Form 6-K
Table of Contents

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form 6-K

 

 

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

August 11, 2014

Commission File Number 001—32945

 

 

WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in the charter)

 

 

Not Applicable

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

Jersey, Channel Islands

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex

Pirojshanagar, Vikroli (W)

Mumbai 400 079, India

+91-22-4095-2100

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F  x             Form 40-F  ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):  ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes  ¨            No   x

If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): Not applicable.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

SIGNATURE
EXHIBIT INDEX
Ex-99.1   Press release of the Company, dated August 11, 2014.
Ex-99.2   The Company’s notice of annual general meeting to ordinary shareholders, dated August 11, 2014.
Ex-99.3   The Company’s proxy statement for the annual general meeting of ordinary shareholders to be held on September 12, 2014.
Ex-99.4   Form of proxy for use by ordinary shareholders
Ex-99.5   Depository’s notice of annual general meeting to holders of ADSs, dated July 24, 2014.
Ex-99.6   Voting card for use by ADS holders.


Table of Contents

Other Events

Annual general meeting of shareholders

On August 11, 2014, WNS (Holdings) Limited (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing details of its annual general meeting (the “AGM”) to be held in Jersey, Channel Islands, on Friday, September 12, 2014 and distributed to its shareholders a notice of the annual general meeting, the proxy statement for the annual general meeting and the form of proxy. A copy of the press release, the notice of annual general meeting, the proxy statement and form of proxy are attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, Exhibit 99.2, Exhibit 99.3 and Exhibit 99.4, respectively. A copy of the notice of the annual general meeting and voting card provided by the depositary of the Company’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) to holders of ADSs are attached hereto as Exhibit 99.5 and Exhibit 99.6, respectively.


Table of Contents

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunder duly authorized.

Date: August 11, 2014

 

WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

 

By:

  /s/ Sanjay Puria
 

 

Name:

  Sanjay Puria

Title:

  Group Chief Financial Officer


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

99.1    Press release of the Company, dated August 11, 2014.
99.2    The Company’s notice of annual general meeting to ordinary shareholders, dated August 11, 2014.
99.3    The Company’s proxy statement for the annual general meeting of ordinary shareholders to be held on September 12, 2014.
99.4    Form of proxy for use by ordinary shareholders.
99.5    Depositary’s notice of annual general meeting to holders of ADSs, dated July 24, 2014.
99.6    Voting card for use by ADS holders.
EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

WNS (Holdings) Limited Announces Details of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

NEW YORK, NY and MUMBAI, INDIA, August 11, 2014 — WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS), a leading global Business Process Management (BPM) provider, today announced that the annual general meeting of its shareholders will be held on Friday, September 12, 2014, beginning at 12 noon (Jersey time), at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands.

The Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended March 31, 2014, containing its annual consolidated financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2014 and the auditors’ report thereon, was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 14, 2014. The Company distributed the notice of annual general meeting, proxy statement and form of proxy on or about August 11, 2014.

The Annual Report, notice of the annual general meeting, proxy statement, form of proxy and ADR voting card are available on the investor relations page of the Company’s corporate website, www.wns.com. Shareholders may also obtain a copy of the Annual Report, notice of the annual general meeting, proxy statement, form of proxy and ADR voting card, free of charge, by sending a written request to the Company Secretary, Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited, of Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (attention: Client Secretariat, telephone: +44 (0)1534 281 800) or ronald.dmello@wns.com, attention Ronald D’Mello.

About WNS

WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS), is a leading global business process management company. WNS offers business value to 200+ global clients by combining operational excellence with deep domain expertise in key industry verticals including Travel, Insurance, Banking and Financial Services, Manufacturing, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods, Shipping and Logistics, Healthcare and Utilities. WNS delivers an entire spectrum of business process management services such as finance and accounting, customer care, technology solutions, research and analytics and industry specific back office and front office processes. As of June 30, 2014, WNS had 27,760 professionals across 34 delivery centers worldwide including China, Costa Rica, India, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, visit www.wns.com.

Investors Contact:

David Mackey

Investor Relations

david.mackey@wns.com

ir@wns.com

EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

 

LOGO

WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

To be held on September 12, 2014

To our Shareholders:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an annual general meeting (the “Annual General Meeting”) of the shareholders of WNS (Holdings) Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey, Channel Islands (the “Company”), will be held at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands on Friday, September 12, 2014 at 12 noon (Jersey time) for the purpose of considering the following business, as more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this notice, and if thought fit adopting the following resolutions:

ORDINARY BUSINESS

The following resolutions will be proposed as ordinary resolutions:

Resolution 1 (Annual audited accounts)

THAT the audited accounts of the Company for the financial year ended March 31, 2014, including the report of the auditors, be and hereby are adopted.

Resolution 2 (Re-appointment of auditors)

THAT Grant Thornton India LLP be and hereby is re-appointed as the Company’s independent auditors until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015.

Resolution 3 (Auditors’ remuneration)

THAT:

 

(a) a sum of US$ 495,000 (excluding taxes and out of pocket expenses); and

 

(b) a further sum in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, provided that such amount will be reported in the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2015,

 

1


be and hereby is approved as remuneration being available for the payment of audit fees to Grant Thornton India LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for their audit services to be rendered in respect of the Company’s financial statements for the financial year ending March 31, 2015 and that the Board of Directors or a committee thereof is authorized to determine the remuneration payable from time to time to the auditors during this period in accordance with this approval.

Resolution 4 (Re-election of Class II Director)

THAT Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh be and hereby is re-elected to hold office as a Class II Director from the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Resolution 5 (Re-election of Class II Director)

THAT Mr. Albert Aboody be and hereby is re-elected to hold office as a Class II Director from the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Resolution 6 (Re-election of Class II Director)

THAT Mr. Michael Menezes be and hereby is re-elected to hold office as a Class II Director from the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Resolution 7 (Approval of Directors’ remuneration for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015)

THAT:

 

(a) an aggregate sum of US$ 4 million be and hereby is approved as being available for the payment of remuneration and other benefits (excluding any charges incurred in connection with exercising issued and outstanding awards and any costs related to making of awards of options and restricted share units referred to in (b) below) to the Directors of the Company, to be applied as the Directors may decide in their discretion, for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015 in accordance with the Company’s compensation objectives and assessment process set out in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” as disclosed in the accompanying Proxy Statement; and

 

(b) as a further part of the Directors’ remuneration, the making of awards of options and restricted share units (“Awards”) under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan (as so amended and restated) (the “Plan”) to Directors by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof in its discretion for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015 be and hereby is approved, provided that the maximum aggregate number of ordinary shares in the capital of the Company that may be issued or transferred pursuant to any Awards made or to be made to the Directors pursuant to the Plan is limited to the maximum number of ordinary shares available for such purpose under the said Plan.

 

2


DATED: August 11, 2014

 

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

 

Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited

Company Secretary

  

Registered Office:

Queensway House,

Hilgrove Street,

St Helier,

Jersey JE1 1ES,

Channel Islands

NOTES:

 

1. The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on August 8, 2014 as the record date for determining those persons whose names appear on our Register of Members as holders of our ordinary shares (collectively, our “Shareholders”) who will be entitled to receive copies of this Notice of Annual General Meeting, the accompanying Form of Proxy, Proxy Statement and the notice of availability of the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended March 31, 2014 (the “Annual Report”).

 

2. A Shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy or proxies to attend the Annual General Meeting and to vote on his behalf. A proxy need not be a Shareholder. A Form of Proxy, which should be completed in accordance with the instructions printed thereon, is enclosed with this document. The appointment of a proxy will not prevent a Shareholder from subsequently attending and voting at the Annual General Meeting in person.

 

3. To be valid, the instrument appointing a proxy or proxies, and any power of attorney or other authority (e.g. board minutes) under which it is signed (or a notarially certified copy of any such power or authority), must be deposited at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited) not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote.

 

4. A proxy may be revoked by: (i) giving the Company notice in writing deposited at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited) before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote; (ii) depositing a new Form of Proxy with the Company Secretary before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote (although it should be noted that the new Form of Proxy will only be a valid proxy, as opposed to being capable of revoking an earlier Form of Proxy, if deposited not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote); or (iii) attending in person and voting on a poll.

 

3


5. A body corporate which is a Shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting may authorize a person to act as its representative at the Annual General Meeting in respect of all or a particular number of the shares held by the Shareholder. A body corporate which is a Shareholder may appoint more than one person to act as its representative. If a body corporate which is a Shareholder appoints more than one person to act as its representative, each resolution (and each instrument of appointment) shall specify the number of shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed its representative. For the avoidance of doubt, a body corporate which is a Shareholder may appoint (in addition to the representatives (if any) appointed by it) any number of persons to act as its proxy at the Annual General Meeting in respect of all or a particular number of the shares held by the Shareholder. A person duly authorized to act as a representative of a body corporate which is a Shareholder shall be entitled to exercise on behalf of the Shareholder the same powers (in respect of the number of shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed its representative) as the Shareholder could exercise. If a Shareholder which is a body corporate appoints more than one representative (but subject to the voting instructions (if any) given by the Shareholder), no representative need cast all the votes used by him in respect of any resolution in the same way as any other representative or any proxy appointed by the Shareholder.

 

6. If the Annual General Meeting is adjourned for lack of a quorum, the adjourned meeting will be held at 12 noon (Jersey time) on September 19, 2014 at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands. Under the Company’s Articles of Association, the quorum for the holding of general meetings is not less than two Shareholders present in person or by proxy and holding ordinary shares conferring not less than one-third of the total voting rights of all the Shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting.

 

7. A copy of the Annual Report is available for inspection at the Company’s registered office. In addition, Shareholders will be provided with a copy of the Annual Report, free of charge, upon request by contacting the Company Secretary, Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited, of Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (attention: Client Secretariat, telephone: +44 (0)1534 281 800) or ronald.dmello@wns.com, attention Ronald D’Mello. Shareholders may also access a copy of the Annual Report on the Company’s website at www.wns.com.

 

8. Explanatory notes to the resolutions to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting are contained in the Proxy Statement which accompanies this Notice of Annual General Meeting.

 

4

EX-99.3

Exhibit 99.3

 

LOGO

WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

PROXY STATEMENT

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

To be held on September 12, 2014

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND VOTING

This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors (the “Board” or the “Board of Directors”) of WNS (Holdings) Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey, Channel Islands (the “Company” or “WNS”), of proxies for voting at the Company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual General Meeting”) to be held on September 12, 2014 at 12 noon (Jersey time), at the registered office of the Company located at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands, or any adjournments thereof, for the purposes summarized in the accompanying Notice of Annual General Meeting and described in more detail in this Proxy Statement.

Shareholders Entitled to Notice of and to Vote at the Annual General Meeting

The Board has fixed the close of business on August 8, 2014 as the date for determining those holders of ordinary shares (collectively, the “Shareholders”) who will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual General Meeting. Copies of the Notice of Annual General Meeting, this Proxy Statement, the accompanying Form of Proxy appointing a proxy or proxies, and the notice of availability of the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended March 31, 2014 (the “Annual Report”) were first mailed to Shareholders on or about August 11, 2014. Shareholders are advised to read this Proxy Statement carefully prior to returning their Form of Proxy.

A Shareholder is a person whose name appears on our Register of Members as a holder of our ordinary shares.

At the close of business on June 30, 2014 there were 51,478,976 ordinary shares issued and outstanding.

Quorum

No business may be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting is present. Pursuant to the Articles of Association of the Company, the quorum for the holding of general meetings is not less than two Shareholders present in person or by proxy holding ordinary shares conferring not less than one-third of the total voting rights. If a quorum is not present, the Annual General Meeting will be adjourned to 12 noon (Jersey time) on September 19, 2014 at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands.

Proxies

To be valid, the instrument appointing a proxy or proxies, and any power of attorney or other authority (e.g. board minutes) under which it is signed (or a notarially certified copy of any such power or authority), must be deposited at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited) not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote. A proxy need not be a Shareholder. Shareholders may appoint any member of the Board or any other person as their proxy. The appointment of a proxy will not prevent a Shareholder from subsequently attending and voting at the meeting in person.

 

1


A Shareholder may appoint more than one person to act as his proxy and each such person shall act as proxy for the Shareholder for the number of ordinary shares specified in the instrument appointing the person as proxy. If a Shareholder appoints more than one person to act as his proxy, each instrument appointing a proxy shall specify the number of ordinary shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed his proxy. Each duly appointed proxy has the same rights as the Shareholder by whom he was appointed to speak at a meeting and vote at a meeting in respect of the number of ordinary shares held by the Shareholder for which he was appointed as proxy.

A proxy may be revoked by: (i) giving the Company notice in writing deposited at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited) before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote; (ii) depositing a new Form of Proxy with the Company Secretary before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote (although it should be noted that the new form of proxy will only be a valid proxy, as opposed to being capable of revoking an earlier Form of Proxy, if deposited not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote); or (iii) attending in person and voting on a poll. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be revoked by the appointing Shareholder attending and participating in a meeting, unless the appointing Shareholder votes on a poll at the meeting in respect of the ordinary shares for which the relevant proxy is appointed his proxy.

A body corporate which is a Shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting may authorize a person to act as its representative at the Annual General Meeting in respect of all or a particular number of the shares held by the Shareholder. A body corporate which is a Shareholder may appoint more than one person to act as its representative. If a body corporate which is a Shareholder appoints more than one person to act as its representative, each resolution (and each instrument of appointment) shall specify the number of shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed its representative. For the avoidance of doubt, a body corporate which is a Shareholder may appoint (in addition to the representatives (if any) appointed by it) any number of persons to act as its proxy at the Annual General Meeting in respect of all or a particular number of the shares held by the Shareholder. A person duly authorized to act as a representative of a body corporate which is a Shareholder shall be entitled to exercise on behalf of the Shareholder the same powers (in respect of the number of shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed its representative) as the Shareholder could exercise. If a Shareholder which is a body corporate appoints more than one representative (but subject to the voting instructions (if any) given by the Shareholder), no representative need cast all the votes used by him in respect of any resolution in the same way as any other representative or any proxy appointed by the Shareholder.

 

2


Voting

On a show of hands, every Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll, every Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for each ordinary share held or represented. On a poll, a Shareholder entitled to more than one vote need not use all his votes or cast all the votes he uses in the same way. A resolution put to the vote of Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting will be decided on a show of hands unless a poll is demanded by the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting or a Shareholder present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. In the case of joint holders only one of them may vote and in the absence of election as to who is to vote, the vote of the holder whose name appears first in order in the Register of Members, whether in person or by proxy will be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders.

Ordinary shares represented by a duly executed instrument appointing a proxy or proxies that is deposited with the Company at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited), at least 48 hours before the time appointed for the Annual General Meeting, will be voted at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with Shareholders’ instructions contained in the instrument.

Resolutions 1 to 7 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. On a show of hands, each of the ordinary resolutions to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting will be duly passed by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of Shareholders present in person or by proxy and voting at the Annual General Meeting. If a poll is demanded in the manner described above, each of the ordinary resolution(s) to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting for which voting by poll is demanded will be duly passed by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of votes cast at the Annual General Meeting for each ordinary share held or represented, with each Shareholder present in person or by proxy having one vote for each ordinary share held or represented. In the event of an equality of votes, whether upon a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote.

General Information

The entire cost of the solicitation of proxies for the Annual General Meeting will be borne by WNS.

In this Proxy Statement, references to “$” or “US$” mean United States dollars, the legal currency of the United States.

 

3


SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS

Shareholders will be requested to vote on the following proposals at the Annual General Meeting:

 

1. Adoption of the annual audited accounts of the Company for the financial year ended March 31, 2014, together with the auditors’ report;

 

2. Re-appointment of Grant Thornton India LLP as the auditors of the Company;

 

3. Approval of auditors’ remuneration for the financial year ending March 31, 2015;

 

4. Re-election of the Class II Director, Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh;

 

5. Re-election of the Class II Director, Mr. Albert Aboody;

 

6. Re-election of the Class II Director, Mr. Michael Menezes; and

 

7. Approval of Directors’ remuneration for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015;

PROPOSAL NO. 1

THAT the audited accounts of the Company for the financial year ended March 31, 2014, including the report of the auditors, be and hereby are adopted.

A company’s auditors are required by the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (the “Jersey Companies Act”) to make a report to the company’s shareholders on the accounts examined by them. The auditors’ report must state whether in their opinion the accounts have been properly prepared in accordance with the law and in particular whether either a true and fair view is given or the accounts are presented fairly in all materials respects.

The Company’s financial statements included in the Annual Report have been prepared in conformity with the International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and are accompanied by the auditors’ report from Grant Thornton India LLP which is enclosed as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement. Shareholders are requested to adopt the audited accounts of the Company for the year ended March 31, 2014, together with the auditors’ report as set out in the Appendix A.

The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the adoption of the audited accounts of WNS for the financial year ended March 31, 2014, together with the auditors’ report.

PROPOSAL NO. 2

THAT Grant Thornton India LLP be and hereby is re-appointed as the Company’s independent auditors until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015.

A public company incorporated under the laws of Jersey, Channel Islands, is required by the Jersey Companies Act at each annual general meeting to obtain shareholders’ approval to appoint an auditor to hold office from the conclusion of that meeting to the conclusion of the next annual general meeting.

 

4


Shareholders are requested to approve the re-appointment of Grant Thornton India LLP as the Company’s auditors in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015 and until the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2015.

The Board, upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee of the Board, recommends a vote “FOR” a re-appointment of Grant Thornton India LLP as the Company’s auditors until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of financial year ending March 31, 2015.

PROPOSAL NO. 3

THAT:

 

(a) a sum of US$ 495,000 (excluding taxes and out of pocket expenses); and

 

(b) a further sum in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, provided that such amount will be reported in the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2015,

be and hereby is approved as remuneration being available for the payment of audit fees to Grant Thornton India LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for their audit services to be rendered in respect of the Company’s financial statements for the financial year ending March 31, 2015 and that the Board of Directors or a committee thereof is authorized to determine the remuneration payable from time to time to the auditors during this period in accordance with this approval.

Under the Articles of Association of the Company, the shareholders in a general meeting fix the remuneration of the auditors. The actual level of fees to be charged by the auditors for audit services to be rendered in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015 is not known. Consequently, the approval of the Shareholders in the Annual General Meeting is sought for the following to be available for payment of remuneration of the auditors for audit in respect of the Company’s financial statements to be rendered during the financial year ending March 31, 2015:

(a) a sum of US$ 495,000 (excluding taxes and out of pocket expenses) plus

(b) a further sum in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, provided that such amount will be reported in the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2015.

The precise amount to be paid to the auditors for audit services will be determined by the Board or a committee thereof. The level of fees that will be approved by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, pursuant to the approval of Shareholders being granted herein (if this proposal is adopted), will be based on the number and location of the Company’s worldwide subsidiaries. The fees may extend to the extent any additional subsidiary that may come into being in the financial year ending March 31, 2015 and will be approved by the Board or a committee thereof followed by relevant disclosures to the shareholders in the annual report for the financial year ending March 31, 2015.

The Board upon the recommendation of the audit committee recommends a vote ‘FOR’ the fixing of the auditors’ remuneration for the audit services to be rendered in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015.

 

5


PROPOSAL NO. 4

THAT Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh be and hereby is re-elected to hold office as a Class II Director from the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh is currently a Class II Director of the Company. The period of office of a Class II Director expires at this Annual General Meeting. Accordingly, it is proposed that Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh be re-elected as a Class II Director.

The biography of Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh and a complete listing of all our Directors are provided in this Proxy Statement.

The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the re-election of Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh to the Board of Directors.

PROPOSAL NO. 5

THAT Mr. Albert Aboody be and hereby is re-elected to hold office as a Class II Director from the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Albert Aboody is currently a Class II Director of the Company. The period of office of a Class II Director expires at this Annual General Meeting. Accordingly, it is proposed that Mr. Albert Aboody be re-elected as a Class II Director.

The biography of Mr. Albert Aboody and a complete listing of all our Directors are provided in this Proxy Statement.

The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the re-election of Mr. Albert Aboody to the Board of Directors.

PROPOSAL NO. 6

THAT Mr. Michael Menezes be and hereby is re-elected to hold office as a Class II Director from the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Michael Menezes is currently a Class II Director of the Company. The period of office of a Class II Director expires at this Annual General Meeting. Accordingly, it is proposed that Mr. Michael Menezes be re-elected as a Class II Director.

The biography of Mr. Michael Menezes and a complete listing of all our Directors are provided in this Proxy Statement.

The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the re-election of Mr. Michael Menezes to the Board of Directors.

PROPOSAL NO. 7

THAT:

 

(a) an aggregate sum of US$ 4 million be and hereby is approved as being available for the payment of remuneration and other benefits (excluding any charges incurred in connection with exercising issued and outstanding awards and any costs related to making of awards of options and restricted share units referred to in (b) below) to the Directors of the Company, to be applied as the Directors may decide in their discretion, for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015 in accordance with the Company’s compensation objectives and assessment process set out in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” as disclosed in this Proxy Statement; and

 

6


(b) as a further part of the Directors’ remuneration, the making of awards of options and restricted share units (“Awards”) under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan (“Plan”) to Directors by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof in its discretion for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015 be and hereby is approved, provided that the maximum aggregate number of ordinary shares in the capital of the Company that may be issued or transferred pursuant to any Awards made or to be made to the Directors pursuant to the Plan is limited to the maximum number of ordinary shares available for such purpose under the said Plan.

In accordance with Article 102 of the Articles of Association of the Company, the Company is requesting Shareholders’ approval for an aggregate sum of US$ 4 million to be available for the payment of remuneration and other benefits (excluding any charges incurred in connection with exercising issued and outstanding awards and any costs related to making of awards of options and restricted share units pursuant to the Plan). The remuneration and other benefits shall be apportioned amongst the Directors in accordance with the Company’s compensation objectives and assessment process set out in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” as disclosed in this Proxy Statement.

Further, as part of the Directors’ remuneration, the Company is also requesting for Awards to be granted by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof in its discretion (subject to the maximum number of ordinary shares available for such purpose under the said Plan) in accordance with the Plan to the Directors of the Company for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015. The aggregate sum of remuneration and other benefits (excluding any charges incurred in connection with exercising issued and outstanding awards and any costs related to making of awards of options and restricted share units pursuant to the Plan) paid to the Directors for their services rendered during the financial year ended March 31, 2014 was US$ 2.22 million. Our Directors were granted 357,206 restricted share units during the financial year ended March 31, 2014.

The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of (a) a maximum sum of US$ 4 million as being available for the payment of Directors’ remuneration and other benefits (excluding any charges incurred in connection with exercising issued and outstanding awards and any costs related to making of awards of options and restricted share units referred to in (b)); and (b) the making of Awards under the Plan to Directors by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof in its discretion (subject to the maximum number of ordinary shares available for such purpose under the said Plan) for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015.

 

7


OTHER BUSINESS

The Board does not presently intend to bring any other business before the Annual General Meeting, and so far as is known to the Board, no matters will be brought before the Annual General Meeting except as is specified in this Proxy Statement. As to any business that may properly come before the Annual General Meeting, however, it is intended that proxies, in the form enclosed, will be voted in respect thereof in accordance with the judgment of those persons voting such proxies.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) allows the Company to “incorporate by reference” into this Proxy Statement the information in documents the Company files with or submits to the SEC. This means that the Company can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents shall not create any implication that there has been no change in the Company’s affairs since the date thereof or that the information contained therein is current as of any time subsequent to its date. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this Proxy Statement and should be read with the same care. When the Company updates the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this Proxy Statement is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this Proxy Statement and information incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later. The Company incorporates by reference the documents listed below and any future filings or submissions that it makes with the Commission (except for our future submissions on Form 6-K which will only be incorporated by reference into this document if it states in such submissions that they are being incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement) after the date of this Proxy Statement and before the date of this Annual General Meeting:

 

  1. The Company’s annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-32945) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014 filed with the Commission on May 14, 2014;

 

  2. The Company’s report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-32945), containing its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2014 and for the three months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, submitted to the Commission on July 23, 2014; and

The Company will provide, without charge, at the written or oral request of anyone, including any beneficial owner, to whom this Proxy Statement is delivered, copies of the documents incorporated by reference in this Proxy Statement, other than exhibits to those documents which are not specifically incorporated by reference. Requests should be directed to: WNS (Holdings) Limited, Plant 10, Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli (W), Mumbai 400 079, India, Attention: Ronald D’Mello; telephone number: +91 22 40952633.

The Company’s filings with the Commission are available to the public over the Internet at the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You also may read and copy any document that the Company files with the Commission at the Commission’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. Please call the Commission at 1-800-732-0330 for further information about the public reference room.

 

8


DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES

A. Directors and Executive Officers

Our Board of Directors consists of eight directors.

The following table sets forth the name, age (as at June 30, 2014) and position of each of our directors and executive officers as at the date hereof.

 

Name

   Age     

Designation

Directors

     

Adrian T. Dillon(1)(2)

     60       Non-Executive Chairman

Albert Aboody(3)

     67       Director

Anthony A. Greener(1)(4)

     74       Director

Gareth Williams(5)

     61       Director

Jeremy Young(6)

     49       Director

Keshav R. Murugesh

     50       Director and Group Chief Executive Officer

Michael Menezes(6)

     61       Director

Renu S. Karnad(1)(2)

     61       Director

Executive Officers

     

Keshav R. Murugesh

     50       Group Chief Executive Officer

Sanjay Puria

     40       Group Chief Financial Officer

Ronald Gillette

     57       Chief Operating Officer

Swaminathan Rajamani

     37       Chief People Officer

Notes:

 

(1) Member of our Compensation Committee.
(2) Member of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
(3) Chairman of our Audit Committee.
(4) Chairman of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
(5) Chairman of our Compensation Committee
(6) Member of our Audit Committee.

Summarized below is relevant biographical information covering at least the past five years for each of our directors and executive officers.

Directors

Adrian T. Dillon was appointed to our Board of Directors in September 2012 and was designated as Non-Executive Vice Chairman of the Board in January 2013. In January, 2014 he was appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committees of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Wonga Group Ltd. During his career, he has served as a member of the Board of NDS Group Limited, from 2011 to 2012, Verigy Pty, from 2006 to 2007 and LumiLeds Inc., from 2002 to 2007. He has also held key finance roles including Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Skype Limited, from 2010 to 2011, Executive Vice President—Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer at Agilent Technologies, Inc., from 2001 to 2010 and held various positions at Eaton Corporation, from 1979 to 2001, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Planning Officer from 1995-2001. He was a member and past Chairman of The Conference Board Council of Financial Executives. Mr. Dillon graduated from Amherst College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. The business address of Mr. Dillon is 490 University Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022, USA.

 

9


Albert Aboody was appointed to our Board of Directors in June 2010 and also serves as the chairman of our Audit Committee. Mr. Aboody is based in the US. Prior to his appointment as our director, he was a partner with KPMG, US. In this role, he served on the Board of KPMG, India, including as Deputy Chairman and as head of its audit department. He also co-authored chapters on the Commission’s reporting requirements in the 2001-2008 annual editions of the Corporate Controller’s Manual. Mr. Aboody is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He was a post-graduate research scholar at Cambridge University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University. The business address of Mr. Aboody is 401 E 89th Street, # 19 C, New York, NY 10128, USA.

Sir Anthony A. Greener was appointed to our Board of Directors in June 2007. He was the Deputy Chairman of British Telecom from 2001 to 2006 and Chairman of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority from 2002 to 2008 and Diageo plc from 1997 to 2000. Prior to that, Sir Greener was the Chairman and Chief Executive of Guinness plc from 1992 to 1997 and the Chief Executive Officer of Dunhill Holdings from 1974 to 1986. Sir Greener is presently Chairman of the St Giles Trust (since 2009), and the Minton Trust (since 2007). He is a Director of Williams-Sonoma Inc. (since 2007), and United Church Schools which is now known as United Learning (since 2005). He was a Director of Robert Mondavi from 2000 to 2005. Sir Greener was honored with a knighthood in 1999 for his services to the beverage industry and is also a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. The business address of Sir Greener is the Minton Trust, Dores Hill, North Sydmonton, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 9AF, England.

Gareth Williams was appointed to our Board of Directors in January 2014. Currently Mr. Williams serves as the Non-Executive Director of YSC and as an independent director of Saga plc. He also served as the advisor to the CEO of Diageo plc till June 2014. Prior to his appointment to our Board, he was Director Human Resources at Diageo plc, one of the world’s leading premium drink companies. Prior to taking over as Head of Human Resources at Diageo in January 1999, Mr. Williams held a series of key positions in HR at Grand Metropolitan, plc in North America and the UK from 1984 to 1998, leading up to the merger with Guinness that formed Diageo. Before joining Grand Metropolitan, he spent 10 years with Ford of Britain in a number of HR roles. Mr. Williams graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the Warwick University. The business address of Mr. Williams is High Trees, Wildernesse Avenue, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0EA, UK.

Jeremy Young was appointed to our Board of Directors in May 2004, as a nominee of Warburg Pincus which was the principal shareholder of our company. Having exited Warburg Pincus, he became independent director from January 2013. During his 20 years at Warburg Pincus, he ran the firm’s Healthcare, Internet and Business Services sectors in Europe, headed the German office and was responsible for fund raising in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to joining Warburg Pincus in 1992, Mr. Young held various positions at Baxter Healthcare International, Booz, Allen & Hamilton International and Cellular Transplant/Cytotherapeutics. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cambridge University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. He is currently a Vice Chairman of The Haemophilia Society, a UK-based charitable organization. The business address for Mr. Young is Gloucester House, 29 Pembridge Gardens, London W2 4EB, England.

 

10


Keshav R. Murugesh was appointed as our Group Chief Executive Officer and director in February 2010. Mr. Murugesh is based out of Mumbai. Prior to joining WNS, Mr. Murugesh was the Chief Executive Officer of Syntel Inc., a Nasdaq-listed information technology company, and its subsidiaries. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Prior to Syntel, he worked in various capacities with ITC Limited, an affiliate of BAT Plc. between 1989 and 2002. He is the chairman of the Business Process Management (BPM) Council of NASSCOM since 2013 and a nominated member of the NASSCOM Executive Council. NASSCOM is the industry association for the IT-BPM sector in India. He is on the Board of WNS Cares Foundation, a company that focuses on sustainability initiatives. He was the Chairman of SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) India, which is a global organization involved in educational outreach projects in partnership with businesses across the globe, from 2005 to 2011. The business address for Mr. Murugesh is Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli West, Mumbai 400 079, India.

Michael Menezes was appointed to our Board of Directors in January 2014. Mr. Menezes presently serves as the special advisor to the Continental Bank of Canada and also as an Executive-in-Residence to the MBA students at Ryerson University in Toronto on a voluntary basis. He has also set up a sole proprietor business, Acumentor Inc. engaged in providing consulting and other services. Most recently, he was the CFO, Technology, Operations and Corporate Group at Bank of Montreal from 2000 to 2012. Mr. Menezes has over two decades of global exposure, both as CEO and CFO in the Financial Services, Consumer Goods and Agri-business sectors. In his previous stints, he has been the CFO for ONIC (Holding), CEO of ITC Agro Tech Ltd., India, apart from holding various senior finance roles at ITC Ltd. in India. Mr. Menezes received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from University of Delhi, India and a Master’s degree in Economics from London School of Economics, UK. He is also a Chartered Accountant (CA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. The home/ business address of Mr. Menezes is 220 Cummer Avenue, Toronto, Canada M2M 2E7.

Renu S. Karnad was appointed to our Board of Directors in September 2012. Mrs. Karnad had joined Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC Ltd) in 1978 and is currently serving as the Managing Director of HDFC Limited. She is also a director on several other Boards, including BOSCH Limited, Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited, Gruh Finance Limited, HDFC Bank Limited, HDFC Asset Management Company Limited, HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company Limited, HDFC Property Ventures Limited, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited, AKZO Nobel India Limited, Credila Financial Services Private Limited, Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited, Feedback Infrastructure Services Private Limited, G4S Corporate Services (India) Private Limited, , Lafarge India Private Limited, EIH Limited, HIREF International LLC, ABB Limited, H T Parekh Foundation, and HDFC Plc. Mrs. Karnad holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Delhi and is a graduate in law from the University of Mumbai. She has also been a Parvin Fellow at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs. The business address of Mrs. Karnad is HDFC Limited, Capital Court, 1st Floor, Munirka, Off Palme Marg, New Delhi—110067.

Our Board believes that each of our company’s directors is skilled, experienced and qualified to serve as a member of the Board and its committees. Each of the directors, because of their diverse business experience and background, contribute significantly in managing the affairs of our company. The Board of Directors has not adopted any formal policy with respect to diversity, however, our Board of Directors believes that it is important for its members to represent diverse viewpoints and contribute in the Board’s decision making process. Our Board evaluates candidates for election to the Board; the Board seeks candidates with certain qualities that it believes are important, including experience, integrity, an objective perspective, business acumen and leadership skills. The continuing service by our directors promotes stability and continuity in the boardroom and gives us the benefit of their familiarity and insights into our business.

 

11


Executive Officers

Keshav R. Murugesh is our Group Chief Executive Officer. Please see “— Directors” above for Mr. Murugesh’s biographical information.

Sanjay Puria serves as our Group Chief Financial Officer. He is based out of Mumbai, India and leads WNS’ global finance function. Presently, he serves on the Board of WNS Cares Foundation. Mr. Puria has over 15 years of experience, out of which over 11 years have been in the offshore services industry. He is a veteran at WNS, having managed several key finance functions including corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, financial planning and analysis, and strategic business development before taking over as the Group CFO in August 2013. Prior to joining WNS in 2010, he was at the helm of operations for a global provider of integrated information technology and knowledge process outsourcing solutions, where his role centered around managing acquisitions, joint ventures, complex and multi-year contracts, strategizing on geographical expansion, revenue and cost management, pricing and commercials, and implementation of LEAN initiatives. Mr. Puria is a Chartered Accountant (CA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and has passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The business address of Mr. Puria is Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli, (West) Mumbai 400 079, India.

Ronald Gillette is our Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for WNS’ global sales, operations and capability creation. Based in Mumbai, he drives WNS’ strategic plans and operating results. Prior to joining WNS in 2013, Mr. Gillette worked with Xerox in the US and Europe from 2007 to 2013. Most recently, he was the Group President, Xerox Business Services in Europe with responsibility for all Financial Services and Insurance clients, and previously led its global Finance and Accounting Outsourcing (FAO) business. Before joining Xerox Services, Gillette was a senior partner at Accenture, responsible for growing its BPM business. He has also worked with Deloitte Consulting, Ernst & Young and EDS in various leadership roles with a focus on building outsourcing businesses. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy, at West Point. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. The business address of Mr. Gillette is Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli, (West) Mumbai 400 079, India.

Swaminathan Rajamani is our Chief People Officer. He leads WNS’ Human Resources function, and is responsible for the entire gamut of people-oriented processes. Prior to joining WNS in November 2010, he was with CA Technologies, where he served as Vice President—Human Resources and was the Country Head—HR for India. He has also served as Head of HR Operations at Syntel and thereafter, for a short while, was its Global HR Head. Prior to Syntel, he had a long tenure at GE spanning multiple roles such as Master Black Belt—HR and Assistant Vice President and Head—Operations for HR, Customer Research and Operational Analytics, apart from other roles in mergers and acquisitions. Presently, he serves on the Board of WNS Cares Foundation and WNS Global Services Private Limited. He is a certified Change Acceleration Coach and a keen practitioner of Six Sigma. Swaminathan has a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Madras. The business address of Mr. Rajamani is Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli, (West) Mumbai 400 079, India.

 

12


B. Compensation

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Compensation Objectives

Our compensation philosophy is to align employee compensation with our business objectives, so that compensation is used as a strategic tool that helps us recruit, motivate and retain highly talented individuals who are committed to our core values: clients first, integrity, respect, collaboration, learning and excellence. We believe that our compensation programs are integral to achieving our goal of “One WNS One Goal—Outperform!”

Our Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing the overall goals and objectives of our executive compensation programs, as well as our compensation plans, and making changes to such goals, objectives and plans. Our Compensation Committee bases our executive compensation programs on the following objectives, which guide us in establishing and maintaining all of our compensation programs:

 

    Pay Differentiation: Based on the Job Responsibility, Individual Performance and Company Performance. As employees progress to higher levels in our company, their ability to directly impact our results and strategic initiatives increases. Therefore, as employees progress, an increasing proportion of their pay is linked to company performance and tied to creation of shareholder value.

 

    Pay for Performance. Our compensation is designed to pay for performance and thus we provide higher compensation for strong performance and, conversely, lower compensation for poor performance and/or where company performance falls short of expectations. Our compensation programs are designed to ensure that successful, high-performing employees remain motivated and committed during periods of temporary downturns in our performance.

 

    Balanced in Focus on Long Term versus Short Term Goals. As part of our compensation philosophy, we believe that equity-based compensation should be higher for employees with greater levels of responsibility and influence on our long term results. Therefore, a significant portion of these individuals’ total compensation is dependent on our long term share price appreciation. In addition, our compensation philosophy seeks to incentivize our executives to focus on achieving short term performance goals in a manner that supports and encourages long term success and profitability.

 

    Competitive Value of the Job in the Marketplace. In order to attract and retain a highly skilled work force in a global market space, we remain competitive with the pay of other employers who compete with us for talent in relevant markets.

 

    Easy to understand. We believe that all aspects of executive compensation should be clearly, comprehensibly and promptly disclosed to employees in order to effectively motivate them. Employees need to easily understand how their efforts can affect their pay, both directly through individual performance accomplishments and indirectly through contributions to achieving our strategic, financial and operational goals. We also believe that compensation for our employees should be administered uniformly across our company with clear-cut objectives and performance metrics to eliminate the potential for individual supervisor bias.

Our Compensation Committee also considers risk when developing our compensation programs and believes that the design of our compensation programs should not encourage excessive or inappropriate risk taking.

 

13


Components of Executive Compensation

The compensation of our executive officers consists of the following five primary components:

 

    Base salary or, in the case of executive officers based in India, fixed compensation;

 

    Cash bonus or variable incentive;

 

    Equity incentive grants of RSUs;

 

    Other benefits and perquisites; and

 

    Severance benefits.

The following is a discussion of our considerations in determining each of the compensation components for our executive officers.

Base Salary or Fixed Compensation

Base salary is a fixed element of our executives’ annual cash compensation, which is not tied to any performance criteria. We consider base salary an important part of an executive’s compensation and our Compensation Committee reviews each executive officer’s base salary annually as well as at the time of a promotion or other change in responsibility. Any base salary adjustments are usually approved early in the fiscal year, effective as at April 1, or as set out in the relevant employment agreement. The specific amount of base salary for each executive officer depends on the executive’s role, scope of responsibilities, experience and skills. Market practices are also considered in setting base salaries. Base salaries are intended to assist us in attracting executives and recognizing differing levels of responsibility and contribution among executives.

Cash Bonus or Variable Incentive

In addition to base salary, annual cash bonuses are another important piece of total compensation for our executive officers. Annual bonus opportunities are intended to support the achievement of our business strategies by tying a meaningful portion of compensation to the achievement of established objectives for the year. These objectives are discussed in more detail below. Annual bonus opportunities also are a key tool in attracting highly sought-after executives, and cash bonuses add a variable component to our overall compensation structure.

Equity Incentive Grants of RSUs

Our equity-based incentive program, through which we grant RSUs, is a key element of the total compensation for our executive officers. This equity-based incentive program is intended to attract and retain highly qualified individuals, align their long term interests with those of our shareholders, avoid short term focus and effectively execute our long term business strategies. Our equity-based compensation is subject to multi-year vesting requirements by which executives’ gains can either be realized through (i) the achievement of set performance criteria and continued employment through the vesting period, or, simply, (ii) continued employment through the vesting period.

Other Benefits and Perquisites

We provide benefits and perquisites to our executive officers that are generally available to and consistent with those provided to our other employees in the country in which the executive officer is located. We believe these benefits are consistent with the objectives of our compensation philosophy and allow our executive officers to work more efficiently. Such benefits and perquisites are intended to enhance the competitiveness of our overall compensation program. Such benefits normally include medical, accidental and life insurance coverage, retirement benefits, club membership, reimbursement of telephone expenses, a car and related maintenance expenses, leased residential accommodation and other miscellaneous benefits which are customary in the location where the executive officer resides and are generally available to other employees in the country. All executive officers are covered by the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy maintained by us.

 

14


Severance Benefits

Under the terms of our employment agreements, we are sometimes obligated to pay severance or other enhanced benefits to our executive officers upon termination of their employment.

In addition, we provide change in control severance protection to certain executive officers. Our Compensation Committee believes that such protection is intended to preserve employee morale and productivity and encourage retention in the face of the disruptive impact of an actual or rumored change in control. In addition, for executive officers, the program is intended to align executive officers’ and shareholders’ interests by enabling executive officers to consider corporate transactions that are in the best interests of our shareholders and other constituents without undue concern over whether the transactions may jeopardize the executive officers’ own employment.

Our executive officers globally have enhanced levels of benefits based on their job level, seniority and probable loss of employment after a change in control. Executive officers generally are paid severance for a longer period as compared to other employees.

 

    Accelerated vesting of equity awards. All granted but unvested share options and RSUs would vest immediately and become exercisable by our executive officers subject to certain conditions set out in the applicable equity incentive plans.

 

    Severance and notice payment. Eligible terminated executive officers would receive severance and notice payments as reflected in their individual employment agreements.

 

    Benefit continuation. Eligible terminated executive officers would receive basic employee benefits such as medical and life insurance and other perquisites as reflected in their individual employment agreements.

Our Assessment Process

Our Compensation Committee has established a number of processes to assist it in ensuring that our executive compensation programs are achieving their objectives. Our Compensation Committee typically reviews each component of compensation at least every 12 months with the goal of allocating compensation between long term and currently paid compensation and between cash and non-cash compensation, and combining the compensation elements for each executive in a manner we believe best fulfills the objectives of our compensation programs.

Our Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing the performance of each of our executive officers, approving the compensation level of each of our executive officers, establishing criteria for the grant of equity awards for each of our executive officers and approving such equity grants. Each of these tasks is generally performed annually by our Compensation Committee.

 

15


There are no predetermined individual or corporate performance factors or goals that are used by our Compensation Committee to establish the amounts or mix of any elements of compensation for the executive officers. Our Compensation Committee works closely with our Group Chief Executive Officer, discussing with him our company’s overall performance and his evaluation of and compensation recommendations for our executive officers. From time to time, our Compensation Committee also seeks the advice and recommendations of an external compensation consultant to benchmark certain components of our compensation practices against those of its peers. The companies selected for such benchmarking include companies in similar industries and generally of similar sizes and market capitalizations. Where compensation information is not available for any specific position an executive officer holds for companies that provide business and technology services, our Compensation Committee reviews data corresponding to the most comparable position and also considers the comparative experience of executives.

Our Compensation Committee then utilizes its judgment and experience in making all compensation determinations. Our Compensation Committee’s determination of compensation levels is based upon what the members of the committee deem appropriate, considering information such as the factors listed above, as well as input from our Group Chief Executive Officer and, from time to time, information and advice provided by an independent compensation consultant.

Other processes that our Compensation Committee has established to assist in ensuring that our compensation programs operate in line with their objectives are:

 

Assessment of Company Performance: Our Compensation Committee uses financial performance measures to determine a significant portion of the size of payouts under our cash bonus program. The financial performance measures, adopted on improving both top line (which refers to our revenue less repair payments as described in “Part I — Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Overview”) and bottom line (which refers to our adjusted net income, or ANI, which is calculated as our profit excluding amortization of intangible assets and share-based compensation) and other measures, such as operating margin, profit before tax and revenue less repair payments from new clients are pre-established by our Compensation Committee annually at the beginning of the fiscal year. When the pre-determined financial measures are achieved, employees who are eligible for cash bonuses receive amounts that are set for these targets. These measures reflect targets that are intended to be aggressive but attainable. The remainder of an individual’s payout under our cash bonus program is determined by the achievement of individual performance objectives.

 

Assessment of Individual Performance: Individual performance has a strong impact on the compensation of all employees, including our executive officers. The evaluation of an individual’s performance determines a portion of the size of payouts under our cash bonus program and also influences any changes in base salary. At the beginning of each fiscal year, our Compensation Committee, along with our Group Chief Executive Officer, set the respective performance objectives for the fiscal year for the executive officers. The performance objectives are initially proposed by our Group Chief Executive Officer and modified, as appropriate, by our Compensation Committee based on the performance assessment conducted for the preceding fiscal year and also looking at goals for the current fiscal year. Every evaluation metric is supplemented with key performance indicators. At the end of the fiscal year, our Group Chief Executive Officer discusses individuals’ respective achievement of the pre-established objectives as well as their contribution to our company’s overall performance and other leadership accomplishments. This evaluation is shared with our Compensation Committee. After the discussion, our Compensation Committee, in discussion with our Group Chief Executive Officer, assigns a corresponding numerical performance rating that translates into specific payouts under our cash bonus program and also influences any changes in base salary.

 

16


The Compensation Committee approves awards under our cash bonus or variable incentive program consistent with the achievement of applicable goals. The Committee on occasion makes exceptions to payments in strict accordance with achievement of goals based on unusual or extraordinary circumstances. Executive officers must be on the payroll of our company on the last day of the fiscal year, March 31, to be eligible for payment under the program.

Although most of our compensation decisions are taken in the first quarter of the fiscal year, our compensation planning process neither begins nor ends with any particular Compensation Committee meeting. Compensation decisions are designed to promote our fundamental business objectives and strategy. Our Compensation Committee periodically reviews related matters such as succession planning, evaluation of management performance and consideration of the business environment and considers such matters in making compensation decisions.

Benchmarking and Use of Compensation Consultant for Fiscal 2014

During fiscal 2014, our Compensation Committee reviewed compensation programs for our executive officers against publicly available compensation data, which was compiled directly by our external compensation consultant. The companies selected by our external compensation consultant for its survey for benchmarking our executive officers’ compensation included companies in similar industries and generally of similar sizes and market capitalizations.

The list of companies against which we benchmarked the compensation of our executive officers in fiscal 2014 included the following:

 

    Genpact Limited;

 

    EXL Service Holdings Inc.;

 

    First Source Solutions Limited;

 

    Cap Gemini;

 

    iGate;

 

    Mphasis Limited;

 

    Syntel;

 

    Wipro Technologies (BPO);

 

    Steria; and

 

    Tech Mahindra.

Our Compensation Committee used the data derived by our external compensation consultant primarily to ensure that our executive compensation programs are competitive. A selected subset of companies from those listed above that were found most closely comparable as benchmark for a particular position were considered to arrive at the compensation benchmark review of individual executive officers. Where compensation information was not publicly disclosed for a specific management position for companies that provide business and technology services, our Compensation Committee reviewed data corresponding to the most comparable position and also considered the comparative experience of the relevant executive officers.

 

17


There is enough flexibility in the existing compensation programs to respond and adjust to the evolving business environment. Accordingly, an individual’s compensation elements could be changed by our Compensation Committee based on changes in job responsibilities of the executive. In addition to input from our external compensation consultant’s survey, our Compensation Committee also took into consideration our performance and industry indicators in deciding our compensation for fiscal 2014.

Based on the elements listed above and in line with our compensation philosophy, in fiscal 2014 our Compensation Committee adjusted our executive officers compensation as described in “—Executive Compensation for Fiscal 2014” below.

Executive Compensation for Fiscal 2014

Total Compensation of Executive Officers

The following table sets forth the total compensation paid or proposed to be paid to each of our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other named executive officers for services rendered in fiscal 2014 (excluding grants of RSUs which are described below). The individual compensation of Messrs. Keshav R. Murugesh, Deepak Sogani, Sanjay Puria, Ronald Gillette and Swaminathan Rajamani are disclosed in the statutory / annual accounts of our subsidiary, WNS Global Services Private Limited, filed with the Registrar of Companies in the state of India where its registered office is located. We are voluntarily disclosing the individual compensation of our other executive officers.

 

Name

   Base Salary(1)      Benefits      Bonus      Total  

Keshav R. Murugesh

   $ 514,557       $ 51,430       $ 977,269       $ 1,543,256   

Sanjay Puria (2)

   $ 93,903       $ 5,174       $ 95,132       $ 194,208   

Deepak Sogani (3)

   $ 86,616       $ 4,839       $      $ 91,455   

Ronald Gillette (4) (6)

   $ 147,357       $ 9,373       $ 152,804       $ 309,535   

Swaminathan Rajamani

   $ 158,063       $ 8,728       $ 140,505       $ 307,296   

Johnson J. Selvadurai (5) (6)

   $ 238,452       $ 145,174       $ 166,605       $ 550,230   

Michael Garber (5) (6)

   $ 210,000       $ 28,967       $ 117,290       $ 356,257   

Total

   $ 1,448,948       $ 253,684       $ 1,649,605       $ 3,352,237   

Notes:

 

(1) Base salary does not include amount contributed towards provident fund which is set out in the table under “—Other Benefits and Perquisites”.
(2) Appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer in place of Mr. Deepak Sogani effective August 28, 2013. Amount paid during his tenure as Group Chief Financial Officer from August 28, 2013.

 

18


(3) Ceased to be Group Chief Financial Officer of our company effective August 27, 2013.
(4) Appointed as Chief Operating Officer of our company effective November 18, 2013.
(5) Ceased to be an executive officer of our company effective December 31, 2013. Amount paid during his tenure as executive officer in fiscal 2014.
(6) Mr. Gillette reports to our Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Keshav Murugesh, and has direct responsibility for sales, operations and capability creation. Following his appointment, changes were made to the roles and responsibilities of Messrs. Selvadurai and Garber with effect from January 1, 2014, as a result of which our company has determined that Mr. Gillette has become an executive officer and Messrs. Selvadurai and Garber have ceased to be executive officers of our company with effect from that date.

Base Salary or Fixed Compensation

In reviewing base salaries for executive officers, our Compensation Committee reviewed compensation programs for our executive officers against publicly available compensation data compiled by our external compensation consultant and considered local market conditions, market data, the executive officer’s experience and responsibilities, the perceived risk of having to replace the named executive officer and the fact that the executive officers for fiscal 2014 had satisfactorily performed against their prior year’s individual performance objectives.

Our Compensation Committee has made the following changes to the base salary from the prior year’s level :

 

    Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh’s base salary (including employer contribution towards Provident Fund (Retirement Benefit) was revised to $606,018 from $547,907 in fiscal 2014. The salary revision was effective February 19, 2014.

 

    Mr. Sanjay Puria’s base salary (including employer contribution towards Provident Fund (Retirement Benefit)) was $166,000 on an annualized basis effective upon his appointment as Group Chief Financial Officer on August 28, 2013.

 

    Mr. Swaminathan Rajamani, as Chief People Officer, had his base salary (including employer contribution towards Provident Fund (Retirement Benefit)) revised to $166,000 from $149,400 in fiscal 2014. The salary revision was effective April 1, 2013.

Mr. Ronald Gillette joined us as Chief Operating Officer in November 2013 in United States at a base salary of $400,000 on an annualized basis. In January 2014 he relocated to India with a base salary of $418,400 on an annualized basis.

Cash Bonus or Variable Incentive

Our Compensation Committee believes that the executive officers must work as a team and focus primarily on company goals rather than solely on individual goals. Our Compensation Committee believes that enhancing the long term value of our company requires increased revenue (both from existing and new clients), improved contribution and increased ANI. Finally our Compensation Committee believes it must also reward and encourage individual performance and therefore assigned certain weightages of the variable incentive to company and individual objectives, including achievement of targets for our revenue less repair payments, ANI, operating margin /profit before tax, new client revenue and certain individual goals for various executive officers. Such bonuses are typically paid in April and/or May each year and the aggregate amount of all cash bonuses to be paid for fiscal 2014 do not exceed the aggregate cash bonus pool approved by our Compensation Committee for the fiscal year. Our executive officers’ variable incentive packages for fiscal 2014 are as described below:

 

19


Our Compensation Committee set Mr. Murugesh’s target variable incentive, or cash bonus, for 2014 at $554,479 for 100% achievement of objectives. Our Compensation Committee assigned as Mr. Murugesh’s performance objectives the achievement of targets for our revenue less repair payments and ANI, and individual performance objectives. Mr. Murugesh earned 176.3% of his variable incentive amount on an overall basis.

Our Compensation Committee set Mr. Puria’s target variable incentive for 2014 at $49,127 (prorated for the period under discussion) for 100% achievement of objectives. Our Compensation Committee assigned as Mr. Puria’s performance objectives the achievement of targets for our revenue less repair payments and ANI, and individual performance objectives. Based on actual performance against these various objectives, Mr. Puria earned 184.6% of his variable incentive amount on an overall basis.

Our Compensation Committee set Mr. Gillette’s target variable incentive for 2014 at $152,804 (prorated for the period under discussion) for 100% achievement of objectives. Our Compensation Committee assigned as Mr. Gillette’s performance objectives the achievement of targets for revenue less repair payments, ANI and operating margins for our various vertical business units, and individual performance objectives. Based on actual performance against these various objectives, Mr. Gillette earned 93.7% of his variable incentive amount on an overall basis, however, Mr. Gillette is entitled to 100% of his variable incentive amount for fiscal 2014 as part of his employment contract.

Our Compensation Committee set Mr. Swaminathan’s target variable incentive for 2014 at $83,000 for 100% achievement of objectives. Our Compensation Committee assigned as Mr. Swaminathan’s performance objectives the achievement of targets for our revenue less repair payments and ANI, and individual performance objectives. Based on actual performance against these various objectives, Mr. Swaminathan earned 169.3% of his variable incentive amount on an overall basis.

Equity Incentive Grants of RSUs

During fiscal 2014, we continued the equity incentive scheme which has a vesting schedule linked to continued employment with our company through vesting date and achievement of financial performance targets.

Consistent with our philosophy on equity grants to our executive officers, we awarded the following number of RSUs to our executive officers:

 

Name

   Date of Grant      Total RSUs
Granted for
Fiscal 2014
     Grant Date
Fair Value
($) (1)
     Expiration
Date
 

Keshav R. Murugesh

     16-Apr-13         299,719       $ 13.80         15-Apr-23   

Sanjay Puria (2)

     16-Apr-13         18,000       $ 13.80         15-Apr-23   
     28-Aug-13         18,000       $ 20.02         27-Aug-23   

Deepak Sogani (3)

     16-Apr-13         51,000       $ 13.80         15-Apr-23   

Ronald Gillette (4) (5)

     18-Nov-13         60,000       $ 20.47         17-Nov-23   

Swaminathan Rajamani

     16-Apr-13         24,000       $ 13.80         15-Apr-23   

Johnson J. Selvadurai (5) (6)

     16-Apr-13         18,000       $ 13.80         15-Apr-23   

Michael Garber (5) (6)

     16-Apr-13              $ 13.80         15-Apr-23   

 

20


Notes:

 

(1) The amounts shown under this column reflect the dollar amount of the grant date fair value of equity-based RSUs granted during the year. The fair value of RSUs is generally the market price of our shares on the date of grant.
(2) Appointed as Chief Financial Officer from August 28, 2013.
(3) Ceased to be Group Chief Financial Officer effective August 27, 2013.
(4) Appointed as Chief Operating Officer effective November 18, 2013.
(5) Ceased to be an executive officer effective December 31, 2013.
(6) Mr. Gillette reports to our Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Keshav Murugesh, and has direct responsibility for sales, operations and capability creation. Following his appointment, changes were made to the roles and responsibilities of Messrs. Selvadurai and Garber with effect from January 1, 2014, as a result of which our company has determined that Mr. Gillette has become an executive officer and Messrs. Selvadurai and Garber have ceased to be executive officers of our company with effect from that date.

Other Benefits and Perquisites

The retirement plans, health and welfare benefits provided to executive officers are the same plans and benefits available to all other employees of our company.

All directors and officers, including executive officers, are covered by the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy maintained by our company.

Additional perquisites provided to executive officers in fiscal 2014 are summarized below:

 

Name

   Provident
Fund /
401K /

Pension
     Insurance
Benefits
     Social
Security
     Medicare      National
Insurance
     Club
Membership
     Total  

Keshav R. Murugesh

   $ 39,922       $ 1,621       $      $      $      $ 9,887       $ 51,430   

Sanjay Puria (1)

   $ 4,735       $ 439       $      $      $      $      $ 5,174   

Deepak Sogani (2)

   $ 4,367       $ 472       $      $      $      $      $ 4,839   

Ronald Gillette (3)

   $ 5,021       $ 478       $ 3,140       $ 734       $      $      $ 9,373   

Swaminathan Rajamani

   $ 7,970       $ 759       $      $      $      $      $ 8,728   

Johnson J. Selvadurai (4)

   $ 35,829       $ 4,835       $      $      $ 104,510       $      $ 145,174   

Michael Garber (4)

   $ 10,200       $ 11,918       $ 2,772       $ 4,077       $      $      $ 28,967   

Total

   $ 108,043       $ 20,521       $ 5,912       $ 4,811       $ 104,510       $ 9,887       $ 253,685   

Notes:

 

(1) Appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer in place of Mr. Deepak Sogani with effect from August 28, 2013. Amount paid during his tenure as our Group Chief Financial Officer from August 28, 2013.

 

21


(2) Ceased to be Group Chief Financial Officer effective August 27, 2013.
(3) Mr. Gillette reports to our Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Keshav Murugesh, and has direct responsibility for sales, operations and capability creation. Following his appointment, changes were made to the roles and responsibilities of Messrs. Selvadurai and Garber with effect from January 1, 2014, as a result of which our company has determined that Mr. Gillette has become an executive officer and Messrs. Selvadurai and Garber have ceased to be executive officers of our company with effect from that date.
(4) Ceased to be an executive officer effective December 31, 2013. Amount paid during their tenure as executive officer in fiscal 2014 (from April 1, 2014 to December 31, 2013).

Non-executive Director Compensation for Fiscal 2014

Total Compensation of Non-executive Directors

The following table sets forth the compensation paid or proposed to be paid to our non-executive directors for services rendered in fiscal 2014 (excluding grants of RSUs which are described below):

 

Name

   Retainer
Fees
     Sitting
Fees
     Non-executive
Chairman
     Non-
executive

Vice
Chairman
     Total  

Eric B. Herr (1)

   $ 63,000       $ 4,000       $ 90,000       $      $ 157,000   

Adrian T. Dillon (2)

   $ 63,000       $ 4,000       $ 30,000       $ 56,250       $ 153,250   

Jeremy Young

   $ 63,000       $ 4,000       $      $      $ 67,000   

Richard O. Bernays(3)

   $ 47,250       $ 2,000       $      $      $ 49,250   

Anthony A. Greener

   $ 63,000       $ 4,000       $      $      $ 67,000   

Albert Aboody

   $ 78,000       $ 4,000       $      $      $ 82,000   

Renu S. Karnad

   $ 63,000       $ 4,000       $      $      $ 67,000   

Gareth Williams (4)

   $ 15,750       $ 1,000       $      $      $ 16,750   

Michael Menezes (4)

   $ 15,750       $ 1,000       $      $      $ 16,750   

Total

   $ 471,750       $ 28,000       $ 120,000       $ 56,250       $ 676,000   

Notes:

 

(1) Mr. Eric B. Herr retired as a director of our company with effect from April 30, 2014.
(2) Mr. Adrian T. Dillon was appointed as Chairman of our Board of Directors in place of Mr. Eric B. Herr upon his resignation as Chairman with effect from January 2014.
(3) With effect from December 31, 2013, Richard O. Bernays resigned as a director of our company.
(4) Messrs. Gareth Williams and Michael Menezes were each appointed as a director of our company with effect from January 2014.

 

22


Equity Incentive Grants of RSUs to Non-executive Directors

The following table sets forth information concerning RSUs awarded to our non-executive directors in fiscal 2014. No options were granted in fiscal 2014.

 

Name

   Date of Grant      Total RSUs
Granted for
Fiscal 2014
     Grant Date
Fair Value
($) (1)
     Expiration
Date
 

Eric B. Herr(2)

     16-Jul-13         10,517       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   

Adrian T. Dillon(3)

     16-Jul-13         7,931       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   
     20-Jan-14        506       $ 22.25         19-Jan-24   

Jeremy Young

     10-May-13         8,240       $ 15.29         9-May-23   
     16-Jul-13        3,621       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   

Richard O. Bernays(4)

     16-Jul-13         3,621       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   

Anthony A. Greener

     16-Jul-13         3,621       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   

Albert Aboody

     16-Jul-13         4,483       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   

Renu S. Karnad

     16-Jul-13         3,621       $ 17.40         15-Jul-23   

Gareth Williams(5)

     20-Jan-14         5,663       $ 22.25         19-Jan-24   

Michael Menezes(5)

     20-Jan-14         5,663       $ 22.25         19-Jan-24   

 

Notes:

 

(1) The amounts shown under this column reflect the dollar amount of the aggregate grant date fair value of equity-based RSUs granted during the year. The fair value of RSUs is generally the market price of our shares on the date of grant.
(2) Mr. Eric B. Herr retired as a director of our company with effect from April 30, 2014.
(3) Mr. Adrian T. Dillon was appointed as a Chairman of our Board of Directors in place of Mr. Eric B. Herr upon his resignation as Chairman with effect from January 2014.
(4) With effect from December 31, 2013, Mr. Richard O. Bernays resigned as a director of our company.
(5) Messrs. Gareth Williams and Michael Menezes were each appointed as a director of our company with effect from January 2014.

Future grants of awards will continue to be determined by our Board of Directors or our Compensation Committee under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan.

Employment Agreement of our Executive Director

We entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh in February 2010, which was amended with effect from February 19, 2013, to serve as our Group Chief Executive Officer for a five-year term, which will renew automatically for three additional successive terms of three years each, unless either we or Mr. Murugesh elects not to renew the term. Our employment agreement with Mr. Murugesh was further amended effective February 19, 2014 to revise Mr. Murugesh’s compensation (including share grants).

 

23


Under the terms of the amended agreement, Mr. Murugesh is entitled to receive compensation, health and other benefits and perquisites commensurate with his position. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Murugesh will be eligible to receive annually such number of RSUs to be computed based on our average share price (taking the daily US dollar closing price) during March of the fiscal year preceding the date of such determination and the value of such grant shall not be less than eight times the sum of his annual base salary. Mr. Murugesh is entitled to receive additional performance-based grants for meeting additional performance-based criteria, the value of such grant being up to 20% of six times the sum of his annual base salary. Any grants of RSUs to Mr. Murugesh will be made pursuant to and in accordance with our Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan.

If Mr. Murugesh’s employment is terminated by us without cause or by Mr. Murugesh for good reason (each as defined in the amended agreement) or is terminated for any reason other than those specified in the amended agreement (including without limitation, expiration of his employment period or we elect not to extend his employment), he would be entitled to all accrued and unpaid salary, accrued and unused vacation and any unreimbursed expenses. Mr. Murugesh would also be entitled to vested benefits and other amounts due to him under our employee benefit plans. Further, where Mr. Murugesh’s employment is terminated for any reason other than those specified in the amended agreement (including without limitation, expiration of his employment period or we elect not to extend his employment), he will also be entitled to his base salary for a period of 12 months from the effective date of termination and his target bonus for the year in which the termination occurs, both of which will be paid immediately, and all of the share options and RSUs granted to him will vest and the share options and RSUs would become exercisable on a fully accelerated basis.

Further, where Mr. Murugesh’s employment is terminated for reasons of death, disability or retirement as specified in the amended agreement, he would be entitled to all accrued and unpaid salary and bonus, accrued and unused vacation, any unreimbursed expenses and vested benefits and other amounts due to him under our employee benefit plans, and all of the share options and RSUs granted to him will vest and the share options and RSUs would become exercisable on a fully accelerated basis.

In addition to the above, if Mr. Murugesh’s employment is terminated by us without cause or by Mr. Murugesh for good reason, and Mr. Murugesh executes and delivers a non-revocable general release of claims in favor of our company, subject to his continued compliance with certain non-competition and confidentiality obligations, Mr. Murugesh would be entitled to receive the following severance payments and benefits from us:

 

1. His base salary for a period of 12 months from the effective date of termination, which will be paid immediately;

 

2. His target bonus for the year in which the termination occurs, which will be paid immediately; and

 

3. Automatic accelerated vesting of RSUs or share options granted him that would have vested with him through the next two vesting dates of each grant from the effective date of termination. Full accelerated vesting will occur in case of termination of employment for good reason.

If we experience a change in control (as defined in our Third Restated and Amended Incentive Award Plan) while Mr. Murugesh is employed under the employment agreement, all of the share options and RSUs granted to Mr. Murugesh under the employment agreement will vest and the share options and RSUs would become exercisable on a fully accelerated basis.

 

24


Employee Benefit Plans

2002 Stock Incentive Plan

We adopted the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan on July 3, 2002 to help attract and retain the best available personnel to serve us and our subsidiaries as officers, directors and employees. We terminated the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan upon our adoption of our 2006 Incentive Award Plan effective upon the pricing of our initial public offering as described below. Upon termination of the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, the shares that would otherwise have been available for the grant under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan were effectively rolled over into the 2006 Incentive Award Plan which was amended and restated in 2009 and any awards outstanding remain in full force and effect in accordance with the terms of the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

Administration. The 2002 Stock Incentive Plan is administered by our Board of Directors, which may delegate its authority to a committee (in either case, the “Administrator”). The Administrator has complete authority, subject to the terms of the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan and applicable law, to make all determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

Eligibility. Under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, the Administrator was authorized to grant share options to our officers, directors and employees, and those of our subsidiaries, subject to the terms and conditions of the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan.

Share Options. Share options vest and become exercisable as determined by the Administrator and set forth in individual share option agreements, but may not, in any event, be exercised later than ten years after their grant dates. In addition, share options may be exercised prior to vesting in some cases. Upon exercise, an option holder must tender the full exercise price of the share option in cash, check or other form acceptable to the Administrator, at which time the share options are generally subject to applicable income, employment and other withholding taxes. Share options may, in the sole discretion of the Administrator as set forth in applicable award agreements, continue to be exercisable for a period following an option holder’s termination of service. Shares issued in respect of exercised share options may be subject to additional transfer restrictions. Any grants of share options under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan to US participants were in the form of non-qualified share options. Option holders, other than option holders who are employees of our subsidiaries in India, are entitled to exercise their share options for shares or ADSs in our company.

Corporate Transactions. If we engage in a merger or similar corporate transaction, except as may otherwise be provided in an individual award agreement, outstanding share options will be terminated unless they are assumed by a successor corporation. In addition, the Administrator has broad discretion to adjust the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan and any share options thereunder to account for any changes in our capitalization.

Amendment. Our Board of Directors may amend or suspend the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan at any time, provided that any such amendment or suspension must not impact any holder of outstanding share options without such holder’s consent.

Transferability of Share Options. Each share option may be exercised during the option holder’s lifetime only by the option holder. No share option may be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of by an option holder other than by express permission of the Administrator (only in the case of employees of non-Indian subsidiaries), by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

 

25


Number of Shares Authorized; Outstanding Options. As of the date of termination of the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan on July 25, 2006, the day immediately preceding the date of pricing of our initial public offering, an aggregate of 6,082,042 of our ordinary shares had been authorized for grant under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, of which options to purchase 2,116,266 ordinary shares were issued and exercised and options to purchase 3,875,655 ordinary shares were issued and outstanding. Of the options to purchase 3,875,655 ordinary shares, options to purchase 3,497,047 ordinary shares have been exercised and options to purchase 27,336 ordinary shares remain outstanding as at June 30, 2014. Options granted under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan that are forfeited, lapsed or canceled, settled in cash, that expire or are repurchased by us at the original purchase price would have been available for grant under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan and would be effectively rolled over into our 2006 Incentive Award Plan which was amended and restated in 2009.

Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan

We adopted our 2006 Incentive Award Plan on June 1, 2006. The purpose of the 2006 Incentive Award Plan is to promote the success and enhance the value of our company by linking the personal interests of the directors, employees and consultants of our company and our subsidiaries to those of our shareholders and by providing these individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance. The 2006 Incentive Award Plan is further intended to provide us with the ability to motivate, attract and retain the services of these individuals.

On February 13, 2009, we adopted the Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan. The Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan reflects, among other changes to our 2006 Incentive Award Plan, an increase in the number of ordinary shares and ADSs available for grant under the plan from 3.0 million to 4.0 million shares/ADSs, subject to specified adjustments under the plan. On September 13, 2011, we adopted the Second Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan that reflects an increase in the number of ordinary shares and ADSs available for granted under the plan to 6.2 million shares/ADSs, subject to specified adjustments under the plan. On September 25, 2013, we adopted the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan that reflects an increase in the number of ordinary shares and ADSs available for granted under the plan to 8.6 million shares/ADSs, subject to specified adjustments under the plan.

Shares Available for Awards. Subject to certain adjustments set forth in the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan, the maximum number of shares that may be issued or awarded under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan is equal to the sum of (x) 8,600,000 shares, (y) any shares that remain available for issuance under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, and (z) any shares subject to awards under the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan which terminate, expire or lapse for any reason or are settled in cash on or after the effective date of our 2006 Incentive Award Plan. The maximum number of shares which may be subject to awards granted to any one participant during any calendar year is 500,000 shares and the maximum amount that may be paid to a participant in cash during any calendar year with respect to cash-based awards is US$10,000,000. To the extent that an award terminates or is settled in cash, any shares subject to the award will again be available for the grant. Any shares tendered or withheld to satisfy the grant or exercise price or tax withholding obligation with respect to any award will not be available for subsequent grant. Except as described below with respect to independent directors, no determination has been made as to the types or amounts of awards that will be granted to specific individuals pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan.

 

26


Administration. The Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan is administered by our Board of Directors, which may delegate its authority to a committee. We anticipate that our Compensation Committee will administer the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan, except that our Board of Directors will administer the plan with respect to awards granted to our independent directors. The plan administrator will determine eligibility, the types and sizes of awards, the price and timing of awards and the acceleration or waiver of any vesting restriction, provided that the plan administrator will not have the authority to accelerate vesting or waive the forfeiture of any performance-based awards.

Eligibility. Our employees, consultants and directors and those of our subsidiaries are eligible to be granted awards, except that only employees of our company and our qualifying corporate subsidiaries are eligible to be granted options that are intended to qualify as “incentive share options” under Section 422 of the Code.

Awards

Options: The plan administrator may grant options on shares. The per share option exercise price of all options granted pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant. No incentive share option may be granted to a grantee who owns more than 10% of our outstanding shares unless the exercise price is at least 110% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of the shares subject to an incentive share option become exercisable for the first time by any option holder during any calendar year exceeds US$100,000, such excess will be treated as a non-qualified option. The plan administrator will determine the methods of payment of the exercise price of an option, which may include cash, shares or other property acceptable to the plan administrator (and may involve a cashless exercise of the option). The plan administrator shall designate in the award agreement evidencing each share option grant whether such share option shall be exercisable for shares or ADSs. The award agreement may, in the sole discretion of the plan administrator, permit the option holder to elect, at the time of exercise, whether to receive shares or ADSs in respect of the exercised share option or a portion thereof. The term of options granted under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. However, the term of an incentive share option granted to a person who owns more than 10% of our outstanding shares on the date of grant may not exceed five years. Under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan, the number of awards to be granted to our independent directors will be determined by our Board of Directors or our Compensation Committee.

Restricted Shares. The plan administrator may grant shares subject to various restrictions, including restrictions on transferability, limitations on the right to vote and/or limitations on the right to receive dividends.

Share Appreciation Rights. The plan administrator may grant share appreciation rights representing the right to receive payment of an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of a share on the date of exercise over the fair market value of a share on the date of grant. The term of share appreciation rights granted may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. The plan administrator may elect to pay share appreciation rights in cash, in shares or in a combination of cash and shares.

Performance Shares and Performance Shares Units. The plan administrator may grant awards of performance shares denominated in a number of shares and/or awards of performance share units denominated in unit equivalents of shares and/or units of value, including dollar value of shares. These awards may be linked to performance criteria measured over performance periods as determined by the plan administrator.

 

27


Share Payments. The plan administrator may grant share payments, including payments in the form of shares or options or other rights to purchase shares. Share payments may be based upon specific performance criteria determined by the plan administrator on the date such share payments are made or on any date thereafter.

Deferred Shares. The plan administrator may grant awards of deferred shares linked to performance criteria determined by the plan administrator. Shares underlying deferred share awards will not be issued until the deferred share awards have vested, pursuant to a vesting schedule or upon the satisfaction of any vesting conditions or performance criteria set by the plan administrator. Recipients of deferred share awards generally will have no rights as shareholders with respect to such deferred shares until the shares underlying the deferred share awards have been issued.

Restricted Share Units. The plan administrator may grant RSUs, subject to various vesting conditions. On the maturity date, we will transfer to the participant one unrestricted, fully transferable share for each vested RSU scheduled to be paid out on such date. The plan administrator will specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the participant for such shares. Generally, a participant will have to be employed by us on the date of payment of vested RSUs to be eligible to receive the payment of shares issuable upon vesting of the RSUs.

Performance Bonus Awards. The plan administrator may grant a cash bonus payable upon the attainment of performance goals based on performance criteria and measured over a performance period determined appropriate by the plan administrator. Any such cash bonus paid to a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code may be a performance-based award as described below.

Performance-Based Awards. The plan administrator may grant awards other than options and share appreciation rights to employees who are or may be “covered employees,” as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code, that are intended to be performance-based awards within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code in order to preserve the deductibility of these awards for federal income tax purposes. Participants are only entitled to receive payment for performance-based awards for any given performance period to the extent that pre-established performance goals set by the plan administrator for the period are satisfied. The plan administrator will determine the type of performance-based awards to be granted, the performance period and the performance goals. Generally, a participant will have to be employed by us on the date the performance-based award is paid to be eligible for a performance-based award for any period.

Adjustments. In the event of certain changes in our capitalization, the plan administrator has broad discretion to adjust awards, including without limitation, (i) the aggregate number and type of shares that may be issued under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan, (ii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding awards, and (iii) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding awards under such plan to account for such changes. The plan administrator also has the authority to cash out, terminate or provide for the assumption or substitution of outstanding awards in the event of a corporate transaction.

Change in Control. In the event of a change in control of our company in which outstanding awards are not assumed by the successor, such awards will generally become fully exercisable and all forfeiture restrictions on such awards will lapse. Upon, or in anticipation of, a change in control, the plan administrator may cause any awards outstanding to terminate at a specific time in the future and give each participant the right to exercise such awards during such period of time as the plan administrator, in its sole discretion, determines.

 

28


Vesting of Full Value Awards. Full value awards (generally, any award other than an option or share appreciation right) will vest over a period of at least three years (or, in the case of vesting based upon attainment of certain performance goals, over a period of at least one year). However, full value awards that result in the issuance of an aggregate of up to 5% to the total issuable shares under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan may be granted without any minimum vesting periods. In addition, full value awards may vest on an accelerated basis in the event of a participant’s death, disability, or retirement, or in the event of our change in control or other special circumstances.

Non-transferability. Awards granted under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan are generally not transferable.

Withholding. We have the right to withhold, deduct or require a participant to remit to us an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local or foreign taxes (including the participant’s employment tax obligations) required by law to be withheld with respect to any tax concerning the participant as a result of the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan.

Termination or Amendment. Unless terminated earlier, the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan will remain in effect for a period of ten years from the effective date of the 2006 Incentive Award Plan, after which no award may be granted under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan. With the approval of our Board of Directors, the plan administrator may terminate or amend the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan at any time. However, shareholder approval will be required for any amendment (i) to the extent required by applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule, (ii) to increase the number of shares available under the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan, (iii) to permit the grant of options or share appreciation rights with an exercise price below fair market value on the date of grant, (iv) to extend the exercise period for an option or share appreciation right beyond ten years from the date of grant, or (v) that results in a material increase in benefits or a change in eligibility requirements. Any amendment or termination must not materially adversely affect any participant without such participant’s consent.

Outstanding Awards. As at June 30, 2014, options or RSUs to purchase an aggregate of 3,670,769 ordinary shares were outstanding, out of which options or RSUs to purchase 1,279,707 ordinary shares were held by all our directors and executive officers as a group. The exercise prices of these options range from $15.32 to $35.30 and the expiration dates of these options range from July 24, 2016 to June 18, 2024. The weighted average grant date fair value of RSUs granted during fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $14.87, $10.93 and $10.80 per ADS, respectively. There is no purchase price for the RSUs.

Other Employee Benefits

We also maintain other employee benefit plans in the form of certain statutory and incentive plans covering substantially all of our employees. For fiscal 2014, the total amount accrued by us to provide for pension, retirement or similar benefits was $8.7 million.

Provident Fund

In accordance with Indian, the Philippines and Sri Lankan laws, all of our employees in these countries are entitled to receive benefits under the respective government provident fund, a defined contribution plan to which both we and the employee contribute monthly at a pre-determined rate (for India and Sri Lanka, currently 12% of the employee’s base salary and for the Philippines peso 100/-per month for every employee). These contributions are made to the respective government provident fund and we have no further obligation under this fund apart from our monthly contributions. We contributed an aggregate of $5.1 million, $5.1 million and $5.5 million in each of fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, to the government provident fund.

 

29


US Savings Plan

Eligible employees in the US participate in a savings plan, or the US Savings Plan, pursuant to Section 401(k) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. The US Savings Plan allows our employees to defer a portion of their annual earnings on a pre-tax basis through voluntary contributions there under. The US Savings Plan provides that we can make optional contributions up to the maximum allowable limit under the Code.

UK Pension Scheme

Eligible employees in the UK contribute to a defined contribution pension scheme operated in the UK. The assets of the scheme are held separately from ours in an independently administered fund. The pension expense represents contributions payable to the fund by us.

Gratuity

In accordance with Indian, the Philippines and Sri Lankan laws, we provide for gratuity liability pursuant to a defined benefit retirement plan covering all our employees in India, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Our gratuity plan provides for a lump sum payment to eligible employees on retirement, death, incapacitation or on termination of employment (provided such employee has worked for at least five years with our company) which is computed on the basis of employee’s salary and length of service with us (subject to a maximum of approximately $16,700 per employee in India). In India, we provide the gratuity benefit through determined contributions pursuant to a non-participating annuity contract administered and managed by the Life Insurance Corporation of India, or LIC, and Aviva Life Insurance Company Private Limited. Under this plan, the obligation to pay gratuity remains with us although LIC and Aviva Life Insurance Company Private Limited administer the plan. We contributed an aggregate of $1.2 million, $0.8 million and $1.2 million in fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, to LIC and Aviva Life Insurance Company Private Limited.

Compensated Absence

Our liability for compensated absences is determined on an accrual basis for the entire unused vacation balance standing to the credit of each employee as at year-end and were charged to income in the year in which they accrue.

C. Board Practices

Composition of the Board of Directors

Our Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that our Board of Directors consists of not less than three directors and such maximum number as our directors may determine from time to time. Our Board of Directors currently consists of eight directors. Each of Messrs. Dillon, Aboody, Williams, Young, and Menezes, Mrs. Karnad and Sir Greener satisfies the “independence” requirements of the NYSE rules.

 

30


All directors hold office until the expiry of their term of office, their resignation or removal from office for gross negligence or criminal conduct by a resolution of our shareholders or until they cease to be directors by virtue of any provision of law or they are disqualified by law from being directors or they become bankrupt or make any arrangement or composition with their creditors generally or they become of unsound mind. The term of office of the directors is divided into three classes:

 

    Class I, whose term will expire at the annual general meeting to be held in fiscal 2017;

 

    Class II, whose term will expire at the annual general meeting to be held in fiscal 2015; and

 

    Class III, whose term will expire at the annual general meeting to be held in fiscal 2016.

Our directors for fiscal 2014 are classified as follows:

 

    Class I: Mr. Adrian T. Dillon, Sir Anthony A. Greener and Mr. Gareth Williams;

 

    Class II: Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh, Mr. Albert Aboody and Mr. Michael Menezes; and

 

    Class III: Mr. Jeremy Young, Mr. Eric B. Herr* and Mrs. Renu S Karnad.

* Mr. Eric B. Herr retired from our Board with effect from April 30, 2014.

The appointments of Messrs. Murugesh, Aboody and Menezes will expire at the Annual General Meeting to be held on September 12, 2014. Messrs. Murugesh, Aboody and Menezes have expressed their willingness to be re-elected and, accordingly, we are seeking shareholders’ approval for their re-election at the Annual General Meeting.

At each annual general meeting after the initial classification or special meeting in lieu thereof, the successors to directors whose terms will then expire serve from the time of election until the third annual meeting following election or special meeting held in lieu thereof. Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. This classification of the Board of Directors may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in control of management of our company.

There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers. The employment agreement governing the services of one of our directors provide for benefits upon termination of employment as described above.

Our Board of Directors held nine meetings in fiscal 2014.

Board Leadership Structure and Board Oversight of Risk

Different individuals currently serve in the roles of Chairman of the Board and Group Chief Executive Officer of our company. Our Board believes that splitting the roles of Chairman of the Board and Group Chief Executive Officer is currently the most appropriate leadership structure for our company. This leadership structure will bring in greater efficiency as a result of vesting two important leadership roles in separate individuals and increased independence for the Board of Directors.

 

31


Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

Our Board of Directors is primarily responsible for overseeing our risk management processes. The Board of Directors receives and reviews periodic reports from the Head of Risk Management and Audit as considered appropriate regarding our company’s assessment of risks. The Board of Directors focuses on the most significant risks facing our company and our company’s general risk management strategy, and also ensures that risks undertaken by our company are consistent with the Board’s appetite for risk. While the Board oversees our company’s risk management, management is responsible for day-to-day risk management processes. We believe this division of responsibilities is the most effective approach for addressing the risks facing our company and that our Board leadership structure supports this approach.

The Audit Committee has special responsibilities with respect to financial risks, and regularly reports to the full Board of Directors on these issues. Among other responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviews our company’s policies with respect to contingent liabilities and risks that may be material to our company, our company’s policies and procedures designed to promote compliance with laws, regulations, and internal policies and procedures, and major legislative and regulatory developments which could materially impact our company.

The Compensation Committee also plays a role in risk oversight as it relates to our company’s compensation policies and practices. Among other responsibilities, the Compensation Committee designs and evaluates our company’s executive compensation policies and practices so that our company’s compensation programs promote accountability among employees and the interests of employees are properly aligned with the interests of our shareholders.

Committees of the Board

Our Board of Directors has three standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee comprises three directors: Messrs. Albert Aboody (Chairman), Michael Menezes and Jeremy Young. Each of Messrs. Aboody, Menezes and Young satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule 10A-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended, or the Exchange Act, and the NYSE listing standards. The principal duties and responsibilities of our Audit Committee are as follows:

 

    to serve as an independent and objective party to monitor our financial reporting process and internal control systems;

 

    to review and appraise the audit efforts of our independent accountants and exercise ultimate authority over the relationship between us and our independent accountants; and

 

    to provide an open avenue of communication among the independent accountants, financial and senior management and the Board of Directors.

The Audit Committee has the power to investigate any matter brought to its attention within the scope of its duties. It also has the authority to retain counsel and advisors to fulfill its responsibilities and duties. Messrs. Aboody and Menezes serve as our Audit Committee financial experts, within the requirements of the rules promulgated by the Commission relating to listed-company audit committees.

We have posted our Audit Committee charter on our website at www.wns.com.

 

32


Information contained in our website does not constitute a part of this annual report.

The Audit Committee held five meetings in fiscal 2014.

Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee comprises four directors: Messrs. Gareth Williams (Chairman) and Adrian T. Dillon, Mrs. Renu S. Karnad and Sir Anthony A. Greener. Mr. Adrian T. Dillon was appointed as a member of this committee in place of Mr. Eric B. Herr on April 30, 2014. Each of Messrs. Williams and Dillon, Mrs. Karnad and Sir Anthony satisfies the “independence” requirements of the NYSE listing standards. Mr. Herr satisfied the “independence” requirements of the NYSE listing standards when he served as a member of the Compensation Committee prior to his retirement from our Board with effect from April 30, 2014. The scope of this committee’s duties includes determining the compensation of our executive officers and other key management personnel. The Compensation Committee also administers the 2002 Stock Incentive Plan and the Third Amended and Restated 2006 Incentive Award Plan, reviews performance appraisal criteria and sets standards for and decides on all employee shares options allocations when delegated to do so by our Board of Directors.

We have posted our Compensation Committee charter on our website at www.wns.com. Information contained in our website does not constitute a part of this annual report.

The Compensation Committee held five meetings in fiscal 2014.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee comprises three directors: Sir Anthony A. Greener (Chairman), Mr. Adrian T. Dillon and Mrs. Renu S. Karnad. Mr. Adrian T. Dillon was appointed as a member of this committee in place of Mr. Eric B. Herr on April 30, 2014 upon Mr. Herr’s retirement as a director of our company. Each of Messrs. Dillon and Herr, Sir Greener and Mrs. Karnad satisfies the “independence” requirements of the NYSE listing standards. The principal duties and responsibilities of the nominating and governance committee are as follows:

 

    to assist the Board of Directors by identifying individuals qualified to become board members and members of board committees, to recommend to the Board of Directors nominees for the next annual meeting of shareholders, and to recommend to the Board of Directors nominees for each committee of the Board of Directors;

 

    to monitor our corporate governance structure; and

 

    to periodically review and recommend to the Board of Directors any proposed changes to the corporate governance guidelines applicable to us.

We have posted our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee charter on our website at www.wns.com. Information contained in our website does not constitute a part of this annual report.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee uses its judgment to identify well qualified individuals who are willing and able to serve on our Board of Directors. Pursuant to its charter, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may consider a variety of criteria in recommending candidates for election to our board, including an individual’s personal and professional integrity, ethics and values; experience in corporate management, such as serving as an officer or former officer of a publicly held company, and a general understanding of marketing, finance and other elements relevant to the success of a publicly-traded company in today’s business environment; experience in our company’s industry and with relevant social policy concerns; experience as a board member of another publicly held company; academic expertise in an area of our company’s operations; and practical and mature business judgment, including ability to make independent analytical inquiries.

 

33


While the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not have a formal policy with respect to the consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees, it nevertheless considers director nominees with a diverse range of backgrounds, skills, national origins, values, experiences, and occupations.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held four meetings in fiscal 2014.

Executive Sessions

Our non-executive directors meet regularly in executive session without executive directors or management present. The purpose of these executive sessions is to promote open and candid discussion among the non-executive directors. Our non-executive directors held three executive sessions in fiscal 2014.

Shareholders and other interested parties may communicate directly with the presiding director or with our non-executive directors as a group by writing to the following address: WNS (Holdings) Limited, Attention: Non-Executive Directors, Gate 4, Godrej & Boyce Complex, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli (W), Mumbai 400 079, India.

D. Employees

For a description of our employees, see “Part I — Item 4. Information on the Company — Business Overview — Human Capital.”

E. Share Ownership

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as at June 30, 2014 by each of our directors and all our directors and executive officers as a group as at that date. As used in this table, beneficial ownership means the sole or shared power to vote or direct the voting or to dispose of or direct the sale of any security. A person is deemed to be the beneficial owner of securities that can be acquired within 60 days upon the exercise of any option, warrant or right. Ordinary shares subject to options, warrants or rights that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days are deemed outstanding for computing the ownership percentage of the person holding the options, warrants or rights, but are not deemed outstanding for computing the ownership percentage of any other person. The amounts and percentages as at June 30, 2014 are based on an aggregate of 51,478,976 ordinary shares outstanding as at that date.

 

     Number of Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially Owned
 

Name

   Number      Percent  

Directors

     

Adrian T. Dillon(1)

     16,041         0.03 %

Albert Aboody

     15,681         0.03 %

Anthony A. Greener

     16,724         0.03 %

Gareth Williams

             

Jeremy Young(3)

     39,722         0.08 %

Keshav R. Murugesh

     244,517         0.47 %

Michael Menezes

             

Renu S. Karnad

     2,778         0.01 %

Executive Officers

     

Sanjay Puria

     17,723         0.03 %

Ronald Gillette

             

Swaminathan Rajamani

     28,104         0.05 %

All our directors and executive officers as a group (11 persons as of June 30, 2014)

     381,290         0.74 %

Notes:

 

(1) Of the 16,041 shares beneficially owned by Mr. Adrian T. Dillon, 11,065 shares are in the form of ADSs.
(2) Of the 39,722 shares beneficially owned by Mr. Jeremy Young, 37,350 shares are in the form of ADSs.

 

34


The following table sets forth information concerning options and RSUs held by our directors and executive officers as at June 30, 2014:

 

     Options Summary      RSU Summary  

Name

   Number of
shares
underlying
unexercised
but vested
options
    Exercise
price
     Number of
shares
underlying
unexercised
options
that will
vest  in
next 60
days from
June 30,
2014
     Number of
shares
underlying
options
that have
not vested
     Exercise
price
     Number of
shares
underlying
RSUs held
that have
vested  but
unexercised
     Number of
shares
underlying
RSUs
that will
vest in
next  60
days
from
June 30,
2014
     Vesting
Dates
     Number of
shares
underlying
RSUs held
that have
not vested
 

Directors

                   

Adrian T. Dillon

                                              1,586        16-Jul-14        20,411   

Albert Aboody

                                              897        16-Jul-14        12,250   

Anthony A. Greener

     14,000 (1)    $ 28.48                                     724        16-Jul-14        11,561   
     2,000 (2)    $ 22.98                                                    

Gareth Williams

                                                            5,663   

Jeremy Young

                                              724        16-Jul-14        9,489   

Keshav R. Murugesh

                                       244,517               629,556   

Michael Menezes

                                                            5,663   

Renu S. Karnad

                                              724        16-Jul-14        11,114   

Executive Officers

                               

Sanjay Puria

                                       14,723         3,000         28-Aug-14         71,834   
                                 

Ronald Gillette

                                                            86,400   

Swaminathan Rajamani

                                       28,104                       56,767   

Notes:

 

(1) The expiration date of these options is June 14, 2017.
(2) The expiration date of these options is August 7, 2017.

 

35


MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

A. Major Shareholders

The following table sets forth information regarding beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as at June 30, 2014 held by each person who is known to us to have a 5.0% or more beneficial share ownership based on an aggregate of 51,478,976 ordinary shares outstanding as of that date. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the Commission and includes shares over which the indicated beneficial owner exercises voting and/or investment power or receives the economic benefit of ownership of such securities. Ordinary shares subject to options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days are deemed outstanding for the purposes of computing the percentage ownership of the person holding the options but are not deemed outstanding for the purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person.

 

Name of Beneficial Owner

   Number of
Shares
Beneficially

Owned
     Percentage
Beneficially
Owned (1)
 

Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. (2)

     7,952,321         15.4 %

FMR LLC(3)

     7,615,579         14.8 %

Nalanda India Fund Limited(4)

     5,211,410         10.1 %

Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC (5)

     4,881,000         9.5 %

William Blair & Company, LLC(6)

     4,165,461         8.1 %

TimesSquare Capital Management, LLC(7)

     4,155,620         8.1 %

 

36


Notes:

 

(1) Based on an aggregate of 51,478,976 ordinary shares outstanding as at June 30, 2014.
(2) Information is based on Amendment No. 2 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on February 7, 2014 jointly by (i) Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., or WRF; (ii) Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc., or WRFS, a subsidiary of WRF; (iii) Waddell & Reed Inc., or WRI, a subsidiary of WRFS; (iv) Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company, or WRIMCO, a subsidiary of WRI; and (v) Ivy Investment Management Company, or IICO, a subsidiary of WRF. IICO and WRIMCO are investment advisors or sub-advisors to one or more open-end investment companies or other managed accounts which are beneficial owners of shares of WNS. According to this Amendment No. 2 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on February 7, 2014, the investment advisory contracts grant IICO and WRIMCO investment power over securities owned by their advisory clients and the investment sub-advisory contracts grant IICO and WRIMCO investment power over securities owned by their sub-advisory clients and, in most cases, voting power. Any investment restriction of a sub-advisory contract does not restrict investment discretion or power in a material manner.
(3) Information is based on Amendment No. 9 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on February 14, 2014 by FMR LLC, Edward C. Johnson 3d, Fidelity Management & Research Company and Fidelity Select Software and Computer Services. Edward C. Johnson 3d is the Chairman of FMR LLC. Fidelity Management & Research Company and Fidelity Select Software and Computer Services are wholly owned subsidiaries of FMR LLC.
(4) Information is based on a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 2, 2011 by Nalanda India Fund Limited.
(5) Information is based on Amendment No. 6 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 6, 2014 by Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC.
(6) Information is based on a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 6, 2014 by William Blair & Company, LLC.
(7) Information is based on Amendment No. 1 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 10, 2014 by TimesSquare Capital Management, LLC.

The following summarizes the significant changes in the percentage ownership held by our major shareholders during the past three years:

 

    In February 2012, Warburg Pincus sold 6,847,500 of its ADSs (representing 6,847,500 ordinary shares) in our company, reducing its overall ownership from approximately 47.8% to approximately 29.0%, as described in Amendment No. 1 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on March 30, 2012. In February 2013, Warburg Pincus sold its remaining 14,519,144 ADSs (representing 14,519,144 ordinary shares) in our company, after which it ceased to be a shareholder of our company, as described in Amendment No. 2 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on March 1, 2013.

 

37


    WRF, WRFS, WRI, WRIMCO and IICO jointly reported their percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 8.1% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 7, 2013, 11.2% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 1 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on March 8, 2013 and 15.5% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 2 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 7, 2014.

 

    FMR LLC reported its percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 6.5% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 6 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on October 10, 2012, 7.5% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 7 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on February 14, 2013, 13.6% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 8 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on March 11, 2013 and 14.8% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 9 to a report on Schedule 13G jointly filed with the Commission on February 14, 2014.

 

    Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC reported its percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 13.7% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 4 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 10, 2012. Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC and Columbia Acorn Select jointly reported their percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 12.5% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 5 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 14, 2013. Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC reported its percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 9.5% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 6 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 6, 2014.

 

    William Blair & Company, LLC reported its percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 8.2% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 6, 2014.

 

    TimesSquare Capital Management, LLC reported its percentage ownership of our ordinary shares to be 6.2% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 11, 2013 and 8.1% (based on the then number of our ordinary shares reported as outstanding at that time) in Amendment No. 1 to a report on Schedule 13G filed with the Commission on February 10, 2014.

None of our major shareholders have different voting rights from our other shareholders.

As at June 30, 2014, 28,806,312 of our ordinary shares, representing 56% of our outstanding ordinary shares, were held by a total of 15 holders of record with addresses in the US. As at the same date, 51,059,387 of our ADSs (representing 51,059,387 ordinary shares), representing 99.2% of our outstanding ordinary shares, were held by one registered holder of record with addresses in and outside of the US. Since certain of these ordinary shares and ADSs were held by brokers or other nominees, the number of record holders in the US may not be representative of the number of beneficial holders or where the beneficial holders are resident. All holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to the same voting rights.

 

38


B. Related Party Transactions

(Amounts in thousands)

Since fiscal 2003, we have entered into agreements with certain investee companies of Warburg Pincus, which was prior to February 2013, a principal shareholder, to provide business process outsourcing services. These investee companies are companies in which Warburg Pincus has 10% or more beneficial share ownership. In fiscal 2013 and 2012, revenue from these investee companies in the aggregate accounted for $3,753 and $3,954 respectively. We have also entered into agreements with certain other investee companies of Warburg Pincus under which we receive certain enterprise resource planning services from them. In fiscal 2013 and 2012, these investee companies in the aggregate accounted for nil of our expenses in both these years.

We entered into an agreement with Datacap Software Private Limited, or Datacap, pursuant to which Datacap granted us the license to use its proprietary IT-enabled services software program. Mr. Johnson J. Selvadurai, our Managing Director — Europe, is a principal shareholder of Datacap. Mr. Selvadurai ceased to be an executive officer on December 31, 2013. See note eleven to the table in “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees — A. Directors and Executive Officers”. In fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012, we paid $21 (till December 31, 2013), $27 and nil respectively, for the license under the agreement. In fiscal 2014 (till December 31, 2013), 2013 and 2012, we paid Datacap nil, nil and $29, respectively, for purchases of computers and software.

With effect from September 4, 2012, Mr. Deepak S. Parekh resigned as a director of our company. Prior to his departure, in fiscal 2013 and 2012, we paid $5 and $8, respectively to HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company Limited, where Mr. Parekh was during the period the chairman of the board of directors, towards travel insurance for the employees of our company.

In addition, prior to Mr. Parekh’s departure, we paid $0.4 (till September 4, 2012) and $5, respectively, in fiscal 2013 and 2012, to The Indian Hotels Company Limited towards hiring of accommodation and related services. Mr. Parekh was a director of The Indian Hotels Company Limited during that period.

Mrs. Renu S Karnad was appointed as a director of our company on September 21, 2012.

During fiscal 2014 and 2013, we entered into the following transactions with companies in which Mrs. Karnad was during that period a director:

 

    Invested $4,175 and $4,606 in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively, in fixed maturity plans issued by HDFC Asset Management Company Limited. The accrued gain on the aggregate investments was $376 and $29 for fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

    Prepaid in full our LOGO 510,000 ($8,346 based on the exchange rate on March 12, 2014) three year rupee-denominated loan obtained by WNS Global from HDFC Bank Limited on March 12, 2014, obtained by WNS Global and paid an aggregate of $832 and $544 as interest on the loan in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

    Paid $3 and $4 in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively, to HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company Limited for travel insurance premiums for employees of our company.

 

39


In fiscal 2014, we earned revenue of $1,320 from Regulatory Data Corporation, of which $135 are receivables as of March 31, 2014. Mr. Eric B. Herr was a director in Regulatory Data Corporation in fiscal 2014. Mr. Herr retired as a director of our company with effect from April 30, 2014.

Mr. Gareth Williams was appointed as a director of our company on January 1, 2014. We paid $7 in training costs of our employees to YSC India Business Psychologists Private Limited. Mr. Williams was a director in the parent company of YSC India Business Psychologists Private Limited during the relevant period. Mr. Williams was appointed as an independent director of Saga plc which is our client following their initial public offering in May 2014.

C. Interests of Experts and Counsel

Not applicable.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

Grant Thornton India LLP has served as our independent public accountant for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014. The following table shows the fees we paid or accrued for the audit and other services provided by Grant Thornton India LLP for the years ended March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013.

 

     Fiscal  
     2014      2013  

Audit fees

   $ 465,000       $ 433,000   

Audit-related fees

     24,800         77,200   

Tax fees

     26,000         6,000   

Notes:

Audit fees. This category consists of fees billed for the audit of financial statements, quarterly review of financial statements and other audit services, which are normally provided by the independent auditors in connection with statutory and accounting matters that arose during, or as a result of, the audit or the review of interim financial statements and include the group audit; statutory audits required by non-US jurisdictions; comfort letters and consents; attest services; and assistance with and review of documents filed with the Commission.

Audit-related fees. This category consists of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements or that are traditionally performed by the external auditor, and include service tax certifications and SAS 70 audits.

Tax fees. This category includes fees billed for tax audits.

 

40


Audit Committee Pre-approval Process

Our Audit Committee reviews and pre-approves the scope and the cost of all audit and permissible non-audit services performed by our independent auditor. All of the services provided by Grant Thornton India LLP during the last fiscal year have been pre-approved by our Audit Committee.

STOCK PERFORMANCE GRAPH

The stock performance graph below shall not be deemed incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this Proxy Statement into any filing under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Acts”), except to the extent that we specifically incorporate this information by reference, and shall not otherwise be deemed filed under such Acts. This graph below compares the total shareholder return of the Company’s ADSs, each represented by one ordinary share, with the S&P 500 Index, the NYSE Composite Index and our peer group index over a period from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2014. The peer group index is constructed based on the following selected peer group of companies: Infosys Technologies Limited, Wipro Limited, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, Tata Consultancy Services Limited (trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange, India) and ExlService Holdings, Inc. and Genpact Limited. We believe that these companies most closely resemble our business mix and that their performance is representative of our industry. The returns of the component entities of the Company’s peer group index are weighed according to the market capitalization of each entity as of the beginning of each period for which a return is presented. The total shareholder return assumes US$100 invested at the beginning of the period in the Company’s ADSs, the S&P 500 Index, the NYSE composite Index and our peer group index. It also assumes reinvestment of all dividends.

Cumulative Total Return

Based upon an initial investment of US$100 on April 1, 2009 with dividends reinvested

 

LOGO

 

41


Appendix A

 

LOGO

    

Grant Thornton India LLP

16th floor, Tower II

Indiabulls Finance Centre, S B Marg
Elphinstone W

Mumbai 400013

 

T +91 22 6626 2600

F +91 22 6626 2601

www.grantthornton.in

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders of

WNS (Holdings) Limited

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial position of WNS (Holdings) Limited and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income/(loss), changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended March 31, 2014. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of WNS (Holdings) Limited and subsidiaries as of March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended March 31, 2014, in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and the requirements of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991.

Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements under Companies (Jersey) Law 1991

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following:

Under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 we are required to report to you, if in our opinion:

 

    the company has not kept proper accounting records; or
    the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records ; or
    we have not received all the information and explanations, which to the best of our knowledge and belief, are necessary for the purposes of our audit.

/s/ Yogesh Sharma

For and on behalf of

Grant Thornton India LLP

Mumbai, India

July 16, 2014

Grant Thornton India LLP

Member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

 

42

EX-99.4

Exhibit 99.4

 

LOGO

WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

FORM OF PROXY

FOR THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

To be held on September 12, 2014

For use at the Annual General Meeting of the shareholders of WNS (Holdings) Limited (the “Company”) to be held at 12 noon (Jersey time) on Friday, September 12, 2014 and any adjournment thereof.

I/We [insert name] ............................................................................................................................... of [address] ............................. ........................................................................................................... (BLOCK LETTERS PLEASE), being (a) shareholder(s) of the above named Company, hereby appoint the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting or* [insert name] ....................................................................................................................................... of [address] ............................. ........................................................................................................... as my/our proxy to vote for me/us and on my/our behalf at the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held at _________ am (Jersey time) on _________ day, ______________ and at any adjournment thereof or on a poll in respect of [insert number]** ............................................................... ordinary shares in the capital of the Company.

*An alternative proxy may be named if desired — delete as appropriate. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company.

** If you appoint more than one proxy, you will need to specify the number of ordinary shares in respect of which the named proxy is entitled to vote. If you appoint only one proxy you do not need to specify the number of ordinary shares you hold.

I / We direct my / our proxy to vote as follows:-

 

ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS

   FOR    AGAINST    ABSTAIN

1.      Adoption of annual audited accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2014

        

2.      Re-appointment of Grant Thornton India LLP as the auditors of the Company

        

3.      Approval of auditors’ remuneration

        

4.      Re-election of Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh as a Class II Director of the Company

        

5.      Re-election of Mr. Albert Aboody as a Class II Director of the Company

        

6.      Re-election of Mr. Michael Menezes as a Class II Director of the Company

        

7.      Approval of Directors’ remuneration for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015

        

Date: ________________________, 2014

Signature of Shareholder/Authorised Signatory

(If you are signing this form as a director or officer of a body corporate or other entity, please indicate in what capacity you are signing and who you are signing for e.g. “Director of X Limited” or “Director of X Limited as general partner of Y Limited Partnership”).

 

1


NOTES:

 

1. Please indicate with an ‘X’ in the appropriate box how you wish the proxy to vote.

 

2. The proxy will exercise his discretion as to how he votes or whether he abstains from voting:-

 

  (a) on the resolutions referred to in this Form of Proxy if no instruction is given in respect of the resolutions; and

 

  (b) on any business or resolution considered at the Annual General Meeting other than the resolutions referred to in this Form of Proxy.

 

3. To be valid, the instrument appointing a proxy, and any power of attorney or other authority (e.g. board minutes) under which it is signed (or a notarized copy of any such power or authority), must be deposited at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited) not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the holding of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote.

 

4. A Form of Proxy executed by a corporation must be either under its common seal or signed by an officer or attorney duly authorized by the corporation.

 

5. In the case of joint holders, the name of all the joint holders should be stated in the Form of Proxy and all should sign it. Joint holders should elect one of their numbers to represent them in person or by proxy in their name. In the absence of such election, the vote of the holder whose name appears first in order in the Register of Shareholders, whether in person or by proxy, will be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of other joint holder(s). For this purpose, seniority is determined by the order in which the names appear in the Register of Shareholders.

 

6. A proxy may be revoked by: (i) giving the Company notice in writing deposited at our registered office at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands (Attn: Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited) before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote; (ii) depositing a new Form of Proxy with the Company Secretary before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote (although it should be noted that the new Form of Proxy will only be a valid proxy, as opposed to being capable of revoking an earlier Form of Proxy, if deposited not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the Annual General Meeting or any adjournment thereof or for the taking of a poll at which the proxy proposes to vote); or (iii) attending in person and voting on a poll.

 

7. A body corporate which is a Shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting may authorize a person to act as its representative at the Annual General Meeting in respect of all or a particular number of the shares held by the Shareholder. A body corporate which is a Shareholder may appoint more than one person to act as its representative. If a body corporate which is a Shareholder appoints more than one person to act as its representative, each resolution (and each instrument of appointment) shall specify the number of shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed its representative. For the avoidance of doubt, a body corporate which is a Shareholder may appoint (in addition to the representatives (if any) appointed by it) any number of persons to act as its proxy at the Annual General Meeting in respect of all or a particular number of the shares held by the Shareholder. A person duly authorized to act as a representative of a body corporate which is a Shareholder shall be entitled to exercise on behalf of the Shareholder the same powers (in respect of the number of shares held by the Shareholder for which the relevant person is appointed its representative) as the Shareholder could exercise. If a Shareholder which is a body corporate appoints more than one representative (but subject to the voting instructions (if any) given by the Shareholder), no representative need cast all the votes used by him in respect of any resolution in the same way as any other representative or any proxy appointed by the Shareholder.

 

2


8. The Company shall be entitled to reject the instrument appointing a proxy or proxies if it is incomplete, improperly completed, illegible or where the true intentions of the appointer are not ascertainable from the instructions of the appointer specified in the instrument appointing a proxy or proxies.

 

9. Facsimile or email copies of this Form of Proxy will not be accepted.

 

               
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
 

Register No

          
          

Holding

          
            

 

3

EX-99.5

Exhibit 99.5

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas

Trust and Securities Services

Global Equity Services

 

DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS    July 24, 2014

Depositary’s Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of WNS (Holdings) Limited:

 

Issue:

   WNS (Holdings) Limited / CUSIP 92932M101

Country:

   Jersey

Meeting Details:

   Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of WNS (Holdings) Limited on Friday, September 12, 2014 at 12 noon (Jersey Time) at Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands

Meeting Agenda:

   The Company’s Notice of Annual General Meeting including the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting is attached

Voting Deadline:

   On or before September 5, 2014 at 10:00 AM (New York City time)

ADR Record Date:

   August 8, 2014

Ordinary : ADR ratio

   1 Ordinary Share : 1 ADS

Holders of WNS (Holdings) Limited American Depositary Receipts (ADSs) are hereby notified of an Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of WNS (Holdings) Limited (the “Company”) to be held on September 12, 2014. A copy of the Notice of Meeting from the Company (which includes the agenda) and a copy of the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the financial year ended March 31, 2014, can be found on the following websites at www.wns.com or www.adr.db.com.

You may also obtain a paper copy of the FY2014 Annual Report, free of charge, by sending a written request to WNS’ registered office at Computershare Company Secretarial Services (Jersey) Limited, of Queensway House, Hilgrove Street, St. Helier, Jersey JE1 1ES, Channel Islands ( Attention: Client Secretariat : 44(0)1534-281-800), or by sending an email to ronald.dmello@wns.com. In addition, the FY 2014 Annual Report may be accessed through the SEC’s website maintained at http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/srch-edgar.

Holders of record of ADSs as of the close of business on the ADS Record Date will be entitled to those voting rights as outlined in the Deposit Agreement between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Depositary (“the Deposit Agreement”).

As soon as practicable after receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of Shares are entitled to vote, or of solicitation of consents or proxies from holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall fix the ADS Record Date in respect of such meeting or solicitation of such consent or proxy. The Depositary shall, if requested by the Company in writing in a timely manner (the Depositary having no obligation to take any further action if the request shall not have been received by the Depositary at least 21 days prior to the date of such vote or meeting), at the Company’s expense and provided no U.S. legal prohibitions exist, mail by ordinary, regular mail delivery or by electronic transmission (if agreed by the Company and the Depositary), unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Company and the Depositary, to Holders as of the ADS Record Date: (a) such notice of meeting or solicitation of consent or proxies; (b) a statement that the Holders as of the ADS Record Date will be entitled, subject to any applicable law, the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and the provisions of or governing the Deposited Securities (which provisions, if any, shall be summarized in pertinent part by the Company), to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights, if any, pertaining to the Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by such Holder’s ADSs; and (c) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given.

Upon the timely receipt of written instructions of a Holder of ADSs on the ADS Record Date of voting instructions, the Depositary shall endeavor, insofar as practicable and permitted under applicable law and the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and the provisions of the Deposited Securities, to vote or cause the Custodian to vote the Shares and/or other Deposited Securities represented by ADSs held by such Holder in accordance with such instructions.


Neither the Depositary nor the Custodian shall, under any circumstances exercise any discretion as to voting, and neither the Depositary nor the Custodian shall vote, attempt to exercise the right to vote, or in any way make use of, for purposes of establishing a quorum or otherwise the Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by ADSs except pursuant to and in accordance with such written instructions from Holders. Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by ADSs for which no specific voting instructions are received by the Depositary from the Holder shall not be voted.

Notwithstanding the above, save for applicable provisions of Jersey law, and in accordance with Section 5.3 of the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall not be liable for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote any of the Deposited Securities, or for the manner in which such vote is cast or the effect of any such vote.

For further information, please contact:

Duewa Brooks

Depositary Receipts

212 250 1305 phone

212 797 0327 fax

 

LOGO

EX-99.6

Exhibit 99.6

 

LOGO

THE FOLLOWING PROXY CARD RELATES TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ORDINARY SHAREHOLDERS OF WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED AND IS BEING SENT TO THE HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITORY RECEIPTS OF WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED PURSUANT TO THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT AMONG WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED, DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS AS DEPOSITARY, AND THE REGISTERED HOLDERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THE AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.

WNS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED

Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

 

 

 

Resolutions presented for consideration at the Annual

General Meeting of Shareholders on September 12, 2014

   Vote          
                
     FOR    AGAINST    ABSTAIN

1       Adoption of annual audited accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2014

        

2       Re-appointment of Grant Thornton India LLP as the auditors of the Company

        

3       Approval of auditors’ remuneration

        

4       Re-election of Mr. Keshav R. Murugesh as a Class II Director of the Company

        

5       Re-election of Mr. Albert Aboody as a Class II Director of the Company

        

6       Re-election of Mr. Michael Menezes as a Class II Director of the Company

        

7       Approval of Directors’ remuneration for the period from the Annual General Meeting until the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held in respect of the financial year ending March 31, 2015

        

 

 

(Signature)