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Annual Report 2010

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Supervisory Board report

Introduction

General

The supervision of the policies and actions of the executive management (the ‘Board of Management’) of Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (the ‘Company’) is entrusted to the Supervisory Board, which, in the two-tier corporate structure under Dutch law, is a separate body and fully independent of the Board of Management. This independence is also reflected in the requirement that members of the Supervisory Board are not a member of the Board of Management or an employee of the Company. The Supervisory Board considers all its members to be independent pursuant to the Dutch Corporate Governance Code of December 2008 (the ‘Dutch Corporate Governance Code’) and the applicable US standards.

While retaining overall responsibility, the Supervisory Board assigns certain of its tasks to three permanent committees: the Corporate Governance and Nomination & Selection Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Audit Committee. The separate reports of these committees are part of this report and are published below. The members (of the committees) of the Supervisory Board are listed in Supervisory Board.

For further information on the Company’s corporate governance structure and a more detailed description of the duties and functioning of the Supervisory Board, see Corporate governance.

Activities of the Supervisory Board

Six regular meetings were held in 2010. All members were frequently present at the regular meetings of the Supervisory Board. In addition to the regular meetings an ad hoc meeting took place in November to discuss the succession of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The Audit Committee met five times. The Corporate Governance and Nomination & Selection Committee had four regular meetings and several ad hoc meetings in connection with succession matters. The Remuneration Committee had four regular meetings.

During 2010 the Supervisory Board devoted considerable time to discuss the Company’s strategy and discussed the performance and, more in particular, the strategy of the three Sectors. The discussions in respect of the Sectors took place during visits of the Supervisory Board to each Sector, where in-depth discussions were held with the Sector management teams. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board discussed the performance and integration of acquisitions, the economic situation and impact thereof on Philips and the cost reduction and efficiency improvement measures taken to confront the recession, as well as the capital and financing structure of the Philips Group extensively throughout the year.

In January the Supervisory Board discussed the financial performance of the Philips Group in 2009, the management agenda 2010 of the Board of Management, the new strategy for BU Health & Wellness and the agenda for the 2010 General Meeting of Shareholders, including the proposed dividend to shareholders, the dividend policy and recommendations for (re)appointment of candidates for the Board of Management. Moreover, the Supervisory Board received an update on the M&A activities of the Company, and made amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board.

In February the Supervisory Board discussed the report of the external auditor of the Company and approved the Annual Report 2009. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board approved revisions made to the General Business Principles and Directives of the Company.

In March the Supervisory Board received an update on the M&A activities and the sustainability policy of the Company. The Remuneration Committee gave an update to the full Supervisory Board on remuneration topics.

In June the Vision 2015 strategy of the Company and the Sectors, including risks and opportunities, and a variety of growth scenarios in mature and emerging markets, were discussed during a one and a half day meeting.

In August the Supervisory Board discussed the financial results and received an update with respect to the Company’s M&A activities and ongoing legal proceedings. Further, the members of the Supervisory Board spent two days with the Philips India leadership team and major customers and business partners in New Delhi, India, where they discussed, among other things, the performance and set-up of the Company’s activities in India and the local strategy going forward.

In October the Supervisory Board discussed the third quarter 2010 financial results, and pension developments and their effect on the Group.

In November the succession of the CFO of the Company was discussed by the Supervisory Board.

In December the Supervisory Board discussed the management agenda 2011, the Annual Operating Plan 2011, the operational performance of the TV business and received an update on supply management within the Company.

Other discussion topics included:

  • financial performance of the Philips Group and the Sectors
  • status of merger and acquisition projects
  • management development and succession planning, especially with respect to the President/CEO and the CFO as well as the CEO of the Consumer Lifestyle Sector
  • evaluation of the Board of Management and its members
  • geographic performance and growth opportunities in emerging markets, including the shift of resources from mature to emerging markets
  • the situation and improvement measures at some businesses that did not perform according to plan
  • the results of the Employee Engagement Survey
  • financial scenarios for 2011 and beyond
  • legal proceedings, including antitrust proceedings
  • the situation at the Philips Pension Fund in the Netherlands and the governance and financial position of the other major pension funds
  • restructuring programs in all sectors

Composition and evaluation of the Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board currently consists of eight members. The Supervisory Board aims for an appropriate combination of knowledge and experience among its members in relation to the global and multi-product character of Philips’ businesses. Consequently, the Supervisory Board aims for an appropriate level of experience in marketing, technological, manufacturing, financial, economic, social and legal aspects of international business and government and public administration. The full profile is described in the section Corporate governance. Members are appointed for fixed terms of four years and may be reappointed for two additional four-year terms.

All members of the Supervisory Board completed a questionnaire to verify compliance in 2010 with applicable corporate governance rules and the Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board. Based on written feedback from each Supervisory Board member, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board discussed the functioning of the Supervisory Board and its members in private discussions. He shared common themes and conclusions in a private session of the Supervisory Board; items discussed include the follow-up to the evaluation regarding 2009, the composition and competencies of the Supervisory Board, and the set-up and content of meetings and meeting materials. In the same meeting the relationship with the Board of Management was discussed. The three committees of the Supervisory Board reviewed their charters and their functioning and reported thereon to the full Supervisory Board.

Mr Hessels, who joined the Supervisory Board in 1999 and has been Chairman since 2008, will resign as Chairman and as a member of the Supervisory Board at the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders. We are thankful for his valuable contribution to Philips during his 12-year term as a member of our Board. The Supervisory Board has appointed Mr Van der Veer as its Chairman as from the closing of the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders.

Further, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to Mr Kleisterlee and Mr Sivignon, who will resign as President/CEO and CFO respectively and as members of the Board of Management at the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders. Our Board would like to thank them for their vision and outstanding leadership in driving both strategic change and operational improvement within Philips. We wish them both all the best for the future.

Changes Supervisory Board and committees 2010

  • Sir Richard Greenbury resigned as member of the Supervisory Board as from the closing of the 2010 General Meeting of Shareholders.
  • Ms Poon became a member of the Audit Committee as from April 1, 2010.
  • Mr Schiro relinquished his position as member of the Audit Committee and became a member of the Remuneration Committee as from April 1, 2010.
  • Mr Van der Veer became a member of the Corporate Governance and Nomination & Selection Committee as from April 1, 2010.

Changes and reappointments Supervisory Board 2011

  • Mr Hessels will resign as Chairman and member of the Supervisory Board as from the closing of the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders.
  • The Supervisory Board has appointed Mr Van der Veer as its Chairman as from the closing of the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders.
  • It is proposed to reappoint Mr Thompson.*
  • It is proposed to reappoint Mr Van Lede.*
  • It is proposed to reappoint Mr Von Prondzynski.*

* Subject to approval by the General Meeting of Shareholders

Changes Board of Management and Group Management Committee 2010

  • On December 1, 2010 the Company received the sad news of the passing away of Mr Ruizendaal, member of the Group Management Committee and Chief Strategy Officer.
  • Mr Provoost has been reappointed as member of the Board of Management.
  • Mr Rusckowski has been reappointed as member of the Board of Management.
  • Mr Dutiné has been reappointed as member of the Board of Management.
  • Mr Ragnetti has relinquished his position as member of the Board of Management as from September 1, 2010.
  • Mr Harwig has resigned as member of the Group Management Committee as from April 1, 2010, in connection with his retirement.
  • Mr Nota has been appointed as member of the Group Management Committee as from August 1, 2010.
  • Mr Van Houten has been appointed as member of the Group Management Committee as from October 1, 2010.

Changes Board of Management and Group Management Committee 2011

  • Mr Kleisterlee will retire as President/CEO and as member of the Board of Management as from the closing of the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders.
  • Mr Sivignon has decided to relinquish his position as CFO and as member of the Board of Management as from the closing of the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders.
  • It is proposed to appoint Mr Van Houten as President/CEO and as member of the Board of Management.*
  • It is proposed to appoint Mr Wirahadiraksa as member of the Board of Management.*
  • It is proposed to appoint Mr Nota as member of the Board of Management.*

* Subject to approval by the General Meeting of Shareholders

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This is an interactive electronic version of the Philips Annual Report 2010 and also contains certain information in summarized form. The contents of this version are qualified in their entirety by reference to the printed version of the full Philips Annual Report 2010. This printed version is available as a PDF file on this website. Information about: forward-looking statements, third-party market share data, fair value information, IFRS basis of presentation, use of non-GAAP information, statutory financial statements and management report, reclassifications and analysis of 2009 compared to 2008.

Emerging markets are the developing markets comprising of Asia Pacific (excluding Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand), Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East (excluding Israel) and Africa.