Holding(s) in Company - Watchstone Group Plc

TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR HOLDINGS ⁱ

1a. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached:ⁱⁱ

WATCHSTONE GROUP PLC

1b. Please indicate if the issuer is a non-UK issuer (please mark with an “X” if appropriate)

Non-UK issuer

2. Reason for the notification (please mark the appropriate box or boxes with an “X”)

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights

An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights

Other (please specify)ⁱⁱⁱ:

3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation^iv

Name

HSBC Holdings PLC

City and country of registered office (if applicable)

London, United Kingdom

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.):^v

Name

HSBC Bank plc

City and country of registered office (if applicable)

8, Canada Square, London, E14 5HQ

5. Date of the transaction and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached:^vi

15 February 2018

6. Date on which issuer notified (DD/MM/YYYY):

19 February 2018

7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation

% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8. A)

% of voting rights through financial instruments (total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2)

Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B)

Total number of voting rights of issuer^vii

Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached

6.011%

Nil

6.011%

46,038,333

Position of previous notification (if applicable)

Below Threshold

8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached^viii
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type of shares ISIN CODE (if possible)	Number of voting rights^ix		% of voting rights
	Direct (Art 9 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.1)	Indirect (Art 10 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.2.1)	Direct (Art 9 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.1)	Indirect (Art 10 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.2.1)
GB00BYNBFN51	2,767,575	Nil	6.011%	Nil


SUBTOTAL 8. A	2,767,575		6.011%

B 1: Financial Instruments according to Art. 13(1)(a) of Directive 2004/109/EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (a))
Type of financial instrument	Expiration date^x	Exercise/Conversion Period^xi	Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/converted.	% of voting rights
Nil


		SUBTOTAL 8. B 1

B 2: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to Art. 13(1)(b) of Directive 2004/109/EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (b))
Type of financial instrument	Expiration date^x	Exercise/Conversion Period^xi	Physical or cash settlement^xii	Number of voting rights	% of voting rights
Nil

			SUBTOTAL 8.B.2

9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation (please mark the applicable box with an “X”)
Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer^xiii
Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity^xiv(please add additional rows as necessary)			X
Name^xv	% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Bank plc	6.011%	Nil	6.011%

10. In case of proxy voting, please identify:
Name of the proxy holder
The number and % of voting rights held
The date until which the voting rights will be held

11. Additional information^xvi

Place of completion						London, United Kingdom
Date of completion						19 February 2018