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Item 4.01 Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
On December 15, 2023, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”) of XBP Europe Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation f/k/a CF Acquisition Corp. VIII (the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”), approved the engagement of UHY LLP (“UHY”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, effective December 20, 2023, and dismissed WithumSmith+Brown, PC (“Withum”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, effective December 20, 2023. Withum has served as the Company’s auditor since 2020.
(a) Dismissal of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Withum’s reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements issued during each of the two most recent years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except that such audit report contained an explanatory paragraph in which Withum expressed substantial doubt as to CF Acquisition Corp. VIII’s ability to continue as a going concern if it did not complete a business combination by September 16, 2023.
During the two most recent years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and during the subsequent interim period through December 15, 2023, (i) there were no disagreements (within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions thereto) between the Company and Withum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreements, if not resolved to Withum’s satisfaction, would have caused Withum to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for such years, and (ii) there were no reportable events (as defined by Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
In accordance with Item 304(a)(3) of Regulation S-K, the Company provided Withum with a copy of this Current Report on Form 8-K and requested that Withum furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether Withum agrees with the statements made by the Company herein and, if not, stating the respects in which it does not agree. A copy of Withum’s letter dated December 20, 2023 is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
(b) Appointment of New Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
During the Company’s two most recent years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and during the subsequent interim period through December 15, 2023, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf consulted with UHY regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, of the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company that UHY concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instruction thereto), or (iii) any reportable event (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
Item 8.01 Other Events.
Exela Technologies B.V. (“Exela”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and David W. Jones, Exela’s Senior Vice President, Business Strategy, Sales and Marketing, mutually agreed to terminate his employment agreement, effective January 1, 2024 (the “Effective Date”). Mr. Jones was included as a named executive officer of XBP Europe, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("XBP Europe"), prior to the consummation of that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated October 9, 2022 (as the terms and conditions therein may be amended, modified or waived from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Sierra Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation, BTC International Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and XBP Europe. In connection with the termination of his employment, Mr. Jones and Exela entered into a Termination/Amicable Settlement Agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”), pursuant to which Mr. Jones is expected to receive a one-time payment of €50,000, subject to withholding of any applicable (wage and/or income) taxes and/or the employee part of social security contributions (if any) or other mandatory employee contributions (if any), plus the value of accrued and unused vacation, within one month after the Effective Date, in exchange for a customary release of claims. Under the Settlement Agreement, Mr. Jones will remain bound by the post-termination provisions of his employment agreement with Exela effective 1 January, 2019, including customary confidentiality and invention assignment covenants, as well as a non-competition covenant and a non-solicitation clause.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. |
Description | |
16.1 | Letter from WithumSmith+Brown, PC to the Securities and Exchange Commission, dated December 20, 2023 | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: December 21, 2023
XBP EUROPE HOLDINGS, INC.
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By: | /s/ Dejan Avramovic | |
Name: | Dejan Avramovic | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 16.1
December 20, 2023
Office of the Chief Accountant
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, NE
Washington, DC 20549
United States of America
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have read the statements made by XBP Europe Holdings, Inc. (formerly CF Acquisition Corp. VIII) under Item 4.01(a) of its Form 8-K dated December 15, 2023 and are in agreement with the statements concerning our Firm contained therein; we are not in a position to agree or disagree with other statements contained in any other section in the Form 8-K.
Very truly yours,
WithumSmith+Brown, PC