MP Materials Corp. / DE false 0001801368 0001801368 2020-11-17 2020-11-17 0001801368 dei:FormerAddressMember 2020-11-17 2020-11-17 0001801368 us-gaap:CommonClassAMember 2020-11-17 2020-11-17 0001801368 us-gaap:WarrantMember 2020-11-17 2020-11-17

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 17, 2020

 

 

MP MATERIALS CORP.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-39277   84-4465489

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

6720 Via Austi Parkway, Suite 450

Las Vegas, Nevada

89119
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)    

(702) 844-6111

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Fortress Value Acquisition Corp.

1345 Avenue of the Americas

46th Floor

New York, New York 10105

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Class A common stock,
par value of $0.0001 per share
  MP   New York Stock Exchange
Warrants to purchase MPMC Class A Common Stock   MPWS   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


INTRODUCTORY NOTE

On November 17, 2020, MP Materials Corp., formerly known as Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. (the “Company” or “MPMC” or, prior to the consummation of the Business Combination (as defined below), “FVAC”), consummated the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 15, 2020, as amended on August 26, 2020, the “Merger Agreement,” by and among FVAC, FVAC Merger Corp. I, a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of FVAC (“MPMO Merger Corp.”), FVAC Merger LLC II, a Delaware limited liability company that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of FVAC (“SNR Merger Company”), FVAC Merger LLC III, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of FVAC (“MPMO Merger LLC”), FVAC Merger LLC IV, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of FVAC (“SNR Merger LLC” and, together with MPMO Merger Corp., SNR Merger Company and MPMO Merger LLC, the “Merger Subs”), MP Mine Operations LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“MPMO”) and Secure Natural Resources LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SNR” and, together with MPMO, each a “Selling Company” and collectively, the “Selling Companies”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, among other things, the Selling Companies became indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of FVAC. In connection with the completion of the Business Combination, the Company changed its name from Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. to MP Materials Corp. The above description of the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Merger Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Current Report on Form 8-K have the same meaning as set forth in the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on October 27, 2020 (the “Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus”).

 

Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

To the extent required by Item 1.01 of Form 8-K, the disclosures contained in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.01.

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

As indicated in the Introductory Note above, the Company completed the Business Combination with the Selling Companies on November 17, 2020, in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.

In accordance with the Merger Agreement, among other things, (a) the Selling Companies, prior to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, completed a reorganization (the “Pre-Closing Reorganization”), pursuant to which, among other things, (i) an affiliate of an MPMO equityholder formed a new Delaware corporation (“MPMO HoldCo”), and SNR formed a new Delaware limited liability company that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes (“SNR HoldCo”), (ii) each of MPMO HoldCo and SNR HoldCo formed wholly-owned subsidiaries, MPMO Transition Sub, LLC and SNR Transition Sub, LLC, respectively, and (iii) each of MPMO and SNR merged with MPMO Transition Sub, LLC and SNR Transition Sub, LLC, respectively, with MPMO and SNR as the surviving company of each merger and becoming wholly-owned subsidiaries of MPMO HoldCo and SNR HoldCo, respectively, (b) through two consecutive mergers constituting part of the same overall transaction, MPMO Merger Corp. , merged with and into MPMO HoldCo, with MPMO HoldCo being the surviving corporation, and immediately thereafter MPMO HoldCo merged with and into MPMO Merger LLC, with MPMO Merger LLC being the surviving company (such mergers, the “MPMO Mergers”) and (c) through two consecutive mergers constituting part of the same overall transaction, SNR Merger Company merged with and into SNR HoldCo, with SNR HoldCo being the surviving company, and immediately thereafter SNR HoldCo merged with and into SNR Merger LLC, with SNR Merger LLC being the surviving company (such mergers, the “SNR Mergers”, and together with the MPMO Mergers and the other transactions and ancillary agreements contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Business Combination”).

 

2


On November 17, 2020, immediately prior to the consummation of the Business Combination and pursuant to the Parent Sponsor Warrant Exchange Agreement, entered into by the Company and the Sponsor on July 15, 2020, the Sponsor exchanged all 5,933,333 of its Private Placement Warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) for an aggregate of 890,000 shares of FVAC Class F common stock that, upon the consummation of the Business Combination, were converted into FVAC Class A common stock (which is not subject to vesting or forfeiture restrictions under the Parent Sponsor Letter Agreement) (which, after the consummation of the Business Combination is referred to as “MPMC Class A Common Stock”). For a more detailed discussion, see the section entitled “Related Agreements - Parent Sponsor Warrant Exchange Agreement” beginning on page 143 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

On November 17, 2020, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company issued, in a private placement transaction (the “PIPE Financing”), an aggregate of 20,000,000 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $200,000,000, to the PIPE Investors pursuant to the terms of respective Subscription Agreements entered into separately between the Company and each PIPE Investor, each dated July 15, 2020 (collectively, the “Subscription Agreements”). For a more detailed discussion, see the section entitled “Related Agreements - Subscription Agreements” beginning on page 143 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

At the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company and the A&R RRA Parties entered into the Second Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the A&R RRA Parties and their permitted transferees are entitled to, among other things, customary registration rights, including demand, piggy-back and shelf registration rights, subject to cut-back provisions. The A&R RRA Parties have agreed in the Registration Rights Agreements not to sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of shares of MPMC Class A common stock they hold or receive for certain time periods, subject to certain exceptions specified therein. Pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is obligated to file a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, or Form S-1 if unavailable, and may be required to register up to approximately 98,558,548 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock (excluding Vesting Shares and Earnout Shares). For a more detailed discussion, see the section entitled “Related Agreements - Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement” beginning on page 144 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Certain affiliates, officers and directors of the Company had material relationships with FVAC and the Selling Companies prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, as described in the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus in the sections entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions - FVAC” beginning on page 288, “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions - Companies” beginning on page 289,and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions - MPMC” beginning on page 295, each of which sections is incorporated herein by reference.

On November 17, 2020, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company amended and restated the FVAC amended and restated certificate of incorporation (such FVAC amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the “FVAC Charter” and, such second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the “Second Amended and Restated Charter”) to:

 

  a)

change the name of the Company from “Fortress Value Acquisition Corp.” to “MP Materials Corp.”

 

  b)

increase the total number of authorized shares of all classes of capital stock from 221,000,000 shares to 500,000,000, consisting of (i) 450,000,000 shares of the MPMC Class A Common Stock and (ii) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock;

 

  c)

provide for the board of directors of MPMC to be divided into three classes, with only one class of directors being elected each year and members of each class (except for those directors appointed to Class I and Class II in connection with the Business Combination) serving a three-year term;

 

  d)

remove or amend those provisions of the FVAC Charter which terminated or otherwise ceased to be applicable following the completion of the Business Combination, including removal of certain provisions relating to the Company’s prior status as a blank check company and the Company’s Class F Common Stock that no longer apply;

 

3


  e)

provide that the Company will not be governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) and included a provision that is substantially similar to Section 203 of the DGCL, but excludes the Sponsor, JHL Capital Group and any Exempt Transferee (as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Charter) and their respective affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, to which such persons are a party from the definition of “interested stockholder,” and to make certain related changes;

 

  f)

to provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain stockholder litigation other than with respect to any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the United States federal securities laws for which the federal courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive jurisdiction to the fullest extent permitted by law; and

 

  g)

require that any amendments relating to Article V (Board of Directors) of the Second Amended and Restated Charter may only be amended, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66.7% of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of MPMC entitled to vote in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Following the completion of the PIPE Financing and the Business Combination, there were 155,920,632 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock outstanding. Immediately following the completion of such transactions, the Company’s share capital consisted of: (A) 91,941,481 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued to the unitholders of the Selling Companies’ in the Business Combination, (B) 9,515,000 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued to the Sponsor and Insiders following the automatic conversion of an equivalent number of shares of FVAC Class F common stock pursuant to the terms of the FVAC Charter, (C) 20,000,000 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued pursuant to the Subscription Agreements and, (D) 34,464,151 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock, representing outstanding shares held by the Company’s public stockholders and not redeemed in connection with the Business Combination and (E) 11,499,971 outstanding warrants to purchase one share of MPMC Class A Common Stock for $11.50 per share.

The issuance of the shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock to the unitholders of the Selling Companies was registered with the SEC on the registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC (File No. 333-248433) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) and effective on October 27, 2020. The issuance of the shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock to holders of equity awards issued under the MP Materials Corp. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) will be registered with the SEC on a registration statement on Form S-8. The Company has agreed in the Registration Rights Agreement to file a registration statement in respect of shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock held by the parties to the Registration Rights Agreement with the SEC on a registration statement on Form S-3, or Form S-1 if Form S-3 is not available, as soon as practicable but in no event later than fifteen business days following the completion of the Business Combination.

The foregoing descriptions of the Subscription Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Second Amended and Restated Charter do not purport to be complete and are subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to the Subscription Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Second Amended and Restated Charter, copies of which are included as Exhibits 10.1, 10.6 and 3.1, respectively, of this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

4


Item 3.02.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The disclosure concerning the shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued upon the automatic conversion of FVAC Class F common stock, the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued pursuant to the Subscription Agreements in connection with the PIPE Financing contained in the section of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus entitled, respectively, “Description of Securities - Authorized and Outstanding Stock- Common Stock”, “- Warrants” beginning on page 251 and page 255, respectively, are incorporated herein by reference. The shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued upon the automatic conversion of FVAC Class F common stock, the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock issued pursuant to the Subscription Agreements in connection with the PIPE Financing, have not been registered under the Securities Act, and were issued in reliance on the exemption from registration requirements thereof provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering without any form of general solicitation or general advertising.

 

Item 3.03.

Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The disclosures concerning material modifications to the Company’s organizational documents contained in the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus in the sections entitled “Proposals No. 2 Through 7 - The Charter Proposals” and “Proposal No. 9 - The Director Election Proposal” beginning on page 302 are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.01.

Changes in Control of Registrant.

The disclosures in Item 2.01 and Item 5.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated herein by reference. As a result of the completion of the Business Combination pursuant to the Merger Agreement, a change of control of the Company has occurred.

 

Item 5.02.

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangement of Certain Officers.

Effective as of the consummation of the Business Combination on November 17, 2020, each executive officer of FVAC resigned from such position and James H. Litinsky became the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Rosenthal became the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, Ryan Corbett became the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Sheila Bangalore became the Company’s Chief Strategy Officer, General Counsel and Secretary. Biographical information for the newly appointed officers is included in the section entitled “Management of the Companies” beginning on page 213 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which information is incorporated herein by reference. There are no family relationships among the executive officers or directors of the Company and none of the executive officers has a direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Effective as of the consummation of the Business Combination, 9,653,671 shares of MPMC Class A Common Stock, which represents 6.0% of the issued and outstanding shares of MPMC Class A common stock, on a fully diluted basis, immediately following consummation of the Business Combination have been reserved for issuance under the Incentive Plan, which Incentive Plan was approved by the FVAC board of directors and the Company’s stockholders in connection with the Business Combination. The following paragraphs provide a summary of certain terms of the Incentive Plan. The Incentive Plan is set forth in its entirety as Exhibit 10.7 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The purposes of the Incentive Plan are: (a) to align the interests of the Company’s shareholders and recipients of awards under the Incentive Plan by increasing the proprietary interest of such recipients in the Company’s growth and success; (b) to advance the interests of the Company by attracting and retaining officers, other employees, non-employee directors, consultants, independent contractors and agents; and (c) to motivate such persons to act in the long-term best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Under the Incentive Plan, the Company may grant: (i) non-qualified stock options; (ii) “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code); (iii) stock appreciation rights; (iv) restricted stock, restricted stock units and other stock awards; and (v) performance awards.

 

5


Mr. Litinsky, Mr. Rosenthal, Mr. Corbett, and Ms. Bangalore will be entitled to participate in the Incentive Plan, as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Under the terms of employment agreements entered into by MPMO with Mr. Rosenthal, Mr. Corbett, and Ms. Bangalore, they were each entitled to an equity incentive award upon the consummation of the Business Combination, as described in the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus in Proposal No. 10: The Incentive Plan Proposal. The employment agreements with Mr. Rosenthal, Mr. Corbett, and Ms. Bangalore are set forth in their entirety as Exhibits 10.10, 10.11 and 10.12 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference. For a more detailed discussion, see the section entitled “Executive Compensation - Companies - 2020 Executive Compensation - Employment Agreements and Other Arrangements with Executive Officers” beginning on page 242 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Effective as of the consummation of the Business Combination, Joshua A. Pack, R. Edward Albert III, Daniel N. Bass, Micah B. Kaplan, Aaron F. Hood and Carmen A. Policy resigned from the FVAC board of directors and the size of the Company’s board of directors was increased from five to seven. In connection with the Business Combination, the FVAC Charter was amended and restated to provide for a classified board of directors, with two directors in Class I, three directors in Class II and two directors in Class III, with only one class of directors being elected in each year. On November 17, 2020, the Company’s stockholders elected James H. Litinsky and Andrew A. McKnight to serve as Class I Directors, Maryanne R. Lavan, General (Retired) Richard B. Myers, and Connie K. Duckworth to serve as Class II Directors and Randall Weisenburger and Daniel Gold to serve as Class III directors.

Randall Weisenburger, Connie K. Duckworth, and Maryanne R. Lavan were appointed as members of the Audit Committee after the Business Combination. Randall Weisenburger was appointed as chair of the Audit Committee.

Andrew A. McKnight, Randall Weisenburger, and Daniel Gold were appointed as members of the Compensation Committee after the Business Combination and Andrew A. McKnight was appointed as chairman of the Compensation Committee.

Connie K. Duckworth, General (Retired) Richard B. Myers, and Maryanne R. Lavan were appointed as members of the Nominating and Governance Committee after the Business Combination and Connie K. Duckworth was appointed as chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee.

Biographical information for the newly appointed directors is included in the section entitled “Management After the Business Combination” beginning on page 246 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which information is incorporated herein by reference. The Company expects to provide compensation to its non-employee directors for their services. This compensation will be reported in the Company’s reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as required by the Exchange Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. In connection with the Business Combination, the Company executed indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. The form of these indemnification agreements is attached as Exhibit 10.8 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

To the extent required by Item 5.02(e) of Form 8-K, the disclosures in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated herein by reference. For a discussion of the Incentive Plan adopted by the Company in connection with the Business Combination, please refer to the section entitled “Proposal No. 10 - The Incentive Plan Proposal” commencing on page 313 of the Proxy Statement/Consent Solicitation/Prospectus, which information is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.06.

Change in Shell Company Status.

As a result of the Business Combination, the Company ceased being a shell company. The disclosure contained in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

6


Item 7.01

Regulation FD Disclosure.

On November 17, 2020, FVAC and the Selling Companies issued a joint press release announcing the Closing of the Business Combination. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits

The list of exhibits is set forth on the Exhibit Index of this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

7


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 15, 2020, by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp., FVAC Merger Corp. I, FVAC Merger LLC II, FVAC Merger LLC III, FVAC Merger LLC IV, MP Mine Operations LLC and Secure Natural Resources LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 15, 2020).
  2.2    Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 26, 2020, by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp., FVAC Merger Corp. I, FVAC Merger LLC II, FVAC Merger LLC III, FVAC Merger LLC IV, MP Mine Operations LLC and Secure Natural Resources LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 27, 2020).
  3.1    Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Fortress Value Acquisition Corp.*
  3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of MP Materials Corp.*
10.1    Form of Subscription Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on August 27, 2020).
10.2    MPMO Support Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2020, by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. and MP Mine Operations LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on August 27, 2020).
10.3    SNR Support Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2020, by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. and MP Mine Operations LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on August 27, 2020).
10.4    Parent Sponsor Warrant Exchange Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2020, by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp., Fortress Acquisition Sponsor LLC and the other parties thereto (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on August 27, 2020).
10.5    Parent Sponsor Letter Agreement, dated as of July 15, 2020, by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp., Fortress Acquisition Sponsor LLC and the other parties thereto (originally entered into on July 15, 2020 and amended and restated on August 26, 2020, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on August 27, 2020).
10.6    Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 17, 2020, by and between Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. and the restricted stockholders.*
10.7    MP Materials Corp. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan.*#
10.8    Form of Indemnification Agreement.*#
10.9    Employment Agreement, dated August 7, 2020, by and between MP Materials Corp. and James H. Litinsky.*#
10.10    Employment Agreement, dated July 1, 2020, by and between MP Materials Corp. and Michael Rosenthal.*#
10.11    Employment Agreement, dated July 13, 2020, by and between MP Materials Corp. and Ryan Corbett.*#
10.12    Employment Agreement, dated July 13, 2020, by and between MP Materials Corp. and Sheila Bangalore.*#
10.13    Amended and Restated Offtake Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2020, between MPMO and Shenghe Resources (Singapore) (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4/A filed with the SEC on August 27, 2020).+
99.1    Press Release dated November 17, 2020.*
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

*

Filed herewith

+

Certain portions of this exhibit (indicated by “[***]”) have been omitted pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item (601)(b)(10).

#

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

 

8


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Dated: November 17, 2020     MP Materials Corp.
    By:  

/s/ Ryan Corbett

     

Ryan Corbett

Chief Financial Officer

 

9

Exhibit 3.1

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

FORTRESS VALUE ACQUISITION CORP.

November 17, 2020

Fortress Value Acquisition Corp., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY AS FOLLOWS:

1.    The name of the Corporation is “Fortress Value Acquisition Corp.”. The original certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 24, 2020 (the “Original Certificate”). The Corporation filed an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 29, 2020 (the “First Amended and Restated Certificate”).

2.    This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second Amended and Restated Certificate”), which both restates and amends the provisions of the Original Certificate, was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”).

3.     This Second Amended and Restated Certificate restates, integrates, and amends the provisions of the First Amended and Restated Certificate. Certain capitalized terms used in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate are defined where appropriate herein.

4.     This Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

5.    The text of the First Amended and Restated Certificate is hereby restated and amended in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is MP Materials Corp. (the “Corporation”).

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL. In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation.


ARTICLE III

REGISTERED AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801, and the name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE IV

CAPITALIZATION

Section 4.1.    Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock, each with a par value of $0.0001 per share, which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 500,000,000 shares, consisting of (a) 450,000,000 shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”) and (b) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”).

Section 4.2.    Preferred Stock. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide out of the unissued shares of the Preferred Stock for one or more series of Preferred Stock and to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional, special and other rights, if any, of each such series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board providing for the issuance of such series and included in a certificate of designation (a “Preferred Stock Designation”) filed pursuant to the DGCL, and the Board is hereby expressly vested with the authority to the full extent provided by law, now or hereafter, to adopt any such resolution or resolutions.

Section 4.3.    Common Stock.

(a)    Voting.

(i)    Except as otherwise required by law or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of the Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.

(ii)    Except as otherwise required by law or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to vote.

(iii)    Except as otherwise required by law or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Common Stock, shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series of Preferred Stock, are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL.

 

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(b)    Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

(c)    Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up of the Corporation. Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them.

Section 4.4.    Rights and Options. The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board. The Board is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.

Section 4.5.    No Class Vote on Changes in Authorized Number of Shares of Stock. Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of any class or classes of stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the voting power of the stock entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 5.1.    Board Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon the Board by statute, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, as it may be further amended from time to time, or the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation, as they may be further amended from time to time (“Bylaws”), the Board is hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL and, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate.

Section 5.2.    Number, Election and Term.

(a)    The number of directors of the Corporation, shall be fixed from time to time in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

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(b)    Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, the Board shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible and designated Class I, Class II and Class III. The term of the initial Class I Directors shall expire at the first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; the term of the initial Class II Directors shall expire at the second annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; and the term of the initial Class III Directors shall expire at the third annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate. At each succeeding annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, beginning with the first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation following the effectiveness of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term or until the election and qualification of their respective successors in office, subject to their earlier death, resignation or removal. Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, if the number of directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned by the Board among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors shorten the term of any incumbent director. Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, the election of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon. The Board is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions thereof, to assign members of the Board already in office to the aforesaid classes at the time this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (and therefore such classification) becomes effective in accordance with the DGCL.

(c)    Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, a director shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year in which his or her term expires and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. There shall be no limit on the number of terms a director may serve on the Board.

(d)    Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws shall so require, the election of directors need not be by written ballot.

Section 5.3.    Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Subject to Section 5.5 hereof, newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the Board resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause may be filled solely and exclusively by a majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by stockholders), and any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director to which the new directorship was added or in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

Section 5.4.    Removal. Subject to Section 5.5 hereof and except as otherwise required by law, any or all of the directors may be removed from office at any time, but only for “cause” and only by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power of all then

 

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outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. For purposes of this Section 5.4, “cause” shall mean (i) conduct by a director constituting an act of willful misconduct or gross negligence in connection with the performance of his/her duties as a director of the Corporation; (ii) the commission or any conviction by a director of any felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, deceit, dishonesty, harassment or fraud, or any conduct by the director that would reasonably be expected to result in material injury to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates if he/she were retained in his/her position; (iii) continued non-performance by a director of his/her duties to the Corporation (other than by reason of the director’s physical or mental illness, incapacity, or disability) which has continued for more than thirty (30) days following written notice of such non-performance from the Board; or (iv) willful failure to cooperate with an investigation by regulatory or law enforcement authorities.

Section 5.5.    Preferred Stock - Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of the Preferred Stock as set forth in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) and such directors shall not be included in any of the classes created pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms.

ARTICLE VI

BYLAWS

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board shall have the power and is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws. The affirmative vote of a majority of the Board shall be required to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws. The Bylaws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders; provided, however, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws; and provided further, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

ARTICLE VII

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS; ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT

Section 7.1.    Meetings. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, or the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board, and the ability of the stockholders to call a special meeting is hereby specifically denied. Except as provided in the foregoing sentence, special meetings of stockholders may not be called by another person or persons.

 

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Section 7.2.    Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

Section 7.3.    Action by Written Consent. Except as may be otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such stockholders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders.

ARTICLE VIII

LIMITED LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION

Section 8.1.    Limitation of Director Liability. A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended unless they violated their duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized unlawful payments of dividends, unlawful stock purchases or unlawful redemptions, or derived improper personal benefit from their actions as directors. Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.

Section 8.2.    Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses.

(a)    To the fullest extent permitted by the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including an action by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes, damages, claims and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or

 

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otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 8.2 or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Section 8.2 shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.2(a), except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

(b)    The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Section 8.2 shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate as it may be further amended from time to time, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

(c)    Any repeal or amendment of this Section 8.2 by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Section 8.2, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

(d)    This Section 8.2 shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.

ARTICLE IX

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

(a)    The doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, in circumstances where the application of any such doctrine would conflict with any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations they may have as of the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or in the future. In addition to the foregoing, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall not apply to any other corporate opportunity with respect to any of the directors or officers of the Corporation unless such corporate opportunity is offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue.

 

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(b)    Neither the alteration, amendment, addition to or repeal of this Article IX, nor the adoption of any provision of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) inconsistent with this Article IX, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article IX in respect of any business opportunity first identified or any other matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article IX, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, addition, repeal or adoption. This Article IX shall not limit any protections or defenses available to, or indemnification or advancement rights of, any director or officer of the Corporation under this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, the Bylaws or applicable law.

ARTICLE X

BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

Section 10.1.    Opt Out of DGCL 203.    The Corporation shall not be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

Section 10.2.    Limitations on Business Combinations.    Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not engage in any business combination, at any point in time at which the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with any interested stockholder for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

(a)    prior to such time, the Board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; or

(b)    upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned by: (i) persons who are directors and also officers; or (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

(c)    at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the Board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Section 10.3.    Definitions.    For purposes of this Article X, the term:

(a)    “Affiliate” means, with respect to any person, any other person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such person.

(b)    “associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class

 

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of voting stock; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.

(c)    “business combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any interested stockholder of the Corporation, means:

(i)    any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation: (A) with the interested stockholder; or (B) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Section 10.2 is not applicable to the surviving entity;

(ii)    any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the interested stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation;

(iii)    any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder, except: (A) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the interested stockholder became such; (B) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (C) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the interested stockholder became such; (D) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all holders of said stock; or (E) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; providedhowever, that in no case under items (C) – (E) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the interested stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments);

(iv)    any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the interested stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder; or

 

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(v)    any receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in subsections (i)-(iv) above) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary.

(d)    “control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract, or otherwise. A person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article X, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

(e)    “Exempt Transferee” means (A) any person that acquires (other than in an Excluded Transfer) directly from Fortress Acquisition Sponsor LLC or any of its affiliates or successors or JHL Capital Group LLC or any of its affiliates or successors, ownership of voting stock of the Corporation, and is designated in writing by the transferor as an “Exempt Transferee” for the purpose of this Article X; and (B) any person that acquires (other than in an Excluded Transfer) directly from a person described in clause (A) of this definition or from any other Exempt Transferee ownership of voting stock of the Corporation, and is designated in writing by the transferor as an “Exempt Transferee” for the purpose of this Article X.

(f)    “Excluded Transfer” means (A) a transfer to a person that is not an affiliate of the transferor, which transfer is by gift or otherwise not for value, including a transfer by dividend or distribution by the transferor, (B) a transfer in a public offering that is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (C) a transfer to one or more broker-dealers or their affiliates pursuant to a firm commitment purchase agreement for an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act, (D) a transfer made through the facilities of a registered securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system and (E) a transfer made in compliance with the manner of sale limitations of Rule 144(f) under the Securities Act or any successor rule or provision.

(g)    “interested stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that: (i) is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation; or (ii) is an Affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation at any time within the three (3) year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder; or (iii) an Affiliate or associate of any such person described in clauses (i) and (ii); providedhowever, that the term “interested stockholder” shall not include: (A) Fortress Acquisition Sponsor LLC, JHL Capital Group LLC, any Exempt Transferee or any of their respective affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, to which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act; or (B) any person whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15%

 

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limitation set forth herein is the result of (x) any action taken solely by the Corporation, or (y) share redemptions by existing stockholders; provided, that such person specified in this clause (B) shall be an interested stockholder if thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of (x) further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person, or (y) share redemptions by existing stockholders. For the purpose of determining whether a person is an interested stockholder, the voting stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include stock deemed to be owned by the person through application of the definition of “owner” below but shall not include any other unissued stock of the Corporation which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.

(h)    “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a person that individually or with or through any of its Affiliates or associates:

(i)    beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

(ii)    has: (A) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; providedhowever, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such person’s Affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; providedhowever, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more persons; or

(iii)    has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (B) of subsection (ii) above), or disposing of such stock with any other person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.

(i)    “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

(j)    “stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

(k)    “Sponsor Holders” means: (i) the investment funds affiliated with Fortress Acquisition Sponsor LLC and their respective successors and Affiliates; and (ii) the investment funds affiliated with or managed by JHL Capital Group LLC and their respective successors and Affiliates.

(l)    “voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

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ARTICLE XI

AMENDMENT OF SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force that may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate and the DGCL; and, except as set forth in Article VIII, all rights, preferences and privileges of whatever nature herein conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article XI. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation or any certificate of designation filed with respect to a series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the stockholders holding at least 66.7% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal Article V.

ARTICLE XII

EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LAWSUITS

Section 12.1.    Forum.    Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or the Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, as to each of (i) through (iv) above, any action as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten (10) days following such determination). Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the United States federal securities laws.

Section 12.2.     Consent to Jurisdiction.    If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 12.1 immediately above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the

 

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state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 12.1 immediately above (an “FSC Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

Section 12.3.     Severability.    If any provision or provisions of this Article XII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XII (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article XII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 12.4.    Consent.    Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XII.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to be duly executed and acknowledged in its name and on its behalf by an authorized officer as of the date first set forth above.

 

FORTRESS VALUE ACQUISITION CORP.
By:  

/s/ Andrew A. McKnight

Name:   Andrew A. McKnight
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

MP MATERIALS CORP.

(THE “CORPORATION”)

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1.1.    Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation within the State of Delaware shall be located at either (a) the principal place of business of the Corporation in the State of Delaware, or (b) the office of the corporation or individual acting as the Corporation’s registered agent in Delaware.

Section 1.2.    Additional Offices. The Corporation may, in addition to its registered office in the State of Delaware, have such other offices and places of business, both within and outside the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) may from time to time determine or as the business and affairs of the Corporation may require.

ARTICLE II

STOCKHOLDERS MEETINGS

Section 2.1.    Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, and time and on such date as shall be determined by the Board and stated in the notice of the meeting, provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(a). At each annual meeting, the stockholders entitled to vote on such matters shall elect those directors of the Corporation to fill any term of a directorship that expires on the date of such annual meeting and may transact any other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.

Section 2.2.    Special Meetings. Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock (as defined below) and to the requirement of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called only by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, or the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board, and may not be called by any other person. Special meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, and at such time and on such date as shall be determined by the Board and stated in the Corporation’s notice of the meeting, provided that the Board may in its sole discretion determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5(a).

Section 2.3.    Notices. Written notice of each stockholders meeting stating the place, if any, date, and time of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which


stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, shall be given in the manner permitted by Section 9.3 to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, by the Corporation not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting unless otherwise required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). If said notice is for a stockholders meeting other than an annual meeting, it shall in addition state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, and the business transacted at such meeting shall be limited to the matters so stated in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto). Any meeting of stockholders as to which notice has been given may be postponed, and any meeting of stockholders as to which notice has been given may be cancelled, by the Board upon public announcement (as defined in Section 2.7(c)) given before the date previously scheduled for such meeting.

Section 2.4.    Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Corporation’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) or these Bylaws, the presence, in person or by proxy, at a stockholders meeting of the holders of shares of outstanding capital stock of the Corporation representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, except that when specified business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business. If a quorum shall not be present or represented by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.6 until a quorum shall attend. The stockholders present at a duly convened meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Shares of its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any such other corporation to vote shares held by it in a fiduciary capacity.

Section 2.5.    Voting of Shares.

(a)    Voting Lists. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders of record entitled to vote at such meeting; provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than 10 days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date, arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Nothing contained in this Section 2.5(a) shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to

 

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the meeting, during ordinary business hours for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting; or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If a meeting of stockholders is to be held solely by means of remote communication as permitted by Section 9.5(a), the list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of meeting. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list required by this Section 2.5(a) or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

(b)    Manner of Voting. At any stockholders meeting, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy. If authorized by the Board, the voting by stockholders or proxy holders at any meeting conducted by remote communication may be effected by a ballot submitted by electronic transmission (as defined in Section 9.3), provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which the Corporation can determine that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder or proxy holder. The Board, in its discretion, or the chairman of the meeting of stockholders, in such person’s discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

(c)    Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. Proxies need not be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation until the meeting is called to order, but shall be filed with the Secretary before being voted. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, either of the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority.

(i)    A stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy. Execution may be accomplished by the stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing such person’s signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means, including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature.

(ii)    A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of an electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

 

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Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission authorizing another person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used; provided that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.

(d)    Required Vote. Subject to the rights of the holders of one or more series of preferred stock of the Corporation (“Preferred Stock”), voting separately by class or series, to elect directors pursuant to the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock, at all meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, the election of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon. All other matters presented to the stockholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote thereon, unless the matter is one upon which, by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or applicable stock exchange rules, a different vote is required, in which case such provision shall govern and control the decision of such matter.

(e)    Inspectors of Election. The Board may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more persons as inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation or otherwise serve the Corporation in other capacities, to act at such meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof. The Board may appoint one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspectors of election or alternates are appointed by the Board, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall ascertain and report the number of outstanding shares and the voting power of each; determine the number of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots; count all votes and ballots and report the results; determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors; and certify their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and their count of all votes and ballots. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election. Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors.

Section 2.6.    Adjournments. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned by the chairman of the meeting, from time to time, whether or not there is a quorum, to reconvene at the same or some other place. Notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the date, time, and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at

 

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such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the stockholders, or the holders of any class or series of stock entitled to vote separately as a class, as the case may be, may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If, after the adjournment, a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 9.2, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

Section 2.7.    Advance Notice for Business.

(a)    Annual Meetings of Stockholders. No business may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders, other than business that is either (i) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board; (ii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board; or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation (x) who is a stockholder of record entitled to vote at such annual meeting on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.7(a) and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting, and (y) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.7(a). Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.7(a) to the contrary, only persons nominated for election as a director to fill any term of a directorship that expires on the date of the annual meeting pursuant to Section 3.2 will be considered for election at such meeting.

(i)    In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business (other than nominations) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation and such business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action. Subject to Section 2.7(a)(iii), a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary with respect to such business, to be timely, must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting, or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting is first made by the Corporation. The public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 2.7(a).

(ii)    To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary with respect to any business (other than nominations) must set forth as to each such matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including

 

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the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment) and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (B) the name and record address of such stockholder and the name and address of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and by the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (D) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, (E) any material interest of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made in such business, and (F) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting.

(iii)    The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 2.7(a) shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder as to any proposal (other than nominations) if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of such stockholder’s intention to present such proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 (or any successor thereof) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and such stockholder has complied with the requirements of such Rule for inclusion of such proposal in a proxy statement prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting. No business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of stockholders except business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.7(a); provided, however, that once business has been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with such procedures, nothing in this Section 2.7(a) shall be deemed to preclude discussion by any stockholder of any such business. If the Board or the chairman of the annual meeting determines that any stockholder proposal was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.7(a) or that the information provided in a stockholder’s notice does not satisfy the information requirements of this Section 2.7(a), such proposal shall not be presented for action at the annual meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.7(a), if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present the proposed business, such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such matter may have been received by the Corporation.

(iv)    In addition to the provisions of this Section 2.7(a), a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth herein. Nothing in this Section 2.7(a) shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

(b)    Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting only pursuant to Section 3.2.

 

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(c)    Public Announcement. For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Section 2.8.    Conduct of Meetings. The chairman of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the Chairman of the Board or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act of the Chief Executive Officer or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director, the President (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President or if the President is not a director, such other person as shall be appointed by the Board. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with these Bylaws or such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and to adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting, (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine, (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure. The secretary of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the Secretary or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary so appointed to act by the chairman of the meeting. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 2.9.    Consents in Lieu of Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected by a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation.

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

Section 3.1.    Powers; Number. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders. Directors need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware. Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the number of directors shall be fixed exclusively by resolution of the Board.

 

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Section 3.2.    Advance Notice for Nomination of Directors.

(a)    Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation, except as may be otherwise provided by the terms of one or more series of Preferred Stock with respect to the rights of holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock to elect directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board at any annual meeting of stockholders, or at any special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors as set forth in the Corporation’s notice of such special meeting, may be made (i) by or at the direction of the Board; or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation (x) who is a stockholder of record entitled to vote in the election of directors on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 3.2 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, and (y) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.2.

(b)    In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting, not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day before the meeting and not later than the later of (x) the close of business on the 90th day before the meeting, or (y) the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was first made by the Corporation; and (ii) in the case of a special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors, not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the special meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described in this Section 3.2.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (b) to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board at an annual meeting is greater than the number of directors whose terms expire on the date of the annual meeting and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for the additional directors to be elected or specifying the size of the increased Board before the close of business on the 90th day prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 3.2 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships created by such increase that are to be filled by election at such annual meeting, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the date on which such public announcement was first made by the Corporation.

 

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(d)    To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation, if any, that are owned beneficially or of record by the person, (D) any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, without regard to the application of the Exchange Act to either the nomination or the Corporation; and (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice (A) the name and record address of such stockholder as they appear on the Corporation’s books and the name and address of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, (C) a description of all arrangements or understandings relating to the nomination to be made by such stockholder among such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made, each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (including their names), (D) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice, and (E) any other information relating to such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Such notice must be accompanied by a written consent of each proposed nominee to being named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.

(e)    If the Board or the chairman of the meeting of stockholders determines that any nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.2 or that the information provided in a stockholder’s notice does not satisfy the information requirements of this Section 3.2, then such nomination shall not be considered at the meeting in question. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.2, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present the nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nomination may have been received by the Corporation.

(f)    In addition to the provisions of this Section 3.2, a stockholder shall also comply with all of the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth herein. Nothing in this Section 3.2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 3.3.    Compensation. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors, including for service on a committee of the Board and may be paid either a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or other compensation as director. The directors may be reimbursed their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of committees of the Board may be allowed like compensation and reimbursement of expenses for service on the committee.

 

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ARTICLE IV

BOARD MEETINGS

Section 4.1.    Annual Meetings. The Board shall meet as soon as practicable after the adjournment of each annual stockholders meeting at the place of the annual stockholders meeting unless the Board shall fix another time and place and give notice thereof in the manner required herein for special meetings of the Board. No notice to the directors shall be necessary to legally convene this meeting, except as provided in this Section 4.1.

Section 4.2.    Regular Meetings. Regularly scheduled, periodic meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such times, dates and places (within or without the State of Delaware) as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.

Section 4.3.    Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board (a) may be called by the Chairman of the Board or President, and (b) shall be called by the Chairman of the Board, President or Secretary on the written request of at least a majority of directors then in office, or the sole director, as the case may be, and shall be held at such time, date and place (within or without the State of Delaware) as may be determined by the person calling the meeting or, if called upon the request of directors or the sole director, as specified in such written request. Notice of each special meeting of the Board shall be given, as provided in Section 9.3, to each director (i) at least 24 hours before the meeting if such notice is oral notice given personally or by telephone or written notice given by hand delivery or by means of a form of electronic transmission and delivery; (ii) at least two days before the meeting if such notice is sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service; and (iii) at least five days before the meeting if such notice is sent through the United States mail. If the Secretary shall fail or refuse to give such notice, then the notice may be given by the officer who called the meeting or the directors who requested the meeting. Any and all business that may be transacted at a regular meeting of the Board may be transacted at a special meeting. Except as may be otherwise expressly provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any special meeting need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting. A special meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 9.4.

Section 4.4.    Quorum; Required Vote. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board, and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

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Section 4.5.    Consent In Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions (or paper reproductions thereof) are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

Section 4.6.    Organization. The chairman of each meeting of the Board shall be the Chairman of the Board or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chief Executive Officer or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director, the President (if he or she shall be a director) or in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President or if the President is not a director, a chairman elected from the directors present. The Secretary shall act as secretary of all meetings of the Board. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of the Secretary at such meeting. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

ARTICLE V

COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS

Section 5.1.    Establishment. The Board may by resolution passed by a majority of the Board designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required by the resolution designating such committee. The Board shall have the power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve any such committee.

Section 5.2.    Available Powers. Any committee established pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, to the extent permitted by applicable law and by resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all of the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it, but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters: (a) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval; or (b) adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the Corporation. The Board shall have the power to rescind any action of any committee, but no such rescission shall have retroactive effect.

Section 5.3.    Alternate Members. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee.

 

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Section 5.4.    Procedures. Unless the Board otherwise provides, the time, date, place, if any, and notice of meetings of a committee shall be determined by such committee. At meetings of a committee, a majority of the number of members of the committee (but not including any alternate member, unless such alternate member has replaced any absent or disqualified member at the time of, or in connection with, such meeting) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee, except as otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or the Board. If a quorum is not present at a meeting of a committee, the members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than an announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. Unless the Board otherwise provides and except as provided in these Bylaws, each committee designated by the Board may make, alter, amend and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board is authorized to conduct its business pursuant to Article IV of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI

OFFICERS

Section 6.1.    Officers. The officers of the Corporation elected by the Board shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a Secretary and such other officers (including without limitation, a Chairman, Presidents, Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and a Treasurer) as the Board from time to time may determine. Officers elected by the Board shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this ARTICLE VI. Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board. The Chief Executive Officer or President may also appoint such other officers (including without limitation one or more Vice Presidents and Controllers) as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Corporation. Such other officers shall have such powers and duties and shall hold their offices for such terms as may be provided in these Bylaws or as may be prescribed by the Board or, if such officer has been appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President, as may be prescribed by the appointing officer.

(a)    Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall have general supervision and control of the acquisition activities of the Corporation subject to the ultimate authority of the Board, and shall be responsible for the execution of the policies of the Board with respect to such matters. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The powers and duties of the Chairman of the Board shall not include supervision or control of the preparation of the financial statements of the Company (other than through participation as a member of the Board). The position of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer may be held by the same person.

(b)    Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Corporation and general control of all of its business subject to the ultimate authority of the Board, and shall be

 

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responsible for the execution of the policies of the Board with respect to such matters, except to the extent any such powers and duties have been prescribed to the Chairman of the Board pursuant to Section 6.1(a) above. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The position of Chief Executive Officer and President may be held by the same person.

(c)    President. The President shall make recommendations to the Chief Executive Officer on all operational matters that would normally be reserved for the final executive responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the President (if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The President shall also perform such duties and have such powers as shall be designated by the Board. The position of President and Chief Executive Officer may be held by the same person.

(d)    Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer shall be the chief operating officer of the Corporation and shall, subject to the authority of the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Board, have general management and control of the day-to-day business operations of the Corporation and shall consult with and report to the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Operating Officer shall put into operation the business policies of the Corporation as determined by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board and as communicated to the Chief Operating Officer by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board.

(e)    Vice Presidents. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the President, the Vice President (or in the event there be more than one Vice President, the Vice Presidents in the order designated by the Board) shall perform the duties and have the powers of the President. Any one or more of the Vice Presidents may be given an additional designation of rank or function.

(f)    Secretary.

(i)    The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders, the Board and (as required) committees of the Board and shall record the proceedings of such meetings in books to be kept for that purpose. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board, the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President. The Secretary shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation and the Secretary, or any Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it, and when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or by the signature of such Assistant Secretary. The Board may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing thereof by his or her signature.

(ii)    The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal executive office of the Corporation or at the office of the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, if one has been appointed, a stock ledger, or duplicate stock ledger, showing the names of the stockholders and their addresses, the number and classes of shares held by each and, with respect to certificated shares, the number and date of certificates issued for the same and the number and date of certificates cancelled.

 

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(g)    Assistant Secretaries. The Assistant Secretary or, if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board shall, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Secretary, perform the duties and have the powers of the Secretary.

(h)    Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform all duties commonly incident to that office (including, without limitation, the care and custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation, which from time to time may come into the Chief Financial Officer’s hands and the deposit of the funds of the Corporation in such banks or trust companies as the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may authorize).

(i)    Treasurer. The Treasurer shall, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chief Financial Officer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Financial Officer.

Section 6.2.    Term of Office; Removal; Vacancies. The elected officers of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Board and shall hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal from office. Any officer may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by the Board. Any officer appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President may also be removed, with or without cause, by the Chief Executive Officer or President, as the case may be, unless the Board otherwise provides. Any vacancy occurring in any elected office of the Corporation may be filled by the Board. Any vacancy occurring in any office appointed by the Chief Executive Officer or President may be filled by the Chief Executive Officer, or President, as the case may be, unless the Board then determines that such office shall thereupon be elected by the Board, in which case the Board shall elect such officer.

Section 6.3.    Other Officers. The Board may delegate the power to appoint such other officers and agents, and may also remove such officers and agents or delegate the power to remove same, as it shall from time to time deem necessary or desirable.

Section 6.4.    Multiple Officeholders; Stockholder and Director Officers. Any number of offices may be held by the same person unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws otherwise provide. Officers need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE VII

SHARES

Section 7.1.    Certificated and Uncertificated Shares. The shares of the Corporation may be certificated or uncertificated, subject to the sole discretion of the Board and the requirements of the DGCL.

Section 7.2.    Multiple Classes of Stock. If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the Corporation shall (a) cause

 

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the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights to be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of any certificate that the Corporation issues to represent shares of such class or series of stock, or (b) in the case of uncertificated shares, within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of such shares, send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth on certificates as specified in clause (a) above; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided by applicable law, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of such certificate or, in the case of uncertificated shares, on such written notice a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences or rights.

Section 7.3.    Signatures. Each certificate representing capital stock of the Corporation shall be signed by or in the name of the Corporation by (a) the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President, and (b) the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation. Any or all the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, such certificate may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar on the date of issue.

Section 7.4.    Consideration and Payment for Shares.

(a)    Subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation, shares of stock may be issued for such consideration, having in the case of shares with par value a value not less than the par value thereof, and to such persons, as determined from time to time by the Board. The consideration may consist of any tangible or intangible property or any benefit to the Corporation, including cash, promissory notes, services performed, contracts for services to be performed or other securities, or any combination thereof.

(b)    Subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation, shares may not be issued until the full amount of the consideration has been paid, unless upon the face or back of each certificate issued to represent any partly paid shares of capital stock or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of partly paid uncertificated shares, there shall have been set forth the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon up to and including the time said certificate representing certificated shares or said uncertificated shares are issued.

Section 7.5.    Lost, Destroyed or Wrongfully Taken Certificates.

(a)    If an owner of a certificate representing shares claims that such certificate has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Corporation shall issue a new certificate representing such shares or such shares in uncertificated form if the owner: (i) requests such a new certificate before the Corporation has notice that the certificate representing such shares has

 

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been acquired by a protected purchaser; (ii) if requested by the Corporation, delivers to the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, wrongful taking or destruction of such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares; and (iii) satisfies other reasonable requirements imposed by the Corporation.

(b)    If a certificate representing shares has been lost, apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken, and the owner fails to notify the Corporation of that fact within a reasonable time after the owner has notice of such loss, apparent destruction or wrongful taking and the Corporation registers a transfer of such shares before receiving notification, the owner shall be precluded from asserting against the Corporation any claim for registering such transfer or a claim to a new certificate representing such shares or such shares in uncertificated form.

Section 7.6.    Transfer of Stock.

(a)    If a certificate representing shares of the Corporation is presented to the Corporation with an endorsement requesting the registration of transfer of such shares or an instruction is presented to the Corporation requesting the registration of transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation shall register the transfer as requested if:

(i)    in the case of certificated shares, the certificate representing such shares has been surrendered;

(ii)    (A) with respect to certificated shares, the endorsement is made by the person specified by the certificate as entitled to such shares; (B) with respect to uncertificated shares, an instruction is made by the registered owner of such uncertificated shares; or (C) with respect to certificated shares or uncertificated shares, the endorsement or instruction is made by any other appropriate person or by an agent who has actual authority to act on behalf of the appropriate person;

(iii)    the Corporation has received a guarantee of signature of the person signing such endorsement or instruction or such other reasonable assurance that the endorsement or instruction is genuine and authorized as the Corporation may request;

(iv)    the transfer does not violate any restriction on transfer imposed by the Corporation that is enforceable in accordance with Section 7.8(a); and

(v)    such other conditions for such transfer as shall be provided for under applicable law have been satisfied.

(b)    Whenever any transfer of shares shall be made for collateral security and not absolutely, the Corporation shall so record such fact in the entry of transfer if, when the certificate for such shares is presented to the Corporation for transfer or, if such shares are uncertificated, when the instruction for registration of transfer thereof is presented to the Corporation, both the transferor and transferee request the Corporation to do so.

Section 7.7.    Registered Stockholders. Before due presentment for registration of transfer of a certificate representing shares of the Corporation or of an instruction requesting

 

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registration of transfer of uncertificated shares, the Corporation may treat the registered owner as the person exclusively entitled to inspect for any proper purpose the stock ledger and the other books and records of the Corporation, vote such shares, receive dividends or notifications with respect to such shares and otherwise exercise all the rights and powers of the owner of such shares, except that a person who is the beneficial owner of such shares (if held in a voting trust or by a nominee on behalf of such person) may, upon providing documentary evidence of beneficial ownership of such shares and satisfying such other conditions as are provided under applicable law, may also so inspect the books and records of the Corporation.

Section 7.8.    Effect of the Corporation’s Restriction on Transfer.

(a)    A written restriction on the transfer or registration of transfer of shares of the Corporation or on the amount of shares of the Corporation that may be owned by any person or group of persons, if permitted by the DGCL and noted conspicuously on the certificate representing such shares or, in the case of uncertificated shares, contained in a notice, offering circular or prospectus sent by the Corporation to the registered owner of such shares within a reasonable time prior to or after the issuance or transfer of such shares, may be enforced against the holder of such shares or any successor or transferee of the holder including an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or other fiduciary entrusted with like responsibility for the person or estate of the holder.

(b)    A restriction imposed by the Corporation on the transfer or the registration of shares of the Corporation or on the amount of shares of the Corporation that may be owned by any person or group of persons, even if otherwise lawful, is ineffective against a person without actual knowledge of such restriction unless: (i) the shares are certificated and such restriction is noted conspicuously on the certificate; or (ii) the shares are uncertificated and such restriction was contained in a notice, offering circular or prospectus sent by the Corporation to the registered owner of such shares within a reasonable time prior to or after the issuance or transfer of such shares.

Section 7.9.    Regulations. The Board shall have power and authority to make such additional rules and regulations, subject to any applicable requirement of law, as the Board may deem necessary and appropriate with respect to the issue, transfer or registration of transfer of shares of stock or certificates representing shares. The Board may appoint one or more transfer agents or registrars and may require for the validity thereof that certificates representing shares bear the signature of any transfer agent or registrar so appointed.

ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 8.1.    Right to Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of

 

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the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “Indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with such proceeding; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 8.3 with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify an Indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

Section 8.2.    Right to Advancement of Expenses. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 8.1, an Indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law the expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter, an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon the Corporation’s receipt of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or otherwise.

Section 8.3.    Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 8.1 or Section 8.2 is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 days, the Indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (a) any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by an Indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (b) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that, the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including a determination by its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of

 

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conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Indemnitee, shall be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this ARTICLE VIII or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

Section 8.4.    Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights provided to any Indemnitee pursuant to this ARTICLE VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right, which such Indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, an agreement, a vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

Section 8.5.    Insurance. The Corporation may secure insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and/or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

Section 8.6.    Indemnification of Other Persons. This ARTICLE VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Indemnitees. Without limiting the foregoing, the Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation and to any other person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent of the provisions of this ARTICLE VIII with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of Indemnitees under this ARTICLE VIII.

Section 8.7.    Amendments. Any repeal or amendment of this ARTICLE VIII by the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provision of these Bylaws inconsistent with this ARTICLE VIII, will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights to Indemnitees on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision; provided however, that amendments or repeals of this ARTICLE VIII shall require the affirmative vote of the stockholders holding at least 66.7% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation.

Section 8.8.    Certain Definitions. For purposes of this ARTICLE VIII, (a) references to “other enterprise” shall include any employee benefit plan, (b) references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan,

 

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(c) references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service that imposes duties on, or involves services by, a person with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries, and (d) a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interest of the Corporation” for purposes of Section 145 of the DGCL.

Section 8.9.    Contract Rights. The rights provided to Indemnitees pursuant to this ARTICLE VIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, agent or employee and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

Section 8.10.    Severability. If any provision or provisions of this ARTICLE VIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this ARTICLE VIII shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this ARTICLE VIII (including, without limitation, each such portion of this ARTICLE VIII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9.1.    Place of Meetings. If the place of any meeting of stockholders, the Board or committee of the Board for which notice is required under these Bylaws is not designated in the notice of such meeting, such meeting shall be held at the principal business office of the Corporation; provided, however, if the Board has, in its sole discretion, determined that a meeting shall not be held at any place, but instead shall be held by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 9.5 hereof, then such meeting shall not be held at any place.

Section 9.2.    Fixing Record Dates.

(a)    In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as

 

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the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.2(a) at the adjourned meeting.

(b)    In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

Section 9.3.    Means of Giving Notice.

(a)    Notice to Directors. Whenever under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws notice is required to be given to any director, such notice shall be given either (i) in writing and sent by mail, or by a nationally recognized delivery service; (ii) by means of facsimile telecommunication or other form of electronic transmission; or (iii) by oral notice given personally or by telephone. A notice to a director will be deemed given as follows: (i) if given by hand delivery, orally, or by telephone, when actually received by the director; (ii) if sent through the United States mail, when deposited in the United States mail, with postage and fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the director at the director’s address appearing on the records of the Corporation; (iii) if sent for next day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, when deposited with such service, with fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the director at the director’s address appearing on the records of the Corporation; (iv) if sent by facsimile telecommunication, when sent to the facsimile transmission number for such director appearing on the records of the Corporation; (v) if sent by electronic mail, when sent to the electronic mail address for such director appearing on the records of the Corporation; or (vi) if sent by any other form of electronic transmission, when sent to the address, location or number (as applicable) for such director appearing on the records of the Corporation.

(b)    Notice to Stockholders. Whenever under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws notice is required to be given to any stockholder, such notice may be given (i) in writing and sent either by hand delivery, through the United States mail, or by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service for next day delivery; or (ii) by means of a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder, to the extent permitted by, and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 232 of the DGCL. A notice to a stockholder shall be deemed given as follows: (i) if given by hand delivery, when actually received by the stockholder; (ii) if sent through the United States mail, when deposited in the United States mail, with postage and fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address appearing on the stock ledger of the Corporation; (iii) if sent for next day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, when deposited with such service, with fees thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address appearing on the stock ledger of the Corporation; and (iv) if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given and otherwise meeting the requirements set forth above, (A) if by facsimile transmission, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has

 

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consented to receive notice, (B) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice, (C) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specified posting, upon the later of (1) such posting, and (2) the giving of such separate notice, and (D) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. A stockholder may revoke such stockholder’s consent to receiving notice by means of electronic communication by giving written notice of such revocation to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent, and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or to the Corporation’s transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

(c)    Electronic Transmission. “Electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process, including but not limited to transmission by telex, facsimile telecommunication, electronic mail, telegram and cablegram.

(d)    Notice to Stockholders Sharing Same Address. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively by the Corporation to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. A stockholder may revoke such stockholder’s consent by delivering written notice of such revocation to the Corporation. Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Corporation within 60 days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send such a single written notice shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.

(e)    Exceptions to Notice Requirements. Whenever notice is required to be given, under the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting that shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.

Whenever notice is required to be given by the Corporation, under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to any stockholder to whom (1) notice of two consecutive annual meetings of stockholders and all notices of stockholder meetings or of the taking of action by written consent of stockholders without a meeting to such stockholder during the period between such two consecutive annual meetings, or (2) all, and at least two payments

 

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(if sent by first-class mail) of dividends or interest on securities during a 12-month period, have been mailed addressed to such stockholder at such stockholder’s address as shown on the records of the Corporation and have been returned undeliverable, the giving of such notice to such stockholder shall not be required. Any action or meeting that shall be taken or held without notice to such stockholder shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. If any such stockholder shall deliver to the Corporation a written notice setting forth such stockholder’s then current address, the requirement that notice be given to such stockholder shall be reinstated. In the event that the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate with the Secretary of State of Delaware, the certificate need not state that notice was not given to persons to whom notice was not required to be given pursuant to Section 230 (b) of the DGCL. The exception in subsection (1) of the first sentence of this paragraph to the requirement that notice be given shall not be applicable to any notice returned as undeliverable if the notice was given by electronic transmission.

Section 9.4.    Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, a written waiver of such notice, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to such required notice. All such waivers shall be kept with the books of the Corporation. Attendance at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a person attends for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

Section 9.5.    Meeting Attendance via Remote Communication Equipment.

(a)    Stockholder Meetings. If authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting and proxy holders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication:

(i)    participate in a meeting of stockholders; and

(ii)    be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of stockholders, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (A) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxy holder, (B) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxy holders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (C) if any stockholder or proxy holder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such votes or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.

(b)    Board Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof by means of conference telephone or other

 

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communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting, except where a person participates in the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

Section 9.6.    Dividends. The Board may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends (payable in cash, property or shares of the Corporation’s capital stock) on the Corporation’s outstanding shares of capital stock, subject to applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation.

Section 9.7.    Reserves. The Board may set apart out of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve.

Section 9.8.    Contracts and Negotiable Instruments. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument may be executed and delivered in the name and on behalf of the Corporation by such officer or officers or other employee or employees of the Corporation as the Board may from time to time authorize. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances as the Board may determine. The Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Vice President may execute and deliver any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation. Subject to any restrictions imposed by the Board, the Chairman of the Board Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Vice President may delegate powers to execute and deliver any contract, bond, deed, lease, mortgage or other instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation to other officers or employees of the Corporation under such person’s supervision and authority, it being understood, however, that any such delegation of power shall not relieve such officer of responsibility with respect to the exercise of such delegated power.

Section 9.9.    Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board.

Section 9.10.    Seal. The Board may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be in such form as the Board determines. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed, affixed or otherwise reproduced.

Section 9.11.    Books and Records. The books and records of the Corporation may be kept within or outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board.

Section 9.12.    Resignation. Any director, committee member or officer may resign by giving notice thereof in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary. The resignation shall take effect at the time it is delivered unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event or events. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

 

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Section 9.13.    Surety Bonds. Such officers, employees and agents of the Corporation (if any) as the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or the Board may direct, from time to time, shall be bonded for the faithful performance of their duties and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of their death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in their possession or under their control belonging to the Corporation, in such amounts and by such surety companies as the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or the Board may determine. The premiums on such bonds shall be paid by the Corporation and the bonds so furnished shall be in the custody of the Secretary.

Section 9.14.    Securities of Other Corporations. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents in writing and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, or any officers authorized by the Board. Any such officer, may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities, or to consent in writing, in the name of the Corporation as such holder, to any action by such corporation, and at any such meeting or with respect to any such consent shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed. The Board may from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

Section 9.15.    Amendments. The Board shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws. The affirmative vote of a majority of the Board shall be required to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws. The Bylaws also may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders; provided, however, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting (except as otherwise provided in Section 8.7) power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws.

 

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Exhibit 10.6

AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of November 17, 2020, is made and entered into by and among Fortress Value Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Fortress Acquisition Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), , the undersigned parties listed under Existing Holders on the signature page hereto (each such party, together with the Sponsor and any person or entity deemed an “Existing Holder” , an “Existing Holder” and collectively the “Existing Holders”) and the undersigned parties listed under New Holders on the signature page hereto (each such party, together with any person or entity deemed a “New Holder” who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.2 of this Agreement, a “New Holder” and collectively the “New Holders”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Merger Agreement (as defined below).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company and the Existing Holders are party to that certain Registration Rights Agreement dated April 29, 2020 (the “Existing Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company granted the Existing Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company;

WHEREAS, the Company has entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of July 15, 2020 and amended August 26, 2020, by and among the Company, FVAC Merger Corp. I, a Delaware corporation, FVAC Merger LLC II, a Delaware limited liability company, FVAC Merger LLC III, a Delaware limited liability company, FVAC Merger LLC IV, a Delaware limited liability company, MP Mine Operations LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Secure Natural Resources LLC, a Delaware limited liability company;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, the New Holders will receive shares of common stock, par value $0.0001, of the Company (“Company Stock”), upon the closing of such transactions (the “Closing”);

WHEREAS, the New Holders may receive additional shares of Company Stock (the “Earn Out Shares”) pursuant to the earn out provisions in the Merger Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into that certain Securities Subscription Agreement, dated as of January 31, 2020, pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 8,625,000 shares (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s Class F common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class F Common Stock”), and the Sponsor subsequently transferred an aggregate of 50,000 Founder Shares to the other Existing Holders;

WHEREAS, the Company and the Existing Holders have entered into that certain Amended & Restated Sponsor Letter Agreement (the “Sponsor Agreement”), dated as of July 15, 2020, wherein the Sponsor and the Existing Holders agreed, in connection with the Closing, to surrender to the Company certain Founder Shares under certain circumstances and to subject the Founder Shares held by the Sponsor to certain vesting requirements, in accordance with the terms of the Sponsor Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into that certain Warrant Exchange Agreement (the “Warrant Exchange Agreement”), dated as of July 15, 2020, wherein, in connection with the Closing, the Sponsor agreed to exchange the Sponsor Private Placement Warrants for Class F Common Stock and convert such Class F Common Stock into vested Company Stock, which shall thereupon be considered “Founder Shares” for purposes of this Agreement;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 5.5 of the Existing Registration Rights Agreement, the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth therein may be amended or modified upon the written consent of the Company and the Existing Holders of a majority-in-interest of the “Registrable Securities” (as such term was defined in the Existing Registration Rights Agreement) at the time in question; and


WHEREAS, the Company and all of the Existing Holders desire to amend and restate the Existing Registration Rights Agreement in order to provide the Existing Holders and the New Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

1.1    Definitions. The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:

Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.

Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

Block Trade” means an offering and/or sale of Registrable Securities by any Holder on a block trade or underwritten basis (whether firm commitment or otherwise) without substantial marketing efforts prior to pricing, including, without limitation, a same day trade, overnight trade or similar transaction.

Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

Class F Common Stock” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Commission Guidance” means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance of the Commission staff, or any comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff and (ii) the Securities Act.

Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

Company Stock” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

Company Shelf Takedown Notice” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.3.

Demand Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.1.

Demanding Holders” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.1.

Earn Out Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

Effectiveness Deadline” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time.

Existing Holders” shall have the meaning in the Preamble.

 

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Existing Registration Rights Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

Form S-1 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

Form S-3 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

Founder Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto and shall be deemed to include the Company Stock issued upon conversion thereof.

Founder Shares Lock-Up Period” shall mean, with respect to the Founder Shares, from the date hereof until the earliest to occur of (A) one year after the date hereof; (B) the first date the closing price of the Company Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the date hereof, but in no event prior to the expiration of the New Holder Lock-Up Period; and (C) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s public stockholders having the right to exchange their Company Stock for cash, securities or other property.

Holders” shall mean the Existing Holders and the New Holders and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.2.

Insider Letters” shall mean those certain letter agreements, dated as of April 29, 2020, by and between the Company and each of the Company’s officers, directors, director nominees and the Sponsor.

JHL Holders” shall mean James Henry Litinsky, Trustee of James Henry Litinsky Revocable Trust u/a/d 10/19/2011, JHL Capital Group LLC, JHL Capital Group Holdings One LLC and JHL Capital Group Holdings Two LLC and any of their affiliates.

JHL Holder Lock-Up Period” shall mean, with respect to the Company Stock held by the JHL Holders, from the date hereof until the earliest to occur of (A) one year after the date hereof; (B) the first date the closing price of the Company Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the date hereof; and (C) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s public stockholders having the right to exchange their Company Stock for cash, securities or other property.

Lock-Up Periods” shall mean the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period, the New Holder Lock-Up Period and the JHL Holder Lock-Up Period.

Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.4.

Merger Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement, or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

New Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.

New Holder Lock-Up Period” shall mean, with respect to the Company Stock held by the New Holders (other than the JHL Holders) or their Permitted Transferees, from the date hereof until the earliest to occur of (A) 180 days after the date hereof; (B) the first date the closing price of the Company Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20

 

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trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the date hereof; and (C) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s public stockholders having the right to exchange their Company Stock for cash, securities or other property.

Permitted Transferees” shall mean a person or entity to whom a Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period, New Holder Lock-Up Period and the JHL Holder Lock-Up Period, as the case may be, under the Insider Letters, the Warrant Exchange Agreement, the Sponsor Agreement, this Agreement and any other applicable agreement between such Holder and the Company, and to any transferee thereafter.

Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.3.1.

Pro Rata” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.4.

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

QVT Holders shall mean Saratoga Park Ltd., QVT Family Office Onshore LP and Fourth Avenue FF Opportunities LP – Series E and any of their affiliates.

Registrable Security” shall mean (a) the shares of Company Stock issued upon the conversion of the Founder Shares, (b) any issued and outstanding share of Company Stock or any other equity security (including the shares of Company Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any other equity security) of the Company held by an Existing Holder as of the date of this Agreement, (c) any equity securities (including the shares of Company Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such equity security) of the Company issuable upon conversion of any working capital loans in an amount up to $1,500,000 made to the Company by a Holder, (d) any outstanding shares of Company Stock or any other equity security of the Company held by a New Holder as of the date of this Agreement (including shares transferred to a Permitted Transferee and the shares of Company Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such other equity security), (e) any shares of Company Stock issued or issuable as Earn Out Shares to a New Holder and (f) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to any such share of Company Stock described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (g) by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or reorganization; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (A) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (B) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates or book entries for such securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; or (D) such securities may be sold without registration and without any limitations, including or restrictions on volume, manner of sale or other limitations or restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission) (“Rule 144”).

Registration” shall mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.

Registration Expenses” shall mean the out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:

(A) all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) and any securities exchange on which the Company Stock is then listed;

 

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(B) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);

(C) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;

(D) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;

(E) reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration; and

(F) reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration to be registered for offer and sale in the applicable Registration.

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement, amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

Removed Shares” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.6.

Requesting Holder” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.1.

Restricted Securities” shall have the meaning given in subsection 3.6.1.

Rule 144” shall have the meaning given in the definition of “Registrable Security.”

Rule 415” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1.

SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

“Shelf Takedown Notice” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.3.

Shelf Underwritten Offering” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.3.

Sponsor” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.

Sponsor Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

Sponsor Private Placement Warrants” means the warrants purchased by the Sponsor pursuant to that certain Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement between the Company and the Sponsor, dated as of April 19, 2020.

Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.

Underwritten Registration” or “Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.

Warrant Exchange Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

 

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ARTICLE II

REGISTRATIONS

2.1    Shelf Registration.

2.1.1    Initial Registration. The Company shall, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than fifteen (15) business days after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, use its reasonable best efforts to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act to permit the public resale of all the Registrable Securities held by the Holders from time to time as permitted by Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor or similar provision adopted by the Commission then in effect) (“Rule 415”) on the terms and conditions specified in this subsection 2.1.1 and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but in no event later than sixty (60) days following the filing deadline (the “Effectiveness Deadline”); provided, that the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended to ninety (90) days after the filing deadline if the Registration Statement is reviewed by, and receives comments from, the Commission. The Registration Statement filed with the Commission pursuant to this subsection 2.1.1 shall be a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (a “Form S-3 Shelf”) or, if Form S-3 is not then available to the Company, on Form S-1 (a “Form S-1 Shelf”) or such other form of registration statement as is then available to effect a registration for resale of such Registrable Securities, covering such Registrable Securities, and shall contain a Prospectus in such form as to permit any Holder to sell such Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 415 at any time beginning on the effective date for such Registration Statement. A Registration Statement filed pursuant to this subsection 2.1.1 shall provide for the resale pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available to, and requested by, the Holders. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this subsection 2.1.1 to remain effective, and to be supplemented and amended to the extent necessary to ensure that such Registration Statement is available or, if not available, that another Registration Statement is available, for the resale of all the Registrable Securities held by the Holders until all such Registrable Securities have ceased to be Registrable Securities. As soon as practicable following the effective date of a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this subsection 2.1.1, but in any event within one (1) business day of such date, the Company shall notify the Holders of the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. When effective, a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this subsection 2.1.1 (including the documents incorporated therein by reference) will comply as to form in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of any Prospectus contained in such Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which such statement is made).

2.1.2    Form S-3 Shelf. If the Company files a Form S-3 Shelf and thereafter the Company becomes ineligible to use Form S-3 for secondary sales, the Company shall use its best efforts to file a Form S-1 Shelf as promptly as practicable to replace the shelf registration statement that is a Form S-3 Shelf and have the Form S-1 Shelf declared effective as promptly as practicable and to cause such Form S-1 Shelf to remain effective, and to be supplemented and amended to the extent necessary to ensure that such Registration Statement is available or, if not available, that another Registration Statement is available, for the resale of all the Registrable Securities held by the Holders until all such Registrable Securities have ceased to be Registrable Securities.

2.1.3    Shelf Takedown. At any time and from time to time following the effectiveness of the shelf registration statement required by subsection 2.1.1 or 2.1.2, any Holder may request to sell all or a portion of their Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering that is registered pursuant to such shelf registration statement, including a Block Trade (a “Shelf Underwritten Offering”) provided that such Holder(s) (a) reasonably expect aggregate gross proceeds in excess of $50,000,000 from such Shelf Underwritten Offering or (b) reasonably expects to sell all of the Registrable Securities held by such Holder in such Shelf Underwritten Offering but in no event less than $10,000,000. All requests for a Shelf Underwritten Offering shall be made by giving written notice to the Company (the “Shelf Takedown Notice”). Each Shelf Takedown Notice shall specify the approximate number of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Shelf Underwritten Offering and the expected price range (net of underwriting discounts and commissions) of such Shelf Underwritten Offering. Within five (5) business days after receipt of any Shelf Takedown Notice, the Company shall give written notice of such requested Shelf Underwritten Offering to all other Holders of Registrable Securities (the “Company Shelf Takedown Notice”) and, subject to reductions consistent with the Pro Rata calculations in Section 2.2.4, shall include in such Shelf Underwritten Offering all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion

 

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therein, within five (5) days after sending the Company Shelf Takedown Notice, or, in the case of a Block Trade, as provided in Section 2.5. The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement in a form as is customary in Underwritten Offerings of securities by the Company with the managing Underwriter or Underwriters selected by the initiating Holders after consultation with the Company and shall take all such other reasonable actions as are requested by the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities. In connection with any Shelf Underwritten Offering contemplated by this subsection 2.1.3, subject to Section 3.3 and Article IV, the underwriting agreement into which each Holder and the Company shall enter shall contain such representations, covenants, indemnities and other rights and obligations of the Company and the selling stockholders as are customary in underwritten offerings of securities by the Company.

2.1.4    Holder Information Required for Participation in Shelf Registration. At least ten (10) business days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement pursuant to this Article II, the Company shall use reasonable efforts to notify each Holder in writing (which may be by email) of the information reasonably necessary about the Holder to include such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated to include such Holder’s Registrable Securities to the extent the Company has not received such information, and received any other reasonably requested agreements or certificates, on or prior to the fifth business day prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement pursuant to this Article II.

2.2    Demand Registration.

2.2.1    Request for Registration. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.2.4 hereof and provided that the Company does not have an effective Registration Statement pursuant to subsection 2.1.1 outstanding covering Registrable Securities, (a) the Existing Holders of at least a majority in interest of the then-outstanding number of Registrable Securities held by the Existing Holders, (b) the New Holders of at least a majority-in-interest of the then-outstanding number of Registrable Securities held by the New Holders or (c) the QVT Holders of at least a majority-in-interest of the then-outstanding number of Registrable Securities held by the QVT Holders (the “Demanding Holders”), in each case, may make a written demand for Registration of all or part of their Registrable Securities, which written demand shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (such written demand a “Demand Registration”). The Company shall, within ten (10) days of the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, notify, in writing, all other Holders of Registrable Securities of such demand, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration (each such Holder that includes all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration, a “Requesting Holder”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five (5) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company. Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from a Requesting Holder(s) to the Company, such Requesting Holder(s) shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration and the Company shall effect, as soon thereafter as practicable, but not more than forty five (45) days immediately after the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, the Registration of all Registrable Securities requested by the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders pursuant to such Demand Registration. Under no circumstances shall the Company be obligated to effect (x) more than an aggregate of three (3) Registrations pursuant to a Demand Registration by the Existing Holders under this subsection 2.2.1 with respect to any or all Registrable Securities held by such Existing Holders and (y) more than one (1) Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration by the QVT Holders under this subsection 2.2.1 with respect to any or all Registrable Securities held by such QVT Holders; provided, however, that a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration shall not be counted for such purposes unless a Registration Statement that may be available at such time has become effective and all of the Registrable Securities requested by the Requesting Holders and the Demanding Holders to be registered on behalf of the Requesting Holders and the Demanding Holders in such Registration Statement have been sold, in accordance with Section 3.1 of this Agreement.

2.2.2    Effective Registration. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 2.2.1 above or any other part of this Agreement, a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration shall not count as a Registration unless and until (i) the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration has been declared effective by the Commission and (ii) the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, further, that if, after such Registration Statement

 

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has been declared effective, an offering of Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration is subsequently interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission, federal or state court or any other governmental agency, the Registration Statement with respect to such Registration shall be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (i) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated, and (ii) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Demand Registration thereafter affirmatively elect to continue with such Registration and accordingly notify the Company in writing, but in no event later than five (5) days, of such election; provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated or required to file another Registration Statement until the Registration Statement that has been previously filed with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration becomes effective or is subsequently terminated.

2.2.3    Underwritten Offering. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.2.4, if a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders so advise the Company as part of their Demand Registration that the offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering, then the right of such Demanding Holder or Requesting Holder (if any) to include its Registrable Securities in such Registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such Underwritten Offering and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering to the extent provided herein. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.2.3 shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating the Demand Registration, which Underwriter(s) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

2.2.4    Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) desire to sell, taken together with all other Company Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and the Company Stock, if any, as to which a Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by any other stockholders who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the Underwritten Offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of such securities, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Securities”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, as follows: (i) first, the Registrable Securities of the Demanding Holders (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Registration and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Registration (such proportion is referred to herein as “Pro Rata”)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Registrable Securities of Requesting Holders (Pro Rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Requesting Holder has so requested) exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 hereof, without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), the Company Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (iv) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the Company Stock or other equity securities of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register in a Registration pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.

2.2.5    Demand Registration Withdrawal. Any of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration or any of the Requesting Holders (if any), pursuant to a Registration under subsection 2.2.1 shall have the right to withdraw from a Registration pursuant to such Demand Registration or a Shelf Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Registration at least one (1) business day prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to the Registration of their Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration (or in the case of an Underwritten Registration pursuant to Rule 415, at least five (5) business days prior to the time of pricing of the applicable offering). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration or a Shelf Underwritten Offering prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.2.5.

 

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2.3    Piggyback Registration.

2.3.1    Piggyback Rights. If the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities, for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the stockholders of the Company including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) for a rights offering or an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing stockholders, (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company or (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such Registration a “Piggyback Registration”). The Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this subsection 2.3.1 to be included in a Piggyback Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such Registration and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.3.1 shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the Company.

2.3.2    Reduction of Piggyback Registration. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration that is to be a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Piggyback Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of Company Stock that the Company desires to sell, taken together with (i) the Company Stock, if any, as to which Registration has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof, and (iii) the Company Stock, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then:

(a)    If the Registration is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, the Company Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.3.1 hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Company Stock, if any, as to which Registration has been requested or demanded pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;

(b)    If the Registration is pursuant to a request by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, the Company Stock or other equity securities, if any, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.3.1, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum

 

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Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Company Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Company Stock or other equity securities for the account of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons or entities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.

2.3.3    Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Any Holder of Registrable Securities shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration (or in the case of an Underwritten Registration pursuant to Rule 415, at least five (5) business days prior to the time of pricing of the applicable offering). The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.3.3.

2.3.4    Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, any Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof shall not be counted as a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration effected under Section 2.2 hereof or a Shelf Underwritten Offering effected under subsection 2.1.3.

2.4    Restrictions on Registration Rights. If (A) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the effective date of, a Company initiated Registration and provided that the Company has delivered written notice to the Holders prior to receipt of a Demand Registration pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 and it continues to actively employ, in good faith, all reasonable efforts to cause the applicable Registration Statement to become effective; (B) the Holders have requested an Underwritten Registration and the Company and the Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite the offer; or (C) in the good faith judgment of the Board such Registration would be detrimental to the Company and the Board concludes as a result that it is essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement at such time, then in each case the Company shall furnish to such Holders a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President or Secretary of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board it would be detrimental to the Company for such Registration Statement to be filed in the near future and that it is therefore essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement. In such event, the Company shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than ninety (90) days; provided, however, that the Company shall not defer its obligation in this manner more than twice in any 12-month period (the “Aggregate Blocking Period”).

2.5    Block Trades. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article II, but subject to Sections 2.4 and 3.4, if the Holders desire to effect a Block Trade, the Holders shall provide written notice to the Company at least five (5) business days prior to the date such Block Trade will commence. As expeditiously as possible, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to facilitate such Block Trade. The Holders shall use reasonable best efforts to work with the Company and the Underwriter(s) (including by disclosing the maximum number of Registrable Securities proposed to be the subject of such Block Trade) in order to facilitate preparation of the Registration Statement, Prospectus and other offering documentation related to the Block Trade and any related due diligence and comfort procedures.

2.6    Rule 415; Removal. If at any time the Commission takes the position that the offering of some or all of the Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed pursuant to this Section 2 is not eligible to be made on a delayed or continuous basis under the provisions of Rule 415 under the Securities Act (provided, however, the Company shall be obligated to use diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the Commission Guidance, including without limitation, Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 612.09) or requires a Holder to be named as an “underwriter,” the Company shall (i) promptly notify each holder of Registrable Securities thereof (or in the case of the Commission requiring a Holder to be named as an “underwriter,” the Holders) and (ii) use reasonable best efforts to

 

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persuade the SEC that the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is a valid secondary offering and not an offering “by or on behalf of the issuer” as defined in Rule 415 and that none of the Holders is an “underwriter.” The Holders shall have the right to select one legal counsel designated by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities subject to such Registration Statement to review and oversee any registration or matters pursuant to this Section 2.6, including participation in any meetings or discussions with the Commission regarding the Commission’s position and to comment on any written submission made to the Commission with respect thereto. No such written submission with respect to this matter shall be made to the Commission to which the applicable Holders’ counsel reasonably objects. In the event that, despite the Company’s reasonable best efforts and compliance with the terms of this Section 2.6, the Commission refuses to alter its position, the Company shall (i) remove from such Registration Statement such portion of the Registrable Securities (the “Removed Shares”) and/or (ii) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable Securities as the Commission may require to assure the Company’s compliance with the requirements of Rule 415; provided, however, that the Company shall not agree to name any Holder as an “underwriter” in such Registration Statement without the prior written consent of such Holder. In the event of a share removal pursuant to this Section 2.6, the Company shall give the applicable Holders at least five (5) days prior written notice along with the calculations as to such Holder’s allotment. Any removal of shares of the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be allocated between the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the aggregate amount of Registrable Securities held by the Holders. In the event of a share removal of the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.6, the Company shall promptly register the resale of any Removed Shares pursuant to subsection 2.1.2 hereof and in no event shall the filing of such Registration Statement on Form S-1 or subsequent Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed pursuant to the terms of subsection 2.1.2 be counted as a Demand Registration hereunder. Until such time as the Company has registered all of the Removed Shares for resale pursuant to Rule 415 on an effective Registration Statement, the Company shall not be able to defer the filing of a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.4 hereof.

ARTICLE III

COMPANY PROCEDURES

3.1    General Procedures. If the Company is required to effect the Registration of Registrable Securities, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible:

3.1.1    prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold;

3.1.2    prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be reasonably requested by any majority-in-interest of the Holders with Registrable Securities registered on such Registration Statement or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;

3.1.3    prior to filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and each Holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and each Holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders;

 

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3.1.4    prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as any Holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;

3.1.5    cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;

3.1.6    provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

3.1.7    advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;

3.1.8    at least three (3) days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus, furnish a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities and its counsel, including, without limitation, providing copies promptly upon receipt of any comment letters received with respect to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus;

3.1.9    notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4 hereof;

3.1.10    permit a representative of the Holders (such representative to be selected by a majority of the participating Holders), the Underwriter(s), if any, and any attorney or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter(s) to participate, at each such person’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representative or Underwriter enters into a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information; and provided further, the Company may not include the name of any Holder or Underwriter or any information regarding any Holder or Underwriter in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus, any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any response to any comment letter, without the prior written consent of such Holder or Underwriter and providing each such Holder or Underwriter a reasonable amount of time to review and comment on such applicable document, which comments the Company shall include unless contrary to applicable law;

3.1.11    obtain a “comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Registration, in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “comfort” letters as the managing Underwriter(s) may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders;

3.1.12    on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the Holders, the placement agent or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriter(s), if any, covering such

 

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legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the Underwriter(s), placement agent(s) or sales agent(s) may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the participating Holders;

3.1.13    in the event of any Underwritten Offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter of such offering;

3.1.14    make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission);

3.1.15    if the Registration involves the Registration of Registrable Securities involving gross proceeds in excess of $50,000,000, use its reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter(s) in any Underwritten Offering; and

3.1.16    otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the Holders, in connection with such Registration.

3.2    Registration Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees, Underwriter marketing costs and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.

3.3    Requirements for Participation in Underwritten Offerings. No person may participate in any Underwritten Offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

3.4    Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure. Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed. If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure or would require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time, but in no event more than forty-five (45) days, determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose; provided, that each day of any such suspension pursuant to this Section 3.4 shall correspondingly decrease the Aggregate Blocking Period available to the Company during any twelve (12) month period pursuant to Section 2.4 hereof. In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, the Holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.4.

3.5    Reporting Obligations. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company further

 

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covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell shares of the Company Stock held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144, including providing any legal opinions.

3.6    Transfer Restrictions.

3.6.1    During the applicable Lock-Up Periods, no Existing Holder or New Holder shall offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of or distribute any shares of Company Stock that are subject to an applicable Lock-Up Period or any securities convertible into, exercisable for, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of Company Stock that are subject to an applicable Lock-Up Period, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, that is owned directly by such Existing Holder or New Holder (including securities held as a custodian) or with respect to which such Existing Holder or New Holder has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the Commission (such securities that are subject to an applicable Lock-Up Period, the “Restricted Securities”), other than any transfer to a Permitted Transferee, as applicable. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude each Existing Holder or New Holder, as applicable, from engaging in any hedging or other transaction with respect to Restricted Securities which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Restricted Securities even if such Restricted Securities would be disposed of by someone other than such Existing Holder or New Holder. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions include any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any put or call option) with respect to any of the Restricted Securities of the applicable Existing Holder or New Holder, or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Restricted Securities.

3.6.2    Each Existing Holder and New Holder hereby represents and warrants that it now has and, except as contemplated by this subsection 3.6.2 for the duration of the applicable Lock-Up Period, will have good and marketable title to its Restricted Securities, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and claims that could impact the ability of such Existing Holder or New Holder to comply with the foregoing restrictions. Each Existing Holder and New Holder agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of any Restricted Securities during the applicable Lock-Up Period.

3.6.3    Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in Section 3.6.1 and Section 3.6.2, transfers of the Registrable Securities that are held by any Existing Holder, any New Holder or any of their Permitted Transferees are permitted to:

(a)    in the case of an entity, transfer to a stockholder, partner, member or affiliate of such entity;

(b)    in the case of an individual, transfer by gift to members of the individual’s immediate family (as defined below) or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization;

(c)    in the case of an individual, transfer by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual;

(d)    in the case of an individual, transfer pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order;

(e)    in the case of an entity, transfer by virtue of the laws of the state of the entity’s organization and the entity’s organizational documents upon dissolution of the entity;

(f)    exercise any options or warrants to purchase Company Stock (which exercises may be effected on a cashless basis to the extent the instruments representing such options or warrants permit exercises on a cashless basis);

 

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(g)    transfer to the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans or arrangements;

(h)    transfer to the Company pursuant to any contractual arrangement in effect at the Closing that provides for the repurchase by the Company or forfeiture of the Holder’s Company Stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Company Stock in connection with the termination of the Holder’s service to the Company;

(i)    enter into, at any time after the Closing, any trading plan providing for the sale of Company Stock by the Holder, which trading plan meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c) under the Exchange Act, provided, however, that such plan does not provide for, or permit, the sale of any Company Stock during the applicable Lock-Up Period and no public announcement or filing is voluntarily made or required regarding such plan during the applicable Lock-Up Period; and

(j)    enter into transactions in the event of completion of a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s Holders having the right to exchange their shares of Company Stock for cash, securities or other property.

provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions herein (it being understood that any references to “immediate family” in the agreement executed by such transferee shall expressly refer only to the immediate family of the Holder and not to the immediate family of the transferee), agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions. For purposes of this section, “immediate family” shall mean a spouse, domestic partner, child, grandchild or other lineal descendant (including by adoption), father, mother, brother or sister of the Holder; and “affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

ARTICLE IV

INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

4.1    Indemnification.

4.1.1    The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its officers and directors and each person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) caused by any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein. The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder.

4.1.2    In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors and officers and agents and each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue statement of material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers, directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company.

 

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4.1.3    Any person entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.

4.1.4    The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities. The Company and each Holder of Registrable Securities participating in an offering also agrees to make such provisions as are reasonably requested by any indemnified party for contribution to such party in the event the Company’s or such Holder’s indemnification is unavailable for any reason.

4.1.5    If the indemnification provided under Section 4.1 hereof from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action and the benefits received by the such indemnifying party or indemnified party; provided, however, that the liability of any Holder under this subsection 4.1.5 shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in subsections 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 were determined by Pro Rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this subsection 4.1.5. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

5.1    Notices. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (i) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (ii) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (iii)

 

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transmission by hand delivery, electronic mail or facsimile. Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery, electronic mail or facsimile, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be addressed, if to the Company, MP Materials Corp., 6720 Via Austi Parkway, Suite 450, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119, Attention: Sheila Bangalore, General Counsel and Chief Strategy Officer, and, if to any Holder, at such Holder’s address or contact information as set forth in the Company’s books and records. Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective thirty (30) days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 5.1.

5.2    Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries.

5.2.1    This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities, as the case may be, hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company or the Holders of Registrable Securities, as the case may be, in whole or in part, except in connection with a transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee but only if such Permitted Transferee agrees to become bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement.

5.2.2    Prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period, the New Holder Lock-Up Period or the JHL Holder Lock-Up Period, as the case may be, no Holder who is subject to any such lock-up period may assign or delegate such Holder’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, in violation of the applicable lock-up period, except in connection with a transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee but only if such Permitted Transferee agrees to become bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement.

5.2.3    This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees.

5.2.4    This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement and Section 5.2 hereof.

5.2.5    No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (i) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 5.1 hereof and (ii) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement). Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 5.2 shall be null and void.

5.3    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including facsimile or PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced.

5.4    Governing Law; Venue. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT (I) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AS APPLIED TO AGREEMENTS AMONG NEW YORK RESIDENTS ENTERED INTO AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION (II) THE VENUE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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5.5    Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of the Company and the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities at the time in question, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects either the Existing Holders as a group, the JHL Holders as a group or the QVT Holders as a group, respectively, in a manner that is materially adversely different from Existing Holders, JHL Holders or QVT Holders, as applicable, shall require the consent of at least a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities held by such Existing Holders, a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities held by such JHL Holders, a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities held by such QVT Holders, as applicable, at the time in question so affected; provided, further, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects one Holder or group of affiliated Holders, solely in its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder or group of affiliated Holders so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.

5.6    Other Registration Rights. The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a Holder of Registrable Securities, has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person. Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.

5.7    Term. This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement and (ii) the date as of which (A) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to a Registration Statement (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission)) or (B) the Holders of all Registrable Securities are permitted to sell the Registrable Securities under Rule 144 under the Securities Act without limitation on the amount of securities sold or the manner of sale. The provisions of Section 3.5 and Article IV shall survive any termination.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.

 

COMPANY:

FORTRESS VALUE ACQUISITION CORP.,

a Delaware corporation

By:  

/s/ Andrew A. McKnight

  Name: Andrew A. McKnight
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer
EXISTING HOLDERS:

FORTRESS ACQUISITION SPONSOR LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Alexander Gillette

  Name: Alexander Gillette
  Title:   Secretary
By:  

/s/ R. Edward Albert III

  Name: R. Edward Albert III
By:  

/s/ Daniel N. Bass

  Name: Daniel N. Bass
By:  

/s/ Micah B. Kaplan

  Name: Micah B. Kaplan
By:  

/s/ Aaron F. Hood

  Name: Aaron F. Hood
By:  

/s/ Carmen Policy

  Name: Carmen Policy

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


NEW HOLDERS:
JAMES HENRY LITINSKY, TRUSTEE OF JAMES HENRY LITINSKY REVOCABLE TRUST U/A/D 10/19/2011
By:  

/s/ James H. Litinsky

  Name: James H. Litinsky
  Title:   Trustee
JHL CAPITAL GROUP LLC
By:  

/s/ James H. Litinsky

  Name: James H. Litinsky
  Title: Authorized Signatory
JHL CAPITAL GROUP HOLDINGS ONE LLC
By:  

/s/ James H. Litinsky

  Name: James H. Litinsky
  Title: Authorized Signatory
JHL CAPITAL GROUP HOLDINGS TWO LLC
By:  

/s/ James H. Litinsky

  Name: James H. Litinsky
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]


NEW HOLDERS:
SARATOGA PARK LTD.
By:  

/s/ Dan Gold

  Name: Dan Gold
  Title: Director
QVT FAMILY OFFICE ONSHORE LP
By its general partner, QVT Associates GP LLC
By:  

/s/ Dan Gold

  Name: Dan Gold
  Title: Managing Member
FOURTH AVENUE FF OPPORTUNITIES LP – SERIES E
By its general partner, Fourth Avenue Capital Partners GP LLC
By:  

/s/ Dan Gold

  Name: Dan Gold
  Title: Managing Member

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]

Exhibit 10.7

MP MATERIALS CORP.

2020 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

I. INTRODUCTION

1.1    Purposes. The purposes of the MP Materials Corp. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (this “Plan”) are (i) to align the interests of the Company’s stockholders and the recipients of awards under this Plan by increasing the proprietary interest of such recipients in the Company’s growth and success, (ii) to advance the interests of the Company by attracting and retaining Non-Employee Directors, officers, other employees, consultants, independent contractors and agents and (iii) to motivate such persons to act in the long-term best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

1.2    Certain Definitions.

Agreement shall mean the written or electronic agreement evidencing an award hereunder between the Company and the recipient of such award.

Board shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

Change in Control shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.8(b).

Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Committee shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or a subcommittee thereof, or such other committee designated by the Board, in each case, consisting of two or more members of the Board, each of whom is intended to be (i) a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and (ii) “independent” within the meaning of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, within the meaning of the rules of the principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded.

Common Stock shall mean the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company, and all rights appurtenant thereto.

Company shall mean MP Materials Corp., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, or any successor thereto.

Company Voting Securities shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.8(b)(1).

Exchange Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.


Fair Market Value shall mean the closing transaction price of a share of Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on the date as of which such value is being determined or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the closing transaction price of a share of Common Stock on the principal national stock exchange on which the Common Stock is traded on the date as of which such value is being determined or, if there shall be no reported transactions for such date, on the next preceding date for which transactions were reported; provided, however, that if the Common Stock is not listed on a national stock exchange or if Fair Market Value for any date cannot be so determined, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee by whatever means or method as the Committee, in the good faith exercise of its discretion, shall at such time deem appropriate and in compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

Free-Standing SAR shall mean an SAR which is not granted in tandem with, or by reference to, an option, which entitles the holder thereof to receive, upon exercise, shares of Common Stock (which may be Restricted Stock) or, to the extent set forth in the applicable Agreement, cash or a combination thereof, with an aggregate value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the base price of such SAR, multiplied by the number of such SARs which are exercised.

Incentive Stock Option shall mean an option to purchase shares of Common Stock that meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision, which is intended by the Committee to constitute an Incentive Stock Option.

Incumbent Directors shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.8(b)(4).

Investorsshall mean JHL Capital Group Holdings One LLC, JHL Capital Group Holdings Two LLC, Saratoga Park Ltd., QVT Family Office Onshore LP, Fourth Avenue FF Opportunities LP – Series E, Leshan Shenghe Rare Earth Co, Ltd. and Shenghe Resources (Singapore) International Trading Pte.

Non-Employee Directorshall mean any director of the Company who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.

Nonqualified Stock Option shall mean an option to purchase shares of Common Stock which is not an Incentive Stock Option.

Other Stock Award shall mean an award granted pursuant to Section 3.4 of the Plan.

Performance Award shall mean a right to receive an amount of cash, Common Stock, or a combination of both, contingent upon the attainment of specified Performance Measures within a specified Performance Period.

 

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Performance Measures shall mean the criteria and objectives, established by the Committee, which shall be satisfied or met (i) as a condition to the grant or exercisability of all or a portion of an option or SAR or (ii) during the applicable Restriction Period or Performance Period as a condition to the vesting of the holder’s interest, in the case of a Restricted Stock Award, of the shares of Common Stock subject to such award, or, in the case of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, Other Stock Award or Performance Award, to the holder’s receipt of the shares of Common Stock subject to such award or of payment with respect to such award. One or more of the following business criteria for the Company, on a consolidated basis, and/or for specified subsidiaries, business or geographical units or operating areas of the Company (except with respect to the total shareholder return and earnings per share criteria) or individual basis, may be used by the Committee in establishing Performance Measures under this Plan: the attainment by a share of Common Stock of a specified Fair Market Value for a specified period of time; increase in stockholder value; earnings per share; return on or net assets; return on equity; return on investments; return on capital or invested capital; total stockholder return; earnings or income of the Company before or after taxes and/or interest; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”); EBITDA margin; operating income; revenues; operating expenses, attainment of expense levels or cost reduction goals; market share; cash flow, cash flow per share, cash flow margin or free cash flow; interest expense; economic value created; gross profit or margin; operating profit or margin; net cash provided by operations; price-to-earnings growth; and strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified goals relating to market penetration, customer acquisition, business expansion, cost targets, customer satisfaction, reductions in errors and omissions, reductions in lost business, management of employment practices and employee benefits, supervision of litigation, supervision of information technology, quality and quality audit scores, efficiency, and acquisitions or divestitures, or such other goals as the Committee may determine whether or not listed herein. Each such goal may be determined on a pre-tax or post-tax basis or on an absolute or relative basis, and may include comparisons based on current internal targets, the past performance of the Company (including the performance of one or more subsidiaries, divisions, or operating units) or the past or current performance of other companies or market indices (or a combination of such past and current performance). In addition to the ratios specifically enumerated above, performance goals may include comparisons relating to capital (including, but not limited to, the cost of capital), shareholders’ equity, shares outstanding, assets or net assets, sales, or any combination thereof. In establishing a Performance Measure or determining the achievement of a Performance Measure, the Committee may provide that achievement of the applicable Performance Measures may be amended or adjusted to include or exclude components of any Performance Measure, including, without limitation, foreign exchange gains and losses, asset write-downs, acquisitions and divestitures, change in fiscal year, unbudgeted capital expenditures, special charges such as restructuring or impairment charges, debt refinancing costs, extraordinary or noncash items, unusual, infrequently occurring, nonrecurring or one-time events affecting the Company or its financial statements or changes in law or accounting principles. Performance Measures shall be subject to such other special rules and conditions as the Committee may establish at any time.

 

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Performance Period shall mean any period designated by the Committee during which (i) the Performance Measures applicable to an award shall be measured and (ii) the conditions to vesting applicable to an award shall remain in effect.

Restricted Stock shall mean shares of Common Stock which are subject to a Restriction Period and which may, in addition thereto, be subject to the attainment of specified Performance Measures within a specified Performance Period.

Restricted Stock Award shall mean an award of Restricted Stock under this Plan.

Restricted Stock Unit shall mean a right to receive one share of Common Stock or, in lieu thereof and to the extent set forth in the applicable Agreement, the Fair Market Value of such share of Common Stock in cash, which shall be contingent upon the expiration of a specified Restriction Period and which may, in addition thereto, be contingent upon the attainment of specified Performance Measures within a specified Performance Period.

Restricted Stock Unit Award shall mean an award of Restricted Stock Units under this Plan.

Restriction Period shall mean any period designated by the Committee during which (i) the Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or disposed of, except as provided in this Plan or the Agreement relating to such award, or (ii) the conditions to vesting applicable to a Restricted Stock Unit Award or Other Stock Award shall remain in effect.

SAR shall mean a stock appreciation right which may be a Free-Standing SAR or a Tandem SAR.

Stock Award shall mean a Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award or Other Stock Award.

Subsidiary shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or similar entity in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, an equity interest possessing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the total outstanding equity interests of such entity.

Substitute Award shall mean an award granted under this Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity in connection with a corporate transaction, including a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock.

Tandem SAR shall mean an SAR which is granted in tandem with, or by reference to, an option (including a Nonqualified Stock Option granted prior to the date of grant of the SAR), which entitles the holder thereof to receive, upon exercise of such SAR and surrender for

 

4


cancellation of all or a portion of such option, shares of Common Stock (which may be Restricted Stock) or, to the extent set forth in the applicable Agreement, cash or a combination thereof, with an aggregate value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the base price of such SAR, multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such option, or portion thereof, which is surrendered.

Tax Date shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.5.

Ten Percent Holder shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

1.3    Administration. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Any one or a combination of the following awards may be made under this Plan to eligible persons: (i) options to purchase shares of Common Stock in the form of Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options; (ii) SARs in the form of Tandem SARs or Free-Standing SARs; (iii) Stock Awards in the form of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock Awards; and (iv) Performance Awards. The Committee shall, subject to the terms of this Plan, select eligible persons for participation in this Plan and determine the form, amount and timing of each award to such persons and, if applicable, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to an award, the number of SARs, the number of Restricted Stock Units, the dollar value subject to a Performance Award, the purchase price or base price associated with the award, the time and conditions of exercise or settlement of the award and all other terms and conditions of the award, including, without limitation, the form of the Agreement evidencing the award. The Committee may, in its sole discretion and for any reason at any time, take action such that (i) any or all outstanding options and SARs shall become exercisable in part or in full, (ii) all or a portion of the Restriction Period applicable to any outstanding awards shall lapse, (iii) all or a portion of the Performance Period applicable to any outstanding awards shall lapse and (iv) the Performance Measures (if any) applicable to any outstanding awards shall be deemed to be satisfied at the target, maximum or any other level. The Committee shall, subject to the terms of this Plan, interpret this Plan and the application thereof, establish rules and regulations it deems necessary or desirable for the administration of this Plan and may impose, incidental to the grant of an award, conditions with respect to the award, such as limiting competitive employment or other activities. All such interpretations, rules, regulations and conditions shall be conclusive and binding on all parties.

The Committee may delegate some or all of its power and authority hereunder to the Board (or any members thereof) or, subject to applicable law, to a subcommittee of the Board, a member of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company as the Committee deems appropriate; provided, however, that the Committee may not delegate its power and authority to a member of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer of the Company with regard to the selection for participation in this Plan of an officer, director or other person subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or decisions concerning the timing, pricing or amount of an award to such an officer, director or other person.

 

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No member of the Board or Committee, and neither the Chief Executive Officer nor any other executive officer to whom the Committee delegates any of its power and authority hereunder, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in connection with this Plan in good faith, and the members of the Board and the Committee and the Chief Executive Officer or other executive officer shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expense (including attorneys’ fees) arising therefrom to the full extent permitted by law (except as otherwise may be provided in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and/or By-laws) and under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that may be in effect from time to time.

1.4    Eligibility. Participants in this Plan shall consist of such officers, other employees, Non-Employee Directors, consultants, independent contractors, agents, and persons expected to become officers, other employees, Non-Employee Directors, consultants, independent contractors and agents of the Company and its Subsidiaries as the Committee in its sole discretion may select from time to time. The Committee’s selection of a person to participate in this Plan at any time shall not require the Committee to select such person to participate in this Plan at any other time. Except as otherwise provided for in an Agreement, for purposes of this Plan, references to employment by the Company shall also mean employment by a Subsidiary, and references to employment shall include service as a Non-Employee Director, consultant, independent contractor or agent. The Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the extent to which a participant shall be considered employed during an approved leave of absence. The aggregate value of cash compensation and the grant date fair value of shares of Common Stock that may be awarded or granted during any fiscal year of the Company to any Non-Employee Director shall not exceed $600,000 (or, in the case of the Company’s independent, non-executive Chair of the Board or lead independent director, $800,000).

1.1    Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.7 and to all other limits set forth in this Plan, 9,653,671 shares of Common Stock shall initially be available for all awards under this Plan, other than Substitute Awards. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.7, no more than 9,653,671 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate may be issued under the Plan in connection with Incentive Stock Options. The number of shares of Common Stock available under the Plan shall increase annually on the first day of each calendar year, beginning with the calendar year ending December 31, 2021, and continuing until (and including) the calendar year ending December 31, 2030, with such annual increase equal to the lesser of (i) 2% of the number of shares of Stock issued and outstanding on December 31 of the immediately preceding fiscal year and (ii) an amount determined by the Board. The number of shares of Common Stock that remain available for future grants under the Plan shall be reduced by the sum of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that become subject to outstanding options, outstanding Free-Standing SARs, outstanding Stock Awards and outstanding Performance Awards denominated in shares of Common Stock, other than Substitute Awards.

 

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To the extent that shares of Common Stock subject to an outstanding option, SAR, Stock Award or Performance Award granted under the Plan, other than Substitute Awards, are not issued or delivered by reason of (i) the expiration, termination, cancellation or forfeiture of such award (excluding shares subject to an option cancelled upon settlement in shares of a related Tandem SAR or shares subject to a Tandem SAR cancelled upon exercise of a related option) or (ii) the settlement of such award in cash, then such shares of Common Stock shall again be available under this Plan. In addition, shares of Common Stock subject to an award under this Plan shall again be available for issuance under this Plan if such shares are (x) shares that were subject to an option or stock-settled SAR and were not issued or delivered upon the net settlement or net exercise of such option or SAR or (y) shares delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the purchase price or the withholding taxes related to an outstanding award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares repurchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds of an option exercise shall not again be available for issuance under this Plan.

The number of shares of Common Stock available for awards under this Plan shall not be reduced by (i) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to Substitute Awards or (ii) available shares under a stockholder approved plan of a company or other entity which was a party to a corporate transaction with the Company (as appropriately adjusted to reflect such corporate transaction) which become subject to awards granted under this Plan (subject to applicable stock exchange requirements).

Shares of Common Stock to be delivered under this Plan shall be made available from authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock, or authorized and issued shares of Common Stock reacquired and held as treasury shares or otherwise or a combination thereof.

II. STOCK OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

2.1    Stock Options. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant options to purchase shares of Common Stock to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee. Each option, or portion thereof, that is not an Incentive Stock Option, shall be a Nonqualified Stock Option. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) of shares of Common Stock with respect to which options designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a participant during any calendar year (under this Plan or any other plan of the Company, or any parent or Subsidiary) exceeds the amount (currently $100,000) established by the Code, such options shall constitute Nonqualified Stock Options.

Options shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable:

(a)    Number of Shares and Purchase Price. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to an option and the purchase price per share of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of the option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that the

 

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purchase price per share of Common Stock purchasable upon exercise of an option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of such option; provided further, that if an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any person who, at the time such option is granted, owns capital stock possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of the Company (or of any parent or Subsidiary) (a “Ten Percent Holder”), the purchase price per share of Common Stock shall not be less than the price (currently 110% of Fair Market Value) required by the Code in order to constitute an Incentive Stock Option.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an option that is a Substitute Award, the purchase price per share of the shares subject to such option may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant, provided, that the excess of: (a) the aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the date such Substitute Award is granted) of the shares subject to the Substitute Award, over (b) the aggregate purchase price thereof does not exceed the excess of: (x) the aggregate fair market value (as of the time immediately preceding the transaction giving rise to the Substitute Award, such fair market value to be determined by the Committee) of the shares of the predecessor company or other entity that were subject to the grant assumed or substituted for by the Company, over (y) the aggregate purchase price of such shares.

(b)    Option Period and Exercisability. The period during which an option may be exercised shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that no option shall be exercised later than ten years after its date of grant; provided further, that if an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to a Ten Percent Holder, such option shall not be exercised later than five years after its date of grant. The Committee may, in its discretion, establish Performance Measures which shall be satisfied or met as a condition to the grant of an option or to the exercisability of all or a portion of an option. The Committee shall determine whether an option shall become exercisable in cumulative or non-cumulative installments and in part or in full at any time. An exercisable option, or portion thereof, may be exercised only with respect to whole shares of Common Stock.

(c)    Method of Exercise. An option may be exercised (i) by giving written notice to the Company specifying the number of whole shares of Common Stock to be purchased and accompanying such notice with payment therefor in full (or arrangement made for such payment to the Company’s satisfaction) either (A) in cash, (B) by delivery (either actual delivery or by attestation procedures established by the Company) of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value, determined as of the date of exercise, equal to the aggregate purchase price payable by reason of such exercise, (C) authorizing the Company to withhold whole shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be delivered having an aggregate Fair Market Value, determined as of the date of exercise, equal to the amount necessary to satisfy such obligation, (D) in cash by a broker-dealer acceptable to the Company to whom the participant has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise or (E) a combination of (A), (B) and (C), in each case to the extent set forth in the Agreement relating to the option, (ii) if applicable, by surrendering to the Company any Tandem SARs which are cancelled by reason of the exercise of the option and (iii)

 

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by executing such documents as the Company may reasonably request. Any fraction of a share of Common Stock which would be required to pay such purchase price shall be disregarded and the remaining amount due shall be paid in cash by the participant. No shares of Common Stock shall be issued and no certificate representing Common Stock shall be delivered until the full purchase price therefor and any withholding taxes thereon, as described in Section 5.5, have been paid (or arrangement made for such payment to the Company’s satisfaction).

2.2    Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant SARs to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee. The Agreement relating to an SAR shall specify whether the SAR is a Tandem SAR or a Free-Standing SAR.

SARs shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable:

(a)    Number of SARs and Base Price. The number of SARs subject to an award shall be determined by the Committee. Any Tandem SAR related to an Incentive Stock Option shall be granted at the same time that such Incentive Stock Option is granted. The base price of a Tandem SAR shall be the purchase price per share of Common Stock of the related option. The base price of a Free-Standing SAR shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that such base price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of such SAR (or, if earlier, the date of grant of the option for which the SAR is exchanged or substituted).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an SAR that is a Substitute Award, the base price per share of the shares subject to such SAR may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant, provided, that the excess of: (a) the aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the date such Substitute Award is granted) of the shares subject to the Substitute Award, over (b) the aggregate base price thereof does not exceed the excess of: (x) the aggregate fair market value (as of the time immediately preceding the transaction giving rise to the Substitute Award, such fair market value to be determined by the Committee) of the shares of the predecessor company or other entity that were subject to the grant assumed or substituted for by the Company, over (y) the aggregate base price of such shares.

(b)    Exercise Period and Exercisability. The period for the exercise of an SAR shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that (i) no Tandem SAR shall be exercised later than the expiration, cancellation, forfeiture or other termination of the related option and (ii) no Free-Standing SAR shall be exercised later than ten years after its date of grant. The Committee may, in its discretion, establish Performance Measures which shall be satisfied or met as a condition to the grant of an SAR or to the exercisability of all or a portion of an SAR. The Committee shall determine whether an SAR may be exercised in cumulative or non-cumulative installments and in part or in full at any time. An exercisable SAR, or portion thereof, may be exercised, in the case of a Tandem SAR, only with respect to whole shares of Common Stock

 

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and, in the case of a Free-Standing SAR, only with respect to a whole number of SARs. If an SAR is exercised for shares of Restricted Stock, a certificate or certificates representing such Restricted Stock shall be issued in accordance with Section 3.2(c), or such shares shall be transferred to the holder in book entry form with restrictions on the shares duly noted, and the holder of such Restricted Stock shall have such rights of a stockholder of the Company as determined pursuant to Section 3.2(d). Prior to the exercise of a stock-settled SAR, the holder of such SAR shall have no rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to such SAR.

(c)    Method of Exercise. A Tandem SAR may be exercised (i) by giving written notice to the Company specifying the number of whole SARs which are being exercised, (ii) by surrendering to the Company any options which are cancelled by reason of the exercise of the Tandem SAR and (iii) by executing such documents as the Company may reasonably request. A Free-Standing SAR may be exercised (A) by giving written notice to the Company specifying the whole number of SARs which are being exercised and (B) by executing such documents as the Company may reasonably request. No shares of Common Stock shall be issued and no certificate representing Common Stock shall be delivered until any withholding taxes thereon, as described in Section 5.5, have been paid (or arrangement made for such payment to the Company’s satisfaction).

2.3    Termination of Employment or Service. All of the terms relating to the exercise, cancellation or other disposition of an option or SAR (i) upon a termination of employment with or service to the Company of the holder of such option or SAR, as the case may be, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason, or (ii) during a paid or unpaid leave of absence, shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award Agreement.

2.4    Repricing. The Committee shall have the discretion, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, to (i) reduce the purchase price or base price of any previously granted option or SAR, (ii) cancel any previously granted option or SAR in exchange for another option or SAR with a lower purchase price or base price or (iii) cancel any previously granted option or SAR in exchange for cash or another award if the purchase price of such option or the base price of such SAR exceeds the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of such cancellation.

2.5    No Dividend Equivalents. Notwithstanding anything in an Agreement to the contrary, the holder of an option or SAR shall not be entitled to receive dividend equivalents with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such option or SAR.

III. STOCK AWARDS

3.1    Stock Awards. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Stock Awards to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee. The Agreement relating to a Stock Award shall specify whether the Stock Award is a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award or, in the case of an Other Stock Award, the type of award being granted.

 

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3.2    Terms of Restricted Stock Awards. Restricted Stock Awards shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable.

(a)    Number of Shares and Other Terms. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award and the Restriction Period, Performance Period (if any) and Performance Measures (if any) applicable to a Restricted Stock Award shall be determined by the Committee.

(b)    Vesting and Forfeiture. The Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Award shall provide, in the manner determined by the Committee, in its discretion, and subject to the provisions of this Plan, for the vesting of the shares of Common Stock subject to such award (i) if the holder of such award remains continuously in the employment of the Company during the specified Restriction Period and (ii) if specified Performance Measures (if any) are satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period, and for the forfeiture of the shares of Common Stock subject to such award (x) if the holder of such award does not remain continuously in the employment of the Company during the specified Restriction Period or (y) if specified Performance Measures (if any) are not satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period.

(c)    Stock Issuance. During the Restriction Period, the shares of Restricted Stock shall be held by a custodian in book entry form with restrictions on such shares duly noted or, alternatively, a certificate or certificates representing a Restricted Stock Award shall be registered in the holder’s name and may bear a legend, in addition to any legend which may be required pursuant to Section 5.6, indicating that the ownership of the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate is subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions of this Plan and the Agreement relating to the Restricted Stock Award. All such certificates shall be deposited with the Company, together with stock powers or other instruments of assignment (including a power of attorney), each endorsed in blank with a guarantee of signature if deemed necessary or appropriate, which would permit transfer to the Company of all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Award in the event such award is forfeited in whole or in part. Upon termination of any applicable Restriction Period (and the satisfaction or attainment of applicable Performance Measures), subject to the Company’s right to require payment of any taxes in accordance with Section 5.5, the restrictions shall be removed from the requisite number of any shares of Common Stock that are held in book entry form, and all certificates evidencing ownership of the requisite number of shares of Common Stock shall be delivered to the holder of such award.

(d)    Rights with Respect to Restricted Stock Awards. Unless otherwise set forth in the Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Award, and subject to the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award, the holder of such award shall have all rights as a stockholder of the

 

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Company, including, but not limited to, voting rights, the right to receive dividends and the right to participate in any capital adjustment applicable to all holders of Common Stock; provided, however, that (i) a distribution with respect to shares of Common Stock, other than a regular cash dividend, and (ii) a regular cash dividend with respect to shares of Common Stock that are subject to performance-based vesting conditions, in each case, shall be deposited with the Company and shall be subject to the same restrictions as the shares of Common Stock with respect to which such distribution was made.

3.3    Terms of Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable.

(a)    Number of Shares and Other Terms. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award, including the number of shares that are earned upon the attainment of any specified Performance Measures, and the Restriction Period, Performance Period (if any) and Performance Measures (if any) applicable to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be determined by the Committee.

(b)    Vesting and Forfeiture. The Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall provide, in the manner determined by the Committee, in its discretion, and subject to the provisions of this Plan, for the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit Award (i) if the holder of such award remains continuously in the employment of the Company during the specified Restriction Period and (ii) if specified Performance Measures (if any) are satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period, and for the forfeiture of the shares of Common Stock subject to such award (x) if the holder of such award does not remain continuously in the employment of the Company during the specified Restriction Period or (y) if specified Performance Measures (if any) are not satisfied or met during a specified Performance Period.

(c)    Settlement of Vested Restricted Stock Unit Awards. The Agreement relating to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall specify (i) whether such award may be settled in shares of Common Stock or cash or a combination thereof and (ii) whether the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive, on a current or deferred basis, dividend equivalents, and, if determined by the Committee, interest on, or the deemed reinvestment of, any deferred dividend equivalents, with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such award. Any dividend equivalents with respect to Restricted Stock Units that are subject to performance-based vesting conditions shall be subject to the same vesting conditions as the underlying awards. Prior to the settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the holder of such award shall have no rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to such award.

3.4    Other Stock Awards. Subject to the limitations set forth in the Plan, the Committee is authorized to grant other awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, shares of Common Stock, including without limitation shares of Common Stock granted as a bonus and not subject to any vesting

 

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conditions, dividend equivalents, deferred stock units, stock purchase rights and shares of Common Stock issued in lieu of obligations of the Company to pay cash under any compensatory plan or arrangement, subject to such terms as shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such awards, which may include the right to elective deferral thereof, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may specify in its discretion. Any distribution, dividend or dividend equivalents with respect to Other Stock Awards that are subject to performance-based vesting conditions shall be subject to the same vesting conditions as the underlying awards.

3.5    Termination of Employment or Service. All of the terms relating to the satisfaction of Performance Measures and the termination of the Restriction Period or Performance Period relating to a Stock Award, or any forfeiture and cancellation of such award (i) upon a termination of employment with or service to the Company of the holder of such award, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason, or (ii) during a paid or unpaid leave of absence, shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award Agreement.

IV. PERFORMANCE AWARDS

4.1    Performance Awards. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Performance Awards to such eligible persons as may be selected by the Committee.

4.2    Terms of Performance Awards. Performance Awards shall be subject to the following terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as the Committee shall deem advisable.

(a)    Value of Performance Awards and Performance Measures. The method of determining the value of the Performance Award and the Performance Measures and Performance Period applicable to a Performance Award shall be determined by the Committee.

(b)    Vesting and Forfeiture. The Agreement relating to a Performance Award shall provide, in the manner determined by the Committee, in its discretion, and subject to the provisions of this Plan, for the vesting of such Performance Award if the specified Performance Measures are satisfied or met during the specified Performance Period and for the forfeiture of such award if the specified Performance Measures are not satisfied or met during the specified Performance Period.

(c)    Settlement of Vested Performance Awards. The Agreement relating to a Performance Award shall specify whether such award may be settled in shares of Common Stock (including shares of Restricted Stock) or cash or a combination thereof. If a Performance Award is settled in shares of Restricted Stock, such shares of Restricted Stock shall be issued to the holder in book entry form or a certificate or certificates representing such Restricted Stock shall be issued in accordance with Section 3.2(c) and the holder of such Restricted Stock shall have such rights as a stockholder of the Company as determined pursuant to Section 3.2(d). Any

 

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dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to a Performance Award shall be subject to the same performance-based vesting restrictions as such Performance Award. Prior to the settlement of a Performance Award in shares of Common Stock, including Restricted Stock, the holder of such award shall have no rights as a stockholder of the Company.

4.3    Termination of Employment or Service. All of the terms relating to the satisfaction of Performance Measures and the termination of the Performance Period relating to a Performance Award, or any forfeiture and cancellation of such award (i) upon a termination of employment with or service to the Company of the holder of such award, whether by reason of disability, retirement, death or any other reason, or (ii) during a paid or unpaid leave of absence, shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award Agreement.

V. GENERAL

5.1    Effective Date and Term of Plan. This Plan shall be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for approval at a special meeting of stockholders in 2020 and shall become effective as of the date on which the Plan was approved by stockholders. This Plan shall terminate on the tenth anniversary of its effective date, unless terminated earlier by the Board. Termination of this Plan shall not affect the terms or conditions of any award granted prior to termination.

Awards hereunder may be made at any time prior to the termination of this Plan, provided that no Incentive Stock Option may be granted later than ten years after the date on which the Plan was approved by the Board. In the event that this Plan is not approved by the stockholders of the Company, this Plan and any awards hereunder shall be void and of no force or effect.

5.2    Amendments. The Board may amend this Plan as it shall deem advisable; provided, however, that no amendment to the Plan shall be effective without the approval of the Company’s stockholders if (i) stockholder approval is required by applicable law, rule or regulation, including any rule of the New York Stock Exchange, or any other stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded, or (ii) such amendment seeks to modify the Non-Employee Director compensation limit set forth in Section 1.3; provided further, that no amendment may materially impair the rights of a holder of an outstanding award without the consent of such holder.

5.3    Agreement. Each award under this Plan shall be evidenced by an Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions applicable to such award. No award shall be valid until an Agreement is executed by the Company and, to the extent required by the Company, executed or electronically accepted by the recipient of such award. Upon such execution or acceptance and delivery of the Agreement to the Company within the time period specified by the Company, such award shall be effective as of the effective date set forth in the Agreement.

 

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5.4    Non-Transferability. No award shall be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to beneficiary designation procedures approved by the Company or, to the extent expressly permitted in the Agreement relating to such award, to the holder’s family members, a trust or entity established by the holder for estate planning purposes, a charitable organization designated by the holder or pursuant to a domestic relations order, in each case, without consideration. Except to the extent permitted by the foregoing sentence or the Agreement relating to an award, each award may be exercised or settled during the holder’s lifetime only by the holder or the holder’s legal representative or similar person. Except as permitted by the second preceding sentence, no award may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered or otherwise disposed of (whether by operation of law or otherwise) or be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to so sell, transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate, encumber or otherwise dispose of any award, such award and all rights thereunder shall immediately become null and void.

5.5    Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the right to require, prior to the issuance or delivery of any shares of Common Stock or the payment of any cash pursuant to an award made hereunder, payment by the holder of such award of any federal, state, local or other taxes which may be required to be withheld or paid in connection with such award. An Agreement may provide that (i) the Company shall withhold whole shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be delivered to a holder, having an aggregate Fair Market Value determined as of the date the obligation to withhold or pay taxes arises in connection with an award (the “Tax Date”), or withhold an amount of cash which would otherwise be payable to a holder, in the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation or (ii) the holder may satisfy any such obligation by any of the following means: (A) a cash payment to the Company; (B) delivery (either actual delivery or by attestation procedures established by the Company) to the Company of previously owned whole shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value, determined as of the Tax Date, equal to the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation; (C) authorizing the Company to withhold whole shares of Common Stock which would otherwise be delivered having an aggregate Fair Market Value, determined as of the Tax Date, or withhold an amount of cash which would otherwise be payable to a holder, in either case equal to the amount necessary to satisfy any such obligation; (D) a cash payment by a broker-dealer acceptable to the Company to whom the participant has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise or notice of same-day sale or (E) any combination of (A), (B) and (C), in each case to the extent set forth in the Agreement relating to the award. Shares of Common Stock to be delivered or withheld may not have an aggregate Fair Market Value in excess of the amount determined by applying the minimum statutory withholding rate (or, if permitted by the Company, such other rate as will not cause adverse accounting consequences under the accounting rules then in effect, and is permitted under applicable IRS withholding rules). Any fraction of a share of Common Stock which would be required to satisfy such an obligation shall be disregarded and the remaining amount due shall be paid in cash by the holder.

 

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5.6    Restrictions on Shares. Each award made hereunder shall be subject to the requirement that if at any time the Company determines that the listing, registration or qualification of the shares of Common Stock subject to such award upon any securities exchange or under any law, or the consent or approval of any governmental body, or the taking of any other action is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the delivery of shares thereunder, such shares shall not be delivered unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent, approval or other action shall have been effected or obtained, free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. The Company may require that certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock delivered pursuant to any award made hereunder bear a legend indicating that the sale, transfer or other disposition thereof by the holder is prohibited except in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

5.7    Adjustment.    In the event of any equity restructuring (within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation or any successor or replacement accounting standard) that causes the per share value of shares of Common Stock to change, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spinoff, rights offering or recapitalization through an extraordinary cash dividend, the number and class of securities available under this Plan, the terms of each outstanding option and SAR (including the number and class of securities subject to each outstanding option or SAR and the purchase price or base price per share), the terms of each outstanding Stock Award (including the number and class of securities subject thereto), the terms of each outstanding Performance Award (including the number and class of securities subject thereto, if applicable), the maximum number of securities with respect to which options or SARs may be granted during any fiscal year of the Company to any one grantee, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be awarded during any fiscal year of the Company to any one grantee pursuant to a Stock Award that is subject to Performance Measures or a Performance Award, as set forth in Section 1.6, shall be appropriately adjusted by the Committee, such adjustments to be made in the case of outstanding options and SARs in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. In the event of any other change in corporate capitalization, including a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or partial or complete liquidation of the Company, such equitable adjustments described in the foregoing sentence may be made as determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights of participants. In either case, the decision of the Committee regarding any such adjustment shall be final, binding and conclusive.

5.8    Change in Control.

(a)    Subject to the terms of the applicable award Agreements, in the event of a “Change in Control,” the Board, as constituted prior to the Change in Control, may, in its discretion:

 

  (1)

require that (i) some or all outstanding options and SARs shall become exercisable in full or in part, either immediately or upon a subsequent termination of employment, (ii) the Restriction Period applicable to some or all outstanding Stock Awards shall lapse in full or in part, either immediately or upon a subsequent termination of employment, (iii) the Performance Period

 

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  applicable to some or all outstanding awards shall lapse in full or in part, and (iv) the Performance Measures applicable to some or all outstanding awards shall be deemed to be satisfied at the target, maximum or any other level;

 

  (2)

require that shares of capital stock of the corporation resulting from or succeeding to the business of the Company pursuant to such Change in Control (or a parent corporation thereof) or other property be substituted for some or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to an outstanding award, with an appropriate and equitable adjustment to such award as determined by the Board in accordance with Section 5.7; and/or

 

  (3)

require outstanding awards, in whole or in part, to be surrendered to the Company by the holder, and to be immediately cancelled by the Company, and to provide for the holder to receive (i) a cash payment in an amount equal to (A) in the case of an option or an SAR, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock then subject to the portion of such option or SAR surrendered, whether or not vested or exercisable, multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the date of the Change in Control, over the purchase price or base price per share of Common Stock subject to such option or SAR, (B) in the case of a Stock Award or a Performance Award denominated in shares of Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock then subject to the portion of such award surrendered to the extent the Performance Measures applicable to such award have been satisfied or are deemed satisfied pursuant to Section 5.8(a)(i), whether or not vested, multiplied by the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the date of the Change in Control, and (C) in the case of a Performance Award denominated in cash, the value of the Performance Award then subject to the portion of such award surrendered to the extent the Performance Measures applicable to such award have been satisfied or are deemed satisfied pursuant to Section 5.8(a)(i); (ii) shares of capital stock of the corporation resulting from or succeeding to the business of the Company pursuant to such Change in Control (or a parent corporation thereof) or other property, having a fair market value not less than the amount determined under clause (i) above; or (iii) a combination of the payment of cash pursuant to clause (i) above and the issuance of shares or other property pursuant to clause (ii) above.

(b)    For purposes of this Plan, a “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if:

 

  (1)

any transaction or series of transactions in which any Person becomes the direct or indirect Beneficial Owner, by way of a stock issuance, tender offer, merger, consolidation, other business combination or otherwise, of greater

 

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  than 35% of the total voting power (on a fully diluted basis as if all convertible securities had been converted and all warrants and options had been exercised) entitled to vote in the election of directors of the Company (“Company Voting Securities”) (including any transaction in which the Company becomes a wholly-owned or majority-owned subsidiary of another corporation); provided, however, that the following acquisitions shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control: (i) acquisitions by the Company or any Subsidiary; (ii) acquisitions by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary; (iii) acquisitions by any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities; or (iv) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction described in subparagraph (b) of this definition;

 

  (2)

any merger or consolidation or reorganization of the Company other than a merger, consolidation or reorganization (i) immediately following which those individuals who, immediately prior to the consummation of such merger, consolidation or reorganization, constituted the Board, constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Company or the surviving or resulting entity or any parent thereof, (ii) which results in the Company Voting Securities outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or reorganization continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof), in combination with the ownership of any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, greater than 50% of the combined voting power of the securities of the Company (or such surviving entity or any parent thereof) outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, and (iii) in which no Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates) representing 50% or more of the then outstanding Company Voting Securities;

 

  (3)

any transaction or series of transactions in which all or substantially all of the Company’s assets are sold;

 

  (4)

during any twenty-four (24) month period, individuals who, as of the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided that any Person becoming a director subsequent to the beginning of such period whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such Person is named as a nominee for director,

 

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  without written objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director.

provided, that with respect to any nonqualified deferred compensation that becomes payable on account of the Change in Control, the transaction or event described in clause (1), (2), (3) or (4) also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5) if required in order for the payment not to violate Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur as a result of the disposition of securities in the Company by the Investors or any affiliates thereof or affiliated funds, including pursuant to any secondary offering of the Company’s equity.

Solely for purposes of this definition, the following terms shall have the meaning specified: (A) “Affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 under Section 12 of the Exchange Act; (B) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person shall not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of any securities which are reflected on a Schedule 13G; and (C) ”Person” shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such term shall not include (w) the Company or any of its Affiliates; (x) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (y) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities; or (z) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

5.9    Deferrals. The Committee may determine that the delivery of shares of Common Stock or the payment of cash, or a combination thereof, upon the settlement of all or a portion of any award made hereunder shall be deferred, or the Committee may, in its sole discretion, approve deferral elections made by holders of awards. Deferrals shall be for such periods and upon such terms as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

5.10    No Right of Participation, Employment or Service. Unless otherwise set forth in an employment agreement, no person shall have any right to participate in this Plan. Neither this Plan nor any award made hereunder shall confer upon any person any right to continued employment by or service with the Company, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of the Company or affect in any manner the right of the Company, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of the Company to terminate the employment or service of any person at any time without liability hereunder.

5.11    Rights as Stockholder. No person shall have any right as a stockholder of the Company with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other equity security of the Company which is subject to an award hereunder unless and until such person becomes a stockholder of record with respect to such shares of Common Stock or equity security.

 

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5.12    Designation of Beneficiary. To the extent permitted by the Company, a holder of an award may file with the Company a written designation of one or more persons as such holder’s beneficiary or beneficiaries (both primary and contingent) in the event of the holder’s death or incapacity. To the extent an outstanding option or SAR granted hereunder is exercisable, such beneficiary or beneficiaries shall be entitled to exercise such option or SAR pursuant to procedures prescribed by the Company. Each beneficiary designation shall become effective only when filed in writing with the Company during the holder’s lifetime on a form prescribed by the Company. The spouse of a married holder domiciled in a community property jurisdiction shall join in any designation of a beneficiary other than such spouse. The filing with the Company of a new beneficiary designation shall cancel all previously filed beneficiary designations. If a holder fails to designate a beneficiary, or if all designated beneficiaries of a holder predecease the holder, then each outstanding award held by such holder, to the extent vested or exercisable, shall be payable to or may be exercised by such holder’s executor, administrator, legal representative or similar person.

5.13    Awards Subject to Clawback. The awards granted under this Plan and any cash payment or shares of Common Stock delivered pursuant to such an award are subject to forfeiture, recovery by the Company or other action pursuant to the applicable award Agreement or any clawback or recoupment policy which the Company may adopt from time to time, including without limitation any such policy which the Company may be required to adopt under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and implementing rules and regulations thereunder, or as otherwise required by law.

5.14    Governing Law. This Plan, each award hereunder and the related Agreement, and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant thereto, to the extent not otherwise governed by the Code or the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware and construed in accordance therewith without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.

5.15    Foreign Employees. Without amending this Plan, the Committee may grant awards to eligible persons who are foreign nationals and/or reside outside of the United States on such terms and conditions different from those specified in this Plan as may in the judgment of the Committee be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of this Plan and, in furtherance of such purposes the Committee may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, subplans and the like as may be necessary or advisable to comply with provisions of laws in other countries or jurisdictions in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operates or has employees.

 

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Exhibit 10.8

MP MATERIALS CORP.

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the [●] day of [●], 2020, by and between MP Materials Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [●] (“Indemnitee”).

RECITALS

A.    The Company is aware that competent and experienced persons are increasingly reluctant to serve or continue serving as directors or officers of companies unless they are protected by comprehensive liability insurance and adequate indemnification against risk of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such companies that can bear no relationship to the compensation of such directors or officers.

B.    The statutes, including the General Corporation Law of Delaware (the “DGCL”), and judicial decisions in the State of Delaware regarding the duties of directors and officers may be insufficient to provide directors and officers with adequate, reliable knowledge of the legal risks to which they are exposed or the manner in which they are expected to execute their fiduciary duties and responsibilities.

C.    The Company and the Indemnitee recognize that future plaintiffs may seek damages in such large amounts, and the costs of litigation may be so great (whether or not the claims are meritorious), that the defense and/or settlement of such litigation can create an extraordinary burden on the personal resources of directors and officers.

D.    The board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) recognizes the limitations on the protection provided by existing indemnification arrangements pursuant to the Company’s second amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Charter”) and amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”) and the uncertainties as to its availability in any particular situation.

E.    The Board has concluded that, to attract and retain competent and experienced persons to serve as directors and officers of the Company, it is not only reasonable and prudent but necessary to promote the best interests of the Company and its stockholders for the Company to contractually indemnify and hold harmless its directors and certain of its officers in the manner set forth herein, and to assume for itself liability for expenses and damages in connection with claims against such directors and officers in connection with their service to and activities on behalf of the Company as provided herein.

F.     Section 145 of the DGCL permits the Company to indemnify and advance defense costs to its officers and directors and to indemnify and advance expenses to persons who serve at the request of the Company as directors, officers, employees, or agents of other corporations or enterprises.


G.    The Company desires and has requested the Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company, and the Indemnitee is willing to serve, or to continue to serve, as a director and/or officer of the Company if the Indemnitee is furnished the indemnity provided for herein by the Company.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual covenants and agreements set forth below, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

1.    Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the corresponding meanings set forth below.

Change in Control” means each of the following, occurring after the Effective Date:

(i) The date any Person becomes the “Beneficial Owner,” as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, of 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding shares, other than beneficial ownership by (A) the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or (C) any entity of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not occur as the result of an acquisition of outstanding shares of the Company by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by a Person to 30% or more of the shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of 30% or more of the shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of the Company, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred; or

(ii) The date the Company consummates a merger or consolidation with another entity, or engages in a reorganization with or a statutory share exchange or an exchange offer for the Company’s outstanding voting stock of any class with another entity or acquires another entity by means of a statutory share exchange or an exchange offer, or engages in a similar transaction; provided that no Change in Control shall have occurred by reason of this paragraph unless either:

(A) the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction would not, immediately after such consummation, as a result of their beneficial ownership of voting stock of the Company immediately prior to such

 

2


consummation (I) be the Beneficial Owners, directly or indirectly, of securities of the resulting or acquiring entity entitled to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors or other governing body of the resulting or acquiring entity; and (II) be the Beneficial Owners of the resulting or acquiring entity in substantially the same proportion as their beneficial ownership of the voting stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; or

(B) those persons who were directors of the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction would not, immediately after such consummation, constitute a majority of the directors of the resulting entity.

(iii) The date of the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person (as defined in paragraph (i) above) other than an affiliate of the Company (meaning any corporation that is part of a controlled group within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, Section 414(b) or (c)); or

(iv) The date the number of duly elected and qualified directors of the Company who were not either elected by the Company’s Board or nominated by the Board or its nominating/governance committee for election by the shareholders shall constitute a majority of the total number of directors of the Company as fixed by its By-Laws.

The Reviewing Party shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.

“Claim” means a claim or action asserted by a Person in a Proceeding or any other written demand for relief in connection with or arising from an Indemnification Event.

“Covered Entity” means (i) the Company, (ii) any subsidiary of the Company or (iii) any other Person for which Indemnitee is or was or may be deemed to be serving, at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, as a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary.

“Disinterested Director” means, with respect to any determination contemplated by this Agreement, any Person who, as of the time of such determination, is a member of the Board but is not a party to any Proceeding then pending with respect to any Indemnification Event.

 

3


“Effective Date” means the date first above written.

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

“Expenses” means any and all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of legal counsel, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3(c) below (including Indepenent Legal Counsel), retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage and delivery service fees and all other disbursements or expenses of any type or nature whatsoever reasonably incurred by Indemnitee) in connection with or arising from an Indemnification Event, including, without limitation: (i) the investigation or defense of a Claim; (ii) being, or preparing to be, a witness or otherwise participating, or preparing to participate, in any Proceeding; (iii) furnishing, or preparing to furnish, documents in response to a subpoena or otherwise in connection with any Proceeding; (iv) any appeal of any judgment, outcome or determination in any Proceeding (including, without limitation, any premium, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or any other appeal bond or its equivalent); (v) establishing or enforcing any right to indemnification under this Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2(c) below), the DGCL or otherwise, regardless of whether Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, unless as a part of such action, a court of competent jurisdiction over such action determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action was not made in good faith or was frivolous; (vi) Indemnitee’s defense of any Proceeding instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement (including, without limitation, costs and expenses incurred with respect to Indemnitee’s counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action); and (vii) any Federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable with respect to such payments. For purposes of clarification, Expenses shall not include Losses.

An “Indemnification Event” shall be deemed to have occurred if Indemnitee was or is or becomes, or is threatened to be made, a party to or witness or other participant in, or was or is or becomes obligated to furnish or furnishes documents in response to a subpoena or otherwise in connection with, any Proceeding by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was or may be deemed a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of any Covered Entity, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while serving in any such capacity.

“Independent Legal Counsel” means a competent, qualified attorney or firm of attorneys that is experienced, knowledgeable and qualified in matters of corporate law, or such other specialty as required by the matter in question, and neither presently is, nor in the thirty-six (36) months prior to such designation has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.

 

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“Losses” means any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, settlement payments, awards and amounts of any type whatsoever incurred by Indemnitee in connection with or arising from an Indemnification Event. For purposes of clarification, Losses shall not include Expenses.

“Organizational Documents” means any and all organizational documents, charters or similar agreements or governing documents, including, without limitation, (i) with respect to a corporation, its Charter and Bylaws, (ii) with respect to a limited liability company, its operating agreement, and (iii) with respect to a limited partnership, its partnership agreement.

“Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit, proceeding, arbitration, mediation or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or appeal or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of a Covered Entity or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative, internal or investigative nature.

“Person” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization or other entity or government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Reviewing Party” means, with respect to any determination contemplated by this Agreement, any one of the following: (i) a majority of the Disinterested Directors, even if such Persons would not constitute a quorum of the Company’s board of directors; (ii) a committee consisting solely of Disinterested Directors, even if such Persons would not constitute a quorum of the Company’s board of directors, so long as such committee was designated by a majority of the Disinterested Directors; (iii) Independent Legal Counsel designated by the Disinterested Directors (or, if there are no Disinterested Directors, the Company’s board of directors) (in which case, any determination shall be evidenced by the rendering of a written opinion); or (iv) in the absence of any Disinterested Directors, the Company’s stockholders; provided, that, in the event that a Change in Control has occurred, the Reviewing Party shall be Independent Legal Counsel (selected by Indemnitee) in a written opinion to the board of directors of the Company, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Indemnitee.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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

2.    Indemnification.

(a)    Indemnification of Losses and Expenses. If an Indemnification Event has occurred, then, subject to Section 9 below, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as such law may be amended from time

 

5


to time (but in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than were permitted prior thereto), against any and all Losses and Expenses; provided that the Company’s commitment set forth in this Section 2(a) to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnitee shall be subject to the limitations and procedural requirements set forth in this Agreement.

(b)    Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Losses or Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

(c)    Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance Expenses to or on behalf of Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as such law may be amended from time to time (but in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than were permitted prior thereto), as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than thirty (30) days after written request therefor by Indemnitee, which request shall be accompanied by vouchers, invoices or similar evidence documenting in reasonable detail the Expenses incurred or to be incurred by Indemnitee; provided, however, that Indemnitee need not submit to the Company any information that counsel for Indemnitee reasonably deems is privileged and exempt from compulsory disclosure in any Proceeding. Execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Indemnitee constitutes an undertaking to repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized by this Agreement. No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 2(c) shall be unsecured and interest free.

(d)    Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Losses or Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding relating to an Indemnification Event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable by the Reviewing Party in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (1) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving rise to such Proceeding; and (2) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

3.    Indemnification Procedures.

(a)    Notice of Indemnification Event. Indemnitee shall give the Company notice as soon as practicable of any Indemnification Event of which Indemnitee becomes aware and of any request for indemnification hereunder, provided that any failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement except if, and then only to the extent that, such failure actually and materially prejudices the Company.

 

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(b)    Notice to Insurers. The Company shall give prompt written notice of any Indemnification Event which may be covered by the Company’s liability insurance to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in each of the applicable policies of insurance. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Indemnification Event in accordance with the terms of such policies; provided that nothing in this Section 3(b) shall affect the Company’s obligations under this Agreement or the Company’s obligations to comply with the provisions of this Agreement in a timely manner as provided.

(c)    Selection of Counsel. If the Company shall be obligated hereunder to pay or advance Expenses or indemnify Indemnitee with respect to any Losses, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of any related Claims, with counsel selected by the Company. After the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the defense of such Claims; provided that: (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in connection with any such Claim at Indemnitee’s expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) counsel for Indemnitee shall have provided the Company with written advice that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Claim, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.

4.    Determination of Right to Indemnification.

(a)    Successful Proceeding. To the extent Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any Proceeding that is the subject of an Indemnification Event referred to in Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against Losses and Expenses incurred by him or her in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all Claims in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Losses and Expenses actually or reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with each successfully resolved Claim.

(b)    Other Proceedings. In the event that Section 4(a) is inapplicable, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee as provided in Section 2(a) or 2(b), as applicable, or provide a contribution payment to the Indemnitee as provided in Section 2(d), to the extent determined by the Reviewing Party.

(c)    Reviewing Party Determination. A Reviewing Party chosen by the Board shall determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, subject to the following:

(i)    A Reviewing Party so chosen shall act in the utmost good faith to assure Indemnitee a complete opportunity to present to such Reviewing Party Indemnitee’s case that Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct.

(ii)    Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of a Covered Entity,

 

7


including, without limitation, its financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of a Covered Entity in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for a Covered Entity or on information or records given, or reports made, to a Covered Entity by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by a Covered Entity. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of a Covered Entity shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(c)(ii) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Any Person seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by clear and convincing evidence.

(iii)    If a Reviewing Party chosen pursuant to this Section 4(c) shall not have made a determination whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (A) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (B) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such thirty (30) day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the Reviewing Party in good faith requires such additional time for obtaining or evaluating documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(c)(iii) shall not apply if (I) the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders of the Company, (II) a special meeting of stockholders is called by the Board for such purpose within thirty (30) days after the stockholders are chosen as the Reviewing Party, (III) such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called, and (IV) such determination is made thereat.

(d)    Appeal to Court. Notwithstanding a determination by a Reviewing Party chosen pursuant to Section 4(c) that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification with respect to a specific Claim or Proceeding (an “Adverse Determination”), Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to the court in which that Claim or Proceeding is or was pending or any other court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, provided that Indemnitee shall commence any such Proceeding seeking to enforce Indemnitee’s right to indemnification within one (1) year following the date upon which Indemnitee is notified in writing by the Company of the Adverse Determination. In the event of any dispute between the parties concerning their respective rights and obligations hereunder, the Company shall have the burden of proving that the Company is not obligated to make the payment or advance claimed by Indemnitee.

(e)    Presumption of Success. The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment shall be deemed a successful resolution for purposes of

 

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Section 4(a) if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption or uncertainty. In the event that any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such Proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration), it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such Proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by clear and convincing evidence.

(f)    Settlement of Claims. The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise for any amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without the Company’s written consent. The Company shall not settle any Proceeding in any manner that would impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s written consent. Neither the Company nor the Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold their consent to any proposed settlement. The Company shall not be liable to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement with regard to any judicial award if the Company was not given a reasonable and timely opportunity, at its expense, to participate in the defense of such action; the Company’s liability hereunder shall not be excused if participation in the Proceeding by the Company was barred by this Agreement.

5.    Additional Indemnification Rights; Non-exclusivity.

(a)    Scope. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, even if such indemnification is not specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement, the Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity or by applicable law. In the event of any change after the Effective Date in any applicable law, statute or rule that expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule that narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties rights and obligations hereunder except as set forth in Section 9(a) hereof.

(b)    Non-exclusivity. The rights to indemnification, contribution and advancement of Expenses provided in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of, but shall be in addition to, any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under the Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors, the laws of the State of Delaware or otherwise. Furthermore, no right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder or otherwise shall not prevent the concurrent assertion of any other right or remedy. The rights to indemnification, contribution and advancement of Expenses provided in this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action Indemnitee took or did not take while serving in an indemnified capacity even though Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.

 

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6.    No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of any amount otherwise indemnifiable hereunder, or for which advancement is provided hereunder, if and to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment, whether pursuant to any insurance policy, the Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity or otherwise. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding that the Indemnitee may have certain rights to indemnification and insurance provided by other entities or organizations, the Company acknowledges and agrees that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the other indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary).

7.    Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that, in certain instances, Federal law or public policy may override applicable state law and prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. For example, the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that the SEC has taken the position that indemnification is not permissible for liabilities arising under certain Federal securities laws, and Federal legislation prohibits indemnification for certain violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1979, as amended. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken, or may be required in the future to undertake, with the SEC to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee, and any right to indemnification hereunder shall be subject to, and conditioned upon, any such required court determination.

8.    Liability Insurance. The Company shall maintain liability insurance applicable to directors and officers of the Company and shall cause Indemnitee to be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s officers and directors (other than in the case of an independent director liability insurance policy if Indemnitee is not an independent or outside director). The Company shall advise Indemnitee as to the general terms of, and the amounts of coverage provide by, any liability insurance policy described in this Section 8 and shall promptly notify Indemnitee if, at any time, any such insurance policy is terminated or expired without renewal or if the amount of coverage under any such insurance policy will be decreased.

9.    Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee:

(a)    against any Losses or Expenses, or advance Expenses to Indemnitee, with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee, and not by way of defense (including, without limitation, affirmative defenses and counter-claims), except (i) Claims to establish or enforce a right to indemnification, contribution or advancement with respect to an Indemnification Event, whether under this Agreement, any other agreement or insurance policy, the Company’s Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity, the laws of the State of Delaware or otherwise, or (ii) if the Board has approved specifically the initiation or bringing of such Claim;

 

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(b)    against any Losses or Expenses, or advance Expenses to Indemnitee, with respect to Claims arising (i) with respect to an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or (ii) pursuant to Section 304 or 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto; or

(c)    if, and to the extent, that a court of competent jurisdiction renders a final, unappealable decision that such indemnification is not lawful.

10.    Miscellaneous.

(a)    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

(b)    Binding Effect; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including with respect to the Company, any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company) and with respect to Indemnitee, his or her spouse, heirs, and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor or assign (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession or assignment had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to Claims relating to Indemnification Events regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of any Covered Entity.

(c)    Notice. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing, shall be effective when given, and shall in any event be deemed to be given (a) five (5) days after deposit with the U.S. Postal Service or other applicable postal service, if delivered by first class mail, postage prepaid, (b) upon delivery, if delivered by hand, (c) one (1) business day after the business day of deposit with Federal Express or similar, nationally recognized overnight courier, freight prepaid, or (d) one (1) business day after the business day of delivery by confirmed facsimile transmission or electronic mail, and if deliverable by facsimile transmission, with copy by other means permitted hereunder, including electronic mail, and addressed, if to Indemnitee, to the Indemnitee’s address, electronic mail address or facsimile number (as applicable) as set forth beneath the Indemnitee’s signature to this Agreement, or, if to the Company, at the address or facsimile number (as applicable) of its principal corporate offices (attention: Secretary), or at such other address or facsimile number (as applicable) as such party may designate to the other parties hereto.

 

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(d)    Enforceability. This Agreement is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

(e)    Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Delaware for all purposes in connection with any Proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any Proceeding instituted under this Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the courts of the State of Delaware.

(f)    Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of this Agreement containing any provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable that is not itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the extent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

(g)    Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

(h)    Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee who shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

(i)    Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in a writing signed by the parties to be bound thereby. Notice of same shall be provided to all parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

(j)    No Construction as Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement between the Company and the Indemnitee and nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained or continue in the employ or service of any Covered Entity.

(k)    Supersedes Previous Agreements. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. All such prior agreements and understandings are hereby terminated and deemed of no further force or effect.

 

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[remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.

 

COMPANY:  
MP Materials Corp.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

INDEMNITEE:

 

 

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Exhibit 10.9

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of this 7th day of August 2020 (the “Effective Date”), by and between MP Mine Operations LLC (the “Company”) and James H. Litinsky (the “Executive”).

W I T N E S S T H :

WHEREAS, on July 15, 2020, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. (“FVAC”), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), and certain other parties, which contemplates a series of transactions following which the Company will merge with FVAC and the equity of the Company will be exchanged for publicly traded securities of the combined company (the “Going Public Transaction”), which combined company will be named MP Materials Corp. (“MP Materials”); and

WHEREAS, in anticipation of the Going Public Transaction, the Company desires to employ Executive and to enter into this Agreement embodying the terms of such employment, and Executive desires to enter into this Agreement and to accept such employment, subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, effective upon the closing of the Going Public Transaction (the “Closing”), without further action by the parties hereto, the Company shall assign and shall cause MP Materials to assume this Agreement, at which time, all references to the Company thereafter shall instead refer to MP Materials.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are mutually acknowledged, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

Section 1.    Definitions. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth on Appendix A, attached hereto.

Section 2.    Acceptance and Term of Employment.

The Company agrees to employ Executive, and Executive agrees to serve the Company, on the terms and conditions set forth herein. Executive’s employment hereunder shall continue until terminated as provided in Section 7 hereof (the “Term of Employment”).

 

  Section

3.    Position, Duties, and Responsibilities; Place of Performance.

(a)    Position, Duties, and Responsibilities. On the Effective Date, Executive shall be appointed as the Chairman of the Board and shall, subject to his continued service as a director of the Company, hold that title during the Term of Employment and, as requested by the Board, Executive shall serve as an officer and/or director of any member of the Company Group. Beginning on the date of the Closing and thereafter during the Term of Employment, Executive shall be employed by and serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, reporting directly to the Board, and having such duties, authority and responsibilities commensurate with such position and as may be reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by the Board.


During the Term of Employment, Executive shall not be entitled to any additional compensation in connection with his service on the Board or as a director or officer of any member of the Company Group.

(b)    Performance. Executive shall devote Executive’s full business time, attention, skill, and best efforts to the performance of Executive’s duties under this Agreement and shall not engage in any other business or occupation during the Term of Employment, including, without limitation, any activity that (x) conflicts with the interests of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (y) interferes with the proper and efficient performance of Executive’s duties for the Company or for any other member of the Company Group, or (z) interferes with Executive’s exercise of judgment in the Company’s best interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Executive from (i) serving as a member of the board of directors or advisory board (or the equivalent in the case of a non-corporate entity) of a non-competing for-profit business and/or one or more charitable organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, (iii) managing Executive’s personal investments and affairs and (iv) being a partner, member, employee or consultant of JHL Capital Group LLC (“JHL”) and providing services to JHL and its affiliates; provided, however, that the activities set out in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) shall be limited by Executive so as not to materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder. Executive shall not become a director of any for profit entity without first receiving the approval of the nominating and corporate governance committee of the Board, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(c)    Principal Place of Employment. Executive’s principal place of employment shall be at the Company’s corporate headquarters, although Executive understands and agrees that Executive may be required to travel from time to time for business reasons.

Section 4.    Compensation.

(a)    Base Salary. Executive’s base salary shall be $0, except to the extent that any applicable federal, state or local law requires payment of a minimum wage or salary to Executive.

(b)    Adjustment to Compensation. At any time on or after the one-year anniversary of the Closing, Executive may request that the Compensation Committee, in consultation with such committee’s compensation consultant, prepare and present a proposal to Executive of a compensation package (including base salary, annual cash and equity incentives and severance) that is competitive for a publicly-traded company of the Company’s size and consistent with the Company’s then-current pay strategy for the Company’s senior executives. At such time, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to agree to Executive’s compensation package and to amend this Agreement as appropriate to reflect the foregoing.

Section 5.    Employee Benefits.

During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to participate in health, insurance, retirement, and other benefits provided generally to senior executives of the Company. Executive shall also be entitled to the same number of holidays and sick days, as well

 

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as any other benefits, in each case as are generally allowed to senior executives of the Company in accordance with the Company policy as in effect from time to time. Executive will also be entitled to four (4) weeks of vacation annually. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the Company’s ability to amend, suspend, or terminate any employee benefit plan or policy at any time, and the right to do so is expressly reserved so long as such amendment, suspension or termination is not particularly targeted at Executive.

Section 6.    Reimbursement of Business Expenses.

Executive is authorized to incur reasonable business expenses in carrying out Executive’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, and the Company shall promptly reimburse Executive for all such reasonable business expenses, subject to documentation in accordance with the Company’s reimbursement policy, as in effect from time to time.

 

  Section

7.    Termination of Employment.

(a)    General. The Term of Employment, and Executive’s employment hereunder, shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) Executive’s death, (ii) a termination by reason of a Disability, (iii) a termination by the Company with or without Cause, and (iv) a termination by Executive with or without Good Reason. Except as otherwise expressly required by law (e.g., COBRA) or as specifically provided herein, all of Executive’s rights to future employee benefits and other compensatory amounts hereunder (if any) shall cease upon the termination of Executive’s employment hereunder.

(b)    Deemed Resignation. Upon any termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, except as may otherwise be requested by the Company in writing and agreed upon in writing by Executive, Executive shall be deemed to have resigned from any and all directorships, committee memberships, and any other positions Executive holds with the Company or any other member of the Company Group.

(c)    Termination Due to Death or Disability. Executive’s employment shall terminate automatically upon Executive’s death. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately upon the occurrence of a Disability, such termination to be effective upon Executive’s receipt of written notice of such termination. Upon Executive’s death or in the event that Executive’s employment is terminated due to Executive’s Disability, Executive or Executive’s estate or Executive’s beneficiaries, as the case may be, shall be entitled to the Accrued Obligations. Following Executive’s death or a termination of Executive’s employment by reason of a Disability, except as set forth in this Section 7(c), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(d)    Termination by the Company for Cause. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time upon the occurrence of an act constituting Cause, effective upon delivery to Executive of written notice of such termination; provided, that such notice of termination has first been approved by a majority of the members of the Board excluding Executive (“Board Approval of Notice”). In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause, he shall be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations. Following such termination of Executive’s employment for Cause, except as set forth in this Section 7(d), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

 

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(e)    Termination by the Company without Cause. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time without Cause, effective upon delivery to Executive of written notice of such termination, subject to Board Approval of Notice. In the event that Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than due to death or Disability), Executive shall be entitled to:

(i)    The Accrued Obligations; and

(ii)    Severance payments in the aggregate amount of $2 million, payable in substantially equal installments during the Severance Term in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payments and benefits described in clause (ii) above shall immediately terminate, and the Company shall have no further obligations to Executive with respect thereto, in the event that Executive breaches any provision set forth in Section 9 hereof. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause, except as set forth in this Section 7(e), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(f)    Termination by Executive with Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment with Good Reason by providing the Company thirty (30) days’ written notice setting forth in reasonable detail the nature of the Good Reason. During such thirty (30) day notice period, the Company shall have a cure right (if curable), and if not cured within such period, Executive’s termination will be effective upon the expiration of such cure period, and Executive shall be entitled to the same payments and benefits as provided in Section 7(e) hereof for a termination by the Company without Cause, subject to the same conditions on payment and benefits as described in Section 7(e) hereof. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by Executive with Good Reason, except as set forth in this Section 7(f), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(g)    Termination by Executive without Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment without Good Reason by providing the Company thirty (30) days’ written notice of such termination. In the event of a termination of employment by Executive under this Section 7(g), Executive shall be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations. In the event of termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 7(g), the Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, by written notice accelerate such date of termination without changing the characterization of such termination as a termination by Executive without Good Reason. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by Executive without Good Reason, except as set forth in this Section 7(g), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(h)    Release. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the payment of any amount or provision of any benefit pursuant to subsection (e) or (f) of this Section 7 other than the Accrued Obligations (collectively, the “Severance Benefits”) shall be

 

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conditioned upon Executive’s execution, delivery to the Company, and non-revocation of the Release of Claims (and the expiration of any revocation period contained in such Release of Claims) within sixty (60) days following the date of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder (the “Release Execution Period”). If Executive fails to execute the Release of Claims in such a timely manner so as to permit any revocation period to expire prior to the end of such sixty (60) day period, or timely revokes Executive’s acceptance of such release following its execution, Executive shall not be entitled to any of the Severance Benefits. No portion of the Severance Benefits (other than Accrued Obligations) shall be paid until the Release of Claims has become effective and all such amounts shall commence to be paid on the first regular payroll date of the Company after the Release of Claims has become effective; provided, that, if the Release Execution Period overlaps two calendar years, the first payment shall not be made sooner than the first day of the second year, and shall include any missed payments.

Section 8.    Certain Payments.

In the event that (a) Executive is entitled to receive any payment, benefit or distribution of any type to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable, provided or to be provided, or distributed or distributable, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise, that would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) (collectively, the “Payments”), and (b) the net after-tax amount of such Payments, after Executive has paid all taxes due thereon (including, without limitation, taxes due under Section 4999 of the Code) is less than the net after-tax amount of all such Payments otherwise due to Executive in the aggregate, if such Payments were reduced to an amount equal to 2.99 times Executive’s “base amount” then the aggregate amount of such Payments payable to Executive shall be reduced to an amount that will equal 2.99 times Executive’s base amount (as defined in Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code). To the extent such aggregate “parachute payment” amounts are required to be so reduced, the parachute payment amounts due to Executive (but no non-parachute payment amounts) shall be reduced in the following order: (i) the parachute payments that are payable in cash shall be reduced (if necessary, to zero) with amounts that are payable last reduced first; (ii) payments and benefits due in respect of any equity, valued at full value (rather than accelerated value), with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24); and (iii) all other non-cash benefits not otherwise described in clause (ii) of this Section 8 with amounts that are payable or to be provided last reduced first.

 

  Section

9.    Restrictive Covenants

(a)    General. Executive acknowledges and recognizes the highly competitive nature of the business of the Company Group, that access to Confidential Information renders Executive special and unique within the industry of the Company Group, and that Executive will have the opportunity to develop substantial relationships with existing and prospective clients, accounts, customers, consultants, contractors, investors, and strategic partners of the Company Group during the course of and as a result of Executive’s employment with the Company. In light of the foregoing, as a condition of Executive’s employment by the Company, and in consideration of Executive’s employment hereunder and the compensation and benefits provided herein, Executive acknowledges and agrees to the covenants contained in this Section 9. Executive further recognizes and acknowledges that the restrictions and limitations set forth in this Section 9 are reasonable and valid in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects and are essential to protect the value of the business and assets of the Company Group.

 

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(b)    Confidential Information.

(i)    Executive acknowledges that, during the Term of Employment, Executive will have access to information about the Company Group and that Executive’s employment with the Company shall bring Executive into close contact with confidential and proprietary information of the Company Group. In recognition of the foregoing, Executive agrees, at all times during the Term of Employment and thereafter, to hold in confidence, and not to use, except for the benefit of the Company Group, or to disclose to any Person without written authorization of the Company, any Confidential Information; provided, that nothing in this Section 9(b)(i) shall prevent Executive from disclosing Confidential Information as may be required by applicable law, rule or court order.

(ii)    Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or impede Executive from communicating, cooperating or filing a complaint with any U.S. federal, state or local governmental or law enforcement branch, agency or entity (collectively, a “Governmental Entity”) with respect to possible violations of any U.S. federal, state or local law or regulation, or otherwise making disclosures to any Governmental Entity, in each case, that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of any such law or regulation, provided that in each case such communications and disclosures are consistent with applicable law. Executive understands and acknowledges that an individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Executive understands and acknowledges further that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. Moreover, Executive is not required to give prior notice to (or get prior authorization from) the Company regarding any such communication or disclosure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, under no circumstance will Executive be authorized to disclose any information covered by attorney-client privilege or attorney work product of any member of the Company Group without prior written consent of Company’s General Counsel or other officer designated by the Company. Participant does not need the prior authorization of (or to give notice to) any member of the Company Group regarding any communication, disclosure, or activity permitted by this paragraph.

(c)    Assignment of Intellectual Property.

(i)    Executive agrees that he will, without additional compensation, promptly make full written disclosure to the Company, and will hold in trust for the sole

 

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right and benefit of the Company all developments, original works of authorship, inventions, concepts, know-how, improvements, trade secrets, and similar proprietary rights, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar laws, which Executive may (or have previously) solely or jointly conceive or develop or reduce to practice, or cause to be conceived or developed or reduced to practice, during the Term of Employment, whether or not during regular working hours, provided they arise out of Executive’s employment with the Company or are developed through the use of equipment, supplies, or facilities of any member of the Company Group, or any Confidential Information, or in consultation with personnel of any member of the Company Group (collectively referred to as “Developments”). Executive further acknowledges that all Developments made by Executive (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of and during the Term of Employment are “works made for hire” (to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law) for which Executive is compensated by the Company, unless regulated otherwise by law, but that, in the event any such Development is deemed not to be a work made for hire, Executive hereby assigns to the Company, or its designee, all Executive’s right, title, and interest throughout the world in and to any such Development.

(ii)    Executive agrees to reasonably assist the Company, or its designee, at the Company’s expense, in every way to secure the rights of the Company Group in the Developments and any copyrights, patents, trademarks, service marks, database rights, domain names, mask work rights, moral rights, and other intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, recordations, and all other instruments that the Company shall deem necessary in order to apply for, obtain, maintain, and transfer such rights and in order to assign and convey to the Company Group the sole and exclusive right, title, and interest in and to such Developments, and any intellectual property and other proprietary rights relating thereto. Executive further agrees that Executive’s obligation to execute or cause to be executed, when it is in Executive’s power to do so, any such instrument or papers shall continue after the termination of the Term of Employment until the expiration of the last such intellectual property right to expire in any country of the world; provided, however, that the Company shall reimburse Executive for Executive’s reasonable expenses incurred in connection with carrying out the foregoing obligation. If the Company is unable because of Executive’s mental or physical incapacity or unavailability for any other reason to secure Executive’s signature to apply for or to pursue any application for any United States or foreign patents or copyright registrations covering Developments or original works of authorship assigned to the Company as above, then Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as Executive’s agent and attorney in fact to act for and in Executive’s behalf and stead to execute and file any such applications or records and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the application for, prosecution, issuance, maintenance, and transfer of letters patent or registrations thereon with the same legal force and effect as if originally executed by me. Executive hereby waives and irrevocably quitclaims to the Company any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, that Executive now or hereafter have for past, present, or future infringement of any and all proprietary rights assigned to the Company.

 

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(d)    Non-Competition. During the Term of Employment and the Post-Termination Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly engage in, have any equity interest in, or manage, provide services to or operate any person, firm, corporation, partnership or business (whether as director, officer, employee, agent, representative, partner, member, security holder, consultant or otherwise) that engages in any business, directly or indirectly (through a subsidiary or otherwise), which competes with the Business within the United States of America or any other jurisdiction in which any member of the Company Group engages in business, derives a material portion of its revenues or has demonstrable plans to commence business activities in. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may at any time own, for investment purposes only, up to five percent (5%) of the equity of any publicly-held company whose equity is either listed on a national stock exchange or on the NASDAQ National Market System.

(e)    Non-Interference. During the Term of Employment and the Post-Termination Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly for Executive’s own account or for the account of any other Person, engage in Interfering Activities.

(f)    Return of Documents. In the event of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder for any reason, Executive shall deliver to the Company (and will not keep in Executive’s possession, recreate, or deliver to anyone else) or destroy, at Executive’s sole option, any and all Confidential Information and all other documents, materials, information, and property otherwise belonging to the Company Group; provided, that Executive shall be entitled to retain his personal contacts, digital or physical rolodex and/or any other personal property he may keep in his office.

(g)    Independence; Severability; Blue Pencil. Each of the rights enumerated in this Section 9 shall be independent of the others and shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any other rights and remedies available to the Company Group at law or in equity. If any of the provisions of this Section 9 or any part of any of them is hereafter construed or adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, the same shall not affect the remainder of this Section 9, which shall be given full effect without regard to the invalid portions. If any of the covenants contained herein are held to be invalid or unenforceable because of the duration of such provisions or the area or scope covered thereby, each of the Company and Executive agree that the court making such determination shall have the power to reduce the duration, scope, and/or area of such provision to the maximum and/or broadest duration, scope, and/or area permissible by law, and in its reduced form said provision shall then be enforceable.

(h)    Injunctive Relief. Executive expressly acknowledges that any breach or threatened breach of any of the terms and/or conditions set forth in this Section 9 may result in substantial, continuing, and irreparable injury to the members of the Company Group. Therefore, Executive hereby agrees that, in addition to any other remedy that may be available to the Company, any member of the Company Group shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief, specific performance, or other equitable relief by a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the event of any breach or threatened breach of the terms of this Section 9. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Post-Termination Restricted Period shall be tolled during any period of violation of any of the covenants in this Section 9 and during any other period required for litigation during which the Company or any other member of the Company Group seeks to enforce such covenants against Executive if it is ultimately determined that Executive was in breach of such covenants.

 

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(i)    Disclosure of Covenants. As long as it remains in effect, Executive will disclose the existence of the covenants contained in this Section 9 to any prospective employer, partner, co-venturer, investor, or lender prior to entering into an employment, partnership, or other business relationship with such Person or entity.

(j)    Other Covenants. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that Executive is subject to similar restrictive covenants pursuant to any other agreement with the Company or any other member of the Company Group (“Other Covenants”), the covenants contained in this Agreement shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any such Other Covenants, and enforcement by the Company of the covenants contained in this Agreement shall not preclude the Company or any other applicable member of the Company Group from enforcing such Other Covenants in accordance with their terms.

Section 10.    Representations and Warranties of Executive.

Executive represents and warrants to the Company that:

(a)    Executive is entering into this Agreement voluntarily and Executive’s employment hereunder and compliance with the terms and conditions hereof will not conflict with or result in the breach by Executive of any agreement to which he is a party or by which he may be bound;

(b)    By entering into this Agreement Executive has not violated any non-solicitation, non-competition, or other similar covenant or agreement with any Person by which he is or may be bound;

(c)    In connection with Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will not use any confidential or proprietary information he may have obtained in connection with employment or service with any prior service recipient; and

(d)    Executive has not been terminated from any prior employer or service recipient, or otherwise disciplined in connection any such relationship, in connection with, or as a result of, any claim of workplace sexual harassment or sex or gender discrimination, and to Executive’s knowledge, Executive has not been the subject of any investigation, formal allegation, civil or criminal complaint, charge, or settlement regarding workplace sexual harassment or sex or gender discrimination.

Section 11.    Taxes.

The Company may withhold from any payments made under this Agreement or otherwise made in connection with Executive’s employment hereunder, all applicable taxes, including but not limited to income, employment, and social insurance taxes, as shall be required by law. If any such taxes are paid or advanced by the Company on behalf of Executive, Executive shall remain responsible for, and shall repay, such amounts to the Company, promptly following notice thereof by the Company. Executive acknowledges and represents that the

 

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Company has not provided any tax advice to Executive in connection with this Agreement and that he has been advised by the Company to seek tax advice from Executive’s own tax advisors regarding this Agreement and payments that may be made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement, including specifically, the application of the provisions of Section 409A of the Code to such payments.

Section 12.    Mitigation.

Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided pursuant to this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise and the amount of any payment provided for pursuant to this Agreement shall not be reduced by any compensation earned as a result of Executive’s other employment or otherwise.

Section 13.    Additional Section 409A Provisions.

Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary:

(a)    Any payment of nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) otherwise required to be made hereunder to Executive at any date as a result of the termination of Executive’s employment shall be delayed for such period of time as may be necessary to meet the requirements of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code (the “Delay Period”). On the first business day following the expiration of the Delay Period, Executive shall be paid, in a single cash lump sum, an amount equal to the aggregate amount of all payments delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence, and any remaining payments not so delayed shall continue to be paid pursuant to the payment schedule set forth herein.

(b)    Each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the payment (or commencement of a series of payments) hereunder of any nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) upon a termination of employment shall be delayed until such time as Executive has also undergone a “separation from service” as defined in Treas. Reg. 1.409A-1(h), at which time such nonqualified deferred compensation (calculated as of the date of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder) shall be paid (or commence to be paid) to Executive on the schedule set forth in Section 7 as if Executive had undergone such termination of employment (under the same circumstances) on the date of Executive’s ultimate “separation from service.”

(d)    To the extent that any right to reimbursement of expenses or payment of any benefit in-kind under this Agreement constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), (i) any such expense reimbursement shall be made by the Company no later than the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expense was incurred by Executive, (ii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, and (iii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits to be provided in any other taxable year; provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not be violated with regard to expenses reimbursed under any arrangement covered by Section 105(b) of the Code solely because such expenses are subject to a limit related to the period the arrangement is in effect.

 

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(e)    While the payments and benefits provided hereunder are intended to be structured in a manner to avoid the implication of any penalty taxes under Section 409A of the Code, and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such intention, in no event whatsoever shall the Board any member of the Company Group or any of their respective advisors be liable for any additional tax, interest, or penalties that may be imposed on Executive as a result of Section 409A of the Code or any damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code (other than for withholding obligations or other obligations applicable to employers, if any, under Section 409A of the Code).

Section 14.    Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries.

(a)    The Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Company and its respective successors and assigns. Except as expressly contemplated in the introductory clauses of this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, obligations, or interests arising hereunder may be assigned by the Company to a Person (other than another member of the Company Group, or its or their respective successors) without Executive’s prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned); provided, however, that in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or any direct or indirect division or subsidiary thereof to which Executive’s employment primarily relates, the Company may provide that this Agreement will be assigned to, and assumed by, the acquiror of such assets, division or subsidiary, as applicable, without Executive’s consent.

(b)    Executive. Executive’s rights and obligations under this Agreement shall not be transferable by Executive by assignment or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Company; provided, however, that if Executive shall die, all amounts then payable to Executive hereunder shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to Executive’s devisee, legatee, or other designee, or if there be no such designee, to Executive’s estate.

(c)    No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as otherwise set forth in Section 7(c) or Section 14(b) hereof, nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be construed to give any Person other than the Company, the other members of the Company Group, and Executive any legal or equitable right, remedy, or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

Section 15.    Indemnity.

Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company (and following the Closing, MP Materials) will, to the maximum extent permitted by law, defend, indemnify and hold harmless Executive and Executive’s heirs, estate, executors and administrators against any costs, losses, claims, suits, proceedings, damages or liabilities to which Executive may become subject which arise out of, are based upon or relate to Executive’s employment by the Company, including without limitation reimbursement for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by Executive in connection with the investigation of and defense against any such claims, suits, or proceedings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the Company’s obligation to defend,

 

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indemnify and hold harmless contained in this Section 15 shall not apply to claims between the Company and Executive (including Executive’s heirs, estate, executors and administrators) including, without limitation, disputes arising out of the terms of this Agreement, nor shall it apply to any claims or suits successfully adjudicated on the merits against Executive based upon Executive’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or Executive’s breach of any term of this Agreement (in which event Executive shall promptly return to the Company all legal and other expenses paid on Executive’s behalf).

 

  Section

16.    Clawbacks.

The payments to Executive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise are subject to forfeiture or recovery by the Company or other action pursuant to any clawback or recoupment policy which the Company may adopt from time to time, including without limitation any such policy or provision that the Company has included in any of its existing compensation programs or plans or that it may be required to adopt under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and implementing rules and regulations thereunder, or as otherwise required by law.

 

  Section

17.    Company Policies.

Executive shall be subject to additional Company policies as they may exist from time-to-time, including policies with regard to stock ownership by senior executives and policies regarding trading of securities.

Section 18.    Waiver and Amendments.

Any waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification of any of the terms of this Agreement shall be valid only if made in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that any such waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification must be consented to on the Company’s behalf by the Board. No waiver by either of the parties hereto of their rights hereunder shall be deemed to constitute a waiver with respect to any subsequent occurrences or transactions hereunder unless such waiver specifically states that it is to be construed as a continuing waiver.

 

  Section

19.    Severability.

If any covenants or such other provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid or unenforceable by a final determination of a court of competent jurisdiction, (a) the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired, and (b) the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof shall be deemed replaced by a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof.

 

  Section

20.    Governing Law; Dispute Resolution.

(a)    Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND IS TO BE CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA.

 

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(b)    Dispute Resolution.

(i)    The parties agree that, except as provided in Section 9 above, any disputes under this Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada. Except to the extent inconsistent with this Agreement, such arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association then in effect at the time of the arbitration and otherwise in accordance with principles which would be applied by a court of law or equity. The arbitrator shall be acceptable to both the Company and Executive. If the parties cannot agree on an acceptable arbitrator, the dispute shall be decided by a panel of three arbitrators, one appointed by each of the parties and the third appointed by the other two arbitrators or if the two arbitrators do not agree, appointed by the American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon the final award rendered by such arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

(ii)    The costs of arbitration (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and other reasonable charges of counsel) incurred by each party hereof; provided, however, that if Executive (or his beneficiaries) prevails on at least one material issue in the dispute, the Company shall pay or reimburse Executive for all such costs. Following the final determination of the dispute in which, based on the outcome of the dispute, the Executive is, in accordance with this Section 20(b), entitled to have his costs borne by the Company, the Company shall pay all such reasonable costs within ten (10) days following written demand therefor (supported by documentation of such costs) by Executive, and Executive shall make such written demand within sixty (60) days following the final determination of the dispute; provided, however, that such payment shall be made no later than on or prior to the end of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the costs are incurred.

 

  Section

21.    Notices.

(a)    Place of Delivery. Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom or which it is intended at such address as may from time to time be designated by it in a notice mailed or delivered to the other party as herein provided; provided, however, that unless and until some other address be so designated, all notices and communications by Executive to the Company shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal executive office, and all notices and communications by the Company to Executive may be given to Executive personally or may be mailed to Executive at Executive’s last known address, as reflected in the Company’s records.

(b)    Date of Delivery. Any notice so addressed shall be deemed to be given (i) if delivered by hand, on the date of such delivery, (ii) if mailed by courier or by overnight mail, on the first business day following the date of such mailing, and (iii) if mailed by registered or certified mail, on the third business day after the date of such mailing.

 

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  Section

22.    Section Headings.

The headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part thereof or affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or of any term or provision hereof.

 

  Section

23.    Entire Agreement.

This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties hereto regarding the employment of Executive. This Agreement supersedes all prior negotiations, discussions, correspondence, communications, understandings, and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement.

 

  Section

24.    Survival of Operative Sections.

Upon any termination of Executive’s employment, the provisions of Section 7 through Section 23 of this Agreement (together with any related definitions set forth on Appendix A) shall survive to the extent necessary to give effect to the provisions thereof.

 

  Section

25.    Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The execution of this Agreement may be by actual or electronic facsimile signature.

*        *        *

[Signatures to appear on the following page.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

MP MINE OPERATIONS LLC

/s/ Michael Rosenthal

By: Michael Rosenthal

Title: Manager

EXECUTIVE

/s/ James H. Litinsky

James H. Litinsky


APPENDIX A

Definitions

(a)    “Accrued Obligations” shall mean (i) all accrued but unpaid base salary through the date of termination of Executive’s employment, (ii) any unpaid or unreimbursed expenses incurred in accordance with Section 6 hereof, and (iii) any benefits provided under the Company’s employee benefit plans upon a termination of employment, including rights with respect to equity participation under any applicable equity incentive plan of the Company or any award agreement or other related document with respect to the grant of any award under such equity incentive plan.

(b)     “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(c)    “Business” shall mean any business activities related to rare earth mining and processing, or any other current or demonstrably planned material business activities of the Company Group.

(d)    “Business Relation” shall mean any current or prospective client, customer, licensee, supplier, or other business relation of the Company Group, or any such relation that was a client, customer, licensee or other business relation within the prior six (6) month period, in each case, with whom Executive transacted business or whose identity became known to Executive in connection with Executive’s employment hereunder.

(e)    “Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement or any other material policy of the Company, in each instance only after a written demand to cure such breach is delivered to Executive setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances of such breach and Executive fails to cure such breach (if it reasonably can be cured) within the thirty (30) day period following his receipt of such written notice; (ii) any material act of dishonesty, or any act of misappropriation, embezzlement, fraud or similar conduct involving the Company or any of its affiliates; (iii) Executive’s continued willful failure or refusal to perform Executive’s material duties or responsibilities after a written demand to cure such failure or refusal is delivered to Executive setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances of such failure or refusal and Executive fails to cure such failure or refusal within the ten (10) day period following his receipt of such written notice; or (iv) Executive’s engagement in illegal conduct, gross negligence or willful misconduct which is, or could be reasonably expected to be, materially and demonstrably injurious to the reputation or business of the Company.

(f)    “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(g)    “Company Group” shall mean the Company together with any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.

(h)     “Compensation Committee” shall mean the compensation committee of the Board. Prior to any time that such a committee has been designated, the Board shall be deemed the Compensation Committee for purposes of this Agreement.


(i)    “Confidential Information” means information that the Company Group has or will develop, acquire, create, compile, discover, or own, that has value in or to the business of the Company Group that is not generally known and that the Company wishes to maintain as confidential. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, any and all non-public information that relates to the actual or anticipated business and/or products, research, or development of the Company Group, or to the Company Group’s technical data, trade secrets, or know-how, including, but not limited to, research, plans, or other information regarding the Company Group’s products or services and markets, customer lists, and customers (including, but not limited to, customers of the Company on whom Executive called or with whom Executive may become acquainted during the Term of Employment), software, developments, inventions, processes, formulas, technology, designs, drawings, engineering, hardware configuration information, marketing, finances, and other business information disclosed by the Company either directly or indirectly in writing, orally, or by drawings or inspection of premises, parts, equipment, or other Company Group property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include any of the foregoing items (i) that have become publicly and widely known through no unauthorized disclosure by Executive or others who were under confidentiality obligations as to the item or items involved, (ii) that have been independently developed without the use of or reference to Confidential Information or (iii) if such item has been provided by a third party to Executive and is not known by Executive to be subject to any confidentiality restrictions.

(j)    “Disability” shall mean any physical or mental disability or infirmity of Executive that prevents the substantial performance of Executive’s duties notwithstanding reasonable accommodation for a period of (i) ninety (90) consecutive days or (ii) one hundred fifty (150) non-consecutive days during any twelve (12) month period. Any question as to the existence, extent, or potentiality of Executive’s Disability upon which Executive and the Company cannot agree shall be determined by a qualified, independent physician selected by the Company and approved by Executive. The determination of any such physician shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of this Agreement.

(k)    “Good Reason” shall mean, without Executive’s written consent, (i) the failure of the Company to make any payment that it is required to make hereunder to Executive when such payment is due; (ii) the assignment to Executive of duties materially inconsistent with Executive’s position and status with the Company, a change in Executive’s title, or a material reduction in Executive’s responsibilities; (iii) a reassignment of Executive’s primary work location outside of Las Vegas, Nevada or (iv) the Company’s breach of any material provision of this Agreement.

(l)    “Interfering Activities” shall mean (A) recruiting, encouraging, soliciting, or inducing, or in any manner attempting to recruit, encourage, solicit, or induce, any Person employed by, or providing consulting services to, any member of the Company Group to terminate such Person’s employment or services (or in the case of a consultant, materially reducing such services) with the Company Group, (B) hiring any individual who was employed by the Company Group within the six (6) month period prior to the date of such hiring, or (C) encouraging, soliciting, or inducing, or in any manner attempting to encourage, solicit, or induce, any Business Relation to cease doing business with or reduce the amount of business conducted with the Company Group, or in any way interfering with the relationship between any such Business Relation and the Company Group; provided, that engaging in a general solicitation not specifically targeted at the foregoing individuals shall not be Interfering Activities.

 

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(m)    “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust (charitable or non-charitable), unincorporated organization, or other form of business entity.

(n)    “Post-Termination Restricted Period” shall mean the period commencing on the date of the termination of the Term of Employment for any reason and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date of termination.

(o)    “Release of Claims” shall mean a general release of claims delivered to Executive by the Company in connection with Executive’s termination of employment in a mutually acceptable form.

(p)    “Severance Term” shall mean the period commencing on the date of Executive’s termination by the Company without Cause (other than by reason of death or Disability) or by Executive with Good Reason and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date of termination.

 

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Exhibit 10.10

EXECUTION COPY

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This is an employment agreement (“Agreement”) between MP Mine Operations LLC (the “Company”) and Michael Rosenthal (“Employee”) is dated as of July 1, 2020. The parties agree and represent as follows:

 

I.

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT

Company hereby employs Employee and Employee hereby accepts employment on an at-will basis with Company as Chief Executive Officer effective as of July 1, 2020. The parties acknowledge and agree that consistent with their at-will employment relationship, either Employee or Company may terminate the employment relationship with or without cause or good reason and with or without advance notice.

 

II.

DUTIES OF EMPLOYEE

 

  A.

Position and Duties

Prior to the Transition Date (as defined below), Employee shall serve as a Chief Executive Officer and perform all duties and execute all responsibilities as are normally provided by a Chief Executive Officer of a company in a business similar to the Company’s and such other services as may reasonably be assigned from time-to-time by the Board of Managers or its designee. On the Transition Date, Employee’s title and role shall automatically transition, without any further action of the parties hereto, to Chief Operating Officer, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Prior to the Transition Date, the Board of Managers shall work together in good faith with Employee to develop the job description for the Chief Operating Officer position with clear delineation in roles and responsibilities, with the Chief Operating Officer at a minimum being responsible for oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Mt. Pass Mine and the plant and future expansion plans, including, without limitation, engineering processes, implementation and commissioning related to Phase 2. For purposes hereof, the “Transition Date” shall occur upon the earliest of (i) the date of an initial public offering of the Company (or such other entity created to effectuate such offering), or (ii) the consummation of a transaction with a SPAC, following which, the equity of the Company is sold, exchanged, or converted into publicly traded securities (as applicable, the “Going Public Transaction”, and the publicly traded entity resulting from (i) or (ii), as applicable, “PubCo”), in which case PubCo shall be assigned this Agreement and bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall execute a assignment of this Agreement acknowledging the assumption of all of the obligations hereunder and thereafter “Company” shall be deemed to be PubCo and “Board of Managers” shall be deemed to mean the Board of Directors of PubCo. In addition, during Employee’s employment hereunder, Employee shall have observer rights to sit in on all meetings of the Board.

 

  B.

Devotion of Work Time to The Company’s Business/Agreement Not To Compete While Employed by the Company

Employee shall devote his full business time, energies, abilities and attention to the business of the Company and the performance of Employee’s duties under this agreement, and shall not, except as provided below, engage in any other business or occupation during Employee’s employment with the Company, including, without limitation, any activity that (x) conflicts with

 

1


        

EXECUTION COPY

 

the interests of the Company or any subsidiaries of the Company, (y) interferes with the proper and efficient performance of Employee’s duties for the Company, or (z) interferes with Employee’s exercise of judgment in the Company’s best interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Employee from (i) serving, with the prior written consent of the Board of Managers, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, as a member of the board of directors or advisory board (or the equivalent in the case of a non-corporate entity) of a non-competing for-profit business and one or more charitable organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, (iii) managing Employee’s personal investments and affairs, and (iv) being a partner/member/employee/consultant of QVT Financial LP or its affiliates (“QVT”), an investment advisory firm, including, without limitation, providing investment analysis and advice to QVT and its affiliates; provided, however, that the activities set out in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) shall be limited by Employee so as not to materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of Employee’s duties and responsibilities hereunder, and with respect to (iv), in no event will Employee be permitted to engage in any activity that would compete with the Company.

 

  C.

Confidential and Trade Secret Information

Employee agrees that the Company is engaged in the highly competitive business of mineral processing or related competitive operations provided by the Company at the time Employee executes this Agreement or at any time throughout Employee’s employment with the Company (the “Company’s Business”). The Company’s involvement in this business has required and continues to require the expenditure of substantial amounts of time, money and the use of skills developed over a long period of time. As a result of these investments of money, skill and time, the Company has developed and will continue to develop certain valuable Trade Secrets and Confidential Information that are peculiar to the business of the Company and the disclosure of which would cause the Company great and irreparable harm. Employee acknowledges that Employee has and/or will come into contact with and/or have access to certain valuable Trade Secrets and Confidential Information all of which is the sole property of the Company.

 

  1.

The term “Trade Secrets” means information deemed a trade secret as defined by applicable law including, but not limited to, a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process, that: (i) derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use, and (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

  2.

The term “Confidential Information” means any data, information or documentation which is valuable to the Company and not generally known to the public and/or the Company competitors, including but not limited to:

 

  a)

Product information, including but not limited to, technical notebook records, patent applications, machines, equipment, process and product designs including any drawings and descriptions thereof, sketches, concepts, plans, specifications, modifications, advancements, production and development processes and the costs thereof, and production schedules;

 

2


        

EXECUTION COPY

 

  b)

Financial information, including but not limited to, earnings, assets, debts, prices, pricing manuals, business plans, business agreements, costs, fee structures, volumes of purchases or sales, projections, budgets, product sales records, or other financial data, whether relating to the Company generally, or to particular products, services, geographic areas, or time periods;

 

  c)

Supply and service information, including but not limited to, information concerning supplies, the goods and services used or purchased by the Company, the names, addresses, and other contact information of suppliers and distributors, supplier and distributor lists, information relating to past, current or anticipated products and services, terms of supplier and distributor service contracts, or of particular transactions, or related information about potential suppliers and distributors;

 

  d)

Marketing information, including but not limited to, marketing arrangements, marketing plans, details about ongoing or proposed marketing strategies and programs or agreements by or on behalf of the Company, marketing forecasts, marketing surveys, results of marketing efforts or information about pending transactions;

 

  e)

Customer information, including but not limited to, any compilations or lists of past, existing or prospective customers, including, but not limited to, wholesale and retail customers, customer proposals or agreements between customers and the Company, mailing lists, status of customer accounts or credit, customer buying and other customer-related records, or related information about actual or prospective customers, with respect to which Employee had contact or about which Employee obtained Confidential Information during Employee’s employment with the Company; and

 

  f)

Business information, including but not limited to, business plans, information related to production facilities, information relating to business conducted or anticipated to be conducted, plans for future business and product development and expansion, any existing or new idea, project or enterprise, whether same is commercially operational or in any stage of initial development prior to becoming commercially operational, internal performance statistics and other competitive or sensitive information concerning the Company, territory listings, long-range plans, operating instructions, computer programs, tax information, project and service development plans, internal performance statistics, financial reports, strategic plans, licenses, operations manuals and best practices memoranda.

 

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EXECUTION COPY

 

  D.

Non-Disclosure Of Trade Secrets And Confidential Information

Employee acknowledges and agrees that any disclosure, divulging, revealing or other use of any of the aforesaid Confidential Information or Trade Secrets by Employee, other than in connection with the Company’s business will be highly detrimental to the business of the Company and serious loss of business and pecuniary damage may result therefrom. Accordingly, Employee specifically covenants and agrees to hold all such Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and any documents containing or reflecting the same in the strictest confidence, and Employee will not, both during employment with the Company or at any time after Employee’s employment with the Company terminates without the Company’s prior written consent, disclose, divulge or reveal to any person whomsoever, or use for any purpose other than the exclusive benefit of the Company, any Confidential Information and Trade Secrets whatsoever, whether contained in the Employee’s memory or embodied in writing or other physical form. Disclosure includes forwarding Confidential Information and/or Trade Secrets to a personal e-mail address and/or uploading such information onto any cloud-based storage site or social media platform. Under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that: (a) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (b) is made to Employee’s attorney in relation to a lawsuit for retaliation against Employee for reporting a suspected violation of law; or (c) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. In addition, nothing contained in this Paragraph or elsewhere in this Agreement, prohibits Employee from: (1) filing a charge with or participating, testifying, or assisting in any investigation, hearing, or other proceeding before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the National Labor Relations Board or a similar agency enforcing federal, state, or local laws; (2) reporting possible violations of federal law or regulations, including any possible securities laws violations, to any governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Congress, or any agency Inspector General; (3) making any other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulations; or (4) otherwise fully participating in any federal whistleblower programs.

 

  E.

Non-Solicitation of Customers

Employee acknowledges and agrees that solely by reason of Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee has and/or will come into contact with some of the Company’s customers and has and/or will have access to Confidential Information and Trade Secrets regarding the Company and its customers as set forth in Paragraph II(C) of this Agreement. Consequently, Employee covenants and agrees that in the event of Employee’s separation from employment with the Company, whether such separation is voluntary or involuntary, Employee will not for a period of twelve (12) months following such separation, directly or indirectly, either on Employee’s own account or on behalf of any person, company, corporation, or other entity, service, solicit or initiate contact with intent to service or solicit with any customers of the Company with whom Employee had contact during the last twelve (12) months of Employee’s employment with the Company or about whom Employee obtained Confidential Information and/or Trade Secrets, for the purpose of an activity directly competitive with the Company’s then business operations.

 

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  F.

Non-Solicitation of Employees, Independent Contractors or Other Agents

Employee acknowledges and agrees that, solely as a result of Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee has and/or will come into contact with and acquire information regarding the skills and abilities of the Company’s employees, independent contractors or other agents that is not available to the general public from directories or other public sources. Accordingly, both during Employee’s employment with the Company and for a period of twelve (12) months after Employee’s separation from employment with the Company, whether such separation is voluntary or involuntary, Employee shall not, either on Employee’s own account or on behalf of any person, company, corporation, or other entity, solicit, lure, encourage, assist or endeavor to cause any employees, independent contractors or other agents of the Company with whom Employee came into contact during the last twelve (12) months of Employee’s employment with the Company or about whom Employee obtained information regarding their skills and abilities during Employee’s employment with the Company, to leave employment with the Company or alter, sever, discontinue, or in any other way interfere with their relationship with the Company; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to or prohibit: (a) general solicitations of employment not directly targeted at such persons, (b) solicitations of such persons who have first contacted Employee on their own initiative, or (c) solicitations of any employee who has been terminated by the Company prior to commencement of employment discussions by Employee. Nothing herein shall prohibit Employee from terminating employees, independent contractors and agents of the Company while acting as Chief Executive Officer if in his sole discretion he decides that such action will further the interests of the Company.

 

  G.

Non-Solicitation of Suppliers

Employee acknowledges and agrees that solely by reason of Employee’s employment with the Company, Employee has and/or will come into contact with some of the Company’s suppliers and has and/or will have access to Confidential Information and Trade Secrets regarding the Company and its suppliers as set forth in Paragraph II(C) of this Agreement. Consequently, Employee covenants and agrees that in the event of Employee’s separation from employment with the Company, whether such separation is voluntary or involuntary, Employee will not for a period of twelve (12) months following such separation, directly or indirectly, either on Employee’s own account or on behalf of any person, company, corporation, or other entity, solicit or initiate contact with intent to solicit with any suppliers of the Company with whom Employee had contact during the last twelve (12) months of Employee’s employment with the Company or about whom Employee obtained Confidential Information and/or Trade Secrets, for the purpose of an activity directly competitive with the Company’s then business operations.

 

  H.

Proprietary Development

Employee agrees he will fully and promptly disclose, in writing, to the Company all inventions, products, processes, apparatus, designs, improvements, or business related suggestions and information which he may, solely or jointly with others, conceive, discover, make or develop while employed with the Company which relate to the Company’s business.

Employee agrees that any inventions, products, processes, apparatus, designs, improvements or business-related suggestions and information conceived, discovered, made or

 

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developed by him, solely or jointly with others, during his employment with the Company that are (i) made with the firm’s equipment, supplies, facilities, trade secrets, or time; or (ii) that relate, at the time of conception or reduction to practice to the Company’s business, to the Company’s actual or demonstrably anticipated research; or (iii) result from any work performed by Employee for the Company, shall belong to the Company without further compensation to Employee, and Employee agrees to assign any and all rights in such items to the Company.

Employee agrees that any inventions, products, processes, apparatus, designs, improvements, or business related suggestions and information, conceived, discovered, made or developed by Employee, solely or jointly with others, after his termination of employment with the Company that are based on the Company’s trade secrets or confidential information shall belong to the Company and Employee here assigns any and all rights in such items to the Company.

Employee agrees to execute all documents which the Company may consider necessary to carry out this Agreement, including domestic and foreign patent applications prepared at the expense of the Company and formal assignments to the Company of all rights in such inventions and patent applications and the patents issued thereon together with all divisions, continuations, and reissues thereof. Employee further agrees to submit to a reasonable and confidential review process under which the Company may determine any issues as may arise under the provisions of this paragraph.

Employee represents that he has no unpatented inventions which are to be withheld from this Agreement except those listed by employee on the reverse side of this Agreement and whose exclusion have been approved in writing by an authorized representative of the Company.

Employee understands this Agreement does not apply to an invention that Employee developed entirely on Employee’s own time without using the Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except for those inventions that either: (i) relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the Company’s business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the Company; or (ii) result from any work performed by Employee for the Company.

 

  I.

Injunctive Relief

Employee expressly acknowledges and agrees that any breach or threatened breach of Paragraphs II.(C) through II(H) herein, and each of them, will cause irreparable and continuing damage to the Company for which monetary damages will be an inadequate remedy, and that the damages flowing from such breach are not readily susceptible to being measured in monetary terms. Accordingly, in addition to all of the Company’s rights and remedies under this Agreement and available under applicable law, including but not limited to, the right of the recovery of monetary damages and all other forms of other relief including, without limitation, equitable relief, from Employee, the Company shall be entitled to seek issuance by any court of competent jurisdiction of temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctions enjoining any such breach or threatened breach by Employee.

 

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  J.

Confidential Information Belonging to Others & Related Restrictions

Employee agrees that Employee shall not disclose to the Company, use for the Company’s benefit, or induce the Company to use any trade secret or confidential information Employee may possess or any intellectual property belonging to any former employer or other third party. Employee affirms that that Employee is not presently subject to a restrictive covenant or other contract or agreement of any kind which would prohibit, restrict or limit Employee’s employment with the Company other than restrictions under his agreements with QVT and its affiliates, which do not prohibit, limit, or restrict his employment with the Company. If Employee learns or becomes aware of or is advised that Employee is subject to an actual or alleged restrictive covenant or other prior agreement which may prohibit or restrict Employee’s employment by the Company, Employee shall immediately notify the Company in writing to the Board of Managers of the same.

 

III.

TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

Employee is and remains free to terminate his employment at any time during Employee’s employment with the Company, for any reason, with or without cause. In the event of such a voluntary termination by Employee (other than for Good Reason (as defined below)), the Company requests Employee to provide written notice of termination at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of his termination. The Company shall, in such event, remain free to accept such notice and continue Employee’s employment up to the effective date of termination, or to pay Employee thirty (30) days’ pay in lieu of accepting notice and require his immediate termination. In the event Employee terminates his own employment (other than for Good Reason), Employee shall be entitled only to that compensation and those benefits earned by and vested in him as of the effective date of such termination, calculated on a pro-rated basis.

Employee may also terminate his employment with the Company for Good Reason upon prior written notice to the Company setting forth in reasonable detail the nature of the Good Reason. The following shall constitute “Good Reason”: without Employee’s written consent, (i) the failure of the Company to make any payment that it is required to make hereunder to Employee when such payment is due; (ii) the assignment to Employee of duties materially inconsistent with Employee’s position and status with the Company, a change in Employee’s title, or a material reduction in Employee’s responsibilities; (iii) a reassignment of Employee’s primary work location outside of San Bernardino County, CA or (iv) the Company’s breach of any material provision of this Agreement; provided, however, that such conduct shall not constitute Good Reason unless and until Employee has provided the Company with written notice setting forth in reasonable detail the nature of the Good Reason and the Company has not cured such conduct within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice.

The Company is and remains free to terminate Employee’s employment at any time, for any reason, with or without cause.

In the event of a termination by the Company without cause, the Company shall provide Employee with thirty (30) days’ notice of termination and Employee shall continue to receive through Employee’s employment with the Company the compensation and benefits to which he is entitled under this Agreement. The Company may, in lieu of thirty (30) days’ notice, pay Employee one month’s salary with an immediate termination.

 

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Additionally, in the event of a termination by Company without cause or by Employee for Good Reason, in exchange for Employee signing (and non-revocation of) a general release of claims that is effective within sixty (60) days of termination in a form to be provided by the Company promptly following the termination, (i) the Company shall provide Employee with six (6) month’s base salary which amount shall be paid in substantially equal installments, in accordance with regular payroll practices, over such 6-month period; provided, that in the event Employee breaches any of paragraphs (C) — (J) of Section II hereof, all such payments shall immediately cease, in each instance only after a written demand to cure such breach is delivered to Employee setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances of such breach and Employee fails to cure such breach (if it reasonably can be cured) within the ten (10) day period following his receipt of such written notice and (ii) any of Employee’s non-vested IEA shall immediately vest and not be subject to forfeiture.

In the event of a termination for cause, as defined below, no notice of termination shall be required and Employee will not be entitled to any further compensation or benefits. In the event of a termination for cause, Employee shall be entitled only to that compensation and those benefits earned by and vested in him as of the effective date of such termination, calculated on a pro-rated basis.

Termination may be effected for cause, as follows:

 

   

Employee’s material breach of this Agreement or any other material policy of the Company, in each instance only after a written demand to cure such breach is delivered to Employee setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances of such breach and Employee fails to cure such breach (if it reasonably can be cured) within the thirty (30) day period following his receipt of such written notice;

 

   

Any material act of dishonesty, or any act of misappropriation, embezzlement, fraud or similar conduct involving the Company or any of its affiliates;

 

   

Employee’s continued willful failure or refusal to perform Employee’s material duties or responsibilities after a written demand to cure such failure or refusal is delivered to Employee setting forth in reasonable detail the circumstances of such failure or refusal and Employee fails to cure such failure or refusal within the ten (10) day period following his receipt of such written notice;

 

   

The conviction of or the plea of guilty or nolo contendere or the equivalent by Employee of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude, or any other criminal charge that has, or could be reasonably expected to have, an adverse impact on the performance of Employee’s duties to the Company or otherwise result in material injury to the reputation or business of the Company; or

 

   

Employee’s engagement in illegal conduct, gross negligence or willful misconduct which is, or could be reasonably expected to be, materially and demonstrably injurious to the reputation or business of the Company.

 

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Upon any termination of Employee’s employment for any reason, except as may otherwise be requested by the Company in writing and agreed upon in writing by Employee, Employee shall be deemed to have resigned from any and all directorships, committee memberships, and any other positions Employee holds with the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

IV.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEE

 

  A.

Annual Compensation

1.    During Employee’s employment hereunder, Employee shall be provided an annual salary. From July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, such annual salary shall be at the rate of $250,000 per year (about $25,000 per month), less applicable payroll deductions. Thereafter, Employee’s salary shall be determined by the Board of Managers (or compensation committee thereof) in consultation with Employee but in no event shall be less than $250,000 per year. Payment of Employee’s salary shall be made in accordance with the Company’s periodic payroll practices.

2.    In addition to base salary, Employee shall be eligible to receive an annual incentive compensation award, with the actual value of the annual incentive compensation award with respect to any year being based upon the level of achievement of annual Company and individual performance objectives for such year, as determined by the Board of Managers (or compensation committee thereof), which may include objectives relating to plant Safety, recovery/efficiency, and economic success. For 2020, the target annual incentive compensation award will be $450,000, with actual payment being between 0% and 150% of target, depending on level of performance. The annual incentive compensation award shall be paid to Employee at the same time as annual bonuses are generally payable to other senior executives of the Company (provided, that in all events the annual incentive shall be paid in the year following the year for which the annual incentive applies) subject to Employee’s continuous employment through the end of the relevant year to which the bonus applies.

 

  B.

Initial Equity Award

1.    Subject to Employee’s continued employment through the Transition Date, Employee will be granted an Initial Equity Award (“IEA”) in the form of restricted common stock of the PubCo having a value1 equal to 1.7% of the pre-money Combined Company Equity Value (as defined below). The IEA shall be granted on or as soon as practicable following the Transition Date, such grant to be subject to the closing of the Going Public Transaction. The IEA shall be made in the form of a grant under the PubCo equity compensation plan, pursuant to an award agreement with customary terms reasonably acceptable to the Company and Employee, including without limitation, provisions to allow for the sale of restricted stock or other customary mechanism so that on vesting any tax liabilities which may arise solely from the vesting of the IEA may be paid by Employee (the “PubCo Plan and Award Agreement”), and the shares comprising the IEA shall be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If applicable

 

 

1 

For purposes of this Agreement, the number of shares which will be issued based on the Company’s value shall be determined using the per share price of the IPO or the value of a PubCo share used to determine the merger consideration per share.

 

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law or stock exchange rule does not permit the grant of the IEA as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company and Employee shall negotiate in good faith to enter into a cash-based award agreement providing comparable value to Employee. For purposes of ensuring clarity, “Combined Company Equity Value” is defined as the aggregate value of the equity of the Company, the equity of Secure Natural Resources LLC (“SNR”) and/or the equity of the Company’s and SNR’s successors, which in the event of a Going Public Transaction shall be the “Equity Value” as determined by the definitive documentation of such transaction and disregarding any other compensatory equity awards made at or contemporaneously with the Closing.

2.    The IEA shall vest over four years as follows: 40% on the date that is 15 months after the grant date, 20% on the date that is 27 months after the grant date, 20% on the date that is 39 months after the grant date, and 20% on the fourth anniversary of the grant date; provided that the IEA will fully vest on a Change of Control of PubCo. “Change of Control” is defined as (i) a merger in which PubCo is not the surviving corporation; (ii) a merger, sale or transaction involving PubCo where the equity holders of PubCo before such merger or sale or exchange do not retain, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the beneficial interest in the voting stock of the surviving corporation or the parent company thereof; or (iii) the sale or exchange of all or substantially all of PubCo’s assets; provided, however, that the definition of Change of Control may be superseded by any comparable definition in the PubCo Plan and Award Agreement. In the event, that Employee is terminated by Company without cause or by Employee for Good Reason or due to his death or disability (as defined below), he shall fully vest in all non-vested IEA (subject to execution of the release contemplated in Section III. above in the case of a termination without cause or by Employee for Good Reason); provided, however, that the definition of disability may be superseded by any comparable definition in the PubCo Plan and Award Agreement. For purposes of this section, “disability” shall mean Employee’s inability to perform his duties as set forth in Section II.A above as a result of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment for a period of 90 consecutive days, or for a period of 120 non-consecutive days in any one year period. Company will work in good faith with Employee to determine the most tax efficient structure for the issuance of the IEA.

 

  C.

Paid Vacation

During the term of this Agreement, Employee is eligible to receive or accrue paid vacation in accordance with the Company’s policies applicable to employees in positions similar or comparable to Employee’s. Specifically, Employee shall be entitled to four weeks of vacation annually.

 

  D.

Holidays

Employee shall be entitled to those paid holidays observed by the Company. Specific holidays are determined by and in the discretion of the Company yearly, and are published no later than January of each year.

 

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  E.

Retirement, Welfare and Fringe Benefits

Employee shall be eligible to participate in all retirement, welfare, and fringe benefits plans and programs generally made available by the Company to the Company’s executive employees, in accordance with the terms of such plans, when in effect.

 

V.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

  A.

Entire Agreement

This Agreement supersedes any and all other agreements, either oral or in writing, express or implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the employment of Employee by the Company, and contains all of the covenants and agreements between the parties with respect to such employment in any manner whatsoever. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that no representations, inducements, promises, or agreements, oral or written, express or implied, with regard to Employee’s employment, have been made or intended by any party, or anyone acting on behalf of any party, which are not embodied herein and that no other agreement, statement, or promise regarding employment, either oral or written, express or implied, not contained in this Agreement shall be valid or binding.

 

  B.

Partial Invalidity

If any term or provision of this Agreement or any portion thereof is declared illegal or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such provision or portion thereof shall be deemed amended or modified so as to render it enforceable, and to the extent such provision or portion thereof cannot be rendered enforceable, this Agreement shall be considered divisible as to such provision which shall become null and void, leaving the remainder of this Agreement in full force and effect.

 

  C.

Construction

The headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience only and do not constitute part of and shall not be used to interpret this Agreement.

 

  D.

Modification

No modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in a writing signed by both parties hereto, except where specific reference is made to this Agreement or for the sole purpose of PubCo joining this Agreement as the successor to the Company.

 

  E.

Assignment

Except as expressly contemplated in Section II.A. hereof, neither Employee nor the Company may make any assignment of this Agreement or any interest in it, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other; provided, however, the Company may assign their rights and obligations under this Agreement without Employee’s consent to any Person with whom the Company shall hereafter effect a reorganization, consolidate with, or merge into or to whom it transfers all or substantially all of their properties or assets. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon Employee, the Company and each of our respective successors, executors, administrators, heirs and permitted assigns.

 

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  F.

Waiver of Breach

The failure of either the Company or Employee, whether purposeful or otherwise, to exercise in any instance any right, power, or privilege under this Agreement or under law shall not constitute a waiver of the same or any other right, power, or privilege in any other instance. Any waiver by the Company or by Employee must be in writing and signed by either Employee, if Employee is seeking to waive any of Employee’s rights under this Agreement, or by the Board of Managers of the Company, if the Company is seeking to waive any of its rights under this Agreement.

 

  G.

Law Governing Agreement, Litigation, and Costs

This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of laws provisions. If any legal action or other proceeding is brought by any party for the enforcement of this Agreement, or because of any alleged dispute, breach or default in connection with any provisions of this Agreement, such action shall be brought exclusively in state or federal court of New York, and the parties agree to the jurisdiction thereof; provided, however, if said court shall decline jurisdiction or decline to afford injunctive relief to the Company on account of the breach or threatened breach of this Agreement by Employee, the Company shall be entitled to seek such relief from any other court of competent jurisdiction, wherever located. Employee recognizes that, should any dispute or controversy arising from or relating to this Agreement be submitted for adjudication to any court, arbitration panel or other third party, the preservation of the secrecy of Confidential Information and Trade Secrets may be jeopardized. Consequently, Employee agrees that all issues of fact shall be tried without a jury.

 

  H.

Indemnification

The Company shall indemnify Employee to the maximum extent permitted by law in respect of any claim, investigation, suit or dispute brought against Employee because Employee serves as an officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and the Company agrees to advance Employee’s reasonable expenses incurred therewith upon Employee executing an undertaking agreeing to repay any such advances if Employee is ultimately found not to have been entitled to such indemnification. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Employee if a court of competent jurisdiction finds Employee’s conduct to have constituted gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, or criminal conduct in performing or failing to perform any duties and responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

  I.

Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

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  J.

409A

1.    General. The payments and benefits provided hereunder are intended to be exempt from or compliant with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company reasonably determines that any payments or benefits hereunder are not either exempt from or compliant with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Company shall have the right to adopt such amendments to this Agreement or adopt such other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that are necessary or appropriate (i) to preserve the intended tax treatment of the payments and benefits provided hereunder, to preserve the economic benefits with respect to such payments and benefits, and/or (ii) to exempt such payments and benefits from Section 409A of the Code or to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and thereby avoid the application of penalty taxes thereunder; provided, however, that this does not, and shall not be construed so as to, create any obligation on the part of the Company to adopt any such amendments, policies or procedures or to take any other such actions or to indemnify the Employee for any failure to do so.

2.    Exceptions to Apply. The Company shall apply the exceptions provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(9) and all other applicable exceptions or provisions of Code Section 409A to the payments and benefits provided under this Agreement so that, to the maximum extent possible such payments and benefits are not deemed to be “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to Code Section 409A. All payments and benefits provided under this Agreement shall be deemed to be separate payments (and any payments made in installments shall be deemed a series of separate payments) for purposes of Code Section 409A.

3.    Taxable Reimbursements. To the extent that any payments or reimbursements provided to the Employee in the course of his employment are deemed to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to Code Section 409A, such amounts shall be paid or reimbursed reasonably promptly, but not later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred. The amount of any payments or expense reimbursements that constitute compensation in one year shall not affect the amount of payments or expense reimbursements constituting compensation that are eligible for payment or reimbursement in any subsequent year, and the Employee’s right to such payments or reimbursement of any such expenses shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for any other benefit.

4.    Specified Executive. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no compensation or benefits that are “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to Code Section 409A shall be paid to Employee during the 6-month period following his separation from service to the extent that the Company determines that the Employee is a “specified employee” and that paying such amounts at the time or times indicated in this Agreement would be a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i). If the payment of any such amounts is delayed as a result of the previous sentence, then on the first business day following the end of such 6-month period (or such earlier date upon which such amount can be paid under Code Section 409A without being subject to such additional taxes, including as a result of the Employee’s death), the Company shall pay to the Employee a lump-sum amount equal to the cumulative amount that would have otherwise been payable to the Employee during such 6-month period.

[Signature page follows]

 

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MP Mine Operations LLC
By:  

/s/ James H. Litinsky

Name:   James H. Litinsky
Title:   Co-Chairman
Date:   July 12, 2020

EMPLOYEE:

 

By:  

/s/ Michael Rosenthal

Name:   Michael Rosenthal
Date:   July 12, 2020

 

14

Exhibit 10.11

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of this 13th day of July 2020, by and between MP Mine Operations LLC (the “Company”) and Ryan Corbett (the “Executive”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, Executive is currently employed by the Company as its Chief Financial Officer; and

WHEREAS, Executive is a party to an employment agreement with the Company, executed by Executive on December 31, 2019 (the “Prior Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Company is contemplating either (i) an initial public offering of the Company (or such other entity created to effectuate such offering), or (ii) the consummation of a transaction with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), following which, the equity of the Company is sold, exchanged, or converted into publicly traded securities (either (i) or (ii), the “Going Public Transaction, and the publicly traded entity resulting therefrom, “PubCo”); and

WHEREAS, in anticipation of the Going Public Transaction, the Company desires to continue to employ Executive and to enter into this Agreement embodying the terms of such continued employment, and Executive desires to enter into this Agreement and to accept such employment, subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, effective upon the closing of the Going Public Transaction (the “Closing”), without further action by the parties hereto, the Company shall assign and shall cause PubCo to assume this Agreement, at which time, all references to the Company thereafter shall instead refer to PubCo.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are mutually acknowledged, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

Section 1.    Definitions. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth on Appendix A, attached hereto.

Section 2.    Acceptance and Term of Employment.

The Company agrees to continue to employ Executive, and Executive agrees to continue to serve the Company, on the terms and conditions set forth herein. Executive’s employment hereunder shall continue until terminated as provided in Section 7 hereof (the “Term of Employment”).


Section 3.    Position, Duties, and Responsibilities; Place of Performance.

(a)    Position, Duties, and Responsibilities. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be employed and serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, reporting directly to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and having such duties, authority and responsibilities commensurate with such position and as may be reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or the Board. Executive also agrees to serve as an officer and/or director of any member of the Company Group, in each case without additional compensation.

(b)    Performance. Executive shall devote Executive’s full business time, attention, skill, and best efforts to the performance of Executive’s duties under this Agreement and shall not engage in any other business or occupation during the Term of Employment, including, without limitation, any activity that (x) conflicts with the interests of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (y) interferes with the proper and efficient performance of Executive’s duties for the Company, or (z) interferes with Executive’s exercise of judgment in the Company’s best interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Executive from (i) serving, with the prior written consent of the Board, as a member of the board of directors or advisory board (or the equivalent in the case of a non-corporate entity) of a non-competing for-profit business and/or one or more charitable organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, and (iii) managing Executive’s personal investments and affairs; provided, however, that the activities set out in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) shall be limited by Executive so as not to materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder.

(c)    Principal Place of Employment. Executive’s principal place of employment shall be at the Company’s corporate headquarters, although Executive understands and agrees that Executive may be required to travel from time to time for business reasons.

Section 4.    Compensation.

During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to the following compensation:

(a)    Base Salary. Executive shall be paid an annualized Base Salary (the “Base Salary”), payable in accordance with the regular payroll practices of the Company, of $300,000, with increases, if any, as may be approved in writing by the Compensation Committee.

(b)    Annual Bonus. Executive shall be eligible for an annual incentive bonus award determined by the Compensation Committee in respect of each fiscal year during the Term of Employment (the “Annual Bonus”). The target Annual Bonus for each fiscal year shall be established by the Compensation Committee and not be less than $300,000 (the “Target Annual Bonus”), with the actual Annual Bonus payable being based upon the level of achievement of annual Company and individual performance objectives for such fiscal year, as determined by the Compensation Committee and communicated to Executive during the first

 

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quarter of such fiscal year. The Annual Bonus shall otherwise be subject to the terms and conditions of the annual bonus plan adopted by the Board or the Compensation Committee, if any, under which bonuses are generally payable to senior executives of the Company, as in effect from time to time; provided, that the Annual Bonus shall be paid only in cash unless otherwise agreed in writing by Executive. The Annual Bonus shall be paid to Executive at the same time as annual bonuses are generally payable to other senior executives of the Company subject to Executive’s continuous employment through the end of the fiscal year to which such bonus relates (subject to Section 7 below).

(c)    Equity Participation. In connection with the commencement of Executive’s employment hereunder, Executive shall be entitled to participate in the equity incentive plan(s) of the Company as in effect from time to time and pursuant to the terms of such plan(s), the applicable award agreement and such other documents Executive is required to execute in connection with the grant of any award under such plan(s) (the plan(s), the award agreement, and such other documents collectively, the “Equity Documents”). The terms of Executive’s equity awards shall be exclusively governed by the terms of the Equity Documents.

(d)    Closing Equity Awards. Without limiting the foregoing, subject to Executive’s continued employment hereunder through the Closing, upon or as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing, Executive will be granted (i) shares of fully vested common stock of PubCo having a value1 equal to $2 million (the “Stock Grant”), which Stock Grant shall be subject to any share lock-up provisions and any other customary terms that are applicable generally to other executive shareholders of the Company, and (ii) shares of restricted common stock of PubCo having a value equal $1.5 million (the “Incentive Award” and together with the Stock Grant, the “Equity Grants”). Forty percent (40%) of the Incentive Award shall vest on the first anniversary of the Closing, and the remaining sixty percent (60%) of the Incentive Award shall vest in substantially equal annual installments over the next three (3) years, in each case based upon Executive’s continued employment hereunder, subject to acceleration of vesting upon any Change in Control or if Executive is terminated without Cause or resigns with Good Reason, and shall otherwise be subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Documents.

(e)    Closing Bonus. In addition to the Equity Grants, and subject to Executive’s continued employment hereunder through the Closing, upon the Closing, Executive shall be entitled to receive a one-time, lump-sum payment equal to $350,000, payable upon the next regularly scheduled payroll date immediately following the Closing.

Section 5.    Employee Benefits.

During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to participate in health, insurance, retirement, and other benefits provided generally to senior executives of the Company. Executive shall also be entitled to the same number of holidays and sick days, as well as any other benefits, in each case as are generally allowed to senior executives of the Company

 

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For purposes of this Agreement, the number of shares which will be issued based on the Company’s value shall be determined using the per share price of the IPO or the value of a PubCo share used to determine the merger consideration per share based on the applicable Going Public Transaction.

 

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in accordance with the Company policy as in effect from time to time. You will also be entitled to four (4) weeks of vacation annually. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the Company’s ability to amend, suspend, or terminate any employee benefit plan or policy at any time, and the right to do so is expressly reserved so long as such amendment, suspension or termination is not particularly targeted at Executive.

Section 6.    Reimbursement of Business Expenses.

Executive is authorized to incur reasonable business expenses in carrying out Executive’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, and the Company shall promptly reimburse Executive for all such reasonable business expenses, including, without limitation, airfare between Madison, Wisconsin and Las Vegas, Nevada until Executive’s family relocates to Las Vegas, Nevada (expected to be in May 2021) subject to documentation in accordance with the Company’s policy, as in effect from time to time.

Section 7.    Termination of Employment.

(a)    General. The Term of Employment, and Executive’s employment hereunder, shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) Executive’s death, (ii) a termination by reason of a Disability, (iii) a termination by the Company with or without Cause, and (iv) a termination by Executive with or without Good Reason. Except as otherwise expressly required by law (e.g., COBRA) or as specifically provided herein, all of Executive’s rights to future Base Salary, Annual Bonus, employee benefits and other compensatory amounts hereunder (if any) shall cease upon the termination of Executive’s employment hereunder.

(b)    Deemed Resignation. Upon any termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, except as may otherwise be requested by the Company in writing and agreed upon in writing by Executive, Executive shall be deemed to have resigned from any and all directorships, committee memberships, and any other positions Executive holds with the Company or any other member of the Company Group.

(c)    Termination Due to Death or Disability. Executive’s employment shall terminate automatically upon Executive’s death. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately upon the occurrence of a Disability, such termination to be effective upon Executive’s receipt of written notice of such termination. Upon Executive’s death or in the event that Executive’s employment is terminated due to Executive’s Disability, Executive or Executive’s estate or Executive’s beneficiaries, as the case may be, shall be entitled to:

(i)    The Accrued Obligations;

(ii)    Any unpaid Annual Bonus in respect of any completed fiscal year that has ended prior to the date of such termination, which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is 21/2 months following the last day of the fiscal year in which such termination occurred; and

 

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(iii)    An amount equal to (A) the Target Annual Bonus multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed from the commencement of the fiscal year in in which such termination occurs through the date of such termination and the denominator of which is 365 (or 366, as applicable), which amount shall be paid within thirty (30) days of Executive’s termination date.

Following Executive’s death or a termination of Executive’s employment by reason of a Disability, except as set forth in this Section 7(c), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(d)    Termination by the Company for Cause.

(i)    The Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time upon the occurrence of an act constituting Cause, effective upon delivery to Executive of written notice of such termination; provided, however, that with respect to termination relying on clause (ii), (vi) or (vii) of the definition of Cause, to the extent that such act or acts or failure or failures to act are curable, Executive shall be given not less than ten (10) business days’ written notice by the Board of the Company’s intention to terminate Executive for Cause, such notice to state in detail the particular act or acts or failure or failures to act that constitute the grounds on which the proposed termination for Cause is based, and such termination shall be effective at the expiration of such ten (10) business day notice period unless Executive has cured such act or acts or failure or failures to act that give rise to Cause during such period.

(ii)    In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause, he shall be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations. Following such termination of Executive’s employment for Cause, except as set forth in this Section 7(d)(ii), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(e)    Termination by the Company without Cause. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time without Cause, effective upon delivery to Executive of written notice of such termination. In the event that Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than due to death or Disability), Executive shall be entitled to:

(i)    The Accrued Obligations;

(ii)    Any unpaid Annual Bonus in respect of any completed fiscal year that has ended prior to the date of such termination, which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is 21/2 months following the last day of the fiscal year in which such termination occurred;

(iii)    Subject to satisfaction of the applicable performance objectives applicable for the fiscal year in which such termination occurs, an amount equal to (A) the Annual Bonus otherwise payable to Executive for the fiscal year in which such termination occurred, assuming Executive had remained employed through the applicable

 

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payment date, multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed from the commencement of such fiscal year through the date of such termination and the denominator of which is 365 (or 366, as applicable), which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is 21/2 months following the last day of the fiscal year in which such termination occurred; and

(iv)    Continuation of Base Salary during the Severance Term, payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payments and benefits described in clauses (ii) through (iv) above shall immediately terminate, and the Company shall have no further obligations to Executive with respect thereto, in the event that Executive breaches any provision set forth in Section 9 hereof. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause, except as set forth in this Section 7(e), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(f)    Termination by Executive with Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment with Good Reason by providing the Company thirty (30) days’ written notice setting forth in reasonable specificity the event that constitutes Good Reason, which written notice, to be effective, must be provided to the Company within ninety (90) days of the occurrence of such event. During such thirty (30) day notice period, the Company shall have a cure right (if curable), and if not cured within such period, Executive’s termination will be effective upon the expiration of such cure period, and Executive shall be entitled to the same payments and benefits as provided in Section 7(e) hereof for a termination by the Company without Cause, subject to the same conditions on payment and benefits as described in Section 7(e) hereof. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by Executive with Good Reason, except as set forth in this Section 7(f), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(g)    Termination by Executive without Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment without Good Reason by providing the Company thirty (30) days’ written notice of such termination. In the event of a termination of employment by Executive under this Section 7(g), Executive shall be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations. In the event of termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 7(g), the Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, by written notice accelerate such date of termination without changing the characterization of such termination as a termination by Executive without Good Reason. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by Executive without Good Reason, except as set forth in this Section 7(g), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(h)    Release. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the payment of any amount or provision of any benefit pursuant to subsection (e) or (f) of this Section 7 other than the Accrued Obligations (collectively, the “Severance Benefits”) shall be conditioned upon Executive’s execution, delivery to the Company, and non-revocation of the Release of Claims (and the expiration of any revocation period contained in such Release of Claims) within sixty (60) days following the date of Executive’s termination of employment

 

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hereunder (the “Release Execution Period”). If Executive fails to execute the Release of Claims in such a timely manner so as to permit any revocation period to expire prior to the end of such sixty (60) day period, or timely revokes Executive’s acceptance of such release following its execution, Executive shall not be entitled to any of the Severance Benefits. No portion of the Severance (other than Accrued Obligations) shall be paid until the Release of Claims has become effective and all such amounts shall commence to be paid on the first regular payroll date of the Company after the Release of Claims has become effective; provided, that, if the Release Execution Period overlaps two calendar years, the first payment shall not be made sooner than the first day of the second year, and shall include any missed payments.

Section 8.    Certain Payments.

In the event that (a) Executive is entitled to receive any payment, benefit or distribution of any type to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable, provided or to be provided, or distributed or distributable, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”), and (b) the net after-tax amount of such Payments, after Executive has paid all taxes due thereon (including, without limitation, taxes due under Section 4999 of the Code) is less than the net after-tax amount of all such Payments otherwise due to Executive in the aggregate, if such Payments were reduced to an amount equal to 2.99 times Executive’s “base amount” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code), then the aggregate amount of such Payments payable to Executive shall be reduced to an amount that will equal 2.99 times Executive’s base amount. To the extent such aggregate “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) amounts are required to be so reduced, the parachute payment amounts due to Executive (but no non-parachute payment amounts) shall be reduced in the following order: (i) the parachute payments that are payable in cash shall be reduced (if necessary, to zero) with amounts that are payable last reduced first; (ii) payments and benefits due in respect of any equity, valued at full value (rather than accelerated value), with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24); and (iii) all other non-cash benefits not otherwise described in clause (ii) of this Section 8 reduced last.

Section 9.    Restrictive Covenants.

(a)    General. Executive acknowledges and recognizes the highly competitive nature of the business of the Company Group, that access to Confidential Information renders Executive special and unique within the industry of the Company Group, and that Executive will have the opportunity to develop substantial relationships with existing and prospective clients, accounts, customers, consultants, contractors, investors, and strategic partners of the Company Group during the course of and as a result of Executive’s employment with the Company. In light of the foregoing, as a condition of Executive’s employment by the Company, and in consideration of Executive’s employment hereunder and the compensation and benefits provided herein, Executive acknowledges and agrees to the covenants contained in this Section 9. Executive further recognizes and acknowledges that the restrictions and limitations set forth in this Section 9 are reasonable and valid in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects and are essential to protect the value of the business and assets of the Company Group.

 

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(b)    Confidential Information.

(i)    Executive acknowledges that, during the Term of Employment, Executive will have access to information about the Company Group and that Executive’s employment with the Company shall bring Executive into close contact with confidential and proprietary information of the Company Group. In recognition of the foregoing, Executive agrees, at all times during the Term of Employment and thereafter, to hold in confidence, and not to use, except for the benefit of the Company Group, or to disclose to any Person without written authorization of the Company, any Confidential Information; provided, that nothing in this Section 9(b)(i) shall prevent Executive from disclosing Confidential Information as may be required by applicable law, rule or court order and nothing shall prevent Executive from disclosing the terms of this Agreement to his attorneys and other advisors on a need-to-know basis.

(ii)    Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or impede Executive from communicating, cooperating or filing a complaint with any U.S. federal, state or local governmental or law enforcement branch, agency or entity (collectively, a “Governmental Entity”) with respect to possible violations of any U.S. federal, state or local law or regulation, or otherwise making disclosures to any Governmental Entity, in each case, that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of any such law or regulation, provided that in each case such communications and disclosures are consistent with applicable law. Executive understands and acknowledges that an individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Executive understands and acknowledges further that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. Moreover, Executive is not required to give prior notice to (or get prior authorization from) the Company regarding any such communication or disclosure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, under no circumstance will Executive be authorized to disclose any information covered by attorney-client privilege or attorney work product of any member of the Company Group without prior written consent of Company’s General Counsel or other officer designated by the Company. Participant does not need the prior authorization of (or to give notice to) any member of the Company Group regarding any communication, disclosure, or activity permitted by this paragraph.

(c)    Assignment of Intellectual Property.

(i)    Executive agrees that he will, without additional compensation, promptly make full written disclosure to the Company, and will hold in trust for the sole right and benefit of the Company all developments, original works of authorship, inventions, concepts, know-how, improvements, trade secrets, and similar proprietary

 

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rights, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar laws, which Executive may (or have previously) solely or jointly conceive or develop or reduce to practice, or cause to be conceived or developed or reduced to practice, during the Term of Employment, whether or not during regular working hours, provided they arise out of Executive’s employment with the Company or are developed through the use of equipment, supplies, or facilities of any member of the Company Group, or any Confidential Information, or in consultation with personnel of any member of the Company Group (collectively referred to as “Developments”). Executive further acknowledges that all Developments made by Executive (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of and during the Term of Employment are “works made for hire” (to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law) for which Executive is, in part, compensated by Executive’s Base Salary, unless regulated otherwise by law, but that, in the event any such Development is deemed not to be a work made for hire, Executive hereby assigns to the Company, or its designee, all Executive’s right, title, and interest throughout the world in and to any such Development.

(ii)    Executive agrees to reasonably assist the Company, or its designee, at the Company’s expense, in every way to secure the rights of the Company Group in the Developments and any copyrights, patents, trademarks, service marks, database rights, domain names, mask work rights, moral rights, and other intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, recordations, and all other instruments that the Company shall deem necessary in order to apply for, obtain, maintain, and transfer such rights and in order to assign and convey to the Company Group the sole and exclusive right, title, and interest in and to such Developments, and any intellectual property and other proprietary rights relating thereto. Executive further agrees that Executive’s obligation to execute or cause to be executed, when it is in Executive’s power to do so, any such instrument or papers shall continue after the termination of the Term of Employment until the expiration of the last such intellectual property right to expire in any country of the world; provided, however, that the Company shall reimburse Executive for Executive’s reasonable expenses incurred in connection with carrying out the foregoing obligation. If the Company is unable because of Executive’s mental or physical incapacity or unavailability for any other reason to secure Executive’s signature to apply for or to pursue any application for any United States or foreign patents or copyright registrations covering Developments or original works of authorship assigned to the Company as above, then Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as Executive’s agent and attorney in fact to act for and in Executive’s behalf and stead to execute and file any such applications or records and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the application for, prosecution, issuance, maintenance, and transfer of letters patent or registrations thereon with the same legal force and effect as if originally executed by me. Executive hereby waives and irrevocably quitclaims to the Company any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, that Executive now or hereafter have for past, present, or future infringement of any and all proprietary rights assigned to the Company.

 

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(d)    Non-Competition. During the Term of Employment and the Post-Termination Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly engage in, have any equity interest in, or manage, provide services to or operate any person, firm, corporation, partnership or business (whether as director, officer, employee, agent, representative, partner, member, security holder, consultant or otherwise) that engages in any business, directly or indirectly (through a subsidiary or otherwise), which competes with the Business within the United States of America or any other jurisdiction in which any member of the Company Group engages in business, derives a material portion of its revenues or has demonstrable plans to commence business activities in. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may at any time own, for investment purposes only, up to three percent (3%) of the equity of any publicly-held company whose equity is either listed on a national stock exchange or on the NASDAQ National Market System.

(e)    Non-Interference. During the Term of Employment and the Post-Termination Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly for Executive’s own account or for the account of any other Person, engage in Interfering Activities.

(f)    Return of Documents. In the event of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder for any reason, Executive shall deliver to the Company (and will not keep in Executive’s possession, recreate, or deliver to anyone else) or destroy, at Executive’s sole option, any and all Confidential Information and all other documents, materials, information, and property otherwise belonging to the Company Group; provided, that Executive shall be entitled to retain his personal contacts, digital or physical rolodex and/or any other personal property he may keep in his office.

(g)    Independence; Severability; Blue Pencil. Each of the rights enumerated in this Section 9 shall be independent of the others and shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any other rights and remedies available to the Company Group at law or in equity. If any of the provisions of this Section 9 or any part of any of them is hereafter construed or adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, the same shall not affect the remainder of this Section 9, which shall be given full effect without regard to the invalid portions. If any of the covenants contained herein are held to be invalid or unenforceable because of the duration of such provisions or the area or scope covered thereby, each of the Company and Executive agree that the court making such determination shall have the power to reduce the duration, scope, and/or area of such provision to the maximum and/or broadest duration, scope, and/or area permissible by law, and in its reduced form said provision shall then be enforceable.

(h)    Injunctive Relief. Executive expressly acknowledges that any breach or threatened breach of any of the terms and/or conditions set forth in this Section 9 may result in substantial, continuing, and irreparable injury to the members of the Company Group. Therefore, Executive hereby agrees that, in addition to any other remedy that may be available to the Company, any member of the Company Group shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief, specific performance, or other equitable relief by a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the event of any breach or threatened breach of the terms of this Section 9. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Post-Termination Restricted Period shall be tolled during any period of violation of any of the covenants in this Section 9 and during any other period required for litigation during which the Company or any other member of the Company Group seeks to enforce such covenants against Executive if it is ultimately determined that Executive was in breach of such covenants.

 

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(i)    Disclosure of Covenants. As long as it remains in effect, Executive will disclose the existence of the covenants contained in this Section 9 to any prospective employer, partner, co-venturer, investor, or lender prior to entering into an employment, partnership, or other business relationship with such Person or entity.

(j)    Other Covenants. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that Executive is subject to similar restrictive covenants pursuant to any other agreement with any member of the Company Group, including, without limitation, under the Equity Documents (“Other Covenants”), the covenants contained in this Agreement shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any such Other Covenants, and enforcement by the Company of the covenants contained in this Agreement shall not preclude the applicable member of the Company Group from enforcing such Other Covenants in accordance with their terms.

Section 10.    Representations and Warranties of Executive.

Executive represents and warrants to the Company that:

(a)    Executive is entering into this Agreement voluntarily and Executive’s employment hereunder and compliance with the terms and conditions hereof will not conflict with or result in the breach by Executive of any agreement to which he is a party or by which he may be bound;

(b)    By entering into this Agreement Executive has not violated any non-solicitation, non-competition, or other similar covenant or agreement with any Person by which he is or may be bound;

(c)    In connection with Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will not use any confidential or proprietary information he may have obtained in connection with employment or service with any prior service recipient; and

(d)    Executive has not been terminated from any prior employer or service recipient, or otherwise disciplined in connection any such relationship, in connection with, or as a result of, any claim of workplace sexual harassment or sex or gender discrimination, and to Executive’s knowledge, Executive has not been the subject of any investigation, formal allegation, civil or criminal complaint, charge, or settlement regarding workplace sexual harassment or sex or gender discrimination.

Section 11.    Taxes.

The Company may withhold from any payments made under this Agreement or otherwise made in connection with Executive’s employment hereunder, all applicable taxes, including but not limited to income, employment, and social insurance taxes, as shall be required by law. If any such taxes are paid or advanced by the Company on behalf of Executive, Executive shall remain responsible for, and shall repay, such amounts to the Company, promptly following notice thereof by the Company. Executive acknowledges and represents that the

 

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Company has not provided any tax advice to Executive in connection with this Agreement and that he has been advised by the Company to seek tax advice from Executive’s own tax advisors regarding this Agreement and payments that may be made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement, including specifically, the application of the provisions of Section 409A of the Code to such payments.

Section 12.    Mitigation.

Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided pursuant to this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise and the amount of any payment provided for pursuant to this Agreement shall not be reduced by any compensation earned as a result of Executive’s other employment or otherwise.

Section 13.    Additional Section 409A Provisions.

Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary:

(a)    Any payment otherwise required to be made hereunder to Executive at any date as a result of the termination of Executive’s employment shall be delayed for such period of time as may be necessary to meet the requirements of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code (the “Delay Period”). On the first business day following the expiration of the Delay Period, Executive shall be paid, in a single cash lump sum, an amount equal to the aggregate amount of all payments delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence, and any remaining payments not so delayed shall continue to be paid pursuant to the payment schedule set forth herein.

(b)    Each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the payment (or commencement of a series of payments) hereunder of any nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) upon a termination of employment shall be delayed until such time as Executive has also undergone a “separation from service” as defined in Treas. Reg. 1.409A-1(h), at which time such nonqualified deferred compensation (calculated as of the date of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder) shall be paid (or commence to be paid) to Executive on the schedule set forth in this Section 7 as if Executive had undergone such termination of employment (under the same circumstances) on the date of Executive’s ultimate “separation from service.”

(d)    To the extent that any right to reimbursement of expenses or payment of any benefit in-kind under this Agreement constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), (i) any such expense reimbursement shall be made by the Company no later than the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expense was incurred by Executive, (ii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, and (iii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits to be provided in any other taxable year; provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not be violated with regard to expenses reimbursed under any arrangement covered by Section 105(b) of the Code solely because such expenses are subject to a limit related to the period the arrangement is in effect.

 

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(e)    While the payments and benefits provided hereunder are intended to be structured in a manner to avoid the implication of any penalty taxes under Section 409A of the Code, and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such intention, in no event whatsoever shall any member of the Company Group be liable for any additional tax, interest, or penalties that may be imposed on Executive as a result of Section 409A of the Code or any damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code (other than for withholding obligations or other obligations applicable to employers, if any, under Section 409A of the Code).

Section 14.    Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries.

(a)    The Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Company and its respective successors and assigns. Except as expressly contemplated in the introductory clauses of this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, obligations, or interests arising hereunder may be assigned by the Company to a Person (other than another member of the Company Group, or its or their respective successors) without Executive’s prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned); provided, however, that in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or any direct or indirect division or subsidiary thereof to which Executive’s employment primarily relates, the Company may provide that this Agreement will be assigned to, and assumed by, the acquiror of such assets, division or subsidiary, as applicable, without Executive’s consent.

(b)    Executive. Executive’s rights and obligations under this Agreement shall not be transferable by Executive by assignment or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Company; provided, however, that if Executive shall die, all amounts then payable to Executive hereunder shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to Executive’s devisee, legatee, or other designee, or if there be no such designee, to Executive’s estate.

(c)    No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as otherwise set forth in Section 7(c) or Section 14(b) hereof, nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be construed to give any Person other than the Company, the other members of the Company Group, and Executive any legal or equitable right, remedy, or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

Section 15.    Indemnity.

Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company (and following the Closing, PubCo) will, to the maximum extent permitted by law, defend, indemnify and hold harmless Executive and Executive’s heirs, estate, executors and administrators against any costs, losses, claims, suits, proceedings, damages or liabilities to which Executive may become subject which arise out of, are based upon or relate to Executive’s employment by the Company, including without limitation reimbursement for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by Executive in connection with the investigation of and defense against any such claims, suits, or proceedings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the Company’s obligation to defend, indemnify and hold harmless contained in this Section shall not apply to claims between the

 

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Company and Executive (including Executive’s heirs, estate, executors and administrators) including, without limitation, disputes arising out of the terms of this Agreement, nor shall it apply to any claims or suits successfully adjudicated on the merits against Executive based upon Executive’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or Executive’s breach of any term of this Agreement (in which event Executive shall promptly return to the Company all legal and other expenses paid on Executive’s behalf).

Section 16.    Waiver and Amendments.

Any waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification of any of the terms of this Agreement shall be valid only if made in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that any such waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification must be consented to on the Company’s behalf by the Board. No waiver by either of the parties hereto of their rights hereunder shall be deemed to constitute a waiver with respect to any subsequent occurrences or transactions hereunder unless such waiver specifically states that it is to be construed as a continuing waiver.

Section 17.    Severability.

If any covenants or such other provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid or unenforceable by a final determination of a court of competent jurisdiction, (a) the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired, and (b) the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof shall be deemed replaced by a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof.

Section 18.    Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Arbitration.

THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND IS TO BE CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT ALSO HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUIT, ACTION, OR PROCEEDING UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

Section 19.    Notices.

(a)    Place of Delivery. Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom or which it is intended at such address as may from time to time be designated by it in a notice mailed or delivered to the other party as herein provided; provided, however, that unless and until some other address be so designated, all notices and communications by Executive to the Company shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal executive office, and all notices and communications by the Company to Executive may be given to Executive personally or may be mailed to Executive at Executive’s last known address, as reflected in the Company’s records. A copy (which such copy shall not constitute notice) of any notice to be delivered to Executive shall be delivered to Grubman Shire Meiselas Sacks, P.C., 152 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, Attn: Kyle D. Zimmerman. Email: kzimmerman@gispc.com.

 

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(b)    Date of Delivery. Any notice so addressed shall be deemed to be given (i) if delivered by hand, on the date of such delivery, (ii) if mailed by courier or by overnight mail, on the first business day following the date of such mailing, and (iii) if mailed by registered or certified mail, on the third business day after the date of such mailing.

Section 20.    Section Headings.

The headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part thereof or affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or of any term or provision hereof.

Section 21.    Entire Agreement.

This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties hereto regarding the employment of Executive. This Agreement supersedes all prior negotiations, discussions, correspondence, communications, understandings, and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement, including without limitation, the Prior Agreement (and specifically any provisions relating to compensation and equity grants contemplated thereunder).

Section 22.    Survival of Operative Sections.

Upon any termination of Executive’s employment, the provisions of Section 7 through Section 23 of this Agreement (together with any related definitions set forth on Appendix A) shall survive to the extent necessary to give effect to the provisions thereof.

Section 23.    Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The execution of this Agreement may be by actual or electronic facsimile signature.

*        *        *

[Signatures to appear on the following page.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

MP MINE OPERATIONS LLC

/S/ James Litinsky

By: James H. Litinsky

Title: Co-Chairman

EXECUTIVE

/S/ Ryan Corbett

By: Ryan Corbett


APPENDIX A

Definitions

(a)    “Accrued Obligations” shall mean (i) all accrued but unpaid Base Salary through the date of termination of Executive’s employment, (ii) any unpaid or unreimbursed expenses incurred in accordance with Section 6 hereof, and (iii) any benefits provided under the Company’s employee benefit plans upon a termination of employment, including rights with respect to equity participation under the Equity Documents, in accordance with the terms contained therein.

(b)    “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(c)    “Business” shall mean any business activities related to rare earth mining and processing, or any other current or demonstrably planned material business activities of the Company Group.

(d)    “Business Relation” shall mean any current or prospective client, customer, licensee, supplier, or other business relation of the Company Group, or any such relation that was a client, customer, licensee or other business relation within the prior six (6) month period, in each case, with whom Executive transacted business or whose identity became known to Executive in connection with Executive’s employment hereunder.

(e)    “Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s act(s) of gross negligence or willful misconduct in the course of Executive’s employment hereunder, (ii) willful and repeated failure, neglect or refusal by Executive to perform in any material respect Executive’s duties or responsibilities, (iii) misappropriation (or attempted misappropriation) by Executive of any material assets or business opportunities of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (iv) embezzlement or fraud committed (or attempted) by Executive, or at Executive’s direction, (v) Executive’s conviction of, or pleading “guilty” or “ no contest” to, (x) a felony or (y) any crime of moral turpitude, (vi) any material violation by Executive of the policies of the Company, including but not limited to those relating to sexual harassment or business conduct, and those otherwise set forth in the manuals or statements of policy of the Company, or (vii) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement.

(f)    “Change in Control” shall mean (i) a merger in which PubCo is not the surviving corporation; (ii) a merger, sale or transaction involving PubCo where the equity holders of PubCo before such merger or sale or exchange do not retain, directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the beneficial interest in the voting stock of the surviving corporation or the parent company thereof; or (iii) the sale or exchange of all or substantially all of PubCo’s assets; provided, however, that this definition of Change in Control may be superseded by any comparable definition in the Equity Documents.

(g)    “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(h)    “Company Group” shall mean the Company together with any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.


(i)    “Compensation Committee” shall mean the compensation committee of the Board. Prior to any time that such a committee has been designated, the Board shall be deemed the Compensation Committee for purposes of this Agreement.

(j)    “Confidential Information” means information that the Company Group has or will develop, acquire, create, compile, discover, or own, that has value in or to the business of the Company Group that is not generally known and that the Company wishes to maintain as confidential. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, any and all non-public information that relates to the actual or anticipated business and/or products, research, or development of the Company Group, or to the Company Group’s technical data, trade secrets, or know-how, including, but not limited to, research, plans, or other information regarding the Company Group’s products or services and markets, customer lists, and customers (including, but not limited to, customers of the Company on whom Executive called or with whom Executive may become acquainted during the Term of Employment), software, developments, inventions, processes, formulas, technology, designs, drawings, engineering, hardware configuration information, marketing, finances, and other business information disclosed by the Company either directly or indirectly in writing, orally, or by drawings or inspection of premises, parts, equipment, or other Company Group property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include any of the foregoing items (i) that have become publicly and widely known through no unauthorized disclosure by Executive or others who were under confidentiality obligations as to the item or items involved, (ii) that have been independently developed without the use of or reference to Confidential Information or (iii) if such item has been provided by a third party to Executive and is not known by Executive to be subject to any confidentiality restrictions.

(k)    “Disability” shall mean any physical or mental disability or infirmity of Executive that prevents the substantial performance of Executive’s duties notwithstanding reasonable accommodation for a period of (i) ninety (90) consecutive days or (ii) one hundred fifty (150) non-consecutive days during any twelve (12) month period. Any question as to the existence, extent, or potentiality of Executive’s Disability upon which Executive and the Company cannot agree shall be determined by a qualified, independent physician selected by the Company and approved by Executive. The determination of any such physician shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of this Agreement.

(l)    “Good Reason” shall mean, without Executive’s consent, (i) a material demotion in Executive’s title, duties, authority or responsibilities as set forth in Section 3 hereof, (ii) a reduction in Base Salary set forth in Section 4(a) hereof or Target Annual Bonus opportunity set forth in Section 4(b) hereof, (iii) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment (as provided in Section 3(c) hereof) more than fifty (50) miles from its current location, or (iv) any other material breach of a provision of this Agreement by the Company (other than a provision that is covered by clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above).

(m)    “Interfering Activities” shall mean (A) recruiting, encouraging, soliciting, or inducing, or in any manner attempting to recruit, encourage, solicit, or induce, any Person employed by, or providing consulting services to, any member of the Company Group to terminate such Person’s employment or services (or in the case of a consultant, materially reducing such services) with the Company Group, (B) hiring any individual who was employed

 

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by the Company Group within the six (6) month period prior to the date of such hiring, or (C) encouraging, soliciting, or inducing, or in any manner attempting to encourage, solicit, or induce, any Business Relation to cease doing business with or reduce the amount of business conducted with the Company Group, or in any way interfering with the relationship between any such Business Relation and the Company Group; provided, that engaging in a general solicitation not specifically targeted at the foregoing individuals shall not be Interfering Activities.

(n)    “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust (charitable or non-charitable), unincorporated organization, or other form of business entity.

(o)    “Post-Termination Restricted Period” shall mean the period commencing on the date of the termination of the Term of Employment for any reason and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date of termination.

(p)    “Release of Claims” shall mean a general release of claims delivered to Executive by the Company in connection with Executive’s termination of employment in a mutually acceptable form.

(q)    “Severance Term” shall mean the period commencing on the date of Executive’s termination by the Company without Cause (other than by reason of death or Disability) or by Executive with Good Reason and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date of termination.

 

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Exhibit 10.12

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of this 13th day of July 2020 (the “Effective Date”), by and between MP Mine Operations LLC (the “Company”) and Sheila Bangalore (the “Executive”).

W I T N E S S T H :

WHEREAS, Executive is currently employed by the Company; and

WHEREAS, Executive is a party to an employment agreement with the Company, executed by Executive on February 27, 2020 (the “Prior Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Company is contemplating either (i) an initial public offering of the Company (or such other entity created to effectuate such offering), or (ii) the consummation of a transaction with a SPAC, following which, the equity of the Company is sold, exchanged, or converted into publicly traded securities (as applicable, the “Going Public Transaction”, and the publicly traded entity resulting from (i) or (ii), as applicable, “PubCo”); and

WHEREAS, in anticipation of the Going Public Transaction, the Company desires to continue to employ Executive and to enter into this Agreement embodying the terms of such continued employment, and Executive desires to enter into this Agreement and to accept such employment, subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, effective upon the closing of the Going Public Transaction (the “Closing”), without further action by the parties hereto, the Company shall assign and shall cause the PubCo to assume this Agreement, at which time, all references to the Company thereafter shall instead refer to PubCo.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are mutually acknowledged, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

Section 1.    Definitions. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth on Appendix A, attached hereto.

Section 2.    Acceptance and Term of Employment.

The Company agrees to employ Executive, and Executive agrees to serve the Company, on the terms and conditions set forth herein. Executive’s employment hereunder shall commence on the Effective Date and continue until terminated as provided in Section 7 hereof (the “Term of Employment”).

 

  Section

3.    Position, Duties, and Responsibilities; Place of Performance.

(a)    Position, Duties, and Responsibilities. During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be employed and serve as the General Counsel and Chief Strategy Officer of the Company, reporting to directly to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and having such


duties and responsibilities commensurate with such position as reasonably assigned to Executive from time to time. Executive also agrees to serve as an officer and/or director of any member of the Company Group, in each case without additional compensation.

(b)    Performance. Executive shall devote Executive’s full business time, attention, skill, and best efforts to the performance of Executive’s duties under this Agreement and shall not engage in any other business or occupation during the Term of Employment, including, without limitation, any activity that (x) conflicts with the interests of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (y) interferes with the proper and efficient performance of Executive’s duties for the Company, or (z) interferes with Executive’s exercise of judgment in the Company’s best interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Executive from (i) serving, with the prior written consent of the Board (not to be unreasonably withheld), as a member of the board of directors or advisory board (or the equivalent in the case of a non-corporate entity) of a non-competing for-profit business and one or more charitable organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, and (iii) managing Executive’s personal investments and affairs; provided, however, that the activities set out in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) shall be limited by Executive so as not to materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder.

(c)    Principal Place of Employment. Executive’s principal place of employment shall be at the Company’s corporate headquarters in Las Vegas, although Executive understands and agrees that Executive may be required to travel from time to time for business reasons.

Section 4.    Compensation.

During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to the following compensation:

(a)    Base Salary. Executive shall be paid an annualized Base Salary (the “Base Salary”), payable in accordance with the regular payroll practices of the Company, of $300,000, with adjustments, if any, as may be approved in writing by the Compensation Committee. Executive’s Base Salary will increase to $350,000 as of the Closing.

(b)    Annual Bonus. Executive shall be eligible for an annual incentive bonus award determined by the Compensation Committee in respect of each fiscal year during the Term of Employment (the “Annual Bonus”). The target Annual Bonus for each fiscal year shall be 60% of Base Salary (the “Target Annual Bonus”), with the actual Annual Bonus payable being based upon the level of achievement of annual Company and individual performance objectives for such fiscal year, as determined by the Compensation Committee and communicated to Executive. Notwithstanding this, for 2020 only, subject to Executive’s continued employment in good standing through the applicable payment date, the Annual Bonus shall not be less than $125,000. The Annual Bonus shall otherwise be subject to the terms and conditions of the annual bonus plan adopted by the Board or the Compensation Committee, if any, under which bonuses are generally payable to senior executives of the Company, as in effect from time to time, which may include that the Annual Bonus may be paid in combination of cash

 

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and equity incentive awards, consistent with the mix of consideration applicable to other senior executives of the Company. The Annual Bonus shall be paid to Executive at the same time as annual bonuses are generally payable to other senior executives of the Company (which is expected to occur in Q1 of each calendar year) subject to Executive’s continuous employment through the applicable payment date (subject to Section 7 below).

(c)    Equity Participation. In connection with the commencement of Executive’s employment hereunder, Executive shall be entitled to participate in the equity incentive plan(s) of the Company, as in effect from time to time, and pursuant to the terms of such plan, the applicable award agreement and such other documents Executive is required to execute in connection with the grant of any award under such plan (the plan, the award agreement, and such other documents collectively, the “Equity Documents”). Without limiting the foregoing, subject to Executive’s continued employment hereunder through the Closing, on or as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing, Executive will be granted shares of restricted common stock of the PubCo having a value1 equal to $1.0 million (the “Incentive Award”). The Incentive Award shall vest in substantially equal annual installments over the four (4) year period immediately following the Closing, based upon Executive’s continued employment hereunder, subject to acceleration of vesting upon any Change in Control (as defined in the Equity Documents), and shall otherwise be subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Documents.

(d)    Closing Bonus. In addition to the Incentive Award, and subject to Executive’s continued employment hereunder through the Closing, upon the Closing, Executive shall be entitled to receive a one-time, lump-sum payment equal to $200,000, payable upon the next regularly scheduled payroll date immediately following the Closing.

Section 5.    Employee Benefits & Indemnification.

(a)     During the Term of Employment, Executive shall be entitled to participate in health, insurance (including director & officer insurance), retirement, and other benefits provided generally to senior executives of the Company. Executive shall also be entitled to the same number of holidays and sick days, as well as any other benefits, in each case as are generally allowed to senior executives of the Company in accordance with the Company policy as in effect from time to time. The Company will also cover such reasonable costs associated with Executive’s Company responsibilities (e.g. bar admissions, continuing legal education/membership costs, etc.). Executive will also be entitled to four (4) weeks of vacation annually. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the Company’s ability to amend, suspend, or terminate any employee benefit plan or policy at any time, and the right to do so is expressly reserved.

 

1 

For purposes of this Agreement, the number of shares which will be issued based on the Company’s value shall be determined using the per share price of the IPO or the value of a PubCo share used to determine the merger consideration per share.

 

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(b)     The Company shall indemnify Executive to the maximum extent permitted by law in respects of any claim, investigation, suit or dispute brought against Executive in Executive’s capacity as an officer of the Company, and the Company agrees to advance Executive’s reasonable expenses incurred therewith upon Executive agreeing to repay such advances if Executive is ultimately found not to have been entitled to such indemnification. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Executive if a court of competent jurisdiction finds Executive’s conduct to have constituted gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud or criminal conduct in performing any duties or responsibilities under this Agreement.

Section 6.    Reimbursement of Business Expenses.

Executive is authorized to incur reasonable business expenses in carrying out Executive’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, and the Company shall promptly reimburse Executive for all such reasonable business expenses, subject to documentation in accordance with the Company’s policy, as in effect from time to time.

 

  Section

7.    Termination of Employment.

(a)    General. The Term of Employment, and Executive’s employment hereunder, shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) Executive’s death, (ii) a termination by reason of a Disability, (iii) a termination by the Company with or without Cause, and (iv) a termination by Executive with or without Good Reason. Except as otherwise expressly required by law (e.g., COBRA) or as specifically provided herein, all of Executive’s rights to Base Salary, Annual Bonus, employee benefits and other compensatory amounts hereunder (if any) shall cease upon the termination of Executive’s employment hereunder.

(b)    Deemed Resignation. Upon any termination of Executive’s employment for any reason, except as may otherwise be requested by the Company in writing and agreed upon in writing by Executive, Executive shall be deemed to have resigned from any and all directorships, committee memberships, and any other positions Executive holds with the Company or any other member of the Company Group.

(c)    Termination Due to Death or Disability. Executive’s employment shall terminate automatically upon Executive’s death. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment immediately upon the occurrence of a Disability, such termination to be effective upon Executive’s receipt of written notice of such termination. Upon Executive’s death or in the event that Executive’s employment is terminated due to Executive’s Disability, Executive or Executive’s estate or Executive’s beneficiaries, as the case may be, shall be entitled to:

(i)    The Accrued Obligations;

(ii)    Any unpaid Annual Bonus in respect of any completed fiscal year that has ended prior to the date of such termination, which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is 212 months following the last day of the fiscal year in which such termination occurred; and

 

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(iii)    An amount equal to (A) the Target Annual Bonus multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed from the commencement of the fiscal year in in which such termination occurs through the date of such termination and the denominator of which is 365 (or 366, as applicable), which amount shall be paid within thirty (30) days of Executive’s termination date.

Following Executive’s death or a termination of Executive’s employment by reason of a Disability, except as set forth in this Section 7(c), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(d)    Termination by the Company for Cause.

(i)    The Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time for Cause, effective upon delivery to Executive of written notice of such termination; provided, however, that with respect to any Cause termination relying on clause (ii) or (vii) of the definition of Cause, to the extent that such act or acts or failure or failures to act are curable, Executive shall be given not less than ten (10) days’ written notice by the Board of the Company’s intention to terminate Executive for Cause, such notice to state in detail the particular act or acts or failure or failures to act that constitute the grounds on which the proposed termination for Cause is based, and such termination shall be effective at the expiration of such ten (10) day notice period unless Executive has fully cured such act or acts or failure or failures to act that give rise to Cause during such period.

(ii)    In the event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause, she shall be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations. Following such termination of Executive’s employment for Cause, except as set forth in this Section 7(d)(ii), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(e)    Termination by the Company without Cause. The Company may terminate Executive’s employment at any time without Cause, effective upon delivery to Executive of written notice of such termination. In the event that Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than due to death or Disability), Executive shall be entitled to:

(i)    The Accrued Obligations;

(ii)    Any unpaid Annual Bonus in respect of any completed fiscal year that has ended prior to the date of such termination, which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is 212 months following the last day of the fiscal year in which such termination occurred;

(iii)    Subject to satisfaction of the applicable performance objectives applicable for the fiscal year in which such termination occurs, an amount equal to (A) the Annual Bonus otherwise payable to Executive for the fiscal year in which such

 

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termination occurred, assuming Executive had remained employed through the applicable payment date, multiplied by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed from the commencement of such fiscal year through the date of such termination and the denominator of which is 365 (or 366, as applicable), which amount shall be paid at such time annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company, but in no event later than the date that is 212 months following the last day of the fiscal year in which such termination occurred; and

(iv)    Continuation of Base Salary for one year following such termination, such amount to be paid in substantially equal payments during the Severance Term, payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payments and benefits described in clauses (ii) through (iv) above shall immediately terminate, and the Company shall have no further obligations to Executive with respect thereto, in the event that Executive breaches any provision set forth in Section 9 hereof. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by the Company without Cause, except as set forth in this Section 7(e), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(f)    Termination by Executive with Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment with Good Reason by providing the Company thirty (30) days’ written notice setting forth in reasonable specificity the event that constitutes Good Reason, which written notice, to be effective, must be provided to the Company within sixty (60) days of the knowledge of such event. During such thirty (30) day notice period, the Company shall have a cure right (if curable), and if not cured within such period, Executive’s termination will be effective upon the expiration of such cure period, and Executive shall be entitled to the same payments and benefits as provided in Section 7(e) hereof for a termination by the Company without Cause, subject to the same conditions on payment and benefits as described in Section 7(e) hereof. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by Executive with Good Reason, except as set forth in this Section 7(f), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(g)    Termination by Executive without Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment without Good Reason by providing the Company thirty (30) days’ written notice of such termination. In the event of a termination of employment by Executive under this Section 7(g), Executive shall be entitled only to the Accrued Obligations. In the event of termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 7(g), the Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, by written notice accelerate such date of termination without changing the characterization of such termination as a termination by Executive without Good Reason. Following such termination of Executive’s employment by Executive without Good Reason, except as set forth in this Section 7(g), Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement.

(h)    Release. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the payment of any amount or provision of any benefit pursuant to subsection (e) or (f) of this Section 7 other than the Accrued Obligations (collectively, the “Severance Benefits”) shall be conditioned upon Executive’s execution, delivery to the Company, and non-revocation of the

 

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Release of Claims (and the expiration of any revocation period contained in such Release of Claims) within sixty (60) days following the date of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder (the “Release Execution Period”). If Executive fails to execute the Release of Claims in such a timely manner so as to permit any revocation period to expire prior to the end of such sixty (60) day period, or timely revokes Executive’s acceptance of such release following its execution, Executive shall not be entitled to any of the Severance Benefits. No portion of the Severance (other than Accrued Obligations) shall be paid until the Release of Claims has become effective and all such amounts shall commence to be paid on the first regular payroll date of the Company after the Release of Claims has become effective; provided, that, if the Release Execution Period overlaps two calendar years, the first payment shall not be made sooner than the first day of the second year, and shall include any missed payments.

Section 8.    Certain Payments.

In the event that (a) Executive is entitled to receive any payment, benefit or distribution of any type to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable, provided or to be provided, or distributed or distributable, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Payments”), and (b) the net after-tax amount of such Payments, after Executive has paid all taxes due thereon (including, without limitation, taxes due under Section 4999 of the Code) is less than the net after-tax amount of all such Payments otherwise due to Executive in the aggregate, if such Payments were reduced to an amount equal to 2.99 times Executive’s “base amount” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code), then the aggregate amount of such Payments payable to Executive shall be reduced to an amount that will equal 2.99 times Executive’s base amount. To the extent such aggregate “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) amounts are required to be so reduced, the parachute payment amounts due to Executive (but no non-parachute payment amounts) shall be reduced in the following order: (i) the parachute payments that are payable in cash shall be reduced (if necessary, to zero) with amounts that are payable last reduced first; (ii) payments and benefits due in respect of any equity, valued at full value (rather than accelerated value), with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24); and (iii) all other non-cash benefits not otherwise described in clause (ii) of this Section 8 reduced last.

 

  Section

9.    Restrictive Covenants

(a)    General. Executive acknowledges and recognizes the highly competitive nature of the business of the Company Group, that access to Confidential Information renders Executive special and unique within the industry of the Company Group, and that Executive will have the opportunity to develop substantial relationships with existing and prospective clients, accounts, customers, consultants, contractors, investors, and strategic partners of the Company Group during the course of and as a result of Executive’s employment with the Company. In light of the foregoing, as a condition of Executive’s employment by the Company, and in consideration of Executive’s employment hereunder and the compensation and benefits provided herein, Executive acknowledges and agrees to the covenants contained in this Section 9. Executive further recognizes and acknowledges that the restrictions and limitations set forth in this Section 9 are reasonable and valid in geographical and temporal scope and in all other respects and are essential to protect the value of the business and assets of the Company Group.

 

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(b)    Confidential Information.

(i)    Executive acknowledges that, during the Term of Employment, Executive will have access to information about the Company Group and that Executive’s employment with the Company shall bring Executive into close contact with confidential and proprietary information of the Company Group. In recognition of the foregoing, Executive agrees, at all times during the Term of Employment and thereafter, to hold in confidence, and not to use, except for the benefit of the Company Group, or to disclose to any Person without written authorization of the Company, any Confidential Information.

(ii)    Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or impede Executive from communicating, cooperating or filing a complaint with any U.S. federal, state or local governmental or law enforcement branch, agency or entity (collectively, a “Governmental Entity”) with respect to possible violations of any U.S. federal, state or local law or regulation, or otherwise making disclosures to any Governmental Entity, in each case, that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of any such law or regulation, provided that in each case such communications and disclosures are consistent with applicable law. Executive understands and acknowledges that an individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Executive understands and acknowledges further that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. Moreover, Executive is not required to give prior notice to (or get prior authorization from) the Company regarding any such communication or disclosure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, under no circumstance will Executive be authorized to disclose any information covered by attorney-client privilege or attorney work product of any member of the Company Group without prior written consent of Company’s General Counsel or other officer designated by the Company. Participant does not need the prior authorization of (or to give notice to) any member of the Company Group regarding any communication, disclosure, or activity permitted by this paragraph.

(c)    Assignment of Intellectual Property.

(i)    Executive agrees that she will, without additional compensation, promptly make full written disclosure to the Company, and will hold in trust for the sole right and benefit of the Company all developments, original works of authorship, inventions, concepts, know-how, improvements, trade secrets, and similar proprietary

 

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rights, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar laws, which Executive may (or have previously) solely or jointly conceive or develop or reduce to practice, or cause to be conceived or developed or reduced to practice, during the Term of Employment, whether or not during regular working hours, provided they either (i) relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the business of any member of the Company Group, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of any member of the Company Group; (ii) result from or relate to any work performed for any member of the Company Group; or (iii) are developed through the use of equipment, supplies, or facilities of any member of the Company Group, or any Confidential Information, or in consultation with personnel of any member of the Company Group (collectively referred to as “Developments”). Executive further acknowledges that all Developments made by Executive (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of and during the Term of Employment are “works made for hire” (to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law) for which Executive is, in part, compensated by Executive’s Base Salary, unless regulated otherwise by law, but that, in the event any such Development is deemed not to be a work made for hire, Executive hereby assigns to the Company, or its designee, all Executive’s right, title, and interest throughout the world in and to any such Development.

(ii)    Executive agrees to assist the Company, or its designee, at the Company’s expense, in every way to secure the rights of the Company Group in the Developments and any copyrights, patents, trademarks, service marks, database rights, domain names, mask work rights, moral rights, and other intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, recordations, and all other instruments that the Company shall deem necessary in order to apply for, obtain, maintain, and transfer such rights and in order to assign and convey to the Company Group the sole and exclusive right, title, and interest in and to such Developments, and any intellectual property and other proprietary rights relating thereto. Executive further agrees that Executive’s obligation to execute or cause to be executed, when it is in Executive’s power to do so, any such instrument or papers shall continue after the termination of the Term of Employment until the expiration of the last such intellectual property right to expire in any country of the world; provided, however, that the Company shall reimburse Executive for Executive’s reasonable expenses incurred in connection with carrying out the foregoing obligation. If the Company is unable because of Executive’s mental or physical incapacity or unavailability for any other reason to secure Executive’s signature to apply for or to pursue any application for any United States or foreign patents or copyright registrations covering Developments or original works of authorship assigned to the Company as above, then Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as Executive’s agent and attorney in fact to act for and in Executive’s behalf and stead to execute and file any such applications or records and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the application for, prosecution, issuance, maintenance, and transfer of letters patent or registrations thereon with the same legal force and effect as if originally executed by me. Executive hereby waives and irrevocably quitclaims to the Company any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, that Executive now or hereafter have for past, present, or future infringement of any and all proprietary rights assigned to the Company.

 

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(d)    Non-Competition. During the Term of Employment and the Post-Termination Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly engage in, have any equity interest in, or manage, provide services to or operate any person, firm, corporation, partnership or business (whether as director, officer, employee, agent, representative, partner, member, security holder, consultant or otherwise) that engages in any business, directly or indirectly (through a subsidiary or otherwise), which competes with the Business within the United States of America or any other jurisdiction in which any member of the Company Group engages in business derives a material portion of its revenues or has demonstrable plans to commence business activities in.

(e)    Non-Interference. During the Term of Employment and the Post-Termination Restricted Period, Executive shall not, directly or indirectly for Executive’s own account or for the account of any other Person, engage in Interfering Activities.

(f)    Return of Documents. In the event of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder for any reason, Executive shall deliver to the Company (and will not keep in Executive’s possession, recreate, or deliver to anyone else) any and all Confidential Information and all other documents, materials, information, and property developed by Executive pursuant to Executive’s employment hereunder or otherwise belonging to the Company Group.

(g)    Independence; Severability; Blue Pencil. Each of the rights enumerated in this Section 9 shall be independent of the others and shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any other rights and remedies available to the Company Group at law or in equity. If any of the provisions of this Section 9 or any part of any of them is hereafter construed or adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, the same shall not affect the remainder of this Section 9, which shall be given full effect without regard to the invalid portions. If any of the covenants contained herein are held to be invalid or unenforceable because of the duration of such provisions or the area or scope covered thereby, each of the Company and Executive agree that the court making such determination shall have the power to reduce the duration, scope, and/or area of such provision to the maximum and/or broadest duration, scope, and/or area permissible by law, and in its reduced form said provision shall then be enforceable.

(h)    Injunctive Relief. Executive expressly acknowledges that any breach or threatened breach of any of the terms and/or conditions set forth in this Section 9 may result in substantial, continuing, and irreparable injury to the members of the Company Group. Therefore, Executive hereby agrees that, in addition to any other remedy that may be available to the Company, any member of the Company Group shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief, specific performance, or other equitable relief by a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the event of any breach or threatened breach of the terms of this Section 9. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Post-Termination Restricted Period shall be tolled during any period of violation of any of the covenants in this Section 9 and during any other period required for litigation during which the Company or any other member of the Company Group seeks to enforce such covenants against Executive if it is ultimately determined that Executive was in breach of such covenants.

 

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(i)    Disclosure of Covenants. As long as it remains in effect, Executive will disclose the existence of the covenants contained in this Section 9 to any prospective employer, partner, co-venturer, investor, or lender prior to entering into an employment, partnership, or other business relationship with such Person or entity.

(j)    Other Covenants. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that Executive is subject to similar restrictive covenants pursuant to any other agreement with any member of the Company Group, including, without limitation, under the Equity Documents (“Other Covenants”), the covenants contained in this Agreement shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any such Other Covenants, and enforcement by the Company of the covenants contained in this Agreement shall not preclude the applicable member of the Company Group from enforcing such Other Covenants in accordance with their terms.

Section 10.    Representations and Warranties of Executive.

Executive represents and warrants to the Company that:

(a)    Executive is entering into this Agreement voluntarily and that Executive’s employment hereunder and compliance with the terms and conditions hereof will not conflict with or result in the breach by Executive of any agreement to which he is a party or by which she may be bound;

(b)    Executive has not violated, and in connection with Executive’s employment with the Company will not violate, any non-solicitation, non-competition, or other similar covenant or agreement with any Person by which she is or may be bound;

(c)    In connection with Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will not use any confidential or proprietary information she may have obtained in connection with employment or service with any prior service recipient; and

(d)    Executive has not been terminated from any prior employer or service recipient, or otherwise disciplined in connection any such relationship, in connection with, or as a result of, any claim of workplace sexual harassment or sex or gender discrimination, and to Executive’s knowledge, Executive has not been the subject of any investigation, formal allegation, civil or criminal complaint, charge, or settlement regarding workplace sexual harassment or sex or gender discrimination.

Section 11.    Taxes.

The Company may withhold from any payments made under this Agreement or otherwise made in connection with Executive’s employment hereunder, all applicable taxes, including but not limited to income, employment, and social insurance taxes, as shall be required by law. If any such taxes are paid or advanced by the Company on behalf of Executive, Executive shall remain responsible for, and shall repay, such amounts to the Company, promptly

 

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following notice thereof by the Company. Executive acknowledges and represents that the Company has not provided any tax advice to Executive in connection with this Agreement and that he has been advised by the Company to seek tax advice from Executive’s own tax advisors regarding this Agreement and payments that may be made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement, including specifically, the application of the provisions of Section 409A of the Code to such payments.

Section 12.    [Reserved].

Section 13.    Additional Section 409A Provisions.

Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary:

(a)    Any payment otherwise required to be made hereunder to Executive at any date as a result of the termination of Executive’s employment shall be delayed for such period of time as may be necessary to meet the requirements of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code (the “Delay Period”). On the first business day following the expiration of the Delay Period, Executive shall be paid, in a single cash lump sum, an amount equal to the aggregate amount of all payments delayed pursuant to the preceding sentence, and any remaining payments not so delayed shall continue to be paid pursuant to the payment schedule set forth herein.

(b)    Each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.

(c)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the payment (or commencement of a series of payments) hereunder of any nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) upon a termination of employment shall be delayed until such time as Executive has also undergone a “separation from service” as defined in Treas. Reg. 1.409A-1(h), at which time such nonqualified deferred compensation (calculated as of the date of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder) shall be paid (or commence to be paid) to Executive on the schedule set forth in this Section 7 as if Executive had undergone such termination of employment (under the same circumstances) on the date of Executive’s ultimate “separation from service.”

(d)    To the extent that any right to reimbursement of expenses or payment of any benefit in-kind under this Agreement constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), (i) any such expense reimbursement shall be made by the Company no later than the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expense was incurred by Executive, (ii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, and (iii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits to be provided in any other taxable year; provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not be violated with regard to expenses reimbursed under any arrangement covered by Section 105(b) of the Code solely because such expenses are subject to a limit related to the period the arrangement is in effect.

 

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(e)    While the payments and benefits provided hereunder are intended to be structured in a manner to avoid the implication of any penalty taxes under Section 409A of the Code, and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such intention, in no event whatsoever shall any member of the Company Group be liable for any additional tax, interest, or penalties that may be imposed on Executive as a result of Section 409A of the Code or any damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code (other than for withholding obligations or other obligations applicable to employers, if any, under Section 409A of the Code).

Section 14.    Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries.

(a)    The Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Company and its respective successors and assigns. Except as expressly contemplated in the introductory clauses of this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, obligations, or interests arising hereunder may be assigned by the Company to a Person (other than another member of the Company Group, or its or their respective successors) without Executive’s prior written consent; provided, however, that in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or any direct or indirect division or subsidiary thereof to which Executive’s employment primarily relates, the Company may provide that this Agreement will be assigned to, and assumed by, the acquiror of such assets, division or subsidiary, as applicable, without Executive’s consent.

(b)    Executive. Executive’s rights and obligations under this Agreement shall not be transferable by Executive by assignment or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Company; provided, however, that if Executive shall die, all amounts then payable to Executive hereunder shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to Executive’s devisee, legatee, or other designee, or if there be no such designee, to Executive’s estate.

(c)    No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as otherwise set forth in Section 7(c) or Section 14(b) hereof, nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be construed to give any Person other than the Company, the other members of the Company Group, and Executive any legal or equitable right, remedy, or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

Section 15.    Waiver and Amendments.

Any waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification of any of the terms of this Agreement shall be valid only if made in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that any such waiver, alteration, amendment, or modification must be consented to on the Company’s behalf by the Board. No waiver by either of the parties hereto of their rights hereunder shall be deemed to constitute a waiver with respect to any subsequent occurrences or transactions hereunder unless such waiver specifically states that it is to be construed as a continuing waiver.

 

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  Section

16.    Severability.

If any covenants or such other provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid or unenforceable by a final determination of a court of competent jurisdiction, (a) the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired, and (b) the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof shall be deemed replaced by a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision hereof.

 

  Section

17.    Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Arbitration.

THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND IS TO BE CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT ALSO HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUIT, ACTION, OR PROCEEDING UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

 

  Section

18.    Notices.

(a)    Place of Delivery. Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom or which it is intended at such address as may from time to time be designated by it in a notice mailed or delivered to the other party as herein provided; provided, however, that unless and until some other address be so designated, all notices and communications by Executive to the Company shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its principal executive office, and all notices and communications by the Company to Executive may be given to Executive personally or may be mailed to Executive at Executive’s last known address, as reflected in the Company’s records.

(b)    Date of Delivery. Any notice so addressed shall be deemed to be given (i) if delivered by hand, on the date of such delivery, (ii) if mailed by courier or by overnight mail, on the first business day following the date of such mailing, and (iii) if mailed by registered or certified mail, on the third business day after the date of such mailing.

 

  Section

19.    Section Headings.

The headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part thereof or affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or of any term or provision hereof.

 

  Section

20.    Entire Agreement.

This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties hereto regarding the employment of Executive. This Agreement supersedes all prior negotiations, discussions, correspondence, communications, understandings, and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement, including without limitation, the Prior Agreement (and specifically any provisions relating to compensation and equity grants contemplated thereunder).

 

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  Section

21.    Survival of Operative Sections.

Upon any termination of Executive’s employment, the provisions of Section 5 and Section 7 through Section 22 of this Agreement (together with any related definitions set forth on Appendix A) shall survive to the extent necessary to give effect to the provisions thereof.

 

  Section

22.    Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The execution of this Agreement may be by actual or facsimile signature.

*        *        *

[Signatures to appear on the following page.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

MP MINE OPERATIONS LLC

/s/ James Litinsky

By: James Litinsky

Title: Co-Chairman

EXECUTIVE

/s/ Sheila Bangalore

Sheila Bangalore


APPENDIX A

Definitions

(a)    “Accrued Obligations” shall mean (i) all accrued but unpaid Base Salary through the date of termination of Executive’s employment, (ii) any unpaid or unreimbursed expenses incurred in accordance with Section 6 hereof, and (iii) any benefits provided under the Company’s employee benefit plans upon a termination of employment, including rights with respect to equity participation under the Equity Documents, in accordance with the terms contained therein.

(b)    “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(c)    “Business” shall mean any business activities related to rare earth mining and processing, or any other current or demonstrably planned business activities of the Company Group associated with rare earth mining or processing.

(d)    “Business Relation” shall mean any current or prospective client, customer, licensee, supplier, or other business relation of the Company Group, or any such relation that was a client, customer, licensee or other business relation within the prior six (6) month period, in each case, with whom Executive transacted business or whose identity became known to Executive in connection with Executive’s employment hereunder.

(e)    “Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s act(s) of gross negligence or willful misconduct in the course of Executive’s employment hereunder, (ii) willful failure, neglect or refusal by Executive to perform in any material respect Executive’s duties or responsibilities, (iii) misappropriation (or attempted misappropriation) by Executive of any assets or business opportunities of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (iv) embezzlement or fraud committed (or attempted) by Executive, or at Executive’s direction, (v) Executive’s conviction of, indictment for, or pleading “guilty” or “ no contest” to, (x) a felony or (y) any other criminal charge that has, or could be reasonably expected to have, an adverse impact on the performance of Executive’s duties to the Company or any other member of the Company Group or otherwise result in material injury to the reputation or business of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (vi) any material violation by Executive of the policies of the Company, including but not limited to those relating to sexual harassment or business conduct, and those otherwise set forth in the manuals or statements of policy of the Company, or (vii) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement or of the Equity Documents.

(f)    “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(g)    “Company Group” shall mean the Company together with any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.

(h)     “Compensation Committee” shall mean the compensation committee of the Board. Prior to any time that such a committee has been designated, the Board shall be deemed the Compensation Committee for purposes of this Agreement.


(i)    “Confidential Information” means information that the Company Group has or will develop, acquire, create, compile, discover, or own, that has value in or to the business of the Company Group that is not generally known and that the Company wishes to maintain as confidential. Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, any and all non-public information that relates to the actual or anticipated business and/or products, research, or development of the Company Group, or to the Company Group’s technical data, trade secrets, or know-how, including, but not limited to, research, plans, or other information regarding the Company Group’s products or services and markets, customer lists, and customers (including, but not limited to, customers of the Company on whom Executive called or with whom Executive may become acquainted during the Term of Employment), software, developments, inventions, processes, formulas, technology, designs, drawings, engineering, hardware configuration information, marketing, finances, and other business information disclosed by the Company either directly or indirectly in writing, orally, or by drawings or inspection of premises, parts, equipment, or other Company Group property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include any of the foregoing items that have become publicly and widely known through no unauthorized disclosure by Executive or others who were under confidentiality obligations as to the item or items involved.

(j)    “Disability” shall mean any physical or mental disability or infirmity of Executive that prevents the performance of Executive’s duties for a period of (i) ninety (90) consecutive days or (ii) one hundred twenty (120) non-consecutive days during any twelve (12) month period. Any question as to the existence, extent, or potentiality of Executive’s Disability upon which Executive and the Company cannot agree shall be determined by a qualified, independent physician selected by the Company and approved by Executive (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned). The determination of any such physician shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of this Agreement.

(k)    “Good Reason” shall mean, without Executive’s consent, (i) a material demotion in Executive’s title, duties, or responsibilities as set forth in Section 3 hereof, (ii) a material reduction in Base Salary set forth in Section 4(a) hereof or Target Annual Bonus opportunity set forth in Section 4(b) hereof (other than pursuant to an across-the-board reduction applicable to all similarly situated executives), (iii) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment (as provided in Section 3(c) hereof) more than fifty (50) miles from its current location, or (iv) any other material breach of a provision of this Agreement by the Company (other than a provision that is covered by clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above). Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s exclusive remedy in the event of any breach of this Agreement shall be to assert Good Reason pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 7(f) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the Term of Employment, in the event that the Board reasonably believes that Executive may have engaged in conduct that could constitute Cause hereunder, the Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion, suspend Executive from performing Executive’s duties hereunder, and in no event shall any such suspension constitute an event pursuant to which Executive may terminate employment with Good Reason or otherwise constitute a breach hereunder; provided, that no such suspension shall alter the Company’s obligations under this Agreement during such period of suspension.

 

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(l)    “Interfering Activities” shall mean (A) recruiting, encouraging, soliciting, or inducing, or in any manner attempting to recruit, encourage, solicit, or induce, any Person employed by, or providing consulting services to, any member of the Company Group to terminate such Person’s employment or services (or in the case of a consultant, materially reducing such services) with the Company Group, (B) hiring any individual who was employed by the Company Group within the six (6) month period prior to the date of such hiring, or (C) encouraging, soliciting, or inducing, or in any manner attempting to encourage, solicit, or induce, any Business Relation to cease doing business with or reduce the amount of business conducted with the Company Group, or in any way interfering with the relationship between any such Business Relation and the Company Group.

(m)    “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust (charitable or non-charitable), unincorporated organization, or other form of business entity.

(n)    “Post-Termination Restricted Period” shall mean the period commencing on the date of the termination of the Term of Employment for any reason and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date of termination.

(o)    “Release of Claims” shall mean the Company’s standard form of general release of claims delivered to Executive by the Company in connection with Executive’s termination of employment.

(p)    “Severance Term” shall mean the period commencing on the date of Executive’s termination by the Company without Cause (other than by reason of death or Disability) or by Executive with Good Reason and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date of termination.

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

MP Materials Completes Business Combination and Will Begin Trading on the NYSE under “MP”

MOUNTAIN PASS, CANOVEMBER 17, 2020 – MP Materials, the largest rare earth materials producer in the Western Hemisphere, today announced the completion of its business combination with Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FVAC), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC (“Fortress”). The combined company, MP Materials Corp. (“MP Materials” or “the Company”), will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) tomorrow, November 18th, under the ticker symbol “MP”.

MP Materials owns and operates Mountain Pass, an iconic American industrial asset, which is the only rare earth mining and processing site of scale in the Western Hemisphere and currently produces approximately 15% of global rare earth content. The market for separated rare earth elements is expected to see significant growth, as these materials are critical inputs for the magnets that enable the mobility of electric vehicles, drones, defense systems, wind turbines, robotics and many other high-growth, advanced technologies. MP Materials’ integrated operations at Mountain Pass uniquely combine low production costs with best-in-class environmental standards, thereby restoring American leadership to a critical industry with a strong commitment to sustainability.

MP Materials raised $545 million in capital through the transaction, including $345 million of FVAC’s cash in trust and a $200 million PIPE led by institutional investors including Slate Path Capital, Chamath Palihapitiya and Omega Family Office. The capital raised from the transaction fully funds MP’s Stage II optimization plan, whereby the Company expects to become a fully integrated provider of separated rare earth oxides, with a focus on Neodymium-Praseodymium, one of the most crucial inputs for magnetics, by 2022.

“Today is an important milestone in our mission to restore the full rare earth supply chain to the United States of America,” said James Litinsky, Chairman and CEO of MP Materials. “As world infrastructure electrifies, American leadership across this entire industrial supply chain is critical to our economic and national security. MP Materials has a profitable first stage business, a long term, multi-stage execution roadmap for value creation, a fully funded balance sheet, and a committed leadership team and Board of Directors. Our team is very proud to lead the way in onshoring a vital industry, to build a growing enterprise and to deliver positive outcomes to all of our stakeholders supported by our foundational commitments to sustainability and strong governance.”

Litinsky continued, “I want to thank Drew McKnight and the Fortress team for their partnership and support and also welcome our new public investors to this exciting and important journey.”

In addition to Chairman and CEO James Litinsky, MP Materials will continue to be led by its experienced management team, including: Michael Rosenthal, Chief Operating Officer; Ryan Corbett, Chief Financial Officer; and Sheila Bangalore, Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel. In addition to Messrs. Litinsky and McKnight, the Company’s Board of Directors includes former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General (Ret.) Richard Myers; former Omnicom Group CFO Randy Weisenburger; Founder and CEO of QVT Financial LP, Dan Gold; Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Lockheed Martin Corporation, Maryanne Lavan; and former Partner and Managing Director of Goldman Sachs, Connie Duckworth.


LOGO

 

Former CEO of FVAC, and Director of MP Materials, Drew McKnight said, “We are looking forward to participating with public shareholders in MP’s future success as the Company moves forward with its plans to bring the rare earth industry home to the United States. MP’s mission is not just a business plan - it’s an economic and security imperative for our country, and the entire leadership team and Board stand ready to execute with commitment and purpose on this tremendous opportunity.”

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal advisor to MP Mine Operations LLC (dba “MP Materials”). Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Murray Devine served as legal and financial advisor, respectively, to Secure Natural Resources LLC (the owner of the mineral rights at Mountain Pass), which is also a party to the combination and will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of MP Materials Corp. Deutsche Bank Securities and RBC Capital Markets, LLC served as financial advisors, capital markets advisors, and private placement agents to FVAC. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as legal advisor to FVAC.

About MP Materials

MP Materials Corporation (NYSE: MP) is the largest producer of rare earth materials in the Western Hemisphere. With over 270 employees, the Company owns and operates Mountain Pass, an iconic American industrial asset, which is the only rare earth mining and processing site of scale in the Western Hemisphere and currently produces approximately 15% of global rare earth content. Separated rare earth elements are critical inputs for the magnets that enable the mobility of electric vehicles, drones, defense systems, wind turbines, robotics and many other high-growth, advanced technologies. MP Materials’ integrated operations at Mountain Pass uniquely combine low production costs with best-in-class environmental standards, thereby restoring American leadership to a critical industry with a strong commitment to sustainability. More information is available at https://mpmaterials.com/.

About Fortress Value Acquisition Corp.

Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. is a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, and is sponsored by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of the words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target,” or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of MP Materials’ management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction


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or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of MP Materials. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the business combination; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to MP Materials; risks related to the rollout of MP Materials’ business strategy and the timing of expected business milestones; risks related to MP Materials’ arrangements with Shenghe; the effects of competition on MP Materials’ future business; risks related to political and macroeconomic uncertainty; the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on any of the foregoing risks; and those factors discussed in FVAC’s definitive proxy statement/consent solicitation/prospectus filed on October 27, 2020 under the heading “Risk Factors,” and other documents to be filed by MP Materials, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that MP Materials does not presently know or that MP Materials currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect MP Materials’ expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. MP Materials anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause MP Materials’ assessments to change. However, while MP Materials may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, MP Materials specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, unless required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing MP Materials’ assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

Contacts

For MP Materials:

Investors:

Ellipsis

Jeff Majtyka

IR@mpmaterials.com

Media:

Edelman

Jordan Fisher

Jordan.Fisher@edelman.com

For FVAC:

Gordon E. Runté

Managing Director

Fortress Investment Group LLC

212-798-6082