| When and where will the next Annual General Meeting take place? |
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The next Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday, 8 May 2008 at the Olympiahalle of the Olympiapark, Coubertinplatz, 80809 Munich.
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| At what time will the Annual General Meeting begin? |
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The Annual General Meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. local time; the assembly rooms will be open from 8:30 a.m. In order to avoid waiting times due to the security precautions that will be in place, we recommend that participants arrive as early as possible.
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| What is the best route to take to the Annual General Meeting and where can I park? |
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Route information will be enclosed with the attendance card which will be sent to the shareholder once the custodian bank has given notification of the shareholder’s intention to attend the meeting. Free parking spaces for shareholders will be available in the “Parkharfe” close to the Olympiahalle. A free MVV ticket will also be enclosed with the attendance card.
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| Who is entitled to participate? |
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The Annual General Meeting is basically the assembly of the Company’s shareholders. Shareholders may attend in person or may be represented by an authorised proxy. The requirements for attending the Annual General Meeting are basically the same for common and preferred shareholders. Details of the requirements for attendance and for the exercise of voting rights can be found in the Notice of the Annual General Meeting.
Registration formalities are normally taken care of by custodian banks on submission of a request for an attendance card by their customers. In order ensure that the requirements for attendance are met, shareholders are therefore requested to contact their custodian bank and to request an attendance card at the earliest possible opportunity.
See also: “How do I apply to attend the Annual General Meeting as a shareholder?“
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| Which category of stock is entitled to participate and vote? |
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The requirements for attending the Annual General Meeting are basically the same for common and preferred shareholders (see also: “Who is entitled to participate?”); however, only holders of common stock have the right to vote at the Annual General Meeting.
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| How do I apply to attend the Annual General Meeting as a shareholder? |
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Shareholders will be sent the notice of, and the agenda for, the Annual General Meeting by their custodian banks from April 1, 2008 onwards. The shareholder can use the answer form provided by the custodian bank to request an attendance card for him/herself or for a representative. Registration formalities are normally taken care of by custodian banks on submission of a request for an attendance card by their customers.
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| What should a shareholder do if he/she has not received notice of the Annual General Meeting? |
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Since BMW AG shares are issued to bearer, documents relating to the Annual General Meeting are sent to shareholders by the custodian banks. The dispatch of the documents will take place from April 1, 2008 onwards. Shareholders who have not received an invitation by mid-April 2008 should therefore contact their custodian banks.
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| What should a shareholder do if he/she has given sufficient notice to participate at the Annual General Meeting but has not received an attendance card? |
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Shareholders who have given notice of attendance via the custodian bank in good time and who meet the requirements for participation, but have not received an attendance card, are nevertheless entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting. If an attendance card has been issued but has gone missing (e.g. in the post), the shareholder is nevertheless registered for attendance. This will be checked in the entrance area to the Olympiahalle and, where applicable, a replacement attendance card will be issued.
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| Are shares blocked if the shareholder registers to attend the Annual General Meeting? |
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No, shares are not blocked. Registration is based on the “record date” principle, i.e. depending on whether the shareholder was a shareholder at the beginning of the 21st day before the Annual General Meeting (the Record Date), i.e. at 00:00 CET on April 17, 2008. Shares can be sold after the record date without affecting the right to participate at the Annual General Meeting.
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| Can I attend the Annual General Meeting even if I have already sold my shares? |
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The record date for share ownership is the beginning of the 21st day before the Annual General Meeting, i.e. 00:00 CET on April 17, 2008. The sale of shares after that date does not affect a person’s right to participate at the meeting.
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| Are shareholders allowed to leave the Annual General Meeting temporarily and return later? |
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Shareholders are allowed to leave the Annual General Meeting temporarily via the official exit. The shareholder must check out with the reception staff and check in again on returning so that the attendance register can be amended accordingly. It should be noted, however, that the entrance and exit desks will be closed during voting proceedings.
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| How can shareholders who are not able, or do not wish, to attend in person be represented at the Annual General Meeting? |
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Shareholders who meet the requirements for attendance but who do not wish to attend the Annual General Meeting in person, may exercise their rights, and in particular their voting rights, via an authorised proxy, e. g. a bank or a shareholders’ association.
In addition, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft provides shareholders the opportunity of exercising their rights via representatives, appointed by the Company, and bound to vote in accordance with the shareholder’s instructions.
Shareholders who wish to make use of this service must also obtain an attendance card for the Annual General Meeting to which the related proxy authorisation is attached. In order to ensure that the attendance card is obtained in good time, applications should also be made to the custodian bank as soon as possible.
If a proxy is granted to Company representatives, the appropriate voting instructions must be issued. The proxy authorisation is invalid if this is not the case. The Company representatives are obliged to vote in accordance with the instructions given.
Proxies and instructions given to Company representatives must be submitted either in writing using the proxy forms provided for this purpose, or electronically using the procedure made available at www.bmwgroup.com/ir/proxyvoting (“Internet Proxy Voting”).
Proxies to other authorized persons must be in writing, unless provided otherwise by German law. Shareholders will receive further information with regard to proxies, instructions and proxy forms together with their attendance card.
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| How much notice must be given when issuing proxies and instructions to Company representatives? |
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Please refer also to the details provided on the information sheet enclosed with your attendance card.
In the event of written proxies and instructions, the signed proxy form with the relevant instructions (originals only; copies and faxes will not be accepted) must be sent to reach BMW AG, Dept. FF-2, 80788 Munich by 2 May 2008 at the latest.
In the event of electronic proxies and instructions, the proxy, instructions, modifications to instructions or revocation of proxy must be received by 7 May 2008 12:00 CET at the latest using the procedure made available at www.bmwgroup.com/ir/proxyvoting.
We recommend that instructions are issued at the earliest possible opportunity.
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| Can a shareholder appoint a proxy during the Annual General Meeting itself to exercise his/her rights? |
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Shareholders who leave the Annual General Meeting early are entitled to request another participant to exercise their rights or, in the case of shares of common stock, to grant a proxy and give voting instructions to representatives appointed by the Company. A corresponding proxy form will be included at the back of the voting booklet which will be given to shareholders in the Olympiahalle.
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| Will parts of the Annual General Meeting be broadcast over the Internet? |
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The speech of the Chairman of the Board of Management will be broadcast over the Internet.
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| I am disabled/ I am a wheelchair user. How can I get from the underground station to the assembly rooms and back? Are places reserved for disabled persons? |
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A shuttle bus will be available for disabled persons between the “Olympiazentrum” underground station and the Olympiahalle (place of assembly). After registration at the Olympiahalle, disabled persons will, on request, be accompanied by our employees to the area reserved for disabled persons. This area is also marked in the flyer which will be handed to you on registration.
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| I have hearing difficulties/ I use a hearing aid. What is the best way for me to follow the proceedings of the Annual General meeting acoustically? |
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An inductive loop is in place at specified seats in the Olympiahalle to facilitate hearing. These seats are distinguished by a corresponding symbol and marked in the flyer which will be given to shareholders on registration.
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| Will it be possible to go on a works tour again this year? |
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A limited number of tours of the BMW Munich plant will be available to shareholders. As the number of participants is limited, shareholders who are interested in such tour should register in due course at either of the two information desks in the Olympiahalle.
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| Will there be an opportunity to visit the BMW Museum? |
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Unfortunately not: On the day of the Annual General Meeting, the BMW Museum will be closed due to redesign. But may be you would like to visit BMW Welt or attend a works tour instead? (see following or previous question).
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| Will there be an opportunity to visit the BMW Welt? |
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BMW shareholders are welcome to attend tours of the BMW Welt free of charge right after the Annual General Meeting until approx. 7 p.m. local time. Special registration for such tours is not required.
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| Which vehicles are on display? |
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The latest BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars and BMW motorcycles are on display. Come and be surprised!
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| Are refreshments available? |
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Food and beverages will be available throughout the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting. In the interests of security, you are kindly requested not to bring any food and beverages (in particular bottles) of your own.
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| Will smoking be allowed inside the Olympiahalle? |
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We request shareholders to refrain from smoking inside the Olympiahalle except for specifically designated smoking areas.
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