Aktia Bank plc
Other information disclosed according to the rules of the Exchange                  
1 February 2018 at 9:30 am                                              

The Board of Directors of Aktia Bank Plc has resolved to launch a new long-term share savings plan for Aktia’s employees to support the implementation of Aktia’s new strategy. The objective of the share savings plan is to motivate Aktia’s employees to invest in the company’s shares and also to own the shares, and thus align the interests and commitment of the employees and management to work for the good value development and increased shareholder value in the long-term. 

The AktiaUna Share Plan will be offered to approximately 800 Aktia employees, who will be offered an opportunity to save a proportion of their salaries (2–4%, the members of the Group’s Executive Committee, 7%) and regularly acquire the company’s A shares at a reduced price (-10%). Furthermore, the participants are motivated by granting them free matching shares against shares acquired in the share savings plan after approximately two years. The prerequisite for receiving matching shares is that a participant holds the acquired shares until the end of the holding period, and his or her employment at Aktia has not been terminated before the end of the holding period.

The total savings amount and thus the value of the matching shares to be paid on the basis of the savings period 2018–2019 (April 2018–March 2019) to the participants amounts up to a maximum total of 1,800,000 euros upon the launch of the plan. At a share price of 9.30 euros, this amount corresponds to the value of 195,000 Aktia A shares, including also the proportion to be paid in cash. The final cost of the plan depends on the number of participants and shares acquired in the plan by the employees.

Key employees whose professional activities materially affect the company’s risk profile (risk takers) will participate in the plan. More detailed rules on deferral and retention periods concern such key employees’ matching shares, in accordance with the prevailing regulations and guidelines related to remuneration in the financial sector.

In addition to the above AktiaUna Share Plan, approximately 60 key employees can within the programme, including the Managing Directors and the members of the Group’s Executive Committee, be offered a possibility to participate in a performance-based share savings plan. The potential reward from the performance-based share savings plan depends on the number of shares that the employee acquires in the AktiaUna Share Plan. This part of the programme would replace the Executive Committee´s share based incentive scheme.

The performance criteria of the performance period 2018–2019 (January 2018–December 2019) are the Aktia Group’s comparable operating profit and net commission income during the performance period. The value of the reward payable of the basis of the performance period 2018–2019 amounts up to a maximum total of 2,600,000 euros upon the launch of the plan. At a share price of 9.30 euros, this amount will correspond to the value of 280,000 Aktia A shares, including also the proportion to be paid in cash. The final cost of the plan depends on the number of shares that the key employees acquire in the AktiaUna Share Plan, as well as on the achievement of the targets of the performance criteria of the performance period.

The potential rewards form the plan will be paid to the key employees in four instalments in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The reward shares are subject to a 12-month retention period, during which the shares may not be transferred. After the retention period, the terms and conditions of the plan restrict the transfer of the reward shares of the members of the Group’s Executive Committee until they own a certain number of Aktia Plc A shares. As a rule, no reward will be paid if a key employee’s employment or service ends before the reward payment.

The Board of Directors will annually resolve on the launch of a new Aktia employee share savings plan and performance-based plan.

AKTIA BANK PLC

For more information, please contact:
Chairman of the Board Dag Wallgren, tel. +358 40 522 4648

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
mass media
www.aktia.fi

Aktia provides a broad range of solutions within banking, asset management, insurance and real estate agency. Aktia operates mainly in coastal areas and inland growth areas. Aktia has about 380,000 customers who are served at branch offices and via web, mobile interfaces as well as telephone services. Aktia's shares (AKTAV, AKTRV) are listed on the list of Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. For more information about Aktia see www.aktia.com.