FOUR directors of Charisma Energy have stepped down from the board, while the company has appointed a new director to chair two of its sub-committees, the company said in a bourse filing on Tuesday (Oct 3).

 

Charisma chief executive Tan Ser Ko is stepping down as executive director after more than 12 years but will retain his position as CEO.

 

&ldquo The cessation of Mr Tan as executive director is aligned to the company&rsquo s business plans moving forward as the company is in the midst of preparing and submitting its trading resumption proposal,&rdquo the company said.

 

Eng Chiaw Koon is stepping down as non-independent non-executive director to &ldquo devote more time and attention to his personal endeavours, which is part of his plan to retire from the corporate world&rdquo , the company said.

 

&ldquo The cessation of Mr Eng as a board member is also part of the board&rsquo s reconstitution exercise as part of the company&rsquo s trading resumption efforts,&rdquo it added.

 

Lim Cheng Yang and Cheng Yee Seng are both stepping down as independent non-executive director.

Citing the desire to &ldquo devote more time and attention to his personal endeavours&rdquo , Lim will also relinquish his role as chairman of the nominating committee.

 

Cheng is relinquishing his role as chairman of the remuneration committee, citing reasons &ldquo related to his family matters and personal endeavours&rdquo .

 

The company&rsquo s sponsor, PrimePartners Corporate Finance, said it is satisfied that there are no other material reasons for three of these departures. It added however that Cheng was unavailable for the interview due to a &ldquo family-related matter&rdquo , and that it will interview him &ldquo in due course&rdquo .

 

Meanwhile, Ow Yong Thian Soo is joining the board as an independent non-executive director and is appointed chairman of both the nominating committee and remuneration committee.

 

Ow Yong has been a board member of Koh Brothers Group since 2016 and is a senior partner at law firm Lee & Lee.

 

Charisma noted that Ow Yong&rsquo s practice covers a wide range of real estate and financing transactions relating to commercial, industrial and residential properties.

 

Trading in Charisma shares has been suspended since February 2019, with the company working towards its debt restructuring and recapitalisation.

CATALIST-LISTED Charisma Energy said on Friday (Feb 3) that the company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Anchor Marine 3, have received notices of demand from one of the secured lending banks of the group.

 

The bank said that since the maturity date of Jan 5 last year, Anchor Marine 3 has failed to make full payments under a facility agreement dated Dec 18, 2014, and the bank is declaring an event of default under the facility agreement.

 

Anchor Marine 3 would be required to make payment and discharge the entirety of the secured obligations which amounted to US$8 million as at Feb 1, 2023. The payment is due by close of business on Feb 3.

 

Meanwhile, Charisma Energy was issued a notice of demand, as it had guaranteed to pay on demand as principal debtor all sums due and owing from Anchor Marine 3 under the facility agreement.

 

Charisma Energy said it has written to the bank in relation to the notices of demand &ldquo to seek the bank&rsquo s continuous support in the new debt restructuring discussions&rdquo .

 

The counter has been suspended from trading since February 2019, and it has been taking steps to complete debt restructuring and recapitalisation exercises, &ldquo which will allow the group to operate on a going concern basis and resume trading&rdquo .

 

&ldquo The completion of the corporate actions undertaken by the company pursuant to the debt restructuring and recapitalisation exercises is subject to obtaining the requisite approvals from various stakeholders of the group (including the bank),&rdquo Charisma Energy said.

 

&ldquo Should these corporate actions fail to complete, the company will not be able to operate on a going concern basis or resume trading and will have to consider and assess alternative options, including but not limited to liquidation.&ldquo

CHARISMA : 5QT 0% Energy Services could be liquidated, now that a conditional subscription agreement that would have given it the much-needed lifeline has lapsed.

 

The Catalist-listed company said in a statement to the Singapore Exchange on Tuesday (Jul 12) that the long-stop date of the conditional subscription agreement in relation to the new investment lapsed on Jul 9.

 

Chief executive officer Tan Ser Ko noted in the regulatory filing: &ldquo The lapse of the long-stop date, coupled with the company running low on its unencumbered cash balances, have resulted in the company having to consider and assess other options, which may include, but are not limited, to the eventual liquidation of the company.&rdquo

 

Charisma and Yin Khing Investments had signed a conditional subscription agreement in January for the investor to subscribe shares amounting to about S$16.1 million. However, because its creditors, Yin Khing and the company could not agree on the terms and conditions of the proposed debt restructuring by the stipulated date, the subscription agreement has failed to take effect.

 

Charisma remains engaged in discussions with its creditors and Yin Khing Investments, and is evaluating and assessing all available options, the company said.

 

Trading in Charisma shares is currently suspended. It is an associate of Ezion Holdings, which has been ordered by the court to wind up and has been delisted from the mainboard.