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Notice to the Annual General Meeting of Suominen Corporation

Helsinki, Finland, 2017-01-31 11:30 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Suominen Corporation   Notice to the General Meeting 31 January 2017 at 12:30 EET

Notice to the Annual General Meeting of Suominen Corporation

Notice is given to the shareholders of Suominen Corporation to the Annual General Meeting to be held on Wednesday 15 March 2017 at 10.00 am at Finlandia Hall (Helsinki Hall), at the address Mannerheimintie 13 e, 00100 Helsinki. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting will commence at 9.00 am. During the coffee service after the Annual General Meeting, shareholders will have the opportunity to meet the management of the company.

A. MATTERS ON THE AGENDA OF THE GENERAL MEETING

1. Opening of the meeting

2. Calling the meeting to order

3. Election of person to scrutinize the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes

4. Recording the legality of the meeting

5. Recording the attendance at the meeting and the list of votes

6. Presentation of the financial statements, the consolidated financial statements, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report for the year 2016

Review by the President & CEO

7. Adoption of the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements

8. Resolution on the use of the profit shown on the balance sheet

The Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of EUR 0.11 per share shall be paid based on the adopted balance sheet regarding the financial year of 2016. Calculated on the basis of the current total amount of shares, a total of 5,584,981.05 euros would be paid as dividend. The record date for the payment of the dividend is 17 March 2017 and the dividend shall be paid on 24 March 2017.

9. Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability

10. Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors

The Nomination Board of the shareholders of Suominen Corporation proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the remuneration of the Board of Directors remains unchanged with the exception of the remuneration of the Chair of the Board which would be increased by EUR 10,000. According to the proposal, the Chair would be paid an annual fee of EUR 60,000, Deputy Chair of the Board an annual fee of EUR 37,500 and other Board members an annual fee of EUR 28,000. Further, the members of the Board will receive a fee of EUR 500 for each meeting of the Board of Directors held in the home country of the respective member and a fee of EUR 1,000 per each meeting of the Board of Directors held elsewhere than in the home country of the respective member. 60% of the remuneration is paid in cash and 40% in Suominen Corporation’s shares.

The number of shares forming the above remuneration portion which is payable in shares will be determined based on the share value in the stock exchange trading maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd, calculated as the trade volume weighted average quotation of the share during the one month period immediately following the date on which the interim report of January-March 2017 of the company is published. The shares will be transferred out of the own shares held by the company by the decision of the Board of Directors by 2 June 2017 at the latest.

Compensation for expenses will be paid in accordance with the company's valid travel policy.

11. Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors

The Nomination Board of Suominen Corporation’s shareholders proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the number of Board members remains unchanged and would be six (6).

12. Election of members and the Chair of the Board of Directors

The Nomination Board of Suominen Corporation’s shareholders proposes that out of the current members of the Board Mr Andreas Ahlström, Mr Risto Anttonen, Mr Hannu Kasurinen, Ms Laura Raitio and Ms Jaana Tuominen would be re-elected as members of Suominen Corporation’s Board of Directors.

Of the current members of the Board of Directors, Mr. Jorma Eloranta has informed the Nomination Board that he is not available as a candidate for the Board of Directors.

In addition, the Nomination Board proposes that Mr. Jan Johansson would be elected as a new member to the Board of Directors.

Jan Johansson (born 1954) holds a Master of Laws degree and would add to the Board of Directors significant industry knowhow and experience relevant to Suominen, since he has acted as the President & CEO of Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (publ.) in 2007-2015. Prior to that, Mr Johansson acted as President & CEO in Boliden AB (2001-2007) and has held a number of executive positions in Swedish and international companies. He is also a member of the Board in Ahlstrom Corporation and Vinda International Holdings Ltd. The photo of Jan Johansson and his resumé can be retrieved at the Company’s website www.suominen.fi.

All candidates have given their consent to the election. All candidates are independent of the company. The candidates are also independent of Suominen’s significant shareholders, with the exception of Andreas Ahlström who acts currently as Investment Director at Ahlström Capital Oy. The largest shareholder of Suominen Corporation, AC Invest Two B.V. is a group company of Ahlström Capital Oy. The candidate information relevant considering their service for the Board of Directors is presented at the company website www.suominen.fi.

The Nomination Board of Suominen proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Jan Johansson would be elected as the Chair of the Board of Directors.

13. Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor

On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the auditor's fee would be paid according to the invoice approved by the company.

14. Election of auditor

On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that Authorized Public Accountant firm Ernst & Young Oy would be re-elected as the auditor of the company for the next term of office in accordance with the Articles of Association. Ernst & Young Oy has informed that it will appoint Kristina Sandin, Authorized Public Accountant, as the principally responsible auditor of the company, if Ernst & Young Oy is elected as the company’s auditor.

15. Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares

The Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the Board of Directors be authorized to decide on the repurchase of the company’s own shares on the following terms and conditions:

1. Maximum number of shares to be repurchased

By virtue of authorization, the Board of Directors is entitled to decide on repurchasing a maximum of 400 000 company’s own shares.

2. Directed repurchase and consideration to be paid for shares

The company’s own shares shall be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the holdings of the shareholders by using the non-restricted equity through trading on regulated market organized by Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd at the market price prevailing at the time of acquisition.

The shares shall be repurchased and paid in accordance with the rules of Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd and Euroclear Finland Ltd.

3. Holding, cancelling and conveying of shares

The shares shall be repurchased to be used in company’s share-based incentive programs, in order to disburse the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors, for use as consideration in acquisitions related to the company’s business, or to be held by the company, to be conveyed by other means or to be cancelled.

4. Other terms and validity

The Board of Directors shall decide on other terms and conditions related to the repurchase of the company’s own shares. The repurchase authorization shall be valid until 30 June 2018 and it revokes all earlier authorizations to repurchase company’s owns shares.

16. Closing of the meeting

B. DOCUMENTS OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The above-mentioned proposals for resolution as well as this notice are available on Suominen Corporation’s website at www.suominen.fi. Suominen Corporation’s annual report, financial statements, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report are available on the above-mentioned website no later than 22 February 2017. The proposals for resolutions and documents related to the financial statements are also available at the General Meeting. The minutes of the meeting will be available on the above-mentioned website no later than 29 March 2017.

C. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

1. The right to participate and registration

Each shareholder who is registered on 3 March 2017 in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Ltd has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder whose shares are registered on his/her personal Finnish book-entry account is registered in the shareholders' register of the company.

A shareholder, who wishes to participate in the Annual General Meeting, shall register for the meeting no later than 10 March 2017 before 4.00 p.m. by giving a prior notice of participation, which shall be received by the company no later than on the abovementioned date and time. Such notice can be given:

a) by e-mail to the address agm@suominencorp.com
b) by telephone +358 (0)10 214 3551, Monday-Friday between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.
c) by regular mail to Suominen Corporation, Itämerentori 2, FI-00180 Helsinki, Finland
d) by fax +358 (0)9 773 1109

In connection with the registration, a shareholder shall notify his/her name, personal identification number, address, telephone number and the name of a possible assistant or proxy representative and the personal identification number of the proxy representative.

The personal data given by the shareholders to Suominen Corporation are used only in connection with the General Meeting and with the processing of any related necessary registrations.

2. Holders of nominee registered shares

A holder of nominee registered shares has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting by virtue of the shares on the basis of which he/she would have the right to be registered on 3 March 2017 in the shareholders' register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd. The right to participate requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been temporarily registered into the shareholders' register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd at the latest by 10 March 2017, by 10.00 a.m. As regards nominee registered shares this constitutes due registration for the Annual General Meeting.

A holder of nominee registered shares is advised to request without delay from his/her custodian bank the necessary instructions regarding the temporary registration in the shareholders' register, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the Annual General Meeting. The account manager of the custodian bank has to register a holder of nominee registered shares, who wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, temporarily into the shareholders' register of the company at the latest by the date and time mentioned above.

3. Proxy representative and powers of attorney

A shareholder may participate in the Annual General Meeting and exercise his/her rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate his/her right to represent the shareholder. When a shareholder participates in the Annual General Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares on different securities accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the Annual General Meeting.

Possible proxy documents should be delivered in originals to Suominen Corporation, Itämerentori 2, FI-00180 Helsinki, Finland before the last date for registration.

4. Other information

Pursuant to Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act, a shareholder who is present at the Annual General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting.

On 31 January 2017, the total number of shares and votes in Suominen Corporation is 51 665 642.

Helsinki, 31 January 2017

SUOMINEN CORPORATION
Board of Directors

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki
Main media
www.suominen.fi

Suominen in brief

Suominen manufactures nonwovens as roll goods for wipes as well as for medical and hygiene products. The end products made of Suominen’s nonwovens - wet wipes, feminine care products and swabs, for instance - bring added value to the daily life of consumers worldwide. Suominen is the global market leader in nonwovens for wipes and employs over 600 people in Europe and in the Americas. Suominen’s net sales in 2016 amounted to MEUR 416.9 and comparable operating profit to MEUR 25.6. The Suominen share (SUY1V) is listed in Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange (Mid Cap). Read more at www.suominen.fi.