2025 Corporate Governance Statement
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
ABN 16 165 160 841
ASX RELEASE
30 May 2025
2025 Corporate Governance Statement
Amplia Therapeutics Limited (ASX: ATX) (“Amplia” or the “Company”) releases its 2025 Corporate
Governance Statement.
This ASX announcement was approved and authorised for release by the Board of Amplia
Therapeutics.
Investor Contact:
Dr Chris Burns
Chief Executive Officer
chris@ampliatx.com
Media Contact:
H^CK Director, Haley Chartres
haley@hck.digital
+61 423 139 163
About Amplia Therapeutics Limited
Amplia Therapeutics Limited is an Australian pharmaceutical company advancing a pipeline of Focal
Adhesion Kinase (FAK) inhibitors for cancer and fibrosis. FAK is an increasingly important target in the
field of cancer and Amplia has a particular development focus in fibrotic cancers such as pancreatic
and ovarian cancer. FAK also plays a significant role in a number of chronic diseases, such as idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). For more information visit www.ampliatx.com and follow Amplia on Twitter
(@ampliatx) and LinkedIn.
Level 7, 350 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Email info@ampliatx.com
www.ampliatx.com
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT
This statement has been approved by the Board of the Company. The statement has been
prepared as of 28 May 2025 with reference to the 4th Edition of the ASX Corporate
Governance Council’s Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations.
PRINCIPLE 1: LAY SOLID FOUNDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT
RECOMMENDATION 1.1
A listed entity should have and disclose a board charter setting out:
(a) the respective roles and responsibilities of its board and management; and
(b) those matters expressly reserved to the board and those delegated to management.
The Company has a Board Charter. The roles and responsibilities of the Board are set out in a Board
Charter which is available on the Company’s website.
The Board of Directors has been charged by shareholders with overseeing the affairs of the
Company to ensure that they are conducted appropriately and in the interests of all shareholders.
The Board defines the strategic goals and objectives of the Company as well as broad issues of
policy and establishes an appropriate framework of Corporate Governance within which the Board
members and management must operate. The Board reviews and monitors management and the
Company’s performance. The Board has also taken responsibility for establishing control and
accountability systems/processes and for monitoring senior executive performance and
implementation of strategy.
The Board is responsible for the overall direction of the Company. The primary goal set by the Board
is the enhancement of long term shareholder value. In the pursuit of its stated goal, the ATX Board
is responsible for:
-
oversight of the Company, including its control and accountability systems;
setting the Company’s major goals including the strategies and financial objectives to be
implemented by management;
appointing, removing and monitoring the performance of the CEO or Managing Director;
ratifying the appointment and, where appropriate, the removal of the Chief Financial Officer
and/or Company Secretary;
input into and final approval of management’s development of corporate strategy and
performance objectives;
reviewing and ratifying systems of risk management and internal compliance and control,
codes of conduct, and legal compliance;
monitoring senior management’s performance and implementation of strategy, and ensuring
appropriate resources are available;
approving and monitoring the progress of major capital expenditure, capital management, and
acquisitions and divestitures;
approving and monitoring financial and other reporting; and
corporate governance.
Management is charged with the day to day running and administration of the Company consistent
with the objectives and policies as set down by the Board. Within this framework, the CEO &
Managing Director is directly accountable to the Board for the performance of the management team.
The Board has delegated responsibility to the CEO & Managing Director for:
-
developing and implementing corporate strategies and making recommendations on
significant corporate strategic initiatives;
-
maintaining an effective risk management framework and keeping the Board and market fully
informed about material risks;
developing annual budgets, recommending it to the Board for approval and managing day-today operations within the budget;
managing day-to-day operations in accordance with standards for social and ethical practices
which have been set by the Board;
making recommendations for the appointment of senior management, determining terms of
appointment, evaluating performance, and developing and maintaining succession plans for
senior management roles; and
approval of capital expenditure and business transactions within predetermined limits set by
the Board.
RECOMMENDATION 1.2
A listed entity should:
(a)
(b)
undertake appropriate checks before appointing a person, or putting forward to security
holders a candidate for election, as a Director; and
provide security holders with all material information in its possession relevant to a
decision whether or not to elect or re-elect a Director.
The Company does undertake detailed checks before it appoints a person, or puts forward to
shareholders a new candidate for election, as a Director. These checks include references as to the
person’s character, experience and education. The Company may also check criminal records and
bankruptcy history for potential new Board members in the future.
The Company will include all material information in its possession relevant to a decision whether or
not to elect or re-elect a Director in the relevant Notice of Meeting. Information relating to each of the
Directors is also provided on the Company’s website.
RECOMMENDATION 1.3
A listed entity should have a written agreement with each Director and senior executive
setting out the terms of their appointment.
The Company has established written agreements with each director which set out the terms of their
appointment.
Directors are not appointed for a fixed term but are, excluding any Managing Director, subject to reelection by shareholders at least every three years in accordance with the Constitution of the
Company. A Director appointed to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the Board, only holds
office until the next general meeting of shareholders and must then retire. After providing for the
foregoing, one-third of the remaining Directors (excluding any Managing Director) must retire at each
Annual General Meeting of shareholders.
The Company also maintains written agreements with each of its senior executives which set out
the terms of their appointment.
RECOMMENDATION 1.4
The Company Secretary of a listed entity should be accountable directly to the Board, through
the chair, on all matters to do with the proper functioning of the board.
The Company Secretary has been appointed on the basis that he will be accountable directly to the
Board, through the Chairman, on all matters to do with the proper functioning of the Board.
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All Directors of the Board have access to the Company Secretary who is appointed by the Board.
The Company Secretary reports to the Chairman, in particular on matters relating to corporate
governance.
RECOMMENDATION 1.5
A listed entity should:
(a)
have and disclose a diversity policy;
(b)
through its board or a committee of the board set measurable objectives for achieving
gender diversity in the composition of its board, senior executives and workforce
generally; and
(c)
disclose in relation to each reporting period:
(1) the measurable objectives set for that period to achieve gender diversity;
(2) the entity’s progress towards achieving those objectives; and
(3) either:
(A) the respective proportions of men and women on the board, in senior
executive positions and across the whole workforce (including how the
entity has defined “senior executive” for these purposes); or
(B)
if the entity is a “relevant employer” under the Workplace Gender Equality
Act, the entity’s most recent “Gender Equality Indicators”, as defined in and
published under that Act.31
Due to the scope and size of the Company's operations, the Board does not have a formal diversity
policy.
The Company believes that the promotion of diversity on its Board and within the organisation
generally is good practice.
The Board acknowledges the benefits of and will seek to achieve diversity during the process of
employment at all levels without detracting from the principal criteria for selection and promotion of
people to work within the Company based on merit.
The Board believes that there is no detriment to the Company in not adopting a formal diversity
policy or in not setting gender diversity objectives given the current nature and scale of its operations.
The Board will consider adopting a Diversity Policy and setting appropriate measurable objectives
when the nature and scale of the Company’s operations materially increase.
The Board is currently comprised of 3 men and 1 woman.
The Company has 4 senior executives who report directly to the CEO & Managing Director. Of these
4 senior executives 3 are women and 1 is a man.
RECOMMENDATION 1.6
A listed entity should:
(a)
(b)
have and disclose a process for periodically evaluating the performance of the Board,
its committees and individual Directors; and
disclose for each reporting period whether a performance evaluation has been
undertaken in accordance with that process during or in respect of that period.
The Company does have a formal process for evaluating the performance of the Board, its
committees or individual Directors. The Board has adopted a self-evaluation process to measure
its own performance.
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In addition, the Chairman meets periodically with Directors to discuss the performance of the Board.
The self-evaluation process involves consideration of all of the Board’s key areas of responsibility
and accountability and is based on an amalgamation of factors including capability, skill levels,
understanding of industry complexities, risks and challenges, and value adding contribution to the
overall management of the business.
The Board believes that this approach is appropriate given its size and the nature of the Company’s
operations.
A formal performance evaluation was undertaken during the year ended 31 March 2025.
RECOMMENDATION 1.7
A listed entity should:
(a)
have and disclose a process for evaluating the performance of its senior executives at
least once every reporting period; and
(b)
disclose for each reporting period whether a performance evaluation has been
undertaken in accordance with that process during or in respect of that period.
The Remuneration Committee and the Chair establish Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the CEO
& Managing Director and assesses performance against those KPI on an annual basis. These KPI
are established with reference to the Company’s goals, budgets, and set objectives.
The CEO & Managing Director establishes KPI for all staff in consultation with the Remuneration
Committee and assesses performance against those KPI on an annual basis.
The Company has completed formal performance evaluations against established KPI for its senior
executives in respect of the year ended 31 March 2025. The Company is in the process of finalising
specific KPI for its senior executives in respect of the year ended 31 March 2026.
PRINCIPLE 2: STRUCTURE THE BOARD TO BE EFFECTIVE AND ADD VALUE
RECOMMENDATION 2.1
The Board of a listed entity should:
(a)
have a nomination committee which:
(1)
(2)
has at least three members, a majority of whom are independent Directors, and
is chaired by an independent director;
and disclose
(3)
(4)
(5)
(b)
the charter of the committee
the members of the committee; and
as at the end of each reporting period, the number of times the committee met
throughout the period and the individual attendances of the members at those
meetings; or
if it does not have a nomination committee, disclose that fact and the processes it
employs to address Board succession issues and to ensure that the Board has the
appropriate balance of skills, knowledge, experience, independence and diversity to
enable it to discharge its duties and responsibilities effectively
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Due to the small size of the Company and the number of Board members, the Board has not
previously established a formal nomination committee structure. Any new Directors will be
selected according to the needs of the Company at that particular time, the composition and
the balance of experience on the Board as well as the strategic direction of the Company.
Where a vacancy arises or it is considered appropriate to vary the composition of the Board of
Directors, the full Board generally participates in any review of the Board’s composition and the
qualifications and experience of candidates. Directors are selected upon the basis of their
specialist skills and business background so as to provide an appropriate mix of skills, perspective
and business experience.
At each annual general meeting, the following Directors retire and may offer themselves for reelection:
i.
ii.
iii.
one third of Directors (excluding the MD or CEO, if he/she is a Director, if any);
Directors appointed by the Board to fill casual vacancies or otherwise; and
Directors who have held office for more than three years since the last general meeting
at which they were elected.
In March 2025 the Board resolved to expand the scope of the Remuneration Committee to carry out
the functions of a nomination committee. A new charter for the Remuneration and Nomination
Committee was approved by the Board at its May 2025 meeting.
RECOMMENDATION 2.2
A listed entity should have and disclose a board skills matrix setting out the mix of skills that
the board currently has or is looking to achieve in its membership.
The Board considers that collectively its Directors have the appropriate range of skills, experience
and attributes necessary to direct the Company’s business and achieve its strategic objectives.
The Company has prepared a formal Board skills matrix which identifies the mix of skills that the
Board currently has or is looking to achieve in its membership.
The composition of the Board is reviewed from time to time considering the length of service on the
Board, age, qualification and experience, any requirements of the Company's constitution, and in
light of the needs of the Company and direction of the Company, together with such other criteria
considered desirable for composition of a balanced Board and the overall interests of the Company.
Details of each Directors experience and length of service can be found on the Company’s website
and are reported in the Company’s Financial Report on an annual basis.
RECOMMENDATION 2.3
A listed entity should disclose:
(a)
(b)
(c)
the names of the directors considered by the Board to be independent directors;
if a director has an interest, position, association or relationship of the type described
in Box 2.3 but the Board is of the opinion that it does not compromise the independence
of the director, the nature of the interest, position, association or relationship in
question and an explanation of why the Board is of that opinion; and
the length of service of each director.
Dr. Robert Peach and Mrs. Jane Bell are both considered by the Board to be independent directors
as they are free from any business or other relationship that could materially interfere, or reasonably
be perceived to interfere, with the independent exercise of their judgement.
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Dr. Warwick Tong is also considered by the Board to be an independent Director. Dr. Tong was one
of the original vendors of the Amplia business to the Company in May 2018 however Dr. Tong is
considered to be independent as this occurred 7 years ago.
The Board has adopted a series of safeguards to ensure that independent judgement is applied
when considering the business of the Board:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Directors are entitled to seek independent professional advice at the Company's expense.
Prior written approval of the Chairman is required but this is not unreasonably withheld.
Directors having a conflict of interest with an item for discussion by the Board must absent
themselves from a Board meeting where such item is being discussed before commencement
of discussion on such topic.
The independent Directors confer on a "needs" basis with the Chairman, if warranted and
considered necessary by the independent directors.
The Board considers Non-Executive directors to be independent even if they have minor dealings
with the Company, provided they are not a substantial shareholder. Transactions with a value in
excess of 5% of the Company's annual operating costs are considered material. A Director will not
be considered independent if he/she is involved in transactions with the Company that are in excess
of this materiality threshold.
Details of each Director’s experience and length of service can be found on the Company’s website
and are reported in the Company’s Financial Report on an annual basis.
RECOMMENDATION 2.4
A majority of the Board of a listed entity should be independent directors.
As at the date of this statement a majority of the Board are considered to be independent Directors.
RECOMMENDATION 2.5
The chair of the Board of a listed entity should be an independent director and, in particular,
should not be the same person as the CEO of the entity.
Dr. Warwick Tong was appointed to the Board on 4 May 2018 and was appointed as Chairman of
the Board on 25 May 2018. Dr. Tong is considered by the Board to be an independent Director and
he is not the same person as the CEO.
Dr. Tong has 20 years of international clinical, commercial, and drug development leadership
experience in both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and accordingly has particularly
relevant expertise and experience to chair the Board. The Board believes that Dr. Tong’s leadership
is of particularly significant value to the Company as it advances through its clinical development
phase.
RECOMMENDATION 2.6
A listed entity should have a program for inducting new directors and for periodically
reviewing whether there is a need for existing directors to undertake professional
development to maintain the skills and knowledge needed to perform their role as directors
effectively.
The Company has established a process for inducting new Directors which includes the
provision of all relevant Company policies and procedures and minutes of previous Board and
Committee meetings . In addition new Directors are briefed by the Chair, the CEO and Managing
Director and the CFO on ongoing operational matters, business prospects, competitive
environment, the financial position of the Company and the Company’s ongoing approach to
Corporate Governance matters.
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Directors are encouraged to pursue appropriate professional development opportunities to
develop and maintain their skills and knowledge in order to perform their role as Directors
effectively.
All Board members have access to professional independent advice at the Company's expense,
provided they first obtain the Chairman's approval, with such approval not being withheld
unreasonably.
PRINCIPLE 3: INSTIL A CULTURE OF ACTING LAWFULLY, ETHICALLY AND RESPONSIBLY
RECOMMENDATION 3.1
A listed entity should articulate and disclose its values.
The Board has approved a statement of values which is disclosed on the Company’s website.
RECOMMENDATION 3.2
A listed entity should:
(a)
(b)
have and disclose a code of conduct for its directors, senior executives and employees;
and
ensure that the board or a committee of the board is informed of any material breaches
of that code.
The Company has a Code of Conduct and Ethics which applies to all Directors, senior executives
and employees and is available on the Company’s website.
The Directors, senior executives and employees of the Company are expected to:
(i)
comply fully with the content and spirit of all laws and regulations which govern the operations
of the Company;
(ii) act with high standards of honesty, integrity, fairness and equity;
(iii) not knowingly participate in any illegal or unethical activity;
(iv) not enter into any arrangement or participate in any activity that would conflict with the
interests of the Company or prejudice the performance of professional duties;
(v) use the Company's assets responsibly and in the interests of the Company, not take
advantage of property, information or position for personal gain or to compete with the
Company;
(vi) to keep non-public information confidential except where disclosure is authorised or legally
mandated; and
(vii) be responsible and accountable for their actions and report any unethical behaviour.
The Code stipulates that the Secretary must notify the Board of any material breaches of the Code.
RECOMMENDATION 3.3
A listed entity should:
(a)
(b)
have and disclose a whistleblower policy; and
ensure that the board or a committee of the board is informed of any material incidents
reported under that policy.
The Company has a Whistleblower Policy which is disclosed on the Company’s website.
The Policy stipulates that the Board will be informed of any material incidents reported under the
Policy, subject to the confidentiality provisions of the Policy.
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RECOMMENDATION 3.4
A listed entity should:
(a)
(b)
have and disclose an anti-bribery and corruption policy; and
ensure that the board or a committee of the board is informed of any material breaches
of that policy.
The Company has an Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy which is disclosed on the Company’s
website.
The Policy stipulates that the Secretary must notify the Board of any material breach of this Policy.
PRINCIPLE 4: SAFEGUARD THE INTEGRITY OF CORPORATE REPORTS
RECOMMENDATION 4.1
The board of a listed entity should:
(a)
have an audit committee which:
(1)
has at least three members, all of whom are non-executive directors and a
majority of whom are independent directors; and
(2) is chaired by an independent director, who is not the chair of the board,
and disclose:
(3) the charter of the committee;
(4) the relevant qualifications and experience of the members of the committee; and
(5) in relation to each reporting period, the number of times the committee met
throughout the period and the individual attendances of the members at those
meetings; or
(b)
if it does not have an audit committee, disclose that fact and the processes it employs
that independently verify and safeguard the integrity of its corporate reporting,
including the processes for the appointment and removal of the external auditor and
the rotation of the audit engagement partner.
The Audit and Risk Committee is currently comprised of Mrs. Jane Bell, Dr Warwick Tong and Dr
Robert Peach.
Mrs. Bell is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and is an independent director.
The role of the Audit and Risk Committee is to:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
monitor and review the integrity of the financial reporting of the Company, reviewing significant
financial reporting judgments;
review the Company's internal financial control system and risk management systems;
monitor, review and oversee the external audit function including, matters concerning
appointment and remuneration, independence and non-audit services; and
perform such other functions as assigned by law or the Company's Constitution.
The Audit and Risk Committee may seek provision of educational information on accounting policies
and other financial topics relevant to the Company to assist in fulfilling its duties. Further, the Audit
and Risk Committee may seek explanations and additional information from the Company's external
auditors, without management present, when required.
When considered necessary or appropriate, the Audit and Risk Committee may conduct or authorise
investigations and may retain independent legal, accounting or other advisors.
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Other matters relating to the operation and authority of the Audit and Rick Committee are set out in
the Audit Committee Charter, which is available on the Company’s website.
Details relating to the relevant qualifications and experience of the members of the committee and
the number of times the committee met throughout the reporting period and the individual
attendances of the members at those meetings are set out on an Annual Basis in the Directors
Report contained in the Company’s Year End Financial Report which is released to the market and
posted on the Company’s website.
RECOMMENDATION 4.2
The board of a listed entity should, before it approves the entity’s financial statements for a
financial period, receive from its CEO and CFO a declaration that, in their opinion, the
financial records of the entity have been properly maintained and that the financial
statements comply with the appropriate accounting standards and give a true and fair view
of the financial position and performance of the entity and that the opinion has been formed
on the basis of a sound system of risk management and internal control which is operating
effectively.
The Company's CEO & Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer report in writing to the Board
on a yearly and half-yearly basis confirming that:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
the financial records of the entity have been properly maintained and that the financial
statements comply with the appropriate accounting standards;
the Company's financial statements are complete and present a true and fair view, in all
material respects, of the financial condition and performance of the Company; and
the above statement is founded on a sound system of internal control and risk
management which implements the policies adopted by the Board and that the Company's
risk management and internal controls are operating effectively in all material respects.
RECOMMENDATION 4.3
A listed entity should disclose its process to verify the integrity of any periodic corporate
report it releases to the market that is not audited or reviewed by an external auditor.
The Company is required to release quarterly cashflow statements to the market which are not
audited or reviewed by an external auditor. These cashflow statements are reviewed by the Audit
Committee and the full Board prior to their release to the market.
PRINCIPLE 5: MAKE TIMELY AND BALANCED DISCLOSURE
RECOMMENDATION 5.1
A listed entity should have and disclose a written policy for complying with its continuous
disclosure obligations under listing rule 3.1.
The Company has a Continuous Disclosure Policy which is available on the Company’s website.
RECOMMENDATION 5.2
A listed entity should ensure that its board receives copies of all material market
announcements promptly after they have been made.
The Company Secretary ensures that the Board receives copies of all material market
announcements promptly after they have been made.
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RECOMMENDATION 5.3
A listed entity that gives a new and substantive investor or analyst presentation should
release a copy of the presentation materials on the ASX Market Announcements Platform
ahead of the presentation.
The CEO & Managing Director and the Company Secretary ensure any new and substantive investor
or analyst presentation is released on the ASX Market Announcements Platform ahead of the
presentation.
PRINCIPLE 6: RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS
RECOMMENDATION 6.1
A listed entity should provide information about itself and its governance to investors via its
website.
Information about the Company and its governance are available on the Company's website.
The Company’s website provides detailed corporate information and has a specific section
relating to corporate governance.
RECOMMENDATION 6.2
A listed entity should have an investor relations program that facilitates effective two-way
communication with investors.
It is the Company's policy to communicate with shareholders and other stakeholders in an open,
regular and timely manner so that the market has sufficient information to make informed
investment decisions on the operations and results of the Company.
The information will be communicated to the shareholders through:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
continuous disclosure announcements made to the Australian Securities Exchange;
periodic shareholder updates and presentations;
posting of financial results and announcements on the Company's website;
posting of all results of clinical trials on the Company's website; and
the calling of annual general meetings, and other meetings of shareholders, as required, and
to obtain approval for Board action, as considered appropriate.
Investors and other stakeholders are invited to subscribe to an email alert facility on the Company’s
website so that they can receive material announcements which have been released by the
Company to the market via an email in a timely manner. The Company’s website also provides links
for direct email contact with the Company’s CEO & Managing Director, CFO and Company
Secretary.
RECOMMENDATION 6.3
A listed entity should disclose how it facilitates and encourages participation at meetings of
security holders.
The Company does not have formal policies or a process in place to facilitate or encourage
participation at shareholder meetings. The Company will despatch a Notice of Meetin
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