BAGSVAERD, Denmark, March 8, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- At the Annual General Meeting of Novo Nordisk A/S today, the shareholders made the following resolutions:
-- Adoption of the audited Annual Report 2005, including approval
of the remuneration of the Board of Directors.
-- Resolution to distribute the profit according to the adopted
Annual Report 2005. The dividend will be DKK 6.00 per share of DKK
2, an increase of 25% compared with 2004.
-- Re-election of the following existing board members elected by
the Annual General Meeting: Sten Scheibye, Goran A Ando, Kurt
Briner, Henrik Gurtler, Niels Jacobsen, Kurt Anker Nielsen and
Joergen Wedel.
-- Re-election of the auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
-- Reduction of the Company's B share capital from DKK 601,901,120
to DKK 566,432,800 using 17,734,160 B shares of DKK 2 of the
Company's portfolio of own B shares, nominally DKK 35,468,320,
corresponding to 5% of the total share capital. The Company's share
capital will then amount to DKK 673,920,000 divided into A share
capital of DKK 107,487,200 and B share capital of DKK 566,432,800.
-- Amendment of the Articles of Association of the Company giving
the Board of Directors authority to decide that a General Meeting
shall be conducted in the English language. All documents, which
shall be made available for the shareholders, shall be available in
the Danish as well as the English language. The Board of Directors
shall secure that the Danish shareholders, attending a General
Meeting, can participate in the General Meeting in Danish.
-- Authorisation to the Board of Directors, until the next Annual
General Meeting, to allow the Company to acquire own shares of up
to 10% of the share capital and at the price quoted on the date of
purchase with a deviation of up to 10%, cf Article 48 of the Danish
Public Companies Act.
The Board of Directors
Mads OEvlisen, the chairman of the Board up till now, did not seek re-election and hence leaves Novo Nordisk after 35 years in the company.
In February 2006, Novo Nordisk employees in Denmark elected four board members. Johnny Henriksen, Anne Marie Kverneland and Stig Stroebaek were re-elected and Soeren Thuesen Pedersen was elected as new employee representative.
Accordingly the Board of Directors of Novo Nordisk A/S comprises: -- Sten Scheibye -- Goran A Ando -- Kurt Briner -- Henrik Gurtler -- Johnny Henriksen (employee representative) -- Niels Jacobsen -- Anne Marie Kverneland (employee representative) -- Kurt Anker Nielsen -- Soeren Thuesen Pedersen (employee representative) -- Stig Stroebaek (employee representative) -- Joergen Wedel. For information on the board members, please refer to novonordisk.com.
At a board meeting immediately after the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors constituted itself with Sten Scheibye as chairman and Goran A Ando as vice chairman.
The Board of Directors elected Kurt Anker Nielsen, Niels Jacobsen and Joergen Wedel as members of the Audit Committee with Kurt Anker Nielsen as chairman. Kurt Anker Nielsen and Niels Jacobsen were designated by the Board of Directors as Audit Committee Financial Experts.
Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care. The company has the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems. In addition, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products and services that make a significant difference to patients, the medical profession and society. With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 22,000 employees in 79 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk's B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. For more information, visit novonordisk.com.
Stock Exchange Announcement no 14 / 2006