Leading Proxy Advisor Glass Lewis Recommends Shareholders Vote FOR the ZIM Director Nominees
Notes That the Board's Steps "Reflect a Meaningful Effort to Ensure a Disciplined and Impartial Process"
Dissident Campaign Based on "Allegations Rather Than a Rigorously Supported Assessment"
ZIM Urges Shareholders to Support the Independent Board and the Ongoing Strategic Review by Voting ONLY FOR all Eight of ZIM's Nominees and AGAINST all Three Dissident Nominees
This follows the earlier recommendation from
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ZIM's Board is overseeing a broad, comprehensive and independent strategic
No member of ZIM's management is on the Board and management
As previously disclosed, the Board has received multiple indications of |
ZIM is pleased that Glass Lewis recognized the independence, rigor, and appropriateness of the Board's approach and affirmed that the
In its report, Glass Lewis found that:1
- There was "[n]o evidence to suggest that the process is flawed, conflicted, or misaligned with shareholder interests," and that the Board's actions reflect "a disciplined and impartial process."
- "
The Dissident Group's reported concerns regarding a potential management-led buyout appear to overlook the reality that the Company's shareholder base is highly dispersed, with the 10 largest shareholders each only holding between approximately 1.2% and 4.1% of the Company's ordinary shares. In such an ownership structure, no single investor or aligned bloc is likely to be able to single-handedly determine the outcome of a change-of-control transaction. Any acquisition proposal, whether from management or an external bidder, would require broad shareholder support to be consummated." -
The Dissident Group "has not articulated a sufficiently compelling case to warrant the election of its nominees at this time." -
The Dissident Group's position relied heavily on "characterizations of press reports, rumors, and speculation about internal management conduct, none of which has been substantiated by contemporaneous evidence or financial analysis." - With respect to the
Dissident Group's demands regarding risky amounts of capital returns, theDissident Group's premise "is not well supported," noting that the Company operates in "a capital-intensive and highly cyclical industry, carries significant long-term charter commitments, and must maintain adequate liquidity to manage freight-rate volatility and operational risk." - On board composition and independence, the
Dissident Group "has not demonstrated that legacy influence remains a material governance concern or that additional changes to board composition are warranted on this basis" and that, by contrast, the dissident nominees "lack direct experience in maritime operations, industrial enterprises, or large-scale strategic transactions – areas that are central to overseeing a capital-intensive, globally regulated shipping business undergoing a late-stage evaluation of potential strategic alternatives."
Based on this analysis, Glass Lewis recommends that ZIM shareholders vote "FOR" ZIM's director nominees and "AGAINST" the election of
the three nominees of the
"We welcome the Glass Lewis recommendation to vote FOR all eight of ZIM's nominees and AGAINST all three dissident nominees," said
Your Vote is Important
With both Glass Lewis and ISS recommending FOR all eight of ZIM's director nominees, the Board strongly urges all ZIM shareholders to protect the value of their investment by voting "FOR ALL" of the Company's nominees and AGAINST the three dissident nominees TODAY.
If shareholders have questions or require assistance in voting their shares for the Meeting, please contact the Company's proxy solicitor, Sodali & Co, at the following contact information:
Sodali & Co
Toll Free: (800) 662-5200
Brokers and Banks: (203) 658-9400
Email:
About ZIM
Founded in
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains, or may be deemed to contain, forward-looking statements (as defined in the
[1] Permission to quote was neither sought nor obtained.
Investors:
Sodali & Co
ZIM@info.sodali.com
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