def14a.htm
SCHEDULE
14A INFORMATION
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Filed
by Registrant
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Filed
by Party other than the Registrant
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Check
the appropriate box:
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Preliminary
Proxy Statement
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Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
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Definitive
Proxy Statement
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Definitive
Additional Materials
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Soliciting
Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12
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GEOGLOBAL
RESOURCES INC.
(Name of
Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
NOT
APPLICABLE
(Name of
Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (check the appropriate box):
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No
fee required.
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Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11
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1)
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Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
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Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
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4)
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Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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5)
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Total
Fee Paid:
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Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials.
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Check
box if any part of the Fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
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1)
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Amount
Previously Paid:
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2)
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Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement Number:
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Filing
Party:
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Date
Filed:
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GEOGLOBAL
RESOURCES INC.
SUITE
310, 605 – 1 STREET, SW
CALGARY,
ALBERTA T2P
3S9 CANADA
NOTICE OF
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
JULY 29,
2008
Notice is
hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of GeoGlobal Resources Inc.
will be held at the Calgary Petroleum Club in the Viking Room, 319 – 5 Avenue
SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 0L5 at 1:00 p.m., local time, on Tuesday, the 29th of
July, 2008 for the following purposes:
1.
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to
elect six (6) directors to hold office until our next Annual Meeting of
Stockholders and until their respective successors are elected and
qualified;
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2.
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to
consider and take action on a proposal to approve the adoption of the 2008
Stock Incentive Plan; and
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3.
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to
transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting, or
any adjournments thereof.
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Information
with respect to the above is set forth in the Proxy Statement which accompanies
this Notice. Only holders of shares of our Common Stock of record at
the close of business on June 4, 2008 (the "Record Date") are entitled to notice
of and to vote at the Meeting.
We hope
that all of our shareholders who can conveniently do so will attend the
Meeting. Stockholders who do not expect to be able to attend the
Meeting are requested to mark, date and sign the enclosed proxy and return same
in the enclosed pre-addressed envelope which is intended for your
convenience.
Patti
Price, Secretary
Dated: July
2, 2008
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
PROXY
STATEMENT
General
Information 4
Voting Securities and Principal
Holders
6
PROPOSALS
FOR ADOPTION
Proposal
1. Election of
Directors
8
Proposal
2. Adoption of 2008 Stock Incentive
Plan 10
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS, COMPENSATION AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Executive
Officers 13
Summary
Compensation 13
COMMITTEES AND
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS 19
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED
TRANSACTIONS 21
RELATIONSHIP WITH PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS 22
SUBMISSION
OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
OR DIRECTOR
NOMINATIONS FOR 2009 ANNUAL
MEETING 23
GENERAL
23
PROXY
STATEMENT
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Who
May Vote
Holders
of record of our Common Stock at the close of business on June 4, 2008 may vote
at the Meeting. This proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card are
being mailed to our stockholders beginning on or about July 4,
2008.
How
to Vote
You may
vote in person at the Meeting or by proxy. We recommend that you vote
by proxy even if you plan to attend the Meeting. You can always
change your vote at the Meeting.
How
Proxies Work
Our Board
of Directors is asking for your proxy. Giving us your proxy means you
authorize us to vote your shares at the Meeting in the manner you
direct. You may vote for all, some or none of our director
candidates.
If you
are a registered stockholder (meaning your name is included on the
securityholder file maintained by our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Co.
N.A.), you can vote by proxy in writing by completing, signing, dating and
returning your proxy card in the enclosed envelope.
If you
give us your signed proxy but do not specify how to vote, we will vote your
shares in favor of the election of the six director candidates that have been
nominated and in favour of the proposal to approve the adoption of the 2008
Stock Incentive Plan.
If your
shares are held in the name of your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee, you
will receive instructions from them that you must follow in order to have your
shares voted. Please note that if your shares are held by a bank,
brokerage firm or other nominee, and you decide to attend and vote at the annual
meeting, your vote in person at the annual meeting will not be effective unless
you present a legal proxy, issued in your name from your bank, brokerage firm,
or other holder of record.
Matters
to be Presented
We are
not aware of any matters to be presented other than those described in this
proxy statement. If any matters not described in this proxy statement
are properly presented at the Meeting, the proxies will use their own judgment
to determine how to vote your shares. If the Meeting is postponed or
adjourned, the proxies will vote your shares on the new Meeting date in
accordance with your previous instructions, unless you have revoked your
proxy.
Revoking
a Proxy
If you
are a registered stockholder, you may revoke your proxy before it is voted
by:
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Notifying
our Secretary in writing before the Meeting at the address given on the
cover page of this proxy statement;
or
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Voting
in person at the Meeting.
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If your
shares are held in the name of your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee, you
should follow the instructions received from them or contact your broker, in
order to change your vote.
Webcast
of the Meeting
We are
pleased to offer an audio/visual webcast of the Meeting. You may
listen to our Meeting by dialing-in via telephone or by internet access as
described below:
North
America Dial-in Numbers:
Calgary
Direct
Toronto
Direct
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403-398-9531
1-416-644-3415
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Other
Dial-in Number:
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1-800-732-9307
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Webcast:
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To
listen and view the live webcast of the Meeting, you can go to our website
at www.geoglobal.com and click on "AGM Webcast" or visit the
website of CNW Group at http://www.newswire.ca/en and do a quick
search of the name "GeoGlobal"
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Webcast
Replay:
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The
webcast replay will be available on our website at www.geoglobal.com from 5:00 p.m. MT,
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 until 5:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday, August 12,
2008. Be advised that listening to the webcast via our website
requires speakers and Windows Media Player.
The
teleconference replay will also be available by dialing-in via telephone
from 4;30 p.m. MT, Tuesday, July 29, 2008 until 11:59 p.m. MT on Tuesday,
August 12, 2008 at the following numbers:
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Passcode: 21276690
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416-640-1917
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Passcode: 21276690
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877-289-8525
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Conduct
of the Meeting
The
Chairman of our Meeting has broad authority to conduct the Meeting in an orderly
manner. This authority includes establishing rules for stockholders
who wish to address the Meeting. Copies of these rules will be
available at the Meeting. The Chairman may also exercise broad
discretion in recognizing stockholders who wish to speak and in determining the
extent of discussion on each item of business. The Chairman may also
rely on applicable law regarding disruptions or disorderly conduct to ensure
that the Meeting is conducted in a manner that is fair to all
stockholders.
Additional
Information on the Annual Meeting
If you
have questions or would like more information about the Meeting, you can contact
us in any of the following ways:
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Via the Internet:Go to
our website, www.geoglobal.com,
and click on the "Contact Us" link or send an e-mail directly to info@geoglobal.com
to request additional stockholder
information.
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By
telephone: +1
403 777-9250
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By
writing to the following address:
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Patti
Price, Secretary
GeoGlobal
Resources Inc.
#310, 605
– 1 Street SW
Calgary,
Alberta Canada
T2P
3S9
Contacting
our Board
Our Board
has provided a process for stockholders to communicate with its
members. Stockholders and other interested parties who wish to
communicate with our directors may address their correspondence to the Board, to
a particular director, to the non-employee directors or to any other group of
directors or committee of the Board, in care of Patti Price, Secretary,
GeoGlobal Resources Inc., at the address given above. You may make
any concerns known confidentially to the non-employee directors by marking your
envelope “Confidential” and addressing the communication to the Board of
Directors, in care of the Secretary.
VOTING
SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS
Outstanding
Shares and Voting Rights
At the
close of business on June 4, 2008, the record date, we had outstanding
72,205,756 shares of Common Stock.
Each
holder of Common Stock is entitled to one (1) vote per share at the
Meeting.
In order
to carry on the business of the Meeting, we must have a quorum. This
means that a majority of our issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote must
be present in person or by proxy in order to constitute a quorum at the
Meeting.
Assuming
a quorum is present, the Director candidates who receive the most “for” votes
will be elected to fill the six available seats on our Board and the proposal to
approve the adoption of the 2008 Stock Incentive Plan will be approved if it
receives the favourable vote of a majority of the shares of common stock
present, in person or by proxy, and voted at the meeting.. Shares
represented at the Meeting by a proxy reflecting abstentions or broker non-votes
will be counted for the purpose of determining whether or not a quorum is
present at the Meeting but will have no effect on the result of the votes on the
election of Directors or the proposal to approve the adoption of the 2008 Stock
Incentive Plan. Broker non-votes occur on a matter when a bank,
brokerage firm or other nominee is not permitted to vote on that matter without
instruction from the owner of the shares and no instruction is
given. Absent instructions from you, your broker may vote your shares
on the election of Directors and in favour of the proposal to approve the
adoption of the 2008 Stock Incentive.
Principal
Stockholders
This
table sets forth information as of June 4, 2008 about persons we know to
beneficially own more than five (5) percent of our voting Common
Stock.
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner
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Amount
Beneficially Owned (1)
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Percent
of Class
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Jean
Paul Roy
c/o
GeoGlobal Resources Inc.
Suite
310, 605 – 1 Street SW
Calgary,
Alberta T2P 3S9
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32,846,000
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45.5%
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(1)
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For
purposes of the above table, a person is considered to "beneficially own"
any shares with respect to which he or she exercises sole or shared voting
or investment power or of which he or she has the right to acquire the
beneficial ownership within 60 days following June 4,
2008.
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Security
Ownership of Directors and Executive Officers
This
table sets forth information as of June 4, 2008 about the amount of Common Stock
beneficially owned by our current directors, the executive officers named in the
Summary Compensation Table below and our directors and executive officers as a
group.
Name
of Beneficial Owner and Position
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Amount
Beneficially Owned (1)
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Percent
of Class
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Jean
Paul Roy (2)
c/o
GeoGlobal Resources Inc.
Suite
310, 605 – 1 Street SW
Calgary,
Alberta T2P 3S9
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32,846,000
(3)
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45.5%
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Allan
J. Kent
c/o
GeoGlobal Resources Inc.
Suite
310, 605 – 1 Street SW
Calgary,
Alberta T2P 3S9
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1,175,000
(4)
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1.6%
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Brent
J. Peters
c/o
Northfield Capital Corporation
Suite
301, 141 Adelaide Street West
Toronto,
ON M5H 3L5
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221,567
(5)
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Less
than 0.5%
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Peter
R. Smith
c/o
Andrin Limited
Suite
202, 197 County Court Boulevard
Brampton,
Ontario L6W 4P6
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150,000
(6)
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Less
than 0.5%
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Michael
J. Hudson
439
Mayfair Avenue
Ottawa,
ON K1Y 0K7
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150,000
(7)
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Less
than 0.5%
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Dr.
Avinash Chandra
B-102, Sector
26
Noida,
Uttar Pradesh India 201301
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184,434
(8)
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Less
than 0.5%
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All
officers and directors as a group (6
persons)
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34,727,001
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48.1%
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(1)
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For
purposes of the above table, a person is considered to "beneficially own"
any shares with respect to which he or she exercises sole or shared voting
or investment power or of which he or she has the right to acquire the
beneficial ownership within 60 days following June 4,
2008.
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(2)
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Of
the shares held beneficially by Mr. Roy, an aggregate of 5 million shares
are held in escrow pursuant to the terms of the agreement whereby we
purchased the outstanding capital stock of GeoGlobal Resources (India)
Inc. from Mr. Roy. Under the terms of the escrow agreement, Mr.
Roy has the voting rights with respect to these
shares.
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(3)
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Includes
32,046,000 shares of Common Stock and 800,000 options to purchase Common
Stock exercisable within 60 days of June 4,
2008
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(4)
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Includes
375,000 shares of Common Stock and 800,000 options to purchase Common
Stock exercisable within 60 days of June 4,
2008.
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(5)
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Includes
71,567 shares of Common Stock and options to purchase 150,000 shares of
Common Stock exercisable within 60 days of June 4,
2008.
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(6)
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Includes
options to purchase 150,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable within 60
days of June 4, 2008.
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(7)
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Includes
options to purchase 150,000 shares of Common Stock exercisable within 60
days of June 4, 2008.
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(8)
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Includes
51,100 shares of Common Stock and options to purchase 133,334 shares of
Common Stock exercisable within 60 days of June 4,
2008.
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Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Our
directors and executive officers file reports with the Securities and Exchange
Commission indicating the number of shares of any class of our equity securities
they owned when they became a director or executive officer and, after that,
changes in their ownership of our equity securities. They must also
provide us with copies of these reports. These reports are required
by Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We have
reviewed copies of the reports we received from the individuals required to file
the reports. Based on our review of the copies of the reports, we
believe that all filings required to be made by the reporting persons for the
period January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007 were made on a timely
basis.
PROPOSALS
FOR ADOPTION
PROPOSAL
1.ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Our
Board’s Nominating Committee has recommended and nominated the six director
candidates named below, all of whom currently serve as our
directors. All of our directors are elected for one-year
terms. If a director nominee becomes unavailable before the annual
meeting, your proxy authorizes the people named as proxies to vote for a
replacement nominee if the Nominating Committee names one. Each
nominee has indicated that he is willing and able to serve as a director if
elected, and, accordingly, our Board of Directors does not have in mind any
replacement.
The
nominees as Director and their ages are as follows:
Name
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Age
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Jean
Paul Roy
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51
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Allan
J. Kent
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54
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Brent
J. Peters
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36
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Peter
R. Smith
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60
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Michael
J. Hudson
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61
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Dr.
Avinash Chandra
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65
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Mr. Roy
was elected a Director, President and Chief Executive Officer on August 29,
2003. Prior thereto, for more than five years, Mr. Roy had been
consulting in the oil and gas industry through his private company, GeoGlobal
Technologies Inc. which he owned 100%. Mr. Roy has in excess of 26
years of geological and geophysical experience in basins worldwide as he has
worked on projects throughout India, North and South America, Europe, the Middle
East, the former Soviet Union and South East Asia. His specialties
include modern seismic data acquisition and processing techniques, and
integrated geological and geophysical data interpretation. Since 1981
he has held geophysical positions with Niko Resources Ltd., Gujarat State
Petroleum Corporation, Reliance Industries, Cubacan Exploration Inc.,
PetroCanada, GEDCO, Eurocan USA and British Petroleum. Mr. Roy
graduated from St. Mary’s University of Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1982 with a
B.Sc. in Geology and has been certified as a Professional
Geophysicist.
Mr. Kent
was elected a Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
our company on August 29, 2003. Mr. Kent has in excess of 26 years
experience in the area of oil and gas exploration finance and has, since 1987,
held a number of senior management positions and directorships with Cubacan
Exploration Inc., Endeavour Resources Inc. and MacDonald Oil Exploration Ltd.,
all publicly listed companies. Prior thereto, beginning in 1980, he
was a consultant in various capacities to a number of companies in the oil and
gas industry. He received his Bachelor of Mathematics degree in 1977
from the University of Waterloo, Ontario.
Mr. Smith
was elected a Director of our company on January 8, 2004. Mr. Smith
currently sits on the Board of Directors of Brampton Brick Limited and the Board
of Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation. Mr. Smith was
elected Chairman of the Board of the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority
(GO Transit) in March 2004, and a director of Tarion Warranty Corporation (a
Canadian new home warranty company) in April 2004. Since 1989, Mr.
Smith has been President and co-owner of Andrin Limited, a large
developer/builder of housing in Canada. Mr. Smith has held the
position of Chairman of the Board of Directors, Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC), from September 1995 to September 2003. On February 14,
2001, the Governor General of Canada announced the appointment of Mr. Smith as a
Member of the Order of Canada, effective November 15, 2000. Mr. Smith
holds a Masters Degree in Political Science (Public Policy) from the State
University of New York, and an Honours B.A. History and Political Science,
Dean’s Honour List, McMaster University, Ontario.
Mr.
Peters was elected a Director of our company on February 25,
2002. Mr. Peters has been Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of
Northfield Capital Corporation, a publicly traded investment company acquiring
shares in public and private corporations since 1997. Mr. Peters is
the CFO and a Director of Gold Eagle Mines Ltd. as well as a Director of Aranka
Gold Inc. Mr. Peters has a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree, specializing in accounting.
Mr.
Hudson was elected a Director of our company on May 17, 2004. Mr.
Hudson is a retired partner with the accounting firm Grant Thornton
LLP. Mr. Hudson was with Grant Thornton for 20 years and with his
experience in the oil and gas industry he was responsible for Assurance services
and providing advice to private, not-for-profit and public company clients
listed on Canadian and US exchanges. Mr. Hudson spent two years in
London, England assisting the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and
Wales with the start up of a consulting service to members on best practices for
the management of their firms including ethics and governance
issues. Upon returning to Canada he went on secondment for 18 months
with the Auditor General of Canada to learn and apply the disciplines of “value
for money” auditing. He was co-director of the comprehensive (value
for money) audit of Statistics Canada reporting in the 1983 Auditor General’s
Report.
Dr.
Chandra was elected a Director of our company on October 1, 2005. Dr.
Chandra has over 45 years of experience in the international as well as the
Indian oil and gas sector. He was the first Directorate General of
Hydrocarbons, at the level of Special Secretary to the Government of India for a
period of 10 years until his retirement in 2003. Dr. Chandra received
his Ph.D. in petroleum geology from the Imperial College, University of London,
United Kingdom. His post graduate work includes a Post Graduate
Diploma of Imperial College in Petroleum Geology and Petroleum Reservoir
Engineering as well as a M.Sc. (Applied Geology) and B.Sc. (Hons) from the
Lucknow University in India.
MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" EACH OF THE ABOVE NOMINEES
PROPOSAL
2. ADOPTION OF 2008 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
On May
30, 2008, our Board of Directors adopted the 2008 Stock Incentive Plan (the
"Plan"). The adoption of the Plan is subject to approval by our
stockholders. Under the Plan, 12,000,000 shares of our Common Stock
have been reserved for issuance on exercise of options that may be granted under
the Plan. The Plan is divided into five separate components: (i) the
Discretionary Option Grant Program under which eligible individuals in the
Company's employ or service (including officers and consultants) may, at the
discretion of the Plan Administrator, be granted options to purchase shares of
Common Stock at an exercise price equal to not less than the fair market value
of the Common Stock on the date of grant, (ii) the Stock Issuance Program under
which such individuals may, in the Plan Administrator's discretion, be issued
shares of Common Stock directly, through the purchase of such shares at a price
not less than their fair market value at the time of issuance or as a bonus tied
to the performance of services, (iii) the Salary Investment Option Grant Program
which may, in the Plan Administrator's sole discretion, be activated for one or
more calendar years and, if so activated, will allow executive officers and
other highly compensated employees the opportunity to apply a portion of their
base salary to the acquisition of special below-market stock option grants, (iv)
the Automatic Option Grant Program under which option grants will automatically
be made at periodic intervals to eligible, non-employee members of the Board of
Directors to purchase shares of Common Stock at an exercise price equal to their
fair market value on the grant date and (v) the Director Fee Option Grant
Program which may, in the Plan Administrator's sole discretion, be activated for
one or more calendar years and, if so activated, will allow non-employee Board
members the opportunity to apply a portion of any annual retainer fee otherwise
payable to them in cash each year to the acquisition of special below-market
option grants.
The
Discretionary Option Grant Program and the Stock Issuance Program initially will
be administered by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, as
Plan Administrator, will have the discretion to determine which eligible
individuals are to receive option grants or stock issuances under those
programs, the time or times when such option grants or stock issuances are to be
made, the number of shares subject to each such grant or issuance, the status of
any granted option as either an incentive stock option or a non-statutory stock
option under U.S. federal tax laws, the vesting schedule to be in effect for the
option grant or stock issuance and the maximum term for which any granted option
is to remain outstanding. The Board of Directors will also have the authority to
select the executive officers and other highly compensated employees who may
participate in the Salary Investment Option Grant Program in the event that
program is activated for one or more calendar years, but the Board of Directors
will not exercise any administrative discretion with respect to option grants
made under the Salary Investment Option Grant Program or under the Automatic
Option Grant Program or Director Fee Option Grant Program for the non-employee
Board members. All grants under those three latter programs will be made in
strict compliance with the express provisions of each such program.
The
exercise price for the shares of Common Stock subject to option grants made
under the Plan may be paid in cash or in shares of Common Stock valued at fair
market value on the exercise date. The option may also be exercised
through a same-day sale program without any cash outlay by the
optionee. In addition, subject to the restrictions imposed by any
applicable laws, the Plan Administrator may provide financial assistance to one
or more optionees in the exercise of their outstanding options or the purchase
of their unvested shares by allowing such individuals to deliver a
full-recourse, interest-bearing promissory note in payment of the exercise price
and any associated withholding taxes incurred in connection with such exercise
or purchase.
Stock
appreciation rights are authorized for issuance under the Discretionary Option
Grant Program which provide the holders with the election to surrender their
outstanding options for an appreciation distribution from us equal to the excess
of (i) the fair market value of the vested shares of Common Stock subject to the
surrendered option over (ii) the aggregate exercise price payable for such
shares. Such appreciation distribution may be made in cash or in
shares of Common Stock.
In the
event that our company is acquired by merger or sale of substantially all of its
assets or securities possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power
of our outstanding securities, each outstanding option under the Discretionary
Option Grant Program which is not to be assumed by the successor corporation or
otherwise continued in effect will automatically accelerate in full, and all
unvested shares under the Discretionary Option Grant and Stock Issuance Programs
will immediately vest, except to the extent our company’s repurchase rights with
respect to those shares are assigned to the successor corporation or otherwise
continued in effect. The Plan Administrator will have complete discretion to
grant one or more options under the Discretionary Option Grant Program which
will become exercisable on an accelerated basis for all of the option shares
upon (i) an acquisition or other change in control of our company, whether or
not those options are assumed or continued in effect, or (ii) the termination of
the optionee's service within a designated period (not to exceed 18 months)
following an acquisition or other change in control in which those options are
assumed or continued in effect. The vesting of outstanding shares under the
Stock Issuance Program may be accelerated upon similar terms and conditions. The
Plan Administrator is also authorized under the Discretionary Option Grant and
Stock Issuance Programs to grant options and to structure repurchase rights so
that the shares subject to those options or repurchase rights will immediately
vest in connection with a change in the majority of the Board of Directors of
our company by reason of one or more contested elections for Board membership,
with such vesting to occur either at the time of such change in control or upon
the subsequent termination of the individual's service within a designated
period following such change in control.
In
the event the Plan Administrator elects to activate the Salary Investment Option
Grant Program for one or more calendar years, each executive officer and other
highly compensated employees of our company selected for participation may
elect, prior to the start of the calendar year, to reduce his or her base salary
for that calendar year by a specified dollar amount not less than $12,000 nor
more than $60,000. If such election is approved by the Plan
Administrator, the individual will automatically be granted, on the first
trading day in January of the calendar year for which that salary reduction is
to be in effect, a non-statutory option to purchase that number of shares of
Common Stock determined by dividing the salary reduction amount by two-thirds of
the fair market value per share of Common Stock on the grant
date. The option will be exercisable at a price per share equal to
one-third of the fair market value of the option shares on the grant date. As a
result, the total spread on the option shares at the time of grant (the fair
market value of the option shares on the grant date less the aggregate exercise
price payable for those shares) will be equal to the amount of salary invested
in that option. The option will become exercisable for the option shares in a
series of 12 equal monthly installments over the calendar year for which the
salary reduction is to be in effect and will be subject to full and immediate
vesting upon certain changes in the ownership or control of our
company.
Under the
Automatic Option Grant Program, each individual who first becomes a non-employee
Board member at any time after the May 1, 2008, whether by appointment by the
Board of Directors or election of the stockholders, will automatically receive
an option grant for 50,000 shares, as of the date such individual joins the
Board, provided such individual has not been in our prior employ. In
addition, on the date of each Annual Stockholders Meeting of our company held
after the Plan Effective Date, each non-employee Board member who is to continue
to serve as a non-employee Board member will automatically be granted an option
to purchase 50,000 shares of Common Stock, provided such individual has served
on the Board for at least six months. Each automatic grant for the non-employee
Board members will have a term of 5 years, subject to earlier termination
following the optionee's cessation of Board service and will be less such number
of shares as may be subject to an automatic option grant under our company’s
1998 Stock Incentive Plan so long as it remains in effect. Each automatic option
will be immediately exercisable for all of the option shares; however, any
unvested shares purchased under the option will be subject to repurchase, at the
exercise price paid per share, should the optionee cease Board service prior to
vesting in those shares. The shares subject to each initial 50,000 share
automatic option grant will vest over a three-year period in successive equal
annual installments upon the individual's completion of each year of Board
service measured from the option grant date. Each 50,000 share
automatic option grant will vest upon the individual's completion of one year of
Board service measured from the option grant date. However, the shares subject
to each automatic grant will immediately vest in full upon certain changes in
control or ownership of the Company or upon the optionee's death or disability
while a Board member.
Should
the Director Fee Option Grant Program be activated in the future, each
non-employee Board member will have the opportunity to apply all or a portion of
any annual retainer fee otherwise payable in cash to the acquisition of a
below-market option grant. The option grant will automatically be
made on the first trading day in January in the year for which the retainer fee
would otherwise be payable in cash. The option will have an exercise price per
share equal to one-third of the fair market value of the option shares on the
grant date, and the number of shares subject to the option will be determined by
dividing the amount of the retainer fee applied to the program by two-thirds of
the fair market value per share of Common Stock on the grant date. As a result,
the total spread on the option (the fair market value of the option shares on
the grant date less the aggregate exercise price payable for those shares) will
be equal to the portion of the retainer fee invested in that option. The option
will become exercisable for the option shares in a series of 12 equal monthly
installments over the calendar year for which the election is to be in effect.
However, the option will become immediately exercisable for all the option
shares upon (i) certain changes in the ownership or control of our company or
(ii) the death or disability of the optionee while serving as a Board
member.
The
shares subject to each option under the Salary Investment Option Grant and
Automatic Option Grant and Director Fee Option Grant Programs will immediately
vest upon (i) an acquisition of our company by merger or asset sale, (ii) the
successful completion of a tender offer for more than 50% of our company’s
outstanding voting stock or (iii) a change in the majority of the Board effected
through one or more contested elections for Board membership. Limited
stock appreciation rights will automatically be included as part of each grant
made under the Automatic Option Grant, Salary Investment Option Grant and
Director Fee Option Grant Programs and may be granted to one or more officers of
our company as part of their option grants under the Discretionary Option Grant
Program. Options with such a limited stock appreciation right may be surrendered
to our company upon the successful completion of a hostile tender offer for more
than 50% of our company’s outstanding voting stock. In return for the
surrendered option, the optionee will be entitled to a cash distribution in an
amount per surrendered option share equal to the excess of (i) the highest price
per share of Common Stock paid in connection with the tender offer over (ii) the
exercise price payable for such share.
Our Board
of Directors may amend or modify the Plan at any time, subject to any required
stockholder approval. The Plan will terminate on the earliest of (i)
10 years after the Plan Effective Date, (ii) the date on which all shares
available for issuance under the Plan have been issued as fully-vested shares or
(iii) the termination of all outstanding options in connection with certain
changes in control or ownership of our company.
MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDS A VOTE "IN FAVOR OF" THE ABOVE PROPOSAL
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS,
COMPENSATION AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS
Our
current executive officers are the following:
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
Jean
Paul Roy
|
51
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
Allan
J. Kent
|
54
|
Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
|
Mr. Roy’s
and Mr. Kent’s employment backgrounds are described above.
SUMMARY
COMPENSATION
Annual
Compensation
The
following table sets forth the compensation of our principal executive officer
and all of our other executive officers for the two fiscal years ended December
31, 2007 who received total compensation exceeding $100,000 for the year ended
December 31, 2007 and who served in such capacities at December 31,
2007.
Name
and Principal Position
(a)
|
Year
(b)
|
Salary
($)
(c)
|
Bonus
($)
(d)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
(e)
|
Option
Awards
($)
(1)
(f)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compen-
sation
($)
(g)
|
Nonqualified
Deferred Compen-
sation
Earnings
($)
(h)
|
All
Other Compen-sation
($)
(i)
|
Total
($)
(j)
|
Jean
Paul Roy, (3)
President & CEO
|
2007
2006
|
350,000
350,000
|
-0-
-0-
|
-0-
-0-
|
166,396
404,104
|
Nil
Nil
|
Nil
Nil
|
48,000
(5)
44,280
(6)
|
547,236
798,384
|
Allan
J. Kent, (4)
Exec
VP & CFO
|
2007
2006
|
185,000
185,000
|
-0-
-0-
|
-0-
-0-
|
166,396
404,104
|
Nil
Nil
|
Nil
Nil
|
30,330
(7)
-0-
|
391,726
589,104
|
Miles
Leggett (8)
Geoscience
Specialist
|
2007
2006
|
158,400
117,425
|
10,000
-0-
|
-0-
-0-
|
183,781
137,644
|
Nil
Nil
|
Nil
Nil
|
-0-
-0-
|
352,181
255,069
|
B.
Mohapatra (8)
Country
Manager, India
|
2007
2006
|
137,391
63,459
|
-0-
52,126
|
-0-
-0-
|
293,228
86,076
|
Nil
Nil
|
Nil
Nil
|
-0-
-0-
|
430,619
201,661
|
(1)
|
Represents
the dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes
with respect to the fiscal year in accordance with FAS
123R. See Note 8b to Notes to Financial Statements for the year
ended December 31, 2007.
|
(2)
|
Messrs.
Roy and Kent are also Directors of our company; however they receive no
additional compensation for serving in those
capacities.
|
(3)
|
The
salary and bonus amounts are paid to RGB, a Barbados company wholly owned
by Mr. Roy, pursuant to the terms of a TSA described
below.
|
(4)
|
The
salary and bonus amounts are paid to D.I. Investments Ltd., a company
controlled by Mr. Kent, pursuant to an oral arrangement described
below.
|
(5)
|
Costs
paid for by us included in this amount are $21,720 for airfare for the
family of Mr. Roy to travel to India from their home once during the
calendar year and $26,280 for medical coverage for Mr. Roy and his
family.
|
(6)
|
Costs
paid for by us included in this amount are $18,780 for airfare for the
family of Mr. Roy to travel to India from their home two times during the
calendar year and $25,500 for medical coverage for Mr. Roy and his
family.
|
(7)
|
Costs
paid for by us included in this amount are $30,330 for medical coverage
for Mr. Kent and his family.
|
(8)
|
The
salary and bonus amounts are paid to these persons as an employee and not
as an executive officer.
|
Narrative
Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table
On August
29, 2003, we entered into a TSA with RGB, a company organized under the laws of
Barbados and wholly owned by Mr. Roy. Under the agreement, RGB agreed
to perform such geologic and geophysical duties as are assigned to it by
us. The term of the agreement, as amended, extends through December
31, 2008 and continues for successive periods of one year thereafter unless
otherwise agreed by the parties or either party has given notice that the
agreement will terminate at the end of the term. On January 31, 2006,
the terms of the agreement were amended to amend the fee payable from $250,000
to $350,000 effective January 1, 2006. RGB also is reimbursed for
authorized travel and other out-of-pocket expenses. The agreement
prohibits RGB from disclosing any of our confidential information and from
competing directly or indirectly with us for a period ending December 31, 2008
with respect to any acquisition, exploration, or development of any crude oil,
natural gas or related hydrocarbon interests within the area of the country of
India. The agreement may be terminated by either party on 30 days’
prior written notice, provided, however, the confidentiality and non-competition
provisions will survive the termination.
D.I.
Investments Ltd. ("DI"), a company controlled by Mr. Kent, was paid up to
December 31, 2007 by us for consulting services. The services of Mr.
Kent are provided to us pursuant to the oral arrangement with DI. The
oral agreement was amended to provide for an annual fee payable of $185,000
effective January 1, 2006 and the oral agreement was further amended to provide
for an annual fee payable of $212,750 effective January 1,
2008.
We do not
have any employment agreements with any of our named executive
officers.
Outstanding
Equity Awards at December 31,
2007
The
following table provides information with respect to our named executive
officers above regarding outstanding equity awards held at December 31,
2007.
|
Option
Awards
|
Stock
Awards
|
|
|
|
Name
(a)
|
Number
of securities underlying unexercised Options
(#)
Exercisable/
Unexercisable
(b-c)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards:
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options
(#)
(d)
|
Option
Exercise Price
($)
(e)
|
Option
Expiration Date
mm/dd/yy
(f)
|
Number
of shares or units of Stock held that have not vested
(#)
(g)
|
Market
value of shares or units of Stock held that have not vested (1)
($)
(h)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or
Other Rights That Have Not Vested
(#)
(i)
|
Equity
Incentive Plan Awards: Market or payout value of Unearned Shares, Units or
Other Rights That Have Not Vested
($)
(j)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jean
Paul Roy
|
300,000
|
-0-
|
1.10
|
08/31/08
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
|
500,000
|
-0-
|
3.95
|
07/25/16
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
Allan
J. Kent
|
300,000
|
-0-
|
1.10
|
08/31/08
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
|
500,000
|
-0-
|
3.95
|
07/25/16
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
Miles
Leggett
|
150,000
|
-0-
|
3.95
|
12/31/09
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
|
150,000
|
-0-
|
5.03
|
12/31/10
|
150,000
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
B.
Mohapatra
|
90,000
|
-0-
|
6.50
|
08/24/08
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
|
210,000
|
-0-
|
3.95
|
12/31/09
|
140,000
|
106,400
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
|
150,000
|
-0-
|
5.03
|
12/31/10
|
150,000
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
(1) based
on the closing sales price on December 31, 2007 of $4.71
Director
Compensation
The
following table provides information with respect to compensation of our
Directors during the year ended December 31, 2007. The compensation
paid to our named executive officers who are also Directors is reflected in the
Summary Compensation Table above.
Name
(a)
|
Fees
earned or paid in cash
($)
(b)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
(1)
(c)
|
Option
Awards
($)
(1)
(d)
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation
($)
(e)
|
Non-Qualified
Deferred Compensation Earnings
(f)
|
All
Other Compensation
($)
(g)
|
Total
($)
(h)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter
Smith
|
5,000
|
-0-
|
103,800
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
108,800
|
Brent
Peters
|
5,000
|
-0-
|
103,800
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
108,800
|
Michael
Hudson
|
31,000
|
-0-
|
103,800
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
134,800
|
Dr.
Avinash Chandra
|
29,500
|
-0-
|
103,800
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
-0-
|
133,300
|
(1)
|
Represents
the dollar amount recognized for financial statement reporting purposes
with respect to the fiscal year in accordance with FAS
123R. See Note 8b to Notes to Financial Statements for the year
ended December 31, 2007.
|
Our
non-employee Board members receive cash compensation for attendance in person or
by phone for each board meeting and each of the committee meetings that they are
a member of. A fee of $1,000 is paid for personally attending each
meeting and $500 is paid for attendance by phone. Our non-employee
Board members may also be paid a fee for their services for a special project
they may conduct or participate in. Two of our non-employee Board
members received $25,000 each for their services for special projects conducted
during 2007. Our Directors are also reimbursed for their
out-of-pocket expenses in attending meetings. Pursuant to the terms
of our 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, each non-employee Director automatically
receives an option grant for 50,000 shares on the date such person joins the
Board. In addition, on the date of each annual stockholder meeting,
provided such person has served as a non-employee Director for at least six
months, each non-employee Board member who is to continue to serve as a
non-employee Board member will automatically be granted an option to purchase
50,000 shares. Each such option has a term of ten years, subject to
earlier termination following such person's cessation of Board service, and is
subject to certain vesting provisions. For the purposes of the
automatic grant provisions of the Plan, all of our Directors, other than Messrs.
Roy and Kent are considered non-employee Board members.
Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of
the members of our Compensation Committee were officers or employees of our
company during the year ended December 31, 2007 or were former officers of our
company or had any other relationship with our company requiring
disclosure.
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
Policies
and Objectives
Our
Compensation Committee believes that our compensation policies and objectives
should align with and reflect the stage of development of our operations, our
operating objectives and the extent of realization of our
objectives. Our Compensation Committee believes that our policies and
objectives must take into consideration our specific business objectives and
manner of achieving those objectives and our ability to implement those
objectives under the terms of the production sharing contracts to which we are a
party. Accordingly, our compensation policies and objectives should
be based on both our successes in entering into and pursuing joint venture
arrangements, as well as the progress and success of the exploration and
drilling activities of those ventures, whether undertaken directly by us or
through the operators of the exploration blocks.
Our
Compensation Committee also believes that the compensation of our executive
officers should be based on the principles that the levels of compensation must
enable our company to motivate and retain the talent we need to lead and make
our company grow. Our Compensation Committee further believes that
the compensation levels must be competitive with similar other companies, be
fair and reasonable and, where appropriate, reward successful
performance. Our Compensation Committee relies upon its judgment in
making compensation decisions.
Because
it believes such a structure is most appropriate to our company’s stage of
development, the Compensation Committee has followed the practices established
in 2005 of providing a compensation package to our executive officers consisting
of monetary compensation and stock options. Our Compensation
Committee believes that the impact of applicable Canadian, United States and
other foreign tax laws should be considered with respect to the compensation
paid and the form of the compensation. Our Compensation Committee
does not establish any specific performance or target goals.
Our
Compensation Committee has retained Lane Caputo Compensation, Inc., Calgary,
Alberta, a compensation consultant, to review and recommend fair and justifiable
compensation for our executive positions and directors as well as to make
recommendations for future compensation practices. Lane Caputo
Compensation, Inc. reviewed our compensation arrangements relative to a selected
peer group of Canadian public companies trading on Canadian and/or International
securities exchanges that are focused on international oil and gas exploration
and production, with a focus on exploration. The fifteen companies in
this peer group and the exchange on which their securities are traded are as
follows:
· Africa
Oil Corp. (TSX-V)
|
· Pacific
Stratus Energy Ltd. (TSX)
|
· Candax
Petroleum Inc. (TSX)
|
· Pan
Orient Energy Ltd. (TSX-V)
|
· Canoro
Resources Ltd. (TSX-V)
|
· Serica
Energy PLC. (TSX-V)
|
· CGX
Energy Inc. (TSX-V)
|
· Sterling
Resources Ltd. (TSX-V)
|
· Cirrus
Energy Corp. (TSX-V)
|
· Stratic
Energy Corp. (TSX-V/AIM
|
· Falcon
Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSX-V)
|
· Verenex
Energy Inc. (TSX)
|
· Ithaca
Energy Inc. (TSX-V/AIM)
|
· Winstar
Resources Ltd. (TSX)
|
· Mart
Resources, Inc. (TSX-V)
|
|
Exchanges: TSX-V
-- Toronto Stock Exchange
(Venture) TSX
-- Toronto Stock Exchange
AIM -- London AIM Market
Exchange
Our
Compensation Committee believes that, at this stage of our company’s
development, it is appropriate for our monetary compensation to stay within the
median values of our peer group.
Although
Compensation Committee meetings are held in executive session, without
management’s presence, the Compensation Committee (and from time to time
individual members of the Committee) may meet with senior officers of our
company to discuss objectives, explain the rationale for certain objectives and
to assure that it has management’s input in assessing the consequences of
decisions made in the Compensation Committee meetings, including, for instance,
the impact that its decisions may have on our financial statements. The
Compensation Committee’s interactions with management seek to achieve a balance
between receiving management’s opinion but still ensuring that management is
not, in effect, establishing the terms and parameters for its own
compensation.
Direct
Monetary Compensation
Our
Compensation Committee held one meeting during the year ended December 31,
2007. At the meeting, the Compensation Committee considered, among
other things, in arriving at compensation for the fiscal year 2007, the
executive officers’ level of compensation during the prior fiscal years, the
compensation levels paid by the peer group of companies, the recommendations and
findings of Lane Caputo Compensation, Inc., the growth and complexity of the
executives’ tasks during the year, and our company’s overall business plans for
further growth in the following fiscal years.
The
direct monetary compensation of our executive officers is based on the scope of
their duties and responsibilities and the executives’ individual performance in
fulfilling those duties and responsibilities, in addition to the other factors
described above. Because of the inherent nature of our activities,
the uncertain nature of the outcome of our activities, and the extended period
of time over which the success of our activities will be determined, the
Compensation Committee believes that, because the company’s ability to achieve
its objectives is greatly dependent upon the activities of the operators of the
drilling blocks in which we have an interest, the company’s success in its
exploration and drilling activities during a particular year should not be the
sole measure by which the direct monetary compensation of our executive officers
is determined. The Compensation Committee also recognizes that our
company’s opportunity to enter into additional production-sharing contracts or
acquire interests in ventures that are parties to such contracts is limited by
availability of contracts and our company’s capital. However, the
Committee recognizes that future successes may lead it to award cash or other
bonuses determined at that time and in the light of future events.
Based on
the Compensation Committee’s policies and objectives, the Committee believes
that the direct monetary compensation of our executive officers for fiscal 2007
was at or below the median level of the peer group selected by Lane Caputo
Compensation, Inc.
Equity
Compensation
Our
Compensation Committee believes that a material element of executive
compensation should be the award of equity grants. This element of
compensation has taken the form of grants of options under our Stock Incentive
Plan but other forms of equity grants may be considered. The
Compensation Committee believes the award of equity grants has the effect of
aligning executive officers compensation to the future growth and success of our
company.
Equity
grants are the only form of long-term compensation utilized to compensate our
executive officers at this time. The Compensation Committee does not
consider any relationship between Direct Monetary Compensation and Equity
Compensation in making equity grants. These grants are not based on
any strict formula but rather are determined in the light of practices at the
peer group selected, our company’s past practices, and our overall corporate
performance during the period relative to our progress made in achieving our
overall business plan objectives and achieving stockholder value.
The
Compensation Committee did not award any equity grants to our executive officers
in 2007. The Compensation Committee reached this conclusion based on
the market performance of the company’s common stock during the
year.
Other
Benefits - Change of Control
We have
no arrangements with our executive officers or Directors regarding any monetary
payments to them in the event of a change in control of our
company.
In the
event that our company is acquired by merger or sale of substantially all of its
assets or securities possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power
of our outstanding securities, outstanding options granted under our 1998 Stock
Incentive Plan containing vesting provisions, including those held by executive
officers and Directors, are subject to immediate vesting. Each
outstanding option which is not to be assumed by the successor corporation or
otherwise continued in effect will automatically accelerate in full and become
immediately fully vested, subject to certain exceptions. The Plan contains
discretionary provisions regarding the grant of options with vesting provisions.
Options may also immediately vest in connection with a change in the majority of
the Board of Directors of our company by reason of one or more contested
elections for Board membership.
Perquisites
Our
executive officers also receive perquisites in the form of medical insurance
coverage for the executives and their families. In addition, in 2007
the company paid air fare expenses for Mr. Roy’s family in connection with
travel to India from their home.
Mr. Roy,
through Roy Group Barbados, Inc. (“RGB”), a corporation wholly owned by Mr. Roy,
is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses on a cost recovery basis for expenses
such as travel, hotel, meals and entertainment expenses, computer costs and
amounts billed to third parties.
Mr. Kent
is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses on a cost recovery basis for expenses
such as office costs, which include office supplies and telephone as well as
travel, hotel, meals and entertainment expenses incurred by him in the
performance of services to our company.
Structure
of Compensation Arrangements
We have
entered into the following arrangements regarding our executive
officers.
We have
an agreement with RGB whereby, under the agreement, RGB agreed to perform such
geologic and geophysical duties as are assigned to it by our
company. Mr. Roy performs services for us in his capacity as an
employee to RGB and we pay compensation to RGB. In addition, we pay
for medical insurance for Mr. Roy and his family. Expenses incurred
by Mr. Roy in connection with the Company are reimbursed to RGB for his travel
expenses, hotel, meals and entertainment expenses, computer costs and amounts
billed to third parties
Mr.
Kent’s services were provided through D.I. Investments Ltd., a company
controlled by Mr. Kent. In addition, we pay for medical insurance for
Mr. Kent and his family. Expenses incurred by Mr. Kent in connection
with the Company are reimbursed to him for office costs, his travel expenses,
hotel, meals and entertainment expenses.
Director
Compensation
Our
non-employee Board members receive cash compensation for attendance in person or
by phone for each board meeting and each of the committee meetings that they are
a member of. A fee of $1,000 is paid for personally attending each
meeting and $500 is paid for attendance by phone. Our non-employee
Board members may also be paid a fee for their services for a special project
they may conduct or participate in. Our Directors are also reimbursed
for their out-of-pocket expenses in attending meetings. Pursuant to
the terms of our 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, each non-employee Director
automatically receives an option grant for 50,000 shares on the date such person
joins the Board. In addition, on the date of each annual stockholder
meeting, provided such person has served as a non-employee Director for at least
six months, each non-employee Board member who is to continue to serve as a
non-employee Board member will automatically be granted an option to purchase
50,000 shares. Each such option has a term of ten years, subject to
earlier termination following such person's cessation of Board service, and is
subject to certain vesting provisions. For the purposes of the
automatic grant provisions of the Plan, all of our Directors, other than Messrs.
Roy and Kent, are considered non-employee Board members.
Compensation
Committee Report
The
Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors has reviewed and discussed with
management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of
Regulation S-K. Based on such review and discussions, the
Compensation Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Annual Report on Form
10-K and the Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders for
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Submitted by the Compensation
Committee:
Michael
J. Hudson (Chairman)
The
above Compensation Committee Report is not deemed to be “soliciting material” or
“filed” with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or
incorporated by reference in any documents so filed.
Corporate
Governance
Our Board
has adopted corporate governance guidelines in conjunction with the listing of
our shares on the American Stock Exchange. These guidelines address
items such as our Board composition and Director qualifications, Director
responsibilities, the functioning of the Board, Board Committees and other
governance practices and policies. In addition, we have a Code of
Business Conduct Policy that applies to all our officers, directors and
employees. The Code is posted under the “Investor Info - Reports”
section of our website at www.geoglobal.com
.. Amendments to our Code will also be posted on this section of our
website. The charters of each of the Board’s Nominating, Audit and
Compensation Committees are also posted on our website. More
information on our Board and its committees can be found below under the
caption, “Committees and Meetings of the Board of Directors” in this proxy
statement.
Our Board
has determined that each of our non-employee directors is independent in
accordance with the director independence definition specified in our corporate
governance guidelines, which are posted under the “Investor Info - Reports”
section of our website www.geoglobal.com and
in accordance with applicable American Stock Exchange
rules. Following the annual meeting, if all director nominees are
elected to serve as our directors, independent directors will constitute 66.6%
of our Board.
COMMITTEES
AND MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board
of Directors
Our Board
of Directors held nine meetings during the year ended December 31, 2007, of
which five meetings were held by conference telephone call in which all
directors participating were able to hear one another. Each of our
Directors participated in all the meetings of the Board except for Dr. Chandra
who was unable to attend two meetings.
We urge
but do not require Board members to attend annual meetings of
stockholders. All of our Directors attended our annual meeting of
stockholders held on June 20, 2007 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Audit
Committee
Our Board
of Directors has appointed an Audit Committee consisting of Messrs. Hudson, who
is the Chairman, Mr. Peters and Dr. Chandra, each of whom has been determined to
be an "independent director" under the listing standards of the American Stock
Exchange. Under our Audit Committee Charter, adopted as amended on
March 6, 2005, our Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, among other
responsibilities,
·
|
the
appointment, compensation and oversight of the work performed by our
independent auditor,
|
·
|
the
adoption and assurance of compliance with a pre-approval policy with
respect to services provided by the independent
auditor,
|
·
|
at
least annually, obtain and review a report by our independent auditor as
to relationships between the independent auditor and our company so as to
assure the independence of the independent
auditor,
|
·
|
review
the annual audited and quarterly financial statements with our management
and the independent auditor, and
|
·
|
discuss
with the independent auditor their required disclosure relating to the
conduct of the audit.
|
Our Board
of Directors has determined that Mr. Michael J. Hudson has the attributes of an
Audit Committee Financial Expert.
Our Audit
Committee had six meetings during the year ended December 31, 2007, of which
four meetings were by conference telephone call in which all participants were
able to hear one another.
On May
15, 2008, our Audit Committee discussed our audited consolidated financial
statements with management and discussed with KPMG, our independent registered
public accounting firm, the matters required to be discussed by Statement of
Auditing Standards No. 61 and received the written disclosures and the letter
from KPMG as required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 which
confirmed KPMG's independence as auditor. Based on that review and
those discussions, our Audit Committee recommended that our audited consolidated
financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2007 for filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Our Audit
Committee Charter is available in the “Governance” section of our website at
www.geoglobal.com.
Audit
Committee Report
Our Audit
Committee has reviewed and discussed our company’s audited consolidated
financial statements with management. Further, the Audit Committee
has discussed with our registered independent public accountants the
matters required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61
(SAS 61 - Communication with Audit Committees), as amended, relating to the
accountants’ judgment about the quality of our company's accounting principles,
judgments and estimates, as applied in its financial reporting.
The Audit
Committee also has received the written disclosures and the letter from our
independent public accountants required by Independence Standards Board Standard
No. 1 (Independence Discussions with Audit Committees) that relates to the
accountants’ independence from our company and its subsidiaries and has
discussed with the registered independent public accountants their
independence.
Based on
the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended
to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in our company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, for filing with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Submitted by the Audit
Committee:
Michael J. Hudson,
Chairman
Brent J. Peters
Dr. Avinash
Chandra
As
provided under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the
foregoing Audit Committee Report shall not be deemed to be “soliciting
material:”, or to be “filed” with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
subject to Regulation 14A, other than as provided in Item 407 of Regulation
S-K
Compensation
Committee
Our
Compensation Committee consists of Mr. Hudson whom is the Chairman and Mr.
Peters, each of whom has been determined to be an "independent
director". Our Compensation Committee, which has adopted a charter,
among other things, exercises general responsibility regarding overall employee
and executive compensation. Our Compensation Committee sets the
annual salary, bonus and other benefits of the President and the Chief Executive
Officer and approves compensation for all our other executive officers,
consultants and employees after considering the recommendations of our President
and Chief Executive Officer. Our Compensation Committee has retained Lane Caputo
Compensation, Inc., Calgary, Alberta, a compensation consultant, to review and
recommend fair and justifiable compensation for our executive positions and
directors as well as to make recommendations for future compensation
practices. Although Committee meetings are held in executive session,
without management’s presence, the Committee (and from time to time individual
members of the Committee) may meet with senior officers of our company to
discuss objectives, explain the rationale for certain objectives or milestones,
and to assure that it has management’s input in assessing the consequences of
decisions made in the Committee meetings, for instance, the impact that its
decisions may have on our financial statements. The Committee’s
interactions with management seek to achieve a balance between receiving
management’s opinion but still ensuring that management is not, in effect,
establishing the terms and parameters for its own compensation. In
certain instances, where management has proposed objectives that are more
aggressive than those proposed by the Committee, the Committee may elect to
utilize management’s milestones rather than its own
The
Compensation Committee held one meeting during the year ended December 31, 2007,
which was held in person.
None of
the members of our Compensation Committee were officers or employees of our
company during the year ended December 31, 2007 or were former officers of our
company or had any other relationship with our company requiring
disclosure.
Nominating
Committee and Director Nominations
Our
Nominating Committee consists of Mr. Smith, who is the Chairman, Mr. Peters and
Mr. Hudson, each of whom has been determined to be an "independent director"
under the listing standards of the American Stock Exchange. Our
Nominating Committee, among other things, exercises general responsibility
regarding the identification of individuals qualified to become Board members
and recommend that the Board select the director nominees for the next annual
meeting of stockholders. Our Board of Directors has adopted a charter
for the nominating committee. The Nominating Committee did not hold
any meetings in person during the year ended December 31, 2007, but did however
adopt a unanimous written consent.
Our
Nominating Committee Charter is available in the “Governance” section of our
website at www.geoglobal.com.
Our
Nominating Committee will seek out nominees for new directors as vacancies
become available using the following criteria: A majority of the
directors must be independent, as determined by the Board under applicable
rules; nominees shall possess expertise in general business matters and in such
other areas as are relevant to Committees on which they are expected to serve
(such as financial expertise, for Directors expected to serve as Audit Committee
members); and nominees shall be individuals with the background, character,
skills and expertise such that they will meaningfully contribute to our success
and our operations. All our nominees for election as Directors at the
Meeting were elected at our annual meeting of stockholders held in
2007.
Stockholders
may submit nominations to our Nominating Committee for consideration at next
year’s annual meeting prior to the deadlines set forth on Page
23. Any such nomination should include information to demonstrate how
the proposed nominee meets the criteria set forth above. Nominations
should be mailed to the attention of the Nominating Committee c/o our Corporate
Secretary at our address on Page 5. The Committee will evaluate all
recommended nominees based on the criteria set forth above and especially based
on whether they will meaningfully contribute to our success and our
operations. We have not, to date, paid any fees to any firm in
connection with locating or nominating any director candidates.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
On March
27, 2003, we entered into a PIA with RGM, a corporation wholly owned by Jean
Paul Roy, our President, Chief Executive Officer, a Director and principal
stockholder, whereby we assigned and hold in trust for RGM subject to the GOI
consent, 50% of the benefits and obligations of the Production Sharing Contract
("PSC") covering the KG Offshore Block ("PSC-KG") and the CIA leaving us with a
net 5% PI in the PSC-KG and a net 5% CI in the CIA. Under the terms
of the PIA, until the GOI consent is obtained, we retain the exclusive right to
deal with the other parties to the PSC-KG and the CIA and are entitled to make
all decisions regarding the interest assigned to RGM. RGM has agreed
to be bound by and be responsible for the actions taken by, obligations
undertaken and costs incurred by us in regard to RGM's interest, and to be
liable to us for its share of all costs, interests, liabilities and obligations
arising out of or relating to the RGM interest. RGM has agreed to
indemnify us against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities
incurred by reason of RGM's failure to pay the same.
Subject
to obtaining the government consent to the assignment, RGM is entitled to all
income, receipts, credits, reimbursements, monies receivable, rebates and other
benefits in respect of its 5% interest which relate to the PSC-KG.
We have a
right of set-off against sums owing to us by RGM. In the event that
the Indian government consent is delayed or denied, resulting in either RGM or
our company being denied an economic benefit either would have realized under
the PIA, the parties agreed to amend the PIA or take other reasonable steps to
assure that an equitable result is achieved consistent with the parties'
intentions contained in the PIA. In the event the consent is denied,
neither party is entitled to assert any claim against the other except as is
specifically set forth in the agreement. We have not yet obtained the
consent of the GOI. As a consequence of this transaction, we report
our holdings under the PSC-KG and CIA as a net 5% PI.
RGM
further agreed in the PIA that it would not dispose of any interest in the
agreement, its 5% interest, or the shares of RGM without first giving notice to
us of the transaction, its terms, including price, and the identity of the
intended assignee and any other material information, and we will have the first
right to purchase the interest proposed to be sold on the terms contained in the
notice to us.
On August
29, 2003, we entered into a TSA with Roy Group Barbados ("RGB"), a corporation
wholly owned by Mr. Roy, whereby under the agreement, RGB agreed to perform such
geologic and geophysical duties as are assigned to it by our
company. The term of the agreement, as amended, extends through
December 31, 2008 and continues for successive periods of one year thereafter
unless otherwise agreed by the parties or either party has given notice that the
agreement will terminate at the end of the term. On January 31, 2006,
the terms of the agreement were amended to amend the fee payable from $250,000
to $350,000 effective January 1, 2006. RGB also is reimbursed for
authorized travel and other out-of-pocket expenses. The agreement
prohibits RGB from disclosing any of our confidential information and from
competing directly or indirectly with us for a period ending December 31, 2008
with respect to any acquisition, exploration, or development of any crude oil,
natural gas or related hydrocarbon interests within the area of the country of
India. The agreement may be terminated by either party on 30 days’
prior written notice, provided, however, the confidentiality and non-competition
provisions will survive the termination. RGB received $350,000 from
us during 2007 ($350,000 in 2006; $250,000 plus a bonus of $60,000 in 2005;
$250,000 in 2004; and $83,333 in 2003), under the terms of this agreement,
including its amendments.
RGB was
reimbursed for medical insurance and expenses, travel, hotel, meals and
entertainment expenses, computer costs, and amounts billed to third parties
incurred by Mr. Roy during 2007 totaling $75,000. At December 31,
2007, we owed RGB $33,192 for services provided pursuant to the TSA and expenses
incurred on behalf of our Company which amount bears no interest and has no set
terms of repayment.
During
the year ended December 31, 2007, Mr. Allan J. Kent, our Executive Vice
President, Chief Financial Officer and a Director, was paid $185,000 ($185,000
in 2006; $120,000 plus a bonus of $30,000 in 2005; $120,000 in 2004; and $61,715
in 2003) by us for consulting services of Mr. Kent which are provided to us
pursuant to an oral arrangement with DI Investments Ltd. ("DI"), a corporation
wholly-owned by him, amended effective January 1, 2006. The oral
agreement has been amended to provide for an annual fee payable of $212,750
effective January 1, 2008.
DI was
reimbursed $82,918 for medical insurance, office costs, including office
supplies and telephone as well as travel, hotel, meals and entertainment
expenses incurred throughout 2007. At December 31, 2007, we owed DI
$26,007 as a result of services provided and expensed incurred on behalf of our
company.
Messrs.
Roy and Kent devote substantially all their time to our
affairs. Neither of such persons is our direct employee and we do not
have any employment agreements directly with either of such
persons.
During
the year ended December 31, 2007, Amicus Services Inc. a company controlled by
Mr. Vincent Roy, a brother of Mr. Jean Roy, received from us $55,347 as
consulting fees for services rendered. Amicus Services Inc. was also
reimbursed $5,278 for office costs, including parking, office supplies and
telephone as well as travel and hotel expenses incurred throughout
2007. At December 31, 2007, we owed Amicus Services Inc. $6,953 as a
result of services provided and expensed incurred on behalf of our
Company.
RELATIONSHIP
WITH PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Our Audit
Committee has selected KPMG, LLP as the company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. The same
firm was our independent registered public accounting firm that audited our
financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. We
do not require a representative of KPMG, LLP to be present at the Meeting but we
do expect a representative to be present and available to respond to appropriate
questions or make a statement if they desire to do so.
On
December 20, 2007, we received a letter from Ernst & Young LLP ("E&Y")
dated December 14, 2007 stating that it resigned, effective December 12, 2007,
as our auditor. In connection with its engagement to audit our
consolidated financial statements for the two fiscal years ended December 31,
2006 and subsequent interim periods preceding the date of E&Y's resignation,
we had no disagreements with E&Y on any matter of accounting principles or
practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure which,
if not resolved to its satisfaction, would have caused E&Y to make reference
to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with its reports and
there did not occur a reportable event as described in paragraph (a)(1)(v) of
Item 304 of Regulation S-K.
We
retained E&Y on February 26, 2004 as our principal accountants to audit our
consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2002 and for the period
from August 21, 2002 (inception) to December 31, 2002 and as of and for the
years ended December 31, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Audit
and Related Fees
The
following sets forth fees we incurred for professional services provided by
KPMG, LLP and Ernst & Young LLP for accounting services rendered during the
years ended December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively.
|
|
Audit
Fees
|
|
|
Audit
Related Fees
|
|
|
Tax
Fees
|
|
|
All
Other Fees
|
|
2007
|
|
|
428,205 |
|
|
|
-- |
|
|
|
-- |
|
|
|
164,709 |
|
2006
|
|
|
88,281 |
|
|
|
26,452 |
|
|
|
-- |
|
|
|
37,425 |
|
Our Board
of Directors believes that the provision of the services during the years ended
December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 is compatible with maintaining the
independence of KPMG LLP and Ernst & Young LLP, respectively. Our
Audit Committee approves before the engagement the rendering of all audit and
non-audit services provided to our company by our independent
auditor. Engagements to render services are not entered into pursuant
to any pre-approval policies and procedures adopted by the Audit
Committee. The services provided by KPMG LLP and Ernst & Young
LLP included under the caption Audit Fees include services
rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements and the review of our
quarterly financial reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Audit
Related Fees include services rendered in connection with a follow-up the
review of other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Tax
Fees include services rendered relating primarily to tax compliance,
consulting, customs and duties. All Other Fees include
administration fees to cover various expenses and SOX related work performed to
date.
SUBMISSION
OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS OR DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS
FOR
2009 ANNUAL MEETING
Any
proposals or director nominations which stockholders intend to present for a
vote of stockholders at our 2009 annual meeting and which such stockholders
desire to have included in our proxy statement and form of proxy relating to
that meeting must be sent to our executive office and received by us not later
than February 20, 2009. After that date, the submission of
stockholder proposals will be considered untimely. Our Board has the
right to review stockholder proposals to determine if they meet the requirements
for being included in the proxy statement as such requirements have been
established by the Securities and Exchange Commission. See also our
policy entitled, “Director Nominations,” on Page 21 of this proxy
statement.
GENERAL
The cost
of soliciting proxies will be borne by us. In addition to
solicitation by use of the mails, certain officers and regular employees may
solicit proxies personally and by telephone and we will request banks, brokerage
houses and nominees and fiduciaries to forward soliciting material to their
principals and will reimburse them for their reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses.
Our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, including
financial statements, is being mailed to shareholders herewith. However, that
report is not part of the proxy soliciting information.
By
Order of the Board of Directors
Allan
J. Kent
Executive
VP and CFO
Dated: July
2, 2008
APPENDIX:
FORM
OF PROXY
GEOGLOBAL
RESOURCES INC.
SUITE
#310, 605 – 1 STREET S.W.
CALGARY,
ALBERTA T2P 3S9 CANADA
THIS
PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The
undersigned hereby appoints Jean Paul Roy, President and Chief Executive Officer
and Allan J. Kent, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or
either of them, with power of substitution, to represent and to vote on behalf
of the undersigned all of the shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share
("Common Stock"), of the Company which the undersigned is entitled to vote at
the annual meeting of stockholders to be held at the Calgary Petroleum Club in
the Viking Room, 319 – 5 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 0L5 at 1:00 p.m., local
time, on Tuesday, the 29th of
July, 2008, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof, hereby revoking
all proxies heretofore given with respect to such stock, upon the following
proposals more fully described in the notice of the meeting and proxy statement
(receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged).
1. Election
of Directors
|_| For
all nominees listed below (except as marked to contrary below)
|_| Withhold
Authority to vote for all nominees listed below
INSTRUCTION:
TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE, STRIKE A LINE THROUGH
THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.
Jean Paul
Roy Brent
J. Peters
Allan J.
Kent Michael
J. Hudson
Peter R.
Smith Dr.
Avinash Chandra
2. Approval
of 2008 Stock Incentive Plan
Approval
of the adoption of the 2008 Stock Incentive Plan
In Favor
of
|_| Against
|_| Abstain
|_|
3. In their
discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may
properly come before the meeting.
THIS
PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED BY THE
UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR
THE ELECTION OF ALL SIX NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR.
PLEASE
SIGN EXACTLY AS NAME APPEARS BELOW. PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY
CARD PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
WHEN
SHARES ARE HELD BY JOINT TENANTS, BOTH SHOULD SIGN. WHEN SIGNING AS ATTORNEY, AS
EXECUTOR, ADMINISTRATOR, TRUSTEE, OR GUARDIAN, PLEASE GIVE FULL TITLE AS SUCH.
IF A CORPORATION, PLEASE SIGN IN FULL CORPORATE NAME BY PRESIDENT OR OTHER
AUTHORIZED OFFICER. IF A PARTNERSHIP, PLEASE SIGN IN PARTNERSHIP NAME BY
AUTHORIZED PERSON.
Dated:
___________________, 2008
________________________________________
Signature
Title (if
required)
______________________________________
Signature
(if held jointly)