REEBONZ HOLDING LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability)
(NASDAQ: RBZ)
____________________
NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
To Be Held on December29, 2019
(or any adjourned meeting thereof)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2019 annual general meeting (“AGM”) of Reebonz Holding Limited (the “Company”) will be held at the company offices of 5 Tampines North Drive 5 Singapore 528548, on December29, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. (Singapore time), and at any adjourned meeting thereof for the following purposes:
1. To elect one (1)Class I director to the Board of Directors of the Company for a three-year term of office expiring at the 2022 Annual General Meeting.
2. To authorize an amendment to the Company��s Memorandum and Articles of Association to increase the Company’s authorized ordinary shares, par value $0.0008 per share (“Ordinary Shares”) from 25,000,000share to 200,000,000shares.
3. To authorize the Board of Directors to effect a reverse split of Ordinary Shares, at an exchange ratio of not less than 1-for-2 and not greater than 1-for-10, to be determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion to comply with Nasdaq requirements to maintain the listing of our Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market and, in connection therewith, amend the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to reflect the consolidation of the Ordinary Shares based on the ratio determined by the Board of Directors.
4. To approve an amendment to the 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and reprice certain outstanding stock options issued under the 2018 Reebonz Share Option Plan.
5. To transact any such other business that may properly come before the meeting.
The Board of Directors of the Company has fixed the close of business on November22, 2019 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for determining shareholders entitled to receive notice of the AGM or any adjourned meeting thereof. As of the Record Date, there were 6,221,964 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the AGM.
Whether or not you plan to attend the AGM, you are urged to promptly complete, date and sign the enclosed proxy and to mail it in the enclosed envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the UnitedStates. Return of your proxy does not deprive you of your right to attend the AGM, to revoke the proxy and to vote your shares in person.
An electronic version of this Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting Notice of Extraordinary is available at:https://www.cstproxy.com/reebonz/am2019.
| | By Order of the Board of Directors, |
| | Samuel Lim |
| | Chairman of the Board of Directors |
Singapore, December19, 2019
REEBONZ HOLDING LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability)
(NASDAQ: RBZ)
____________________
PROXY STATEMENT
____________________
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
To Be Held on December29, 2019
(or any adjourned meeting thereof)
This Proxy Statement is furnished to the members (“Shareholders”) of record at the close of business on November22, 2019 (the “Record Date”) of Reebonz Holding Limited (“Reebonz”, “we” or the “Company”) in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of proxies for use at the extraordinary general meeting (“AGM”) of the Company and at any adjourned meeting thereof pursuant to the accompanying Notice of the Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be held at the company offices of 5 Tampines North Drive 5 Singapore 528548, on December29, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. (Singapore time).
An electronic version of this Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting Notice of Extraordinary is available at:https://www.cstproxy.com/reebonz/am2019.
SOLICITATION OF PROXIES
It is proposed that the AGM be held for the following purposes:
1. To elect one (1)Class I director to the Board of Directors of the Company for a three-year term of office expiring at the 2022 Annual General Meeting.
2. To authorize an amendment to the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to increase the Company’s authorized Ordinary Shares from 25,000,000shares to 200,000,000shares.
3. To authorize the Board of Directors to effect a reverse split of Ordinary Shares, at an exchange ratio of not less than 1-for-2 and not greater than 1-for-10, to be determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion to comply with Nasdaq requirements to maintain the listing of our Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market and, in connection therewith, amend the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to reflect the consolidation of the Ordinary Shares based on the ratio determined by the Board of Directors.
4. To approve an amendment to the 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and reprice certain outstanding stock options issued under the 2018 Reebonz Share Option Plan.
5. To transact any such other business that may properly come before the meeting.
The Company is currently not aware of any other matters that will come before the AGM. If any other matters properly come before the AGM, the persons designated as proxies intend to vote thereon in accordance with their best judgment on such matters.
Shareholders may elect to vote their shares once, either by attending the AGM in person, or by appointing a duly executed proxy as detailed below.
A form of proxy for use at the AGM and a return envelope for the proxy are also enclosed. Shareholders may revoke the authority granted by their execution of proxies at any time before the effective exercise thereof by filing with the Company a written notice of revocation or duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by voting in person at the AGM. However, if the Shareholder attends the AGM and does not elect to vote in person, his or her proxy will not be revoked. All valid proxies received at least 48 hours prior to the AGM will be voted in accordance with the instructions specified by the Shareholder. If a proxy card is returned without instructions, the persons named as proxy holders on the proxy card will vote in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Directors, as described above. If specification is made by the Shareholder on the form of proxy, the Ordinary Shares represented thereby will be voted
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in accordance with such specification. On all matters considered at the AGM, abstentions and broker non-votes will be treated as neither a vote “for” nor “against” the matter, although they will be counted in determining if a quorum is present.
Proxies for use at the AGM are being solicited by the Board of Directors of the Company. Proxies are being mailed to Shareholders on or about December19, 2019 and will be solicited chiefly by mail and through the internet; however, certain officers, directors, employees and agents of the Company, none of whom will receive additional compensation therefor, may solicit proxies by telephone, telegram or other personal contact. The Company will bear the cost for the solicitation of the proxies, including postage, printing and handling, and will reimburse the reasonable expenses of brokerage firms and others for forwarding material to the beneficial owners of shares.
RECORD DATE; OUTSTANDING VOTING SECURITIES; VOTING RIGHTS
Only Shareholders of record at the close of business on November22, 2019, will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the AGM and any adjournments or postponements thereof. As of the Record Date, there were 6,221,964 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the AGM.
No business shall be transacted at the AGM unless a quorum is present. Shareholders being individuals present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person by its duly authorized representative or proxy holding at least one-third of the issued shares in the Company shall be a quorum.
If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting to commence or if during such a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting, if convened upon a Shareholders’ requisition, shall be dissolved and in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same timeand/or place or to such other day, timeand/or place as the Directors may determine, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the Shareholders present shall be a quorum.
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PROPOSALS FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING
ITEM 1 — ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
(Item 1 on the Proxy Card)
Proposal No. 1 — Elect one (1) Class I director to the Company’s Board of Directors.
Our Board is divided into three classes and currently has four members. Each classconsists, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors. Each class has a three-year term expiring at the Annual General Meeting in the third year following election. Vacancies on the Board may be filled only by persons elected by a majority of the remaining directors. A director elected by the Board to fill a vacancy in a class, including vacancies created by an increase in the number of directors, will serve for the remainder of the full term of that classand until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualified.
There is one director in the class whose term of office expires in 2019: Mr.Jeff Richards. Mr.Richards will not seek re-election for next year. The Board has nominated Arthur Chua for election as a Class I director. If elected at the Annual Meeting, Mr.Chua will serve until the 2022 Annual Meeting and until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, or, if sooner, until his death, resignation or removal. It is the Company’s policy to invite and encourage directors and director nominees to attend the Annual General Meeting.
Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the election of directors, and which did not abstain. Accordingly, for Proposal1, the nominees receiving the highest number of votes cast for the number of positions to be filled are elected. There is one position on the Board that is up for election at the AGM. Shares represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not withheld, for the election of each of the three nominees named below.
If any of the nominees become unavailable for election as a result of an unexpected occurrence, shares that would have been voted for such nominee will instead be voted for the election of a substitute nominee that the Board proposes. Each person nominated for election has agreed to serve if elected. We have no reason to believe that any of the nominees will be unable to serve.
NOMINEE FOR CLASS I DIRECTOR
Our nominating and governance committee seeks to assemble a Board that, as a whole, possesses the appropriate balance of professional and industry knowledge, financial expertise and high-level management experience necessary to oversee and direct the Company’s business. To that end, the nominating and governance committee has identified and evaluated nominees in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition, with the goal of recruiting members who complement and strengthen the skills of other members and who also exhibit integrity, collegiality, sound business judgment and other qualities that the nominating and governance committee views as critical to effective functioning of the Board. The brief biographies below include information, as of the date of this proxy statement, regarding the specific and particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each director or nominee that led the nominating and governance committee to believe that nominee should continue to serve on the Board. However, each of the members of the nominating and governance committee may have a variety of reasons why he or she believes a particular person would be an appropriate nominee for the Board, and these views may differ from the views of other members.
The following is a brief biography of each nominee for director and a discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each nominee that led the nominating and governance committee to recommend that person as a nominee for director, as of the date of this proxy statement.
Arthur Chua
Mr.Chua serves as a non-executive director of Reebonz. Mr.Chua is the Chief Executive Officer of Goldbell Group (Goldbell), Singapore’s market leader in distribution and leasing of industrial vehicles with presence in SE Asia. Mr.Chua began his career in Goldbell as a workshop operations executive of the Aftersales division to learn the ropes of the business, and rose through the ranks of the Group’s divisions to build knowledge and experience in the Mobility space before taking up the mantle of CEO. Working closely with Israeli, Russian and Singaporean start-ups together with regional go-to-market partners, with a focus on driving innovation within vehicle and transportation
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industry verticles— Arthur is also the Co-Founder& Executive Chairman of SWAT, a dynamic route optimisation engine for Smart Cities which has the potential to transform cities of tomorrow into transport efficient, people-centric metropolises. Mr.Chua is a member of the various organizations including Entrepreneur Organization (Singapore Chapter), YPO Singapore Chapter, St Gallen Symposium’s circle of benefactors, NTU Idea Board; Singapore River One Board, Chairman, Business Improvement District Pilot; and Panel member, Land Transport Master Planning 2040.
CONTINUING DIRECTORS
Class II Director (Terms Expiring in 2020)
Chua Kee Lock
Mr.Chua serves as a non-executive director, a position he has held since consummation of the Business Combination on December19, 2018. He has been a non-executive director of Reebonz since 2011. Since 2008, Mr.Chua has been the president and chief executive officer of the Vertex Group, a Singapore-headquartered venture capital group. Prior to joining the Vertex Group, Mr.Chua was the president and an executive director of Biosensors International Group, Ltd., a developer and manufacturer of medical devices used in interventional cardiology and critical care procedures from 2006 to 2008. Previously, from 2003 to 2006, Mr.Chua was a managing director of Walden International, a U.S.-headquartered venture capital firm. From 2001 to 2003, Mr.Chua served as deputy president of NatSteel Ltd., a Singapore industrial products company active in Asia Pacific. From 2000 to 2016, Mr.Chua served as a member on the board of directors at Logitech International S.A. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin at Madison and a Master of Science in Engineering from Stanford University under a distinguished scholarship from NatSteel.
Class III Directors (Terms Expiring in 2021)
Samuel Lim
Mr.Lim serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, positions he has held since consummation of our Business Combination on December19, 2018. Mr.Lim is a Co-Founder of Reebonz and has been our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since our inception in 2009. Mr.Lim’s foray into entrepreneurship began as early as when he was 20. In 2000, he founded and held the position of Chief Executive Officer at eFusion Pte. Ltd, one of Southeast Asia’s largest mobile content company. In 2004, Mr.Lim founded and held the position of Chief Executive Officer at eFusion Solutions Pte. Ltd., a company that specialized in direct sales and database marketing for the banking and finance sector for unsecured financial products mainly consumer loans. Both of these two companies were subsequently acquired by publicly-listed companies. Mr.Lim holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He served as President of the Audiotext Service Providers Association, President of the Entrepreneurs Organization Singapore, and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization. He currently also serves on the board of governors of Singapore Polytechnic.
Roderick Perry
Mr.Perry serves as a non-executive director, a position he has held since consummation of the Business Combination on December19, 2018. Mr.Perry served as Executive Chairman and Director of DOTA since its inception, has over 30years of experience in investment management. From 1985 to 2005, Mr.Perry was employed by 3i Group plc, one of the oldest private equity firms in the world, listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:III). During his tenure at 3i, Mr.Perry held a number of positions, including Sector Advisor covering systems and software sectors before joining the Executive Committee in 1996. He was an Executive Director of the Group (on the Board of 3i Group plc) from 1999 to 2005. He was a member of the Executive Committee and Investment Committee from 1997 to 2005. From 1997 to 2001 he was responsible for developing the 3i investment business in Asia Pacific, and from 2001 to 2005, he was the Global Head of Venture Capital for 3i. Mr.Perry was involved in the origination, execution and disposal of numerous technology venture capital investments internationally. Mr.Perry was a Non-Executive Director of PartyGaming plc, a FTSE listed company, from 2005, and became Chairman in 2008, until2011. PartyGaming plc went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2005 at a valuation of £4.76billion. He became Deputy Chairman of, Senior Independent Director and Chairman of Remuneration Committee of BWIN.Party, one of the largest publicly traded online gaming business at the time, when BWIN.Party and PartyGaming merged in 2011 and retired from that Board in July2015. From 2006 to 2009, Mr.Perry was a Non-Executive Director at Gulf of Guinea Energy (Nigeria) and a Non-Executive
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Director of Indago Petroleum from 2005 to 2009, an AIM listed oil and gas exploration company operating in Oman. Mr.Perry started his technology career with GCHQ, a British intelligence and security agency. Since February2015, he has served as an advisor to Amanat Holdings PJSC in Dubai, a private equity firm which is listed on the Dubai Stock Exchange. Amanat invests in Healthcare and Education in the region. Mr.Perry has been Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee of Ithmar Capital Partners, which is a Dubai International Financial Centre regulated company in Dubai, investing in special situations, since December2016. He has also served since January2017 as Chairman of the Board of Objectivity Ltd., an agile software developer and system integrator based in the UK and Poland and has been an advisor to the company since January2014. He is Chairman of Draper Oakwood Royalty Capital Ltd. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics from the University of Salford and is a Chartered Member of the Institution for Engineering and Technology. We believe Mr.Perry is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board due to his experience in making financial investments in small and medium sized companies, in mergers and acquisitions, and his experience serving as a member of the boards of publicly listed companies.
INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Family Relationships
Mr.Daniel Lim, Reebonz’s Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer, is the brother of Mr.Samuel Lim, Reebonz’s Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. There are no family relationships between any of the other executive officers and directors.
Independence of Directors
As a result of our Ordinary Shares being listed on NASDAQ following consummation of the business combination, we will adhere to the rules of NASDAQ in determining whether a director is independent. Our board of directors has consulted, and will consult, with our counsel to ensure that the board’s determinations are consistent with those rules and all relevant securities and other laws and regulations regarding the independence of directors. The NASDAQ listing standards define an “independent director” as a person, other than an executive officer of a company or any other individual having a relationship which, in the opinion of the issuer’s board of directors, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Meetings and Committees of the Board of Directors
We have established a separately standing audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee.
Audit Committee Information
We have established an audit committee comprised of independent directors consisting of Roderick Perry, Chua Kee Lock, and Jeff Richards. If Mr.Chua is elected as a director, following the 2019 Annual General Meeting, Roderick Perry, Arthur Chua and Chua Kee Lock will serve on the audit committee. Each of the member of the audit committee will be independent under the applicable NASDAQ listing standards. The audit committee has a written charter. The purpose of the audit committee is, among other things, to appoint, retain, set compensation of, and supervise our independent accountants, review the results and scope of the audit and other accounting related services and review our accounting practices and systems of internal accounting and disclosure controls.
Financial Experts on Audit Committee
The audit committee will at all times be composed exclusively of “independent directors,” as defined for audit committee members under the NASDAQ listing standards and the rules and regulations of the SEC, who are “financially literate,” as defined under NASDAQ’s listing standards. NASDAQ’s listing standards define “financially literate” as being able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. In addition, we will be required to certify to NASDAQ that the committee has, and will continue to have, at least one member who has past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or other comparable experience or background that results in the individual’s financial sophistication.
Roderick Perry serves as a financial expert on the Audit Committee.
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Nominating Committee Information
We have established a nominating of the board of directors comprised of Chua Kee Lock and Jeff Richards. If Mr.Chua is elected as a director, following the 2019 Annual General Meeting, Roderick Perry, Arthur Chua and Chua Kee Lock will serve on the nominating committee. Each member of the nominating committee is independent under the applicable NASDAQ listing standards. The nominating committee has a written charter. The nominating committee is responsible for overseeing the selection of persons to be nominated to serve on our board of directors.
Guidelines for Selecting Director Nominees
The nominating committee will consider persons identified by its members, management, stockholders, investment bankers and others. The guidelines for selecting nominees, which are specified in the nominating committee charter, generally provide that persons to be nominated:
• should have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education or public service;
• should possess the requisite intelligence, education and experience to make a significant contribution to the board of directors and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives and backgrounds to its deliberations; and
• should have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and intense dedication to serving the interests of the shareholders.
The nominating committee will consider a number of qualifications relating to management and leadership experience, background and integrity and professionalism in evaluating a person’s candidacy for membership on the board of directors. The nominating committee may require certain skills or attributes, such as financial or accounting experience, to meet specific board needs that arise from time to time and will also consider the overall experience and makeup of its members to obtain a broad and diverse mix of board members. The nominating committee will not distinguish among nominees recommended by shareholders and other persons.
Compensation Committee Information
We have established a compensation committee consisting of independent directors consisting of Chua Kee Lock and Jeff Richards. If Mr.Chua is elected as a director, following the 2019 Annual General Meeting, Roderick Perry, Arthur Chua and Chua Kee Lock will serve on the compensation committee. The compensation committee has a written charter. The purpose of the compensation committee is to review and approve compensation paid to our officers and directors and to administer our incentive compensation plans, including authority to make and modify awards under such plans.
Vote Required; Recommendation of the Board
Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the election of directors, and which did not abstain. Accordingly, for Proposal1, the nominee receiving the highest number of votes cast for the number of positions to be filled are elected. Shares represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not withheld, for the election of each of the three nominees named below.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the nominee for re-election as a Class I director.
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ITEM2— INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED ORDINARY SHARES
(Item2 on the Proxy Card)
On December19, 2019, our board of directors approved, subject to stockholder approval, an amendment of our Memorandum and Articles of Association that will have the effect of increasing our authorized Ordinary Shares from 25,000,000 to 200,000,000shares (the “Share Increase Amendment”).
Increase in Authorized Shares
We currently have authorized Ordinary Shares of 25,000,000. As of the Record Date, there were 6,221,964 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding. Should the Share Increase Amendment become effective, our authorized Ordinary Shares will increase from 25,000,000shares to 200,000,000shares. Should the Share Increase Amendment becomes effective, there will be no immediate change in the number of issued and outstanding common shares. Although the Share Increase Amendment would not have any immediate dilutive effect on the proportionate voting power or other rights of our existing shareholders, any future issuance of additional authorized Ordinary Shares may, among other things, dilute the earnings per Ordinary Share and the equity and voting rights of those holding our Ordinary Shares at the time the additional shares are issued.
Purposes of the Increase in Authorized Ordinary Shares
Having an increased number of authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares would allow us to take prompt action with respect to corporate opportunities that develop, without the delay and expense of convening a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of approving an increase in our capitalization. The newly authorized Ordinary Shares would be available for issuance from time to time as determined by our board of directors for any proper corporate purpose. Such purposes might include, without limitation, issuance in public or private sales for cash as a means of obtaining additional capital for use in our business and operations, and issuance as part or all of the consideration required to be paid by us for acquisitions of other businesses or assets.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we have no obligation to issue such additional shares and there are no plans, proposals or arrangements currently contemplated by us that would involve the issuance of the additional shares to acquire another company or its assets, to raise funds for planned production activities or for any other corporate purpose stated.
Potential Anti-Takeover Effects of the Increase in Ordinary Shares
Any additional issuance of Ordinary Shares could, under certain circumstances, have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of our company by increasing the number of outstanding shares entitled to vote and by increasing the number of votes required to approve a change in control. Ordinary Shares could be issued, or rights to purchase such shares could be issued, to render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise. The ability of our board of directors to issue such additional Ordinary Shares could discourage an attempt by a party to acquire control of our company by tender offer or other means. Such issuances could therefore deprive shareholders of benefits that could result from such an attempt, such as the realization of a premium over the market price that such an attempt could cause. Moreover, the issuance of such additional Ordinary Shares to persons whose interests are aligned with that of our board of directors could make it more difficult to remove incumbent officers and directors from office, even if such change were to be favorable to shareholders generally.
Although the increased proportion of unissued authorized shares to issued shares could, under certain circumstances, have an anti-takeover effect (for example, by permitting issuances that would dilute the stock ownership of a person seeking to effect a change in the composition of our board or contemplating a tender offer or other transaction for the combination of our company with another company), the Share Change Amendment was not proposed or adopted in response to any effort of which we are aware to accumulate Ordinary Shares or obtain control of us, nor is it part of a plan by management to recommend a series of similar actions having an anti-takeover effect to the board and our shareholders.
Our board believes that it is advisable and in the best interests of our company to have available additional authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares in an amount adequate to provide for our future needs. The unissued Ordinary Shares will be available for issuance from time to time as may be deemed advisable or required for various purposes, including the issuance of shares in connection with financing or acquisition transactions. We have no present plans or commitments for the issuance or use of the proposed Ordinary Shares in connection with any financing.
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Vote Required; Recommendation of the Board
The affirmative vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by Shareholders present, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, is required to approve the Share Increase Amendment and a approve, as a Special Resolution of the Company, the amendment and restatement of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to reflect increase of the authorized Ordinary Shares.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the Share Increase Amendment and approve as a Special Resolution the Amendment and Restatement of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association accordingly.
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ITEM3— REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
(Item3 on the Proxy Card)
Proposal No.3— Authorize the Board of Directors to effect a reverse split of Ordinary Shares, at an exchange ratio of not less than 1-for-2 and not greater than 1-for-10, to be determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion.
General
The Board has determined that it is advisable and in our best interest and that of our Shareholders to effect a reverse split. The Board has determined to effect a Reverse Split of our Ordinary Shares, at a ratio (“Exchange Ratio”) of not less than 1-for-2 and not greater than 1-for-10, as shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Board, subject to the approval of our Shareholders (the “Reverse Split”).
The number of authorized shares of our preferred shares, of which 5million is currently authorized, will not be affected by the Reverse Split. The par value of our Ordinary Shares will change in proportion to the size of the split. For example, our par value is currently $0.0008 per share. If we affect a 1-2 reverse split, our par value will increase to $0.0016.
The Reverse Split will be implemented simultaneously for all Ordinary Shares that are issued and outstanding, all shares issuable under outstanding options and warrants. The Reverse Split will affect all Shareholders uniformly and will have no effect on the proportionate holdings of any individual stockholder, with the exception of adjustments related to the treatment of fractional shares (see below).
Why Implement a Reverse Split?
The purpose of the proposed Reverse Stock Split is to decrease the total number of Ordinary Shares outstanding and increase the market price and liquidity of our Ordinary Shares. The Board intends to effect the Reverse Stock Split only if it believes that a decrease in the number of shares outstanding is in the best interests of the Company and is likely to improve the trading price of our Ordinary Shares, which would improve our ability to maintain our listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market. One of the continued listing requirements on Nasdaq is that the bid price of our Ordinary Shares is at a specified minimum per share. We believe that the Reverse Stock Split should be a substantial basis for achieving the stock bid price necessary for a continued listing on Nasdaq should our stock price decrease below the minimum levels. However, following the Reverse Stock Split (if implemented), there can be no assurance that the market price of our Ordinary Shares will rise in proportion to the reduction in the number of outstanding shares resulting from the Reverse Stock Split or that the market price of the post-split Ordinary Shares can be maintained at the minimum trading price required by the Nasdaq Stock Market. If the trading price of our Ordinary Shares increases without the Reverse Stock Split, the Board may use its discretion not to implement the Reverse Stock Split.
We have not proposed the Reverse Stock Split in response to any effort of which we are aware to accumulate our Ordinary Shares or obtain control of the Company, nor is it a plan by management to recommend a series of similar actions to our Board or our shareholders. The Board does not intend for any of these transactions to be the first step in a series of plans or proposals of a “going private transaction” within the meaning of Rule13e-3 of the Exchange Act.
We do not believe that our officers or directors have interests in the Proposal that are different from or greater than those of any other of our shareholders.
If the Board ultimately determines to effect the Reverse Stock Split, no action on the part of the shareholders is required. The Board may determine to delay the Reverse Stock Split or determine not to effect the Reverse Stock Split at all.
Authorized Shares
At the time the Reverse Split is effective, our authorized Ordinary Shares will be consolidated at the same ratio. Our authorized preferred shares will not change and will remain at five million.
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Treatment of fractional shares
No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the Reverse Split. Shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to receive a fractional Ordinary Share because they hold a number of shares not evenly divisible by the Exchange Ratio selected by the Board will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i)the closing price of our Ordinary Shares on the business day immediately preceding the effective date of the Reverse Split as reported on Nasdaq by (ii)the number of shares of our Ordinary Shares held by the Shareholder that would otherwise have been exchanged for the fractional share interest. No interest will be paid on any cash amount representing fractional shares between the effective date of the Reverse Split and the date of payment.
Effect of the Reverse Split on options, restricted stock awards and warrants
The number of Ordinary Shares subject to outstanding options and warrants will automatically be reduced by a factor equal to the Exchange Ratio applied for the Reverse Split. The per-share exercise price of options and warrants will also be increased by the same factor, so that the aggregate dollar amount payable for the purchase of Ordinary Shares subject to options and warrants will remain unchanged.
No going private transaction
Notwithstanding the decrease in the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares resulting from the Reverse Split, the Board does not intend that the Reverse Split would be the first step in a series of plans or proposals of a “going private transaction” within the meaning of Rule13e-3 of the Exchange Act.
Registration and trading of our Ordinary Shares
Our Ordinary Shares is currently registered under Section12(b) of the Exchange Act, and we are subject to periodic reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act. The Reverse Split will not affect the registration of our Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act or our obligation to publicly file financial and other information with the SEC. When the Reverse Split is implemented, our Ordinary Shares will begin trading on a post-split basis on the effective date that we announce by press release. On the effective date, our trading symbol on Nasdaq will change to “RBZD.” The “D” will be removed 20 business days from that date, and the symbol will revert to the original symbol of “RBZ”. In connection with the reverse stock split, the CUSIP number of our Ordinary Shares (which is an identifier used by participants in the securities industry to identify our Ordinary Shares) will change.
Exchange of book-entry shares
Shareholders whose shares are uncertificated or held in “street name” with a broker, either as record or beneficial owners, will have their holdings electronically adjusted by their brokers or our transfer agent to give effect to the Reverse Split. Any payments in lieu of fractional shares will also be processed by the brokers or transfer agent.
Vote Required; Recommendation of the Board
The affirmative vote of a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by Shareholders present, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, is required to approve the Reverse Split and a approve, as a Special Resolution of the Company, the amendment and restatement of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to reflect the consolidation of the Ordinary Shares based on the ratio determined by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the Reverse Split and approve as a Special Resolution the Amendment and Restatement of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association accordingly.
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ITEM4— AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(Item4 on the Proxy Card)
Proposal No.4— Approval of Amendment to the 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and Repricing Certain Outstanding Stock Options issued under the 2018 Reebonz Share Option Plan
General
On December19, 2018, at an Extraordinary General Meeting, Shareholders approved and adopted the 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”), effective on immediately upon approval. The 2018 Plan covers the grant of awards to our employees (including officers), non-employee consultants and non-employee directors and those of our subsidiaries.
As a result of the Company’s one-for-eight reverse stock split effected on March15, 2019, the Company only had 264,272 Ordinary Shares available for issuance under the 2018 Plan. The proposal seeks to increase the number of Ordinary Shares available for issuance under the 2018 Plan to 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares.
In addition, also as a result of the Company’s one-for-eight reverse stock split effected on March15, 2019, outstanding stock options under the 2018 Reebonz Share Option Plan (the “Reebonz Option Plan”) had exercise prices in excess of recent market prices of the Ordinary Shares. As of December18, 2019, outstanding stock options under the Reebonz Option Plan had exercise prices ranging from a low of $5.86 to a high of $29.30. As of December18, 2019, the Ordinary Shares had a market price of $1.19. This proposal seeks to lower the exercise price of these outstanding stock options.
Proposed Amendment
On December19, 2019, our Board of Directors approved, subject to stockholder approval, an amendment (the “Amendment”) to the 2018 Plan to increase the total number of Ordinary Shares available for grant under the 2018 from 264,272Ordinary Shares to an aggregate of 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares.
Furthermore, on December19, 2019, our Board of Directors approved, subject to stockholder approval, the repricing (the “Repricing”) of outstanding stock options from the current exercise prices to $1.55.
Why We are Asking our Shareholders to Approve an Amendment to the 2018 Plan
We believe that equity-based compensation is fundamental to our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly-qualified, dedicated employees who have the skills and experience required to achieve our business goals. We further believe that a combination of stock options and restricted stock (or restricted stock units) provides a strong link to our long-term performance, creates an ownership culture and generally aligns the interests of our executives and other employees with our shareholders.
A total of 264,272 Ordinary Shares are currently approved by our shareholders to be authorized for issuance under the 2018 Plan, of which 260,275Ordinary Shares remain available for future grants as of December19, 2019. Accordingly, the Board is asking shareholders to approve an increase in the total number of Ordinary Shares available for grant under the 2018 Plan to 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares, to increase the aggregate limitation on authorized shares available for grant under the 2018 Plan. Absent this increase, the Board believes that the limited amount of shares currently available for future grants under the 2018 Plan would prohibit us from providing meaningful equity compensation to our employees, directors and consultants in the future. If we are unable to provide equity compensation at levels that are consistent with our historical practice and norms within our industry, we expect that we would have considerable difficulty attracting and retaining highly qualified employees, directors and consultants, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
A full copy of the 2018 Plan, as proposed to be amended by the Amendment, is attached asAnnexA.
Why We are Asking our Shareholders to Approve an a Repricing of Outstanding Stock Options.
We believe that equity-based compensation is fundamental to our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly-qualified, dedicated employees who have the skills and experience required to achieve our business goals. As of December18, 2019, outstanding stock options under the Reebonz Option Plan had exercise prices ranging from a low of $5.86
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to a high of $29.30. As of December18, 2019, the Ordinary Shares had a market price of $1.19. We believe that a repricing of these stock options to an exercise price of $1.55 per share will help our ability to retain and motivate highly-qualified, dedicated employees.
Vote Required; Recommendation of the Board
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by Shareholders present, in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, is required to approve the Amendment to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the Amendment to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
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ITEM5— ANY OTHER BUSINESS
(Item5 on the Proxy Card)
To transact any such other business that may properly come before the meeting.
Management currently knows of no other business to be transacted at the AGM, other than as set forth in the Notice of Annual General Meeting; but, if any other matters are properly presented at the AGM, the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy will vote upon such matters in accordance with their best judgment.
Please refer to the accompanying Formof Proxy, which is made a part of this notice. Only Shareholders of record at the close of business on November22, 2019, will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the AGM and any adjournments or postponements thereof.
Holders of record of the Company’s shares as of the Record Date are cordially invited to attend the AGM in person. Your vote is important. If you cannot attend the AGM in person, you are urged to complete, sign, date and return the accompanying proxy form as promptly as possible. We must receive the proxy form no later than 48 hours before the time of the AGM to ensure your representation at such meeting.
| | By Order of the Board of Directors, |
| | Samuel Lim |
| | Chairman of the Board of Directors |
Singapore, December19, 2019
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ANNEX A
AMENDED AND RESTATED REEBONZ HOLDING LIMITED
2018 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| | page |
Article 1. Effective Date, Objectives and Duration | | A-1 |
| | 1.1 | | Effective Date of the Plan | | A-1 |
| | 1.2 | | Objectives of the Plan | | A-1 |
| | 1.3 | | Duration of the Plan | | A-1 |
Article 2. Definitions | | A-1 |
| | 2.1 | | “Applicable Law” | | A-1 |
| | 2.2 | | “Award” | | A-1 |
| | 2.3 | | “Award Agreement” | | A-1 |
| | 2.4 | | “Board” | | A-1 |
| | 2.5 | | “Bonus Shares” | | A-1 |
| | 2.6 | | “Cause” | | A-2 |
| | 2.7 | | “CEO” | | A-2 |
| | 2.8 | | “Code” | | A-2 |
| | 2.9 | | “Committee” | | A-2 |
| | 2.10 | | “Company” | | A-2 |
| | 2.11 | | “Compensation Committee” | | A-2 |
| | 2.12 | | “Corporate Transaction” | | A-2 |
| | 2.13 | | “Deferred Shares” | | A-2 |
| | 2.14 | | “Disability” or “Disabled” | | A-2 |
| | 2.15 | | “Dividend Equivalent” | | A-2 |
| | 2.16 | | “Effective Date” | | A-2 |
| | 2.17 | | “Eligible Person” | | A-2 |
| | 2.18 | | “Exchange Act” | | A-3 |
| | 2.19 | | “Exercise Price” | | A-3 |
| | 2.20 | | “Fair Market Value” | | A-3 |
| | 2.21 | | “Grant Date” | | A-3 |
| | 2.22 | | “Grantee” | | A-3 |
| | 2.23 | | “Incentive Share Option” | | A-3 |
| | 2.24 | | “Including” or “includes” | | A-3 |
| | 2.25 | | “Management Committee” | | A-3 |
| | 2.26 | | “Non-Employee Director” | | A-3 |
| | 2.27 | | “Option” | | A-3 |
| | 2.28 | | “Other Share-Based Award” | | A-3 |
| | 2.29 | | “Performance Period” | | A-3 |
| | 2.30 | | “Performance Share” and “Performance Share Unit” | | A-3 |
| | 2.31 | | “Period of Restriction” | | A-3 |
| | 2.32 | | “Person” | | A-3 |
| | 2.33 | | “Restricted Shares” | | A-3 |
| | 2.34 | | “Restricted Share Units” | | A-4 |
| | 2.35 | | “Rule16b-3” | | A-4 |
| | 2.36 | | “SEC” | | A-4 |
| | 2.37 | | “Section16 Non-Employee Director” | | A-4 |
| | 2.38 | | “Section16 Person” | | A-4 |
| | 2.39 | | “Share” | | A-4 |
| | 2.40 | | “Share Appreciation Right” or “SAR” | | A-4 |
| | 2.41 | | “Subsidiary” | | A-4 |
| | 2.42 | | “Surviving Company” | | A-4 |
| | 2.43 | | “Term” | | A-4 |
| | 2.44 | | “Termination of Affiliation” | | A-4 |
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| | page |
Article 3. Administration | | A-4 |
| | 3.1 | | Committee | | A-4 |
| | 3.2 | | Powers of Committee | | A-5 |
| | 3.3 | | No Repricings | | A-6 |
Article 4. Shares Subject to the Plan | | A-6 |
| | 4.1 | | Number of Shares Available for Grants | | A-6 |
| | 4.2 | | Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards; Corporate Transaction, Liquidation or Dissolution | | A-7 |
Article 5. Eligibility and General Conditions of Awards | | A-8 |
| | 5.1 | | Eligibility | | A-8 |
| | 5.2 | | Award Agreement | | A-8 |
| | 5.3 | | General Terms and Termination of Affiliation | | A-8 |
| | 5.4 | | Nontransferability of Awards | | A-8 |
| | 5.5 | | Cancellation and Rescission of Awards | | A-8 |
| | 5.6 | | Stand-Alone, Tandem and Substitute Awards | | A-9 |
| | 5.7 | | Compliance with Rule16b-3 | | A-9 |
| | 5.8 | | Deferral of Award Payouts | | A-9 |
Article 6. Share Options | | A-10 |
| | 6.1 | | Grant of Options | | A-10 |
| | 6.2 | | Award Agreement | | A-10 |
| | 6.3 | | Option Exercise Price | | A-10 |
| | 6.4 | | Grant of Incentive Share Options | | A-10 |
| | 6.5 | | Payment of Exercise Price | | A-11 |
Article 7. Share Appreciation Rights | | A-11 |
| | 7.1 | | Issuance | | A-11 |
| | 7.2 | | Award Agreements | | A-11 |
| | 7.3 | | SAR Exercise Price | | A-11 |
| | 7.4 | | Exercise and Payment | | A-11 |
Article 8. Restricted Shares | | A-12 |
| | 8.1 | | Grant of Restricted Shares | | A-12 |
| | 8.2 | | Award Agreement | | A-12 |
| | 8.3 | | Consideration for Restricted Shares | | A-12 |
| | 8.4 | | Effect of Forfeiture | | A-12 |
| | 8.5 | | Escrow; Legends | | A-12 |
Article 9. Performance Share Units and Performance Shares | | A-12 |
| | 9.1 | | Grant of Performance Share Units and Performance Shares | | A-12 |
| | 9.2 | | Value/Performance Goals | | A-12 |
| | 9.3 | | Earning of Performance Share Units and Performance Shares | | A-12 |
Article 10. Deferred Shares and Restricted Share Units | | A-13 |
| | 10.1 | | Grant of Deferred Shares and Restricted Share Units | | A-13 |
| | 10.2 | | Vesting and Delivery | | A-13 |
| | 10.3 | | Voting and Dividend Equivalent Rights Attributable to Deferred Shares and Restricted Share Units | | A-13 |
Article 11. Dividend Equivalents | | A-13 |
Article 12. Bonus Shares | | A-14 |
Article 13. Other Share-Based Awards | | A-14 |
Article 14. Non-Employee Director Awards | | A-14 |
Article 15. Amendment, Modification, and Termination | | A-14 |
| | 15.1 | | Amendment, Modification, and Termination | | A-14 |
| | 15.2 | | Awards Previously Granted | | A-14 |
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| | page |
Article 16. Compliance with Code Section409A | | A-14 |
Article 17. Withholding | | A-15 |
| | 17.1 | | Required Withholding | | A-15 |
| | 17.2 | | Notification under Code Section83(b) | | A-15 |
Article 18. Additional Provisions | | A-15 |
| | 18.1 | | Successors | | A-15 |
| | 18.2 | | Severability | | A-15 |
| | 18.3 | | Requirements of Law | | A-16 |
| | 18.4 | | Securities Law Compliance | | A-16 |
| | 18.5 | | Forfeiture Events | | A-16 |
| | 18.6 | | No Rights as a Shareholder | | A-16 |
| | 18.7 | | Nature of Payments | | A-17 |
| | 18.8 | | Non-Exclusivity of Plan | | A-17 |
| | 18.9 | | Governing Law | | A-17 |
| | 18.10 | | Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts | | A-17 |
| | 18.11 | | Affiliation | | A-17 |
| | 18.12 | | Participation | | A-17 |
| | 18.13 | | Construction | | A-17 |
| | 18.14 | | Headings | | A-17 |
| | 18.15 | | Obligations | | A-17 |
| | 18.16 | | No Right to Continue as Director | | A-17 |
| | 18.17 | | Shareholder Approval | | A-17 |
| | 18.18 | | Forfeiture of Shares | | A-17 |
| | 18.19 | | Share Issuances | | A-17 |
A-iii
ANNEX A
REEBONZ HOLDING LIMITED
2018 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
Article 1.
Effective Date, Objectives and Duration
1.1 Effective Date of the Plan. The Board of Directors of Reebonz Holding Limited, an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) adopted the Reebonz Holding Limited 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) effective as of December19, 2019 2018 (the “Effective Date”), as amended on and approved by the shareholders of the Company on December29, 2019.
1.2 Objectives of the Plan. The Plan is intended (a)to allow selected employees of and consultants to the Company and its Subsidiaries to acquire or increase equity ownership in the Company, thereby strengthening their commitment to the success of the Company and stimulating their efforts on behalf of the Company, and to assist the Company and its Subsidiaries in attracting new employees, officers and consultants and retaining existing employees and consultants, (b)to optimize the profitability and growth of the Company and its Subsidiaries through incentives which are consistent with the Company’s goals, (c)to provide Grantees with an incentive for excellence in individual performance, (d)to promote teamwork among employees, consultants and Non-Employee Directors, and (e)to attract and retain highly qualified persons to serve as Non-Employee Directors and to promote ownership by such Non-Employee Directors of a greater proprietary interest in the Company, thereby aligning such Non-Employee Directors’ interests more closely with the interests of the Company’s shareholders.
1.3 Duration of the Plan. The Plan shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Board to amend or terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Article 15 hereof, until the earlier of the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, or the date all Shares subject to the Plan shall have been purchased or acquired and the restrictions on all Restricted Shares granted under the Plan shall have lapsed, according to the Plan’s provisions.
Article 2.
Definitions
Whenever used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
2.1 “Applicable Law” means (i)the laws of the Cayman Islands as they relate to the Company and its Shares; (ii)the legal requirements relating to the Plan and the Awards under applicable provisions of the corporate, securities, tax and other laws, rules, regulations and government orders of any jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents; and (iii)the rules of any applicable securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.
2.2 “Award” means Options (including non-qualified options and Incentive Share Options), SARs, Restricted Shares, Performance Share Units (which may be paid in cash), Performance Shares, Deferred Shares, Restricted Share Units, Dividend Equivalents, Bonus Shares or Other Share-Based Awards granted under the Plan.
2.3 “Award Agreement” means either (a)a written agreement entered into by the Company and a Grantee setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under the Plan, or (b)a written statement issued by the Company to a Grantee describing the terms and provisions of such Award, including any amendment or modification thereof. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Agreements and the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by the Grantee.
2.4 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company, from time to time.
2.5 “Bonus Shares” means Shares that are awarded to a Grantee with or without cost and without restrictions either in recognition of past performance (whether determined by reference to another employee benefit plan of the Company or otherwise), as an inducement to become an Eligible Person or, with the consent of the Grantee, as payment in lieu of any cash remuneration otherwise payable to the Grantee.
A-1
2.6 “Cause” means, except as otherwise defined in an Award Agreement:
(a) the commission of any act by a Grantee constituting a felony or crime of moral turpitude (or their equivalent in a non-UnitedStates jurisdiction);
(b) an act of dishonesty, fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or harassment which, as determined in good faith by the Committee, would: (i)materially adversely affect the business or the reputation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with their respective current or prospective customers, suppliers, lendersand/or other third parties with whom such entity does or might do business; or (ii)expose the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to a risk of civil or criminal legal damages, liabilities or penalties;
(c) any material misconduct in violation of the Company’s or a Subsidiary’s written policies; or
(d) willful and deliberate non-performance of the Grantee’s duties in connection with the business affairs of the Company or its Subsidiaries;
provided, however,that if the Grantee has a written employment or consulting agreement with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or participates in any severance plan established by the Company applicable to Awards granted to the Grantee under the Plan that includes a definition of “cause” (or a substantially equivalent term), then Cause shall have the meaning set forth in such employment or consulting agreement or severance plan.
2.7 “CEO” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
2.8 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. References to a particular section of the Code include references to regulations and rulings thereunder and to successor provisions.
2.9 “Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section3.1(a).
2.10 “Company” means Reebonz Holding Limited, an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, formerly known as DOTA Holdings Limited.
2.11 “Compensation Committee” means the compensation committee of the Board.
2.12 “Corporate Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section4.2(b).
2.13 “Deferred Shares” means a right, granted under Article10, to receive Shares at the end of a specified deferral period.
2.14 “Disability” or “Disabled” means, unless otherwise defined in an Award Agreement, or as otherwise determined under procedures established by the Committee for purposes of the Plan, a Grantee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months.
2.15 “Dividend Equivalent” means a right to receive payments equal to dividends or property, if and when paid or distributed, on a specified number of Shares.
2.16 “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section1.1.
2.17 “Eligible Person” means any individual who is an employee (including any officer) of, a non-employee consultant to, or a Non-Employee Director of, the Company or any Subsidiary; provided, however, that solely with respect to the grant of an Incentive Share Option, an Eligible Person shall be any employee (including any officer) of the Company or any Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Eligible Person shall also include an individual who is expected to become an employee to, non-employee consultant of or Non-Employee Director of the Company or any Subsidiary within a reasonable period of time after the grant of an Award (other than an Incentive Share Option); provided that any Award granted to any such individual shall be automatically terminated and cancelled without consideration if the individual does not begin performing services for the Company or any Subsidiary within twelve (12) months after the Grant Date. Solely for purposes of Section5.6(b), current or former employees or non-employee directors of, or consultants to, an Acquired Entity who receive Substitute Awards in substitution for Acquired Entity Awards shall be considered Eligible Persons under this Plan with respect to such Substitute Awards.
A-2
2.18 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. References to a particular section of the Exchange Act include references to successor provisions.
2.19 “Exercise Price” means (a)with respect to an Option, the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Grantee pursuant to such Option or (b)with respect to an SAR, the price established at the time an SAR is granted pursuant to Article7, which is used to determine the amount, if any, of the payment due to a Grantee upon exercise of the SAR.
2.20 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, unless otherwise specifically provided in an Award Agreement, the value of Shares determined as follows:
(a) If the Shares are listed on one or more established and regulated securities exchanges, national market systems or automated quotation systems on which Shares are listed, quoted or traded, Fair Market Value means a price that is based on the opening, closing, actual, high, low, or the arithmetic mean of selling prices of a Share reported on the principal exchange or system on which the Shares are traded on the applicable date or the preceding trading day.
(b) If the Shares are traded over the counter at the time a determination of Fair Market Value is required to be made hereunder, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the arithmetic mean between the reported high and low or closing bid and asked prices of a Share on the applicable date, or if no such trades were made that day then the most recent date on which Shares were publicly traded.
(c) In the event Shares are not publicly traded at the time a determination of their value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of their Fair Market Value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate.
2.21 “Grant Date” means the date on which an Award is granted or such later date as specified in advance by the Committee.
2.22 “Grantee” means a person who has been granted an Award.
2.23 “Incentive Share Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section422 of the Code.
2.24 “Including” or“includes” means “including, without limitation,” or “includes, without limitation,” respectively.
2.25 “Management Committee” has the meaning set forth in Section3.1(b).
2.26 “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.
2.27 “Option” means an option granted under Article 6 of the Plan.
2.28 “Other Share-Based Award” means a right, granted under Article 13 hereof, that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares or other Awards relating to Shares.
2.29 “Performance Period” means, with respect to an Award of Performance Shares or Performance Share Units, the period of time during which the performance vesting conditions applicable to such Award must be satisfied.
2.30 “Performance Share” and “Performance Share Unit”have the respective meanings set forth in Article 9.
2.31 “Period of Restriction” means the period during which Restricted Shares are subject to forfeiture if the conditions specified in the Award Agreement are not satisfied.
2.32 “Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, entity or government instrumentality, division, agency, body or department.
2.33 “Restricted Shares” means Shares, granted under Article8, that are both subject to forfeiture and are nontransferable if the Grantee does not satisfy the conditions specified in the Award Agreement applicable to such Shares.
A-3
2.34 “Restricted Share Units” are rights, granted under Article10, to receive Shares if the Grantee satisfies the conditions specified in the Award Agreement applicable to such rights.
2.35 “Rule16b-3” means Rule16b-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, together with any successor rule.
2.36 “SEC” means the UnitedStates Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.
2.37 “Section16 Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who satisfies the requirements to qualify as a “non-employee director” under Rule16b-3.
2.38 “Section16 Person” means a person who is subject to potential liability under Section16(b) of the Exchange Act with respect to transactions involving equity securities of the Company.
2.39 “Share” means an ordinary share of the Company, par value US$0.0001, and such other securities of the Company, as may be substituted or resubstituted for Shares pursuant to Section4.2 hereof.
2.40 “Share Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Article 7 of the Plan.
2.41 “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity, including but not limited to partnerships, limited liability companies, exempted companies and joint ventures, with respect to which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns as applicable (a)shares possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares entitled to vote, or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total value of all shares of all classes of shares of such corporation, or (b)an aggregate of more than fifty percent (50%) of the profits interest or capital interest of a non-corporate entity.
2.42 “Surviving Company” means (a)the surviving entity in any merger, consolidation or similar transaction, involving the Company (including the Company if the Company is the surviving entity), (b)or the direct or indirect parent company of such surviving entity or (c)the direct or indirect parent company of the Company following a sale of substantially all of the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company.
2.43 “Term” of any Option or SAR means the period beginning on the Grant Date of an Option or SAR and ending on the date such Option or SAR expires, terminates or is cancelled. No Option or SAR granted under this Plan shall have a Term exceeding 10years
2.44 “Termination of Affiliation” occurs on the first day on which an individual is for any reason no longer performing services for the Company or any Subsidiary in the capacity of an employee of, a non-employee consultant to, or a Non-Employee Director of, the Company or any Subsidiary or with respect to an individual who is an employee of, a non-employee consultant to or a Non-Employee Director of a Subsidiary, the first day on which such entity ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Company unless such individual continues to perform Services for the Company or another Subsidiary without interruption after such entity ceases to be a Subsidiary.
Article 3.
Administration
3.1 Committee.
(a) Subject to Article14, and to subsection (b)and to Section3.2, the Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee and the Compensation Committee shall be the Committee hereunder. The Committee may delegate to the CEO any or all of the authority of the Committee with respect to Awards to Grantees other than Grantees who are executive officers, Non-Employee Directors, or Section16 Persons at the time any such delegated authority is exercised.
(b) Unless the context requires otherwise, any references herein to “Committee” include references to the CEO to the extent the CEO has been delegated authority pursuant to subsection (a); provided that (i)for purposes of Awards to Non-Employee Directors, “Committee” shall include only the full Board, and (ii)for purposes of Awards intended to comply with Rule16b-3, the “Committee” shall include only the Compensation Committee.
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3.2 Powers of Committee. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan (including Article 14), the Committee has full and final authority and sole discretion as follows; provided that any such authority or discretion exercised with respect to a specific Non-Employee Director shall be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board, even if not a quorum, but excluding the Non-Employee Director with respect to whom such authority or discretion is exercised:
(a) to determine when, to whom and in what types and amounts Awards should be granted;
(b) to grant Awards to Eligible Persons in any number and to determine the terms and conditions applicable to each Award (including the number of Shares or the amount of cash or other property to which an Award will relate, any Exercise Price or purchase price, any limitation or restriction, any schedule for or performance conditions relating to the earning of the Award or the lapse of limitations, forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on exercisability or transferability, any performance goals including those relating to the Companyand/or a Subsidiaryand/or any division thereofand/or an individual,and/or vesting based on the passage of time, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee shall determine);
(c) to determine the benefit payable, including where applicable the number of Shares issued, under any Performance Share Unit, Performance Share, Dividend Equivalent, Other Share-Based Award or Cash Incentive Award and to determine whether any performance or vesting conditions have been satisfied;
(d) to determine whether or not specific Awards shall be granted in connection with other specific Awards, and if so, whether they shall be exercisable cumulatively with, or alternatively to, such other specific Awards and all other matters to be determined in connection with an Award;
(e) to determine the Term of any Option or SAR;
(f) to determine the amount, if any, that a Grantee shall pay for Restricted Shares, whether to permit or require the payment of cash dividends thereon to be deferred and the terms related thereto, when Restricted Shares (including Restricted Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Option) shall be forfeited and whether such shares shall be held in escrow;
(g) to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, or an Award may be accelerated, vested, canceled, forfeited or surrendered or any terms of the Award may be waived, and to accelerate the exercisability of, and to accelerate or waive any or all of the terms and conditions applicable to, any Award or any group of Awards for any reason and at any time;
(h) to determine with respect to Awards granted to Eligible Persons whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award will be deferred, either at the election of the Grantee or automatically pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement;
(i) to offer to exchange or buy out any previously granted Award for a payment in cash, Shares or other Award;
(j) to construe and interpret the Plan and to make all determinations, including factual determinations, necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan;
(k) to make, amend, suspend, waive and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan;
(l) to appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;
(m) to determine the terms and conditions of all Award Agreements applicable to Eligible Persons (which need not be identical) and, with the consent of the Grantee, to amend any such Award Agreement at any time, among other things, to permit transfers of such Awards to the extent permitted by the Plan; provided that the consent of the Grantee shall not be required for any amendment (i)which does not adversely affect the rights of the Grantee, or (ii)which is necessary or advisable (as determined by the Committee) to carry out the purpose of the Award as a result of any new Applicable Law or change in an existing Applicable Law, or (iii)to the extent the Award Agreement specifically permits amendment without consent;
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(n) to cancel, with the consent of the Grantee, outstanding Awards and to grant new Awards in substitution therefor;
(o) to impose such additional terms and conditions upon the grant, exercise or retention of Awards as the Committee may, before or concurrently with the grant thereof, deem appropriate, including limiting the percentage of Awards which may from time to time be exercised by a Grantee;
(p) to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including events described in Section4.2) affecting the Company or a Subsidiary or the financial statements of the Company or a Subsidiary, or in response to changes in Applicable Law, regulations or accounting principles;
(q) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency, and to construe and interpret the Plan, the rules and regulations, and Award Agreement or any other instrument entered into or relating to an Award under the Plan; and
(r) to take any other action with respect to any matters relating to the Plan for which it is responsible and to make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of the Plan or as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.
Any action of the Committee with respect to the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its Subsidiaries, any Grantee, any person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Grantee, and shareholders. If not specified in the Plan, the time at which the Committee must or may make any determination shall be determined by the Committee, and any such determination may thereafter be modified by the Committee. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. Subject to Section3.1(b), the Committee may delegate to officers of the Company or any Subsidiary the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform specified functions under the Plan.
3.3 No Repricings. Notwithstanding any provision in Section3.2 to the contrary, the terms of any outstanding Option or SAR may not be amended to reduce the Exercise Price of such Option or SAR or cancel any outstanding Option or SAR in exchange for other Options or SARs with an Exercise Price that is less than the Exercise Price of the cancelled Option or SAR or for any cash payment (or Shares having a Fair Market Value) in an amount that exceeds the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying such cancelled Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR or for any other Award, without shareholder approval; provided, however, that the restrictions set forth in this Section3.3, shall not apply (i)unless the Company has a class of shares that is registered under Section12 of the Exchange Act or (ii)to any adjustment allowed under to Section4.2.
Article 4.
Shares Subject to the Plan
4.1 Number of Shares Available for Grants. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section4.2 and except as provided in Section5.6(b), the maximum number of Shares hereby reserved for delivery under the Plan (including Incentive Share Options) shall be One Million Ordinary Shares.
If any Shares subject to an Award granted hereunder (other than a Substitute Award granted pursuant to Section5.6(b)) are forfeited or such Award otherwise terminates without payment or delivery of such Shares, the Shares subject to such Award, to the extent of any such forfeiture or termination, shall again be available for grant under the Plan except where otherwise specified hereunder. For avoidance of doubt, however, if any Shares subject to an Award granted hereunder are withheld or applied as payment in connection with the exercise of an Award or the withholding or payment of taxes related thereto (“Returned Shares”), such Returned Shares will be treated as having been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan and shall not again be treated as available for grant under the Plan. Moreover, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan may not be increased through the Company’s purchase of Shares on the open market with the proceeds obtained from the exercise of any Options granted hereunder. Upon settlement of an SAR, the number of Shares underlying the portion of the SAR that is exercised will be treated as having been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan and shall not again be treated as available for issuance under the Plan.
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Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be, in whole or in part, authorized and unissued Shares, or treasury Shares, including Shares repurchased by the Company for purposes of the Plan. Additionally, at the discretion of the Committee, any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may be represented by American Depositary Shares.
4.2 Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards; Corporate Transaction, Liquidation or Dissolution.
(a) Adjustment in Authorized Shares and Awards. In the event that the Committee determines that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, equity, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse share split, subdivision, consolidation or reduction of capital, reorganization, merger, consolidation, scheme of arrangement, split-up, spin-off or combination involving the Company or repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that any adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i)the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii)the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (iii)the Exercise Price with respect to any Option or SAR or, if deemed appropriate, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award, and (iv)the number and kind of Shares of outstanding Restricted Shares, or the Shares underlying any other form of Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such adjustment shall be authorized with respect to any Options or SARs to the extent that such adjustment would cause the Option or SAR to violate Section424(a) of the Code or otherwise subject any Grantee to taxation under Section409A of the Code; andprovided further that the number of Shares subject to any Award denominated in Shares shall always be a whole number.
(b) Merger, Consolidation or Similar Corporate Transaction. In the event of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity or a sale of substantially all of the Shares of the Company (a “Corporate Transaction”), unless an outstanding Award is assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award, the Committee shall cancel any outstanding Awards that are not vested and non-forfeitable as of the consummation of such Corporate Transaction (unless the Committee accelerates the vesting of any such Awards) and with respect to any vested and non-forfeitable Awards, the Committee may either (i)allow all Grantees to exercise such Awards of Options and SARs within a reasonable period prior to the consummation of the Corporate Transaction and cancel any outstanding Options or SARs that remain unexercised upon consummation of the Corporate Transaction, or (ii)cancel any or all of such outstanding Awards in exchange for a payment (in cash, or in securities or other property) in an amount equal to the amount that the Grantee would have received (net of the Exercise Price with respect to any Options or SARs) if such vested Awards were settled or distributed or such vested Options and SARs were exercised immediately prior to the consummation of the Corporate Transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Option or SAR is not assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award issued by the Surviving Company and the Exercise Price with respect to any outstanding Option or SAR exceeds the Fair Market Value of the Shares immediately prior to the consummation of the Corporation Transaction, such Awards shall be cancelled without any payment to the Grantee.
(c) Liquidation or Dissolution of the Company. In the event of the proposed liquidation or dissolution of the Company, each Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Committee. Additionally, the Committee may, in the exercise of its sole discretion, cause Awards to be vested and non-forfeitable and cause any conditions on any such Award to lapse, as to all or any part of such Award, including Shares as to which the Award would not otherwise be exercisable or non-forfeitable and allow all Grantees to exercise such Awards of Options and SARs within a reasonable period prior to the consummation of such proposed action. Any Awards that remain unexercised upon consummation of such proposed action shall be cancelled.
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Article 5.
Eligibility and General Conditions of Awards
5.1 Eligibility. The Committee may in its discretion grant Awards to any Eligible Person, whether or not he or she has previously received an Award; provided, however, that all Awards made to Non-Employee Directors shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion.
5.2 Award Agreement. To the extent not set forth in the Plan, the terms and conditions of each Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.
5.3 General Terms and Termination of Affiliation. The Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise or settlement thereof, at the date of grant or, subject to the provisions of Section15.2, thereafter, such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture, acceleration or pro-rata acceleration of Awards in the event of a Termination of Affiliation by the Grantee. Awards may be granted for no consideration other than prior and future services. Except as set forth in an Award Agreement or as otherwise determined by the Committee, (a)all Options and SARs that are not vested and exercisable at the time of a Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation, and any other Awards that remain subject to a risk of forfeiture or which are not otherwise vested at the time of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation shall be forfeited to the Company and (b)all outstanding Options and SARs not previously exercised shall expire three months after the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate any Applicable Law.
5.4 Nontransferability of Awards.
(a) Each Award and each right under any Award shall be exercisable only by the Grantee during the Grantee’s lifetime, or, if permissible under Applicable Law, by the Grantee’s guardian or legal representative.
(b) No Award (prior to the time, if applicable, Shares are delivered in respect of such Award), and no right under any Award, may be assigned, alienated, pledged, mortgaged, encumbered, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Grantee otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or in the case of Restricted Shares, to the Company), and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Subsidiary; provided that the designation of a beneficiary to receive benefits in the event of the Grantee’s death shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.
(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a)and (b)above, to the extent provided in the Award Agreement or as otherwise approved by the Committee, Options (other than Incentive Share Options) and Restricted Shares, may be transferred, without consideration, to a Permitted Transferee. For this purpose, a “Permitted Transferee” in respect of any Grantee means any member of the Immediate Family of such Grantee, any trust of which all of the primary beneficiaries are such Grantee or members of his or her Immediate Family, or any partnership (including limited liability companies and similar entities) of which all of the partners or members are such Grantee or members of his or her Immediate Family; and the “Immediate Family” of a Grantee means the Grantee’s spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, nieces and nephews. Such Option may be exercised by such transferee in accordance with the terms of the Award Agreement. If so determined by the Committee, a Grantee may, in the manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise the rights of the Grantee, and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the death of the Grantee. A transferee, beneficiary, guardian, legal representative or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Grantee shall be subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide with respect to such persons, and to any additional restrictions or limitations deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.
5.5 Cancellation and Rescission of Awards. Unless the Award Agreement specifies otherwise, the Committee may cancel, rescind, suspend, withhold, or otherwise limit or restrict any unexercised Award at any time if the Grantee is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Award Agreement and the Plan or if the Grantee has a Termination of Affiliation.
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5.6 Stand-Alone, Tandem and Substitute Awards.
(a) Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for, any other Award granted under the Plan unless such tandem or substitution Award would subject the Grantee to tax penalties imposed under Section409A of the Code. If an Award is granted in substitution for another Award or any non-Plan award or benefit, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or non-Plan award or benefit in consideration for the grant of the new Award. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or non-Plan awards or benefits may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or non-Plan awards or benefits; provided, however, that if any SAR is granted in tandem with an Incentive Share Option, such SAR and Incentive Share Option must have the same Grant Date, Term and the Exercise Price of the SAR may not be less than the Exercise Price of the Incentive Share Option.
(b) The Committee may, in its discretion and on such terms and conditions as the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances, grant Awards under the Plan (“Substitute Awards”) in substitution for Shares and Share-based awards (“Acquired Entity Awards”) held by current or former employees or non-employee directors of, or consultants to, another corporation or entity who become Eligible Persons as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation or other entity (the “Acquired Entity”) with the Company or a Subsidiary or the acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary of property or shares of the Acquired Entity immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or acquisition in order to preserve for the Grantee the economic value of all or a portion of such Acquired Entity Award at such price as the Committee determines necessary to achieve preservation of economic value. The limitations in Section4.1 on the number of Shares reserved or available for grants shall not apply to Substitute Awards granted under this Section5.6(b).
5.7 Compliance with Rule16b-3. The provisions of this Section5.7will not apply unless and until the Company has a class of Shares that is registered under Section12 of the Exchange Act and fails to qualify as a foreign private issuer as defined therein.
(a) Six-Month Holding Period Advice. Unless a Grantee could otherwise dispose of or exercise a derivative security or dispose of Shares issued under the Plan without incurring liability under Section16(b) of the Exchange Act, the Committee may advise or require a Grantee to comply with the following in order to avoid incurring liability under Section16(b) of the Exchange Act: (i)at least six months must elapse from the date of acquisition of a derivative security under the Plan to the date of disposition of the derivative security (other than upon exercise or conversion) or its underlying equity security, and (ii)Shares granted or awarded under the Plan other than upon exercise or conversion of a derivative security must be held for at least six months from the date of grant of an Award.
(b) Reformation to Comply with Exchange Act Rules. To the extent the Committee determines that a grant or other transaction by a Section16 Person should comply with applicable provisions of Rule16b-3 (except for transactions exempted under alternative Exchange Act rules), the Committee shall take such actions as necessary to make such grant or other transaction so comply, and if any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to a given Award does not comply with the requirements of Rule16b-3 as then applicable to any such grant or transaction, such provision will be construed or deemed amended, if the Committee so determines, to the extent necessary to conform to the then applicable requirements of Rule16b-3.
(c) Rule16b-3 Administration. Any function relating to a Section16 Person shall be performed solely by the Committee or the Board if necessary to ensure compliance with applicable requirements of Rule16b-3, to the extent the Committee determines that such compliance is desired. Each member of the Committee or person acting on behalf of the Committee shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him by any officer, manager or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants or any executive compensation consultant or attorney or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.
5.8 Deferral of Award Payouts. The Committee may permit a Grantee to defer, or if and to the extent specified in an Award Agreement require the Grantee to defer, receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due by virtue of the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Restricted Share Units, the satisfaction of any requirements or goals with respect to Performance Share Units or Performance Shares, the lapse or waiver of the deferral period for Deferred Shares, or the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Other Share-Based Awards or
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Cash Incentive Awards. If the Committee permits such deferrals, the Committee shall establish rules and procedures for making such deferral elections and for the payment of such deferrals. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, any payment or any Shares that are subject to such deferral shall be made or delivered to the Grantee as specified in the Award Agreement or pursuant to the Grantee’s deferral election.
Article 6.
Share Options
6.1 Grant of Options. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to any Eligible Person in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee.
6.2 Award Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Exercise Price, the Term of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, the time or times at which such Option shall be exercisable and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.
6.3 Option Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of an Option under this Plan shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee but may not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date.
6.4 Grant of Incentive Share Options. At the time of the grant of any Option, the Committee may in its discretion designate that such Option shall be made subject to additional restrictions to permit it to qualify as an Incentive Share Option. Any Option designated as an Incentive Share Option:
(a) shall be granted only to an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary;
(b) shall have an Exercise Price of not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date, and, if granted to a person who owns Shares (including Shares treated as owned under Section424(d) of the Code) possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any Subsidiary (a “More Than 10% Owner”), have an Exercise Price not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on its Grant Date;
(c) shall be for a period of not more than 10years (five years if the Grantee is a More Than 10% Owner) from its Grant Date, and shall be subject to earlier termination as provided herein or in the applicable Award Agreement;
(d) shall not have an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the Grant Date) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Share Options (whether granted under the Plan or any other share option plan of the Grantee’s employer or any parent or Subsidiary (“Other Plans”)) are exercisable for the first time by such Grantee during any calendar year (“Current Grant”), determined in accordance with the provisions of Section422 of the Code, which exceeds US$100,000 (the “$100,000 Limit”);
(e) shall, if the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined on the Grant Date) with respect to the Current Grant and all Incentive Share Options previously granted under the Plan and any Other Plans which are exercisable for the first time during a calendar year (“Prior Grants”) would exceed the $100,000 Limit, be, as to the portion in excess of the $100,000 Limit, exercisable as a separate option that is not an Incentive Share Option at such date or dates as are provided in the Current Grant;
(f) shall require the Grantee to notify the Committee of any disposition of any Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of the Incentive Share Option under the circumstances described in Section421(b) of the Code (relating to holding periods and certain disqualifying dispositions) (“Disqualifying Disposition”) within 10days of such a Disqualifying Disposition;
(g) shall by its terms not be assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised, during the Grantee’s lifetime, only by the Grantee; provided, however, that the Grantee may, to the extent provided in the Plan in any manner specified by the Committee, designate in writing a beneficiary to exercise his or her Incentive Share Option after the Grantee’s death; and
(h) shall, if such Option nevertheless fails to meet the foregoing requirements, or otherwise fails to meet the requirements of Section422 of the Code for an Incentive Share Option, be treated for all purposes of this Plan, except as otherwise provided in subsections (d)and (e)above, as an Option that is not an Incentive Share Option.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing and Section3.2, the Committee may, without the consent of the Grantee, at any time before the exercise of an Option (whether or not an Incentive Share Option), take any action necessary to prevent such Option from being treated as an Incentive Share Option.
6.5 Payment of Exercise Price. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, Options shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares made by any one or more of the following means:
(a) cash, personal check or wire transfer;
(b) with the approval of the Committee, delivery of Shares owned by the Grantee prior to exercise, valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;
(c) with the approval of the Committee, Shares acquired upon the exercise of such Option, such Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;
(d) with the approval of the Committee, Restricted Shares held by the Grantee prior to the exercise of the Option, valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise; or
(e) subject to Applicable Law (including the prohibited loan provisions of Section402 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 if applicable), through the sale of the Shares acquired on exercise of the Option through a broker-dealer to whom the Grantee has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise and irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sale proceeds sufficient to pay for such Shares, together with, if requested by the Company, the amount of federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes payable by Grantee by reason of such exercise.
The Committee may in its discretion specify that, if any Restricted Shares (“Tendered Restricted Shares”) are used to pay the Exercise Price, (x)all the Shares acquired on exercise of the Option shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Tendered Restricted Shares, determined as of the date of exercise of the Option, or (y)a number of Shares acquired on exercise of the Option equal to the number of Tendered Restricted Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Tendered Restricted Shares, determined as of the date of exercise of the Option.
Article 7.
Share Appreciation Rights
7.1 Issuance. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant SARs to any Eligible Person either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Such SARs may, but need not, be granted in connection with a specific Option granted under Article 6. The Committee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any SAR as it shall deem appropriate.
7.2 Award Agreements. Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee may approve and shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent with other provisions of the Plan as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.
7.3 SAR Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that the Exercise Price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of the grant of the SAR.
7.4 Exercise and Payment. Upon the exercise of an SAR, a Grantee shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:
(a) The excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price; by
(b) The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.
SARs shall be deemed exercised on the date written notice of exercise in a form acceptable to the Committee is received by the Secretary of the Company. The Company shall make payment in respect of any SAR within five (5) days of the date the SAR is exercised. Any payment by the Company in respect of a SAR may be made in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine or, to the extent permitted under the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, at the election of the Grantee.
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Article 8.
Restricted Shares
8.1 Grant of Restricted Shares. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Restricted Shares to any Eligible Person in such amounts as the Committee shall determine.
8.2 Award Agreement. Each grant of Restricted Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Restricted Shares granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Committee may impose such conditionsand/or restrictions on any Restricted Shares granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable, including restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals,and/or restrictions under applicable securities laws; provided that such conditionsand/or restrictions may lapse, if so determined by the Committee, in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation due to death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or a Subsidiary without Cause.
8.3 Consideration for Restricted Shares. The Committee shall determine the amount, if any, that a Grantee shall pay for Restricted Shares.
8.4 Effect of Forfeiture. If Restricted Shares are forfeited, and if the Grantee was required to pay for such shares or acquired such Restricted Shares upon the exercise of an Option, the Grantee shall be deemed to have resold such Restricted Shares to the Company at a price equal to the lesser of (x)the amount paid by the Grantee for such Restricted Shares, or (y)the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of such forfeiture. The Company shall pay to the Grantee the deemed sale price as soon as is administratively practical. Such Restricted Shares shall cease to be outstanding and shall no longer confer on the Grantee thereof any rights as a shareholder of the Company, from and after the date of the event causing the forfeiture, whether or not the Grantee accepts the Company’s tender of payment for such Restricted Shares.
8.5 Escrow; Legends. The Committee may provide that the certificates (if any) for any Restricted Shares (x)shall be held (together with a share transfer power executed in blank by the Grantee) in escrow by the Secretary of the Company until such Restricted Shares become non-forfeitable or are forfeitedand/or (y)shall bear an appropriate legend restricting the transfer of such Restricted Shares under the Plan. If any Restricted Shares become non-forfeitable, the Company shall cause certificates (if any) for such shares to be delivered without such legend.
Article 9.
Performance Share Units and Performance Shares
9.1 Grant of Performance Share Units and Performance Shares. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, Performance Share Units or Performance Shares may be granted to any Eligible Person in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee.
9.2 Value/Performance Goals. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units or Performance Shares that will be paid to the Grantee.
(a) Performance Unit. Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant.
(b) Performance Share. Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.
9.3 Earning of Performance Share Units and Performance Shares. After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units or Performance Shares shall be entitled to payment based on the level of achievement of performance goals set by the Committee.
At the discretion of the Committee, the settlement of Performance Share Units or Performance Shares may be in cash, Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof, as set forth in the Award Agreement.
If a Grantee is promoted, demoted or transferred to a different business unit of the Company during a Performance Period, then, to the extent the Committee determines that the Award, the performance goals, or the Performance Period
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are no longer appropriate, the Committee may adjust, change, eliminate or cancel the Award, the performance goals, or the applicable Performance Period, as it deems appropriate in order to make them appropriate and comparable to the initial Award, the performance goals, or the Performance Period.
At the discretion of the Committee, a Grantee may be entitled to receive any dividends or Dividend Equivalents declared with respect to Shares issuable in connection with vested Performance Shares which have been earned, but not yet issued to the Grantee.
Article 10.
Deferred Shares and Restricted Share Units
10.1 Grant of Deferred Shares and Restricted Share Units. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Deferred Sharesand/or Restricted Share Units to any Eligible Person, in such amount and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.
10.2 Vesting and Delivery.
(a) Deferred Shares. Delivery of Shares subject to a Deferred Shares grant will occur upon expiration of the deferral period or upon the occurrence of one or more of the distribution events described in Section409A(a)(2) of the Code as specified by the Committee in the Grantee’s Award Agreement for the Award of Deferred Shares. An Award of Deferred Shares may be subject to such substantial risk of forfeiture conditions as the Committee may impose, which conditions may lapse at such times or upon the achievement of such objectives as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant or thereafter. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent that the Grantee has a Termination of Affiliation while the Deferred Shares remains subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, such Deferred Shares shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines that such substantial risk of forfeiture shall lapse in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation due to death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or a Subsidiary without “cause.”
(b) Restricted Share Units. Delivery of Shares subject to a grant of Restricted Share Units will occur upon the expiration of the period during which the Restricted Share Units are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent that the Grantee has a Termination of Affiliation while the Restricted Share Units remains subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, such Restricted Share Units shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines that such substantial risk of forfeiture shall lapse in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation due to death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or a Subsidiary without “cause.”
10.3 Voting and Dividend Equivalent Rights Attributable to Deferred Shares and Restricted Share Units. A Grantee awarded Deferred Shares or Restricted Share Units will have no voting rights with respect to such Deferred Shares or Restricted Share Units prior to the delivery of Shares in settlement of such Deferred Sharesand/or Restricted Share Units. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, a Grantee will have the rights to receive Dividend Equivalents in respect of Deferred Sharesand/or Restricted Share Units, which Dividend Equivalents shall be deemed reinvested in additional Shares of Deferred Shares or Restricted Share Units, as applicable, which shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Deferred Shares or Restricted Share Units to which such Dividend Equivalents relate.
Article 11.
Dividend Equivalents
The Committee is authorized to grant Awards of Dividend Equivalents alone or in conjunction with other Awards. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or additional Awards or otherwise reinvested subject to distribution at the same time and subject to the same conditions as the Award to which it relates; provided, however, that any Dividend Equivalents granted in conjunction with any Award that is subject to forfeiture conditions shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Award to which such Dividend Equivalents relate and any payments in respect of any Dividend Equivalents granted in conjunction with any Options or SARs may not be conditioned, directly or indirectly, on the Grantee’s exercise of the Options or SARs or paid at the same time that the Options or SARs are exercised.
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Article 12.
Bonus Shares
Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may grant Bonus Shares to any Eligible Person, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee.
Article 13.
Other Share-Based Awards
The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under Applicable Law, to grant such other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including Shares awarded which are not subject to any restrictions or conditions, convertible or exchangeable debt securities or other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, and Awards valued by reference to the value of securities of or the performance of specified Subsidiaries. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Except as provided by the Committee, Shares issued pursuant to a purchase right granted under this Article 13 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for by such methods and in such forms, including cash, Shares, outstanding Awards or other property, as the Committee shall determine.
Article 14.
Non-Employee Director Awards
Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Board may grant Awards to any Non-Employee Director, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the full Board in its sole discretion. Except as otherwise provided in Section5.6(b), a Non-Employee Director may not be granted Awards with respect to Shares that have a Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) in excess of US$500,000 in a single calendar year.
Article 15.
Amendment, Modification, and Termination
15.1 Amendment, Modification, and Termination. Subject to Section15.2, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan in whole or in part without the approval of the Company’s shareholders, except that (a)any amendment or alteration shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s shareholders if such shareholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may then be listed or quoted, and (b)the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such amendments or alterations to shareholders for approval.
15.2 Awards Previously Granted. Except as otherwise specifically permitted in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Grantee of such Award.
Article 16.
Compliance with Code Section 409A
To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award is subject to Section409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section409A of the Code and U.S. Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, if the Committee determines that any Award may be subject to Section409A of the Code, the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and each applicable Award Agreement as the Committee determines necessary or appropriate to (a)exempt the Award from Section409A of the Code, or (b)comply with the requirements of Section409A of the Code and related U.S. Department of Treasury guidance.
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Article 17.
Withholding
17.1 Required Withholding.
(a) The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that when taxes under any Applicable Law are to be withheld in connection with the exercise of an Option or SAR, or upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, or upon payment of any other benefit or right under this Plan (the date on which such exercise occurs or such restrictions lapse or such payment of any other benefit or right occurs hereinafter referred to as the “Tax Date”), the Grantee may elect to make payment for the withholding of taxes under Applicable Law, including without limitation UnitedStates federal, state and local taxes, including Social Security and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes, by one or a combination of the following methods:
(i) payment of an amount in cash equal to the amount to be withheld (including cash obtained through the sale of the Shares acquired on exercise of an Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, through a broker-dealer to whom the Grantee has submitted an irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company, the amount to be withheld);
(ii) delivering part or all of the amount to be withheld in the form of Shares valued at its Fair Market Value on the Tax Date;
(iii) requesting the Company to withhold from those Shares that would otherwise be received upon exercise of the Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, a number of Shares having a Fair Market Value on the Tax Date equal to the amount to be withheld; or
(iv) withholding from any compensation otherwise due to the Grantee.
The Committee shall provide that the amount of tax withholding upon exercise of an Option or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, to be satisfied by withholding Shares upon exercise of such Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, pursuant to clause (iii)above shall not exceed the maximum amount of taxes, including FICA taxes, required to be withheld under federal, state and local law. An election by Grantee under this subsection is irrevocable. Any fractional share amount and any additional withholding not paid by the withholding or surrender of Shares must be paid in cash. If no timely election is made, the Grantee must deliver cash to satisfy all tax withholding requirements.
(b) Any Grantee who makes a Disqualifying Disposition (as defined in Section6.4(f)) or an election under Section83(b) of the Code shall remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy all resulting tax withholding requirements in the same manner as set forth in subsection (a).
17.2 Notification under Code Section83(b). If the Grantee, in connection with the exercise of any Option, or the grant of Restricted Shares, makes the election permitted under Section83(b) of the Code to include in such Grantee’s gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Section83(b) of the Code, then such Grantee shall notify the Company of such election within 10days of filing the notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under Section83(b) of the Code. The Committee may, in connection with the grant of an Award or at any time thereafter, prohibit a Grantee from making the election described above.
Article 18.
Additional Provisions
18.1 Successors. Subject to Section4.2(b), all obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise of all or substantially all of the businessand/or assets of the Company.
18.2 Severability. If any part of the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity shall not invalidate any other part of the Plan. Any Section or part of a Section so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.
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18.3 Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards and the delivery of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Law, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or any Award, Grantees shall not be entitled to exercise, or receive benefits under, any Award, and the Company (and any Subsidiary) shall not be obligated to deliver any Shares or deliver benefits to a Grantee, if such exercise or delivery would constitute a violation by the Grantee or the Company of any Applicable Law or regulation.
18.4 Securities Law Compliance.
(a) If the Committee deems it necessary to comply with any applicable securities law, or the requirements of any stock exchange upon which Shares may be listed, the Committee may impose any restriction on Awards or Shares acquired pursuant to Awards under the Plan as it may deem advisable. In addition, if requested by the Company and any underwriter engaged by the Company, Shares acquired pursuant to Awards may not be sold or otherwise transferred or disposed of for such period following the effective date of any registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act as the Company or such underwriter shall specify reasonably and in good faith, not to exceed 180days in the case of the Company’s initial public offering or 90days in the case of any other public offering. All certificates (if any) for Shares issued under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC, any stock exchange upon which Shares are then listed, any applicable securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates (if any) to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. If so requested by the Company, the Grantee shall make a written representation to the Company that he or she will not sell or offer to sell any Shares unless a registration statement shall be in effect with respect to such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any applicable state securities law or unless he or she shall have furnished to the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, that such registration is not required.
(b) If the Committee determines that the exercise or non-forfeitability of, or delivery of benefits pursuant to, any Award would violate any applicable provision of securities laws or the listing requirements of any national securities exchange or national market system on which are listed any of the Company’s equity securities, then the Committee may postpone any such exercise, non-forfeitability or delivery, as applicable, but the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to cause such exercise, non-forfeitability or delivery to comply with all such provisions at the earliest practicable date.
18.5 Forfeiture Events. Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, the Committee shall have the authority to determine (and may so provide in any Award Agreement) that a Grantee’s (including his or her estate’s, beneficiary’s or transferee’s) rights (including the right to exercise any Option or SAR), payments and benefits with respect to any Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment (to the extent permitted by Applicable Law) in the event of the Participant’s termination for Cause; serious misconduct; violation of the Company’s or a Subsidiary’s policies; breach of fiduciary duty; unauthorized disclosure of any trade secret or confidential information of the Company or a Subsidiary; breach of applicable noncompetition, nonsolicitation, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants; or other conduct or activity that is in competition with the business of the Company or a Subsidiary, or otherwise detrimental to the business, reputation or interests of the Companyand/or a Subsidiary; or upon the occurrence of certain events specified in the applicable Award Agreement (in any such case, whether or not the Grantee is then an Employee or Non-Employee Director). The determination of whether a Grantee’s conduct, activities or circumstances are described in the immediately preceding sentence shall be made by the Committee in its discretion, and pending any such determination, the Committee shall have the authority to suspend the exercise, payment, delivery or settlement of all or any portion of such Grantee’s outstanding Awards pending any investigation of the matter.
18.6 No Rights as a Shareholder. No Grantee shall have any rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the Shares (other than Restricted Shares) which may be deliverable upon exercise or payment of such Award until such Shares have been delivered to him or her. Restricted Shares, whether held by a Grantee or in escrow by the Secretary of the Company, shall confer on the Grantee all rights of a shareholder of the Company, except as otherwise provided in the Plan or Award Agreement. At the time of a grant of Restricted Shares, the Committee may require the payment of cash dividends thereon to be deferred and, if the Committee so determines, reinvested in additional Restricted Shares. Share dividends and deferred cash dividends issued with respect to Restricted Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions and other terms as apply to the Restricted Shares with respect to which such dividends are issued. The Committee may in its discretion provide for payment of interest on deferred cash dividends.
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18.7 Nature of Payments. Unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, Awards shall be special incentive payments to the Grantee and shall not be taken into account in computing the amount of salary or compensation of the Grantee for purposes of determining any pension, retirement, death or other benefit under (a)any pension, retirement, profit sharing, bonus, insurance or other employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, except as such plan shall otherwise expressly provide, or (b)any agreement between (i)the Company or any Subsidiary and (ii)the Grantee, except as such agreement shall otherwise expressly provide.
18.8 Non-Exclusivity of Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other compensatory arrangements for employees or Non-Employee Directors as it may deem desirable.
18.9 Governing Law. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof.
18.10 Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Grantee pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give any such Grantee any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided, however, that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan to deliver cash, Shares or other property pursuant to any Award which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines.
18.11 Affiliation. Nothing in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Grantee’s employment or consulting contract at any time, nor confer upon any Grantee the right to continue in the employ of or as an officer of or as a consultant to or Non-Employee Director of the Company or any Subsidiary.
18.12 Participation. No employee or officer shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.
18.13 Construction. The following rules of construction will apply to the Plan: (a)the word “or” is disjunctive but not necessarily exclusive, (b) “including” (and with correlative meaning “include”) means including without limiting the generality of any description preceding or succeeding such term and shall be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation”, and (c)words in the singular include the plural, words in the plural include the singular, and words in the neuter gender include the masculine and feminine genders and words in the masculine or feminine gender include the other neuter genders.
18.14 Headings. The headings of articles and sections are included solely for convenience of reference, and if there is any conflict between such headings and the text of this Plan, the text shall control.
18.15 Obligations. Unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, the obligation to deliver, pay or transfer any amount of money or other property pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be the sole obligation of a Grantee’s employer; provided that the obligation to deliver or transfer any Shares pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be the sole obligation of the Company.
18.16 No Right to Continue as Director. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall confer upon any Non-Employee Director the right to continue to serve as a director of the Company.
18.17 Shareholder Approval. All Incentive Share Options granted on or after the Effective Date and prior to the date the Company’s shareholders approve the Plan are expressly conditioned upon and subject to approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders.
18.18 Forfeiture of Shares. Any forfeiture of Shares described in this Plan will take effect as a surrender for no consideration of such Shares as a matter of Cayman Islands law.
18.19 Share Issuances. The allotment and issuance of Shares pursuant to the terms of this Plan shall be subject to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company. Shares shall not in fact be allotted and issued (or repurchased or forfeited) until the time at which the Participant’s name (and number of Shares to be allotted and issued) is entered on the Company’s Register of Members (or the existing entry is updated to reflect the repurchase or forfeiture) (the register being prima facie evidence of legal title to Shares) which entry shall occur promptly after the determination is made of Shares to be allotted and issued.
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