ARTICLE II
CONFIDENTIALITY
Section 2.00 Confidentiality.
Section 2.01 Company and Advisor acknowledge that during the term of this Agreement, both will have access to and become acquainted with trade secrets, proprietary information, and confidential information belonging to the Company and Advisor and Affiliates that are not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, information concerning business plans, financial statements, investor lists, and other information provided pursuant to this Agreement, operating practices and methods, expansion plans, strategic plans, marketing plans, contracts, customer lists, or other business documents that the Advisor and Company treat as confidential, in any format whatsoever (including oral, written, electronic, or any other form or medium) (collectively, “Confidential Information”). In addition, each Company and Advisor acknowledges that: (i) the Company and Advisor have invested, and continues to invest, substantial time, expense, and specialized knowledge in developing its Confidential Information; (ii) the Confidential Information provides the Company and Advisor with a competitive advantage over others in the marketplace; and (iii) the Company and Advisor would be irreparably harmed if the Confidential Information were disclosed to Competitors or made available to the public. Without limiting the applicability of any other agreement to which any Investor is subject, each Investor shall, and shall cause its Representatives to, keep confidential and not, directly or indirectly, disclose or use (other than solely for the purposes of such Investor monitoring and analyzing its investment in the Company) at any time, including, without limitation, use for personal, commercial, or proprietary advantage or profit, either during its association with the Company or thereafter, any Confidential Information of which such Advisor or Company is or becomes aware. Each Advisor and Company representative in possession of Confidential Information shall, and shall cause its Representatives to, take all appropriate steps to safeguard such information and to protect it against disclosure, misuse, espionage, loss, and theft.
Section 2.02 (a) Advisor agrees that to (x) hold in strictest confidence the Advisor and Company’s proprietary information and trade secrets and all other information made known in connection with the advisory relationship that has or could have commercial value or other utility in the Company’s and Advisor’s business or prospective business (collectively, the “Confidential Information”), and (y) not use the Confidential Information except in connection with the advisory relationship with the Advisor and Company. The Confidential Information will not include information that you can establish by documentary evidence is or was (i) received without an obligation of confidentiality from an unrelated third party that is not under an obligation of confidentiality to the Advisor or Company and that has a legal right to disclose it, (ii) generally known or available in the industry or to the general public either (A) prior to the Advisor or Company’s disclosure of such information to you or (B) after the Company’s disclosure of such information through no action or inaction by you, or (iii) required to be disclosed by applicable law, by order of court or the rules, regulations or order of any governmental agency.
Section 2.02 (b) Advisor agrees to not improperly use or disclose any proprietary information or trade secrets received from any third party. Advisor recognizes that the Company has received and, in the future, will receive confidential and proprietary information from third parties and that the Company will have a duty to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. Advisor agrees to hold all such confidential and proprietary information in the strictest confidence, and further agree to neither disclose it to any person, firm or corporation nor use it in a manner that is inconsistent with the Company’s obligations to such third parties.
Section 2.02 (d) Nothing contained in Section 2.02(a) shall prevent the Advisor from disclosing Confidential Information: (i) upon the order of any court or administrative agency; (ii) upon the request or demand of any regulatory agency or authority having jurisdiction over such Advisor; (iii) to the extent compelled by legal process or required or requested pursuant to subpoena, interrogatories, or other discovery requests; (iv) to the extent necessary in connection
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