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BOD photo_March28 2023

SM Investments Corporation’s Board of Directors set the tone from top and uphold the highest standard of excellence and integrity.

Board and Management

The Board is composed of eight (8) highly qualified directors, the majority of whom are nonexecutive directors. The Board ensures that it has an appropriate mix of competence and\expertise and that its members remain qualified for their positions individually and collectively, which enables it to fulfill its roles and responsibilities and respond to the needs of the organization based on the evolving business environment and strategic direction. Please see Board Diversity Policy and Board Matrix.

The Board members are all skilled and experienced. We have achieved our Board Diversity Target as shown on the table below. They have a collective working knowledge in retail, property and banking operations, management, finance, marketing, investments, risk management, accounting, treasury, credit, anti-money laundering, data privacy, internal control and sustainability governance.

Skill Set Matrix of the Directors:

Board Performance and Attendance

In accordance with the Manual on Corporate Governance, the Board meets at least six (6) times annually.  Board meetings are scheduled a year in advance to encourage higher participation.  Special board meetings may be called by the Chairman, the President or Corporate Secretary at the request of any two (2) directors.  A director’s absence or non-participation for whatever reason in more than 50% of all meetings, both regular and special, in a year may be a ground for temporary disqualification in the succeeding election.  Furthermore, non-executive directors meet at least once a year, without any executive directors or representatives of Management present. Board papers and other materials used during Board meetings are distributed to the relevant parties at least one (1) week or five (5) business days before the actual meeting.

For the year 2022, there were eight (8) meetings held, of which 100% participation was achieved. The incumbent directors who attended/participated in all of the meetings are as follows:

* Mr. Pascual has resigned effective June 30, 2022, and Mr. Ramon M. Lopez was elected as Independent Director on August 3, 2022, to serve the unexpired term of Mr. Pascual.

Board Committees

To assist the Board in the execution of its responsibilities, the Board has established several committees. Members of the different committees are appointed by the Board during the annual organizational meeting, taking into account the mix of skills, expertise  and experience of the members to address specific tasks and responsibilities. The Board adopted six (6) board committees, namely the Executive Committee, the Audit Committee, the Risk Management Committee, the Related Party Transactions Committee, the Corporate Governance Committee, and the Compensation Committee.  Each committee has a Charter which defines its composition, roles and responsibilities based on the provisions found in the Manual on Corporate Governance.  The Charters include administrative provisions on the conduct of meetings and proceedings, reportorial responsibilities and provide the standards for evaluation of the respective committee performance.  The Charters are disclosed via the Company’s website and may be viewed and downloaded.

 

The Executive Committee is composed of both executive and non-executive directors and acts on behalf of the Board during the interim periods between Board meetings. The Committee meets at least on a monthly basis to assist the Board in overseeing the implementation of strategies, set and monitor the Company’s performance and foster the sharing and dissemination of best practices in all areas of the business group. The Executive Committee also defines the group-wide policies and actions, relating to sustainable development, including environment, health and safety, internal communications, innovation and research and technology and purchasing. For more information on this Committee, you may click here to view its Charter.

 

*Mr. Pascual has resigned effective June 30, 2022 and Mr. Ramon M. Lopez was elected as Independent Director and Chairperson of Corporate Governance Committee on August 3, 2022

The Corporate Governance Committee is tasked to assist the Board in its corporate governance-related responsibilities, while also performing the review and evaluation of the qualifications of all candidates nominated to the Board of Directors, and those nominated to positions that require Board approval under the Company’s By-Laws. Professional search firms and/or external sources are used to find qualified candidates suited to serve on the Company’s Board. During the nomination period of 2016, SMIC requested the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) to provide a list of potential candidates to its Board. Included in the list was Ms. Tomasa H. Lipana, who was subsequently elected as an independent director of SMIC. This is also in line with the Company’s Board Diversity Policy, which states “We will strive to have at least one (1) woman independent director sit in our Board at all times.” The Committee is composed entirely of independent directors.

Through the Corporate Governance Committee, the Board conducts an annual performance evaluation of the collective Board, the Board Committees, individual directors, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, President, and selected officers. The evaluation criteria are based on the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, the Board Committees, individual directors, Chairman of the Board, President, and the heads of the control functions (Chief Audit Executive, Chief Risk Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer) as provided for by SMIC’s By-Laws, Manual on Corporate Governance and respective Board Committee Charters. Directors are asked to rate the performance of the collective Board, the Board Committees, themselves as directors, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, the President, and key officers. The detailed Board Evaluation Form can be found below. For more information on this Committee, you may click here to view its Charter.

 

*Mr. Pascual has resigned effective June 30, 2022 and Mr. Ramon M. Lopez was elected as Independent Director and Chairperson of Corporate Governance Committee on August 3, 2022

The Audit Committee exercises the Board’s oversight of the Company’s financial reporting, internal control system, internal and external audit processes and compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulation. The Committee is composed of three (3) non-executive directors, majority of whom, including the Chairperson, are independent directors. The Committee members each possess relevant background, knowledge, skills and/or experience in areas of accounting, auditing and finance. The Chairperson of the Audit Committee, Ms. Tomasa H. Lipana, is a certified public accountant and does not serve as the chairperson of any of the other board committees. For more information on this Committee, you may click here to view its Charter.

 

*Mr. Pascual has resigned effective June 30, 2022 and Mr. Ramon M. Lopez was elected as Independent Director and member of the Compensation Committee on August 3, 2022.

The Compensation Committee is tasked with the oversight of policies on salaries and benefits, as well as promotions and other forms of career advancement. The Committee is composed of three (3) directors, one (1) of whom is an independent director. For more information on this Committee, you may click here to view its Charter.

The Compensation Committee establishes a formal and transparent procedure for developing a policy on executive remuneration and for fixing the remuneration packages of corporate officers and directors, and provide oversight over remuneration of senior management and other key personnel, ensuring that compensation is consistent with the Company’s culture, strategy and control environment. The remuneration structure of SMIC is composed of fixed remuneration, benefits, performance bonus and long term incentives. The variable component of the remuneration increases as one gets higher in the corporate ladder, which applies to all employees, including the executive directors. All Directors receive fixed remuneration. SMIC disallows any director to decide his/her own remuneration.

 

* Mr. Ramon M. Lopez was elected as Independent Director and member of the Risk Management Committee on August 03, 2022

The Risk Management Committee is responsible for the oversight of the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) system. The Committee is composed of three (3) non-executive directors, majority of whom, including the Chairman, are independent directors. Per the Committee’s charter, at least one (1) of its members must have relevant knowledge and experience on risk and risk management. The Committee Chairman, Mr. Robert G. Vergara does not serve as the chairman of any of the other board committees. For more information on this Committee, you may click here to view its Charter.

 

*Mr. Pascual has resigned effective June 30, 2022. Mr. Ramon M. Lopez was elected as Independent Director and Chairman of the Related Party Transactions on August 03, 2022.

The Related Party Transactions Committee reviews all material related party transactions of the Company and ensures that said transactions are conducted fairly and at arms’ length. The Committee is composed of three (3) non-executive directors, majority of whom, including the Chairman, are independent directors. For more information on this Committee, you may click here to view its Charter.

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