(g) Suspension. If the Company has reasonable grounds to believe that an event constituting “Cause” may have occurred, the Company shall have the right to suspend any or all of Executive’s duties, functions, responsibilities or authorities, or require Executive to take “garden leave” for such reasonable period and on such terms as it considers appropriate, including a requirement that Executive shall not be present on the Company’s premises or contact any of its suppliers, clients, business relations, customers or staff. Any suspension and/or garden leave pursuant to this Section 5(g) will be on full pay, and Executive’s benefits under this Agreement will continue to be provided.
6. Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation. Executive acknowledges and reaffirms Executive’s understanding of, and agreement to comply with, all of the post-employment obligations under the Employee Proprietary Information, Inventions Assignment, Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit III, by and between the Company and Executive (the “PIIA”). Executive acknowledges and recognizes the highly competitive nature of the businesses of the Company Group and its affiliates, and further acknowledges and recognizes that Executive has received, and will receive, Confidential Information (as defined below) and other trade secrets of the Company Group, and accordingly agrees as follows:
(a) Non-Competition.
(i) During the Employment Term and until the 12-month anniversary of Executive’s termination of employment or services with the Company Group (the “Restricted Period”), Executive will not, whether on Executive’s own behalf or on behalf of or in conjunction with any person, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation or other business organization, entity or enterprise whatsoever (“Person”), directly or indirectly solicit or assist in soliciting in competition with the Company Group the business of any then-current or prospective client or customer with whom Executive (or Executive’s direct reports) had personal contact or dealings on behalf of the Company during the one-year period preceding Executive’s termination of employment.
(ii) During the Restricted Period, Executive will not directly or indirectly:
(A) engage in any business activities involving any Competing Business, individually or through an entity, as an employee, director, officer, owner, investor, partner, member, consultant, contractor, agent, joint venturer or otherwise, in any geographical area where any member of the Company Group engages in its business;
(B) acquire a financial interest in, or otherwise become actively involved with, any Competing Business, directly or indirectly, as an individual, partner, shareholder, officer, director, principal, agent, trustee or consultant; or
(C) interfere with, or attempt to interfere with, business relationships (whether formed before, on or after the date of this Agreement) between the members of the Company Group and any of their clients, customers, suppliers, partners, members or investors.
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