FAQs

DSM-Firmenich has one single class of shares, which are registered shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.01.

However, for custody and settlement purposes, the DSM-Firmenich Shares are available under two separate ISINs:

• The Euronext Shares under ISIN CH1216478797;

• The SIX SIS Shares under ISIN CH1267772122.

DSM-Firmenich operates a "multi deposit" structure for the purpose of issuing book-entry securities (in which is the form DSM-Firmenich Shares are issued). Under this structure, part of the DSM Firmenich Shares will be held in Euroclear Nederland and the other part of the DSM Firmenich Shares will be held through the facilities of SIX SIS.

This structure was implemented in view of the fact that DSM-Firmenich is a Swiss company listed at Euronext Amsterdam, as a result of which DSM-Firmenich decided to have their shares deposited in the central security depositories (CSDs) of both countries, Switzerland and The Netherlands.

Both Euronext Shares and the SIX SIS Shares are fully fungible and are entitled to voting and economic rights (dividends and other distributions).

SIX SIS Shares are not directly tradeable on Euronext Amsterdam, but give shareholders the opportunity to be directly recorded on the Swiss Share Register of DSM-Firmenich and to take the full benefit of all shareholder rights.

Euronext Shares are directly tradeable on Euronext Amsterdam. While also holders of Euronext Shares are entitled to voting and dividends, certain other shareholder rights (e.g. right to put shareholders' meeting agenda items) will be limited to shareholders registered in their own name in the Swiss Share Register of the Company. Only the holders of SIX SIS Shares are able to register their shares in the Swiss Share Register, and not holders of Euronext Shares (see also Q&A 6).

All DSM-Firmenich Shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam. However, only the Euronext Shares may be traded directly on Euronext Amsterdam because settlement of the trades effected on Euronext Amsterdam take place via Euroclear Nederland. Holders of DSM-Firmenich Shares may transfer (reposition) their shares from SIX SIS (SIX SIS Shares) to Euroclear Nederland (Euronext Shares) and vice versa after completing the procedure for repositioning (see also Q&A 5).

Investors who wish to reposition their shares must contact their bank / broker / custodian / financial intermediary, who should in their turn contact ABN AMRO Bank (DSM-Firmenich’s agent) or Computershare (DSM-Firmenich’s share registrar). They are responsible for providing assistance to the repositioning. For questions about managing your account, please contact your bank / broker / custodian / financial intermediary. You can also find an overview of the procedure here.

The procedure for repositioning (from SIX SIS Shares to Euronext Shares or vice versa) should take around two trading days, but is depending on the responsiveness of all parties involved. In the proximity of corporate events (including the payment of dividends or shareholders’ meetings), DSM-Firmenich may suspend the repositioning of shares for a period of time. In such case, DSM-Firmenich will inform its shareholders about such event on its website. Please note that DSM-Firmenich cannot guarantee how long it will take to complete the repositioning or settlement process and recommends that you allow sufficient time for such processes to be completed before trading.

To reposition your DSM-Firmenich shares from Euronext Shares to SIX SIS Shares, you will need to be able to take delivery of your shares in Switzerland. In our experience, most financial intermediaries should be able to hold SIX SIS Shares either directly or through their custodian network. However, pPlease contact your financial intermediary to make the necessary arrangements to enable you to reposition your shares.

Please be advised that even if your shares have been repositioned to SIX SIS Shares, it cannot be guaranteed that your financial intermediary will arrange that you are registered in the Swiss Share Register (see also Q&A 8).

To reposition your DSM-Firmenich Shares from SIX SIS Shares to Euronext Shares, you will need a custodian who will to be able to take delivery of your Euronext Shares in Euroclear Nederland. In our experience, most financial intermediaries should be able to hold Euroclear Shares either directly or through their custodian network. However,please contact your financial intermediary to make the necessary arrangements to enable you to reposition your shares.

If you hold your DSM-Firmenich Shares as Euronext Shares, you first have to reposition your shares to SIX SIS Shares.

If you are holding SIX SIS Shares, your financial intermediary may arrange that you are registered in the Swiss Share Register. To do so, please contact your financial intermediary to make the necessary arrangements so that you are registered in the Swiss Share Register.

Please note that the repositioning of share alone will not automatically result in you being registered in DSM-Firmenich's Swiss Share Register, unless you have previously authorized your financial intermediary to arrange for the registration of Swiss registered shares generally, or of DSM-Firmenich Shares specifically, and your financial intermediary is taking the necessary steps to arrange for the registration.

For the Euronext Shares, Euroclear Nederland will be the holder of record and registered as such in the share register of the Company. The holders of these shares are not considered shareholders for Swiss corporate law purposes, since Swiss corporate law only recognises the registered holders of shares as shareholder. There is no arrangement with Euroclear Nederland in place to facilitate the exercise of any shareholder rights other than the voting rights and entitlement to dividends and other distributions.

Therefore, holders of Euronext Shares wishing to be registered in the Swiss Share Register and to exercise full shareholder rights will have to transfer (reposition) their shares to SIX SIS and have their shares registered in the Swiss Share Register of the Company (see also Q&A 5).

Investors must ask their financial intermediary about possible handling fees associated with the repositioning of shares and possible additional costs associated with holding of SIX SIS Shares through a custodian with an account in SIX SIS, or, as the case may be, holding Euronext Shares through a custodian in Euroclear Nederland.