Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that its shareholders approved all proposals of the Board of Directors at its ordinary Annual General Meeting (AGM). The 880 attending shareholders, representing 86,42% of the total of 160,000,000 shares, approved the Management Report, the Financial Statements and the Consolidated Financial Statements for 2017.
Christoph Franz was confirmed as Chairman of the Board of Directors with 99,89% of the votes.
"2017 was a good year for Roche. The launch of Ocrevus for people with multiple sclerosis and the approval of Hemlibra for the treatment of people with haemophilia A were outstanding. In particular, we made significant progress in the areas of personalised healthcare and digitization. In this field, we have entered into important partnerships that complement our own expertise. I believe Roche is very well prepared for the future," said Christoph Franz, Chairman of Roche's Board of Directors.
Shareholders also authorised the ratification of the Board of Directors' actions and approved an increase in the gross dividend for the past financial year to 8.30 Swiss francs (gross) per share and non-voting equity security. This is the 31st consecutive dividend increase.
Shareholders endorsed the total amount of bonuses paid to the Corporate Executive Committee for 2017 with 99,62% of the votes, as well as the bonus paid to the Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2017, which was approved by 99,51% of the votes. They also approved the maximum total amount of future remuneration of the Board of Directors, which was confirmed by 99,62% of the votes, and the maximum total amount of future remuneration for the Corporate Executive Committee until the 2019 ordinary Annual General Meeting by 99,64% of the votes.
In addition to Christoph Franz, all other Board members who stood for re-election were confirmed for a term of one year:
The following Board members were elected to the Remuneration Committee:
KPMG AG was elected as external auditor for the financial year 2018 and BDO AG was elected as independent voting proxy until the conclusion of the next regular AGM in 2019.
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people’s lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare – a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.
Roche is the world’s largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.
Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. Thirty medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Roche has been recognised as the Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry nine years in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2017 employed about 94,000 people worldwide. In 2017, Roche invested CHF 10.4 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 53.3 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit www.roche.com.
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