Roche Annual General Meeting 2021: Exercising of shareholder rights via the independent proxy

  • Due to the pandemic, the Annual General Meeting of Roche Holding Ltd will take place on 16 March 2021 without the physical presence of shareholders and with only the persons required by the Articles of Incorporation in attendance
  • During the Annual General Meeting, shareholders’ rights will be exercised exclusively via the independent proxy, without the physical presence of shareholders

Basel, 18 January 2021 – Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that unfortunately it will not be possible for shareholders to attend the Annual General Meeting in person owing to the ongoing pandemic. Our main concern is to protect our shareholders from any potential health risks that may arise because of the ongoing difficult pandemic situation.

As a precautionary and prudent measure, the Board of Directors has decided to conduct the Annual General Meeting of Roche Holding Ltd on Tuesday, 16 March 2021, in accordance with Art. 8 of the Federal Act on the Statutory Principles for Federal Council Ordinances on Combating the COVID-19 Epidemic (COVID-19 Act) and Art. 27 of the Ordinance 3 on Measures to Combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (COVID-19 Ordinance 3) without the physical presence of shareholders. The Board of Directors regrets having to make this decision, but in view of the current situation sees no possibility of holding the General Meeting in the usual framework.

The Annual General Meeting will therefore be held at the premises of Roche Holding Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4058 Basel on 16 March 2021 at 10.30 a.m., with only the persons required by the Articles of Incorporation in attendance.

Shareholders may exercise their rights exclusively via written or electronically submitted instructions to the independent proxy, Testaris AG.

Further information about the Annual General Meeting and a welcome address to shareholders by Dr Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Board of Directors, can be found at: https://www.roche.com/about/governance/annual_general_meetings.htm

About Roche
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. More than 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. Moreover, for the twelfth consecutive year, Roche has been recognised as one of the most sustainable companies in the Pharmaceuticals Industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2019 employed about 98,000 people worldwide. In 2019, Roche invested CHF 11.7 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 61.5 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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Roche Group Media Relations
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