FORM 8 (DD)
PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
A PARTY TO AN OFFER OR PERSON ACTING IN CONCERT (INCLUDING DEALINGS
FOR THE ACCOUNT OF DISCRETIONARY INVESTMENT
CLIENTS)
Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the
Takeover Code (the "Code")
1. KEY
INFORMATION
|
(a) Full name of
discloser:
|
Philip
Thomas
|
|
(b) Owner or controller of
interests and short positions disclosed, if different from
1(a):
The
naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a
trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be
named.
|
N/A
|
|
(c) Name of offeror/offeree
in relation to whose relevant securities this form
relates:
Use
a separate form for each offeror/offeree
|
Ascential
plc
|
|
(d) Status of person making
the disclosure:
e.g. offeror, offeree, person acting in concert with the
offeror/offeree (specify name of offeror/offeree)
|
Person
acting in concert with the offeree (Ascential plc)
|
|
(e) Date dealing
undertaken:
|
8
October 2024
|
|
(f) In addition to the
company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in
respect of any other party to the offer?
If it is a cash offer or
possible cash offer, state "N/A"
|
N/A
|
2. POSITIONS
OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
If
there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than
one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in
1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional
class of relevant security.
(a) Interests and
short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or
offeree to which the disclosure relates following the
dealing
|
Class of relevant
security:
|
Ordinary shares of
1.7p
|
|
|
Interests
|
Short
positions
|
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
|
(1) Relevant securities owned
and/or controlled:
|
1,168,6171
|
0.554
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
|
(2) Cash-settled
derivatives:
|
Nil
|
-
|
Nil
|
-
|
|
(3) Stock-settled derivatives
(including options) and agreements to
purchase/sell:
|
Nil
|
-
|
Nil
|
-
|
|
TOTAL:
|
1,168,6171
|
0.554
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
1 Includes 26,470 shares held by
Philip Thomas' close relative.
All
interests and all short positions should be
disclosed.
Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions
(including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell
relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8
(Open Positions).
Details of any securities borrowing and lending positions or
financial collateral arrangements should be disclosed on a
Supplemental Form 8 (SBL).
(b) Rights to
subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other
employee options)
|
Class of relevant security in
relation to which subscription right exists:
|
Ordinary
shares of 1.7p
|
|
Details, including nature of
the rights concerned and relevant percentages:
|
|
|
|
Ascential plc Employee Share
Incentive Plan
|
|
No. of Awards
|
Date of grant
|
Release Date
|
Exercise price
|
|
6892
|
13/08/20213
|
13/08/2024
|
Nil
|
|
300
|
27/06/2024
|
27/06/2027
|
Nil
|
|
|
|
|
| |
2 Reflects: (1) the original
grant of Free Shares on 13 August 2021; (2) Additional Dividend
Shares allotted as dividend equivalents in accordance with the
rules of the SIP scheme; and (3) share consolidation.
3 Release date applies to the
grant of Free Shares on 13 August 2021. Additional Dividend Shares
allotted will be released three years after the date of their
respective grant.
|
3. DEALINGS BY
THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE
Where there have been dealings in more than one class of
relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy
table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional
class of relevant security dealt in.
The
currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be
stated.
(a) Purchases and
sales
(i) Party to
an offer or person acting in concert (except for a principal trader
in the same group as a connected adviser)
|
Class of relevant
security
|
Purchase/sale
|
Number of
securities
|
Price per
unit
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
(ii) Principal
trader where the sole reason for the connection is that the
principal trader is in the same group as a connected
adviser
|
Class of relevant
security
|
Purchases/
sales
|
Total number of
securities
|
Highest price per unit
paid/received
|
Lowest price per unit
paid/received
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
(b) Cash-settled
derivative transactions
|
Class of relevant
security
|
Product
description
e.g. CFD
|
Nature of
dealing
e.g. opening/closing a
long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short
position
|
Number of reference
securities
|
Price per
unit
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
(c) Stock-settled
derivative transactions (including options)
(i) Writing,
selling, purchasing or varying
|
Class of relevant
security
|
Product
description e.g. call
option
|
Writing, purchasing, selling,
varying etc.
|
Number of securities to which
option relates
|
Exercise price per
unit
|
Type
e.g. American, European
etc.
|
Expiry date
|
Option money paid/ received
per unit
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
(ii)
Exercise
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Class of relevant
security
|
Product
description
e.g. call
option
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Exercising/ exercised
against
|
Number of
securities
|
Exercise price per
unit
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
(d) Other dealings
(including subscribing for new securities)
|
Class of relevant
security
|
Nature of
dealing
e.g. subscription,
conversion
|
Details
|
Price per unit (if
applicable)
|
|
Ordinary
shares of 1.7p
|
Shares
acquired in satisfaction of the 2023 awards under the Performance
Share Plan
|
320,072
|
Nil
|
|
Ordinary
shares of 1.7p
|
Shares
acquired in satisfaction of the 2024 Performance Share
Plan
|
369,662
|
|
4. OTHER
INFORMATION
(a) Indemnity and
other dealing arrangements
|
Details of any indemnity or
option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or
informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an
inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the
party to the offer or person acting in concert making the
disclosure and any other person:
Irrevocable commitments and
letters of intent should not be included. If there are no
such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state
"none"
|
|
NONE
|
(b) Agreements,
arrangements or understandings relating to options or
derivatives
|
Details of any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the party
to the offer or person acting in concert making the disclosure and
any other person relating to:
(i) the voting rights
of any relevant securities under any option; or
(ii) the voting rights or
future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which
any derivative is referenced:
If there are no such
agreements, arrangements or understandings, state
"none"
|
|
NONE
|
(c)
Attachments
Are
any Supplemental Forms attached?
|
Supplemental Form 8 (Open
Positions)
|
NO
|
|
Supplemental Form 8
(SBL)
|
NO
|
Date of disclosure:
|
8 October
2024
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Contact name:
|
Naomi
Howden, Company Secretary
|
Telephone number:
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+44 (0)20
7657 8950
|
Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a
Regulatory Information Service.
The
Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in
relation to the Code's dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20
7638 0129.
The
Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.