Source - LSE Regulatory
RNS Number : 6881M
IOG PLC
23 September 2021
 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN IT (TOGETHER, THIS "ANNOUNCEMENT") IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL ("RESTRICTED JURISDICTION").

 

FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER IN ANY JURISDICTION.

23 September 2021

 

IOG plc

Proposed Placing and Subscription to fund appraisal of incremental high-return Southern Hub

 

IOG plc ("IOG" or "the Company"), (AIM: IOG.L), the Net Zero UK gas and infrastructure operator focused on high return projects, today announces a proposed placing (the "Placing") and Subscription (as defined below, and together the "Fundraise") to raise gross proceeds of approximately £8.5 million through the issue of new Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each in the capital of the Company (the "New Ordinary Shares"). The New Ordinary Shares will be issued to existing and new investors pursuant to the Placing ("Placing Shares") at a price of 25 pence per Ordinary Share (the "Issue Price") through finnCap Ltd ("finnCap") and Peel Hunt LLP ("Peel Hunt"), acting as joint bookrunners (together the "Joint Bookrunners").

 

The Fundraise is being conducted on a non-pre-emptive basis. In addition to the Placing, the Company intends to enter into subscription agreements with certain of its directors and senior executives who have indicated that they intend to subscribe for 200,000 New Ordinary Shares (the "Subscription Shares") at the Issue Price (the "Subscription"). Together, the total number of New Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Fundraise will be less than 10% of the Company's existing issued share capital.

 

The Placing will be conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix to this announcement (which forms part of this announcement, such announcement and the Appendix together being this "Announcement") through an accelerated bookbuild process (the "Bookbuild") which will be launched immediately following release of this Announcement. The Placing is not being underwritten.

 

The net proceeds of the Fundraise will primarily be used by the Company to pursue a high-return incremental opportunity in addition to its existing development assets portfolio, by funding its 50% net share of the cost of drilling a dual-lateral appraisal well at the Kelham North and Kelham Central prospects in licence P2442 (Block 53/1b). Management estimates that Kelham North and Kelham Central contain gross mid-case resources of 36 Billion cubic feet equivalent ("Bcfe") and 42 Bcfe respectively, while the wells have geological chances of success ("GCoS") of 80% and 70% respectively. If successful, these assets would form the basis of a new Southern Hub that, with the Abbeydale discovery tied back subsea, has an estimated IRR of 47% at the Company's base planning case gas price of 45p/therm, directly benefitting from the existing Saturn Banks infrastructure. In the Company's view, successful appraisal would also significantly de-risk the other discoveries and prospects in the P2442 licence, enhancing the commercial potential of the area.

 

By conducting the Fundraise now, the Company will be able to elect to continue into the next phase of the licence and also exercise an extension option embedded in its Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig contract, which was executed in 2020 at a time of historically low rig rates. If the option is exercised by 30 September 2021, this would enable the Company to drill this well at the same rig rate as the Phase 1 development programme. The Kelham North and Kelham Central well is planned to follow a Goddard appraisal well in licence P2438 to be financed out of existing resources and drilled directly after the first two Southwark production wells, enabling the Company to benefit from significant drilling efficiencies. As previously announced, the Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig is drilling the Blythe production well at the present time, further details of which are provided in the operational update below. The Company's Joint Venture ("JV") partner CalEnergy Resources (UK) Limited ("CER") holds the other 50% non-operated stake in both P2438 and P2442 and is aligned with plans to maximise returns from these licences.

 

Assuming the Placing is subscribed in full, the Fundraise proceeds are intended to be used as follows:

 

Kelham North & Central appraisal well (50% share)

£6.25m

Additional drilling contingency

£1.20m

Accelerated technical evaluation of licence P2589

£0.55m

Transaction fees and associated costs

£0.50m

Total

£8.50m

 

The Fundraise is being conducted out of the authorities to issue and allot Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Company granted to the Directors by shareholders at the Company's annual general meeting on 27 April 2021. Accordingly, the issue of the New Ordinary Shares is not subject to the approval of shareholders.

 

The Issue Price represents a discount of approximately 8.3% to the closing mid-market price of an Ordinary Share of 27.25 pence on 22 September 2021 (being the last practicable date prior to this Announcement). The New Ordinary Shares will represent approximately 6.5% of the Company's Enlarged Issued Share Capital.

 

Fiona MacAulay, Neil Hawkings, Andrew Hockey and Rupert Newall (the "Participating Directors") alongside David Gibson and James Chance (PDMRs of the Company) have indicated their intention to invest £50,000 in aggregate for 200,000 Subscription Shares pursuant to a direct subscription with the Company at the Issue Price. The Subscription is conditional on admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective and the Placing Agreement not being terminated in accordance with its terms.

 

Further details about the background to and reasons for the Fundraise are set out below.

 

Further details of the Terms and Conditions of the Placing are set out in the appendix to this Announcement. This announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand the information provided in the "Important Notice" section and the detailed terms and conditions of the Placing described in the Appendix 1.

 

Enquiries:

IOG plc

Andrew Hockey (CEO)

Rupert Newall (CFO)

James Chance (Head of Capital Markets & ESG)

 

+44 (0) 20 7036 1400

finnCap Ltd

Christopher Raggett / Simon Hicks

 

+44 (0) 20 7220 0500

Peel Hunt LLP

Richard Crichton / David McKeown 

+44 (0) 20 7418 8900

 

 

 

Vigo Consulting

Patrick d'Ancona / Chris McMahon / Oliver Clark

 

 

+44 (0) 20 7390 0230

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION 2014/596/EU AS IT FORMS PART OF THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018. IN ADDITION, MARKET SOUNDINGS WERE TAKEN IN RESPECT OF THE MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WITH THE RESULT THAT CERTAIN PERSONS BECAME AWARE OF SUCH INSIDE INFORMATION. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION.

 

Competent Person's Statement

In accordance with the AIM Note for Mining and Oil and Gas Companies, IOG discloses that Andrew Hockey, IOG's CEO, is the qualified person that has reviewed the technical information contained in this document.  Andrew Hockey has an MSc in Petroleum Geology and has been a member of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain since 1983.  He has 40 years' operating experience in the upstream oil and gas industry.  Andrew Hockey consents to the inclusion of the information in the form and context in which it appears.

Introduction

1.   Background to the Company

IOG owns and operates 50% stakes in a portfolio of low risk, high value gas reserves and resources in the UK Southern North Sea ("SNS"). IOG's 50% JV partner is CER, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

The Company's Saturn Banks Project targets a gross 2P peak production rate of 140 MMcfe/d (c. 24,000 Boe/d) from gross 2P gas reserves of 302 Bcfe (Source: ERC Equipoise Competent Persons Report: October 2017, adjusted by Management to account for updated project timing and compression) and management estimated 2C gas Contingent Resources of 132 Bcfe, via an efficient hub strategy based on co-owned infrastructure. In addition to its 2P reserves at Blythe, Elgood, Southwark, Nailsworth and Elland and 2C contingent resources at Goddard, it has management estimated gross 2C contingent resources of 23 Bcfe at Abbeydale and gross unrisked mid-case prospective resources of 36 Bcfe at Kelham North, 42 Bcfe at Kelham Central, 58 Bcfe at Thornbridge, 31 Bcfe at Southsea, 28 Bcfe and 19 Bcfe in the two Goddard flank structures, and 21 Bcfe at Harvey. The Orrell discovery, with management estimated gross 2C contingent resources of 42 Bcfe, also lies approximately 50% on the P2442 licence held 50% by IOG.

In December 2020 IOG was also awarded a 50% operated stake in Licence P2589, containing the Panther and Grafton gas discoveries with management estimated gross mid-case contingent resources of 46 Bcfe and 35 Bcfe respectively. In addition, IOG continues to pursue value accretive acquisitions to help generate further significant shareholder returns.

2.   COVID-19

Despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic to the economic environment and the supply chain since early 2020, IOG has managed to maintain its progress on safe and successful execution of the four main Phase 1 workstreams. These include firstly the engineering, fabrication, transportation and installation of the two Normally Unmanned Installations ("NUI") at the Blythe and Southwark fields, secondly the fabrication, transportation and installation of a number of pipelines and other subsea equipment on the seabed, thirdly the development drilling programme and finally the refurbishment and recommissioning of the onshore Saturn Banks reception facilities at the Bacton terminal. Collectively these workstreams remain on track to deliver Phase 1 first gas in Q4 2021.

3.   Operational Update

Since announcing Phase 1 Final Investment Decision (FID) in Q4 2019, the Company has continued to make good progress on the development of its Phase 1 assets, incorporating all four key workstreams: platforms, subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines ("SURF"), drilling and onshore.

Key previous milestones include the following: 

·       Fabrication, transportation, and installation of both the Saturn Banks Phase 1 NUIs at Blythe and Southwark successfully completed

·        12-inch Blythe pipeline, 6-inch Elgood pipeline and Elgood control umbilical all installed

·       Phase 1 development drilling campaign kicked off with spud of Elgood well 48/22c-7 in April 2021 by the Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig, with Petrofac as well operator and Schlumberger as key drilling services contractor

·      The Elgood subsea well flowed successfully on clean-up at a maximum rate of 57.8 mmscf/d gas and 959 bbl/d condensate through an 80/64th inch choke

·       Gas sales agreement ("GSA") signed with Gazprom Marketing & Trading ("GM&T") for the first two years of Elgood and Southwark production, plus Nailsworth and Elland, after a competitive offtake process 

In addition to the above, the Company can confirm the following further Phase 1 operational progress:

·        The Blythe production well has been drilled to TD at 10,750ft MD, including an additional 150ft of reservoir beyond prognosis

·       Lower and upper completions have been run and preparations are underway for clean-up flow testing, which is anticipated to conclude by the end of this month

·       Following spudding on 2 August 2021, the well's expected total duration is therefore approximately two months and it is currently projected to be delivered on budget  

·         Following the laying of the 12-inch Blythe and 6-inch Elgood pipelines as announced earlier in Q3, the Elgood 6-inch pipeline is now fully connected to the Elgood wellhead and the Blythe platform 

·       The Elgood control umbilical, also installed this summer, is now functioning, with wellhead pressures indicating at the Blythe platform and onshore

·         The 12-inch Blythe to Saturn Banks pipeline has been connected to the Blythe platform and the 12-inch valve skid at the 24-inch Saturn Banks tie-in point  

·        The mechanical connector is in place on the main 24-inch Saturn Banks pipeline in preparation for installation of the 24-inch valve skid in October, which will then enable de-watering and back gassing of the pipelines network from Bacton through to Blythe and Elgood

·      Destruct and tie-in works at the Saturn Banks onshore reception facilities at the Bacton Gas Terminal ("BGT") are now complete. There is a sizeable construction team on site in the process of installing the remaining infrastructure, including: new pipework, vents, metering systems, electrical and control cabling, instrumentation and the integrated control and safety system ahead of First Gas

 

Further to this operational update, the Company reiterates its guidance that it remains on course to achieve Phase 1 first gas in Q4 2021 and has sufficient capital to do so. The proceeds of the proposed Fundraise are intended to fund new growth. In addition, as permitted under the terms of its €100 million senior secured bond and as a prudent precaution to provide further financial headroom in case of any unforeseen delays prior to first gas, it is also currently in discussions with a well-known international bank regarding a subordinated working capital facility of up to €5 million. 

 

4.   Strategy

IOG is a Net Zero UK gas and infrastructure operator focused on high return projects. The Company believes its key competitive advantages include its infrastructure ownership, its development operator status, its low projected emissions profile and commitment to be Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero as of 2021, and its ability to fund further developments once on stream given substantial projected Phase 1 cashflows with a committed development carry in place for Phase 2 from its JV partner. In combination, these attributes can generate significant growth and shareholder returns through the execution of a sequence of gas projects - a multi-phase "project factory" - delivered via the Company's co-owned infrastructure.

 

Whilst looking to benefit from a period of strong gas prices as it moves into Phase 1 production, the Directors also wish to enhance the Company's opportunity set of high-return incremental development opportunities around its Saturn Banks Pipeline System to drive medium term growth and enhance shareholder value. With the completion of the Blythe Hub and first gas expected in Q4 and Southwark to follow during Q2 2022, IOG expects to generate the cash flow to service its debts and continue to advance other assets in its portfolio towards production. The appraisal of assets such as Goddard and Kelham North and Kelham Central is designed to optimise the development of such assets to ensure maximum returns on capital.

 

As announced in March 2021, 3D seismic reprocessing to Pre-Stack Depth Migration ("PSDM") significantly improved the potential for two new incremental high-return gas hubs, a northern hub in P2438 and a southern hub in P2442:  

 

·         At Goddard (P2438) gross management estimated 2C contingent resources at Goddard increased from 108 Bcfe to 132 Bcfe, with the Southsea prospect also identified

·        At the Southern Hub (P2442), gross management estimated 2C contingent resources at Abbeydale increased from 6 Bcfe to 23 Bcfe

·      The Kelham North and Kelham Central structures in licence P2442 with gross management estimated prospective resources of 36 Bcfe and 42 Bcfe, with 80% and 70% GCoS, respectively

·     Thornbridge Deep prospect also identified in licence P2442 with gross management estimated prospective resources of 58 Bcfe and 32% GCoS

·       Both the P2438 and P2442 licences are held 50:50 between IOG and its JV partner CER, and operated by IOG

 

5.   The key reasons for the Fundraise are:

IOG is seeking to prove up its proposed Southern Hub in licence P2442 by securing the opportunity to appraise the Kelham North & Central prospects, which could then be developed alongside the Abbeydale discovery and potentially also the Thornbridge and Thornbridge Deep prospects and the Orrell discovery which lies partly on the licence.  

The net proceeds of the Fundraise will enable the Company to fund its share of drilling a dual lateral appraisal well to prove up a high-return three field gas hub of Kelham North & Central and Abbeydale with further potential to tie in Thornbridge, Thornbridge Deep and Orrell. If successfully appraised this hub could be fast-tracked into production with two development wells at Kelham via an NUI with the Abbeydale discovery as a single well subsea tie-back. We currently expect that the fields would be developed via a new 30km pipeline to the Company's co-owned Saturn Banks Pipeline giving direct access to the Bacton terminal. In such a scenario the directors believe that this hub would deliver a 47% IRR (using the Company's long-term gas price planning case of 45p/therm) in line with the Company's stated strategy to focus on high return projects. In the future, subject to the drilling of another dual lateral exploration / appraisal well, the Southern Hub could also include the Thornbridge and Thornbridge Deep prospects, which lie within close tie-back range.

Resource Estimates (pre-drill, gross)

1C / Low

2C / Mid

3C / High

GCOS

Kelham N: Prospective Resources

14

36

68

80%

Kelham C: Prospective Resources

38

42

47

70%

Abbeydale: Contingent Resources

19

23

27

100%

Thornbridge Deep: Prospective Resources

3

58

125

32%

Thornbridge: Prospective Resources

Undergoing technical evaluation

Orrell* Contingent Resources

30

42

50

100%

*approximately 50% of discovery extends into unlicensed area directly north of Block 53/1b

By conducting the Fundraise now, the Company will be able to elect to continue into the next phase of the licence and also exercise an extension option embedded in its Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig contract, which was executed in 2020 at a time of historically low rig rates. If the option is exercised by 30 September 2021, this would enable the Company to drill this well at the same rig rate as the Phase 1 development programme. The Kelham North and Kelham Central well is planned to follow a Goddard appraisal well to be drilled directly after the first two Southwark production wells, enabling the Company to benefit from significant drilling efficiencies.

As part of the same continuous drilling programme, the Company is also planning to drill an appraisal well to assess the extent of the Goddard field and the full commercial potential of its proposed Northern Hub, which would comprise Goddard, the Goddard Flanks and Southsea. The Company's 50% share of the costs of this appraisal well are intended to be funded from cash flows. The primary rationale for appraisal is to optimise the Goddard development in terms of platform location and size, and number of wells. The appraisal well is intended to establish the south-eastern extent of the Goddard structure, which is the basis for management's estimated high case resources of 258 Bcfe. If this high case is confirmed by the well, the Company projects a significantly enhanced IRR of 44% for the Goddard field based on a six well development, using the Company's long-term planning base case gas price of 45p/therm.

Further details of the use of the Fundraise proceeds are set out in paragraph 6 below.

6.   Use of Proceeds

The Fundraise proceeds are expected to be applied as follows:

Kelham North & Central appraisal well (50% share)

£6.25m

Additional drilling contingency

£1.20m

Accelerate technical evaluation of licence P2589

£0.55m

Transaction fees and associated costs

£0.50m

Total

£8.50m

The Fundraise is intended to fund the above and, to the extent not required for the above, to fund further growth activity for the Company in line with its strategy as a Net Zero UK gas and infrastructure operator focused on high return projects.

7.   Current Trading

The Company released its audited results for the 12-month period to 31 December 2020 on 18 March 2021 and its unaudited results for the 6-month period to 30 June 2021 on 26 August 2021.

Cash balance at the end of the 12-month period ending 31 December 2020 was £80.4 million. For the same period ending 31 December 2019, the cash balance was £98.3 million. Cash balance at the end of the 6-month period ending 30 June 2021 was £59.0 million.

The post-tax loss for the 12-month period ending 31 December 2020 was £19.3 million. The profit for the 12 months ending 31 December 2019 was £15.0 million. Post-tax profit for 1H21 was £0.2 million.

8.   The Placing

The Company proposes to raise approximately £8.45 million (before expenses) through the Placing. The Issue Price represents a discount of approximately 8.3% to the closing mid-market price of an Ordinary Share of 27.25 pence on 22 September 2021 (being the last practicable date prior to the announcement of the Placing). The Placing Shares will rank pari passu with the Existing Ordinary Shares. The Placing is not being underwritten.

The Placing is being conducted out of the authorities to issue and allot ordinary shares in the capital of the Company granted to the directors by shareholders at the Company annual general meeting on 27 April 2021. Accordingly, the Placing and issue of the Placing Shares are not subject to the approval of Shareholders.

9.   Further details of the Placing

The Placing is conditional, inter alia, upon:

i.    the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional in all respects in relation to the Placing (save for Admission) and not having been terminated; and

ii.    Admission becoming effective by not later than 8.00 a.m. on 28 September 2021 or such later date (being not later than 8.00 a.m. on 12 October 2021) as the Company, finnCap and Peel Hunt may agree.

Pursuant to the terms of the Placing Agreement, finnCap and Peel Hunt as agents for the Company have agreed to use their respective reasonable endeavours to procure placees for the Placing Shares at the Issue Price. The Placing Agreement contains warranties from the Company in favour of finnCap and Peel Hunt in relation to, inter alia, the accuracy of the information contained in the documents relating to the Placing and certain other matters relating to the Company and its business. In addition, the Company has agreed to indemnify finnCap and Peel Hunt in relation to certain liabilities that they may incur in respect of the Placing.

finnCap and/or Peel Hunt may terminate the Placing Agreement in certain circumstances (including for breach of warranty at any time prior to Admission, if such breach is reasonably considered by finnCap and/or Peel Hunt to be material in the context of the Placing) and in the event of a force majeure event or material adverse change occurring at any time prior to Admission.

10.  Details of the Subscription

Fiona MacAulay, Neil Hawkings, Andrew Hockey and Rupert Newall, being Directors of the Company, alongside David Gibson and James Chance (PDMRs of the Company) have indicated their intention to invest £50,000 in aggregate for 200,000 Subscription Shares pursuant to a direct subscription with the Company at the Issue Price. The Subscription is conditional on admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective and the Placing Agreement not being terminated in accordance with its terms. Any Subscription will be announced with the closing of the Bookbuild.

11.  Expected Timetable of Principal Events

 

2021

Announcement of the Placing, Bookbuild commences

23 September

Announcement of the result of the Bookbuild via a Regulatory Information Service

23 September

Admission and dealings in the New Ordinary Shares to commence on AIM

28 September

CREST accounts expected to be credited for the New Ordinary Shares in uncertificated form

28 September

Each of the times and dates in the above timetable is subject to change. If any of the above times and/or dates change, the revised times and/or dates will be notified to Shareholders by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service. References to time in this document are to London time.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM ANY PART OF AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUBSCRIBE FOR OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE ANY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES")), CANADA, AUSTRALIA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE PLACING SHARES IS BEING MADE IN ANY SUCH JURISDICTION. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE RESTRICTIONS MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTIONS.

 

Neither this Announcement, nor any copy of it, nor the information contained in it, is for publication, release, transmission distribution or forwarding, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction in which publication, release or distribution would be unlawful (or to any persons in any of those jurisdictions).

 

The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act") or with any other securities regulatory authority or under any securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, resold, pledged, taken up, exercised, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and in compliance with the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

 

The securities referred to herein have not been approved, disapproved or recommended by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the United States or any other U.S. regulatory authority, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of such securities.

 

No offering document or prospectus will be made available in any jurisdiction in connection with the matters contained or referred to in this Announcement or the Placing and no such prospectus is required (in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation) to be published. Members of the public are not eligible to take part in the Placing and no public offering of Placing Shares is being or will be made in the United States, United Kingdom or elsewhere.

 

All offers of the Placing Shares will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation and the UK Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus.

 

This Announcement has been issued by, and is the sole responsibility of, the Company. No responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by, and no undertaking, representation or warranty or other assurance, express or implied, is or will be made or given by the Joint Bookrunners or by any of their respective partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, consultants or affiliates as to, or in relation to, the accuracy, fairness or completeness of the information or opinions contained in this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested person or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed. The information in this Announcement is subject to change.

 

finnCap and Peel Hunt, who are authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, are acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the Placing and the transactions and arrangements described in this Announcement and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this Announcement) as a client in relation to the Placing or any other matter referred to in this Announcement.

 

Neither finnCap or Peel Hunt are responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of finnCap or Peel Hunt or for providing advice in connection with the contents of this Announcement, the Placing or the transactions, arrangements and matters referred to herein.

 

None of the information in this Announcement has been independently verified or approved by either of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, consultants or affiliates. Save for any responsibilities or liabilities, if any, imposed on the Joint Bookrunners by FSMA or by the regulatory regime established under it, no responsibility or liability whatsoever whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, is accepted by the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, consultants or affiliates whatsoever for the contents of the information contained in this Announcement (including, but not limited to, any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the information or any opinions) or for any other statement made or purported to be made by or on behalf of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, consultants or affiliates in connection with the Company, the Placing Shares or the Placing or for any loss, cost or damage suffered or incurred howsoever arising, directly or indirectly, from any use of this Announcement or its contents or otherwise in connection with this Announcement or from any acts or omissions of the Company in relation to the Placing. The Joint Bookrunners and their partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, consultants and affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any responsibility and liability whatsoever, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) in respect of any statements or other information contained in this Announcement and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by either Joint Bookrunner or any of their respective partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, consultants or affiliates as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information contained in this Announcement.

 

finnCap's responsibilities as the Company's nominated adviser under the AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange and are not owed to the Company or to any Director or to any other person.

 

The distribution of this Announcement and the offering of the Placing Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by the Company or the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective affiliates that would permit an offering of the Placing Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Placing Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this Announcement comes are required by the Company and the Joint Bookrunners to inform themselves about, and to observe, such restrictions.

 

Persons distributing this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. Persons (including without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual right or other legal obligations to forward a copy of this Announcement (or any part thereof) should seek appropriate advice before taking any action.

In connection with the Placing, the Joint Bookrunners and any of their respective affiliates, acting as investors for their own account, may take up a portion of the shares in the Placing as a principal position and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell for the own accounts or otherwise deal for their own account in such shares and other securities of the Company or related investments in connection with the Placing or otherwise. Accordingly, references to Placing Shares being offered, acquired, placed or otherwise dealt in should be read as including any issue or offer to, or acquisition, placing or dealing by, the Joint Bookrunners and their respective affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, the Joint Bookrunners and any of their respective affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps) with investors in connection with which the Joint Bookrunners and any of their respective affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of shares or other securities. The Joint Bookrunners do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so.

 

This Announcement does not identify or suggest, or purport to identify or suggest, the risks (direct or indirect) that may be associated with an investment in the Placing Shares. Any investment decision to buy Placing Shares in the Placing must be made solely on the basis of publicly available information, which has not been independently verified by the Joint Bookrunners.

 

This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus or offering memorandum or an offer in respect of any securities and is not intended to provide the basis for any decision in respect of the Company or other evaluation of any securities of the Company or any other entity and should not be considered as a recommendation that any investor should subscribe for, purchase, otherwise acquire, sell or otherwise dispose of any such securities. Recipients of this Announcement who are considering acquiring Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing are reminded that they should conduct their own investigation, evaluation and analysis of the business, data and property described in this Announcement. The price and value of securities can go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested upon the disposal of the shares. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The contents of this Announcement are not to be construed as legal, business, financial or tax advice. Each investor should consult with his or her or its own legal adviser, business adviser, financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, financial, business or tax advice.

 

Any indication in this Announcement of the price at which the Company's shares have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. No statement in this Announcement is intended to be a profit forecast or profit estimate for any period and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings, earnings per share or income, cash flow from operations or free cash flow for the Company for the current or future financial periods would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings, earnings per share or income, cash flow from operations or free cash flow for the Company.

 

References in this Announcement to other reports or materials, such as a website address, have been provided to direct the reader to other sources of information on the Company which may be of interest.

 

Neither the content of the Company's website (or any other website) nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into or forms part of this Announcement.

 

The Placing Shares to be issued or sold pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than AIM.

 

The Appendix to this Announcement (which forms part of this Announcement) sets out further information relating to the terms and conditions of the Placing and the Bookbuild. Persons who choose to participate in the Placing, by making an oral or written offer to subscribe for Placing Shares, will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including the Appendix) and to be making such offer on the terms and subject to the conditions in this Announcement and to be providing the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgements and undertakings contained in the Appendix.

 

Forward-looking Statements

This Announcement includes "forward-looking statements" which include all statements other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations, or any statements proceeded by, followed by or that include the words "targets", "believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "anticipates", "would", "could" or similar expressions or negatives thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Company's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future. Many of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions relate to factors that are beyond the Company's ability to control or estimate precisely and include, but are not limited to, general economic climate and market conditions as well as specific factors, including the success of the Company and its subsidiaries' research and development and commercialisation strategies, uncertainties regarding regulatory clearance and acceptance of products by customers. No undue reliance should be placed upon forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements speak only as at the date of this Announcement. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless required to do so by applicable law or the AIM Rules.

 

Information to Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, as respectively defined in paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6 of COBS; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the "Target Market Assessment").

Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Distributors should note that: the price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, finnCap and Peel Hunt will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapter 9A or 10A respectively of COBS; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to Placing Shares.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

Copies of this Announcement are available from the Company's website at www.iog.co.uk.

Neither the London Stock Exchange, nor any other securities regulatory authority, has approved or disapproved of the contents of this Announcement.

 

 

 

APPENDIX 1

Terms and Conditions of the Placing for invited Placees only

 

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN (THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHOSE ORDINARY ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN ACQUIRING, HOLDING, MANAGING AND DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS PRINCIPAL OR AGENT) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE: (A) IF IN A MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE "EEA"), PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS ("EEA QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF PROSPECTUS REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 (THE "PROSPECTUS REGULATION"); OR (B) IF IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS ("UK QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF PROSPECTUS REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 AS IT FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 (THE "UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION"), AND WHO ARE (I) PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF "INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL" IN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"), OR (II) PERSONS WHO FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC) OF THE ORDER ("RELEVANT PERSONS"), OR (C) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS REFERRED TO IN (A), (B) AND (C) ABOVE TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS").

 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.

EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE PLACING SHARES.

 

THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF, OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF, ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SHARES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER RESTRICTED TERRITORY OR ELSEWHERE.

 

Unless otherwise stated, capitalised terms in this Appendix have the meanings ascribed to them in Appendix 2.

 

This Announcement is for information only and does not itself constitute or form part of an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities referred to herein in any jurisdiction including, without limitation, the United States, Australia, Canada or Japan (each a "Restricted Territory") or in any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation is unlawful. No public offering of securities will be made in connection with the Placing in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, any other Restricted Territory or elsewhere.

 

This Announcement, and the information contained herein, is not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, to persons in any Restricted Territory or in any jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution is unlawful. The distribution of this Announcement and the Placing and/or the offer or sale of the Placing Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by the Company or by finnCap Ltd ("finnCap") or Peel Hunt LLP ("Peel Hunt" and, together with finnCap the "Joint Bookrunners") or any of their respective Affiliates, or any of their or their respective Affiliates' directors, officers, members, employees, agents or advisers which would permit an offer of the Placing Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such Placing Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons distributing any part of this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any such action. Persons into whose possession this Announcement comes are required by the Company, each of the Joint Bookrunners to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

 

All offers of the Placing Shares will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation, as applicable, from the requirement to produce a prospectus. This Announcement is being distributed and communicated to persons in the UK only in circumstances to which section 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA") does not apply.

 

The Placing has not been approved and will not be approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any State securities commission or any other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement. Any representation to the contrary is unlawful.

 

Subject to certain exceptions, the securities referred to in this Announcement may not be offered or sold in any Restricted Territory or in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is unlawful or to, or for the account or benefit of, a citizen or resident, or a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organised in or under the laws of a Restricted Territory or in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is unlawful.

 

This Announcement has been issued by, and is the sole responsibility of, the Company. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by any Joint Bookrunner or any of their respective Affiliates, or any of their or their respective Affiliates' directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers as to or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.

 

The Joint Bookrunners are acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the Placing and are not, and will not be, responsible to anyone (including the Placees) other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their clients nor for providing advice in relation to the Placing and/or any other matter referred to in this Announcement.

 

None of the Company, the Joint Bookrunners nor their respective Affiliates, nor any of their or their respective Affiliates' directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers, makes any representation or warranty, express or implied to any Placees regarding any investment in the securities referred to in this Announcement under the laws applicable to such Placees. Each Placee should consult its own advisers as to the legal, tax, commercial, financial and related aspects of an investment in the Placing Shares.

 

By participating in the Placing, Placees (including individuals, funds or otherwise) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to acquire Placing Shares has been given will (i) be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement, in its entirety; and (ii) be making such offer on the terms and conditions contained in this Appendix, including being deemed to be providing (and shall only be permitted to participate in the Placing on the basis that they have provided) the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements and undertakings set out herein.

 

In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants and acknowledges that:

 

a)         it is an Eligible Participant and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;

 

b)         except as otherwise permitted by the Company and the Joint Bookrunners and subject to any available exemptions from applicable securities laws, it and any account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion, is outside the United States subscribing for the Placing Shares in an offshore transaction as defined in and in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act; and

 

c)         if it is a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 2(d) of the Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation, as applicable, that it understands the resale and transfer restrictions set out in this Appendix and that any Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in a member state of the EEA to EEA Qualified Investors or in the United Kingdom to Relevant Persons, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the Joint Bookrunners has been given to each such proposed offer or resale.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PLACEES ONLY REGARDING THE PLACING

 

Defined terms used in this Appendix are set out in Appendix 2.

 

Bookbuild

 

Following the release of this Announcement, the Joint Bookrunners will commence a bookbuilding process in respect of the Placing (the "Bookbuild") to determine demand for participation in the Placing by Placees. The book will open with immediate effect following release of this Announcement. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares. Members of the public are not entitled to participate in the Placing. This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing.

 

The Joint Bookrunners and the Company shall be entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative method to the Bookbuild as they may, in their absolute discretion, determine.

 

Details of the Placing Agreement and of the Placing Shares

 

The Joint Bookrunners are acting as agents for the Company in connection with the Placing. The Joint Bookrunners have entered into an agreement with the Company (the "Placing Agreement") under which, subject to the conditions set out therein, the Joint Bookrunners have agreed, as agents for the Company, severally to use reasonable endeavours to procure Placees for Placing Shares at a price of 25 pence (the "Issue Price"). The number of Placing Shares in the Placing will be determined following completion of the Bookbuild and set out in a term sheet to be entered into between Joint Bookrunners and the Company (the "Term Sheet"). The final number of Placing Shares will be decided at the close of the Bookbuild. The timing of the closing of the book and allocations are at the discretion of the Company and the Joint Bookrunners. Details of the number of Placing Shares will be announced as soon as practicable after the close of the Bookbuild.

 

The Placing Shares have been or will be duly authorised and will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares (other than treasury shares which are non-voting and do not qualify for dividends) and the Subscription Shares (as defined below), including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid in respect of the Ordinary Shares after their date of issue. The Placing Shares will be issued free of any encumbrances, liens or other security interests.

In conjunction with the Placing, certain directors of the Company intend to subscribe (the "Subscription") for new Ordinary Shares (the "Subscription Shares") at the Issue Price. The Subscription is conditional on the Placing and the Placing is conditional on the Subscription. The Joint Bookrunners are acting as placement agents only in connection with the Placing and are not acting for any person, including the Company in respect of the Subscription.

 

Applications for admission to listing and trading

 

Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange plc ("LSE") for the Placing Shares and the Subscription Shares to be admitted to trading on the AIM Market of the LSE ("AIM") ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will take place at 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 28 September 2021 (or such later date as may be agreed between the Company and the Joint Bookrunners).

 

Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing

 

1.       The Joint Bookrunners are arranging the Placing severally, and not jointly, nor jointly and severally, as agents of the Company. Participation will only be available to persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by either of the Joint Bookrunners. Each of the Joint Bookrunners and their respective Affiliates are entitled to enter bids as principal in the Bookbuild.

 

2.       The Bookbuild, if successful, will establish the number of Placing Shares which will be included in the Placing. The number of Placing Shares and the aggregate proceeds to be raised through the Placing will be agreed between the Joint Bookrunners and the Company following completion of the Bookbuild. The number of Placing Shares will be announced on a Regulatory Information Service following the completion of the Bookbuild.

 

3.       To bid in the Bookbuild, Placees should communicate their bid by telephone or in writing to their usual sales contact at one of the Joint Bookrunners. Each bid should state the number of Placing Shares which the prospective Placee wishes to acquire. Bids may be scaled down by the Joint Bookrunners on the basis referred to in paragraph 6 below.

 

4.       The Bookbuild is expected to close no later than 2.00 p.m. (London time) on 23 September 2021, being the date of this Announcement, but may be closed earlier or later, at the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners. The Joint Bookrunners may, in agreement with the Company, accept bids that are received after the Bookbuild has closed.

 

5.       Each Placee's allocation will be confirmed to Placees either orally or by email by the relevant Joint Bookrunner following the close of the Bookbuild, and a contract note will be dispatched as soon as possible thereafter. Subject to paragraph 7 below, the relevant Joint Bookrunner's oral or email confirmation to such Placee will constitute an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become a Placee) in favour of such Joint Bookrunner and the Company, under which such Placee agrees to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and to pay the Issue Price on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix.

 

6.       Subject to paragraphs 2 and 3 above, the Joint Bookrunners will, in effecting the Placing, agree with the Company the identity of the Placees and the basis of allocation of the Placing Shares and may scale down any bids for this purpose on such basis as they may determine. The Joint Bookrunners may also, notwithstanding paragraphs 2 and 3 above and subject to the prior consent of the Company, (i) allocate Placing Shares after the time of any initial allocation to any person submitting a bid after that time and (ii) allocate Placing Shares after the Bookbuild has closed to any person submitting a bid after that time. The acceptance of offers shall be at the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners.

 

7.       A bid in the Bookbuild will be made on the terms and subject to the conditions in this Appendix and will be legally binding on the Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except with the relevant Joint Bookrunner's consent, will not be capable of variation or revocation after the time at which it is submitted. Each Placee will also have an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to the relevant Joint Bookrunner (as agent of the Company), to pay it (or as it may direct) in cleared funds an amount equal to the product of the Issue Price and the number of Placing Shares that such Placee has agreed to acquire. Such Placees' obligations will be owed to the Company and to the relevant Joint Bookrunner. The Company shall allot such Placing Shares to each Placee following each Placee's payment to the relevant Joint Bookrunners of such amount.

 

8.       Except as required by law or regulation, no press release or other announcement will be made by any of the Joint Bookrunners or the Company using the name of any Placee (or its agent), in its capacity as Placee (or agent), other than with such Placee's prior written consent.

 

9.       Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation(s) pursuant to the Placing is/are confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and settlement".

 

10.     All obligations under the Bookbuild and the Placing will be subject to satisfaction, fulfilment or (where applicable) waiver of the conditions referred to below under "Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below under "Termination of the Placing Agreement".

 

11.     By participating in the Bookbuild, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee after confirmation (oral or otherwise) by a Joint Bookrunner.

 

12.     To the fullest extent permissible by law, none of the Joint Bookrunners, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates shall have any responsibility or liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular, none of the Joint Bookrunners, nor the Company, nor any of their respective Affiliates shall have any responsibility or liability (including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the Joint Bookrunners' conduct of the Bookbuild or of such alternative method of effecting the Placing as the Joint Bookrunners, their respective Affiliates and the Company may agree or determine.

Conditions of the Placing

 

The Placing is conditional upon the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms. The Joint Bookrunners' obligations under the Placing Agreement are conditional on certain conditions, including (without limitation):

 

1.         the Company complying with its obligations under the Placing Agreement to the extent that the same fall to be performed prior to Admission;

 

2.         the representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Placing Agreement being true and accurate and not misleading on and as of the date of the Placing Agreement, the date of the Term Sheet and the date of Admission, as though they had been given and made on such dates by reference to the facts and circumstances then subsisting, and no matter having arisen prior to Admission which might reasonably be expected to give rise to a claim under the indemnity contained in the Placing Agreement;

 

3.         the Subscription Agreements each having been duly executed and delivered to the Company, not having lapsed or been terminated and having been completed, other than Admission, in accordance with their terms and the Company having provided evidence satisfactory to the Joint Bookrunners, that it has received the subscription proceeds from the subscribers no later than 12.00 p.m. on the Business Day prior to Admission (or such other time and/or date as the Company and the Joint Bookrunners may agree); and

 

4.         Admission taking place by not later than 8.00 a.m. on 28 September 2021 (or such later time and/or date as may be agreed between the Company and the Joint Bookrunners, being not later than 12 October 2021).

If: (i) any of the conditions contained in the Placing Agreement, including (without limitation) those described above, are not fulfilled or (where applicable) waived by the Joint Bookrunners by the relevant time or date specified (or such later time or date as the Company and the Joint Bookrunners may agree); or (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified below, the Placing will lapse and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by it in respect thereof.

 

The Joint Bookrunners may, at their absolute discretion (acting jointly) waive compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in relation to the conditions in the Placing Agreement (to the extent that the Joint Bookrunners are capable of waiving such condition). Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.

 

Neither of the Joint Bookrunners nor any of their respective Affiliates, nor any of its or their respective Affiliates' directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers shall have any liability to any Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in respect of any decision it or another person may make as to whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any condition to the Placing nor for any decision it may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in respect of the Placing generally and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners.

 

By participating in the Bookbuild, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations hereunder terminate only in the circumstances described above and under "Termination of the Placing Agreement" below, and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.

 

Termination of the Placing Agreement

 

The Joint Bookrunners are entitled at any time before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement in accordance with its terms in certain circumstances, including, inter alia, if:

 

1.            if the Company has failed to comply with any of its obligations contained in the Placing Agreement such failure being, in the opinion of either of the Joint Bookrunners, acting in good faith, material in the context of the Placing or Admission; or

2.            any of the representations or warranties of the Company contained in the Placing Agreement was, when given, untrue, inaccurate or misleading or is not, or has ceased to be, true, accurate or not misleading (or would not be true, accurate or not misleading if then repeated) by reference to the facts subsisting at the time; or

3.            there has occurred, in the Joint Bookrunner's opinion, acting in good faith, a Material Adverse Change (as defined in the Placing Agreement); or

4.            the occurrence of a market disruption event, each, as specified in the Placing Agreement.

By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by the Joint Bookrunners of any right of termination or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners or for agreement between the Company and the Joint Bookrunners (as the case may be) and that neither the Company nor the Joint Bookrunners need make any reference to, or undertake any consultation with, Placees and that neither they nor any of their respective Affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise.

 

No prospectus

 

No offering document, prospectus or admission document has been or will be prepared or submitted to be approved by the FCA (or any other authority) in relation to the Placing, and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of publicly available information taken together with the information contained in this Announcement and any Exchange Information (as defined below) previously published by or on behalf of the Company simultaneously with or prior to the date of this Announcement and subject to the further terms set forth in the contract note (referred to in paragraph 5 above under "Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing") to be provided to individual prospective Placees.

 

Each Placee, by participating in the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement and the publicly available information released by or on behalf of the Company is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms to the Joint Bookrunners and the Company that it has neither received nor relied on any other information, representation, warranty, or statement made by or on behalf of the Company (other than publicly available information) or the Joint Bookrunners or their respective Affiliates or any other person and none of the Joint Bookrunners nor the Company, nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any other person will be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement which the Placees may have obtained or received (regardless of whether or not such information, representation, warranty or statement was given or made by or on behalf of any such persons). By participating in the Placing, each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in making an offer to participate in the Placing.

 

Lock-up

 

The Company has undertaken to the Joint Bookrunners that, between the date of the Placing Agreement and 120 calendar days after the date of Admission, it will not, without the prior written consent of the Joint Bookrunners (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), enter into certain transactions involving or relating to the Ordinary Shares, subject to certain customary carve-outs agreed between the Joint Bookrunners and the Company.

 

By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by the Joint Bookrunners of any power to grant consent to waive the undertaking by the Company of a transaction which would otherwise be subject to the lock-up under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners and that they need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that they shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise of the power to grant consent.

 

Registration and settlement

 

Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00BF49WF64) following Admission will take place within the relevant system administered by Euroclear ("CREST"), using the delivery versus payment mechanism, subject to certain exceptions. Subject to certain exceptions, the Joint Bookrunners and the Company reserve the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares to Placees by such other means that they deem necessary if delivery or settlement is not practicable in CREST within the timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in the Placee's jurisdiction.

 

Following the close of the Bookbuild for the Placing, each Placee allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a contract note stating the number of Placing Shares to be allocated to it at the Issue Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to the Joint Bookrunners and settlement instructions. It is expected that such contract note will be despatched on or around 23 September 2021 and that this will also be the trade date.

 

Each Placee agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with either the standing CREST or certificated settlement instructions that it has in place with the relevant Joint Bookrunner.

 

The Company will deliver the Placing Shares to a CREST account operated by the relevant Joint Bookrunner as agent for the Company and the relevant Joint Bookrunner will enter its delivery (DEL) instruction into the CREST system. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant Placing Shares to that Placee against payment.

 

It is expected that settlement in respect of the Placing Shares will be on 28 September 2021 on a delivery versus payment basis.

 

Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above at the rate of four percentage points above the Bank of England's base rate from time to time but 4% per year for any period during which that base rate is below zero.

 

Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, the Joint Bookrunners may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the Joint Bookrunner's account and benefit, an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however remain liable for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and shall be required to bear any stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax or other stamp, securities, transfer, registration, execution, documentary or other similar impost, duty or tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf.

 

If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that the contract note is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation. Insofar as Placing Shares are registered in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject to as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or UK stamp duty reserve tax. If there are any circumstances in which any other stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and/or any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) is payable in respect of the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of the Placing Shares (or for the avoidance of doubt if any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax is payable in connection with any subsequent transfer of or agreement to transfer Placing Shares), neither of the Joint Bookrunners nor the Company shall be responsible for the payment thereof.

 

Representations and warranties

 

By submitting a bid and/or participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably acknowledges, confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees (as the case may be) with each of the Joint Bookrunners (in their capacity as placing agents in respect of the Placing) and the Company, in each case as a fundamental term of its application for Placing Shares, the following:

 

5.            it has read and understood this Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and that its subscription for and purchase of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information contained herein and undertakes not to redistribute or duplicate this Announcement and that it has not relied on, and will not rely on, any information given or any representations, warranties or statements made at any time by any person in connection with Admission, the Bookbuild, the Placing, the Company, the Placing Shares or otherwise;

6.            that no offering document or prospectus or admission document has been or will be prepared in connection with the Placing or is required under the Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation and it has not received and will not receive a prospectus, admission document or other offering document in connection with Admission, the Bookbuild, the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares;

7.            that the Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM and that the Company is therefore required to publish certain business and financial information in accordance with MAR and the rules and practices of AIM (collectively, the "Exchange Information"), which includes a description of the nature of the Company's business and the Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account, and similar statements for preceding financial years and that it has reviewed such Exchange Information and that it is able to obtain or access such Exchange Information;

8.            that none of the Joint Bookrunners, nor the Company nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided, and none of them will provide, it with any material or information regarding the Placing Shares, the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Company or any other person other than this Announcement, nor has it requested any of the Joint Bookrunners, the Company, or any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such material or information;

9.            unless otherwise specifically agreed with the Joint Bookrunners, that it is not, and at the time the Placing Shares are acquired, neither it nor the beneficial owner of the Placing Shares will be, a resident of a Restricted Territory or any other jurisdiction in which it would be unlawful to make or accept an offer to acquire the Placing Shares, and further acknowledges that the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered or otherwise qualified for offer and sale nor will an offering document, prospectus or admission document be cleared or approved in respect of any of the Placing Shares under the securities legislation of the United States or any other Restricted Territory and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered, sold, transferred, delivered or distributed, directly or indirectly, in, into or within those jurisdictions or in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;

10.          that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and that none of the Joint Bookrunners nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf has or shall have any responsibility or liability for any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or any information previously or subsequently published by or on behalf of the Company, including, without limitation, any Exchange Information, and will not be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or any information previously published by or on behalf of the Company or otherwise. Each Placee further represents, warrants and agrees that the only information on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied in committing itself to acquire the Placing Shares is contained in this Announcement and any other Exchange Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares, and that it has neither received nor relied on any other information given or investigations, representations, warranties or statements made by the Joint Bookrunners or the Company and none of the Joint Bookrunners or the Company will be liable for any Placee's decision to accept an invitation to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee further acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation, examination and due diligence of the business, financial or other position of the Company in deciding to participate in the Placing and that none of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates have made any representations to it, express or implied, with respect to the Company, the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the Exchange Information, and each of them expressly disclaims any liability in respect thereof;

11.          that it has not relied on any information relating to the Company contained in any research reports prepared by the Joint Bookrunners, any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on the Joint Bookrunners' or any of their respective Affiliates' behalf and understands that (i) none of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf has or shall have any liability for public information or any representation; (ii) none of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf has or shall have any liability for any additional information that has otherwise been made available to such Placee, whether at the date of publication, the date of this Announcement or otherwise; and that (iii) none of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of such information, whether at the date of publication, the date of this Announcement or otherwise;

12.          that the allocation, allotment, issue and delivery to it, or the person specified by it for registration as holder, of Placing Shares will not give rise to a liability under any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance Act 1986 (depositary receipts and clearance services) and that it is not participating in the Placing as nominee or agent for any person to whom the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of the Placing Shares would give rise to such a liability and that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer Placing Shares into a clearance service;

13.          that it acknowledges that no action has been or will be taken by the Company, the Joint Bookrunners or any person acting on behalf of the Company or the Joint Bookrunners that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;

14.          that it and any person acting on its behalf is entitled to acquire the Placing Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to it and that it has fully observed such laws and obtained all such governmental and other guarantees, permits, authorisations, approvals and consents which may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary formalities and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take any action which will or may result in the Joint Bookrunners, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates acting in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any jurisdiction in connection with the Placing;

15.          that it (and any person acting on its behalf) has all necessary capacity and has obtained all necessary consents and authorities to enable it to commit to its participation in the Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto (including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and will honour such obligations;

16.          that it has complied with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993, MAR and in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000, the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001, the Terrorism Act 2006, the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 and the Money Laundering Sourcebook of the FCA and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any government agency having jurisdiction in respect thereof (the "Regulations") and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations. If within a reasonable time after a request for verification of identity, the Joint Bookrunners have not received such satisfactory evidence, the Joint Bookrunners may, in their absolute discretion, terminate the Placee's Placing participation in which event all funds delivered by the Placee to the Joint Bookrunners will be returned without interest to the account of the drawee bank or CREST account from which they were originally debited;

17.          that it is acting as principal only in respect of the Placing or, if it is acting for any other person: (i) it is duly authorised to do so and has full power to make, and does make, the acknowledgments, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such person; and (ii) it is and will remain liable to the Joint Bookrunners and the Company for the performance of all its obligations as a Placee in respect of the Placing (regardless of the fact that it is acting for another person). Each Placee agrees that the provisions of this paragraph shall survive the resale of the Placing Shares by or on behalf of any person for whom it is acting;

18.          if in a member state of the EEA, that it is an EEA Qualified Investor;

19.          if in the United Kingdom, that it is a Relevant Person and it undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage and (if applicable) dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business only;

20.          that it will not distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentation or other materials concerning the Placing (including electronic copies thereof), directly or indirectly, whether in whole or in part, in or into any Restricted Territory or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution, forwarding, transfer or transmission would be unlawful;

21.          where it is acquiring the Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it represents, warrants and undertakes that it is authorised in writing by each managed account to acquire the Placing Shares for each managed account and it has full power to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such account;

22.          that if it is a pension fund or investment company, it represents, warrants and undertakes that its acquisition of Placing Shares is in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

23.          if it is acting as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 2(d) of the Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation, as the case may be, that the Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a member state of the EEA other than EEA Qualified Investors or persons in the United Kingdom other than Relevant Persons, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the Joint Bookrunners and the Company has been given to the proposed offer or resale;

24.          that it has not offered or sold and, prior to the expiry of a period of six months from Admission, will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the EEA, except to EEA Qualified Investors or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member state in the EEA within the meaning of Article 2(d) of the Prospectus Regulation;

25.          that it has not offered or sold and, prior to the expiry of a period of six months from Admission, will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the United Kingdom, except to Relevant Persons or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of Article 2(d) of the UK Prospectus Regulation;

26.          that any offer of Placing Shares may only be directed at persons in member states of the EEA who are EEA Qualified Investors and represents, warrants and undertakes that it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the EEA prior to Admission except to EEA Qualified Investors or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member state of the EEA within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation;

27.          that any offer of Placing Shares may only be directed at persons in the United Kingdom who are Relevant Persons and represents, warrants and undertakes that it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the United Kingdom prior to Admission except to Relevant Persons or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation;

28.          that it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person;

29.          that it has complied and will comply with all applicable laws (including all relevant provisions of the FSMA) with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Placing Shares in respect of anything done in, from or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom;

30.          if it has received any inside information (as that terms is defined in MAR) about the Company in advance of the Placing, it has not: (i) dealt in the securities of the Company; (ii) encouraged or required another person to deal in the securities of the Company; or (iii) disclosed such information to any person except as permitted by the MAR, prior to the information being made publicly available;

31.          that (i) it (and any person acting on its behalf) has capacity and authority and is otherwise entitled to purchase the Placing Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to it; (ii) it has paid any issue, transfer or other taxes due in connection with its participation in any territory; (iii) it has not taken any action which will or may result in the Company, the Joint Bookrunners, any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on their behalf being in breach of the legal and/or regulatory requirements and/or any anti-money laundering requirements of any territory in connection with the Placing; and (iv) that the subscription for and purchase of the Placing Shares by it or any person acting on its behalf will be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdiction of its residence, the residence of the Company, or otherwise;

32.          it (and any person acting on its behalf) has the funds available to pay for the Placing Shares it has agreed to acquire and acknowledges, agrees and undertakes that it (and any person acting on its behalf) will make payment for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein against delivery of such Placing Shares to it, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other Placees or sold as the Joint Bookrunners may in their absolute discretion determine and without liability to such Placee. It will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the net proceeds of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Placing Shares and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties) due pursuant to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;

33.          that its allocation (if any) of Placing Shares will represent a maximum number of Placing Shares to which it will be entitled, and required, to acquire, and that the Joint Bookrunners or the Company may call upon it to acquire a lower number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event in aggregate more than the aforementioned maximum;

34.          that none of the Joint Bookrunners nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf, is making any recommendations to it, or advising it regarding the suitability or merits of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing and that participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of the Joint Bookrunners and that the Joint Bookrunners do not have any duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or customers or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of either of the Joint Bookrunners' rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;

35.          that the person whom it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be (i) itself or (ii) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither of the Joint Bookrunners nor the Company nor any of their respective Affiliates will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar duties or taxes (together with any interest or penalties) resulting from a failure to observe this requirement. Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to indemnify each of the Joint Bookrunners, the Company and any of their respective Affiliates in respect of the same on an after-tax basis on the basis that the Placing Shares will be allotted to the CREST stock account of the Joint Bookrunners (or either of them) who will hold them as nominee directly or indirectly on behalf of such Placee until settlement in accordance with its standing settlement instructions with it;

36.          that these terms and conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these terms and conditions, and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with such agreements, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any such agreements, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Joint Bookrunners or the Company in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange;

37.          that each of the Joint Bookrunners, the Company and their respective Affiliates and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, undertakings and acknowledgements set forth herein and which are given to each of the Joint Bookrunners on their own behalf and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable and it irrevocably authorises each of the Joint Bookrunners and the Company to produce this Announcement, pursuant to, in connection with, or as may be required by any applicable law or regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters set forth herein;

38.          that it will indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold each of the Joint Bookrunners, the Company and their respective Affiliates and any person acting on their behalf harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of, directly or indirectly, or in connection with any breach by it of the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Appendix and further agrees that the provisions of this Appendix shall survive after completion of the Placing;

39.          acknowledges that it irrevocably appoints any director of the Joint Bookrunners as its agent for the purposes of executing and delivering to the Company and/or its registrars any documents on its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the Placing Shares agreed to be taken up by it under the Placing;

40.          that it acknowledges that its commitment to acquire Placing Shares on the terms set out herein and in the contract note will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or the Joint Bookrunners' conduct of the Placing;

41.          that in making any decision to acquire the Placing Shares (i) it has sufficient knowledge, sophistication and experience in financial, business and international investment matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks of subscribing for or purchasing the Placing Shares, (ii) it is experienced in investing in securities of this nature in the Company's sector and is aware that it may be required to bear, and is able to bear, the economic risk of participating in, and is able to sustain a complete loss in connection with, the Placing, (iii) it has relied on its own examination, due diligence and analysis of the Company and its Affiliates taken as a whole, including the markets in which the Group operates, and the terms of the Placing, including the merits and risks involved and not upon any view expressed or information provided by or on behalf of the Joint Bookrunners, (iv) it has had sufficient time and access to information to consider and conduct its own investigation with respect to the offer and purchase of the Placing Shares, including the legal, regulatory, tax, business, currency and other economic and financial considerations relevant to such investment and has so conducted its own investigation to the extent it deems necessary for the purposes of its investigation, (v) it is aware and understands that an investment in the Placing Shares involves a considerable degree of risk; and (vi) it will not look to the Company, the Joint Bookrunners, any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on their behalf for all or part of any such loss or losses it or they may suffer;

42.          that it acknowledges and agrees that none of the Joint Bookrunners nor the Company owe any fiduciary or other duties to it or any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement;

43.          understands and agrees that it may not rely on any investigation that the Joint Bookrunners or any person acting on its behalf may or may not have conducted with respect to the Company and its Affiliates or the Placing and the Joint Bookrunners have not made any representation or warranty to it, express or implied, with respect to the merits of the Placing, the subscription for or purchase of the Placing Shares, or as to the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Affiliates, or as to any other matter relating thereto, and nothing herein shall be construed as any investment or other recommendation to it to acquire the Placing Shares. It acknowledges and agrees that no information has been prepared by, or is the responsibility of, the Joint Bookrunners for the purposes of this Placing;

44.          that it acknowledges and agrees that it will not hold either of the Joint Bookrunners nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf responsible or liable for any misstatements in, or omissions from, any publicly available information relating to the Group or information made available (whether in written or oral form) relating to the Group (the "Information") and that none of the Joint Bookrunners or any person acting on behalf of the Joint Bookrunners makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of such Information or accepts any responsibility for any of such Information;

45.          that in connection with the Placing, each of the Joint Bookrunners and any of their respective Affiliates may take up a portion of the shares in the Company and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for its or their own account such shares in the Company and any securities of the Company or related investments and may offer or sell such securities or other investments otherwise than in connection with the Placing. Accordingly, references in this Announcement to shares being issued, offered or placed should be read as including any issue, offering or placement of such shares in the Company to the Joint Bookrunners and any of their respective Affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, certain of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps, warrants or contracts for differences) with investors in connection with which such Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of such securities of the Company, including the Placing Shares. None of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so;

46.          that it acknowledges that the Placing Shares have not been registered or otherwise qualified, and will not be registered or otherwise qualified, for offer and sale nor will a prospectus be cleared or approved in respect of any of the Placing Shares under the securities laws of the United States, or any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, nor approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission or other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement. The Placing Shares have not been registered or otherwise qualified for offer and sale nor will a prospectus be cleared or approved in respect of the Placing Shares under the securities laws of any Restricted Territory and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered, sold, taken up, renounced or delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, within the United States or any other Restricted Territory, or in any country or jurisdiction where any action for that purpose is required;

47.          It will not reoffer, sell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Placing Shares except: (i) in an offshore transaction in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act; (ii) in the United States pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act, in each case in compliance with all applicable securities laws of the United States or any State or other jurisdiction of the United States or (iii) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and that, in each such case, such offer, sale, pledge or transfer will be made in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States;

48.          that the Placing Shares are being offered and sold by or on behalf of the Company in offshore transactions (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act). It and the prospective beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is, and at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for will be outside the United States and subscribing for the Placing Shares in an offshore transaction as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the Securities Act;

49.          that it is not acquiring any of the Placing Shares as a result of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D under the Securities Act) or any form of directed selling efforts (as defined in Regulation S);

50.          that each of the Joint Bookrunners and their respective Affiliates may have engaged in transactions with, and provided various commercial banking, investment banking, financial advisory transactions and services in the ordinary course of their business with the Company and/or its Affiliates for which they would have received customary fees and commissions and that each of the Joint Bookrunners and their respective Affiliates may provide such services to the Company and/or its Affiliates in the future.

The foregoing acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings, representations, warranties and confirmations are given for the benefit of the Company as well as each of the Joint Bookrunners (for their own benefit and, where relevant, the benefit of their respective Affiliates and any person acting on their behalf) and are irrevocable. Each Placee, and any person acting on behalf of a Placee, acknowledges that none of the Joint Bookrunners or the Company owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement.

 

Please also note that the agreement to allot and issue Placing Shares to Placees (or the persons for whom Placees are contracting as nominee or agent) free of UK stamp duty and UK stamp duty reserve tax relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as their agents or nominees, direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question. None of the Company or the Joint Bookrunners will be responsible for any UK stamp duty or UK stamp duty reserve tax (including any interest and penalties relating thereto) arising in relation to the Placing Shares in any other circumstances.

 

Such agreement is subject to the representations, warranties and further terms above and also assumes, and is based on a warranty from each Placee, that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. None of the Joint Bookrunners nor the Company are liable to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or any other similar duties or taxes ("transfer taxes") that arise (i) if there are any such arrangements (or if any such arrangements arise subsequent to the acquisition by Placees of Placing Shares) or (ii) on a sale of Placing Shares, or (iii) for transfer taxes arising otherwise than under the laws of the United Kingdom. Each Placee to whom (or on behalf of whom, or in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such transfer taxes undertakes to pay such transfer taxes forthwith, and agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold the Joint Bookrunners, the Company and their respective Affiliates harmless from any such transfer taxes, and all interest, fines or penalties in relation to such transfer taxes. Each Placee should, therefore, take its own advice as to whether any such transfer tax liability arises.

 

Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of each Placee acknowledges and agrees that either of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates may, at their absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the Placing Shares. Each Placee acknowledges and is aware that the Joint Bookrunners are receiving a fee in connection with their role in respect of the Placing as detailed in the Placing Agreement.

 

When a Placee or person acting on behalf of the Placee is dealing with the Joint Bookrunners, any money held in an account with either of the Joint Bookrunners on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA. The Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules, as a consequence, this money will not be segregated from the Joint Bookrunners' money in accordance with the client money rules and will be used by the Joint Bookrunners in the course of its own business, and the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of the Joint Bookrunners.

 

All times and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment. Either of the Joint Bookrunners shall notify the Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.

 

Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.

 

The rights and remedies of the Joint Bookrunners and the Company under these Terms and Conditions are in addition to any rights and remedies which would otherwise be available to each of them and the exercise or partial exercise of one will not prevent the exercise of others.

 

If a Placee is a discretionary fund manager, the Placee may be asked to disclose in writing or orally to the Joint Bookrunners the jurisdiction in which the funds are managed or owned.

 

 

 

APPENDIX 2

Definitions

"Act"

the Companies Act 2006 (as amended from time to time)

 

"Admission"

the admission to trading on AIM of the New Ordinary Shares becoming effective in accordance with Rule 6 of the AIM Rules

 

"Affiliate"

has the meaning given in Rule 50I(b) of Regulation D under the Securities Act or Rule 405 under the Securities Act, as applicable and, in the case of the Company, includes its subsidiary undertakings

"AIM"

the market of that name operated by London Stock Exchange

 

"AIM Rules"

the rules for companies with a class of securities admitted to AIM and their nominated advisers governing the admission to and operation of AIM as published by London Stock Exchange from time to time

 

"Announcement"

means this announcement (including its Appendices)

"Associate"

(in relation to a company) means a subsidiary undertaking or parent undertaking of that company, and any other subsidiary undertaking of any parent undertaking of that company

 

"BGT"

Bacton Gas Terminal

"Bcfe"

Billion cubic feet equivalent

"Bookbuild" or "Bookbuilding"

the offering of the Placing Shares to Placees by way of an accelerated bookbuild by finnCap and Peel Hunt as agents for the Company

 

"Business Day"

a day not being a Saturday or a Sunday or a bank or public holiday in England on which clearing banks are open for business in the City of London

 

"CER"

CalEnergy Resources Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales under the Companies Act 1985 with registered number 04508881

"Company" or "IOG"

IOG plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales under the Companies Act 1985 with registered number 07434350

 

"CREST"

the Relevant System (as defined by the CREST Regulations) for the paperless settlement of share transfers and the holding of shares in uncertificated form in respect of which Euroclear is the Operator (as defined by the CREST Regulations)

 

"CREST Regulations"

the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (as amended) (SI 2001/3755)

 

"Directors" or "Board"

the directors of the Company, or any duly authorised committee thereof

 

"EEA"

means European Economic Area

"EEA Qualified Investor"

means qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation

"Enlarged Issued Share Capital"

the Company's issued share capital immediately after completion of the Fundraise

 

"EU Prospectus Regulation"

Regulation (EU) No 2017/1129

"Euroclear"

Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited, the operator of CREST

 

"Exchange Information"

means the business and financial information the Company is required to publish in accordance with MAR and the rules and practices of AIM

"Existing Ordinary Shares"

the 489,443,053 existing Ordinary Shares

 

"FCA"

the Financial Conduct Authority

 

"Financial Promotion Order"

the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, (as amended)

 

"finnCap"

finnCap Ltd, nominated adviser to the Company and joint bookrunner to the Placing

 

"finnCap Person"

 

finnCap and any Associate of finnCap, any division of finnCap, and the current and former directors, officers, employees and agents of such persons

 

"FSMA"

the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as may be amended from time to time

"GCoS"

Geological Chance of Success

"Group"

the Company, its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings

"Issue Price"

the price of 25 pence per New Ordinary Share

"Joint bookrunners"

finnCap and Peel Hunt

"JV"

Joint Venture

"Listing Rules"

means the rules and regulations made by the FCA under FSMA

"London Stock Exchange"

London Stock Exchange plc

"Long Stop Date"

12 October 2021

"MAR"

means the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No.596/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

"New Ordinary Shares"

the new Ordinary Shares to be issued and allotted by the Company pursuant to the Placing and the Subscription

"NUIs"

Normally Unmanned Installations

"Ordinary Shares"

the ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of the Company

"Peel Hunt"

means Peel Hunt LLP

"P2438"

Licence held 50% by IOG as operator and 50% by CER, containing the Goddard and Goddard Flanks discovery and the Southsea prospect 

"P2442"

Licence held 50% by IOG as operator and 50% by CER, containing the Abbeydale discovery, the Kelham North, Kelham Central, Thornbridge and Thornbridge Deep prospects and approximately 50% of the Orrell discovery

"Placees"

persons to be procured by finnCap and Peel Hunt to subscribe for Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing Agreement

"Placing"

the placing of the Placing Shares by finnCap and Peel Hunt pursuant to the Placing Agreement

"Placing Agreement"

the conditional agreement dated 23 September 2021 between the Company, finnCap and Peel Hunt relating to the Placing

"Placing Documents"

means any press announcement, presentation materials and any other document published or issued by or on behalf of the Company for the purposes of the Placing or the application for Admission (including any amendments and supplements to the foregoing)

"Placing Shares"

has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement

"PRA"

means the UK Prudential Regulation Authority

"Prospectus Regulation"

means the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129

"PSDM"

Pre-Stack Depth Migration

"Regulation S"

means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act

"Regulatory Information Service"

means a primary information provider that has been approved by the FCA to disseminate regulated information

"Relevant Persons"

means UK Qualified Investors who are (i) persons falling within the definition of "investment professional" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), or (ii) persons who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated Associations, etc.) of the Order

"Restricted Territory"

means the United States, Australia, Canada or Japan

"Securities Act"

means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended

"Shareholders"

holders of Ordinary Shares

"Subscription"

has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement

"Subscription Shares"

has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement

"subsidiaries" and "subsidiary undertakings"

have the meaning set out in section 1162 of the Act

"Transfer taxes"

means stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or any other similar duties or taxes

"Uncertificated" or "in uncertificated form"

means in respect of a share or other security, where that share or other security is recorded on the relevant register of the share or security concerned as being held in uncertificated form in CREST and title to which may be transferred by means of CREST

"UK" or "United Kingdom"

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

"UK Prospectus Regulation"

the EU Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal Act) 2018

"UK Qualified Investor"

means qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation

"£" and "p"

pounds and pence sterling, respectively, the lawful currency of the United Kingdom

 

 

 

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