UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 20-F
(Mark One)
☐ REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OR 12(G) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
☐ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
☒ SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of event requiring this shell company report: June 16, 2020
Commission File Number: 001-39301
LION GROUP HOLDING LTD.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| Not applicable | Cayman Islands | |
| (Translation of Registrant’s name into English) | (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
Unit A-C, 33/F
Tower A, Billion Center
1 Wang Kwong Road
Kowloon Bay
Hong Kong
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Sze Hau Lee
Unit A-C, 33/F
Tower A, Billion Center
1 Wang Kwong Road
Kowloon Bay
Hong Kong
+852 2820 9099
Alex.lee@libkr.com
(Name, Telephone, Email and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| American Depositary Shares, each representing one Class A Ordinary Share, $0.0001 par value per share | LGHL | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Warrants to purchase Class A Ordinary Shares | LGHLW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act: None
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the shell company report: 17,399,176 Ordinary Shares, including 7,647,962 Class A Ordinary Shares and 9,751,214 Class B Ordinary Shares.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ☐ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☐ Non-accelerated filer ☒ Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards † provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
| US GAAP ☒ | International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ☐ | Other ☐ |
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow. Item 17 ☐ Item 18 ☐
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☐
LION GROUP HOLDING LTD.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Shell Company Report on Form 20-F (including information incorporated by reference herein, the “Report”) contains or may contain forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) that involve significant risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include information about our possible or assumed future results of operations or our performance. Words such as “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify the forward-looking statements. The risk factors and cautionary language referred to or incorporated by reference in this Report provide examples of risks, uncertainties and events that may cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations described in our forward-looking statements, including among other things, the items identified in the Risk Factors section of the registration statement on Form F-4, which are incorporated by reference into this Report and which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on March 23, 2020, as subsequently amended.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Report. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this Report, or the documents to which we refer readers in this Report, to reflect any change in our expectations with respect to such statements or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any statement is based.
A business combination agreement dated March 10, 2020, as amended and restated on May 12, 2020 (the “Business Combination Agreement”), was entered into by and among Lion Group Holding Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), Proficient Alpha Acquisition Corp., a Nevada corporation (“Proficient”), Lion MergerCo I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger Sub”), Lion Financial Group Limited, a corporation organized under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“Lion”), each of the holders of Lion’s outstanding capital shares (collectively, the “Sellers”) and the other parties thereto, which, among other things, provides for (a) the merger of Merger Sub with and into Proficient (the “Merger”), with Proficient surviving the Merger and the stockholders of Proficient becoming equity holders of the Company and (b) immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Merger, the exchange of 100% of the outstanding ordinary shares of Lion by the Sellers for capital shares of the Company, (c) adoption of the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, (d) adoption of the Company’s equity incentive plan, which will provide that the total awards under such equity incentive plan will be a number of ordinary shares of the Company equal to ten percent (10%) of the aggregate number of ordinary shares of the Company outstanding immediately after the Merger, and (e) appointment of the members of the Company board of directors after the closing of the Merger (collectively, the “Business Combination”).
On June 16, 2020, the Company consummated the Business Combination pursuant to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement and each of Proficient and Lion became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. This Report is being filed in connection with the Business Combination.
Unless otherwise indicated, “we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company” and similar terminology refers to Lion Group Holding Ltd., a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and its subsidiaries subsequent to the Business Combination.
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ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
A. Directors and Senior Management
The directors and executive officers upon consummation of the Business Combination are set forth in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 23, 2020, as amended (the “Form F-4”) in the section entitled “Management of Pubco Following the Business Combination” and is incorporated herein by reference. The business address for each of Company’s directors and senior management is Unit A-C, 33/F Tower A, Billion Center, 1 Wang Kwong Road, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong.
B. Advisors
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP, 26/F, Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong, has acted as counsel for Lion and will act as counsel to the Company upon and following the consummation of the Business Combination.
C. Auditors
UHY LLP, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10036, has acted as independent auditing firm for Lion and will act as the Company’s independent auditing firm upon and following the consummation of the Business Combination.
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
Not Applicable.
A. Selected Financial Data
Selected financial information regarding Lion is included in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Selected Historical Financial Information” is incorporated herein by reference.
B. Capitalization and Indebtedness
Not applicable.
C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds
Not applicable.
D. Risk Factors
The risk factors associated with the Company’s business are described in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and are incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
A. History and development of the Company
The Company was incorporated solely for the purpose of effectuating the Business Combination. The Company was incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company on February 11, 2020. Prior to the Business Combination, the Company owned no material assets and did not operate any business. The mailing address of the Company’s registered office is 89 Nexus Way, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman, KY1-9009, Cayman Islands. After the consummation of the Business Combination, its principal executive office will be that of Lion, located at Unit A-C, 33/F, Tower A, Billion Center, 1 Wang Kwong Road, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong, and its telephone number is +852 2796 2900.
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On June 16, 2020, the Company consummated the Business Combination pursuant to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement and each of Proficient and Lion became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
B. Business Overview
Following and as a result of the Business Combination, all of the Company’s business is conducted through Lion and its subsidiaries. A description of the business is included in the Form F-4 in the sections entitled “Business of Lion” and “Lion’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and incorporated herein by reference.
C. Organizational structure
Upon consummation of the Business Combination, Lion became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The Company’s organizational chart is on page 74 of the Form F-4 and is incorporated herein by reference.
D. Property, plants and equipment
The Company’s headquarters are located in Hong Kong, where it leased one principal executive office and one technology support office. The Company also has offices in Singapore and the Cayman Islands. All of the Company’s offices are leased from independent third parties.
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
The discussion and analysis of the financial condition of Lion is included in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Lion’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which information is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
A. Directors and Executive Officers
Information regarding the directors of the Company upon the consummation of the Business Combination is included in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Management of Pubco Following the Business Combination.” All such information is incorporated herein by reference.
Upon consummation of the Business Combination, the Company has three executive officers, namely Chunning Wang, the chief executive officer, Sze Hau Lee, the chief financial officer and Hua Luo, the chief operating officer.
B. Compensation
The executive compensation of the Company’s executive officers and directors is described in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Executive Compensation,” which information is incorporated herein by reference.
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C. Board Practices
Information regarding the Company’s board of directors subsequent to the Business Combination is included in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Management of Pubco Following the Business Combination,” which information is incorporated herein by reference.
D. Employees
Subsequent to the closing of the Business Combination, on June 16, 2020, the Company had 35 employees.
E. Share Ownership
Ownership of the Company’s shares by its executive officers and directors upon consummation of the Business Combination is set forth in Item 7.A of this Report.
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
A. Major Shareholders
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership based on a total number of 17,399,176 ordinary shares outstanding as of June 16, 2020, immediately upon the consummation of the Business Combination, including 7,647,962 Class A Ordinary Shares and 9,751,214 Class B Ordinary Shares, with respect to the beneficial ownership of our shares by:
| ● | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares; | |
| ● | each of our officers and directors; and | |
| ● | all our officers and directors as a group. |
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
Number of Class A
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned |
Number of Class B
Ordinary Shares
|
% of Voting Power(3) | |||||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers | ||||||||||||
| Jian Wang | — | 7,838,101 | 74.53 | % | ||||||||
| Chunning Wang(1) | — | 1,913,113 | 18.19 | % | ||||||||
| Shih-Chung Chou(2) | 6,406,250 | — | 5.80 | % | ||||||||
| Zhixiang Zhang | — | — | — | |||||||||
| Chi Fai Choi | — | — | — | |||||||||
| Walter Cook | — | — | — | |||||||||
| Chi-yang Chen | — | — | — | |||||||||
| Hua Luo | — | — | — | |||||||||
| Sze Hau Lee | — | — | — | |||||||||
| All executive officers and directors as a group | 6,406,250 | 9,751,214 | 94.01 | % | ||||||||
| Five Percent or Greater Shareholders | ||||||||||||
| Legend Success Ventures Limited(1) | — | 1,913,113 | 18.19 | % | ||||||||
| (1) | Represents 1,913,113 Class B Ordinary Shares held by Legend Success Ventures Limited. Mr. Chunning Wang, the sole shareholder and sole director of Legend Success Ventures Limited, may be deemed to beneficially own shares held by Success Ventures Limited and has sole voting and dispositive control over such securities. |
| (2) | Represents 1,031,250 Class A Ordinary Shares and 5,375,000 Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Company’s warrants held by Complex Zenith Limited. Mr. Shih-Chung Chou, the sole shareholder and sole director of Complex Zenith Limited, may be deemed to beneficially own shares held by Complex Zenith Limited and has sole voting and dispositive control over such securities. | |
| (3) | Each Class B Ordinary Share is entitled to 10 votes per share. |
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B. Related Party Transactions
Related party transactions of the Company are described in the Form F-4 in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions,” which is incorporated by reference herein.
C. Interests of Experts and Counsel
Not Applicable.
A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information
See Item 18 of this Report.
B. Significant Changes
Not applicable.
A. Offer and Listing Details
American depositary shares (ADSs), each representing one Class A Ordinary Share, and our warrants are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “LGHL” and “LGHLW”, respectively. Holders of our ADSs and warrants should obtain current market quotations for their securities.
B. Plan of Distribution
Not applicable.
C. Markets
Our ADSs and warrants are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “LGHL” and “LGHLW”, respectively.
D. Selling Shareholders
Not applicable.
E. Dilution
Not applicable.
F. Expenses of the Issue
Not applicable.
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A. Share Capital
We are authorized to issue (i) 450,000,000 ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value per share, divided into 300,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 150,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, and (ii) 5,000,000 preferred shares, $0.0001 par value per share. As of June 16, 2020, subsequent to the closing of the Business Combination, there were 17,399,176 Ordinary Shares outstanding, including 7,647,962 Class A Ordinary Shares and 9,751,214 Class B Ordinary Shares, and no preferred shares outstanding. There were also 17,795,000 publicly traded warrants outstanding, each exercisable to purchase one Class A Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per share.
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B. Memorandum and Articles of Association
The description of our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association is contained in our Form F-4, in the section entitled “The Business Combination Proposal - Pubco’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association” which is incorporated herein by reference.
C. Material Contracts
All material contracts of the business of the Company are described in the Form F-4, which is incorporated herein by reference.
D. Exchange Controls
The Cayman Islands currently has no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions.
E. Taxation
The material United States federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of our securities following the Business Combination are described in the Form F-4 in the sections entitled “The Business Combination Proposal - Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
F. Dividends and Paying Agents
The Company has no current plans to pay dividends. The Company does not currently have a paying agent.
G. Statement by Experts
Not applicable.
H. Documents on Display
We are subject to certain of the informational filing requirements of the Exchange Act. Since we are a “foreign private issuer,” we are exempt from the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and “short-swing” profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act, with respect to their purchase and sale of our shares. In addition, we are not required to file reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. However, we are required to file with the SEC an Annual Report on Form 20-F containing financial statements audited by an independent accounting firm. The SEC also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports and other information that we file with or furnish electronically with the SEC. You may read and copy any report or document we file, including the exhibits, at the SEC’s public reference room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
I. Subsidiary Information
Not applicable.
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISKS
The information set forth in the section entitled “Business of Lion - Business Model Risk” in the Form F-4 is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES
The information set forth in the sections entitled “Description of Pubco Securities” and “Description of Pubco American Depositary Shares” in the Form F-4 is incorporated herein by reference.
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Not applicable.
See Item 18.
The financial statements of Lion are included in the Form F-4, and are incorporated herein by reference.
EXHIBIT INDEX
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| * | Filed herewith |
| # | Certain information has been redacted from this exhibit pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K because it is both not material and would likely cause competitive harm to the registrant if publicly disclosed. The Registrant hereby agrees to furnish an unredacted copy of the exhibit and its materiality and competitive harm analyses to the Commission upon request. |
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SIGNATURES
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this report on its behalf.
| LION GROUP HOLDING LTD. | ||
| June 22, 2020 | By: | /s/ Jian Wang |
| Name: Jian Wang | ||
| Title: Chairman of the Board | ||
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Exhibit 1.1
THE COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED
Memorandum and articles OF association
of
LION GROUP HOLDING LTD.
(adopted by a Special Resolution passed on June 10, 2020)
THE COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM of ASSOCIATION
OF
LION GROUP HOLDING LTD.
(adopted by a Special Resolution passed on June 10, 2020)
| 1. | The name of the company is Lion Group Holding Ltd. (the “Company”). |
| 2. | The registered office of the Company is situated at the office of Ogier Global (Cayman) Limited,89 Nexus Way, Camana Bay, Grand Cayman, KY1-9009, Cayman Islands, or at such other location within the Cayman Islands as the Directors may from time to time determine. |
| 3. | The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by any law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Law”). |
| 4. | The Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies Law. |
| 5. | The liability of the shareholders of the Company is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them. |
| 6. | The capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 500,000,000 shares with a nominal or par value of US$0.0001 each, comprising (a) 300,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each; (b) 150,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each; and (c) 50,000,000 preferred Shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each. Subject to the Companies Law and the Articles of Association the Company shall have power to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to sub-divide or consolidate the said shares or any of them and to issue all or any part of its capital whether original, redeemed, increased or reduced with or without any preference, priority, special privilege or other rights or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions whatsoever and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly provide every issue of shares whether stated to be ordinary, preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers on the part of the Company hereinbefore provided. Shares and other securities of the Company may be issued by the Directors with such preferred, deferred or other special rights, restrictions or privileges whether in regard to voting, distributions, a return of capital, or otherwise and in such classes and series, if any, as the Directors may determine. |
| 7. | The Company may exercise the power contained in Section 206 of the Companies Law to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in some other jurisdiction. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ii
COMPANIES LAW (AS AMENDED)
Company Limited by Shares
AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
LION GROUP HOLDING LTD.
(adopted by a Special Resolution passed on June 10, 2020)
The Regulations contained or incorporated in Table ‘A’ in the First Schedule of the Companies Law shall not apply to Lion Group Holding Ltd. (the “Company”) and the following Articles shall comprise the Articles of Association of the Company.
| 1. | In these Articles the following defined terms will have the meanings ascribed to them, if not inconsistent with the subject or context: |
“Affiliate” means in respect of a person or entity, any other person or entity that, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries), controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person or entity, and (i) in the case of a natural person, shall include, without limitation, such person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, mother-in-law and father-in-law and brothers and sisters-in-law, a trust solely for the benefit of any of the foregoing, a company, partnership or entity wholly owned by one or more of the foregoing, and (ii) in the case of an entity, shall include a partnership, a corporation or any natural person or entity which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such entity. The term “control” in this definition shall mean the ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the corporation, or the partnership or other entity (other than, in the case of corporation, securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency not within the reasonable control of such partnership, corporation, natural person or entity), or having the power to control the management or elect a majority of members to the board of directors or equivalent decision-making body of such corporation, partnership or other entity.
“Articles” means these articles of association of the Company, as amended or substituted from time to time.
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“Board” means the board of Directors.
“Branch Register” means any branch Register of such category or categories of Members as the Company may from time to time determine.
“Class” or “Classes” means any class or classes of Shares as may from time to time be issued by the Company.
“Class A Ordinary Shares” means class A ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each of the Company having the rights set out in these Articles.
“Class B Ordinary Shares” means class B ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each of the Company having the rights set out in these Articles.
“Companies Law” means the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands.
“Conversion Date” means in respect of a Conversion Notice means the day on which that Conversion Notice is delivered.
“Conversion Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Company at its Office (and as otherwise stated therein) stating that a holder of Class B Ordinary Shares elects to convert the number of Class B Ordinary Shares specified therein pursuant to Article 14.
“Conversion Number” in relation to any Class B Ordinary Shares, such number of Class A Ordinary Shares as may, upon exercise of the Conversion Right, be issued at the Conversion Rate.
“Conversion Rate” in relation to the conversion of Class B Ordinary Shares to Class A Ordinary Shares means, at any time, on a 1 : 1 basis. The foregoing Conversion Rate shall also be adjusted to account for any subdivision (by share split, subdivision, exchange, capitalisation, rights issue, reclassification, recapitalisation or otherwise) or combination (by reverse share split, share consolidation, exchange, reclassification, recapitalisation or otherwise) or similar reclassification or recapitalisation of the Class A Shares in issue into a greater or lesser number of shares occurring after the original filing of the Articles without a proportionate and corresponding subdivision, combination or similar reclassification or recapitalisation of the Class B Shares in issue.
“Conversion Right” in respect of a holder of Class B Ordinary Shares, subject to the provisions of these Articles and to any applicable fiscal or other laws or regulations including the Law, to convert all or any of its Class B Ordinary Shares, into the Conversion Number of Class A Ordinary Shares in its discretion.
“Directors” means the directors of the Company for the time being, or as the case may be, the directors assembled as a board or as a committee thereof.
“Memorandum of Association” means the memorandum of association of the Company, as amended or substituted from time to time.
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“Office” means the registered office of the Company as required by the Companies Law.
“Officers” means the officers for the time being and from time to time of the Company.
“Ordinary Resolution” means a resolution:
| (a) | passed by a simple majority of the votes held by such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company and where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Shareholder is entitled; or |
| (b) | approved in writing by a simple majority of the votes held by such Shareholders as entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Shareholders and the effective date of the resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument, or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is executed. |
“paid up” means paid up as to the par value in respect of the issue of any Shares and includes credited as paid up.
“Person” means any natural person, firm, company, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association or other entity (whether or not having a separate legal personality) or any of them as the context so requires, other than in respect of a Director or Officer in which circumstances Person shall mean any person or entity permitted to act as such in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands.
“Principal Register”, where the Company has established one or more Branch Registers pursuant to the Companies Law and these Articles, means the Register maintained by the Company pursuant to the Companies Law and these Articles that is not designated by the Directors as a Branch Register.
“Register” means the register of Members of the Company required to be kept pursuant to the Companies Law and includes any Branch Register(s) established by the Company in accordance with the Companies Law.
“Seal” means the common seal of the Company (if adopted) including any facsimile thereof.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States of America, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
“Secretary” means any Person appointed by the Directors to perform any of the duties of the secretary of the Company.
“Share” means a share in the capital of the Company. All references to “Shares” herein shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all Classes as the context may require. For the avoidance of doubt in these Articles the expression “Share” shall include a fraction of a Share.
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“Shareholder” or “Member” means a Person who is registered as the holder of Shares in the Register and includes each subscriber to the Memorandum of Association pending entry in the Register of such subscriber.
“Share Premium Account” means the share premium account established in accordance with these Articles and the Companies Law.
“signed” means bearing a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means.
“Special Resolution” means a special resolution of the Company passed in accordance with the Companies Law, being a resolution:
| (a) | passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the votes held by such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given and where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Shareholder is entitled; or |
| (b) | approved in writing by all the Shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Shareholders and the effective date of the special resolution so adopted shall be the date on which the instrument or the last of such instruments, if more than one, is executed. |
“Treasury Shares” means Shares that were previously issued but were purchased, redeemed, surrendered or otherwise acquired by the Company and not cancelled.
| 2. | In these Articles, save where the context requires otherwise: |
| (a) | words importing the singular number shall include the plural number and vice versa; |
| (b) | words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender and any Person as the context may require; |
| (c) | the word “may” shall be construed as permissive and the word “shall” shall be construed as imperative; |
| (d) | reference to a dollar or dollars or USD (or $) and to a cent or cents is reference to dollars and cents of the United States of America; |
| (e) | reference to a statutory enactment shall include reference to any amendment or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force; |
| (f) | reference to any determination by the Directors shall be construed as a determination by the Directors in their sole and absolute discretion and shall be applicable either generally or in any particular case; and |
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| (g) | reference to “in writing” shall be construed as written or represented by any means reproducible in writing, including any form of print, lithograph, email, facsimile, photograph or telex or represented by any other substitute or format for storage or transmission for writing or partly one and partly another. |
| 3. | Subject to the preceding Articles, any words defined in the Companies Law shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meaning in these Articles. |
| 4. | The business of the Company may be commenced at any time after incorporation. |
| 5. | The Office shall be at such address in the Cayman Islands as the Directors may from time to time determine. The Company may in addition establish and maintain such other offices and places of business and agencies in such places as the Directors may from time to time determine, subject to applicable law. |
| 6. | The expenses incurred in the formation of the Company and in connection with the offer for subscription and issue of Shares shall be paid by the Company. Such expenses may be amortised over such period as the Directors may determine and the amount so paid shall be charged against income and/or capital in the accounts of the Company as the Directors shall determine. |
| 7. | The Directors shall keep, or cause to be kept, the Register at such place or (subject to compliance with the Companies Law and these Articles) places as the Directors may from time to time determine. In the absence of any such determination, the Register shall be kept at the Office. The Directors may keep, or cause to be kept, one or more Branch Registers as well as the Principal Register in accordance with the Companies Law, provided always that a duplicate of such Branch Register(s) shall be maintained with the Principal Register in accordance with the Companies Law. |
| 8. | Subject to these Articles, all Shares for the time being unissued shall be under the control of the Directors who may: |
| (a) | issue, allot and dispose of the same to such Persons, in such manner, on such terms and having such rights and being subject to such restrictions as they may from time to time determine; and |
| (b) | grant options with respect to such Shares and issue warrants or similar instruments with respect thereto; |
and, for such purposes, the Directors may reserve an appropriate number of Shares for the time being unissued.
| 9. | The Directors, or the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution, may authorise the division of Shares into any number of Classes and sub-classes and the different Classes and sub-classes shall be authorised, established and designated (or re-designated as the case may be) and the variations in the relative rights (including, without limitation, voting, dividend and redemption rights), restrictions, preferences, privileges and payment obligations as between the different Classes (if any) may be fixed and determined by the Directors or the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution. |
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| 10. | The Company may insofar as may be permitted by law, pay a commission to any Person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe whether absolutely or conditionally for any Shares. 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 pay such brokerage as may be lawful on any issue of Shares. |
| 11. | The Directors may refuse to accept any application for Shares, and may accept any application in whole or in part, for any reason or for no reason. |
| 12. | Subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, the rules of Nasdaq, the Memorandum of Association and these Articles and to any special rights conferred on the holders of any Shares or Class of Shares, any Share in the Company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as the Board may determine, including without limitation on terms that they may be, or at the option of the Company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as the Board may deem fit. Shares and other securities of the Company may be issued by the Directors with such preferred, deferred or other special rights, restrictions or privileges whether in regard to voting, distributions, a return of capital, or otherwise and in such classes and series, if any, as the Directors may determine. |
| 13. | Subject to the Companies Law and the rules of the Nasdaq, any preferred Shares may be issued or converted into Shares that, at a designated date or at the option of the Company or the holder if so authorised by its Articles of Association, are liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as the Members before the issue or conversion may by Ordinary Resolution of the Members determine. Where the Company purchases for redemption a redeemable Share, purchases not made through the market or by tender shall be limited to a maximum price as may from time to time be determined by the Board, either generally or with regard to specific purchases. If purchases are by tender, tenders shall comply with applicable laws and the rules of Nasdaq. |
| 14. | Subject to Article 12, the Memorandum of Association and any special resolution of the Members to the contrary and without prejudice to any special rights conferred thereby on the holders of any other Shares or Class of Shares, Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall carry equal rights and rank pari passu with one another in all respects other than as set out below. |
(a) As regards to conversion
(i) Subject to the provisions hereof and to compliance with all fiscal and other laws and regulations applicable thereto, including the Companies Law, a holder of Class B Ordinary Shares shall have the Conversion Right in respect of each Class B Ordinary Share in its holding. For the avoidance of doubt, a holder of Class A Ordinary Shares shall have no rights to convert Class A Ordinary Shares into Class B Ordinary Shares under any circumstances.
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(ii) Each Class B Ordinary Share shall be converted at the option of the holder, at any time after issue and without the payment of any additional sum, into such Conversion Number of fully paid Class A Ordinary Shares calculated at the Conversion Rate. Such conversion shall take effect on the Conversion Date. A Conversion Notice shall not be effective if it is not accompanied by the share certificates in respect of the relevant Class B Ordinary Shares and/or such other evidence (if any) as the Directors may reasonably require to prove the title of the person exercising such right (or, if such certificates have been lost or destroyed, such evidence of title and such indemnity as the Directors may reasonably require). Any and all taxes and stamp, issue and registration duties (if any) arising on conversion shall be borne by the holder of Class B Ordinary Shares requesting conversion.
(iii) On the Conversion Date, every Class B Ordinary Share converted shall automatically be re-designated and re-classified as the applicable Conversion Number of Class A Ordinary Shares with such rights and restrictions attached thereto and shall rank pari passu in all respects with the Class A Ordinary Shares then in issue and the Company shall enter or procure the entry of the name of the relevant holder of converted Class B Ordinary Shares as the holder of the corresponding number of Class A Ordinary Shares resulting from the conversion of the Class B Ordinary Shares in, and make any other necessary and consequential changes to, the Register of Members and shall procure that certificates in respect of the relevant Class A Ordinary Shares, together with a new certificate for any unconverted Class B Ordinary Shares comprised in the certificate(s) surrendered by the holder of the Class B Ordinary Shares, are issued to the holders thereof.
(iv) Until such time as the Class B Ordinary Shares have been converted into Class A Ordinary Shares, the Company shall:
(1) at all times keep available for issue and free of all liens, charges, options, mortgages, pledges, claims, equities, encumbrances and other third-party rights of any nature, and not subject to any pre-emptive rights out of its authorised but unissued share capital, such number of authorised but unissued Class A Ordinary Shares as would enable all Class B Ordinary Shares to be converted into Class A Ordinary Shares and any other rights of conversion into, subscription for or exchange into Class A Ordinary Shares to be satisfied in full; and
(2) not make any issue, grant or distribution or take any other action if the effect would be that on the conversion of the Class B Ordinary Shares to Class A Ordinary Shares it would be required to issue Class A Ordinary Shares at a price lower than the par value thereof.
(b) As regards Voting Rights
Holders of Ordinary Shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of the Company. Holders of shares of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall, at all times, vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote for Members’ consent. Each Class A Ordinary Share shall be entitled to one (1) vote on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of the Company. Each Class B Ordinary Share shall be entitled to ten (10) votes on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of the Company.
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(c) As regards Transfer
Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of Class B Ordinary Shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity which is not an Affiliate of such holder, such Class B Ordinary Shares validly transferred to the new holder shall be automatically and immediately converted into such Conversion Number of Class A Ordinary Shares calculated based on the Conversion Rate.
| 15. | For the avoidance of doubt, (i) a sale, transfer, assignment or disposition shall be effective upon the Company’s registration of such sale, transfer, assignment or disposition in the Company’s Register of Members; and (ii) the creation of any pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right of whatever description on any of Class B Ordinary Shares to secure a holder’s contractual or legal obligations shall not be deemed as a sale, transfer, assignment or disposition unless and until any such pledge, charge, encumbrance or other third party right is enforced and results in the third party holding fee simple ownership interest to the related Class B Ordinary Shares, in which case all the related Class B Ordinary Shares shall be automatically converted into the same number of Class A Ordinary Shares upon the Company’s registration of the third party or its designee as a Member holding that number of Class A Ordinary Shares in the Register of Members. |
| 16. | Shareholder Rights Plan |
(a) The Board is authorised to establish a Shareholder rights plan including approving the execution of any document relating to the adoption and/or implementation of a rights plan. A rights plan may be in such form and may be subject to such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine in its absolute discretion.
(b) The Board is authorised to grant rights to subscribe for Shares of the Company in accordance with a rights plan.
(c) The Board may, in accordance with a rights plan, exercise any power under such rights plan (including a power relating to the issuance, redemption or exchange of rights or shares) on a basis that excludes one or more members, including a member who has acquired or may acquire a significant interest in or control of the Company subject to applicable law.
(d) The Board is authorised to exercise the powers under this Article 16 for any purpose that the Board, in its discretion, deems reasonable and appropriate, including to ensure that:
(i) any process which may result in an acquisition of a significant interest or change of control of the Company is conducted in an orderly manner;
(ii) all holders of ordinary shares will be treated fairly and in a similar manner;
(iii) any potential acquisition of a significant interest or change of control of the Company which would be unlikely to treat all members of the Company fairly and in a similar manner would be prevented;
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(iv) the use of abusive tactics by any person in connection with any potential acquisition of a significant interest or change of control of the Company would be prevented;
(v) an optimum price for Shares would be received by or on behalf of all Members of the Company;
(vi) the success of the Company would be promoted for the benefit of its Members as a whole;
(vii) the long-term interests of the Company, its employees, its Members and its business would be safeguarded;
(viii) the Company would not suffer serious economic harm;
(ix) the Board has additional time to gather relevant information or pursue appropriate strategies; or
(x) all or any of the above.
| 17. | No Person shall be entitled to a certificate for any or all of his Shares, unless the Directors shall determine otherwise. |
| 18. | The Directors may issue fractions of a Share and, if so issued, a fraction of a Share shall be subject to and carry the corresponding fraction of liabilities (whether with respect to nominal or par value, premium, contributions, calls or otherwise), limitations, preferences, privileges, qualifications, restrictions, rights (including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, voting and participation rights) and other attributes of a whole Share. If more than one fraction of a Share of the same Class is issued to or acquired by the same Shareholder such fractions shall be accumulated. |
| 19. | The Company has a first and paramount lien on every Share (whether or not fully paid) for all amounts (whether presently payable or not) payable at a fixed time or called in respect of that Share. The Company also has a first and paramount lien on every Share (whether or not fully paid) registered in the name of a Person indebted or under liability to the Company (whether he is the sole registered holder of a Share or one of two or more joint holders) for all amounts owing by him or his estate to the Company (whether or not presently payable). The Directors may at any time declare a Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The Company’s lien on a Share extends to any amount payable in respect of it. |
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| 20. | The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors may determine, any Share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless an amount in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable nor until the expiration of fourteen days after a notice in writing, demanding payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, has been given to the registered holder for the time being of the Share, or the Persons entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy. |
| 21. | For giving effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise some Person to transfer the Shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as the holder of the Shares comprised in any such transfer and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the sale. |
| 22. | The proceeds of the sale after deduction of expenses, fees and commission incurred by the Company shall be received by the Company and applied in payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable, and the residue shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently payable as existed upon the Shares prior to the sale) be paid to the Person entitled to the Shares immediately prior to the sale. |
| 23. | The Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Shareholders in respect of any moneys unpaid on their Shares, and each Shareholder shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen days’ notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on such Shares. |
| 24. | The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay calls in respect thereof. |
| 25. | If a sum called in respect of a Share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment thereof, the Person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest upon the sum at the rate of eight percent per annum from the day appointed for the payment thereof to the time of the actual payment, but the Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment of that interest wholly or in part. |
| 26. | The provisions of these Articles as to the liability of joint holders and as to payment of interest 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 amount of the Share, or by way of premium, as if the same had become payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
| 27. | The Directors may make arrangements on the issue of partly paid Shares for a difference between the Shareholders, or the particular Shares, in the amount of calls to be paid and in the times of payment. |
| 28. | The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any Shareholder willing to advance the same all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid upon any partly paid Shares held by him, and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced may (until the same would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (not exceeding without the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution, eight percent per annum) as may be agreed upon between the Shareholder paying the sum in advance and the Directors. |
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| 29. | If a Shareholder fails to pay any call or instalment of a call in respect of any Shares on the day appointed for payment, the Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of such call or instalment remains unpaid, serve a notice on him requiring payment of so much of the call or instalment as is unpaid, together with any interest which may have accrued. |
| 30. | The notice shall name a further day (not earlier than the expiration of fourteen days from the date 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. |
| 31. | If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not complied with, any Share in respect of which the notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before the payment required by notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect. |
| 32. | 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. |
| 33. | A Person whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Shareholder in respect of the forfeited Shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to pay to the Company all moneys which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of the Shares forfeited, but his liability shall cease if and when the Company receives payment in full of the amount unpaid on the Shares forfeited. |
| 34. | A statutory declaration in writing that the declarant is a Director, and that a Share has been duly forfeited on a date stated in the declaration, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts in the declaration as against all Persons claiming to be entitled to the Share. |
| 35. | The Company may receive the consideration, if any, given for a Share on any sale or disposition thereof pursuant to the provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture and may execute a transfer of the Share in favour of the Person to whom the Share is sold or disposed of and that Person 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 his title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the disposition or sale. |
| 36. | 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 due and payable, whether on account of the amount of the Share, or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
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| 37. | The instrument of transfer of any Share shall be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may determine and be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and if in respect of a nil or partly paid up Share, or if so required by the Directors, shall also be executed on behalf of the transferee and shall be accompanied by the certificate (if any) of the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer. The transferor shall be deemed to remain a Shareholder until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register in respect of the relevant Shares. |
| 38. | Subject to the terms of issue thereof, the Directors may determine to decline to register any transfer of Shares without assigning any reason therefor. |
| 39. | The registration of transfers may be suspended at such times and for such periods as the Directors may from time to time determine. |
| 40. | All instruments of transfer that are registered shall be retained by the Company, but any instrument of transfer that the Directors decline to register shall (except in any case of fraud) be returned to the Person depositing the same. |
| 41. | The legal personal representative of a deceased sole holder of a Share shall be the only Person recognised by the Company as having any title to the Share. In the case of a Share registered in the name of two or more holders, the survivors or survivor, or the legal personal representatives of the deceased holder of the Share, shall be the only Person recognised by the Company as having any title to the Share. |
| 42. | Any Person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be required by the Directors, have the right either to be registered as a Shareholder in respect of the Share or, instead of being registered himself, to make such transfer of the Share as the deceased or bankrupt Person could have made; 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 Share by the deceased or bankrupt Person before the death or bankruptcy. |
| 43. | A Person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled if he were the registered Shareholder, except that he shall not, before being registered as a Shareholder in respect of the Share, be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of the Company. |
| 44. | The Company may from time to time by Ordinary Resolution increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into Shares of such Classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe. |
| 45. | The Company may by Ordinary Resolution: |
| (a) | consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into Shares of a larger amount than its existing Shares; |
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| (b) | convert all or any of its paid up Shares into stock and reconvert that stock into paid up Shares of any denomination; |
| (c) | subdivide its existing Shares, or any of them into Shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced Share shall be the same as it was in case of the Share from which the reduced Share is derived; and |
| (d) | cancel any Shares that, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any Person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled. |
| 46. | The Company may by Special Resolution reduce its share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorised by law. |
Redemption, Purchase and Surrender Of Shares
| 47. | Subject to the Companies Law, the Company may: |
| (a) | issue Shares on terms that they are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company or the Shareholder on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine; |
| (b) | purchase its own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine and agree with the Shareholder; |
| (c) | make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner authorised by the Companies Law, including out of its capital; and |
| (d) | accept the surrender for no consideration of any paid up Share (including any redeemable Share) on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine. |
| 48. | Any Share in respect of which notice of redemption has been given shall not be entitled to participate in the profits of the Company in respect of the period after the date specified as the date of redemption in the notice of redemption. |
| 49. | The redemption, purchase or surrender of any Share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption, purchase or surrender of any other Share. |
| 50. | The Directors may when making payments in respect of redemption or purchase of Shares, if authorised by the terms of issue of the Shares being redeemed or purchased or with the agreement of the holder of such Shares, make such payment either in cash or in specie including, without limitation, interests in a special purpose vehicle holding assets of the Company or holding entitlement to the proceeds of assets held by the Company or in a liquidating structure. |
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| 51. | Shares that the Company purchases, redeems or acquires (by way of surrender or otherwise) may, at the option of the Company, be cancelled immediately or held as Treasury Shares in accordance with the Companies Law. In the event that the Directors do not specify that the relevant Shares are to be held as Treasury Shares, such Shares shall be cancelled. |
| 52. | No dividend may be declared or paid, and no other distribution (whether in cash or otherwise) of the Company’s assets (including any distribution of assets to members on a winding up) may be declared or paid in respect of a Treasury Share. |
| 53. | The Company shall be entered in the Register as the holder of the Treasury Shares provided that: |
| (a) | the Company shall not be treated as a member for any purpose and shall not exercise any right in respect of the Treasury Shares, and any purported exercise of such a right shall be void; |
| (b) | a Treasury Share shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting of the Company and shall not be counted in determining the total number of issued shares at any given time, whether for the purposes of these Articles or the Companies Law, save that an allotment of Shares as fully paid bonus shares in respect of a Treasury Share is permitted and Shares allotted as fully paid bonus shares in respect of a treasury share shall be treated as Treasury Shares. |
| 54. | Treasury Shares may be disposed of by the Company on such terms and conditions as determined by the Directors. |
| 55. | The Directors may, whenever they think fit, convene a general meeting of the Company. |
| 56. | The Directors may cancel or postpone any duly convened general meeting at any time prior to such meeting, except for general meetings requisitioned by the Shareholders in accordance with these Articles, for any reason or for no reason at any time prior to the time for holding such meeting or, if the meeting is adjourned, the time for holding such adjourned meeting. The Directors shall give Shareholders notice in writing of any cancellation or postponement. A postponement may be for a stated period of any length or indefinitely as the Directors may determine. |
| 57. | General meetings shall also be convened on the requisition in writing of any Shareholder or Shareholders entitled to attend and vote at general meetings of the Company holding at least ten percent of the paid up voting share capital of the Company deposited at the Office specifying the objects of the meeting by notice given no later than 21 days from the date of deposit of the requisition signed by the requisitionists, and if the Directors do not convene such meeting for a date not later than 45 days after the date of such deposit, the requisitionists themselves may convene the general meeting in the same manner, as nearly as possible, as that in which general meetings may be convened by the Directors, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the requisitionists as a result of the failure of the Directors to convene the general meeting shall be reimbursed to them by the Company. |
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| 58. | If at any time there are no Directors, any two Shareholders (or if there is only one Shareholder then that Shareholder) entitled to vote at general meetings of the Company may convene a general meeting in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings may be convened by the Directors. |
| 59. | At least seven clear days’ notice in writing counting from the date service is deemed to take place as provided in these Articles specifying the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business, shall be given in the manner hereinafter provided or in such other manner (if any) as may be prescribed by the Company by Ordinary Resolution to such Persons as are, under these Articles, entitled to receive such notices from the Company, but with the consent of all the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of some particular meeting and attend and vote thereat, that meeting may be convened by such shorter notice or without notice and in such manner as those Shareholders may think fit. |
| 60. | The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any Shareholder shall not invalidate the proceedings at any meeting. |
Proceedings At General Meetings
| 61. | All business carried out at a general meeting shall be deemed special with the exception of sanctioning a dividend, the consideration of the accounts, balance sheets, any report of the Directors or of the Company’s auditors, and the fixing of the remuneration of the Company’s auditors. No special business shall be transacted at any general meeting without the consent of all Shareholders entitled to receive notice of that meeting unless notice of such special business has been given in the notice convening that meeting. |
| 62. | No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of Shareholders is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Save as otherwise provided by these Articles, one or more Shareholders holding at least a majority of the paid up voting share capital of the Company present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at that meeting shall form a quorum. |
| 63. | If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Shareholders, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting the Shareholder or Shareholders present and entitled to vote shall form a quorum. |
| 64. | If the Directors wish to make this facility available for a specific general meeting or all general meetings of the Company, participation in any general meeting of the Company may be by means of a telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all Persons participating in such meeting can communicate with each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting. |
| 65. | The chairman, if any, of the Directors shall preside as chairman at every general meeting of the Company. |
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| 66. | If there is no such chairman, or if at any general meeting he is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting or is unwilling to act as chairman, any Director or Person nominated by the Directors shall preside as chairman, failing which the Shareholders present in person or by proxy shall choose any Person present to be chairman of that meeting. |
| 67. | The chairman may adjourn a meeting from time to time and from place to place either: |
| (a) | with the consent of any general meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting); or |
| (b) | without the consent of such meeting if, in his sole opinion, he considers it necessary to do so to: |
| (i) | secure the orderly conduct or proceedings of the meeting; or |
| (ii) | give all persons present in person or by proxy and having the right to speak and / or vote at such meeting, the ability to do so, |
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 meeting, or adjourned meeting, is adjourned for fourteen days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in the manner provided for the 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 meeting.
| 68. | 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 the chairman or one or more Shareholders present in person or by proxy entitled to vote, and unless a poll is so demanded, a declaration by the chairman 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 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, that resolution. Where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the number of votes to which each Shareholder is entitled. |
| 69. | If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. |
| 70. | In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the poll is demanded, shall be entitled to a second or casting vote. |
| 71. | A poll demanded on the election of a chairman of the meeting or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken at such time as the chairman of the meeting directs. |
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| 72. | Holders of Ordinary Shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of the Company. Except as required by applicable law and subject to these Articles, holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares (if applicable) shall at all times vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the Shareholders. |
| 73. | Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any Shares by or in accordance with these Articles, at any general meeting on a show of hands: |
every Member holding Class A Ordinary Shares present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorised representative), or by proxy shall have one vote for every fully paid Class A Ordinary Share of which he is the holder and on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have one vote for every fully paid Class A Ordinary Share of which he is the holder; and
every Member holding Class B Ordinary Shares present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorised representative), or by proxy shall have 10 votes for every fully paid Class B Ordinary Share of which he is the holder and on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have 10 votes for every fully paid Class B Ordinary Share of which he is the holder.
| 74. | No amount paid up or credited as paid up on a share in advance of calls or instalments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up on the share. |
| 75. | Notwithstanding anything contained in these Articles, where more than one proxy is appointed by a Member which is a clearing house or a central depository house (or its nominee(s)), each such proxy shall have one vote on a show of hands. A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll) a poll is demanded by the chairman of such meeting or by any one or more Members who together hold not less than ten percent (10%) in nominal value of the total issued voting shares in the Company, present in person or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative or by proxy for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting. A demand by a person as proxy for a Member or in the case of a Member being a corporation by its duly authorised representative shall be deemed to be the same as a demand by a Member. |
| 76. | In the case of joint holders the vote of the senior 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. |
| 77. | A Shareholder of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his committee, or other Person in the nature of a committee appointed by that court, and any such committee or other Person, may vote in respect of such Shares by proxy. |
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| 78. | No Shareholder shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting of the Company unless all calls, if any, or other sums presently payable by him in respect of Shares carrying the right to vote held by him have been paid. |
| 79. | On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy. |
| 80. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under Seal or under the hand of an Officer or attorney duly authorised. A proxy need not be a Shareholder. |
| 81. | An instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form or such other form as the Directors may approve. |
| 82. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting no later than the time for holding the meeting or, if the meeting is adjourned, the time for holding such adjourned meeting. |
| 83. | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll. |
| 84. | Without limiting any other Article or definition, a resolution in writing signed by all the Shareholders for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings of the Company (or being corporations by their duly authorised representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the same had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held. |
Corporations Acting By Representatives At Meetings
| 85. | Any corporation which is a Shareholder or a Director may 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 meeting of holders of a Class or of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, and the Person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were an individual Shareholder or Director. |
| 86. | Directors shall be appointed in accordance with Article 87 and 88 and shall hold office for such term as the Members may determine by Ordinary Resolution or, in the absence of such determination, in accordance with Article 110 or until their successors are elected or appointed or their office is otherwise vacated. |
| 87. | The Board of Directors shall be divided into two classes: Class I and Class II. Class I shall consist of three (3) directors. Class II shall consist of four (4) directors. The term of office of Class I shall expire at the first annual meeting of Members following the effectiveness of these Articles; and the term of office of Class II shall expire at the second annual meeting of Members following the effectiveness of these Articles. Directors may be added to the Board of Directors between annual meetings of Members by reason of an increase in the authorized number of directors belonging to the relevant class as approved by an Ordinary Resolution. |
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| 88. | Commencing at the first annual general meeting of Members following the effectiveness of these Articles, and at each second annual general meeting thereafter, Class I directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire thereat shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the second succeeding annual general meeting after their election. Commencing at the second annual general meeting of Members following the effectiveness of these Articles, and at each second annual general meeting thereafter, Class II directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire thereat shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the second succeeding annual general meeting after their election. |
| 89. | Subject to these Articles, including without limitation, Articles 87 and 88, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution appoint any Person to be a Director. |
| 90. | Subject to these Articles including without limitation, Article 110, a Director shall hold office until such time as he is removed from office by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 91. | Subject to these Articles, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution from time to time fix the maximum and minimum number of Directors to be appointed but unless such numbers are fixed as aforesaid the minimum number of Directors shall be one and the maximum number of Directors shall be unlimited. |
| 92. | The remuneration of the Directors may be determined by the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 93. | There shall be no shareholding qualification for Directors unless determined otherwise by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 94. | Subject to these Articles, including without limitation, Articles 87 and 88, the Directors shall have power at any time and from time to time to appoint any Person to be a Director, either as a result of a casual vacancy or as an additional Director, subject to the maximum number (if any) imposed by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 95. | Any Director may in writing appoint another Person to be his alternate and, save to the extent provided otherwise in the form of appointment, such alternate shall have authority to sign written resolutions on behalf of the appointing Director, but shall not be authorised to sign such written resolutions where they have been signed by the appointing Director, and to act in such Director’s place at any meeting of the Directors. Every such alternate shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the Directors as the alternate of the Director appointing him and where he is a Director to have a separate vote in addition to his own vote. A Director may at any time in writing revoke the appointment of an alternate appointed by him. Such alternate shall not be an Officer solely as a result of his appointment as an alternate other than in respect of such times as the alternate acts as a Director. The remuneration of such alternate shall be payable out of the remuneration of the Director appointing him and the proportion thereof shall be agreed between them. |
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Powers And Duties Of Directors
| 96. | Subject to the Companies Law, these Articles and to any resolutions passed in a general meeting, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors, who may pay all expenses incurred in setting up and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company. No resolution passed by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors that would have been valid if that resolution had not been passed. |
| 97. | The Directors may from time to time appoint any Person, whether or not a Director to hold such office in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company, including but not limited to, the office of president, one or more vice-presidents, treasurer, assistant treasurer, manager or controller, and for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary or commission or participation in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers and duties as the Directors may think fit. Any Person so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. The Directors may also appoint one or more of their number to the office of managing director upon like terms, but any such appointment shall ipso facto terminate if any managing director ceases from any cause to be a Director, or if the Company by Ordinary Resolution resolves that his tenure of office be terminated. |
| 98. | The Directors may appoint any Person to be a Secretary (and if need be an assistant Secretary or assistant Secretaries) who shall hold office for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions and with such powers as they think fit. Any Secretary or assistant Secretary so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 99. | The Directors may delegate any of their powers to committees consisting of such member or members of their body as they think fit; any committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the Directors. |
| 100. | The Directors may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney (whether under Seal or under hand) or otherwise appoint any company, firm or Person or body of Persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys or authorised signatory (any such person being an “Attorney” or “Authorised Signatory”, respectively) of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretion (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such power of attorney or other appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of Persons dealing with any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such Attorney or Authorised Signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretion vested in him. |
| 101. | The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions contained in the three next following Articles shall not limit the general powers conferred by this Article. |
| 102. | The Directors from time to time and at any time may establish any committees, local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company and may appoint any Person to be a member of such committees or local boards and may appoint any managers or agents of the Company and may fix the remuneration of any such Person. |
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| 103. | The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any such committee, local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time remove any Person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no Person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby. |
| 104. | Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretion for the time being vested in them. |
| 105. | The Directors may agree with a Shareholder to waive or modify the terms applicable to such Shareholder’s subscription for Shares without obtaining the consent of any other Shareholder; provided that such waiver or modification does not amount to a variation or abrogation of the rights attaching to the Shares of such other Shareholders. |
| 106. | The Directors 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, or to otherwise provide for a security interest to be taken in such undertaking, property or uncalled capital, and to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party. |
| 107. | The Seal (if any) shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of the Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of the Seal. The Seal shall be affixed in the presence of a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or more Persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose and every Person as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the Seal is so affixed in their presence. |
| 108. | The Company may maintain a facsimile of the Seal in such countries or places as the Directors may appoint and such facsimile Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Directors provided always that such authority may be given prior to or after the affixing of such facsimile Seal and if given after may be in general form confirming a number of affixings of such facsimile Seal. The facsimile Seal shall be affixed in the presence of such Person or Persons as the Directors shall for this purpose appoint and such Person or Persons as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the facsimile Seal is so affixed in their presence and such affixing of the facsimile Seal and signing as aforesaid shall have the same meaning and effect as if the Seal had been affixed in the presence of and the instrument signed by a Director or a Secretary (or an assistant Secretary) or in the presence of any one or more Persons as the Directors may appoint for the purpose. |
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| 109. | Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Secretary or any assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix the Seal, or the facsimile Seal, to any instrument for the purposes of attesting authenticity of the matter contained therein but which does not create any obligation binding on the Company. |
| 110. | A retiring Director shall be eligible for re-election and shall continue to act as a Director throughout the meeting at which he retires. |
| 111. | The office of Director shall be vacated, if the Director: |
| (a) | becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; |
| (b) | dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound mind; |
| (c) | resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company; |
| (d) | is removed from office by Ordinary Resolution; |
| (e) | is removed from office by notice addressed to him at his last known address and signed by all of his co-Directors (not being less than two in number); or |
| (f) | retires, resigns or is removed from office pursuant to any other provision of these Articles including without limitation, Article 110. |
No director on the Board may be removed without cause.
| 112. | The Directors may meet together (either within or outside the Cayman Islands) for the despatch of business, adjourn, and otherwise regulate their meetings and proceedings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. A Director may, and a Secretary or assistant Secretary on the requisition of a Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors. |
| 113. | A Director may participate in any meeting of the Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Directors of which such Director is a member, by means of telephone or similar communication equipment by way of which all Persons participating in such meeting can communicate with each other and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting. |
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| 114. | The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors, and unless so fixed, if there be two or more Directors the quorum shall be two, and if there be one Director the quorum shall be one. A Director represented by an alternate Director at any meeting shall be deemed to be present for the purposes of determining whether or not a quorum is present. |
| 115. | A Director who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Company shall declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the Directors. A general notice given to the Directors by any Director to the effect that he is to be regarded as interested in any contract or other arrangement which may thereafter be made with that company or firm shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of interest in regard to any contract so made. A Director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement notwithstanding that he may be interested therein and if he does so his vote shall be counted and he may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the Directors at which any such contract or proposed contract or arrangement shall come before the meeting for consideration. |
| 116. | A Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and on such terms (as to remuneration and otherwise) as the Directors may determine and no Director or intending Director shall be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company either with regard to his tenure of any such other office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director is in any way interested, be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established. A Director, notwithstanding his interest, may be counted in the quorum present at any meeting of the Directors whereat he or any other Director is appointed to hold any such office or place of profit under the Company or whereat the terms of any such appointment are arranged and he may vote on any such appointment or arrangement. |
| 117. | Any Director may act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company, and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director; provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise a Director or his firm to act as auditor to the Company. |
| 118. | The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books or loose-leaf folders provided for the purpose of recording: |
| (a) | all appointments of Officers made by the Directors; |
| (b) | the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of the Directors; and |
| (c) | all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company, and of the Directors and of committees of Directors. |
| 119. | When the chairman of a meeting of the Directors signs the minutes of such meeting the same shall be deemed to have been duly held notwithstanding that all the Directors have not actually come together or that there may have been a technical defect in the proceedings. |
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| 120. | A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors or all the members of a committee of Directors entitled to receive notice of a meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be (an alternate Director, subject as provided otherwise in the terms of appointment of the alternate Director, being entitled to sign such a resolution on behalf of his appointer), shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a duly called and constituted meeting of Directors or committee of Directors, as the case may be. When signed a resolution may consist of several documents each signed by one or more of the Directors or his duly appointed alternate. |
| 121. | The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body but if and for 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 may act for the purpose of increasing the number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose. |
| 122. | If no chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| 123. | Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors, a committee appointed by the Directors may elect a chairman of its meetings. If no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the committee members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| 124. | A committee appointed by the Directors may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors, questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the committee members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. |
| 125. | All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors, or by any Person acting as a Director, shall notwithstanding that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such Director or Person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such Person had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a Director. |
| 126. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any Shares, or as otherwise provided for in the Companies Law and these Articles, the Directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and other distributions on Shares in issue and authorise payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. |
| 127. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any Shares, the Company by Ordinary Resolution may declare dividends, but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the Directors. |
| 128. | The Directors may determine, before recommending or declaring any dividend, to set aside out of the funds legally available for distribution such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends or for any other purpose to which those funds may be properly applied and pending such application may, at the determination of the Directors, either be employed in the business of the Company or be invested in such investments as the Directors may from time to time think fit. |
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| 129. | Any dividend may be paid in any manner as the Directors may determine. If paid by cheque it will be sent through the post to the registered address of the Shareholder or Person entitled thereto, or in the case of joint holders, to any one of such joint holders at his registered address or to such Person and such address as the Shareholder or Person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct. Every such cheque shall be made payable to the order of the Person to whom it is sent or to the order of such other Person as the Shareholder or Person entitled, or such joint holders as the case may be, may direct. |
| 130. | The Directors when paying dividends to the Shareholders in accordance with the foregoing provisions of these Articles may make such payment either in cash or in specie and may determine the extent to which amounts may be withheld therefrom (including, without limitation, any taxes, fees, expenses or other liabilities for which a Shareholder (or the Company, as a result of any action or inaction of the Shareholder) is liable). |
| 131. | Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any Shares, all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the Shares, but if and for so long as nothing is paid up on any of the Shares dividends may be declared and paid according to the par value of the Shares. At any and every time the Board declare dividends, Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares shall have identical rights in the dividends so declared. |
| 132. | If several Persons are registered as joint holders of any Share, any of them may give effectual receipts for any dividend or other moneys payable on or in respect of the Share. |
| 133. | No dividend shall bear interest against the Company. |
Accounts, Audit and annual return and declaration
| 134. | The books of account relating to the Company’s affairs shall be kept in such manner as may be determined from time to time by the Directors. |
| 135. | The books of account shall be kept at the Office, or at such other place or places as the Directors think fit, and shall always be open to the inspection of the Directors. |
| 136. | The Directors may from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Shareholders not being Directors, and no Shareholder (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Directors or by Ordinary Resolution. |
| 137. | The accounts relating to the Company’s affairs shall only be audited if the Directors so determine, in which case the financial year end and the accounting principles will be determined by the Directors. |
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| 138. | The Directors in each year shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, an annual return and declaration setting forth the particulars required by the Companies Law and deliver a copy thereof to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands. |
| 139. | Subject to the Companies Law and these Articles, the Directors may: |
| (a) | resolve to capitalise an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including a Share Premium Account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), whether or not available for distribution; |
| (b) | appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the Shareholders in proportion to the nominal amount of Shares (whether or not fully paid) held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards: |
| (i) | paying up the amounts (if any) for the time being unpaid on Shares held by them respectively, or |
| (ii) | paying up in full unissued Shares or debentures of a nominal amount equal to that sum, |
and allot the Shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the Shareholders (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but the Share Premium Account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued Shares to be allotted to Shareholders credited as fully paid;
| (c) | make any arrangements they think fit to resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where Shares or debentures become distributable in fractions the Directors may deal with the fractions as they think fit; |
| (d) | authorise a Person to enter (on behalf of all the Shareholders concerned) into an agreement with the Company providing for either: |
| (i) | the allotment to the Shareholders respectively, credited as fully paid, of Shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation, or |
| (ii) | the payment by the Company on behalf of the Shareholders (by the application of their respective proportions of the reserves resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing Shares, |
and any such agreement made under this authority being effective and binding on all those Shareholders; and
| (e) | generally do all acts and things required to give effect to any of the actions contemplated by this Article. |
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| 140. | The Directors shall in accordance with the Companies Law establish a Share Premium Account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any Share. |
| 141. | There shall be debited to any Share Premium Account on the redemption or purchase of a Share the difference between the nominal value of such Share and the redemption or purchase price provided always that at the determination of the Directors such sum may be paid out of the profits of the Company or, if permitted by the Companies Law, out of capital. |
| 142. | Any notice or document may be served by the Company or by the Person entitled to give notice to any Shareholder either personally, or by posting it airmail or air courier service in a prepaid letter addressed to such Shareholder at his address as appearing in the Register, or by electronic mail to any electronic mail address such Shareholder may have specified in writing for the purpose of such service of notices, or by facsimile should the Directors deem it appropriate. In the case of joint holders of a Share, all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders. |
| 143. | Any Shareholder present, either personally or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have received due notice of such meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which such meeting was convened. |
| 144. | Any notice or other document, if served by: |
| (a) | post, shall be deemed to have been served five clear days after the time when the letter containing the same is posted; |
| (b) | facsimile, shall be deemed to have been served upon production by the transmitting facsimile machine of a report confirming transmission of the facsimile in full to the facsimile number of the recipient; |
| (c) | recognised courier service, shall be deemed to have been served 48 hours after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier service; or |
| (d) | electronic mail, shall be deemed to have been served immediately upon the time of the transmission by electronic mail. |
In proving service by post or courier service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier service.
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| 145. | Any notice or document delivered or sent in accordance with the terms of these Articles shall notwithstanding that such Shareholder be then dead or bankrupt, and whether or not the Company has notice of his death or bankruptcy, be deemed to have been duly served in respect of any Share registered in the name of such Shareholder as sole or joint holder, unless his name shall at the time of the service of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register as the holder of the Share, and such service shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on all Persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the Share. |
| 146. | Notice of every general meeting of the Company shall be given to: |
| (a) | all Shareholders holding Shares with the right to receive notice and who have supplied to the Company an address for the giving of notices to them; and |
| (b) | every Person entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder, who but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting. |
No other Person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
| 147. | Every Director (including for the purposes of this Article any alternate Director appointed pursuant to the provisions of these Articles), Secretary, assistant Secretary, or other Officer (but not including the Company’s auditors) and the personal representatives of the same (each an Indemnified Person) shall be indemnified and secured harmless against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such Indemnified Person, other than by reason of such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, in or about the conduct of the Company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such Indemnified Person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. |
| 148. | No Indemnified Person shall be liable: |
| (a) | for the acts, receipts, neglects, defaults or omissions of any other Director or Officer or agent of the Company; or |
| (b) | for any loss on account of defect of title to any property of the Company; or |
| (c) | on account of the insufficiency of any security in or upon which any money of the Company shall be invested; or |
| (d) | for any loss incurred through any bank, broker or other similar Person; or |
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| (e) | for any loss occasioned by any negligence, default, breach of duty, breach of trust, error of judgement or oversight on such Indemnified Person’s part; or |
| (f) | for any loss, damage or misfortune whatsoever which may happen in or arise from the execution or discharge of the duties, powers, authorities, or discretions of such Indemnified Person’s office or in relation thereto; |
unless the same shall happen through such Indemnified Person’s own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
| 149. | Subject to the proviso hereto, no Person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any Share upon any trust and the Company shall not, unless required by law, 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 (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or as the Companies Law requires) any other right in respect of any Share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in each Shareholder registered in the Register, provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to recognise any such interests as shall be determined by the Directors. |
| 150. | If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator shall apply the assets of the Company in such manner and order as he thinks fit in satisfaction of creditors’ claims. |
| 151. | If the Company shall be wound up, the liquidator may, with the sanction of an Ordinary Resolution divide amongst the Shareholders in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may, for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any property to be divided as aforesaid and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the Shareholders or different Classes of Shareholders. 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 Shareholders as the liquidator, with the like sanction shall think fit, but so that no Shareholder shall be compelled to accept any assets whereon there is any liability. |
Amendment Of Articles Of Association
| 152. | Subject to the Companies Law, the Company may at any time and from time to time by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles in whole or in part. |
Closing of register or fixing record date
| 153. | For the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at any meeting of Shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or those Shareholders that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination as to who is a Shareholder for any other purpose, the Directors may provide that the Register shall be closed for transfers for a stated period which shall not exceed in any case 40 days. If the Register shall be so closed for the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders the Register shall be so closed for at least ten days immediately preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the date of the closure of the Register. |
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| 154. | In lieu of or apart from closing the Register, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of the Shareholders and for the purpose of determining those Shareholders that are entitled to receive payment of any dividend the Directors may, at or within 90 days prior to the date of declaration of such dividend, fix a subsequent date as the record date for such determination. |
| 155. | If the Register is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of those Shareholders entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders or those Shareholders that are entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is posted 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 Shareholders. When a determination of those Shareholders that are entitled to receive notice of, attend or vote at a meeting of Shareholders has been made as provided in this Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof. |
Registration By Way Of Continuation
| 156. | The Company may by Special Resolution resolve to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing. In furtherance of a resolution adopted pursuant to this Article, the Directors may cause an application to be made to the Registrar of Companies to deregister the Company in the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing and may cause all such further steps as they consider appropriate to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company. |
| 157. | The Company may merge or consolidate in accordance with the Companies Law. |
| 158. | To the extent required by the Companies Law, the Company may by Special Resolution resolve to merge or consolidate the Company. |
| 159. | The Directors, or any authorised service providers (including the Officers, the Secretary and the registered office agent of the Company), shall be entitled to disclose to any regulatory or judicial authority, or to any stock exchange on which the Shares may from time to time be listed, any information regarding the affairs of the Company including, without limitation, information contained in the Register and books of the Company. |
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Exhibit 2.5
AMENDMENT TO WARRANT AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDMENT TO WARRANT AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) is made and entered into as of June 16, 2020, by and among (i) Proficient Alpha Acquisition Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), (ii) Lion Group Holding Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Pubco”), and (iii) American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a New York limited liability company, as warrant agent (the “Agent”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Warrant Agreement (as defined below) (and if such term is not defined in the Warrant Agreement, then the Business Combination Agreement (as defined below)).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and the Agent are parties to that certain Warrant Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2019 (as amended, including without limitation by this Amendment, the “Warrant Agreement”), pursuant to which the Agent agreed to act as the Company’s warrant agent with respect to the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption and exercise of (i) warrants to purchase shares of common stock underlying the units of the Company issued in the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) (the “Public Warrants”), (ii) warrants to purchase shares of common stock of the Company acquired by Shih-Chung Chou, the Company’s then sponsor, in a private placement concurrent with the IPO (the “Private Warrants”), which warrants were subsequently assigned to Complex Zenith Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (the “Sponsor”), pursuant to a Securities Assignment and Joinder Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2020, (iii) warrants to purchase shares of common stock of the Company issuable to the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain officers and directors of the Company upon conversion of up to $1,500,000 of working capital loans (the “Working Capital Warrants”), and (iv) all other warrants issued by the Company after the IPO, in connection with or following the Business Combination (the “Post-IPO Warrants” and together with the Public Warrants, the Private Warrants, and the Working Capital Warrants, the “Warrants”);
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, (i) the Company, (ii) Shih-Chung Chou, in the capacity thereunder as the Purchaser Representative, (iii) Pubco, (iv) Lion MergerCo I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pubco (“Merger Sub”), (v) Lion Financial Group Limited, a corporation organized under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“Lion”), (vi) Wang Jian and Legend Success Ventures Limited, each in the capacity thereunder as the Seller Representative, and (v) each of the shareholders of Lion named as Sellers therein (the “Sellers”), entered into that certain Business Combination Agreement (as amended and restated prior to the date hereof, by the First Amended and Restated Business Combination Agreement, dated as of May 12, 2020, and as it may be amended after the date hereof, the “Business Combination Agreement”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (the “Closing”), among other matters and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, (a) Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pubco (the “Merger”), and with holders of the Company’s securities receiving substantially equivalent securities of Pubco, and (b) Pubco will acquire all of the issued and outstanding capital shares of Lion from the Sellers in exchange for the ordinary shares of Pubco (the “Share Exchange” and together with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the “Transactions”), with Lion becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pubco;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), (i) each outstanding Public Warrant will be converted into one Pubco Public Warrant, with each Pubco Public Warrant having substantially the same terms and conditions as set forth in the Public Warrants, (ii) each outstanding Private Warrant will be converted into one Pubco Private Warrant, with each Pubco Private Warrant having substantially the same terms and conditions as set forth in the Private Warrants, except in each case that the Pubco Public Warrants and the Pubco Public Warrants will represent the right to receive Class A ordinary shares of Pubco in the form of American Depositary Shares in lieu of shares of common stock of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to amend the Warrant Agreement to add Pubco as a party to the Warrant Agreement and to revise the terms of the Warrant Agreement in order to reflect the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, including without limitation the automatic conversion thereunder of the Warrants into Pubco Warrants.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual promises herein made, and in consideration of the representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Addition of Pubco as a Party to the Warrant Agreement. The parties hereby agree to add Pubco as a party to the Warrant Agreement. The parties further agree that, from and after the Closing, (i) all of the rights and obligations of the Company under the Warrant Agreement shall be, and hereby are, assigned and delegated to Pubco as if it were the original “Company” party thereto, and (ii) all references to the Company under the Warrant Agreement relating to periods from and after the Closing shall instead be a reference to Pubco. By executing this Amendment, Pubco hereby agrees to be bound by and subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Warrant Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, from and after the Closing as if it were the original “Company” party thereto.
2. Amendments to Warrant Agreement. The parties hereto hereby agree to the following amendments to the Warrant Agreement:
(a) The defined terms in this Amendment, including in the preamble and recitals hereto, and the definitions incorporated by reference from the Business Combination Agreement, are hereby added to the Warrant Agreement as if they were set forth therein.
(b) The parties hereby agree that the term “Warrants” as used in the Warrant Agreement shall include any and all warrants of Pubco into which the Warrants automatically convert upon the Effective Time. The parties further agree that any reference (as applicable and as appropriate) in the Warrant Agreement to a Warrant will instead refer to the warrants of Pubco (and any warrants of Pubco or any successor entity issued in consideration of or in exchange for any of such warrants).
(c) The parties further agree that any reference (as applicable and as appropriate) in the Warrant Agreement to shares of Common Stock will instead refer to the American Depositary Shares representing Class A Ordinary Shares of Pubco (and any other securities of Pubco or any successor entity issued in consideration of (including as a stock split, dividend or distribution) or in exchange for any of such securities).
(d) Section 9.2 of the Warrant Agreement is hereby amended to delete the address of the Company for notices under the Warrant Agreement and instead add the following address for notices to Pubco under the Warrant Agreement as the “Company” party thereunder:
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If to Pubco to:
Lion International Holdings Corp.
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with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
and
Kirkland & Ellis International
LLP
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3. Effectiveness. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Amendment shall only become effective upon the Closing. In the event that the Business Combination Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms prior to the Closing, this Amendment and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall automatically terminate and be of no further force or effect.
4. Miscellaneous. Except as expressly provided in this Amendment, all of the terms and provisions in the Warrant Agreement are and shall remain in full force and effect, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein. This Amendment does not constitute, directly or by implication, an amendment or waiver of any provision of the Warrant Agreement, or any other right, remedy, power or privilege of any party thereto, except as expressly set forth herein. Any reference to the Warrant Agreement in the Warrant Agreement or any other agreement, document, instrument or certificate entered into or issued in connection therewith, shall hereinafter mean the Warrant Agreement as the case may be, as amended by this Amendment (or as such agreement may be further amended or modified in accordance with the terms thereof). The terms of this Amendment shall be governed by, enforced and construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Warrant Agreement, as it applies to the amendments to the Warrant Agreement herein, including without limitation Section 9 of the Warrant Agreement.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party hereto has caused this Amendment to Warrant Agreement to be signed and delivered by its respective duly authorized officer as of the date first above written.
| The Company: | ||
| PROFICIENT ALPHA ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Kin Sze | |
| Name: Kin Sze | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Pubco: | ||
| LION GROUP HOLDING LTD. | ||
| By: | /s/ Jian Wang | |
| Name: Jian Wang | ||
| Title: Director | ||
| Agent: | ||
| AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael Legregin | |
| Name: Michael Legregin | ||
| Title: Senior Vice President | ||
[Signature Page to Amendment to Warrant Agreement]