Form 6-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 6-K

 

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the month of April 2023

Commission File Number: 1-31349

 

 

THOMSON REUTERS CORPORATION

(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

 

 

333 Bay Street, Suite 300

Toronto, Ontario M5H 2R2, Canada

(Address of principal executive office)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F  ☐            Form 40-F  ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):  ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):  ☐

The information contained in Exhibit 99.1 of this Form 6-K is incorporated by reference into, or as an additional exhibit to, as applicable, the registrant’s outstanding registration statements.

 

 

 


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

THOMSON REUTERS CORPORATION

(Registrant)

By:  

/s/ Jennifer Ruddick

  Name:     Jennifer Ruddick
  Title:       Deputy Company Secretary

Date: April 26, 2023


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number

  

Description

99.1    Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders and Management Proxy Circular dated April 26, 2023
99.2    Form of Proxy for Registered Shareholders
99.3    Notice of Availability of Proxy Materials
99.4    Letter of Transmittal for Registered Holders
99.5    Opt-Out Election and Certification Form for Registered Holders
99.6    Letter to Registered Holders
99.7    Letter to Non-Registered Holders
99.8    Virtual AGM User Guide
99.9    Certificate of Abridgement
99.10    Corporate Governance Guidelines
EX-99.1 Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Management Proxy Circular
Table of Contents

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

 

Management Proxy Circular and

Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders

June 14, 2023

 

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

YOUR VOTE AND PARTICIPATION AS A SHAREHOLDER IS IMPORTANT.

                                 Please read this document and vote.

  


Table of Contents

Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders of Thomson Reuters Corporation

We are pleased to invite you to attend our 2023 annual and special meeting of shareholders.

 

  When   Where   

                

 

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

12:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time)

 

Virtual-only meeting – a live audio webcast will be available

at: www.tr.com/agm2023

 

Shareholders attending the meeting should enter their control number or username and the password for the meeting: tri2023 (case sensitive). Guests do not need a control number, username or password to attend the meeting. You can find information about control numbers and usernames in this notice and in the accompanying management proxy circular.

   

A replay of the webcast will be posted on our website after the meeting.

To our Shareholders,

We are pleased to invite you to attend the 2023 Thomson Reuters annual and special meeting of shareholders on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time).

We are holding the meeting as a virtual only meeting, which will be conducted through a live webcast. Shareholders will have an opportunity to attend, submit or ask questions and vote at the meeting in real time through a web-based platform, regardless of geographic location. Shareholders will not be able to attend the meeting in person.

Business of the Meeting

At the meeting, shareholders will be asked to:

1. Receive our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the auditor’s report on those statements;

2. Elect directors;

3. Appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the auditor and authorize the directors to fix the auditor’s remuneration;

4. Consider an advisory resolution on executive compensation;

5. Consider, pursuant to an interim order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) dated April 21, 2023, and, if deemed advisable, to approve, with or without amendment, a special resolution approving a plan of arrangement pursuant to Section 182 of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (OBCA) under which Thomson Reuters Corporation will (i) make a cash distribution of US$4.67 per common share, or approximately US$2.2 billion in the aggregate and (ii) consolidate its outstanding common shares (or “reverse stock split”) on a basis that is proportional to the cash distribution, as described in the accompanying circular; and

6. Transact any other business properly brought before the meeting and any adjourned or postponed meeting.

You can read about each of these items in more detail in the accompanying management proxy circular. A copy of the text of the special resolution and a copy of the plan of arrangement related to item 5 are attached as Appendices B and C, respectively, to the circular. At the meeting, you will also have an opportunity to hear about our 2022 performance and our plans for Thomson Reuters going forward.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


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Participating in the Meeting

The process for participating in the virtual meeting depends on whether you’re a registered or non-registered shareholder. You can find more information about these terms in the “Voting Information and How to Attend” section of the accompanying management proxy circular.

 

·   

Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders (including non-registered shareholders who have duly appointed themselves as proxyholder) will be able to attend the virtual meeting, submit or ask questions and vote in real time, provided they are connected to the Internet and follow the instructions in the accompanying management proxy circular.

 

·   

If you are a non-registered shareholder (or “beneficial owner”) who wishes to attend the virtual meeting, submit or ask questions and vote in real time, you have to appoint yourself as proxyholder first and then also register with our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada. If you’re a non-registered shareholder and don’t appoint yourself as proxyholder, you can still attend the virtual meeting as a guest, but you won’t be able to submit or ask questions or vote at the meeting. If you are a non-registered shareholder located in the United States and wish to appoint yourself as a proxyholder in order to attend, participate or vote at the meeting, you MUST also obtain a valid legal proxy from your intermediary and submit it to Computershare Trust Company of Canada.

Please carefully follow the instructions in the “Voting Information and How to Attend” section of the accompanying management proxy circular and on your form of proxy or voting instruction form (VIF).

 

How to Attend the Meeting

STEP ONE: Log in online at: www.tr.com/agm2023

We recommend that you log into the meeting at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts.

STEP TWO: Follow these instructions:

 

  ·   

Duly appointed proxyholders (including non-registered shareholders who have duly appointed themselves as proxyholder): Click “Shareholder”. Enter your username and the password: tri2023 (case sensitive). Proxyholders who have been duly appointed and registered with Computershare Trust Company of Canada as described in the accompanying management proxy circular will receive a username by e-mail from Computershare Trust Company of Canada after the proxy voting deadline has passed.

 

  ·   

Registered shareholders: Click “Shareholder”. Enter your control number as your username and the password: tri2023 (case sensitive). The control number is located on the proxy form or in the e-mail notification you received from Computershare Trust Company of Canada. If you use your control number as a username to log into the meeting and you accept the terms and conditions, any vote that you cast at the meeting will revoke any proxy that you previously submitted. If you do not wish to revoke a previously submitted proxy, you should not vote during the meeting.

 

  ·   

Guests: Click “Guest” and then complete the online form.

If you attend the virtual meeting, it is your responsibility to have Internet connectivity for the duration of the meeting.

Please carefully follow the instructions in the “Voting Information and How to Attend” section of the accompanying management proxy circular.

Additional information about participation in the meeting is set forth in our Virtual AGM User Guide which accompanies the circular and is available on our website.

Record Date

You are entitled to vote at the meeting, and any adjourned or postponed meeting, if you were a holder of our common shares as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on April 21, 2023.

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


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Notice-And-Access

We are using the “notice-and-access” system for the delivery of our proxy materials through our website, www.tr.com, similar to last year’s meeting. Shareholders who receive a notice have the ability to access the proxy materials on our website and to request a paper copy of the proxy materials. Instructions on how to access the proxy materials through our website or to request a paper copy may be found in the notice. Electronic delivery reduces the cost and environmental impact of producing and distributing paper copies of documents in very large quantities. It also provides shareholders with faster access to information about Thomson Reuters.

Shareholders who have already signed up for electronic delivery of proxy materials will continue to receive them by e-mail.

Voting

Your vote is important. If you’re unable to attend the meeting, please vote by proxy. The proxy form contains instructions on how to complete and send your voting instructions. If you hold your shares through a broker or other intermediary, you should follow the procedures provided by your broker or intermediary.

If you’re a registered shareholder, our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, must receive your proxy or voting instructions no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Monday, June 12, 2023 or if the meeting is adjourned or postponed, no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before any adjourned or postponed meeting. If you’re a registered shareholder and have any questions or need assistance voting your shares, please call Computershare Trust Company of Canada, toll-free in Canada and the United States, at 1.800.564.6253.

Non-registered/beneficial shareholders will be subject to earlier voting deadlines as specified in their proxy or voting instructions.

Thank you for your continued support of, and interest in, Thomson Reuters.

Very truly yours,

 

LOGO

   LOGO

David Thomson

Chairman of the Board

  

Steve Hasker

President & Chief Executive Officer

April 26, 2023   

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


Table of Contents

Letter to Shareholders

 

 

We will be holding this year’s annual and special meeting of shareholders in a virtual-only format. The meeting will be conducted through a live audio webcast, and you’ll have an opportunity to attend, submit or ask questions and vote at the meeting in real time through a web-based platform. This circular provides information and instructions regarding how to participate in the virtual annual and special meeting.

 

To our Shareholders,

2022 brought gradual easing of the global pandemic, elevated inflation across most countries, and a protracted war in Ukraine. Businesses continued to adapt to new ways of working, and AI showed early signs of accelerated development. While these global news stories were unfolding, the regulatory and compliance environment grew ever more complex, placing additional pressures upon lawyers, tax and accounting, and risk professionals. The Trust Principles and our purpose, ‘To Inform the Way Forward,’ guide us as a company. We continue to provide the industry with expertise, technology and content that empowers professionals and institutions to solve complex problems and execute difficult decisions with confidence.

As always, we are grateful for the important role that you, our shareholders, continue to play.

2022 Achievements

2022 was a year of great progress and change at Thomson Reuters. We have continued to invest in the success of our customers, our colleagues, and our shareholders.

In 2022, we successfully completed our two-year Change Program, achieving our overarching goals of transitioning Thomson Reuters from a holding company to an operating company, and from a content company to a content-driven technology company. We invested nearly $600 million in customer experience and innovation, whilst at the same time creating $540 million of run-rate operating cost savings across our company.

The Change Program provides a strong foundation for our future growth. A simpler product portfolio allows us to prioritize investment on the finest opportunities for our customers and our company. Improved customer-facing capabilities, modernized technology, streamlined infrastructure and world-class talent ensure continued success for our longstanding partnerships forged upon trust. While this work is ongoing, we are proud of what has been achieved. Our simplified operations enable a more focused and performance-driven company, with improved organic revenue growth, profitability, and an unwavering focus on our customers’ success.

Throughout the year we continued to drive innovation in our markets for our customers. A highlight was the September launch of Westlaw Precision, the latest version of our flagship legal franchise, which extends our legacy of customer-driven innovation. Precision leverages unique content, leading software, and world-class AI to provide a meaningful improvement in the efficiency and accuracy of legal research, allowing our customers to conduct research more than twice as fast while reducing the risk of missing relevant cases. Our customers require simple and embedded solutions that save them both time and costs. 2022 also witnessed a host of new offerings and enhancements across the portfolio, as well as new third-party product integrations.

Inorganic opportunities were pursued to better serve our markets. In January 2023, we closed on the acquisition of SurePrep, a California-based company whose products leverage leading software and AI models to automate the collection and processing of tax documents, providing efficiency and accuracy benefits for our customers. In combination with our leading tax research and compliance software, SurePrep allows us to offer truly end-to-end automated workflow solutions. This acquisition followed three smaller acquisitions throughout 2022 and reflects our multi-channel approach to deliver innovative, market-leading solutions.

The above efforts drove strong financial performance for the year, meeting or exceeding our key 2022 guidance metrics. For the full year, our organic revenues grew 6%, and our core markets remain stable as the fourth quarter marked the seventh consecutive quarter that our “Big 3” segments – Legal Professionals, Corporates, and Tax & Accounting Professionals – have grown at least 6% organically. Our adjusted EBITDA for the year increased 18% to $2.3 billion, resulting in a margin of 35.1%, and adjusted EPS for the year was up 31% to $2.56. In February of this year, we announced a 10% increase in our annualized dividend, representing the 30th consecutive year of dividend increases.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


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Our Opportunity

As we look to 2023 and beyond, we remain committed to delivering real value for our customers and our shareholders and remain in an enviable position to do so.

Technology will support us in our mission to digitally transform the foundations of legal, tax, risk and compliance, and a free press. We will continue to innovate across our markets, driven by world-class applications of AI and market-leading partnerships. We are committed to shaping the future of the professionals we serve through a smarter, connected product portfolio supported by world-class talent.

Successful completion of the Change Program allows us to stay better focused on pursing investment in our best opportunities, and where our customers and shareholders can envisage tangible benefits. We expect our digital-first and reimagined customer experience to drive closer partnerships, greater retention, and smarter ways of working with our customers.

In addition to driving organic growth through technology and innovation, we are also focused on creating shareholder value through the deployment of an estimated $11 billion of capital capacity between now and 2025 from the proceeds of our London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG) shares and our growing free cash flow. We will pursue a balanced approach to deploying this capital that includes annual dividend growth, strategic M&A, and shareholder returns. On April 4, 2023, we launched a $2.2 billion return of capital and share consolidation, discussed in more detail below. We will also maintain a disciplined approach to M&A, focusing on high-quality assets that meet our customers’ evolving needs while reinforcing our leading market positions.

Across the professions and institutions we serve, we are delivering expertise, technology and content that expand our opportunity to automate our customers workflows, and better connect their worlds.

Return of Capital Transaction

The proposed return of capital transaction requires shareholder approval. The purpose of this meeting is to, among other things, consider and vote upon a special resolution approving a statutory arrangement to implement the return of capital transaction. The transaction consists of:

 

·   

a cash distribution of US$4.67 per common share, or approximately US$2.2 billion in the aggregate; and

 

·   

a consolidation of our outstanding common shares (or “reverse stock split”) on a basis that is proportional to the cash distribution.

The proposed return of capital transaction is intended to distribute cash on a basis that is generally expected to be tax-free for Canadian tax purposes. Certain shareholders who are taxable in a jurisdiction outside of Canada (including taxable U.S. resident shareholders and others) (referred to as “Eligible Opt-Out Shareholders”) will be able to opt out of the transaction. This right to opt out is being provided to those shareholders because in jurisdictions other than Canada the tax consequences of not participating in the transaction may be preferable to those associated with participating in the transaction. If you are an Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder and choose to opt out, you will not receive the cash distribution and will continue to hold the same number of shares that you currently hold.

The details of the transaction are described in the accompanying management proxy circular and other related materials.

To become effective, the special resolution approving the arrangement must be approved by at least two-thirds of the votes cast at the meeting. Our principal shareholder, The Woodbridge Company Limited, which owns approximately 69% of our outstanding common shares, has indicated that it will vote in favour of the resolution. Accordingly, we expect the resolution will be approved. The arrangement also requires the approval of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List).

The board of directors, upon careful consideration of a number of factors, has determined that the proposed arrangement is in the best interests of our company and unanimously recommends that you vote to approve the arrangement.

You are invited to attend the annual and special meeting. However, if you are unable to attend, please vote by proxy. If you have any questions about how to vote your shares or, if you are an Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder, how to opt out of the proposed return of capital transaction, please call Computershare Investor Services Inc., toll-free in Canada and the United States, at 1.800.564.6253 (if you are a registered shareholder), your intermediary (if you are a non-registered shareholder), or D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Information Agent, toll-free in Canada or the United States at 1.866.864.4943.

If shareholders approve the arrangement, it is expected to become effective on or about June 23, 2023.

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


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Our Role in the World

Our purpose is brought to life each day through the work of our global colleagues. The ability to attract and retain world class talent remains core to our success as we believe progress is derived by the ideas and experiences of our people. We strive to foster an ever-inclusive workplace in which colleagues have every opportunity to reach their full potential.

The pandemic has affected all of our lives in a profound way, and the offer of support and greater flexibility for our employees has never been more crucial. Thomson Reuters Flex My Way was launched last year and offers flexible working arrangements in locations other than the employee’s home or office for up to eight weeks per year, expanded caregiver paid time off, and enhanced bereavement leave.

Thomson Reuters has received more than 20 awards in 2022 that globally recognize our company as a top employer, a best place to work for LGBTQ+ communities, a female-friendly company, and a best workplace for persons with disabilities, among others.

We are immensely proud of the work our colleagues produce each day, especially our Reuters journalists, who work tirelessly to shine light in the darkest corners of the earth. In 2022, we celebrated their achievements of four Pulitzer Prizes, including to the late Danish Siddiqui, for outstanding journalism that helps foster free, fair, and informed societies.

Our robust ESG efforts across the globe further uplifted our purpose. We are a company focused on making the foundations of societies stronger, and we strive to do so by creating opportunities for innovation, community investment, volunteer impact, and sustainable corporate citizenship. Our longstanding commitment to supporting communities in which we live and work was displayed through volunteering and acts of service. Our colleagues once again enhanced their efforts in 2022, volunteering more than 68,000 hours to various causes. Please visit our Social Impact Institute for more information about our company’s and colleagues’ commitment to social impact in our communities.

Thomson Reuters remains in a great position to continue investing in our customer’s success with a strong and sustained financial performance, healthy balance sheet, partnerships shaped upon trust, and playing a critical role in society.

Our customers and colleagues are most grateful for your ongoing commitment to Thomson Reuters. Your support allows us to work towards a more trusting, transparent, informed, and prosperous future amidst a world of sea change.

 

LOGO

  

LOGO

David Thomson

Chairman of the Board

  

Steve Hasker

President & Chief Executive Officer

Certain statements in the letter are forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and reflect our current expectations. As a result, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations are discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our 2022 annual report as well as in other materials that we from time to time file with, or furnish to, the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). There is no assurance that any forward-looking statements will materialize. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect expectations only as of this date. Except as may be required by applicable law, we disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


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Shareholder resources on our website

Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders

 

  ·   

Management proxy circular – www.tr.com/2023AGMcircular/

 

  ·   

Annual report – www.tr.com/2022annualreport/

 

  ·   

Virtual AGM User Guide – www.tr.com/2023AGMUserGuide/

Corporate Governance Documents

 

  ·   

Corporate Governance Guidelines, Board committee charters, and position descriptions – ir.tr.com/corporate-governance/governance-highlights

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

 

  ·   

Social Impact & ESG Report – www.tr.com/social-impact-report

 

  ·   

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics – ir.tr.com/corporate-governance/code-conduct

 

  ·   

Supply Chain Ethical Code – www.tr.com/en/resources/global-sourcing-procurement.html

 

  ·   

Human Rights Policy – www.tr.com/en/policies/human-rights-policy.html

 

  ·   

Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement – www.tr.com/en/modern-slavery-act.html

Products and Services – www.tr.com

Investor Relations – ir.tr.com

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 1


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Frequently Referenced Information

 

Auditor Fees

     61  

Director Biographies

     29-36  

Director Compensation

     37-40  

Director Independence

     26-27  

ESG

     63  

Executive Compensation

     96-108  

Financial Performance

     69  

Human Capital Management

     58-59  

Peer Groups

     77-78  

Say on Pay

     67  

Table of Contents

 

Fast Facts About Thomson Reuters

     6  

About this Circular and Related Proxy Materials

     7  

Business of the Meeting

     8  

Voting Information and How to Attend

     11  

Annual and Quarterly Financial Statements and Related MD&A

     22  

Notice-and-Access

     22  

Electronic Delivery of Shareholder Communications

     22  

Principal Shareholder and Share Capital

     23  

About Our Directors

     24  

Nominee Information

     29  

Director Compensation and Share Ownership

     37  

Corporate Governance Practices

     41  

Board Composition and Responsibilities

     41  

Director Attendance

     47  

Controlled Company

     48  

Board Committees

     49  

Audit Committee

     50  

Corporate Governance Committee

     54  

HR Committee

     57  

Risk Committee

     59  

Joint Audit Committee and Risk Committee Meetings

     60  

About Our Independent Auditor

     61  

Stakeholder Engagement

     62  

ESG

     63  

Advisory Resolution on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay)

     67  

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

     68  

Executive Summary

     68  

Key 2023 Compensation Developments and Decisions

     71  

Our 2022 Compensation Program

     72  

Our Process for Designing and Determining Executive Compensation

     73  

Our Key Compensation Principles

     74  

2022 Compensation

     80  

 

 

 

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2022 Named Executive Officer Compensation and Key Accomplishments

     86  

Performance Graphs

     92  

Historic Named Executive Officer Compensation

     93  

Executive Compensation

     96  

Summary Compensation Table

     96  

Incentive Plan Awards

     98  

Pension and Other Retirement Benefits

     100  

Termination Benefits

     102  

Information Regarding the Return of Capital Transaction

     109  

Background to and Reasons for the Return of Capital Transaction

     109  

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

     111  

Notice to U.S. Shareholders

     111  

Terms of the Arrangement

     111  

Dividends

     116  

Stock Exchange Listings

     116  

Required Shareholder Approval

     116  

Court Approval of the Arrangement

     117  

Filing of Articles of Arrangement

     117  

Interest of Certain Persons in Matters to be Acted Upon

     118  

Risk Factors

     118  

Depositary

     118  

Information Agent

     119  

Income Tax Considerations

     119  

Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations

     119  

Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     124  

Indebtedness of Officers, Directors and Employees

     128  

Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification and Insurance

     128  

Additional Information

     129  

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

     129  

How to Contact the Board

     129  

2023 Annual Meeting – Questions from Shareholders

     129  

Where to find Corporate Governance and Continuous Disclosure Documents

     129  

Thomson Reuters Trust Principles and Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company

     130  

Additional Director Information

     130  

Share Repurchases – Normal Course Issuer Bid

     130  

Directors’ Approval

     131  

Appendix A – Equity Compensation and Other Plan Information

     A-1  

Appendix B – Special Resolution

     B-1  

Appendix C – Plan of Arrangement

     C-1  

Appendix D – Interim Order

     D-1  

Appendix E – Notice of Application for Final Order

     E-1  

Appendix F – Withdrawn Proposal

     F-1  

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 3


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Glossary of Terms

 

 

In this circular, unless the subject matter or context of this circular is inconsistent with these defined terms the following terms have the following meanings:

Aggregate Cash Distribution Amount” means the Cash Distribution Per Share multiplied by the number of participating shares issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time.

Arrangement” means the arrangement pursuant to the provisions of Section 182 of the OBCA on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Plan of Arrangement as supplemented, modified or amended.

Blackstone’s consortium” means The Blackstone Group and its subsidiaries, and private equity funds affiliated with Blackstone.

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday, a Sunday, a statutory holiday in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, or a United States federal holiday.

Canadian Resident Shareholder” has the meaning set forth in the section entitled “Income Tax Considerations – Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations – Shareholders Resident in Canada”.

Cash Distribution Per Share” means US$4.67.

common shares” means the common shares in the capital of Thomson Reuters Corporation, except as the context otherwise requires.

Court” means the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List).

Depositary” means Computershare Investor Services Inc. at its offices set out in the Letter of Transmittal.

Effective Date” means the date the Arrangement is effective under the OBCA.

Effective Time” means 3:01 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on the Effective Date, or such other time on the Effective Date as we may determine.

Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder” has the meaning set forth in the section entitled “Information Regarding the Return of Capital Transaction – Terms of the Arrangement – Opt-Out Right”.

Final Order” means a final order from the Court approving the Arrangement under subsection 182(5) of the OBCA, as such order may be affirmed, amended or modified by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Information Agent” means D.F. King.

Interim Order” means the interim order of the Court dated April 21, 2023 under subsection 182(5) of the OBCA containing declarations and directions with respect to the Arrangement, as such order may be affirmed, amended or modified by any court of competent jurisdiction, a copy of which is attached as Appendix D.

LSEG Transaction” has the meaning set forth in the subsection entitled “Background to and Reasons for the Return of Capital Transaction”.

Letter of Transmittal” means the letter of transmittal for use by registered shareholders, in the form accompanying this circular (printed on yellow paper).

New Common Shares” means the new common shares to be created pursuant to the Plan of Arrangement with rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions as set out in Schedule “A” to the Plan of Arrangement.

Non-Canadian Resident Shareholder” has the meaning set forth in the section entitled “Income Tax Considerations – Certain Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations – Non-Canadian Resident Shareholders”.

opt-out deadline” means 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on the Business Day prior to the date of the annual and special meeting.

Opt-Out Election and Certification Form” means the Opt-Out Election and Certification Form for use by registered Eligible Opt-Out Shareholders in the form accompanying this circular (printed on blue paper).

 

 

 

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opt-out right” means the right of an Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder to opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction in accordance with the provisions of the Plan of Arrangement and the Opt-Out Election and Certification Form.

opting-out shareholder” means a shareholder that has duly exercised its opt-out right.

participating shareholder” means a shareholder other than an opting-out shareholder.

participating shares” means the shares held by participating shareholders.

Plan of Arrangement” means the plan of arrangement attached to this circular as Appendix C, as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

PUC” means “paid-up capital” as defined in subsection 89(1) of the Tax Act.

Return of Capital Transaction” means the transaction to be effected under the Arrangement.

Share Consolidation Ratio” has the meaning set forth in the section entitled “Information Regarding the Return of Capital Transaction – Terms of the Arrangement – Share Consolidation Ratio”.

special resolution” means the special resolution, attached as Appendix B to this circular, with or without amendment, being considered by shareholders at the annual and special meeting.

Tax Act” means the Income Tax Act (Canada), RSC 1985, c.1 (5th Supp), as amended.

Thomson Reuters”, “we”, “us”, “our” or “our company” means Thomson Reuters Corporation and our consolidated subsidiaries, except for such references under “Information Regarding the Return of Capital Transaction” (other than the sections entitled “Background to and Reasons for the Return of Capital Transaction’’ and ”Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”), where such terms mean Thomson Reuters Corporation.

U.S. Treaty” means the Convention between Canada and the United States of America with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed September 26, 1980, as amended.

Woodbridge” means, collectively, The Woodbridge Company Limited and other companies affiliated with it.

YPL” means York Parent Limited, the entity that owns LSEG shares, which is jointly owned by our company and the Blackstone consortium. A group of current LSEG and former members of Refinitiv senior management also owns part of YPL. References to YPL also include its subsidiaries.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 5


Table of Contents

Fast Facts About Thomson Reuters

 

 

Thomson Reuters is a leading provider of business information services. Our products include highly specialized information-enabled software and tools for legal, tax, accounting and compliance professionals combined with the world’s most global news service – Reuters.

 

 

The table below describes some of our key operating characteristics:

 

Attractive Industry

  Balanced and Diversified Leadership   Attractive Business Model   Strong Competitive Positioning   Disciplined Financial Policies

 

·   Currently our “Big 3” segments operate in an estimated $28 billion market segment expected to grow between 6% and 8% over the next 5 years

 

·   Legal, Tax & Government market segments prime for content-driven innovation

 

 

·   A leader in key Legal Professionals, Corporates and Tax & Accounting Professionals market segments

 

·   Resilient businesses, historically stable, which was affirmed by our performance during the COVID-19 pandemic

 

·   Approximately 500,000 customers; largest customer is approximately 5% of revenues*

 

 

 

·   80% of revenues are recurring

 

·   Strong and consistent cash generation capabilities

 

 

·   Proprietary content plus data and human expertise combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning are key differentiators

 

·   Products deeply embedded in customers’ daily workflows

 

·   91% retention rate

 

 

·   Focused and incentivized on organic revenue growth and free cash flow growth

 

·   Balance investing in business and returning capital to shareholders

 

·   Committed to maintaining investment grade rating with stable capital structure

 

·   Significant potential capital capacity affords optionality

* The news agreement with the Data & Analytics business of LSEG.

 

 

2022 full-year results:

 

  

Stock prices:

 

·   Revenues – US$6.6 billion

 

·   Operating profit – US$1.8 billion

 

·   Adjusted EBITDA margin* – 35.1%

 

·   Diluted earnings per share (EPS) – US$2.75

 

·   Adjusted EPS* – US$2.56

 

·   Net cash provided by operating activities – US$1.9 billion

 

·   Free cash flow* – US$1.3 billion

 

Stock exchange listings (Symbol: TRI):

 

·   Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)

 

·   New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

 

  

Closing price (April 21, 2023): C$179.73/US$132.75

 

High (2022): C$158.69/ US$117.84

 

Low (2022): C$120.35/ US$92.58

 

Market capitalization (April 21, 2023):

 

US$62.5 billion

 

Dividend per common share (as of April 21, 2023):

 

$0.49 quarterly ($1.96 annualized)

 

30 consecutive years of common share dividend increases.

All revenue information reflected in the first table above is based on our 2022 full-year results. Our “Big 3” segments refer to our Legal Professionals, Corporates and Tax & Accounting Professionals segments combined.

For more information about our company, visit www.tr.com

* Non-International Financial Reporting Standards (non-IFRS) financial measures. Please see the note in the “Additional Information” section of this circular.

 

 

 

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About this Circular and Related Proxy Materials

 

 

We are providing this circular and proxy materials to you in connection with our annual and special meeting of shareholders to be held on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. As a shareholder, you are invited to attend the virtual meeting. If you are unable to attend, you may still vote by completing the enclosed proxy form.

 

 

This circular describes the items to be voted on at the meeting and the voting process and contains additional information about executive compensation, corporate governance practices and other matters that will be discussed at the meeting.

Unless otherwise indicated:

 

·   

information is as of April 21, 2023;

 

·   

all dollar amounts in this circular are expressed in U.S. dollars;

 

·   

applicable amounts translated to U.S. dollars from Canadian dollars utilized the average Canadian/U.S. dollar month-end exchange rate for 2022, which was C$1 = US$0.76701; and

 

·   

applicable amounts translated to U.S. dollars from Swiss francs utilized the average Swiss franc/U.S. dollar month-end exchange rate for 2022, which was CHF 1 = US$1.04909.

In this circular, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Thomson Reuters Corporation and our consolidated subsidiaries. The term “Woodbridge” refers to The Woodbridge Company Limited and other companies affiliated with it.

Please see the “Voting Information and How to Attend” section of this document for an explanation of how you can vote on the matters to be considered at the meeting, whether or not you decide to attend the meeting.

We are a Canadian company that is considered to be a “foreign private issuer” for U.S. federal securities law purposes. As a result, we have prepared this circular in accordance with applicable Canadian disclosure requirements.

Information contained on our website or any other websites identified in this circular is not part of this circular. All website addresses listed in this circular are intended to be inactive, textual references only. The Thomson Reuters logo and our other trademarks, trade names and service names mentioned in this circular are the property of Thomson Reuters.

Front cover photo credit: REUTERS/Yves Herman.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

Business of the Meeting

Highlights

This year’s meeting will cover the following items of business. Additional information is provided in this circular.

 

  Item of Business   Board Vote
Recommendation
 

1. Financial statements

 

Receipt of our 2022 audited financial statements.

 

· Our 2022 annual consolidated financial statements are included in our 2022 annual report, which is available in the “Investor Relations” section of our website, www.tr.com.

 

· Shareholders who requested a copy of the 2022 annual report will receive it by mail or e-mail.

 

· Representatives from Thomson Reuters and our independent auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, will be available to discuss any questions about our financial statements at the meeting.

  N/A
 

2. Election of Directors (page 24 of the circular)

 

At the meeting, 14 individuals are proposed to be elected to our Board of Directors. All of these individuals are currently directors of our company.

 

· The Corporate Governance Committee believes that the director nominees have the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the Board to fulfill its mandate.

 

· A majority of our directors are independent and four of our directors (David Thomson, David Binet, Ed Clark and Peter Thomson) are affiliated with our principal shareholder, Woodbridge. Only one director (our CEO, Steve Hasker) is a member of management.

 

· The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman (David Thomson) and the CEO (Steve Hasker) are separate.

 

· 36% of the director nominees are women and two have self-identified as racially or ethnically diverse.

 

· A majority of the director nominees have been on the Board for less than five years.

 

· Shareholders vote annually for individual directors. At last year’s annual meeting, our director nominees who are standing for re-election received an average of 98% “for” votes.

 

The director nominees for this year’s meeting are:

  FOR each director nominee
 
  Name   Age   Director
Since
  Principal occupation   Committees   Attendance in 2022   Other
public
boards
 

 

 

  David Thomson

  65   1988   Chairman of Woodbridge     100%    

 

 

  Steve Hasker

  53   2020   President and CEO of Thomson Reuters     100%   1  

 

 

  Kirk E. Arnold

  63   2020   Executive-in-Residence, General Catalyst Ventures   CG, HR, R   96%   2  

 

 

  David W. Binet

  65   2013   President and CEO of Woodbridge   CG, HR, R   100%    

 

 

  W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

  75   2015   Former Group President and CEO of TD Bank Group   CG, HR   100%   1  

 

 

  LaVerne Council

  61   2022   CEO of Emerald One   A, R   94%   2  

 

 

  Michael E. Daniels

  68   2014   Former SVP and Group Executive at IBM   A, CG, HR, R   84%   2  

 

 

  Kirk Koenigsbauer

  55   2020   COO and Corporate VP, Microsoft   HR, R   100%    

 

 

  Deanna Oppenheimer

  65   2020   Founder, Cameoworks   A, CG   100%   1  

 

 

  Simon Paris

  53   2020   CEO, Finastra   A, CG, R   100%   1  

 

 

  Kim M. Rivera

  54   2019   Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer, OneTrust   A, R   100%   1  

 

 

  Barry Salzberg

  69   2015   Former Global CEO of Deloitte   A, CG, R   100%    

 

 

  Peter J. Thomson

  57   1995   Chairman of Woodbridge   HR   100%    

 

 

  Beth Wilson

  54   2022   Vice-Chair of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada   A, HR   89%   1  

 

= independent

Committee legend: A = Audit; CG = Corporate Governance; HR = Human Resources; and R = Risk

   

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
 
   Item of Business   Board Vote
Recommendation
 
 

3. Appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as Auditor (page 61 of the circular)

 

We are proposing to re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent auditor for another year until the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders. Our Audit Committee is directly responsible for overseeing the independent auditor during the year.

 

     FOR  

4. Advisory resolution on executive compensation (page 67 of the circular)

 

We will have a non-binding advisory resolution on executive compensation, which is sometimes called “say on pay”. This will provide you with an opportunity to provide a view on our company’s approach to executive compensation, as described in this circular.

     FOR  

Pay for performance” is the foundation of our compensation philosophy for our named executive officers. Their compensation is primarily variable and performance-based, utilizing multiple and complementary financial measures that are aligned with our strategy to drive shareholder value.

In 2022, “pay for performance” continued to be a key part of our compensation philosophy for our named executive officers.

 

    2022 compensation decisions were aligned with our strategic objectives – During 2022, the HR Committee of the Board of Directors was actively engaged in reviewing and discussing the design and approach to our compensation, talent and culture. Our 2022 compensation program was designed to continue to focus the organization on strong performance and organic growth as well as enable Thomson Reuters to attract, engage and retain the talent needed to complete the company’s Change Program, which we completed in December 2022 (discussed later in this circular). We believe that our 2022 compensation program appropriately balanced risk and reward.

 

In 2022, a significant portion of executive pay was at risk and linked to both operational performance and stock price. Our incentive plan goals reflected our published business outlook, operating plan and long-term strategy. Annual incentive awards focused on growth objectives for the year. The table below reflects summary 2022 compensation information for our named executive officers:

 

   Named executive officer   Base salary  

Target annual

incentive award

(cash) –percentage
of base salary

   Long-term incentive
award  (equity-based)
– percentage
of base salary
  “At risk”
percentage

 

Steve Hasker

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

C$1,495,000

(US$1,146,685)

 

 

200%

  

 

550%

 

 

88%

 

Mike Eastwood

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

C$925,000

(US$709,487)

 

 

125%

  

 

225%

 

 

78%

 

Brian Peccarelli

Former Chief Operating Officer, Customer Markets; Former President, Corporates

 

 

US$750,000

 

 

175%

  

 

200%

 

 

79%

 

Kirsty Roth

Chief Operations and Technology Officer

 

 

CHF 685,000

(US$718,624)

 

 

125%

  

 

250%

 

 

79%

 

David Wong

Chief Product Officer

 

 

C$792,000

(US$607,475)

 

 

125%

  

 

225%

 

 

78%

 

    Our compensation program is strongly aligned with shareholder value – Our executive officer compensation is aligned with total shareholder value and is tied to key financial and strategic drivers of sustained value creation. We also require our executive officers to maintain meaningful levels of share ownership that are multiples of their respective base salaries, creating a strong link to our shareholders and the long-term success of our company.

 
   Named executive officer  

Share Ownership

Guideline

(base salary multiple)

                   

 

   Steve Hasker

 

 

6x

          
 

 

   Mike Eastwood

 

 

4x

          
 

 

   Kirsty Roth and David Wong

 

 

3x*

                                             

 

* Brian Peccarelli was subject to a 3x share ownership guideline prior to leaving Thomson Reuters on April 3, 2023.

 

    We benchmark executive compensation and performance against global peer companies that we compete with for customers and talent – The HR Committee utilizes a global peer group for executive compensation purposes. For compensation benchmarking of executive officers based in Toronto, the HR Committee also utilizes a separate Canadian peer group as a secondary reference point.

 

    Our compensation program is aligned with good governance practices and has received strong shareholder support in recent years – Our plans and programs reflect strong governance principles. The HR Committee has an independent advisor (FW Cook) for executive compensation matters. We also engage with our shareholders on compensation matters during the year and we provide a “say on pay” resolution each year at our annual meeting of shareholders. Over the last five years, an average of approximately 97% of votes have been cast “for” our “say on pay” advisory resolutions.

       

 

 

 

 

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Item of  Business   Board Vote
Recommendation
 
 

    We do not believe that we have any problematic pay practices and risk is taken into account in our compensation programs – The HR Committee’s independent advisor reviews our compensation program to evaluate the degree to which it encourages risk taking in the context of our overall enterprise risk profile as well as recognized market best practices. Based on the independent advisor’s review, the HR Committee has concluded that our programs appear unlikely to create incentives for excessive risk taking and include meaningful safeguards to mitigate compensation program risk.

 

What we do

 

  The HR Committee is comprised of a majority of independent directors and it uses an independent executive compensation consultant to assess our executive compensation programs;

 

  Most of an executive’s compensation is comprised of longer-term performance opportunities with less emphasis on shorter-term performance opportunities;

 

  The base salary component of each executive’s compensation is fixed;

 

  Our HR Committee annually reviews and determines award design and there are principles and processes with management for approving design changes and performance goals;

 

  The HR Committee reviews performance criteria for financial metrics used in our incentive awards, including threshold, target and maximum amounts, to ensure that they are challenging, but achievable. Performance criteria are in alignment with the company’s strategic objectives;

 

  Our incentive awards utilize a number of different financial performance measures and do not rely on a single metric. Each metric has a threshold, target and maximum performance target with pre-defined payout amounts;

 

  Our annual incentive awards and performance restricted share units (PRSUs) issued as part of long-term incentive awards have caps for the maximum potential payouts;

 

  Our HR Committee has authority to make fairness-related and other adjustments to performance award opportunities that it may deem appropriate;

 

  We have robust share ownership guidelines for our executive officers which further ties their interests to those of our shareholders over the long-term; and

 

  We have a recoupment (or “clawback”) policy that permits us to seek reimbursement from the CEO and all of the other executive officers in certain circumstances.

 

What we don’t do

 

X   Executive officers are prohibited from hedging or pledging company shares;

 

X   We don’t offer single trigger change of control rights or excise tax gross-up payments;

 

X   We don’t guarantee minimum payout levels in our incentive plans or minimum vesting for equity awards;

 

X   We don’t guarantee increases to base salaries or target incentive award opportunities;

 

X   We don’t reprice stock options, grant reload stock options or “spring load” equity awards to enable recipients to benefit from the release of confidential information;

 

X   We don’t include unvested RSUs or vested/unvested stock options in the calculation of share ownership guidelines; and

 

X   We don’t offer excessive perquisites.

 

Please see the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of the circular for additional information.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Plan of Arrangement (pages 109 and B-1 of the circular)

 

To consider, pursuant to an interim order of the Court dated April 21, 2023, and, if deemed advisable, to approve, with or without amendment, a special resolution approving the Arrangement described in this circular, pursuant to section 182 of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) under which Thomson Reuters Corporation will (i) make a cash distribution of US$4.67 per common share, or approximately US$2.2 billion in the aggregate and (ii) consolidate its outstanding common shares (or “reverse stock split”) on a basis that is proportional to the cash distribution

 

 

 

 

 FOR

 

 

 

6. Other business

 

If any other items of business are properly brought before the meeting (or any adjourned or postponed meeting), shareholders will be asked to vote. We are not aware of any other items of business at this time.

 

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

We received a shareholder proposal for consideration at the meeting. Following a constructive discussion with our company and based on our progress, ongoing work and commitments in this area, the shareholder agreed not to submit its proposal to a vote at the meeting. We agreed to include the proposal in this circular for informational purposes only. The proposal and related supporting statement are reproduced in Appendix F of this circular, along with our company’s response. This proposal is not a part of the formal business or agenda of the meeting.        

 

 

 

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Voting Information and How to Attend

What is the format of the meeting?

We are holding the meeting as a virtual-only meeting, which will be conducted through a live webcast. Shareholders will have an opportunity to attend the meeting, submit or ask questions and vote in real time through a web-based platform, regardless of geographic location and share ownership. Shareholders will not be able to attend the meeting in person.

Who can vote at the meeting?

If you held common shares as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on April 21, 2023 (the record date), then you are entitled to vote at the meeting or any adjourned or postponed meeting. Each share is entitled to one vote. As of April 21, 2023, there were 470,972,647 common shares outstanding.

We also have 6,000,000 Series II preference shares outstanding, but these shares do not have voting rights at the meeting.

How many votes are required for approval?

A simple majority (more than 50%) of votes cast, during the meeting online or by proxy, is required to approve each item of business other than the Return of Capital Transaction. The special resolution to approve the Return of Capital Transaction must be passed by not less than two-thirds (more than 66.6%) of votes cast by shareholders, during the meeting online or by proxy.

Woodbridge, our principal and controlling shareholder, beneficially owned approximately 69% of our outstanding common shares as of April 21, 2023. Woodbridge has advised our company that it will vote FOR each item of business as recommended by the board of directors.

We have a majority voting policy that applies to the election of directors at the annual meeting of shareholders. This means that if a director receives more “withhold” votes than “for” votes at the meeting, then the director will immediately tender his or her resignation to the Chairman. This would be effective if accepted by the Board. The Corporate Governance Committee will consider a director’s offer to resign and make a recommendation to the Board as to whether to accept it. The Board will accept resignations, except in exceptional circumstances. The Board will have 90 days from the annual meeting to make and publicly disclose its decision by news release either to accept or reject the resignation (including reasons for rejecting the resignation, if applicable). As Woodbridge has indicated that it will vote FOR the election of each director nominee, each director will receive more than a majority of votes at the meeting.

How do I vote?

You have two choices – you can vote by proxy, or you can attend the virtual-only meeting and vote during the meeting by online ballot through the live webcast platform. The voting process is different for each choice. The voting process also depends on whether you are a registered or non-registered shareholder.

You should first determine whether you are a registered or non-registered holder of our common shares. Most of our shareholders are non-registered holders.

 

·   

You are a registered shareholder if your name appears directly on your share certificates, or if you hold your common shares in book-entry form through the direct registration system (DRS) on the records of our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada.

 

·   

You are a non-registered shareholder if you own shares indirectly and the shares are registered in the name of an intermediary. For example, you are a non-registered shareholder if:

 

   

your common shares are held in the name of a bank, trust company, securities broker, trustee or custodian; or

 

   

you hold Depositary Interests representing our common shares which are held in the name of Computershare Company Nominees Limited as nominee and custodian.

Non-registered shareholders are sometimes referred to as “beneficial owners”.

How do I attend and participate in the meeting?

We are holding the meeting in a virtual-only format, which will be conducted through a live webcast. Shareholders will not be able to attend the meeting in person.

How you vote will depend on whether you’re a registered shareholder or a non-registered shareholder (as discussed above).

Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders (including non-registered shareholders who have duly appointed themselves as proxyholder) will be able to attend and vote at the meeting online. Guests (including non-registered shareholders who have not duly appointed themselves as proxyholder) can log into the meeting as described below. Guests will be able to listen to the meeting but will not be able to vote at the meeting.

Additional information about participation in the meeting is set forth in our Virtual AGM User Guide which accompanies this circular and is available on our website.

If you attend the meeting, it is your responsibility to have Internet connectivity for the duration of the meeting.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
Registered shareholders   You are a registered shareholder if your name appears directly on your share certificates, or if you hold your common shares in book-entry form through the direct registration system (DRS) on the records of our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada.
   
If you want to vote by proxy before the meeting  

You may authorize our directors who are named on the enclosed proxy form to vote your shares as your proxyholder.

 

You may give voting instructions through the Internet, mail or telephone. Please refer to your proxy form for instructions.

   
If you want to attend and vote at the meeting  

You may vote at the meeting by completing an online ballot during the meeting, as further described below. Do not complete or return your proxy form, as your vote will be taken at the meeting. If you wish to vote common shares registered in the name of a legal entity, that entity must submit a properly executed proxy form to Computershare Trust Company of Canada by the proxy cut-off time which appoints you to vote the common shares on its behalf. Follow the instructions below for appointing a proxyholder if applicable.

 

Please follow these steps:

 

1.   Log in online at www.tr.com/agm2023. We recommend that you log into the meeting at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts.

 

2.  Click “Shareholder”.

 

3.  Enter your control number as your username. The control number is located on your proxy form or in the e-mail notification you received from Computershare Trust Company of Canada.

 

4.  Enter the password: tri2023 (case sensitive).

 

5.  Follow the instructions to view the meeting and vote when prompted.

 

Once you log into the meeting and you accept the terms and conditions, any vote that you cast at the meeting will revoke any proxy that you previously submitted. If you do not wish to revoke a previously submitted proxy, you should not vote during the meeting.

   
If you want to appoint a third party as proxy to attend and vote at the meeting  

You may appoint another person (other than our directors who are named on your proxy form) to attend the meeting on your behalf and vote your shares as your proxyholder. If you choose this option, you must submit your proxy form appointing the third party AND register the third party proxyholder as described below. Registering your proxyholder is an additional step to be completed AFTER you have submitted your proxy form. Failure to register your proxyholder will result in the proxyholder not receiving a username to attend, participate or vote at the meeting. You may choose anyone to be your proxyholder – the person does not have to be another shareholder.

 

Please follow these steps:

 

1.   Submit your proxy form –To appoint a third party proxyholder, insert that person’s name into the appropriate space on the proxy form. Follow the instructions for submitting the proxy form. This step must be completed before registering the proxyholder as step 2 below.

 

2.  Register your proxyholder –To register a third party as your proxyholder, you MUST visit www.computershare.com/ThomsonReuters by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 12, 2023 and provide Computershare Trust Company of Canada with the required proxyholder contact information so that Computershare Trust Company of Canada may provide the proxyholder with a username by e-mail shortly after this deadline. Without a username, proxyholders will not be able to ask questions or vote at the meeting but will be able to participate as a guest.

 

If you want to appoint more than one proxyholder to each vote a subset of your shares, you must submit your proxy by mail indicating the number of shares to be voted by each proxyholder, and also complete step 2 above.

 

 

 

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If you want to attend the meeting as a guest  

Guests can log into the meeting as set forth below. Guests can listen to the meeting but are not able to submit or ask questions or vote at the meeting.

 

Please follow these steps:

 

1.   Log in online at www.tr.com/agm2023. We recommend that you log into the meeting at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts.

 

2.  Click “Guest” and complete the online form.

   
Deadline for returning your proxy form   Your completed proxy must be received by Computershare Trust Company of Canada by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Monday, June 12, 2023.

 

 

Non-registered shareholders

 

 

You are a non-registered shareholder if you own shares indirectly and the shares are registered in the name of an intermediary. For example, you are a non-registered shareholder if your common shares are held in the name of a bank, trust company, securities broker, trustee or custodian; or you hold Depositary Interests representing our common shares which are held in the name of Computershare Company Nominees Limited as nominee and custodian.

 

Non-registered shareholders are sometimes referred to as “beneficial owners”.

   
If you want to vote by proxy before the meeting   If you are a non-registered shareholder who receives a proxy form or voting instruction form (VIF), you should follow your intermediary’s instruction for completing the form. Holders of Depositary Interests will receive a voting form of instruction or direction from Computershare Investor Services PLC.
   
If you want to attend and vote at the meeting  

If you are a non-registered shareholder and you wish to ask questions or vote at the meeting, you have to appoint yourself as a proxyholder first and then also register with Computershare Trust Company of Canada. This is because our company and our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, do not have records of the non-registered shareholders of the company. As a result, we would have no knowledge of your shareholdings or entitlement to vote, unless you appoint yourself as proxyholder. If you’re a non-registered shareholder and don’t appoint yourself as proxyholder, you can still attend the virtual meeting as a guest, but you won’t be able to submit or ask questions or vote at the meeting.

 

Please follow these steps:

 

1.   To appoint yourself as proxyholder, insert your name in the appropriate space on the voting instruction form. Do not fill out your voting instructions. Follow the instructions by submitting the voting instruction form by the appropriate deadline as the instructions and deadline may vary depending on the intermediary. It is important that you comply with the signature and return instructions provided by your intermediary. This step must be completed before registering a proxyholder as step 2 below.

 

2.  To register yourself as a proxyholder, you must visit www.computershare.com/ThomsonReuters by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 12, 2023 and provide Computershare Trust Company of Canada with your required proxyholder contact information so that Computershare Trust Company of Canada may provide you with a username by e-mail shortly after this deadline. Without a username, you will not be able to vote at the meeting but will be able to participate as a guest.

 

3.  Log in online at www.tr.com/agm2023. We recommend that you log into the meeting at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts.

 

4.  Click “Shareholder”.

 

5.  Enter your username that was provided by Computershare Trust Company of Canada.

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
 

 

 

 

6.  Enter the password: tri2023 (case sensitive).

 

7.  Follow the instructions to view the meeting and vote when prompted.

 

If you are a non-registered shareholder located in the United States and you wish to appoint yourself as a proxyholder, in addition to the steps above, you must first obtain a valid legal proxy from your intermediary. To do so, please follow these steps:

 

1.   Follow the instructions from your intermediary included with the legal proxy form and the voting information form sent to you, or contact your intermediary to request a legal proxy form or a legal proxy if you have not received one.

 

2.  After you receive a valid legal proxy from your intermediary, you must then submit the legal proxy to Computershare Trust Company of Canada. You can send the legal proxy by e-mail or by courier to: uslegalproxy@computershare.com (if by e-mail), or Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Attention: Proxy Dept., 8th Floor, 100 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1, Canada (if by courier). The legal proxy in both cases must be labeled “Legal Proxy” and received no later than the voting deadline of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Monday, June 12, 2023.

 

3.  Computershare Trust Company of Canada will provide duly appointed proxyholders with a username by e-mail after the voting deadline has passed. Please note that you are required to register your appointment as a proxyholder at www.computershare.com/ThomsonReuters as noted above.

   
If you want to appoint a third party as proxy to attend and vote at the meeting  

You may appoint another person (other than our directors who are named on your voting instruction form) to attend the meeting on your behalf and vote your shares as your proxyholder. If you choose this option, you must submit your voting instruction form appointing the third party AND register the third party proxyholder as described below. Registering your proxyholder is an additional step to be completed AFTER you have submitted your voting instruction form. Failure to register your proxyholder will result in the proxyholder not receiving a username to attend, participate or vote at the meeting. You may choose anyone to be your proxyholder – the person does not have to be another shareholder.

 

Please follow these steps:

 

1.   Submit your voting instruction form – To appoint a third party proxyholder, insert the person’s name into the appropriate space on the voting instruction form. Follow the instructions by submitting the voting instruction form by the appropriate deadline as the instructions and deadline may vary depending on the intermediary. It is important that you comply with the signature and return instructions provided by your intermediary. This step must be completed before registering a proxyholder as step 2 below.

 

2.  Register your proxyholder – To register another person as your proxyholder, you MUST visit www.computershare.com/ThomsonReuters by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 12, 2023 and provide Computershare Trust Company of Canada with the required proxyholder contact information so that Computershare Trust Company of Canada may provide the proxyholder with a username by e-mail shortly after this deadline. Without a username, proxyholders will not be able to vote at the meeting but will be able to participate as a guest.

 

If you are a non-registered shareholder located in the United States and you wish to appoint a third party as a proxyholder, in addition to the steps above, you must first obtain a valid legal proxy from your intermediary. To do so, please follow these steps:

 

1.   Follow the instructions from your intermediary included with the legal proxy form and the voting information form sent to you, or contact your intermediary to request a legal proxy form or a legal proxy if you have not received one.

 

 

 

 

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2.  After you receive a valid legal proxy from your intermediary, you must then submit the legal proxy to Computershare Trust Company of Canada. You can send the legal proxy by e-mail or by courier to: uslegalproxy@computershare.com (if by e-mail), or Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Attention: Proxy Dept., 8th Floor, 100 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1, Canada (if by courier). The legal proxy in both cases must be labeled “Legal Proxy” and received no later than the voting deadline of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Monday, June 12, 2023.

 

3.  Computershare Trust Company of Canada will provide duly appointed proxyholders with a username by e-mail after the voting deadline has passed. Please note that you are required to register the third party’s appointment as a proxyholder at www.computershare.com/ThomsonReuters as noted above.

   
If you want to attend the meeting as a guest  

Guests, including non-registered shareholders who have not duly appointed themselves as proxyholders, can log into the meeting as set forth below. Guests can listen to the meeting but are not able to submit or ask questions or vote at the meeting.

 

Please follow these steps:

 

1.   Log in online at www.tr.com/agm2023. We recommend that you log into the meeting at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts.

 

2.  Click “Guest” and complete the online form.

   
Deadline for returning your form   Please check your voting instruction form for the specific deadline. Your intermediary will need your voting instructions sufficiently in advance of the proxy deadline to enable your intermediary to act on your instructions prior to the deadline.

How do I submit or ask questions during the meeting?

In writing (type/chat)

Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders (including non-registered shareholders who have duly appointed themselves as proxyholder) participating in the meeting may ask questions via the website for the meeting by typing and submitting their question in writing. Select the messaging tab and type your question within the box at the top of the screen. Once finished, press the “send” arrow to the right of the box to submit your question.

By phone

During the meeting, registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders (including non-registered shareholders who have duly appointed themselves as proxyholder) will also be able to ask questions by phone. To ask a question by phone, send your phone number and subject using the messaging tab (as described above) and the LUMI platform will dial you in the meeting during the Q&A session of the meeting.

Non-registered shareholders who have not duly appointed themselves as proxyholder will be able to attend the meeting as guests but will not be able to submit or ask questions during the meeting.

If you prefer, you may also submit written questions in advance of the meeting which will be addressed during the Q&A session by e-mailing your question to investor.relations@tr.com.

 

 

 

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Other Questions and Answers

Can I vote my shares by filling out and returning the notice?

No. The notice sets forth the items to be voted on at the meeting, but you cannot vote by marking the notice and returning it. The notice provides instructions on how to vote.

What’s the deadline for receiving my proxy or voting instructions?

If you are a registered shareholder, your proxy must be received by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Monday, June 12, 2023.

Non-registered shareholders may be subject to earlier deadlines as specified in their proxy or voting instructions.

If the meeting is adjourned or postponed, the proxy cut-off deadline will be no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before any adjourned or postponed meeting.

How will my shares be voted if I appoint a proxyholder?

Your proxyholder must vote your shares on each matter according to your instructions if you have properly completed and returned a proxy form. If you have not specified how to vote on a particular matter, then your proxyholder can vote your shares as he or she sees fit. If you have appointed our directors named on your proxy form or voting instruction form as your proxyholder, and you have not specified how you want your shares to be voted, your shares will be voted FOR each of the items of business described in this circular.

What happens if any amendments are properly made to the items of business to be considered or if other matters are properly brought before the meeting?

Your proxyholder will have discretionary authority to vote your shares as he or she sees fit. As of the date of this circular, management knows of no such amendment, variation or other matter expected to come before the meeting.

If I change my mind, how do I revoke my proxy or voting instructions?

 

Non-registered shareholders

You may revoke your proxy by sending written notice to your intermediary, so long as the intermediary receives your notice at least seven days before the meeting (or as otherwise instructed by your intermediary). This gives your intermediary time to submit the revocation to Computershare Trust Company of Canada. If your revocation is not received in time, your intermediary is not required to act on it.

Registered shareholders

You may revoke your proxy or voting instructions in any of the following ways:

 

·   

By completing and signing a proxy form with a later date than the proxy form you previously returned, and delivering it to Computershare Trust Company of Canada at any time before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Monday, June 12, 2023. If the meeting is adjourned or postponed, the deadline will be no later than 48 hours before any adjourned or postponed meeting;

 

·   

By completing a written statement revoking your instructions, which is signed by you or your attorney authorized in writing, and delivering it:

 

   

To the offices of Computershare Trust Company of Canada at any time before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. If the meeting is adjourned or postponed, the deadline will be no later than close of business on the business day immediately preceding any adjourned or postponed meeting; or

 

   

To the Chair of the meeting before the meeting starts; or

 

   

In any other manner permitted by law.

 

·   

If you use your control number as a username to log into the meeting and you accept the terms and conditions, any vote that you cast at the meeting will revoke any proxy that you previously submitted. If you do not wish to revoke a previously submitted proxy, you should not vote during the meeting.

 

 

 

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How can I contact Computershare Trust Company of Canada or Computershare Investor Services Inc. if I have questions?

You can contact Computershare Trust Company of Canada or Computershare Investor Services Inc. directly at the following numbers:

 

Canada and the United States   1.800.564.6253
Other countries   1.514.982.7555

Who is soliciting my proxy and distributing proxy-related materials?

Thomson Reuters management and directors may solicit your proxy for use at the meeting and any adjourned or postponed meeting. Our management and directors may solicit proxies by mail and in person. We are paying all costs of solicitation. Intermediaries will distribute proxy-related materials directly to non-objecting beneficial owners on our behalf. We are paying for intermediaries to send proxy-related materials to both non-objecting beneficial owners and objecting beneficial owners.

Is my vote confidential?

Yes. Our registrar, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, independently counts and tabulates the proxies and votes cast at the meeting through the live webcast platform to preserve the confidentiality of individual shareholder votes. Proxies are referred to us only in cases where a shareholder clearly intends to communicate with management, in the event of questions as to the validity of a proxy or where it is necessary to do so to meet applicable legal requirements.

Voting results

Following the meeting, we will post the voting results in the “Investor Relations” section of our website, www.tr.com. We will also file a copy of the results with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com and the SEC at www.sec.gov. For more information, see the “Additional Information” section of this circular.

 

 

Who do I contact if I need technical assistance for the meeting?

 

If you encounter any difficulties with the virtual platform on the day of the meeting, please go to www.lumiglobal.com/faq for frequently asked questions and click on the support button for assistance.

 

Return of Capital Transaction

This summary is provided for convenience only and should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by, the more detailed information and provisions contained elsewhere in this circular. Certain terms used in this summary are defined in the Glossary of Terms.

What are the key dates for the Return of Capital Transaction?

We expect the following key events to occur on or about the dates and times set forth below. All times refer to Eastern Daylight Time.

 

     
 

·   Opt-out deadline (for registered shareholders)*

  June 13, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
 

·   Shareholder meeting

  June 14, 2023 at 12:00 p.m.
 

·   Application for Final Order with the Court

  June 16, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
 

·   Determination of Share Consolidation Ratio

  June 22, 2023 after 4:00 p.m.
 

 

 

·   Effective Date and Time

 

 

June 23, 2023 at 3:01 a.m.

 

 

*

The opt-out deadline for non-registered shareholders is expected to be earlier than this date and time, as specified by intermediaries to non-registered shareholders.

What special business will be conducted at the meeting?

In addition to the other items of business to be considered at the meeting, at the meeting shareholders will consider and vote on a special resolution (attached as Appendix B to this circular) to approve the Return of Capital Transaction that consists of a cash distribution of US$4.67 per common share and a consolidation of our outstanding common shares (or “reverse stock split”) on a basis that is proportional to the cash distribution.

 

 

 

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Why are we proposing the Return of Capital Transaction?

In January 2021, we closed the LSEG Transaction. During negotiation of the LSEG Transaction and following its closing, management discussed potential uses of the proceeds from the eventual sale of LSEG shares with the board of directors at scheduled meetings. We committed to our shareholders that the proceeds would be used to pursue organic and inorganic opportunities in key growth segments and provide returns to shareholders. We are now proposing the Return of Capital Transaction to return US$2.2 billion of the gross proceeds derived from sales of LSEG shares to our shareholders.

What effect will the Return of Capital Transaction have on my shares?

You will receive a cash distribution of US$4.67 for each share that you hold and your shares will be consolidated on a basis that is proportional to the cash distribution. Eligible Opt-Out Shareholders may opt out of the transaction as described in this circular. Thomson Reuters’ Series II preference shares will not participate in the Return of Capital Transaction.

 

 

LOGO

The cash distribution amount and any cash payable in respect of fractional share entitlements will be denominated in U.S. dollars. The Depositary’s currency exchange services will be used to convert payment of these amounts based on the address of record of each registered participating shareholder. For more information, see the “Terms of the Arrangement – Exchange Procedure – Currency” section of this circular below.

How do I participate in the Return of Capital Transaction?

Participation will be mandatory for all shareholders except Eligible Opt-Out Shareholders will have the right to opt out.

If you are a registered participating shareholder holding physical share certificate(s) in your own name, your share certificates will need to be updated to reflect the share consolidation. Unless indicated in your Letter of Transmittal, you will receive a new DRS statement instead of a new physical share certificate reflecting the share consolidation. To receive such DRS statement(s) or share certificate(s), you should deliver your current share certificate(s), together with a duly completed and executed Letter of Transmittal and such additional documents and instruments as may be required by the Depositary or our company, to Computershare Investor Services Inc. at the address set out under the question “Who should I contact if I have any questions?”. If you are a registered participating shareholder holding your shares in book-entry form through DRS, you are not required to submit a Letter of Transmittal. Our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, will update your DRS position to reflect the number of shares that you are entitled to receive after the share consolidation.

If you are a non-registered participating shareholder holding shares indirectly and the shares are registered in the name of an intermediary (such as an investment dealer, stock broker, bank, trust company or other nominee or intermediary, or Computershare Company Nominees Limited as nominee and custodian), your intermediary will record the share consolidation in your account. You should contact your intermediary if you have any questions regarding this process.

If you are a registered or non-registered opting-out shareholder, see the questions below entitled “Who can opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction and why?” and If I am an Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder, how do I opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction?”.

 

 

 

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What are the income tax consequences of the Return of Capital Transaction?

For Canadian federal income tax purposes, the Return of Capital Transaction is not expected to give rise to a dividend on the common shares for any shareholder, whether a Canadian Resident Shareholder or a Non-Canadian Resident Shareholder. For Canadian federal income tax purposes, the Return of Capital Transaction will generally not give rise to a capital gain in respect of the common shares unless the amount of cash received by a participating shareholder exceeds the adjusted cost base of the common shares to the participating shareholder. In that case, a Non-Canadian Resident Shareholder would not be subject to Canadian federal income tax unless the common shares are “taxable Canadian property” to the Non-Canadian Resident Shareholder. Opting-out shareholders that do not participate in the Return of Capital Transaction will not incur any Canadian federal income tax liability solely as a result of the consummation of the Return of Capital Transaction.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Return of Capital Transaction generally will be treated with respect to a participating U.S. Holder (as defined in the “Income Tax Considerations – Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” section of this circular) either as (a) a sale or exchange eligible for capital gain or loss treatment or (b) a distribution in respect of common shares, depending on the circumstances. Subject to certain assumptions, opting-out shareholders that do not participate in the Return of Capital Transaction should not incur any U.S. federal income tax liability solely as a result of the consummation of the Return of Capital Transaction.

Certain Canadian federal income tax considerations and certain U.S. federal income tax considerations are described in general terms in the “Income Tax Considerations” section of this circular. Shareholders are urged to carefully consider the income tax consequences of participating in the Return of Capital Transaction and to consult their own tax advisors in this regard.

This document does not address tax consequences to shareholders subject to tax in jurisdictions other than Canada and the United States. We encourage such shareholders to seek their own tax advice on these transactions.

Who can opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction and why?

If you are an Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder, you may opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction. This right to opt out is being provided to those shareholders because in jurisdictions other than Canada the tax consequences of not participating in the Return of Capital Transaction may be preferable to those associated with participating in the Return of Capital Transaction. If you choose to opt out, you will not receive the cash distribution and will continue to hold the same number of shares that you currently hold.

None of Thomson Reuters, our board of directors, the Information Agent or the Depositary makes any recommendation to any shareholder as to whether to opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction. Shareholders are urged to evaluate carefully all information in this circular, the accompanying Letter of Transmittal and Opt-Out Election and Certification Form, and other materials related to the Return of Capital Transaction, consult their own financial, legal, investment and tax advisors and make their own decisions as to whether to exercise the opt-out right.

For more information on the opt-out right, see the “Terms of the Arrangement – Opt-Out Right” section of this circular.

If I am an Eligible Opt-Out Shareholder, how do I opt out of the Return of Capital Transaction?

If you are an eligible registered shareholder and wish to opt out, you must deposit with the Depositary a duly completed Opt-Out Election and Certification Form indicating your election prior to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 13, 2023. If you are a registered shareholder holding our company’s share certificate(s) in your own name, you will also need to complete a Letter of Transmittal and deliver it and any certificates representing your shares to the Depositary by this opt-out deadline. You will be entitled to receive new DRS statements (or share certificates) reflecting the new CUSIP number for the shares.

If you are a non-registered shareholder, you should contact your intermediary to exercise the opt-out right. The opt-out deadline for non-registered shareholders is expected to be earlier than the date and time for registered shareholders. The deadline for non-registered shareholders will be specified by intermediaries to such shareholders. Your account will be adjusted by your intermediary to reflect the new CUSIP number for the shares.

You may withdraw your Opt-Out Election and Certification Form prior to the opt-out deadline, but it is irrevocable thereafter. The deadline for non-registered shareholders will be specified by intermediaries to such shareholders.

Any shareholder who does not opt out prior to the opt-out deadline will automatically participate in the Return of Capital Transaction without further action, and will therefore receive the cash distribution and have their shares consolidated.

For more information on the opt-out right, see the “Terms of the Arrangement – Opt-Out Right” section of this circular.

 

 

 

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What happens if I wish to sell or transfer my shares after I have opted out?

If you are a registered holder and wish to sell or transfer your shares after you have opted out, you must provide written notice to the Depositary prior to the opt-out deadline revoking your election with respect to the shares that you wish to transfer and request the return of such shares to you. Registered shareholders should allow sufficient time for this process in order to transfer deposited shares. Otherwise, you will not be able to transfer your shares until after the Return of Capital Transaction is completed. If you are a non-registered shareholder, you must contact your intermediary to revoke your opt-out prior to effecting such transfer.

How many votes are required to approve the Return of Capital Transaction?

The special resolution must be passed by not less than two-thirds (more than 66.6%) of votes cast by shareholders, during the meeting online or by proxy.

Woodbridge, our principal and controlling shareholder, holds, directly and indirectly, approximately 69% of the shares and has advised us that it intends to vote all of its shares in favour of the Return of Capital Transaction. Accordingly, we expect the resolution will be approved.

Does the board of directors recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the Return of Capital Transaction?

Yes. The board of directors, upon careful consideration of a number of factors, has determined that the Return of Capital Transaction is in the best interests of our company and unanimously recommends that you vote to approve the Return of Capital Transaction.

What other approvals are required?

The Arrangement requires final approval of the Court. If shareholders pass the special resolution at the meeting, we expect to make an application for the Final Order from the Court approving the Arrangement on June 16, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable. Completion of the Return of Capital Transaction is subject to fulfilling all of the requirements of the TSX and NYSE.

Will the Return of Capital Transaction affect future dividends?

We do not expect that the announcement or completion of the Return of Capital Transaction will affect the amount or timing of future dividends per share. If you hold shares on a dividend record date, you will continue to receive the applicable dividend to which such record date applies. Details about any future dividend, including its amount, record date and payment date, will be announced at the time that such dividend is formally declared by the Board.

Who should I contact if I have any questions?

For further information regarding the Return of Capital Transaction, a shareholder may contact the Information Agent, the Depositary or consult its own stock broker or other professional advisors. The telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the Information Agent and the Depositary are set forth below:

All Shareholders

D.F. King & Co., Inc.

Toll-Free in Canada and the U.S.: 1.866.864.4943

Outside Canada and the U.S., Banks, Brokers and Collect Calls: 1.212.269.5550

Email: tri@dfking.com

Registered Shareholders

Computershare Investor Services Inc.

Toll-Free in Canada and the U.S.: 1.800.564.6253

Outside Canada and the U.S.: 1.514.982.7555

E-mail address for inquiries from registered shareholders: corporateactions@computershare.com

E-mail address for registered shareholders to submit Opt-Out Election and Certification Forms: onlinedeposits@computershare.com

 

 

 

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Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results

Certain statements in this circular are forward-looking, including, but not limited to, timing for the approval and implementation of the Arrangement; the anticipated tax treatment for shareholders participating in the Return of Capital Transaction and those opting out; our company continuing to have sufficient financial resources and working capital to conduct our operations and continuing to have sufficient financial resources to pursue our foreseeable or planned opportunities including strategic acquisitions; our company’s expectations regarding its dividend and trading liquidity following the Return of Capital Transaction; and future sales of additional LSEG shares. The words “will”, “expect”, “believe”, “target” “estimate”, “could”, “should”, “intend”, “predict”, “project” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. While we believe that we have a reasonable basis for making forward-looking statements in this circular, they are not a guarantee of future performance or outcomes or that any other events described in any forward-looking statement will materialize. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Many of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions are beyond our company’s control and the effects of them can be difficult to predict. In particular, the full extent of the impact of the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment on the Company’s business, operations and financial results will depend on numerous evolving factors that we may not be able to accurately predict.

Some of the material risk factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements in this circular include, but are not limited to, failure to complete or realize the anticipated benefits of the Return of Capital Transaction; uncertainty, downturns and changes in the markets that the Company serves; actions of competitors; failure to keep pace with technological developments to provide new products, services, applications and functionalities to meet customers’ needs, attract new customers and retain existing ones, or expand into new geographic markets and identify areas of higher growth; failure to derive fully the anticipated benefits from existing or future acquisitions, dispositions or other strategic investments, including joint ventures and investments; failure to protect the brands and reputation of Thomson Reuters; fraudulent or unpermitted data access or other cyber-security or privacy breaches; failures or disruptions of data centers, network systems, telecommunications, or the Internet; failure to adapt to organizational changes and effectively implement strategic initiatives; failure to attract, motivate and retain high quality, talented and diverse management and key employees; failure to meet the challenges involved in operating globally; dependency on third parties for data, information and other services; changes to law and regulations related to privacy, data security, data protection and other areas; inadequate protection of intellectual property rights; tax matters, including changes to tax laws, regulations and treaties; threat of legal actions and claims; risk of antitrust/competition-related claims or investigations; failure to maintain a high renewal rate for recurring, subscription-based services; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange and interest rates; downgrading of credit ratings and adverse conditions in the credit markets; the effect of factors outside of the control of Thomson Reuters on funding obligations in respect of pension and post-retirement benefit arrangements; impairment of goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets; actions or potential actions that could be taken by the Company’s principal shareholder, The Woodbridge Company Limited; and the ability of Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company to affect the Company’s governance and management.

See the “Risk Factors” section of this circular for additional risk factors associated with the implementation of the Return of Capital Transaction. This is not an exhaustive list of the factors and risks that may affect any of our forward-looking statements. Some of these and other factors are discussed in more detail in our 2022 annual report. Investors and others should carefully consider these and other factors and not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risk factors is included in our public filings with federal, state or provincial securities regulatory authorities and can be found on EDGAR, which may be accessed at www.sec.gov, or SEDAR’s website at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this circular represent our views only as of the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements contained in this circular are based on information currently available to the Company and is based on various external and internal assumptions made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate under the circumstances.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which reflect expectations only as of the date of this circular.

Except as may be required by applicable law, Thomson Reuters disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

 

 

 

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Annual and Quarterly Financial Statements and Related MD&A

Our annual and quarterly reports and earnings releases are available in the “Investor Relations” section of our website, www.tr.com. Please also see the “Electronic Delivery of Shareholder Communications” section below for information about electronic delivery of these reports and other shareholder communications.

Notice-and-Access

Why did I receive a notice in the mail regarding the website availability of this circular and proxy materials?

We are using the “notice-and-access” system for the delivery of our proxy materials through our website, similar to last year’s meeting. Shareholders who receive a notice have the ability to access the proxy materials on our website and to request a paper copy of the proxy materials. Instructions on how to access the proxy materials through our website or to request a paper copy may be found in the notice.

Electronic delivery reduces the cost and environmental impact of producing and distributing paper copies of documents in very large quantities. It also provides shareholders with faster access to information about Thomson Reuters.

Why didn’t I receive a printed notice in the mail about the website availability of the proxy materials?

Shareholders who previously signed up for electronic delivery of our proxy materials will continue to receive them by e-mail and will not receive a printed notice in the mail.

How do I vote under the “notice-and-access” system?

The voting process is the same as described in the “Voting Information and How to Attend” section of this circular. You have two choices – you can vote by proxy, or you can attend the meeting and vote during the meeting by online ballot through the live webcast platform.

Electronic Delivery of Shareholder Communications

Does Thomson Reuters provide electronic delivery of shareholder communications?

Yes. Electronic delivery is a voluntary program for our shareholders. Under this program, an e-mail notification (with links to the documents posted on our website) is sent to you.

Electronic delivery reduces the cost and environmental impact of producing and distributing paper copies of documents in very large quantities. It also provides shareholders with faster access to information about Thomson Reuters.

 

 

How can I enroll for electronic delivery of shareholder communications?

 

For most non-registered shareholders (other than holders of our Depositary Interests), please go to www.proxyvote.com for more instructions and to register. You will need your Enrollment Number/Control Number. You can find this number on your voting instruction form/proxy form.

 

If you are a registered shareholder, please go to www.investorcentre.com (country – Canada) and click on “Sign up for eDelivery” at the bottom of the page. You will need information from your proxy form to register.

 

 

 

 

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Principal Shareholder and Share Capital

As of April 21, 2023, Woodbridge beneficially owned 324,912,822 of our common shares, or approximately 69% of our outstanding common shares. Woodbridge is the principal and controlling shareholder of Thomson Reuters.

Woodbridge, a private company, is the primary investment vehicle for members of the family of the late Roy H. Thomson, the first Lord Thomson of Fleet. Woodbridge is a professionally managed company that, in addition to its controlling interest in Thomson Reuters, has other substantial investments.

Prior to his passing in 2006, Kenneth R. Thomson controlled our company through Woodbridge. He did so by holding shares of a holding company of Woodbridge, Thomson Investments Limited. Under his estate arrangements, the 2003 TIL Settlement, a trust of which the trust company subsidiary of a Canadian chartered bank is trustee and members of the family of the late first Lord Thomson of Fleet are beneficiaries, holds those holding company shares. Kenneth R. Thomson established these arrangements to provide for long-term stability of the business of Woodbridge. The equity of Woodbridge continues to be owned by members of successive generations of the family of the first Lord Thomson of Fleet.

Under the estate arrangements of Kenneth R. Thomson, the directors and officers of Woodbridge are responsible for its business and operations. In certain limited circumstances, including very substantial dispositions of our company’s common shares by Woodbridge, the estate arrangements provide for approval of the trustee to be obtained.

From time to time, in the normal course of business, Thomson Reuters enters into transactions with Woodbridge and certain of its affiliates. In 2022, these transactions involved providing and receiving product and service offerings and were not material to our results of operations or financial condition either individually or in the aggregate.

To our knowledge, no other person beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of our common shares.

 

 

 

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About Our Directors

This section includes the following information:

 

·   

Profiles for each director nominee;

 

·   

Compensation that we paid to our directors in 2022; and

 

·   

Our corporate governance structure and practices.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

·   

The Corporate Governance Committee believes that the director nominees have the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the Board to fulfill its mandate;

 

·   

A majority of our directors are independent and only one director (our CEO) is a member of management;

 

·   

36% of the director nominees are women and two have self-identified as racially or ethnically diverse;

 

·   

The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman and the CEO are separate;

 

·   

All 14 nominees are currently directors of our company;

 

·   

A majority of the director nominees have been on the Board for less than five years; and

 

·   

At last year’s annual meeting, our director nominees who are standing for re-election received an average of 98% “for” votes.

 

 

Board Changes in 2022

We welcomed and successfully onboarded two new directors in 2022, which has brought new perspectives and experiences to the boardroom. LaVerne Council joined the Board in January, and was later elected by shareholders in June, and Beth Wilson was elected by shareholders in June. Two of our former directors, Vance Opperman and Wulf von Schimmelmann, decided not to stand for re-election at last year’s meeting in June.

Voting

You will be asked to vote for each director on an individual basis. Each of the 14 nominees is proposed to be elected for a term ending at our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders. All 14 nominees are currently directors of our company and were elected at our 2022 annual meeting of shareholders. Profiles for each nominee are provided on the following pages.

The Board unanimously recommends that you vote FOR the election of the following 14 nominees to the Thomson Reuters Board of Directors: David Thomson, Steve Hasker, Kirk E. Arnold, David W. Binet, W. Edmund Clark, C.M., LaVerne Council, Michael E. Daniels, Kirk Koenigsbauer, Deanna Oppenheimer, Simon Paris, Kim M. Rivera, Barry Salzberg, Peter J. Thomson and Beth Wilson.

Management does not believe that any of the nominees will be unable to serve as a director but, if this should occur for any reason prior to the meeting, the persons named in the enclosed proxy form may vote for another nominee at their discretion.

Following the meeting, we will issue a press release that includes the number of votes cast for and withheld from each individual director. As noted above, at last year’s annual meeting, our director nominees who are standing for re-election received an average of 98% “for” votes. Additional information is provided in each nominee’s profile on the following pages.

 

 

 

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Director qualifications, skills and experiences

We believe that all of the director nominees possess character, integrity, judgment, business experience, a record of achievement and other skills and talents which enhance the Board and the overall management of the business and affairs of Thomson Reuters. Each director nominee understands our company’s principal operational and financial objectives, plans and strategies, financial position and performance and the performance of Thomson Reuters relative to our principal competitors. The Corporate Governance Committee considered these qualifications in determining to recommend the director nominees for election.

The following table, or skills matrix, summarizes the skills and areas of experience indicated by each director nominee. Our Board believes that these skills and experiences are necessary for it to carry out its mandate. The skills matrix is reviewed and updated annually.

 

    Skills
   

 

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LOGO

  LOGO  

 

LOGO

  LOGO   LOGO   LOGO  

 

LOGO

 

 

LOGO

  LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO   LOGO
                                       

David Thomson

                                                         

Steve Hasker

                                               

Kirk Arnold

                                                   

David Binet

                                                     

Ed Clark

                                                 

LaVerne Council

                                                       

Mike Daniels

                                             

Kirk Koenigsbauer

                                                   

Deanna Oppenheimer

                                                       

Simon Paris

                                                   

Kim Rivera

                                               

Barry Salzberg

                                           

Peter Thomson

                                                             

Beth Wilson

                                                   

 

 

 

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Board Diversity

The Board also values the benefits that diversity can bring to the boardroom and throughout Thomson Reuters. Diversity promotes the inclusion of different perspectives and ideas, mitigates against group think and improves oversight, decision-making and governance.

While the Corporate Governance Committee of the Board focuses on finding the best qualified candidates for the Board, a nominee’s diversity may be considered favorably in his or her assessment. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that diversity includes business experience, thought, style, culture, gender, geographic background, race, visible minorities, national origin, Indigenous persons, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, age and other personal characteristics.

In April 2022, the Board formalized an objective that at least 30% of its members should be women. This was a goal that the Board had been working towards in previous years. The Board met this goal at last year’s annual general meeting on June 8, 2022. Five of the 14 director nominees proposed for election at the meeting (36%) are women. Two of our director nominees have self-identified as racially or ethnically diverse.

 

 

LOGO

Independence

A majority of the Board is independent. Under the Corporate Governance Guidelines adopted by the Board, a director is not considered independent unless the Board affirmatively determines that the director has no “material relationship” with Thomson Reuters. In determining the independence of directors, the Board considers all relevant facts and circumstances. In March 2023, the Board conducted its annual assessment of the independence of its members and determined that nine of the 14 current directors (approximately 64%) serving on the Board were independent. The Board also determined that if all of the director nominees are elected, then nine of the 14 directors (approximately 64%) will be independent following the meeting.

In determining independence, the Board examined and relied on the applicable definitions of “independent” in the NYSE listing standards and Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 58-101. The Board’s determination of independence was also based on responses to questionnaires completed by directors.

For the Board to function independently from management:

 

·   

The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman (David Thomson) and the CEO (Steve Hasker) are separate;

 

·   

We have a Lead Independent Director (Michael E. Daniels); and

 

·   

The Audit Committee is comprised entirely of independent directors (as required by applicable law) and the Corporate Governance Committee, HR Committee and Risk Committee each have a majority of independent directors.

 

 

 

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The table below indicates which of our directors are independent and not independent.

 

   

Director Independence

       
Name of Director   Management   Independent   Not Independent    Reason for Non-Independence

Current directors

                

David Thomson

             A Chairman of Woodbridge

Steve Hasker

           President & Chief Executive Officer of Thomson Reuters

Kirk E. Arnold

              

David W. Binet

             President of Woodbridge

W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

             Advisor to the trustee of the 2003 TIL Settlement and Woodbridge

LaVerne Council

              

Michael E. Daniels

              

Kirk Koenigsbauer

              

Deanna Oppenheimer

              

Simon Paris

              

Kim M. Rivera

              

Barry Salzberg

              

Peter J. Thomson

             A Chairman of Woodbridge

Beth Wilson

              

Total

  1   9   5     

David Thomson, David Binet, Ed Clark and Peter Thomson are not members of Thomson Reuters executive management team. With its substantial equity investment in Thomson Reuters, Woodbridge considers that its interests as a shareholder are aligned with those of all other shareholders.

In determining the independence of directors, the Board also considers that in the normal course of business, we provide services to, and receive services from, companies with which some of the independent directors are affiliated. Based on the specific facts and circumstances, the Board determined in March 2023 that these relationships were immaterial.

Tenure

Our Board has not adopted a mandatory retirement age or term limits for individual directors. We believe that individuals can continue to remain effective directors beyond a mandated retirement age or maximum period of service. Without having a mandatory retirement age or term limits, we have experienced turnover on our Board that has brought directors with new perspectives and approaches. This has complemented the depth of knowledge and insight about our company and business operations that some of our more long-standing directors have developed over time.

The following shows the tenure of our director nominees. As reflected below, a majority of the director nominees have served for less than five years.

 

 

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The average tenure of director nominees who are considered independent is 3.7 years and the average tenure of all director nominees (which includes directors affiliated with our principal shareholder) is 9.8 years.

 

 

The three director nominees who have been members of the Board for more than 10 years (David Thomson, Peter Thomson and David Binet) are affiliated with our company’s principal shareholder, Woodbridge.

Age

The following shows the age ranges of our director nominees. The average age of our director nominees is 61.

 

 

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Countries of Residence

The following shows the countries where our director nominees ordinarily reside.

 

LOGO

Interlocking Directorships

We do not have any director nominees who serve together on boards of other public companies. The Board has adopted a policy that no more than two of our directors may serve together on the boards of other public companies without the consent of the Corporate Governance Committee.

Service on Other Boards

Our directors are not restricted from serving on the boards of other public or private companies so long as their commitments do not materially interfere with or are not incompatible with, their ability to fulfill their duties as a member of our company’s Board. Directors must, however, receive approval from the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee before accepting an invitation to serve on the board of another public company and must notify the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee in connection with accepting an invitation to serve on the board of a for-profit private company that is not a family business. The Corporate Governance Committee monitors the outside boards that our directors sit on to determine if there are circumstances that would impact a director’s ability to exercise independent judgment and to ensure that a director has sufficient time to fulfill his or her commitments to Thomson Reuters.

 

 

 

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Nominee Information

The following provides information regarding the 14 director nominees who are proposed to be elected at the meeting, including a brief biography, city and country of residence, the year that they were appointed to our Board, independence status, primary areas of expertise, committee membership, attendance at Board and committee meetings in 2022 and ownership of Thomson Reuters securities. This information also reflects the percentage of “for” votes received by each director nominee at our 2022 annual meeting of shareholders.

In the director nominee profiles, “securities held” by a director nominee includes common shares over which a director nominee exercised control or direction, and the number of deferred share units (DSUs), restricted share units (RSUs) and options held by, or credited to, each individual as of April 21, 2023. Information regarding common shares beneficially owned does not include shares that may be obtained through the exercise or vesting of DSUs, RSUs or options. Our CEO Steve Hasker is the only director who holds RSUs or options. Each director nominee provided us with information about how many common shares he or she beneficially owns.

The market value of shares beneficially owned is based on the closing price of our common shares on the NYSE on April 21, 2023, which was $132.75. The market value of DSUs is also based on the closing price of our common shares on the NYSE on that date. We have also included information about each director nominee’s ownership of Thomson Reuters common shares and DSUs as of April 21, 2023 as a multiple of their annual retainer. Additional information about director share ownership guidelines is provided later in this section.

 

 

LOGO

 

David Thomson1

 

Age: 65

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Director since 1988

 

Non-independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: investment management, retail, media/publishing

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 98.84%

     

David Thomson

 

David Thomson is Chairman of Thomson Reuters. He is also a Chairman of Woodbridge, the Thomson family investment company, and Chairman of The Globe and Mail Inc., a Canadian media company. David is an active private investor with a focus on real estate and serves on the boards of several private companies. David has an MA from Cambridge.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7    100%          
    Total    7 of 7    100%                  
    Securities held (number and value)2                 

Total shares

and DSUs3

 

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

50,000

  

RSUs

  

DSUs

118,071

  

Options

  168,071         
    $6,637,500   

   $15,673,925          $22,311,425   
     

1  David Thomson and Peter Thomson, both of whom are nominees, are brothers.

2  David Thomson and Peter Thomson are substantial shareholders of our company as members of the family that owns the equity of Woodbridge, our principal shareholder. For additional information, please see the “Principal Shareholder and Share Capital” section of this circular.

3  An additional 1,400 shares are held by an immediate family member of David Thomson.

 

 

 

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LOGO

 

Steve Hasker

 

Age: 53

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Director since 2020

 

Non-independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: operations, international business, strategy and technology

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.50%

     

Steve Hasker

 

Steve Hasker has been President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Thomson Reuters since March 2020. Prior to joining Thomson Reuters in February 2020, he was Senior Advisor to TPG Capital, a private equity firm, from August 2019 to February 2020. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer of CAA Global, a TPG Capital portfolio company, from January 2018 to August 2019. Steve served as Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Nielsen Holdings PLC from December 2015 to December 2017 and prior to that served as Nielsen’s President, Global Products from November 2009 to January 2014. Steve spent more than a decade with McKinsey & Company as a partner in the Global Media, Entertainment and Information practice from 1998 to 2009. Before joining McKinsey, Steve spent five years in several financial roles in the United States and other countries. Steve started his career with PwC, where he qualified as a chartered accountant. He is a member of the Australia and New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants. Steve has an undergraduate economics degree from the University of Melbourne and received an MBA and master’s in international affairs from Columbia University.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%    Appen Limited   
    Total    7 of 7   100%                    
    Securities held (number and value)                 

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value1

  

Ownership multiple

of base salary2

   

Common shares 29,622

  

RSUs 146,152

 

DSUs

  

Options 544,318

            
   

$3,932,321

  

                3.4x
     

1  48,717 of Steve’s 146,152 RSUs are time-based restricted share units (TRSUs). As of April 21, 2023, the value of Steve’s TRSUs was $6,467,182.

2  Reflects Steve’s ratio under his executive ownership guidelines, which is based on a multiple of his salary.

   

 

LOGO

 

Kirk E. Arnold

 

Age: 63

 

Kennebunk, Maine, United States

 

Director since 2020

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: technology, strategy, sales & marketing, human capital management

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.49%

     

Kirk E. Arnold

 

Kirk E. Arnold has been Executive-in-Residence at General Catalyst Ventures since 2018, where she works with management teams to help scale and drive growth by providing mentorship, operational and strategic support. She was previously Chief Executive Officer of Data Intensity, LLC, a cloud-based data, applications and analytics managed service provider, from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, Kirk was Chief Operating Officer of Avid, a technology provider in the media industry, and Chief Executive Officer and President of Keane, Inc., then a publicly traded global services provider. She has also held senior leadership roles at Computer Sciences Corp., Fidelity Investments and IBM. In addition, she was founder and Chief Executive Officer of NerveWire, a management consulting and systems integration provider. Kirk serves on the boards of several private companies. In addition, she is a Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and an advisor to the Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. Kirk received a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    6 of 7   86%    Ingersoll-Rand plc   
    Corporate Governance    6 of 6   100%    Trane Technologies   
    HR    6 of 6   100%            
    Risk    4 of 4   100%            
    Total    22 of 23   96%                    
      Securities held
(number and value)
                    Total shares
and DSUs
  

Total market

value

   Ownership multiple
of annual retainer
   

Common shares

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs 9,178

  

Options

  

9,178

         
         –         $1,218,380            $1,218,380   

5.4x

 

 

 

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LOGO

 

David W. Binet

 

Age: 65

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Director since 2013

 

Non-independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: legal, media/publishing, investment management

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 95.31%

     

David W. Binet

 

David W. Binet is Deputy Chairman of Thomson Reuters. He is also President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Woodbridge, the Thomson family investment company. Prior to 2013, he held a number of senior positions at Woodbridge between 1999 and 2012, including Chief Operating Officer. David is a director of The Globe and Mail Inc., a Canadian media company and of a number of other companies in which Woodbridge is invested. David served as Chairman of the Thomson Reuters Foundation from October 1, 2009 through March 14, 2020. Prior to joining Woodbridge in 1999, he was a partner at a major law firm. David has a law degree from McGill University, a BA from Queen’s University and a graduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%      
    Corporate Governance    6 of 6   100%      
    HR    6 of 6   100%            
    Risk    4 of 4   100%                    
    Total    23 of 23   100%                    
      Securities held
(number and value)
                   

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

261,176

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

41,460

  

Options

   302,636          
      $36,671,114    –         $5,503,815            $40,174,929   

178.6x

                                      

 

LOGO

 

W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

 

Age: 75

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Director since 2015

 

Non-independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: executive leadership, finance, human resources, strategy

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 92.69%

     

W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

 

W. Edmund Clark is a corporate director. Ed served as Group President and Chief Executive Officer of TD Bank Group from 2002 until his retirement in 2014. Ed was inducted as a Companion of the Canadian Order of the Business Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2014, Ed was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institute. He is also Chair of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. Ed has a BA from the University of Toronto, and an MA and Doctorate in Economics from Harvard University. Ed has also received honorary degrees from Mount Allison University, Queen’s University, Western University and the University of Toronto. In 2010, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest distinctions.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%    Spin Master Corp.   
    Corporate Governance    6 of 6   100%      
    HR    6 of 6   100%                    
    Total    19 of 19   100%                    
      Securities held
(number and value)
                    Total shares
and DSUs
  

Total market

value

   Ownership multiple
of annual retainer
   

Common shares

36,316

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

35,011

  

Options

   71,327          
      $4,820,949   

–      

  $4,647,710   

        $9,468,659   

42.1x

 

 

 

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LOGO

 

LaVerne Council

 

Age: 61

 

Great Falls, Virginia, United States

 

Director since January 2022

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: technology, operations, transformational change

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.78

     

LaVerne Council

 

LaVerne Council is the Chief Executive Officer of Emerald One, LLC, an information technology consulting company focused on helping businesses develop innovative methodologies for driving change and transformation. She was the National Managing Principal, Enterprise Technology Strategy & Innovation, for Grant Thornton LLP from 2017 to 2019 and served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager for MITRE Corporation in 2017. LaVerne was Assistant Secretary for the Office of Information & Technology and Chief Information Officer for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs from 2015 to 2017. She was the Chief Executive Officer of Council Advisory Services, LLC from 2012 through 2015. LaVerne has also held significant corporate leadership roles focused on supply chain, IT centralization and integration. She served as the Corporate Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer for Johnson & Johnson from 2006 through 2011. Before that, she served in several roles of increasing responsibility at DELL, Inc. from 2000 to 2006, including as the Global Vice President, Information Technology, Global Business Solutions, and Development Services. She received her Master of Business Administration from Illinois State University and her Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Science from Western Illinois University. LaVerne also holds an honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from Drexel University.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%    CONMED Corporation   
    Audit    7 of 8   87.50%    Concentrix Corporation   
    Risk    2 of 2   100%            
    Total    16 of 17   94%                    
      Securities held
(number and value)
                   

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

–            

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

2,525

  

Options

   2,525          
      –                –         $335,194            $335,194    1.5x
                                      

 

LOGO

 

Michael E. Daniels

 

Age: 68

 

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States

 

Director since 2014

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: international business, finance, operations, technology

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 97.63%

     

Michael E. Daniels

 

Michael E. Daniels is a corporate director. In 2013, Mike retired as Senior Vice President and Group Executive IBM Services after 36 years with the company where he directed IBM’s consulting, systems integration, application management, cloud computing and outsourcing services around the globe. Mike also held a number of senior leadership positions in his career at IBM, including General Manager of Sales and Distribution Operations of the Americas as well as leading Global Services in the Asia Pacific region. Mike has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Holy Cross College.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%    SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.   
    Audit    6 of 8   75%    Johnson Controls International plc   
    Corporate Governance    6 of 6   100%            
    HR    4 of 6   66.67%            
    Risk    3 of 4   75%            
    Total    26 of 31   84%                    
      Securities held
(number and value)
                   

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

2,924

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

36,387

  

Options

   39,311          
      $388,161    –         $4,830,374            $5,218,535    23.2x

 

 

 

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LOGO

 

Kirk Koenigsbauer

 

Age: 55

 

Seattle, Washington, United States

 

Director since 2020

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: technology, operations, sales & marketing

 

2022 annual meeting votes for:

99.64%

     

Kirk Koenigsbauer

 

Kirk Koenigsbauer has been Chief Operating Officer & Corporate Vice President, Experiences and Devices Group at Microsoft Corporation since February 2020. From December 2016 to February 2020, he was Corporate Vice President, Microsoft 365 and from July 2012 to November 2016, he was Corporate Vice President, Office Apps Engineering, at Microsoft. Prior to that, he was Corporate Vice President, Office Product Management at Microsoft from June 2002 to July 2012. Kirk worked at Amazon.com from 1998 to 2001 where he held the roles of General Manager, Software & Video Games Stores and Director of Product Management, Auctions. Kirk also worked at Microsoft from 1992 to 1998 and as a consultant at Accenture from 1989 to 1991. Kirk has a bachelor’s degree from Colby College.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%      
    Audit    4 of 4   100%      
    HR    2 of 2   100%      
    Risk    4 of 4   100%          
    Total    17 of 17   100%                    
      Securities held
(number and value)
                    Total shares
and DSUs
  

Total market

value

   Ownership multiple
of annual retainer
   

Common shares

100

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

7,456

  

Options

   7,556          
     

$13,275

  

–      

  $989,784   

        $1,003,059    4.5x

 

 

LOGO

 

Deanna Oppenheimer

 

Age: 65

 

Seattle, Washington, United States

 

Director since 2020

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: operations, strategy, technology

 

2022 annual meeting votes for:

99.45%

     

Deanna Oppenheimer

 

Deanna Oppenheimer is the founder of CameoWorks, LLC, a global firm that advises leaders of early stage companies and consultancies. Deanna founded CameoWorks in 2012. From 2005 to 2011, Deanna served in a number of roles at Barclays PLC, first as chief executive of UK Retail and Business Banking and then as vice chair of Global Retail Banking. From 1985 to 2005, Deanna served in a number of positions at Washington Mutual, Inc., with her last role as president of Consumer Banking. Deanna is also a non-executive director of Slalom and is the founder of BoardReady, a not-for-profit, collective group of diverse senior leaders dedicated to increasing corporate and board diversity. Deanna received a BA from the University of Puget Sound.

 

 

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
  Board    7 of 7    100%   

Hargreaves Lansdown plc

 

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

  
  Audit    8 of 8    100%   
  Corporate Governance    6 of 6    100%                    
  Total    21 of 21    100%                    
  Securities held
(number and value)
                 

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

     

Common shares

  

RSUs

–      

  

DSUs

5,220

  

Options

   5,220            
         –          $692,955            $692,955   

3.1x

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 33


Table of Contents

 

LOGO

 

Simon Paris

 

Age: 53

 

London, United Kingdom

 

Director since 2020

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: operations, strategy, technology

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.60%

     

 

Simon Paris

 

Simon Paris is Chief Executive Officer of Finastra, a global financial technology (fintech) provider. He joined Finastra (previously Misys) as president in 2015 and also served as its Chief Sales Officer, before being appointed Deputy CEO in 2017 and CEO in 2018. Simon previously worked at SAP from 2007 to 2015, where he held a number of senior leadership positions. Simon was also previously a senior consultant with McKinsey & Company. He currently chairs the World Trade Board, an organization initiated by Finastra that is made up of global leaders, innovative thinkers, industry influencers and subject matter experts from the different corners of trade, finance and commerce. Simon holds a BA from the European Business School and an MBA from INSEAD.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
 

 

  Board    7 of 7    100%    Everbridge, Inc.   

 

    Audit    8 of 8    100%      
    Corporate Governance    2 of 2    100%      
    Risk    2 of 2    100%                    
 

 

  Total    19 of 19    100%     

 

    

 

    

 

    

 

      Securities held
(number and value)
                    

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

           –

  

RSUs

–      

  

DSUs

5,220

  

Options

      –

   5,220          
                 –   

–      

   $692,955   

      –

        $692,955    3.1x

 

 

LOGO

 

Kim M. Rivera

 

Age: 54

 

Woodside, California, United States

 

Director since 2019

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: legal, strategy, technology, operations

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.65%

     

 

Kim M. Rivera

 

Kim M. Rivera is the Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer of OneTrust LLC, a privacy, security and governance management software company. She was Special Advisor to the CEO of HP Inc. from February 2021 through December 2021. Prior to that, Kim was President, Strategy and Business Management and Chief Legal Officer at HP Inc. from January 2019 through January 2021. As President, Strategy and Business Management, she led corporate strategy and development, customer support, indirect procurement, real estate and workplace functions. In addition, Kim managed HP Inc.’s worldwide legal organization, including all aspects of legal and governmental affairs, brand security, compliance and ethics. She served as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of HP Inc. from November 2015 to January 2019. Prior to joining HP Inc., Kim was the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for DaVita HealthCare Partners where she was employed from 2010 to 2015. Prior to that, she served as the Chief Compliance Officer and Head of International Legal Services at The Clorox Company; and Chief Litigation Counsel for Rockwell Automation, as well as General Counsel for its Automation Controls and Information Group. Kim has a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

  2022 attendance   Other public company board memberships
    Board   7 of 7   100%   Cano Health Inc.  
    Audit   8 of 8   100%        
    Risk   4 of 4   100%                
    Total   19 of 19   100%                
      Securities held
(number and value)
                

Total shares

and DSUs

 

Total market

value

 

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

           –

 

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

8,530

 

Options

      –

  8,530        
                 –  

–      

  $1,132,357  

      –

      $1,132,357   5.0x

 

 

 

Page 34    Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


Table of Contents

 

LOGO

 

Barry Salzberg

 

Age: 69

 

New York, New York, United States

 

Director since 2015

 

Independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: accounting/audit, operations, international business

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.36%

     

Barry Salzberg

 

Barry Salzberg is a corporate director. Barry served as the Global Chief Executive Officer of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited from 2011 until his retirement in 2015. He joined Deloitte in 1977 and his roles included Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of the firm’s U.S. operations. Barry is Chairman of the board of directors of 10EQS and has previously served as a board member of New Profit, Inc. and previously served as Chairman of the United Way Worldwide, Chairman of the board of College Summit and Chairman of the board of the YMCA of Greater New York. From July 2015 until June 2018, he was a Professor at Columbia Business School. Barry has a BS in Accounting from Brooklyn College, a JD from Brooklyn Law School, and an LLM in Taxation from the New York University School of Law.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
    Board    7 of 7   100%      
    Audit    8 of 8   100%      
    Corporate Governance    6 of 6   100%            
    Risk    4 of 4   100%            
 

 

  Total    25 of 25   100%     

 

    

 

    

 

    

 

      Securities held
(number and value)
                   

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

           –

  

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

26,828

  

Options

      –

   26,828          
                 –    –         $3,561,417   

      –

        $3,561,417    15.8x

 

 

LOGO

 

Peter J. Thomson1

 

Age: 57

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Director since 1995

 

Non-independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: international business, investment management, technology

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 95.39%

     

Peter J. Thomson

 

Peter J. Thomson is a Chairman of Woodbridge, the Thomson family investment company. Peter is an active private equity investor and serves on the boards of several private companies. Peter has a BA from the University of Western Ontario.

 

 

Board/committee

membership

   2022 attendance    Other public company board memberships
  Board    7 of 7    100%      
  HR    6 of 6    100%          
  Total    13 of 13    100%                    
  Securities held
(number and value)2
                    

Total shares

and DSUs

  

Total market

value

  

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

 

Common shares

           787

  

RSUs

–      

  

DSUs

14,554

  

Options

      –

   15,341          
               $104,474   

–      

   $1,932,044   

      –

        $2,036,518   
   

 

 

1  David Thomson and Peter Thomson, both of whom are nominees, are brothers.

2  David Thomson and Peter Thomson are substantial shareholders of our company as members of the family that owns the equity of Woodbridge, our principal shareholder. For additional information, please see the “Principal Shareholder and Share Capital” section of this circular.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 35


Table of Contents

 

LOGO

 

Beth Wilson

 

Age: 54

 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Director since 2022

 

independent

 

Primary areas of expertise: tax and accounting and legal industries, audit, executive leadership

 

2022 annual meeting votes for: 99.78%

     

 

Beth Wilson

 

Beth Wilson has been Vice-Chair of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada since October 2021. She is the former Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Canada LLP and was a member of the global leadership team, serving on the Global Board and Global Management Committee from July 2017 to January 2022. Prior to this role, Beth was an audit partner at KPMG from 2000 to 2016 and served as Managing Partner at KPMG in the Greater Toronto Area from 2009 to 2016. Between 2005 and 2016, she also served as a member of KPMG’s Management Committee in various leadership positions, including Canadian Managing Partner Community Leadership, Canadian Managing Partner Regions and Enterprise with responsibility for 24 regional offices across Canada, and Chief Human Resources Officer. Beth is currently a trustee at The Hospital for Sick Children and a director at Woodgreen Foundation and Traferox Technologies Inc.. Beth has a BComm from the University of Toronto and is a CPA.

 

     

Board/committee

membership

  2022 attendance   Other public company board memberships
    Board   3 of 3   100%   IGM Financial Inc.  
    Audit   4 of 4   100%   Power Corporation of Canada  
    HR   1 of 2   50%                
    Total   8 of 9   89%                
      Securities held
(number and value)
                

Total shares

and DSUs

 

Total market

value

 

Ownership multiple

of annual retainer

   

Common shares

           –

 

RSUs

–      

 

DSUs

1,606

 

Options

      –

  1,606        
                 –  

–      

  $213,197  

      –

      $213,197  

0.9x

 

 

 

Page 36    Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


Table of Contents

Director Compensation and Share Ownership

Approach and Philosophy

Our approach and philosophy for director compensation is to:

 

·   

align the interests of our directors with those of our shareholders; and

 

·   

provide competitive compensation.

The compensation program for our directors considers:

 

·   

the size, scope and complexity of our organization;

 

·   

the time commitment, contributions and effort required of directors to serve on the Board and one or more Board committees, as applicable (including Board/committee meetings and travel to and from Board/committee meetings and site visits);

 

·   

the experience and skills of our directors;

 

·   

compensation levels for boards of directors of other large comparable U.S. and Canada-based multinational public companies in order for amounts paid to our directors to be competitive to attract new candidates and to retain existing directors;

 

·   

an increasing trend in U.S. and Canadian public company director compensation programs to require a combination of mandatory and optional equity components to further align directors’ interests with shareholders; and

 

·   

our desire to have a flat fee structure.

Our Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for periodically reviewing the adequacy and form of directors’ compensation. In November 2022, the Corporate Governance Committee decided to maintain current annual director compensation retainers for 2023 and increase the amount of the annual retainer that is required to be paid in equity in the form of DSUs from 33% to 50% effective January 1, 2023.

In periodically benchmarking director compensation, the Corporate Governance Committee evaluates publicly available data related to director compensation paid by the same peer group of companies utilized by the HR Committee for executive compensation benchmarking purposes.

We do not grant stock options, RSUs or bonuses to our non-management directors. In addition, we do not provide our non-management directors with retirement/pension benefits, healthcare coverage or perquisites.

 

 

As discussed later in this section, we require our directors to hold a minimum value of common shares and/or DSUs and our director compensation program encourages directors to invest in our company beyond their minimum ownership requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 37


Table of Contents

 

Our directors have a mandatory equity component for their compensation. Approximately 98% of director compensation was paid in equity (DSUs or common shares) in 2022.

 

 

Components of Director Compensation

The table below sets forth the annual retainers that were payable to our non-management directors in 2022. Directors do not receive separate attendance or meeting fees. Chairs of the Board’s standing committees receive additional fees given their increased responsibilities and workloads. Additional information regarding the different components of our director compensation structure is provided following this table.

 

     2022 ($)

   Non-management directors1

   225,000 (75,000 of which was required to be paid in deferred share units, or DSUs2)

   Chairman of the Board

   600,000

   Additional retainers

    

   Deputy Chairman of the Board

   150,000 (paid in DSUs)

   Lead Independent Director

   150,000 (paid in DSUs)

   Committee chairs – Audit, Corporate Governance, HR and Risk

   50,000 (paid in DSUs)

 

1

Directors other than the Chairman.

2

Effective January 1, 2023, $112,500 is required to be paid in DSUs.

Retainers / Mandatory Equity Component

In 2022, we required a minimum of $75,000 of each non-management director’s $225,000 annual retainer to be paid in equity in the form of DSUs (payable quarterly). Our non-management directors then elect to receive the remaining $150,000 of their annual retainer in the form of DSUs, common shares or cash (or a mix thereof – payable quarterly). In November 2022, the Corporate Governance Committee decided to increase the amount of the annual retainer that is required to be paid in equity in the form of DSUs from 33% to 50% effective January 1, 2023.

DSUs

Each DSU has the same value as one common share, though DSUs do not have voting rights. DSUs are not performance-based units. If a director elects to receive DSUs, units representing the value of common shares are credited to the director’s account. DSUs accumulate additional units based on notional equivalents of dividends paid on our common shares. DSUs are fully vested upon grant, but they are only settled in common shares or, at the election of our company, in cash, following termination of the director’s Board service. Any common shares delivered to a director in connection with the settlement of DSUs are purchased in the open market.

Common Shares

If a director elects to receive common shares, the cash amount (net of withholding taxes) is provided to our broker who uses such amount to buy shares in the open market.

Committee Fees

Committee chair fees, which are payable entirely in DSUs, are reflected in the table above.

Chairman and Deputy Chairman Retainer

The Chairman’s annual retainer is $600,000. The Deputy Chairman’s annual retainer is $150,000, which is payable entirely in DSUs. The Deputy Chairman also receives the same $225,000 annual retainer paid to other non-management directors. Additional information about the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman is provided later in the “Corporate Governance Practices” section of this circular.

Lead Independent Director Retainer

The Lead Independent Director’s annual retainer is $150,000, which is payable entirely in DSUs. The Lead Independent Director also receives the same annual $225,000 retainer paid to other non-management directors. Additional information about the Lead Independent Director is provided later in the “Corporate Governance Practices” section of this circular.

 

 

 

Page 38    Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


Table of Contents

Benchmarking Director Compensation

In setting 2022 director compensation, the Corporate Governance Committee evaluated publicly available data related to director compensation paid by the same global peer group of companies utilized by the HR Committee for executive compensation benchmarking purposes.

In its most recent benchmarking review in November 2022, the Corporate Governance Committee reviewed director compensation at the following companies in Thomson Reuters’ global peer group for executive compensation purposes. As part of its review, the Corporate Governance Committee evaluated data for North American-based companies in the peer group as Thomson Reuters is headquartered in Canada and most of its directors reside in Canada or the United States. The Corporate Governance Committee also acknowledged that director compensation for U.S. companies is generally higher than Canadian companies.

 

Automatic Data Processing Inc.

CGI Group Inc.

eBay Inc.

Equifax Inc.

Experian Plc

Gartner Inc.

  

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc.

Intuit Inc.

Moody’s Corp.

Nielsen Holdings plc

Omnicom Group Inc.

RELX PLC

  

              S&P Global Inc.

              TransUnion

              Verisk Analytics, Inc.

              Wolters Kluwer NV

Total Director Compensation

The table below reflects compensation earned by our directors in 2022. Approximately 98% of 2022 director compensation was paid in DSUs and common shares.

As President and CEO of Thomson Reuters, Steve Hasker does not receive compensation for his service as a director. We discuss aspects of Steve Hasker’s compensation in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this circular.

 

     Fees Earned ($)  
         

   Director

   Cash      DSUs      Common Shares    All Other
Compensation ($)
     Total ($)  

   David Thomson1

        600,000              600,000  

   Kirk Arnold2

        275,000              275,000  

   David W. Binet3

        375,000              375,000  

   LaVerne Council

        218,219                  218,219  

   W. Edmund Clark, C.M.4

        275,000              275,000  

   Michael E. Daniels5

        360,068              360,068  

   Kirk Koenigsbauer

        225,000              225,000  

   Deanna Oppenheimer

        225,000              225,000  

   Simon Paris

        225,000              225,000  

   Kim M. Rivera

        225,000              225,000  

   Barry Salzberg6

   75,000      200,000              275,000  

   Peter J. Thomson

        75,000      150,000         225,000  

   Beth Wilson

        127,603              127,603  

   Former directors

                                

   Vance Opperman7

        98,014              98,014  

   Wulf von Schimmelmann8

        163,356              163,356  

   Total

   75,000      3,667,260      150,000         3,892,260  

 

1   David Thomson’s compensation reflects fees for serving as Chairman.
2   Kirk Arnold’s compensation includes fees for serving as Chair of the Risk Committee.
3   David Binet’s compensation includes fees for serving as Deputy Chairman.
4   Ed Clark’s compensation includes fees for serving as Chair of the HR Committee.
5   Mike Daniels’ compensation includes fees for serving as Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee and Lead Independent Director from June 8, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
6   Barry Salzberg’s compensation includes fees for serving as Chair of the Audit Committee.
7   Vance Opperman served as a director through June 8, 2022. Vance’s compensation also includes fees for serving as Lead Independent Director from January 1, 2022 through June 8, 2022.
8   Wulf von Schimmelmann served as a director through June 8, 2022.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 39


Table of Contents

Stock Option and RSU Grants

Our non-management directors are not eligible to receive stock option grants and no non-management director currently holds any options. None of our non-management directors currently hold RSUs. Options and RSUs held by Steve Hasker are described later in the circular.

Share Ownership Guidelines

Directors are currently required to hold common shares and/or DSUs with a value equal to three times their annual retainer, which is currently $675,000. Directors are required to meet their ownership requirement within five years of the date of their initial appointment to the Thomson Reuters Board. Share prices of all public companies are subject to market volatility. As a result, director share ownership guidelines reflect a “once met, always met” standard. This means that if a director has met his or her applicable ownership guideline multiple and a subsequent decline in the Thomson Reuters share price causes the value of his or her ownership to fall below the applicable threshold, the director will be considered to be in compliance with the guidelines so long as he or she continues to hold the number of shares that were owned at the time when he or she achieved the guidelines.

Ownership of common shares and DSUs by our director nominees can be found in each nominee’s biography in this circular. David Thomson and Peter Thomson are substantial shareholders of our company as members of the family that owns the equity of Woodbridge. As of April 21, 2023, Woodbridge beneficially owned approximately 69% of our common shares. For more information, see the “Principal Shareholder and Share Capital” section of this circular. The following table shows each non-management director’s progress towards his or her share ownership guidelines. All ownership multiples and each director’s ownership are as of April 21, 2023.

 

     
   Name Ownership multiple of   
annual retainer
Progress towards guidelines

   David Thomson

, through Woodbridge’s ownership

   Kirk E. Arnold

5.4x

   David W. Binet

178.6x

   W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

42.1x

   LaVerne Council

1.5x Required by January 12, 2027; 49.66% towards goal

   Michael E. Daniels

23.2x

   Kirk Koenigsbauer

4.5x

   Deanna Oppenheimer

3.1x

   Simon Paris

3.1x

   Kim M. Rivera

5.0x

   Barry Salzberg

15.8x

   Peter J. Thomson

, through Woodbridge’s ownership

   Beth Wilson

0.9x Required by June 8, 2027; 31.58% towards goal

Steve Hasker is subject to separate ownership guidelines as CEO of our company. For more information, see the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this circular.

Pensions

Non-management directors do not receive any pension benefits from our company. Steve Hasker’s retirement benefits are described in the “Executive Compensation – Pension and Other Retirement Benefits” section of this circular.

Service Contracts

We have not entered into service contracts with our non-management directors. Our agreement with Steve Hasker regarding termination benefits is described in the “Executive Compensation – Termination Benefits” section of this circular.

Liability Insurance

We provide our directors with liability insurance in connection with their service on the Board.

Director Expenses

We reimburse directors for reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their Thomson Reuters duties.

 

 

 

Page 40    Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


Table of Contents

Corporate Governance Practices

Our Board is committed to high standards of corporate governance and believes that sound corporate governance practices are essential to the well-being of our company and for the promotion and protection of our shareholders’ interests. We believe that sustainable value creation for all shareholders is fostered through a Board that is informed and engaged and that functions independently of management.

As a public company with shares listed in Canada on the TSX and in the United States on the NYSE, our corporate governance practices are generally consistent with the best practice guidelines of the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the SEC. In addition, our corporate governance practices comply with most of the corporate governance listing standards of the NYSE, notwithstanding that we are exempt from most of those standards as a “foreign private issuer”.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

·   

Independence - A majority of our directors are independent and only one director (our CEO) is a member of management. All of the Board’s committees are comprised of a majority of independent directors. Our independent directors meet without management at each Board meeting;

 

·   

Separation of Chairman and CEO - The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman and the CEO are separate;

 

·   

Share ownership guidelines - Our directors and executive officers are required to maintain equity interests in our company;

 

·   

Risk oversight - We have a separate Risk Committee that helps oversee our enterprise risk management (ERM) program and other risks not overseen by the Board and its other committees;

 

·   

ESG oversight - ESG is overseen by our Board and its committees;

 

·   

Voting structure - We do not have dual class or subordinate voting structures;

 

·   

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics - Our directors and executive officers must comply with our Code and other corporate governance policies;

 

·   

Director orientation - We have an orientation program to onboard our new directors; and

 

·   

Independent advice - The Board and each of its committees have the ability to retain independent advisors.

 

 

Board Composition and Responsibilities

Governance Structure

The Board oversees our corporate governance structure, in part, through the work of the Corporate Governance Committee. Board practices are set out in Corporate Governance Guidelines, which the Corporate Governance Committee reviews annually. The Corporate Governance Guidelines deal with issues such as the Board’s duties and responsibilities, share ownership guidelines and conflicts of interest. In addition, each of the Board’s four standing committees (Audit, Corporate Governance, HR and Risk) has a charter. The charters are reviewed annually by the relevant committee and the Corporate Governance Committee.

 

 

The Board’s principal responsibilities include strategic planning, risk management, financial reporting, disclosure and corporate governance.

 

 

Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Code) applies to our employees, directors and officers, including our CEO, CFO and Controller. Our employees, directors and officers are required to submit an acknowledgment that they have received and read a copy of the Code and understand their obligations to comply with the principles and policies outlined in it. The Corporate Governance Committee receives an annual report regarding the Code from the Chief Legal Officer.

 

 

 

Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders    Page 41


Table of Contents

Board Size

The Board currently consists of 14 individuals and functions independently of management. The Board is currently comprised of 13 non-management directors and the CEO. Individual directors are proposed for election annually. We have proposed that 14 directors be nominated for election at the meeting, all of whom are currently directors. Each of the Board’s committees is discussed in more detail later in this circular.

 

 

LOGO

Key Responsibilities of the Board

The fundamental responsibility of the Board is to supervise the management of the business and affairs of Thomson Reuters. The table below highlights primary activities and topics from the Board’s 2022 work plan. Five of the Board’s meetings in 2022 were regularly scheduled and two special meetings were held during the year.

 

   Meeting

   2022 Primary Activities/Topics

   January

  

· Annual operating plan (which included the Change Program)

· Dividend policy

· New director appointment

   March

  

· Annual disclosure and corporate governance documents (annual report/financial statements and proxy circular)

· Change Program update

· Growth strategy update

· Legal Professionals segment update

· M&A update

· Executive compensation

   April

  

· New director nomination

   June

  

· Change Program update

· People update

· Financial and investor relations update

· M&A update

   September

  

· Change Program update

· Financial and capital strategy update

· Customer Markets update

· M&A update

· Risk, Fraud and Compliance business update

· Tax & Accounting Professionals segment update

   October

  

· Legal and Compliance update

   November

  

· Change Program update

· Growth strategy update

· Financial update

· M&A update

· Product update

   Each meeting

  

· In-camera meetings with the CEO only (typically at the start and end of each meeting)

· In-camera meetings of non-management directors only

· In-camera meetings of independent directors only

   Periodically

  

· Strategic and management discussions related to individual businesses or sectors

· Reports from the Chairs of the Audit, Corporate Governance, HR and Risk Committees

· ERM

· Proposed significant acquisitions and dispositions

· Product updates

· Proposed capital markets transactions

· Competitive analysis

 

 

 

 

Page 42    Management Proxy Circular and Notice of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders


Table of Contents

Strategic Planning

The Board plays an important role in strategic planning and direction throughout the year.

In January, the Board meets with management to review, discuss and approve the final version of our annual operating plan, which is prepared by our CEO, CFO and other senior executives. The plan typically addresses:

 

·   

Opportunities

 

·   

Competitive position

 

·   

Business outlook

 

·   

Preliminary full-year financial results

 

·   

Financial projections for a three-year period

 

·   

Other key performance indicators

 

·   

Annual dividend and share repurchase program recommendations

 

·   

Risks

Throughout the year, the Board and management discuss our progress against the plan. In 2022, the Board focused its meeting in September on corporate strategy. As part of this meeting, directors had an in-depth discussion about our company’s strategic plans with our CEO and CFO and other senior executives. Strategy discussions typically cover topics such as technology, the current condition of our business segments, future growth potential of our businesses and the key market segments that we serve, and how we are seeking to increase shareholder value.

The Board also discusses various strategic issues with management at other meetings during the year. For example, the Board discussed our capital strategy with the CFO in September. In addition, various presidents of our business segments provide updates to the Board at meetings during the year and those discussions typically address the segment’s current operations and strategic objectives.

Risk Oversight

Our management team is responsible for day-to-day risk identification and risk management. The Board is responsible for confirming that a system is in place to identify the principal risks facing Thomson Reuters and that appropriate procedures and systems are in place to monitor, mitigate and manage those risks.

The ERM process at our company is intended to:

 

·   

identify the most significant operational, strategic, trust, financial and other risks in each of our business segments as well as for our corporate center, considering both the external environment as well as internal changes related to structure, strategy, people and processes;

 

·   

assess which of these risks individually or together with other identified risks could have a significant impact on Thomson Reuters as an enterprise if they were to materialize; and

 

·   

develop and implement action plans for the enterprise risks and review them periodically at a corporate and Board level.

 

 

Our ERM process is designed to enhance the identification and response to risk throughout Thomson Reuters and assist the Board and its committees with oversight responsibility for risk management.

 

 

Each year, we conduct an enterprise top risk assessment exercise. The risk governance team conducts risk identification and assessment workshops throughout Thomson Reuters utilizing the prior year’s top identified risks and inputs from Board interviews (which are discussed below). Relevant business segments and enabling functions then create their own lists of applicable top risks. These risk assessments and lists then roll up into an enterprise top risk profile. The ERM process owner and the chairs of our management enterprise risk committee, who track and monitor enterprise risks, utilize this information to create a proposed consolidated top enterprise risks list across Thomson Reuters. The management enterprise risk committee is comprised of various Thomson Reuters senior leaders from Corporate functional departments and each business segment and is co-chaired by the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operations and Technology Officer. This committee assesses the status of identified risks and reviews the adequacy of applicable response plans, and then submits a list of proposed top enterprise risks to the CEO’s operating leadership network.

 

 

 

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As part of the ERM process, directors are interviewed before the Board’s first meeting of the year in January. Directors are asked to consider certain risk factors and definitions of impact and likelihood related to the ERM process, considering their own knowledge of our company and business experience. Directors then provide input for Thomson Reuters’ business segments and enabling functions to consider in assessing enterprise risks for the year. Utilizing this information and an anonymized list of risks and input from the Board interviews, the management enterprise risk committee reviews and agrees upon the top enterprise risks to present to the Board’s Risk Committee for review, input and approval. In addition, ownership for each of the top risks is assigned to members of the CEO’s operating leadership network and delegates are designated among the management enterprise risk committee. The ERM process owner and their team hold regular touchpoints with the risk owners and their delegates to monitor the management of the risk profile as well as the execution of the risk response and associated action plans.

Throughout the year, the management enterprise risk committee also provides direction, prioritization, executive support and communication to others at the company involved in the ERM process. Executives responsible for specific risk response periodically report to the management enterprise risk committee, the Board’s Risk Committee, the full Board of Directors or other Board committees, as appropriate, during the year. For our business segments and enabling functions, ERM is an ongoing process under continuous management review and the ERM process owners are asked to keep their risk lists current and to provide updates on risk levels. We involve our Corporate Compliance and Audit department in the review of certain identified risks, as appropriate or upon request.

While the Board discusses various enterprise risks throughout the year with management, the Risk Committee is primarily responsible for overseeing management’s ERM process and progress with responding to top enterprise risks. The Audit Committee oversees overall risk assessment and risk management and focuses primarily on financial risks.

The HR Committee’s responsibilities include establishing, implementing and overseeing our compensation and talent policies and programs. We have designed our compensation programs to provide an appropriate balance of risk and reward in relation to the company’s overall business strategy and culture. Please see the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this circular for additional information regarding why we believe that our compensation programs do not incentivize our executives to take unnecessary or excessive risks.

The chairs of the Risk Committee, Audit Committee and HR Committee each report to the Board after their respective committee meetings.

The table below reflects oversight responsibilities for each of the 2022 enterprise risks listed.

 

   Enterprise Risk    Board of Directors    Risk Committee    HR Committee   

Audit

Committee

   Talent and culture

               

   Future of Work

               

   Dependency on relationship ecosystem

               

   Erosion of trust in institutions and media

                 

   Information security

               

   Platform and product stability and resiliency

                 

   Data governance (including privacy)

                 

   Competition, market and technology changes

                 

   Geo-political environment

               

   Inability to acquire, integrate and innovate

               

   Change Program

           

   Compliance with laws and regulations

           

   Safety of personnel

             

 

 

 

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Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Oversight

ESG is overseen by the Board and its committees. Management is responsible for updating the Board and its committees on ESG topics and assessing ESG-related risks. For more information about our ESG initiatives, please see the “ESG” section of this circular.

The following table sets forth the division of primary ESG oversight responsibilities between the Board and its committees.

 

     Primary ESG Oversight Responsibilities

Corporate Governance Committee

  

·   Overall ESG oversight and coordination amongst the Board’s four standing committees

·   Environmental matters

·   Governance matters

·   Board diversity and inclusion initiatives related to ESG

·   Stakeholder engagement related to ESG

·   Human rights risks/supply chain

·   Thomson Reuters Foundation

Board of Directors

  

·   Periodic updates regarding ESG strategy and alignment with Thomson Reuters’ long-term business strategy

·   Material ESG risks

Audit Committee

  

·   Overall reporting/disclosure processes related to ESG

·   Internal controls/procedures related to ESG

·   Finance initiatives related to ESG

HR Committee

  

·   Employee diversity and inclusion initiatives related to ESG

·   Compensation considerations related to ESG

·   Defined benefit/defined contribution plan considerations related to ESG

Risk Committee

  

·   ERM considerations related to ESG

·   AI and emerging technologies

·   Certain product/services risks and considerations related to ESG

Separate Chairman and CEO

 

 

The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman and the CEO of our company are separate to allow for more effective oversight and to hold management more accountable.

 

 

 

·   

As Chairman, David Thomson seeks to ensure that the Board operates independently of senior management. The Chairman is responsible for chairing Board meetings, ensuring that the Board and its committees have the necessary resources to support their work (in particular, accurate, timely and relevant information), and maintaining an effective relationship between the Board and senior management.

 

·   

As CEO, Steve Hasker is principally responsible for the management of the business and affairs of Thomson Reuters in accordance with the strategic plan and objectives approved by the Board.

Deputy Chairman

David Binet is the Board’s Deputy Chairman. The Deputy Chairman works collaboratively with the Chairman and assists the Chairman in fulfilling his responsibilities. The Deputy Chairman also engages in regular dialogue with the Chairman, the CEO and the Lead Independent Director to reinforce our culture of good governance; serves as an ambassador for Thomson Reuters; and performs additional duties as may be delegated to him by the Chairman or the Board from time to time.

Lead Independent Director

Michael E. Daniels was appointed as the Board’s Lead Independent Director on June 8, 2022, following the retirement of Vance Opperman from the Board. Among other things, responsibilities of our Lead Independent Director include chairing meetings of the independent directors; in consultation with the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and CEO, approving meeting agendas for the Board; as requested, advising the CEO on the quality, quantity, appropriateness and timeliness of information sent by management to the Board; and being available for consultation with the other independent directors as required.

 

 

 

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Position Descriptions

Position descriptions for the Chairman, the chair of each committee and the Lead Independent Director have been approved by the Board and help ensure the independent operations of the Board and its committees.

Meetings with and without the CEO/Management

At or near the beginning of each meeting, the Board has an “in-camera” session with the CEO, but no other members of management. This is intended to give the CEO an opportunity to discuss his objectives for the day’s meeting, and for directors to express preliminary observations based on their prior review of meeting materials. This permits a more effective use of time in the Board meeting. A similar session is held with the CEO at the end of the meeting, followed by a meeting of the Board without the CEO or other members of management present. Board committees also utilize “in-camera” meetings for discussions without the CEO or members of management present.

Meetings of Independent Directors

As part of each Board meeting, our independent directors meet as a group without the CEO and without the directors affiliated with Woodbridge. These meetings are chaired by the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director develops the agenda for these meetings, although discussion has not been limited to it. The agenda generally addresses any issues that might be specific to a public corporation with a controlling shareholder. The Lead Independent Director reports to the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and the CEO on the substance of these meetings to the extent that action is appropriate or required. Seven meetings of the independent directors took place in 2022, four of which were presided over by Vance Opperman, and three of which were presided over by Michael E. Daniels.

Company Secretary

Jimma Elliott-Stevens is also Interim Company Secretary to the Board. Directors have access to the advice and services of the Interim Company Secretary.

Access to Management and Professional Advisors

The Board has access to members of management and professional advisors. The Board and its committees may invite any member of senior management, employee, outside advisor or other person to attend or report at any of their meetings. The Board and any of its committees may retain an outside independent professional advisor at any time at the expense of our company and have the authority to determine the advisor’s fees and other retention terms. Individual directors may retain an outside independent professional advisor at the expense of our company subject to notifying the Corporate Governance Committee in advance.

The HR Committee retains an independent consulting firm to advise it on compensation matters relating to senior management. The independent consulting firm also reviews executive compensation programs and provides guidance and analysis on plan design and market trends and practices.

The HR Committee also utilizes and relies on market survey data provided by a consulting firm regarding executive compensation for organizations of comparable size and scope with which Thomson Reuters is most likely to compete for executive talent. Additional information is provided in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this circular.

Delegation of Authority

To clarify the division of responsibility between the Board and management, the Board has adopted a delegation of authority policy. This policy delegates certain decision-making and operating authority to senior management and has been adopted by the Board to enhance our internal controls and allow management appropriate flexibility to deal with certain matters without obtaining specific Board approval. The Board also delegates certain responsibilities to the Audit Committee, Corporate Governance Committee, HR Committee and Risk Committee, and oversees the committees’ fulfillment of their responsibilities. The responsibilities of each committee are described in more detail below.

 

 

 

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Director Attendance

The Board meets regularly in order to discharge its duties effectively. Directors are expected to attend all meetings of the Board including committee meetings, if applicable, and annual meetings of shareholders. The following table provides information about the number of Board and committee meetings in 2022.

 

 

 

   Number of Meetings
 

Board

   7
 

Audit Committee

   8
 

Corporate Governance Committee

   6
 

HR Committee

   6
 

Risk Committee

   4

Five of the Board’s seven meetings in 2022 were regularly scheduled. Four of the Board’s regularly scheduled meetings was held in person and one was held virtually. The Board also held two special meetings in 2022, which were both held virtually.

The following table sets forth the attendance of our directors at Board and committee meetings in 2022. In 2022, attendance for these individuals at all Board and committee meetings was approximately 99% and approximately 97%, respectively.

 

 

 

Meetings Attended
                   

Director

Board % Board
Attendance
Audit
Committee
Corp.

Governance
Committee

HR
Committee
Risk

Committee

Committee
Total
Total
Meetings
Total%
                 

David Thomson

7 of 7 100% 7 of 7 100%
                 

Steve Hasker

7 of 7 100% 7 of 7 100%
                 

Kirk Arnold

6 of 7 86% 6 of 6 6 of 6 4 of 4 16 of 16 22 of 23 96%
                 

David W. Binet

7 of 7 100% 6 of 6 6 of 6 4 of 4 16 of 16 23 of 23 100%
                 

W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

7 of 7 100% 6 of 6 6 of 6 12 of 12 19 of 19 100%
                 

Laverne Council

7 of 7 100% 7 of 8 2 of 2 9 of 10 16 of 17 94%
                 

Michael E. Daniels

7 of 7 100% 6 of 8 6 of 6 4 of 6 3 of 4 19 of 24 26 of 31 84%
                 

Kirk Koenigsbauer

7 of 7 100% 4 of 4 2 of 2 4 of 4 10 of 10 17 of 17 100%
                 

Deanna Oppenheimer

7 of 7 100% 8 of 8 6 of 6 14 of 14 21 of 21 100%
                 

Simon Paris

7 of 7 100% 8 of 8 2 of 2 2 of 2 12 of 12 19 of 19 100%
                 

Kim M. Rivera

7 of 7 100% 8 of 8 4 of 4 12 of 12 19 of 19 100%
                 

Barry Salzberg

7 of 7 100% 8 of 8 6 of 6 4 of 4 18 of 18 25 of 25 100%
                 

Peter J. Thomson

7 of 7 100% 6 of 6 6 of 6 13 of 13 100%
                 

Beth Wilson

3 of 3 100% 4 of 4 1 of 2 5 of 6 8 of 9 89%
                 

Former Directors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

Vance Opperman

4 of 4 100% 4 of 4 4 of 4 4 of 4 2 of 2 14 of 14 18 of 18 100%
                 

Wulf von Schimmelmann

4 of 4 100% 4 of 4 4 of 4 8 of 8 12 of 12 100%

 

 

 

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Controlled Company

Our company is a “controlled company” as a result of Woodbridge’s ownership.

 

 

Thomson Reuters’ corporate governance practices include the following, which we believe are best practices for a Canadian public company with a controlling shareholder:

 

·   No members of the day-to-day Thomson Reuters executive leadership team are related to, or otherwise affiliated with, Woodbridge.

 

·   Woodbridge beneficially owns common shares that have one vote per share. Thomson Reuters has not issued a separate class of shares to Woodbridge with super-voting rights.

 

·   The Thomson Reuters Board of Directors is comprised of a majority of independent directors and the number of directors affiliated with Woodbridge is lower than the proportion of common shares controlled by it. Woodbridge’s beneficial ownership as of April 21, 2023 was approximately 69% of our common shares and its representatives on the Thomson Reuters Board will comprise approximately 29% of our directors if all 14 director nominees are elected at the meeting.

 

·   As David Thomson is the Chairman of the Board, we have a separate Lead Independent Director.

 

·   As part of each Board meeting, the independent directors meet separately without management or Woodbridge-affiliated directors present.

 

·   All committees are comprised of a majority of independent directors (other than the Audit Committee, which is 100% independent directors).

 

·   The Board has an effective and transparent process to deal with related party transactions or conflicts of interest between Thomson Reuters and Woodbridge or directors affiliated with Woodbridge. The Corporate Governance Committee of our Board utilizes a policy for considering related party transactions that may take place between our company and Woodbridge, with any committee members related to Woodbridge abstaining from voting. In addition, any transactions between Woodbridge and our company are subject to public disclosure and other requirements under applicable Canadian securities laws.

 

The NYSE corporate governance listing standards require a listed company to have, among other things, solely independent directors on its compensation committee and nominating/corporate governance committee. A “controlled company” (as defined by the NYSE) is a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company and is exempt from these requirements.

Supplemental guidelines issued by the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG) address controlled companies. A “controlled company” (as defined by CCGG) includes corporations with a controlling shareholder who controls a sufficient number of shares to be able to elect the board of directors or to direct the management or policies of the corporation.

While a majority of members of each of the Corporate Governance Committee and the HR Committee of our company are independent, the Board believes it is appropriate for David Binet, Ed Clark and Peter Thomson, who are not considered to be independent under applicable rules because of their affiliation with Woodbridge, to serve on these committees and has approved our reliance on the NYSE’s controlled company exemption to do so. CCGG has stated that it believes it is appropriate for directors who are related to the controlling shareholder to sit on these committees to bring the knowledge and perspective of the controlling shareholder to executive compensation, appointments and Board nominations.

No directors affiliated with Woodbridge serve on our Audit Committee, which is required to have solely independent directors.

A majority of members of the Risk Committee are also independent.

 

 

 

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Board Committees

This section provides information about the Board’s four committees (Audit, Corporate Governance, HR and Risk), including each committee’s responsibilities, members and activities in 2022. Additional information about each committee is provided below. David Thomson (Chairman of the Board) and Steve Hasker (President and CEO) are not members of any of the Board’s committees. David Thomson regularly attends HR Committee meetings as a guest and Steve Hasker is regularly invited to attend all committee meetings in his capacity as President and CEO.

The following table sets forth the current membership of our four Board committees as of April 21, 2023.

 

 

 

Committee Membership
         

Name of Director

Audit Corporate Governance HR Risk
       

Kirk E. Arnold

 

 (Chair)
       

David W. Binet

 

       

W. Edmund Clark, C.M.

 

 (Chair)

 

       

LaVerne Council

 

 

       

Michael E. Daniels

 (Chair)
       

Kirk Koenigsbauer

 

 

       

Deanna Oppenheimer

 

 

       

Simon Paris

 

       

Kim M. Rivera

 

 

       

Barry Salzberg

 (Chair)

 

       

Peter Thomson

 

 

 

       

Beth Wilson

 

 

       

Total

7 7 7 8

Each of the Board’s committees has a charter. The charters are reviewed annually by the relevant committee and the Corporate Governance Committee. These charters and a committee chair position description are publicly available at www.tr.com.

 

 

 

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Audit Committee

Responsibilities

The Audit Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in relation to:

 

·   

the integrity of financial statements and other financial information relating to our company;

 

·   

the qualifications, independence and performance of the independent auditor (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP);

 

·   

the adequacy and effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures;

 

·   

the effectiveness of the internal audit function;

 

·   

the overall assessment and management of risk; and

 

·   

any additional matters delegated to the Audit Committee by the Board.

In the course of fulfilling its mandate, the Audit Committee focused on several topics in 2022, which are reflected in the work plan below.

 

 2022 Primary Audit Committee Activities

·   Review and discuss the company’s annual and quarterly consolidated financial statements and related MD&A;

·   Review and approve our earnings press releases which include financial results and financial outlooks;

·   Discuss the company’s disclosures related to ESG;

·   Receive periodic updates regarding the company’s finance operations;

·   Receive periodic updates from our Corporate Compliance and Audit Department on the internal audit plan and process, internal control over financial reporting and fraud-related matters;

·   Receive periodic updates from senior management on financial risk topics such as tax, treasury and accounting;

·   Review the scope and plans for the audit of our company’s financial statements;

  

·   Review and approve the company’s non-audit services policy as well as certain non-audit services proposed to be provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP;

· Review and approve fees to be paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for its services;

·   Discuss with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP:

·   its independence from Thomson Reuters (and receiving disclosures from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in this regard);

·   all critical accounting policies and practices used or to be used by Thomson Reuters;

·   all alternative treatments of financial information within IFRS that have been discussed with management, ramifications of the use of such alternative treatments and the treatment preferred by the auditor; and

· all other matters required to be communicated under PCAOB.

Financial Literacy

All members of the Audit Committee are financially literate in accordance with applicable Canadian and U.S. securities rules. Barry Salzberg and Beth Wilson each qualify as an “audit committee financial expert” (within the meaning of applicable SEC rules) and meet applicable tests for accounting or related financial management expertise within the meaning of NYSE listing standards.

 

 

 

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Audit Committee Members’ Education and Experience

The following summarizes the education and experience of each director nominee who is a member of the Audit Committee that is relevant to the performance of his or her responsibilities.

 

 

  Audit Committee Member

   Education/Experience
 

  Barry Salzberg (Chair)

  

·   Former Global Chief Executive Officer of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited

·   Former Professor at Columbia Business School

·   Degree in accounting from Brooklyn College, JD from Brooklyn Law School and LLM in Tax from New York University

 

  LaVerne Council

  

·   MBA and bachelor’s degree in business administration

·   Member of CONMED Corporation board of directors and audit committee

·   Member of Concentrix Corporation board of directors and audit committee

 

  Michael E. Daniels

  

·   More than 25 years of executive experience at IBM

·   Former member of the Tyco International Ltd. audit committee

·   Member of SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. and Johnson Controls International plc boards of directors

 

  Deanna Oppenheimer

  

·   Former Vice Chair of Global Retail Banking of Barclays PLC

·   Former President of Consumer Banking of Washington Mutual, Inc.

·   Former member of AXA Global Insurance audit committee

·   Former member of NCR Corporation audit committee

 

  Simon Paris

  

·   Chief Executive Officer of Finastra

·   Chair of the World Trade Board

·   Member of Everbridge, Inc. board of directors

 

  Kim M. Rivera

  

·   Chief Legal Officer and Business Affairs Officer, OneTrust

·   Former President, Strategy and Business Management and Chief Legal Officer of HP Inc.

·   Supported audit committees of two publicly traded Fortune 500 companies

 

  Beth Wilson

  

·   Vice-Chair of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada

·   Former audit partner and Managing Partner at KPMG

·   Former Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Canada LLP

·   Audit Committee Chair at The Hospital for Sick Children and Woodgreen Foundation

·   Member of Power Corporation of Canada and IGM Financial Inc. audit committees

·   Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Toronto and a Certified Professional Accountant in good standing with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario

Financial Reporting

The Audit Committee meets to discuss and review our:

 

·   

annual and quarterly earnings releases; and

 

·   

annual and quarterly management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A) and related financial statements.

As is customary for a number of global multinational companies, the Board has delegated review and approval authority to the Audit Committee for our quarterly earnings releases, MD&A and financial statements. Following the Audit Committee’s recommendation, the full Board reviews and approves our annual MD&A and annual audited financial statements, as required by applicable law.

Prior to an Audit Committee meeting at which draft financial reporting documents will be discussed, a draft is distributed to the members of the Audit Committee for review and comment. The CFO and the Chief Accounting Officer and a representative from the independent auditor meet with the Chair of the Audit Committee to preview the audit-related issues which will be discussed at the Audit Committee meeting. At the Audit Committee meeting, the Chief Accounting Officer discusses the financial statements and disclosure matters and the Audit Committee members are given an opportunity to raise any questions or comments. The independent auditor also participates in the meeting. All directors are also provided with a draft and an opportunity to comment before or during the Audit Committee meeting. When the Audit Committee is satisfied with the disclosure, it provides its approval and the material is released.

For the annual report, a draft is distributed to the members of the Board in advance of a Board meeting for their review and approval. At the Board meeting, directors are given an opportunity to raise any questions or comments.

 

 

 

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Based upon the reports and discussions described in this circular, and subject to the limitations on the role and responsibilities of the Audit Committee in its charter, the Audit Committee recommended that our Board approve the filing of the audited consolidated financial statements and related MD&A and their inclusion in our annual report for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Independent Auditor

The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting, evaluating and recommending for nomination the independent auditor to be proposed for appointment or re-appointment. The Audit Committee recommended that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP be re-appointed as our independent auditor to serve until our next meeting of shareholders in 2024 and that our Board submit this appointment to shareholders for approval at the 2023 annual and special meeting of shareholders. In connection with recommending PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Audit Committee considered the firm’s provision of services to Thomson Reuters over the last year, including the performance of the lead audit engagement partner and the audit team. The Audit Committee also reviewed the appropriateness of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s fees in relation to the size of Thomson Reuters and its global footprint. The Audit Committee continues to be satisfied with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s performance and believes that its continued retention as independent auditor is in the best interests of Thomson Reuters and its shareholders.

Throughout the year, the Audit Committee evaluates and is directly responsible for our company’s relationship with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The Audit Committee appoints PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent auditor after reviewing and approving its engagement letter. The Audit Committee also determines PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s fees.

The Audit Committee and representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP meet several times during the year. In 2022, representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP attended each Audit Committee meeting and met with the Audit Committee in separate sessions.

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is accountable to the Audit Committee and reports directly to the Audit Committee.

 

 

On an annual basis, before PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP issues its report on our company’s annual financial statements, the Audit Committee:

 

·   

Confirms that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has submitted a written statement describing all of its relationships with Thomson Reuters that, in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s professional judgment, may reasonably be thought to bear on its independence;

 

·   

Discusses any disclosed relationships or services, including any non-audit services, that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has provided to Thomson Reuters that may affect its independence;

 

·   

Obtains written confirmation from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP that it is independent with respect to Thomson Reuters within the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct adopted by the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants and the standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; and

 

·   

Confirms that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has complied with applicable law with respect to the rotation of certain members of the audit engagement team for Thomson Reuters.

The Audit Committee has also adopted a policy regarding its pre-approval of all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to our company by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

 

·   

The policy gives detailed guidance to management as to the specific types of services that have been pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

 

·   

The policy requires the Audit Committee’s specific pre-approval of all other permitted types of services that have not already been pre-approved.

The Audit Committee’s charter allows the Audit Committee to delegate to one or more members the authority to evaluate and approve engagements in the event that the need arises for approval between Audit Committee meetings. Pursuant to this charter provision, the Audit Committee has delegated this authority to its Chair. If the Chair approves any such engagements, he must report his approval decisions to the full Audit Committee at its next meeting. For the year ended December 31, 2022, none of the audit-related, tax or all other fees of Thomson Reuters described above made use of the de minimis exception to pre-approval

 

 

 

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provisions contained in Rule 2-01(c)(7)(i)(c) of SEC Regulation S-X and Section 2.4 of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ Multilateral Instrument 52-110 (Audit Committees).

Internal Audit and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with international financial reporting standards. Our company has adopted the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission guidance for implementing our internal control framework as part of compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and applicable Canadian securities law.

The Corporate Compliance and Audit department of our company, which performs an internal audit function, prepares and oversees the overall plan for our internal control over financial reporting.

Each year, Corporate Compliance and Audit identifies certain processes, entities and/or significant accounts to be within the scope of its internal control focus areas and testing for the year. In determining the proposed scope of its annual internal audit plan, the Corporate Compliance and Audit department identifies, assesses and prioritizes risk to Thomson Reuters and considers both quantitative and qualitative factors.

In the first quarter of 2022, Corporate Compliance and Audit presented an annual internal audit plan to the Audit Committee for its review and approval. The Head of Corporate Compliance and Audit met with the Chair of the Audit Committee to preview the internal audit and internal controls matters which were to be discussed at each Audit Committee meeting. The Head of Corporate Compliance and Audit then provided updates to the Audit Committee at meetings throughout the year. During the second half of 2022, the Corporate Compliance and Audit department tested applicable controls in order to achieve compliance with the required year-end evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control system.

Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2022. In February 2023, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with management its assessment and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. The Audit Committee also reviewed and discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP its review and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

The Head of the Corporate Compliance and Audit department reports directly to the Audit Committee (with a dotted line reporting relationship to our CFO).

 

 

Disclosure and Communications Controls and Procedures

We have adopted disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that all information required to be disclosed by us in reports and filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities and stock exchanges and other written and oral information that we publicly disclose is recorded, processed, summarized and reported accurately and within the time periods specified by rules and regulations of the securities regulatory authorities. These disclosure controls and procedures are also designed to ensure that this information is accumulated and communicated to management (including the CEO and CFO), as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Audit Committee receives an annual update from management regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, including the role and responsibilities of management’s disclosure committee.

As required by applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, our CEO and CFO provide certifications that they have reviewed our annual and quarterly reports, that the reports contain no untrue statements or omissions of material facts and that the reports fairly present our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, the CEO and CFO make certifications regarding our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Our CEO and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2022.

Risk Assessment and Management

The Audit Committee continues to discuss Thomson Reuters’ guidelines and policies that govern the overall process by which risk assessment and risk management is undertaken at the company. As part of this oversight role, the Audit Committee periodically reviews reports from or meets with the Risk Committee regarding the company’s processes for assessing and managing risk. Risk

 

 

 

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topics not otherwise assigned to the Audit Committee or the HR Committee are overseen by the Risk Committee, and the Corporate Governance Committee oversees the division of responsibilities between the Board and its committees. As part of this division of responsibilities, the Audit Committee discusses the company’s major financial risk exposures and the steps that management has taken to monitor and control such exposures. As part of its financial risk management oversight responsibilities, the Audit Committee met with management in 2022 to discuss treasury risk management and the external tax environment.

Whistleblower Policy

The Audit Committee has adopted procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by our company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters, and disclosure controls and procedures, as well as procedures for the confidential, anonymous submission of concerns by our employees regarding questionable accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters or disclosure controls and procedures. These procedures are set forth in the Thomson Reuters Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which is described earlier in this circular.

Corporate Governance Committee

The Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in relation to:

 

·   

our company’s overall approach to corporate governance;

 

·   

the size, composition and structure of the Thomson Reuters Board and its committees, including the nomination of directors;

 

·   

orientation and continuing education for directors;

 

·   

related party transactions and other matters involving actual or potential conflicts of interest; and

 

·   

any additional matters delegated to the Corporate Governance Committee by the Board.

The following table provides an overview of the Corporate Governance Committee’s work plan for 2022.

 

2022 Primary Corporate Governance Committee Activities

·   Review size, composition and structure of the Board and its committees for effective decision-making, including new committee members

·   Board succession planning (which includes Board diversity)

·   Report from the Lead Independent Director on the results of his interviews with directors

·   Assess director independence, financial literacy and audit committee financial expert status

·   Nominate directors for the annual meeting

·   Review director compensation and structure

·   Review corporate governance disclosure for draft proxy circular and virtual AGM format

·   Review corporate governance guidelines and committee charters

·   Review committee composition and chairs

·   Review external analysis of proxy circular and other shareholder group assessments

·   Discuss the company’s approach to ESG

·   Review compliance with Thomson Reuters Trust Principles

·   Report on effectiveness of Thomson Reuters Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

·   Review D&O insurance and indemnification

  

Periodically

·   Review orientation and continuing education initiatives for directors

·   Review position descriptions for Board

·   Review related party transactions and conflicts of interest

·   Monitor developments in corporate governance and recommend appropriate initiatives as part of overall approach to governance

·   Consider agendas for meetings of independent directors

·   Review Board and CEO expenses

·   Review delegation of authority

·   Review share ownership expectations and compliance

·   Approve any waivers of Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

·   Monitor relationships between senior management and the Board

·   Be available as a forum for addressing the concerns of individual directors

Director Qualifications, Recruitment, Board Size and Appointments

The Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for assessing the skills and competencies of current directors, their anticipated tenure and the need for new directors. The Corporate Governance Committee retains a professional search firm to assist it in identifying and evaluating potential director candidates. Through its search firm, the Corporate Governance Committee maintains an evergreen list of potential director candidates.

The Corporate Governance Committee recommends candidates for initial Board membership and Board members for re-nomination. Recommendations are based on character, integrity, judgment, skills and competencies, business experience, record of achievement and any other attributes that would enhance the Board and overall management of the business and affairs of our company.

Diversity is among these other attributes as the Corporate Governance Committee believes that having a diverse Board enhances Board operations. While the Corporate Governance Committee focuses on finding the best qualified candidates for the Board, a

 

 

 

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nominee’s diversity may be considered favorably in his or her assessment. In 2020, our company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines were updated and currently reflect that for purposes of those guidelines, diversity includes business experience, thought, style, culture, gender, geographic background, race, visible minorities, national origin, Indigenous persons, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, age and other personal characteristics.

In identifying candidates for appointment, election or re-election, the Board and the Corporate Governance Committee specifically consider the level of representation of women on the Board.

In April 2022, the Board formalized an objective that at least 30% of its members should be women. This was a goal that the Board had been working towards in previous years. The Board met this goal at its 2022 annual meeting. Five of the 14 director nominees proposed for election (approximately 36%) at this year’s meeting are women and two director nominees have self-identified as racially or ethnically diverse. Thomson Reuters is also a member of the 30% Club Canada, which has a goal of at least 30% representation of women on all boards and in C-suites by 2022.

Director Orientation

All new directors are provided with an orientation in connection with their election or appointment to the Board, which includes:

 

·   

Induction materials describing our business, our corporate governance structure and related policies and information; and

 

·   

Meetings with the Chairman, Lead Independent Director, CEO, CFO and other executives.

The Board’s secure website, management reports and other means of communication also provide directors with information to ensure their knowledge and understanding of our business remain current.

Largely in connection with Board and committee meetings, members of senior management prepare memoranda and presentations on strategic and operating matters which are distributed to the directors. These Board papers are often prepared in connection with matters that require director approval under our policies or applicable law and are also used to inform the directors about developments that senior management believe should be brought to the directors’ attention. The Board also periodically receives reports on other non-operational matters, including corporate governance, taxation, pension and treasury matters.

Continuing Education

The Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for confirming that procedures are in place and resources are made available to provide directors with appropriate continuing education opportunities.

Our directors are members of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and the company pays the cost of that membership. NACD membership provides directors with access to insights, analytics, courses and events.

To facilitate ongoing education, the directors are also entitled to attend external continuing education opportunities at the expense of Thomson Reuters.

As part of our continuing education programs for directors, we previously provided members of the Audit Committee with access to Thomson Reuters’ Checkpoint Learning business, which offers a series of self-directed, online courses and instructor-led webinars and seminars. Courses cover topics such as accounting, auditing, ethics, finance, tax and technology.

The following table summarizes some of the education sessions provided to our directors in 2022:

 

Month

  Topic/Subject   Attendees    Presenter(s)

February

  Executive compensation risks   HR Committee    FW Cook (external compensation consultant)

March

  Compliance update   Risk Committee    Thomson Reuters Chief Compliance Officer
    Disclosure controls and procedures update   Audit Committee    Thomson Reuters internal legal counsel

June

  ESG update   Audit Committee    PwC (independent auditor)

September

  Executive compensation trends and developments   HR Committee    FW Cook (external compensation consultant)

October

  Legal and compliance update   Board    Thomson Reuters Chief Legal Officer

November

  Global risk landscape overview and tabletop exercise   Risk Committee    Thomson Reuters Head of Risk and Compliance

Quarterly

  Tax updates   Audit Committee    Thomson Reuters Head of Tax

Quarterly

  Accounting updates   Audit Committee    Thomson Reuters Chief Accounting Officer

 

 

 

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Site Visits

In January 2023, the Corporate Governance Committee facilitated a visit by directors to the Thomson Reuters office in Mexico City, Mexico, our new global center. The Board coordinates the timing of these site visits to coincide with regularly scheduled Board meetings. This allows the directors to participate in the site visit at the same time and then attend a Board meeting as part of one trip. The visits are designed to:

 

·   

Enable directors to update themselves on our key businesses, products and services;

 

·   

Provide an opportunity for directors to interact with key executives, high potential talent and customers; and

 

·   

Give a broader selection of current and future executives the opportunity to meet directors.

Feedback on this program from directors and location hosts has been positive and it is expected to continue in the future.

Board Effectiveness Review

The Corporate Governance Committee, together with the Lead Independent Director, reviews the effectiveness of the Board, its committees and individual directors annually. As part of the process, each director is required to complete a detailed questionnaire which includes an individual self-assessment and an assessment of the Board and each committee they are a member of. Thomson Reuters General Counsel’s Office collects the completed questionnaires and summarizes the results in a report to the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director then meets individually with each independent and non-independent director to discuss the results of the assessments.

The Lead Independent Director initially discusses the outcome of the assessments and his interviews with the Corporate Governance Committee and then an update is provided to the Board. The Corporate Governance Committee may make recommendations to the Board to improve the effectiveness of the Board in light of the results of the assessments. The Lead Independent Director most recently provided an update to the Corporate Governance Committee and the Board in March 2023.

The Corporate Governance Committee reviews the adequacy of the assessment process and the questionnaires periodically to take into account new trends and best practices.

Annually, the Board also reviews its responsibilities by assessing our corporate governance guidelines and each committee of the Board performs an annual review of its charter. The Corporate Governance Committee also reviews various position descriptions on an annual basis.

The Corporate Governance Committee believes that each director continues to be effective and that each director has demonstrated a commitment to his or her role on the Board and its committees. Based on the Corporate Governance Committee’s recommendations, the Board recommends that all of the director nominees be elected at the meeting to be held on June 14, 2023, as each of them is expected to bring valuable skills and experience to the Board and its committees.

Conflicts of Interest and Transactions Involving Directors or Officers

In the case of any potential or actual conflict of interest, each director is required to inform the Board and executive officers are required to inform the CEO. We also ask our directors and executive officers about potential or actual conflicts of interest in annual questionnaires. Our policies on conflicts of interest are reflected in our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our Corporate Governance Guidelines and in supplemental guidance approved by the Board.

Unless otherwise expressly determined by the Board or relevant committee of the Board, a director who has a conflict of interest in a matter before the Board or such committee must not receive or review any written materials related to the conflict subject area, nor may the director attend any part of a meeting during which the matter is discussed or participate in any vote on the matter, except where the Board or the applicable committee has expressly determined that it is appropriate for him or her to do so.

If a director has a significant, ongoing and irreconcilable conflict, voluntary resignation from the Board or the conflicting interest may be appropriate or required.

 

 

 

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Related Party Transactions Policy

Under our current related party transactions policy, the disinterested members of the Corporate Governance Committee or an independent body of the Board conducts a reasonable prior review and oversight of related party transactions for potential conflicts of interests and will only approve such a transaction if it is determined that the transaction is in the best interests of Thomson Reuters and its stakeholders.

If it is not possible to convene a meeting of the Corporate Governance Committee to review and approve any such transaction in advance, then the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee will consider whether the related party transaction is appropriate and, if so, will approve it. Any such transaction will be subject to ratification by the Corporate Governance Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

An “independent special committee” of the Board shall be established in connection with related party transactions when required pursuant to applicable Canadian law or otherwise determined to be advisable.

The company’s related party transactions policy includes various considerations for reviewing the relevant facts and circumstances of transactions and includes a set of related party transactions that are pre-approved for purposes of the policy.

A director who may not be considered independent for purposes of a related party transaction (e.g., a director, including any immediate family member, is a party to or has a potential conflict of interest in a proposed related party transaction, or has a material interest in any related party transaction or in a party to a related party transaction) is to disclose that fact and provide all material information concerning the transaction to the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee and the Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary as soon as they become aware. Any such director must not receive or review any written materials or correspondence related to the conflict subject area, nor attend any part of a meeting during which the matter is discussed or participate in any vote on the matter, except where the disinterested members of the Corporate Governance Committee have expressly determined that it is appropriate for him or her to do so.

All related party transactions that are required to be disclosed pursuant to Canadian law shall be disclosed in Thomson Reuters’ applicable filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and/or the SEC.

For more information about related party transactions in the last two years, please see the management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A) section of our 2022 annual report.

HR Committee

The HR Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in relation to:

 

·   

the selection and retention of senior management;

 

·   

planning for the succession of senior management;

 

·   

talent and professional development for senior management;

 

·   

the compensation of the CEO and other senior management and assessment of compensation risk;

 

·   

human capital management;

 

·   

the management of pension and significant benefit plans for employees; and

 

·   

any additional matters delegated to the HR Committee by the Board.

The following table provides an overview of the HR Committee’s work plan for 2022.

 

2022 Primary HR Committee Activities

·   Review target compensation for executive officers

·   Evaluate the performance of the CEO and review of the evaluations of other executive officers

·   Approve 2021 annual incentive award payouts

·   Approve 2022 annual and long-term incentive award design, the mix of cash and equity compensation, the allocation of equity-based awards, and performance goals

·   Discuss 2023 annual and long-term incentive award design

·   Approve compensation disclosure in the annual management proxy circular

  

·   Discuss human capital management matters such as diversity and inclusion initiatives, talent, organizational health and culture and related ESG matters

·   Review succession planning

·   Review compensation program risk assessment

·   Review compensation trends and regulatory developments

·   Approve compensation peer group

·   Review equity share plan reserve analysis

·   Review “Say on pay” modeling and evaluate outcome of “Say on pay” vote