UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 17, 2018
SENMIAO TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Nevada | 001-38426 | 35-2600898 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
16F, Shihao Square, Middle Jiannan Blvd. High-Tech Zone, Chengdu Sichuan, People’s Republic of China | 610000 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code +86 28 61554399
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company x
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On September 17, 2018, Ms. Rong Zhu tendered her voluntary resignation as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Senmiao Technology Limited (the “Company”) to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), effective immediately. Ms. Zhu’s resignation was for personal reasons and was not due to any disagreement with the Company. Ms. Zhu shall remain as the Finance Manager of the Company’s operating entity, Sichuan Senmiao Ronglian Technology Co., Ltd. (“Sichuan Senmiao”).
To fill the vacancies created by Ms. Zhu’s resignation, the Board appointed Ms. Xiaoyuan Zhang to serve as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective September 17, 2018.
Ms. Xiaoyuan Zhang, age 30, previously served as Senior Auditor and Assurance Manager of Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, Chengdu Branch, from October 2010 to September 2018 where she participated in audits of several public companies listed in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as large state-owned and foreign investment enterprises. Ms. Zhang received her dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and law from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China. Ms. Zhang is an intermediate accountant and a Certified Public Accountant of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Effective September 17, 2018, the Company and Ms. Zhang entered into an employment agreement (the “Employment Agreement”). Under the Employment Agreement, Ms. Zhang is entitled to an annual salary of RMB 540,000 (approximately $79,075) for her services as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company. She is also entitled to participate in the Company’s equity incentive plans and other Company benefits, each as determined by the Board from time to time. Her employment has an initial term of one year and is subject to successive, automatic one-year extensions unless either party gives notice of non-extension to the other party at least 30 days prior to the end of the applicable term.
Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, the Company may terminate Ms. Zhang’s employment for cause, at any time, without notice or remuneration, for certain acts, such as conviction or plea of guilty to a felony or grossly negligent or dishonest acts to the detriment of the Company, or misconduct or a failure to perform agreed duties. In such case, Ms. Zhang will not be entitled to receive payment of any severance benefits or other amounts by reason of the termination, and her right to all other benefits will terminate, except as required by any applicable law. The Company may also terminate Ms. Zhang’s employment without cause upon 30 days’ advance written notice. In such case of termination by the Company, the Company is required to provide the following severance payments and benefits to Ms. Zhang: a cash payment of one month of base salary as of the date of such termination for each year (which is any period longer than six months but no more than one year) and a cash payment of half month of base salary as of the date of such termination for any period of employment no more than six months, provided that the total severance payments shall not exceed twelve months of base salary.
Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, Ms. Zhang may terminate her employment at any time with 30 days’ advance written notice if there is any significant change in her duties and responsibilities or a material reduction in her annual salary. In such case, Ms. Zhang will be entitled to receive compensation equivalent to 3 months of her base salary. In addition, if the Company or its successor terminates the Employment Agreement upon a merger, consolidation, or transfer or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company with or to any other individual(s) or entity (the “Change of Control Transaction”), Ms. Zhang shall be entitled to the following severance payments and benefits upon such termination: (1) a lump sum cash payment equal to 3 months of base salary at a rate equal to the greater of her annual salary in effect immediate1y prior to the termination, or her then current annua1 salary as of the date of such termination; (2) a lump sum cash payment equal to a pro-rated amount of target annual bonus for the year immediately preceding the termination; (3) payment of premiums for continued health benefits under the Company’s health plans for 3 months fo1lowing the termination; and (4) immediate vesting of 100% of the then-unvested portion of any outstanding equity awards held by Ms. Zhang.
The Employment Agreement also contains customary restrictive covenants relating to confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation.
The foregoing summary of the Employment Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Employment Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Ms. Zhang has no family relationships with any director or executive officer of the Company. There are no transactions between the Company and Ms. Zhang that will be required to be reported pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
On September 19, 2018, the Company issued a press release announcing the resignation of Ms. Zhu and appointment of Ms. Zhang as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 10.1 | Employment Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2018, by and between the Company and Xiaoyuan Zhang | |
| 99.1 | Press Release, dated September 19, 2018 |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| SENMIAO TECHNOLOGY LIMITED | ||
| Dated: September 20, 2018 | /s/Xi Wen | |
| Name: | Xi Wen | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board | |