Regulatory News:

The combined annual general meeting of Arkema’s (Paris:AKE) shareholders was held on Wednesday 15 May 2024 at the Théâtre des Sablons in Neuilly-sur-Seine under the chairmanship of Thierry Le Hénaff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Representing a quorum of 76.6%, shareholders very largely approved all the resolutions recommended by the Board of Directors, notably the renewal as director of Thierry Le Hénaff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, with a majority of 90%, and the following resolutions:

  • The approval of the 2023 financial statements and the distribution of a dividend of €3.50 per share;
  • The compensation policy of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, as well as the components of compensation due or awarded to him for the year ended 31 December 2023;
  • The compensation policy of non-executive directors, other than the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and the information relating to the compensation of directors in 2023; and
  • The financial resolutions, including in particular the delegation of authority granted to the Board of Directors to carry out capital increases reserved for members of a company savings plan (Plan d’Épargne d’Entreprise), without preferential subscription rights.

The Board of Directors, which met after the annual general meeting, decided to reappoint Thierry Le Hénaff as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the duration of his term of office as director.

During this annual general meeting, Thierry Le Hénaff reviewed the Group’s solid financial performance in 2023 in a demanding macroeconomic environment, with results in line with annual guidance and excellent cash generation. Marie-José Donsion, Chief Financial Officer, detailed these elements during her presentation and also commented on the results for first-quarter 2024, as well as the outlook for the year.

The Group's continued transformation towards Specialty Materials was also illustrated, notably with the acquisition of a majority stake in the South Korean company PI Advanced Materials, targeted acquisitions in adhesives, progress in new generation batteries and the innovation dynamic focused on sustainable development.

The general meeting also allowed the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to present Arkema's new roadmap for 2028, with ambitious financial targets, supported by several organic projects in key high-growth markets, such as electric mobility, advanced electronics, efficient buildings and homes or sustainable lifestyle.

Emmanuelle Bromet, Sustainable Development Vice-President, discussed the Group's initiatives in terms of decarbonization and Arkema’s commitments for biodiversity. Armand Ajdari, Chief Technology Officer, also illustrated with a few examples the Group's progress in green mobility.

Finally, Thierry Pilenko, Chairman of the Nominating, Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee, underlined the Committee’s and Board of Directors’ in-depth analysis regarding Arkema’s current governance, in particular for the renewal of Thierry Le Hénaff’s term of office and the compensation policy proposed in this context. He more broadly presented the main elements of the Company's governance policy.

The complete results of the votes and the broadcast of the annual general meeting will be available in the coming days on the Company's website www.arkema.com in the Investors/Annual general meeting section.

Building on its unique set of expertise in materials science, Arkema offers a portfolio of first-class technologies to address ever-growing demand for new and sustainable materials. With the ambition to become a pure player in Specialty Materials, the Group is structured into 3 complementary, resilient and highly innovative segments dedicated to Specialty Materials - Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions - accounting for some 92% of Group sales in 2023, and a well-positioned and competitive Intermediates segment. Arkema offers cutting-edge technological solutions to meet the challenges of, among other things, new energies, access to water, recycling, urbanization and mobility, and fosters a permanent dialogue with all its stakeholders. The Group reported sales of around €9.5 billion in 2023, and operates in some 55 countries with 21,100 employees worldwide.