Chuang's China Investments Limited - Corporate Governance Report
The Board
The board of Directors (the “Board”) is responsible for overseeing the business and strategies of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively as the “Group”) with the objective of enhancing value for its shareholders.
A new Board diversity policy (the “Board Diversity Policy”) and a nomination policy (the “Nomination Policy”) have been approved by the Board with effect from 1 January 2019.
A summary of the Board Diversity Policy is extracted below:
The Company continuously seeks to enhance the effectiveness of its Board and to maintain high standards of corporate governance and recognizes and embraces the benefits of diversity in the boardroom. The Company recognizes and embraces the benefits of having a diverse Board to enhance the quality of its performance.
The Company endeavours to ensure that its Board has the appropriate balance of skills, experience and diversity of perspectives that are required to support the execution of its business strategy for sustainable and balanced development. In designing the Board’s composition, Board diversity has been considered from a number of aspects, including but not limited to gender, age, cultural and educational background, professional experience and skills. All Board appointments will be based on meritocracy, and candidates will be considered against objective criteria, having due regard for the benefits of diversity on the Board.
Board selection of candidates will be based on a range of diversity perspectives, including but not limited to gender, age, cultural and educational background, professional experience and skills. The ultimate decision will be based on merit and contribution that the selected candidates will bring to the Board.
The Nomination Committee will report annually, in the Corporate Governance Report, on the Board’s composition under diversified perspectives, and monitor the implementation of this Board Diversity Policy to ensure that recruitment and selection practices are appropriately structured so that a diverse range of candidates are considered.
The Nomination Committee will review this Board Diversity Policy, as appropriate, to ensure the effectiveness of this Board Diversity Policy. The Nomination Committee will discuss any revisions that may be required, and recommend any such revisions to the Board for consideration and approval.
A summary of the selection criteria and nomination procedures as set out in the Nomination Policy and adopted by the Nomination Committee is extracted below:
Selection Criteria
The factors listed below would be used as reference by the Nomination Committee in assessing the suitability of a proposed candidate.
- Reputation for integrity
- Accomplishment and experience in the industry which the Group operates
- Commitment in respect of available time and relevant interest
- Diversity in all its aspects, including but not limited to gender, age (18 years or above), cultural and educational background, professional experience and skills
These factors are for reference only, and not meant to be exhaustive and decisive. The Nomination Committee has the discretion to nominate any person, as it considers appropriate.
Nomination Procedures
The secretary of the Nomination Committee shall call a meeting of the Nomination Committee after receiving nominations of candidates from the management of the Company for consideration by the Nomination Committee by way of meeting or by way of resolution in writing of all members of the Nomination Committee.
- For filling a casual vacancy and/or as an addition to the Board, the Nomination Committee shall make recommendations for the Board’s consideration and approval. For proposing candidates to stand for election at a general meeting, the Nomination Committee shall make nominations to the Board for its consideration and recommendation.
- Until the issue of the shareholder circular, the nominated persons shall not assume that they have been proposed by the Board to stand for election at the general meeting.
- In order to provide information of the candidates nominated by the Board to stand for election at a general meeting, a circular will be sent to shareholders. The names, brief biographies (including qualifications and relevant experience), independence, proposed remuneration and any other information, as required pursuant to the Listing Rules, applicable laws, rules and regulations, of the proposed candidates will be included in the circular to shareholders.
- A shareholder can serve a notice to the Company Secretary within the lodgement period of its intention to propose a resolution to elect a certain person as a director, without the Board’s recommendation or the Nomination Committee’s nomination, other than those candidates set out in the shareholder circular in accordance with bye-law no. 88 of the Company. The particulars of the candidates so proposed will be sent to all shareholders for information by a supplementary circular, if necessary.
- A candidate is allowed to withdraw his candidature at any time before the general meeting by serving a notice in writing to the Company Secretary.
- The Board shall have the final decision on all matters relating to its recommendation of candidates to stand for election at any general meeting.
The Nomination Committee will monitor and review the Nomination Policy, as appropriate, to ensure that the Nomination Policy remains relevant to the Company’s needs and reflects both current regulatory requirements and good corporate governance practice.
(i) Board composition
The Board comprises 9 Directors as at the date of this report. The Board members are as follows:
The composition of the Board is well balanced with each Director having sound knowledge, experience and/or expertise relevant to the business of the Group. The Board has on a regular basis reviewed the composition of the Board and the skills and experience required for all the Executive, Non-Executive and Independent Non-Executive Directors of the Board, in the context of the business and strategies of the Company. Each of the Directors’ respective biographical details are set out in the section headed “Biographical Details of Directors and Senior Management” of this annual report.
(ii) Appointment, re-election and removal of Directors
There are formal, considered and transparent procedures for the appointment and removal of Directors. All Directors newly appointed to fill a casual vacancy are subject to election at the first general meeting after their appointment. Every Director is subject to retirement by rotation and re-election in annual general meeting at least once every three years.
(iii) Nomination Committee
A Nomination Committee was established by the Company with clear terms of reference. The Nomination Committee currently comprises three Independent Non-Executive Directors, Mr. Abraham Shek, Mr. Andrew Fan and Dr. Johnny Ng. The committee met once during the year to review the structure, size and composition of the Board and to assess the independence of each Independent Non-Executive Director.
The attendance record of each committee member is as follows:
(iv) Board meetings
The Board held four regular board meetings during the year. Arrangements were in place to ensure that sufficient notice and adequate information were given to each Director prior to the regular meetings. The Chairman, together with the Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director, established the agendas for the meetings. Other Directors were invited to include items in the agendas. Minutes of the meetings were kept in sufficient details to reflect the decisions made in the meetings.
The attendance record of each of the current Directors in Board meetings is as follows:
(v) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
The roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are separated. Currently, Mr. Albert Chuang is the Chairman and Mr. Edwin Chuang, the Managing Director, is the Chief Executive Officer.
(vi) Responsibilities of Directors
Each Director of the Company is required to keep abreast of his/her responsibilities as a Director of the Company and each Director is provided in a timely manner with appropriate information of the Group to enable him/her to make an informed decision and to discharge his/her duties and responsibilities as a Director of the Company. On appointment, new Directors will be given a comprehensive induction to the Group’s business.
(vii) Directors’ dealings in securities
The Company has adopted the Model Code for Securities Transactions by Directors of Listed Issuers (the “Model Code”) contained in Appendix 10 of the Listing Rules. Having made specific enquiries of all Directors of the Company, the Company received confirmations from all Directors that they have complied with the required standard as set out in the Model Code.
(viii) Independence of Independent Non-Executive Directors
The Company has received, from each of the Independent Non-Executive Directors, an annual confirmation of his independence pursuant to Rule 3.13 of the Listing Rules. The Company considers all of the Independent Non-Executive Directors are independent.
(ix) Directors’ training
According to the code provision C.1.4 of the CG Code, all Directors should participate in a programme of continuous professional development to develop and refresh their knowledge and skills to ensure that their contribution to the Board remains informed and relevant. The Company should be responsible for arranging and funding training, placing an appropriate emphasis on the roles, functions and duties of the Directors of the Company.
During the year, the Company had arranged seminar and provided reading materials to the Directors that are relevant to their duties and responsibilities. A summary of the training record of each of the current Directors received by the Company is as follows: