Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that its shareholders approved all proposals of the Board of Directors at its ordinary Annual General Meeting (AGM). The 855 attending shareholders, representing 86.3% of the total of 160,000,000 shares, approved the Annual Report, the Financial Statements and the Consolidated Financial Statements for 2016.
Christoph Franz was confirmed as Chairman of the Board of Directors with 99.98% of the votes represented. Anita Hauser was elected as a new member of the Board of Directors with 99.92% of the votes represented.
"Our more than 94,000 employees are committed every day to helping people with serious, life-threatening diseases. This commitment has allowed Roche to continue to make significant progress in 2016. I am confident that we are very well positioned to continue to deliver innovative medicines and diagnostics and make them accessible to patients worldwide," said Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "I am delighted that Anita Hauser has been elected as a new member of the Board of Directors. She is a dynamic leader who brings extensive experience to the Board. After ten years on the Roche Board, Professor Pius Baschera had decided to not stand for re-election. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank him most sincerely for his valuable contributions to Roche's success."
Shareholders also authorised the ratification of the Board of Directors' actions and approved an increase in the gross dividend for the past financial year to 8.20 Swiss francs (gross) per share and non-voting equity security. This is the 30th consecutive dividend increase.
Shareholders endorsed the total amount of bonuses paid to the Corporate Executive Committee for 2016 with 99.79% of the votes represented, as well as the bonus paid to the Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2016, which was approved by 99.61% of the votes represented. They also approved the maximum total amount of future remuneration of the Board of Directors, which was confirmed by 99.73% of the votes represented, and the maximum total amount of future remuneration for the Corporate Executive Committee until the 2018 ordinary Annual General Meeting by 99.72% of the votes represented.
In addition to Christoph Franz, all other Board members who stood for re-election were confirmed for a term of one year:
- André Hoffmann
- Professor Sir John Bell
- Julie Brown
- Paul Bulcke
- Professor Richard P. Lifton
- Dr Andreas Oeri
- Bernard Poussot
- Dr Severin Schwan
- Dr Claudia Süssmuth Dyckerhoff
- Peter R. Voser
The following Board members were elected to the Remuneration Committee:
- Dr Christoph Franz
- André Hoffmann
- Professor Richard P. Lifton
- Bernard Poussot
- Peter R. Voser
KPMG AG was elected as external auditor for the financial year 2017 and BDO AG was elected as independent voting proxy until the conclusion of the next regular AGM in 2018.
About Roche
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people's lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare – a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.
Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.
Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. Twenty-nine medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Roche has been recognised as the Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry eight years in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2016 employed more than 94,000 people worldwide. In 2016, Roche invested CHF 9.9 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 50.6 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.