Italgas Top Management presented 2022 First Quarter Results.
Conference Call for the presentation of results to the community was held on Monday, May 2nd 2022 at 4:00pm CEST.
Conference Call for the presentation of results to the community was held on Monday, May 2nd 2022 at 4:00pm CEST.
Turin, 26 April 2022 – Italgas’ Board of Directors, which met today in Turin in plenary session under the chairmanship of Ms Benedetta Navarra, appointed Mr Paolo Gallo as Chief Executive Officer, conferring on him the powers to manage the Company with the exception of specific duties reserved by law, bylaws, or a resolution of the Board of Directors for the Board or for the Chairman, who holds a non-executive role. The CEO is also assigned the duties of Chief Executive Officer for the purposes of establishing and maintaining an effective internal control and risk management system.
The Board of Directors, on the basis of the information provided by the parties concerned, also assessed – with reference to all 9 Directors – the compliance with the limitations on the accumulation of offices pursuant to the resolution of Italgas’ Board of Directors of 21 February 2022, that there are no grounds for ineligibility or incompatibility and that they possess the integrity requirements laid down by current legislation; it also ascertained, on the basis of declarations made, that the Chairman, Ms Benedetta Navarra, and the Directors Claudio De Marco, Fabiola Mascardi and Gianmarco Montanari possess the requirements of independence required by the articles 147-ter, subsection 4, and 148, subsection 3, of the Consolidated Law on Finance and by Article 2 of the Corporate Governance Code (also in consideration of the qualitative and quantitative criteria approved by the Board of Directors to assess the importance of commercial, financial or professional relationships and additional remuneration). The Director Mr Lorenzo Parola declared that he possesses the independence requirements pursuant to articles 147-ter, subsection 4 and 148, subsection 3, of the Consolidated Law on Finance.
The Board of Directors, on the basis of the assessment carried out toady by the Board of Statutory Auditors, therefore acknowledged that there are no grounds for ineligibility, forfeiture and incompatibility as regards the Statutory Auditors, that they possess the requirements of professionalism and integrity prescribed in accordance with Italian Ministerial Decree No. 162 of 30 March 2000, as specified in art. 20.1 of the Bylaws, and that they comply with the limits of accumulation of offices held and possess the requirements of independence envisaged by the law and by the Corporate Governance Code (also considering the above mentioned qualitative and quantitative criteria).
The Board also verified that the composition of the Board itself and of the Board of Statutory Auditors complied with the provisions of the law and bylaws in force on gender equality. As of today the Company specifies, to the best of its knowledge, that Paolo Gallo holds 350,862 shares of Italgas S.p.A.
The curricula vitae of Directors and Statutory Auditors are available on the website www.italgas.it, on the Board of Directors and Board of Statutory Auditors pages, respectively.
Italgas finally pointed out that in today’s meeting the Board of Directors resolved to amend the calendar of corporate events for the year 2022, anticipated to 2 May 2022 the meeting of the Board of Directors for the approval of the Interim Report on Operations as at 31 March 2022, originally set for 4 May 2022; on the same day the results will be disclosed to the market and the conference call will take place at 4pm CET for the purpose of explaining the results to the financial community.
The calendar of corporate events is available at: https://www.italgas.it/en/press-releases-price-sensitive/italgas-2022-financial-calendar/
Turin, 26 April 2022 – Italgas’ Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting took place at today’s date in Turin under the chairmanship of Mr Alberto Dell’Acqua, holding a total of 76.70% of the share capital.
Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, commented:
“Today’s Shareholders’ Meeting provides an opportunity for us to evaluate these six years of uninterrupted growth which also represent the best conditions for moving forward in the same direction. The digital transformation of assets and processes, together with the reskilling of people, have profoundly changed the DNA of this Company, while staying true to its own roots. We have strengthened our leadership and role as an international benchmark, despite the great difficulties the world is facing at this particular point in history. For that I would like to thank Italgas’ Shareholders for sharing our objectives, for appreciating the action we have taken thus far and for the confidence they’ have shown in me which has allowed me to continue leading Italgas in this particular turning point for the energy sector and achieving climate targets”.
As permitted under art. 106 of Decree-Law No. 18/2020, converted with amendments by Law No. 27/2020 (extended by Decree-Law No. 228/2021, converted by Law No. 15/2022), the Shareholders’ Meeting took place exclusively through the Designated Representative pursuant to art. 135-undecies of Legislative Decree No. 58/1998 (“CLF”).
Shareholders’ Meeting:
The accounting process which led to the Company drawing up an Integrated Report for the financial year 2020 was also continued for 2021, with respect to the clear objective of providing evidence of constant development toward the integration of corporate decision-making processes. Such development can be achieved through the organisation’s coherent vision in terms of its operations, risks and opportunities, with the aim to guarantee sustainable management, aimed at creating value over time in social, environmental and economic-financial sectors. For this reason, reports on performance and factors which determine and influence the company’s ability to create value (including, therefore, also non-financial information in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 254/2016) are illustrated in the “Integrated Annual Report 2021”, containing the Directors’ Report, the Consolidated financial statements and the financial statements for the year 2021.
As regards the 2022 Remuneration Policy and the compensation paid in 2021, the Shareholders’ Meeting approved, with a binding vote in accordance with article 123-ter, subsection 3-ter, of the CLF, Section I containing the “2022 Remuneration Policy”, and, in accordance with subsection 6 of the aforementioned article, expressed its favourable opinion with an advisory and non-binding vote on Section II in relation to the compensation paid in 2021.
The Shareholders’ Meeting also made the following resolutions:
– appointed the Board of Directors for three financial years, ending on the date of the Shareholders’ Meeting called to approve the financial statements as at 31 December 2024, in the persons of:
drawn from the slate submitted jointly by the shareholders CDP Reti S.p.A. and Snam S.p.A., holding a total of 39.491% of the share capital, voted by the majority shareholders who attended the Shareholders’ Meeting with about 59.07% of the share capital represented at the Shareholders’ Meeting; and
drawn from the slate submitted by the shareholder Inarcassa, holding a total of 1.3745% of Italgas’ share capital, voted by the minority shareholders who attended the Shareholders’ Meeting, with around 40.41% of the share capital represented at the Shareholders’ Meeting.
The Shareholders’ Meeting then elected Ms Benedetta Navarra as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Benedetta Navarra, Claudio De Marco, Fabiola Mascardi and Gianmarco Montanari declared possession of the independence requirements pursuant to articles 147-ter, subsection 4 and 148, subsection 3, of the CLF and article 2 of the Corporate Governance Code. Mr Lorenzo Parola declared that he possesses the independence requirements in accordance with articles 147-ter, subsection 4, and 148, subsection 3, of the CLF; two fifths of the members of the new Board of Directors (4 out of 9) belong to the less represented gender (female) in compliance with the current gender equality laws in force.
The Shareholders’ Meeting set the gross annual compensation payable to each director at 50,000 euros, in addition to the reimbursement of expenses incurred in relation to their office.
The Shareholders’ Meeting finally:
– appointed the Board of Statutory Auditors for three financial years, ending on the date of the Shareholders’ Meeting called to approve the financial statements as at 31 December 2024, in the persons of:
The Chairman of the Board of Statutory Auditors, Ms Giulia Pusterla was drawn from the slate submitted by the shareholder Inarcassa, holding a 1.3745% of Italgas’ share capital, voted by the minority shareholders who attended the Shareholders’ Meeting, with around 40.31% of the share capital represented at the Shareholders’ Meeting. The Alternate Auditor Ms Barbara Cavalieri was elected by the Shareholders’ Meeting, upon proposal of the Shareholder Inarcassa, with around 99.37% of the share capital represented at the Shareholders’ Meeting. The Standing Auditors Ms Paola Maria Maiorana and Mr Maurizio Di Marcotullio and the Alternate Auditor Mr Stefano Fiorini were drawn from the slate submitted by the shareholder CDP Reti S.p.A., holding a total of 26.009% of the share capital, voted by the majority shareholders who participated in the Shareholders’ Meeting with around 59.43% of the share capital represented at the Shareholders’ Meeting;
The curricula vitae of Directors and Statutory Auditors are available on the website www.italgas.it, on the Board of Directors and Board of Statutory Auditors pages, respectively.
As of today the Company specifies, to the best of its knowledge, that Paolo Gallo holds 350,862 shares of Italgas S.p.A.
The Shareholders’ Meeting thanked the previous Board of Directors and the previous Board of Statutory Auditors for the work carried out in the three year period 2019-2021.
The manager responsible for preparing the accounting and corporate documents, Giovanni Mercante, declares, pursuant to paragraph 2, Article 154-bis of the CLF, that the accounting information contained in this report corresponds to the documented results, books and accounting records.
*2020 Restated values
Milan, 11 April 2022 – Italgas informs that the Council of State has rejected the appeal filed by its subsidiary Italgas Reti against the award to another operator of the concession for the natural gas distribution service in the Atem area “Naples 1”. This Atem area counts around 375,000 redelivery points.
The Company is waiting to know the reasons that led the Council of State to adopt this ruling.
Milan, 5 April 2022 – Italgas announces that 2 slates of candidates for office as members of the Board of Directors and 2 slates of candidates for office as members of the Board of Statutory Auditors have been filed in view of the single call Shareholders’ Meeting of 26 April 2022 to renew the corporate bodies.
The shareholders CDP Reti S.p.A. and Snam S.p.A., representing a total of 39.491% of the share capital of Italgas, jointly filed 1 slate of candidates for office as members of the Board of Directors:
(*) Candidate who declared possession of the independence requirements pursuant to articles 147-ter, subsection 4 and 148, subsection 3, of Legislative Decree no. 58 of 24 February 1998 (CLF) and article 2 of the Corporate Governance Code.
(**) Candidate having the specific professional expertise for the office of Chief Executive Officer.
(***) Candidate who declared possession of the independence requirements pursuant to articles 147-ter, subsection 4 and 148, subsection 3, of CLF.
The shareholder CDP Reti, representing 26.009% of the share capital of Italgas, filed 1 slate of candidates for office as members of the Board of Statutory Auditors:
for the office of Standing Auditor
for the office of Alternate Auditor
(*) Candidate enrolled in the register of external auditors who has declared to have worked on legal audits for a period of no less than three years.
(**) Candidate who also declared possession of the independence requirements pursuant to article 148, subsection 3, letters b) and c) of CLF and of article 2 of the Corporate Governance Code
The shareholder Inarcassa (Cassa Nazionale di Previdenza ed Assistenza per gli Ingegneri ed Architetti Liberi Professionisti), representing 1.3745% of the share capital of Italgas, filed 1 slate of candidates for office as members of the Board of Directors and 1 slate of candidates for office as members of the Board of Statutory Auditors.
The slate of candidates for office as members of the Board of Directors submitted by Inarcassa is composed of:
(*) Candidate who declared possession of the independence requirements pursuant to articles 147-ter, subsection 4 and 148, subsection 3, of CLF and article 2 of the Corporate Governance Code.
Inarcassa also submitted, within the terms and in the manner required by law, a slate of candidates for office as members of Italgas’ Board of Statutory Auditors, listing one candidate for the office of Standing Auditor (Giulia Pusterla) and one candidate for the office of Alternate Auditor (Simone Montanari).
However, having learned that the candidate for the office of Alternate auditor, Mr Simone Montanari, was no longer available to take such office in Italgas, Inarcassa put forward a proposal to resolve the nomination of Ms. Barbara Cavalieri for the office of Italgas’ Alternate Auditor.
Both the candidate for the office of Standing Auditor, Giulia Pusterla, and the candidate for the office of Alternate Auditor, Barbara Cavalieri, declared (i) that they were enrolled in the register of external auditors and that they had worked on legal audits for at least three years; (ii) that they were in possession of the independence requirements pursuant to article 148, subsection 3, letters b) and c) of CLF and of article 2 of the Corporate Governance Code.
Lastly it should be noted that Inarcassa declared, including in relation to the Consob Communication no. DEM/9017893 of 26.02.2009, the absence of connections and/or relationships deemed significant with shareholders who, even jointly, hold a controlling share or relative majority.
***
Resolution proposal of the shareholder CDP RETI S.p.A. pursuant to article 126-bis, subsection 1, penultimate sentence of the CLF
The shareholder CDP Reti S.p.A. submitted a resolution proposal, pursuant to article 126-bis, subsection 1, penultimate sentence of the CLF, with reference to point 4, sub 4.3 on the agenda “Appointment of the Chairman of the Board of Directors” proposing the “appointment of Benedetta Navarra as Chairman of the Board of Directors.”
***
The slates and related documentation required by the provisions on the matter (as well as the resolution proposals pursuant to art. 126-bis, subsection 1, penultimate sentence of the CLF) are available to the public at Italgas’ offices in Milan, Via Carlo Bo 11, on the Company’s website (www.italgas.it, in the “Governance” – “2022 Shareholders’ Meeting” section), on the website of Borsa Italiana S.p.A. (www.borsaitaliana.it) and through the authorised storage mechanism “eMarket STORAGE” at the addresswww.emarketstorage.com.
Edison, with this transaction, enters directly into the retail market in Sardinia, increases its customer base becoming the first operator on the island in the sale of gas, with the aim of contributing to the development of the retail market, alongside the methanisation process of the Region promoted by Italgas with the support of Marguerite.
Milan, 1 April 2022 – Edison, Italgas and Marguerite signed a binding agreement under which Edison will acquire a majority stake in Gaxa, a company 51.85% owned by Italgas and 48.15% by Marguerite, active in the Sardinian retail gas market, through the supply of natural gas, LPG and propane-air for civil uses. The new shareholding structure of Gaxa will thus be composed of Edison for 70%, Italgas for 15.56% and Marguerite for 14.44%. The transaction is aimed at strengthening Gaxa’s commercial presence and development opportunities in consideration of the important investment plan for Sardinia promoted by Italgas with the construction of new “digital native” distribution networks after having completed the conversion of those fuelled by LPG and propane air to methane.
“Edison, through this transaction, in line with its strategy of presence in the territory, expands its position in the retail market in Sardinia – says Massimo Quaglini CEO of Edison Energia – Our goal is to bring our experience on the retail market gained after years of “free market commercialization regime” by applying a business model focused on centrality and proximity to the customer and the quality of service. – continues Quaglini – And I am sure that we will succeed, through the enhancement of Gaxa’s skills, to bring our reliability to customers in Sardinia by offering them, in addition to the supply of gas and electricity, also a series of other innovative solutions and additional services”.<
“The presence of Edison within the shareholders’ structure of Gaxa and in the Sardinian energy market – commented Lorenzo Romeo, Chief Strategy Officer of Italgas – is recognition of the value and strategic nature of our ‘Sardinia project’. Edison’s undisputed expertise in the retail markets will further boost Gaxa’s growth and provide a strong incentive to the development of the island’s important methanisation plan, in which Italgas continues to invest significant resources to ensure that Sardinian citizens have access to a sustainable energy source“.
“The investment in Gaxa by a market leader such as Edison – says Fabio Siragusa, Managing Director of Marguerite – confirms the value of the ‘Sardinia project’ and the partnership with Italgas to promote the ecological transition of the island. We are enthusiastic about supporting strategic partners such as Edison and Italgas to foster the growth of Gaxa as the main retail energy operator in Sardinia”.
Gaxa, a company active in the Sardinian retail gas market, holds a portfolio of more than 41,000 retail customers. It was the first sales company in Sardinia’s history to supply natural gas to the citizens. The majority of customers are located in the main Sardinian provinces and, thanks to the ongoing methanisation process, a commercial development plan is expected that will cover customers located in over 100 municipalities. Today Gaxa, with its 18 employees at the offices in Cagliari and Sassari, carries out its activity in the region through 24 partner stores. The presence of Edison, within the structure of Gaxa as controlling shareholder, will allow to further develop its customer portfolio by being able to count, in terms of products, services and know-how, on the skills of a market player able to ensure a greater quality of service to its consumers.
The completion of the transaction is expected by June 2022, once the only condition precedent of the contract will be satisfied.
Edison in Sardinia
Sardinia is a key territory for Edison, which operates in the Sardinian territory supporting the Public Administration with energy services for hospitals and public lighting and through the management of 2 wind farms for a total installed capacity of almost 96 MW and 8 photovoltaic plants for a total capacity of over 17 MW. Edison has a growth plan that attributes key importance to Sardinia, where it will implement a plan for the development of energy from renewable sources. Edison is also studying a project for the construction of a coastal small LNG deposit in Oristano.
The Italgas Group in Sardinia
Italgas operates in Sardinia through its subsidiary Medea. Its assets consist of around 1,500 km of “native digital” natural gas networks, of which more than 1,300 km are already in operation; a cutting-edge infrastructure that will also receive and distribute renewable gases such as biomethane, synthetic methane and green hydrogen. In addition, there are approximately 9 km of LPG-fuelled networks that will soon be converted, and approximately 600 km of propane-fuelled networks in the municipalities of Cagliari, Sassari, Nuoro and Oristano that will be converted to natural gas in the coming years.
Marguerite in Sardinia
On 18 December 2019, Marguerite acquired a 48.15% stake in Medea and Gaxa and established a partnership with Italgas for the methanisation of Sardinia, through the construction of new digital gas distribution networks and the conversion of existing networks to natural gas.