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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 7, 2024 (August 5, 2024)

 

QDM International Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Florida   001-27251   59-3564984

(State or other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

Room 1030B, 10/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City,
5 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,
Kowloon, Hong Kong
+ 852
 34886893

(Address and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.

 

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

 

Emerging growth company

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

Resignation of Huili Shen as Director and Secretary

 

On August 5, 2024, Huili Shen tendered her resignation as a director and Secretary of QDM International Inc. (the “Company”), effective immediately. Ms. Shen’s resignation was for personal reasons and was not due to any disagreement with the Company.

 

Appointment of Jun Du as Director

 

To fill the vacancy created by Ms. Shen’s resignation, the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) appointed Ms. Jun Du to serve as a director of the Board, effective as of August 5, 2024.

 

Jun Du, age 39, has more than 15 years’ experience in management and operation. Since 2021, Ms. Du has served as a general manager at Shanghai Hewu Business Culture Communications Ltd., a management and investment consulting and training company. In 2015, Ms. Du founded Weifang Junxi E-commerce Ltd., a corporate and strategy management consulting company and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 2015 to 2020. Ms. Du founded and served as the Chief Executive Officer at Qingdao Huixin Hongcheng Real Estate Brokerage Ltd, a real estate brokerage company. Ms. Du holds a bachelor’s degree in Sales and Management from Sichuan University and is currently pursuing an EMBA degree with a concentration in Finance Management at Tsinghua University.

 

Ms. Du is entitled to an annual compensation of $6,000 as a director pursuant to the director offer letter dated August 5, 2024, a copy of which is filed hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

 

Ms. Du has no family relationships with any director or executive officer of the Company. There are no transactions between the Company and Ms. Du that will be required to be reported pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

 

Resignation of Tim Shannon as Chief Financial Officer

 

On August 5, 2024, Tim Shannon tendered his resignation as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the Board, effective immediately. Mr. Shannon’s resignation was for personal reasons and was not due to any disagreement with the Company.

 

Appointment of Wei Li as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

 

To fill the vacancy created by Mr. Shannon’s resignation, the Board appointed Ms. Wei Li to serve as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, effective as of August 5, 2024.

 

Wei Li, age 39, has over 15 years of experience in accounting and management. Since October 2019, Ms. Li has been a Partner and the Chief Financial Officer of Beyond Consultancy Corporation, a company that provides capital market solutions for companies planning to go public, assists companies in the preparation of their financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and provides consultation on accounting related matters. From August 2023 to May 2024, Ms. Li served as Chief Financial Officer of Hongchang International Co., Ltd (OTC: HCIL), a company engaged in international food trade and processing, where she was responsible for the relevant matters during the reverse merger of the company. From April 2018 to February 2021, Ms. Li served as the Chief Financial Officer of Heyu Biological Technology Corporation (OTC: HYBT), a Malaysian company specializing in cancer cell therapy, where she oversaw the financial management matters of the company. From March 2018 to September 2019, Ms. Li served as an independent director of Dragon Victory International Limited (Nasdaq: LYL), a China-based crowdfunding platform company. From December 2011 to July 2017, she served as the Chief Financial Officer of China Education Alliances, Inc. (NYSE: CEU), an online education company, where she oversaw the financial management matters of the company. From August 2010 to December 2011, Ms. Li worked as a senior consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, an international leading management consulting firm, where she focused on risk and control functions and provided audit, internal control advice and SOX compliance services to both public and private companies. From March 2006 to July 2010, Ms. Li served as senior auditor and tax advisor at RB Accountants, an accounting firm in Australia, where she provided financial auditing, planning and tax advice to both local and multinational companies. Ms. Li earned a bachelor’s degree in Business (Accountancy) from Queensland University Technology in Australia in 2006. She has been a certified public accountant in Australia since 2010.

 

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Effective as of August 5, 2024, the Company and Ms. Li entered into an employment agreement (the “Employment Agreement”). Under the Employment Agreement, Ms. Li is entitled to an annual salary of $120,000 (which shall increase to $150,000 per year commencing upon the listing of the Company’s securities on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC) for her services as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. She is also entitled to participate in the Company’s equity incentive plans and other Company benefits, each as determined by the Board from time to time. Her employment has an initial term of one year and is subject to successive, automatic one-year extensions unless either party gives notice of non-extension to the other party at least 30 days prior to the end of the applicable term.

 

Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, the Company may terminate Ms. Li’s employment for cause, at any time, without notice or remuneration, for certain acts, such as conviction or plea of guilty to a felony or grossly negligent or dishonest acts to the detriment of the Company, or misconduct or a failure to perform agreed duties and such failure continuing after she is afforded not less than fifteen (15) days to cure such failure. In such case, Ms. Li will not be entitled to receive payment of any severance benefits or other amounts by reason of the termination, and her right to all other benefits will terminate, except as required by any applicable law. The Company may also terminate Ms. Li’s employment without cause upon 30 days’ advance written notice. In such case of termination by the Company, Ms. Li will be entitled to the amount of base salary earned and not paid prior to termination.

 

Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, Ms. Li may terminate her employment at any time with 30 days’ prior written notice to the Company without cause or if (1) there is a material reduction in her authority, duties and responsibilities unless such reduction was made with her consent, or (2) there is a material reduction in her annual salary. Upon her termination of the employment due to any aforementioned reasons, the Company shall provide compensation to Ms. Li the equivalent to one month of her base salary that she is entitled to immediately prior to such termination.

 

The Employment Agreement also contains customary restrictive covenants relating to confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation.

 

The foregoing summary of the Employment Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Employment Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.2 and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

 

Ms. Li has no family relationships with any director or executive officer of the Company. There are no transactions between the Company and Ms. Li that will be required to be reported pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statement and Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   Description
10.1   Director Offer Letter, dated as of August 5, 2024, by and between the Company and Jun Du
10.2   Employment Agreement, dated as of August 5, 2024, by and between the Company and Wei Li
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

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SIGNATURES

 

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

 

Dated: August 7, 2024

 

  QDM INTERNATIONAL INC.
     
  By: /s/ Huihe Zheng
  Name: Huihe Zheng
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

QDM INTERNATIONAL INC.

 

August 5, 2024

 

Ms. Jun Du

 

Re: Offer Letter

 

Dear Ms. Du:

 

QDM International Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”, “we”, “us” or similar terminology), is pleased to offer you positions as a member of its Board of Directors (the “Board”). We believe your background and experience will be a significant asset to the Company and we look forward to your participation on the Board. Should you choose to accept the position as a member of the Board, this letter agreement (the “Agreement”) shall constitute an agreement between you and the Company and contains all the terms and conditions relating to the services you agree to provide to the Company.

 

1. TermThis Agreement is effective as of the date of mutual execution of this Agreement (the “Effective Date”). Your term as director of the Board shall continue subject to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws (each as amended and/or restated from time to time) and the provisions in Section 9 below, until your successor is duly appointed and qualified. You shall stand for re-appointment to the Board each year that the Class of Directors in which you serve is up for election at the annual stockholder’s meeting and upon re-appointment, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated at any time in accordance with Section 9 hereto.

 

2. ServicesYou shall render services as a member of the Board (hereinafter, your “Duties”). The Duties shall include those customary for a board member of a public company whose securities are publicly traded in the United States. During the term of this Agreement, you shall adhere to all applicable fiduciary duties and other laws, rules and regulations, and shall attend and participate in such number of meetings of the Board as regularly or specially called. You may attend and participate at each such meeting, via teleconference, video conference or in person. You shall consult with the other members of the Board (and the Company’s officers, as needed) regularly and as necessary via telephone, electronic mail or other forms of correspondence.

 

3. Services for OthersYou shall be free to represent or perform services for other persons during the term of this Agreement. You agree, however, that you do not presently perform and do not intend to perform, during the term of this Agreement, similar Duties, consulting, or other services for companies whose businesses are or would be, in any way, competitive with the Company (except for companies previously disclosed by you to the Company in writing). Should you propose to perform similar Duties, consulting, or other services for any such company, you agree to notify the Company in writing in advance (specifying the name of the organization for whom you propose to perform such services) and to provide information to the Company sufficient to allow it to determine if the performance of such services would conflict with areas of interest to the Company.

 

4. Compensation.

 

a. Annual Cash Retainer. Commencing on the Effective Date, you shall receive cash compensation of $6,000 for each calendar year of service under this Agreement on a pro-rated basis, payable in arrears on a monthly basis, with the initial payment due August 31, 2024.

 

b. Reimbursement of Reasonable Expenses. You shall also be reimbursed for reasonable, pre-approved expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your Duties (including travel expenses for in-person meetings).

  

5. D&O Insurance Policy. During the term under this Agreement, the Company shall include you as an insured under its officers and directors insurance policy, if any.

 

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6. No AssignmentBecause of the personal nature of the services to be rendered by you, this Agreement may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.

 

7. Confidential Information; Non-DisclosureIn consideration of your access to certain Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company, in connection with your business relationship with the Company, you hereby represent and agree as follows:

 

a. DefinitionFor purposes of this Agreement the term “Confidential Information” means: (i) any information which the Company possesses that has been created, discovered or developed by or for the Company, and which has or could have commercial value or utility in the business in which the Company is engaged; (ii) any information which is related to the business of the Company and is generally not known by non-Company personnel; and (iii) Confidential Information includes, without limitation, trade secrets and any information concerning products, processes, formulas, designs, inventions (whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar laws, and whether or not reduced to practice), discoveries, concepts, ideas, improvements, techniques, methods, research, development and test results, specifications, data, know-how, software, formats, marketing plans, and analyses, business plans and analyses, strategies, forecasts, customer and supplier identities, characteristics and agreements.

 

b. ExclusionsNotwithstanding the foregoing, the term Confidential Information shall not include: (i) any information which becomes generally available or is readily available to the public other than as a result of a breach of the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement, or any other agreement requiring confidentiality between the Company and you; (ii) information received from a third party in rightful possession of such information who is not restricted from disclosing such information; (iii) information known by you prior to receipt of such information from the Company, which prior knowledge can be documented and (iv) information you are required to disclose pursuant to any applicable law, regulation, judicial or administrative order or decree, or request by other regulatory organization having authority pursuant to the law; provided, however, that you shall first have given prior written notice to the Company and made a reasonable effort to obtain a protective order requiring that the Confidential Information not be disclosed.

 

c. Documents. You agree that, without the express written consent of the Company, you will not remove from the Company’s premises, any notes, formulas, programs, data, records, machines or any other documents or items which in any manner contain or constitute Confidential Information, nor will you make reproductions or copies of same. You shall promptly return any such documents or items, along with any reproductions or copies to the Company upon the Company’s demand, upon termination of this Agreement, or upon your termination or Resignation (as defined in Section 9 herein).

  

d. ConfidentialityYou agree that you will hold in trust and confidence all Confidential Information and will not disclose to others, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information or anything relating to such information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary to perform your duties to the Company as a member of the Board. You further agree that you will not use any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary to perform your duties to the Company as a member of the Board, and that the provisions of this paragraph (d) shall survive termination of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may disclose Confidential Information to your legal counsel and accounting advisors who have a need to know such information for accounting or tax purposes and who agree to be bound by the provisions of this paragraph (d).

 

e. OwnershipYou agree that the Company shall own all right, title and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by you during the term of this Agreement and that arise out of your Duties (collectively, “Inventions”) and you will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to the Company. You agree to assist the Company, at its expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned.

 

f. Survival. You agree that the provisions of this Section 7 shall survive and remain in full force and effect upon and following any termination or purported termination of this Agreement or from and after the time you cease performing services to the Company.

 

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8. Non-Solicitation. During the term of your appointment and for a period of one (1) year thereafter, you shall not solicit for employment any employee of the Company with whom you have had contact due to your appointment. You agree that the provisions of this Section 8 shall survive and remain in full force and effect upon and following any termination or purported termination of this Agreement or from and after the time you cease performing services to the Company.

 

9. Termination and Resignation. Your membership on the Board (which for purposes of this Agreement shall automatically mean any committee of the Board) may be terminated and you may be removed from the Board for any or no reason by a vote of the stockholders holding at least a majority of the shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote. In addition, the Board may, at any time and for any reason, terminate this Agreement and all of your rights and benefits hereunder. You may also terminate your membership on the Board for any or no reason by delivering your written notice of resignation to the Company (“Resignation”), and such Resignation shall be effective upon the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, upon receipt of the notice of resignation by the Company. Upon the effective date of any of the termination of your Board service, the termination of this Agreement or your Resignation, your right to compensation hereunder will terminate subject to the Company’s obligations to pay you any compensation that you have already earned and to reimburse you for approved expenses already incurred in connection with your performance of your Duties as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation. 

 

10. Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial. All questions with respect to the construction and/or enforcement of this Agreement, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder, shall be determined in accordance with the law of the State of Florida applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in the State of Florida. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the New York County, New York, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith, and hereby irrevocably waive, and agree not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that they are is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. THE PARTIES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT EITHER MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREE NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. 

 

11. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Waiver; CounterpartsThis Agreement expresses the entire understanding with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and terminates any prior oral or written agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived only with the written consent of the parties hereto. Waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or failure of the same term or condition or waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party at any time to require performance by any other party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of any such party to require future performance of such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which will be an original and all of which taken together will constitute one and the same agreement, and may be executed using facsimiles of signatures, and a facsimile of a signature shall be deemed to be the same, and equally enforceable, as an original of such signature. Delivery of such counterparts by facsimile or email/.pdf transmission shall constitute validity delivery thereof.

 

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12. Indemnification. The Company shall, to the maximum extent provided under applicable law, indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, settlements and other legally permissible amounts (“Losses”), incurred in connection with any proceeding arising out of, or related to, your performance of your Duties, other than any such Losses incurred as a result of your fraud, willful default, gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Company shall advance to you any expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of settlement, incurred in defending any such proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Such costs and expenses incurred by you in defense of any such proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding promptly upon receipt by the Company of (a) written request for payment; (b) appropriate documentation evidencing the incurrence, amount and nature of the costs and expenses for which payment is being sought; and (c) an undertaking adequate under applicable law made by or on your behalf to repay the amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined pursuant to any non-appealable judgment or settlement that you are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.

 

13. Not an Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement, and shall not be construed or interpreted to create any right for you to be employed by the Company.

 

14. Acknowledgement. You accept this Agreement subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement. You agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Board of any questions arising under this Agreement.

 

Thank you for your agreement to serve on our Board, and we look forward to working with you. If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign by your name below and return a copy to me, which signature shall signify your agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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The Agreement has been executed and delivered by the undersigned and is made effective as of the date set first set forth above.

 

  Sincerely,
   
  QDM International Inc.
     
  By:  /s/ Huihe Zheng
    Name: Huihe Zheng
    Title: Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED:  
   
/s/ Jun Du  
Jun Du  

 

[Signature Page to Director Offer Letter]

 

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Exhibit 10.2

 

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into by and between QDM International Inc. (the “Company”), a Florida corporation with its principal place of business located at Room 1030B, 10/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 5 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, and Wei Li (“Executive”) (each a “Party” and collectively the “Parties”) effective as of the 5th day of August 2024 (“Effective Date”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company wishes to employ Executive on the terms set forth in this Agreement (the “Employment”); and

 

WHEREAS, Executive wishes to become employed on the terms set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1. Term. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the initial term of the Employment shall be one (1) year commencing on the Effective Date, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Employment will be renewed automatically for additional one-year terms if neither the Company nor the Executive provides a notice of termination of the Employment to the other party within thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the applicable term. The period of time between the Effective Date and the termination of the Executive’s employment shall be referred as the “Term.”

 

2. Position and Duties.

 

a. Title. The Company hereby agrees to employ the Executive to serve as Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

 

b. Duties. Executive shall report to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Executive shall perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office she holds. Executive shall have overall responsibility for the Company’s financial processes and operations, including supervision of all subordinate officers and employees within the finance function. Executive shall also be required to certify to the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that the Company’s filings with the SEC fairly present in all material respects the Company’s financial condition. Executive shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be assigned by the Company’s Board of Directors (including any designated compensation or other committee thereof, the “Board”) from time to time that are consistent with her title and status.

 

c. Board Service. If requested, Executive agrees, for no additional compensation beyond that provided for in this Agreement, to serve on the board of directors of any affiliates of the Company. If Executive’s Employment ends for any reason, Executive agrees to immediately resign from any such board positions.

 

 

 

 

d. Full-Time Commitment/Policies. Throughout the Executive’s Employment, the Executive shall devote substantially all of her professional time to the performance of her duties of employment with the Company (except as otherwise provided herein) and shall faithfully and industriously perform such duties. The Executive will be required to comply with all Company policies as may exist and be in effect from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Executive from serving, with the prior written consent of the Board, not to be unreasonably withheld, as a member of the board of directors or advisory board of non-competing for-profit businesses and charitable organizations so long as such activities do not materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder. In no event shall Executive make use of any personnel or other resources of the Company in performing her duties for any such other business or other organization.

 

e. Executive Representations. The Executive represents and warrants to the Company that she is under no obligation or commitments, whether contractual or otherwise, that are inconsistent with her obligations under this Agreement. The Executive represents and warrants that she will not use or disclose, in connection with her Employment by the Company, any trade secrets or proprietary information or intellectual property in which any other person or entity has any right, title or interest and that her Employment by the Company as contemplated by this Agreement will not infringe or violate the rights of any other person.

 

3. Compensation and Benefits.

 

a. Base Salary. In consideration for her work under the terms of this Agreement, the Executive shall earn a base salary in the gross amount of $120,000 (One Hundred Twenty Thousand U.S. Dollars) per annum (“Base Salary”), less any deductions and withholdings required for income taxes, social insurance, or other purposes required by any laws and regulations, including, not limited to, the laws of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), if applicable. Beginning on the first day of the first regular pay period following the Company’s uplisting to NASDAQ, Executive’s annual Base Salary shall increase to the gross amount of $150,000 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand U.S. Dollars). Executive’s Base Salary shall be paid in equal monthly installments, in accordance with the regular payroll practices of the Company, or more frequently if required by applicable law.

 

b. Discretionary Annual Bonus. Executive shall be eligible for such bonus, if any, as determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board (the “Bonus”).

 

c. Clawback Rules. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, any incentive-based compensation, including any Bonus paid to the Executive under this Agreement, any incentive plan, or any other agreement or arrangement with the Company, which is subject to recovery under any law, government rule or regulation, or stock exchange listing requirement (“Clawback Rules”), will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such Clawback Rules or any policy adopted by the Company pursuant to any such Clawback Rules. The Company shall decide, in its sole and absolute discretion, what policies it must adopt in order to comply with such Clawback Rules.

 

d. Taxes-Withholdings. All compensation paid or provided under this Agreement shall be subject to such deductions and withholdings for taxes and such other amounts as are required by law or elected by the Executive. The Executive represents and warrants to the Company that she will timely fulfill the payment obligations required by such foreign (including PRC), federal, state and local taxes pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

 

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4. Business Expenses. The Company will reimburse or advance all reasonable business expenses that Executive incurs in connection with the performance of her duties under this Agreement, including travel expenses, in accordance with the Company’s policies as established from time to time.

 

5. Termination of Employment.

 

a. By the Company 

 

(i) For Cause. The Company may terminate the Employment for cause, at any time, without notice or remuneration (unless notice or remuneration is specifically required by applicable law, in which case notice or remuneration will be provided in accordance with applicable law), if:

 

(1)the Executive is convicted or pleads to a felony or to act of fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement;

 

(2)the Executive has been grossly negligent or acted dishonestly to the detriment of the Company;

 

(3)the Executive has engaged in actions amounting to willful misconduct or failed to perform her duties hereunder and such failure continues after the Executive is afforded not less than fifteen (15) days to cure such failure; or

 

(4)the Executive violates Sections 6 or 7 of this Agreement.

 

Upon termination for “cause”, the Executive shall be entitled to the amount of base salary earned and not paid prior to termination. However, the Executive will not be entitled to receive payment of any severance benefits or other amounts by reason of the termination, and the Executive’s right to all other benefits will terminate, except as required by any applicable law.

 

(ii) For death and disability. The Company may also terminate the Employment, at any time, without notice or remuneration (unless notice or remuneration is specifically required by applicable law, in which case notice or remuneration will be provided in accordance with applicable law), if:

 

(1)the Executive has died, or,

 

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(2)the Executive has a disability which shall mean a physical or mental impairment which, as reasonably determined by the Board, renders the Executive unable to perform the essential functions of her Employment with the Company, with or without reasonable accommodation, for more than 30 days in any 12-month period, unless a longer period is required by applicable law, in which case that longer period would apply.

 

Upon termination for death or disability, the Executive shall be entitled to the amount of base salary earned and not paid prior to termination. However, the Executive will not be entitled to receive payment of any severance benefits or other amounts by reason of the termination, and the Executive’s right to all other benefits will terminate, except as required by any applicable law.

 

(iii) Without Cause. The Company may terminate the Employment without cause, at any time, upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice. Upon termination without cause, the Executive shall be entitled to the amount of base salary earned and not paid prior to termination.

 

In order to be eligible for, and as a condition precedent for the payments and benefits under this Section 5(a)(iii), the Executive must execute and deliver to the Company a general release of the Company and its affiliates in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Board.

 

b. (iv) Change of Control Transaction. If the Company or its successor terminates the Employment upon a merger, consolidation, or transfer or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company with or to any other individual(s) or entity (the “Change of Control Transaction”), the Executive shall be entitled to the following severance payments and benefits upon such termination: (1) a lump sum cash payment equal to one (1) month of the Executive’s base salary at a rate equal to the greater of her annual salary in effect immediately prior to the termination, or her then current annual salary as of the date of such termination; and (2) a lump sum cash payment equal to a pro-rated amount of her annual bonus for the fiscal year immediately preceding the termination. By the Executive. The Executive may terminate the Employment at any time with thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the Company without cause or if (1) there is a material reduction in the Executive’s authority, duties and responsibilities unless such reduction was made with her consent, or (2) there is a material reduction in the Executive’s annual salary (the occurrences in either of (1) or (2) being referred to as “Good Reason”). Upon the Executive’s termination of the Employment due to Good Reason, the Company shall provide compensation to the Executive equivalent to one (1) month of the Executive’s base salary that she is entitled to immediately prior to such termination.

 

In addition, the Executive may resign prior to the expiration of the Agreement if such resignation is approved by the Board or an alternative arrangement with respect to the Employment is approved by the Board.

 

In order to be eligible for, and as a condition precedent for the payment of, the severance payments and benefits under this Section 5(b), the Executive must execute and deliver to the Company a general release of the Company and all members of the Group and their affiliates in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Board.

 

c. Notice of Termination. Any termination of the Executive’s Employment under this Agreement shall be communicated by written notice of termination from the terminating party to the other party. The notice of termination shall indicate the specific provision(s) of this Agreement relied upon in effecting the termination.

 

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6. Confidentiality.

 

a. Confidential Information. The Executive acknowledges that the Executive will occupy a position of trust and confidence. The Company, from time to time, may disclose to the Executive, and the Executive will require access to and may generate confidential and proprietary information (no matter how created or stored) concerning the business practices, products, services, and operations of the Company which is not known to its competitors or within its industry generally and which is of great competitive value to it, including, but not limited to: (i) Trade Secrets (as defined herein), inventions, mask works, ideas, concepts, drawings, materials, documentation, procedures, diagrams, specifications, models, processes, formulae, source and object codes, data, software, programs, other works of authorship, know-how, improvements, discoveries, developments, designs and techniques; (ii) information regarding research, development, products, marketing plans, market research and forecasts, bids, proposals, quotes, business plans, budgets, financial information and projections, overhead costs, profit margins, pricing policies and practices, accounts, processes, planned collaborations or alliances, licenses, suppliers and customers; (iii) operational information including deployment plans, means and methods of performing services, operational needs information, and operational policies and practices; and (iv) any information obtained by the Company from any third party that the Company treats or agrees to treat as confidential or proprietary information of the third party (collectively, “Confidential Information”). The Executive acknowledges and agrees that Confidential Information includes Confidential Information disclosed to the Executive prior to entering into this Agreement.

 

b. Trade Secrets.Trade Secrets” means any information, including any data, plan, drawing, specification, pattern, procedure, method, computer data, system, program or design, device, list, tool, or compilation, that relates to the present or planned business of the Company and which: (i) derives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not readily ascertainable by proper means to, other persons who can obtain economic value from their disclosure or use; and (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain their secrecy. To the extent that the foregoing definition is inconsistent with a definition of “trade secret” under applicable law, the latter definition shall control.

 

c. Restrictions On Use and Disclosure of Confidential Information. The Executive agrees during her Employment and after her Employment ends, the Executive will hold the Confidential Information in strict confidence and will neither use the information nor disclose it to anyone, except to the extent necessary to carry out the Executive’s responsibilities as an employee of the Company or as specifically authorized in writing by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit the Executive from disclosing any concerns about suspected unlawful conduct to any proper government authority subject to proper jurisdiction. This provision shall survive the termination of the Executive’s Employment for so long as the Company maintains the secrecy of the Confidential Information and the Confidential Information has competitive value; and to the extent such information is otherwise protected by statute for a longer period, for example and not by way of limitation, the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA”), then until such information ceases to have statutory protection.

 

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d. Defend Trade Secrets Act. Misappropriation of a Trade Secret of the Company in breach of this Agreement may subject the Executive to liability under the DTSA, entitle the Company to injunctive relief, and require the Executive to pay compensatory damages, double damages, and attorneys’ fees to the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Executive hereby is notified in accordance with the DTSA that Executive will not be held criminally or civilly liable under a federal or state law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in confidence to a federal, state or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. If the Executive files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, the Executive may disclose the trade secret to the Executive’s attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, provided that the Executive must file any document containing the trade secret under seal, and must not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. 

 

7. Inventions and Proprietary Information.

 

a. Definitions.

 

(i) Intellectual Property Rights” means all rights in and to United States and foreign: (A) patents, patent disclosures, and inventions (whether patentable or not), (B) trademarks, service marks, trade dress, trade names, logos, corporate names, and domain names, and other similar designations of source or origin, together with the goodwill symbolized by any of the foregoing, (C) copyrights and works of authorship (whether copyrightable or not), including computer programs, mask works, and rights in data and databases, (D) trade secrets, know-how, and other confidential information, (E) all other intellectual property rights, in each case whether registered or unregistered, and including all rights of priority in and all rights to apply to register for such rights, all registrations and applications for, and renewals or extensions of, such rights, and all similar or equivalent rights or forms of protection in any part of the world, (F) any and all royalties, fees, income, payments, and other proceeds with respect to any and all of the foregoing, and (G) any and all claims and causes of action with respect to any of the foregoing, including all rights to recover for infringement, misappropriation, or dilution of the foregoing, and all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world.

 

ii) Work Product” means, without limitation, any and all ideas, concepts, information, materials, processes, methods, data, programs, know-how, technology, improvements, discoveries, developments, works of authorship, designs, artwork, formulae, other copyrightable works, and techniques and all Intellectual Property Rights that presently exist or may come to exist in the future in any of the items listed above.

 

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b. Work Product.

 

(i) All right, title, and interest in and to all Work Product as well as any and all Intellectual Property Rights therein and all improvements thereto shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company.

 

(ii) The Company shall have the unrestricted right (but not any obligation), in its sole and absolute discretion, to: (A) use, commercialize, or otherwise exploit any Work Product or (B) file an application for patent, copyright registration, or registration of any other Intellectual Property Rights, and prosecute or abandon such application prior to issuance or registration. No royalty or other consideration shall be due or owing to the Executive now or in the future as a result of such activities.

 

(iii) The Work Product is and shall at all times remain the Confidential Information of the Company.

 

c. Work Made for Hire; Assignment; Limitations.

 

(i) The Executive acknowledges that, by reason of being employed by the Company at the relevant times, to the extent permitted by law, all Work Product consisting of copyrightable subject matter is “work made for hire” as defined in the Copyright Act of 1976 (17 U.S.C. § 101), and such copyrights are therefore owned by the Company. To the extent that the foregoing does not apply, the Executive hereby irrevocably assigns to the Company, and its successors and assigns, for no additional consideration, the Executive’s entire right, title, and interest, in and to all Work Product and Intellectual Property Rights therein, including without limitation the right to sue, counterclaim, and recover for all past, present, and future infringement, misappropriation, or dilution thereof, and all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to reduce or limit the Company’s right, title, or interest in any Work Product or Intellectual Property Rights so as to be less in any respect than the Company would have had in the absence of this Agreement.

 

(ii) To the extent that the Executive has not separately assigned any Prior Inventions, the Executive hereby irrevocably assigns to the Company, and its successors and assigns, for no additional consideration, the Executive’s entire right, title, and interest in and to all Prior Inventions, including without limitation the right to sue, counterclaim, and recover for all past, present, and future infringement, misappropriation, or dilution thereof, and all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to reduce or limit the Company’s right, title, or interest in any Prior Inventions so as to be less in any respect than the Company would have had in the absence of this Agreement.

 

(iii) The provisions of this Agreement related to assignment of Intellectual Property Rights do not apply to inventions which qualify fully for protection under Section 2870 of the California Labor Code.

 

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8. Return of Property/Post-Employment Representations. On the date of the Executive’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason (or at any time prior thereto at the Company’s request), the Executive shall return all property and documents belonging to the Company and not retain any copies, including, but not limited to, any keys, access cards, badges, laptops, computers, cell phones, wireless electronic mail devices, USB drives, other equipment, documents, reports, files, and other property provided by or belonging to the Company. Executive shall provide all usernames and passwords to all electronic devices, documents, and accounts, including any social media accounts Executive used in connection with her duties. Upon request, the Executive shall return all Company-related documents and data on personal devices and delete such documents and data upon the request of the Company. The Executive shall give written acknowledgment of the return and/or deletion of Company-related documents and data upon request of the Company. On and after the Termination Date, Executive shall no longer represent to anyone that she remains employed by the Company and shall take affirmative action to amend any statements to the contrary on any social media sites, including but not limited to Linked-in and Facebook.

 

9. Use of Name and Likeness. Executive grants the Company permission to use her name, voice, image or likeness, for the purposes of advertising and promoting the Company, or for other purposes deemed appropriate by the Company in its reasonable discretion, except to the extent expressly prohibited by law for the duration of the Term and for a period of one year after the Term ends.

 

10. Survival of Provisions. The respective rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall survive any termination of this Agreement hereunder for any reason to the extent necessary to the intended provision of such rights and the intended performance of such obligations.

 

11. Notices. For the purposes of this Agreement, notices, demands and all other communications provided for in the Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered by email with return receipt requested, upon the obtaining of a valid return receipt from the recipient, by hand, or mailed by nationally recognized overnight delivery service, addressed to the Parties’ addresses specified below or to such other address as any Party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt:

 

 

To the Company:

 

QDM International Inc.

Attn: Mr. Huihe Zheng

Room 1030B, 10/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour
City, 5 Canton Road

Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Email: zhenghuihe999@163.com

 

With a copy that will not constitute notice to:

 

Wei Wang, Esq.

Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP

1345 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Floor

New York, New York 10105

Email: WWang@egsllp.com

To the Executive:

 

Wei Li

[…]

Email: wligday@outlook.com

 

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12. Tax Matters. The Company may withhold from any and all amounts payable under this Agreement or otherwise such foreign, federal, state and local taxes or any other income, employment, or other taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

 

13. Assignment. The Executive may not assign any part of the Executive’s rights or obligations under this Agreement. The Executive agrees and hereby consents that the Company may assign this Agreement to a third party that acquires or succeeds to the Company’s business, that the provisions hereof are enforceable against the Executive by such assignee or successor in interest, and that this Agreement shall become an obligation of, inure to the benefit of, and be assigned to, any legal successor or successors to the Company.

 

14. Governing Law. This Agreement, the rights and obligations of the Parties hereto, and any claims or disputes relating thereto, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York (without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions), provided that, the arbitration provisions of this Agreement shall be governed solely by The Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-402.

 

15. Binding Arbitration/Waiver of Jury Trial. Any controversy, dispute, or claim, arising out of or relating to Executive’s employment with the Company, the termination thereof, this Agreement, or the breach of this Agreement, shall be resolved by arbitration before a single arbitrator in New York, New York (USA) administered by JAMS pursuant to its Employment Arbitration Rules & Procedures (the “JAMS Rules”) and subject to JAMS Policy on Employment Arbitration Minimum Standards of Procedural Fairness. The JAMS Rules are available on the internet at https://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/. Jurisdictional and arbitrability disputes, including disputes over the formation, existence, validity, interpretation or scope of this Agreement and this arbitration provision, and who is a proper party to the arbitration, shall be submitted to and ruled on by the arbitrator. Unless the relevant law requires otherwise, the arbitrator shall have the authority to determine jurisdiction and arbitrability issues as a preliminary matter. Judgment on the Award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. The Parties understand and agree that this arbitration provision results in a WAIVER OF TRIAL BY JURY in all such disputes.

 

16. Exclusive Jurisdiction. Subject to paragraph “15” of this Agreement, the exclusive venue for any and all legal disputes between the parties shall be the state and federal courts located in New York, New York. The Parties waive all objections to such venues including objections based on inconvenience of the forum.

 

17. Service of Process. Each Party irrevocably consents to service of process and of any demand for arbitration in the same manner as notices may be served under paragraph “11” of this Agreement. Nothing herein shall prevent any party from effective service of process by any other lawful method or from serving a demand for arbitration in the manner provided for under JAMS Rules.

 

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18. Headings. Titles or captions of sections or paragraphs contained in this Agreement are intended solely for the convenience of reference, and shall not serve to define, limit, extend, modify, or describe the scope of this Agreement or the meaning of any provision hereof. The language used in this Agreement is deemed to be the language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any person.

 

19. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable. The unenforceability or invalidity of any provision or portion of this Agreement in any jurisdiction shall not affect the validity, legality, or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement, it being intended that all rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder shall be enforceable to the full extent permitted by applicable law.

 

20. Waiver; Modification. No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived, or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing and signed by the Executive and a duly authorized officer of the Company. No waiver by either Party hereto at any time of any breach by the other Party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other Party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time.

 

21. Recitals; Entire Agreement. The Recitals are hereby incorporated into this Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersedes any and all prior agreements or understandings between the Executive and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof. No agreements, inducements, or representations, oral or otherwise, express, or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either Party which are not expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

22. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and each executed counterpart shall have the efficacy of a signed original and may be transmitted by facsimile or email. Each copy, facsimile copy, or emailed copy of any such signed counterpart may be used in lieu of the original for any purpose.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Executive Employment Agreement effective as of the date first written above.

 

QDM INTERNATIONAL INC.  
     
By: /s/ Huihe Zheng  
  Mr. Huihe Zheng  
  Chief Executive Officer & Chairman  

 

EXECUTIVE  
   
/s/ Wei Li  
Wei Li  

 

 

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