John Hancock Hedged Equity Income Fund
For the period ended Feb 18, 2025. Filed Dec 12, 2024.
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What shareholders are asked to vote on at a company's meeting. It is where to find what directors and top executives are paid, and who owns the most shares.
Feb 18, 2025 · Filed Dec 12, 2024
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Cover page
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DEF 14A 1 d749241ddef14a.htm JOHN HANCOCK HEDGED EQUITY & INCOME FUND
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (Amendment No. __________)
Filed by the Registrant [x]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]
| Check the appropriate box: | |
|---|---|
| [ ] | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
| [ ] | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
| [x] | Definitive Proxy Statement |
| [ ] | Definitive Additional Materials |
| [ ] | Soliciting Material Under §240.14a-12 |
JOHN HANCOCK HEDGED EQUITY & INCOME FUND
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
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Please vote today
We need your input on an important proposal that affects your investment.
Online
Phone
A message to shareholders
December 27, 2024
Please vote today.
Dear fellow shareholder:
You are invited to attend your fund’s annual shareholder meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, at the offices of John Hancock Investment Management, 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.
Election of Trustees: your vote matters
As part of that meeting, you are being asked to vote on a proposal regarding the election of the Trustees who oversee the funds in which you are ashareholder. Your fund’s Trustees play an important oversight role, monitoring both performance and fees on your behalf.
If you are not able to attend the meeting in person, I encourage you to vote today by proxy. The enclosed proxy statement describes the proposal toelect five Trustees. Each of the nominees currently serves as a John Hancock fund Trustee, and four of the five nominees are independent of John Hancock’s management. Your proxy statement includes a brief description of each nominee’s background.
Three ways you can vote today
By submitting your vote promptly, you can help us avoid the need for additional mailings at your fund’s expense. Voting today will save on thepotential cost of future mailings to obtain shareholder votes. After you review the proxy materials, you may vote in one of three ways:
Online: Log on using the information found on your voting card(s) and follow the simple online instructions.
By phone: Dial the toll-free number found on your voting card(s) and follow the simple instructions.
By mail: Return the enclosed proxy voting card in the envelope provided.
If you have any questions, please call a John Hancock Investment Management Customer Service Representative at 800-852-0218, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Eastern time.
Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this very important matter.
Sincerely,
Kristie M. Feinberg
President
John Hancock Investments
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund
John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III
John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund
John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund
(each a “fund” or “Trust” and, together, the “funds” or the “Trusts”)
Notice of annual meeting of shareholders scheduled for:
Time: 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time
Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Location: 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116
This is the formal agenda for your fund’s shareholder meeting. It tells you what matters will be voted on and the time and place of attending themeeting, should you wish to attend in person.
To the shareholders of the funds listed above:
Notice is hereby given that an annual meeting of shareholders for each fund will be held at 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., Eastern time (the “Meeting”). The Meeting will be held for the following purpose:
Proposal 1: To elect two (2) Trustees (William K. Bacic and Thomas R. Wright) to serve for a 2-year term ending at the 2027 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and to elect three (3) Trustees (Dean C. Garfield, Deborah C. Jackson, and Andrew G. Arnott) to serve for a three-year term endingat the 2028 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (all funds).
Any other business that may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment of the Meeting.
The Board of Trustees recommends that you vote in favor of the election of each of the five (5) Nominees.
Shareholders of record of each fund as of the close of business on November 25, 2024, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the fund’s annual meeting and at any adjournment thereof.
Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, please vote your shares either through the Internet, by telephone or by mail by returning theenclosed voting card.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Shareholder Meeting to Be Held on February 18, 2025.
The proxy statement is available at: https://www.proxy-direct.com/jhi-34145.
By order of the Board of Trustees,
Christopher Sechler
Secretary
Boston, Massachusetts
December 27, 2024
Your vote is important – Please vote your shares promptly.
Shareholders are invited to attend the Meeting in person. Valid photo identification may be required to attend the Meeting inperson. Any shareholder who does not expect to attend the Meeting is urged to vote by:
(i)
completing the enclosed proxy card(s), dating and signing it, and returning it in the envelope provided, which needs no postage if mailed inthe United States;
(ii)
following the touch-tone telephone voting instructions found below; or
(iii)
following the Internet voting instructions found below.
In order to avoid unnecessary expense, we ask your cooperation in responding promptly, no matter how large or small your holdingsmay be.
Instructions For Executing Proxy Cards
The following general rules for executing proxy cards may be of assistance to you and help avoid the time and expense involved in validating your vote if you fail to execute your proxy card(s) properly.
Individual Accounts: Your name should be signed exactly as it appears on the proxy card(s).
Joint Accounts: Either party may sign, but the name of the party signing should conform exactly to a name shown on the proxy card(s).
All other accounts should show the capacity of the individual signing. This can be shown either in the form of the account registration itself or by the individual executing the proxy card(s).
Instructions For Voting By Touch-Tone Telephone
Read the enclosed Proxy Statement, and have your proxy card(s) handy.
Call the toll-free number indicated on your proxy card(s).
Enter the control number found on the front of your proxy card(s).
Follow the recorded instructions to cast your vote.
Instructions For Voting By Internet
Read the enclosed Proxy Statement, and have your proxy card(s) handy.
Go to the Web site on your proxy card(s).
Enter the control number found on the front of your proxy card(s).
Follow the instructions on the Web site.
Table of contents
| Introduction | 6 |
|---|---|
| The Funds’ Advisor, Administrator, Distributor and Subadvisors | 6 |
| Record Ownership | 7 |
| Proposal 1 - Election of Trustees | 8 |
| General | 8 |
| Proposal | 8 |
| Information About Nominees/Trustees | 8 |
| Information Concerning Nominees | 8 |
| Information Concerning Other Trustees | 10 |
| Communications with the Trustees | 17 |
| Trustee Share Ownership | 18 |
| Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance | 19 |
| Legal Proceedings | 21 |
| Audit Committee Report | 21 |
| Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | 22 |
| Required Vote for Proposal 1 | 23 |
| Miscellaneous | 23 |
| Voting Procedures | 23 |
| Telephone Voting | 24 |
| Internet Voting | 24 |
| Shareholders Sharing the Same Address | 24 |
| Other Matters | 25 |
| Shareholder Proposals | 26 |
| Audit Committee Charter | 27 |
| Nominating and Governance Committee Charter | 33 |
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.