As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 20, 2021

Registration No. 333-

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

RENESOLA LTD

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

British Virgin Islands   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)   Identification Number)

 

3rd floor, 850 Canal St

Stamford, CT 06902

U.S.A.

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

 

RENESOLA LTD

AMENDED AND RESTATED

2007 SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN

(Full title of the plan)

 

 

 

Ke Chen

Chief Financial Officer

3rd Floor, 850 Canal St

Stamford, CT 06902
U.S.A

Tel: +1(347) 577 9055 x115.

(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

 

Copies to:

David T. Zhang, Esq.

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP
c/o 26th Floor, Gloucester Tower,

The Landmark

15 Queen’s Road Central

Hong Kong

+852 3761-3300

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer ¨
Non-accelerated filer x (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company ¨

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Securities to be Registered (1)   Amount to be
Registered (2)
  Proposed Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
  Amount of
Registration
Fee
Ordinary shares, no par value   1,033,900(3)   $0.3(3)   $310,170  
Ordinary shares, no par value   1,300,000(3)   $0.16(3)   $208,000  
Ordinary shares, no par value   840,000(3)   $1(3)   $840,000  
Ordinary shares, no par value   6,826,100(4)   $0.706(4)   $4,819,226.60  
Total   10,000,000     $6,177,396.60   $573

  (1) These shares may be represented by the Registrant’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each of which represents ten ordinary shares. The Registrant’s ADSs issuable upon deposit of the ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-148559).
  (2) Represents ordinary shares issuable pursuant to awards (including the exercise of any options granted) under the Amended and Restated 2007 Share Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the Plan.
  (3) These shares are issuable upon exercise of outstanding options granted under the Plan, and the proposed maximum offering price per share represents the exercise price of these options.
  (4) These shares are reserved for future award grants under the Plan, and the proposed maximum offering price per share, which is estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee under Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, is based on the average of the high and low prices for the Registrant’s ADSs, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on October 15, 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

INCORPORATION OF PREVIOUS REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, ReneSola Ltd (the “Registrant”) is filing this registration statement on Form S-8 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) to include an additional 10,000,000 shares under its Amended and Restated 2007 Share Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), as further amended by our shareholders at the annual general meeting of shareholders held on December 21, 2020 to increase the maximum number of the Registrant’s shares that may be issued pursuant to options or other awards granted under the Plan to a total of 22,500,000 shares. Pursuant to Instruction E, the contents of the Registrant’s Registration Statements on Form S-8 with File No. 333-153647 and Form S-8 with File No. 333-175479 respectively, as amended (the “Prior Registration Statement”), are hereby incorporated by reference, including the periodic reports that the Registrant filed after the Prior Registration Statements to maintain current information about the Registrant.

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference

 

The following documents previously filed or furnished by the Registrant with the Commission are incorporated by reference herein:

 

  (a) The Registrant’s annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-33911) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Commission on April 28, 2021;

 

  (b) The Registrant’s reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K furnished on January 8, 2021, January 25, 2021, April 12, 2021, May 28, 2021, July 27, 2021, and September 1, 2021; and

 

  (c) The description of the Registrant’s shares contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-33911) filed with the Commission on January 11, 2008, including any amendment and report subsequently filed for the purpose of updating that description.

 

All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement indicating that all securities offered hereby have been sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part of this Registration Statement, except as so modified or superseded.

 

Item 8. Exhibits

 

See the Exhibits Index.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Stamford, Connecticut, the United States, on October 20, 2021.

 

  RENESOLA LTD
     
  By: /s/ Ke Chen
  Name: Ke Chen
  Title: Director and Chief Financial Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes and appoints Ke Chen, with full power to act alone, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with the power of substitution, for and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as he or her might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on October 20, 2021.

 

Signature   Title
/s/ Martin Bloom    
Name: Martin Bloom   Director
     
/s/ Tan Wee Seng    
Name: Tan Wee Seng   Director
     
/s/ Julia Xu    
Name: Julia Xu   Director
     
/s/ Sam (Kaiheng) Feng    
Name: Sam (Kaiheng) Feng   Director
     
/s/ Crystal (Xinhan) Li    
Name: Crystal (Xinhan) Li   Director
     
/s/ Yuanyuan Ma    
Name: Yuanyuan Ma   Director
     
/s/ Ke Chen   Director and Chief Financial Officer
Name: Ke Chen   (principal financial and accounting officer)
     
/s/ Yumin Liu   Chief Executive Officer
Name: Yumin Liu   (principal executive officer)

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number   Description
4.1*   Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant
     
4.2   Form of Deposit Agreement dated as of January 28, 2008 among the Registrant, The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as “The Bank of New York”) as Depositary, and all owners and holders from time to time of American depositary receipts issued thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-162257) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 1, 2009)
     
5.1*   Opinion of Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP
     
10.1*   2007 Share Incentive Plan, as amended and restated in January 2009, August 2010, August 2012, August 2016, January 2018, April 2018, and December 2020
     
23.1*   Consent of Grant Thornton, independent registered public accounting firm
     
23.2*   Consent of Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
     
24.1*   Power of Attorney (set forth on the signature page of this registration statement)

 

 

* Filed herewith.

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

NO: 1016246  

 

British Virgin Islands

BVI Business Companies Act, 2004

 

Memorandum of Association

and

Articles of Association

of

 

ReneSola Ltd

 

A COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES

 

Incorporated on the 17th day of March, 2006

Amended and Restated on the 11th day of March, 2009

Amended and Restated on the 9th day of September, 2010

Amended and Restated on the 28th day of August, 2013

Amended and Restated on 11th December 2020

Amended and Restated on 22 April 2021

 

HARNEYS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED

Craigmuir Chambers

Road Town

Tortola

British Virgin Islands

 

 

- 1 -

 

TERRITORY OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

 

THE BVI BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2004

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

 

OF

 

ReneSola Ltd

 

a company limited by shares

 

1 DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 In this Memorandum of Association and the attached Articles of Association, if not inconsistent with the subject or context:

 

Act” means the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (No. 16 of 2004) and includes the regulations made under the Act;

 

Articles” means the attached Articles of Association of the Company;

 

Board” means the board of Directors of the Company or the Directors present at a duly convened meeting of the Directors at which a quorum is present;

 

business day” means a weekday on which banks are generally open for business in the City of London;

 

BVI Companies Act” means the BVI Business Companies Act 2004 (as amended);

 

clear days” in relation to the period of a notice means that period excluding the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect;

 

Directors” mean those persons holding office as directors of the Company from time to time;

 

Distribution” in relation to a distribution by the Company to a Shareholder means the direct or indirect transfer of an asset, other than Shares, to or for the benefit of the Shareholder, or the incurring of a debt to or for the benefit of a Shareholder, in relation to Shares held by a Shareholder, and whether by means of the purchase of an asset, the purchase, redemption or other acquisition of Shares, a transfer of indebtedness or otherwise, and includes a dividend;

 

electronic” means actuated by electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic, electro-chemical or electro-mechanical energy and “by electronic means” means by any manner capable of being so actuated and shall include e-mail and/or other data transmission service;

 

executed” includes any mode of execution;

 

 

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executive director” means an Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Director, Joint Chief Executive Director, Managing Director, Joint Managing Director, Assistant Managing Director or Chief Operations Officer of the Company or a Director who is the holder of any other employment or executive office with the Company;

 

held” means, in relation to Shares, the Shares entered in the register of members as being held by a member and term “holds” and “holder” shall be construed accordingly;

 

month” means a calendar month;

 

Non Executive Director” means any Director other than an Executive Director;

 

paid up” means paid up or credited as paid up and includes any sum paid by way of premium;

 

recognised” clearing house shall have the meaning ascribed by Section 285 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;

 

Person” means individuals, corporations, trusts, the estates of deceased individuals, partnerships and unincorporated associations of persons;

 

Preferred Shares” means the preferred shares of no par value of any class that the Company creates or has created;

 

present in person” means, in the case of an individual, that individual or his lawfully appointed attorney being present in person and, in the case of a corporation, being present by duly authorised representative or lawfully appointed attorney and, in relation to meetings, “in person” shall be construed accordingly;

 

recognized clearing house” shall have the meaning ascribed by section 285 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;

 

recognised investment exchange” shall have the meaning ascribed by section 285 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000;

 

recognised person” means a recognised clearing house or a nominee of a recognised clearing house or of a recognised investment exchange;

 

Regulations” means the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3755);

 

“relevant system” means a relevant system as referred to in the Regulations to include Crest;

 

Memorandum” means this Memorandum of Association of the Company;

 

Registrar means the Registrar of Corporate Affairs appointed under section 229 of the Act;

 

 

- 3 -

 

Resolution of Directors” means either:

 

(a) a resolution approved at a duly convened and constituted meeting of directors of the Company or of a committee of directors of the Company by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at the meeting who voted except that where a director is given more than one vote, he shall be counted by the number of votes he casts for the purpose of establishing a majority; or

 

(b) a resolution consented to in writing by all directors or by all members of a committee of directors of the Company, as the case may be;

 

Resolution of Shareholders” means either:

 

(a) a resolution approved at a duly convened and constituted meeting of the Shareholders of the Company by the affirmative vote of a majority of in excess of 50% of the votes of the Shares entitled to vote thereon which were present at the meeting and were voted; or

 

(b) a resolution consented to in writing by a majority of in excess of 50% of the votes of Shares entitled to vote thereon;

 

Seal” means any seal which has been duly adopted as the common seal of the Company;

 

Securities” means Shares and debt obligations of every kind of the Company, and including without limitation options, warrants and rights to acquire Shares or debt obligations;

 

Share” means a share issued or to be issued by the Company;

 

Shareholder” means a Person whose name is entered in the register of members of the Company as the holder of one or more Shares or fractional Shares;

 

Stock Exchanges” means London Stock Exchange Plc and the New York Stock Exchange or any successor bodies carrying on their functions;

 

Treasury Share” means a Share that was previously issued but was repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Company and not cancelled;

 

UK CA 2006” means the United Kingdom Companies Act 2006 including any modification, extension, re-enactment or renewal thereof and any regulations made thereunder;

 

UK Companies Act” means the United Kingdom Companies Act 1985 including any modification, extension, re-enactment or renewal thereof and any regulations made thereunder;

 

United Kingdom” means Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 

written” or any term of like import includes information generated, sent, received or stored by electronic, electrical, digital, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, biometric or photonic means, including electronic data interchange, electronic mail, telegram, telex or telecopy, and “in writing” shall be construed accordingly.

 

1.2 In the Memorandum and the Articles, unless the context otherwise requires a reference to:

 

(a) a “Regulation” is a reference to a regulation of the Articles;

 

(b) a “Clause” is a reference to a clause of the Memorandum;

 

(c) voting by Shareholders is a reference to the casting of the votes attached to the Shares held by the Shareholder voting;

 

(d) the Act, the Memorandum or the Articles is a reference to the Act or those documents as amended or, in the case of the Act any re-enactment thereof; and

 

(e) the singular includes the plural and vice versa.

 

1.3 Any words or expressions defined in the Act unless the context otherwise requires bear the same meaning in the Memorandum and the Articles unless otherwise defined herein.

 

1.4 Headings are inserted for convenience only and shall be disregarded in interpreting the Memorandum and the Articles.

 

 

- 4 -

 

2 NAME

 

The name of the Company is ReneSola Ltd.

 

3 STATUS

 

The Company is a company limited by shares.

 

4 REGISTERED OFFICE AND REGISTERED AGENT

 

4.1 The first registered office of the Company is at Craigmuir Chambers, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, the office of the first registered agent.

 

4.2 The first registered agent of the Company is Harneys Corporate Services Limited of Craigmuir Chambers, P.O. Box 71, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

 

4.3 The Company may by Resolution of Shareholders or by Resolution of Directors change the location of its registered office or change its registered agent.

 

4.4 Any change of registered office or registered agent will take effect on the registration by the Registrar of a notice of the change filed by the existing registered agent or a legal practitioner in the British Virgin Islands acting on behalf of the Company.

 

5 CAPACITY AND POWERS

 

5.1 Subject to the Act and any other British Virgin Islands legislation, the Company has, irrespective of corporate benefit:

 

(a) full capacity to carry on or undertake any business or activity, do any act or enter into any transaction; and

 

(b) for the purposes of paragraph (a), full rights, powers and privileges.

 

5.2 For the purposes of section 9(4) of the Act, there are no limitations on the business that the Company may carry on.

 

6 NUMBER AND CLASSES OF SHARES

 

6.1 The Company is authorised to issue a maximum of 1,000,000,000 no par value Shares of a single class.

 

6.2 The Company may issue fractional Shares and a fractional Share shall have the corresponding fractional rights, obligations and liabilities of a whole Share of the same class or series of Shares.

 

6.3 Shares may be issued in one or more series of Shares as the directors may by Resolution of Directors determine from time to time.

 

6.4 The directors of the Company may, subject to section 9 of the Act, by amending this Memorandum of Association and, where necessary, the Articles, create additional classes of Shares and determine the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions thereof including without limitation, new classes of Preferred Shares or other Shares issued by the Company from time to time. To the extent legally permitted, such number of Shares may be increased or decreased by Resolution of Directors, provided that no decrease shall reduce the number of Shares of a class to a number less than the number of Shares of such class then issued and outstanding plus the number of Shares of such class reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Company convertible into such class of Shares.

 

 

- 5 -

 

7 RIGHTS OF SHARES

 

7.1 Each Share in the Company confers upon the Shareholder:

 

(a) the right to one vote at a meeting of the Shareholders or on any Resolution of Shareholders;

 

(b) the right to an equal share in any dividend paid by the Company; and

 

(c) the right to an equal share in the distribution of the surplus assets of the Company on its liquidation.

 

7.2 The Company may by Resolution of Directors redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire all or any of the Shares in the Company subject to Regulation 3 of the Articles.

 

8 VARIATION OF RIGHTS

 

If at any time the Shares are divided into different classes, the rights attached to any class may only be varied, whether or not the Company is in liquidation, with the consent in writing of or by a resolution passed at a meeting by the holders of not less than 50% of the issued Shares in that class.

 

9 RIGHTS NOT VARIED BY THE ISSUE OF SHARES PARI PASSU

 

The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares of any class shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further Shares ranking pari passu therewith or superior thereto.

 

10 REGISTERED SHARES

 

10.1 The Company shall issue registered Shares only.

 

10.2 The Company is not authorised to issue bearer Shares, convert registered Shares to bearer Shares or exchange registered Shares for bearer Shares.

 

11 TRANSFER OF SHARES

 

11.1 Subject to the provisions of Sub-Regulations 6.2 and 6.3 of the Articles, the Company shall, on receipt of an instrument of transfer complying with Sub-Regulation 6.1 of the Articles, enter the name of the transferee of a Share in the register of members unless the directors resolve to refuse or delay the registration of the transfer for reasons that shall be specified in a Resolution of Directors.

 

11.2 The directors may not resolve to refuse or delay the transfer of a Share unless the Shareholder has failed to pay an amount due in respect of the Share.

 

12 AMENDMENT OF THE MEMORANDUM AND THE ARTICLES

 

12.1 Subject to paragraphs 6.4, 8 and 9, the Company may amend the Memorandum or the Articles by Resolution of Shareholders or Resolution of Directors.

 

12.2 Any amendment of the Memorandum or the Articles will take effect on the registration by the Registrar of a notice of amendment, or restated Memorandum and Articles, filed by the registered agent.

 

 

- 6 -

 

Signed for HARNEYS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED of Craigmuir Chambers, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands for the purpose of incorporating a BVI Business Company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands on 17 March 2006:

 

Incorporator

 

Sgd: Andrew Swapp

 

…………………………………

Andrew Swapp

Authorised Signatory

HARNEYS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED

 

 

 

[ This page has been intentionally left blank ]

 

 

 

TERRITORY OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

 

THE BVI BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2004

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

 

OF

 

ReneSola Ltd

 

a company limited by shares

 

1. REGISTERED SHARES

 

1.1 Every Shareholder is entitled to a certificate signed by a director or officer of the Company, or any other person authorised by Resolution of Directors, or under the Seal specifying the number of Shares held by him and the signature of the director, officer or authorised person and the Seal may be facsimiles.

 

1.2 Any Shareholder receiving a certificate shall indemnify and hold the Company and its directors and officers harmless from any loss or liability which it or they may incur by reason of any wrongful or fraudulent use or representation made by any person by virtue of the possession thereof. If a certificate for Shares is worn out or lost it may be renewed on production of the worn out certificate or on satisfactory proof of its loss together with such indemnity as may be required by Resolution of Directors.

 

1.3 If several Persons are registered as joint holders of any Shares, any one of such Persons may give an effectual receipt for any Distribution.

 

2. SHARES

 

2.1 Shares and other Securities may be issued at such times, to such Persons, for such consideration and on such terms as the directors may by Resolution of Directors determine.

 

2.2 Section 46 of the Act (Pre-emptive rights) does not apply to the Company.

 

2.3 A Share may be issued for consideration in any form, including money, a promissory note, or other written obligation to contribute money or property, real property, personal property (including goodwill and know-how), services rendered or a contract for future services.

 

2.4 No Shares may be issued for a consideration other than money, unless a Resolution of Directors has been passed stating:

 

(a) the amount to be credited for the issue of the Shares;

 

(b) the determination of the directors of the reasonable present cash value of the non-money consideration for the issue; and

 

(c) that, in the opinion of the directors, the present cash value of the non-money consideration for the issue is not less than the amount to be credited for the issue of the Shares.

 

 

- 2 -

 

2.5 The Company shall keep a register (the “register of members”) containing:

 

(a) the names and addresses of the Persons who hold Shares;

 

(b) the number of each class and series of Shares held by each Shareholder;

 

(c) the date on which the name of each Shareholder was entered in the register of members; and

 

(d) the date on which any Person ceased to be a Shareholder.

 

2.6 The register of members may be in any such form as the directors may approve, but if it is in magnetic, electronic or other data storage form, the Company must be able to produce legible evidence of its contents. Until the directors otherwise determine, the magnetic, electronic or other data storage form shall be the original register of members.

 

2.7 A Share is deemed to be issued when the name of the Shareholder is entered in the register of members.

 

2.8 Nothing in these Articles shall require title to any shares or other securities of the Company to be evidenced by a certificate if the BVI Companies Act and the rules of the Stock Exchanges permit otherwise.

 

2.9 Subject to the BVI Companies Act and the rules of the Stock Exchanges, the Board without further consultation with the holders of any Shares or securities of the Company may resolve that any class or series of Shares or other securities of the Company from time to time in issue or to be issued (including shares in issue at the date of the adoption of these Articles) may be issued, held, registered, converted to, transferred or otherwise dealt with in uncertificated form in accordance with the Regulations and practices instituted by the operator of the relevant system and no provision of these Articles will apply to any uncertificated share or other securities of the Company to the extent that they are inconsistent with the holding of such shares or other securities in uncertificated form or the transfer of title to any such shares or other securities by means of a relevant system or any provision of the Regulations.

 

2.10 Conversion of shares held in certificated form into shares held in uncertificated form, and vice versa, may be made in such manner as the Board may, in its absolute discretion, thinks fit (subject always to the Regulations and the requirements of the relevant system concerned). The Company shall enter on the register of members how many Shares are held by each Shareholder in uncertificated form and in certificated form and shall maintain the register of members in each case as is required by the Regulations and the relevant system concerned. Notwithstanding any provision of these Articles, a class or series of Shares shall not be treated as two classes by virtue only of that class or series comprising both certificated Shares and uncertificated Shares or as a result of any provision of these Articles or the Regulations which apply only in respect of certificated or uncertificated Shares.

 

2.11 If a share certificate for certificated Shares is defaced, worn out, lost or destroyed it may be replaced without fee but on such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and to payment of any exceptional out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in investigating such evidence and preparing such indemnity as the Board may think fit and, in case of defacement or wearing out, on delivery up of the old certificate to the Company.

 

2.12 All forms of certificate for share or loan capital or other securities of the Company (other than letters of allotment, scrip certificates and other like documents) shall be issued under the Seal or in such other manner as the Board may authorise. The Board may by Resolution of Directors determine, either generally or in any particular case or cases, that any signatures on any such certificate need not be autographic but may be affixed to such certificate by some mechanical or electronic means or may be printed thereon or that such certificate need not be signed by any person.

 

 

- 3 -

 

2.13 Any Shareholder receiving a share certificate for certificated Shares shall indemnify and hold the Company and its Directors and officers harmless from any loss or liability which it or they may incur by reason of any wrongful or fraudulent use or representation made by any person by virtue of the possession thereof.

 

2.14 If several persons are registered as joint holders of any Shares, any one of such persons may give an effectual receipt for any dividend payable in respect of such Shares.

 

3. REDEMPTION OF SHARES AND TREASURY SHARES

 

3.1 The Company may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire and hold its own Shares save that the Company may not, except pursuant to Sub-Regulation 3.7, purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire its own Shares without the consent of Shareholders whose Shares are to be purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired unless the Company is permitted by the Act or any other provision in the Memorandum or Articles to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire the Shares without their consent.

 

3.2 The Company may only offer to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire Shares if the Resolution of Directors authorising the purchase, redemption or other acquisition contains a statement that the directors are satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that immediately after the acquisition the value of the Company’s assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as they fall due.

 

3.3 Sections 60 (Process for acquisition of own shares), 61 (Offer to one or more shareholders) and 62 (Shares redeemed otherwise than at the option of company) of the Act shall not apply to the Company.

 

3.4 Shares that the Company purchases, redeems or otherwise acquires pursuant to this Regulation may be cancelled or held as Treasury Shares except to the extent that such Shares are in excess of 50% of the issued Shares in which case they shall be cancelled but they shall be available for reissue.

 

3.5 All rights and obligations attaching to a Treasury Share are suspended and shall not be exercised by the Company while it holds the Share as a Treasury Share.

 

3.6 Treasury Shares may be transferred by the Company on such terms and conditions (not otherwise inconsistent with the Memorandum and the Articles) as the Company may by Resolution of Directors determine.

 

3.7 Where:

 

(a) the Company undertakes any division of the issued Shares pursuant to section 40A of the Act, and

 

(b) pursuant such division a Shareholder holds a total number of Shares which includes a fractional Share,

 

the Company may compulsorily redeem such fractional Share so that (subsequent to such redemption) the Shareholder holds a whole number of Shares. Where the Company compulsorily redeems a fractional Share under this Regulation, the price at which such fractional Share is redeemed shall be calculated on the basis of US$1.50 per Share (rounded up to the nearest 1¢).

 

4. MORTGAGES AND CHARGES OF SHARES

 

4.1 Shareholders may mortgage or charge their Shares.

 

4.2 There shall be entered in the register of members at the written request of the Shareholder:

 

(a) a statement that the Shares held by him are mortgaged or charged;

 

 

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(b) the name of the mortgagee or chargee; and

 

(c) the date on which the particulars specified in subparagraphs (a) and (b) are entered in the register of members.

 

4.3 Where particulars of a mortgage or charge are entered in the register of members, such particulars may be cancelled:

 

(a) with the written consent of the named mortgagee or chargee or anyone authorised to act on his behalf; or

 

(b) upon evidence satisfactory to the directors of the discharge of the liability secured by the mortgage or charge and the issue of such indemnities as the directors shall consider necessary or desirable.

 

4.4 Whilst particulars of a mortgage or charge over Shares are entered in the register of members pursuant to this Regulation:

 

(a) no transfer of any Share the subject of those particulars shall be effected;

 

(b) the Company may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any such Share; and

 

(c) no replacement certificate shall be issued in respect of such Shares,

 

without the written consent of the named mortgagee or chargee.

 

5. FORFEITURE

 

5.1 Shares that are not fully paid on issue are subject to the forfeiture provisions set forth in this Regulation and for this purpose Shares issued for a promissory note, other written obligation to contribute money or property or a contract for future services are deemed to be not fully paid.

 

5.2 A written notice of call specifying the date for payment to be made shall be served on the Shareholder who defaults in making payment in respect of the Shares.

 

5.3 The written notice of call referred to in Sub-Regulation 5.2 shall name a further date not earlier than the expiration of 14 days from the date of service of the notice on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made and shall contain a statement that in the event of non-payment at or before the time named in the notice the Shares, or any of them, in respect of which payment is not made will be liable to be forfeited.

 

5.4 Where a written notice of call has been issued pursuant to Sub-Regulation 5.3 and the requirements of the notice have not been complied with, the directors may, at any time before tender of payment, forfeit and cancel the Shares to which the notice relates.

 

5.5 The Company is under no obligation to refund any moneys to the Shareholder whose Shares have been cancelled pursuant to Sub-Regulation 5.4 and that Shareholder shall be discharged from any further obligation to the Company.

 

6. TRANSFER AND TRANSMISSION OF SHARES

 

6.1 Subject to any limitations in the Memorandum, certificated Shares in the Company may be transferred by a written instrument of transfer signed by the transferor and containing the name and address of the transferee, but in the absence of such written instrument of transfer the Directors may accept such evidence of a transfer of Shares as they consider appropriate.

 

 

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6.2 In the case of uncertificated Shares, and subject to the BVI Companies Act, a Shareholder shall be entitled to transfer his Shares and other securities by means of a relevant system and the operator of the relevant system shall act as agent of the Shareholders for the purposes of the transfer of Shares or other securities.

 

6.3 Any provision in these Articles in relation to the Shares shall not apply to any uncertified Shares to the extent that they are inconsistent with the holding of any Shares in uncertificated form, the transfer of title to any Shares by means of a relevant system and any provision of the Regulations.

 

6.4 The transferor of any Shares shall remain the holder of those Shares until the name of the transferee is entered in the register as the holder of those Shares.

 

6.5 The Register may be closed at such times and for such periods as the Board may from time to time determine, not exceeding in whole thirty days in each year, upon notice being given by advertisement in a leading daily newspaper and in such other newspaper (if any) as may be required by the BVI Companies Act and the practice of the Stock Exchanges.

 

6.6 The Board may decline to register a transfer of any Share to a person known to be a minor, bankrupt or person who is mentally disordered or a patient for the purpose of any statute relating to mental health.

 

6.7 The Board may also decline to register any transfer unless:-.

 

(a) any written instrument of transfer, duly stamped (if so required), is lodged with the Company at the registered office or such other place as the Board may appoint accompanied by the certificate for the Shares to which it relates (except in the case of a transfer by a recognised person or a holder of such Shares in respect of whom the Company is not required by law to deliver a certificate and to whom a certificate has not been issued in respect of such Shares);

 

(b) there is provided such evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer and, if the instrument of transfer is executed by some other person on his behalf, the authority of that person to do so;

 

(c) any instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class or series of Share; and

 

(d) in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four.

 

The Company may retain an instrument of transfer which is registered but a transfer which the Directors refuse to register shall (except in the case of known or suspected fraud) be returned to the person lodging it when notice of the refusal is given.

 

6.8 If the Board declines to register a transfer it shall, within ten business days or such other period (if any) as may be prescribed by the BVI Companies Act, send to the transferee notice of the refusal.

 

6.9 No fee shall be charged by the Company for registering any transfer, probate, letters of administration, certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, distringas or stop notice, order of court or other instrument relating to or affecting the title of any Share, or otherwise making any entry in the Register relating to any Share.

 

6.10 The executor or administrator of a deceased Shareholder, the guardian of an incompetent member or the trustee of a bankrupt Shareholder shall be the only person recognised by the Company as having any title to his Share but they shall not be entitled to exercise any rights as a Shareholder of the Company until they have proceeded as set forth in the next following three regulations.

 

6.11 The production to the Company of any document which is evidence of probate of the will, or letters of administration of the estate, or confirmation as executor, of a deceased Shareholder or of the appointment of a guardian of an incompetent Shareholder or the trustee of a bankrupt Shareholder shall be accepted by the Company even if the deceased, incompetent or bankrupt Shareholder is domiciled outside the British Virgin Islands if the document evidencing the grant of probate or letters of administration, confirmation as executor, appointment as guardian or trustee in bankruptcy is issued by a foreign court which had competent jurisdiction in the matter. For the purpose of establishing whether or not a foreign court had competent jurisdiction in such a matter the Directors may obtain appropriate legal advice. The Directors may also require an indemnity to be given by the executor, administrator, guardian or trustee in bankruptcy.

 

 

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6.12 Any person becoming entitled by operation of law or otherwise to a Share or Shares in consequence of the death, incompetence or bankruptcy of any Shareholder may be registered as a Shareholder upon such evidence being produced as may reasonably be required by the Directors and in the case of uncertificated Shares subject also to the facilities and requirements of the relevant system concerned. An application by any such person to be registered as a Shareholder shall for all purposes be deemed to be a transfer of Shares of the deceased, incompetent or bankrupt Shareholder and the Directors shall treat it as such.

 

6.13 Any person who has become entitled to a Share or Shares in consequence of the death, incompetence or bankruptcy of any Shareholder may, instead of being registered himself, request in writing that some person to be named by him be registered as the transferee of such Share or Shares and such request shall likewise be treated as if it were a transfer.

 

6.14 What amounts to incompetence on the part of a person is a matter to be determined by the court having regard to all the relevant evidence and the circumstances of the case.

 

7. MEETINGS AND CONSENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

7.1 Any director of the Company may convene meetings of the Shareholders at such times and in such manner and places within or outside the British Virgin Islands as the director considers necessary or desirable provided that once in every year the directors shall convene an annual meeting of shareholders.

 

7.2 Upon the written request of Shareholders entitled to exercise 10% or more of the voting rights in respect of the matter for which the meeting is requested the directors shall convene a meeting of Shareholders.

 

7.3 The director convening a meeting shall give not less than 14 days’ notice of a meeting of Shareholders to:

 

(a) those Shareholders whose names on the date the notice is given appear as Shareholders in the register of members of the Company and are entitled to vote at the meeting on a date to be determined by the directors; and

 

(b) the other directors.

 

7.4 The director convening a meeting of Shareholders may fix as the record date for determining those Shareholders that are entitled to vote at the meeting the date notice is given of the meeting, or such other date as may be specified in the notice, being a date not earlier than the date of the notice.

 

7.5 A meeting of Shareholders held in contravention of the requirement to give notice is valid if Shareholders holding at least 90% of the total voting rights on all the matters to be considered at the meeting have waived notice of the meeting and, for this purpose, the presence of a Shareholder at the meeting shall constitute waiver in relation to all the Shares which that Shareholder holds.

 

7.6 The inadvertent failure of a director who convenes a meeting to give notice of a meeting to a Shareholder or another director, or the fact that a Shareholder or another director has not received notice, does not invalidate the meeting.

 

 

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7.7 A Shareholder may be represented at a meeting of Shareholders by a proxy who may speak and vote on behalf of the Shareholder.

 

7.8 The instrument appointing a proxy shall be produced at the place designated for the meeting before the time for holding the meeting at which the person named in such instrument proposes to vote. The notice of the meeting may specify an alternative or additional place or time at which the proxy shall be presented.

 

7.9 The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in substantially the following form or such other form as the chairman of the meeting shall accept as properly evidencing the wishes of the Shareholder appointing the proxy.

 

ReneSola Ltd.

 

I/We being a Shareholder of the above Company HEREBY APPOINT …………
………………… of …………………………… or failing him ………..………………
of ………………………..…… to be my/our proxy to vote for me/us at the meeting
of Shareholders to be held on the …… day of …………..…………, 20…… and at any
adjournment thereof.

 

(Any restrictions on voting to be inserted here.)

 

Signed this …… day of …………..…………, 20……

 

……………………………

Shareholder

 

7.10 The following applies where Shares are jointly owned:

 

(a) if two or more persons hold Shares jointly each of them may be present in person or by proxy at a meeting of Shareholders and may speak as a Shareholder;

 

(b) if only one of the joint owners is present in person or by proxy he may vote on behalf of all joint owners; and

 

(c) if two or more of the joint owners are present in person or by proxy they must vote as one.

 

7.11 A Shareholder shall be deemed to be present at a meeting of Shareholders if he participates by telephone or other electronic means and all Shareholders participating in the meeting are able to hear each other.

 

7.12 A meeting of Shareholders is duly constituted if, at the commencement of the meeting, there are present in person or by proxy not less than 50% of the votes of the Shares entitled to vote on Resolutions of Shareholders to be considered at the meeting. A quorum may comprise a single Shareholder or proxy and then such person may pass a Resolution of Shareholders and a certificate signed by such person accompanied where such person be a proxy by a copy of the proxy instrument shall constitute a valid Resolution of Shareholders.

 

7.13 If within two hours from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Shareholders, shall be dissolved; in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the next business day in the jurisdiction in which the meeting was to have been held at the same time and place or to such other time and place as the directors may determine, and if at the adjourned meeting there are present within one hour from the time appointed for the meeting in person or by proxy not less than one third of the votes of the Shares or each class or series of Shares entitled to vote on the matters to be considered by the meeting, those present shall constitute a quorum but otherwise the meeting shall be dissolved.

 

 

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7.14 At every meeting of Shareholders, the Chairman of the Board shall preside as chairman of the meeting. If there is no Chairman of the Board or if the Chairman of the Board is not present at the meeting, the Shareholders present shall choose one of their number to be the chairman. If the Shareholders are unable to choose a chairman for any reason, then the person representing the greatest number of voting Shares present in person or by proxy at the meeting shall preside as chairman failing which the oldest individual Shareholder or representative of a Shareholder present shall take the chair.

 

7.15 The chairman may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn any meeting from time to time, and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.

 

7.16 At any meeting of the Shareholders the chairman is responsible for deciding in such manner as he considers appropriate whether any resolution proposed has been carried or not and the result of his decision shall be announced to the meeting and recorded in the minutes of the meeting. If the chairman has any doubt as to the outcome of the vote on a proposed resolution, he shall cause a poll to be taken of all votes cast upon such resolution. If the chairman fails to take a poll then any Shareholder present in person or by proxy who disputes the announcement by the chairman of the result of any vote may immediately following such announcement demand that a poll be taken and the chairman shall cause a poll to be taken. If a poll is taken at any meeting, the result shall be announced to the meeting and recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

 

7.17 Subject to the specific provisions contained in this Regulation for the appointment of representatives of Persons other than individuals the right of any individual to speak for or represent a Shareholder shall be determined by the law of the jurisdiction where, and by the documents by which, the Person is constituted or derives its existence. In case of doubt, the directors may in good faith seek legal advice from any qualified person and unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction shall otherwise rule, the directors may rely and act upon such advice without incurring any liability to any Shareholder or the Company.

 

7.18 Any Person other than an individual which is a Shareholder may by resolution of its directors or other governing body authorise such individual as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of Shareholders or of any class of Shareholders, and the individual so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same rights on behalf of the Shareholder which he represents as that Shareholder could exercise if it were an individual.

 

7.19 The chairman of any meeting at which a vote is cast by proxy or on behalf of any Person other than an individual may call for a notarially certified copy of such proxy or authority which shall be produced within 7 days of being so requested or the votes cast by such proxy or on behalf of such Person shall be disregarded.

 

7.20 Directors of the Company may attend and speak at any meeting of Shareholders and at any separate meeting of the holders of any class or series of Shares.

 

7.21 An action that may be taken by the Shareholders at a meeting may also be taken by a resolution consented to in writing, without the need for any notice, but if any Resolution of Shareholders is adopted otherwise than by the unanimous written consent of all Shareholders, a copy of such resolution shall forthwith be sent to all Shareholders not consenting to such resolution. The consent may be in the form of counterparts, each counterpart being signed by one or more Shareholders. If the consent is in one or more counterparts, and the counterparts bear different dates, then the resolution shall take effect on the earliest date upon which Shareholders holding a sufficient number of votes of Shares to constitute a Resolution of Shareholders have consented to the resolution by signed counterparts.

 

 

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8. DIRECTORS

 

8.1 The first directors of the Company shall be appointed by the first registered agent within 6 months of the date of incorporation of the Company; and thereafter, the directors shall be elected by Resolution of Shareholders.

 

8.2 No person shall be appointed as a director, or nominated as a reserve director, of the Company unless he has consented in writing to be a director or to be nominated as a reserve director.

 

8.3 Subject to Sub-Regulation 8.1, the minimum number of directors shall be one and the maximum number shall be ten.

 

8.4 Each director holds office for the term, if any, fixed by the Resolution of Shareholders appointing him, or until his earlier death, resignation, removal or retirement at the age of 70 years. If no term is fixed on the appointment of a director, the director serves indefinitely until his earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.

 

8.5 The directors may at any time appoint any person to be a director either to fill a vacancy or as an addition to the existing directors. Where the directors appoint a person as a director to fill a vacancy or as an additional director the term shall not exceed the term that remained when the person who has ceased to be a director ceased to hold office or until the next annual general meeting (where such appointment shall be approved by the Shareholders) whenever is earlier.

 

8.6 A vacancy in relation to directors occurs if a director dies or otherwise ceases to hold office prior to the expiration of his term of office.

 

8.7 Where the Company only has one Shareholder who is an individual and that Shareholder is also the sole director of the Company, the sole Shareholder/director may, by instrument in writing, nominate a person who is not disqualified from being a director of the Company as a reserve director of the Company to act in the place of the sole director in the event of his death.

 

8.8 The nomination of a person as a reserve director of the Company ceases to have effect if:

 

(a) before the death of the sole Shareholder/director who nominated him,

 

(i) he resigns as reserve director, or

 

(ii) the sole Shareholder/director revokes the nomination in writing; or

 

(b) the sole Shareholder/director who nominated him ceases to be able to be the sole Shareholder/director of the Company for any reason other than his death.

 

8.9 The Company shall keep a register of directors containing:

 

(a) the names and addresses of the persons who are directors of the Company or who have been nominated as reserve directors of the Company;

 

(b) the date on which each person whose name is entered in the register was appointed as a director, or nominated as a reserve director, of the Company;

 

(c) the date on which each person named as a director ceased to be a director of the Company;

 

(d) the date on which the nomination of any person nominated as a reserve director ceased to have effect; and

 

(e) such other information as may be prescribed by the Act.

 

 

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8.10 The register of directors may be kept in any such form as the directors may approve, but if it is in magnetic, electronic or other data storage form, the Company must be able to produce legible evidence of its contents. Until a Resolution of Directors determining otherwise is passed, the magnetic, electronic or other data storage shall be the original register of directors.

 

8.11 A director is not required to hold a Share as a qualification to office.

 

8.12 Without prejudice to the provisions of retirement by rotation hereinafter contained, the office of a Director shall be vacated in any of the events following, namely:

 

(a) if (not being an Executive Director whose contract precludes resignation) he resigns his office by notice in writing delivered to the registered office or tendered at a meeting of the Board; or

 

(b) if the Board resolves that he is through physical or mental incapacity or mental disorder no longer able to perform the functions of a Director; or

 

(c) if he fails, without leave, to attend (whether or not an alternate Director appointed by him attends) three successive Board meetings or four Board meetings in any consecutive period of 12 months despite a notice being given to him prior to such third or fourth meeting (as the case may be) that the provisions of this paragraph might apply and not less than two-thirds of all the other Directors (excluding the Director concerned and, in his capacity as such, any alternate director appointed by the Director concerned) resolving that his office should be vacated; or

 

(d) if he becomes bankrupt or insolvent or makes an arrangement or composition with his creditors or applies to the Court for an interim order under section 253 of the United Kingdom Insolvency Act 1986 in connection with a voluntary arrangement; or

 

(e) any event analogous to those listed in Regulation 8.15 under the laws of any other jurisdiction occurs in relation to a Director; or

 

(f) if he is prohibited by law from being a Director; or

 

(g) if he ceases to be a Director by virtue of the BVI Companies Act or is removed from office pursuant to these Articles.

 

In the case of Regulation 8.15 (b) to (e) inclusive above, the Director shall be removed from office.

 

8.13 A resolution of Directors declaring that a Director has vacated office under regulation 8.12 shall be conclusive as to that fact and as to the ground of vacation as stated in the resolution.

 

8.14 Without prejudice to any of the provisions for disqualification of Directors or for the retirement by rotation hereinafter contained, the office of a Director shall be vacated if by notice in writing delivered to the registered office or tendered at a meeting of the Board his resignation is requested by all of the other Directors (being not less than three in number) excluding the Director concerned and, in his capacity as such, any alternate Director appointed by the Director concerned.

 

8.15 At every annual meeting of Shareholders one-third of the Directors for the time being or, if their number is not a multiple of three, then the number nearest to and not exceeding one-third shall retire from office.

 

8.16 The Directors to retire on each occasion shall be those subject to retirement by rotation who have been longest in office since their last election, but as between persons who became or were re-elected Directors on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree amongst themselves) be determined by lot. The Directors to retire on each occasion both as to number and identity) shall be determined by the composition of the Board at the date of the notice convening the annual meeting of Shareholders, and no Director shall be required to retire or be relieved from retiring by reason of any change in the number or identity of the Directors after the date of such notice but before the close of the meeting.

 

 

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8.17 A Director who retires at the annual meeting of Shareholders shall be eligible for re-election. If he is not re-elected he shall retain office until the meeting elects someone in his place, or if it does not do so, until the end of the meeting.

 

8.18 Subject to the provisions of these Articles, the Company may by a Resolution of Shareholders at the meeting at which a Director retires in the manner aforesaid fill the vacated office by electing a person and in default the retiring Director shall, if willing to continue to act, be deemed to have been re-elected, unless at such meeting it is expressly resolved not to fill such vacated office or unless a resolution for the re-election of such Director shall have been put to the meeting and lost.

 

8.19 A Director may hold the office of an Executive Director or a Non Executive Director.

 

8.20 An Executive Director shall receive such remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine, and either in addition to or in lieu of his remuneration as a Director.

 

8.21 Each Director shall have the power to appoint any person to be his alternate Director and may at his discretion remove such alternate Director. If such alternate Director is not another Director, such appointment, unless previously approved by the Board, shall have effect only upon and subject to it being so approved. Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be effected by notice in writing signed by the appointor and delivered to the registered office or tendered at a meeting of the Board. An alternate Director shall, if his appointor so requests, be entitled to receive notices of meetings of the Board or of committees of the Board to the same extent as, but in lieu of, the Director appointing him and shall be entitled to such extent to attend at and vote as a Director at any such meeting at which the Director appointing him is not personally present and to exercise and discharge all the functions, powers and duties of his appointor as a Director and for the purposes of the proceedings at such meeting the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if he were a Director.

 

8.22 Every person acting as an alternate Director shall (except as regards power to appoint an alternate Director and remuneration) be subject in all respects to the provisions of these Articles relating to Directors and shall alone be responsible to the Company for his acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to be the agent of or for the Director appointing him. An alternate Director may be paid expenses and shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Company to the same extent mutatis mutandis as if he were a Director but shall not be entitled to receive from the Company any fee in his capacity as an alternate Director except only such part (if any) of the remuneration otherwise payable to the Director appointing him as such Director may by notice in writing to the Company from time to time direct.

 

8.23 Every person acting as an alternate Director shall have one vote for each Director for whom he acts as alternate (in addition to his own vote if he is also a Director). The signature of an alternate Director to any resolution in writing of the Board or a committee of the Board shall, unless the notice of his appointment provides to the contrary, be as effective as the signature of his appointor.

 

8.24 An alternate Director shall ipso facto cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor ceases for any reason to be a Director provided that, if at any meeting any Director retires by rotation or otherwise but is re-elected at the same meeting, any appointment made by him pursuant to this regulation which was in force immediately before his retirement shall remain in force as though he had not retired.

 

 

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8.25 Each of the Directors shall be paid a fee at such rate as may from time to time be determined by the Board provided that the aggregate of all such fees so paid to Directors (excluding amounts payable under any other regulation and any amount payable under any service contract) shall not exceed $1,000,000 per annum, or such higher amount as may from time to time be determined by Resolution of Shareholders.

 

8.26 Each Director may be paid his reasonable travelling, hotel and incidental expenses of attending and returning from meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or meetings of Shareholders or separate meetings of the holders of any class or series of Shares or of debentures of the Company and shall be paid all expenses properly and reasonably incurred by him in the conduct of the Company's business or in the discharge of his duties as a Director. Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purposes of the Company or who performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra remuneration shall be in addition to any remuneration provided for by or pursuant to any other regulation.

 

9. POWERS OF DIRECTORS

 

9.1 The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by, or under the direction or supervision of, the directors of the Company. The directors of the Company have all the powers necessary for managing, and for directing and supervising, the business and affairs of the Company. The directors may pay all expenses incurred preliminary to and in connection with the incorporation of the Company and may exercise all such powers of the Company as are not by the Act or by the Memorandum or the Articles required to be exercised by the Shareholders.

 

9.2 Each director shall exercise his powers for a proper purpose and shall not act or agree to the Company acting in a manner that contravenes the Memorandum, the Articles or the Act. Each director, in exercising his powers or performing his duties, shall act honestly and in good faith in what the director believes to be the best interests of the Company.

 

9.3 If the Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company, a director of the Company may, when exercising powers or performing duties as a director, act in a manner which he believes is in the best interests of the holding company even though it may not be in the best interests of the Company.

 

9.4 Any director which is a body corporate may appoint any individual as its duly authorised representative for the purpose of representing it at meetings of the directors, with respect to the signing of consents or otherwise.

 

9.5 The continuing directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body.

 

9.6 The directors may by Resolution of Directors exercise all the powers of the Company to incur indebtedness, liabilities or obligations and to secure indebtedness, liabilities or obligations whether of the Company or of any third party.

 

9.7 All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by Resolution of Directors.

 

9.8 For the purposes of Section 175 (Disposition of assets) of the Act, the directors may by Resolution of Directors determine that any sale, transfer, lease, exchange or other disposition is in the usual or regular course of the business carried on by the Company and such determination is, in the absence of fraud, conclusive.

 

10. PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS

 

10.1 Any one director of the Company may call a meeting of the directors by sending a written notice to each other director.

 

 

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10.2 The directors of the Company or any committee thereof may meet at such times and in such manner and places within or outside the British Virgin Islands as the directors may determine to be necessary or desirable.

 

10.3 A director is deemed to be present at a meeting of directors if he participates by telephone or other electronic means and all directors participating in the meeting are able to hear each other.

 

10.4 A director shall be given not less than 3 days’ notice of meetings of directors, but a meeting of directors held without 3 days’ notice having been given to all directors shall be valid if all the directors entitled to vote at the meeting who do not attend waive notice of the meeting, and for this purpose the presence of a director at a meeting shall constitute waiver by that director. The inadvertent failure to give notice of a meeting to a director, or the fact that a director has not received the notice, does not invalidate the meeting.

 

10.5 A director may by a written instrument appoint an alternate who need not be a director and the alternate shall be entitled to attend meetings in the absence of the director who appointed him and to vote in place of the director until the appointment lapses or is terminated.

 

10.6 A meeting of directors is duly constituted for all purposes if at the commencement of the meeting there are present in person or by alternate not less than one-half of the total number of directors, unless there are only 2 directors in which case the quorum is 2.

 

10.7 If the Company has only one director the provisions herein contained for meetings of directors do not apply and such sole director has full power to represent and act for the Company in all matters as are not by the Act, the Memorandum or the Articles required to be exercised by the Shareholders. In lieu of minutes of a meeting the sole director shall record in writing and sign a note or memorandum of all matters requiring a Resolution of Directors. Such a note or memorandum constitutes sufficient evidence of such resolution for all purposes.

 

10.8 At meetings of directors at which the Chairman of the Board is present, he shall preside as chairman of the meeting. If there is no Chairman of the Board or if the Chairman of the Board is not present, the directors present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

 

10.9 An action that may be taken by the directors or a committee of directors at a meeting may also be taken by a Resolution of Directors or a resolution of a committee of directors consented to in writing by all directors or by all members of the committee, as the case may be, without the need for any notice. The consent may be in the form of counterparts each counterpart being signed by one or more directors. If the consent is in one or more counterparts, and the counterparts bear different dates, then the resolution shall take effect on the date upon which the last director has consented to the resolution by signed counterparts.

 

11. COMMITTEES

 

11.1 The directors may, by Resolution of Directors, designate one or more committees, each consisting of one or more directors, and delegate one or more of their powers, including the power to affix the Seal, to the committee.

 

11.2 The directors have no power to delegate to a committee of directors any of the following powers:

 

(a) to amend the Memorandum or the Articles;

 

(b) to designate committees of directors;

 

(c) to delegate powers to a committee of directors;

 

 

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(d) to appoint or remove directors (which does not include the power to nominate a director to the board or recommend the removal of a director from the board);

 

(e) to appoint or remove an agent;

 

(f) to approve a plan of merger, consolidation or arrangement;

 

(g) to make a declaration of solvency or to approve a liquidation plan; or

 

(h) to make a determination that immediately after a proposed Distribution the value of the Company’s assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as they fall due.

 

11.3 Sub-Regulation 11.2(b) and (c) do not prevent a committee of directors, where authorised by the Resolution of Directors appointing such committee or by a subsequent Resolution of Directors, from appointing a sub-committee and delegating powers exercisable by the committee to the sub-committee.

 

11.4 The meetings and proceedings of each committee of directors consisting of 2 or more directors shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the Articles regulating the proceedings of directors so far as the same are not superseded by any provisions in the Resolution of Directors establishing the committee.

 

11.5 Where the directors delegate their powers to a committee of directors they remain responsible for the exercise of that power by the committee, unless they believed on reasonable grounds at all times before the exercise of the power that the committee would exercise the power in conformity with the duties imposed on directors of the Company under the Act.

 

12. OFFICERS AND AGENTS

 

12.1 The Company may by Resolution of Directors appoint officers of the Company at such times as may be considered necessary or expedient. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

 

12.2 The officers shall perform such duties as are prescribed at the time of their appointment subject to any modification in such duties as may be prescribed thereafter by Resolution of Directors. In the absence of any specific prescription of duties it shall be the responsibility of the Chairman of the Board to preside at meetings of directors and Shareholders, the president to manage the day to day affairs of the Company, the vice-presidents to act in order of seniority in the absence of the president but otherwise to perform such duties as may be delegated to them by the president, the secretaries to maintain the register of members, minute books and records (other than financial records) of the Company and to ensure compliance with all procedural requirements imposed on the Company by applicable law, and the treasurer to be responsible for the financial affairs of the Company.

 

12.3 The emoluments of all officers shall be fixed by Resolution of Directors.

 

12.4 The officers of the Company shall hold office until their successors are duly appointed, but any officer elected or appointed by the directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by Resolution of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Company may be filled by Resolution of Directors.

 

12.5 The directors may, by Resolution of Directors, appoint any person, including a person who is a director, to be an agent of the Company.

 

12.6 An agent of the Company shall have such powers and authority of the directors, including the power and authority to affix the Seal, as are set forth in the Articles or in the Resolution of Directors appointing the agent, except that no agent has any power or authority with respect to the following:

 

 

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(a) to amend the Memorandum or the Articles;

 

(b) to change the registered office or agent;

 

(c) to designate committees of directors;

 

(d) to delegate powers to a committee of directors;

 

(e) to appoint or remove directors;

 

(f) to appoint or remove an agent;

 

(g) to fix emoluments of directors;

 

(h) to approve a plan of merger, consolidation or arrangement;

 

(i) to make a declaration of solvency or to approve a liquidation plan;

 

(j) to make a determination that immediately after a proposed Distribution the value of the Company’s assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as they fall due; or

 

(k) to authorise the Company to continue as a company incorporated under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the British Virgin Islands.

 

12.7 The Resolution of Directors appointing an agent may authorise the agent to appoint one or more substitutes or delegates to exercise some or all of the powers conferred on the agent by the Company.

 

12.8 The directors may remove an agent appointed by the Company and may revoke or vary a power conferred on him.

 

13 TAKEOVER PROVISIONS

 

13.1 Except with the consent of the Board, when:-

 

(a) any person acquires, whether by a series of transactions over a period of time or not, Shares which (taken together with Shares held or acquired by persons acting in concert with him) carry 30% or more of the voting rights of the Company; or

 

(b) any person who, together with persons acting in concert with him, holds not less than 30% but not more than 50% of the voting rights and such person, or any person acting in concert with him, acquires additional Shares which increase his percentage of the voting rights;

 

such person (“the offeror”) shall extend an offer, on the basis set out in this Regulation 13, to the holders of all the issued shares in the Company.

 

13.2 Any offer made under this Regulation must be conditional only upon the offeror having received acceptances in respect of Shares which, together with Shares acquired or agreed to be acquired before or during the offer, will result in the offeror and any person acting in concert with it holding Shares carrying more than 50% of the voting rights.

 

13.3 No acquisition of Shares which would give rise to a requirement for any offer under this Regulation may be made or registered if the making or implementation of such offer would or might be dependent on the passing of a resolution at any meeting of Shareholders of the Company or upon any other conditions, consents or arrangements.

 

 

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13.4 Offers made under this Regulation must, in respect of each class of Share capital involved, be in cash or be accompanied by a cash alternative at not less than the highest price paid by the offeror or any person acting in concert with it for Shares of that class during the offer period and within 12 months prior to its commencement. The cash offer or the cash alternative must remain open after the offer has become or is declared unconditional as to acceptances for not less than 14 days after the date on which it would otherwise have expired.

 

13.5 No nominee of an offeror or persons acting in concert with it may be appointed as a Director, nor may an offeror and persons acting in concert with it exercise the votes attaching to any Shares held in the Company until the offer document has been posted.

 

13.6 Any offer required to be made pursuant to this Reglation 13 shall be made on terms that would be required by the then current United Kingdom City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (“the City Code”), save to the extent that the board otherwise determines. In relation to any offer required to be made pursuant to this Regulation 13, any matter which under the City Code would fall to be determined by the Panel shall be determined by the board in its absolute discretion or by such person appointed by the board to make such determination.

 

13.7 Except with the consent of the board, Shareholders shall comply with the requirements of the City Code, as may from time to time be published by the United Kingdom Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (“the Panel”), in relation to any dealings in any Shares of the Company and in relation to their dealings with the Company in relation to all matters. Any matter which under the City Code would fall to be determined by the Panel shall be determined by the Board in its absolute discretion or by such person appointed by the Board to make such determination. Any notice which under the City Code is required to be given to the Panel or any person (other than the Company) shall be given to the Company at its registered office.

 

13.8 If at any time the Board is satisfied that any Shareholder having incurred an obligation under this Regulation 13 to extend an offer to the holders of all the issued Shares shall have failed so to do, or that any Shareholders is in default of any other obligation imposed upon Shareholders pursuant to this Regulation 13, then the Board may, in its absolute discretion at any time thereafter by notice (a “direction notice”) to such Shareholders and any other Shareholders acting in concert with such Shareholders (together “the defaulters”) direct that:

 

(a) in respect of the Shares held by the defaulters (the “default shares”) the defaulters shall not be entitled to vote at a general meeting either personally or by proxy or to exercise any other right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company;

 

(b) except in a liquidation of the Company, no payment shall be made of any sums due from the Company on the default shares, whether in respect of capital or dividend or otherwise, and the Company shall not meet any liability to pay interest on any such payment when it is finally paid to the Shareholders;

 

(c) no other distribution shall be made on the default shares.

 

The Board may at any time give notice cancelling a direction notice.

 

13.9 In construing this Regulation 13, words and expressions used in or defined in the City Code shall bear the same meanings given by the City Code.

 

14. CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

 

14.1 A director of the Company shall, forthwith after becoming aware of the fact that he is interested in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the Company, disclose the interest to all other directors of the Company.

 

 

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14.2 For the purposes of Sub-Regulation 14.1, a disclosure to all other directors to the effect that a director is a member, director or officer of another named entity or has a fiduciary relationship with respect to the entity or a named individual and is to be regarded as interested in any transaction which may, after the date of the entry into the transaction or disclosure of the interest, be entered into with that entity or individual, is a sufficient disclosure of interest in relation to that transaction.

 

14.3 A director of the Company who is interested in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the Company may:

 

14.4 vote on a matter relating to the transaction;

 

14.5 attend a meeting of directors at which a matter relating to the transaction arises and be included among the directors present at the meeting for the purposes of a quorum; and

 

14.6 sign a document on behalf of the Company, or do any other thing in his capacity as a director, that relates to the transaction,

 

and, subject to compliance with the Act shall not, by reason of his office be accountable to the Company for any benefit which he derives from such transaction and no such transaction shall be liable to be avoided on the grounds of any such interest or benefit.

 

15. INDEMNIFICATION

 

15.1 Subject to the limitations hereinafter provided the Company shall indemnify against all expenses, including legal fees, and against all judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred in connection with legal, administrative or investigative proceedings any person who:

 

(a) is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director of the Company; or

 

(b) is or was, at the request of the Company, serving as a director of, or in any other capacity is or was acting for, another body corporate or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

 

(c) The indemnity in Sub-Regulation 15.1 only applies if the person acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that their conduct was unlawful.

 

15.2 For the purposes of Sub-Regulation 15.1(c), a director acts in the best interests of the Company if he acts in the best interests of

 

(a)            the Company’s holding company; or

 

(b)            a Shareholder or Shareholders of the Company;

 

in either case, in the circumstances specified in Sub-Regulation 15.1 or the Act, as the case may be.

 

15.3 The decision of the directors as to whether the person acted honestly and in good faith and with a view to the best interests of the Company and as to whether the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful is, in the absence of fraud, sufficient for the purposes of the Articles, unless a question of law is involved.

 

15.4 The termination of any proceedings by any judgment, order, settlement, conviction or the entering of a nolle prosequi does not, by itself, create a presumption that the person did not act honestly and in good faith and with a view to the best interests of the Company or that the person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

 

 

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15.5 Expenses, including legal fees, incurred by a director in defending any legal, administrative or investigative proceedings may be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceedings upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director to repay the amount if it shall ultimately be determined that the director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company in accordance with Sub-Regulation 15.1.

 

15.6 Expenses, including legal fees, incurred by a former director in defending any legal, administrative or investigative proceedings may be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceedings upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the former director to repay the amount if it shall ultimately be determined that the former director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company in accordance with Sub-Regulation 15.1 and upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Company deems appropriate.

 

15.7 The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this section is not exclusive of any other rights to which the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any agreement, Resolution of Shareholders, resolution of disinterested directors or otherwise, both as acting in the person’s official capacity and as to acting in another capacity while serving as a director of the Company.

 

15.8 If a person referred to in Sub-Regulation 15.1 has been successful in defence of any proceedings referred to in Sub-Regulation 15.1, the person is entitled to be indemnified against all expenses, including legal fees, and against all judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the proceedings.

 

15.9 The Company may purchase and maintain insurance in relation to any person who is or was a director, officer or liquidator of the Company, or who at the request of the Company is or was serving as a director, officer or liquidator of, or in any other capacity is or was acting for, another body corporate or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against the person and incurred by the person in that capacity, whether or not the Company has or would have had the power to indemnify the person against the liability as provided in the Articles.

 

16 RECORDS

 

16.1 The Company shall keep the following documents at the office of its registered agent:

 

(a) the Memorandum and the Articles;

 

(b) the register of members, or a copy of the register of members;

 

(c) the register of directors, or a copy of the register of directors; and

 

(d) copies of all notices and other documents filed by the Company with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the previous 10 years.

 

16.2 Until the directors determine otherwise by Resolution of Directors the Company shall keep the original register of members and original register of directors at the office of its registered agent.

 

16.3 If the Company maintains only a copy of the register of members or a copy of the register of directors at the office of its registered agent, it shall:

 

(a) within 15 days of any change in either register, notify the registered agent in writing of the change; and

 

(b) provide the registered agent with a written record of the physical address of the place or places at which the original register of members or the original register of directors is kept.

 

 

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16.4 The Company shall keep the following records at the office of its registered agent or at such other place or places, within or outside the British Virgin Islands, as the directors may determine:

 

(a) minutes of meetings and Resolutions of Shareholders and classes of Shareholders; and

 

(b) minutes of meetings and Resolutions of Directors and committees of directors.

 

16.5 Where any original records referred to in this Regulation are maintained other than at the office of the registered agent of the Company, and the place at which the original records is changed, the Company shall provide the registered agent with the physical address of the new location of the records of the Company within 14 days of the change of location.

 

16.6 The records kept by the Company under this Regulation shall be in written form or either wholly or partly as electronic records complying with the requirements of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2001 (No. 5 of 2001) as from time to time amended or re-enacted.

 

17 REGISTER OF CHARGES

 

The Company shall maintain at the office of its registered agent a register of charges in which there shall be entered the following particulars regarding each mortgage, charge and other encumbrance created by the Company:

 

17.1 the date of creation of the charge;

 

17.2 a short description of the liability secured by the charge;

 

17.3 a short description of the property charged;

 

17.4 the name and address of the trustee for the security or, if there is no such trustee, the name and address of the chargee;

 

17.5 unless the charge is a security to bearer, the name and address of the holder of the charge; and

 

17.6 details of any prohibition or restriction contained in the instrument creating the charge on the power of the Company to create any future charge ranking in priority to or equally with the charge.

 

18 SEAL

 

The Company shall have a Seal an impression of which shall be kept at the office of the registered agent of the Company. The Company may have more than one Seal and references herein to the Seal shall be references to every Seal which shall have been duly adopted by Resolution of Directors. The directors shall provide for the safe custody of the Seal and for an imprint thereof to be kept at the registered office. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein the Seal when affixed to any written instrument shall be witnessed and attested to by the signature of any one director or other person so authorised from time to time by Resolution of Directors. Such authorisation may be before or after the Seal is affixed, may be general or specific and may refer to any number of sealings. The directors may provide for a facsimile of the Seal and of the signature of any director or authorised person which may be reproduced by printing or other means on any instrument and it shall have the same force and validity as if the Seal had been affixed to such instrument and the same had been attested to as hereinbefore described.

 

19 DISTRIBUTIONS BY WAY OF DIVIDEND

 

19.1 The directors of the Company may, by Resolution of Directors, authorise a Distribution by way of dividend at a time and of an amount they think fit if they are satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that, immediately after the Distribution, the value of the Company’s assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as they fall due.

 

 

- 20 -

 

19.2 Dividends may be paid in money, shares, or other property.

 

19.3 Notice of any dividend that may have been declared shall be given to each Shareholder as specified in Sub-Regulation 22 and all dividends unclaimed for 3 years after having been declared may be forfeited by Resolution of Directors for the benefit of the Company.

 

19.4 No dividend shall bear interest as against the Company and no dividend shall be paid on Treasury Shares.

 

20 ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT

 

20.1 The Company shall keep records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company’s transactions and that will, at any time, enable the financial position of the Company to be determined with reasonable accuracy.

 

20.2 The Company may by Resolution of Shareholders call for the directors to prepare periodically and make available a profit and loss account and a balance sheet. The profit and loss account and balance sheet shall be drawn up so as to give respectively a true and fair view of the profit and loss of the Company for a financial period and a true and fair view of the assets and liabilities of the Company as at the end of a financial period.

 

20.3 The first auditors shall be appointed by Resolution of Directors; subsequent auditors shall be appointed by Resolution of Shareholders or by Resolution of Directors.

 

20.4 The auditors may be Shareholders, but no director or other officer shall be eligible to be an auditor of the Company during their continuance in office.

 

20.5 The remuneration of the auditors of the Company may be fixed by Resolution of Directors.

 

20.6 The auditors shall examine each profit and loss account and balance sheet required to be laid before a meeting of the Shareholders or otherwise given to Shareholders and shall state in a written report whether or not:

 

(a) in their opinion the profit and loss account and balance sheet give a true and fair view respectively of the profit and loss for the period covered by the accounts, and of the assets and liabilities of the Company at the end of that period; and

 

(b) all the information and explanations required by the auditors have been obtained.

 

20.7 The report of the auditors shall be annexed to the accounts and shall be read at the meeting of Shareholders at which the accounts are laid before the Company or shall be otherwise given to the Shareholders.

 

20.8 Every auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books of account and vouchers of the Company, and shall be entitled to require from the directors and officers of the Company such information and explanations as he thinks necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors.

 

20.9 The auditors of the Company shall be entitled to receive notice of, and to attend any meetings of Shareholders at which the Company’s profit and loss account and balance sheet are to be presented.

 

21 NOTICES

 

21.1 Any notice, information or written statement to be given by the Company to Shareholders may be given by personal service or by mail addressed to each Shareholder at the address shown in the register of members.

 

21.2 Any summons, notice, order, document, process, information or written statement to be served on the Company may be served by leaving it, or by sending it by registered mail addressed to the Company, at its registered office, or by leaving it with, or by sending it by registered mail to, the registered agent of the Company.

 

 

- 21 -

 

21.3 Service of any summons, notice, order, document, process, information or written statement to be served on the Company may be proved by showing that the summons, notice, order, document, process, information or written statement was delivered to the registered office or the registered agent of the Company or that it was mailed in such time as to admit to its being delivered to the registered office or the registered agent of the Company in the normal course of delivery within the period prescribed for service and was correctly addressed and the postage was prepaid.

 

22 VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION

 

The Company may by Resolution of Shareholders or by Resolution of Directors appoint a voluntary liquidator.

 

23 CONTINUATION

 

The Company may by Resolution of Shareholders or by a resolution passed unanimously by all directors of the Company continue as a company incorporated under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the British Virgin Islands in the manner provided under those laws.

 

24 DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES AND FAILURE TO DISCLOSE

 

24.1 Subject to any requirement under the Act, the provisions of Chapter 5 of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules which relate to the requirement of persons to disclose their interests in shares, shall apply to the Company as if its Home State (as defined in such rules) was the United Kingdom and such rules shall be deemed to be incorporated into these Regulations and shall bind the Company and the Shareholders (other than the Depository).

 

24.2 Subject to any requirement under the Act, the provisions of section 793 of the UK CA 2006 shall be deemed to be incorporated into these Regulations and shall bind the Company and the Shareholders and references in such section to “a public company” shall be deemed to be references to the Company.

 

24.3 Where notice is served by the Company under section 793 of the UK CA 2006 (a “section 793 notice”) on a Shareholder, or another person whom the Company knows or has reasonable cause to believe to be interested in shares held by that Shareholder, and the Shareholder or other person has failed in relation to any shares (the “default shares”, which expression includes any shares issued to such Shareholder after the date of the section 793 notice in respect of those shares) to give the Company the information required within 14 days following the date of service of the section 793 notice, the Board may serve on the holder of such default shares a notice (a "disenfranchisement notice") whereupon the following sanctions apply, unless the Board otherwise decides:

 

24.3.1 the Shareholder shall not be entitled in respect of the default shares to be present or to vote (either in person or by proxy) at a General Meeting or at a separate meeting of the holders of a class of shares or on a poll or to exercise other rights conferred by membership in relation to the meeting or poll; and

 

24.3.2 where the default shares represent at least 0.25 per cent in nominal value of the issued shares of their class (calculated exclusive of any shares held as Treasury Shares):

 

(a) a dividend (or any part of a dividend) or other amount payable in respect of the default shares shall be withheld by the Company, which has no obligation to pay interest on it; and

 

(b) no transfer of any of the default shares shall be registered unless:

 

 

- 22 -

 

(i) the transfer is an excepted transfer; or

 

(ii) the Shareholder is not himself in default in supplying the information required and the Shareholder proves to the satisfaction of the Board that no person in default in supplying the information required is interested in any of the shares the subject of the transfer; or

 

(iii) registration of the transfer is required by any Relevant System,

 

(and, for the purpose of ensuring this Regulation 24.3.2(b) can apply to all shares held by the holder, the Company may, in accordance with the regulations of any Relevant System, issue written notification to the operator of the Relevant System requiring the conversion into certificated form of any shares held by the holder in uncertificated form).

 

25 REMOVAL OF SANCTIONS

 

The sanctions under Regulation 24 shall cease to apply seven days after the receipt by the Company of:

 

25.1 notice of registration of an excepted transfer, in relation to the default shares the subject of the excepted transfer; and

 

25.2 all information required by the section 793 notice, in a form satisfactory to the Board, in relation to any default shares.

 

26 NOTICE TO PERSON OTHER THAN A SHAREHOLDER

 

Where, on the basis of information obtained from a Shareholder in respect of a share held by him, the Company issues a section 793 notice to another person, it shall at the same time send a copy of the section 793 notice to the Shareholder, but the accidental omission to do so, or the non-receipt by the Shareholder of the copy, does not invalidate or otherwise affect the application of Regulation 25.

 

27 INTEREST IN SHARES, FAILURE TO GIVE INFORMATION AND EXCEPTED TRANSFERS

 

27.1 For the purpose of Regulations 24 to 26:

 

27.1.1 interested” has the same meaning as in Part 22 of the UK CA 2006;

 

27.1.2 reference to a person having failed to give the Company the information required by a section 793 notice, or being in default in supplying such information, includes:

 

(a) reference to his having failed or refused to give all or any part of it; and

 

(b) reference to his having given information which he knows to be false in a material particular or having recklessly given information which is false in a material particular; and

 

27.1.3 excepted transfer” means, in relation to shares held by a Shareholder:

 

(a) a transfer pursuant to acceptance of a takeover offer for the Company (within the meaning of section 428(1) of the UK Companies Act or section 974 of the UK CA 2006, whichever is in force at the relevant date); or

 

(b) a transfer where the Directors are satisfied that the transfer is made pursuant to a bona fide sale of the whole of the beneficial ownership of the shares to a party unconnected with the member or with any person appearing to be interested in such shares including any such sale made through a recognised investment exchange (as defined in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) (being a statute in force in the UK as may be amended or re-enacted from time to time) or another stock exchange outside the United Kingdom on which shares in the capital of the Company are normally traded. For the purposes of this sub-paragraph any associate (as that term is defined in Section 435 of the UK Insolvency Act 1986) shall be included amongst the persons who are connected with the member or any person appearing to be interested in such shares.

 

 

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27.2 Regulations 24 to 27 are in addition to and without prejudice to the BVI Companies Act.

 

Signed for HARNEYS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED of Craigmuir Chambers, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands for the purpose of incorporating a BVI Business Company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands on 17 March 2006:

 

Incorporator

 

Sgd: Andrew Swapp

 

…………………………………

Andrew Swapp

Authorised Signatory

HARNEYS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

UPDATE THIS FIELD TO INCLUDE LINKED PICTURE. Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP
4th Floor, South Quay Building
77 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 3752 3600
Fax: +44 20 3752 3695

 

19 October 2021

BY EMAIL

 

rachel.graham@harneys.com

+44 203 752 3604

039181.0068

 

ReneSola Ltd.

3rd Floor, 850 Canal St

Stamford, CT 06902

United States

 

Dear Sir or Madam

 

ReneSola Ltd., Company No 1016246 (the Company)

 

We are lawyers qualified to practise in the British Virgin Islands and have been asked to provide this legal opinion to you with regard to the laws of the British Virgin Islands in relation to the Company’s preparation of a registration statement (the Registration Statement) on Form S-8 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) registering 10,000,000 no par value shares of the Company (the Shares) issuable pursuant to the ReneSola Ltd. 2007 Share Incentive Plan (as amended) (the Plan) upon the exercise of share option agreements.

 

For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined the Documents (as defined in Schedule 1). We have not examined any other documents, official or corporate records or external or internal registers and have not undertaken or been instructed to undertake any further enquiry or due diligence in relation to the transaction which is the subject of this opinion.

 

In giving this opinion we have relied upon the assumptions set out in Schedule 2 which we have not verified.

 

Based solely upon the foregoing examinations and assumptions and having regard to legal considerations which we deem relevant, and subject to the qualifications set out in Schedule 3, we are of the opinion that under the laws of the British Virgin Islands:

 

1 Existence and Good Standing. The Company is a company duly incorporated with limited liability, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. The Company is a separate legal entity and is subject to suit in its own name.

 

2 Due Issuance. The Shares to be issued by the Company have been duly authorised and when issued sold and paid for in the manner described in the Plan and in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company (or any director or committee to whom the board of directors have delegated their powers with respect to administration of the Plan) and when appropriate entries have been made in the Register of Members of the Company, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England & Wales.
Reg. No. OC302285, VAT No. 795563084.
Bermuda legal services provided through an association with Zuill & Co.
GB:5883166_1
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harneys.com

 

 

 

 

3 Searches. No court proceedings pending against the Company are indicated by our searches of the British Virgin Islands High Court Registry referred to at paragraph 4 of Schedule 1.

 

On the basis of our searches of the British Virgin Islands Registry of Corporate Affairs and the British Virgin Islands High Court Registry referred to at paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 1, no currently valid order or resolution for liquidation of the Company and no current notice of appointment of a receiver over the Company or any of its assets appears on the records maintained in respect of the Company at the Registry of Corporate Affairs.

 

This opinion is confined to the matters expressly opined on herein and given on the basis of the laws of the British Virgin Islands as they are in force and applied by the British Virgin Islands courts at the date of this opinion. We have made no investigation of, and express no opinion on, the laws of any other jurisdiction. We express no opinion as to matters of fact

 

This opinion is rendered for your benefit and the benefit of your legal counsel (in that capacity only) in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement. It may be disclosed to your successors and assigns only with our prior written consent. It may not be disclosed to or relied on by any other party or for any other purpose but we hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement.

 

Yours faithfully
 
/s/ Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP
 
Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP

 

2

 

 

Schedule 1

 

List of Documents and Records Examined

 

1 a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company obtained from the Registry of Corporate Affairs on 30 September 2021, which our searches dated 18 October 2021 indicated were not subsequently amended;

 

2 the records and information certified by Harneys Corporate Services Limited, the registered agent of the Company, on 11 October 2021 of the statutory documents and records maintained by the Company at its registered office including a certified copy of the Register of Members of the Company (the Registered Agent’s Certificate);

 

3 the public records of the Company on file and available for inspection at the Registry of Corporate Affairs, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands on 18 October 2021;

 

4 the records of proceedings on file with, and available for inspection on 18 October 2021 at the High Court of Justice, British Virgin Islands;

 

5 a copy of the minutes of an annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company dated 21 December 2020 approving, inter alia, an amendment of the Plan so as to increase the number of reserved shares by 10,000,000 shares of no par value;

 

6 a copy of the unanimous written resolutions of the board of directors of the Company dated 9 October 2021 approving the filing of the Form S-8 and reservation for issuance of the Shares under the Plan (together with the resolutions referred to in 5 above, the Resolutions);

 

7 a copy of the Registration Statement; and

 

8 a copy of the Plan,

 

(1 to 6 above are the Corporate Documents); and

 

The Corporate Documents and the documents listed at 7 and 8 are collectively referred to in this opinion as the Documents.

 

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Schedule 2

 

Assumptions

 

1 Authenticity of Documents. All original Documents are authentic, all signatures, initials and seals are genuine, all copies of Documents are true and correct copies and the Transaction Documents in every material respect to the latest of the same produced to us and, where the Transaction Documents been provided to us in successive drafts marked-up to indicate changes to such documents, all such changes have been so indicated.

 

2 Corporate Documents. All matters required by law to be recorded in the Corporate Documents are so recorded, and all corporate minutes, resolutions, certificates, documents and records which we have reviewed are accurate and complete, and all facts expressed in or implied thereby are accurate and complete, and the information recorded in the Registered Agent’s Certificate was accurate as at the date of the passing of the Resolutions.

 

3 Resolutions. The Resolutions remain in full force and effect, and the Resolutions are an accurate record of the relevant meeting and are factually accurate as to notice and quorum.

 

4 Unseen Documents. Save for the Documents provided to us there are no resolutions, agreements, documents or arrangements which materially affect, amend or vary the transactions envisaged in the Documents.

 

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Schedule 3

 

Qualifications

 

1 Good Standing. To maintain the Company in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, annual licence fees must be paid to the Registrar of Corporate Affairs.

 

2 Economic Substance. We have undertaken no enquiry and express no view as to the compliance of the Company with the Economic Substance (Companies and Limited Partnerships) Act 2018.

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

RENESOLA LTD

 

2007 SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN AS AMENDED

AND RESTATED AS OF JANUARY 21, 2009,

AUGUST 20, 2010

AUGUST 29, 2016

AND December 21, 2020

 

ARTICLE 1

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this 2007 Share Incentive Plan, as amended and restated as of January 21, 2009, August 20, 2010, August 29, 2016 and December 21, 2020 (the “Plan”), is to promote the success and enhance the value of ReneSola Ltd, a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (the “Company”) by linking the personal interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of the Company’s shareholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to the Company’s shareholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.

 

ARTICLE 2

 

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

 

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan, they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

 

2.1 “Applicable Laws” means (i) the laws of the British Virgin 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; and (iii) the rules of any applicable stock exchange or national market system, of any jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents therein.

 

2.2 “Article” means an article of this Plan.

 

2.3 “Award” means an Option, Restricted Share or Restricted Share Units award granted to a participant pursuant to the Plan.

 

2.4 “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium.

 

2.5 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company from time to time.

 

2.6 “Change in Control” means a change in ownership or control of the Company effected through either of the following transactions:

 

(a) the direct or indirect acquisition by any person or related group of persons (other than an acquisition from or by the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan or by a person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made directly to the Company’s shareholders which a majority of the Incumbent Board (as defined below) who are not affiliates or associates of the offeror under Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act do not recommend such shareholders accept, or

 

(b) the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, are members of the Board (the “Incumbent Board”), cease for any reason to constitute at least fifty percent (50%) of the Board; provided that if the election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, of any new member of the Board is approved by a vote of at least fifty percent (50%) of the Incumbent Board, such new member of the Board shall be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.

 

2.7 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 of the United States, as amended.

 

2.8 “Committee” means the committee of the Board described in Article 9.

 

2.9 “Consultant” means any consultant or adviser if: (a) the consultant or adviser renders bona fide services to a Service Recipient; (b) the services rendered by the consultant or adviser are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities; and (c) the consultant or adviser is a natural person who has contracted directly with the Service Recipient to render such services.

 

2.10 “Corporate Transaction” means any of the following transactions, provided, however, that the Committee shall determine under (d) and (e) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive:

 

(a) an amalgamation, arrangement or consolidation or scheme of arrangement in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated;

 

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(b) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

 

(c) the completion of a voluntary or insolvent liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

 

(d) any reverse takeover or series of related transactions culminating in a reverse takeover (including, but not limited to, a tender offer followed by a reverse takeover) in which the Company is the surviving entity but (A) the Shares of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such takeover are converted or exchanged by virtue of the takeover into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (B) in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons different from those who held such securities immediately prior to such takeover or the initial transaction culminating in such takeover, but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Committee determines shall not be a Corporate Transaction; or

 

(e) acquisition in a single or series of related transactions by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Committee determines shall not be a Corporate Transaction.

 

2.11 “Disability” means that the Participant qualifies to receive long-term disability payments under the Service Recipient’s long-term disability insurance program, as it may be amended from time to time, to which the Participant provides services regardless of whether the Participant is covered by such policy. If the Service Recipient to which the Participant provides service does not have a long-term disability plan in place, “Disability” means that a Participant is unable to carry out the responsibilities and functions of the position held by the Participant by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment for a period of not less than ninety (90) consecutive days. A Participant will not be considered to have incurred a Disability unless he or she furnishes proof of such impairment sufficient to satisfy the Committee in its discretion.

 

2.12 “Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.1.

 

2.13 “Employee” means any person, including an officer or member of the Board of the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, who is in the employ of a Service Recipient, subject to the control and direction of the Service Recipient as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance. The payment of a director’s fee by a Service Recipient shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Service Recipient.

 

2.14 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of the United States, as amended.

 

2.15 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Shares determined as follows:

 

(a) If the Shares are listed on one or more established stock exchanges or national market systems, including without limitation, The New York Stock Exchange, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such shares (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on the principal exchange or system on which the Shares are listed (as determined by the Committee) on the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable;

 

(b) If the Shares are regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such shares as quoted on such system or by such securities dealer on the date of determination, but if selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Shares on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; or

 

(c) In the absence of an established market for the Shares of the type described in (a) and (b), above, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined by the Committee in good faith and in its discretion by reference to (i) the placing price of the latest private placement of the Shares and the development of the Company’s business operations and the general economic and market conditions since such latest private placement, (ii) other third party transactions involving the Shares and the development of the Company’s business operation and the general economic and market conditions since such sale, (iii) an independent valuation of the Shares, or (iv) such other methodologies or information as the Committee determines to be indicative of Fair Market Value, relevant.

 

2.16 “Incentive Share Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

 

2.17 “Independent Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee of the Company.

 

2.18 “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who qualifies as a “Non-Employee Director” as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) under the Exchange Act, or any successor definition adopted by the Board.

 

2.19 “Non-Qualified Share Option” means an Option that is not intended to be an Incentive Share Option.

 

2.20 “Option” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 5 of the Plan to purchase a specified number of Shares at a specified price during specified time periods. An Option may be either an Incentive Share Option or a Non-Qualified Share Option.

 

2.21 “Participant” means a person who, as a member of the Board, Consultant or Employee, has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.

 

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2.22 “Parent” means a parent corporation under Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

2.23 “Plan” means this 2007 Share Incentive Award Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

 

2.24 “Related Entity” means any business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company, a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company holds a substantial ownership interest, directly or indirectly but which is not a Subsidiary and which the Board designates as a Related Entity for purposes of the Plan.

 

2.25 “Restricted Share” means a Share awarded to a Participant pursuant to Article 6 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.

 

2.26 “Restricted Share Unit” means the right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 6 to receive a Share at a future date.

 

2.27 “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States, as amended.

 

2.28 “Service Recipient” means the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company and any Related Entity to which a Participant provides services as an Employee, Consultant or as a Director.

 

2.29 “Share” means a share of the Company, and such other securities of the Company that may be substituted for Shares pursuant to Article 8.

 

2.30 “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting shares or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company.

 

2.31 “Trading Date” means the closing of the first sale to the general public of the Shares pursuant to an effective registration statement under Applicable Law, which results in the Shares being publicly traded on one or more established stock exchanges or national market systems.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

3.1 Number of Shares.

 

(a) Subject to the provisions of Article 8 and Section 3.1(b), the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued pursuant to all Awards (including Incentive Share Options) is 22,500,000 Shares.

 

(b) To the extent that an Award terminates, expires, or lapses for any reason, any Shares subject to the Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan. To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, Shares issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form or combination by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company shall not be counted against Shares available for grant pursuant to the Plan. Shares delivered by the Participant or withheld by the Company upon the exercise of any Award under the Plan, in payment of the exercise price thereof or tax withholding thereon, may again be optioned, granted or awarded hereunder, subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(a). If any Restricted Shares are forfeited by the Participant or repurchased by the Company, such Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded hereunder, subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(a). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Share Option to fail to qualify as an incentive share option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

3.2  Shares Distributed. Any Shares issued pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares, treasury Shares (subject to Applicable Laws) or Shares purchased on the open market. Additionally, in the discretion of the Committee, American Depository Shares in an amount equal to the number of Shares which otherwise would be distributed pursuant to an Award may be distributed in lieu of Shares in settlement of any Award. If the number of Shares represented by an American Depository Share is other than on a one-to-one basis, the limitations of Section 3.1 shall be adjusted to reflect the distribution of American Depository Shares in lieu of Shares.

 

ARTICLE 4

 

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

 

4.1 Eligibility. Persons eligible to participate in this Plan include Employees, Consultants, and all members of the Board, as determined by the Committee.

 

4.2 Participation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from among all eligible individuals, those to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award. No individual shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to this Plan.

 

4.3 Jurisdictions. In order to assure the viability of Awards granted to Participants employed in various jurisdictions, the Committee may provide for such special terms as it may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy, or custom applicable in the jurisdiction in which the Participant resides or is employed. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of, the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes without thereby affecting the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose; provided, however, that no such supplements, amendments, restatements, or alternative versions shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 3.1 of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate any Applicable Laws.

 

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ARTICLE 5

 

OPTIONS

 

5.1 General. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(a) Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to an Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement which may be a fixed or variable price related to the Fair Market Value of the Shares; provided, however, that no Option may be granted to an individual subject to taxation in the United States at less than the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. The exercise price per Share subject to an Option may be adjusted in the absolute discretion of the Committee, the determination of which shall be final, binding and conclusive. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent not prohibited by Applicable Law or any exchange rule, a repricing of Options mentioned in the preceding sentence shall be effective without the approval of the Company’s shareholders or the approval of the Participants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exercise price per Share subject to an Option shall not be increased without the approval of the Participants.

 

(b) Time and Conditions of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, including exercise prior to vesting; provided that the term of any Option granted under the Plan shall not exceed ten years, except as provided in Section 11.1. The Committee shall also determine any conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised.

 

(c) Payment. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, including, without limitation (i) cash or check denominated in U.S. Dollars, (ii) to the extent permissible under the Applicable Laws, cash or check in Chinese Renminbi, (iii) cash or check denominated in any other local currency as approved by the Committee, (iv) Shares held for such period of time as may be required by the Committee in order to avoid adverse financial accounting consequences and having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof, (v) after the Trading Date the delivery of a notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the Option exercise price; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, (vi) other property acceptable to the Committee with a Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price, or (vii) any combination of the foregoing. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is a member of the Board or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to pay the exercise price of an Option in any method which would violate Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

(d) Evidence of Grant. All Options shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant. The Award Agreement shall include such additional provisions as may be specified by the Committee.

 

5.2 Incentive Share Options. Incentive Share Options may be granted to Employees of the Company, a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. Incentive Share Options may not be granted to Employees of a Related Entity or to Independent Directors or Consultants. The terms of any Incentive Share Options granted pursuant to the Plan, in addition to the requirements of Section 5.1, must comply with the following additional provisions of this Section 5.2:

 

(a) Expiration of Option. An Incentive Share Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after the first to occur of the following events:

 

(i) Ten years from the date it is granted, unless an earlier time is set in the Award Agreement;

 

(ii) Three months after the Participant’s termination of employment as an Employee (save in the case of termination on account of Disability or death); and

 

(iii) One year after the date of the Participant’s termination of employment or service on account of Disability or death. Upon the Participant’s Disability or death, any Incentive Share Options exercisable at the Participant’s Disability or death may be exercised by the Participant’s legal representative or representatives, by the person or persons entitled to do so pursuant to the Participant’s last will and testament, or, if the Participant fails to make testamentary disposition of such Incentive Share Option or dies intestate, by the person or persons entitled to receive the Incentive Share Option pursuant to the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

(b) Individual Dollar Limitation. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of all Shares with respect to which Incentive Share Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year may not exceed U.S.$100,000 or such other limitation as imposed by Section 422(d) of the Code, or any successor provision. To the extent that Incentive Share Options are first exercisable by a Participant in excess of such limitation, the excess shall be considered Non-Qualified Share Options.

 

(c) Ten Percent Owners. An Incentive Share Option shall be granted to any individual who, at the date of grant, owns Shares possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company only if such Option is granted at a price that is not less than 110% of Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is exercisable for no more than five years from the date of grant.

 

(d) Transfer Restriction. The Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Share Option within (i) two years from the date of grant of such Incentive Share Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant.

 

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(e) Expiration of Incentive Share Options. No Award of an Incentive Share Option may be made pursuant to this Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.

 

(f) Right to Exercise. During a Participant’s lifetime, an Incentive Share Option may be exercised only by the Participant.

 

ARTICLE 6

 

RESTRICTED SHARES AND RESTRICTED SHARE UNITS

 

6.1 Grant of Restricted Shares. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Shares and/or Restricted Share Units to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee. All Awards of Restricted Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

 

6.2 Issuance and Restrictions. Restricted Shares shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Shares or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Share). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.

 

6.3 Forfeiture/Repurchase. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Shares that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited or repurchased in accordance with the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Committee may (a) provide in any Restricted Share Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture and repurchase conditions relating to Restricted Shares will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture and repurchase conditions relating to Restricted Shares.

 

6.4 Certificates for Restricted Shares. Restricted Shares granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Shares are registered in the name of the Participant, certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.

 

6.5 Restricted Share Units. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Share Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Share Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee. On the maturity date, the Company shall, subject to Sections 7.4 and 7.5, transfer to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Share Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited.

 

ARTICLE 7

 

PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

 

7.1 Award Agreement. Awards under the Plan shall be evidenced by Award Agreements that set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each Award which may include the term of an Award, the provisions applicable in the event the Participant’s employment or service terminates, and the Company’s authority to unilaterally or bilaterally amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind an Award.

 

7.2 Limits on Transfer. No right or interest of a Participant in any Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or a Subsidiary, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or a Subsidiary. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, no Award shall be assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. The Committee by express provision in the Award or an amendment thereto may permit an Award (other than an Incentive Share Option) to be transferred to, exercised by and paid to certain persons or entities related to the Participant, including but not limited to members of the Participant’s family, charitable institutions, or trusts or other entities whose beneficiaries or beneficial owners are members of the Participant’s family and/or charitable institutions, or to such other persons or entities as may be expressly approved by the Committee, pursuant to such conditions and procedures as the Committee may establish. Any permitted transfer shall be subject to the condition that the Committee receive evidence satisfactory to it that the transfer is being made for estate and/or tax planning purposes (or to a “blind trust” in connection with the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company or a Subsidiary to assume a position with a governmental, charitable, educational or similar non-profit institution) and on a basis consistent with the Company’s lawful issue of securities.

 

7.3 Beneficiaries. Notwithstanding Section 7.2, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If the Participant is married and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participant’s spouse. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.

 

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7.4 Share Certificates. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Board has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance and delivery of such certificates is in compliance with all Applicable Laws, regulations of governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any exchange on which the Shares are listed or traded. All Share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan are subject to any stop- transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with all Applicable Laws, and the rules of any national securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any Share certificate to reference restrictions applicable to the Share. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Board may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. The Committee shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee.

 

7.5 Paperless Administration. Subject to Applicable Laws, the Committee may make Awards, provide applicable disclosure and procedures for exercise of Awards by an internet website or interactive voice response system for the paperless administration of Awards.

 

7.6 Foreign Currency. A Participant may be required to provide evidence that any currency used to pay the exercise price of any Award were acquired and taken out of the jurisdiction in which the Participant resides in accordance with Applicable Laws, including foreign exchange control laws and regulations. In the event the exercise price for an Award is paid in Chinese Renminbi or other foreign currency, as permitted by the Committee, the amount payable will be determined by conversion from U.S. dollars at the official rate promulgated by the People’s Bank of China for Chinese Renminbi, or for jurisdictions other than the People’s Republic of China, the exchange rate as selected by the Committee on the date of exercise.

 

ARTICLE 8

 

CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE

 

8.1 Adjustments. In the event of any distribution, share split, combination or exchange of Shares, amalgamation, arrangement or consolidation, reorganization of the Company, including the Company becoming a subsidiary in a transaction not involving a Corporate Transaction, spin-off, recapitalization or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to its shareholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of a Share, the Committee shall make such proportionate and equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (a) the aggregate number and type of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 and substitutions of shares in a parent or surviving company); (b) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (c) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan. The form and manner of any such adjustments shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

8.2 Acceleration upon a Change of Control. Except as may otherwise be provided in any Award Agreement or any other written agreement entered into by and between the Company and a Participant, if a Change of Control occurs and a Participant’s Awards are not converted, assumed, or replaced by a successor, such Awards shall become fully exercisable and all forfeiture restrictions on such Awards shall lapse. Upon, or in anticipation of, a Change of Control, the Committee may in its sole discretion provide for (i) any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future and shall give each Participant the right to exercise such Awards during a period of time as the Committee shall determine, (ii) either the purchase of any Award for an amount of cash equal to the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of such date the Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’ s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment), (iii) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion or the assumption of or substitution of such Award by the successor or surviving corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of Shares and prices, or (iv) provide for payment of Awards in cash based on the value of Shares on the date of the Change of Control plus reasonable interest on the Award through the date such Award would otherwise be vested or have been paid in accordance with its original terms, if necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

 

8.3 Outstanding Awards – Corporate Transactions. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, each Award will terminate upon the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, unless the Award is assumed by the successor entity or Parent thereof in connection with the Corporate Transaction. Except as provided otherwise in an individual Award Agreement, in the event of a Corporate Transaction and:

 

(a) the Award either is (x) assumed by the successor entity or Parent thereof or replaced with a comparable Award (as determined by the Committee) with respect to shares of the capital stock (or equivalent) of the successor entity or Parent thereof or (y) replaced with a cash incentive program of the successor entity which preserves the compensation element of such Award existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction and provides for subsequent payout in accordance with the same vesting schedule applicable to such Award, then such Award (if assumed), the replacement Award (if replaced), or the cash incentive program automatically shall become fully vested, exercisable and payable and be released from any restrictions on transfer (other than transfer restrictions applicable to Options) and repurchase or forfeiture rights, immediately upon termination of the Participant’s employment or service with all Service Recipient within twelve (12) months of the Corporate Transaction without cause; and

 

(b) For each Award that is neither assumed nor replaced, such portion of the Award shall automatically become fully vested and exercisable and be released from any repurchase or forfeiture rights (other than repurchase rights exercisable at Fair Market Value) for all of the Shares at the time represented by such portion of the Award, immediately prior to the specified effective date of such Corporate Transaction, provided that the Participant remains an Employee, Consultant or Director on the effective date of the Corporate Transaction.

 

8.4 Outstanding Awards – Other Changes. In the event of any other change in the capitalization of the Company or corporate change other than those specifically referred to in this Article 8, the Committee may, in its absolute discretion, make such adjustments in the number and class of shares subject to Awards outstanding on the date on which such change occurs and in the per share grant or exercise price of each Award as the Committee may consider appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights.

 

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8.5 No Other Rights. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Committee under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of shares of any class, or securities convertible into shares of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares subject to an Award or the grant or exercise price of any Award.

 

ARTICLE 9

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

9.1 Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board; provided, however that the Compensation Committee may delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board the authority to grant or amend Awards to Participants other than Independent Directors and executive officers of the Company. The Committee shall consist of at least two individuals, each of whom qualifies as a Non-Employee Director. Reference to the Committee shall refer to the Board if the Compensation Committee has not been established or ceases to exist and the Board does not appoint a successor Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the full Board, acting by majority of its members in office shall conduct the general administration of the Plan if required by Applicable Law, and with respect to Awards granted to Independent Directors and for purposes of such Awards the term “Committee” as used in the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board.

 

9.2 Action by the Committee. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Committee. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

 

9.3 Authority of Committee. Subject to any specific designation in the Plan, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:

 

(a) Designate Participants to receive Awards;

 

(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;

 

(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

 

(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, any provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines;

 

(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and pursuant to 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 canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

 

(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;

 

(g) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

 

(h) Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

(i) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan or any Award Agreement;

 

(j) Reduce the exercise price per Share subject to an Option; and

 

(k) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.

 

9.4 Decisions Binding. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.

 

ARTICLE 10

 

EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE

 

10.1 Effective Date. The Plan, as amended and restated, is effective on December 21, 2020, the date of shareholders’ approval at the annual general meeting of the Company (the “Effective Date”).

 

10.2 Expiration Date. The Plan, as amended and restated, will expire on, and no Award may be granted pursuant to the Plan after, the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. Any Awards that are outstanding on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 11

 

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION

 

11.1 Amendment, Modification, and Termination. With the approval of the Board, at any time and from time to time, the Committee may terminate, amend or modify the Plan; provided, however, that (a) to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws, or stock exchange rules, the Company shall obtain shareholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required, and (b) shareholder approval is required for any amendment to the Plan that (i) increases the number of Shares available under the Plan (other than any adjustment as provided by Article 8), (ii) permits the Committee to grant Options with an exercise price that is below Fair Market Value on the date of grant, (iii) permits the Committee to extend the expiration date of the Plan, (iv) permits the Committee to extend the exercise period for an Option beyond ten years from the date of grant, or (v) results in a material increase in benefits or a change in eligibility requirements.

 

11.2 Awards Previously Granted. Except with respect to amendments made pursuant to Section 11.1, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted pursuant to the Plan without the prior written consent of the Participant.

 

ARTICLE 12

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

12.1 No Rights to Awards. No Participant, employee, or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants, employees, and other persons uniformly.

 

12.2 No Shareholders Rights. No Award gives the Participant any of the rights of a Shareholder of the Company unless and until Shares are in fact issued to such person in connection with such Award.

 

12.3 Taxes. No Shares shall be delivered under the Plan to any Participant until such Participant has made arrangements acceptable to the Committee for the satisfaction of any income and employment tax withholding obligations under Applicable Laws. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy all applicable taxes (including the Participant’s payroll tax obligations) required or permitted by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of this Plan. The Committee may in its discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Participant to elect to have the Company withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the return of Shares) having a Fair Market Value equal to the sums required to be withheld. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of Shares which may be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of any Award (or which may be repurchased from the Participant of such Award after such Shares were acquired by the Participant from the Company) in order to satisfy the Participant’s federal, state, local and foreign income and payroll tax liabilities with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of the Award shall, unless specifically approved by the Committee, be limited to the number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income.

 

12.4 No Right to Employment or Services. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Service Recipient to terminate any Participant’s employment or services at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of any Service Recipient.

 

12.5 Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

12.6 Indemnification. To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

12.7 Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits pursuant to any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

12.8 Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

12.9 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.

 

12.10 Fractional Shares. No fractional Share shall be issued and the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down as appropriate.

 

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12.11 Government and Other Regulations. The obligation of the Company to make payment of awards in Shares or otherwise shall be subject to all Applicable Laws and to such approvals by government agencies as may be required. The Company shall be under no obligation to register any of the Shares paid pursuant to the Plan under the Securities Act or any other similar law in any applicable jurisdiction. If the Shares paid pursuant to the Plan may in certain circumstances be exempt from registration pursuant to the Securities Act or other Applicable Laws, the Company may restrict the transfer of such Shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.

 

12.12 Governing Law. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

 

12.13 Section 409A. To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award granted under the Plan is or may become subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and the Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the U.S. Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretative guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulation or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Committee determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related U.S. Department of Treasury guidance (including such U.S. Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Committee determines is necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and /or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related U.S. Department of Treasury guidance.

 

12.14 Appendices. The Committee may approve such supplements, amendments or appendices to the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for purposes of compliance with applicable laws or otherwise and such supplements, amendments or appendices shall be considered a part of the Plan; provided, however, that no such supplements shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 3.1 of the Plan.

 

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Exhibit 23.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We have issued our report dated April 28, 2021 with respect to the consolidated financial statements of ReneSola Ltd. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) included in the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020. We consent to the incorporation by reference of the aforementioned report in this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Grant Thornton

Shanghai, the People’s Republic of China

October 19, 2021