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Corporate Governance
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The Articles of Association, as amended in 2003, provide for a board of directors
of not less than two, and not more than eight members. This can be modified by shareholders.
Each director, with the exception of outside directors who are elected to serve
for set periods of time, is elected to serve until the next annual general meeting
of shareholders and until his successor has been elected. A vacancy in our board,
including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of the board by resolution of
the board of directors, may be filled by a vote of a majority of the directors then
in office, even if less than a quorum. A director elected by the board as a result
of such vacancy shall be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting of
our shareholders. Our officers serve at the discretion of the board of directors.
The board of directors is composed of:
- Yanki Margalit - Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
- David Assia - Director
- Menahem Gutterman - Director
- Orna Berry - Director
- Dany Margalit - Director
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Yanki Margalit
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Mr. Margalit developed HASP, a system offering software security without inconveniencing
legitimate users. In 1993, Mr. Margalit took Aladdin public on the NASDAQ stock
exchange, and in 1996 he brought about the merger of Aladdin with FAST Software
Security in Germany. Aladdin acquired eSafe Technologies in 1998, and Preview Systems
in 2001.
Today, Aladdin is a global leader in Software Digital Rights Management with technology-leading
solutions in Internet & Enterprise Security.
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Organizational Structure
We have three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Inc., a United
States subsidiary incorporated in the state of New York; Aladdin Japan & Co. Inc.,
a Japanese subsidiary; and Aladdin Western Europe Ltd. (formerly known as Aladdin
Knowledge Systems UK Ltd.), a United Kingdom subsidiary incorporated in England
and Wales. These subsidiaries are all involved in distribution, support and management
for our products.
In addition we have a wholly-owned holding company, Hafalad BV, which is incorporated
in Holland. Through Hafalad we wholly own Aladdin Western Europe BV (formerly known
as Aladdin Knowledge Systems BV), Aladdin Western Europe (Aladdin France S.A.R.L.)
(formerly known as Aladdin France S.A) and Aladdin Knowledge Systems Deutschland
GmbH incorporated in Germany. Aladdin Western Europe BV is incorporated in Holland
and Aladdin Western Europe (Aladdin France S.A.R.L.) is incorporated in France.
We have finalized the process of reorganizing the management of activities in France,
the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, under the single management of Aladdin Western
Europe Ltd. In addition to engaging in distribution, support and management, our
German subsidiary provides research and development services. In addition, we have
recently established Aladdin Asia Limited, a Hong Kong based subsidiary which we
own, together, with Hafalad BV.
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Board Practices
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The Effect of the Company's New Articles of Association on Board Practices
On December 16, 2003, Aladdin shareholders replaced our Articles of Association
with a new set of Articles of Association which reflect many changes implemented
in order to conform to the Israeli C ompanies Law – 1999. The changes to our Articles
of Association include the following, which affect the practices of our board of
directors and management:
We are authorized to exempt in advance an "Office Holder" (as defined in the Companies
Law) from all or any of his or her liability for damages in consequence of a breach
of his or her duty of care to us. We may enter into a contract for the insurance
of our Office Holder against (i) a breach of the duty of care owed to us or a third
party, (ii) a breach of the fiduciary duty owed to us, provided that the Office
Holder acted in good faith and had reasonable grounds to believe that his or her
action would not harm our interests; and (iii) a monetary liability imposed on him
or her in favor of a third party, for an act that he or she performed by virtue
of being an Office Holder of us. We are authorized to undertake to give an undertaking
in advance to indemnify an Office Holder for an obligation or expense, imposed on
him or her in consequence of an act done in his or her capacity as an Office Holder.
To the extent permitted by the Companies Law, our board of directors will have the
ability to declare dividends (in cash or in kind) to shareholders, without shareholder
approval.
Substitute (Alternate) Directors
Our new Articles of Association provide that any director may, by written notice
to us, appoint another person to serve as a substitute director, for all purposes
and may cancel such appointment. A person may not serve as a substitute director
for more than one director and may not serve as both director and as a substitute
director. The term of appointment of a substitute director may be for one meeting
of the board of directors or for a specified period or until notice is given of
the cancellation of the appointment. To our knowledge, no director currently intends
to appoint any other person as a substitute director, except if the director is
unable to attend a meeting of the board of directors.
Outside Directors
The Israeli Companies Law -1999 requires Israeli companies with shares that have
been offered to the public inside or outside of Israel to appoint two outside directors.
No person may be appointed as an outside director if the person or the person's
relative, partner, employer or any entity under the person's control, has or had,
on or within the two years preceding the date of the person's appointment to serve
as outside director, any affiliation with the company or any entity controlling,
controlled by or under common control with the company.
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The term "affiliation" includes:
- An employment relationship;
- A business or professional relationship maintained on a regular
basis;
- Control of the company; and
- Service as an office holder.
No person may serve as an outside director if the person's position or other business
activities create, or may create, a conflict of interest with the person's responsibilities
as an outside director or may otherwise interfere with the person's ability to serve
as an outside director.
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The initial term of an outside director is three years and may be extended for an
additional three-year period. Outside directors may be removed only by the same
percentage of shareholders as is required for their election, or by a decision of
the court, and then only if the outside directors cease to meet the statutory qualifications
for their appointment or if they violate their duty of loyalty to the company. Each
committee of a company's board of directors must include at least one outside director
and both outside directors must be members of a company's audit committee. An outside
director is entitled to compensation as provided in regulations promulgated under
the Israeli Companies Law - 1999 and is otherwise prohibited from receiving any
other compensation, directly or indirectly, in connection with service provided
as an outside director.
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Audit Committee
The Israeli Companies Law - 1999 requires public companies to appoint an audit committee.
The responsibilities of the audit committee include identifying irregularities in
the management of the company's business and approving related party transactions
as required by law. An audit committee must consist of at least three directors,
including the outside directors of the company. The chairman of the board of directors,
any director employed by or otherwise providing services to the company, and a controlling
shareholder or any relative of a controlling shareholder, may not be a member of
the audit committee. We are also required by the NASDAQ National Market to establish
an audit committee, at least a majority of whose members is independent of management.
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Internal Auditor
Under the Israeli Companies Law - 1999, the board of directors must appoint an internal
auditor, nominated by the audit committee. The role of the internal auditor is to
examine, among other matters, whether the company's actions comply with the law
and orderly business procedure. Under the Companies Law, the internal auditor may
be an employee of the company but not an office holder, or an affiliate, or a relative
of an office holder or affiliate, and he may not be the company's independent accountant
or its representative.
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Subsidiary List
We have three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Inc., a United
States subsidiary incorporated in the state of New York; Aladdin Japan & Co. Inc.,
a Japanese subsidiary; and Aladdin Western Europe Ltd. (formerly known as Aladdin
Knowledge Systems UK Ltd.), a United Kingdom subsidiary incorporated in England
and Wales. These subsidiaries are all involved in distribution, support and management
for our products.
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Aladdin Knowledge Systems Inc. |
New York |
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Aladdin Japan & Co. Inc. |
Japan |
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Aladdin Western Europe Ltd. |
England and Wales |
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Hafalad BV |
Holland |
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Aladdin Western Europe BV |
Holland |
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Aladdin Western Europe Ltd. (Aladdin France S.A.R.L.) |
France |
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Aladdin Knowledge Systems Deutschland GmbH |
Germany |
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Aladdin Knowledge Systems Espana |
Spain |
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Aladdin Asia Limited |
Hong Kong |