| COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT no. 22 - 13 August 2026 |
Following a request from DFDS' largest shareholder, Lauritzen Fonden Holding ApS, made pursuant to section 89 of the Danish Companies Act and article 5.4 of the Company's Articles of Association, DFDS will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to propose the election of Niels Smedegaard and Jan Johan Kühl as new members of the Board of Directors ("the Board").
In light of the development of DFDS' future strategy and subsequent execution, Lauritzen Fonden Holding ApS believes that it would be in the best interests of DFDS to appoint a new Chair at this stage. Lauritzen Fonden Holding ApS has therefore proposed Claus V. Hemmingsen to step down from the Board, and the Board thereafter to elect a new Chair following the EGM.
Claus V. Hemmingsen has served on the Board since March 2012, initially as Vice Chair and, since 2017 as Chair, with his current term running until the Annual General Meeting in 2027. In connection with the proposal, Lauritzen Fonden Holding ApS expresses its sincere appreciation for his substantial contribution, commitment and leadership throughout his tenure on the Board.
Having considered the proposal, Claus V. Hemmingsen has informed the Board of his decision to step down in connection with the EGM.
"It has been a privilege to serve DFDS for the past 14 years, including nine years as Chair. I would like to express my gratitude to my fellow Board members, the Executive Management team and all employees for their support, cooperation and commit-ment. DFDS holds significant potential, and I have great confidence in the new management team's ability to shape and execute DFDS's future strategy. I wish them, the Board, our shareholders and the entire DFDS organisation every success in the years ahead."
The shareholder-elected members of the Board, Kristian V. Mørch, Minna Aila, Anders Götzsche, Jill Lauritzen Melby and Dirk Reich, as well as the employee-elected members, Marianne Henriksen, Lars Skjold-Hansen and Otto Wagner Ingstrup, are not up for election at the EGM and will continue to serve on the Board.
Niels Smedegaard served as CEO of DFDS from 2007 to 2019 and currently holds several chair and board positions, including Chair of ISS A/S, Falck A/S and Nordic Ferry Infrastructure. Jan Johan Kühl is Managing Partner of Polaris Management A/S, a Nordic investment company and fund manager. He is nominated by Lauritzen Fonden Holding ApS in his own capacity. For transparency, Jan Johan Kühl has requested that it be disclosed that Polaris Private Equity V K/S holds 4.02% of the shares and voting rights in DFDS.
The EGM will be convened separately and is expected to be held on Tuesday 8 September 2026. The notice is expected to be published in a separate company announcement on 14 August 2026 and will include further information of the candidates' qualifications and the rationale for their nomination.
Contact
Søren Brøndholt Nielsen, IR +45 33 42 33 59
Dennis Kjærsgaard, Media +45 42 30 38 47
About DFDS
We operate a transport network in and around Europe with an annual revenue of DKK 30bn and 15,000 full-time employees.
We move goods in trailers by ferry, road & rail, and we offer complementary transport and logistics solutions.
We also move car and foot passengers on short sea and overnight ferry routes.
DFDS was founded in 1866 and headquartered and listed in Copenhagen.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
Attachment
- DFDS_NO_22_13_08_2026_EGM_BOARD_CHANGES
