Document:

snn_Ex4_(c)_(xxxi)

		

			Exhibit 4(c)(xxxi)

		

		

			 

		

		

			 

		

			

					

						 

					

					

						 

				
	

					

						Smith & Nephew plc

					

					

						

				
	

					

						Building 5, Croxley Park 

					

					

						 

				
	

					

						Hatters Lane

					

					

						 

				
	

					

						Watford

					

					

						T: + 44 (0)1923 477 100

				
	

					

						Hertfordshire

					

					

						F: + 44 (0)1923 477 101

				
	

					

						WD18 8YE

					

					

						www.smith-nephew.com

				

		

			 

		

		
			 
		

		
			The Rt. Hon. Baroness Virginia Bottomley of Nettlestone DL
		

		
			C/o Smith & Nephew plc
Building 5, Croxley Park,
		

		
			Hatters Lane
		

		
			Watford
		

		
			Hertfordshire 
WD18 8YE
		

		
			18 February 2020
		

		
			Dear Virginia,
		

		
			SMITH & NEPHEW plc (THE "COMPANY"): YOUR APPOINTMENT AS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
		

		
			Following the recommendation of the Nomination & Governance Committee, the Board of the Company (“the Board”) confirms that you will remain on the Board as a Non-Executive Director from 11 April 2020 for a further period of one year period.
		

		
			This letter confirms the main terms of your appointment to this office. It is agreed that this is a contract for services and not a contract of employment.  You should be aware that your re-appointment will be subject to your re-appointment as a Director at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 9 April 2020 and is subject to the Company's articles of association as amended from time to time.  If there is a conflict between the terms of this letter and the articles of association then the articles shall prevail.
		

		
			DUTIES
		

		
			You are already aware of how the Board is structured and what authorities are delegated to the Chief Executive Officer and his colleagues.
		

		
			1.          The Board as a whole is collectively responsible for promoting the success of the Company by directing and supervising the Company's affairs.  The Board's role is to:
		

		
			(a)       provide entrepreneurial leadership to the Company within a framework of prudent and effective controls which enable risk to be assessed and managed;
		

		
			(b)      set the Company's strategic aims, ensure that the necessary financial and human resources are in place for the Company to meet its objectives, and review management performance; and
		

		
			
		

		
			

		 

		

			

		

		

		
			 
		

		
			(c)       set the Company's values and standards and ensure that its obligations to its shareholders and others are understood and met.
		

		
			2.          In your role as Non-Executive Director you are required (with the other Non-Executive Directors) to:
		

		
			(a)       constructively challenge and contribute to the development of strategy;
		

		
			(b)       scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance;
		

		
			(c)       satisfy yourself that financial information is accurate and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible; and
		

		
			(d)       have a prime role in appointing, and where necessary removing, senior management and in succession planning and where required by the relevant policy of the Company from time to time be responsible for determining appropriate levels of remuneration of executive directors.
		

		
			(e)       exercise relevant powers under the Company's Articles of Association;
		

		
			(f)        perform your duties faithfully, efficiently and diligently and use all reasonable endeavours to promote the interests and reputation of the Company;
		

		
			(g)       serve on the various committees of the Board and attend wherever possible all meetings of such committees.  You are currently a member of the Remuneration Committee and the Compliance & Culture Committee. You will have been provided with the terms of reference of any committee you’re appointment to, which are available from the Company Secretary;
		

		
			(h)       attend all Annual General Meetings and other General Meetings of the Company;
		

		
			(i)        attend all meetings of the Board, which normally meets at least six times a year, normally at Croxley Business Park, Watford WD18 8YE or by telephone (at least one to two meetings per year are held at one of the major divisions, and additional Board calls are held between physical meetings);
		

		
			(j)        attend the Annual Strategy Review, which is usually held off-site in November;
		

		
			(k)       consider all relevant papers in advance of each meeting in order to ensure that you can play a full part in the work of the Board and its committees;
		

		
			(l)        bring independent judgement to bear on issues of strategy, policy, resources, performance and standards of conduct;
		

		
			
		

		
			

		 

		

			

		

		

		
			 
		

		
			(m)      make yourself available (on reasonable notice) to provide ad hoc advice to individual directors of the Company.  We do not envisage that this would take more than three days of your time a year;
		

		
			(n)       provide guidance and direction in planning, developing and enhancing the future strategic direction of the Company;
		

		
			(o)       share responsibility with the other directors for the effective control of the Company and with the other non-executive directors for the supervision of the executive directors;
		

		
			(p)       comply with the EU Market Abuse Regulations (MAR) for securities transactions by directors of UK listed companies and with any code of conduct relating to securities transactions by directors and specified employees issued by the Company from time to time.
		

		
			CONFIDENTIALITY
		

		
			During the course of your duties you will have access to confidential information belonging to the Company and its subsidiary undertakings (including, but not limited to, details of suppliers, customers, margins, know-how, marketing and other relevant business information).  Unauthorised disclosure of this information could seriously damage the Company. You therefore undertake not to use or disclose such information save in pursuance of your duties or in accordance with any statutory obligation or court or similar order.
		

		
			Your attention is drawn to the rules relating to the disclosure of price sensitive information.  You must not make any statement or do anything which may be a breach of these rules without prior clearance from the Company Secretary.
		

		
			OUTSIDE INTERESTS
		

		
			The agreement of the Chair should be sought before you accept any new outside interests which might affect the time you are able to devote to this appointment.
		

		
			In accordance with the principles set out in The UK Corporate Governance Code you must inform the Company Secretary of any interests which you have, or acquire, which might reasonably be thought to jeopardise your independence from the Company.
		

		
			During your appointment you must not take up any office or employment with, or have any interest in, any firm or company which is or may be in direct or indirect competition with the Company.
		

		
			The Board has determined you to be independent, according to the provisions of The UK Corporate Governance Code.
		

		
			INSURANCE
		

		
			During your appointment you will be covered by the Company's directors' and officers' liability insurance on the terms in place from time to time.  Details of the policy are available from the Company Secretary.  The Company does not guarantee to maintain this insurance cover after the termination of your appointment, but you will continue to be covered by the policy or any replacement on the same basis as the rest of the Board.
		

		
			A deed of indemnity will be put in place between you and the Company.
		

		
			 
		

		
			 
		

		
			

		 

		

			

		

		

		
			RE-APPOINTMENT
		

		
			Your re-appointment will be from 11 April 2020 and is terminable at the will of the parties. However, it is envisaged that it will be for an initial period of 12 months from the date of appointment.  The continuation of your appointment depends upon satisfactory performance and re-election at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 9 April 2020.
		

		
			All appointments and reappointments to the Board are, of course, subject to the Company's articles of association.  If you are not re-elected to your position as a director of the Company by the shareholders at any time and for any reason then this appointment shall terminate automatically and with immediate effect.
		

		
			On termination of the appointment your only entitlement shall be to such fees as may have accrued to the date of termination together with reimbursement in the normal way of any expenses properly incurred prior to that date and you will be expected to return all company property. On termination of the appointment your only entitlement shall be to such fees as may have accrued to the date of termination together with reimbursement in the normal way of any expenses properly incurred prior to that date.
		

		
			REMUNERATION
		

			
	
			
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			The fee is £69,500 per annum (subject to income tax and other statutory deductions) of which £6,500 will be delivered in shares. The shares will be purchased for you net of tax and statutory deductions in August each year. There is an additional allowance relating to inter-continental travel of £3,500 per trip and there would be an additional fee, should you take over as Chair of any of the Committees.

		
			EXPENSES
		

		
			The Company will reimburse you for any expenses that you may incur properly and reasonably in performing your duties and which are properly documented. Such expenses would include reasonable legal fees if circumstances should arise in which it was necessary for you to seek separate legal advice about the performance of your duties. In such a situation, you are required to discuss the issue with the Senior Independent Director in advance.
		

		
			INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
		

		
			In some circumstances you may think that you need professional advice in the furtherance of your duties as a director. It may also be appropriate for you to seek advice from independent advisers at the Company's expense.  The Company will reimburse the full cost of any expenditure incurred.
		

		
			DATA PROTECTION
		

		
			DP Laws means all applicable data protection and privacy legislation, regulations and guidance as amended or replaced from time to time, including but not limited to the Data Protection Act 2018 (UK) and the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
		

		
			The Company will process personal data (including sensitive personal data) about you, in order to manage the Company’s relationship with you and for the purposes of its business.  The Company’s “Data Privacy” intranet page provides further detail about how and why your personal data will be used.  By entering into this agreement, you are deemed to have been notified about the purposes for, and manner in which, the Company will use your personal data.  You agree to keep the Company informed of any changes to your personal data.
		

		
			Notwithstanding that you are appointed as a Non-Executive Director, you agree that you have read and understood the Company’s policies, rules and procedures relating to the processing of personal data or 

		 

		

			

		

otherwise relating to DP Laws (“DP Policies”) available on the Company’s “Data Privacy” intranet page, and that you will comply at all times with the DP Laws and DP Policies.
		

		
			THIRD PARTY RIGHTS
		

		
			The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to this agreement. No person other than the parties to this agreement shall have any rights under it and it will not be enforceable by any person other than the parties to it.
		

		
			ENTIRE AGREEMENT
		

		
			This agreement constitutes the entire and only agreement between you and the Company and shall be construed in accordance with English law.
		

		
			Any previous agreement or arrangement between you and the Company or any Group company shall be deemed to have been terminated by mutual consent as from the commencement of this re-appointment.
		

		
			Please sign and return the enclosed copy of this letter to confirm your agreement to your re-appointment on the above terms.
		

		
			I look forward to working with you in the future.
		

		
			Yours sincerely
		

			
					
						Signature: /s/ Susan Swabey

				
	
					
						Company Secretary

				
	
					
						Date: February 18, 2020Exhibit

Exhibit 4.6

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE 
ACT OF 1934

Pattern Energy Group Inc. (the “Company”, “we,” “us,” or “our”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share. 
The following description of our capital stock is a summary of the material terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Certificate of Incorporation”), our amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”) and applicable provisions of law. We have summarized certain portions of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws below, each of which is filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. The summary is not complete. You should read the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws for the provisions that are important to you.
 
Authorized Capital Shares
 
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of Class A common stock (“Class A shares”), par value $0.01 per share, 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. All outstanding Class B common stock converted into Class A shares on a one-for-one basis on December 31, 2014. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that such Class B common stock were retired and we are no longer authorized to issue shares of Class B common stock.
 
Class A Shares
  
Holders of Class A shares are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders, including the election of directors. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding Class A shares are able to elect all of the directors, and holders of less than a majority of such shares will be unable to elect any director. Under our Certificate of Incorporation, subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding shares of preferred stock, holders of Class A shares are entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividend payments. The holders of Class A shares have no preferences or rights of conversion, exchange, pre-emption or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class A shares. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs, holders of Class A shares will be entitled to share ratably in our assets that are remaining after payment or provision for payment of all of our debts and obligations and after liquidation payments to holders of outstanding shares of preferred stock, if any.

The Class A shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “PEGI”.

Preferred Shares
 
The Company currently has outstanding Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”). The ability of the Company to declare or pay dividends or distributions on Class A shares is subject to certain restrictions in the event that the Company fails to declare and pay full dividends on its Series A Preferred Stock. The Company’s Class A shares also ranks junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. These restrictions are set forth in, and this description is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Certificate of Designation establishing the preferences and terms of the Series A Preferred Stock, a copy of which has been filed with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and Delaware Law that May Have an Anti-Takeover Effect
 
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
 
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws contain certain provisions that could discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or changes in our management that the shareholders of our company may deem advantageous. Among other things, these provisions include those that would:

		
	•
	authorize the issuance of blank check preferred stock that our board of directors could issue to increase the number of outstanding shares and to discourage a takeover attempt;

		
	•
	prohibit our shareholders from calling a special meeting of shareholders if Pattern Energy Group LP, or “Pattern Development”, and its affiliates (other than our company) collectively cease to own more than 50% of our shares;

		
	•
	prohibit shareholder action by written consent, which requires all shareholder actions to be taken at a meeting of our shareholders if Pattern Development and its affiliates (other than our company) collectively cease to own more than 50% of our shares;

		
	•
	provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, or to alter or repeal our bylaws; and

		
	•
	establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by shareholders at shareholder meetings.

   
As of May 14, 2014, Pattern Development and its affiliates (other than our company) collectively ceased to own more than 50% of our shares.
 
The foregoing provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of the board of directors and in the policies formulated by the board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares of Class A shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management.

Delaware Takeover Statute
 
Subject to certain exceptions, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or “DGCL,” prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any “business combination” (as defined below) with any “interested shareholder” (as defined below) for a period of three years following the date that such shareholder became an interested shareholder, unless: (1) prior to such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder; (2) on consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned (x) by persons who are directors and also officers and (y) by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or (3) on or subsequent to such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of shareholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested shareholder.
 
In our Certificate of Incorporation, we have elected not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL, as permitted under and pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of Section 203. Section 203 of the DGCL defines “business combination” to include: (1) any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested shareholder; (2) any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested shareholder; (3) subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested shareholder; (4) any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested shareholder; or (5) the receipt by the interested shareholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. In general, Section 203 defines an “interested shareholder” as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.

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