159 shareholders attended the 9th Annual General Meeting of Alpiq Holding Ltd. held in Trimbach near Olten on 18 May 2017. They represented 90.33 per cent of voting rights. Shareholders approved the 2016 consolidated financial statements of the Alpiq Group as well as the annual report and the 2016 financial statements of Alpiq Holding Ltd. The General Meeting discharged the members of the Board of Directors and approved the motion by the Board of Directors not to pay a dividend in light of the continued strained income situation. Having reached the age of 70, Board member and Vice-Chairman Christian Wanner did not stand for re-election. As his successor, shareholders appointed Heinz Saner as the representative of the Canton of Solothurn for a one-year term on the Board of Directors of Alpiq Holding Ltd. Jean-Yves Pidoux will take over as the new Vice-Chairman.
In his address, Chairman of the Board Jens Alder summarised Alpiq's current market environment in light of energy policy developments. He said: "Alpiq is focusing on three primary objectives: The financial well-being of the company, optimisation of shareholder value, and reliable power production for Switzerland." In terms of the latter, he indicated that he was optimistic that Swiss policy-makers are willing to find solutions to save Swiss hydropower. "Alpiq can demonstrate that it has done and will continue to do its corporate homework. Among others, these tasks include the further reduction of net debt, consistent cost management and the implementation of the new strategic direction."
CEO Jasmin Staiblin said: "In 2016, Alpiq introduced structural measures for the first strategic pillar of traditional power generation. In 2017, we are putting additional focus on our second strategic pillar of profitable growth fields. In a first step, we have sharpened the profiles of the three business fields according to industrial logic. In doing so, we are creating the necessary structures to further develop the different business models together with new investors, bearing in mind individual growth dynamics."
Find more information on Alpiq and the Annual General Meeting under www.alpiq.com