Form of Proxy for General Meeting

RNS Number : 6738C

Aviva PLC

20 January 2015

 



20 January 2015

AVIVA PLC

GENERAL MEETING ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS

Further to the announcement by Aviva plc (the "Company") on 19 January 2015 that the UK Listing Authority hasapproved a class 1 circular (the "Circular") in relation to the recommended all-share acquisition of Friends Life Group Limited ("Friends Life") by Aviva (the "Proposed Acquisition"), and a prospectus in relation to the new Aviva shares (the "New Aviva Shares") to be allotted and issued to the shareholders of Friends Life pursuant to the Proposed Acquisition (the "Prospectus"), each dated 19 January 2015, the Company announces that it has today submitted to the National Storage Mechanism a copy of the form of proxy (the "Form of Proxy") relating to the Company's general meeting to be held in connection with the Proposed Acquisition (the "General Meeting").

As set out in the Circular, the General Meeting will be held at 11.00 a.m. on 26 March 2015at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3EE.

A copy of the Form of Proxy will shortly be available for inspection at www.hemscott.com/nsm.do.

All times stated above are London times unless otherwise stated. These times and dates are indicative only and are based on Aviva's and Friends Life's current expectations in relation to the Proposed Acquisition and may be subject to change (including as a result of changes to the regulatory timetable). If any of the expected times and/or dates above change, Avivaand/or Friends Life will give notice of the change by issuing an announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.

Enquiries:

Kirsty Cooper, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary

Telephone - 020 7662 6646

Liz Nicholls, Head of Share Schemes and Shareholder Services

Telephone - 020 7662 8358

Aviva plc

St Helen's, 1 Undershaft

London EC3P 3DQ

Registered in England

Number 2468686

Important Notices

This announcement is for information purposes only. It is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Proposed Acquisition or otherwise nor will there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

The Proposed Acquisition will be made solely by means of the scheme document published by Friends Life on 19 January which, together with the related forms of proxy, will contain the full terms and conditions of the Proposed Acquisition including details of how Friends Life shareholders may vote in respect of the Proposed Acquisition.

This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent document.

This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been preparedin accordance with the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the UK.

The Proposed Acquisition is subject to the applicable requirements of the Takeover Code, the Takeover Panel, the London Stock Exchange and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Overseas Shareholders

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons who arenot resident in the UK or who are subject to the laws of other jurisdictions should inform themselves of, and observe, anyapplicable requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable requirements may constitute a violation of the laws ofany such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Proposed Acquisition disclaim anyresponsibility or liability for the violation ofsuch requirements by any person.

The Proposed Acquisition relates to the securities of a Guernsey-registered company with a listing on the London Stock Exchange and is proposed to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement under the laws of Guernsey (the "Scheme").A transaction effected by means of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to proxy solicitation or tender offer rules under the US Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended). Accordingly, the Scheme is subject to the disclosure requirements, rules and practices applicable in the UK to schemes of arrangement, which differ from US disclosure requirements and the requirements of US proxy solicitation or tender offer rules. However, if Aviva were permitted and did elect to implement the Proposed Acquisition by means of a takeover offer, such takeover offer will be made in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including Section 14(e) of the US Exchange Act and Regulation 14E thereunder. Such a takeover would be made in the United States by Aviva and no one else. In addition to any such takeover offer, Aviva,certain affiliated companies and the nominees or brokers (acting as agents) may make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, shares in Friends Life outside such takeover offer, such as in open market or privately negotiated purchases, during the period in which such takeover offer would remain open for acceptance. If such purchases or arrangements to purchase were to be made they would be made outside the United States and would comply with applicable law, including the US Exchange Actof 1934 (as amended).Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available onthe London Stock Exchange website: www.londonstockexchange.com.

Unless otherwise determined by Aviva or required by the Takeover Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Proposed Acquisition will not be made, directly or indirectly, in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and the Proposed Acquisition will not  becapable of  acceptance from or within such jurisdiction where such acceptance would violate the laws of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and all documents relating to the Proposed Acquisition are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed, transmitted or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this announcement and all documents relating to the Proposed Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from such jurisdictions where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction.

The availability of the New Aviva Shares to Friends Life shareholders who are not resident in the UK may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are resident. Persons who are not resident in the UK should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements.

The New Aviva Shares may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction or to, or for the account or benefit of, any Restricted Overseas Persons except, in each case, pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, applicable securities laws of those jurisdictions.

This announcement is not an offer for sale of, or solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States and the New AvivaShares, which will be issued in connection with the Proposed Acquisition, have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) (the "US Securities Act") or under the securities law of any state, district orother jurisdiction of the United States or any other Restricted Jurisdiction, and no regulatory clearance in respect of the New Aviva Shares has been, or will be, applied for in any jurisdiction other than theUK.

None of the securities referred to in this announcement have been approved or disapproved by the SEC, any state securities commission in the United States or any other US regulatory authority, nor have such authorities passed upon or determined the adequacy or accuracy of the information contained in this announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

It is expected that the securities referred to in this announcement will be issued as part of the Proposed Acquisition in reliance upon theexemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act provided by Section 3(a)(10) of that Act. Such securities may not be offered, sold, re-offered, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any state, district or other jurisdiction of the United States, except pursuant to exemptions from the applicable registration requirements of such jurisdictions. Friends Life Shareholders who will be affiliates of Aviva after the Effective Date will be subject to certain US transfer restrictions relating to the New Aviva Shares received pursuant to the Scheme.

Friends Life is a Guernsey-registered  company that is a foreign private issuer (as defined under Rule 3b-4 under the US Securities Exchange Actof 1934). Financial information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this announcement has been prepared in accordancewith foreignaccounting standards that may not be comparable to the accounting standards applicable to financial statements of United States companies.

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.

An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made byno later than 3:30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3:30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening PositionDisclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made byno later than 3:30 p.m. (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose ofRule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by anypersons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure, you should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on [phone].

Publication on Website and Availability of Hard Copies

A copy of this announcement will be made available (subjectto certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions) on Aviva's website at www.aviva.com  by no later than 12:00 p.m. (London time) on the day following this announcement. For the avoidance ofdoubt, the content of that website is notincorporated into, and does not form part of, this announcement.

You may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting the Company Secretary, Aviva plc, St Helen's 1 Undershaft, London EC3P 3DQ tel: [phone]. You may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to you in relationto the Proposed Acquisition should be in hard copy form.

 

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