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

Registration No. 333-

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS

PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Ireland   98-1597419
(State or other jurisdiction   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)   Identification Number)

38/39 Fitzwilliam Square

Dublin 2, Ireland D02 NX53

(Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices)

Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

William D. Mosley

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Seagate Technology Holdings plc

47488 Kato Rd

Fremont, CA 94538

(510) 661-1000

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

 

 

With copies to:

 

Katherine E. Schuelke,   Lisa L. Stimmell
Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary   Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Seagate Technology Holdings plc   Professional Company
47488 Kato Rd   650 Page Mill Rd
Fremont, CA 94538   Palo Alto, California 94304
(510) 661-1000   (650) 493-9300

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

 

Large accelerated filer:      Accelerated filer:  
Non-accelerated filer:      Smaller reporting company:  
     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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Securities

to be Registered

  

Amount    

to be    

Registered(1)(2)    

  

Proposed    
Maximum    

Offering Price    

Per Share(3)    

  

Proposed    
Maximum    

Aggregate    
Offering Price(3)    

  

Amount of    

Registration
Fee    

Ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share

   21,872,822    $81.91    $1,791,602,850.02    $166,081.58

 

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also be deemed to cover the additional securities that may be offered or issued to prevent dilution resulting from any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction.

(2)

This Registration Statement registers the issuance of 21,872,822 ordinary shares, par value $0.00001 per share (“Ordinary Shares”) of Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company (the “Registrant”) pursuant to the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (“2022 Plan”), including up to 7,813,297 Ordinary Shares subject to share awards under the Amended and Restated Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended) which will become available under the 2022 Plan to the extent they expire or have been cancelled or reacquired by Registrant prior to vesting or exercise. Such number of shares became or may become available for issuance under the 2022 Plan upon the adoption by the shareholders of the Registrant of the 2022 Plan on October 20, 2021.

(3)

Estimated solely for the purposes of this offering under Rule 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act, on the basis of $81.91, the average of the reported high and low price per share of the Registrant’s Ordinary Shares, as reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on October 14, 2021.

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed by Seagate Technology Holdings plc, a public company limited by shares incorporated in Ireland (the “Registrant”), relating to its ordinary shares, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), issuable to eligible directors, employees and consultants of the Registrant and its affiliates under the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). The 2022 Plan permits the issuance of (a) up to 14,059,525 Ordinary Shares plus (b) up to 7,813,297 Ordinary Shares subject to share awards under the Amended and Restated Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended), for which the Registrant has previously filed registration statements on Form S-8, to the extent they expire or have been cancelled or reacquired by Registrant prior to vesting or exercise.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The documents containing the information specified in Part I will be sent or given to employees as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Such documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act. Such documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The Registrant hereby incorporates herein by reference the following documents filed with the SEC:

1. Seagate’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 2, 2021 filed with the SEC on August 6, 2021;

2. Seagate’s Current Report on Form 8-K (only to the extent “filed” and not “furnished”) filed with the SEC on October 15, 2021;

3. All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since July 2, 2021 (other than information deemed to have been “furnished” rather than “filed” in accordance with the SEC’s rules); and

4. The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K12B filed with the SEC on May 19, 2021, including the description of the Company’s ordinary shares contained therein.

All reports that the Registrant subsequently files pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been sold or which deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such reports and documents. Unless expressly incorporated in this Registration Statement, a report furnished on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.

Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.


Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The constitution of the Registrant (the “Constitution”) provides for the indemnification of its officers, directors and company secretary. Specifically, under the indemnification provisions, the Registrant will indemnify its officers, directors and company secretary to the fullest extent permitted by law against liabilities that are incurred by the officers, directors and company secretary while executing the duties of their respective offices. Under the Constitution, the Registrant’s officers, directors and company secretary, however, will not be entitled to the indemnification by the Registrant if they incurred the liabilities through their own fraud, dishonesty or conscious, intentional or willful breach of the obligation to act honestly, lawfully and in good faith. In addition, the Irish Companies Act 2014 (as amended) prescribes that this indemnity only permits a company to pay the costs or discharge the liability of a director or the company secretary where judgment is given in his or her favor in any civil or criminal action in respect of such costs or liability, or where an Irish court grants relief because the director or company secretary acted honestly and reasonably and ought fairly to be excused. This restriction does not apply to officers who are not directors nor the company secretary of the Registrant. Any provision which seeks to indemnify a director or secretary of an Irish company over and above this shall be void under Irish law, whether contained in its constitution or any contract between the director or company secretary and such company.

One of the Registrant’s subsidiaries has entered into a deed of indemnity as to each of the Registrant’s directors, company secretary and certain of its officers (as may be determined by the board of directors of the Registrant from time to time) providing for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, such persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law. Each director, secretary or officer undertakes to the fullest extent required by law to repay all amounts advanced if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to such indemnification by the Registrant and/or its any of its subsidiaries.

The Registrant maintains insurance policies that indemnify its directors and officers against various liabilities arising under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act that might be incurred by any director or officer in his or her capacity as such.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

For the list of exhibits, see Exhibit Index, which is incorporated into this item by reference.

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and


(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

Provided, however, that: paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

4.1    Constitution of Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company
4.3    Specimen Ordinary Share Certificate (Filed as Exhibit 4.2 to Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company’s Form 10-K filed on August 6, 2021 and incorporated herein by reference)
5.1    Opinion of Arthur Cox, Solicitors as to the legality of the registered shares.
10.1    Seagate Technology Holdings plc 2022 Equity Incentive Plan
10.2    Form of Outside Directors Restricted Share Unit Agreement for Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company pursuant to the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (includes Compensation Recovery Policy)
10.3    Form of Employee Restricted Share Unit Agreement for Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company pursuant to the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (includes Compensation Recovery Policy
10.4    Form of Performance Share Unit Agreement for Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company pursuant to the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (includes Compensation Recovery Policy)
10.5    Form of Employee Stock Option Agreement for Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company pursuant to the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan
23.1    Consent of Arthur Cox, Solicitors (included as part of Exhibit 5.1).
23.2    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
24.1    Power of Attorney (included as part of signature page).


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Fremont, State of California, on this 20th day of October, 2021.

 

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

/s/ Dr. William D. Mosley

Dr. William D. Mosley, Chief Executive Officer and Director


SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints William D. Mosley, Gianluca Romano, and Katherine E. Schuelke, and each of them, as her/his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with power to act with or without the others and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign and execute on behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement; and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys and agents and each of them shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ Dr. William D. Mosley

   Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   October 20, 2021
(Dr. William D. Mosley)

/s/ Gianluca Romano

(Gianluca Romano)

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   October 20, 2021

/s/ Michael R. Cannon

(Michael R. Cannon)

   Board Chair   October 20, 2021

/s/ Mark W. Adams

(Mark W. Adams)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Shankar

Arumugavelu

(Shankar Arumugavelu)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Prat Bhatt

(Prat Bhatt)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Judy Bruner

(Judy Bruner)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Jay L. Geldmacher

(Jay L. Geldmacher)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Dylan Haggart

(Dylan Haggart)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Stephanie Tilenius

(Stephanie Tilenius)

   Director   October 20, 2021

/s/ Edward J. Zander

(Edward J. Zander)

   Director   October 20, 2021

Exhibit 4.1

Companies Act 2014

A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

CONSTITUTION

–of–

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

(Amended by Special Resolution dated 14 May 2021)


Companies Act 2014

A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

–of–

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

 

1.

The name of the Company is Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company.

 

2.

The Company is a public limited company, deemed to be a PLC to which Part 17 of the Companies Act 2014 applies.

 

3.

The objects for which the Company is established are:

 

  3.1

 

  (a)

To carry on the business of a provider of hard disk drives, to design, manufacture, market and sell hard disk drives and all devices that store digitally encoded data.

 

  (b)

To carry on the business of designing, manufacturing, marketing and selling media for storing electronic data in systems ranging from desktop and notebook computers, and consumer electronics devices to data centers delivering electronic data over corporate networks and the internet.

 

  (c)

To carry on the business of producing a broad range of disk drive products and other data storage products addressing enterprise applications, mainframes and workstations, desktop applications, mobile computing applications, and consumer electronics applications and to provide data storage services for small to medium sized businesses, including online backup, data protection and recovery solutions.

 

  (d)

To carry on the business of a holding company and to co-ordinate the administration, finances and activities of any subsidiary companies or associated companies, to do all lawful acts and things whatever that are necessary or convenient in carrying on the business of such a holding company and in particular to carry on in all its branches the business of a management services company, to act as managers and to direct or coordinate the management of other companies or of the business, property and estates of any company or person and to undertake and carry out all such services in connection therewith as may be deemed expedient by the Company’s Board and to exercise its powers as a shareholder of other companies.

 

  3.2

To acquire and hold shares, stocks, debentures, debenture stock, bonds, mortgages, obligations and securities and interests of any kind issued or guaranteed by any company, corporation or undertaking of whatever nature and wherever constituted or carrying on business, whether in Ireland or elsewhere, and to vary, transpose, dispose of or otherwise deal with, from time to time as may be considered expedient, any of the Company’s investments for the time being.

 

1


  3.3

To acquire any such shares and other securities as are mentioned in the preceding paragraph by subscription, syndicate participation, tender, purchase, exchange or otherwise and to subscribe for the same, either conditionally or otherwise, and to guarantee the subscription thereof and to exercise and enforce all rights and powers conferred by or incident to the ownership thereof.

 

  3.4

To lease, acquire by purchase or otherwise hold, sell, dispose of and deal in real property and in personal property of all kinds wheresoever situated.

 

  3.5

To enter into any guarantee, contract of indemnity or suretyship and to assure, support or secure with or without consideration or benefit the performance of any obligations of any person or persons and to guarantee the fidelity of individuals filling or about to fill situations of trust or confidence.

 

  3.6

To acquire or undertake the whole or any part of the business, property and liabilities of any person carrying on any business that the Company is authorized to carry on.

 

  3.7

To apply for, register, purchase, lease, acquire, hold, use, control, licence, sell, assign or dispose of patents, patent rights, copyrights, trade marks, formulae, licences, inventions, processes, distinctive marks and similar rights.

 

  3.8

To enter into partnership or into any arrangement for sharing of profits, union of interests, co-operation, joint venture, reciprocal concession or otherwise with any person carrying on or engaged in or about to carry on or engage in any business or transaction that the Company is authorized to carry on or engage in or any business or transaction capable of being conducted so as to benefit the Company.

 

  3.9

To take or otherwise acquire and hold securities in any other body corporate having objects altogether or in part similar to those of the Company or carrying on any business capable of being conducted so as to benefit the Company.

 

  3.10

To lend money to any employee or to any person having dealings with the Company or with whom the Company proposes to have dealings or to any other body corporate any of whose shares are held by the Company.

 

  3.11

To apply for, secure or acquire by grant, legislative enactment, assignment, transfer, purchase or otherwise and to exercise, carry out and enjoy any charter, licence, power, authority, franchise, concession, right or privilege, that any government or authority or any body corporate or other public body may be empowered to grant, and to pay for, aid in and contribute toward carrying it into effect and to assume any liabilities or obligations incidental thereto and to enter into any arrangements with any governments or authorities, supreme, municipal, local or otherwise, that may seem conducive to the Company’s objects or any of them.

 

  3.12

To perform any duty or duties imposed on the Company by or under any enactment and to exercise any power conferred on the Company by or under any enactment.

 

  3.13

To incorporate or cause to be incorporated any one or more subsidiaries of the Company (within the meaning of the Companies Act) for the purpose of carrying on any business.

 

  3.14

To establish and support or aid in the establishment and support of associations, institutions, funds or trusts for the benefit of employees, directors and/or consultants or former employees, directors and/ or consultants of the Company or its predecessors or any of its subsidiary or associated companies, or the dependants or connections of such employees, directors and/or consultants or former employees, directors and/or

 

2


  consultants and grant gratuities, pensions and allowances, including the establishment of share option schemes, enabling employees, directors and/or consultants of the Company or other persons aforesaid to become shareholders in the Company, or otherwise to participate in the profits of the Company upon such terms and in such manner as the Company thinks fit, and to make payments towards insurance or for any object similar to those set forth in this paragraph.

 

  3.15

To establish and contribute to any scheme for the purchase by trustees of shares in the Company to be held for the benefit of the Company’s employees or the employees of any of its subsidiary or associated companies and to lend or otherwise provide money to the trustees of such schemes or the Company’s employees or the employees of any of its subsidiary or associated companies to enable them to purchase shares of the Company.

 

  3.16

To grant bonuses to any person or persons who are or have been in the employment of the Company or any of its subsidiary or associated companies or any person or persons who are or have been directors of, or consultants to, the Company or any of its subsidiary or associated companies.

 

  3.17

To establish any scheme or otherwise to provide for the purchase by or on behalf of customers of the Company of shares in the Company.

 

  3.18

To subscribe or guarantee money for charitable, benevolent, educational or religious objects or for any exhibition or for any public, general or useful objects.

 

  3.19

To promote any company for the purpose of acquiring or taking over any of the property and liabilities of the Company or for any other purpose that may benefit the Company.

 

  3.20

To purchase, lease, take in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any personal property and any rights or privileges that the Company considers necessary or convenient for the purposes of its business.

 

  3.21

To construct, maintain, alter, renovate and demolish any buildings or works necessary or convenient for its objects.

 

  3.22

To construct, improve, maintain, work, manage, carry out or control any roads, ways, tramways, branches or sidings, bridges, reservoirs, watercourses, wharves, factories, warehouses, electric works, shops, stores and other works and conveniences that may advance the interests of the Company and contribute to, subsidize or otherwise assist or take part in the construction, improvement, maintenance, working, management and carrying out of control thereof.

 

  3.23

To raise and assist in raising money for, and aid by way of bonus, loan, promise, endorsement, guarantee or otherwise, any person and guarantee the performance or fulfilment of any contracts or obligations of any person, and in particular guarantee the payment of the principal of and interest on the debt obligations of any such person.

 

  3.24

To borrow or raise or secure the payment of money (including money in a currency other than the currency of Ireland) in such manner as the Company shall think fit and in particular by the issue of debentures, debenture stock and other securities whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party, without any limitation as to amount in such manner as the Company shall think fit and any other securities (including any mortgage or charge), perpetual or otherwise, charged upon all or any of the Company’s property, both present and future, including its uncalled capital and to purchase, redeem or pay off any such securities.

 

3


  3.25

To engage in currency exchange, interest rate and/or commodity or index linked transactions (whether in connection with or incidental to any other contract, undertaking or business entered into or carried on by the Company or whether as an independent object or activity) including, but not limited to, dealings in foreign currency, spot and forward rate exchange contracts, futures, options, forward rate agreements, swaps, caps, floors, collars, commodity or index linked swaps and any other foreign exchange, interest rate or commodity or index linked arrangements and such other instruments as are similar to or derive from any of the foregoing whether for the purpose of making a profit or avoiding a loss or managing a currency or interest rate exposure or any other purpose and to enter into any contract for and to exercise and enforce all rights and powers conferred by or incidental, directly or indirectly, to such transactions or termination of any such transactions.

 

  3.26

To remunerate any person or company for services rendered or to be rendered in placing or assisting to place or guaranteeing the placing of any of the shares of the Company’s capital or any debentures, debenture stock or other securities of the Company or in or about the formation or promotion of the Company or the conduct of its business.

 

  3.27

To draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue bills of exchange, promissory notes, bills of lading, warrants and other negotiable or transferable instruments.

 

  3.28

To sell, lease, exchange or otherwise dispose of the undertaking of the Company or any part thereof as an entirety or substantially as an entirety for such consideration as the Company thinks fit.

 

  3.29

To sell, improve, manage, develop, exchange, lease, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise deal with the property of the Company in the ordinary course of its business.

 

  3.30

To adopt such means of making known the products of the Company as may seem expedient, and in particular by advertising, by purchase and exhibition of works of art or interest, by publication of books and periodicals and by granting prizes and rewards and making donations.

 

  3.31

To cause the Company to be registered and recognized in any foreign jurisdiction, and designate persons therein according to the laws of that foreign jurisdiction or to represent the Company and to accept service for and on behalf of the Company of any process or suit.

 

  3.32

To allot and issue fully-paid shares of the Company in payment or part payment of any property purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company or for any past services performed for the Company.

 

  3.33

To distribute among the Members of the Company in cash, kind, specie or otherwise as may be resolved, by way of dividend, bonus or in any other manner considered advisable, any property of the Company, but not so as to decrease the capital of the Company unless the distribution is made for the purpose of enabling the Company to be dissolved or the distribution, apart from this paragraph, would be otherwise lawful.

 

  3.34

To promote freedom of contract, and to resist, insure against, counteract and discourage interference therewith, to join any lawful federation, union or association or do any other lawful act or thing with a view to preventing or resisting directly or indirectly any interruption of or interference with the Company’s or any other trade or business or providing or safeguarding against the same, or resisting strike, movement or organisation, which may be thought detrimental to the interests or opposing any of the Company or its employees and to subscribe to any association or fund for any such purposes.

 

4


  3.35

To make or receive gifts by way of capital contribution or otherwise.

 

  3.36

To establish agencies and branches.

 

  3.37

To take or hold mortgages, hypothecations, liens and charges to secure payment of the purchase price, or of any unpaid balance of the purchase price, of any part of the property of the Company of whatsoever kind sold by the Company, or for any money due to the Company from purchasers and others and to sell or otherwise dispose of any such mortgage, hypothec, lien or charge.

 

  3.38

To pay all costs and expenses of or incidental to the incorporation and organization of the Company.

 

  3.39

To invest and deal with the moneys of the Company not immediately required for the objects of the Company in such manner as may be determined.

 

  3.40

To do any of the things authorized by this memorandum as principals, agents, contractors, trustees or otherwise, and either alone or in conjunction with others.

 

  3.41

To do all such other things as are incidental or conductive to the attainment of the objects and the exercise of the powers of the Company

 

4.

The liability of the Members is limited.

 

5.

The authorized share capital of the Company is €40,000 and US$13,500 and consists of 40,000 deferred shares of €1.00 each (the Deferred Shares”), 1,250,000,000 ordinary shares of US$0.00001 each (the Ordinary Shares”) and 100,000,000 undesignated preferred of US$0.00001 each (the Preferred Shares”).

 

6.

The shares forming the capital, increased or reduced, may be increased or reduced and be divided into such classes and issued with any special rights, privileges and conditions or with such qualifications as regards preference, dividend, capital, voting or other special incidents, and be held upon such terms as may be attached thereto or as may from time to time be provided by the original or any substituted or amended Articles of Association and regulations of the Company for the time being, but so that where shares are issued with any preferential or special rights attached thereto such rights shall not be alterable otherwise than pursuant to the provisions of the Company’s Articles of Association for the time being.

 

7.

Capitalized terms that are not defined in this memorandum of association bear the same meaning as those given in the Articles of Association of the Company.

 

5


COMPANIES ACT 2014

A PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

-of-

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

PRELIMINARY

 

1.

The provisions set out in these Articles of Association shall constitute the whole of the regulations applicable to the Company and no “optional provisions” as defined by section 1007(2) of the Companies Act (with the exception of sections 83 and 84) shall apply to the Company.

 

2.

In these Articles:

address includes, without limitation, any number or address used for the purposes of communication by way of electronic mail or other electronic communication;

Articles or Articles of Association means these Articles of Association of the Company, as amended from time to time by Special Resolution;

Assistant Secretary means any person appointed by the Secretary from time to time to assist the Secretary;

Auditors means the persons for the time being performing the duties of statutory auditors of the Company;

Beneficial Owner means a person who is the beneficial owner of Shares held in a voting trust or by a Member on such beneficial owner’s behalf;

Board means the board of directors from the time being of the Company;

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

Companies Act means the Companies Act 2014, all statutory instruments which are to be read as one with, or construed or construed or read together as one with the Companies Acts and every statutory modification and re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;

Company” means the above named company.

Court means the Irish High Court;

Covered Person shall have the meaning given to it in Article 194;

 

6


Deferred Shares” has the meaning given in the Company’s Memorandum of Association.

Delaware-Based Courts” shall have the meaning given to such term in Article 202;

Directors” means the directors for the time being in the Company;

dividend” includes interim dividends and bonus dividends;

Dividend Periods” shall have the meaning given to such term in Article 17(2);

Exchange” means any securities exchange or other system on which the Shares of the Company may be listed or otherwise authorized for trading from time to time;

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, of the United States of America;

IAS Regulation” means Regulation (EC) No. 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 2002 on the application of international accounting standards;

Independent Director” means a person recognised as such by the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange or the Companies Act;

Member” means a person who has agreed to become a member of the Company and whose name is entered in the Register of Members as a registered holder of Shares;

Memorandum” means the memorandum of association of the Company as amended from time to time by Special Resolution;

month” means a calendar month;

officer” means any executive of the Company that has been designated by the Company the title “officer” and for the avoidance of doubt does not have the meaning given to such term under the Companies Act;

Ordinary Resolution” means an ordinary resolution of the Company’s Members within the meaning of the Companies Act;

Ordinary Shares” has the meaning given in the Company’s Memorandum of Association;

paid-up” means paid-up as to the nominal value and any premium payable in respect of the issue of any Shares and includes credited as paid-up;

Preferred Shares” has the meaning given in the Company’s Memorandum of Association;

proceeding” shall have the meaning given to such term in Article 197;

Redeemable Shares” means redeemable Shares in accordance with the Companies Act;

Register of Members” means the register of members of the Company maintained by or on behalf of the Company, in accordance with the Companies Act and includes (except where otherwise stated) any duplicate Register of Members;

 

7


registered office” means the registered office for the time being of the Company;

Remote Communication” shall have the meaning given to such term in Article 78(2).

Seal” means the seal of the Company, if any, and includes every duplicate seal;

Secretary” means the person appointed by the Board to perform any or all of the duties of secretary of the Company and includes an Assistant Secretary and any person appointed by the Board to perform the duties of secretary of the Company;

Share” and “Shares” means a Share or Shares in the capital of the Company; and

Special Resolution” means a special resolution of the Company’s Members within the meaning of the Companies Act.

 

  (1)

In these Articles:

 

  (a)

words importing the singular number include the plural number and vice versa;

 

  (b)

words importing the masculine gender include the feminine gender;

 

  (c)

words importing persons include corporations;

 

  (2)

written” and “in writing” include all modes of representing or reproducing words in visible form, including electronic communication;

 

  (3)

references to provisions of any law or regulation shall be construed as references to those provisions as amended, modified, re-enacted or replaced from time to time; and

 

  (4)

any phrase introduced by the terms “including”, “include”, “in particular” or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms;

 

  (a)

headings are inserted for reference only and shall be ignored in construing these Articles; and

 

  (b)

references to “US$”, “USD” or “dollars” shall mean United States dollars, the lawful currency of the United States of America and references to €, euro, or EUR shall mean the euro, the lawful currency of Ireland.

SHARE CAPITAL; ISSUE OF RIGHTS

 

3.

The Share capital of the Company is US$13,500 and €40,000 and consists of 40,000 Deferred Shares of €1.00 each, 1,250,000,000 Ordinary Shares of US$0.00001 each and 100,000,000 undesignated Preferred Shares of US$0.00001 each.

 

4.

Subject to the Companies Act and the provisions, if any, in the Memorandum and these Articles and to any direction that may be given by the Company in a general meeting and without prejudice to any rights attached to any existing Shares, the Board may allot, issue, grant options, rights or warrants over or otherwise dispose of any Shares with or without preferred, deferred, qualified or other rights or restrictions, whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise, and to such persons at such times and on such other terms as they think proper. Notwithstanding and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Board is expressly authorised and empowered to implement or effect at its sole discretion the issuance of a preferred Share purchase right to be issued on a pro rata basis to each holder of an Ordinary Share with such terms and for such purposes, including the influencing of takeovers, as may be described in a rights agreement between the Company and a rights agent.

 

8


5.

Upon approval of the Board, such number of Ordinary Shares, or other Shares or securities of the Company, as may be required for such purposes shall be reserved for issuance in connection with an option, right, warrant or other security of the Company or any other person that is exercisable for, convertible into, exchangeable for or otherwise issuable in respect of such Ordinary Shares or other Shares or securities of the Company.

 

6.

All Shares shall be issued fully paid as to their nominal value and any premium determined by the Board at the time of issue, save in accordance with the Companies Act, and so that, in the case of Shares offered to the public for subscription, the amount payable on each Share shall not be less than one-quarter of the nominal amount of the Share and the whole of any premium thereon, and shall be non-assessable.

 

7.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and the other provisions of this Article 7, the Company may:

 

  (1)

pursuant to the Companies Act, issue any Shares of the Company which are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the Member on such terms and in such manner as may be determined by the Company in general meeting (by Special Resolution) on the recommendation of the Directors;

 

  (2)

redeem Shares of the Company on such terms as may be contained in, or be determined pursuant to the provisions of, these Articles. Subject as aforesaid, the Company may cancel any Shares so redeemed or may hold them as treasury Shares and re-issue such treasury Shares as Shares of any class or classes or cancel them; or

 

  (3)

pursuant to the Companies Act, convert any of its Shares into Redeemable Shares provided that the total number of Shares which shall be redeemable pursuant to this authority shall not exceed the limit in the Companies Act.

 

8.

The Company shall not give, whether directly or indirectly and whether by means of a loan, guarantee, the provision of security or otherwise, any financial assistance for the purpose of a purchase or subscription made or to be made by any person of or for any Shares in the Company or in its holding company, except as permitted by the Companies Act.

 

9.

The Directors are, for the purposes of the Companies Act, generally and unconditionally authorised to exercise all powers of the Company to allot and issue relevant securities (as defined by the Companies Act) up to the amount of Company’s authorised Share capital and to allot and issue any Shares purchased by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Companies Act and held as treasury Shares and this authority shall expire five years from the date of the adoption of these Articles. The Company may before the expiry of such authority make an offer or agreement which would or might require relevant securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such an offer or agreement notwithstanding that the authority hereby conferred has expired.

 

10.

The Directors are hereby empowered pursuant to the Companies Act to allot equity securities within the meaning of the Companies Act for cash pursuant to the authority conferred by Article 9 as if the Companies Act did not apply to any such allotment and this authority shall expire five years from the date of the adoption of these Articles. The Company may before the expiry of such authority make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such an offer or agreement as if the power conferred by this Article 10 had not expired.

 

9


ORDINARY SHARES

 

11.

The rights and restrictions attaching to the Ordinary Shares shall be as follows:

 

  (1)

subject to the right of the Company to set record dates for the purposes of determining the identity of Members entitled to notice of and/or to vote at a general meeting, the right to attend and speak at any general meeting of the Company and to exercise one vote per ordinary Share held at any general meeting of the Company;

 

  (2)

the right to participate pro rata in all dividends declared by the Company in accordance with the relevant provisions of these Articles; and

 

  (3)

the right, in the event of the Company’s winding up, to participate pro rata in the total assets of the Company.

 

12.

Unless the Board specifically elects to treat such acquisition as a purchase for the purposes of the Companies Act, an Ordinary Share shall be deemed to be a Redeemable Share on, and from the time of, the existence or creation of an agreement, transaction or trade between the Company and any third party pursuant to which the Company acquires or will acquire Ordinary Shares, or an interest in ordinary Shares, from such third party. In these circumstances, the acquisition of such Shares or interest in Shares by the Company shall constitute the redemption of a Redeemable Share in accordance with the Companies Act.

 

13.

The holders of the Ordinary Shares shall not be entitled to receive a Share certificate in respect of any Ordinary Shares, unless so requested in accordance with the Companies Act.

 

14.

All Ordinary Shares shall rank pari passu with each other in all respects.

DEFERRED SHARES

 

15.

The Deferred Shares (i) do not convey on the holder the right to be paid a dividend or to receive notice of or to attend, vote and speak at any meeting of the Members of the Company in respect of those Shares, and (ii) confer the right on a return of capital, on a winding up or otherwise, only to repayment of the nominal amount paid up on the Deferred Shares but only after repayment of the Ordinary Shares and any Preferred Shares of the Company in full.

PREFERRED SHARES

 

16.

Preferred Shares may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such voting powers (full or limited or without voting powers), designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as are stated and expressed, or in any resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series adopted by the Board as hereinafter provided.

 

17.

Authority is hereby granted to the Board, subject to the provisions of the Memorandum, these Articles and applicable law to issue all or any of the authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, to create one or more series of Preferred Shares and, with respect to each such series, to fix by resolution or resolutions, without any further vote or action by the Members providing for the issue of such series:

 

  (1)

the number of Preferred Shares to constitute such series and the distinctive designation thereof;

 

10


  (2)

the dividend rate on the Preferred Shares of such series, the dividend payment dates, the periods in respect of which dividends are payable (Dividend Periods”), whether such dividends shall be cumulative and, if cumulative, the date or dates from which dividends shall accumulate;

 

  (3)

whether the Preferred Shares of such series shall be convertible into, or exchangeable for, Shares of any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any other class or classes of Shares and the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, or the rate or rates at which such exchange may be made, with such adjustments, if any, as shall be stated and expressed or provided in such resolution or resolutions;

 

  (4)

the preferences, if any, and the amounts thereof, which the Preferred Shares of such series shall be entitled to receive upon the winding up of the Company;

 

  (5)

the voting power, if any, of the Preferred Shares of such series;

 

  (6)

transfer restrictions and rights of first refusal with respect to the Preferred Shares of such series; and

 

  (7)

such other terms, conditions, special rights and provisions as may seem advisable to the Board.

Notwithstanding the fixing of the number of Preferred Shares constituting a particular series upon the issuance thereof, the Board at any time thereafter may authorise the issuance of additional Preferred Shares of the same series subject always to the Companies Act, the Memorandum and these Articles.

 

18.

No dividend shall be declared and set apart for payment on any series of Preferred Shares in respect of any Dividend Period unless there shall likewise be or have been paid, or declared and set apart for payment, on all Preferred Shares of each other series entitled to cumulative dividends at the time outstanding that rank senior or equally as to dividends with the series in question, dividends rateably in accordance with the sums which would be payable on the said Preferred Shares through the end of the last preceding Dividend Period if all dividends were declared and paid in full.

 

19.

If, upon the winding up of the Company, the assets of the Company distributable among the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Shares which (i) are entitled to a preference over the holders of the Ordinary Shares upon such winding up, and (ii) rank equally in connection with any such distribution, shall be insufficient to pay in full the preferential amount to which the holders of such Preferred Shares shall be entitled, then such assets, or the proceeds thereof, shall be distributed among the holders of each such series of the Preferred Shares rateably in accordance with the sums which would be payable on such distribution if all sums payable were discharged in full.

ISSUE OF WARRANTS

 

20.

The Board may issue warrants to subscribe for any class of Shares or other securities of the Company on such terms as it may from time to time determine.

CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES

 

21.

Unless otherwise provided for by the Board or the rights attaching to or by the terms of issue of any particular Shares, or to the extent required by any stock exchange, depository, or any operator of any clearance or settlement system, or unless so requested in accordance with the Companies Act, no person shall be entitled to a Share certificate in respect of any Shares held by them in the Share capital of the Company, whether such Shares were allotted or transferred to them, and the Company shall not be bound to issue a Share certificate to any such person entered in the Register of Members.

 

11


22.

Any Share certificate, if issued, shall specify the number of Shares in respect of which it is issued and the amount paid thereon or the fact that they are fully paid, as the case may be, and may otherwise be in such form as shall be determined by the Board. Such certificates may be under Seal. All certificates for Shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified and shall specify the Shares to which they relate. The name and address of the person to whom the Shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of Shares and date of issue, shall be entered in the Register of Members of the Company. All certificates surrendered to the Company for transfer shall be cancelled and no new certificate shall be issued until the former certificate for a like number of Shares shall have been surrendered and cancelled. The Board may authorise certificates to be issued with the seal and authorised signature(s) affixed by some method or system of mechanical process. In respect of a Share or Shares held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to issue a certificate or certificates to each such person, and the issue and delivery of a certificate or certificates to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders.

 

23.

If a Share certificate is defaced, worn out, lost or destroyed, it may be renewed on such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and on the payment of such expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in investigating such evidence, as the Board may prescribe, and, in the case of defacement or wearing out, upon delivery of the old certificate.

REGISTER OF MEMBERS

 

24.

The Company shall maintain or caused to be maintained a Register of its Members in accordance with the Companies Act.

 

25.

If the Board considers it necessary or appropriate, the Company may establish and maintain a duplicate Register or Registers of Members at such location or locations within or outside Ireland as the Board thinks fit. The original Register of Members shall be treated as the Register of Members for the purposes of these Articles and the Companies Act.

 

26.

The Company, or any agent(s) appointed by it to maintain the duplicate Register of Members in accordance with these Articles, shall as soon as practicable and on a regular basis record or procure the recording in the original Register of Members all transfers of Shares effected on any duplicate Register of Members and shall at all times maintain the original Register of Members in such manner as to show at all times the Members for the time being and the Shares respectively held by them, in all respects in accordance with the Companies Act.

 

27.

The Company shall not be bound to register more than four persons as joint holders of any Share. If any Share shall stand in the names of two or more persons, the person first named in the Register of Members shall be deemed the sole holder thereof as regards service of notices and, subject to the provisions of these Articles, all or any other matters connected with the Company.

TRANSFER OF SHARES

 

28.

(1) The instrument of transfer, which shall be in such form as the Board may approve, of any Share may be executed for and on behalf of the transferor by the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, or any such person that the Secretary or Assistant Secretary nominates for that purpose (whether in respect of specific transfers or pursuant to a general standing authorisation), and the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or the relevant nominee shall be deemed to have been irrevocably appointed agent for the transferor of such Share or Shares with full power to execute, complete and deliver in the name of and on behalf of the transferor of such Share or Shares all such transfers of Shares held by the Members in

 

12


the Share capital of the Company. Any document which records the name of the transferor, the name of the transferee, the class and number of Shares agreed to be transferred, the date of the agreement to transfer Shares, shall, once executed by the transferor or the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or the relevant nominee as agent for the transferor, be deemed to be a proper instrument of transfer for the purposes of the Companies Act. The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of the Share until the name of the transferee is entered on the Register in respect thereof, and neither the title of the transferee nor the title of the transferor shall be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the sale should the Directors so determine.

(2) The Company, at its absolute discretion, may, or may procure that a subsidiary of the Company shall, pay Irish stamp duty arising on a transfer of Shares on behalf of the transferee of such Shares of the Company. If stamp duty resulting from the transfer of Shares in the Company which would otherwise be payable by the transferee is paid by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company on behalf of the transferee, then in those circumstances, the Company shall, on its behalf or on behalf of its subsidiary (as the case may be), be entitled to (i) seek reimbursement of the stamp duty from the transferee, (ii) set-off the stamp duty against any dividends payable to the transferee of those Shares and (iii) to claim a first and permanent lien on the Shares on which stamp duty has been paid by the Company or its subsidiary for the amount of stamp duty paid. The Company’s lien shall extend to all dividends paid on those Shares.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of these Articles and subject to any regulations made under the Companies Act, title to any Shares in the Company may also be evidenced and transferred without a written instrument in accordance with the Companies Act or any regulations made thereunder. The Directors shall have power to permit any class of Shares to be held in uncertificated form and to implement any arrangements they think fit for such evidencing and transfer which accord with such regulations and in particular shall, where appropriate, be entitled to disapply or modify all or part of the provisions in these Articles with respect to the requirement for written instruments of transfer and Share certificates (if any), in order to give effect to such regulations.

 

29.

The Board may, in its absolute discretion, and without assigning any reason, refuse to register a transfer of any Share which is not fully paid. The Board may also, in its absolute discretion, and without assigning any reason for its decision, refuse to register a transfer of any Share unless:

 

  (1)

the instrument of transfer is duly stamped (if required by law) and lodged with the Company accompanied by the certificate for the Shares (if any) to which it relates and such other evidence as the Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

 

  (2)

the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of Shares;

 

  (3)

in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to which the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four; and

 

  (4)

it is satisfied that all applicable consents, authorisations, permissions, or approvals required to be obtained pursuant to any applicable law or agreement prior to such transfer have been obtained or that no such consents, authorisations, permissions or approvals are required.

 

30.

If the Board shall refuse to register a transfer of any Share, it shall, within two (2) months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.

 

13


31.

The Company shall not be obligated to make any transfer to an infant or to a person in respect of whom an order has been made by a competent court or official on the grounds that they are or may be suffering from mental disorder or is otherwise incapable of managing their affairs or under other legal disability.

 

32.

Upon every transfer of Shares the certificate (if any) held by the transferor shall be given up to be cancelled, and shall forthwith be cancelled accordingly, and a new certificate may be issued without charge to the transferee in respect of the Shares transferred to them, and if any of the Shares included in the certificate so given up shall be retained by the transferor, a new certificate in respect thereof may be issued to them without charge. The Company shall also retain the instrument(s) of transfer.

 

33.

All instruments of transfer shall upon their being lodged with the Company remain the property of the Company and the Company shall be entitled to retain them.

 

34.

Subject to the provisions of these Articles, whenever as a result of a consolidation of Shares or otherwise any Members would become entitled to fractions of a Share, the Directors may sell or cause to be sold, on behalf of those Members, the Shares representing the fractions for the best price reasonably obtainable to any person and distribute the proceeds of sale (subject to any applicable tax and abandoned property laws) in due proportion among those Members, and the Directors may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. The transferee shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money nor shall their title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the sale.

REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES

 

35.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and these Articles, the Company may issue Redeemable Shares that are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Member or the Company. The redemption of Ordinary Shares shall be effected in accordance with Article 12 and in such manner as the Company may, by Special Resolution, determine before the issue of the Ordinary Shares and the redemption of Preferred Shares shall be effected in such manner as the Board may, by resolution, determine before the issue of the Preferred Shares.

 

36.

Subject to the Companies Act, the Company may, without prejudice to any relevant special rights attached to any class of Shares pursuant to the Companies Act, purchase any of its own Shares whether in the market, by tender or by private agreement, at such prices (whether at nominal value or above or below nominal value) and otherwise on such terms and conditions as the Board may from time to time determine including any Redeemable Shares and without any obligation to purchase on any pro rata basis as between Members or Members of the same class (the whole or any part of the amount payable on any such purchase may be paid or satisfied otherwise than in cash, to the extent permitted by the Companies Act) and may cancel any Shares so purchased or hold them as treasury Shares (as defined in the Companies Act) and may reissue any such Shares as Shares of any class or classes.

 

37.

The Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner permitted by the Companies Act.

 

38.

The holder of the Shares being purchased shall be bound to deliver up to the Company at its registered office or such other place as the Board shall specify, the certificate(s) (if any) thereof for cancellation and thereupon the Company shall pay to them the purchase or redemption monies or consideration in respect thereof.

 

14


VARIATION OF RIGHTS OF SHARES

 

39.

If at any time the Share capital of the Company is divided into different classes of Shares, the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class) may be varied or abrogated with the consent in writing of the holders of three-fourths of the issued Shares of that class, or with the sanction of a Special Resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the Shares of that class.

 

40.

The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply mutatis mutandis to every such general meeting of the holders of one class of Shares except that the necessary quorum shall be one person holding or representing by proxy at least one-third of the issued Shares of the class.

 

41.

The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further Shares ranking pari passu therewith or be deemed to be varied by a purchase or redemption by the Company of its own Shares. The rights of holders of Ordinary Shares shall not be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of Shares with preferred or other rights which may be effected by the Board as provided in these Articles without any vote or consent of the holders of Ordinary Shares.

LIEN ON SHARES

 

42.

The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every Share (not being a fully paid Share) for all moneys (whether presently payable or not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that Share. The Directors, at any time, may declare any Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The Company’s lien on a Share shall extend to all moneys payable in respect of it.

 

43.

The Company may sell in such manner as the Directors determine any Share on which the Company has a lien if a sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable and is not paid within fourteen clear days after notice demanding payment, and stating that if the notice is not complied with the Share may be sold, has been given to the holder of the Share or to the person entitled to it by reason of the death or bankruptcy of the holder.

 

44.

To give effect to a sale, the Directors may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Share sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. The transferee shall be entered in the Register as the holder of the Share comprised in any such transfer and they shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase moneys nor shall their title to the Share be affected by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the sale, and after the name of the transferee has been entered in the Register, the remedy of any person aggrieved by the sale shall be in damages only and against the Company exclusively.

 

45.

The net proceeds of the sale, after payment of the costs, shall be applied in payment of so much of the sum for which the lien exists as is presently payable and any residue (upon surrender to the Company for cancellation of the certificate for the Shares sold and subject to a like lien for any moneys not presently payable as existed upon the Shares before the sale) shall be paid to the person entitled to the Shares at the date of the sale.

CALLS ON SHARES

 

46.

Subject to the terms of allotment, the Directors may make calls upon the Members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their Shares and each Member (subject to receiving at least fourteen clear days’ notice specifying when and where payment is to be made) shall pay to the Company as required by the notice the amount called on their Shares. A call may be required

 

15


  to be paid by instalments. A call may be revoked before receipt by the Company of a sum due thereunder, in whole or in part and payment of a call may be postponed in whole or in part. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon them notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the Shares in respect of which the call was made.

 

47.

A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising the call was passed.

 

48.

The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect thereof.

 

49.

If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the person from whom it is due and payable shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day it became due until it is paid at the rate fixed by the terms of allotment of the Share or in the notice of the call or, if no rate is fixed, at the appropriate rate (as defined by the Companies Act) but the Directors may waive payment of the interest wholly or in part.

 

50.

An amount payable in respect of a Share on allotment or at any fixed date, whether in respect of nominal value or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call and if it is not paid the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call.

 

51.

Subject to the terms of allotment, the Directors may make arrangements on the issue of Shares for a difference between the holders in the amounts and times of payment of calls on their Shares.

 

52.

The Directors, if they think fit, may receive from any Member willing to advance the same all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid upon any Shares held by them, and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced may pay (until the same would, but for such advance, become payable) interest at such rate, not exceeding (unless the Company in general meeting otherwise directs) fifteen per cent. per annum, as may be agreed upon between the Directors and the Member paying such sum in advance.

FORFEITURE

 

53.

If a Member fails to pay any call or instalment of a call on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Directors, at any time thereafter during such times as any part of the call or instalment remains unpaid, may serve a notice on them requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued.

 

54.

The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen clear days from the date of service of the notice) on or before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state that in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.

 

55.

If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with then, at any time thereafter before the payment required by the notice has been made, any Shares in respect of which the notice has been given may be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect. The forfeiture shall include all dividends or other moneys payable in respect of the forfeited Shares and not paid before forfeiture. The Directors may accept a surrender of any Share liable to be forfeited hereunder.

 

56.

On the trial or hearing of any action for the recovery of any money due for any call it shall be sufficient to prove that the name of the Member sued is entered in the Register as the holder, or one of the holders, of the Shares in respect of which such debt accrued, that the resolution making the call is duly recorded in the minute book and that notice of such call was duly

 

16


  given to the Member sued, in pursuance of these Articles, and it shall not be necessary to prove the appointment of the Directors who made such call nor any other matters whatsoever, but the proof of the matters aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of the debt.

 

57.

A forfeited Share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit and at any time before a sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit. Where for the purposes of its disposal such a Share is to be transferred to any person, the Directors may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Share to that person. The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for the Share on any sale or disposition thereof and may execute a transfer of the Share in favour of the person to whom the Share is sold or disposed of and thereupon they shall be registered as the holder of the Share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall their title to the Share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the Share.

 

58.

A person whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the forfeited Shares, but nevertheless shall remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which, at the date of forfeiture, were payable by them to the Company in respect of the Shares, without any deduction or allowance for the value of the Shares at the time of forfeiture but their liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all such moneys in respect of the Shares.

 

59.

A statutory declaration that the declarant is a Director or the Secretary of the Company, and that a Share in the Company has been duly forfeited on the date stated in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the Share.

 

60.

The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a Share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the nominal value of the Share or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.

 

61.

The Directors may accept the surrender of any Share which the Directors have resolved to have been forfeited upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed and, subject to any such terms and conditions, a surrendered Share shall be treated as if it has been forfeited.

COMMISSION ON SALE OF SHARES

 

62.

The Company may exercise the powers of paying commissions to any person in consideration of their subscribing or agreeing to subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any Shares of the Company. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgement of fully or partly paid-up Shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company may also on any issue of Shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.

NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS

 

63.

The Company shall not be obligated to recognise any person as holding any Share upon any trust (except as is otherwise provided in these Articles or to the extent required by law) and the Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future, or partial interest in any Share, or any interest in any fractional part of a Share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by these Articles or the Companies Act) any other rights in respect of any Share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the registered holder. This shall not preclude the Company from requiring the Members or a transferee of Shares to furnish to the Company with information as to the beneficial ownership of any Share when such information is reasonably required by the Company.

 

17


TRANSMISSION OF SHARES

 

64.

In the case of the death of a Member, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and the personal representatives of the deceased where they were a sole holder, shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having any title to their interest in the Shares; but nothing herein contained shall release the estate of a deceased joint holder from any liability in respect of any Share which had been jointly held by them with other persons.

 

65.

Any person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member may, upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time properly be required by the Directors and subject as herein provided, elect either to be registered themselves as Holder of the Share or to have some person nominated by them registered as the transferee thereof, but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Shares by that Member before their death or bankruptcy, as the case may be.

 

66.

If the person so becoming entitled elects to be registered themselves, they shall deliver or send to the Company a notice in writing signed by them stating that they so elect.

 

67.

A person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of the holder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which they would be entitled if they were the registered holder of the Share, except that they shall not, before being registered as a Member in respect of the Share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to the meetings of the Company, provided, however, that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring such person to elect either to be registered themselves or to transfer the Share, and if the notice is not complied with within 90 days, the Directors may thereupon withhold payment of all dividends, bonuses or other moneys payable in respect of the Share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.

AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION, CHANGE OF LOCATION OF REGISTERED OFFICE AND ALTERATION OF CAPITAL

 

68.

The Company may by Ordinary Resolution and in accordance with section 83 of the Companies Act, do one or more of the following, from time to time:

 

  (1)

increase the Share capital by such sum and with such rights, priorities and privileges annexed thereto as such Ordinary Resolution shall prescribe;

 

  (2)

consolidate and divide all or any of its Share capital into Shares of larger amount than its existing Shares;

 

  (3)

subdivide its existing Shares, or any of them, into Shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the memorandum of association subject, nevertheless, to the Companies Act so, however, that in the sub-division the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced Share shall be the same as it was in the case of the Share from which the reduced Share is derived;

 

  (4)

cancel any Shares which, at the date of the passing of the relevant Ordinary Resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person; or

 

  (5)

subject to applicable law, change the currency denomination of its Share capital.

 

18


69.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, the Company may do one or more of the following, from time to time:

 

  (1)

by Special Resolution change its name, alter or add to the Memorandum with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein or alter or add to these Articles;

 

  (2)

by Special Resolution reduce its issued Share capital and any capital redemption reserve fund or any Share premium account or any undenominated capital in any manner and with and subject to any incident authorised, and consent required, by law; or

 

  (3)

by resolution of the Directors change the location of its registered office.

CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE

 

70.

For the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or Members entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of Members for any other proper purpose, the Board may provide, subject to the requirements of the Companies Act, that the Register of Members shall be closed for transfers at such times and for such periods, not exceeding in the whole 30 days in each year. If the Register of Members shall be so closed for the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Members such Register of Members shall be so closed for at least five (5) days immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register of Members.

 

71.

In lieu of, or apart from, closing the Register of Members, the Board may fix in advance a date as the record date (a) for any such determination of Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Members, which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, and (b) for the purpose of determining the Members entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of Members for any other proper purpose, which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to the date of payment of such dividend or the taking of any action to which such determination of Members is relevant. The record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Directors.

 

72.

If the Register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Members or Members entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date immediately preceding the date on which notice of the meeting is deemed given under these Articles or the date on which the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of Members entitled to vote at any meeting of Members has been made as provided in these Articles, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof; provided, however, that the Directors may fix a new record date of the adjourned meeting, if they think fit.

GENERAL MEETINGS

 

73.

The Company, in accordance with requirements of the Companies Act, shall in each calendar year hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting in addition to any other meeting in that year, and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. Not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of one annual general meeting of the Company and that of the next. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as the Directors shall appoint, provided that the period between the date of one annual general meeting of the Company and that of the next shall not be longer than such period as applicable law or the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange permits. At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented.

 

19


74.

Subject to the Companies Act, all general meetings of the Company may be held inside or outside of Ireland as determined by the Board.

 

75.

The Board may whenever it thinks fit, and shall, on the requisition in writing of Members holding such number of Shares as is prescribed by, and made in accordance with the Companies Act, proceed to convene a general meeting of the Company. All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. Subject always to the Companies Act and the necessary Member approvals, all general meetings of the Company may be held at such place, either inside or outside of Ireland, as determined by the Board.

 

76.

Board may postpone any general meeting of the Members (other than a meeting requisitioned under section 178(3) of the Companies Act or the postponement of which would be contrary to the Companies Act or any enactment or order of the court) after it has been convened, where the Board in its absolute discretion considers that the reasons for convening the meeting no longer exist or it is, for any reason, not in the company’s interests to hold the meeting and such postponement may be expressed to be for a particular period of time or indefinitely.

 

77.

Where the Board postpones a general meeting:

 

  (1)

the Company shall cause notice of the postponement to be given in accordance with the Articles to all Members entitled to notice of the meeting before the date for which the meeting was convened;

 

  (2)

no meeting shall be held and no business may be transacted on the date and at the time on which the meeting was originally convened; and

 

  (3)

if and when it is decided to hold the meeting, it shall be convened in accordance with the provisions of these Articles and the Companies Act.

 

78.  

  

(1)   The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that any general meeting shall be held outside of Ireland provided that the Company makes, at its expense, all necessary arrangements to ensure that Members can by technological means participate in any such meeting without leaving Ireland. If an annual general meeting of the Company is held outside of the United States, the Company will provide Members and proxies with the ability to access the meeting by Remote Communication (as defined below) for so long as the Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

  

(2)   Subject to paragraph (1) above, the Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a general meeting may be held solely by means of remote communication that enables Members and proxies entitled to attend the meeting to listen to the meeting, watch the meeting or both and send questions to the Chairperson of the meeting, to be addressed at the meeting, if deemed proper (Remote Communication”) as follows:

 

  (a)

if authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, Members and proxies entitled to attend and vote but not physically present at a meeting of Members may, by means of Remote Communication:

 

  (i)

participate in a meeting of Members;

 

20


  (ii)

hear all persons who speak (whether by the use of microphones, loudspeakers, audio-visual communications equipment or otherwise) in the principal meeting place and any by any means of Remote Communication; and

 

  (iii)

be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of Members whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of Remote Communication; and/or

 

  (b)

if authorised by the Board, any vote taken by written ballot may be satisfied by a ballot submitted by electronic 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 Member or proxy. Any such general meeting shall be deemed to have taken place at the location of the majority of the Board.

NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS

 

79.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act allowing a general meeting to be called by shorter notice, an annual general meeting, and an extraordinary general meeting called for the passing of a Special Resolution, shall be called by at least twenty-one (21) clear days’ notice and all other extraordinary general meetings shall be called by at least fourteen (14) clear days’ notice.

 

80.

Such notice shall state the date, time, place and purposes of the general meeting to which it relates. Every notice shall be exclusive of the day on which it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall specify such other details as are required by applicable law or the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange.

 

81.

A general meeting of the Company shall, whether or not the notice specified in this regulation has been given and whether or not the provisions of the Articles regarding general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly convened if applicable law so permits and it is so agreed by the Auditors and by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat or their proxies.

 

82.

The notice convening an annual general meeting shall specify the meeting as such, and the notice convening a meeting to pass a Special Resolution shall specify the intention to propose the resolution as a Special Resolution. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to all Members other than such as, under the provisions hereof or the terms of issue of the Shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such notice from the Company.

 

83.

There shall appear with reasonable prominence in every notice of general meetings of the Company a statement that a Member entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend and vote instead of them and that any proxy need not be a Member of the Company.

 

84.

The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting by any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.

 

85.

In cases where instruments of proxy are sent out with notices, the accidental omission to send such instrument of proxy to, or the non-receipt of such instrument of proxy by, any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed or any proceeding at any such meeting. A Member present, either in person or by proxy, at any general meeting of the Company or of the holders of any class of Shares in the Company, will be deemed to have received notice of that meeting and, where required, of the purpose for which it was called.

 

21


PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS

 

86.

All business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an extraordinary general meeting and also that is transacted at an annual general meeting, with the exception of:

 

  (1)

the consideration of the Company’s statutory financial statements and the report of the directors and the report of the Auditors on those statements and that report;

 

  (2)

the review by the Members of the Company’s affairs;

 

  (3)

the declaration of a dividend (if any) of an amount not exceeding the amount recommended by the directors;

 

  (4)

the authorisation of the directors to approve the remuneration of the Auditors; and

 

  (5)

the election and re-election of directors.

 

87.

No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. One or more Members present in person or by proxy holding not less than a majority of the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company entitled to vote at the meeting in question shall be a quorum.

 

88.

If within one hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved and in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place or to such other time or such other place as the Board may determine and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within one hour from the time appointed for the meeting the Members present shall be a quorum.

 

89.

The Chairperson, if any, of the Board shall preside as Chairperson at every general meeting of the Company, or if there is no such Chairperson, or if they shall not be present within one hour after the time appointed for the holding of the meeting, or is unwilling to act, the Directors present shall elect one of their number to be Chairperson of the meeting or if all of the Directors present decline to take the chair, then the Members present shall choose one of their own number to be Chairperson of the meeting.

 

90.

The Chairperson may, with the consent of any general meeting duly constituted hereunder, and shall if so directed by the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a general meeting is adjourned for thirty days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting; save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned general meeting. No business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business which might have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.

 

91.  

  

(1)   Subject to the Companies Act, a resolution may only be put to a vote at a general meeting of the Company or of any class of Members if:

  

(a)   it is proposed by or at the direction of the Board;

  
  

(b)   it is proposed at the direction of the Court; or

  

 

22


  (c)

it is proposed on the requisition in writing of such number of Members as is prescribed by, and is made in accordance with the Companies Act;

 

  (d)

it is proposed pursuant to, and in accordance with the procedures and requirements of, Articles 86 or 87; or

 

  (e)

the Chairperson of the meeting in their absolute discretion decides that the resolution may properly be regarded as within the scope of the meeting.

 

  (2)

No amendment may be made to a resolution, at or before the time when it is put to a vote, unless the Chairperson of the meeting in their absolute discretion decides that the amendment or the amended resolution may properly be put to a vote at that meeting.

 

  (3)

If the Chairperson of the meeting rules a resolution or an amendment to a resolution admissible or out of order (as the case may be), the proceedings of the meeting or on the resolution in question shall not be invalidated by any error in their ruling. Any ruling by the Chairperson of the meeting in relation to a resolution or an amendment to a resolution shall be final and conclusive.

 

92.

Except where a greater majority is required by the Companies Act or these Articles, any question proposed for consideration at any general meeting of the Company or of any class of Members shall be decided by an Ordinary Resolution.

 

93.

At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded by:

 

  (1)

the Chairperson; or

 

  (2)

by at least three Members present in person or by proxy; or

 

  (3)

by any Member or Members present in person or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all the Members having the right to vote at the meeting; or

 

  (4)

by a Member or Members holding Shares in the Company conferring the right to vote at the meeting being Shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all the Shares conferring that right.

Unless a poll is so demanded, a declaration by the Chairperson that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the book containing the minutes of the proceedings of the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against such resolution. The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.

 

94.

Except as provided in Article 95, if a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the Chairperson directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded.

 

95.

A poll demanded on the election of the Chairperson or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such time, not being not being more than ten days from the date of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote was taken, as the Chairperson of the meeting directs, and any business other than that on which a poll has been demanded may be proceeded with pending the taking of the poll.

 

23


96.

No notice need be given of a poll not taken immediately. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the general meeting at which the poll was demanded. On a poll a Member entitled to more than one vote need not use all their votes or cast all the votes they use in the same way.

 

97.

In the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the general meeting at which the poll is taken shall not be entitled to a second or casting vote.

NOMINATIONS OF DIRECTORS

 

98.

Nominations of persons for election to the Board (other than directors to be nominated by any series of Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class) at a general meeting may only be made:

 

  (1)

pursuant to the Company’s notice of meeting pursuant to Article 79 at the recommendation of the Board;

 

  (2)

by or at the direction of the Board or any authorised committee thereof or (c) by any Member who:

 

  (a)

complies with the notice procedures set forth in Articles 183 or 184, as applicable;

 

  (b)

was a Member at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary and on the record date for the determination of Members entitled to vote at such general meeting; and

 

  (c)

is present at the relevant general meeting, either in person or by proxy, to present their nomination, provided, however, that Member shall only be entitled to nominate persons for election to the Board at annual general meetings or at general meetings called specifically for the purpose of electing directors.

 

99.

For nominations of persons for election to the Board (other than directors to be nominated by any series of Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class) to be properly brought before an annual general meeting by a Member, such annual general meeting must have been called for the purpose of, among other things, electing directors and such Member must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary. To be timely, a Member’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the registered office of the Company, or such other address as the Secretary may designate, not less than 120 days nor more than 150 days prior to the first anniversary of the date the Company’s proxy statement was first released to Members in connection with the prior year’s annual general meeting; provided, however, that in the event the date of the annual general meeting is changed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary date of the prior year’s annual general meeting, notice by the Member of Shares to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to such annual general meeting and not later than the later of the 120th day prior to such annual general meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Such Member’s notice shall set forth:

 

  (1)

as to each person whom the Member proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director, all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, of the United States of America, as amended, or any successor provisions thereto, including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;

 

24


  (2)

as to the Member giving the notice:

 

  (a)

the name and address of such Member, as they appear on the Register of Members;

 

  (b)

the class and number of Shares that are owned beneficially and/or of record by such Member;

 

  (c)

a representation that the Member is a registered holder of Shares entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such nomination; and

 

  (d)

a statement as to whether the Member intends or is part of a group that intends:

 

  (i)

to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Company’s outstanding Share capital required to approve or elect the nominee; and/or

 

  (ii)

otherwise to solicit proxies from Members in support of such nomination.

The Board may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Company, including such evidence satisfactory to the Board that such nominee has no interests that would limit such nominee’s ability to fulfil their duties as a director.

 

100.

For nominations of persons for election to the Board (other than directors to be nominated by any series of Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class) to be properly brought before a general meeting other than an annual general meeting by a Member, such Member must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary. To be timely, a Member’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the registered office of the Company or such other address as the Secretary may designate, not earlier than the 150th day prior to such general meeting and not later than the 120th day prior to such general meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the general meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting. Such Member’s notice shall set forth the same information as is required by provisions (1) and (2) of Article 184.

 

101.

Unless otherwise provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Shares or any agreement among Members or other agreement approved by the Board, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Articles 183 and 184 shall be eligible to serve as directors of the Company. If the Chairperson of a general meeting determines that a proposed nomination was not made in compliance with Articles 183 and 184, they shall declare to the meeting that nomination is defective and such defective nomination shall be disregarded. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of these Articles, if the Member (or a qualified representative of the Member) does not appear at the general meeting to present their nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded.

VOTES OF MEMBERS

 

102.

Subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any class or classes of Shares, every Member of record present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for each Share registered in their name in the Register of Members.

 

103.

In the case of joint holders of record, the vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register of Members.

 

25


104.

A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court, having jurisdiction (whether in Ireland or elsewhere) in matters concerning mental disorder, may vote by their committee, receiver, guardian, or other person appointed by that court, and any such committee, receiver, guardian or other persons may vote by proxy. Evidence to the satisfaction of the Directors of the authority of the person claiming to exercise the right to vote shall be received at the registered office or at such other address as is specified in accordance with these Articles for the receipt of appointments of proxy and in default the right to vote shall not be exercisable.

 

105.

No Member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless they are registered as a Member on the record date for such meeting.

 

106.

No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter except at the general meeting or adjourned general meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered and every vote not disallowed at such general meeting shall be valid for all purposes. Any such objection made in due time shall be referred to the Chairperson of the general meeting whose decision shall be final and conclusive.

 

107.

Votes may be given either personally or by proxy. A Member may appoint more than one proxy or the same proxy under one or more instruments to attend and vote at a meeting and may appoint one proxy to vote both in favour of and against the same resolution in such proportion as specified in the instrument appointing the proxy. Where a Member appoints more than one proxy the instrument of proxy shall state which proxy is entitled to vote on a show of hands.

PROXIES

 

108.

The rules and procedures relating to the form or a proxy, the depositing or filing of proxies and voting pursuant to a proxy and any other matter incidental thereto shall be approved by the Board, subject to such rules and procedures as required by applicable law or the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange and as provided in the following Articles under this heading of “PROXIES”.

 

109.

Every Member entitled to attend and vote at a general meeting may appoint one or more proxies to attend, speak and vote on their behalf. The appointment of a proxy shall be in any form consistent with the Companies Act which the Directors may approve and, if required by the Company, shall be signed by or on behalf of the appointor. In relation to written proxies, a body corporate must sign a form of proxy under its common seal (if applicable) or under the hand of a duly authorised officer or attorney thereof or in such other manner as the Directors may approve.

 

110.

Without limiting the foregoing, the Directors may from time to time permit appointments of a proxy to be made by means of an electronic, telephonic or internet communication or facility and may in a similar manner permit supplements to, or amendments or revocations of, any such electronic, telephonic or internet communication or facility to be made. The Directors may in addition prescribe the method of determining the time at which any such electronic, telephonic or internet communication or facility is to be treated as received by the Company. The Directors may treat any such electronic, telephonic or internet communication or facility which purports to be or is expressed to be sent on behalf of a Member as sufficient evidence of the authority of the person sending that instruction to send it on behalf of that Member. A proxy need not be a Member of the Company. The appointment of a proxy in electronic, telephonic or internet communication or other form shall only be effective in such manner as the Directors may approve. An instrument or other form of communication appointing or

 

26


  evidencing the appointment of a proxy or a corporate representative (other than a standing proxy or representative) together with such evidence as to its due execution as the Board may from time to time require, may be returned to the address or addresses stated in the notice of meeting or adjourned meeting or any other information or communication by such time or times as may be specified in the notice of meeting or adjourned meeting or in any other such information or communication (which times may differ when more than one place is so specified) or, if no such time is specified, at any time prior to the holding of the relevant meeting or adjourned meeting at which the appointee proposes to vote, and, subject to the Companies Act, if not so delivered the appointment shall not be treated as valid.

 

111.

The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in the form prescribed by the Companies Act and may be expressed to be for a particular meeting or any adjournment thereof or generally until revoked. An instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to include the power to demand or join or concur in demanding a poll.

 

112.

Subject to the foregoing, a Member may appoint a proxy by means of an “omnibus” or “enduring” proxy with or without a power of substitution. Such “omnibus” or “enduring” proxy may provide that all persons who appear in a specified register maintained by the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”) (each a “specified holder”) may act as proxy for so long as the name of the specified holder appears in the specified DTC register in respect of the relevant number of Shares which appear opposite the name of the specified holder in the DTC register from time to time in respect of all meetings of the Company, and if any specified holder does not attend a meeting of the Company, the relevant Member may appoint such other persons as may be nominated by the specified holder from time to time in accordance with the proxy registration system for specified holders as the Member’s proxy in respect of all meetings of the Company.

CORPORATE MEMBERS

 

113.

Any corporation or other non-natural person which is a Member may in accordance with its constitutional documents, or in the absence of such provision by resolution of its directors or other governing body, authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members, and the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which they represent as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member.

DIRECTORS

 

114.

There shall be a Board consisting of not less than two or more than twelve persons and the number of directors shall be determined by the Board, provided however that the Company may from time to time by Ordinary Resolution increase or reduce the upper limit. So long as Shares of the Company are listed on an Exchange, the Board shall include such number of Independent Directors as the relevant code, rules or regulations applicable to the listing of any Shares on the Exchange require. The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, provided that if the number of the Directors is reduced below the prescribed minimum the remaining Director or Directors shall appoint forthwith an additional Director or additional Directors to make up such minimum or shall convene a general meeting of the Company for the purpose of making such appointment, but for no other purpose.

 

115.

If, at any annual general meeting of the Company, the number of Directors is reduced below the prescribed minimum due to the failure of any Directors to be re-elected, then in those circumstances, the two Directors who receive the highest number of votes in favour of re-election shall be re-elected and shall remain Directors until such time as additional Directors have been appointed to replace them as Directors. If, at any annual general meeting of the Company, the number of Directors is reduced below the prescribed minimum in any circumstances where one Director is re-elected, then that Director shall hold office until the

 

27


  next annual general meeting and the Director which (excluding the re-elected Director) receives the highest number of votes in favour of re-election shall be re-elected and shall remain a Director until such time as one or more additional Directors have been appointed to replace them. If there be no Director or Directors able or willing to act then any two Members may summon a general meeting for the purpose of appointing Directors. Any additional Director so appointed shall hold office (subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and these Articles) only until the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company next following such appointment unless they are re-elected during such meeting.

 

116.

The Company at the annual general meeting in each year or the Company at any extraordinary general meeting called for the purpose may appoint any eligible person as a Director. Each Director shall be elected by an Ordinary Resolution at such meeting, provided that if, as of, or at any time prior to, 120 days in advance of the anniversary of the immediately preceding annual general meeting, the number of Director nominees exceeds the number of Directors determined by the Board in accordance with this Article (a “contested election”), each of those nominees shall be voted upon as a separate resolution and the Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy at any such meeting and entitled to vote on the election of Directors.

 

117.

For the purposes of Article 116, “elected by a plurality” means the election of those Director nominees, equal in number to the number of positions to be filled at the relevant general meeting that received the highest number of votes in the contested election.

REMUNERATION OF DIRECTORS

 

118.

The remuneration to be paid to the Directors shall be such remuneration as the Directors shall determine from time to time. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day. The Directors shall also be entitled to be paid their travelling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in going to, attending and returning from meetings of the Directors, or any committee of the Directors, or general meetings of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of the Company, or to receive a fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be determined by the Board from time to time, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other.

 

119.

The Board may approve additional remuneration to any Director undertaking any special work or services for, or undertaking any special mission on behalf of, the Company other than their ordinary routine work as a Director. Any fees paid to a Director who is also counsel or solicitor to the Company, or otherwise serves it in a professional capacity shall be in addition to their remuneration as a Director.

 

120.

The Board may approve additional remuneration to any Director for any services other than their ordinary routine work as a Director. Any fees paid to a Director who is also legal counsel to the Company, or otherwise serves it in a professional capacity shall be in addition to their remuneration as a Director.

NO MINIMUM SHAREHOLDING

 

121.

No shareholding qualification is required to be held by a Director.

DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS

 

122.

A Director of the Company who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract, transaction or arrangement or proposed contract, transaction or arrangement with the Company shall, in accordance with the Companies Act, declare the nature of their interest at the first opportunity either (a) at a meeting of the Board at which the question of entering into the contract, transaction or arrangement is first taken into consideration, if the Director of the

 

28


  Company knows this interest then exists, or in any other case, at the first meeting of the Board after learning that they are or have become so interested or (b) by providing a general notice to the Directors declaring that they are a director of, or have an interest in, a person and are to be regarded as interested in any transaction or arrangement made with that person, and after giving such general notice it shall not be necessary to give special notice relating to any particular transaction.

 

123.

A Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of its Auditor) in conjunction with their office of Director for such period and on such terms as to remuneration and otherwise as the Board may determine.

 

124.

A Director is expressly permitted (for the purposes section 228(l)(d) of the Companies Act) to use the property of the Company pursuant to or in connection with the exercise or performance of their duties, functions and powers as Director or employee; the terms of any contract of service or employment or letter of appointment; and, or in the alternative, any other usage authorised by the Directors (or a person authorised by the Directors) from time to time; and including in each case for a Director’s own benefit or for the benefit of another person.

 

125.

As recognised by section 228(l)(e) of the Companies Act, the directors may agree to restrict their power to exercise an independent judgment but only where this has been expressly approved by a resolution of the board of directors of the Company.

 

126.

A Director may act by themselves or their firm in a professional capacity for the Company (other than as its Auditor) and they or their firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if they were not a Director.

 

127.

A Director may be or become a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or Member of any other company or otherwise interested in any company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as shareholder or otherwise, and no such Director shall be accountable to the Company for any remuneration or other benefits received by them as a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or Member of such other company; provided that they have declared the nature of their position with, or interest in, such company to the Board in accordance with Article 122.

 

128.

No person shall be disqualified from the office of Director of the Company or prevented by such office from contracting with the Company, either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director of the Company shall be in any way interested be or be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director or officer of the Company so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or transaction by reason of such Director of the Company holding office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established; provided that:

 

  (1)

they have declared the nature of their interest in such contract or transaction to the Board in accordance with Article 122; and

 

  (2)

the contract or transaction is approved by a majority of the disinterested Directors, notwithstanding the fact that the disinterested Directors may represent less than a quorum.

 

129.

A Director may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board which authorises or approves the contract, transaction or arrangement in which they are interested and they shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract, transaction or arrangement in which they are interested, provided that the nature of the interest of any Director in any such contract or transaction shall be disclosed by them in accordance with Article 122, at or prior to its consideration and any vote thereon.

 

29


130.

For the purpose of Article 122:

 

  (1)

a general notice given to the Directors that a Director is to be regarded as having an interest of the nature and extent specified in the notice in any transaction or arrangement in which a specified person or class of persons is interested shall be deemed to be a disclosure that the Director has an interest in any such transaction of the nature and extent so specified;

 

  (2)

an interest of which a Director has no knowledge and of which it is unreasonable to expect them to have knowledge shall not be treated as an interest of theirs; and

 

  (3)

a copy of every declaration made and notice given under Article 122 shall be entered within three days after the making or giving thereof in a book kept for this purpose. Such book shall be open for inspection without charge by any Director, Secretary, Auditor or Member of the Company at the registered office and shall be produced at every general meeting of the Company and at any meeting of the Directors if any Director so requests in sufficient time to enable the book to be available at the meeting.

BORROWING POWERS

 

131.

Subject to the Companies Act, the Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow or raise money, and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property, assets and uncalled capital or any part thereof and to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party, without any limitation as to amount.

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE DIRECTORS

 

132.

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, the Memorandum and the Articles and to any directions given by Special Resolution, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Board, which may exercise all the powers of the Company. No alteration of the Memorandum or Articles and no such direction shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid if that alteration had not been made or that direction had not been given. A duly convened meeting of Directors at which a quorum is present may exercise all powers exercisable by the Board.

 

133.

In addition to any other duties the Directors may owe to the Company or the Members under applicable law, the Directors shall owe a fiduciary duty to the Company and to the Members as a whole and, in discharging such fiduciary duties, they will act in good faith, in a manner that they believe to be in the best interests of the Company and the Members as a whole, in a manner consistent with the standards of care required by the courts of Ireland and the state of Delaware, in the United States of America. A Director, by agreeing to serve, or to continue to serve, on the Board, will be deemed to have agreed to owe the duties to the Company and the Members specified in this Article 133

 

134.

All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments and all receipts for monies paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed as the case may be in such manner as the Board shall determine.

 

135.

The Board on behalf of the Company may pay a gratuity or pension or allowance on retirement to any Director who has held any other salaried office or place of profit with the Company or to their widow or widower or dependants and may make contributions to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any such gratuity, pension or allowance.

 

30


136.

The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any part thereof and to issue debentures, debenture stock, mortgages, bonds and other such securities whether outright or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.

MINUTES

 

137.

The Board shall cause written minutes (whether in electronic form or otherwise) to be made in books kept for the purpose of all appointments of officers made by the Board, all resolutions and proceedings at meetings of the Company or the holders of any class of Shares, of the Directors and of committees of Directors, including the names of the Directors present at each meeting.

DELEGATION OF THE BOARD’S POWERS

 

138.

The Board may delegate any of its powers (with power to sub-delegate) to any committee consisting of one or more Directors. The Board may also delegate to any Director such of its powers as it considers desirable to be exercised by them. Any such delegation may be made subject to any conditions the Board may impose, and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of its own powers and may be revoked or altered. Subject to any such conditions, the proceedings of a committee of the Board shall be governed by the Articles regulating the proceedings of Directors, so far as they are capable of applying.

 

139.

The Board may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any person to be the agent of the Company on such conditions as the Board may determine, provided that the delegation is not to the exclusion of its own powers and may be revoked by the Board at any time.

 

140.

The Board may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any company, firm, person or body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board, to be the attorney or authorised signatory of the Company for such purpose and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Board under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such powers of attorney or other appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorneys or authorised signatories as the Board may think fit and may also authorise any such attorney or authorised signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in them.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

 

141.

The Board may from time to time appoint one or more Chairperson of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and such other officers as it considers necessary in the management of the business of the Company and as it may decide for such period and upon such terms as it thinks fit and upon such terms as to remuneration as it may decide in accordance with these Articles. Such officers need not also be a Director.

 

142.

Every person appointed to an office under Article 141 shall, without prejudice to any claim for damages that such person may have against the Company (or the Company may have against such person for any breach of any contract of service between them and the Company) be liable to be dismissed or removed at any time from such executive office by the Board. A Director appointed to an office under the above Article 141 shall ipso facto and immediately cease to hold such executive office if they shall cease to hold the office of Director for any cause.

 

31


143.

The Company agrees to require any person who serves as an officer of the Company to agree that, in addition to any other duties such officer may owe to the Company or the Members under applicable law, such officer shall owe a fiduciary duty to the Company and to the Members as a whole and, in discharging such fiduciary duties, they will act in good faith, in a manner that they believe to be in the best interests of the Company and the Members as a whole, in a manner consistent with the standards of care required by the courts of the Ireland and the state of Delaware, in the United States of America.

PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS

 

144.

Except as otherwise provided by these Articles, the Directors shall meet together for the despatch of business, convening, adjourning and otherwise regulating their meetings and procedures as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes of the Directors present at a meeting at which there is a quorum. Each Director shall have one vote. In case of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.

 

145.

Regular meetings of the Board may be held at such times and places as may be provided for in resolutions adopted by the Board. No additional notice of a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board shall be required.

 

146.

A Director may, and the Secretary on the requisition of a Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors by at least two days’ notice in writing to every Director which notice shall set forth the general nature of the business to be considered unless notice is waived by all the Directors either at, before or after the meeting is held and provided further if notice is given in person, by telephone, cable, telex, telecopy or email the same shall be deemed to have been given on the day it is delivered to the Directors or transmitting organisation as the case may be. The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting of the Directors to, or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting by any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.

 

147.

The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Board may be fixed by the Board and unless so fixed shall be a majority of the Directors in office. In no event shall the Board fix a quorum that is less than one-third (1/3rd) of the total number of Directors or that is less than two Directors.

 

148.

The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors the continuing Directors or Director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of Directors to that number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose.

 

149.

The Directors may elect a Chairperson of their Board and determine the period for which they are to hold office; but if no such Chairperson is elected, or if at any meeting the Chairperson is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be a Chairperson of the meeting.

 

150.

All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors shall, notwithstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any Director, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and qualified to be a Director.

 

151.

Members of the Board or of any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or of such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this provision shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. Unless otherwise determined by the Directors the meeting shall be deemed to be held at the place where the Chairperson is at the start of the meeting.

 

32


152.

A resolution in writing (in one or more counterparts), signed by all the Directors for the time being or all the Members of a committee of Directors shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Directors or committee as the case may be duly convened and held.

VACATION OF OFFICE OF DIRECTOR

 

153.

The office of a Director shall be vacated ipso facto, if the Director:

 

  (1)

resigns their office by notice in writing to the Company;

 

  (2)

absents themselves from three consecutive meetings of the Board without special leave of absence from the Directors, and they pass a resolution that they have by reason of such absence vacated office;

 

  (3)

is restricted or disqualified to act as a Director under the provisions of the Companies Act;

 

  (4)

dies, becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with their creditors generally (in any jurisdiction); or

 

  (5)

is prohibited, restricted or disqualified by any applicable law, or the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange, from being a Director.

APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS

 

154.

The Company may by Ordinary Resolution appoint any person to be a Director and may by Ordinary Resolution, in accordance with the Companies Act, remove any Director before the expiration of their period of office notwithstanding anything in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director. Such removal shall be without prejudice to any claim such Director may have for damages for breach of any contract of service between them and the Company.

 

155.

The Directors shall have power at any time and from time to time to appoint any person to be a Director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Directors, provided that the total amount of Directors shall not at any time exceed the number fixed in accordance with these Articles and provided further, that any such Director so appointed shall be approved or removed by a resolution of the Members at the next annual general meeting.

 

156.

Directors shall hold office for such term as the Members may determine by Ordinary Resolution or, in the absence of such determination, until the next annual general meeting and until their successors are elected and qualified, or until their office is otherwise earlier vacated.

 

157.   

(1)   At every annual general meeting of the Company, all of the Directors shall retire from office unless re-elected by Ordinary Resolution or plurality vote in accordance with Article 116 at the annual general meeting. A Director retiring at a meeting shall retain office until the close or adjournment of the meeting.

  

(2)   Every Director shall be eligible to stand for re-election at an annual general meeting.

 

33


  

(3)   If a Director offers themselves for re-election, they shall be deemed to have been re-elected, unless at such meeting the Ordinary Resolution or plurality vote in accordance with Article 116 for the re-election of such Director has been defeated.

PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT

 

158.

A Director who is present at a meeting of the Board at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless their dissent shall be entered in the Minutes of the meeting or unless they shall file their written dissent from such action with the person acting as the Secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of such action.

THE SEAL

 

159.

The Company may, if the Board so determines, have a Seal which shall only be used by the authority of the Board or of a committee of the Board authorized by the Board in that behalf and every instrument to which the Seal has been affixed shall be signed by any person who shall be either a Director or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or some other person authorised by the Board, either generally or specifically, for the purpose.

 

160.

The Company may have for use in any place or places outside Ireland, a duplicate Seal or Seals each of which shall be a duplicate of the Seal of the Company except, in the case of a Seal for use in sealing documents creating or evidencing securities issued by the Company, for the addition on its face of the word “Securities” and if the Board so determines, with the addition on its face of the name of every place where it is to be used.

 

161.

A Director, Secretary, Assistant Secretary or other officer or representative or attorney may without further authority of the Directors affix the Seal of the Company over their signature alone to any document of the Company required to be authenticated by them under Seal or to be filed with the Companies Registration Office in Ireland or elsewhere wheresoever.

 

162.

The Company may exercise the powers conferred by the Companies Act with regard to having an official seal for use abroad and such powers exercised by the Board or by a committee of the Board.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVES

 

163.

The Company in general meeting may declare dividends, but no dividends shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors.

 

164.

Subject to the Companies Act, the Board may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and distributions on Shares of the Company outstanding and authorise payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor.

 

165.

The Board may, before declaring any dividends or distributions, set aside such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall at the discretion of the Directors, be applicable for any purpose of the Company and pending such application may, at the like discretion, be employed in the business of the Company. The Directors may also, without placing the same to reserve, carry forward any profits which they may think it prudent not to divide.

 

166.

No dividend, interim dividend or distribution shall be paid otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act.

 

34


167.

Subject to the rights of persons, if any, entitled to Shares with special rights as to dividends or distributions, if dividends or distributions are to be declared on a class of Shares they shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid or credited as paid on the Shares of such class outstanding on the record date for such dividend or distribution as determined in accordance with these Articles.

 

168.

The Directors may deduct from any dividend payable to any Member all sums of money (if any) immediately payable by them to the Company in relation to the Shares of the Company.

 

169.

The Board or any general meeting declaring a dividend (upon the recommendation of the Board), may direct that any dividend or distribution be paid wholly or partly by the distribution of specific assets and in particular of paid up Shares, debentures, or debenture stock of any other company or in any one or more of such ways and where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Board may settle the same as they think expedient and in particular may issue fractional certificates and fix the value for distribution of such specific assets or any part thereof and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all Members and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the Board.

 

170.

Any dividend, distribution, interest or other monies payable in cash in respect of Shares may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post, or sent by any electronic or other means of payment, directed to the registered address of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the holder who is first named on the Register of Members or to such person and to such address as such holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant, electronic or other payment shall be made payable to the order of the person to whom it is sent and payment of the cheque or warrant shall be a good discharge to the Company. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any dividends, bonuses, or other monies payable in respect of the Share held by them as joint holders. Any such dividend or other distribution may also be paid by any other method (including payment in a currency other than US$, electronic funds transfer, direct debit, bank transfer or by means of a relevant system) which the Directors consider appropriate and any Member who elects for such method of payment shall be deemed to have accepted all of the risks inherent therein. The debiting of the Company’s account in respect of the relevant amount shall be evidence of good discharge of the Company’s obligations in respect of any payment made by any such methods.

 

171.

No dividend or distribution shall bear interest against the Company.

 

172.

If the Directors so resolve, any dividend which has remained unclaimed for twelve years from the date of its declaration shall be forfeited and cease to remain owing by the Company. The payment by the Directors of any unclaimed dividend or other moneys payable in respect of a Share into a separate account shall not constitute the Company a trustee in respect thereof.

CAPITALISATION OF PROFITS

 

173.

Without prejudice to any powers conferred on the Board and subject to the Board’s authority to issue and allot Shares under Articles 9 and 10, the Board may, from time to time, resolve that all or any part of any sum standing to the credit of:

 

  (a)

any of the Company’s reserve accounts (including any reserve account available for distribution); and/or

 

  (b)

the profit and loss account,

 

35


be capitalised and applied on behalf of those Members who would have been entitled to receive that sum if it had been distributed by way of dividend (and in the same proportions) either:

 

  (i)

in or towards paying up amounts for the time being unpaid on any shares held by them respectively; and/or

 

  (ii)

in paying up in full unissued shares or debentures of the Company,

of a nominal amount equal to the sum capitalised (such shares or debentures to be allotted and distributed and credited as fully paid up to and amongst such Members in the proportions aforesaid) or partly in one way and partly in another. In such event the Board shall do all acts and things required to give effect to such capitalisation, with full power to the Board to make such provisions as they think fit for the case of Shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Board may authorise any person to enter on behalf of all of the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned.

 

174.

Without prejudice to any powers conferred on the Board and subject to the Board’s authority to issue and allot Shares under Articles 9 and 10, the Board may, from time to time, resolve that all or any part of any sum standing to the credit of:

 

  (a)

any of the Company’s reserve accounts (including any capital redemption reserve fund, share premium account, any undenominated capital, any sum representing unrealised revaluation reserves, merger reserve, or other reserve account not available for distribution) and/or

 

  (b)

the profit and loss account which is not available for distribution,

be capitalised by applying such sum in paying up in full unissued shares to be allotted as fully paid bonus shares to those Members who would have been entitled to that sum if it were distributable and had been distributed by way of dividend (and in the same proportions). Whenever such a resolution is passed in pursuance of this Article, the Board shall make all appropriations and applications of the amounts resolved to be capitalised thereby and all allotments and issues of fully paid shares or debentures (if any). In such event the Board shall do all acts and things required to give effect to such capitalisation, with full power to the Board to make such provisions as they think fit for the case of Shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Board may authorise any person to enter on behalf of all of the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned.

BOOKS OF ACCOUNT: RIGHTS OF INSPECTION

 

175.

The Directors shall cause the Company to keep adequate accounting records, which are sufficient to:

 

  (1)

correctly record and explain the transactions of the Company;

 

  (2)

enable at any time the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company to be determined with reasonable accuracy;

 

36


  (3)

enable the Directors to ensure that any financial statements of the Company and any directors’ report, required to be prepared under the Companies Act, comply with the requirements of the Companies Act and, where applicable, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation; and

 

  (4)

enable those financial statements of the Company to be audited.

 

176.

Accounting records shall be kept on a continuous and consistent basis and entries therein shall be made in a timely manner and be consistent from year to year in accordance with the Companies Act. The Company may send a summary financial statement to its Members or persons nominated by any Member and the Company may meet, but shall be under no obligation to meet, any request from any of its Members to be sent additional copies the documents required to be sent to Members by the Companies Act or any summary financial statement or other communications with its Members.

 

177.

The accounting records shall be kept at the registered office of the Company or, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, at such other place as the Directors think fit and shall be open at all reasonable times to the inspection of the Directors.

 

178.

Accounting records shall not be deemed to be kept, if there are not kept such books of account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s affairs and to explain its transactions.

 

179.

In accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, the Board may from time to time cause to be prepared and to be laid before the Company in general meeting profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, group accounts (if any) and such other reports and accounts as may be required by law.

 

180.   

(1)   The Company may send by post, electronic mail or any other means of electronic communication:

  

(a)   the Company’s statutory financial statements,

  

(b)   the directors’ report, and

  

(c)   the Auditors’ report

  

and copies of those documents shall also be treated for the purposes of the Companies Act, as sent to a person where:

  

(i) the Company and that person have agreed to their having access to the documents on a website (instead of being sent to them);

  

(ii)  the documents are documents to which that agreement applies; and

  

(iii)  that person is notified, in a manner for the time being agreed for the purpose between that person and the Company, of:

  

(A)  the publication of the documents on a website;

  

(B)  the address of that website; and

  

(C)  the place on that website where the documents may be accessed and how they may be accessed.

  

(2)   The documents listed at Articles 180(1)(a) to (1)(c) shall be treated as sent to a person not less than 21 days before the date of a meeting if, and only if:

 

37


  (a)

the documents are published on the website throughout a period beginning at least 21 days before the date of the meeting and ending with the conclusion of the meeting; and

 

  (b)

the notification given for the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) is given not less than 21 days before the date of the meeting.

 

  (3)

Nothing shall invalidate the proceedings of a meeting where:

 

  (a)

any documents that are required to be published are published for a part, but not all, of the 21-day period mentioned above; and

 

  (b)

the failure to publish those documents throughout that period is wholly attributable to circumstances which it would not be reasonable to have expected the company to prevent or avoid.

 

  (4)

Where copies of documents are sent out pursuant to this Article 180 over a period of days, references elsewhere in the Companies Act to the day on which those copies are sent out shall be read as references to the last day of that period.

AUDIT

 

181.

Auditors shall be appointed and their duties regulated in accordance with the Companies Act, the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange.

 

182.

Subject always to the provisions of the Companies Act, in the event that no such code, rules and regulations referred to in the above Article 181 apply, the appointment of and provisions relating to Auditors shall be in accordance with the following provisions:

 

  (1)

The Board may appoint the Auditor of the Company, who shall hold office until removed from office by the Company, and the Board may fix their remuneration.

 

  (2)

The Board may appoint an Auditor who shall hold office until removed from office by a resolution of the Directors, and may fix their remuneration.

 

  (3)

Every Auditor shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Board and officers of the Company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the Auditor.

 

  (4)

Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their tenure of office at the next extraordinary general meeting following their appointment and at any other time during their term of office, upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members.

NOTICES

 

183.

Notices shall be in writing (whether in electronic form or otherwise) and shall be given by the Company in accordance with applicable law, the relevant code, rules and regulations applicable to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange and these Articles.

 

184.

Except to the extent inconsistent with such company law, code, rules and regulations referred to in the above Article 183, notice shall be given in accordance with the following provisions:

 

  (1)

notices to any Member shall be given either personally or by sending it by post, cable, telex, fax or e-mail to them or to their address as shown in the Register of Members

 

38


  (where the notice is given by e-mail by sending it to the e-mail address provided by such Member subject to each Members’ individual consent to electronic communications being sent to them by the Company), or by publication of an electronic record of it on a website and notification of such publication by post, cable, telex, fax or email as permitted by these Articles;

 

  (2)

where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter containing the notice, and shall be deemed to have been received on the fifth (5th) day (not including Saturdays or Sundays or public holidays) following the day on which the notice was posted. Where a notice is sent by cable, telex or fax, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing and sending such notice and shall be deemed to have been received on the same day that it was transmitted. Where a notice is given by e-mail service shall be deemed to be effected by transmitting the e-mail to the e-mail address provided by the intended recipient and shall be deemed to have been received on the same day that it was sent, and it shall not be necessary for the receipt of the e-mail to be acknowledged by the recipient. Where a notice was published as an electronic record on a website, at the time that the notification of such publication shall be deemed to have been delivered to such Member, and in proving such service or delivery, it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice or document was properly published on a website in accordance with and provisions of these Articles.

 

  (3)

for the purposes of these Articles and the Companies Act, any document or notice shall be deemed to have been sent to a Member if a notice is given, served, sent or delivered to the Member and the notice specifies the website or hotlink or other electronic link at or through which the Member may obtain a copy of the relevant document or notice.

 

  (4)

a notice may be given by the Company to the person or persons which the Company has been advised are entitled to a Share or Shares in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member in the same manner as other notices which are required to be given under these Articles and shall be addressed to them by name, or by the title of representatives of the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description at the address supplied for that purpose by the persons claiming to be so entitled, or at the option of the Company by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death or bankruptcy had not occurred.

 

  (5)

Any requirement in these Articles for the consent of a Member in regard to the receipt of such Member of electronic mail or other means of electronic communications approved by the Board, including the receipt of the Company’s audited accounts and the Directors’ and Auditor’s reports thereon shall be deemed to have been satisfied where the Company has written to the Member informing them of its intention to use electronic communication for such purposes and the Member has not within four weeks of the issue of such notice, served an objection in writing on the Company to such proposal. Where a Member has given, or is deemed to have given, their consent to the receipt of such Member of electronic mail or other means of electronic communications approved by the Board, they may revoke such consent at any time by requesting the Company to communicate with them in documented form; provided however, that such revocation shall not take effect until five days after written notice of the revocation is received by the Company.

WINDING UP

 

185.

If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, subject to any sanction required by applicable law, divide amongst the Members in kind the whole or any part of the assets of the

 

39


  Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may for that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The liquidator may, with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any asset upon which there is a liability.

 

186.

If the Company shall be wound up, and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the Share capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the nominal value of the Shares held by them. If in a winding up the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the Share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst the Members in proportion to the nominal value of the Shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up. This Article is without prejudice to the rights of the holders of Shares issued upon special terms and conditions.

 

187.   

(1)   In case of a sale by the liquidator section 601 of the Companies Act, the liquidator may by the contract of sale agree so as to bind all the Members for the allotment to the Members directly of the proceeds of sale in proportion to their respective interests in the Company and may further by the contract limit a time at the expiration of which obligations or Shares not accepted or required to be sold shall be deemed to have been irrevocably refused and be at the disposal of the Company, but so that nothing herein contained shall be taken to diminish, prejudice or affect the rights of dissenting Members conferred by the said section.

 

(2)   The power of sale of the liquidator shall include a power to sell wholly or partially for debentures, debenture stock, or other obligations of another company, either then already constituted or about to be constituted for the purpose of carrying out the sale.

UNTRACED SHAREHOLDERS

 

188.

The Company shall be entitled to sell at the best price reasonably obtainable any Share or stock of a Member or any Share or stock to which a person is entitled by transmission if and provided that:

 

  (1)

for a period of twelve years (not less than three dividends having been declared and paid) no cheque or warrant sent by the Company through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to the Member or to the person entitled by transmission to the Share or stock at their address on the Register or other last known address entitled by transmission to which cheques and warrants are to be sent has been cashed and no communication has been received by the Company from the Member or the person entitled by transmission; and

 

  (2)

on or after expiry of that period of twelve years the Company has given notice by advertisement in a leading Dublin newspaper and a newspaper circulating in the area in which the address referred to in paragraph (1) above is located of its intention to sell such Share or stock; and

 

  (3)

the Company has not during the further period of three months after the date of the advertisement and prior to the exercise of the power of sale received any communication from the Member or person entitled by transmission; and

 

  (4)

if so required by the roles of any securities exchange upon which the Shares in question are listed for the time being, notice has been given to that exchange of the Company’s intention to make such sale.

 

40


189.

To give effect to any such sale the Company may appoint any person to execute as transferor an instrument of transfer of such Share or stock and such instrument of transfer shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder of or person entitled by transmission to such Share or stock. The Company shall account to the Member or other person entitled to such Share or stock for the net proceeds of such sale by carrying all monies in respect thereof to a separate account which shall be a permanent debt of the Company and the Company shall be deemed to be a debtor and not a trustee in respect thereof for such Member or other person. Monies carried to such separate account may either be employed in the business of the Company or invested in such investments (other than Shares of the Company or its holding company if any) as the Directors may from time to time think fit.

 

190.

To the extent necessary in order to comply with any laws or regulations to which the Company is subject in relation to escheatment, abandonment of property or other similar or analogous laws or regulations (Applicable Escheatment Laws), the Company may deal with any Share of any Member and any unclaimed cash payments relating to such Share in any manner which it sees fit, including (but not limited to) transferring or selling such Share and transferring to third parties any unclaimed cash payments relating to such Share.

 

191.

The Company may only exercise the powers granted to it in Article 188 in circumstances where it has complied with, or procured compliance with, the required procedures (as set out in the Applicable Escheatment Laws) with respect to attempting to identify and locate the relevant Member of the Company.

 

192.

Any stock transfer form to be executed by the Company in order to sell or transfer a Share pursuant to Article 188 may be executed in accordance with Article 28(1).

INDEMNITY

 

193.

Subject to the provisions of and so far as may be admitted by the Companies Act, every Director and the Secretary of the Company shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred by them in the execution and discharge of their duties or in relation thereto including any liability incurred by them in defending any proceedings, civil or criminal, which relate to anything done or omitted or alleged to have been done or omitted by them as a Director, Secretary or employee of the Company and in which judgement is given in their favour (or the proceedings are otherwise disposed of without any finding or admission of any material breach of duty on their part) or in which they are acquitted or in connection with any application under any statute for relief from liability in respect of any such act or omission in which relief is granted to them by the Court.

 

194.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify any current or former officer of the Company, or any person who is serving or has served at the request of the Company as an officer and any trustee acting in relation to any of the affairs of the Company and their respective heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives (other than any Director and the Secretary of the Company) (each individually, a “Covered Person), against any expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than a proceeding by, or in the name or on behalf of, the Company), to which they were, are, or are threatened to be made, a party or in which they are otherwise involved, (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that they are or were a Covered Person; provided, however, that this provision shall not indemnify any Covered Person against any liability arising out of (a) any fraud or dishonesty in the performance of such Covered Person’s duty to the Company, or (b) such Covered Person’s conscious, intentional or wilful breach of their obligation to act honestly, lawfully and in good faith with a view to the best

 

41


  interests of the Company. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, this section shall not extend to any matter which would render it void pursuant to the Companies Act or to any person holding the office of auditor in relation to the Company.

 

195.

In the case of any threatened, pending or completed proceeding by, or in the name or on behalf of, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify each Covered Person against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, but excluding judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with the defence or settlement thereof, except that no indemnification for expenses shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such Covered Person shall have been finally adjudged to be liable for fraud or dishonesty in the performance of their duty to the Company, or for conscious, intentional or wilful breach of their obligation to act honestly, lawfully and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Court or the court in which such proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such Covered Person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court shall deem proper. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, this section shall not extend to any matter that would render it void pursuant to the Companies Act or to any person holding the office of auditor in relation to the Company.

 

196.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by a Covered Person in defending any proceeding for which indemnification is permitted pursuant to Articles 194 and 195 shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding upon receipt by the Board of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that they are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company pursuant to these Articles.

 

197.

Any indemnification under Articles 194 to and including 196 (unless ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction) shall be made by the Company only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the Covered Person is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Article 194 or Article 195, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a Covered Person who is a Director or officer of the Company at the time of such determination, (a) by a majority vote of the Directors who are not parties to such proceeding, even though less than a quorum; (b) by a committee of such Directors designated by a majority vote of such Directors, even though less than a quorum; (c) if there are no such Directors, or if such Directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion; or (d) by the Members by Ordinary Resolution. Such determination shall be made, with respect to any other Covered Person, by any person or persons having the authority to act on the matter on behalf of the Company. To the extent, however, that any Covered Person has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defence of any proceeding, or in defence of any claim, issue or matter therein, such Covered Person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case. Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 194 to and including 196, the Company shall be required to indemnify or advance expenses to a Covered Person in connection a proceeding commenced by such Covered Person only if the commencement of such proceeding by such person was authorized by the Board.

 

198.

It being the policy of the Company that indemnification of the persons specified in Articles 194 and 196 shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law, the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for by Articles 194 to and including Article 196 shall not be deemed exclusive (a) of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under these Articles, any agreement, any insurance purchased by the Company, vote of Members or disinterested Directors, or pursuant to the

 

42


  direction (however embodied) of any court of competent jurisdiction, or otherwise, both as to action in their official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, or (b) of the power of the Company to indemnify any person who is or was an employee or agent of the Company or of another corporation, joint venture, trust or other enterprise which they are serving or have served at the request of the Company, to the same extent and in the same situations and subject to the same determinations as are hereinabove set forth with respect to a Covered Person.

 

199.

The Board may, notwithstanding any interest of the Covered Persons in such action, authorize the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any Covered Person, against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in any such capacity, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify them against such liability under the provisions of these Articles. As used in Articles 193 to and including this Article 199, references to the “Company” include all constituent corporations in an amalgamation, consolidation or merger or similar arrangement in which the Company or a predecessor to the Company by amalgamation, consolidation or merger or similar arrangement was involved.

FINANCIAL YEAR

 

200.

The financial year of the Company shall be as prescribed by the Board from time to time.

SALE, LEASE OR EXCHANGE OF ASSETS

 

201.   

(1)   The Board may authorise and direct the Company to sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of its property and assets, including the Company’s goodwill and its corporate franchises, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration, which may consist in whole or in part of money or other property, including Shares of stock in, and/or other securities of, any other corporation or corporations, as the Board in its discretion thinks fit, provided that the Members shall have approved such sale, lease or exchange by Ordinary Resolution, in addition to any other resolution or sanction required by applicable law.

 

(2)   Notwithstanding such resolution or consent to a proposed sale, lease or exchange of the Company’s property and assets by the Members, the Board may abandon such proposed sale, lease or exchange without further action by the Members, subject to the rights, if any, of third parties under any contract relating thereto.

 

(3)   For purposes of this Article 201, the property and assets of the Company include the property and assets of any subsidiary of the Company and “subsidiary” means any entity wholly-owned and controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company and includes, without limitation, corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, and/or statutory trusts.

 

(4)   Notwithstanding subsection (l) of this Article 201 no resolution by the Members shall be required for a sale, lease or exchange of property and assets of the Company to a subsidiary.

CONSENT TO JURISDICTION: CHOICE OF LAW

 

202.

For as long as Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Company hereby submits to the jurisdiction of the courts of the state of Delaware, in the United States of America and to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware in the United States of America and the appellate courts having jurisdiction thereover (each, a “Delaware-Based Court), for the purposes of any action, suit or

 

43


  proceeding brought by or on behalf of any Member or Beneficial Owner with respect to their rights as a Member or Beneficial Owner, or in relation to claims brought derivatively by a Member or Beneficial Owner in the name, or on behalf of, the Company. The Company waives any right to challenge personal jurisdiction when sued in these courts. The Company further agrees that if sued in these jurisdictions, it will agree to the application of that court’s rules of procedure and will not argue, under choice of law principles, that procedural rights granted by the laws of Ireland should be applied in these fora.

 

203.

For as long as Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Company shall appoint and maintain an authorised agent in the state of Delaware, in the United States of America, to receive for and on its behalf service of any and all legal process, summons, notices and documents that may be served in any action, suit or proceeding brought against the Company in the state of Delaware.

 

204.

For as long as Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Company shall:

 

  (1)

maintain unencumbered assets in the United States of America, which assets may include equity or debt investments in U.S. companies, with a book value in excess of fifty million U.S. dollars (US$50,000,000), and will deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware an opinion of an attorney licensed in the United States of America that judgments rendered against the Company may be satisfied by using these assets;

 

  (2)

post a bond or similar security with a Delaware-Based Court in an amount of at least fifty million U.S. dollars (US$50,000,000); or

 

  (3)

purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its Directors and officers of the Company, against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in any such capacity, in an amount of at least fifty million U.S. dollars (US$50,000,000),

and in the event that any action, suit or proceeding of the type described in Article 202 is brought against the Company in any Delaware-Based Court, the Company will provide a notice to such court specifying with which of the three foregoing provisions of this Article 204 the Company has complied.

 

205.

For as long as Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, in relation to any action, suit or proceeding against the Company brought derivatively by a Member or Beneficial Owner in the name, or on behalf of, the Company in any Delaware-Based Court, the Company hereby agrees that the law of the forum in which such action, suit or proceeding is brought, not the law of Ireland, will govern the sufficiency of the pleadings and such Member’s or Beneficial Owner’s standing to bring such action, suit or proceedings.

 

44


We, the persons whose names and addresses are subscribed, wish to be formed into a company in pursuance of this constitution, and we agree to take the number of share(s) in the capital of the Company set opposite each name.

Name and Address of Number of Ordinary shares of €1.00 each taken by Subscribers

each subscriber

 

PAULA HORAN    50   
85 CASTLEFARM      
SHANKILL      
CO. DUBLIN      
Company Director   

/s/ PAULA HORAN

  

 

ANDREW LAMBE

   50   
55 MOUNT PROSPECT DRIVE      
CLONTARF DUBLIN 3      

 

Company Director

  

/s/ ANDREW LAMBE

  

 

Total Shares

   100   

Signatures in writing of the above subscribers, attested by witness as provided for below; or in authentication in the manner referred to in section 888.

Dated: 14 June 2017

Witness to the above signatures: -

 

PHILIP HAYDEN   

/s/ PHILIP HAYDEN

  

THE BLACK CHURCH

ST. MARY’S PLACE

DUBLIN 7

     

 

45

Exhibit 5.1

20 October 2021

 

To:

Board of Directors

Seagate Technology Holdings plc

38/39 Fitzwilliam Square West

Dublin 2

D02 NX53

 

Re:

Seagate Technology Holdings plc - Form S-8 Registration Statement

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

1.

Basis of Opinion

 

  1.1

We are acting as Irish counsel to Seagate Technology Holdings plc, registered number 606203, a public company limited by shares, incorporated under the laws of Ireland, with its registered office at 38/39 Fitzwilliam Square West, Dublin 2 (the “Company”), in connection with the registration statement on Form S-8 to be filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on or around the date hereof (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to 21,872,822 ordinary shares with a nominal value US$0.00001 per share of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”), of which 14,059,525 Ordinary Shares plus up to 7,813,297 Ordinary Shares subject to share awards under the Amended and Restated Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended) to the extent they expire or have been cancelled or reacquired by the Company prior to vesting or exercise (in the aggregate, the “Shares”) may be issued under the Seagate Technology Holdings plc 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”).

 

  1.2

This Opinion is confined to and given in all respects on the basis of the laws of Ireland (meaning Ireland exclusive of Northern Ireland) in force as at the date hereof as currently applied by the courts of Ireland. We have made no investigation of and we express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction or the effect thereof. In particular, we express no opinion on the laws of the European Union as they affect any jurisdiction other than Ireland. We have assumed without investigation that insofar as the laws of any jurisdiction other than Ireland are relevant, such laws do not prohibit and are not inconsistent with any of the obligations or rights expressed in the plan documents in respect of the 2022 Plan (as set out in the Schedule, the “2022 Plan Documents”) or the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

  1.3

This Opinion is also strictly confined to:

 

  (a)

the matters expressly stated herein at paragraph 2 below and is not to be read as extending by implication or otherwise to any other matter;

 

  (b)

the 2022 Plan Documents (as set out in the Schedule); and


  (c)

the Searches (as defined at 1.7 below),

and is subject to the assumptions and qualifications set out below.

 

  1.4

We express no opinion, and make no representation or warranty, as to any matter of fact or in respect of any documents which may exist in relation to the 2022 Plan other than the 2022 Plan Documents.

 

  1.5

In giving this Opinion, we have relied upon the Corporate Certificate (as defined in the Schedule to this Opinion) and the Searches and we give this Opinion expressly on the terms that no further investigation or diligence in respect of any matter referred to in the Corporate Certificate or the Searches is required of us.

 

  1.6

For the purpose of giving this Opinion, we have examined and relied on copies sent to us by email in pdf or other electronic format of the 2022 Plan Documents.

 

  1.7

For the purpose of giving this Opinion, we have caused to be made legal searches against the Company on 20 October 2021 (together the “Searches”):

 

  (a)

on the file of the Company maintained by the Registrar of Companies in the Irish Companies Registration Office for mortgages, debentures or similar charges or notices thereof and for the appointment of any examiner, receiver or liquidator;

 

  (b)

in the Judgments Office of the High Court for unsatisfied judgments, orders, decrees and the like for the five years immediately preceding the date of the search; and

 

  (c)

in the Central Office of the High Court for any proceedings and petitions filed in respect of the Company in the last two years.

 

  1.8

This Opinion is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland as interpreted by the courts of Ireland at the date hereof. This Opinion speaks only as of its date. We assume no obligation to update this Opinion at any time in the future or to advise you of any change in law or change in interpretation of law which may occur after the date of this Opinion.

 

2.

Opinion

Subject to the assumptions and qualifications set out in this Opinion and to any matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that:

 

  2.1

the Company is a public company limited by shares, is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of Ireland and has the requisite corporate authority to allot and issue the Shares; and

 

  2.2

when the Shares are allotted and issued (and, if required, paid for in cash) pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and conditions referred to or summarised in the applicable resolutions and the 2022 Plan, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid up and non-assessable (which term means when used herein that no further sums are required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the allotment and issue of such Shares).


3.

Assumptions

For the purpose of giving this Opinion, we assume the following without any responsibility on our part if any assumption proves to have been untrue as we have not verified independently any assumption:

The Registration Statement and the 2022 Plan

 

  3.1

when filed with the SEC, the Registration Statement will not differ in any material respect from the latest draft that we have examined;

 

  3.2

that Shares issued pursuant to any awards under the 2022 Plan will be paid up in consideration of the receipt by the Company prior to, or simultaneously with, the issue of such Shares of cash at least equal to the nominal value of such Shares and any premium required to be paid up on the Shares pursuant to their terms of allotment and issue and that where Shares are allotted and issued under the 2022 Plan without the requirement for the payment of cash consideration by or on behalf of the relevant beneficiary, then such shares shall either be fully paid up by the Company or one of its subsidiaries within the time permitted by Section 1027(1) of the Companies Act 2014 (as amended) (the “Companies Act”) (and, in the case of the Company or a subsidiary incorporated in Ireland, in a manner permitted by Sections 82(6) and 1043(1) of the Companies Act or allotted and issued for consideration as set out in Section 1028(2) of the Companies Act);

 

  3.3

that the filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC has been authorised by all necessary actions under all applicable laws (other than Irish law), including applicable U.S. federal and state securities law;

 

  3.4

the Shares will be allotted and issued in the manner stated in the 2022 Plan;

 

  3.5

that the exercise of any options and rights granted under the 2022 Plan and the allotment and issue of the Shares upon exercise of such options and rights (and the allotment and issue of the Shares in connection with any other awards granted under the 2022 Plan) will be conducted in accordance with the terms and the procedures described in the 2022 Plan and the applicable award agreement;

 

  3.6

that the Company will comply with the reservation of Shares set forth in the 2022 Plan and adopted by the Board;

 

  3.7

that at the time of the allotment and issuance of the Shares, such allotment and issuance shall not be in contravention or breach of any agreement, undertaking, arrangement, deed or covenant affecting the Company or to which the Company is a party or otherwise bound or subject;

 

  3.8

that the Company has sufficient authorised but unissued share capital to allot and issue the required number of Shares to be delivered to the recipients of any awards granted under the 2022 Plan;

 

  3.9

that, at the time of the allotment and issuance of the Shares, the authority of the Company and the directors of the Company to allot and issue the Shares, as provided for in the Companies Act and the Constitution (as defined in the Schedule), is in full force and effect and that the statutory pre-emption rights have been disapplied in respect of any allotment and issuance of the Shares;

 

  3.10

that the Company will continue to renew its authority to allot and issue the Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Constitution and the Companies Act and that, where such authority has not been renewed, the Company will not allot or issue the Shares after such authority has expired;


  3.11

that from the date of the board resolutions set out in the Schedule, no other corporate or other action has been taken by the Company to amend, alter or repeal those resolutions;

Authenticity and bona fides

 

  3.12

the completeness and authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals or copies of originals and (in the case of copies) conformity to the originals of copy documents and the genuineness of all signatories (including electronic signatures), stamps and seals thereon;

 

  3.13

where incomplete 2022 Plan Documents have been submitted to us or signature pages only have been supplied to us for the purposes of issuing this Opinion, that the originals of such 2022 Plan Documents correspond in all respects with the last draft of the complete 2022 Plan Documents submitted to us;

 

  3.14

that the 2022 Plan Documents will be executed in a form and content having no material difference to the drafts provided to us, will be delivered by the parties thereto, and that the terms thereof will be observed and performed by the parties thereto;

 

  3.15

that the copies produced to us of minutes of meetings and/or of resolutions correctly record the proceedings at such meetings and/or the subject matter which they purport to record and that any meetings referred to in such copies were duly convened, duly quorate and held, that those present at any such meetings were entitled to attend and vote at the meeting and acted bona fide throughout and that no further resolutions have been passed or other action taken which would or might alter the effectiveness thereof and that such resolutions have not been amended or rescinded and are in full force and effect;

 

  3.16

that the Constitution of the Company effective as of 18 May 2021 is the current Constitution of the Company, is up to date and has not been amended or superseded and that there are no other terms governing the Shares other than the those set out in the Constitution of the Company;

 

  3.17

that there is, at the relevant time of the allotment and issue of the Shares, no matter affecting the authority of the Directors to allot and issue the Shares, not disclosed by the Constitution or the resolutions produced to us, which would have any adverse implications in relation to the opinions expressed in this Opinion;

Accuracy of Searches and Warranties

 

  3.18

the accuracy and completeness of the information disclosed in the Searches is accurate as of the date of this Opinion and that such information has not since the time of such search or enquiry been altered. It should be noted that:

 

  (a)

the matters disclosed in the Searches may not present a complete summary of the actual position on the matters we have caused searches to be conducted for;

 

  (b)

the position reflected by the Searches may not be fully up-to-date (and this risk may be higher while emergency measures introduced by the Irish Government in light of the COVID-19 pandemic remain in place); and


  (c)

searches at the Companies Registration Office, Dublin, do not necessarily reveal whether or not a prior charge has been created or a resolution has been passed or a petition presented or any other action taken for the winding-up of or the appointment of a receiver or an examiner to the Company or its assets;

 

  3.19

that there has been no alterations in the status or condition of the Company as disclosed by the Searches;

 

  3.20

the truth, completeness and accuracy of all representations and statements as to factual matters contained in the 2022 Plan Documents;

Solvency and Insolvency

 

  3.21

That:

 

  (a)

the Company is at the date of this Opinion able to pay its debts within the meaning of Sections 509(3) and 570 of the Companies Act or any analogous provisions under any applicable laws; and

 

  (b)

the Company will not as a consequence of doing any act or thing which the 2022 Plan Documents contemplate, permit or require any relevant party to do, be unable to pay its debts within the meaning of such Sections or any analogous provisions under any applicable laws.

 

  3.22

That:

 

  (a)

no liquidator, receiver or examiner or other similar or analogous officer has been appointed in relation to the Company or any of its assets or undertakings; and

 

  (b)

no petition for the making of a winding-up order or the appointment of an examiner or any similar officer or any similar or analogous procedure in any jurisdiction has been presented in relation to the Company.

Commercial Benefit

 

  3.23

that the 2022 Plan Documents have been entered into for bona fide commercial purposes, on arm’s length terms and for the benefit of each party thereto and are in those parties’ respective commercial interests and for their respective corporate benefit.

 

4.

Disclosure

This Opinion is addressed to you in connection with the Registration Statement being filed with the SEC. We hereby consent to the inclusion of this Opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement to be filed with the SEC. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in a category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

Yours faithfully,

 

/s/ Arthur Cox LLP

ARTHUR COX LLP


SCHEDULE

The 2022 Plan Documents

 

1.

A copy of the form of the Registration Statement to be filed by the Company with the SEC on or about the date of this Opinion;

 

2.

Copy of the 2022 Plan;

 

3.

A copy of the form of the Employee Restricted Share Unit Agreement, Outside Directors Restricted Share Unit Agreement, Employee Stock Option Agreement and Performance Share Unit Agreement in respect of grants made under the Plan;

 

4.

A copy extract of the resolutions of the board of directors of the Company dated 27 July 2021 at which it approved, amongst other things: (i) the 2022 Plan and allotment and issuance of Shares thereunder; (ii) the approval of the filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC; and, (iii) the registration of the Shares1;

 

5.

A copy extract of the written resolution of the sole member of the Company dated 14 May 2021 approving, amongst other things, the board of directors’ authority to allot shares in the Company up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to the authorized but unissued share capital of the Company as at the date of the resolution;

 

6.

A corporate certificate of the Secretary of the Company dated 20 October 2021 (the “Corporate Certificate”) certifying, among other things, the voting results regarding approval of the 2022 Plan by the shareholders of the Company at the general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on 20 October 2021, for reliance of the information and documents provided in connection to this opinion;

 

7.

A copy of the Constitution of the Company in the form adopted by resolution of the shareholders of the Company on 14 May 2021 and effective on 18 May 2021 (the “Constitution”);

 

8.

A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company dated 16 June 2017;

 

9.

A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of Change of Name of the Company dated 10 February 2021;

 

10.

A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation on re-registration as a public limited company dated 16 February 2021; and

 

11.

Letter of Status from the Irish Companies Registration Office dated 20 October 2021.

Exhibit 10.1

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

Adopted by Board on July 27, 2021

Initially approved by Shareholders on October 20, 2021

Termination Date: October 20, 2031


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

I.

  PURPOSES      1

II.

  DEFINITIONS      1
  2.1    Affiliate      1
  2.2    Applicable Law      1
  2.3    Beneficial Owner      1
  2.4    Board      1
  2.5    Change of Control      1
  2.6    Code      2
  2.7    Committee      2
  2.8    Company      3
  2.9    Consultant      3
  2.10    Continuous Service      3
  2.11    Director      3
  2.12    Deferred Share Unit      3
  2.13    Disability      3
  2.14    Dividend Equivalent      4
  2.15    Effective Date      4
  2.16    Eligible Individual      4
  2.17    Employee      4
  2.18    Exchange Act      4
  2.19    “Executive Officer”      4
  2.20    “Fair Market Value      4
  2.21    Full-Value Share Award      5
  2.22    Incentive Stock Option      5
  2.23    Nominal Value      5
  2.24    Non-Employee Director      5
  2.25    Nonstatutory Share Option      5
  2.26    Officer      5
  2.27    Option      5
  2.28    Option Agreement      5


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

             Page  
  2.29   Optionholder      5
  2.30   Ordinary Share” or “Share      5
  2.31   Other Share-Based Award      6
  2.32   Other Share-Based Award Agreement      6
  2.33   Participant      6
  2.34   Performance-Based Award      6
  2.35   Performance Criteria      6
  2.36   Performance Goal      6
  2.37   Performance Period      6
  2.38   Performance Share Bonus      7
  2.39   Performance Share Bonus Agreement      7
  2.40   Performance Share Unit      7
  2.41   Performance Share Unit Agreement      7
  2.42   Phantom Share Unit      7
  2.43   Phantom Share Unit Agreement      7
  2.44   Plan      7
  2.45   Predecessor Plan      7
  2.46   Restricted Share Bonus      7
  2.47   Restricted Share Bonus Agreement      7
  2.48   Restricted Share Unit      8
  2.49   Restricted Share Unit Agreement      8
  2.50   Rule 16b-3      8
  2.51   Securities Act      8
  2.52   Share Appreciation Right” or “SAR      8
  2.53   Share Appreciation Right Agreement      8
  2.54   Share Award      8
  2.55   Share Award Agreement      8
  2.56   Ten Percent Shareholder      8

III.

  ADMINISTRATION      8
  3.1   Administration by Board      8


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

              Page  
  3.2    Powers of Board      9  
  3.3    Delegation to Committee      10
  3.4    Effect of Board’s Decision      10
  3.5    Non-Employee Director Compensation Limit      10

IV.

  SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN      11
  4.1    Share Reserve      11
  4.2    Adjustments to the Share Reserve      11
  4.3    Source of Shares      11

V.

  ELIGIBILITY, PARTICIPATION, VESTING AND DIVIDENDS      12
  5.1    Eligibility      12
  5.2    Participation      12
  5.3    Non-U.S. Participants      12
  5.4    Minimum Vesting      12
  5.5    Dividends      13

VI.

  OPTION PROVISIONS      13
  6.1    Incentive Stock Option US$100,000 Limitation      13
  6.2    Term      13
  6.3    Vesting      13
  6.4    Exercise Price of an Option      14
  6.5    Consideration      14
  6.6    Termination of Continuous Service      14
  6.7    Extension of Option Termination Date      14
  6.8    Disability of Optionholder      14
  6.9    Death of Optionholder      15
  6.10    Transferability of an Incentive Stock Option      15
  6.11    Transferability of a Nonstatutory Share Option      15

VII.

  SHARE AWARDS PROVISIONS OTHER THAN OPTIONS      15
  7.1    Restricted Share Bonus Awards      15
  7.2    Share Appreciation Rights      16
  7.3    Phantom Share Units      17


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

              Page  
  7.4    Restricted Share Units      18
  7.5    Performance Share Bonus Awards      19
  7.6    Performance Share Units      20
  7.7    Other Share-Based Awards      21
VIII.   PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS      21
  8.1    General      21
  8.2    Adjustments      22
  8.3    Discretionary Adjustments and Limits      23
  8.4    Annual Limitation      23
IX.   USE OF PROCEEDS FROM SHARES      23
X.   CANCELLATION AND RE-GRANT OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS      23
XI.   MISCELLANEOUS      24
  11.1    Shareholder Rights      24
  11.2    No Employment or other Service Rights      24
  11.3    Investment Assurances      24
  11.4    Withholding Obligations      25
  11.5    Forfeiture and Recoupment Provisions      25
  11.6    Compliance with Laws      26
  11.7    Section 409A      26
  11.8    No Representations or Covenants with respect to Tax Qualification      27
XII.   ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN SHARES      27
  12.1    Capitalization Adjustments      27
  12.2    Adjustments Upon a Change of Control      27
XIII.   AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND SHARE AWARDS      28
  13.1    Amendment of Plan      28
  13.2    Shareholder Approval      28
  13.3    Contemplated Amendments      28
  13.4    Amendment of Share Awards      29


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

              Page  
XIV.   TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN      29
  14.1    Termination or Suspension      29
  14.2    No Material Impairment of Rights      29
XV.   EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE OF PLAN      29
  15.1    Effective Date      29
  15.2    Expiration Date      29
XVI.   CHOICE OF LAW      30


I.     PURPOSES.

The Company, by means of this Plan, seeks to provide incentives for the group of persons eligible to receive Share Awards to align their long-term interests with those of the Company’s shareholders and to perform in a manner individually and collectively that enhances the success of the Company. The Plan is further intended to provide a means by which eligible recipients of Share Awards may be given an opportunity to benefit from increases in value of the Ordinary Shares through the granting of Share Awards including, but not limited to: (i) Incentive Stock Options, (ii) Nonstatutory Share Options, (iii) Restricted Share Bonuses, (iv) Share Appreciation Rights, (v) Phantom Share Units, (vi) Restricted Share Units, (vii) Performance Share Bonuses, (viii) Performance Share Units, (ix) Deferred Share Units, and (x) Other Share-Based Awards.

II.     DEFINITIONS.

2.1     “Affiliate” means generally with respect to the Company, any entity directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controlling or controlled by (but not under common control with) the Company. Solely with respect to the granting of any Incentive Stock Options, Affiliate means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code. Solely with respect to the granting of any Nonstatutory Share Options or Share Appreciation Rights, Affiliate means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E).

2.2     “Applicable Law” means any applicable law, including, without limitation: (i) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder and applicable provisions of the corporate and other laws of Ireland; (ii) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether U.S. or non-U.S., federal, state or local; and (iii) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.

2.3     “Beneficial Owner” means the definition given in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

2.4     “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.5     “Change of Control” means the consummation or effectiveness of any of the following events:

(i)     The sale, exchange, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to a person or group of related persons, as such terms are defined or described in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act;

 

1


(ii)     A merger, reorganization, recapitalization, consolidation or other similar transaction involving the Company in which the voting securities of the Company owned by the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction do not represent more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the surviving controlling entity outstanding immediately after such transaction;

(iii)     Any person or group of related persons, as such terms are defined or described in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting securities of the Company (including by way of merger, takeover (including an acquisition by means of a scheme of arrangement), consolidation or otherwise);

(iv)     During any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (together with any new Directors whose election by such Board or whose nomination for election by the shareholders of the Company was approved by a vote of a majority of the Directors of the Company then still in office, who were either Directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board then in office; or

(v)     A dissolution or liquidation of the Company other than in connection with a Restructuring Transaction or similar transaction.

In addition, if a Change of Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Share Award which provides for the deferral of compensation and is subject to Section 409A of the Code, in order to make payment upon such Change of Control, the transaction or event described above with respect to such Share Award must also constitute a “change in the ownership or effective control of the Company or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” of the Company,” as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5), and if it does not, payment of such Share Award will be made on the Share Award’s original payment schedule or, if earlier, upon the death of the Participant.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a restructuring of the Company (a “Restructuring Transaction”) will not constitute a Change of Control if, immediately after the Restructuring Transaction, the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such Restructuring Transaction represent, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the surviving entity.

2.6     “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including rules, regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder and successor provisions and rules and regulations thereto (except as otherwise specified herein).

2.7     “Committee” means a committee of one or more Directors (or other individuals who are not members of the Board to the extent allowed by Applicable Law) appointed by the Board in accordance with Section 3.3 of the Plan.

 

2


2.8     “Company” means Seagate Technology Holdings plc, a public company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Ireland with limited liability under registered number 606203, or any successor thereto.

2.9     “Consultant” means any person, including an advisor engaged by the Company or an Affiliate, to render consulting or advisory services and who is compensated for such services.

2.10     “Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s active service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. The Participant’s Continuous Service shall not be deemed to have terminated merely because of a change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided, that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service. For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or a Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. Unless otherwise determined by the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company (or their delegate), in such party’s sole discretion, Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the case of a leave of absence approved by the Company or an Affiliate, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave. For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed ninety (90) days, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company or an Affiliate is not guaranteed, then three (3) months following the 91st day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant shall cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Share Option.

2.11     “Director” means a member of the Board.

2.12     “Deferred Share Unit” means any Share Award for which a valid deferral election is made.

2.13     “Disability” means the permanent and total disability of a person within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code for all Incentive Stock Options, or to the extent a Share Award provides for the deferral of compensation and is subject to Section 409A of the Code, a “disability” as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(4). For all other Share Awards, “Disability” means physical or mental incapacitation such that for a period of six (6) consecutive months or for an aggregate of nine (9) months in any twenty-four (24) consecutive month period, a person is unable to substantially perform his or her duties. Any question as to the existence of that person’s physical or mental incapacitation shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

3


2.14     “Dividend Equivalent” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Sections 7.3(iii), 7.4(iv) and 7.6(iv) of the Plan to receive the equivalent value (in cash or in Shares) of dividends paid on the Ordinary Shares.

2.15     “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.1 of the Plan.

2.16     “Eligible Individual” means any person who is an Employee, Director or Consultant, as determined by the Board.

2.17     “Employee” means any person actively providing services as an employee to the Company or an Affiliate. Service as a Director or compensation by the Company or an Affiliate solely for services as a Director shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company or an Affiliate.

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

2.19     “Executive Officer” means an executive officer of the Company within the meaning of Rule 3b-7 of the Exchange Act or an Officer.

2.20     “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of an Ordinary Share determined as follows:

(i)     Unless otherwise determined by the Board in accordance with Section 409A of the Code, if the Ordinary Shares are listed on any established stock exchange (including the New York Stock Exchange) or traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the Fair Market Value of a Share shall be the closing per-share sales price of such Shares as reported on such date on the Composite Tape of the principal national securities exchange on which such Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if no Composite Tape exists for such national securities exchange on such date, then on the principal national securities exchange on which such Shares are listed or admitted to trading and in either case, if no sale occurred on such date, the Fair Market Value shall be the applicable closing per-share sale price for the Shares on the first trading date immediately prior to such date during which a sale occurred, or; or if the Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, then the Fair Market Value of a Share shall be determined in good faith by the Board, and to the extent appropriate, based on the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method.

(ii)     For any reference to Fair Market Value in the Plan used to establish the price at which the Company shall issue Ordinary Shares to a Participant under the terms and conditions of a Share Award (such as a Share Award of Options or Share Appreciation Rights), the date as of which this definition shall be applied shall be the date of grant of such Share Award.

 

4


2.21     “Full-Value Share Award” shall mean any of a Restricted Share Bonus, Restricted Share Unit, Phantom Share Unit, Performance Share Bonus, Performance Share Unit, or other Share-Based Award where the participant receives the entire value of each underlying Ordinary Share without payment (or reduction of such payment by the Company) of an amount at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the Ordinary Shares, determined as of the date of grant.

2.22     “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

2.23     “Nominal Value” means US$0.00001 per Share.

2.24     “Non-Employee Director” means a Director who either (i) is not a current Employee or Officer of the Company or its parent or a subsidiary, does not receive compensation (directly or indirectly) from the Company or its parent or a subsidiary for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act (“Regulation S-K”)), does not possess an interest in any other transaction as to which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K and is not engaged in a business relationship as to which disclosure would be required under Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is otherwise considered a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3.

2.25     “Nonstatutory Share Option” means an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

2.26     “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

2.27     “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Share Option granted pursuant to the Plan.

2.28     “Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.29     “Optionholder” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.

2.30     “Ordinary Share” or “Share” means an ordinary share of the Company, nominal value US$0.00001.

 

5


2.31     “Other Share-Based Award” means a Share Award (other than an Option, a Restricted Share Bonus, a Share Appreciation Right, a Phantom Share Unit, a Restricted Share Unit, a Performance Share Bonus, a Performance Share Unit or a Deferred Share Unit) subject to the provisions of Section 7.7 of the Plan.

2.32     “Other Share-Based Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an Other Share-Based Award setting forth the terms and conditions of an Other Share-Based Award grant. Each Other Share-Based Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.33     “Participant” means a person to whom a Share Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Share Award.

2.34     “Performance-Based Award” means a Share Award that is subject, in whole or in part, to Performance Goals and is granted to an Executive Officer pursuant to Article VIII.

2.35     “Performance Criteria” means any one or more of the following performance criteria, or derivations of such performance criteria, either individually, alternatively or in any combination, applied to either the Company as a whole or to a business unit or subsidiary, and measured, including annually or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target, to previous years’ results or to a designated comparison group, in each case as specified by the Committee: (i) pre- and after-tax income; (ii) operating income; (iii) net operating income or profit (before or after taxes); (iv) net earnings; (v) net income (before or after taxes); (vi) operating margin; (vii) gross margin; (viii) cash flow (before or after dividends); (ix) earnings per share; (x) return on equity; (xi) return on assets, net assets, investments or capital employed; (xii) revenue; (xiii) market share; (xiv) cost reductions or savings; (xv) funds from operations; (xvi) total shareholder return; (xvii) share price; (xviii) earnings before any one or more of the following items: interest, taxes, depreciation or amortization; (xix) market capitalization; (xx) economic value added; (xxi) operating ratio; (xxii) product development or release schedules; (xxiii) new product innovation; (xxiv) implementation of the Company’s critical processes or projects; (xxv) customer service or customer satisfaction; (xxvi) product quality measures; (xxvii) days sales outstanding or working capital management; (xxviii) inventory or inventory turns; (xxix) pre-tax profit and/or (xxx) cost reductions.

2.36     “Performance Goal” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee measured by the achievement of certain results, whether financial, transactional or otherwise. Financial results may be, but are not required to be, based on Performance Criteria.

2.37     “Performance Period” means one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping duration, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Share Award.

 

6


2.38     “Performance Share Bonus” means a grant of Ordinary Shares subject to the provisions of Section 7.5 of the Plan.

2.39     “Performance Share Bonus Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of a Performance Share Bonus grant. Each Performance Share Bonus Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.40     “Performance Share Unit” means the right to receive the value of one (1) Ordinary Share subject to the provisions of Section 7.6 of the Plan.

2.41     “Performance Share Unit Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Performance Share Unit setting forth the terms and conditions of a Performance Share Unit grant. Each Performance Share Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.42     “Phantom Share Unit” means the right to receive the value of one (1) Ordinary Share, subject to the provisions of Section 7.3 of the Plan.

2.43     “Phantom Share Unit Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Phantom Share Unit setting forth the terms and conditions of a Phantom Share Unit grant. Each Phantom Share Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.44     “Plan” means this 2022 Equity Incentive Plan of Seagate Technology Holdings plc, as amended from time to time.

2.45     “Predecessor Plan” means the Amended and Restated Seagate Technology Holdings Public Limited Company 2012 Equity Incentive Plan.

2.46     “Restricted Share Bonus” means a grant of Ordinary Shares subject to the provisions of Section 7.1 of the Plan.

2.47     “Restricted Share Bonus Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of a Restricted Share Bonus grant. Each Restricted Share Bonus Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

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2.48     “Restricted Share Unit” means the right to receive the value of one (1) Ordinary Share, subject to the provisions of Section 7.4 of the Plan.

2.49     “Restricted Share Unit Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Share Unit setting forth the terms and conditions of a Restricted Share Unit grant. Each Restricted Share Unit Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.50     “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.

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

2.52     “Share Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means the right to receive an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one (1) Ordinary Share on the day the Share Appreciation Right is redeemed, reduced by the deemed exercise price or base price of such right, subject to the provisions of Section 7.2 of the Plan.

2.53     “Share Appreciation Right Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Share Appreciation Right setting forth the terms and conditions of a Share Appreciation Right grant. Each Share Appreciation Right Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.54     “Share Award” means any Option, Restricted Share Bonus, Share Appreciation Right, Phantom Share Unit, Restricted Share Unit, Performance Share Bonus, Performance Share Unit, Deferred Share Unit, or Other Share-Based Award.

2.55     “Share Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Share Award setting forth the terms and conditions of a Share Award grant. Each Share Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

2.56     “Ten Percent Shareholder” means a person who owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) shares possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or of any of its Affiliates.

III.     ADMINISTRATION.

3.1     Administration by Board. The Board shall administer the Plan unless and until the Board delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in Section 3.3.

 

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3.2     Powers of Board. The Board shall have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i)     to determine (a) which Eligible Individuals shall be granted Share Awards; (b) when each Share Award shall be granted; (c) the type or types of Share Awards to be granted; and (d) the number of Share Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which a Share Award shall relate;

(ii)     to determine the terms and conditions of any Share Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, (a) subject to Applicable Law, the purchase price (if any) of Shares to be issued pursuant to any Share Award, (b) any restrictions or limitations on any Share Award or Shares acquired pursuant to a Share Award, (c) any vesting schedule or conditions applicable to a Share Award and accelerations or waivers thereof (including, but not limited to, upon a Change of Control), and (d) any provisions related to recovery of gain on, or forfeiture of, a Share Award or Shares issued pursuant to a Share Award, based on such considerations as the Board in its sole discretion determines;

(iii)     to construe and interpret the Plan and Share Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Share Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective;

(iv)     to amend the Plan or a Share Award as provided in Article XIII of the Plan;

(v)     to suspend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided, that suspension or termination of the Plan shall not materially impair the rights and obligations under any Share Award granted while the Plan is in effect except with the written consent of the affected Participant;

(vi)     to settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Share Awards granted under it;

(vii)     to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary, desirable, convenient or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan;

(viii)     to establish, adopt or revise any rules and regulations, including adopting sub-plans to the Plan or special terms for Share Award Agreements, for the purposes of complying with non-U.S. laws and/or taking advantage of tax favorable treatment for Share Awards granted to Participants outside the United States (as further set forth in Section 5.3 of the Plan) as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan; and

(ix)     to allot and issue any Shares as necessary in respect of Share Awards under the Plan and, if desired, delegate authority in respect of such allotment and issuance.

 

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3.3     Delegation to Committee.

(i)     General. The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to one or more Committees of one or more individuals, and the term “Committee” shall apply to any person or persons to whom such authority has been delegated. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board, including, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the power to delegate to a subcommittee or such other committee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan.

(ii)     Committee Composition. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3, it is intended that each member of the Committee will be, at the time the Committee takes any action with respect to an Award that is subject to Rule 16b-3, a Non-Employee Director. Additionally, to the extent required by Applicable Law, each of the individuals constituting the Committee shall be an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded. Within the scope of such authority, the Board or the Committee may, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, delegate to a committee of one or more individuals who are not Non-Employee Directors the authority to grant Share Awards to Eligible Individuals who are either (1) not then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (2) receiving a Share Award as to which the Board or Committee elects not to comply with Rule 16b-3 by having two or more Non-Employee Directors grant such Share Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 3.3(ii).

3.4     Effect of Board’s Decision. All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith shall not be subject to review by any person and shall be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

3.5     Non-Employee Director Compensation Limit. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or in any policy of the Company regarding compensation payable to a Director who is not an Employee, the sum of the grant date fair value (determined in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of all Share Awards payable in Shares and the maximum cash value of any other Share Award granted under the Plan to an individual who is not an Employee as compensation for services as a Director, together with cash compensation paid to such Director in the form of Board and Committee retainer, meeting or similar fees, during any fiscal year of the Company shall not exceed US$750,000. For avoidance of doubt, compensation shall count towards this limit for the fiscal year in which it was granted or earned, and not later when distributed, in the event it is deferred. The foregoing limit may not be increased without the approval of the shareholders of the Company.

 

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IV.     SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

4.1     Share Reserve.

(i)     Number of Shares Available. Subject to the provisions of Article XII of the Plan relating to adjustments upon changes in Ordinary Shares, commencing on the Effective Date, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Share Awards under the Plan (the “Share Reserve”) is equal to the sum of: (a) 14,059,525 newly authorized Shares, plus (b) the number of Shares subject to any outstanding Share Awards granted under the Predecessor Plan that, on or after the Effective Date, expire, are cancelled or otherwise terminate, in whole or in part, without having been exercised or redeemed in full, or are settled in cash (collectively, the “Forfeited Predecessor Plan Awards”). For purposes of the foregoing Section 4.1(i)(b), any Shares subject to a Forfeited Predecessor Plan Award that become available for issuance under the Plan will be added to the Share Reserve at a ratio of one (1) Share for every one (1) Share subject to such Forfeited Predecessor Plan Award, regardless of whether such Forfeited Predecessor Plan Award was a Full-Value Share Award (as defined in the Predecessor Plan) that was counted against the share reserve of the Predecessor Plan at a ratio in excess of one (1) Share for every one (1) Share subject to such Forfeited Predecessor Plan Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the provisions of Article XII, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options under the Plan shall not exceed 14,000,000 Shares.

(ii)     Full-Value Award Limit. With respect to the Share Reserve in Section 4.1(i) above, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Full-Value Share Awards shall not exceed 12,252,165 subject to the provisions of Article XII.

4.2     Adjustments to the Share Reserve. Each Share issued pursuant to the exercise or settlement of a Share Award granted under the Plan shall be counted against the Share Reserve as one (1) Share for every one (1) Share issued. If (i) any Share Award shall for any reason expire, be cancelled or otherwise terminated, in whole or in part, without having been exercised or redeemed in full, or be settled in cash, or (ii) if any Shares subject to Share Awards shall be reacquired by the Company prior to vesting, the Shares subject to such awards shall revert to the Share Reserve and again become available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shall not revert to the Share Reserve: (a) Shares tendered by a Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price to the Company or to satisfy any tax withholding obligation or other tax liability of the Participant, (b) Shares repurchased by the Company on the open market or otherwise, in either case using cash proceeds from the exercise of Options, and (c) Shares that are not issued or delivered as a result of the net settlement of an outstanding Option or SAR.

4.3     Source of Shares. The Shares subject to the Plan may be unissued Shares or reacquired Shares, bought on the market or otherwise.

 

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V.     ELIGIBILITY, PARTICIPATION, VESTING AND DIVIDENDS.

5.1     Eligibility. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, each Eligible Individual shall be eligible to receive Share Awards pursuant to the Plan, except that only Employees shall be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options.

5.2     Participation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board may, from time to time, select from among Eligible Individuals those to whom Share Awards shall be granted, and shall determine the nature and amount of each Share Award. No Eligible Individual shall have any right to be granted a Share Award pursuant to the Plan.

5.3     Non-U.S. Participants. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, to facilitate the administration of the Plan and/or compliance with the laws in countries outside the United States in which the Company and its Affiliates operate or in which Eligible Individuals provide services to the Company or its Affiliates, the Board, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (i) determine which Affiliates shall be covered by the Plan; (ii) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States shall be eligible to participate in the Plan; (iii) modify the terms and conditions of any Share Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States; (iv) establish sub-plans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures and rules, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable, including adoption of rules, procedures or sub-plans applicable to particular Affiliates or Participants residing in particular locations; provided, that no such sub-plans and/or modifications shall take precedence over Article IV of the Plan or otherwise require shareholder approval; and (v) take any action, before or after a Share Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Board is specifically authorized to adopt rules, procedures and sub-plans with provisions that limit or modify rights on eligibility to receive a Share Award under the Plan or on death, disability, retirement or other termination of Continuous Service, available methods of exercise or settlement of a Share Award, payment of income, social insurance contributions and payroll taxes, the shifting of employer tax liability to the Participant, the withholding procedures and handling of any Share certificates or other indicia of ownership. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not take any actions hereunder, and no Share Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any securities law or governing statute or any other Applicable Law.

5.4     Minimum Vesting. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, all Share Awards granted under the Plan shall have a minimum vesting period of one (1) year measured from the date of grant of the applicable Share Award; provided, however, that up to five percent (5%) of the Shares available for distribution under the Plan may be granted without such minimum vesting period. Nothing in this Section 5.4 shall limit the Company’s ability to grant Share Awards that contain rights to accelerated vesting on a termination of Continuous Service or to otherwise accelerate vesting, including, without limitation, upon a Change of Control. In addition, the minimum vesting requirement set forth in this Section 5.4 shall not apply to: (i) Share Awards issued by the Company in assumption of or substitution for awards

 

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previously granted, or the right or obligation to grant future awards, by a company acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines; or (ii) Share Awards granted to a Director who is not an Employee which vest on the earlier of the one (1) year anniversary of the date of grant and the next annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders (which is at least fifty (50) weeks after the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting). Further, this Section 5.4 shall not limit the provisions of Article XII of the Plan.

5.5     Dividends. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in no event shall any Share Award provide for the Participant’s receipt of dividends or Dividend Equivalents in any form prior to the vesting of such Share Award or applicable portion thereof or otherwise permit the payment of dividends or Dividend Equivalents on a Share Award to the extent that it has not vested.

VI.     OPTION PROVISIONS.

Each Option shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement which shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. All Options shall be designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Share Options at the time of grant. The terms and conditions of Option Agreements may change from time to time and the terms and conditions of separate Option Agreements need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

6.1     Incentive Stock Option US$100,000 Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of the Ordinary Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds one hundred thousand U.S. dollars (US$100,000), the Options or portions thereof which exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated as Nonstatutory Share Options.

6.2     Term. No Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of seven (7) years from the date it was granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder shall be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the date it was granted.

6.3     Vesting. The Board shall determine the criteria under which Options may vest and become exercisable, subject to Section 5.4 of the Plan; the criteria may include Continuous Service and/or the achievement of Performance Goals and in any event such criteria shall be set forth in the Option Agreement.

 

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6.4     Exercise Price of an Option. The exercise price of each Option shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Ordinary Shares on the date the Option is granted; provided, that an Option may be granted with an exercise price lower than that set forth above if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and Section 424(a) of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exercise price of each Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder shall be at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Ordinary Shares on the date the Option is granted.

6.5     Consideration. The purchase price of Ordinary Shares acquired pursuant to an Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and regulations, either (i) in cash or by check at the time the Option is exercised or (ii) at the discretion of the Board at the time of the grant of the Option (or subsequently in the case of a Nonstatutory Share Option) and pursuant to procedures established by the Company from time to time: (a) by delivery to the Company of other Shares, (b) according to a deferred payment or other similar arrangement with the Optionholder, including use of a promissory note, (c) pursuant to a “same day sale” program, or (d) by some combination of the foregoing.

6.6     Termination of Continuous Service. In the event an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates (other than upon the Optionholder’s death or Disability), the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination or as otherwise set forth in the Option Agreement) but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date three (3) months following the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement, the Option shall terminate.

6.7     Extension of Option Termination Date. An Optionholder’s Option Agreement may also provide that if the exercise of the Option following the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service (other than upon the Optionholder’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time because the issuance of Shares would violate either the registration requirements under the Securities Act (or other applicable securities law) or the Company’s insider trading policy, then the Option shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the term of the Option set forth in the Option Agreement or (ii) the expiration of a period of three (3) months after the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option would not be in violation of either such registration requirements (or other applicable securities law) or the Company’s insider trading policy.

6.8     Disability of Optionholder. In the event that an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder’s Disability, the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12) months following such termination due to Disability (or such longer or shorter period

 

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specified in the Option Agreement) or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If after termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

6.9     Death of Optionholder. In the event (i) an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder’s death or (ii) the Optionholder dies within the period (if any) specified in the Option Agreement after the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service for a reason other than death, then the Option may be exercised (to the extent the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of death) by the Optionholder’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the Option upon the Optionholder’s death pursuant to Section 6.10 or 6.11 of the Plan, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (a) the date twelve (12) months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Option Agreement) or (b) the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement. If, after death, the Option is not exercised within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

6.10     Transferability of an Incentive Stock Option. An Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if provided in the Option Agreement, the Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.

6.11     Transferability of a Nonstatutory Share Option. Unless otherwise provided by the Board, a Nonstatutory Share Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if provided in the Option Agreement, the Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.

VII.     SHARE AWARDS PROVISIONS OTHER THAN OPTIONS.

7.1     Restricted Share Bonus Awards. Each Restricted Share Bonus shall be evidenced by a Restricted Share Bonus Agreement which shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. Restricted Share Bonuses shall be paid by the Company in Ordinary Shares. Should Shares be issued pursuant to a Restricted Share Bonus award in circumstances where they are not otherwise fully paid up, the Board may require the Participant to pay the aggregate Nominal Value of the Shares on the basis that such Shares underlying the Restricted Share Bonus award shall then be allotted as fully paid to the Participant. The terms and conditions of Restricted Share Bonus Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Share Bonus Agreements need

 

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not be identical, but each Restricted Share Bonus Agreement shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i)     Vesting. Restricted Share Bonus awards shall be subject to a vesting schedule and vesting shall generally be based on the Participant’s Continuous Service and shall be subject to Section 5.4 of the Plan. Upon failure to meet the vesting conditions, Shares awarded under the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement shall be subject to a share reacquisition right in favor of the Company in accordance with the vesting schedule; provided, that any such Shares shall be reacquired without the payment of any consideration to the Participant.

(ii)     Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement, in the event a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company shall reacquire (without the payment of any consideration) any of the Shares held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination under the terms of the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement.

(iii)     Transferability. Rights to acquire Shares under the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement shall be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as Ordinary Shares awarded under the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement remain subject to the terms of the Restricted Share Bonus Agreement.

(iv)     Dividends. Any dividends payable with respect to the Ordinary Shares underlying a Restricted Share Bonus award shall be subject to the same vesting conditions as such Shares; dividends, if any, that may become payable upon the vesting of such Shares shall be distributed to the Participant, at the discretion of the Board, in cash or in Ordinary Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends; provided, that, if such Shares are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends (except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Restricted Share Bonus Agreement, subject to Section 5.5 of the Plan).

7.2     Share Appreciation Rights. Two types of Share Appreciation Rights (or SARs) shall be authorized for issuance under the Plan: (1) stand-alone SARs and (2) stapled SARs. Each SAR shall be evidenced by a Share Appreciation Right Agreement (or, if applicable, the underlying Option Agreement) which shall be in such form and shall contain such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Board shall deem appropriate. Should Shares be issued pursuant to a SAR in circumstances where they are not otherwise fully paid up, the Board may require the Participant to pay the aggregate Nominal Value of the Shares on the basis that such Shares underlying the SAR shall then be allotted as fully paid to the Participant. The additional terms and conditions of Share Appreciation Right Agreements (and/or underlying Option Agreements, as applicable) may change from time to time, and the additional terms and conditions of separate Share Appreciation Right Agreements (and/or underlying Option Agreements) need not be identical.

 

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(i)     Stand-Alone SARs. The following terms and conditions shall govern the grant and redeemability of stand-alone SARs:

(a)     The stand-alone SAR shall cover a specified number of underlying Shares and shall be redeemable upon such terms and conditions as the Board may establish. Upon redemption of the stand-alone SAR, the holder shall be entitled to receive a distribution from the Company in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the redemption date) of the Shares underlying the redeemed right over (ii) the aggregate base price in effect for those Shares.

(b)     The number of Shares underlying each stand-alone SAR and the base price in effect for those Shares shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at the time the stand-alone SAR is granted. In no event, however, may the base price per Share be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per underlying Share on the date of grant.

(c)     The distribution with respect to any redeemed stand-alone SAR may be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the redemption date, in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash, as the Board shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate.

(ii)     Stapled SARs. The following terms and conditions shall govern the grant and redemption of stapled SARs:

(a)     Stapled SARs may only be granted concurrently with an Option to acquire the same number of Shares as the number of such Shares underlying the stapled SARs.

(b)     Stapled SARs shall be redeemable upon such terms and conditions as the Board may establish and shall grant a holder the right to elect among (1) the exercise of the concurrently granted Option for Shares, whereupon the number of Shares subject to the stapled SARs shall be reduced by an equivalent number, (2) the redemption of such stapled SARs in exchange for a distribution from the Company in an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value (on the redemption date) of the number of vested Shares which the holder redeems over the aggregate base price for such vested Shares, whereupon the number of Shares subject to the concurrently granted Option shall be reduced by any equivalent number, or (3) a combination of (1) and (2).

(c)     The distribution to which the holder of stapled SARs shall become entitled under this Section 7.2 upon the redemption of stapled SARs as described in Section 7.2(ii)(B) above may be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the redemption date, in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash, as the Board shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate.

7.3     Phantom Share Units. Each Phantom Share Unit shall be evidenced by a Phantom Share Unit Agreement which shall be in such form and shall contain such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Board shall deem appropriate. Should Shares be issued pursuant to a Phantom Share Unit award in circumstances where they are not otherwise fully paid up, the Board may require the Participant to pay the aggregate Nominal Value of the Shares on the basis that such Shares underlying the Phantom Share Unit award shall then be allotted as fully paid to the Participant. The additional terms and conditions of Phantom Share Unit Agreements may change from time to time, and the additional terms and conditions of separate Phantom Share Unit Agreements need not be identical. The following terms and conditions shall govern the grant and redeemability of Phantom Share Units:

 

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(i)     Phantom Share Unit awards shall be redeemable by the Participant to the Company upon such terms and conditions as the Board may establish. The value of a single Phantom Share Unit shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share, unless the Board otherwise provides in the terms of the Phantom Share Unit Agreement.

(ii)     The distribution with respect to any Phantom Share Unit award may be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the redemption date, in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash, as the Board shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate.

(iii)     Dividend Equivalents may be credited in respect of Shares covered by Phantom Share Units, as determined by the Board and set forth in the Phantom Share Unit Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such Dividend Equivalents may be paid in cash or converted into additional Shares covered by the Phantom Share Units in such manner as determined by the Board. Any cash payment or additional Shares covered by the Phantom Share Units credited by reason of such Dividend Equivalents will be subject to all the terms and conditions, including vesting, of the Phantom Share Units to which they relate.

7.4     Restricted Share Units. Each Restricted Share Unit shall be evidenced by a Restricted Share Unit Agreement which shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. A Restricted Share Unit is the right to receive the value of one (1) Ordinary Share at the time the Restricted Share Unit vests. Should Shares be issued pursuant to a Restricted Share Unit award in circumstances where they are not otherwise fully paid up, the Board may require the Participant to pay the aggregate Nominal Value of the Shares on the basis that such Shares underlying the Restricted Share Unit award shall then be allotted as fully paid to the Participant.

To the extent permitted by the Board in the terms of his or her Restricted Share Unit agreement, a Participant may elect to defer receipt of the value of the Shares otherwise deliverable upon the vesting of Restricted Share Units, so long as such deferral election complies with Applicable Law, including Section 409A of the Code. Such deferred Restricted Share Units will be treated as Deferred Share Units hereunder. When the Participant vests in such Restricted Share Units, the Participant will be credited with a number of Deferred Share Units equal to the number of Shares for which delivery is deferred.    

Restricted Share Units and Deferred Share Units may be paid by the Company by delivery of Shares, in cash, or a combination thereof, as the Board shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate, in accordance with the timing and manner of payment elected by the Participant on his or her election form, or if no deferral election is made, as soon as administratively practicable following the vesting of the Restricted Share Units.

The terms and conditions of Restricted Share Unit Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Share Unit Agreements need not be identical, but each Restricted Share Unit Agreement shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

 

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(i)     Vesting. Restricted Share Units shall be subject to a vesting schedule and vesting shall generally be based on the Participant’s Continuous Service and shall be subject to Section 5.4 of the Plan.

(ii) Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Restricted Share Unit Agreement, in the event a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, any of the Restricted Share Units held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination under the terms of the Restricted Share Unit agreement shall be forfeited.

(iii)     Transferability. Rights to acquire the value of Shares under the Restricted Share Unit Agreement shall be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Share Unit Agreement, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as any Ordinary Shares awarded under the Restricted Share Unit Agreement remain subject to the terms of the Restricted Share Unit Agreement.

(iv)     Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be credited in respect of Shares covered by Restricted Share Units, as determined by the Board and set forth in the Restricted Share Unit Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such Dividend Equivalents may be paid in cash or converted into additional Shares covered by the Restricted Share Units in such manner as determined by the Board. Any cash payment or additional Shares covered by the Restricted Share Units credited by reason of such Dividend Equivalents will be subject to all the terms and conditions, including vesting, of the Restricted Share Units to which they relate.

7.5     Performance Share Bonus Awards. Each Performance Share Bonus shall be evidenced by a Performance Share Bonus Agreement which shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. Performance Share Bonuses shall be paid by the Company in Ordinary Shares. Should Shares be issued pursuant to a Performance Share Bonus award in circumstances where they are not otherwise fully paid up, the Board may require the Participant to pay the aggregate Nominal Value of the Shares on the basis that such Shares underlying the Performance Share Bonus award shall then be allotted as fully paid to the Participant. The terms and conditions of Performance Share Bonus Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Performance Share Bonus Agreements need not be identical, but each Performance Share Bonus Agreement shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i)     Vesting. Performance Share Bonus awards shall be subject to a vesting schedule and vesting shall be based on the achievement of certain Performance Goals or on a combination of the achievement of certain Performance Goals and the Participant’s Continuous Service, as set forth in the Performance Share Bonus Agreement and subject to Section 5.4 of the Plan. Upon failure to meet Performance Goals or other vesting conditions, Shares awarded

 

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under the Performance Share Bonus Agreement shall be subject to a share reacquisition right in favor of the Company in accordance with the vesting schedule; provided, that any such Shares shall be reacquired without the payment of any consideration to the Participant.

(ii)     Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Performance Share Bonus Agreement, in the event a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company may reacquire (without the payment of any consideration) any of the Shares held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination under the terms of the Performance Share Bonus Agreement.

(iii)     Transferability. Rights to acquire Shares under the Performance Share Bonus Agreement shall be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Performance Share Bonus Agreement, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as Ordinary Shares awarded under the Performance Share Bonus Agreement remain subject to the terms of the Performance Share Bonus Agreement.

(iv)     Dividends. Any dividends payable with respect to the Ordinary Shares underlying a Performance Share Bonus award shall be subject to the same vesting conditions as such Shares; dividends, if any, that may become payable upon vesting of such Shares shall be distributed to the Participant, at the discretion of the Board, in cash or in Ordinary Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends; provided, that, if such Shares are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends (except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Performance Share Bonus Agreement, subject to Section 5.5 of the Plan).

7.6     Performance Share Units. Each Performance Share Unit shall be evidenced by a Performance Share Unit Agreement which shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. A Performance Share Unit is the right to receive the value of one (1) Ordinary Share at the time the Performance Share Unit vests. Should Shares be issued pursuant to a Performance Share Unit award in circumstances where they are not otherwise fully paid up, the Board may require the Participant to pay the aggregate Nominal Value of the Shares on the basis that such Shares underlying the Performance Share Unit award shall then be allotted as fully paid to the Participant.

To the extent permitted by the Board in the terms of his or her Performance Unit Share Agreement, a Participant may elect to defer receipt of the value of Shares otherwise deliverable upon the vesting of an award of Performance Share Units, so long as such deferral election complies with Applicable Law, including Section 409A of the Code. Such deferred Performance Share Units will be treated as Deferred Share Units hereunder. When the Participant vests in such Performance Share Units, the Participant will be credited with a number of Deferred Share Units equal to the number of Shares for which delivery is deferred. Performance Share Units and Deferred Share Units may be paid by the Company by delivery of Shares, in cash, or a combination thereof, as the Board shall in its sole discretion deem appropriate, in accordance with the timing and manner of payment elected by the Participant on his or her election form, or if no deferral election is made, as soon as administratively practicable following the vesting of the Performance Share Units.

 

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The terms and conditions of Performance Share Unit Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Performance Share Unit Agreements need not be identical, but each Performance Share Unit Agreement shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i)     Vesting. Performance Share Units shall be subject to a vesting schedule and vesting shall be based on the achievement of certain Performance Goals or on a combination of the achievement of certain Performance Goals and the Participant’s Continuous Service, as set forth in the Performance Share Unit Agreement and subject to Section 5.4 of the Plan.

(ii)     Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Performance Share Unit Agreement, in the event a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, any of the Performance Share Units held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination under the terms of the Performance Share Unit Agreement will be forfeited.

(iii)     Transferability. Rights to acquire the value of Shares under the Performance Share Unit Agreement shall be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Performance Share Unit Agreement, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as Ordinary Shares awarded under the Performance Share Unit Agreement remain subject to the terms of the Performance Share Unit Agreement.

(iv)     Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be credited in respect of Shares covered by Performance Share Units, as determined by the Board and set forth in the Performance Share Unit Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such Dividend Equivalents may be paid in cash or converted into additional Shares covered by the Performance Share Units in such manner as determined by the Board. Any cash payment or additional Shares covered by the Performance Share Units credited by reason of such Dividend Equivalents will be subject to all the terms and conditions, including vesting, of the Performance Share Units to which they relate.

7.7     Other Share-Based Awards. The Board is authorized under the Plan to grant Other Share-Based Awards to Participants subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable Share Award Agreement and such other terms and conditions as may be specified by the Board that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, and that by their terms involve or might involve the issuance of, consist of, or are denominated in, payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise relate to, Shares. The Board may establish one or more separate programs under the Plan for the purpose of issuing particular forms of Other Share-Based Awards to one or more classes of Participants on such terms and conditions as determined by the Board from time to time.

VIII.     PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS

8.1     General. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if the Committee grants a Share Award that is subject to a Performance Goal to a Participant who is an Executive Officer, such Performance-Based Award will be subject to the terms of this Article VIII, unless

 

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otherwise expressly determined by the Committee with respect to any provision in this Article VIII other than Section 8.4. Under this Article VIII, the Committee will establish Performance Goals and the level of achievement versus such Performance Goals that shall determine the number of Shares to be granted, retained, vested, issued or issuable under or in settlement of or the amount payable pursuant to a Share Award (including a Restricted Share Bonus, Restricted Share Unit, Performance Share Bonus or Performance Share Unit), which criteria may be based on Performance Criteria or other standards of financial performance and/or personal performance evaluations. Such Performance Goals shall be established by the Committee no later than the earlier of (i) the date that is ninety (90) days after the commencement of the applicable Performance Period or (ii) the date on which twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period has elapsed, and, in any event, at a time when the outcome of the Performance Goals remains substantially uncertain. The Committee shall certify the extent to which the Performance Goals have been satisfied and the amount payable as a result thereof, prior to payment, settlement or vesting of any Share Award.

8.2     Adjustments. The Committee may determine to adjust Performance Criteria or such other standards of financial and/or personal performance criteria as determined in writing, including, without limitation, the following adjustments:

(i)     to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges;

(ii)     to exclude share-based compensation costs;

(iii)     to exclude exchange rate effects, as applicable, for non-U.S. dollar denominated net sales and operating earnings;

(iv)     to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles required by the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board, as well as changes in accounting standards promulgated by other accounting standards setters to the extent applicable (for example, resulting from future potential voluntary or mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards);

(v)     to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates;

(vi)     to exclude the effects of any “unusual or nonrecurring items” as determined under generally accepted accounting principles;

(vii)     to exclude any other unusual, non-recurring gain or loss or other extraordinary item;

(viii)     to respond to any unusual or extraordinary transaction, event or development;

(ix)     to respond to changes in Applicable Law, regulations, and/or accounting principles;

 

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(x)     to exclude the dilutive or accretive effects of dispositions, acquisitions or joint ventures;

(xi)     to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares by reason of any share dividend or split, share repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to shareholders other than regular cash dividends;

(xii)         to reflect the effect of a corporate transaction, such as a merger, consolidation, separation (including a spinoff or other distribution of stock or property by a corporation), or reorganization (whether or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such terms of Section 368 of the Code); and

(xiii)     to reflect the effect of any partial or completed corporate liquidation.

8.3     Discretionary Adjustments and Limits. For Share Awards that are granted under this Article VIII, notwithstanding the satisfaction of any Performance Goals, the number of Shares granted, issued, retainable and/or vested under a Performance Share Bonus award or Performance Share Unit may, to the extent specified in the Share Award Agreement, be reduced, but not increased, by the Committee on the basis of such further considerations as the Committee shall determine.

8.4     Annual Limitation. The following limits shall apply to the grant of any Share Award under the Plan.

(i)     Full-Value Share Awards. Subject to the provisions of Article XII of the Plan relating to adjustments upon changes in Ordinary Shares, no Employee shall be eligible to be granted Full-Value Share Awards covering more than 5,000,000 Shares during any fiscal year of the Company.

(ii)     Options and SARs. Subject to the provisions of Article XII of the Plan relating to adjustments upon changes in Ordinary Shares, no Employee shall be eligible to be granted Options and/or SARs covering more than 4,000,000 Shares during any fiscal year of the Company.

IX.     USE OF PROCEEDS FROM SHARES.

Proceeds from the sale of Ordinary Shares pursuant to Share Awards shall constitute general funds of the Company.

X.     CANCELLATION AND RE-GRANT OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

10.1    Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have the authority to effect, at any time and from time to time, (i) the repricing of any outstanding Options and SARs under the Plan and/or (ii) with the consent of the affected Participants, the cancellation of any outstanding Options and SARs under the Plan in exchange for a cash payment and/or the grant in

 

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substitution therefor of new Options and SARs under the Plan covering the same or different number of Shares, but having an exercise or redemption price per Share not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value (or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder, not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value) per Share on the new date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, without shareholder approval the Board may exercise its powers under Article XII of the Plan and may, subject to Applicable Law, grant a Share Award with an exercise or redemption price lower than that set forth above if such Share Award is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another award in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and/or Section 424(a) of the Code, as applicable.    

10.2    Prior to the implementation of any such repricing or cancellation of one or more outstanding Options or SARs, the Board shall obtain the approval of the shareholders of the Company.

XI.     MISCELLANEOUS.

11.1     Shareholder Rights. No Participant shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any Shares subject to a Share Award except to the extent that the Company has issued the Shares relating to such Share Award.

11.2     No Employment or other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Share Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Share Award was granted or shall affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause to the extent permitted under local law, (ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to the constitution of the Company, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state or other jurisdiction in which the Company is domiciled, as the case may be.

11.3     Investment Assurances. The Company may require a Participant, as a condition of exercising or redeeming a Share Award or acquiring Shares under any Share Award, (i) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant’s knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters and that he or she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of acquiring the Shares; (ii) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that the Participant is acquiring the Shares subject to the Share Award for the Participant’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the Shares; and (iii) to give such other written assurances as the Company may determine are reasonable in order to comply with Applicable Law. The foregoing requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (1) the issuance of the Shares under the Share Award has been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act or (2) as to any particular requirement, a

 

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determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws, and in either case otherwise complies with Applicable Law. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on Share certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with Applicable Law, including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Shares.

11.4     Withholding Obligations. The Company or any Affiliate shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. taxes (including the Participant’s FICA, employment tax or other social security contribution obligation including non-US tax and contributions) required or permitted by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of the Plan or any Share Award. To the extent provided by the terms of a Share Award Agreement, the Participant may satisfy any federal, state, local, or non-US tax withholding obligation or employer tax liability assumed by the Participant in connection with a Share Award or the acquisition, vesting, distribution or transfer of Ordinary Shares under a Share Award by any of the following means (in addition to the Company’s right to withhold from any compensation paid to the Participant by the Company or an Affiliate) or by a combination of such means: (i) tendering a cash payment; (ii) subject to approval from the Board, authorizing the Company to withhold Shares from the Shares otherwise issuable to the Participant; or (iii) subject to approval from the Board, delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered Shares. The Participant may also satisfy such tax withholding obligation or employer tax liability assumed by the Participant by any other means set forth in the applicable Share Award Agreement.

11.5     Forfeiture and Recoupment Provisions. Pursuant to its general authority to determine terms and conditions of Share Awards under the Plan, the Board may specify in a Share Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and/or benefits with respect to the Share Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of such Share Award. Such events shall include, but shall not be limited to, termination of employment for cause, violation of any applicable Company policy or code of conduct (including without limitation, engaging in “Fraud” or “Misconduct” within the meaning of the Company’s Compensation Recovery for Fraud or Misconduct Policy), breach of any agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate, or any other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business interests or reputation of the Company or any Affiliate. Furthermore, all Share Awards (including Share Awards that have vested in accordance with the Share Award Agreement) shall be subject to any recoupment requirement imposed under Applicable Law, rules, regulations or stock exchange listing standards, including, without limitation, recoupment requirements imposed pursuant to Section 954 of the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or any regulations promulgated thereunder, or recoupment requirements under the laws of any other jurisdiction, as well as to the terms and conditions of any recoupment policy adopted by the Company from time to time to implement such requirements or to facilitate corporate governance, or for such other purpose as may be set forth in a Share Award Agreement.

 

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11.6     Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Share Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Shares and the payment of money under the Plan or under Share Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver Shares prior to obtaining any approvals from listing, regulatory or governmental authority that the Company determines are necessary or advisable. The Company shall be under no obligation to register pursuant to the Securities Act, as amended, any of the Shares paid pursuant to the Plan. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Share Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

11.7     Section 409A. Except as provided in Section 11.8 hereof, to the extent that the Board determines that any Share Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Share Award Agreement evidencing such Share Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and Share Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the date the Plan became effective. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the date a Share Award is granted the Board determines that the Share Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the date the Plan became effective), the Board may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Share Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, including amendments or actions that would result in a reduction to the benefits payable under a Share Award, in each case, without the consent of the Participant, that the Board determines are necessary or appropriate to (i) exempt the Share Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Share Award, or (ii) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under such Section 409A or mitigate any additional tax, interest and/or penalties or other adverse tax consequences that may apply under Section 409A of the Code if compliance is not practical. Further, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, no payment that constitutes deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code that would otherwise be made under the Plan or a Share Award Agreement upon a Participant’s termination of employment will be made or provided unless and until such termination is also a “separation from service,” as determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything elsewhere in the Plan or Share Award Agreement to the contrary, if a Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code at the time of such a separation from service with respect to a Share Award, then solely to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of any additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, the commencement of any payments or benefits under the Share Award shall be delayed to the extent required by Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i).

 

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11.8     No Representations or Covenants with respect to Tax Qualification. Although the Company may endeavor to (i) qualify a Share Award for favorable or specific tax treatment under the laws of the United States or jurisdictions outside of the United States or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment (e.g., under Section 409A of the Code), the Company makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, including Section 11.7 hereof. The Company shall be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to the potential negative tax impact on holders of Share Awards under the Plan. Nothing in this Plan or in a Share Award Agreement shall provide a basis for any person to take any action against the Company or any Affiliate based on matters covered by Section 409A of the Code, including the tax treatment of any Share Awards, and neither the Company nor any Affiliate will have any liability under any circumstances to the Participant or any other party if a Share Award that is intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A of the Code, is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Board with respect thereto.

XII.     ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN SHARES.

12.1     Capitalization Adjustments. If any change is made in the Ordinary Shares subject to the Plan, or subject to any Share Award, without the receipt of consideration by the Company (through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, share dividend, spinoff, dividend in property other than cash, share split, liquidating dividend, extraordinary dividends or distributions, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or other transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the Company), the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted in the class(es), kind and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan and the maximum number of securities that may be made subject to Full-Value Share Awards pursuant to Section 4.1(ii) or that may be made subject to award to any person pursuant to Section 8.4 above, and the outstanding Share Awards shall be appropriately adjusted in the class(es), kind and number of securities and price per share of the securities subject to such outstanding Share Awards. The Board’s determination regarding such adjustments shall be final, binding and conclusive. (The conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as a transaction “without receipt of consideration” by the Company.)

An adjustment under this provision may have the effect of reducing the price at which Ordinary Shares may be acquired to less than their Nominal Value (the “Shortfall”), but only if and to the extent that the Board shall be authorized to capitalize from the reserves of the Company a sum equal to the Shortfall and to apply that sum in paying up that amount on the Ordinary Shares.

12.2     Adjustments Upon a Change of Control.

(i)     In the event of a Change of Control as defined in Sections 2.5(i) through 2.5(iv) hereof, then any surviving entity or acquiring entity shall assume or continue any Share

 

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Awards outstanding under the Plan or shall substitute similar share awards (including an award to acquire substantially the same consideration paid to the shareholders in the transaction by which the Change of Control occurs) for those outstanding under the Plan. In the event any surviving entity or acquiring entity refuses to assume or continue such Share Awards or to substitute similar share awards for those outstanding under the Plan, then with respect to any or all outstanding Share Awards held by Participants, the Board in its sole discretion and without liability to any person may (a) provide for the payment of a cash amount in exchange for the cancellation of a Share Award which, in the case of Options and SARs, may be equal to the product of (x) the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value per Share at such time over the exercise or redemption price, if any, times (y) the total number of Shares then subject to such Share Award (and otherwise, the Board may cancel such Share Awards for no consideration if the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Share Awards is less than or equal to the aggregate exercise or redemption price of such Share Awards), (b) continue the Share Awards, or (c) notify Participants holding an Option, Share Appreciation Right or Phantom Share Unit that they must exercise or redeem any portion of such Share Award (including, at the discretion of the Board, any unvested portion of such Share Award) at or prior to the closing of the transaction by which the Change of Control occurs, and that the Share Awards shall terminate if not so exercised or redeemed at or prior to the closing of the transaction by which the Change of Control occurs. With respect to any other Share Awards outstanding under the Plan, such Share Awards shall terminate if not exercised or redeemed prior to the closing of the transaction by which the Change of Control occurs. The Board shall not be obligated to treat all Share Awards, even those that are of the same type, in the same manner.

(ii)     In the event of a Change of Control as defined in Section 2.5(v) hereof, all outstanding Share Awards shall terminate immediately prior to such event.

XIII.     AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND SHARE AWARDS.

13.1     Amendment of Plan. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan. However, except as provided in Article XII of the Plan relating to adjustments upon changes in the Ordinary Shares, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the shareholders of the Company to the extent shareholder approval is necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code, any New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ Global Select Market or other securities exchange listing requirements, or other Applicable Law or regulation; provided, that unless otherwise required or advisable under Applicable Law (as determined by the Board), rights under any Share Award granted before an amendment to the Plan shall not be materially impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (ii) the Participant consents in writing.

13.2     Shareholder Approval. The Board may, in its sole discretion, submit any other amendment to the Plan for shareholder approval.

13.3     Contemplated Amendments. It is expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide eligible Employees with the maximum benefits provided or to be provided under the provisions of the Code relating to Incentive Stock Options and/or to bring the Plan and/or Incentive Stock Options granted under it into compliance therewith.

 

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13.4     Amendment of Share Awards. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of any one or more Share Awards; provided, that, unless otherwise required or advisable under Applicable Law (as determined by the Board), the rights under any Share Award shall not be materially impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (ii) the Participant consents in writing.

XIV.     TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.

14.1     Termination or Suspension. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Share Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.

14.2     No Material Impairment of Rights. Unless otherwise required or advisable under Applicable Law (as determined by the Board), suspension or termination of the Plan shall not materially impair rights and obligations under any Share Award granted while the Plan is in effect except with the written consent of the Participant.

XV.     EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE OF PLAN.

15.1     Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective on the date that it is first approved by the shareholders of the Company (the “Effective Date”). As of and subject to the Effective Date, no new awards may be granted under the Predecessor Plan and any Shares remaining available for issuance under the Predecessor Plan shall be retired and shall not become available for issuance under the Plan. Awards granted under the Predecessor Plan shall continue to be governed by the terms of the Predecessor Plan in effect on the date of grant of such award. Except as set forth in this Section 15.1, the approval or disapproval of the Plan by the shareholders of the Company shall have no effect on any other equity compensation plan, program or arrangement sponsored by the Company or any of its Affiliates.

15.2     Expiration Date. The Plan shall expire, and no Share Awards shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, except that no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted under the Plan after the earlier of the tenth (10th) anniversary of (i) adoption of the Plan by the Board or (ii) the Effective Date. Any Share Awards that are outstanding on the Plan’s expiration date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Share Award Agreement.

 

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XVI.     CHOICE OF LAW.

The law of the State of California shall govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to such state’s conflict of laws rules. If any provision of the Plan or the application of any provision hereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the Plan and the application of such provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected, and the provisions so held to be unenforceable shall be reformed to the extent (and only to the extent) necessary to make it enforceable and valid.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT

(OUTSIDE DIRECTORS)

1.     Grant of Restricted Share Units. Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby grants to you (the Participant named in Section 2 below) the number of Restricted Share Units set forth in Section 2 below subject to the terms and conditions of the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time and including any exhibits thereto (the “Plan”) and this Restricted Share Unit Agreement, including any exhibits hereto (the “Agreement”) (collectively, the “Award”). In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall govern. Unless otherwise defined in this Agreement, any capitalized term used in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Plan.

2.     Award Terms. Subject to further detail included in this Agreement, the key terms related to the Award are as follows:

 

Participant:                                   
Global ID Number:                                   
Date of Grant:                                   
Grant Number:                                   
Number of Restricted Share Units:                                   

Vesting Schedule. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, including but not limited to Section 3 hereof, and your Continuous Service on the Board, the Award shall vest in full on the earlier of: (i) the first anniversary of the Date of Grant and (ii) the next annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders following the Date of Grant (provided such next annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders is at least fifty (50) weeks after the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting).

3.     Vesting and Settlement.

(a) Subject to Sections 3(b), 3(c) and 3(d) below, the Restricted Share Units will vest as provided in Section 2 above.

(b) In the event of your termination of Continuous Service on account of your death or Disability, the Restricted Share Units shall vest in full as of the date of such termination.

(c) In the event of a Change of Control, the Restricted Share Units shall vest immediately prior to the consummation of the Change of Control, so long as your termination of Continuous Service has not previously occurred.

(d) In the event of your termination of Continuous Service for any other reason, you shall forfeit any and all Restricted Share Units that have not vested as of the date of such termination.

 

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(e) Upon the vesting of any Restricted Share Units, as promptly as is reasonably practicable (but in any event no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year of vesting), Shares (which shall be fully paid up at the Date of Grant) shall be issued to you, and the Company shall deliver to you appropriate documentation evidencing the number of Shares issued in settlement of such vested Restricted Share Units. However, the settlement of the Restricted Share Units shall be conditioned upon your making adequate provision for Tax-Related Items, as discussed in Section 7 below.

4.     Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from such registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the Shares, the Company shall not be required to deliver any Shares issuable upon vesting of the Restricted Share Units prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the Shares under any local, state, federal or foreign law or under rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or of any other governmental regulatory body, or prior to the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any local, state, federal or foreign governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable.

5.     Shareholder Rights. You shall not be, nor have any of the rights or privileges of, a shareholder of the Company in respect of the Shares subject to the Restricted Share Units unless and until such Shares have been issued by the Company to you. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Article 12 of the Plan.    

6.     Transferability. The Restricted Share Units may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by you other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.    

7.     Responsibility for Taxes.

(a)     Regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payment on account or other tax-related items related to your participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), you acknowledge that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, withheld by the Company. You further acknowledge that the Company (i) makes no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Award, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Restricted Share Units, the issuance of Shares, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such issuance and the receipt of any dividends; and (ii) does not commit to and is under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Award to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if you are subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction (or have become subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable), you acknowledge that the Company may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

 

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(b)     Your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes your instruction and authorization to the Company to withhold Shares otherwise deliverable upon vesting of the Award having a Fair Market Value on the date of vesting equal to the amount sufficient to satisfy the Tax-Related Items. Shares will be delivered as soon as administratively practicable following the vesting date and the calculation of applicable withholding taxes. You will be deemed to have been issued the full number of Shares subject to the Award, notwithstanding that a number of the Shares are held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items due as a result of your participation in the Plan.

(c)     The Company or the Affiliate may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering statutory or other withholding rates, including minimum or maximum rates applicable in your jurisdiction(s). In the event of over-withholding, you may receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash (with no entitlement to the equivalent in Shares), or if not refunded, you may seek a refund from the local tax authorities. In the event of under-withholding, you may be required to pay any additional Tax-Related Items directly to the applicable tax authority or to the Company and/or the Affiliate.

(d)     Finally, you agree to pay the Company any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company may be required to withhold as a result of your participation in the Plan or the vesting and settlement of the Restricted Share Units that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares or the proceeds of the sale of Shares unless and until you have complied with your obligations related to the Tax-Related Items described in this Section 7.

8.     Nature of the Award. In accepting the Award, you acknowledge, understand and agree that:

(a)     the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time;

(b)     the Award is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future awards of Restricted Share Units, or benefits in lieu of Restricted Share Units, even if Restricted Share Units have been awarded repeatedly in the past;

(c)     all decisions with respect to future Restricted Share Unit awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)     you are voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(e)     your participation in the Plan shall not create any right to continue to serve the Company in the capacity in effect at the Date of Grant and will not affect the right of the Company to terminate your service as a Director pursuant to the Constitution of the Company and any applicable provisions of the laws of the Republic of Ireland;

(f)     because you are not an employee of the Company, the Award will not be interpreted to form or amend an employment or service contract or relationship with the Company or any Affiliate;

(g)     the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty; and

 

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(h)     no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Award resulting from termination of your Continuous Service and in consideration of the Award to which you are otherwise not entitled, you irrevocably agree never to institute any claim against the Company, waive your ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and release the Company from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, you shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agree to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claims.

(i)     The Company shall not be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between your local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of this Award or of any amounts due to you pursuant to the issuance of Shares upon settlement of this Award or the subsequent sale of such Shares.

9.     No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the Plan, or your acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.

10. Data Privacy.

(a)     You are hereby notified of the collection, use and transfer outside of the European Economic Area, in electronic or other form, of your Data (defined below) by and among, as applicable, the Company and certain of its Affiliates for the exclusive and legitimate purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the Plan.

(b)     You understand that the Company and its Affiliates hold certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, email address, date of birth, social insurance, passport or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor (“Data”), for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.

(c)     You understand that providing the Company with this Data is necessary for the performance of this Agreement and that your refusal to provide the Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect your ability to participate in the Plan. Your Data shall be accessible within the Company only by the persons specifically charged with Data processing operations and by the persons that need to access the Data because of their duties and position in relation to the performance of this Agreement.    

(d)     The Company will use your Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the Plan or as required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws. When the Company no longer needs your Data, it will remove it from its systems. If the Company keeps Data longer, it would be to satisfy legal or regulatory obligations and the Company’s legal basis would be relevant laws or regulations. You have a number of rights under data privacy

 

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laws in your country. Depending on where you are based, your rights may include the right to (i) request access or copies of Data the Company processes, (ii) rectification of incorrect Data, (iii) deletion of Data, (iv) restrictions on processing, (v) portability of Data, (vi) to lodge complaints with competent authorities in your country, and/or (vii) a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of your Data. To receive clarification regarding your rights or to exercise your rights please contact the Company at Attn: Data Protection Officer, data.protection.officer@seagate.com.

(e)     Further, you understand that the Company will transfer Data to E*TRADE Corporate Financial Services, Inc. and E*TRADE Securities LLC (collectively, “E*TRADE”), and/or such other third parties as may be selected by the Company, which are assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. The Company may select a different service provider or additional service providers and share Data with such other provider(s) serving in a similar manner. You may be asked to agree on separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider, with such agreement being a condition of the ability to participate in the Plan.

(f)     E*TRADE is based in the United States. Your country or jurisdiction may have different data privacy laws and protections than the United States. If you are outside of the United States, you should note that your country has enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States. By participating in the Plan, you agree to the transfer of your Data to E*TRADE for the exclusive purpose of administering your participation in the Plan. The Company’s legal basis, where required, for the transfer of Data to E*TRADE is your consent.

(g)     Finally, you may choose to opt out of allowing the Company to share your Data with E*TRADE and others as described above, although execution of such choice may mean the Company cannot grant awards under the Plan to you. For questions about this choice or to make this choice, you should contact Equity Administration at stockadmin@seagate.com

11. Electronic Delivery and Participation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means or request that you consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. You hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or any third party designated by the Company.    

12. Notices. Any notices provided for in your Award or the Plan shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. Any such notices from the Company to you may also be delivered to you at the last email address you provided to the Company.

13. Choice of Law and Venue. The Award is governed by, and subject to, the laws of the State of California, without regard to such state’s conflicts of law rules, as provided in the Plan. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties evidenced by this Award, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of California and agree that such litigation shall be conducted only in the courts of Alameda County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Award is made and/or to be performed.

 

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14. Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Award and the Shares acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of the Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

15. Amendments. The Committee at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of the Award; provided, however, that the rights under any Award shall not be materially impaired by any such amendment unless (a) the Company requests your consent and (b) you consent in writing.

16. Language. You acknowledge that you are proficient in the English language, or have consulted with an advisor who is sufficiently proficient in English, so as to allow you to understand the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If you have received this Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.

17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable.    

18. Acknowledgements. By indicating acceptance of the Award through the Company’s online acceptance procedure, you acknowledge that: (a) you have received, and understand and agree to the terms of, this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), (b) you accept the Award on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), and (c) this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document) set forth the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding the rights to acquire the Shares subject to this Award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements with respect thereto.    

 

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Exhibit 10.3

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT

1.     Grant of Restricted Share Units. Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby grants to you (the Participant named in Section 2 below) the number of Restricted Share Units set forth in Section 2 below subject to the terms and conditions of the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time and including any exhibits thereto (the “Plan”) and this Restricted Share Unit Agreement, including any exhibits hereto (the “Agreement”) (collectively, the “Award”). In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall govern. Unless otherwise defined in this Agreement, any capitalized term used in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Plan.

2.     Award Terms. Subject to further detail included in this Agreement, the key terms related to the Award are as follows:

(a) Participant:

(b) Global ID Number:

(c) Date of Grant:

(d) Grant Number:

(e) Vesting Commencement Date:

(f) Number of Restricted Share Units:

(g) Vesting Schedule: [Subject to your Continuous Service with the Company or one of its Affiliates, 100% of the Restricted Share Units shall vest on the first anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to the vesting conditions described in Section 3 below.]1 [Subject to your Continuous Service with the Company or one of its Affiliates, 25% of the Restricted Share Units shall vest each year on the first four anniversaries of the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to the vesting conditions described in Section 3 below. If, on any vesting date, this Vesting Schedule would result in the vesting of a fraction of a Share, such fraction shall be rounded down to the nearest whole Share.]2

3.     Vesting and Settlement.

(a)     Subject to Sections 3(b), 3(c) and 3(d) below, the Restricted Share Units will vest as provided in Section 2 above.

 

1 

To be used for 1-year vesting

2 

To be used for 4-year vesting

 

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October 2021


(b)     [In the event of your termination of Continuous Service on account of your death, 100% of the Restricted Share Units shall immediately vest .]3 [In the event of your termination of Continuous Service on account of your death, you shall be deemed to have completed an additional year of service as of the date of such termination.]4

(c)     Subject to the terms of the Seagate Technology Executive Severance and Change in Control Plan, as amended from time to time, or other similar plan (the “Severance Plan”), in the event of your termination of Continuous Service for any reason, you shall forfeit any and all Restricted Share Units that have not vested as of the date of such termination, as further described in Section 8(n) below.

(d)     The Committee may, in its sole discretion, suspend vesting of the Restricted Share Units if you are on a leave of absence.

(e)     Upon the vesting of any Restricted Share Units, as promptly as is reasonably practicable (but in any event no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year of vesting), Shares (which shall be fully paid up) shall be issued to you, and the Company shall deliver to you appropriate documentation evidencing the number of Shares issued in settlement of such vested Restricted Share Units. However, the settlement of the Restricted Share Units shall be conditioned upon your making adequate provision for Tax-Related Items, as discussed in Section 7 below.

4.     Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from such registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the Shares, the Company shall not be required to deliver any Shares issuable upon vesting of the Restricted Share Units prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the Shares under any local, state, federal or foreign law or under rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or of any other governmental regulatory body, or prior to the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any local, state, federal or foreign governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable.

5.     Shareholder Rights. You shall not be, nor have any of the rights or privileges of, a shareholder of the Company in respect of the Shares subject to the Restricted Share Units unless and until such Shares have been issued by the Company to you. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Article 12 of the Plan.

6.     Transferability. The Restricted Share Units may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by you other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.    

7.     Responsibility for Taxes.

(a) Regardless of any action the Company, any of its Affiliates or the Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) take with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll

 

3 

To be used for 1-year vesting

4 

To be used for 4-year vesting

 

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October 2021


tax, fringe benefit tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to your participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), you acknowledge that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, actually withheld by the Company or the Affiliate. You further acknowledge that the Company and/or the Affiliate (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Award, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Restricted Share Units, the issuance of Shares, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such issuance and the receipt of any dividends; and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Award to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if you are subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Affiliate may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

(b) Subject to Sections 7(c) and (d) below, your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes your instruction and authorization to your brokerage firm (or, in the absence of a designated brokerage firm, any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose) to sell on your behalf the number of whole Shares from those Shares issuable to you upon settlement of the Restricted Share Units as the Company determines to be appropriate to generate cash proceeds sufficient to satisfy any applicable withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items. Such Shares will be sold on the day the Tax-Related Items are determined or as soon thereafter as practicable. You will be responsible for all brokers’ fees and other costs of sale, which fees and costs may be deducted from the proceeds of the foregoing sale of Shares, and you agree to indemnify and hold the Company and any brokerage firm selling such Shares harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale. To the extent the proceeds of such sale exceed your Tax-Related Items, such excess cash will be deposited into the securities account established with the brokerage firm for the settlement of your Restricted Share Units. You acknowledge that the broker or its designee is under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price, and that the proceeds of any such sale may not be sufficient to satisfy your Tax-Related Items.

(c) At any time before any taxable or tax withholding event, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, determine that the Company or the Affiliate will satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to the Tax-Related Items by withholding Shares to be issued upon vesting of the Restricted Share Units. To the extent the Committee makes such a determination, you hereby authorize the Company to withhold Shares otherwise issuable upon vesting of the Restricted Share Units having a Fair Market Value on the date of vesting equal to the amount sufficient to satisfy the Tax-Related Items.

(d) In the event that, in the reasonable determination of the Company and/or its Affiliate, such tax withholding by the sale or withholding of Shares as described in Sections 7(b) and (c) above is problematic under applicable tax or securities law or has materially adverse accounting consequences, you authorize the Company and/or the Affiliate to satisfy any applicable withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items by withholding from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Company and/or the Affiliate, within legal limits, or by requiring you to tender a cash payment to the Company or the Affiliate in the amount of the Tax-Related Items.

(e) The Company or the Affiliate may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering statutory or other withholding rates, including minimum or maximum rates applicable in your jurisdiction(s). In the event of over-withholding, you may receive a refund of

 

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any over-withheld amount in cash (with no entitlement to the equivalent in Shares), or if not refunded, you may seek a refund from the local tax authorities. In the event of under-withholding, you may be required to pay any additional Tax-Related Items directly to the applicable tax authority or to the Company and/or the Affiliate. If the obligation for the Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding in Shares as described in Section 7(c) above, for tax purposes, you will be deemed to have been issued the full number of Shares subject to the Restricted Share Units, notwithstanding that a number of the Shares are held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items due as a result of your participation in the Plan.

(f) Finally, you agree to pay the Company or the Affiliate any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Affiliate may be required to withhold as a result of your participation in the Plan or the vesting and settlement of the Restricted Share Units that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company or the Affiliate may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares or the proceeds of the sale of Shares unless and until you have complied with your obligations related to the Tax-Related Items described in this Section 7.

8.     Nature of the Award. In accepting the Award, you acknowledge, understand and agree that:

(a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time;

(b) the Award is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future awards of Restricted Share Units, or benefits in lieu of Restricted Share Units, even if Restricted Share Units have been awarded repeatedly in the past;

(c) all decisions with respect to future Restricted Share Unit awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d) you are voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(e) your participation in the Plan will not create a right to employment and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate your Continuous Service at any time;

(f) the Award and any Shares subject to the Award, and the income and value of the same, are extraordinary items that do not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company or any Affiliate, and which is outside the scope of your employment or service contract, or consulting arrangement, if any;

(g) the Award and any Shares subject to the Award, and the income and value of the same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;

(h) the Award and any Shares subject to the Award are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, holiday pay, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company or any Affiliate;

(i) the Award will not be interpreted to form or amend an employment or service contract or relationship with the Company or any Affiliate;

 

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(j) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty;

(k) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Award resulting from termination of your Continuous Service (regardless of the reason for the termination and whether or not the termination is in breach of any employment law in the country where you reside, even if such law is otherwise applicable to your employment benefits, and whether or not such termination is later found to be invalid);

(l) neither the Company nor any Affiliate shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between your local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of this Award or of any amounts due to you pursuant to the issuance of Shares upon settlement of this Award or the subsequent sale of such Shares;

(m) unless otherwise agreed with the Company, the Award and the Shares subject to the Award, and the income and value of the same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service you may provide as a director of an Affiliate of the Company; and

(n) for purposes of the Award, your Continuous Service will be considered terminated as of the date you are no longer actively employed by and/or providing services to the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable; your right, if any, to vest in the Restricted Share Units under the Plan after termination of Continuous Service (regardless of whether the termination is in breach of any employment law in the country where you reside, even if such law is otherwise applicable to your employment benefits, and whether or not such termination is later found to be invalid) will be measured by the date you cease to be actively employed and/or actively providing services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under any employment law in the country where you reside, even if such law is otherwise applicable to your employment benefits (e.g., active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period); the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine when you are no longer actively employed for purposes of the Award (including whether you may still be considered actively employed while on a leave of absence).

9.     No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company and its Affiliates are not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the Plan, or your acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. You should consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.

10. Data Privacy.

(a) You are hereby notified of the collection, use and transfer outside of the European Economic Area, in electronic or other form, of your Data (defined below) by and among, as applicable, the Company and certain of its Affiliates for the exclusive and legitimate purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the Plan.

(b) You understand that the Company and its Affiliates hold certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, email address, date of birth, social insurance, passport or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor (“Data”), for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.

 

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(c) You understand that providing the Company with this Data is necessary for the performance of this Agreement and that your refusal to provide the Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect your ability to participate in the Plan. Your Data shall be accessible within the Company only by the persons specifically charged with Data processing operations and by the persons that need to access the Data because of their duties and position in relation to the performance of this Agreement.

(d) The Company will use your Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the Plan or as required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws. When the Company no longer needs your Data, it will remove it from its systems. If the Company keeps Data longer, it would be to satisfy legal or regulatory obligations and the Company’s legal basis would be relevant laws or regulations. You have a number of rights under data privacy laws in your country. Depending on where you are based, your rights may include the right to (i) request access or copies of Data the Company processes, (ii) rectification of incorrect Data, (iii) deletion of Data, (iv) restrictions on processing, (v) portability of Data, (vi) to lodge complaints with competent authorities in your country, and/or (vii) a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of your Data. To receive clarification regarding your rights or to exercise your rights please contact the Company at Attn: Data Protection Officer, data.protection.officer@seagate.com.

(e) Further, you understand that the Company will transfer Data to E*TRADE Corporate Financial Services, Inc. and E*TRADE Securities LLC (collectively, “E*TRADE”), and/or such other third parties as may be selected by the Company, which are assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. The Company may select a different service provider or additional service providers and share Data with such other provider(s) serving in a similar manner. You may be asked to agree on separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider, with such agreement being a condition of the ability to participate in the Plan.

(f) E*TRADE is based in the United States. Your country or jurisdiction may have different data privacy laws and protections than the United States. If you are outside of the United States, you should note that your country has enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States. By participating in the Plan, you agree to the transfer of your Data to E*TRADE for the exclusive purpose of administering your participation in the Plan. The Company’s legal basis, where required, for the transfer of Data to E*TRADE is your consent.

(g) Finally, you may choose to opt out of allowing the Company to share your Data with E*TRADE and others as described above, although execution of such choice may mean the Company cannot grant awards under the Plan to you. For questions about this choice or to make this choice, you should contact Equity Administration at stockadmin@seagate.com.

11. Electronic Delivery and Participation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means or request that you consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. You hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or any third party designated by the Company.    

 

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12. Notices. Any notices provided for in your Award or the Plan shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. Any such notices from the Company to you may also be delivered to you through the Company’s electronic mail system (during your Continuous Service) or at the last email address you provided to the Company (after termination of your Continuous Service).

13. Choice of Law and Venue. The Award is governed by, and subject to, the laws of the State of California, without regard to such state’s conflicts of law rules, as provided in the Plan. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties evidenced by this Award, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of California and agree that such litigation shall be conducted only in the courts of Alameda County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Award is made and/or to be performed.

14. Country-Specific Provisions. The Award shall be subject to any special provisions set forth in Exhibit A for your country, if any. If you relocate to one of the countries included in Exhibit A during the life of the Award or while holding Shares acquired upon vesting of the Restricted Share Units, the special provisions for such country shall apply to you, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such provisions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of the Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan. Exhibit A constitutes part of this Agreement.

15. Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Award and the Shares acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of the Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

16. Insider Trading Restrictions/Market Abuse Laws. You acknowledge that, depending on you or your broker’s country of residence or where the Shares are listed, you may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws, which may affect your ability to accept, acquire, sell or otherwise dispose of Shares or rights to Shares (e.g., Restricted Share Units) or rights linked to the value of the Shares under the Plan during such times as you are considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws or regulations in the applicable jurisdictions or your country). Local insider trading laws and regulations may prohibit the cancellation or amendment of orders you placed before you possessed inside information. Furthermore, you could be prohibited from (i) disclosing the inside information to any third party (other than on a “need to know” basis) and (ii) “tipping” third parties or causing them otherwise to buy or sell securities. Third parties include fellow employees. Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable Company securities trading policy. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with any applicable restrictions and are instructed to speak with your personal legal advisor on this matter.

17. Foreign Asset/Account Reporting; Exchange Controls and Tax Reporting. Without limitation to any specific information stated in Exhibit A, you acknowledge that your country may have certain foreign asset and/or account reporting requirements, exchange controls, tax reporting or other requirements which may affect your ability to purchase or hold Shares subject

 

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to the Plan or cash received from participating in the Plan (including from any dividends received or sale proceeds arising from the sale of Shares) in a brokerage or bank account outside your country. You may be required to report such accounts, assets or transactions to the tax or other authorities in your country. You also may be required to repatriate sale proceeds or other funds received as a result of your participation in the Plan to your country through a designated bank or broker and/or within a certain time after receipt. You further acknowledge that it is your responsibility for ensuring compliance with any applicable regulations, and that you should consult your personal legal advisor for any details.

18. Waiver. You acknowledge that a waiver by the Company of breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by you or any other participant.

19. Recoupment.

(a)     Compensation Recovery for Fraud and Misconduct Policy. You hereby acknowledge and agree that to the extent you are or become subject to the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company Compensation Recovery for Fraud and Misconduct Policy, as amended from time to time (the “Compensation Recovery Policy”), the terms and conditions of the Policy are hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement and shall apply to (a) the Award, (b) each outstanding share award granted or issued to you (pursuant to which Shares may be issued or payments deriving their value from the Shares may be made), and (c) the gain received in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or issuance of any share award (i.e., the market value of the Shares on the vesting, exercise and/or issuance date, as applicable, less (i) any price paid for the Shares and (ii) any Tax-Related Items withheld from or paid by you in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or issuance of the share award), in each case without regard to whether such award was granted or issued under a share plan of the Company, a predecessor to the Company or a company acquired by the Company or outside a share plan; provided, however, that such award was granted or such gain was received within the three years prior to the Date of Grant. A copy of the current version of the Compensation Recovery Policy is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B.

(b) Other Required Recoupments. Without derogating from the terms of Section 19(a) hereof, as an additional condition of receiving the Award, you agree that the Award and any benefits or proceeds you may receive hereunder shall be subject to forfeiture and/or repayment to the Company to the extent required (i) under the terms of any other recoupment or “clawback” policy adopted by the Company, as may be amended from time to time (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated into this Agreement without your consent), or (ii) to comply with any requirements imposed under applicable laws and/or the rules and regulations of the securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are listed or quoted, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Further, if you receive any amount in excess of what you should have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then you shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company.

(c) Execution of Recoupment. You hereby irrevocably appoint the Company as your true and lawful attorney for the purpose of undertaking all actions and executing all deeds and documentation that may be required to be executed to enforce the recovery of compensation pursuant to the Compensation Recovery Policy under Section 19(a) hereof or pursuant to any other required recoupment under Section 19(b).    

 

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20. Amendments. The Committee at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of the Award; provided, however, that the rights under any Award shall not be materially impaired by any such amendment unless (a) the Company requests your consent and (b) you consent in writing.

21. Language. You acknowledge that you are proficient in the English language, or have consulted with an advisor who is sufficiently proficient in English, so as to allow you to understand the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If you have received this Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.

22. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable.    

23. Acknowledgements. By indicating acceptance of the Award through the Company’s online acceptance procedure, you acknowledge that: (a) you have received, and understand and agree to the terms of, this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), (b) you accept the Award on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), and (c) this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document) set forth the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding the rights to acquire the Shares subject to this Award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements with respect thereto.    

 

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Exhibit 10.4

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

EXECUTIVE PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT

1.     Grant of Performance Share Units. Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby grants to you (the Participant named in Section 2 below) the number of Performance Share Units set forth in Section 2 below subject to the terms and conditions of the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time and including any exhibits thereto (the “Plan”) and this Performance Share Unit Agreement, including any exhibits hereto (the “Agreement”) (collectively, the “Award”). In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall govern. Unless otherwise defined in this Agreement, any capitalized term used in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Plan.

2.     Award Terms. Subject to further detail included in this Agreement, the key terms related to the Award are as follows:

(a) Participant:

(b) Global ID Number:

(c) Date of Grant:

(d) Grant Number:

(e) Vesting Commencement Date:

(f) Number of Performance Share Units:

(g) Vesting Schedule. As set forth in Schedule A attached hereto.

3.     Vesting and Settlement.

(a) Subject to the limitations contained herein, the Performance Share Units will vest as provided in Schedule A attached hereto

(b) Upon the vesting of any Performance Share Units, as promptly as is reasonably practicable (but in any event no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year of vesting), Shares (which shall be fully paid up) shall be issued to you, and the Company shall deliver to you appropriate documentation evidencing the number of Shares issued in settlement of such vested Performance Share Units. However, the settlement of the Performance Share Units shall be conditioned upon your making adequate provision for Tax-Related Items, as discussed in Section 7 below.

4.     Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from such registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the Shares, the Company shall not be required to deliver any Shares issuable upon vesting of the Performance Share Units prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the Shares under any local, state, federal or foreign law or under rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or of any other governmental regulatory body, or prior to the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any local, state, federal or foreign governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable.

 

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5.     Shareholder Rights. You shall not be, nor have any of the rights or privileges of, a shareholder of the Company in respect of the Shares subject to the Performance Share Units unless and until such Shares have been issued by the Company to you. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Article 12 of the Plan.    

6.     Transferability. The Performance Share Units may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by you other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.

7.     Responsibility for Taxes.

(a) Regardless of any action the Company, any of its Affiliates or the Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) take with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefit tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to your participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), you acknowledge that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, actually withheld by the Company or the Affiliate, if any. You further acknowledge that the Company and/or the Affiliate (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Award, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Performance Share Units, the issuance of Shares, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such issuance and the receipt of any dividends; and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Award to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if you are subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Affiliate may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

(b) Subject to Sections 7(c) and (d) below, your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes your instruction and authorization to your brokerage firm (or, in the absence of a designated brokerage firm, any brokerage firm determined acceptable to the Company for such purpose) to sell on your behalf the number of whole Shares from those Shares issuable to you upon settlement of the Performance Share Units as the Company determines to be appropriate to generate cash proceeds sufficient to satisfy any applicable withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items. Such Shares will be sold on the day the Tax-Related Items are determined or as soon thereafter as practicable. You will be responsible for all brokers’ fees and other costs of sale, which fees and costs may be deducted from the proceeds of the foregoing sale of Shares, and you agree to indemnify and hold the Company and any brokerage firm selling such Shares harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale. To the extent the proceeds of such sale exceed your Tax-Related Items, such excess cash will be deposited into the securities account established with the brokerage firm for the settlement of your Performance Share Units. You acknowledge that the broker or its designee is under no obligation to arrange for such sale at any particular price, and that the proceeds of any such sale may not be sufficient to satisfy your Tax-Related Items.

(c) At any time before any taxable or tax withholding event, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, determine that the Company or the Affiliate will satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to the Tax-Related Items by withholding Shares to be issued upon vesting of the Performance Share Units. To the extent the Committee makes such a determination, you hereby authorize the Company to withhold Shares otherwise issuable upon vesting of the Performance Share Units having a Fair Market Value on the date of vesting equal to the amount sufficient to satisfy the Tax-Related Items.

 

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(d) In the event that, in the reasonable determination of the Company and/or its Affiliate, such tax withholding by the sale or withholding of Shares as described in Sections 7(b) and (c) above is problematic under applicable tax or securities law or has materially adverse accounting consequences, you authorize the Company and/or the Affiliate to satisfy any applicable withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items by withholding from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Company and/or the Affiliate, within legal limits, or by requiring you to tender a cash payment to the Company or the Affiliate in the amount of the Tax-Related Items.

(e) The Company or the Affiliate may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering statutory or other withholding rates, including minimum or maximum rates applicable in your jurisdiction(s). In the event of over-withholding, you may receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash (with no entitlement to the equivalent in Shares) of if not refunded, you may seek a refund from the local tax authorities. In the event of under-withholding, you may be required to pay any additional Tax-Related Items directly to the applicable tax authority or to the Company and/or the Affiliate. If the obligation for the Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding in Shares as described in Section 7(c) above, for tax purposes, you will be deemed to have been issued the full number of Shares subject to the Performance Share Units, notwithstanding that a number of the Shares are held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items due as a result of your participation in the Plan.

(f) Finally, you agree to pay the Company or the Affiliate any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Affiliate may be required to withhold as a result of your participation in the Plan or the vesting and settlement of the Performance Share Units that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company or the Affiliate may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares or the proceeds of the sale of Shares unless and until you have complied with your obligations related to the Tax-Related Items described in this Section 7.

8.     Nature of the Award. In accepting the Award, you acknowledge, understand and agree that:

(a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time;

(b) the Award is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future awards of Performance Share Units, or benefits in lieu of Performance Share Units, even if Performance Share Units have been awarded repeatedly in the past;

(c) all decisions with respect to future Performance Share Unit awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d) you are voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(e) your participation in the Plan will not create a right to employment and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate your Continuous Service at any time;

(f) the Award and any Shares subject to the Award, and the income and value of the same, are extraordinary items that do not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company or any Affiliate, and which is outside the scope of your employment or service contract or consulting arrangement, if any;

 

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(g) the Award and any Shares subject to the Award, and the income and value of the same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;

(h) the Award and any Shares subject to the Award are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, holiday pay, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, or any Affiliate;

(i) the Award will not be interpreted to form or amend an employment or service contract or relationship with the Company or any Affiliate;

(j) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty;

(k) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Award resulting from termination of your Continuous Service (regardless of the reason for the termination and whether or not the termination is in breach of any employment law in the country where you reside, even if such law is otherwise applicable to your employment benefits, and whether or not such termination is later found to be invalid);

(l) neither the Company nor any Affiliate shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between your local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of this Award or of any amounts due to you pursuant to the issuance of Shares upon settlement of this Award or the subsequent sale of such Shares;

(m) unless otherwise agreed with the Company, the Award and the Shares subject to the Award, and the income and value of the same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service you may provide as a director of an Affiliate of the Company; and

(n) for purposes of the Award, your Continuous Service will be considered terminated as of the date you are no longer actively employed by and/or providing services to the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable; your right, if any, to vest in the Performance Share Units under the Plan after termination of Continuous Service (regardless of whether the termination is in breach of any employment law in the country where you reside, even if such law is otherwise applicable to your employment benefits, and whether or not such termination is later found to be invalid) will be measured by the date you cease to be actively employed and/or actively providing services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under any employment law in the country where you reside, even if such law is otherwise applicable to your employment benefits (e.g., active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period); the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine when you are no longer actively employed for purposes of the Award (including whether you may still be considered actively employed while on a leave of absence).

9.     No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company and its Affiliates are not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the Plan, or your acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. You should consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.

 

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10. Data Privacy.

(a)     You are hereby notified of the collection, use and transfer outside of the European Economic Area, in electronic or other form, of your Data (defined below) by and among, as applicable, the Company and certain of its Affiliates for the exclusive and legitimate purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the Plan.

(b)     You understand that the Company and its Affiliates hold certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, email address, date of birth, social insurance, passport or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor (“Data”), for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.

(c)     You understand that providing the Company with this Data is necessary for the performance of this Agreement and that your refusal to provide the Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect your ability to participate in the Plan. Your Data shall be accessible within the Company only by the persons specifically charged with Data processing operations and by the persons that need to access the Data because of their duties and position in relation to the performance of this Agreement.

(d)     The Company will use your Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the Plan or as required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws. When the Company no longer needs your Data, it will remove it from its systems. If the Company keeps Data longer, it would be to satisfy legal or regulatory obligations and the Company’s legal basis would be relevant laws or regulations. You have a number of rights under data privacy laws in your country. Depending on where you are based, your rights may include the right to (i) request access or copies of Data the Company processes, (ii) rectification of incorrect Data, (iii) deletion of Data, (iv) restrictions on processing, (v) portability of Data, (vi) to lodge complaints with competent authorities in your country, and/or (vii) a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of your Data. To receive clarification regarding your rights or to exercise your rights please contact the Company at Attn: Data Protection Officer, data.protection.officer@seagate.com.

(e)     Further, you understand that the Company will transfer Data to E*TRADE Corporate Financial Services, Inc. and E*TRADE Securities LLC (collectively, “E*TRADE”), and/or such other third parties as may be selected by the Company, which are assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. The Company may select a different service provider or additional service providers and share Data with such other provider(s) serving in a similar manner. You may be asked to agree on separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider, with such agreement being a condition of the ability to participate in the Plan.

(f)     E*TRADE is based in the United States. Your country or jurisdiction may have different data privacy laws and protections than the United States. If you are outside of the United States, you should note that your country has enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States. By participating in the Plan, you agree to the transfer of your Data to E*TRADE for the exclusive purpose of administering your participation in the Plan. The Company’s legal basis, where required, for the transfer of Data to E*TRADE is your consent.

 

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(g)     Finally, you may choose to opt out of allowing the Company to share your Data with E*TRADE and others as described above, although execution of such choice may mean the Company cannot grant awards under the Plan to you. For questions about this choice or to make this choice, you should contact Equity Administration at stockadmin@seagate.com.

11. Electronic Delivery and Participation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means or request that you consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. You hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or any third party designated by the Company.    

12. Notices. Any notices provided for in your Award or the Plan shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. Any such notices from the Company to you may also be delivered to you through the Company’s electronic mail system (during your Continuous Service) or at the last email address you provided to the Company (after termination of your Continuous Service).

13. Choice of Law and Venue. The Award is governed by, and subject to, the laws of the State of California, without regard to such state’s conflicts of law rules, as provided in the Plan. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties evidenced by this Award, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of California and agree that such litigation shall be conducted only in the courts of Alameda County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Award is made and/or to be performed.

14. Country-Specific Provisions. The Award shall be subject to any special provisions set forth in Exhibit A for your country, if any. If you relocate to one of the countries included in Exhibit A during the life of the Award or while holding Shares acquired upon vesting of the Performance Share Units, the special provisions for such country shall apply to you, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such provisions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of the Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan. Exhibit A constitutes part of this Agreement.

15. Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Award and the Shares acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of the Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

16. Insider Trading Restrictions/Market Abuse Laws. You acknowledge that, depending on your or your broker’s country of residence or where the Shares are listed, you may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws, which may affect your ability to accept, acquire, sell, or otherwise dispose of Shares or rights to Shares (e.g., Awards) or rights linked to the value of the Shares under the Plan during such times as you are considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws or regulations in the applicable jurisdictions of your country). Local insider trading laws and regulations may prohibit the cancellation or amendment of orders you placed before you possessed inside information. Furthermore, you could be prohibited from (i) disclosing the inside information to any third party (other than on a “need to know” basis) and (ii) “tipping” third parties or causing them otherwise to buy or sell securities. Third parties include fellow employees. Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions

 

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that may be imposed under any applicable Company securities trading policy. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with any applicable restrictions and are instructed to speak with your personal legal advisor on this matter.

17. Foreign Asset/Account Reporting; Exchange Controls and Tax Reporting. Without limitation to any specific information stated in Exhibit A, you acknowledge that your country may have certain foreign asset and/or account reporting requirements, exchange controls, tax reporting or other requirements which may affect your ability to purchase or hold Shares subject to the Plan or cash received from participating in the Plan (including from any dividends received or sale proceeds arising from the sale of Shares) in a brokerage or bank account outside your country. You may be required to report such accounts, assets or transactions to the tax or other authorities in your country. You also may be required to repatriate sale proceeds or other funds received as a result of your participation in the Plan to your country through a designated bank or broker and/or within a certain time after receipt. You further acknowledge that it is your responsibility for ensuring compliance with any applicable regulations, and that you should consult your personal legal advisor for any details.

18. Waiver. You acknowledge that a waiver by the Company of breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by you or any other participant.

19. Recoupment.

(a)     Compensation Recovery for Fraud and Misconduct Policy. You hereby acknowledge and agree that to the extent you are or become subject to the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company Compensation Recovery for Fraud and Misconduct Policy, as amended from time to time (the “Compensation Recovery Policy”), the terms and conditions of the Policy are hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement and shall apply to (a) the Award, (b) each outstanding share award granted or issued to you (pursuant to which Shares may be issued or payments deriving their value from the Shares may be made), and (c) the gain received in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or issuance of any share award (i.e., the market value of the Shares on the vesting, exercise and/or issuance date, as applicable, less (i) any price paid for the Shares and (ii) any Tax-Related Items withheld from or paid by you in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or issuance of the share award), in each case without regard to whether such award was granted or issued under a share plan of the Company, a predecessor to the Company or a company acquired by the Company or outside a share plan; provided, however, that such award was granted or such gain was received within the three years prior to the Date of Grant. A copy of the current version of the Compensation Recovery Policy is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B.

(b)     Other Required Recoupments. Without derogating from the terms of Section 19(a) hereof, as an additional condition of receiving the Award, you agree that the Award and any benefits or proceeds you may receive hereunder shall be subject to forfeiture and/or repayment to the Company to the extent required (i) under the terms of any other recoupment or “clawback” policy adopted by the Company, as may be amended from time to time (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated into this Agreement without your consent), or (ii) to comply with any requirements imposed under applicable laws and/or the rules and regulations of the securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are listed or quoted, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Further, if you receive any amount in excess of what you should have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then you shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company.

 

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(c)     Execution of Recoupment. You hereby irrevocably appoint the Company as your true and lawful attorney for the purpose of undertaking all actions and executing all deeds and documentation that may be required to be executed to enforce the recovery of compensation pursuant to the Compensation Recovery Policy under Section 19(a) hereof or pursuant to any other required recoupment under Section 19(b).

20. Amendments. The Committee at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of the Award; provided, however, that the rights under any Award shall not be materially impaired by any such amendment unless (a) the Company requests your consent and (b) you consent in writing.

21. Language. You acknowledge that you are proficient in the English language or have consulted with an advisor who is sufficiently proficient in English, so as to allow you to understand the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If you have received this Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.

22. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable.    

23. Acknowledgements. By indicating acceptance of the Award through the Company’s online acceptance procedure, you acknowledge that: (a) you have received, and understand and agree to the terms of, this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), (b) you accept the Award on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), and (c) this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document) set forth the entire understanding between you and the Company regarding the rights to acquire the Shares subject to this Award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements with respect thereto.

 

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Exhibit 10.5

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

OPTION AGREEMENT

1.     Grant of Option. Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby grants to the Participant named in Section 2 below (the “Participant”) an option (the “Option”) to purchase the number of the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Shares”) set forth in Section 2 below at the exercise price per Share set forth in Section 2 (the “Exercise Price”) subject to the terms and conditions of the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time and including any exhibits thereto (the “Plan”) and this Option Agreement, including any exhibits hereto (the “Agreement”). In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall govern. Unless otherwise defined in this Agreement, any capitalized term used in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Plan.

2.     Option Terms. Subject to further detail included in this Agreement, the key terms related to the Option are as follows:

(a)     Participant:

(b)     Global ID Number:

(c)     Date of Grant:

(d)     Grant Number:

(e)     Vesting Commencement Date:

(f)     Exercise Price (Per Share):

(g)     Number of Shares Subject to Option:

(h)     Total Exercise Price:

(i)     Expiration Date:

(j)     Type of Grant: Nonstatutory Share Option.

(k)     Exercise Schedule: Same as Vesting Schedule.

(l)     Vesting Schedule. Subject to the Participant’s Continuous Service with the Company or one of its Affiliates, 25% of the Shares shall vest on the first anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, and an additional 1/48 of the Shares shall vest at the end of each full month thereafter, until the fourth anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to the vesting conditions described in Section 3 below. If, on any vesting date, this Vesting Schedule would result in the vesting of a fraction of a Share, such fraction shall be rounded down to the nearest whole Share.

 

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(m)     Payment. By cash or check or other method of payment permitted under Section 4(d) of the Agreement.

3.     Vesting.

(a)     Subject to Sections 3(b), 3(c) and 3(d) below, the Option shall vest and become exercisable in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set forth in Section 2 above. The portion of the Option which has become vested and exercisable as described in this Section 3 is hereinafter referred to as the “Vested Portion.”

(b)     In the event of the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service on account of the Participant’s death, the Participant shall be deemed to have completed an additional year of service for purposes of determining the portion of the Option which is the Vested Portion.

(c)     Subject to the terms of the Seagate Technology Executive Severance and Change in Control Plan, as amended from time to time, or other similar plan (the “Severance Plan”), in the event of Participant’s termination of Continuous Service for any reason, the Option shall, to the extent not then vested, be canceled by the Company without consideration, as further described in Section 7(p) below. The Vested Portion of the Option which is vested as of the date of such termination (after giving effect to the terms of the Severance Plan or Section 3(b) above, if applicable) shall remain exercisable for the period set forth in Section 4(b) below.    

(d)     The Committee may, in its sole discretion, suspend vesting of the Option if the Participant is on a leave of absence.

4.     Exercise of Option.

(a)     Eligibility to Exercise Option. During the Participant’s lifetime, only the Participant may exercise the Option. Should the Participant die while holding the Option, the Vested Portion of the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant’s executor or administrator, or the person or persons to whom the Participant’s rights under this Agreement shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution, as the case may be, for the period set forth in Section 4(b) below. Any heir or legatee of the Participant shall take rights herein granted subject to the terms and conditions hereof.

(b)     Period of Exercise. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the provision set forth in Section 7(n) below, the Participant may exercise all or any part of the Vested Portion of the Option at any time prior to the earliest to occur of:

(i)     the “Expiration Date” set forth in Section 2 above;

(ii)     three (3) months following the date of the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service for any reason (other than as a result of death or Disability or for Cause); provided, however, that if termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service by the Company or an Affiliate is not for Cause and if the exercise of the Vested Portion of the Option following such termination would be prohibited because the issuance of Shares would violate either the registration requirements under the Securities Act (or other applicable securities law) or the

 

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Company’s insider trading policy, then the Option shall terminate on the earlier of (A) the “Expiration Date” set forth in Section 2 above or (b) the expiration of a period of three (3) months after termination during which time the exercise of the Option would not be in violation of either such registration requirements (or other applicable securities law) or the Company’s insider trading policy;

(iii)     one year following the date of the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service as a result of death or Disability (as defined in the Plan); and

(iv)     the date of the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service for Cause.

For purposes of this Agreement:

“Cause” shall mean (A) the Participant’s continued failure substantially to perform the material duties of his office (other than as a result of total or partial incapacity due to physical or mental illness), (B) the fraud, embezzlement or theft by the Participant of the Company’s property (or any Affiliate’s property), (C) the conviction of such Participant of, or plea of nolo contendere by the Participant to, a felony under the laws of the United States or any state (or the equivalent under the laws of any other jurisdiction), (D) the Participant’s willful malfeasance or willful misconduct in connection with the Participant’s duties to the Company (or any Affiliate) or any other act or omission which is materially injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any Affiliate, or (E) a material breach by the Participant of the terms of his employment agreement or any non-compete, non-solicitation or confidentiality provisions to which the Participant is subject; provided, however, that if the Participant is eligible to receive benefits under a Severance Plan containing a definition of “Cause,” then that definition shall control.

(c)     Manner of Exercise. The Vested Portion of the Option may be exercised by delivering to the Company at its principal office (or to the Company’s designee) notice of intent to so exercise; provided, however, that the Option may be exercised with respect to whole Shares only. Such notice shall specify the number of Shares for which the Option is being exercised and shall be accompanied by payment in full of the Exercise Price, any applicable Tax-Related Items (as defined in Section 7 below) and any written representations, warranties or agreements as may be reasonably required by the Company to comply (or evidence compliance) with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance and sale of the Shares. The Company shall have the right to specify the manner of exercise, which may vary by country and which may be subject to change from time to time.

(d)     Method of Payment. The Exercise Price for the Shares as to which the Option is exercised shall be paid to the Company by any of the following (or a combination thereof): (i) cash or check, (ii) provided there is a public market for the Shares at the time of exercise and pursuant to rules and procedures established by the Company from time to time, through the delivery of irrevocable instruments to a broker to sell all or a portion of such Shares and deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased, or (iii) if permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, in Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased.

 

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The Company reserves the right to restrict the available methods of payment to the extent it determines in its sole discretion that such restriction is required to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition and issuance of the Shares or desirable for the administration of the Plan, or to otherwise modify the available methods of payment to the extent permitted under the terms of the Plan.

(e)     Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, unless there is an available exemption from such registration, qualification or other legal requirement applicable to the Shares, the Company shall not be required to deliver any Shares purchased upon exercise of the Option prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of the Shares under any local, state, federal or foreign law or under rulings or regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or of any other governmental regulatory body, or prior to the obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any local, state, federal or foreign governmental agency, which registration, qualification or approval the Company shall, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or advisable.

(f)     Shareholder Rights. The Participant shall not be, nor have any of the rights or privileges of, a shareholder of the Company in respect of any Shares purchasable upon the exercise of any part of the Option unless and until such Shares have been issued by the Company to the Participant. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Article 12 of the Plan.

5.     Transferability. The Option may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.

6.     Responsibility for Taxes.

(a)     Regardless of any action the Company, any of its Affiliates or the Participant’s employer (the “Employer”) take with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefit tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to the Participant’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to the Participant (“Tax-Related Items”), the Participant acknowledges that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains the Participant’s responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, actually withheld by the Company or the Affiliate. The Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or any Affiliate (a) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends; and (b) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate the Participant’s liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if the Participant is subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction, the Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Affiliate may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

(b)     Prior to any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, the Participant will pay to the Company or the Affiliate an amount equal to, or will make arrangements acceptable to the Company and the Affiliate to satisfy, any withholding obligation

 

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with respect to the Tax-Related Items. In this regard, the Participant authorizes the Company and/or its Affiliates, or their respective agents, at their discretion, to satisfy any withholding obligation with respect to the Tax-Related Items by one or a combination of the following: (i) withholding from the Participant’s wages or other cash compensation payable to the Participant by the Company and/or the Affiliate; (ii) withholding from proceeds of the sale of Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option (either through a voluntary or mandatory sale); or (iii) withholding in Shares to be issued upon exercise of the Option; provided, however, that if the Participant is an Officer, the Committee (as constituted to satisfy Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) shall approve the use of withholding in Shares to the extent necessary or desirable to exempt the transaction under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

(c)     The Company or the Affiliate may, withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering statutory or other withholding rates, including minimum or maximum rates applicable in your jurisdictions(s). In the event of over-withholding, the Participant may receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash (with no entitlement to the equivalent in Shares), or if not refunded, you may seek a refund from the local tax authorities. In the event of under-withholding, you may be required to pay any additional Tax-Related Items directly to the applicable tax authority or to the Company and/or the Affiliate. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding in Shares as described in (iii) above, for tax purposes, the Participant will be deemed to have been issued the full number of Shares subject to the exercised portion of the Option, notwithstanding that a number of the Shares are held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items due as a result of any aspect of the Participant’s participation in the Plan.

(d)     Finally, the Participant agrees to pay the Company or the Affiliate any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Affiliate may be required to withhold as a result of the Participant’s participation in the Plan or the vesting and exercise of the Option that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company or the Affiliate may refuse to honor the exercise or refuse to issue or deliver the Shares or the proceeds of the sale of Shares unless and until the Participant has complied with the obligations related to Tax-Related Items described in this Section 6.    

7.     Nature of Grant. In accepting the Option, the Participant acknowledges, understands and agrees that:

(a)     the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature, and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time;

(b)     the grant of the Option is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted repeatedly in the past;

(c)     all decisions with respect to future option grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)     the Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

 

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(e)     the Participant’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to employment and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the Participant’s Continuous Service at any time;

(f)     the Option and any Shares subject to the Option, and the income and value of the same, are extraordinary items that do not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company or any Affiliate, and which is outside the scope of the Participant’s employment or service contract, or consulting arrangement, if any;

(g)     the Option and any Shares subject to the Option, and the income and value of the same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;

(h)     the Option and any Shares subject to the Option are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, holiday pay, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services to the Company or any Affiliate;

(i)     the Option grant will not be interpreted to form or amend an employment or service contract or relationship with the Company or any Affiliate;

(j)     the future value of the Shares subject to the Option is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty;

(k)     if the Shares subject to the Option do not increase in value, the Option will have no value;

(l)     if the Participant exercises the Option and acquires Shares, the value of such Shares may increase or decrease, even below the Exercise Price;

(m)     no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Option resulting from termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service as described in Section 3(c) above and in Section 6.6 of the Plan (regardless of the reason for the termination and whether or not the termination is in breach of any employment law in the country where the Participant resides, even if such law is otherwise applicable to the Participant’s employment benefits, and whether or not such termination is later found to be invalid);

(n)     neither the Company nor any affiliate shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between the Participant’s local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of this Option or of any amounts due to the Participant pursuant to the issuance of Shares upon exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of such Shares;

(o)     unless otherwise agreed with the Company, the Option and the Shares subject to the Option, and the income and value of the same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service the Participant may provide as a director of an Affiliate of the Company; and

 

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(p)     for purposes of the Option, the Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered terminated as of the date he or she is no longer actively employed by and/or providing services to the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable; the Participant’s right, if any, to vest in the Option and/or exercise the Vested Portion of the Option after termination of Continuous Service (regardless of whether the termination is in breach of any employment law in the country where the Participant resides, even if such law is otherwise applicable to the Participant’s employment benefits, and whether or not such termination is later found to be invalid) will be measured by the date the Participant ceases to be actively employed and/or actively providing services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under any employment law in the country where the Participant resides, even if such law is otherwise applicable to the Participant’s employment benefits (e.g., active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period); the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine when the Participant is no longer actively employed for purposes of the Option (including whether the Participant may still be considered actively employed while on a leave of absence).

8.     No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Participant’s participation in the Plan, or the Participant’s acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. The Participant should consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding his or her participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.

9.     Data Privacy.

(a) You are hereby notified of the collection, use and transfer outside of the European Economic Area, in electronic or other form, of your Data (defined below) by and among, as applicable, the Company and certain of its Affiliates for the exclusive and legitimate purpose of implementing, administering and managing your participation in the Plan.    

(b) You understand that the Company and its Affiliates hold certain personal information about you, including, but not limited to, your name, home address and telephone number, email address, date of birth, social insurance, passport or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in your favor (“Data”), for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.

(c) You understand that providing the Company with this Data is necessary for the performance of this Agreement and that your refusal to provide the Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect your ability to participate in the Plan. Your Data shall be accessible within the Company only by the persons specifically charged with Data processing operations and by the persons that need to access the Data because of their duties and position in relation to the performance of this Agreement.    

(d) The Company will use your Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage your participation in the Plan or as required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws. When the Company no longer needs your Data, it will remove it from its systems. If the Company keeps Data longer, it would be to satisfy legal or regulatory obligations and the Company’s legal basis would be relevant

 

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laws or regulations. You have a number of rights under data privacy laws in your country. Depending on where you are based, your rights may include the right to (i) request access or copies of Data the Company processes, (ii) rectification of incorrect Data, (iii) deletion of Data, (iv) restrictions on processing, (v) portability of Data, (vi) to lodge complaints with competent authorities in your country, and/or (vii) a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of your Data. To receive clarification regarding your rights or to exercise your rights please contact the Company at Attn: Data Protection Officer, data.protection.officer@seagate.com.

(e) Further, you understand that the Company will transfer Data to E*TRADE Corporate Financial Services, Inc. and E*TRADE Securities LLC (collectively, “E*TRADE”), and/or such other third parties as may be selected by the Company, which are assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. The Company may select a different service provider or additional service providers and share Data with such other provider(s) serving in a similar manner. You may be asked to agree on separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider, with such agreement being a condition of the ability to participate in the Plan.

(f) E*TRADE is based in the United States. Your country or jurisdiction may have different data privacy laws and protections than the United States. If you are outside of the United States, you should note that your country has enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States. By participating in the Plan, you agree to the transfer of your Data to E*TRADE for the exclusive purpose of administering your participation in the Plan. The Company’s legal basis, where required, for the transfer of Data to E*TRADE is your consent.    

(g) Finally, you may choose to opt out of allowing the Company to share your Data with E*TRADE and others as described above, although execution of such choice may mean the Company cannot grant awards under the Plan to you. For questions about this choice or to make this choice, you should contact Equity Administration at stockadmin@seagate.com.

10. Electronic Delivery and Participation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means or to request the Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or any third party designated by the Company.

11. Notices. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by the Company to the Participant, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Participant at the last address he or she provided to the Company. Any such notices from the Company to the Participant may also be delivered through the Company’s electronic mail system (during the Participant’s Continuous Service) or at the last email address the Participant provided to the Company (after termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service).

 

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12. Choice of Law and Venue. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to such state’s conflicts of law rules, as provided in the Plan. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties evidenced by this grant or the Agreement, the parties hereby submit and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of California and agree that such litigation shall be conducted only in the courts of Alameda County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this grant is made and/or to be performed.

13. Country-Specific Provisions. The Option shall be subject to any special provisions set forth in Exhibit A for the Participant’s country, if any. If the Participant relocates to one of the countries included in Exhibit A during the life of the Option or while holding Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option, the special provisions for such country shall apply to the Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such provisions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of the Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan. Exhibit A constitutes part of this Agreement.

14. Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Option and the Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable in order to comply with applicable laws with regard to the acquisition, issuance or sale of Shares or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require the Participant to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

15. Insider Trading Restrictions/Market Abuse Laws. The Participant acknowledges that, depending on the Participant’s or the Participant’s broker’s country of residence or where the Shares are listed, he or she may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws which may affect the Participant’s ability to accept, acquire, sell or otherwise dispose of Shares or rights to Shares (e.g., options) or rights linked to the value of the Shares under the Plan during such times as he or she is considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws or regulations in the applicable jurisdictions or the Participant’s country). Local insider trading laws and regulations may prohibit the cancellation or amendment of orders the Participant placed before he or she possessed inside information. Furthermore, the Participant could be prohibited from (i) disclosing the inside information to any third party (other than on a “need to know” basis) and (ii) “tipping” third parties or causing them otherwise to buy or sell securities. Third parties include fellow employees. Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable Company securities trading policy. The Participant is responsible for ensuring compliance with any applicable restrictions and the Participant is instructed to speak with the Participant’s personal legal advisor on this matter.

16. Foreign Asset/Account Reporting; Exchange Controls and Tax Reporting. Without limitation to any specific information stated in Exhibit A, the Participant acknowledges that his or her country may have certain foreign asset and/or account reporting requirements ,exchange controls, tax reporting or other requirements which may affect the Participant’s ability to purchase or hold Shares subject to the Plan or cash received from participating in the Plan (including from any dividends received or sale proceeds arising from the sale of Shares) in a brokerage or bank account outside the Participant’s country. He or she may be required to report

 

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such accounts, assets or transactions to the tax or other authorities in the Participant’s country. He or she also may be required to repatriate sale proceeds or other funds received as a result of the Participant’s participation in the Plan to his or her country through a designated bank or broker and/or within a certain time after receipt. The Participant further acknowledges that it is his or her responsibility for ensuring compliance with any applicable regulations, and that he or she should consult the Participant’s personal legal advisor for any details.

17. Waiver. The Participant acknowledges that a waiver by the Company of breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by the Participant or any other participant.

18. Recoupment.

(a)     Compensation Recovery for Fraud and Misconduct Policy. The Participant hereby acknowledges and agrees that, to the extent he or she is or becomes subject to the Seagate Technology Holdings public limited company Compensation Recovery for Fraud and Misconduct Policy, as amended from time to time (the “Compensation Recovery Policy”), the terms and conditions of the Policy are hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement and shall apply to (a) the Option, (b) each outstanding share award granted or issued to the Participant (pursuant to which Shares may be issued or payments deriving their value from the Shares may be made), and (c) the gain received in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or issuance of any share award (i.e., the market value of the Shares on the vesting, exercise and/or issuance date, as applicable, less (i) any price paid for the Shares and (ii) any Tax-Related Items withheld from or paid by Participant in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or issuance of the share award), in each case without regard to whether such award was granted or issued under a share plan of the Company, a predecessor to the Company or a company acquired by the Company or outside a share plan; provided, however, that such award was granted or such gain was received within the three years prior to the Date of Grant. A copy of the current version of the Compensation Recovery Policy is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B.

(b)     Other Required Recoupments. Without derogating from the terms of Section 18(a) hereof, as an additional condition of receiving the Option, the Participant agrees that the Option and any benefits or proceeds the Participant may receive hereunder shall be subject to forfeiture and/or repayment to the Company to the extent required (i) under the terms of any other recoupment or “clawback” policy adopted by the Company, as may be amended from time to time (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated into this Agreement without the Participant’s consent), or (ii) to comply with any requirements imposed under applicable laws and/or the rules and regulations of the securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares are listed or quoted, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Further, if the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the Option for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company.

(c)     Execution of Recoupment. The Participant hereby irrevocably appoints the Company as the Participant’s true and lawful attorney for the purpose of undertaking all actions

 

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and executing all deeds and documentation that may be required to be executed to enforce the recovery of compensation pursuant to the Compensation Recovery Policy under Section 18(a) hereof or pursuant to any other required recoupment under Section 18(b).    

19. Amendments. The Committee at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of the Option; provided, however, that the rights under any Option shall not be materially impaired by any such amendment unless (a) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (b) the Participant consents in writing.

20. Language. You acknowledge that you are proficient in the English language or have consulted with an advisor who is sufficiently proficient in English so as to allow you to understand the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If the Participant has received this or any other document related to the Plan or this Option translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.

21. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable.

22. Participant’s Acknowledgements. By indicating acceptance of the Option through the Company’s online acceptance procedure, the Participant acknowledges that: (a) he or she has received, and understands and agrees to the terms of, this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), (b) he or she accepts the Option on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document), and (c) this Agreement and the Plan (including any exhibits to each document) set forth the entire understanding between the Participant and the Company regarding the rights to acquire the Shares subject to this Option and supersede all prior oral and written agreements with respect thereto.

 

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Exhibit 23.2

 

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Ernst & Young LLP

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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Seagate Technology Holdings plc 2022 Equity Inventive Plan of our reports dated August 6, 2021, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Seagate Technology Holdings plc and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Seagate Technology Holdings plc included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended July 2, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Jose, California

October 20, 2021