2018 Guide to Effective Proxies

6 TH EDITION | GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE PROXIES 132 MICROSOFT CORPORATION 3 NAMED RECIFFO EVITUCEXE COMPENSATION 4 AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS 5 OTHER MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS 6 INFORMATION ABOUTTHE MEETING 1 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ATMICROSOFT 2 BOARDOF DIRECTORS Our director nominees WilliamH.Gates III Age: 61 Directorsince: 1981 Birthplace: UnitedStates Experience: MicrosoftCorporation(1981-present) • TechnicalAdvisortoSatyaNadella(CEO)(2014-present) • Co-founderandChairman(1981-2014) • ChiefSoftwareArchitect(2000-2006) • ChiefExecutiveOfficer(1981-2000) Microsoftcommittees: • None Otherpubliccompanydirectorships: • BerkshireHathawayInc. Formerpubliccompanydirectorships heldinthepastfiveyears: • None Otherpositions: • Co-ChairandTrustee,Bill&MelindaGatesFoundation Reid G. Hoffman Age: 50 Directorsince: 2017 Birthplace: UnitedStates INDEPENDENT Experience: GreylockPartners(2009-present) (venturecapitalfirm) • Partner(2009-present) LinkedInCorporation(2003-2016) • Co-founderandChairman(2003-2016) • ExecutiveChairman(2009) • ChiefExecutiveOfficer(2003-2007and2008-2009) • President,Products(2007-2008) PayPalInc.(2000-2002) • ExecutiveVicePresident(2000-2002) Microsoftcommittees: • RegulatoryandPublicPolicy Otherpubliccompanydirectorships: • None Formerpubliccompanydirectorships heldinthepastfiveyears: • LinkedInCorporation • ZyngaInc. Financial Gender, ethnic, national,orother diversity Globalbusiness Leadership Mergers and acquisitions Technology Public company board service andgovernance Sales andmarketing 2017PROXYSTATEMENT 17 Total of 07 pages in section MONSANTO COMPANY Proxy Item No. 1: Election of Directors The shareowners are being asked to elect each of Mr. Barns, Mr. Boyce, Dr. Chicoine, Ms. Fields, Mr. Grant, Ms. Ipsen, Mr. Lutz, Mr. McMillan, Mr. Moeller, Dr. Poste, Mr. Stevens and Dr. Verduin to terms ending with the annual meeting to be held in 2019, until a successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. Our board has nominated each of these directors upon the recommendation of the nominating and corporate governance committee. Each nominee is currently a director of our company and has agreed to serve if elected. Webelievethatthenomineeswillbeabletostandforelection,butshouldanynomineebecomeunabletoserveorforgoodcausewillnot serve,allproxies(exceptproxiesmarkedtothecontrary)willbevotedfortheelectionofasubstitutenomineenominatedbyourboard. Director Nominees Theages,principaloccupations,directorshipsheldandotherinformationaboutournomineesanddirectorsareshownbelowasof December1,2017. Our Board of Directors Recommends a Vote FOR Each Nominee for Director PrincipalOccupation: ChiefExecutiveOfficerofNielsenHoldingsplc,aglobalperformancemanagementcompanythatprovidesa comprehensiveunderstandingofwhatconsumerswatchandbuyanditspredecessor,since2014; President, GlobalClientService,Nielsen,2013;President,U.S.Watchbusiness,Nielsen,2011-2013;President,Nielsen GreaterChina,2008-2011;President,ConsumerPanelServices,Nielsen,2007-2008;President,BASESand AnalyticConsultingUnits,Nielsen,2004-2007.PublicCompanyDirectorshipsintheLastFiveYears:Nielsen Holdingsplc. DwightM.“Mitch” Barns FirstBecameDirector: March2016 Age:54 Qualifications: Mr.Barnshasgainedextensiveglobaloperationalexpertiseinacomplexenvironmentashehaslivedand workedonthreecontinentsandhasheldavarietyofleadershiproleswithaleadingglobaldataanalytics company.Hisserviceasthechiefexecutiveofficerandadirectorofapubliclytradingcompanyexpandsthe board’sexpertiseinriskmanagement,corporategovernanceandotherregulatorymatters.Mr.Barnsalso hasdeepmarketingandbrandmanagementexperienceinabroadrangeofindustries.Hisexperienceon mattersrelatedtoleadingandgrowingadataanalyticsbusiness,includinghowwecontinuetoeffectively leveragedatatodeliverabroadrangeofintegratedsolutionstohelpmeettheneedsofourcustomers,is uniquelyvaluabletoourboardandourpeopleandcompensationandsustainabilityandcorporate responsibilitycommittees. ProxyItemNo.1:ElectionofDirectors 10 MONSANTOCOMPANY2017PROXYSTATEMENT Total of 07 pages in section NASDAQ, INC. Board of Directors 43 Michael R. Splinter Age: 67 DirectorSince: 2008 OtherPublicCompanyBoards: MeyerBurger Technology Ltd; TSMC, Ltd. BoardCommittees: Management Compensation,Nominating&Governance (Chair) Mr. Splinterwas elected Chairman ofNasdaq’sBoard effectiveMay10,2017.He is a business and technology consultant and the co-founder ofWISCPartners, a regional technology venture fund.He served as Executive Chairman of theBoard ofDirectors ofAppliedMaterials, a leading supplier of semiconductor equipment from2009 until he retired in June2015.AtApplied Materials, hewas alsoPresident and CEO.An engineer and technologist,Mr. Splinter is a40- year veteran of the semiconductor industry.Prior to joiningAppliedMaterials,Mr. Splinterwas a long-time executive at Intel Corporation.Mr. Splinterwas elected to theNationalAcademy of Engineers in2017.Mr. Splinter is amember ofMeyerBurger Technology’s compensation committee and TSMC’s audit and compensation committees. Jacob Wallenberg Age: 62 DirectorSince: N/A OtherPublicCompanyBoards: ABB Ltd; InvestorAB; Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson BoardCommittees: N/A Mr.Wallenberg has been Chairman of theBoard of InvestorAB since2005.Previously, he served asVice Chairman of InvestorAB from1999 to2005 and as amember of InvestorAB'sBoard since1998.Mr.Wallenbergwas thePresident and CEO of Skandinaviska EnskildaBankenAB in 1997 and the Chairman of itsBoard ofDirectors from1998 to2005.Mr.Wallenberg alsowas EVP and CFO of InvestorAB from1990 to1993.Mr.Wallenberg is amember of the governance and nomination committee atABB Ltd, the audit and risk and remuneration committees at InvestorAB and thefinance committee at Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson.Mr.Wallenberg is currently on theBoard of SASAB,where he serves on the remuneration committee, but he is not standing for reelection at theirAnnualGeneralMeeting onApril10,2018. Lars R. Wedenborn Age: 59 DirectorSince: 2008 OtherPublicCompanyBoards: None BoardCommittees: Audit Mr.Wedenborn is CEO of FAMAB,which iswholly owned by theWallenberg Foundations.He started his career as an auditor. From1991 to2000, hewasDeputyManagingDirector and CFO atAlfredBerg, a Scandinavian investment bank.He servedwith InvestorAB, a Swedish industrial holding company, as EVP and CFO from2000 to2007.Mr.Wedenbornwas amember of the Board ofOMXAB prior to its acquisition byNasdaq.Mr.Wedenbornwas elected Chairman of the NasdaqNordic Ltd.Board inOctober2009. Total of 04 pages in section NIELSEN HOLDINGS PLC ELECTIONOFDIRECTORS NOMINEES FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Thefollowinginformationdescribesthenames,agesasofMarch31,2018,andbiographicalinformationofeach nominee.Beneficialownershipofequitysecuritiesofthenomineesisshownunder“OwnershipofSecurities.” James A. Attwood, Jr. Director since 2006 Age 59 Nielsen Committees: Nominationand Corporate Governance Otherpubliccompanydirectorships: • Current: SyniverseHoldings,Inc. GettyImages,Inc. CoreSiteRealtyCorporation • Past5years: None KeyExperienceandQualifications • Financialexpertise(mathematicsandstatistics) • Media/telecommunications/technologyexpertiseanddeepmanagementexperienceat TheCarlyleGroup • Publiccompanyboardexperience Mr.AttwoodhasservedasChairpersonoftheBoardsinceJanuary1,2016andservedas LeadIndependentDirectoroftheBoardfromJanuary1,2015throughDecember31,2015. Mr.AttwoodisaManagingDirectorofTheCarlyleGroupandheadofitsGlobal Telecommunications,Media,andTechnologyGroup.PriortojoiningTheCarlyleGroupin 2000,Mr.AttwoodwaswithVerizonCommunications,Inc.andGTECorporation.Priorto GTECorporation,hewaswithGoldman,Sachs&Co. Mitch Barns Director since 2014 Age 54 Nielsen Committees: None Otherpubliccompanydirectorships: • Current: MonsantoCompany • Past5years: None KeyExperienceandQualifications • DeepknowledgeandincomparableinsightaboutNielsenasitsChiefExecutiveOfficer • Extensiveglobalconsumergoodsandmediaexperience • Research,analyticsanddatascienceexperience Mr.BarnshasbeentheChiefExecutiveOfficerofNielsensinceJanuary1,2014.Hisprior roleswithNielsenincludePresident,GlobalClientServicefromFebruary2013until December2013,PresidentofNielsen’sUSWatchbusinessfromJune2011untilFebruary 2013,PresidentofNielsenGreaterChinafromJanuary2008untilJune2011,Presidentof Nielsen’sConsumerPanelServicesfromMarch2007untilJanuary2008andPresidentof Nielsen’sBASESandAnalyticConsultingunitsfromJuly2004untilFebruary2007.Hejoined NielseninMarch1997after12yearswithTheProcter&GambleCompany. 2018PROXYSTATEMENT 4 Total of 05 pages in section