THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT
QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE
MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU)
596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018
FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY TO PERSONS
WHO ARE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND TO PERSONS OTHER THAN "U.S.
PERSONS" (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S OF THE UNITED STATES
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933). NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR
DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO, OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN,
ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR
DISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT.
This
announcement does not constitute an offer to buy or sell or a
solicitation of an offer to sell or buy the Certificates, as
applicable, in any jurisdiction in which, or to or from any person
to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation
under applicable securities laws or otherwise.
This
announcement contains important information and you should read it
carefully before you make any decision with respect to the Offer
and/or Consent Solicitation. If you are in any doubt about any
aspect of this document and/or the action you should take, you are
recommended to seek your own financial, legal and Shari'a advice,
including in respect of any tax consequences, immediately from your
broker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other appropriately
authorised independent financial, tax, legal or Shari'a
adviser.
Announcement of the Offer and the Consent Solicitation
by
GFH FINANCIAL GROUP B.S.C.
("GFH" and the
"Obligor")
to each holder of the
U.S.$500,000,000 Certificates due 2025
(issued in two tranches of U.S.$300,000,000 and
U.S.$200,000,000
on 28 January 2020 and 8 June 2020, respectively)
issued by
GFH Sukuk Company
Limited
(the "Issuer" and the "Trustee")
(ISIN: XS2100582142; Common Code:
210058214)
(the "Certificates")
to offer to tender Certificates for repurchase for cash
and
to consider certain proposed amendments to the terms and conditions
of the Certificates
Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers
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Emirates NBD
Capital
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J.P. Morgan
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Standard Chartered Bank
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21 October 2024
BACKGROUND
GFH hereby announces an invitation to each
holder of the Certificates (each, a "Certificateholder" and, collectively,
the "Certificateholders")
to offer to purchase for cash (the "Offer") any and all of the Issuer's
outstanding Certificates, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions and for the consideration set forth in this announcement
and described further in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum (as defined below).
GFH also invites the Certificateholders to
consent (the "Consent
Solicitation") to the modification of the terms and
conditions of the Certificates (the "Conditions") providing for the
insertion of a new condition (the "Proposed Amendment") entitling GFH to
redeem all or some only of the outstanding Certificates at any time
(the "Early Redemption
Right"), at par together with Due Periodic Distribution
Amounts up to (but excluding) the date set for redemption, by
giving no fewer than five (5) nor more than ten (10) days' notice
to the relevant Certificateholders and the Delegate (as defined in
the Conditions), as set out in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum (as defined below) and as proposed by GFH for approval
by an extraordinary resolution (the "Extraordinary Resolution") of the
Certificateholders and as further described in this announcement
and the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum. The
Extraordinary Resolution is proposed to be approved by the
Certificateholders by way of Electronic Consent, or, where the
Extraordinary Resolution has not been approved by Electronic
Consent by the Early Deadline, at a meeting of the
Certificateholders (the "Meeting") via videoconference, as further
described in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
If the Electronic Consent is granted by the
Early Deadline and GFH elects to implement the Extraordinary
Resolution, the Offer and Consent Solicitation will expire on the
date of the Early Deadline, settlement shall occur on the Early
Settlement Date and GFH will exercise its Early Redemption Right
forthwith (See "The Offer and
Consent Solicitation - Indicative Timetable"
below).
Summaries of the material terms of the Offer
and the Consent Solicitation are set out in this announcement. The
Offer and the Consent Solicitation are being made upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth in the tender offer and
consent solicitation memorandum dated 21 October 2024 prepared in
relation to the Offer and the Consent Solicitation (as it may be
amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum"). Certificateholders should refer to the full
terms and conditions of the Offer and the Consent Solicitation set
out in the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum. All
documentation related to the Offer and the Consent Solicitation
will be available from the date of this announcement on (https://projects.sodali.com/gfh)
(the "Transaction
Website"), subject to registration and eligibility
confirmation.
Questions and requests for assistance in
connection with (i) the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation, may
be directed to the Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers, and
(ii) the delivery of applicable instructions to participate in the
Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation, may be directed to the
Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent, the contact details for
each of which are set out at the end of this
announcement.
Subject to the restrictions described in
"Procedures for Participation in
the Consent Solicitation" in the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum,
Certificateholders who validly tender their Certificates (other
than GFH, the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of GFH) will be deemed
to have voted in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution with
respect to all their Certificates that are tendered, regardless of
whether or not such tenders are accepted. Eligible
Certificateholders and Ineligible Certificateholders who validly
submit a Consent Instruction only in favour of the Extraordinary
Resolution on or prior to the Early Deadline (without submitting a
Tender Instruction on or prior to the Early Deadline) are, subject
to the passing of the Extraordinary Resolution, the satisfaction or
waiver of the New Financing Condition and as otherwise described in
the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum, eligible to receive
the Consent Fee or the Instruction Fee, respectively.
As described in the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum, the Instruction Fee is in an amount equal
to the Consent Fee. Ineligible Certificateholders are eligible to
receive the Instruction Fee in the circumstances described in the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum notwithstanding that for
the purposes of the Consent Solicitation only, Consent Instructions
submitted by Ineligible Certificateholders shall not be counted for
the purposes of passing the Extraordinary Resolution.
Capitalised terms used but not otherwise
defined here shall have the same meaning given to them in the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum.
The following table sets forth the key terms of the Offer and
Consent Solicitation:
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Certificateholders who submit Tender Instructions
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Certificate-holders
who submit Consent
Instructions only
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Description of Certificates
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ISIN/ Common Code
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Outstanding Face Amount[1]
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Early Tender Consideration[2]
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Late Tender Consideration[3]
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Consent Fee / Instruction Fee[4]
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U.S.$500,000,000 Certificates due 2025
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XS2100582142/ 210058214
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U.S.$500,000,000 (of which U.S.$233,840,000 are outstanding for the
purposes of the Consent Solicitation)
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U.S.$1,010
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U.S.$1,000
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U.S.$10
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PURPOSE OF THE
OFFER AND CONSENT SOLICITATION
The Offer and Consent Solicitation, together
with the issue of the New Certificates, are intended to permit GFH
to proactively manage the Group's upcoming certificates or other
debt security redemptions by refinancing the Certificates early and
in full. GFH is intending to achieve that through (i) the issue of
the New Certificates which would finance, among other things, the
Offer and the exercise of the Early Redemption Right which is the
subject of the Proposed Amendment; and (ii) receiving the
Certificateholders' consent for the implementation of the
provisions of the Extraordinary Resolution and therefore the making
of the Proposed Amendment to the Conditions.
All of the Certificates validly tendered and
accepted for purchase in the Offer will be cancelled. Assuming that
the Extraordinary Resolution will pass by way of Electronic Consent
(and depending on market conditions and the satisfaction or waiver
of the other conditions to the Offer and the Consent Solicitation,
including the New Financing Condition) it is currently GFH's
intention to exercise the Early Redemption Right, in respect of any
Certificates not purchased in the Offer, on or around 6 November
2024.
If the Electronic Consent is granted by the
Early Deadline and GFH elects to implement the Extraordinary
Resolution, the Offer and Consent Solicitation will expire on the
date of the Early Deadline, settlement will occur on the Early
Settlement Date and GFH will exercise the Early Redemption Right
forthwith and redeem all outstanding Certificates (that have not
been validly tendered and accepted for purchase) not less than 5
nor more than 10 days following the giving of notice of such
exercise to the Delegate and Certificateholders, all in accordance
with the new terms and conditions of the Certificates
(substantially in the form set out in Annex II to the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum).
New Financing
Condition; Allocation of New Certificates
The Offer and Consent Solicitation are being
made in connection with a concurrent offering of a new series of
U.S. dollar-denominated trust certificates (the "New Certificates"), the issue of which
GFH, in its capacity as the obligor of the New Certificates,
expects to announce (on or about the date of this announcement),
subject to market conditions. Accordingly, both the Offer and the
Consent Solicitation are being made subject to a New Financing
Condition (as defined below). However, neither the Offer nor the
Consent Solicitation is an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy New Certificates. In order to apply for the purchase
of New Certificates, and subject always to important restrictions
on who can be offered and subscribe for any New Certificates, any
relevant Certificateholder must make a separate application for the
purchase of New Certificates to a Joint Lead Manager in accordance
with the customary new issue procedures of such Joint Lead Manager
and other requirements applicable to the New Certificates. Pricing
of the issue of the New Certificates is expected to occur prior to
the Early Deadline.
When considering allocation of the New
Certificates, GFH may give priority to those Certificateholders
who, prior to such allocation, have validly tendered or indicated
their firm intention to GFH or the Solicitation Agents and Dealer
Managers to tender their Certificates and subscribe for the New
Certificates. However, GFH is not obliged to allocate New
Certificates to a Certificateholder who has validly tendered, voted
in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution and/or so indicated its
intention and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any
Certificateholder that tenders their Certificates or submits a
Consent Instruction in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution will
be given an allocation of New Certificates. Further, to be eligible
to tender Certificates in the Offer, Certificateholders must be,
and to be eligible to purchase New Certificates, purchasers must
be, inter alia, outside
the United States and a person other than a U.S. person (as defined
in Regulation S of the Securities Act).
All Tender Instructions, Consent Instructions
or applications to subscribe for New Certificates are subject to
all applicable securities laws and regulations in force in any
relevant jurisdiction (including the jurisdiction of the relevant
Certificateholder). It is the sole responsibility of each
Certificateholder to satisfy itself that it is eligible to purchase
the New Certificates before registering interest with, and making
an application to, a Solicitation Agent and Dealer Manager or Joint
Lead Manager in connection with New Certificates.
On or around the date of this announcement, GFH
expects to announce an intention to issue the New Certificates. GFH
will decide (subject to applicable law), whether to accept for
purchase Certificates validly tendered in the Offer or to implement
the Consent Solicitation subject to GFH being satisfied that they
have received (or will receive on or prior to the applicable
Settlement Date) an amount by way of proceeds of the New
Certificates which is sufficient (as determined by GFH in their
sole discretion) in order to enable GFH to finance, in whole or in
part, the payment of the applicable Tender Consideration and each
Consent Fee and Instruction Fee, as the case may be, and any Due
Periodic Distribution Amounts payable in respect of all
Certificates to be purchased or redeemed in connection with the
Offer and Consent Solicitation, assuming that the Extraordinary
Resolution is passed and becomes effective in accordance with its
terms. The requirement for GFH to be so satisfied for the making of
this decision is referred to herein as, the "New Financing Condition".
GFH may, in its sole discretion and at any
time, waive the New Financing Condition for any reason.
The New Certificates are not the subject of
this announcement or the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum
and any investment decision is relation to the New Certificates
should be made solely on the basis of the information contained in
(i) the base offering circular published by GFH on 18 October 2024
relating to a trust certificate issuance programme; and (ii) the
applicable pricing supplement relating to the New Certificates,
when published. Subject to compliance with all applicable laws and
regulations, the base offering circular and applicable pricing
supplement will be available on request from the Joint Lead
Managers.
Before making a decision on whether to
participate in the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation,
Certificateholders should carefully consider all the information in
the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum and, in particular,
the "Risk Factors and Other
Considerations".
Nothing in
this announcement and in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy any New Certificates in the United States or in any
other jurisdiction. Securities may not be offered, sold or
delivered in the United States absent registration under, or an
exemption from, the registration requirements of the Securities Act
and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirection
within the United States or to, or for the account of benefit of,
U.S. persons.
The New
Certificates and any guarantee in respect thereof have not been,
and will not be, registered under the Securities Act and, subject
to certain exceptions, may not be offered or sold within the United
States.
The target
market for the New Certificates is only eligible counterparties, as
defined in the FCA Handbook of Business Sourcebook, and
professional clients, as defined in Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as
it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "EUWA") ("UK MiFIR"). No action has been or will
be taken in any jurisdiction in relation to the New Certificates to
permit a public offering of securities.
THE OFFER AND
CONSENT SOLICITATION
Indicative
Timetable
This is an indicative timetable showing the
expected times and dates for the following events in connection
with the Offer and Consent Solicitation. Certificateholders should
note that the indicative timetable may change, and dates and times
may be extended, re-opened or amended by GFH in accordance with the
terms of the Offer and the Consent Solicitation as described in the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum. Accordingly, the actual
timetable may differ significantly from the timetable
below.
Certificateholders should note that Consent
Instructions or proxies shall remain valid for any subsequent
Meeting or adjourned Meeting unless validly revoked (in the limited
circumstances in which such revocation is permitted).
Date and
Time
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Event
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21 October
2024
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Launch Date
Commencement and announcement of the Offer and
Consent Solicitation.
Notice published via CANDI, published through the
London Stock Exchange RNS and delivered to the Clearing Systems for
communication to Direct Participants.
The Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum
and documents referred to under "General" in the Notice (the form of
which is set out at Annex I to the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum) are available on the Transaction Website and from the
Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent.
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10:00 a.m. (London
Time) on 1 November 2024, unless extended (the "Early Deadline")
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Early Deadline
Deadline for receipt by the Information, Tender
and Tabulation Agent of valid Tender Instructions and Consent
Instructions in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution from
Certificateholders, in order for such Certificateholders to receive
the Early Tender Consideration, Due Periodic Distribution Amounts,
Consent Fee or Instruction Fee, as applicable.
Consent Instructions submitted after the Early
Deadline will not be eligible to receive any Consent Fee or the
Instruction Fee.
Please see "Overview of the Offer and Consent
Solicitation - The Consent Solicitation - Consent Fee and
Instruction Fee" in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
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As soon as reasonably
practicable after the Early Deadline, unless extended (the
"Early Results Announcement
Date")
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Early Results Announcement
Where Electronic Consent is
granted
Announcement of: (i) in relation to the Offer,
(a) the aggregate face amount of Certificates validly tendered as
of the Early Deadline and (b) the aggregate face amount of
Certificates accepted for purchase by GFH; (ii) in relation to the
Consent Solicitation, (a) the results of the Electronic Consent,
(b) the satisfaction of the Eligibility Condition and the Consent
Conditions, (c) whether GFH elects to implement the Extraordinary
Resolution, (d) the Amendment Effective Date, and (e) the
cancellation of the Meeting; and (iii) in relation to the Offer and
the Consent Solicitation, (a) whether the New Financing Condition
has been satisfied or is otherwise expected to be waived and (b)
the Early Settlement Date.
Where Electronic Consent is not
granted
Announcement of (i) the aggregate face amount
of Certificates validly tendered in the Offer as of the Early
Deadline, (ii) the satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing
Condition and (iii) whether or not GFH elects to settle the
Certificates validly tendered in the Offer as of the Early Deadline
and, if so, the Early Settlement Date therefor.
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6 November 2024,
unless extended (the "Early
Settlement Date")
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Early Settlement Date and Early Tender Termination
Date
Where Electronic Consent is
granted
Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the
New Financing Condition and the other terms of the Offer and
Consent Solicitation, and if GFH has decided to accept the Tender
Instructions and Consent Instructions submitted on or prior to the
Early Deadline, payments of the applicable Early Tender
Consideration, Due Periodic Distribution Amounts or Consent Fee or
Instruction Fee are made to the relevant
Certificateholders.
Where Electronic Consent is not
granted
Subject to the terms of the Offer and if GFH so
elects to settle on the Early Settlement Date, payment of the
applicable Early Tender Consideration and Due Periodic Distribution
Amounts is made to the relevant Certificateholders who submitted
their Tender Instructions prior to the Early Deadline and were
accepted for purchase.
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On or around 6
November 2024 (the "Amendment
Effective Date")
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Amendment Effective Date and Exercise of
Early Redemption Right
Where Electronic Consent is
granted
Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the
New Financing Condition and the other terms of the Offer and
Consent Solicitation, execution and delivery of the Third
Supplemental Trust Deed and the Relevant Transaction
Documents.
Thereupon, GFH will deliver a notice to
exercise its Early Redemption Right forthwith and accordingly
redeem all outstanding Certificates (that have not been validly
tendered and accepted for purchase) not less than 5 nor more than
10 days following the giving of notice of such exercise to the
Delegate and Certificateholders, all in accordance with the new
terms and conditions of the Certificates (substantially in the form
set out in Annex II of the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum).
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4:00 p.m. (London
Time) on 7 November 2024, unless extended or amended (the
"Expiration
Date")
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Expiration Date
Final deadline for receipt of valid Tender
Instructions by the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent in
order for Certificateholders to be eligible to receive the Late
Tender Consideration and Due Periodic Distribution
Amounts.
Final deadline for receipt of valid Consent
Instructions by the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent. No
Consent Fee or Instruction Fee is applicable following the Early
Deadline.
This will also be the deadline for making any other arrangements to
attend and vote or be represented (via videoconference) at the
Meeting.
Please see "The Offer and Consent
Solicitation - The Offer - Tender Instructions and Tender
Consideration" in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
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As soon as reasonably practicable after the Expiration Date,
expected to be on 8 November 2024, unless extended (the
"Late Results Announcement Date")
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Late Results Announcement
Where Electronic Consent is granted
Unless GFH has already exercised its Early Redemption Right in
respect of the Certificates, announcement of (i) whether the New
Financing Condition has been satisfied or is otherwise expected to
be waived, (ii) the aggregate face amount of Certificates validly
tendered in the Offer after the Early Deadline but on or prior to
the Expiration Date, (iii) the aggregate face amount of
Certificates that will be accepted for purchase by GFH and (iv) the
Final Settlement Date.
Where Electronic Consent is not granted
Announcement of (a) the aggregate face amount of Certificates
validly tendered in the Offer as of the Expiration Date; and (b)
whether or not GFH elects to settle on the Late Settlement Date in
respect of those relevant Certificateholders who submitted their
Tender Instructions after the Early Deadline but on or prior to the
Expiration Date.
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On or around 11 November 2024
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Optional Dissolution
Date
Where Electronic Consent has been granted and the Early Redemption
Right has been exercised
All outstanding Certificates (that have not been accepted for
purchase) will be redeemed not less than 5 nor more than 10 days
following notice of exercise of the Early Redemption Right being
duly provided to the Delegate and Certificateholders, in accordance
with the new terms and conditions of the Certificates
(substantially in the form as set out in Annex II
hereto).
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11 November 2024 (the
"Late Settlement
Date")
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Late Settlement Date
As soon as reasonably practicable after the Late Results
Announcement Date.
Subject to the terms of the Offer and Consent Solicitation, payment
is made to the relevant Certificateholders who submitted their
Tender Instructions after the Early Deadline but on or prior to the
Expiration Date and accepted for purchase, in the amount and manner
as further described in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
Please note that Certificateholders who submitted Tender
Instructions after the Early Deadline are not entitled to receive
the Early Tender Consideration, Consent Fee or the Instruction Fee,
as applicable.
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10 a.m. (London Time) on 12 November 2024
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Meeting
The Meeting will (unless the Electronic Consent has been
granted) be held via
videoconference. If the Extraordinary Resolution is passed, and
subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing
Condition and the other terms of the Consent Solicitation, the
Third Supplemental Trust Deed and the Relevant Transaction
Documents referred to in the proposed Extraordinary Resolution will
be executed by GFH and the Issuer.
If the Electronic Consent is granted prior to the Meeting,
the Meeting shall be cancelled and will not be convened.
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As soon as reasonably practicable after the Meeting, expected to be
on 13 November 2024, unless extended (the "Final Results Announcement
Date")
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Final Results Announcement Date for the Offer and
Consent Solicitation
Announcement of: (i) in relation to the Offer, (a) the aggregate
face amount of Certificates accepted for purchase by GFH and (b)
the aggregate face amount of the Certificates that will remain
outstanding after the Settlement Date (if applicable); (ii) in
relation to the Consent Solicitation, (a) the results of the
Meeting, (b) the satisfaction of the Eligibility Condition and the
Consent Conditions, (c) whether GFH elects to implement the
Extraordinary Resolution and (d) the Amendment Effective Date; and
(iii) in relation to the Offer and the Consent Solicitation, (a)
whether the New Financing Condition has been satisfied or is
otherwise expected to be waived and (b) the applicable Settlement
Date.
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As soon as reasonably practicable after the Results Announcement
Date for the Consent Solicitation, expected to be on 14 November
2024, unless extended (the "Amendment Effective Date")
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Amendment Effective Date
Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing
Condition and the other terms of the Offer and Consent
Solicitation, execution and delivery of the Third Supplemental
Trust Deed and the Relevant Transaction Documents.
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As soon as reasonably practicable after the Results Announcement
Date for the Consent Solicitation, expected to be on 14 November
2024, unless extended (the "Final Settlement Date")
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Final Settlement Date
Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing
Condition and the other terms of the Offer and Consent
Solicitation, payment is made to the relevant Certificateholders
depending on whether they submitted (i) their Tender Instructions
and/or Consent Instructions prior to the Early Deadline and/or (ii)
their Tender Instructions after the Early Deadline and prior to the
Expiration Date, whether or not GFH has previously settled in
respect of tendered Certificates on the Early Settlement Date
and/or the Late Settlement Date, and whether GFH has decided to
accept the Tender Instructions and Consent Instructions, all as
further described in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
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Please note the above dates and times relating
to the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation are indicative only
and are subject to change. See "The Offer and Consent Solicitation-Early
Deadline; Expiration Date; Extensions; Amendments;
Termination" in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
Certificateholders are advised to check
with the broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other
nominee through which they hold their Certificates as to the
deadlines by which such intermediary would require receipt of
instructions from Certificateholders to participate in the Offer
and/or Consent Solicitation in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Offer and/or Consent Solicitation as described in
the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum in order to meet the
deadlines set out above. Certificateholders are also advised to
check with the Joint Lead Managers as to the procedures and
deadlines relevant to the proposed issuance of New
Certificates.
Material terms
of the Offer
In order to participate in the Offer,
Certificateholders must validly tender their Certificates for
purchase by delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their
behalf, a valid Tender Instruction that is received by the
Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent by the Expiration Date
(subject to the sole discretion of GFH to extend, re-open, amend,
waive any condition of or terminate the Offer, the Consent
Solicitation or both at any time, until it has decided to accept
valid tenders of Certificates pursuant to the Offer).
Tender Instructions and Tender
Consideration
If Certificates are validly tendered (and
received by the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent) on or
prior to the Early Deadline (each, an "Early Tender Instruction") and accepted
for purchase pursuant to the Offer, GFH will pay such
Certificateholders, on the applicable Settlement Date, U.S.$1,010
per U.S.$1,000 in aggregate face amount of such Certificates
tendered and accepted for purchase (the "Early Tender Consideration"), in the
manner described in this announcement and the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum.
If Certificates are validly tendered (and
received by the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent) after the
Early Deadline but on or prior to the Expiration Date (each, a
"Late Tender Instruction",
and together with each Early Tender Instruction, each a
"Tender Instruction") and
accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer, GFH will pay, on the
applicable Settlement Date, U.S.$1,000
per U.S.$1,000 in aggregate face amount of such Certificates
tendered and accepted for purchase (the "Late Tender Consideration" and together
with the Early Tender Consideration, the "Tender Consideration"), in the manner
described in this announcement and the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum.
No tenders of Certificates will be valid if
submitted after the Expiration Date. In the event of termination of
the Offer on or prior to the Early Settlement Date, the
Certificates tendered pursuant to the Offer prior to the Early
Settlement Date will be promptly returned to the tendering
Certificateholders. In the event of termination of the Offer after
the Early Settlement Date (if applicable), the Certificates
tendered pursuant to the Offer and not purchased on the Early
Settlement Date (if applicable) will be promptly returned to the
tendering Certificateholders.
GFH will calculate the applicable Tender
Consideration and the relevant Due Periodic Distribution Amounts
payable to Certificateholders whose Certificates are accepted for
purchase. Such calculations will be final and binding on all
Certificateholders whose Certificates were accepted for purchase,
absent manifest error. Under no circumstances will any interest or
any other amounts be payable because of any delay in the
transmission of funds to Certificateholders by the Information,
Tender and Tabulation Agent or the Clearing Systems.
GFH will also pay Due Periodic Distribution
Amounts in respect of the Certificates accepted for purchase
pursuant to the Offer up to, but excluding, the applicable
Settlement Date.
Certificates of both Ineligible
Certificateholders (who are outside the United States and not U.S.
persons) and Eligible Certificateholders may be tendered and
accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer, and accordingly both
Ineligible Certificateholders and Eligible Certificateholders are
eligible to receive the applicable Tender Consideration and Due
Periodic Distribution Amounts.
GFH's obligation to accept for payment, and to
pay the applicable Tender Consideration and any Due Periodic
Distribution Amounts for, Certificates validly tendered pursuant to
the Offer are subject to, and conditional upon, the satisfaction
(or waiver) of the terms of the Offer, including but not limited to
the New Financing Condition.
Certificateholders who validly tender
Certificates are not eligible for any Consent Fee or Instruction
Fee in addition to the Tender Consideration.
Deemed approval of Extraordinary
Resolution in relation to the Consent
Solicitation
All Certificateholders submitting Tender
Instructions (other than GFH, the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of
GFH) will be deemed to have voted in favour of the Extraordinary
Resolution relating to the Consent Solicitation with respect to all
of their Certificates that are tendered. Accordingly, such
Certificateholders cannot submit a Tender Instruction and a Consent
Instruction in respect of the same Certificates, and thus cannot
receive both the Tender Consideration and the Consent Fee or
Instruction Fee (as applicable).
Certificateholders may however submit Consent
Instructions without submitting Tender Instructions, as further
described in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
Settlement Dates
Following the Early Deadline, if the
Extraordinary Resolution is passed by Electronic Consent and GFH
decides to accept Certificates tendered in the Offer, GFH will
accept any and all Certificates validly tendered on or prior to the
Early Deadline provided that all conditions to the Offer have been
satisfied or waived by GFH and such accepted Certificates will be
settled promptly thereafter (the "Early Settlement Date").
The Early Settlement Date for the Offer is
expected to be promptly following the Early Deadline. Assuming all
conditions of the Offer have been satisfied, or where applicable,
waived by GFH (including, but not limited to, the New Financing
Condition), GFH expects that the Early Settlement Date for the
Offer will be the third business day following the Early
Deadline.
For any and all Certificates validly tendered
after the Early Deadline and on or prior to the Expiration Date
(exclusive of Certificates purchased on the Early Settlement Date,
if any) and that are accepted for purchase, settlement will, if GFH
so elects, occur on the Late Settlement Date, subject to all
conditions of the Offer having been satisfied or waived by GFH.
Each of the Early Settlement Date, the Late Settlement Date and the
Final Settlement Date (as defined below) is referred to as a
"Settlement
Date."
Assuming that the Offer is not extended and all
conditions of such Offer have been satisfied or, where applicable,
waived, GFH expects that the Late Settlement Date (if any) will be
the second business day following the Expiration Date.
Where the Extraordinary Resolution has not been
passed by way of Electronic Consent, GFH may elect whether or not
to have an Early Settlement Date (in respect of Certificates
tendered in the Offer as of the Early Deadline) and/or a Late
Settlement Date (in respect of Certificates tendered in the Offer
on or prior to the Expiration Date). In such event, if the
Extraordinary Resolution is then passed at the Meeting and GFH
decides to accept Certificates tendered in the Offer, GFH will
accept the Certificates validly tendered on or prior to the
Expiration Date, provided that all conditions set forth in the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum have been satisfied or
waived by GFH and such accepted Certificates will be settled on a
date promptly thereafter, in which case such date shall be the
"Final Settlement
Date".
If GFH determines, in its sole discretion, to
extend the Offer beyond the Expiration Date, there will be a new
Settlement Date with respect to Certificates validly tendered on or
prior to the Expiration Date. During any extension of the Offer,
all Certificates previously tendered and not accepted for purchase
pursuant to the Offer will remain subject to the Offer and may,
subject to the terms and conditions of the Offer, be accepted for
purchase by GFH.
If the Electronic Consent is granted by the
Early Deadline and GFH elects to implement the Extraordinary
Resolution, the Offer and Consent Solicitation will expire on the
date of the Early Deadline and settlement will occur on the Early
Settlement Date. In such Event, there will be no Late Settlement
Date and no Final Settlement Date.
Material terms
of the Consent Solicitation
The
Proposed Amendment
Concurrently with the Offer, GFH is inviting
Certificateholders to approve, by an Extraordinary Resolution by
way of Electronic Consent or, where the Extraordinary Resolution
has not been approved by way of Electronic Consent, at the Meeting,
the Proposed Amendment to provide for the insertion to the terms
and conditions of the Certificates (the "Conditions") of the Early Redemption
Right.
The Proposed Amendment will be effective on the
Amendment Effective Date (as defined herein) subject to the passing
and implementation of the Extraordinary Resolution, the
satisfaction of the Consent Conditions (as defined herein), the
satisfaction or waiver of the New Financing Condition, the payment
of the Tender Consideration, Due Periodic Distribution Amounts or
Consent Fee or Instruction Fee (as applicable) and the execution
and delivery of (i) a supplement (the "Third Supplemental Trust Deed") to the
original trust deed dated 28 January 2020 constituting the
Certificates, as previously supplemented by the first supplemental
trust deed dated 8 June 2020 and the second supplemental trust deed
dated 28 June 2022 (together, the "Trust Deed"), each between the Obligor,
the Issuer and the Delegate; and (ii) the Relevant Transaction
Documents (as defined herein). Once effective, the Proposed
Amendment (including the Early Redemption Right) set out in the
Extraordinary Resolution will be binding on all Certificateholders,
whether or not they chose to participate in the Consent
Solicitation or otherwise vote in respect of the Consent
Solicitation. The passing of the Extraordinary Resolution, from the
date of such Extraordinary Resolution, constitutes the consent of
Certificateholders to the Extraordinary Resolution in full in
accordance with the terms of the Extraordinary
Resolution.
Pursuant to the Trust Deed, an Extraordinary
Resolution may be passed, inter
alia, by way of Electronic Consent or at a
Meeting.
"Electronic
Consent" means Consent Instructions approving the
Extraordinary Resolution submitted through the electronic
communication systems of the relevant Clearing System(s) by or on
behalf of Eligible Certificateholders (and received by the
Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent) of not less than 75 per
cent. in aggregate face amount of the Certificates for the time
being outstanding by the Early Deadline.
Pursuant to this Consent Solicitation, both
procedures for passing the Extraordinary Resolution will run in
parallel commencing on 21 October 2024. If Electronic Consent is
granted, the Extraordinary Resolution will take effect at the Early
Deadline as if the Extraordinary Resolution was passed at the
Meeting and shall be binding on all Certificateholders whether or
not they participated in the Electronic Consent. In such
circumstances, the Extraordinary Resolution will not be tabled for
consideration at the Meeting and the Meeting shall be
cancelled.
The Proposed Amendment will be effective on the
Amendment Effective Date and is subject to the passing of the
Extraordinary Resolution, the satisfaction of the Consent
Conditions, the satisfaction or waiver of the New Financing
Condition, the payment of the Early Tender Consideration, Consent
Fee and Instruction Fee (as applicable) and the execution of the
Third Supplemental Trust Deed and the Relevant Transaction
Documents.
Both Ineligible Certificateholders and Eligible
Certificateholders may submit a Consent Instruction to participate
in the Consent Solicitation. However, Tender Instructions or
Consent Instructions (as applicable) submitted by Ineligible
Certificateholders shall not be counted for the purposes of passing
the Extraordinary Resolution (please see below "Consent Conditions").
An "Eligible Certificateholder" is a
Certificateholder who is: (A) (a) outside the United States and a
person other than a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S of the
Securities Act), (b) an eligible counterparty or a professional
client (each as defined in MiFID II) and, if applicable and acting
on a non-discretionary basis, who is acting on behalf of a
beneficial owner that is also an eligible counterparty or a
professional client in each case in respect of the Certificates,
and (c) an eligible counterparty (as defined in COBs) or a
professional client (as defined in UK MiFIR) and, if applicable and
acting on a non-discretionary basis, who is acting on behalf of a
beneficial owner that is also an eligible counterparty or a
professional client, in each case in respect of the Certificates;
and (B) a person to whom the Consent Solicitation can be lawfully
made and that may lawfully participate in the Consent Solicitation.
Each Certificateholder who is not an Eligible Certificateholder
shall be an "Ineligible
Certificateholder". Each Certificateholder must, at the same
time as delivering any Tender Instruction or Consent Instruction,
confirm to the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent whether or
not it is an Eligible Certificateholder.
Any Consent Instructions submitted after the
Early Deadline will not be eligible to receive any Consent Fee or
Instruction Fee.
The Electronic Consent and the Meeting
The notice of Electronic Consent and the Meeting dated 21 October
2024 (the "Notice") has
been made available to the Certificateholders. The form of Notice
is also appended to the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
The Extraordinary Resolution in relation to the Certificates may be
passed, inter alia, by way
of Electronic Consent or at a Meeting. Pursuant to this Consent
Solicitation, both procedures for passing the Extraordinary
Resolution will run in parallel commencing on the day of this
announcement.
Electronic Consent
To be passed by way of Electronic Consent, the Extraordinary
Resolution requires a majority in favour consisting of not less
than 75 per cent. of the aggregate face amount of the Certificates
outstanding, taking into account the Eligibility Condition (as set
out below).
If Electronic Consent is granted, the Extraordinary Resolution will
take effect at the Early Deadline as if the Extraordinary
Resolution was passed at the Meeting and shall be binding on all
Certificateholders whether or not they participated in the
Electronic Consent. In such circumstances, the Extraordinary
Resolution will not be tabled for consideration at the Meeting and
the Meeting will be cancelled.
Meeting
Where Electronic Consent has not been obtained, the Extraordinary
Resolution will tabled for consideration at the Meeting. At the
Meeting, Certificateholders will be invited to consider and, if
thought fit, pass the Extraordinary Resolution.
Subject to the Eligibility Condition, the quorum required for the
Meeting to consider the Extraordinary Resolution is two or more
persons present and holding or representing not less than 75 per
cent. in aggregate face amount of the Certificates for the time
being outstanding. Subject to the Eligibility Condition, to be
passed at the Meeting, the Extraordinary Resolution requires a
majority in favour consisting of at least 75 per cent. of the
persons voting on the resolution upon a show of hands or, if a poll
was duly demanded, by a majority consisting of at least 75 per
cent. of the votes given on the poll at the Meeting. If passed, the
Extraordinary Resolution shall be binding on all
Certificateholders, whether present or not at the Meeting and
whether voting or not.
Certificateholders should refer to the Notice for full details of
the procedures in relation to the Electronic Consent and the
Meeting, and to read the text of the proposed Extraordinary
Resolution in full.
Consent Conditions
The effectiveness of the Extraordinary Resolution will be
conditional on (the below conditions together, the "Consent Conditions"):
(A)
the passing of the Extraordinary Resolution; and
(B)
(in the case of a Meeting only) the quorum required for the
Meeting, and (in the case of a Meeting or an Electronic Consent)
the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting or via the
Electronic Consent, being satisfied by Eligible Certificateholders,
irrespective of any participation by Ineligible Certificateholders
(including the satisfaction of such condition at the adjourned
Meeting as described in "Meeting" of the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum) (the "Eligibility Condition").
Consent Fee or Instruction Fee
Subject to the approval of the Extraordinary Resolution (whether by
Electronic Consent or by Meeting), the satisfaction of the Consent
Conditions and the satisfaction or waiver of the New Financing
Condition, GFH will on the applicable Settlement Date
pay:
(A)
the Consent Fee to Eligible Certificateholders who submit a valid
Consent Instruction in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution on or
prior to the Early Deadline; and
(B)
the Instruction Fee to Ineligible Certificateholders who submit a
valid Consent Instruction in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution
on or prior to the Early Deadline.
The Instruction Fee is in an amount equal to the Consent Fee.
Certificateholders will not receive the Consent Fee or the
Instruction Fee, as applicable, if the Extraordinary Resolution
does not pass.
Furthermore, Certificateholders who (i) attend the relevant Meeting
in person, (ii) are not represented at the relevant Meeting, (iii)
submit a Consent Instruction voting against the Extraordinary
Resolution or (iv) are Sanctions Restricted Persons, will not be
eligible to receive the Consent Fee or the Instruction Fee, as
applicable.
Consent Instructions submitted after the Early Deadline will not be
eligible to receive any Consent Fee or Instruction Fee.
General
GFH is not obligated to complete the Offer or the Consent
Solicitation. The Offer and the Consent Solicitation are each
subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the
satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing and that nothing has
occurred or may occur that would or might, in GFH's reasonable
judgment, prohibit, prevent or delay the Offer and/or the Consent
Solicitation or impair GFH from realising the anticipated benefits
of the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation. Even if the Offer
and/or the Consent Solicitation is completed, it may not be
completed on the schedule described in this announcement or the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum. Accordingly,
Certificateholders participating in the Offer and/or the Consent
Solicitation may have to wait longer than expected to receive
payment for their Certificates tendered in the Offer or for the
Consent Solicitation exercise to run its course, during which time
those Certificateholders will not be able to effect transfers of
such Certificates.
Tender Instructions and Consent Instructions are irrevocable,
unless otherwise provided by applicable law. Certificateholders may
not withdraw from the Offer in respect of Certificates that are
validly tendered in the Offer, other than in the limited
circumstances set forth in the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
The Certificates are denominated and, accordingly, may only be
tendered in the Offer, and Consent Instructions may only be
delivered for the Consent Solicitation, in minimum denominations of
U.S.$200,000 and integral multiples of U.S.$1,000 in excess
thereof. A Certificateholder whose Certificates are accepted for
purchase pursuant to the Offer by GFH and who, following purchase
of the Certificates by GFH on the applicable Settlement Date,
continues to hold in its account with the relevant Clearing System
further Certificates in a face amount of less than U.S.$200,000
would need to purchase a face amount of Certificates such that its
holding amounts to at least U.S.$200,000 before the Certificates it
continues to hold may be traded in the Clearing Systems.
Certificateholders who validly tender their Certificates pursuant
to the Offer or submit Consent Instructions in accordance with the
terms of the Consent Solicitation are given no assurance that they
will be able to subscribe for, or receive, any New Certificates,
notwithstanding that the New Financing Condition may have been
satisfied. Holders wishing to subscribe for any New Certificates
must make a separate application for the purchase of New
Certificates to a Joint Lead Manager (as defined herein) in
accordance with the customary new issue procedures of such Joint
Lead Manager and other requirements applicable to the New
Certificates. Any Certificateholder who wishes to subscribe for New
Certificates should provide, as soon as practicable, to GFH or
either Solicitation Agent and Dealer Manager, an indication of its
firm intention to submit relevant Tender Instructions or Consent
Instructions in favour of the Extraordinary Resolution, as the case
may be, and the face amount of the Certificates that it intends to
tender or vote, as applicable; however, no assurances can be given
as to final allocations in the new issue.
When considering whether to participate in the Offer and/or Consent
Solicitation, Certificateholders should take into account that
restrictions on the transfer of the Certificates will apply from
the time of submission of the Tender Instructions and/or the
Consent Instructions, as applicable.
Certificates in respect of which a Tender Instruction or Consent
Instruction (as applicable) has been validly submitted will only be
unblocked:
(A)
as soon as reasonably practicable when such Tender Instruction or
Consent Instruction (as applicable) is rejected;
(B)
at the time of settlement on the applicable Settlement Date (in
relation to Certificates that are not purchased pursuant to the
Offer);
(C)
following termination or withdrawal of the Offer;
(D) the
business day following the announcement by GFH that the
Extraordinary Resolution has been approved by Electronic Consent
and will be implemented; or
(E)
where the Extraordinary Resolution has not been approved by
Electronic Consent, the business day after the relevant Meeting
(or, if applicable, the business day following the relevant
adjourned Meeting).
Any fees that may be charged by the relevant Clearing System to
each Certificateholder or their Clearing System participants in
connection with the blocking (or unblocking) of the Certificates or
otherwise must be borne by the relevant Certificateholder or their
participants or as otherwise agreed between the participant and the
relevant Certificateholder. For the avoidance of doubt,
Certificateholders and their Clearing System participants shall
have no recourse to GFH, the Issuer, the Solicitation Agents and
Dealer Managers, the Delegate, the Agents or the Information,
Tender and Tabulation Agent with respect to such costs.
FURTHER
INFORMATION
A complete description of the terms and
conditions of the Offer and the Consent Solicitation is set out in
the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum. A copy of the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum is available to eligible
persons from the Transaction Website.
Copies of the Third Supplemental Trust Deed and
Relevant Transaction Documents (as defined in the Consent
Solicitation Memorandum) are also available for inspection by
Certificateholders on and from the date of this announcement up to
and including the date of the Meeting on the Transaction
Website.
Any questions regarding procedures for
tendering Certificates and/or procedures for participating in the
Consent Solicitation or requests for additional copies of the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum should be directed to
the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent at the details set
forth below.
THE INFORMATION, TENDER AND TABULATION AGENT
You may also contact your broker, dealer,
commercial bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee for
assistance concerning the Offer and the Consent
Solicitation.
Any questions regarding the terms of the Offer
and the Consent Solicitation should be directed to the Solicitation
Agents and Dealer Managers at the details set forth
below:
SOLICITATION AGENTS AND
DEALER MANAGERS
Emirates NBD Bank
PJSC c/o Emirates NBD Capital
Limited
L07-04 Level 7, ICD Brookfield Place DIFC, Dubai,
UAE
|
J.P. Morgan Securities plc
|
Standard Chartered Bank 1
Basinghall Avenue
London EC2V 5DD
|
25 Bank Street
Canary Wharf
London E14 5JP |
|
|
|
|
|
Telephone: +971 4 303 2800
|
Telephone: + 44 20 7134 2468
|
Telephone: +44 20 7885 5739
|
Email:
dcmsf@emiratesnbd.com
|
Email:
em_europe_lm@jpmorgan.com
|
Email:
Liability_Management@sc.com
|
|
|
|
This
announcement is released by GFH Financial Group B.S.C. and contains
information that may have qualified as inside information for the
purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014
as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018 (UK MAR) For the purposes of UK MAR and
Article 2 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1055 as
it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018, this announcement is made by Salah Sharif,
Chief Operating Officer of GFH Financial Group
B.S.C.
THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO PURCHASE, A SOLICITATION OF AN
OFFER TO PURCHASE, AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER
TO SELL THE CERTIFICATES OR AN OFFER OR SOLICIATION TO OTHERWISE
PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSENT SOLICITATION. AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSENT SOLICIATION MAY ONLY BE MADE PURSUANT TO
THE TERMS OF THE TENDER AND CONSENT SOLICITATION
MEMORANDUM.
This
announcement contain important information, which should be read
carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer
and/or Consent Solicitation. In relation to the Consent
Solicitation, this announcement must be read in conjunction with
the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum. If any holder of
Certificates is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is
recommended to seek its own advice, including as to any tax
consequences, from its stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor,
accountant or other independent adviser.
None of GFH,
the Issuer, the Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers, the
Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent, the Delegate or any of
their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or
affiliates is acting for any Certificateholder, or will be
responsible to any Certificateholder for providing any protections
which would be afforded to its clients or for providing advice in
relation to the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation or the
Extraordinary Resolution, and accordingly none of the Obligor, the
Issuer, the Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers, the
Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent, the Delegate or any
director, officer, employee, agent or affiliate of any such person,
makes any recommendation whether Certificateholders should
participate in the Offer and/or Consent Solicitation or otherwise
participate at the Meeting and neither the Information, Tender and
Tabulation Agent nor any of its directors, officers, employees,
agents or affiliates, makes any representation whatsoever regarding
the Offer and/or Consent Solicitation.
DISTRIBUTION
RESTRICTIONS
This announcement does not constitute an
invitation to participate in the Offer and/or Consent Solicitation
in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, it is
unlawful to make such invitation or for there to be such
participation under applicable securities laws. The distribution of
this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by
law. Persons into whose possession this announcement or the Tender
and Consent Solicitation Memorandum comes are required to inform
themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.
No action has been or will be taken in
any jurisdiction by GFH, the Issuer, the Solicitation Agents and
Dealer Managers or the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent in
relation to the Offer or the Consent Solicitation that would permit
a public offering of securities.
Belgium
None of this announcement, the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum or any brochure or any other
document relating to the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum
have been, or will be, submitted or notified to, or approved by,
the Financial Services and Markets Authority ("Autorité des services et marches
financiers/Autoriteit voor Financiele Diensten en Markten").
The Offer is not being made in Belgium by way of a public offering
within the meaning of Article 3 of the Belgian Law of 1 April 2007
on public takeover bids ("loi
relative aux offres publiques d'acquisition/wet op de openbare
overnamebiedingen"), as amended from time to time.
Accordingly, the Offer may not be, and is not being, advertised and
the Offer will not be extended and the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum and any brochure or any other documents
relating to the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum have
not, and will not, be distributed, directly or indirectly, to any
person in Belgium other than to "qualified investors"
("investisseur
qualifié/gekwalificeerde belegger") within the meaning of
Articles 3, §1, 1° and 6 of the Belgian Law of 16 June 2006 on the
public offering of securities and the admission of securities to
trading on a regulated market (as amended from time to time). The
Offer is made only to qualified investors, as this term is defined
above. Accordingly, the information contained in the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum or in any brochure or any other
document relating to the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum
may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed or distributed
to any other person in Belgium.
Cayman
Islands
This announcement and the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum have not been made nor will be made,
whether directly or indirectly, to any member of the public in the
Cayman Islands.
France
This announcement and the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum, as well as any other offering materials
relating to the Offer, have not been distributed or caused to be
distributed and will not be distributed or caused to be distributed
to the public in France; the Offer and distributions have not been
and shall not be made, directly or indirectly, to the public in
France. Only qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) acting for
their own account, other than individuals, (each, for the purposes
of this paragraph, a "Qualified
Investor") as defined in Articles L. 411-1, L. 411-2 and D.
411-1, of the French Code monétaire et financier and other
applicable regulations will be entitled to tender the Certificates.
None of the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum or any other
such offering materials has been submitted for clearance to the
Autorité des marchés financiers. By tendering Certificates, an
investor resident and/or located in France will be deemed to
represent and warrant to GFH, the Issuer, the Delegate, the Agents,
the Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers and the Information,
Tender and Tabulation Agent that it is a Qualified
Investor.
Italy
None of the Offer, this announcement, the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum or any other documents
or materials relating to the Offer have been or will be submitted
to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le
Società e la Borsa "CONSOB").
The Offer is being carried out in the Republic
of Italy as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis,
paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February
1998 (as amended) (the "Financial
Services Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB
Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999 (as amended).
Accordingly, Certificateholders, or beneficial
owners of the Certificates located in the Republic of Italy, can
tender some or all of their Certificates pursuant to the Offer
through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or
financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in
Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB
Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended from time to
time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993 (as
amended)) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or
with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian
authority.
Each intermediary must comply with the
applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties
vis-à-vis its clients in connection with the Certificates, the
Offer.
Hong
Kong
The contents of this announcement and the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum have not been reviewed
by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. Certificateholders should
exercise caution in relation to the Offer. If a Certificateholder
is in any doubt about any of the contents of this announcement or
the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum, such
Certificateholder should obtain independent professional
advice.
The Offer has not been made and will not be
made in Hong Kong, by means of any document other than: (i) to
"professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures
Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the "SFO") and any rules made under the SFO;
or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document
being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and
Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Chapter 32 of the Laws of Hong
Kong) ("C(WUMP)O") or which
do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of
C(WUMP)O.
Further, no person has issued or had in its
possession for the purposes of issue, or will issue or have in its
possession for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or
elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to
the Offer, which is directed at, or the contents of which are
likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except
if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other
than with respect to the Offer which is or is intended to be made
only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional
investors" as defined in the SFO and any rules made under the SFO.
This announcement and the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum and the information contained herein or therein may not
be used other than by the person to whom it is addressed and may
not be reproduced in any form or transferred to any person in Hong
Kong.
The Offer is not intended to be made to the
public in Hong Kong and it is not our intention that the Offer be
made to the public in Hong Kong.
Japan
The Offer is not made in Japan or to any
resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person
resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity
organized under the laws of Japan), except in a manner which
complies with the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan
and other relevant laws and regulations of Japan.
Qatar
Neither this announcement nor the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum is intended to constitute an offer,
sale or delivery of the Certificates or other securities under the
laws of the State of Qatar including the rules and regulations of
Qatar Financial Center Authority ("QFCA") or the Qatar Financial Center
Regulatory Authority ("QFCRA"). The Certificates have not been
and will not be listed on the Qatar Exchange and are not subject to
the rules and regulations of the DSM Internal Regulations applying
to the Qatar Exchange, the Qatar Financial Markets Authority
("QFMA"), the Qatar Central
Bank ("QCB"), the QFCA or
the QFCRA, or any laws of the State of Qatar.
The Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum
has not been and will not be: (i) lodged or registered with, or
reviewed or approved by the QFCA, the QFCRA, the QCB or the QFMA;
or (ii) authorised or licensed for distribution in the State of
Qatar, and the information contained in this announcement and the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum does not, and is not
intended to, constitute a public or general offer or other
invitation in respect of the Certificates or other securities in
the State of Qatar or the QFC.
The Offer and interests therein do not
constitute a public offer of securities in the State of Qatar under
the Commercial Companies Law No. (5) of 2002 (as amended) or
otherwise under any laws of the State of Qatar, including the rules
and regulations of the QFCA or QFCRA.
No transaction will be concluded in the
jurisdiction of the State of Qatar (including the jurisdiction of
the Qatar Financial Center). We are not regulated by the QCB, QFMA,
QFC Authority, QFC Regulatory Authority or any other government
authority in State of Qatar. We do not, by virtue of this
announcement or the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum,
conduct any business in the State of Qatar. Each of GFH and the
Issuer is an entity regulated under laws outside the State of
Qatar.
Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
The communication of this announcement, the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum and any other documents
or materials relating to the Offer are only being made and the
Offer will only be made or advertised in the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, (i) to persons who have confirmed that they are an
"Institutional Client" or a "Qualified Client" (each as defined in
the "Rules on the Offer of Securities and Continuing Obligation" as
issued by the Board of the Capital Market Authority (the
"CMA") resolution number
3-123-2017 dated 27 December 2017 (as amended by the CMA resolution
number 3-6-2024 dated 17 January 2024, the "KSA Regulations")); or (ii) by way of a
limited offer under Article 9 of the KSA Regulations or, as
otherwise required or permitted by, the KSA Regulations. This
announcement, the Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum and
the Offer shall not constitute a "public offer", "exempt offer" or
a "parallel market offer" pursuant to the KSA
Regulations.
This announcement, the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum and the Offer are subject to restrictions
on secondary market activity under the KSA Regulations.
Accordingly, any investor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or who is
a Saudi person who has acquired Certificates pursuant to a private
placement under the KSA Regulations may not offer or sell those
Certificates to any person unless the offer or sale is made in
compliance with the restrictions on secondary market activity under
the KSA Regulations.
Kingdom of
Bahrain
The Offer does not constitute an offer of
securities in the Kingdom of Bahrain in terms of Article (81) of
the Central Bank of Bahrain and Financial Institutions Law 2006
(decree Law No. 64 of 2006) nor an offer under Module TMA
(Take-overs, Mergers and Acquisitions) of Volume 6 of the Rulebook
issued by the Central Bank of Bahrain. This announcement, the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum and related documents
related to the Offer have not been and will not be filed nor
registered as a prospectus with the Central Bank of Bahrain.
Accordingly, no Certificates can be tendered for purchase by, nor
will this announcement, the Tender and Consent Solicitation
Memorandum or any other related document or material be used in
connection with any offer, sale or invitation to tender
Certificates, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in the
Kingdom of Bahrain, other than in compliance with Bahraini
law.
United Arab
Emirates
Neither this announcement nor the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum constitutes a public offer of
securities in the United Arab Emirates and neither is intended to
be a public offer. The Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum
has not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the
United Arab Emirates or the Securities and Commodities
Authority.
Abu Dhabi
Global Market
The Offer is not being made and may not be made
to any person in the Abu Dhabi Global Market unless such offer is:
(a) an "Exempt Offer" in accordance with the Markets Rules of the
Financial Services Regulatory Authority (the "FSRA"); (b) made only to persons who
are Authorised Person or Recognised Bodies (as such terms are
defined in the FSRA Financial Services and Markets Regulation 2015
"FSMR")) or persons to whom
an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of section 18 of FSMR) in connection with the
issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be
communicated or caused to be communicated; and (c) made only to
persons who meet the Professional Client criteria set out in Rule
2.4.1 of the FSRA Conduct of Business Rules.
Dubai
International Financial Centre
The Offer is not being made and may not be made
to any person in the Dubai International Financial Centre unless
such offer is; (i) an "Exempt Offer" in accordance with the Markets
Rules (MKT) Module of the DFSA rulebook; and (ii) made only to
persons who meet the Professional Client criteria set out in Rule
2.3.3 of the Conduct of Business Module of the DFSA
rulebook.
Singapore
Neither this announcement nor the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum has been or will be registered as a
prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The Offer does
not constitute a public tender offer for the purchase of the
Certificates nor an offering of securities in Singapore pursuant to
the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289 of
Singapore).
United
Kingdom
The communication of this announcement, the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum and any other documents
or materials relating to the Offer are not being made, and such
documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorised
person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are
not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general
public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents
and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to
those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition
of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order
2005 (the "Financial Promotion
Order")) or persons who are within Article 43(2) of the
Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom it may
otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion
Order.
United
States
The Offer is not being made, and will not be
made, directly or indirectly in or into, or by use of the mails of,
or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign
commerce of, or of any facilities of a national securities exchange
of, the United States or to, for the account or benefit of, any
U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S of the Securities
Act).
This includes but is not limited to, facsimile
transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone, the internet and
other forms of electronic communication. The Certificates may not
be tendered in the Offer by any such use, means, instrumentality or
facility from or within the United States or by persons located or
resident in the United States or to any U.S. person.
Accordingly, copies of this announcement, the
Tender and Consent Solicitation Memorandum and any other documents
or materials relating to the Offer are not being, and must not be,
directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted,
distributed or forwarded (including, without limitation, by
custodians, nominees or trustees) in or into the United States or
to a U.S. person and the Certificates cannot be tendered in the
Offer by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility or from
or within or by persons located or resident in the United States or
by any U.S. person. Any purported tender of Certificates in the
Offer resulting directly or indirectly from a violation of these
restrictions will be invalid and any purported tender of
Certificates made by a person located in the United States or by a
U.S. person, by any person acting for the account or benefit of a
U.S. person, or by any agent, fiduciary or other Intermediary
acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal giving
instructions from within the United States or for a U.S. person
will be invalid and will not be accepted.
Neither this announcement nor the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum is an offer of securities for sale
in the United States or to, or to any person acting for or on
behalf of, a U.S. person. Certificates neither may be offered or
sold in the United States absent registration under, or an
exemption from the registration requirements of, the Securities
Act.
Each Certificateholder participating in the
Offer will represent that it is not located in the United States
and is not participating in the Offer from the United States, or it
is acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal located
outside the United States that is not giving an order to
participate in the Offer from the United States and who is not a
U.S. person.
General
This announcement does not constitute an offer
to sell or buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy the
Certificates and tender of Certificates for purchase in the Offer
will not be accepted from Certificateholders in any circumstances
in which such tender is unlawful. In those jurisdictions where the
securities, blue sky or other laws require the Offer and/or the
Consent Solicitation to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and
either of the Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers or any of
their respective affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in
such jurisdictions, the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation shall
be deemed to be made by such Solicitation Agent and Dealer Manager
or affiliate (as the case may be) on our behalf in such
jurisdictions.
In addition to the representations referred to
above, each Certificateholder participating in the Offer and/or the
Consent Solicitation will also be deemed to give certain
representations in respect of the other jurisdictions referred to
above and generally as set out in in the sections of the Tender and
Consent Solicitation Memorandum headed, "Procedures for Participation in the
Offer-Representations, Warranties and Undertakings; our Acceptance
Constitutes an Agreement" and/or "Procedures for Participation in the Consent
Solicitation-Representations, Warranties and Undertakings; our
Acceptance Constitutes an Agreement", as applicable. Any
tender of Certificates for purchase pursuant to the Offer from a
Certificateholder who is unable to make the relevant
representations will not be accepted. Each of GFH, the Issuer, the
Delegate, the Agents, the Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers
and the Information, Tender and Tabulation Agent reserves the
right, in its absolute discretion, to investigate, in relation to
any tender of Certificates for purchase pursuant to the Offer,
whether any such representation given by a Certificateholder is
correct and, if such investigation is undertaken and as a result we
determine (for any reason) that such representation is not correct,
such tender shall not be accepted.
We, the Issuer, the Delegate, the Agents, the
Solicitation Agents and Dealer Managers and the Information, Tender
and Tabulation Agent (or our or their respective directors,
employees or affiliates) make no representations or recommendations
whatsoever regarding this announcement, the Tender and Consent
Solicitation Memorandum, the Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation
or whether or not Certificateholders should participate in the
Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation.