TRANSOCEAN LTD. (NYSE:RIG) Files An 8-K Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

ME Staff 8-k
-
0

TRANSOCEAN LTD. (NYSE:RIG) Files An 8-K Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
Item 5.02Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On August 13, 2017, Transocean Ltd., a Swiss corporation (“Transocean”), Transocean Inc., a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of Transocean, and Songa Offshore SE, a European public company limited by shares (or societas Europaea) existing under the laws of Cyprus (“Songa”), entered into a transaction agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”), to which Transocean will, subject to certain conditions, offer to acquire (the “Offer”) all of the outstanding shares of Songa Offshore (the “Transaction”). to the Transaction Agreement, Perestroika AS has the right, conditional upon completion of the Offer, to designate one individual for election to the Board of Directors of Transocean (the “Transocean Board”), which designee shall be Mr. Frederik Mohn, Chairman of Songa and an affiliate of Perestroika AS.As described in the preliminary proxy statement filed by Transocean with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 4, 2017 (the “Proxy Statement”), Transocean has nominated Mr. Mohn for election by Transocean’s shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting of Transocean’s shareholders (the “Extraordinary General Meeting”).

Under Transocean’s Articles of Association, the size of the Transocean Board is currently set at a maximum of 11 members. In order to permit the election of Mr. Mohn to the Transocean Board, Mr. Martin McNamara, a current member of the Transocean Board, has conditionally agreed to retire from the Transocean Board to create a vacancy to be filled by Mr. Mohn if Mr. Mohn is elected at the Extraordinary General Meeting.Mr. McNamara’s retirement from the Transocean Board is conditioned on (i) approval by the Transocean shareholders of all the proposals presented at the Extraordinary General Meeting and (ii) completion of the Offer.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Transaction, Transocean has filed with the SEC the Proxy Statement and Transocean and TINC (collectively referred to as the “Offeror”) have filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) containing a prospectus with respect to the consideration shares and exchangeable bonds to be issued in the Transaction (the “Prospectus”).When available, Transocean will mail the Proxy Statement to its shareholders in connection with the vote to approve certain matters in connection with the Transaction and the Offeror will distribute the Prospectus to certain securityholders of Songa in the United States in connection with the transaction and related Offer contemplated by the Transaction Agreement. Transocean Ltd. and TINC are also expected to file an offer document with the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway (the “Norwegian FSA”).

INVESTORS AND SECURITYHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND/OR PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE TRANSACTION IN ITS/THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) OR ANY DOCUMENTS WHICH ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT OR PROSPECTUS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION. You may obtain, free of charge, copies of the definitive Proxy Statement, Prospectus and Registration Statement, when available, and other relevant documents filed by Transocean with the SEC, at the SEC’s website at: www.sec.gov. In addition, shareholders may obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement and Prospectus and other relevant documents filed by Transocean and TINC with the SEC from Transocean’s website at:www.deepwater.com.

This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication is not a substitute for any prospectus, proxy statement or any other document that Transocean and TINC may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. The final terms and further provisions regarding the Offer will be disclosed in the offer document after the publication has been approved by the Norwegian FSA and in documents that will be filed by Transocean and TINC with the SEC. No money, securities or other consideration is being solicited, and, if sent in response to the information contained herein, will not be accepted.

No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any applicable European and Norwegian regulations. The transaction and distribution of this document may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities will be made directly or indirectly, in or into any jurisdiction where to do so would be inconsistent with the laws of such jurisdiction.

Participants in the Solicitation

Each of Transocean, TINC, and their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Transocean’ shareholders with respect to the approvals required to complete the Transaction and the solicitation of acceptances for the exchange offer. More detailed information regarding the identity of these potential participants, and any direct or indirect interests they may have in the proposed transaction, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the Proxy Statement and Prospectus when they are filed with the SEC. Information regarding Transocean’s directors and executive officers is set forth in the definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed by Transocean with the SEC on March 16, 2017, and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by Transocean with the SEC on March 7, 2017. Additional information regarding the interests of participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the extraordinary general meeting and the exchange offer will be included in the proxy statement to be filed with the SEC. These documents are available to shareholders free of charge from the SEC’s website at: www.sec.gov and from the investor relations section of Transocean’s website at: www.deepwater.com.

Cautionary Statement About Forward Looking Statements

The statements described in this Form 8-Kare not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements contain words such as “possible,” “intend,” “will,” “if,” “expect” or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding benefits of the Transaction, integration plans and expected synergies, and anticipated future growth, financial and operating performance and results. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: estimated duration of customer contracts; contract dayrate amounts; future contract commencement dates and locations; planned shipyard projects; timing of Transocean’s newbuild deliveries; operating hazards and delays; risks associated with international operations; actions by customers and other third parties; the future prices of oil and gas; the intention to scrap certain drilling rigs; the expected timing and likelihood of the completion of the contemplated transaction, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the contemplated transaction that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction Agreement; the ability to successfully complete the Transaction, including the related exchange offers; regulatory or other limitations imposed as a result of the Transaction; the success of the business following completion of the Transaction; the ability to successfully integrate the Transocean and Songa businesses; the possibility that Transocean’s shareholders may not approve certain matters that are conditions to the Transaction or that the requisite number of Songa shares may not be exchanged in the public offer; the risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Transaction in a timely manner or at all; risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed business combination; the risk that the announcement or completion of the Transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of Transocean’s or Songa’s shares or the ability of Transocean or Songa to retain customers, retain or hire key personnel, maintain relationships with their respective suppliers and customers, and on their operating results and businesses generally; the risk that Transocean may be unable to achieve expected synergies or that it may take longer or be more costly than expected to achieve those synergies; and other factors, including those and other risks discussed in Transocean’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and in Transocean’s other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the SEC's website at:www.sec.gov, and in Songa’s annual and quarterly financial reports made publicly available. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize (or the other consequences of such a development worsen), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Transocean or to persons acting on Transocean’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and each of Transocean and Songa undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which either Transocean or Songa become aware of, after the date hereof, except as otherwise may be required by law.


About TRANSOCEAN LTD. (NYSE:RIG)

Transocean Ltd. is an international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The Company’s primary business is to contract its drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews primarily on a day rate basis to drill oil and gas wells. The Company operates through the contract drilling services segment. The Company specializes in technically demanding regions of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling services. Its mobile offshore drilling fleet consists of floaters and high-specification jackups used in support of offshore drilling activities and offshore support services across the world. The Company owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates over 60 mobile offshore drilling , including approximately 30 ultra‑deepwater floaters, over seven harsh environment floaters, over five deepwater floaters, over 10 midwater floaters and approximately 10 high-specification jackups.