Overview

We recognize the importance of clear and straightforward rules on corporate governance and, where appropriate, have adapted our internal organization and processes to these rules. This section provides an overview of QIAGEN’s corporate governance structure and includes details of the information required under the Dutch Corporate Governance Code (the Dutch Code). The Dutch Code is applicable to QIAGEN N.V. (in the following also referred to as the “Company”), as it is a publicly listed company incorporated under the laws of The Netherlands with a registered seat in Venlo, The Netherlands. The Dutch Code contains the principles and concrete provisions which the persons involved in a listed company (including Managing Board members and Supervisory Board members) and stakeholders should observe in relation to one another.

Our corporate governance practices generally derive from the provisions of the Dutch Civil Code and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code. Further, due to our listing on the New York Stock Exchange in the U.S., the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board of QIAGEN N.V. declared their intention to disclose in QIAGEN’s Annual Reports the Company’s compliance with the corporate governance practices followed by U.S. companies under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards or state the deviations recorded in the period.

A brief summary of the principal differences follows.

Corporate Structure

QIAGEN is a ‘Naamloze Vennootschap,’ or N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company similar to a corporation in the United States. QIAGEN has a two-tier board structure. QIAGEN is managed by a Managing Board consisting of executive management acting under the supervision of a Supervisory Board (non-executives), similar to a Board of Directors in a U.S. corporation. It is in the interest of QIAGEN and all its stakeholders that each Board performs its functions appropriately and that there is a clear division of responsibilities between the Managing Board, the Supervisory Board, the general meeting of shareholders (General Meeting) and the external auditor in a well-functioning system of checks and balances.