BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust Plc - June 2020 AGM and future format of the Company's AGMs
PR Newswire
London, June 3
BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust plc
(Legal Entity Identifier: UK9OG5Q0CYUDFGRX4151)
Announcement in respect of the June 2020 Annual General Meeting and the future format of the Company's Annual General Meetings
Update re the BlackRock Latin American Trust plc Annual General Meeting ('AGM') to be held on 29 June 2020
The Company's next AGM will be held at 12.00 noon on 29 June 2020 at the offices of BlackRock at 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2DL. The Board is mindful that on 26 March 2020, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stay at Home Measures were passed into law in England and Wales, with immediate effect, in statutory instruments (2020/350 in England and 2020/353 in Wales) made pursuant to the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. Under these restrictions, public gatherings of more than two people were not permitted. As at the date of this announcement, some social distancing restrictions have been relaxed. However, until the restrictions are relaxed further it will still not be possible for shareholders to attend general meetings held indoors in person. The Board therefore encourages all shareholders to submit their votes by proxy. The only attendees who will be permitted entry to AGMs under the current restrictions will remain those who will need to be present to form the quorum to allow the business to be conducted.
Proposed changes to Articles of Association to permit General Meetings to be held electronically and commitment to hold physical General Meetings
The Board is proposing to make amendments to the Company's Articles of Association to enable the Company to hold general meetings (including AGMs) wholly or partially by electronic means and to give additional powers in respect of postponing or adjourning meetings in appropriate circumstances. Nothing in the revised Articles of Association will prevent the Company from holding physical general meetings. The amendments are being sought in response to challenges posed by government restrictions on social interactions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have made it impossible for shareholders to attend physical general meetings. The Board is cognisant of the importance to shareholders of the ability to meet the members of the Board and representatives of the Manager face to face, and is committed to ensuring that future general meetings (including AGMs) incorporate a physical meeting where law and regulation permits. The potential to hold a general meeting through wholly electronic means is intended as a solution to be adopted as a last resort to ensure the continued smooth operation of the Company in extreme operating circumstances where physical meetings are prohibited. The Company has no present intention of holding a wholly electronic general meeting but wants to be prepared for the future.
For further information, please contact:
Melissa Gallagher, Managing Director, Investment Trusts, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
Tel: 020 7743 3893
Rob Naylor, Cenkos Securities Ltd
Tel: 020 7397 1922 / Mobile: 07738 784593
