy solicitation process across the international regulatory environment, Georgeson will help secure the votes you need.

Our experienced team will manage every step of the proxy solicitation process including:

• Identifying and locating your shareholders across multiple jurisdictions;
• Analysing your shareholder base;
• Communicating the right message to your retail and institutional investors and ensuring they have the relevant information to make an informed and measured decision;
• Actively soliciting shareholder support and maximising voting participation;
• Providing vote projections to help determine the outcome;
• Shepherding voting instructions through the multiple levels of the custodial chain to ensure that votes are lodged on time.

Regardless of deal size or shareholder base, Georgeson can help you achieve success.

Thanks to your assistance, Smorgon Steel has just completed an exceptionally successful proxy solicitation program related to our Scheme of Arrangement meeting.