Chrysler 2014 Annual Report Download - page 104

102 2014 | ANNUAL REPORT
Corporate Governance
Conflict of interest
A Director shall not participate in discussions and decision making of the Board of Directors with respect to a matter in
relation to which he or she has a direct or indirect personal interest that is in conflict with the interests of the Company
and the business associated with the Company (“Conflict of Interest”).
In addition, the Board of Directors as a whole may, on an ad hoc basis, resolve that there is such a strong appearance
of a Conflict of Interest of an individual Director in relation to a specific matter, that it is deemed in the best interest of
a proper decision making process that such individual Director be excused from participation in the decision making
process with respect to such matter even though such Director may not have an actual Conflict of Interest.
At least annually, each Director shall assess in good faith whether (i) he or she is independent under (A) best practice
provision III.2.2. of the Dutch Corporate Governance Code, (B) the requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange
Act, and (C) Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual; and (ii) he or she would have a Conflict of Interest
in connection with any transactions between the Company and a significant shareholder or related party of the
Company, including affiliates of a significant shareholder (such conflict, a “Related-Party Conflict”), it being understood
that currently Exor S.p.A. would be considered a significant shareholder.
The Directors shall inform the Board of Directors through the Senior Non-executive Director or the Secretary of the
Board of Directors as to all material information regarding any circumstances or relationships that may impact their
characterization as “independent,” or impact the assessment of their interests, including by responding promptly
to the annual D&O questionnaires circulated by or on behalf of the Secretary that are designed to elicit relevant
information regarding business and other relationships.
Based on each Director’s assessment described above, the Board of Directors shall make a determination at
least annually regarding such Director’s independence and such Director’s Related-Party Conflict. These annual
determinations shall be conclusive, absent a change in circumstances from those disclosed to the Board of Directors,
that necessitates a change in such determination.
Loyalty Voting Structure
The Company implemented a loyalty voting structure, pursuant to which the former shareholders of Fiat S.p.A. were
able to elect to receive one special voting share with a nominal value of €0.01 per share for each common share
they were entitled to receive in the Merger, provided that they fulfilled the requirements described in the terms and
conditions of the special voting shares. Such shareholders had their common shares registered in a separate register
(the “Loyalty Register”) of the Company’s shareholders register. Following this registration, a corresponding number
of special voting shares were allocated to the above-mentioned Shareholders. By signing an election form, whose
execution was necessary to elect to receive special voting shares, shareholders also agreed to be bound by the terms
and conditions thereof, including the transfer restrictions described below.
Following the completion of the Merger, new shareholders may at any time elect to participate in the loyalty voting
structure by requesting that the Company registers all or some of their common shares in the Loyalty Register. If these
common shares have been registered in the Loyalty Register (and thus blocked from trading in the regular trading
system) for an uninterrupted period of three years in the name of the same shareholder, such shares become eligible
to receive special voting shares (the “Qualifying Common Shares”) and the relevant shareholder will be entitled to
receive one special voting share for each such Qualifying Common Share. If at any time such common shares are de-
registered from the Loyalty Register for whatever reason, the relevant shareholder shall lose its entitlement to hold a
corresponding number of special voting shares.
A holder of Qualifying Common Shares may at any time request the de-registration of some or all such shares from
the Loyalty Register, which will allow such shareholder to freely trade its common shares. From the moment of such
request, the holder of Qualifying Common Shares shall be considered to have waived her or his rights to cast any
votes associated with such Qualifying Common Shares. Upon the de-registration from the Loyalty Register, the
relevant shares will therefore cease to be Qualifying Common Shares. Any de-registration request would automatically
trigger a mandatory transfer requirement pursuant to which the special voting shares will be acquired by the Company
for no consideration (om niet) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the special voting shares.