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Form 20-F Vipshop Holdings Ltd For: Dec 31

April 16, 2021 7:49 AM EDT

Exhibit 1.2

THE COMPANIES LAW (2013 REVISION)

OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

OF

VIPSHOP HOLDINGS LIMITED

Adopted by a Special Resolution

passed and effective on September 15, 2014

 

1.

The name of the Company is VIPSHOP HOLDINGS LIMITED.

 

2.

The registered office of the Company shall be at the offices of International Corporation Services Ltd., PO Box 472, 2nd Floor, Harbour Place, 103 South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1106, Cayman Islands or at such other place as the Directors may from time to time decide.

 

3.

The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by the Companies Law (2013 Revision) as the same may be revised from time to time, or any other law of the Cayman Islands.

 

4.

The liability of each Member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such Member’s shares.

 

5.

The authorized share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into (i) 483,489,642 Class A Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.0001 each and (ii) 16,510,358 Class B Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.0001 each. The Company has the power to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or reduce the said capital subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (2013 Revision), as amended, and the Articles of Association and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained.

 

6.

The Company has the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands.

 

7.

Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Memorandum of Association bear the same meaning as those given in the Articles of Association of the Company.


THE COMPANIES LAW (2013 REVISION)

OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

OF

VIPSHOP HOLDINGS LIMITED

Adopted by a Special Resolution

passed and effective on September 15, 2014

INTERPRETATION

 

1.

In these Articles, Table A in the Schedule in the Companies Law does not apply and unless otherwise defined, the defined terms shall have the meanings assigned to them as follows:

 

ADS    means an American Depositary Share representing Class A Ordinary Shares;
Articles    these Articles of Association of the Company as altered or added to, from time to time;
Affiliate    means in respect of a person or entity, any other person or entity that, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries), controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person or entity, and (i) in the case of a natural person, shall include, without limitation, such person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, mother-in-law and father-in-law and brothers and sisters-in-law, a trust solely for the benefit of any of the foregoing, a company, partnership or any natural person or entity wholly owned by one or more of the foregoing, and (ii) in the case of an entity, shall include a partnership, a corporation or any natural person or entity which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such entity. The term “control” shall mean the ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the corporation, or the partnership or other entity (other than, in the case of corporation, securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency not within the reasonable control of such partnership, corporation, natural person or entity), or having the power to control the management or elect a majority of members to the board of directors or equivalent decision-making body of such corporation, partnership or other entity;
Board” or “Board of Directors    the board of Directors for the time being of the Company;
Business Day    a day (excluding Saturdays or Sundays), on which banks in Hong Kong, Beijing and New York are open for general banking business throughout their normal business hours;
Chairman    the Chairman appointed pursuant to Article 81;
Class A Ordinary Share    an Ordinary Share of a par value of US$0.0001 in the capital of the Company, designated as a Class A Ordinary Shares and having the rights provided for in these Articles;
Class B Ordinary Share    an Ordinary Share of a par value of US$0.0001 in the capital of the Company, designated as a Class B Ordinary Share and having the rights provided for in these Articles;
Commission    Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America or any other federal agency for the time being administering the Securities Act;


Companies Law    the Companies Law (2013 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, as amended, and any statutory amendment or re-enactment thereof. Where any provision of the Companies Law is referred to, the reference is to that provision as amended by any law for the time being in force;
Company    Vipshop Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands company limited by shares;
Company’s Website    the website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been notified to Members;
Designated Stock Exchange    means The New York Stock Exchange in the United States or any other stock exchange that the Company’s ADSs are listed for trading;
Directors    the directors of the Company for the time being, or as the case may be, the Directors assembled as a Board or as a committee thereof;
electronic    means the meaning given to it in the Electronic Transactions Law and any amendment thereto or re-enactments thereof for the time being in force and includes every other law incorporated therewith or substituted therefor;
electronic communication    electronic posting to the Company’s Website, transmission to any number, address or internet website or other electronic delivery methods as otherwise decided and approved by not less than two-thirds of the vote of the Board;
the Founder    Mr. Eric Ya Shen;
in writing    includes writing, printing, lithograph, photograph, type-writing and every other mode of representing words or figures in a legible and non-transitory form and, only where used in connection with a notice served by the Company on Members or other persons entitled to receive notices hereunder, shall also include a record maintained in an electronic medium which is accessible in visible form so as to be useable for subsequent reference;
Management Shareholders    means the Founder, Elegant Motion Holdings Limited and any of their Affiliates;
Member    the meaning given to it in the Companies Law;
Memorandum of Association    the Memorandum of Association of the Company, as amended and re-stated from time to time;
month    means calendar month;
Ordinary Resolution    a resolution:
   (a) passed by a simple majority of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, in the case of any Member being an organization, by its duly authorized representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company; or
   (b) approved in writing by all of the Members entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Members and the effective date of the resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument, or the last of such instruments if more than one, is executed;
Ordinary Shares    means an ordinary share of a nominal or par value of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company, including the Class A Ordinary Shares and the Class B Ordinary Shares;


paid up    paid up as to the par value and any premium payable in respect of the issue of any shares and includes credited as paid up;
Register of Members    the register to be kept by the Company in accordance with the Companies Law;
seal    the Common Seal of the Company (if adopted) including any facsimile thereof;
Securities Act    the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States of America, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time;
share    any share in the capital of the Company and includes a fraction of a share;
signed    includes a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means or an electronic symbol or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic communication and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic communication;
Special Resolution    the meaning given to it in the Companies Law and includes a unanimous written resolution;
Statutes    the Companies Law and every other laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting the Company;
Treasury share    means a share held in the name of the Company as a treasury share in accordance with the Companies Law;
year    means calendar year.

 

2.

In these Articles, save where the context requires otherwise:

 

  (a)

words importing the singular number shall include the plural number and vice versa;

 

  (b)

words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender;

 

  (c)

words importing persons only shall include companies or associations or bodies of persons, whether corporate or not;

 

  (d)

“may” shall be construed as permissive and “shall” shall be construed as imperative;

 

  (e)

a reference to a dollar or dollars (or $) is a reference to dollars of the United States;

 

  (f)

references to a statutory enactment shall include reference to any amendment or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;

 

  (g)

any phrase introduced by the terms “including”, “include”, “in particular” or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms; and

 

  (h)

Section 8 of the Electronic Transactions Law (2003 Revision) shall not reply.

 

3.

Subject to the last two preceding Articles, any words defined in the Companies Law shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meaning in these Articles.

PRELIMINARY

 

4.

The business of the Company may be conducted as the Directors see fit.

 

5.

The registered office of the Company shall be at such address in the Cayman Islands as the Directors shall from time to time determine. The Company may in addition establish and maintain such other offices and places of business and agencies in such places as the Directors may from time to time determine.


ISSUE OF SHARES

 

6.

Subject to the provisions, if any, in the Memorandum of Association, these Articles and to any direction that may be given by the Company in a general meeting, the Directors may, in their absolute discretion and without approval of the existing Members, issue shares, grant rights over existing shares or issue other securities in one or more series as they deem necessary and appropriate and determine designations, powers, preferences, privileges and other rights, including dividend rights, conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the powers and rights associated with the shares held by existing Members, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper. The Company may hold Treasury shares. The Company shall not issue shares in bearer form.

 

7.

The Directors may provide, out of the unissued shares (other than unissued ordinary shares), for series of preferred shares in their absolute discretion and without approval of the existing Members. Before any preferred shares of any such series are issued, the Directors shall fix, by resolution or resolutions, the following provisions of the preferred shares thereof:

 

  (a)

the designation of such series, the number of preferred shares to constitute such series and the subscription price thereof if different from the par value thereof;

 

  (b)

whether the shares of such series shall have voting rights, in addition to any voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights, which may be general or limited;

 

  (c)

the dividends, if any, payable on such series, whether any such dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what dates, the conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, the preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any shares of any other class or any other series of preferred shares;

 

  (d)

whether the preferred shares of such series shall be subject to redemption by the Company, and, if so, the times, prices and other conditions of such redemption;

 

  (e)

the amount or amounts payable upon preferred shares of such series upon, and the rights of the holders of such series in, a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or upon any distribution of the assets, of the Company;

 

  (f)

whether the preferred shares of such series shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund and, if so, the extent to and manner in which any such retirement or sinking fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the preferred shares of such series for retirement or other corporate purposes and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof;

 

  (g)

whether the preferred shares of such series shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or any other series of preferred shares or any other securities and, if so, the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjusting the same, and any other terms and conditions of conversion or exchange;

 

  (h)

the limitations and restrictions, if any, to be effective while any preferred shares of such series are outstanding upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and upon the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company of, the existing shares or shares of any other class of shares or any other series of preferred shares;

 

  (i)

the conditions or restrictions, if any, upon the creation of indebtedness of the Company or upon the issue of any additional shares, including additional shares of such series or of any other class of shares or any other series of preferred shares; and

 

  (j)

any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.

Without limiting the foregoing and subject to Article 81, the voting powers of any series of preferred shares may include the right, in the circumstances specified in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such preferred shares, to elect one or more Directors who shall serve for such term and have such voting powers as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such preferred shares. The term of office and voting powers of any Director elected in the manner provided in the immediately preceding sentence of this Article 7 may be greater than or less than those of any other Director or class of Directors.

 

8.

The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of preferred shares, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. All shares of any one series of preferred shares shall be identical in all respects with all other shares of such series, except that shares of any one series issued at different times may differ as to the dates from which dividends thereon shall be cumulative.


CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES AND CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES

 

8A.

Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall at all times vote together as one class on all resolutions submitted to a vote by the Members. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall be entitled to one (1) vote on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company, and each Class B Ordinary Share shall be entitled to ten (10) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company.

 

8B.

Each Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one (1) Class A Ordinary Share at any time by the holder thereof. The right to convert shall be exercisable by the holder of the Class B Ordinary Share delivering a written notice to the Company that such holder elects to convert a specified number of Class B Ordinary Shares into Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

8C.

The number of Class B Ordinary Shares held by a holder thereof will be automatically and immediately converted into an equal and corresponding number of Class A Ordinary Shares upon any direct or indirect sale, transfer, or disposition of such number of Class B Ordinary Shares by the holder thereof or an Affiliate of such holder or the direct or indirect transfer of the voting power attached to such number of Class B Ordinary Shares through voting proxy or otherwise to any person or entity that is not an Affiliate of such holder. For the avoidance of doubt, the creation of any pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right of whatever description on any of Class B Ordinary Shares to secure contractual or legal obligations shall not be deemed as a sale, transfer, assignment or disposition unless and until any such pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third-party right is enforced and results in the third party holding directly or indirectly beneficial ownership or voting power through voting proxy or otherwise to the related Class B Ordinary Shares, in which case all the related Class B Ordinary Shares shall be automatically converted into the same number of Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

8D.

Any conversion of Class B Ordinary Shares into Class A Ordinary Shares pursuant to these Articles shall be effected by means of the re-designation of each relevant Class B Ordinary Share as a Class A Ordinary Share.

 

8E.

All Class B Ordinary shares will be automatically converted into the same number of Class A Ordinary Shares as soon as the Management Shareholders in aggregate beneficially own less than 825,518 Class B Ordinary Shares.

 

8F.

Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares under any circumstances.

 

8G.

Save and except for voting rights and conversion rights as set out in Articles 8A to 8G (inclusive), the Class A Ordinary Shares and the Class B Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu and shall have the same rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions.

REGISTER OF MEMBERS AND SHARE CERTIFICATES

 

9.

The Company shall maintain a Register of its Members and a Member shall only be entitled to a share certificate if the Directors resolve that share certificates shall be issued. Share certificates (if any) shall specify the share or shares held by that person and the amount paid up thereon, provided that in respect of a share or shares held jointly by several persons the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate, and delivery of a certificate for a share to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all. All certificates for shares shall be delivered personally or sent through the post addressed to the Member entitled thereto at the Member’s registered address as appearing in the register.

 

10.

All share certificates shall bear legends required under the applicable laws, including the Securities Act.

 

11.

Any two or more certificates representing shares of any one class held by any Member may at the Member’s request be cancelled and a single new certificate for such shares issued in lieu on payment (if the Directors shall so require) of US$1.00 or such smaller sum as the Directors shall determine.

 

12.

If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon request subject to delivery up of the old certificate or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of out-of- pocket expenses of the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit.

 

13.

In the event that shares are held jointly by several persons, any request may be made by any one of the joint holders and if so made shall be binding on all of the joint holders.


TRANSFER OF SHARES

 

14.

(a) Shares are transferable subject to the approval of the Board or the written consent of a Director authorized by the Board in writing to approve share transfers and the Board may, in its sole discretion, decline to register any transfer of any share which is not fully paid up or on which the Company has a lien.

 

  (b)

The Directors may also decline to register any transfer of any share unless:

 

  (i)

the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company, accompanied by the certificate for the shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

 

  (ii)

the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares;

 

  (iii)

the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;

 

  (iv)

in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the share is to be transferred does not exceed four;

 

  (v)

the shares conceded are free of any lien in favor of us; or

 

  (vi)

a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require, is paid to the Company in respect thereof.

 

  (c)

If the Directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.

 

15.

The registration of transfers may, on 14 days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic means, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as the Board may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year.

 

16.

The instrument of transfer of any share shall be in writing and executed by or on behalf of the transferor (and if the Directors so require, signed by the transferee). The transferor shall be deemed to remain a holder of the share until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register of Members.

 

17.

All instruments of transfer that shall be registered shall be retained by the Company.

REDEMPTION AND PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES

 

18.

Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and these Articles, the Company may:

 

  (a)

issue shares on terms that they are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the Member and the redemption of shares shall be effected on such terms and in such manner as the Board may, before the issue of such shares, determine;

 

  (b)

purchase its own shares (including any redeemable shares) provided that the Members shall have approved the manner of purchase by Ordinary Resolution or the manner of purchase is in accordance with the Articles 19 and 20 (this authorisation is in accordance with section 37(2) of the Companies Law or any modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force); and

 

  (c)

the Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own shares in any manner permitted by the Statutes, including out of capital.

 

19.

Purchase of shares underlying American depositary shares listed on the Designated Stock Exchange: the Company is authorised to purchase any share underlying American depositary shares listed on the Designated Stock Exchange in accordance with the following manner of purchase:

 

  (a)

the maximum number of shares that may be repurchased shall be equal to the number of issued and outstanding shares less one share; and


  (b)

the repurchase shall be at such time; at such price and on such other terms as determined and agreed by the Board in their sole discretion provided however that:

 

  (i)

such repurchase transactions shall be in accordance with the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing and/or trading of the American depositary shares on the Designated Stock Exchange; and

 

  (ii)

at the time of the repurchase, the Company is able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of its business.

 

20.

Purchase of shares not listed on the Designated Stock Exchange: the Company is authorised to purchase any shares not listed on the Designated Stock Exchange in accordance with the following manner of purchase:

 

  (a)

the Company shall serve a repurchase notice in a form approved by the Board on the Member from whom the shares are to be repurchased at least two Business Days prior to the date specified in the notice as being the repurchase date;

 

  (b)

the price for the shares being repurchased shall be such price agreed between the Board and the applicable Member;

 

  (c)

the date of repurchase shall be the date specified in the repurchase notice; and

 

  (d)

the repurchase shall be on such other terms as specified in the repurchase notice as determined and agreed by the Board and the applicable Member in their sole discretion.

 

21.    (a)      The redemption or purchase of any share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption or purchase of any other share and the Company is not obligated to purchase any other share other than as may be required pursuant to applicable law and any other contractual obligations of the Company.

 

  (b)

The holder of the shares being purchased shall be bound to deliver up to the Company the certificate(s) (if any) thereof for cancellation and thereupon the Company shall pay to him the purchase or redemption monies or consideration in respect thereof.

 

22.

The Directors may, prior to the purchase, redemption or surrender of any share, determine that such share shall be held as a Treasury share. The Directors may determine to cancel a Treasury share or transfer a Treasury share on such terms as they think proper (including, without limitation, for nil consideration).

VARIATION OF RIGHTS ATTACHING TO SHARES

 

23.

If at any time the share capital is divided into different classes or series of shares, the rights attaching to any class or series (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class or series) may, subject to these Articles, be varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class or series or with the sanction of a Special Resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class or series.

 

24.

The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply to every such general meeting of the holders of one class or series of shares except the following:

 

  (a)

separate general meetings of the holders of a class or series of shares may be called only by (i) the Chairman of the Board, or (ii) a majority of the entire Board of Directors (unless otherwise specifically provided by the terms of issue of the shares of such class or series). Nothing in this Article 24 or Article 23 shall be deemed to give any Member or Members the right to call a class or series meeting.

 

  (b)

the necessary quorum shall be one or more persons holding or representing by proxy at least 10% of the issued shares of the class or series and that any holder of shares of the class or series present in person or by proxy may demand a poll.

 

25.

The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class or series issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class or series, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking in priority thereto or pari passu therewith.

COMMISSION ON SALE OF SHARES

 

26.

The Company may in so far as the Statutes from time to time permit pay a commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any shares of the Company. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgement of fully or partly paid-up shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also on any issue of shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.


NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS

 

27.

No person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future, or partial interest in any share, or any interest in any fractional part of a share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by these Articles or the Statutes) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder.

LIEN ON SHARES

 

28.

The Company shall have a first and paramount lien and charge on all shares (whether fully paid-up or not) registered in the name of a Member (whether solely or jointly with others) for all debts, liabilities or engagements to or with the Company (whether presently payable or not) by such Member or his estate, either alone or jointly with any other person, whether a Member or not, but the Directors may at any time declare any share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The registration of a transfer of any such share shall operate as a waiver of the Company’s lien (if any) thereon. The Company’s lien (if any) on a share shall extend to all dividends or other monies payable in respect thereof.

 

29.

The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors think fit, any shares on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable nor until the expiration of 14 calendar days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, has been given to the registered holder for the time being of the share, or the persons entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy.

 

30.

For giving effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise some person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the shares comprised in any such transfer and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the sale.

 

31.

The proceeds of the sale shall be received by the Company and applied in payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, and the residue shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently payable as existed upon the shares prior to the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the shares at the date of the sale.

CALLS ON SHARES

 

32.

Subject to the terms of allotment, the Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Members in respect of any money unpaid on their shares, and each Member shall (subject to receiving at least 14 calendar days notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on his shares. A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising such call was passed.

 

33.

The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay calls in respect thereof.

 

34.

If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest upon the sum at the rate of eight percent per annum from the day appointed for the payment thereof to the time of the actual payment, but the Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part.

 

35.

The provisions of these Articles as to the liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest shall apply in the case of non- payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the amount of the share, or by way of premium, as if the same had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.

 

36.

The Directors may make arrangements on the issue of shares for a difference between the Members, or the particular shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment.

 

37.

The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same all or any part of the monies uncalled and unpaid upon any shares held by him, and upon all or any of the monies so advanced may (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (not exceeding without the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution, eight percent per annum) as may be agreed upon between the Member paying the sum in advance and the Directors. No such sum paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Member paying such sum to any portion of a dividend declared in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such sum would, but for such payment, become presently payable.


FORFEITURE OF SHARES

 

38.

If a Member fails to pay any call or instalment of a call on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of such call or instalment remains unpaid, serve a notice on him requiring payment of such much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued.

 

39.

The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of 14 calendar days from the date of the notice) on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed the shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.

 

40.

If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect.

 

41.

A forfeited share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit, and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit.

 

42.

A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to the Company all monies which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company receives payment in full of the fully paid up amount of the shares.

 

43.

A certificate in writing under the hand of a Director of the Company, which certifies that a share has been forfeited on a date stated in the certificate, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for the share or any sale or disposition thereof and may execute a transfer of the share in favour of the person to whom the share is sold or disposed of and he shall thereupon be registered as the holder of the share, and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the share.

 

44.

The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which by the terms of issue of a share becomes due and payable, whether on account of the amount of the share, or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.

REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS

 

45.

The Company shall be entitled to charge a fee not exceeding one dollar (US$1.00) on the registration of every probate, letters of administration, certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, notice in lieu of distringas, or other instrument.

TRANSMISSION OF SHARES

 

46.

The legal personal representative of a deceased sole holder of a share shall be the only person recognised by the Company as having any title to the share. In the case of a share registered in the name of two or more holders, the survivors or survivor, or the legal personal representatives of the deceased survivor, shall be the only person recognised by the Company as having any title to the share.

 

47.

Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member shall upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be properly required by the Directors, have the right either to be registered as a Member in respect of the share or, instead of being registered himself, to make such transfer of the share as the deceased or bankrupt person could have made. If the person so becoming entitled shall elect to be registered himself as holder he shall deliver or send to the Company a notice in writing signed by him stating that he so elects.

 

48.

A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of the holder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered holder of the share, except that he shall not, before being registered as a Member in respect of the share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company, provided however, that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered himself or to transfer the share, and if the notice is not complied with within 90 calendar days, the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all dividends, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.


ALTERATION OF CAPITAL

 

49.

The Company may by Ordinary Resolution:

 

  (a)

increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe;

 

  (b)

consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares;

 

  (c)

sub-divide its existing shares or any of them into shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share shall be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived;

 

  (d)

cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.

 

50.

Subject to the provisions of the Statutes and these Articles as regards to the matters to be dealt with by Ordinary Resolution, the Company may by Special Resolution:

 

  (a)

change its name;

 

  (b)

alter or add to these Articles;

 

  (c)

alter or add to the Memorandum of Association with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein; and

 

  (d)

reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.

 

51.

All new shares created hereunder shall be subject to the same provisions with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer, transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as the shares in the original share capital.

CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE

 

52.

For the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or those Members that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination as to who is a Member for any other purpose, the Directors may provide that the Register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period but not to exceed in any case 30 calendar days. If the Register of Members shall be so closed for the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members such register shall be so closed for at least 10 calendar days immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register of Members.

 

53.

In lieu of or apart from closing the Register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of the Members and for the purpose of determining those Members that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, the Directors may, at or within 30 calendar days prior to the date of declaration of such dividend fix a subsequent date as the record date of such determination.

 

54.

If the Register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of those Members entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members or those Members that are entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is posted or the date on which the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of those Members that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Members has been made as provided in this section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.

GENERAL MEETINGS

 

55.

All general meetings of the Company other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings.

 

56.    (a)      The Company may hold an annual general meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as the Directors shall determine.

 

  (b)

At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented.

 

57.    (a)      The Directors may call general meetings, and they shall on a Members requisition forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company.


  (b)

A Members requisition is a requisition of Members of the Company holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than one-third of the share capital of the Company as at that date carries the right of voting at general meetings of the Company.

 

  (c)

The requisition must state the objects of the meeting and must be signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the principal place of business of the Company (with a copy forwarded to the registered office), and may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or more requisitionists.

 

  (d)

If the Directors do not within 21 calendar days from the date of the deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting to be held within a further 21 calendar days, the requisitionists, or any of them representing more than one half of the total voting rights of all of them, may themselves convene a general meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of three months after the expiration of the second said 21 calendar days.

 

  (e)

A general meeting convened as aforesaid by requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings are to be convened by Directors.

NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS

 

58.

At least seven calendar days’ notice shall be given for any general meeting. Every notice shall be exclusive of the day on which it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business and shall be given in the manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may be prescribed by the Company, provided that a general meeting of the Company shall, whether or not the notice specified in this regulation has been given and whether or not the provisions of the Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly convened if it is so agreed:

 

  (a)

in the case of an annual general meeting by all the Members (or their proxies) entitled to attend and vote thereat; and

 

  (b)

in the case of an extraordinary general meeting by a majority in number of the Members (or their proxies) having a right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than ninety five percent in par value of the shares giving that right.

 

59.

The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any Member shall not invalidate the proceedings at any meeting.

PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS

 

60.

No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. One or more Members holding not less than an aggregate of one-third of all voting share capital of the Company in issue present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall be a quorum for all purposes.

 

61.

If provided for by the Company, a person may participate at a general meeting by conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all the persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participation by a person in a general meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting.

 

62.

If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.

 

63.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside as chairman at every general meeting of the Company.

 

64.

If at any meeting the Chairman of the Board of Directors is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting or is unwilling to act as chairman, the Directors present shall elect one of their members to be chairman of the meeting, or, if no Director is so elected and willing to be chairman of the meeting, the Members present shall choose a chairman of the meeting.

 

65.

The Chairman may with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn a meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting is adjourned for 10 calendar days or more, not less than 7 Business Days’ notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.


66.

At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded by one or more Members present in person or by proxy entitled to vote and who together hold not less than 10 percent of the paid up voting share capital of the Company, and unless a poll is so demanded, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the book of the proceedings of the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact, without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of, or against, that resolution.

 

67.

If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.

 

68.

In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the poll is demanded, shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

 

69.

A poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such time as the chairman of the meeting directs.

VOTES OF MEMBERS

 

70.

Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares, every Member present in person and every person representing a Member by proxy at a general meeting of the Company shall have one vote for each share registered in his name in the Register of Members.

 

71.

In the case of joint holders the vote of the senior who tenders a vote whether in person or by proxy shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the joint holders and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register of Members.

 

72.

A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his committee, or other person in the nature of a committee appointed by that court, and any such committee or other person, may on a poll, vote by proxy.

 

73.

No Member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid.

 

74.

On a poll, votes may be given either personally or by proxy.

 

75.

The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorized in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under seal or under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorized. A proxy need not be a Member of the Company.

 

76.

An instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll.

 

77.

The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the registered office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company:

 

  (a)

not less than 48 hours before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote; or

 

  (b)

in the case of a poll taken more than 48 hours after it is demanded, be deposited as aforesaid after the poll has been demanded and not less than 24 hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll; or

 

  (c)

where the poll is not taken forthwith but is taken not more than 48 hours after it was demanded be delivered at the meeting at which the poll was demanded to the chairman or to the secretary or to any Director;

provided that the Directors may in the notice convening the meeting, or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, direct that the instrument appointing a proxy may be deposited (no later than the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting) at the registered office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company. The Chairman may in any event at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited. An instrument of proxy that is not deposited in the manner permitted shall be invalid.


78.

Votes given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or revocation of the proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed, or the transfer of the share in respect of which the proxy is given unless notice in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer was received by the Company before the commencement of the general meeting, or adjourned meeting at which it is sought to use the proxy.

CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES AT MEETING

 

79.

Any corporation which is a Member or a Director may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members or of the Board of Directors or of a committee of Directors, and the person so authorized shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member or Director.

CLEARING HOUSES

 

80.

If a clearing house (or its nominee) is a Member of the Company it may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by power of attorney, authorise such person or persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative or representatives at any general meeting of the Company or at any general meeting of any class of Members of the Company provided that, if more than one person is so authorized, the authorisation shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such person is so authorized. A person so authorized pursuant to this provision shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee) which he represents as that clearing house (or its nominee) could exercise if it were an individual Member of the Company holding the number and class of shares specified in such authorisation.

DIRECTORS

 

81.    (a)      Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general meeting, the number of Directors shall not be less than three. The Directors shall be elected or appointed in the first place by the subscribers to the Memorandum of Association or by a majority of them and thereafter by the Members at general meeting.

 

  (b)

Each Director shall hold office until the expiration of his term and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

  (c)

The Board of Directors shall have a Chairman (the “Chairman”) elected and appointed by a majority of the Directors then in office, who shall initially be the chief executive officer of the Company. The Directors may also elect a Co- Chairman or a Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors (the “Co-Chairman”). The Chairman shall preside as chairman at every meeting of the Board of Directors. To the extent the Chairman is not present at a meeting of the Board of Directors, the Co-Chairman, or in his absence, the attending Directors may choose one Director to be the chairman of the meeting. The Chairman’s voting right as to the matters to be decided by the Board of Directors shall be the same as other Directors.

 

  (d)

The Company may by Ordinary Resolution elect any person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board.

 

  (e)

The Directors by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting, or the sole remaining Director, shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any person as a Director to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board, subject to the Company’s compliance with director nomination procedures required under applicable corporate governance rules of Designated Stock Exchange, as long as the Company’s securities are traded on the Designated Stock Exchange.

 

82.

Subject to Article 81, a Director may be removed from office by Ordinary Resolution at any time before the expiration of his/her term.

 

83.

A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of Article 82 above may be filled by the election or appointment by Ordinary Resolution at the meeting at which such Director is removed.


84.

The Board may, from time to time, and except as required by applicable law or the listing rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives, which shall be intended to set forth the policies of the Company and the Board on various corporate governance related matters as the Board shall determine by resolution from time to time.

 

85.

A Director shall not be required to hold any shares in the Company by way of qualification. A Director who is not a Member of the Company shall nevertheless be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak at general meetings of the Company and all classes of shares of the Company.

DIRECTORS’ FEES AND EXPENSES

 

86.

The Directors may receive such remuneration as the Board may from time to time determine. The Directors may be entitled to be repaid all travelling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of debentures of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director.

 

87.

Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purpose of the Company or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to or in substitution for any ordinary remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other Article.

ALTERNATE DIRECTOR

 

88.

Any Director may in writing appoint another person to be his alternate to act in his place at any meeting of the Directors at which he is unable to be present. Every such alternate shall be entitled to notice of meetings of the Directors and to attend and vote thereat as a Director when the person appointing him is not personally present and, where he is a Director, to have a separate vote on behalf of the Director he is representing in addition to his own vote. A Director may at any time in writing revoke the appointment of an alternate appointed by him. Such alternate shall be deemed for all purposes to be a Director and shall not be deemed to be the agent of the Director appointing him. An alternate Director shall cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor ceases to be a Director.

 

89.

Any Director may appoint any person, whether or not a Director, to be the proxy of that Director to attend and vote on his behalf, in accordance with instructions given by that Director, or in the absence of such instructions at the discretion of the proxy, at a meeting or meetings of the Directors which that Director is unable to attend personally. The instrument appointing the proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointing Director and shall be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve, and must be lodged with the Chairman at which such proxy is to be used, or first used, prior to the commencement of the meeting.

POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS

 

90.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, these Articles and to any resolutions made in a general meeting, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors, who may pay all expenses incurred in setting up and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company. No resolution made by the Company in a general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors that would have been valid if that resolution had not been made.

 

91.

Subject to these Articles, the Directors may from time to time appoint any person, whether or not a Director of the Company, to hold such office in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including without prejudice to the foregoing generality, the office of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, Manager or Controller, and for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary or commission or participation in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers and duties as the Directors may think fit. The Directors may also appoint one or more of their body (but not an alternate Director) to the office of Managing Director upon like terms, but any such appointment shall ipso facto determine if any Managing Director ceases from any cause to be a Director, or if the Company by Ordinary Resolution resolves that his tenure of office be terminated.

 

92.

The Directors may delegate any of their powers to committees consisting of such Member or Members of their body as they think fit; any committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the Directors.


93.

The Directors may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney appoint any company, firm or person or body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretion (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such attorney to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretion vested in him.

 

94.

The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions contained in the following paragraphs shall be without prejudice to the general powers conferred by this paragraph.

 

95.

The Directors from time to time and at any time may establish any committees, local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company and may appoint any persons to be members of such committees or local boards and may appoint any managers or agents of the Company and may fix the remuneration of any of the aforesaid.

 

96.

The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any such committee, local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill up any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time remove any person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby.

 

97.

Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretions for the time being vested to them.

 

98.

The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any part thereof, to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.

DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS

 

99.

Notwithstanding anything in these Articles, the office of Director shall be vacated, if the Director:

 

  (a)

dies, becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors;

 

  (b)

is found to be or becomes of unsound mind;

 

  (c)

resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company; or

 

  (d)

shall be removed from office pursuant to Articles 81 or 82 or the Statutes.

PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS

 

100.

The Directors may meet together (whether within or outside the Cayman Islands) for the dispatch of business, adjourn, and otherwise regulate their meetings and proceedings as they think fit.

 

101.

A Board meeting may be called by a Director by giving notice in writing to the Board specifying a date, time and agenda for such meeting. The Board shall upon receipt of such notice give a copy of such notice of such meeting to all Directors and their respective alternates (if any).

 

102.    (a)      At least one (1) Business Day notice shall be given to all Directors and their respective alternates (if any) for a Board meeting, provided that such notice period may be reduced or waived with the consent of all the Directors or their respective alternates (if any).

 

  (b)

An agenda identifying in reasonable detail the issues to be considered by the Directors at any such meeting and copies (in printed or electronic form) of any relevant papers to be discussed at the meeting together with all relevant information shall be provided to and received by all members of the Board and their alternates (if any) at least one (1) Business Day prior to the date for such meeting. The agenda for each meeting shall include any matter submitted to the Company by any Director at least one (1) Business Day prior to the date for such meeting.

 

  (c)

Unless approved by all Directors (whether or not present or represented at such meeting), matters not set out in the agenda need not be considered at a Board meeting.


103.

A Director or Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Board of Directors of which such Director or Directors are members, by means of conference telephone, video conference or similar communication equipment by way of which all persons participating in such meeting can hear each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

104.

The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors and unless so fixed shall be a majority of the Directors then in office, provided that a Director and his appointed alternate Director shall be considered only one person for this purpose.

 

105.

If a quorum is not present at a Board meeting within thirty (30) minutes following the time appointed for such Board meeting, the relevant meeting shall be adjourned for a period of at least three (3) Business Days and the presence of any three (3) Directors shall constitute a quorum at such adjourned meeting. A meeting of the Directors at which a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business shall be competent to exercise all powers and discretions for the time being exercisable by the Directors.

 

106.

Questions arising at any meeting of the Directors shall be decided by a majority of votes and each Director shall be entitled to one (1) vote in deciding matters deliberated at any meeting of the Directors.

 

107.

In case of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

 

108.

A Director who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the Directors. A general notice given to the Directors by any Director to the effect that he is a member of any specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract which may thereafter be made with that company or firm shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of interest in regard to any contract so made. A Director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement notwithstanding that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote shall be counted and he may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the Directors at which any such contract or proposed contract or arrangement shall come before the meeting for consideration.

 

109.

A Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and on such terms (as to remuneration and otherwise) as the Directors may determine and no Director or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company either with regard to his tenure of any such other office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director is in any way interested, be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established. A Director, notwithstanding his interest, may be counted in the quorum present at any meeting whereat he or any other Director is appointed to hold any such office or place of profit under the Company or whereat the terms of any such appointment are arranged and he may vote on any such appointment or arrangement.

 

110.

Any Director may act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company, and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director; provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise a Director or his firm to act as auditor to the Company.

 

111.

The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books or loose-leaf folders provided for the purpose of recording:

 

  (a)

all appointments of officers made by the Directors;

 

  (b)

the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; and

 

  (c)

all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company, and of the Directors and of committees of Directors.

 

112.

When the Chairman of a meeting of the Directors signs the minutes of such meeting the same shall be deemed to have been duly held notwithstanding that all the Directors have not actually come together or that there may have been a technical defect in the proceedings.

 

113.

A resolution signed by all the Directors shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Directors duly called and constituted and when signed, a resolution may consist of several documents each signed by one or more of the Directors.

 

114.

The continuing Directors may act, notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but if their number is reduced below the number fixed pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors, then the continuing Directors may act only to increase the number or to summon a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose.


115.

A committee appointed by the Directors may elect a chairman of its meetings. If no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

 

116.

A committee appointed by the Directors may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the committee members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

 

117.

All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, or by any person acting as a Director, shall notwithstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such Director or person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a Director.

PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT

 

118.

A Director who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the Minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such action with the person acting as the Chairman or Secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered post to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of such action.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVE

 

119.

Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares and these Articles, the Directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and other distributions on shares in issue and authorise payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor.

 

120.

Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares and these Articles, the Company by Ordinary Resolution may also declare dividends, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors.

 

121.

The Directors may, before recommending or declaring any dividend, set aside out of the funds legally available for distribution such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Directors, be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends or for any other purpose to which those funds may be properly applied and pending such application may, at the like discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments (other than shares of the Company) as the Directors may from time to time think fit.

 

122.

Any dividend may be paid by cheque or wire transfer to the registered address of the Member or person entitled thereto, or in the case of joint holders, to any one of such joint holders at his registered address or to such person and such address as the Member or person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct. Every such cheque shall be made payable to the order of the person to whom it is sent or to the order of such other person as the Member or person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct.

 

123.

The Directors when paying dividends to the Members in accordance with the foregoing provisions may make such payment either in cash or in specie.

 

124.

No dividend shall be paid otherwise than out of profits or, subject to the restrictions of the Companies Law, the share premium account.

 

125.

Subject to the rights of persons, if any, entitled to shares with special rights as to dividends, all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid or credited as fully paid on the shares, but if and so long as nothing is paid up on any of the shares in the Company dividends may be declared and paid according to the amounts of the shares. No amount paid on a share in advance of calls shall, while carrying interest, be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid on the share.

 

126.

If several persons are registered as joint holders of any share, any of them may give effectual receipts for any dividend or other monies payable on or in respect of the share.

 

127.

No dividend shall bear interest against the Company.


BOOK OF ACCOUNTS

 

128.

The books of account relating to the Company’s affairs shall be kept in such manner as may be determined from time to time by the Directors.

 

129.

The books of account shall be kept at such place or places as the Directors think fit, and shall always be open to the inspection of the Directors.

 

130.

The Directors shall from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Members not being Directors, and no Member (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorized by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution.

 

131.

The accounts relating to the Company’s affairs shall be audited in such manner and with such financial year end as may be determined from time to time by the Company by Ordinary Resolution or failing any such determination by the Directors or failing any determination as aforesaid shall not be audited.

ANNUAL RETURNS AND FILINGS

 

132.

The Board shall make the requisite annual returns and any other requisite filings in accordance with the Companies Law.

AUDIT

 

133.

The Directors may appoint an Auditor of the Company who shall hold office until removed from office by a resolution of the Directors and may fix his or their remuneration.

 

134.

Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and Officers of the Company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors.

 

135.

Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next annual general meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an ordinary company, and at the next special meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an exempted company, and at any time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors at any general meeting of the Members.

THE SEAL

 

136.

The Seal of the Company shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Board of Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of the Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of the Seal. The Seal shall be affixed in the presence of any one or more persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose and every person as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the Seal of the Company is so affixed in their presence.

 

137.

The Company may maintain a facsimile of its Seal in such countries or places as the Directors may appoint and such facsimile Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Board of Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of such facsimile Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of such facsimile Seal. The facsimile Seal shall be affixed in the presence of such person or persons as the Directors shall for this purpose appoint and such person or persons as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the facsimile Seal of the Company is so affixed in their presence.

 

138.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Director shall have the authority to affix the Seal, or the facsimile Seal, to any instrument for the purposes of attesting authenticity of the matter contained therein but which does not create any obligation binding on the Company.


OFFICERS

 

139.

Subject to Article 91, the Company may have Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, Manager or Controller, appointed by the Directors. The Directors may also from time to time appoint such other officers as they consider necessary, all for such terms, at such remuneration and to perform such duties, and subject to such provisions as to disqualification and removal as the Directors from time to time subscribe.

CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS

 

140.

Subject to the Statutes and these Articles, the Board may, with the authority of an Ordinary Resolution:

 

  (a)

resolve to capitalise an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including a share premium account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), whether or not available for distribution;

 

  (b)

appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the Members in proportion to the nominal amount of shares (whether or not fully paid) held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards:

 

  (i)

paying up the amounts (if any) for the time being unpaid on shares held by them respectively; or

 

  (ii)

paying up in full unissued shares or debentures of a nominal amount equal to that sum, and allot the shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the Members (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but the share premium account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued shares to be allotted to Members credited as fully paid;

 

  (c)

make any arrangements it thinks fit to resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where shares or debentures become distributable in fractions the Board may deal with the fractions as it thinks fit;

 

  (d)

authorise a person to enter (on behalf of all the Members concerned) an agreement with the Company providing for either:

 

  (i)

the allotment to the Members respectively, credited as fully paid, of shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation, or

 

  (ii)

the payment by the Company on behalf of the Members (by the application of their respective operations of the reserves resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing shares,

an agreement made under the authority being effective and binding on all those Members; and

 

  (e)

generally do all acts and things required to give effect to the resolution.

NOTICES

 

141.

Except as otherwise provided in these Articles, any notice or document may be served by the Company or by the person entitled to give notice to any Member either personally, by facsimile or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter or via a recognised courier service, fees prepaid, addressed to the Member at his address as appearing in the Register of Members or, to the extent permitted by all applicable laws and regulations, by electronic means by transmitting it to any electronic number or address or website supplied by the Member to the Company or by placing it on the Company’s Website. In the case of joint holders of a share, all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register of Members in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.

 

142.

Notices posted to addresses outside the Cayman Islands shall be forwarded by prepaid airmail.

 

143.

Any Member present, either personally or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have received due notice of such meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which such meeting was convened.

 

144.

Any notice or other document, if served by:

 

  (a)

post, shall be deemed to have been served five calendar days after the time when the letter containing the same is posted and if served by courier, shall be deemed to have been served five calendar days after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier (in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or document was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier);


  (b)

facsimile, shall be deemed to have been served upon confirmation of receipt;

 

  (c)

recognised delivery service, shall be deemed to have been served 48 hours after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier service and in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier; or

 

  (d)

electronic means as provided herein shall be deemed to have been served and delivered on the day following that on which it is successfully transmitted or at such later time as may be prescribed by any applicable laws or regulations.

 

145.

Any notice or document delivered or sent to any Member in accordance with the terms of these Articles shall notwithstanding that such Member be then dead or bankrupt, and whether or not the Company has notice of his death or bankruptcy, be deemed to have been duly served in respect of any share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder, unless his name shall at the time of the service of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register of Members as the holder of the share, and such service shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share.

 

146.

Notice of every general meeting shall be given to:

 

  (a)

all Members who have supplied to the Company an address for the giving of notices to them;

 

  (b)

every person entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member, who but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting; and

 

  (c)

each Director and Alternate Director.

No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.

INFORMATION

 

147.

No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of any information in respect of any detail of the Company’s trading or any information which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Board would not be in the interests of the Members of the Company to communicate to the public.

 

148.

The Board shall be entitled to release or disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its affairs to any of its members including, without limitation, information contained in the Register of Members and transfer books of the Company.

INDEMNITY

 

149.

Every Director (including for the purposes of this Article any Alternate Director appointed pursuant to the provisions of these Articles) and officer of the Company for the time being and from time to time shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and funds of the Company against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by him in connection with the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions as a Director or officer of the Company, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by him in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.

 

150.

No such Director or officer of the Company shall be liable to the Company for any loss or damage unless such liability arises through the willful neglect or default of such Director or officer.

FINANCIAL YEAR

 

151.

Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on December 31st in each year and shall begin on January 1st in each year.


WINDING UP

 

152.

Subject to these Articles, if the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, with the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution of the Company, divide amongst the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any property to be divided as aforesaid and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the contributories as the liquidator, with the like sanction shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any shares or other securities whereon there is any liability.

AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND NAME OF COMPANY

 

153.

The Company may at any time and from time to time by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles or the Memorandum of Association of the Company, in whole or in part, or change the name of the Company.

REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION

 

154.

The Company may by Special Resolution resolve to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing. In furtherance of a resolution adopted pursuant to this Article, the Directors may cause an application to be made to the Registrar of Companies to deregister the Company in the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing and may cause all such further steps as they consider appropriate to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company.

Exhibit 2.5

Description of rights of each class of securities

registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)

American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) each representing 0.2 Class A ordinary shares of Vipshop Holdings Limited, (the “we,” “us,” “our company” or “our”) are listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange and, in connection with this listing (but not for trading), the Class A ordinary shares are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. This exhibit contains a description of the rights of (i) the holders of Class A ordinary shares and (ii) the holders of ADSs. Underlying Class A ordinary shares represented by the ADSs are held by Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, and holders of ADSs will not be treated as holders of the Class A ordinary shares.

Description of Class A Ordinary Shares

The following is a summary of material provisions of our currently effective second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (the “Memorandum and Articles of Association”), as well as the Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Act”) insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares. Notwithstanding this, because it is a summary, it may not contain all the information that you may otherwise deem important. For more complete information, you should read the entire Memorandum and Articles of Association, which has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to this annual report on Form 20-F.

Type and Class of Securities (Item 9.A.5 of Form 20-F)

Each Class A ordinary share has US$0.0001 par value. The number of Class A ordinary shares that have been issued as of the last day of the financial year ended December 31, 2020 is provided on the cover of the annual report for fiscal year 2020 on Form 20-F filed in April 2021 (the “2020 Form 20-F”). Our Class A ordinary shares may be held in either certificated or uncertificated form.

Preemptive Rights (Item 9.A.3 of Form 20-F)

Our shareholders do not have preemptive rights.

Limitations or Qualifications (Item 9.A.6 of Form 20-F)

We have a dual-class voting structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Each Class A ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of our company, and each Class B ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to ten votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of our company. Due to the super voting powers granted to holders of Class B ordinary shares, the voting power of holders of Class A ordinary shares may be materially limited.


Rights of Other Types of Securities (Item 9.A.7 of Form 20-F)

Not applicable.

Rights of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.3 of Form 20-F)

Classes of Ordinary Shares

Our ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our register of shareholders. We may not issue shares to bearer. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares.

Conversion

Each class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of any Class B ordinary shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity, or upon a change of ultimate beneficial ownership of any Class B ordinary shares to any person or entity, such Class B ordinary shares will be automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares.

Dividends

The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to the Companies Act.

Voting Rights

Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote and each Class B ordinary share is entitled to ten votes on all matters upon which the ordinary shares are entitled to vote. Voting at any shareholders’ meeting is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by one or more shareholders holding at least 10% of the paid up voting share capital, present in person or by proxy.

A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least one shareholder present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative, who holds no less than one-third of our voting share capital. Shareholders’ meetings are held annually and may be convened by our board of directors on its own initiative or upon a request to the directors by shareholders holding in aggregate at least one-third of our voting share capital. Advance notice to shareholders of at least seven days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other shareholders’ meetings.

An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires a simple majority of votes cast in a general meeting, while a special resolution requires no less than two-thirds of the votes cast. A special resolution is required for important matters such as a change of name. Our shareholders may effect certain changes by ordinary resolution, including increasing the amount of our authorized share capital, consolidating and dividing all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amount than our existing shares and canceling any shares.

 

2


Transfer of Shares

Subject to the restrictions of our memorandum and articles of association, as applicable, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board.

Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any share unless (a) the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; (b) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares; (c) the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; (d) in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the share is to be transferred does not exceed four; (e) the shares conceded are free of any lien in favor of us; or (f) a fee of such maximum sum as NYSE may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as our board of directors may from time to time require, has been paid to us in respect thereof.

If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal. The registration of transfers may, on 14 days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic means, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year.

Liquidation Rights

On a return of capital on winding up or otherwise (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares in accordance with the Companies Act and the memorandum or articles of association of the company. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders proportionately.

Calls on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares

Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time of payment. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid on the specified time are subject to forfeiture.

 

3


Redemption of Shares

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, we may issue shares on terms that are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders, on such terms and in such manner as may be determined by the board of directors.

Requirements to Change the Rights of Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.4 of Form 20-F)

Variations of Rights of Shares

All or any of the special rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, be varied either with the written consent of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking in priority to or pari passu with such previously existing shares.

Limitations on the Rights to Own Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.6 of Form 20-F)

There are no limitations under the laws of the Cayman Islands or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that limit the right of non-resident or foreign owners to hold or vote Class A ordinary shares, other than anti-takeover provisions contained in the Memorandum and Articles of Association which may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or cause our company to engage in change-of-control transactions.

Provisions Affecting Any Change of Control (Item 10.B.7 of Form 20-F)

Anti-Takeover Provisions in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Some provisions of our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that:

 

   

authorize our board of directors to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preferred shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders; and

 

   

limit the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders.

However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.

 

4


Ownership Threshold (Item 10.B.8 of Form 20-F)

There are no provisions under the laws of the Cayman Islands or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that govern the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

Differences Between the Law of Different Jurisdictions (Item 10.B.9 of Form 20-F)

The Companies Act is derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England but does not follow recent English statutory enactments and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England. In addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.

Mergers and Similar Arrangements. In certain circumstances, the Cayman Islands Companies Act allows for mergers or consolidations between two Cayman Islands companies, or between a Cayman Islands company and a company incorporated in another jurisdiction (provided that is facilitated by the laws of that other jurisdiction).

Where the merger or consolidation is between two Cayman Islands companies, the directors of each company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation containing certain prescribed information. That plan or merger or consolidation must then be authorized by (a) a special resolution (usually a majority of 662/3% in value) of the shareholders of each company and (b) such other authorization, if any, as is required by such constituent company’s memorandum and articles of association. No shareholder resolution is required for a merger between a parent company (i.e., a company that owns at least 90% of the issued shares of each class in a subsidiary company) and its subsidiary company. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company must be obtained, unless the court waives such requirement. If the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies is satisfied that the requirements of the Companies Act (which includes certain other formalities) have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies will register the plan of merger or consolidation.

Where the merger or consolidation involves a non-Cayman Islands company, the procedure is similar, save that with respect to the foreign company, the director of the Cayman Islands company is required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, he is of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (a) that the merger or consolidation is permitted or not prohibited by the constitutional documents of the non-Cayman Islands company and by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the non-Cayman Islands company is incorporated, and that those laws and any requirements of those constitutional documents have been or will be complied with; (b) that no petition or other similar proceeding has been filed and remains outstanding or order made or resolution adopted to wind up or liquidate the non-Cayman Islands company in any jurisdictions; (c) that no receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar person has been appointed in any jurisdiction and is acting in respect of the non-Cayman Islands company, its affairs or its property or any part thereof; and (d) that no scheme, order, compromise or other similar arrangement has been entered into or made in any jurisdiction whereby the rights of creditors of the non-Cayman Islands company are and continue to be suspended or restricted.

 

5


Where the surviving company is the Cayman Islands company, the director of the Cayman Islands company is further required to make a declaration to the effect that, having made due enquiry, he is of the opinion that the requirements set out below have been met: (i) that the non-Cayman Islands company is able to pay its debts as they fall due and that the merger or consolidation is bona fide and not intended to defraud unsecured creditors of the non-Cayman Islands company; (ii) that in respect of the transfer of any security interest granted by the non-Cayman Islands company to the surviving or consolidated company (a) consent or approval to the transfer has been obtained, released or waived; (b) the transfer is permitted by and has been approved in accordance with the constitutional documents of the non-Cayman Islands company; and (c) the laws of the jurisdiction of the non-Cayman Islands company with respect to the transfer have been or will be complied with; (iii) that the non-Cayman Islands company will, upon the merger or consolidation becoming effective, cease to be incorporated, registered or exist under the laws of the relevant non-Cayman Islands jurisdiction; and (iv) that there is no other reason why it would be against the public interest to permit the merger or consolidation.

Where the above procedures are adopted, the Companies Act provides for a right of dissenting shareholders to be paid the fair value of his shares upon their dissenting to the merger or consolidation if they follow a prescribed procedure. In essence, that procedure is as follows: (a) the shareholder must give his written objection to the merger or consolidation to the constituent company before the vote on the merger or consolidation, including a statement that the shareholder proposes to demand payment for his shares if the merger or consolidation is authorized by the vote; (b) within 20 days following the date on which the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the constituent company must give written notice to each shareholder who made a written objection; (c) a shareholder must within 20 days following receipt of such notice from the constituent company, give the constituent company a written notice of his intention to dissent including, among other details, a demand for payment of the fair value of his shares; (d) within seven days following the date of the expiration of the period set out in paragraph (b) above or seven days following the date on which the plan of merger or consolidation is filed, whichever is later, the constituent company, the surviving company or the consolidated company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his shares at a price that the company determines is the fair value and if the company and the shareholder agree the price within 30 days following the date on which the offer was made, the company must pay the shareholder such amount; (e) if the company and the shareholder fail to agree a price within such 30 day period, within 20 days following the date on which such 30 day period expires, the company (and any dissenting shareholder) must file a petition with the Cayman Islands Grand Court to determine the fair value and such petition must be accompanied by a list of the names and addresses of the dissenting shareholders with whom agreements as to the fair value of their shares have not been reached by the company. At the hearing of that petition, the court has the power to determine the fair value of the shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value. Any dissenting shareholder whose name appears on the list filed by the company may participate fully in all proceedings until the determination of fair value is reached. These rights of a dissenting shareholder are not available in certain circumstances, for example, to dissenters holding shares of any class in respect of which an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the relevant date or where the consideration for such shares to be contributed are shares of any company listed on a national securities exchange or shares of the surviving or consolidated company.

 

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Moreover, Cayman Islands law also has separate statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction or amalgamation of companies in certain circumstances, schemes of arrangement will generally be more suited for complex mergers or other transactions involving widely held companies, commonly referred to in the Cayman Islands as a “scheme of arrangement” which may be tantamount to a merger. In the event that a merger was sought pursuant to a scheme of arrangement (the procedure of which is more rigorous and takes longer to complete than the procedures typically required to consummate a merger in the United States), the arrangement in question must be approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or a meeting summoned for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the terms of the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder would have the right to express to the court the view that the transaction should not be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it satisfies itself that:

 

   

we are not proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of our corporate authority and the statutory provisions as to majority vote have been complied with;

 

   

the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question;

 

   

the arrangement is such as a businessman would reasonably approve; and

 

   

the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act or that would amount to a “fraud on the minority.”

If a scheme of arrangement or takeover offer (as described below) is approved, any dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

Squeeze-out Provisions. When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares to whom the offer is made within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith, collusion or inequitable treatment of the shareholders.

Further, transactions similar to a merger, reconstruction and/or an amalgamation may in some circumstances be achieved through means other than under the relevant statutory provisions, such as a share capital exchange, asset acquisition or control, through contractual arrangements, of an operating business.

Shareholders’ Suits. Our Cayman Islands counsel is not aware of any reported class action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts, and the Cayman Islands courts have confirmed their availability. In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and a claim against (for example) our officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:

 

   

a company is acting or proposing to act illegally or beyond the scope of its authority;

 

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the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or

 

   

those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”

Transactions with Directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, transactions with directors must be approved by disinterested directors or by the shareholders, or otherwise proven to be fair to the company as of the time it is approved. Such transaction will be void or voidable, unless (a) the material facts of any interested directors’ interests are disclosed or are known to the board of directors and the transaction is approved by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; (b) the material facts of any interested directors’ interests are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote thereon, and the transaction is specifically approved in good faith by a vote of the shareholders; or (c) the transaction is fair to the company as of the time it is approved.

Cayman Islands laws do not restrict transactions with directors, requiring only that directors exercise a duty of care and owe a fiduciary duty to the companies for which they serve. Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, subject to any separate requirement for audit committee approval under the NYSE rules or unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant board meeting, so long as a director discloses the nature of his interest in any contract or arrangement which he is interested in, such a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement in which such director is interested and may be counted in the quorum at such a meeting.

Indemnification. Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against conduct amounting to willful default, willful neglect, fraud or dishonesty, for example, civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime.

Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, we may indemnify our directors, officers, employees and agents against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with actions, suits or proceedings to which they are party or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their acting as our directors, officers, employees or agents, except through their own dishonesty, willful default or fraud. To be entitled to indemnification, these persons must have acted in good faith and in the best interest and not contrary to the interest of our company, and must not have acted in a manner willfully or grossly negligent and, with respect to any criminal action, they must have had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may also provide for indemnification of such person in the case of a suit initiated by our company or in the right of our company.

 

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We intend to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers to indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and our articles of association, from and against all costs, charges, expenses, liabilities and losses incurred in connection with any litigation, suit or proceeding to which such director is or is threatened to be made a party, witness or other participant.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and therefore is unenforceable.

Directors’ Fiduciary Duties. Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care generally requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, but subject to certain exceptions, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties.

Under Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the company, and therefore it is considered that he or she owes the following duties to the company: a duty to act bona fide in the best interests of the company and for a proper purpose; a duty not to make a profit out of his or her position as director (unless the company permits him or her to do so); and a duty not to put himself or herself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal interests or his or her duty to a third party. A director of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill, diligence and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience. However, there are indications that the courts are moving towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care.

Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, directors who are in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with our company shall declare the nature of their interest at a meeting of the board of directors. Following such declaration, a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract notwithstanding his interest.

 

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Majority Independent Board. A domestic U.S. company listed on the NYSE must comply with the requirement that a majority of the board of directors must be comprised of independent directors as defined under NYSE rules. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are allowed to follow home country practices in lieu of certain corporate governance requirements under the NYSE rules where there is no similar requirement under the laws of the Cayman Islands.

Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Under the DGCL, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by inclusion of such a restriction in its certificate of incorporation. Cayman Islands law and our amended and restated articles of association provide that shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.

Shareholder Proposals. The DGCL does not provide shareholders an express right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, but in keeping with common law, Delaware corporations generally afford shareholders an opportunity to make proposals and nominations provided that they comply with the notice provisions in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings. With respect to shareholder proposals, Cayman law is essentially the same as Delaware law. The Companies Act does not provide shareholders with an express right to put forth any proposal before the annual meeting of the shareholders. However, depending on what is stipulated in a company’s articles of associations, shareholders in an exempted Cayman Islands company may make proposals in accordance with the relevant notice provisions. For shares that are represented by ADSs, the depositary in many cases may be the only shareholder. In such cases, only the depositary has the direct right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting. However, unless otherwise provided in the deposit agreement, the holders of the ADSs generally do not have the right to petition the depositary to requisition a shareholders’ meeting or put forth shareholder proposals through the depositary.

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association allow our shareholders holding not less than one-third of our paid-up voting share capital to requisition a shareholders’ meeting. At such shareholders’ meeting, the shareholders who have requisitioned the meeting may put forth proposals, provided the details of such proposals are set forth in their notice requisitioning the meeting. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.

Cumulative Voting. Under the DGCL, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director.

There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands, but our amended and restated articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.

 

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Removal of Directors. Under the DGCL, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our amended and restated articles of association, directors can be removed by an ordinary resolution of shareholders.

Transactions with Interested Shareholders. The DGCL contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by an amendment to its certificate of incorporation or bylaws that is approved by its shareholders, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock or who or which is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and owned 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among others, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware public corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.

Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and not with the effect of perpetuating a fraud on the minority shareholders.

Dissolution; Winding Up. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board.

Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.

Variation of Rights of Shares. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under Cayman Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may materially adversely vary the rights attached to any class with the written consent of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

 

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Amendment of Governing Documents. Under the DGCL, a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may be amended only if adopted and declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, and the bylaws may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote and may, if so provided in the certificate of incorporation, also be amended by the board of directors. As permitted by Cayman Islands law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may be amended by a special resolution of the shareholders.

Rights of Non-Resident or Foreign Shareholders. There are no limitations imposed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

Exempted Company. The Companies Act in the Cayman Islands distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:

 

   

an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies;

 

   

an exempted company’s register of members is not required to be open for inspection;

 

   

an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting;

 

   

an exempted company may issue no par value shares;

 

   

an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance);

 

   

an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;

 

   

an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and

 

   

an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.

“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on that shareholder’s shares of the company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).

 

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Changes in Capital (Item 10.B.10 of Form 20-F)

Our company may by Ordinary Resolution:

 

   

increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe;

 

   

consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of larger amount than its existing shares;

 

   

sub-divide its existing shares or any of them into shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share shall be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived;

 

   

cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and the Memorandum and Articles of Association as regards to the matters to be dealt with by Ordinary Resolution, the Company may by Special Resolution:

 

   

change its name;

 

   

alter or add to these Articles;

 

   

alter or add to the Memorandum of Association with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein; and

 

   

reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.

Debt Securities (Item 12.A of Form 20-F)

Not applicable.

Warrants and Rights (Item 12.B of Form 20-F)

Not applicable.

Other Securities (Item 12.C of Form 20-F)

Not applicable.

Description of American Depositary Shares (Items 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, registers and delivers the ADSs. Each ADS represents ownership of two ordinary shares deposited with the office in Hong Kong of Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS also represents ownership of any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs are administered is located at 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, USA. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, USA.

 

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The Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto.

We will not treat ADS holders as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt.

Holding the ADSs

How will you hold your ADSs?

You may hold ADSs either (1) directly (a) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (b) by holding ADSs in DRS, or (2) indirectly through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent as of the record date (which will be as close as practicable to the record date for our ordinary shares) set by the depositary with respect to the ADSs

 

   

Cash. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the ordinary shares or any net proceeds from the sale of any ordinary shares, rights, securities or other entitlements into U.S. dollars if it can do so on a reasonable basis, and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or lawful or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid and such funds will be held in a segregated account. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

 

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Before making a distribution, any taxes or other governmental charges, together with fees and expenses of the depositary, that must be paid, will be deducted. It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.

 

   

Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any ordinary shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution to the extent reasonably practicable and permissible under law. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will try to sell ordinary shares which would require it to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new ordinary shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed ordinary shares sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

 

   

Elective Distributions in Cash or Shares. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares the option to receive dividends in either cash or shares, the depositary, after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such elective distribution by us, has discretion to determine to what extent such elective distribution will be made available to you as a holder of the ADSs. We must first instruct the depositary to make such elective distribution available to you and furnish it with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. The depositary could decide it is not legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to you, or it could decide that it is only legal or reasonably practical to make such elective distribution available to some but not all holders of the ADSs. In such case, the depositary shall, on the basis of the same determination as is made in respect of the ordinary shares for which no election is made, distribute either cash in the same way as it does in a cash distribution, or additional ADSs representing ordinary shares in the same way as it does in a share distribution. The depositary is not obligated to make available to you a method to receive the elective dividend in shares rather than in ADSs. There can be no assurance that you will be given the opportunity to receive elective distributions on the same terms and conditions as the holders of ordinary shares.

 

   

Rights to Purchase Additional Shares. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such distribution by us, make these rights available to you. We must first instruct the depositary to make such rights available to you and furnish the depositary with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them.

 

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If the depositary makes rights available to you, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on your behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to you. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require you to pay.

U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.

 

   

Other Distributions. Subject to receipt of timely notice, as described in the deposit agreement, from us with the request to make any such distribution available to you, and provided the depositary has determined such distribution is lawful and reasonably practicable and feasible and in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary will send to you anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice: it may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash; or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to you unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

How are ADS issued?

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposit ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto.

How do ADR holders cancel an American Depositary Share?

You may turn in your ADSs at the depositary’s corporate trust office or by providing appropriate instructions to your broker. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office, if feasible.

 

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How do ADS holders interchange between Certificated ADSs and Uncertificated ADSs?

You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

Voting Rights

How do you vote?

You may instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs. Otherwise, you could exercise your right to vote directly if you withdraw the ordinary shares. However, you may not know about the meeting sufficiently enough in advance to withdraw the ordinary shares.

If we ask for your instructions and upon timely notice from us, as described in the deposit agreement, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain how you may instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs as you direct, including an express indication that such instruction may be given or deemed given in accordance with the second to last sentence of this paragraph if no instruction is received, to the depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them on or before the date specified. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the Cayman Islands and the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, to vote or to have its agents vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities as you instruct. The depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as you instruct. If we timely requested the depositary to solicit your instructions but no instructions are received by the depositary from an owner with respect to any of the deposited securities represented by the ADSs of that owner on or before the date established by the depositary for such purpose, the depositary shall deem that owner to have instructed the depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us with respect to such deposited securities, and the depositary shall give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote such deposited securities. However, no such instruction shall be deemed given and no such discretionary proxy shall be given with respect to any matter if we inform the depositary we do not wish such proxy given, substantial opposition exists or the matter materially and adversely affects the rights of holders of the ordinary shares.

We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and you may have no recourse if the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested.

 

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In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we will try to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon sufficiently in advance of the meeting date.

Payment of Taxes

You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any net proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes. You agree to indemnify us, the depositary, the custodian and each of our and their respective agents, directors, employees and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims with respect to taxes (including applicable interest and penalties thereon) arising from any tax benefit obtained for you.

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

 

If we:                                                                                                             

Then:

Change the nominal or par value of our ordinary shares    The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities.
Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities    Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.
Distribute securities on the ordinary shares that are not distributed to you or Recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action    The depositary may distribute some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it received. It may also deliver new ADSs or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the form of ADR without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, including expenses incurred in connection with foreign exchange control regulations and other charges specifically payable by ADS holders under the deposit agreement, or materially prejudices a substantial existing right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

 

18


How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so, in which case the depositary will give notice to you at least 45 days prior to termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like to resign and we have not appointed a new depositary within 90 days. In such case, the depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination.

After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property and deliver ordinary shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs after payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other governmental charges. Six months or more after termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

Books of Depositary

The depositary will maintain ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office during regular business hours but solely for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the ADSs and the deposit agreement.

The depositary will maintain facilities in New York to record and process the issuance, cancellation, combination, split-up and transfer of ADRs.

These facilities may be closed from time to time, to the extent not prohibited by law or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the depositary or us, in good faith, at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law, any government or governmental body or commission or any securities exchange on which the ADRs or ADSs are listed, or under any provision of the deposit agreement or provisions of, or governing, the deposited securities, or any meeting of our shareholders or for any other reason.

 

19


Limitations on Obligations and Liability to ADR Holders

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

 

   

are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without gross negligence or wilful misconduct;

 

   

are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement, including, without limitation, requirements of any present or future law, regulation, governmental or regulatory authority or share exchange of any applicable jurisdiction, any present or future provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, on account of possible civil or criminal penalties or restraint, any provisions of or governing the deposited securities or any act of God, war or other circumstances beyond our control as set forth in the deposit agreement;

 

   

are not liable if either of us exercises, or fails to exercise, discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

   

are not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made available to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement, or for any indirect, special, consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement;

 

   

have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other party;

 

   

may rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party;

 

   

disclaim any liability for any action/inaction in reliance on the advice or information of legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting ordinary shares for deposit, holders and beneficial owners (or authorized representatives) of ADSs, or any person believed in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information;

 

   

disclaim any liability for inability of any holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit made available to holders of deposited securities but not made available to holders of ADSs; and

 

   

disclaim any liability for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages.

The depositary and any of its agents also disclaim any liability for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, the manner in which any vote is cast or the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable or for allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement, the failure or timeliness of any notice from us, the content of any information submitted to it by us for distribution to you or for any inaccuracy of any translation thereof, any investment risk associated with the acquisition of an interest in the deposited securities, the validity or worth of the deposited securities, the credit-worthiness of any third party, or for any tax consequences that may result from ownership of ADSs, ordinary shares or deposited securities.

 

20


In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

Requirements for Depositary Actions

Before the depositary will issue, deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of ordinary shares, the depositary may require:

 

   

payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any ordinary shares or other deposited securities and payment of the applicable fees, expenses and charges of the depositary;

 

   

satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

   

compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

The depositary may refuse to issue and deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the register of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it is necessary or advisable to do so.

Your Rights to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADSs

You have the right to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares at any time except:

 

   

when temporary delays arise because: (1) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (2) the transfer of ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (3) we are paying a dividend on our ordinary shares;

 

   

when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or

 

   

when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of ordinary shares or other deposited securities.

This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

 

21


Pre-release of ADSs

The deposit agreement permits the depositary to deliver ADSs before deposit of the underlying ordinary shares. This is called a pre-release of the ADSs. The depositary may also deliver ordinary shares upon cancellation of pre-released ADSs (even if the ADSs are cancelled before the pre-release transaction has been closed out). A pre-release is closed out as soon as the underlying ordinary shares are delivered to the depositary. The depositary may receive ADSs instead of ordinary shares to close out a pre-release. The depositary may pre-release ADSs only under the following conditions: (1) before or at the time of the pre-release, the person to whom the pre-release is being made represents to the depositary in writing that it or its customer (a) owns the ordinary shares or ADSs to be deposited, (b) assigns all beneficial rights, title and interest in such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary for the benefit of the owners, (c) will not take any action with respect to such ordinary shares or ADSs that is inconsistent with the transfer of beneficial ownership, (d) indicates the depositary as owner of such ordinary shares or ADSs in its records, and (e) unconditionally guarantees to deliver such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary or the custodian, as the case may be; (2) the pre-release is fully collateralized with cash or other collateral that the depositary considers appropriate; and (3) the depositary must be able to close out the pre-release on not more than five business days’ notice. Each pre-release is subject to further indemnities and credit regulations as the depositary considers appropriate. In addition, the depositary will limit the number of ADSs that may be outstanding at any time as a result of pre-release to 30% of the aggregate number of ADSs then outstanding, although the depositary may disregard the limit from time to time, if it thinks it is appropriate to do so, including (1) due to a decrease in the aggregate number of ADSs outstanding that causes existing pre-release transactions to temporarily exceed the limit stated above or (2) where otherwise required by market conditions.

Direct Registration System

In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register such transfer.

In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the DTC participant which is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on, and compliance with, instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile System and in accordance with the deposit agreement, shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.

 

22

Exhibit 8.1

Vipshop Holdings Limited

List of Significant Consolidated Entities

 

Name    Jurisdiction of Incorporation
Significant Subsidiaries:   
Vipshop International Holdings Limited    Hong Kong
Vipshop (China) Co., Ltd.    PRC
Vipshop (Zhaoqing) E-Commerce Co., Ltd.    PRC
Vipshop (Jianyang) E-Commerce Co., Ltd.    PRC
Vipshop (Tianjin) E-Commerce Co., Ltd.    PRC
Guangzhou Pinwei Software Co., Ltd.    PRC
Vipshop (Zhuhai) E-Commerce Co., Ltd.    PRC
Chongqing Vipshop E-Commerce Co., Ltd.    PRC
Significant Consolidated Affiliated Entities:   
Guangzhou Vipshop E-Commerce Technology Co., Ltd.    PRC

 

*

Other consolidated affiliated entities of Vipshop Holdings Limited have been omitted from this list since, considered in the aggregate as a single entity, they would not constitute a significant subsidiary as of December 31, 2020.

EXHIBIT 12.1

Certification by the Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Eric Ya Shen, certify that:

 

1.

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Vipshop Holdings Limited (the “Company”);

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The Company’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Company and have:

 

  (a)

Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

  (b)

Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

  (c)

Evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

  (d)

Disclosed in this report any change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The Company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

  (a)

All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

  (b)

Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: April 16, 2021
By:  

/s/ Eric Ya Shen

Name:   Eric Ya Shen
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

EXHIBIT 12.2

Certification by the Chief Financial Officer

Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, David Cui, certify that:

 

1.

I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Vipshop Holdings Limited (the “Company”);

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The Company’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Company and have:

 

  (a)

Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

  (b)

Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

  (c)

Evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

  (d)

Disclosed in this report any change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The Company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

  (a)

All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

  (b)

Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Date: April 16, 2021
By:  

/s/ David Cui

Name:   David Cui
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT 13.1

Certification by the Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of Vipshop Holdings Limited (the “Company”) on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Eric Ya Shen, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: April 16, 2021

 

By:  

/s/ Eric Ya Shen

Name:   Eric Ya Shen
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

EXHIBIT 13.2

Certification by the Chief Financial Officer

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of Vipshop Holdings Limited (the “Company”) on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, David Cui, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: April 16, 2021

 

By:  

/s/ David Cui

Name:   David Cui
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT 15.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statements (No. 333-181559, No. 333-199515, No. 333-222218, and No. 333-248504) on Form S-8 of our reports dated April 16, 2021, relating to (1) the consolidated financial statements and the financial statement schedule of Vipshop Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), and (2) the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting appearing in the Annual Report on Form 20-F of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

/s/ Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Certified Public Accountants

Hong Kong

April 16, 2021

Exhibit 15.2

 

9/F, Office Tower C1, Oriental Plaza, 1 East Chang An Ave., Dongcheng District

Beijing 100738, PRC

Tel: +86 10 8525 5500 Fax: +86 10 8525 5511 / 8525 5522

Beijing • Shanghai • Shenzhen • Hong Kong

www.hankunlaw.com

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Date: April 16, 2021

VIPSHOP HOLDINGS LIMITED

128 Dingxin Road,

Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510220

People’s Republic of China

Dear Sir/Madam:

We hereby consent to the reference to our firm in Vipshop Holdings Limited’s annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, which will be filed by Vipshop Holdings Limited on April 16, 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and further consent to the incorporation by reference of the summaries of our opinions that appear in the annual report on Form 20-F into the Registration Statements (No. 333-181559, No. 333-199515, and 333-222218) on Form S-8.

In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in each case, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Yours Sincerely,

 

/s/ HAN KUN LAW OFFICES

HAN KUN LAW OFFICES

 

This document is only intended for the recipient(s) listed above and may contain information that shall be kept confidential. If you are not an intended recipient listed in this document or an authorized recipient, please do not copy, photocopy, use or disseminate this document or take any action based on any information contained in this document. If the aforementioned situation happens or the document received is unclear or partially missing, please contact our firm immediately by phone, email, or fax and return this document. Thank you for your cooperation.

Exhibit 15.3

 

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Office:      +852 2801 6066

Mobile:    +852 9718 8740

Email:      [email protected]

Vipshop Holdings Limited

No. 20 Huahai Street,

Liwan District, Guangzhou 510370

People’s Republic of China

16 April 2021

Dear Sirs

Re: Vipshop Holdings Limited

We consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Item 10.E. Additional Information - Taxation” on Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2020, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the month of April 2021, and further consent to the incorporation by reference of the summary of our opinion that appear in the annual report on Form 20-F into the registration statements of Vipshop Holdings Limited (File No. 333-181559, File No. 333-199515, File No. 333-222218 and No. 333-248504) on Form S-8.

Yours faithfully

 

/s/ TRAVERS THORP ALBERGA                

TRAVERS THORP ALBERGA

 

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