Companies listed on the NYSE must comply with certain standards regarding corporate governance under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. However, listed companies that are foreign private issuers, such as Nomura, are permitted to follow home country practice in lieu of certain provisions of Section 303A.
The following table shows the significant differences between the corporate governance practices followed by U.S. listed companies under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual and those followed by Nomura. The information set forth below is current as of March 31, 2010.
| Corporate Governance Practices Followed by NYSE-listed U.S. Companies | Corporate Governance Practices Followed by Nomura |
|---|---|
| A NYSE-listed U.S. company must have a majority of Directors meeting the independence requirements under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. | In accordance with the Companies Act, Nomura has the Committee System corporate form, under which it has an Audit Committee, a Nomination Committee and a Compensation Committee under its Board of Directors. Under the Companies Act, Nomura is not required to have outside directors comprising a majority of its Directors, but is required to have on each committee at least three Directors, a majority of whom must be outside directors. Nomura has twelve Directors, seven of whom are outside directors. An outside director of a corporation is defined under the Companies Act as a non-executive director (i) who has never assumed the position of executive director, executive officer, manager or employee of the company or its subsidiaries and (ii) who does not currently assume the position of executive director, executive officer, manager or employee of the company or its subsidiaries. |
| The non-management directors of a NYSE-listed U.S. company must meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without management. | Under the Companies Act, Nomura is not required to hold such executive sessions for its outside directors. |
| A NYSE-listed U.S. company must have an audit committee with responsibilities described under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual, including those imposed by Rule 10A-3 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The audit committee must be composed entirely of independent directors and have at least three members. | Nomura has an Audit Committee consisting of three Directors, two of whom are outside directors under the Companies Act and all of whom are independent directors under Rule 10A-3 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Audit Committee is in charge of monitoring the performance of the Directors and Executive Officers of Nomura and to propose the appointment or dismissal of its independent auditors and accounting firm. The Audit Committee satisfies the requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| A NYSE-listed U.S. company must have a nominating/ corporate governance committee with responsibilities described under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The nominating/corporate governance committee must be composed entirely of independent directors. | Nomura has a Nomination Committee consisting of three Directors, two of whom are outside directors. The Nomination Committee is in charge of proposing to the meeting of shareholders the election or dismissal of Directors. |
| A NYSE-listed U.S. company must have a compensation committee with responsibilities described under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The compensation committee must be composed entirely of independent directors. | Nomura has a Compensation Committee consisting of three Directors, two of whom are outside directors. The Compensation Committee is in charge of determining the compensation of each Director and Executive Officer of Nomura. |
| A NYSE-listed U.S. company must generally obtain shareholder approval with respect to any equity compensation plan. | The Compensation Committee establishes the policy with respect to the determination of the individual compensation of each of our Directors and Executive Officers (including stock options in the form of stock acquisition rights as equity compensation) and makes determinations in accordance with that compensation policy. Under the Companies Act, stock options are deemed to be compensation for the services performed by our Directors and Executive Officers. |
