Remuneration Matters

• Principle 6: Procedures for Developing Remuneration Policies

  
  

  Remuneration Committee ("RC")

  The RC is made up of non-executive Directors, the majority of whom, including its Chairman, are independent Directors.
  
  The RC comprises the following members:

  • Mr Chan Heng Wing (Chairman)
  • Mr Ng Tat Pun (Member)
  • Mr Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi (Member)

  The RC is guided by written Terms of Reference, which are approved by the Board. The Terms of Reference clearly set out the authority and duties of the RC. The role of the RC is to assist the Board in establishing a formal and transparent process for developing policies on executive remuneration and for fixing the remuneration packages of individual directors and key management personnel.
  
  Remuneration Action Framework
  The RC reviews on an annual basis, the level and mix of remuneration and benefits policies and practices of the Company, including long-term incentives. When conducting such reviews, the RC takes into account the performance of the Company and employees. It also reviews and approves the framework for salary reviews, performance bonus and incentives for key management personnel of the Group. The remuneration framework is endorsed by the Board.
  
  The RC assists the Board in ensuring that the level and structure of remuneration of the Board and key management personnel are appropriate and proportionate to the sustained performance and value creation of the Company, taking into account the strategic objectives of the Company. In discharging its responsibilities, before making recommendations for endorsement by the Board, the RC considers all aspects of remuneration, including Directors’ fees, salaries, allowances, bonuses, share-based incentives and awards, benefits in kind, and termination payments, to ensure that these are fair. The RC performs benchmarking against comparable market data, to ensure that all aspects of remuneration (including termination terms) are competitive. The RC aims to be fair and to avoid rewarding poor performance.
  
  The remuneration framework is tailored to the specific role and circumstances of each Director and key management personnel, to ensure an appropriate remuneration level and mix that recognises the performance potential and responsibilities of these individuals. The RC also aligns the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the chief executive officers of each of the Group’s business divisions, through appropriate remuneration and benefits policies and long-term incentives, bearing in mind the Company’s strategic objectives and key challenges. Performance targets are also set for the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the chief executive officers of each of the Group’s business divisions. The performance of such individuals is evaluated yearly.
  
  Engagement of External Consultants
  The RC may from time to time, and where necessary or required, engage external consultants in framing the remuneration policy and determining the level and mix of remuneration for Directors and management. Among other things, this helps the Company to stay competitive in its remuneration packages. During FY2023, Mercer (Singapore) Pte Ltd was appointed as remuneration consultant. The Company does not have any relationship with Mercer (Singapore) Pte Ltd which would affect its independence and objectivity.
  
  

• Principle 7: Level and Mix of Remuneration

  
  In recommending the level and mix of remuneration, the RC seeks to build, motivate and retain Directors to provide good stewardship of the Company and for key management personnel to successfully manage the Company for the long term. It ensures that competitive remuneration policies and practices are in place to draw and motivate high-performing executives so as to drive the Group’s businesses to greater growth, efficiency and profitability. In its deliberation, the RC also takes into consideration industry practices and benchmarks against relevant industry players to ensure that its remuneration and employment conditions are competitive.

  
  The Company’s compensation framework comprises fixed remuneration, annual variable bonuses and long-term incentives. Annual variable bonuses are linked to achievement of financial and non-financial key performance indicators. The Company also uses indicators such as core values, key performance indicators, performance rating, and potential of the employees (including key management personnel) to link a significant and appropriate proportion of remuneration to corporate and individual performance. Long-term incentive plans are in place and are conditional upon pre-determined performance targets being met. The performance measures and long-term incentive plans serve to motivate and reward employees and align their interests with those of shareholders and other stakeholders, as well as to maximise long-term shareholder value.
  
  Long-Term Incentive Plans
  The RC administers the Company’s share-based remuneration incentive plans. The F&N Restricted Share Plan 2019 (“F&N RSP 2019”) was adopted by the Company at the AGM of the Company held on 29 January 2019.
  
  The F&N RSP 2019 replaces the F&N Restriction Share Plan (“RSP”) and the F&N Performance Share Plan (“PSP”) which were adopted at an extraordinary general meeting of the Company held on 22 January 2009. Both the RSP and the PSP had a duration of 10 years commencing from the date of adoption on 22 January 2009 and both expired on 21 January 2019. The expiry of the RSP and the PSP on 21 January 2019 did not affect awards granted prior to expiry of these share plans and as at 30 September 2023, all awards under the RSP and PSP have been released. The final awards under the PSP and RSP were released in December 2021 and December 2022, respectively.
  
  As with the RSP and PSP, the F&N RSP 2019 seeks to foster a greater ownership culture within the Group by aligning more directly the interests of key senior management and senior executives with the interest of shareholders, and for such employees to participate and share in the Group’s long-term growth and success.
  
  The primary objectives of the F&N RSP 2019 is to increase the Company’s flexibility and effectiveness in its continuing efforts to attract, motivate and retain talented senior executives and to reward these executives for the performance of the Company.
  
  Under the F&N RSP 2019, the Company grants share-based awards (“Base Awards”) which are conditional upon pre-determined performance targets being met. These targets are set by the RC in its absolute discretion for the performance conditions to be met over the performance period. The first grant of Base Awards under the F&N RSP 2019 was made on 28 August 2020. The performance period for the F&N RSP 2019 is one year.
  
  For the F&N RSP 2019, the pre-set targets are based on the achievement of specified Total Revenue, Profit Before Interest and Tax, Attributable Profit Before Fair Value Adjustment and Exceptional Items and Return On Capital Employed targets.
  
  The Base Awards under the F&N RSP 2019 represent the right to receive fully paid ordinary shares, their equivalent cash value or a combination thereof free of charge, provided certain prescribed performance and service conditions are met. Such performance conditions are generally performance indicators that are key drivers of business performance, shareholder value creation and aligned to the Group’s business objectives. The final number of shares to be released will depend on the achievement of the pre-determined targets at the end of the relevant performance periods. If the pre-determined targets are exceeded, more shares than the initial Base Awards can be delivered, subject to a maximum percentage of the Base Awards.
  
  The aggregate number of new ordinary shares allotted and issued and/or to be allotted and issued, when aggregated with existing ordinary shares (including shares held in treasury) delivered and/or to be delivered, pursuant to the F&N RSP 2019, shall not exceed 8% of the total number of issued ordinary shares of the Company (excluding treasury shares and subsidiary holdings) from time to time.
  
  The RC currently does not intend, in any given year, to grant awards under the F&N RSP 2019 which would comprise more than 0.8% of the total number of issued ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares and subsidiary holdings) from time to time (the “Yearly Limit”). However, if the Yearly Limit is not fully utilised in any given year, the balance of the unutilised Yearly Limit may be used by the Company to make grants of awards in subsequent years for the duration of the F&N RSP 2019 and subject to the overall maximum limit of 8%.

• Principle 8: Disclosure on Remuneration

  
  

  Remuneration of Directors, Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Key Management Personnel
  
  Information on remuneration of the Directors of the Company for FY2023 is set out here.
  
  No termination, retirement and post-employment benefits were granted to Directors, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the above-mentioned key management personnel.
  
  There are no employees within the Group who are substantial shareholders of the Company or are immediate family members of a Director, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or a substantial shareholder of the Company, and whose remuneration exceeds $100,000 during the year.
  
  Directors’ Fees
  The remuneration of non-executive Directors takes into account their level and quality of contribution and their respective responsibilities, including attendance and time spent at Board meetings and Board Committee meetings. Directors are paid a basic fee and attendance fees for attending Board meetings. Non-executive Directors who perform services through Board Committees are paid additional basic and attendance fees for such services. No Director decides his own fees. Directors’ fees are reviewed annually to benchmark such fees against the amounts paid by other major listed companies. The Company’s Board fee structure during the year can be found here. The Board fee structure remains unchanged from that in the preceding financial year i.e. financial year ended 30 September 2022.