b.Noncompetition; Nonsolicitation. The Participant acknowledges that during the Participant’s Service, the Participant will create and have access to confidential information and to important business relationships. Accordingly, the Participant represents, warrants and covenants to the Company and its Subsidiaries that, subject to the last sentence of this Section 7(b), the Participant will not, directly or indirectly, (i) during the Restricted Period without the express prior written approval of the Board, be or become Associated With a Competing Business (other than severance-type or retirement-type benefits from entities constituting prior employers of the Participant) or (ii) during the Restricted Period without the express prior written approval of the Board, (a) solicit, sell to or service, for the account of any Competing Business, or assist any Person in soliciting, selling to or servicing, for the account of any Competing Business, any Client, (b) solicit, approach or induce any Client to terminate or diminish its relationship with the Company or its Subsidiaries or to explore, discuss, investigate or consider a business relationship with a Competing Business, (c) solicit, approach or induce any Person who is then (or was at any time in the six (6) months immediately prior to the termination or cessation of the Participant’s Service) an employee of or consultant to the Company or its Subsidiaries with whom the Participant worked while employed by the Company or a Subsidiary (whether as supervisor, subordinate or otherwise) or otherwise had substantial contact, to terminate or diminish such Person’s relationship with the Company or its Subsidiaries or to be or become Associated With a Competing Business or (d) take any steps to, or negotiate or enter into any oral or written agreement or understanding to, do any of the things referenced in (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 7(b)(ii). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant shall not be deemed to have violated this Section 7(b) if the Participant becomes Associated With a Competing Business but, during the entire Restricted Period, the Participant refrains from (x) working in or for any business unit, subsidiary or division which engages or is engaged, directly or indirectly, in any element of the Business and (y) directly or indirectly engaging in any element of the Business other than for the Company or its Subsidiaries as an employee thereof.
c.Non-Disparagement. The Participant will not at any time make any statement, written or oral, to any person or entity, including in any forum or media, or take any action, in disparagement of the Company, the Board or any of their respective current, former or future affiliates, or any current, former or future shareholders, partners, managers, members, officers, directors or employees of any of the foregoing (each, a “Company Party”), including negative references to or about any Company Party’s services, policies, practices, documents, methods of doing business, strategies, objectives, shareholders, partners, managers, members, officers, directors or employees, or take any other action that may disparage any Company Party to the general public and/or any Company Party’s officers, directors, employees, clients, suppliers, investors, potential investors, business partners or potential business partners. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Award Agreement or this Section limits the Participant’s ability to communicate with or participate in any investigation or proceeding (including by providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company) regarding possible violations of federal securities laws that may be conducted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
d.Privacy. The Participant understands that (i) the Participant is or may be subject to certain privacy regulations and laws as in effect from time to time, (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have adopted policies and procedures concerning privacy and (iii) from time to time, the Company and its Subsidiaries undertake privacy obligations with its clients and other Persons with which the Company and its Subsidiaries do business (collectively, “Privacy Obligations”). The Participant shall comply with current and future Privacy Obligations.
e.Reasonable Restrictions/Damages Inadequate Remedy. The Participant acknowledges that the Company would not have granted the Options to the Participant if Participant had not agreed to the Restrictive Covenants. Participant agrees that such restrictions are reasonable and