The Annual General Meeting of Kemira Oyj resolved that a dividend of EUR 0.33 per share be paid for the 2003 financial year. The record date for the dividend payout is 13 April 2004 and the dividend will be paid on 20 April 2004.
The Company has in its possession 4,190,000 shares that were purchased on the basis of the previously valid authorization that was granted by the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to decide on transferring a maximum of this amount of shares at a price to be decided by the Board of Directors. The consideration can be other than cash consideration. Shares can be transferred, for example, by selling them in public trading, in connection with acquisitions or M&A arrangements and as incentives for the personnel and management. The authorization is valid until 6 April 2005.
The Annual General Meeting resolved that a Nomination Committee be set up for Kemira to prepare the composition of the Board of Directors and proposals concerning directors' remuneration for presentation to the next Annual General Meeting. Towards the end of the year, the three largest shareholders will elect the members of the Nomination Committee from amongst their number. The chairman of Kemira's Board of Directors will act as an expert member of the Nomination Committee.
AULIS RANTAMUOTIO ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE Supervisory Board
The Annual General Meeting elected the Supervisory Board of Kemira Oyj. Member of Parliament Aulis Rantamuotio was elected a new member and chairman. Similarly, Member of Parliament Mikko Elo was elected as a new member and first vice chairman. Member of Parliament Heikki A. Ollila will continue as the second vice chairman.
Re-elected as members of the Supervisory Board were Risto Ranki of the Industries Department of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Pekka Kainulainen, managing director of Oy Liikkeenjohdon koulutuskeskus Ab, Mikko Långström, managing director of Longinvest Oy, Member of Parliament Susanna Rahkonen and Katri Sarlund, M.A., a teacher.
KPMG Wideri Oy Ab was re-elected as the Company's auditor, with Hannu Niilekselä, Authorized Public Accountant, acting as chief auditor.
KEMIRA OYJ'S NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Annual General Meeting elected a seven-member Board of Directors for a new one-year term of office, electing Anssi Soila, M.Sc. (Eng. & Econ.), chairman of the Board of Sponda Oyj, as its chairman and Eija Malmivirta, M.Sc. (Eng.) vice chairman.
Re-elected to seats on the Board of Directors were Elizabeth Armstrong, president, management consultant Ove Mattsson and Markku Tapio, head of the State Shareholdings Unit of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Elected as new members of the Board of Directors were Heikki Bergholm, managing director of Suominen Yhtymä Oyj, and Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, site manager of Oy Metsä-Botnia Ab's Rauma pulp mill.
For further information, contact:
Kemira Oyj Tel. +358 (0)10 8611
Kaj Friman, Group Treasurer
Tel. +358 (0)10 862 1704, GSM +358 (0)50 62 626
Secretary to the Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors