Mr. Peter Puccetti of Goodwood reports
GOODWOOD DISSIDENT CIRCULAR PROVIDES DACHA SHAREHOLDERS WITH COMPELLING REASONS TO REPLACE BOARD
Goodwood Inc. has distributed its dissident proxy circular and accompanying letter to
shareholders of Dacha Strategic Metals Inc., urging shareholders to
elect a new board of directors at Dacha, which will bring an end to the
inappropriate related party dealings, culture of insider
self-enrichment and inadequate board oversight that have characterized
Dacha for the past three years under the direction of Stan Bharti and
Forbes & Manhattan Inc.
Goodwood, which exercises control and direction over approximately 6.4 per cent
of Dacha's outstanding shares, is soliciting proxies for the election
of seven new directors at Dacha's upcoming shareholders meeting to be
held on Nov. 28, 2012. The Goodwood nominees are: Ian W. Delaney,
Jorge Bernhard, Timothy E. Thorsteinson, Gregory M. Cameron, Tye W.
Burt, Daniel Marks and Peter H. Puccetti. Goodwood's circular
highlights the Goodwood nominees' proven records of honest
leadership, building businesses and creating shareholder value.
If elected, the Goodwood nominees expect to be assisted in bringing
value to Dacha's shareholders by the services of Peter V. Gundy. Mr.
Gundy is a founder and former chairman and president of Neo Material
Technologies Inc., and widely regarded as one of the foremost world
experts in the rare earth element business, with unparalleled sourcing,
trading and other relationships.
Goodwood's circular also highlights the failures of Dacha's current
board and management under the direction of Mr. Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan, contrasting the significant 65-per-cent drop in Dacha's share price
during fiscal 2012 from its peak against the approximately $3.8-million
in compensation, including substantial discretionary cash bonuses, paid
to Dacha's directors and management during fiscal 2012. As well, the
circular refers to the wholly inappropriate change-of-control
arrangements recently purportedly implemented by Dacha's board that, if
allowed to stand, would see a further $8-million, or approximately 22 per cent
of Dacha's current market capitalization, wrongfully transferred from
Dacha's shareholders into the pockets of Dacha's insiders including
Forbes & Manhattan. The circular also lays out the disturbing sequence
of events whereby Dacha was forced to take a $3.7-million write-off in
fiscal 2012 in relation to a non-arm's-length related party loan
previously advanced by Dacha, for no apparent business purpose, to a
private company associated with Mr. Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan.
The circular outlines the substantial support that the Goodwood nominees
have already garnered, with shareholders holding approximately 35.2 per cent of
Dacha's outstanding shares, including Goodwood, having to date
confirmed that they have lost trust and confidence in the current
directors of Dacha, and intend to vote in favour of the Goodwood
nominees at the meeting.
All shareholders of Dacha are urged to join Goodwood in freeing Dacha
from Mr. Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan by voting their yellow form of proxy or voting instruction form in accordance with the
instructions provided in Goodwood's circular. Shareholders who require
assistance in the completion and delivery of a yellow proxy or voting instruction form should contact Goodwood's proxy
solicitation agent, Georgeson Shareholder Communications Canada Inc.,
at 1-888-605-8415 (toll-free in North America) or by e-mail.
Goodwood also announced that, on the afternoon of Nov. 5, 2012, it was served with a
notice of application filed by Dacha against Goodwood and others,
seeking, among other things, that they be enjoined from voting their
common shares. Goodwood believes that this proceeding is wholly
without merit and has been brought by Dacha simply as a tactic to
distract Dacha's shareholders from the record of value
destruction and failed leadership by Dacha's current board and
management. Goodwood intends to vigorously defend against this
proceeding and resist any attempt by Dacha's current board to seek to
delay the Nov. 28, 2012, shareholders meeting or otherwise
frustrate the will of the majority of Dacha's shareholders.
Goodwood's dissident circular and form of yellow proxy will be publicly
accessible shortly at SEDAR. The full text of Goodwood's letter to Dacha's shareholders is appended
as follows.
QUOTE
Goodwood Inc.
212 King St. W, Suite 201
Toronto, Ont., Canada
M5H 1K5
Nov. 5, 2012
Dear fellow shareholder,
We are today providing you with our proxy circular and asking for your
support to elect a new board of directors at Dacha Strategic Metals
Inc. that will bring an end to the inappropriate related party dealings,
culture of insider self-enrichment, and inadequate board oversight and
direction that have characterized Dacha for the past three years under
the control of Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan Inc.
Dacha's board is not acting in your interests
Dacha urgently requires a new board of directors that will act in the
best interests of Dacha and all its shareholders, rather than serving
the interests of Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan:
-
During fiscal 2012, Dacha's stock price declined 65 per cent from its high,
leaving the company with a market capitalization of only $37-million.
-
Under the control of directors assembled by Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan, Dacha has consistently demonstrated that it will place the
interests of Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan ahead of the interests
of Dacha's shareholders. The actions referred to below, while suiting
the purposes of Stan Bharti and other Dacha insiders who benefited from
them, were demonstrably not in the interests of Dacha or its
shareholders:
-
Dacha's board recently purportedly adopted inappropriate change-of-control arrangements that, if permitted to stand, will transfer at
least $8-million, equal to approximately 22 per cent of Dacha's current market
capitalization, from Dacha's shareholders into the pockets of Dacha's
insiders, including $3.3-million to Forbes & Manhattan.
-
These change-of-control arrangements are on top of the more than $3.8-million in compensation paid to Dacha's directors and management during
fiscal 2012, which included substantial discretionary cash bonuses paid
to certain directors notwithstanding Dacha's declining share price.
- In fiscal 2012, Dacha was forced to take a $3.7-million write-off, equal
to approximately 10 per cent of its current market capitalization, on account
of the non-payment of a non-arm's-length related party loan previously
advanced by Dacha to a company associated with Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan -- contrary to applicable regulatory requirements, this
related party loan was advanced without the required public disclosure
or notification to the TSX Venture Exchange.
- Dacha's board recently spent months wasting Dacha shareholder value
pursuing an ill-advised related party merger transaction with another
Forbes & Manhattan company, Aberdeen International Inc., that was not
in the best interests of Dacha's shareholders or ultimately even
capable of completion, apparently because the combined company did not
meet the net income tests under the Toronto Stock Exchange's listing
requirements. Dacha has shown itself to be devoid of any coherent
strategy to protect the interests of shareholders during the current
down cycle in rare earth element pricing. Over the past 12 months, the
net asset value of Dacha's metals inventory and cash has consistently
declined every month, falling by an aggregate of approximately 60.8 per cent.
- Dacha's current board and management have demonstrated that they neither
understand the intricacies of the rare earth element business nor have
the expertise or experience to properly manage Dacha's business or
create value for Dacha's shareholders. Their track record is one of
destroying shareholder value, while enriching themselves at the expense
of Dacha's shareholders.
-
Dacha's business and affairs are being conducted without sufficient
regard to its timely disclosure and other regulatory obligations.
Certain share trading undertaken by a director of Dacha in the context
of the failed Aberdeen transaction also raises concerns that Dacha's
compliance policies are inadequate.
Dacha's board must be independent of Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan
Currently, Dacha's board and management consists exclusively of
individuals with bonds to Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan. In
response to shareholder demands for change, that same Stan
Bharti-dominated board is now purporting to shuffle the deck by
introducing four new director nominees, hand chosen by the same failed
board, in a hollow effort to show greater distance between Dacha's
board and Forbes & Manhattan. The reality, however, is quite
different. Each of the proposed new directors, like each of the
current directors who are not standing for re-election, is tied to Stan
Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan. While it may suit the purposes of Stan
Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan to have Dacha's board and management
stacked with individuals beholden to Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan, it has not well served the interests of Dacha or its
shareholders in the past and will not well serve their interests in the
future.
In the management circular, Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan try to
create the impression that their involvement with Forbes & Manhattan
portfolio companies adds value for shareholders. The reality is that
their involvement often enriches only Stan Bharti, Forbes & Manhattan,
and the stable of related individuals that they install as directors
and officers, and not shareholders. We found a clear and disturbing
trend when we reviewed the aggregate compensation paid to Stan Bharti
and Forbes & Manhattan, and to other Forbes & Manhattan associates by
various Forbes & Manhattan portfolio companies in their last fiscal
year, and compared that to the last 12 months of shareholder returns at
those companies. During the relevant period, Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan collectively were paid compensation of approximately $20.8-million by these companies. Other Forbes & Manhattan associates took
out compensation of approximately $31-million. At the same time, the
median shareholder return at these companies was negative 48.2 per cent.
The Goodwood nominees will protect your interests and enhance value
At the meeting of Dacha's shareholders on Nov. 28, 2012,
shareholders finally have the opportunity to elevate Dacha out of the
world of penny-stock behaviour and related party dealings that have
been harming the interests of its shareholders over the past several
years.
The seven new director nominees being proposed by Goodwood have the skills, knowledge and experience to finally provide Dacha
with the leadership, governance and strong board oversight that Dacha's
complex business requires and its shareholders deserve. As
importantly, they have earned the trust and respect of shareholders and
capital markets participants through proven track records of honest
leadership, building businesses and creating shareholder value. The
Goodwood nominees are as follows:
Ian W. Delaney
-
One of Canada's most accomplished and respected business leaders with a
track record of significant long-term value creation at some of
Canada's most successful businesses, including Sherritt International
Corp., Viridian Inc., The Horsham Corp. and Merrill Lynch
Canada Inc.;
-
Chairman of The Westaim Corp., whose principal asset, JEVCO
Insurance Company, was sold to Intact Financial Corp. on Sept. 5, 2012, representing a gain of over 55 per cent to Westaim's shareholders, who
financed Westaim's acquisition of JEVCO in February, 2010;
-
Has served as a director on some of Canada's largest and most respected
companies.
Jorge Bernhard
- Highly respected former chief executive officer of several successful
international metals trading businesses with more than 25 years
experience in selling and trading a wide variety of non-ferrous metals;
-
Significant success in the international metals trading business and
extensive knowledge of London Metals Exchange-traded and non-exchange-traded
metals;
-
Created new price discovery mechanisms in the cobalt market to generate
better transparency for all market participants.
Timothy E. Thorsteinson
- A leading turnaround and restructuring specialist with numerous
instances of outsized returns to investors;
-
Appointed to the board of Miranda Technologies Inc. in March, 2012, and
instrumental in the sale of Miranda to Belden Inc., generating a return
for shareholders of approximately 60 per cent in under one year;
-
Joined Leitch Technology Corp. in November, 2003, and led a highly
successful turnaround of the company culminating in a sale to Harris
Corp. in 2005, resulting in a return of over 290 per cent for shareholders;
-
Part of a buyout group of Grass Valley Inc. in 2000 culminating in a
sale of the company to Thomson Corp. in 2002, generating a return of
approximately 80 per cent over two years.
Gregory M. Cameron
- Extensive experience raising capital for both resource and non-resource
growth companies;
-
Grew Cub Energy Inc. from no production in late 2011 to over 1,500
barrels of oil equivalent and a market capitalization of approximately
$90-million today;
-
The hydrocarbons produced by Cub Energy Inc. today represent a greater
volume of hydrocarbon production than ever achieved within Forbes & Manhattan's energy holdings;
-
Cub Energy's current market capitalization represents a greater market
value than all of Forbes & Manhattan's energy holdings combined.
Tye W. Burt
-
Chief executive officer of Kinross Gold Corp. from March, 2005, to August,
2012;
-
At Kinross, grew production from 1.65 million ounces of gold to 2.6
million ounces of gold -- an increase of approximately 58 per cent, grew gold
reserves from 19.4 million ounces to 62.6 million ounces -- an increase
of over 220 per cent, grew operating cash flow tenfold, top-performing senior
gold producer on NYSE during each of 2006, 2007 and 2008;
-
Growth in production and reserves is more gold produced or discovered
than by all Forbes & Manhattan precious metals companies combined over
the past 10 years;
-
Current and prior directorships include ArcelorMittal, Barrick Gold
Corp., the Ontario Financing Authority, and MacDonald, Dettwiler
and Associates Ltd.
Daniel Marks
-
Significant micro/small-capitalization investing and turnaround
experience and success;
-
Orchestrated the management and board revamp of Pacific Safety Products
Inc. that solidified the balance sheet, through a financing and merger
with Zuni Holdings Inc., and moved the company from recurring losses
back to profitability;
-
Was the catalyst on the board of MTI Global Inc. that initiated a
strategic review culminating in the sale of the main operating unit to
3M in June, 2010, taking the company from near insolvency to providing a
substantial return of capital to shareholders.
Peter H. Puccetti
- 16-year track record of successful management of Goodwood Fund --
compounded annual returns of 10.34 per cent since inception in 1996,
outperforming the S&P/TSX Total Return Index by 2.96 per cent over that period;
-
Director of The Westaim Corp., whose principal asset JEVCO
Insurance Company was sold to Intact Financial Corp. on Sept. 5, 2012, representing a gain of over 55 per cent to Westaim's shareholders, who
financed Westaim's acquisition of JEVCO in February, 2010.
In discharging their responsibilities as directors of Dacha, the
Goodwood nominees also expect to have the benefit of the services of
Peter V. Gundy. Mr. Gundy was a founder of Neo Material Technologies
Inc., and served as the chairman and president of Neo from 1993 to 2006,
and then as its chairman until 2008. Mr. Gundy is widely regarded as
one of the foremost world experts in the rare earth element business,
with unparalleled sourcing, trading and other relationships. Under Mr.
Gundy's direction, Neo was one of the few non-Chinese firms in the
world to succeed in generating consistent significant profits in the
rare earth element business. During the period in which Mr. Gundy was
a senior officer and/or director of Neo, he was instrumental in
orchestrating a strategy of organic growth initiatives and
transformative acquisitions, growing Neo's revenue from $46.9-million
to $266.6-million between 2003 and 2008 and Neo's net income from
$302,000 in 2003 to $23.3-million in 2008 -- representing compound
annual growth rates of 41.6 per cent and 139 per cent, respectively. Based on the
solid business foundation developed by Mr. Gundy, Neo was acquired by
Molycorp, Inc. in 2012 for $1.3-billion.
Upon their election, the Goodwood nominees intend to conduct a thorough
review of Dacha's metals inventory, and the opportunities and prospects
to create shareholder value from both Dacha's existing inventories and
its rare earth element business going forward. The Goodwood nominees'
sole focus in conducting this review, which is expected to be
undertaken with the assistance of Mr. Gundy, will be to maximize value
for Dacha's shareholders. As part of that review, the Goodwood
nominees will also consider and assess Dacha's overall corporate
strategy and all strategic and other alternatives available to it, with
a view to implementing that corporate strategy and direction, which
maximize long-term shareholder value for the benefit of Dacha's
shareholders.
Don't settle for more of the same
The Goodwood nominees will also, upon their election, implement an
appropriate corporate policy requiring minimum share ownership by all
Dacha directors so as to properly align the interests of Dacha's
directors with its shareholders. This will avoid a repeat of the
current situation, where two of the three incumbent directors being
proposed by Dacha's management for re-election own not a single common
share of Dacha despite having served as Dacha directors for more than
two years. Similarly, during the more than three years that Stan
Bharti has been a director of Dacha, he has never reported purchasing a
single common share of Dacha, and, in fact, early in 2012, he sold
approximately 33 per cent of his shares such that he currently owns only
approximately 1.3 per cent of Dacha's outstanding shares. Dacha shareholders
should ask themselves why it is that Stan Bharti and his nominees want
to control Dacha, but don't want to own its shares?
We encourage you to carefully review the full biographies of the
Goodwood nominees included in our circular, and to form your own
judgment about who will provide the best leadership for Dacha going
forward. We also encourage you to carefully review the information
included in our circular regarding the nominees being proposed by
Dacha's current Stan Bharti-dominated board. Ask yourself why it is
that Stan Bharti so wants James Rogers, a member of the Forbes & Manhattan advisory board, to succeed him as chairman of Dacha. Mr.
Rogers is not an expert in rare earth elements and, with the greatest
of respect for him, neither is he a logical choice to be chairman of a
Canadian-listed reporting issuer whose shareholders wish to separate
from Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan. Further, while Dacha's
current board claims in its circular that Mr. Rogers currently serves
as a director of King's Bay Gold Corp. and QRS Capital Corp.,
those claims with respect to Mr. Rogers's experience are simply not
true.
It is also troubling that Dacha's current board does not appear to
understand Dacha's own bylaws, as the director nominees being put
forward by the current board would not appear to satisfy the
requirement in Dacha's bylaws that a majority of its directors be
resident Canadian.
The Goodwood nominees already have substantial shareholder support
Investment funds managed by Goodwood Inc. collectively own 4,826,000
common shares of Dacha, representing approximately 6.4 per cent of Dacha's
outstanding common shares. Unlike Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan,
our interests are completely aligned with yours in maximizing value for
all shareholders of Dacha.
As indicated in our circular, five other significant public shareholders
of Dacha, collectively owning or controlling a further 21,596,500
common shares of Dacha, or approximately 28.7 per cent of Dacha's outstanding
shares, have confirmed to us they also have lost trust and confidence
in the current directors of Dacha and their ability to act in the best
interests of Dacha's shareholders. Those other shareholders have also
confirmed to us that they intend to vote all their Dacha shares for the
election of the Goodwood nominees at the Nov. 28, 2012,
shareholders meeting. Accordingly, we believe that the Goodwood
nominees already have the support of holders of approximately 35.2 per cent of
Dacha's outstanding shares.
Seize this important opportunity for change
We ask that you join us in freeing Dacha from Stan Bharti and Forbes & Manhattan and voting for a new board of directors that will act in the best interests of Dacha
and all its shareholders. We urge you to seize this opportunity by
voting the enclosed yellow form of proxy or voting instruction form in accordance with the
instructions thereon. You may do this even if you have previously
signed a form of proxy or given voting instructions in support of
management -- your latest dated form of proxy or voting instruction form
automatically revokes the earlier one.
If you have any questions concerning this circular, please call me
directly at 416-203-2022. If you have questions in connection with the
completion and delivery of your yellow proxy or voting instruction form, please contact our proxy solicitation
agent, Georgeson Shareholder Communications Canada Inc., at
1-888-605-8415 (toll-free in North America) or by e-mail and they will assist you.
Yours sincerely,
Goodwood Inc.
Peter H. Puccetti, CFA
Chairman and chief investment officer
UNQUOTE
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