EUR 1000.00 For Business Accounts Only

Lanxess - AGM 27 August 2020

General: The AGM is to be held in the form of a virtual AGM in accordance with the German Law to Mitigate the Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The physical presence of shareholders or their authorised proxies is not possible. The voting rights may therefore be exercised solely by postal vote or by granting authority to the proxies designated by the Company.

Item 2: Management and Supervisory Board are proposing a dividend of EUR 0.95 per share (increased by 5.56% from EUR 0.90). In view of the recent events relating to COVID-19, ECGS is in favour of postponing decisions on the dividend, reductions or suspensions that would allow companies to avoid liquidity risks or not generate risk for their survival. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on the chemicals industry as a whole and also on the Lanxess Group's business in particular. On 6 May 2020, the Company adjusted its guidance for financial year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lanxess now anticipates EBITDA pre exceptionals of between EUR 800m and EUR 900m. Previously, the Company was expecting EBITDA pre exceptionals of between EUR 900m and EUR 1bn. Therefore, in light of the current uncertainties, ECGS considers that it is not in the long-term interest of the Company to propose an increased dividend in this uncertain environment. Thus, although we would not have had an unfavourable opinion on the proposed dividend distribution in a different environment, as it is covered by earnings and free cash flow, we will not have a negative opinion if the Company changes the amount distributed to shareholders. In the meantime, we exceptionally recommend shareholders to abstain from voting.

Item 4.10: We recommend to oppose the discharge of Supervisory Board member Ralf Sikorski due to his insufficient attendance at Supervisory Board and committee meetings in financial year 2019.

Item 6.1: We recommend to oppose the re-election of Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber to the Supervisory Board due to concerns over aggregate time commitments. Furthermore, we raise our concerns over the fact that the remuneration system for the Management Board, contrary to the announcement made in the previous year, has once again not been put to shareholder approval at this year's AGM. Dr. Wolfgruber is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board's Presidial Committee ("Chairman's Committee").

Item 7: The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose to introduce an additional remuneration for membership on the Nomination Committee and an attendance fee for meetings of the Nomination Committee. We recommend to oppose the related amendments to the Company's Articles of Association as we assess the absolute amount of remuneration already as significantly exceeding market practice.