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Basel, April 26, 2024. At the 61st Annual General Meeting, the shareholders of Baloise Holding Ltd approved the proposal to increase the dividend to CHF 7.70 per share and elected Dr Guido Fürer as a new member of the Board of Directors. Two of the three shareholder proposals achieved a qualified majority; consequently, the registration and voting rights restrictions were removed from the Articles of Association of Baloise Holding Ltd and the threshold for a qualified majority was lowered from three quarters to two thirds.

At the Annual General Meeting of Baloise Holding Ltd, two of the three shareholder proposals reached the required qualified majority. The provisions in the Articles of Association concerning the restriction of registration and voting rights were rescinded and the qualified majority for important decisions of the Annual General Meeting was lowered from three quarters to two thirds of the votes represented at the AGM. However, the shareholder proposal to amend the nominee clause was rejected, as recommended by the Board of Directors.
Higher dividend approved

The Annual General Meeting voted in favour of all proposals by the Board of Directors. The shareholders approved the Company’s 2023 management report, annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements, and granted discharge to the members of the Board of Directors and management team. The AGM also approved the dividend proposed by the Board of Directors, meaning that a gross dividend of CHF 7.70 per share will be paid for the 2023 financial year. 
Change of personnel on the Board of Directors

After eight successful years on the Board of Directors of Baloise Holding Ltd, Hugo Lasat did not stand for re-election.

The shareholders elected Dr Guido Fürer as a new member of the Board of Directors. Dr Fürer was Group Chief Investment Officer and a member of the Corporate Executive Committee at Swiss Re from 2012 to 2023. Between 2019 and 2022, he held the position of Country President for Swiss Re in Switzerland, and was also the chair of the Group Strategic Council.

Dr Thomas von Planta was confirmed as Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the remaining members of the Board of Directors were each re-elected for a term of one year.

“Our shareholders have approved our proposal to increase the dividend by 30 centimes to CHF 7.70 (gross). Three shareholder proposals had been submitted. The restrictions on registration and voting rights were originally introduced by our shareholders, and today a qualified majority of shareholders have opted to remove these provisions from the Articles of Association rather than amending them at the next AGM. We also welcome Dr Guido Fürer to the Board of Directors, and we express our gratitude to Hugo Lasat for his invaluable work over the last eight years,” said Dr Thomas von Planta, Chairman of the Board of Directors, with regard to today’s AGM.

The full speech in German by Dr Thomas von Planta can be downloaded from www.baloise.com/annual-general-meeting and can be watched as a video stream from 27 April 2024 at www.youtube.com/BaloiseGroup.
Important dates
  • Tuesday, 30 April 2024: Ex-dividend date
  • Friday, 3 May 2024: Dividend payment date
  • Thursday, 12 September 2024: Investor update and 2024 half-year financial results
  • Wednesday, 20 November 2024: Q3 2024 interim statement
Further information Media kit for the Annual General Meeting CV and profile of Dr Guido Fürer Financial calendar
Further information Media kit for the Annual General Meeting CV and profile of Dr Guido Fürer Financial calendar
About Helvetia Baloise Helvetia Baloise is Switzerland’s largest multi-line insurer and one of Europe’s leading insurance groups. Every day, more than 22,000 employees work hard to support around 13 million customers with insurance, pension, and financial solutions. These customers range from individuals and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through to international customer groups, which also benefit from areas such as specialty insurance and reinsurance. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Helvetia Baloise operates in eight European markets and in global specialty markets, combining its strong Swiss roots with a clear international focus. Helvetia Baloise creates safety and security and opens up opportunities, both today and in the future. Through profitable growth and business operations that are geared to long-term stability, we create tailored solutions for our customers, provide an attractive and reliable investment for our shareholders, promote strong partnerships and offer rewarding career prospects for our employees. Helvetia Baloise Holding Ltd shares (HBAN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
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