Roche Annual General Meeting 2024

Rhea-AI Summary

Roche shareholders approve all Board proposals, re-elect Severin Schwan as Chairman, and increase dividend for the 37th consecutive year. The company reports strong performance in Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics Divisions with a focus on oncology, immunology, neurology, and new areas like obesity.

• All proposals of the Board of Directors approved
• Severin Schwan re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors; all other Board members standing for election confirmed
• 37th consecutive dividend increase to CHF 9.60 per share
  

Basel, 12 March 2024 – Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that its shareholders had approved all proposals of the Board of Directors at its Annual General Meeting. The 635 shareholders in attendance, who represented 77.02% of the total 106,691,000 shares, approved the Annual Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements for 2023, the Remuneration Report and the Sustainability Report.

Severin Schwan was re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors by 97.75% of the votes. Addressing the shareholders in a speech, he said:

"Both the Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics Divisions delivered strong results in 2023. In particular, I would like to emphasise the strong development of our base business. As a result, we grew on a currency-adjusted basis - despite the significant decline in sales of COVID-19 products. We have a broad product pipeline with 82 drug candidates, ten of which are already in the final phase of clinical development. We have a strong presence in the key areas of oncology, immunology and neurology. We are also expanding into new areas, including obesity. In our Diagnostics Division, we will launch more new products in 2024 than ever before. We are well positioned for the future."

In addition, shareholders approved an increase in the dividend for the past financial year to 9.60 Swiss francs (gross) per share and non-voting equity security. This is the 37th dividend increase in succession. Shareholders also authorised the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the Corporate Executive Committee.

The shareholders approved the total bonuses of the Corporate Executive Committee for the 2023 financial year by 95.75% of votes, and the bonus for the resigned Chairman of the Board of Directors for the 2023 financial year by 95.73% of votes. They also approved a maximum total future remuneration by 95.61% of votes for the Board of Directors and by 97.87% of votes for the Corporate Executive Committee until the 2025 Annual General Meeting. 

In addition to Severin Schwan, all other members of the Board of Directors who were up for election were re-elected to the Board of Directors for a one-year term:

• André Hoffmann
• Dr Jörg Duschmalé
• Dr Patrick Frost
• Anita Hauser
• Professor Dr Akiko Iwasaki
• Professor Dr Richard P. Lifton
• Dr Jemilah Mahmood
• Dr Mark Schneider
• Dr Claudia Süssmuth Dyckerhoff
  

The following Board members standing for election were re-elected to the Remuneration Committee for a one-year term:

• André Hoffmann
• Dr Jörg Duschmalé
• Anita Hauser
• Professor Dr Richard P. Lifton 

The Annual General Meeting appointed KPMG AG as statutory auditors for the 2024 financial year and Testaris AG as independent proxy until the conclusion of the 2025 Annual General Meeting.

The address by Chairman of the Board of Directors Severin Schwan to shareholders will be available at https://www.roche.com/about/governance/annual-general-meetings.   

About Roche
Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person, we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with real-world data insights.

In recognition of our endeavour to pursue a long-term perspective in all we do, Roche has been named one of the most sustainable companies in the pharmaceuticals industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the fifteenth consecutive year. This distinction also reflects our efforts to improve access to healthcare together with local partners.

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.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

Roche Group Media Relations
Phone: +41 61 688 888 / e-mail: media.relations@roche.com

Hans Trees, PhD Phone: +41 79 407 72 58	Nathalie Altermatt Phone: +41 79 771 05 25
Simon Goldsborough Phone: +44 797 32 72 915	Karsten Kleine Phone: +41 79 461 86 83
Nina Mählitz Phone: +41 79 327 54 74	Kirti Pandey Phone: +49 172 6367262
Dr Rebekka Schnell Phone: +41 79 205 27 03	Sileia Urech Phone: +41 79 935 81 48

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FAQ

What proposals were approved by Roche shareholders at the Annual General Meeting?

Roche shareholders approved all proposals of the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting, including Annual Financial Statements, Consolidated Financial Statements for 2023, Remuneration Report, and Sustainability Report.

Who was re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Roche?

Severin Schwan was re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Roche with 97.75% of the votes.

How many drug candidates are in the final phase of clinical development at Roche?

Roche has 82 drug candidates in its product pipeline, with ten already in the final phase of clinical development.

How many dividend increases has Roche announced in a row?

Roche announced its 37th consecutive dividend increase, raising it to 9.60 Swiss francs per share for the past financial year.

Which areas is Roche focusing on for expansion?

Roche is expanding into new areas such as oncology, immunology, neurology, and obesity.