Exhibit 10.3
January 12, 2022
Paul Andrew Appleby
175 Britton Avenue,
Atherton, CA 94027
Re: Separation and Transition Agreement
Dear Paul:
In connection with the decision to terminate your role as the President, Worldwide Field Operations, and to assist with the transition of your duties and responsibilities, this letter agreement (“Agreement”) confirms that your employment with Elasticsearch, Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, the “Company”) is being terminated based on our agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions discussed below.
This Agreement summarizes the terms of your separation from the Company and release between you and the Company. The purpose of this Agreement is to establish an amicable arrangement for ending your employment relationship, for you to release the Company of any claims and to resolve any disputes you may have with the Company regarding your employment or separation from that employment, and to permit you to receive severance pay and related benefits to the extent specified below. With these understandings, and in exchange for the promises of you and the Company as set forth below, you and the Company agree as follows:
1.You stepped down from your role as President, Worldwide Field Operations on January 12, 2022 (the “Transition Date”). From the date of this Letter Agreement through the Separation Date as defined below (the “Transition Period”), you will continue to be employed pursuant to the current terms of your employment, provided that it is the parties’ expectation that you will not be granted any new equity awards following the Transition Date.
Your employment will end on June 9, 2022 (the “Scheduled Separation Date”), or earlier as provided in the remainder of this paragraph (the date of your actual termination of employment, the “Separation Date”). You are free to terminate your employment at any time during the Transition Period for any reason or for no reason. Similarly, the Company is free to terminate your employment at any time during the Transition Period, in the event you violate any material terms of this Agreement or the Company’s Employment, Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement that you executed in connection with your hire (the “Confidentiality Agreement”).
During the Transition Period you will remain employed by the Company as a Strategic Advisor engaging in activities relating to the transition of your former duties as President, Worldwide Field Operations to your successor, as well as providing services relating to matters that you and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer mutually agree on, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.
2. Per applicable law, the Company will pay you your final paycheck (subject to applicable withholding) on the Separation Date. You acknowledge and agree that, other than the consideration set forth in this Agreement (Section 3), the Company, upon providing you with reimbursements of expenses if any, has paid or provided all salary, wages, bonuses, accrued vacation/paid time off, premiums, leaves, housing allowances, relocation costs, interest,
severance, outplacement costs, fees, reimbursable expenses, commissions, stock, stock options, vesting, and any and all other benefits and compensation due to you.
3. If you remain employed with the Company through the Scheduled Separation Date or are terminated without Cause as defined in the Company’s Executive CIC Severance Plan, then you will be entitled to the severance benefits set forth in this Section 3, which are provided for in the Change in Control and Severance Agreement between you and the Company (the “Severance Agreement”), subject to you executing and not revoking the Supplemental Separation Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Supplemental Separation Agreement”), which must become effective and irrevocable within sixty (60) days of the Scheduled Separation Date, in accordance with the terms below:
a. The Company will pay you a lump sum payment equal to $250,000, less applicable withholdings, which is equal to six (6) months of your annual base salary as in effect immediately prior to the Separation Date, payable on the first regular payroll date following sixty (60) days after the Separation Date.
b. The Company will pay you a lump-sum cash payment equal to $150,000, which is an amount equal to 50% of your annual target incentive bonus for the year of the Separation Date, payable on the first regular payroll date following sixty (60) days after the Separation Date.
c. If you timely elect continued group health plan continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”), the Company will pay the full amount of your premiums on your behalf for continued coverage under the Company’s group health plans, including coverage for your eligible dependents, for twelve (12) months from the date you and your eligible dependents suffer a loss of health coverage under the Company’s group health plan (calculated from the first day of the month following the date you and your eligible dependents suffer such loss of coverage) or until such earlier date on which you becomes eligible for health coverage from another employer.
Each of the severance benefits described above are, in all cases, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and subject to (i) any required tax or other withholdings, (ii) any garnishment, support or withholding orders required by law, and (iii) any debt obligation you owe to the Company as of the Separation Date. To the extent that any severance benefit or any other reimbursement or in-kind benefit under this Agreement or under any other reimbursement or in-kind benefit plan or arrangement in which you participate provides for a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A (as defined below) and otherwise are not exempt from and do not otherwise comply with Section 409A, they will be made in accordance with Section 409A, including, but not limited to, the following provisions: (i) the amount eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefit in one calendar year may not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefit in any other calendar year; (ii) the right to the applicable reimbursement or in-kind benefit is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit or payment; (iii) to the extent there is any reimbursement of an expense, subject to any shorter time periods provided in this Agreement or in the applicable reimbursement arrangement, any such reimbursement of an expense or in-kind benefit must be made on or before the last day of your taxable year following your taxable year in which the expense was incurred; and (iv) except as specifically provided herein or in the applicable reimbursement arrangement, in-kind benefits will be provided, and reimbursements will be made for expenses incurred, only during your lifetime. The prior sentence assumes that the calendar year is your taxable year; if not, reference to “calendar year” in the prior sentence will relate to your taxable year.
4. Your regular health insurance benefits shall continue through the last day of the month in which your Separation Date occurs, subject to your right to continue your health
insurance under COBRA. Subject to Section 1, your participation in all benefits and incidents of employment, including, but not limited to, vesting of equity awards, vacation, and paid time off, ceases as of the Separation Date.
5. You acknowledge that you have entered into the Confidentiality Agreement. You further acknowledge that, separate from this Agreement (but, for avoidance of doubt, subject to Section 6 of this Agreement), you remain under continuing obligations to the Company under the Confidentiality Agreement, including the provisions therein regarding nondisclosure of the Company’s trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information.
Nothing in this Agreement or the Confidentiality Agreement prohibits you from reporting possible violations of United States federal law or regulation to any United States governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Congress, and any agency Inspector General, or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of United States federal law or regulation without prior authorization from or any notice to the Company.
6. You understand that nothing in this Agreement or the Confidentiality Agreement shall in any way limit or prohibit you from engaging in any Protected Activity. Protected Activity includes filing and/or pursuing a charge, complaint, or report with, or otherwise communicating, cooperating, or participating in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any federal, state or local government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board (“Government Agencies”). Protected Activity also includes the right to disclose information pertaining to sexual harassment or any other unlawful or potentially unlawful conduct and/or to testify in an administrative, legislative, or judicial proceeding concerning alleged criminal conduct or alleged sexual harassment on the part of any party to this Agreement, or on the part of the agents or employees of that party, when you have been required or requested to attend the proceeding pursuant to a court order, subpoena, or written request from an administrative agency or the legislature, or as otherwise protected by applicable law. You understand that in connection with such Protected Activity, you are permitted to disclose documents or other information as permitted by law, without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you agree to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of any information that may constitute Company confidential information under the Confidential Information Agreement to any parties or in a manner not protected by applicable law. You further understand that “Protected Activity” does not include the disclosure of any Company attorney-client privileged communications or attorney work product. Any language in the Confidential Information Agreement regarding your right to engage in Protected Activity that conflicts with, or is contrary to, this section is superseded by this Agreement. In addition, pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, you are notified that an individual will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (i) is made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official (directly or indirectly) or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if (and only if) such filing is made under seal. In addition, an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the individual’s attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.
7. You and the Company wish to resolve any and all disputes, claims, complaints, grievances, charges, actions, petitions, and demands that you may have against the Company and any of the Releasees as defined below, including, but not limited to, any and all claims arising
out of or in any way related to your employment with or separation from employment with the Company. In consideration for receiving the consideration in section 3 above, you waive and release and promise never to assert any and all claims or causes of action, whether or not now known, that you have or might have against the Company or its predecessors, successors, subsidiaries, parents (including, without limitation, Elastic N.V., a Dutch public company with limited liability), affiliates, investors, branches or related entities (collectively, including the Company and Elastic N.V., the “Entities”) or the Entities' officers, directors, employees, stockholders, partners, members, consultants, agents, attorneys, employee benefit plans or assigns (collectively, the Entities and the persons above are the “Releasees”), arising from any omissions, acts, facts, or damages that have occurred up until and including the date you sign this Agreement, including (without limitation):
a. any and all claims relating to or arising from your employment relationship with the Company and the termination of that relationship;
b. any and all claims relating to, or arising from, your right to purchase, or actual purchase of shares of stock of the Entities, including, without limitation, any claims for fraud, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of duty under applicable state corporate law, and securities fraud under any state or federal law;
c. any and all claims for wrongful discharge of employment, termination in violation of public policy, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract (both express and implied), breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing (both express and implied), promissory estoppel, negligent or intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, negligent or intentional misrepresentation, negligent or intentional interference with contract or prospective economic advantage, unfair business practices, defamation, libel, slander, negligence, personal injury, assault, battery, invasion of privacy, false imprisonment, conversion, and disability benefits;
d. any and all claims for violation of any federal, state, or municipal statute, including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Equal Pay Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the National Labor Relations Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the California Family Rights Act, the California Labor Code, and the California Workers’ Compensation Act;
e. any and all claims for violation of the federal or any state constitution;
f. any and all claims arising out of any other laws and regulations relating to employment or employment discrimination;
g. any claim for any loss, cost, damage, or expense arising out of any dispute over the nonwithholding or other tax treatment of any of the proceeds received by you as a result of this Agreement; and
h. any and all claims for attorneys’ fees and costs.
You agree that the release set forth in this section shall be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete general release as to the matters released. This release does not extend to any obligations incurred under this Agreement. This release does not release (i) claims that cannot be released as a matter of law, (ii) claims for coverage under any D&O or other similar insurance policy or (iii) coverage under any indemnification agreement or arrangement between you and
the Company. This release does not extend to any right you may have to unemployment compensation benefits. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, this release does not release or waive any claims you may have under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
8. You acknowledge that you have been advised to consult with legal counsel and are familiar with the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1542, a statute that otherwise prohibits the release of unknown claims, which provides as follows:
A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.
You, being aware of said code section, agree to expressly waive any rights you may have thereunder, as well as under any other statute or common law principles of similar effect.
You understand and agree that claims or facts in addition to or different from those which are now known or believed by you to exist may hereafter be discovered, but it is your intention to release all claims you have or may have against the Releasees, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected.
9. Subject to Protected Activity as provided above, you agree that you will not knowingly encourage, counsel, or assist any attorneys or their clients in the presentation or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints by any third party against any of the Releasees, unless under a subpoena or other court order to do so or upon written request from an administrative agency or the legislature. You agree both to immediately notify the Company upon receipt of any such subpoena or court order or written request from an administrative agency or the legislature, and to furnish, within three (3) business days of its receipt, a copy of such subpoena or other court order or written request from an administrative agency or the legislature. If approached by anyone for counsel or assistance in the presentation or prosecution of any disputes, differences, grievances, claims, charges, or complaints against any of the Releasees, you shall state no more than that you cannot provide counsel or assistance.
10. Subject to the Protected Activity exception above, you will not, unless required by law, disclose to others any information regarding the terms of this Agreement, the benefit being paid under it or the fact of its payment, except that you may disclose this information to your spouse (if applicable), attorney, accountant or other professional advisor to whom you must make the disclosure in order for them to render professional services to you. You will instruct them, however, to maintain the confidentiality of this information, just as you must.
11. In the event that you breach any of your obligations under this Agreement, the Company will be entitled to recover the severance benefits provided for in Section 3 and to obtain all other relief provided by law or equity, except as prohibited by law.
12. You have been granted equity awards covering the Company ordinary shares represented by award agreements between you and the Company. You agree that for purposes of determining the number of ordinary shares of Elastic N.V. that you are entitled to purchase or receive pursuant to the equity awards, that you are considered to have vested only up to the Separation Date and will not vest in any equity awards thereafter. The equity awards and the shares acquired thereunder will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the award agreements and the plans under which they were granted.
13. You agree that no promise, inducement or other agreement not expressly contained in this Agreement or referred to in this Agreement, has been made conferring any benefit upon you, and that this Agreement contains the entire agreement between you and the Company with respect to its subject matter, including but not limited to the termination of your employment. All prior agreements, understandings, representations, oral agreements and writings with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement (including, but not limited to, the offer letter between you and the Company dated August 10, 2020 and the Severance Agreement), except for the Confidentiality Agreement and your equity award agreements, are expressly superseded hereby and are of no further force and effect, and you expressly agree that you are not relying on any representations that are not contained in this Agreement. This Agreement may not be changed except in writing signed by you and the Company’s Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources. If any term of this Agreement is held to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect and will in no way be affected, and the parties will use their best efforts to find an alternate way to achieve the same result. Nothing contained in this Agreement will constitute or be treated as an admission by you or the Company of liability, any wrongdoing or any violation of law.
14. The Company makes no representations or warranties with respect to the tax consequences of the payments and any other consideration provided to you or made on your behalf under the terms of this Agreement. You agree and understand that you are responsible for payment, if any, of local, state, and/or federal taxes on the payments and any other consideration provided hereunder by the Company and any penalties or assessments thereon. You further agrees to indemnify and hold the Releasees harmless from any claims, demands, deficiencies, penalties, interest, assessments, executions, judgments, or recoveries by any government agency against the Company for any amounts claimed due on account of (a) your failure to pay or delayed payment of federal or state taxes, or (b) damages sustained by the Company by reason of any such claims, including attorneys’ fees and costs. The Parties agree and acknowledge that the payments made pursuant to this Agreement do not fall within the scope of 26 U.S.C. Section 162(q).
15. It is intended that this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, Code Section 409A and the final regulations and official guidance thereunder (“Section 409A”) and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so comply and/or be exempt from Section 409A. Each payment and benefit to be paid or provided under this Agreement is intended to constitute a series of separate payments for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations. Payments under this Agreement will be made no later than March 15, 2023. The Company and you will work together in good faith to consider either (i) amendments to this Agreement; or (ii) revisions to this Agreement with respect to the payment of any awards, which are necessary or appropriate to avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition prior to the actual payment to you under Section 409A. In no event will the Releasees reimburse you for any taxes that may be imposed on you as a result of Section 409A.
16. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard for choice-of-law provisions. You consent to personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the State of California.
17. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be considered an original, but all of which together will constitute one agreement. Execution of a facsimile, electronic or pdf copy will have the same force and effect as execution of an original, and a facsimile, electronic or pdf signature will be deemed an original and valid signature.
18. You understand that this Agreement shall be null and void if not executed by you within two (2) days (the “Deadline”). This Agreement will become effective on the date it has been signed by both Parties (the “Effective Date”).
19. You understand and agree that you executed this Agreement voluntarily, without any duress or undue influence on the part or behalf of the Company or any third party, with the full intent of releasing all of your claims against the Company and any of the other Releasees. You acknowledge that:
a. You have read this Agreement;
b. You have been represented in the preparation, negotiation, and execution of this Agreement by legal counsel of your own choice, or have had an opportunity to be represented by legal counsel of your choice;
c. You understand the terms and consequences of this Agreement and of the releases it contains;
d. You are fully aware of the legal and binding effect of this Agreement; and
e. You have not relied upon any representations or statements made by the Company that are not specifically set forth in this Agreement.
I am pleased that we were able to part ways on these amicable terms. The Company and I wish you every success in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
/s/ Leah Sutton
Name: Leah Sutton
Title: SVP, Global HR
Enclosure
By signing this Agreement, I acknowledge that I have had the opportunity to review this Agreement carefully with an attorney of my choice; that I understand the terms of the Agreement; and that I voluntarily agree to them. I understand that I cannot pursue any of the claims and rights that I have waived in this Agreement at any time in the future.
Date: 1/28/2022
/s/ Paul Andrew Appleby
Name: Paul Andrew Appleby
Attachment A
SUPPLEMENTAL RELEASE
This Supplemental Release (“Supplemental Release”) is made by and between Paul Andrew Appleby (“Employee”) and Elasticsearch Inc. (the “Company”) (collectively referred to as the “Parties” or individually referred to as a “Party”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Employee was employed by the Company;
WHEREAS, Employee signed an offer letter with the Company dated August 10, 2020 (the “Offer Letter”);
WHEREAS, Employee signed a Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement with the Company in connection with his initial hiring with the Company (the “Confidentiality Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Parties entered into the Separation Agreement, dated January 12, 2022 (the “Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Company and Employee have entered into award agreements pursuant to which Employee was to purchase or receive ordinary shares of Elastic N.V. (the “Equity Awards”), each subject to the terms and conditions of the Elastic N.V. Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) and the terms and conditions of the Award Agreements (collectively, with the Plan, the “Stock Agreements”);
WHEREAS, Employee separated from employment with the Company effective June 9, 2022 (the “Separation Date”); and
WHEREAS, the Parties wish to resolve any and all disputes, claims, complaints, grievances, charges, actions, petitions, and demands that the Employee may have against the Company and any of the Releasees as defined below, including, but not limited to, any and all claims arising out of or in any way related to Employee’s employment with or separation from the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises made herein, the Company and Employee hereby agree as follows:
COVENANTS
1. Consideration. The Company agrees to pay Employee the severance benefits set forth in Section 3 of the Agreement. Employee acknowledges that without this Supplemental Release, Employee is otherwise not entitled to the consideration set forth in Section 3 of the Agreement.
2. No Additional Payments. Employee acknowledges and agrees that, other than the consideration set forth in this Supplemental Release (Section 1), the Company has paid or provided all salary, wages, bonuses, accrued vacation/paid time off, premiums, leaves, housing allowances, relocation costs, interest, severance, outplacement costs, fees, reimbursable expenses, commissions, stock, stock options, vesting, and any and all other benefits and compensation due to Employee.
3. Release of Claims. Employee hereby releases and waives any and all claims arising against the Company or any of its current and former officers, directors, employees, agents, investors, attorneys, shareholders, administrators, affiliates, benefit plans, plan administrators, professional employer organization or co-employer, insurers, trustees, divisions, subsidiaries, parents (including, without limitation, Elastic N.V., a Dutch public company with limited liability), predecessor and successor corporations, and assigns (collectively the “Releasees”) as of the date of the execution of this Supplemental Release including, but not limited to, the following: (a) claims arising under the federal or any state constitution; (b) claims arising under the federal or any state statute, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Equal Pay Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the National Labor Relations Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the California Family Rights Act, the California Labor Code, and the California Workers’ Compensation Act; (c) claims arising under federal, state or local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment, including laws prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, national origin, or religion, such as the California Fair Employment and Housing Act; (d) claims for misclassification, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, breach of contract, breach of public policy, physical or mental harm or distress; (e) any claim for attorneys’ fees and costs; (f) any and all claims relating to, or arising from, Employee’s right to purchase, or actual purchase of shares of stock of the Company; (g) any claims of amounts due for fees, commissions, expenses, salary, bonuses, profit sharing, fringe benefits; and (h) any and all other claims arising from Employee’s relationship with the Company or the termination of that relationship, including, but not limited to, claims that may have arisen since the date Employee signed the Agreement. Employee agrees that Employee will not file any legal action asserting any such claims. Employee agrees that the release set forth in this Section 3 shall be and remain in effect in all respects as a complete general release as to the matters released. This release does not extend to: (i) any obligations incurred under this Supplemental Release; or (ii) claims that cannot be released as a matter of law.
4. Equity Awards. Employee agrees that for purposes of determining the number of ordinary shares of Elastic N.V. that Employee is entitled to purchase or receive the outstanding Equity Awards, Employee is considered to have vested only up to the Separation Date and will not vest in Equity Awards thereafter. The Equity Awards and the shares acquired thereunder will continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the Stock Agreements.
5. Return of Company Property. Employee’s signature below constitutes Employee’s certification under penalty of perjury that Employee has returned all documents and other items provided to Employee by the Company (with the exception of a copy of the Employee Handbook and personnel documents specifically relating to Employee), developed or obtained by Employee in connection with Employee’s employment with the Company, or otherwise belonging to the Company. This includes, for example, building key(s), security pass, or other access or identification cards (including business cards) and any Company property that is or was in Employee’s possession, including (without limitation) any documents, credit cards, computer equipment, mobile phones, and any information Employee has about the Company’s practices, procedures, trade secrets, customer lists, or product marketing.
6. Extension of The Agreement’s Provisions. The undersigned Parties further acknowledge that the terms of the Agreement, including, but not limited to, Sections 5 (Trade Secrets and Confidential Information), 6 (Protected Activity Not Prohibited), 14 (Tax Consequences), and 15 (Section 409A) of the Agreement shall apply to this Supplemental Release and are expressly incorporated herein.
7. Acknowledgment of Waiver of Claims under ADEA. Employee acknowledges that Employee is waiving and releasing any rights Employee may have under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ("ADEA"), and that this waiver and release is knowing and voluntary. Employee agrees that this waiver and release does not apply to any rights or claims that may arise under the ADEA after the date Employee signs this Supplemental Release. Employee acknowledges that the consideration given for this waiver and release is in addition to anything of value to which Employee was already entitled. Employee further acknowledges that Employee has been advised by this writing that: (a) Employee should consult with an attorney prior to executing this Supplemental Release; (b) Employee has at least twenty-one (21) days within which to consider this Supplemental Release, as set forth herein; (c) Employee has seven (7) days following Employee’s execution of this Supplemental Release to revoke this Supplemental Release; (d) this Supplemental Release shall not be effective until after the revocation period has expired; and (e) nothing in this Supplemental Release prevents or precludes Employee from challenging or seeking a determination in good faith of the validity of this waiver under the ADEA, nor does it impose any condition precedent, penalties, or costs for doing so, unless specifically authorized by federal law. Employee acknowledges and understands that revocation must be accomplished by a written notification to the person executing this Supplemental Release on the Company’s behalf that is received prior to the Effective Date. The Parties agree that changes, whether material or immaterial, do not restart the running of the 21-day period.
8.California Civil Code Section 1542. Employee acknowledges that Employee has been advised to consult with legal counsel and is familiar with the provisions of California Civil Code Section 1542, a statute that otherwise prohibits the release of unknown claims, which provides as follows:
A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.
Employee, being aware of said code section, agrees to expressly waive any rights Employee may have thereunder, as well as under any other statute or common law principles of similar effect.
9.No Pending or Future Lawsuits. Employee represents that Employee has no lawsuits, claims, or actions pending in Employee’s name, or on behalf of any other person or entity, against the Company or any of the other Releasees. Employee also represents that Employee does not intend to bring any claims on Employee’s own behalf or on behalf of any other person or entity against the Company or any of the other Releasees.
10.Nondisparagement. Employee agrees to refrain from any disparagement, defamation, libel, or slander of any of the Releasees, and agrees to refrain from any tortious interference with the contracts and relationships of any of the Releasees. Employee shall direct any inquiries by potential future employers to the Company’s human resources department.
11.Confidentiality. Subject to the Protected Activity provision, Employee agrees to maintain in complete confidence the existence of this Supplemental Release, the contents and terms of this Supplemental Release, and the consideration for this Supplemental Release (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Separation Information”). Except as required by law, Employee may disclose Separation Information only to Employee’s immediate family members, the Court in any proceedings to enforce the terms of this Supplemental Release, Employee’s
attorney(s), and Employee’s accountant(s) and any professional tax advisor(s) to the extent that they need to know the Separation Information in order to provide advice on tax treatment or to prepare tax returns, and must prevent disclosure of any Separation Information to all other third parties. Employee agrees that Employee will not publicize, directly or indirectly, any Separation Information.
Employee acknowledges and agrees that the confidentiality of the Separation Information is of the essence. The Parties agree that if the Company proves that Employee breached this Confidentiality provision, the Company shall be entitled to an award of its costs spent enforcing this provision, including all reasonable attorneys’ fees associated with the enforcement action, without regard to whether the Company can establish actual damages from Employee’s breach, except to the extent that such breach constitutes a legal action by Employee that directly pertains to the ADEA. Any such individual breach or disclosure shall not excuse Employee from Employee’s obligations hereunder, nor permit Employee to make additional disclosures. Employee warrants that Employee has not disclosed, orally or in writing, directly or indirectly, any of the Separation Information to any unauthorized party
12. ARBITRATION. EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW, THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY AND ALL DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT OR THIS SUPPLEMENTAL RELEASE, THEIR INTERPRETATION, EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY OR THE TERMS THEREOF, OR ANY OF THE MATTERS HEREIN RELEASED, SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION UNDER THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT (THE “FAA”) AND THAT THE FAA SHALL GOVERN AND APPLY TO THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT WITH FULL FORCE AND EFFECT; HOWEVER, WITHOUT LIMITING ANY PROVISIONS OF THE FAA, A MOTION OR PETITION OR ACTION TO COMPEL ARBITRATION MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT IN STATE COURT UNDER THE PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS OF SUCH STATE’S LAWS RELATING TO MOTIONS OR PETITIONS OR ACTIONS TO COMPEL ARBITRATION. EMPLOYEE AGREES THAT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EMPLOYEE MAY BRING ANY SUCH ARBITRATION PROCEEDING ONLY IN EMPLOYEE’S INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY. ANY ARBITRATION WILL OCCUR IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, BEFORE JAMS, PURSUANT TO ITS EMPLOYMENT ARBITRATION RULES & PROCEDURES (“JAMS RULES”), EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE ANY MOTIONS BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY TO THE ARBITRATION, INCLUDING MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND/OR ADJUDICATION, AND MOTIONS TO DISMISS AND DEMURRERS, APPLYING THE STANDARDS SET FORTH UNDER THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL ISSUE A WRITTEN DECISION ON THE MERITS. THE PARTIES ALSO AGREE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO AWARD ANY REMEDIES AVAILABLE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, AND THAT THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS TO THE PREVAILING PARTY, WHERE PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THE ARBITRATOR MAY GRANT INJUNCTIONS AND OTHER RELIEF IN SUCH DISPUTES. THE DECISION OF THE ARBITRATOR SHALL BE FINAL, CONCLUSIVE, AND BINDING ON THE PARTIES TO THE ARBITRATION. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THE PREVAILING PARTY IN ANY ARBITRATION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INJUNCTIVE RELIEF IN ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE THE ARBITRATION AWARD. THE PARTIES TO THE ARBITRATION SHALL EACH PAY AN EQUAL SHARE OF THE COSTS AND EXPENSES OF SUCH ARBITRATION, AND EACH PARTY SHALL SEPARATELY PAY FOR ITS RESPECTIVE COUNSEL FEES AND EXPENSES; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS TO THE PREVAILING PARTY, EXCEPT AS PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE PARTIES HEREBY AGREE TO WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO
HAVE ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN THEM RESOLVED IN A COURT OF LAW BY A JUDGE OR JURY. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THIS SECTION WILL NOT PREVENT EITHER PARTY FROM SEEKING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF (OR ANY OTHER PROVISIONAL REMEDY) FROM ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION OVER THE PARTIES AND THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THEIR DISPUTE RELATING TO THE AGREEMENT, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL RELEASE, AND THE AGREEMENTS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. SHOULD ANY PART OF THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ARBITRATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, THE PARTIES AGREE THAT THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT IN THIS SECTION SHALL GOVERN.
13. Entire Agreement. This Supplemental Release represents the entire agreement and understanding between the Company and Employee concerning the subject matter of this Supplemental Release and Employee’s employment with and separation from the Company and the events leading thereto and associated therewith, and supersedes and replaces any and all prior agreements and understandings concerning the subject matter of this Supplemental Release and Employee’s relationship with the Company, with the exception of the Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement, and the Stock Agreements, except as otherwise modified or superseded herein.
14. Effective Date. Employee has until February 2, 2022, to consider and sign this Supplemental Release, and Employee has seven (7) days to revoke this Supplemental Release after Employee executes this Supplemental Release. This Supplemental Release will become effective on the eighth (8th) day after Employee signed this Supplemental Release so long as it has been signed by Employee after the Separation Date and has not been revoked as permitted by this Section 14 (the “Effective Date”).
15. Governing Law and Forum and Signing of Supplemental Release. This Supplemental Release shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard for choice-of-law provisions, except that any dispute regarding the enforceability of the arbitration section of this Supplemental Release shall be governed by the FAA. Employee consents to personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the State of California. This Supplemental Release may be executed in counterparts and each counterpart shall be deemed an original and all of which counterparts taken together shall have the same force and effect as an original and shall constitute an effective, binding agreement on the part of each of the undersigned. The counterparts of this Supplemental Release may be executed and delivered by facsimile, photo, email PDF, or other electronic transmission or signature.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Supplemental Release on the respective dates set forth below.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | PAUL ANDREW APPLEBY, an individual |
| Dated: | , 2022 | | |
| | | Paul Andrew Appleby |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | ELASTICSEARCH, INC. |
| Dated: | , 2022 | | |
| | | Leah Sutton |
| | | SVP, Global HR |
ELASTIC N.V.
Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan
(as amended December 9, 2021)
1. Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, to provide additional incentive to Employees and Consultants, and to promote the success of the Company’s business. Options granted under the Plan may be Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options, as determined by the Administrator at the time of grant of an Option and subject to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units and Performance Shares may also be granted under the Plan.
2. Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) “Administrator” means the Board or any of its Committees if authorized to administer the Plan, in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
(b) “Affiliate” means (i) an entity other than a Subsidiary which, together with the Company, is under common control of a third person or entity and (ii) an entity other than a Subsidiary in which the Company and /or one or more Subsidiaries own a controlling interest.
(c) “Applicable Laws” means all applicable laws, rules, regulations and requirements, including, but not limited to, all applicable U.S. federal and state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any Stock Exchange rules or regulations, and the applicable laws, rules or regulations of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted under the Plan or Participants reside or provide services, as such laws, rules, and regulations shall be in effect from time to time.
(d) “Award” means any award of an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units and Performance Shares under the Plan.
(e) “Award Agreement” means an Option Agreement, Stock Appreciation Right Agreement, Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement, Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, Performance Share Agreement, or Performance Unit Agreement.
(f) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g) “Board Rules” means the regulations adopted by the Board governing its internal organization, the manner in which decisions are taken, the composition, the duties and organization of committees and any other matters concerning the Board.
(h) “Cashless Exercise” means a program approved by the Administrator in which payment of the Option exercise price or tax withholding obligations or other required deductions may be satisfied, in whole or in part, with Shares subject to the Option, including by delivery of an irrevocable direction to a securities broker (on a form prescribed by the Company) to sell Shares and to deliver all or part of the sale proceeds to the Company in payment of such amount, provided that, unless specifically permitted by the Company, any such Cashless Exercise must be an approved broker-assisted Cashless Exercise or the Shares withheld in the Cashless Exercise must be limited to avoid financial accounting charges under applicable accounting guidance and any such surrendered Shares must have been previously held for any
minimum duration required to avoid financial accounting charges under applicable accounting guidance.
(i) “Cause” for termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status will exist (unless another definition is provided in an applicable Award Agreement, employment agreement or other applicable written agreement) if the Participant’s Continuous Service Status is terminated for any of the following reasons: (i) any material breach by Participant of any material written agreement between Participant and the Company and Participant’s failure to cure such breach within 30 days after receiving written notice thereof; (ii) any failure by Participant to comply with the Company’s material written policies or rules as they may be in effect from time to time; (iii) neglect or persistent unsatisfactory performance of Participant’s duties and Participant’s failure to cure such condition within 30 days after receiving written notice thereof; (iv) Participant’s repeated failure to follow reasonable and lawful instructions from the Board or Chief Executive Officer and Participant’s failure to cure such condition within 30 days after receiving written notice thereof; (v) Participant’s conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendre to, any felony or crime that results in, or is reasonably expected to result in, a material adverse effect on the business or reputation of the Company; (vi) Participant’s commission of or participation in an act of fraud against the Company; (vii) Participant’s intentional material damage to the Company’s business, property or reputation; or (viii) Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom the Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with the Company. For purposes of clarity, a termination without “Cause” does not include any termination that occurs as a result of Participant’s death or Disability. The determination as to whether a Participant’s Continuous Service Status has been terminated for Cause shall be made in good faith by the Company and shall be final and binding on the Participant. The foregoing definition does not in any way limit the Company’s ability to terminate a Participant’s employment or consulting relationship at any time, and the term “Company” will be interpreted to include any Subsidiary, Parent, Affiliate, or any successor thereto, if appropriate.
(j) “Change of Control” means:
i. A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (“Person”), acquires ownership of the Shares in the capital of the Company of the Company that, together with the Shares in the capital of the Company held by such Person, constitutes more than 50% of the total voting power of the Shares in the capital of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, (A) the acquisition of additional Shares in the capital of the Company by any one Person, who is considered to own more than 50% of the total voting power of the Shares in the capital of the Company will not be considered a Change in Control, and (B) if the holders of Shares in the capital of the Company immediately before such change in ownership continue to retain immediately after the change in ownership, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Shares in the capital of the Company immediately prior to the change in ownership, the direct or indirect beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the total voting power of the Shares in the capital of the Company or the total voting power of shares in the capital of the ultimate Parent of the Company, such event will not be considered a Change in Control under this subsection (i). For this purpose, indirect beneficial ownership will include, without limitation, an interest resulting from ownership of the voting securities of one or more corporations or other business entities which own the Company, as the case may be, either directly or through one or more subsidiary corporations or other business entities; or
ii. A change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any 12-month period by members of the Board whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election. For purposes of this subsection (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or
iii. A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than 50% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (iii), the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the holders of the shares in the capital of the Company immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (1) a holder of shares in the capital of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Company’s shares in the capital, (2) an entity, 50% or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding shares in the capital of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least 50% of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection (iii), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.
For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of shares in the capital of the Company, or similar capital reorganization or business combination transaction with the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (x) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, (y) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction, or (z) its sole purpose is to effect a private financing of the Company through a change in the ownership of the shares in the capital of the Company that is approved by the Board.
(k) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the Code or regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.
(l) “Committee” means a committee of Directors or of other individuals satisfying Applicable Laws appointed by the Board, or a duly authorized committee of the Board, in accordance with Section 4 below.
(m) “Company” means Elastic N.V., a Dutch public limited company (naamloze vennootschap).
(n) “Consultant” means any natural person, including an advisor or Director, engaged by the Company or a Parent, Affiliate, or Subsidiary to render bona fide services to such entity, provided the services (i) are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital raising transaction, and (ii) do not directly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities, in each case, within the meaning of Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities Act, and provided, further, that a Consultant will include only those persons to whom the issuance of Shares may be registered under Form S-8 promulgated under the Securities Act.
(o) “Continuous Service Status” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee or Consultant. Continuous Service Status as an Employee or Consultant shall not be considered interrupted or terminated in the case of: (i) Company approved sick leave; (ii) military leave; (iii) any other bona fide leave of absence approved by the Company, provided that, if an Employee is holding an Incentive Stock Option and such leave exceeds 3 months, such Employee’s service as an Employee shall be deemed terminated on the 1st day following such 3-month period and the Incentive Stock Option shall thereafter automatically become a Nonstatutory Stock Option in accordance with Applicable Laws, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute, or unless provided otherwise pursuant to a written Company policy. Also, Continuous Service Status as an Employee or Consultant shall not be considered interrupted or terminated in the case of a transfer between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Parents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or their respective successors, or a change in status from an Employee to a Consultant or from a Consultant to an Employee.
(p) “Director” means a member of the Board.
(q) “Disability” means total and permanent disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, provided that in the case of Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, the Administrator in its discretion may determine whether a permanent and total disability exists in accordance with uniform and non-discriminatory standards adopted by the Administrator from time to time.
(r) “Employee” means any person employed by the Company, or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, with the status of employment determined pursuant to such factors as are deemed appropriate by the Company in its sole discretion, subject to any requirements of Applicable Laws, including the Code. Neither service as a Director or the payment by the Company of a Director’s fee shall be sufficient to constitute “employment” of such Director by the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate.
(s) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(t) “Exchange Program” means a program under which (i) outstanding Awards are surrendered or reacquired in exchange for awards of the same type (which may have higher or lower exercise prices and different terms), awards of a different type, and/or cash, (ii) Participants would have the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the Administrator, and/or (iii) the exercise price of an
outstanding Award is increased or reduced. The Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of any Exchange Program in its sole discretion.
(u) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Ordinary Shares determined as follows:
i. For purposes of any Awards granted on the Registration Date, the Fair Market Value will be the initial price to the public as set forth in the final prospectus included within the registration statement in Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the initial public offering of the Company’s Ordinary Shares.
ii. For purposes of any Awards granted on any other date, the Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for Ordinary Shares as quoted on any established Stock Exchange or national market system (including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market) on which the Ordinary Shares are listed on the date of determination (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable. If the determination date for the Fair Market Value occurs on a non-trading day (i.e., a weekend or holiday), the Fair Market Value will be such price on the immediately preceding trading day, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator. In the absence of an established market for the Ordinary Shares, the Fair Market Value thereof will be determined in good faith by the Administrator.
The determination of Fair Market Value for purposes of tax withholding may be made in the Administrator’s discretion subject to Applicable Laws and is not required to be consistent with the determination of Fair Market Value for other purposes.
(v) “Family Members” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law (including adoptive relationships) of the Participant, any person sharing the Participant’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which these persons (or the Participant) have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the Participant) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the Participant) own more than 50% of the voting interests.
(w) “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Company, as included in the articles of association of the Company.
(x) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to, and which does, in fact, qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(y) “Involuntary Termination” means (unless another definition is provided in the applicable Award Agreement, employment agreement or other applicable written agreement) the termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status other than for (i) death, (ii) Disability or (iii) for Cause by the Company or a Parent, Subsidiary, Affiliate or successor thereto, as appropriate.
(z) “Listed Security” means any security of the Company that is listed or approved for listing on a national securities exchange or designated or approved for designation as a national market
system security on an interdealer quotation system by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (or any successor thereto).
(aa) “Non-Executive Director” means a Director appointed as non-executive director who is not an Employee.
(bb) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to, or does not, in fact, qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(cc) “Option” means an option to acquire Shares granted pursuant to the Plan.
(dd) “Option Agreement” means a written document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of an Option granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to or incorporated into such Option Agreement, including, but not limited to, a notice of stock option grant and a form of exercise notice.
(ee) “Ordinary Shares” means the Company’s ordinary shares, par value €0.01 per share, as adjusted in accordance with Section 15 below.
(ff) “Parent” means any corporation (other than the Company), whether now or hereafter existing, in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of grant of the Award, each of the corporations other than the Company owns shares in the capital of the Company possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares in the capital of the Company in one of the other corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Parent on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Parent commencing as of such date.
(gg) “Participant” means any holder of one or more Awards or Shares issued pursuant to an Award.
(hh) “Performance Share” means an Award denominated in Shares which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of performance goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine pursuant to Section 11.
(ii) “Performance Share Agreement” means a written document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of Performance Shares granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to such agreement.
(jj) “Performance Unit” means an Award which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of performance goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine and which may be settled for cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of the foregoing pursuant to Section 11.
(kk) “Performance Unit Agreement” means a written document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of Performance Units granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to such agreement.
(ll) “Plan” means this Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan.
(mm) “Registration Date” means the effective date of the first registration statement that is filed by the Company and declared effective pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, with respect to any class of the Company’s securities.
(nn) “Remuneration Policy” means the Remuneration Policy for Directors approved by the general meeting of the Company on September 28, 2018.
(oo) “Restricted Stock” means Shares acquired pursuant to a right to purchase or receive Ordinary Shares granted pursuant to Section 9 below.
(pp) “Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement” means a written document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of Restricted Stock granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to such agreement.
(qq) “Restricted Stock Unit” means a bookkeeping entry representing an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share, granted pursuant to Section 10. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company.
(rr) “Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” means a written document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of Restricted Stock Units granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to such agreement.
(ss) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, or any successor provision.
(tt) “Section 16(b)” means Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
(uu) “Section 409A” means Code Section 409A, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time.
(vv) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(ww) “Share” means a share of the Ordinary Shares, as adjusted in accordance with Section 15 below.
(xx) “Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award, granted alone or in connection with an Option, that pursuant to Section 8 is designated as a Stock Appreciation Right.
(yy) “Stock Appreciation Right Agreement” means a written document, the form(s) of which shall be approved from time to time by the Administrator, reflecting the terms of Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan and includes any documents attached to such agreement.
(zz) “Stock Exchange” means any stock exchange or consolidated stock price reporting system on which prices for the Ordinary Shares are quoted at any given time.
(aaa) “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company), whether now or hereafter existing, in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of grant of the Award, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the
unbroken chain owns shares in the capital of the Company possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares in the capital of the Company in one of the other corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Subsidiary on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Subsidiary commencing as of such date.
(bbb) “Ten Percent Holder” means a person who owns shares in the capital of the Company representing more than 10% of the voting power of Shares in the capital of the Company or of all classes of shares in the capital of any Parent or Subsidiary measured as of an Award’s date of grant.
3. Ordinary Shares Subject to the Plan.
(a) Ordinary Shares Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 15 below, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 39,685,602 Shares, all of which Shares may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Incentive Stock Options and under the condition that the Company's authorized capital provides for such issue of Shares. The Shares issued under the Plan may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Shares.
(b) Automatic Share Reserve Increase. Subject to the provisions of Section 15 of the Plan, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan will be increased on the first day of each Fiscal Year beginning with the 2020 Fiscal Year, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 9 million Shares, (ii) 5% of the outstanding Shares on the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Year or (iii) such number of Shares determined by the Board.
(c) Lapsed Awards. If an Award expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full, is surrendered pursuant to an Exchange Program, or, with respect to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or Performance Shares, is reacquired or repurchased by the Company due to failure to vest, the unpurchased Shares (or for Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights the reacquired or repurchased Shares), which were subject thereto will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). With respect to Stock Appreciation Rights, only Shares actually issued (i.e., the net Shares issued) pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right will cease to be available under the Plan; all remaining Shares under Stock Appreciation Rights will remain available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). Shares that have actually been issued under the Plan under any Award will not be returned to the Plan and will not become available for future distribution under the Plan; provided, however, that if Shares issued pursuant to Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units are repurchased by the Company or are forfeited to or canceled by the Company, such Shares will become available for future grant under the Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an Award will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan. To the extent an Award under the Plan is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such cash payment will not result in reducing the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing and, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 15, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will equal the aggregate Share number stated in Section 3(a), plus, to the extent allowable under Section 422 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, any Shares that become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Sections 3(b) and 3(c).
(d) Share Reserve. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
4. Administration of the Plan.
(a) Procedure.
i. General. The Plan shall be administered by the Board. The Plan may be administered by different Committees with respect to different classes of Participants, and, if permitted by Applicable Laws, the Board may authorize a Committee comprised of one or more officers of the Company to make Awards under the Plan to Employees and Consultants (who are not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act) within parameters specified by the Board.
ii. Committee Composition. If a Committee has been appointed pursuant to this Section 4, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board. From time to time the Board may increase the size of any Committee and appoint additional members thereof, remove members (with or without cause) and appoint new members in substitution therefor, fill vacancies (however caused) and dissolve a Committee and thereafter directly administer the Plan, all to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and, in the case of a Committee administering the Plan in accordance with the requirements of Rule 16b3 of the Code, to the extent permitted or required by such provisions.
iii. Rule 16b-3. To the extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3, the transactions contemplated hereunder will be structured to satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3.
(b) Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated by the Board to such Committee, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its sole discretion:
i. to determine the Fair Market Value in accordance with Section 2(u) above, provided that such determination shall be applied consistently with respect to Participants under the Plan;
ii. to select the Employees and Consultants to whom Awards may from time to time be granted, in the case of granting Awards to Directors with due observance of the Board Rules and Applicable Laws on conflict of interest and the Remuneration Policy;
iii. to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award;
iv. to approve the form(s) of agreement(s) and other related documents used under the Plan;
v. to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder, which terms and conditions include but are not limited to the exercise or purchase price, the time or times when Awards may vest and/or be exercised (which may be based on performance criteria), the circumstances (if any) when vesting will be accelerated or cancellation restrictions will be waived, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or Shares that are covered by an Award;
vi. to amend any outstanding Award or agreement related to any Shares covered by an Award, including any amendment adjusting vesting (e.g., in connection with a change in the terms or conditions under which such person is providing services to the
Company), provided that no amendment shall be made that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant without his or her consent;
vii. to determine whether and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in cash instead of Ordinary Shares, subject to Applicable Laws;
viii. subject to Applicable Laws, to implement an Exchange Program and establish the terms and conditions of such Exchange Program without consent of the holders of shares in the capital of the Company, provided that no amendment or adjustment to an Option that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant shall be made without his or her consent;
ix. to approve addenda pursuant to Section 21 below or to grant Awards to, or to modify the terms of, any outstanding Award Agreement or any agreement related to any Shares covered by an Award held by Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside of the United States with such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom which deviate from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan to the extent necessary or appropriate to accommodate such differences;
x. to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan, any Award Agreement and any agreement related to any Shares covered by an Award, which constructions, interpretations and decisions shall be final and binding on all Participants;
xi. to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator;
xii. to allow Participants to satisfy tax withholding obligations in such manner as prescribed in Section 13; and
xiii. to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the Plan.
(c) Effect of Administrator’s Decision. The Administrator’s decisions, determinations and interpretations will be final and binding on all Participants and any other holders.
(d) Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Laws, each member of the Board, as applicable, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (i) any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan or pursuant to the terms and conditions of any Award except for actions taken in bad faith or failures to act in bad faith, and (ii) any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such claim, action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided that such member shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend any such claim, action, suit or proceeding before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of Association, Board Rules, by contract, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or under any other power that the Company may have to indemnify or hold harmless each such person.
5. Eligibility.
(a) Recipients of Grants. Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and Performance Units may be granted to Employees and Consultants. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees, provided that Employees of Affiliates shall not be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options.
(b) No Employment Rights. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall confer upon any Employee or Consultant any right with respect to continuation of an employment or consulting relationship with the Company (any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate), nor shall it interfere in any way with such Employee’s or Consultant’s right or the Company’s (Parent’s, Subsidiary’s or Affiliate’s) right to terminate his or her employment or consulting relationship at any time, with or without cause.
6. Term of Plan. Subject to Section 23 of the Plan, the Plan will become effective upon the later to occur of (i) its adoption by the Board or (ii) the business day immediately prior to the Registration Date. It will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years from the date it becomes effective, unless terminated earlier under Section 17 of the Plan.
7. Options.
(a) Term of Option. The term of each Option shall be the term stated in the Option Agreement; provided that the term shall be no more than 10 years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Option Agreement and provided further that, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a person who at the time of such grant is a Ten Percent Holder, the term of the Option shall be 5 years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Option Agreement.
(b) Type of Option.
i. Each Option shall be designated in the Option Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
ii. Notwithstanding any designation under Section 7(b)(i) above, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Shares with respect to which Options designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options. For purposes of this Section 7(b), Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to an Incentive Stock Option shall be determined as of the date of the grant of such Option.
(c) Option Exercise Price and Consideration.
i. Exercise Price. The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be such price as is determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Option Agreement, but shall be subject to the following:
(1) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option
a. granted to an Employee who at the time of grant is a Ten Percent Holder, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant;
b. granted to any other Employee, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant;
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) below, in the case of a Nonstatutory Stock Option the per Share exercise price shall be such price as is determined by the Administrator, provided that, if the per Share exercise price is less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant, it shall otherwise comply with all Applicable Laws, including Section 409A; and
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Options may be granted with a per Share exercise price other than as required above pursuant to a merger or other corporate transaction.
ii. Permissible Consideration. The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Administrator (and, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option and to the extent required by Applicable Laws, shall be determined at the time of grant) and may consist entirely of (1) cash; (2) check; (3) to the extent permitted under, and in accordance with, Applicable Laws, delivery of a promissory note with such recourse, interest, security and redemption provisions as the Administrator determines to be appropriate (subject to the provisions of Section 152 of the General Corporation Law); (4) cancellation of indebtedness; (5) other previously owned Shares that have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which the Option is exercised; (6) a Cashless Exercise; (7) such other consideration and method of payment permitted under Applicable Laws; or (8) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment. In making its determination as to the type of consideration to accept, the Administrator shall consider if acceptance of such consideration may be reasonably expected to benefit the Company and the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, refuse to accept a particular form of consideration at the time of any Option exercise.
(d) Exercise of Option.
i. General.
(1) Exercisability. Any Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator, consistent with the terms of the Plan and reflected in the Option Agreement, including vesting requirements and/or performance criteria with respect to the Company, and Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, and/or the Participant.
(2) Leave of Absence. The Administrator shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the vesting of Options shall be tolled during any leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, vesting of Options shall be tolled during any leave (unless otherwise required by Applicable Laws). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of military leave, vesting shall toll during any unpaid portion of such leave, provided that, upon a Participant’s returning from military leave
(under conditions that would entitle him or her to protection upon such return under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), he or she shall be given vesting credit with respect to Options to the same extent as would have applied had the Participant continued to provide services to the Company (or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, if applicable) throughout the leave on the same terms as he or she was providing services immediately prior to such leave.
(3) Minimum Exercise Requirements. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. The Administrator may require that an Option be exercised as to a minimum number of Shares, provided that such requirement shall not prevent a Participant from exercising the full number of Shares as to which the Option is then exercisable.
(4) Procedures for and Results of Exercise. An Option shall be deemed exercised when written notice of such exercise has been received by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement by the person entitled to exercise the Option and the Company has received full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised and has paid, or made arrangements to satisfy, any applicable taxes, withholding, required deductions or other required payments in accordance with Section 13 below. The exercise of an Option shall result in a decrease in the number of Shares that thereafter may be available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.
(5) Rights as Holder of Shares in the Capital of the Company. Until the effective issuance of the Shares (including by way of a transfer of treasury shares), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a holder of shares in the capital of the Company shall exist with respect to the Shares subject to an Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date ownership is recorded in the Company’s shareholder register, except as provided in Section 15 below.
ii. Termination of Continuous Service Status. The Administrator shall establish and set forth in the applicable Option Agreement the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status, which provisions may be waived or modified by the Administrator at any time. To the extent that an Option Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall terminate upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status, the following provisions shall apply:
(1) General Provisions. If the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Option) does not exercise the Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified below, the Option shall terminate and the Shares subject to the Option underlying the unexercised portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan. In no event may any Option be exercised after the expiration of the Option term as set forth in the Option Agreement (and subject to this Section 7).
(2) Termination other than Upon Disability or Death or for Cause. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status other than
under the circumstances set forth in the subsections (3) through (5) below, such Participant may exercise any outstanding Option at any time within 3 month(s) following such termination to the extent the Participant is vested in the Shares subject to the Option.
(3) Disability of Participant. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status as a result of his or her Disability, such Participant may exercise any outstanding Option at any time within 12 month(s) following such termination to the extent the Participant is vested in the Shares subject to the Option.
(4) Death of Participant. In the event of the death of a Participant during the period of Continuous Service Status since the date of grant of any outstanding Option, or within 3 month(s) following termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service Status, the Option may be exercised by any beneficiaries designated in accordance with Section 19 below, or if there are no such beneficiaries, by the Participant’s estate, or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, at any time within 12 month(s) following the date the Participant’s Continuous Service Status terminated, but only to the extent the Participant is vested in the Shares subject to the Option.
(5) Termination for Cause. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service Status for Cause, any outstanding Option (including any vested portion thereof) held by such Participant shall immediately terminate in its entirety upon first notification to the Participant of termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service Status for Cause. If a Participant’s Continuous Service Status is suspended pending an investigation of whether the Participant’s Continuous Service Status will be terminated for Cause, all the Participant’s rights under any Option, including the right to exercise the Option, shall be suspended during the investigation period. Nothing in this Section 7(d)(ii)(5) shall in any way limit the Company’s right to purchase unvested Shares issued upon exercise of an Option as set forth in the applicable Option Agreement.
(6) Tolling Expiration. A Participant’s Option Agreement may also provide that:
a. if the exercise of the Option following the termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status (other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would result in liability under Section 16(b), then the Option will terminate on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the term of the Option set forth in the Option Agreement, or (B) the tenth (10th) day after the last date on which such exercise would result in liability under Section 16(b); or
b. if the exercise of the Option following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service Status (other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of Shares would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option will terminate on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the term of the Option or (B)
the expiration of a period of thirty (30)-day period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service Status during which the exercise of the Option would not be in violation of such registration requirements.
8. Stock Appreciation Rights
(a) Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, a Stock Appreciation Right may be granted at any time and from time to time as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion.
(b) Number of Shares. The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Shares subject to any Stock Appreciation Right.
(c) Exercise Price and Other Terms. The per Share exercise price for the Shares that will determine the amount of the payment to be received upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right as set forth in Section 8(f) will be determined by the Administrator and will be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. Otherwise, the Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan, will have complete discretion to determine the terms and conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan.
(d) Stock Appreciation Right Agreement. Each Stock Appreciation Right will be evidenced by a Stock Appreciation Right Agreement that will specify the exercise price, the term of the Stock Appreciation Right, the conditions of exercise, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine.
(e) Expiration of Stock Appreciation Rights. A Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan will expire upon the date determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and set forth in the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rules of Section 7(a) relating to the maximum term and Section 7(d) relating to exercise also will apply to Stock Appreciation Rights.
(f) Payment of Stock Appreciation Right Amount. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Participant will be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:
i. The difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price; times
ii. The number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.
At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon Stock Appreciation Right exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.
9. Restricted Stock.
(a) Rights to Purchase. When a right to purchase or receive Restricted Stock is granted under the Plan, the Company shall advise the recipient in writing of the terms, conditions and restrictions related to the offer, including the number of Shares that such person shall be entitled to purchase, the price to be paid, if any (which shall be as determined by the Administrator, subject to Applicable Laws, including any applicable securities laws), and the time within
which such person must accept such offer. The permissible consideration for Restricted Stock shall be determined by the Administrator and shall be the same as is set forth in Section 7(c)(ii) above with respect to exercise of Options. The offer to purchase Shares shall be accepted by execution of a Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement in the form determined by the Administrator.
(b) Repurchase Option.
i. General. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall grant the Company a repurchase option exercisable upon the voluntary or involuntary termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service Status for any reason (including death or Disability) at a purchase price for Shares equal to the original purchase price paid by the purchaser to the Company for such Shares and may be paid by cancellation of any indebtedness of the purchaser to the Company. The repurchase option shall lapse at such rate or pursuant to such vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine.
ii. Leave of Absence. The Administrator shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the lapsing of Company repurchase rights shall be tolled during any leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, such lapsing shall be tolled during any leave (unless otherwise required by Applicable Laws). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of military leave, the lapsing of Company repurchase rights shall toll during any unpaid portion of such leave, provided that, upon a Participant’s returning from military leave (under conditions that would entitle him or her to protection upon such return under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), he or she shall be given vesting credit with respect to Shares purchased pursuant to the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement to the same extent as would have applied had the Participant continued to provide services to the Company (or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, if applicable) throughout the leave on the same terms as he or she was providing services immediately prior to such leave.
(c) Other Provisions. The Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement shall contain such other terms, provisions and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. In addition, the provisions of Restricted Stock Purchase Agreements need not be the same with respect to each Participant.
(d) Rights as a Holder of Shares in the Capital of the Company. Once the Restricted Stock is purchased, the Participant shall have the rights equivalent to those of a holder of shares in the capital of the Company, and shall be a record holder when his or her purchase and the issuance of the Shares is entered upon the records of the duly authorized transfer agent of the Company. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Restricted Stock is purchased, except as provided in Section 15 below.
10. Restricted Stock Units
(a) Grant. Restricted Stock Units may be granted at any time and from time to time as determined by the Administrator. After the Administrator determines that it will grant Restricted Stock Units, it will advise the Participant in a Restricted Stock Unit Agreement of the terms, conditions, and restrictions related to the grant, including the number of Restricted Stock Units.
(b) Vesting Criteria and Other Terms. The Administrator will set vesting criteria in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which the criteria are met, will determine the number of Restricted Stock Units that will be paid out to the Participant. The Administrator may set vesting criteria based upon the achievement of Company-wide, business unit, or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(c) Earning Restricted Stock Units. Upon meeting the applicable vesting criteria, the Participant will be entitled to receive a payout as determined by the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the grant of Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any vesting criteria that must be met to receive a payout.
(d) Form and Timing of Payment. Payment of earned Restricted Stock Units will be made as soon as practicable after the date(s) determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may settle earned Restricted Stock Units in cash, Shares, or a combination of both.
(e) Cancellation. On the date set forth in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, all unearned Restricted Stock Units will be reacquired by the Company.
(f) Leave of Absence. The Administrator shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the vesting of Restricted Stock Units shall be tolled during any leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, such vesting shall be tolled during any leave (unless otherwise required by Applicable Laws). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of military leave, the vesting of Restricted Stock Units shall toll during any unpaid portion of such leave, provided that, upon a Participant’s returning from military leave (under conditions that would entitle him or her to protection upon such return under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), he or she shall be given vesting credit with respect to Restricted Stock Units to the same extent as would have applied had the Participant continued to provide services to the Company (or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, if applicable) throughout the leave on the same terms as he or she was providing services immediately prior to such leave.
11. Performance Units and Performance Shares.
(a) Grant of Performance Units/Shares. Performance Units and Performance Shares may be granted to Employees or Consultants at any time and from time to time, as will be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. The Administrator will have complete discretion in determining the number of Performance Units and Performance Shares granted to each Participant.
(b) Value of Performance Units/Shares. Each Performance Unit will have an initial value that is established by the Administrator on or before the date of grant. Each Performance Share will have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.
(c) Performance Objectives and Other Terms. The Administrator will set performance objectives or other vesting provisions (including, without limitation, Continuing Service Status) in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units/Shares that will be paid out to the Participant. The time period during which the performance objectives or other vesting provisions must be met will be called the “Performance Period.” Each Award of Performance Units/Shares will be evidenced by a Performance Unit Agreement or Performance Share Agreement, as applicable,
that will specify the Performance Period, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. The Administrator may set performance objectives based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(d) Earning of Performance Units/Shares. After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units/Shares will be entitled to receive a payout of the number of Performance Units/Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance objectives or other vesting provisions have been achieved. After the grant of a Performance Unit/Share, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such Performance Unit/Share.
(e) Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units/Shares. Payment of earned Performance Units/Shares will be made as soon as practicable after the expiration of the applicable Performance Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/Shares in the form of cash, in Shares (which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Units/Shares at the close of the applicable Performance Period) or in a combination thereof.
(f) Cancellation of Performance Units/Shares. On the date set forth in the Performance Unit Agreement or Performance Share Agreement, all unearned or unvested Performance Units/Shares will be reacquired by the Company, and again will be available for grant under the Plan.
12. Non-Executive Director Limitations. All Awards under the Plan granted to Non-Executive Directors will be subject to the limitations of the Remuneration Policy.
13. Taxes.
(a) As a condition of the grant, vesting and exercise of an Award, and prior to the delivery of Shares or cash pursuant to an Award, the Company will have the power and right to deduct or withhold, or require Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death or a permitted transferee, the person holding or exercising the Award) to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy U.S. federal, state or local taxes, non-U.S. taxes, or other taxes (including social security contributions and social security premiums and Participant’s FICA obligation) required to be withheld with respect to such Award (or exercise thereof). The Company shall not be required to issue any Shares or other consideration under the Plan until such obligations are satisfied.
(b) The Administrator may, to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws, permit a Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death or a permitted transferee, the person holding or exercising the Award) to satisfy all or part of his or her tax and social security contributions and social security premiums,, withholding, or any other required deductions or payments by (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable cash or Shares having a fair market value not in excess of the maximum statutory amount required to be withheld (including through a Cashless Exercise), or (iii) delivering to the Company already-owned Shares having a Fair Market Value not in excess of the maximum statutory amount required to be withheld. Any payment of taxes, social security contributions and social security premiums by surrendering Shares to the Company may be subject to restrictions,
including, but not limited to, any restrictions required by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(c) Awards will be designed and operated in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. The Plan and each Award Agreement under the Plan is intended to meet the requirements of Section 409A and will be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. To the extent that an Award or payment, or the settlement or deferral thereof, is subject to Section 409A the Award will be granted, paid, settled or deferred in a manner that will meet the requirements of Section 409A, such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A. In no event will the Company (or any Parent, Subsidiary, or Affiliate of the Company, as applicable) reimburse a Participant for any taxes imposed or other costs incurred as a result of Section 409A.
14. Non-Transferability of Awards.
(a) General. Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, Awards may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution. The designation of a beneficiary by a Participant will not constitute a transfer. An Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant. If the Administrator makes an Award transferable, such Award will contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate.
15. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Merger or Certain Other Transactions.
(a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any action required under Applicable Laws by the holders of shares in the capital of the Company, (i) the numbers and class of Shares or other shares in the capital of the Company or securities: (x) available for future Awards under Section 3 above and (y) covered by each outstanding Award, (ii) the exercise price per Share of each such outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right, and (iii) any repurchase price per Share applicable to Shares issued pursuant to any Award, shall, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, be adjusted by the Administrator in the event of a stock split, reverse stock split, dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, securities, or other property), recapitalization, reorganization, merger, split-up, spin-off, combination, consolidation, reclassification of the Shares or subdivision of the Shares or other securities of the Company, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares. Any such adjustment by the Administrator shall be made in the Administrator’s sole and absolute discretion and shall be final, binding on the shares of capital of the Company of any class, or securities convertible into shares of in the capital of the Company of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Award. If, by reason of a transaction described in this Section 15(a) or an adjustment pursuant to this Section 15(a), a Participant’s Award Agreement or agreement related to any Shares covered by an Award covers additional or different shares in the capital of the Company or securities, then such additional or different shares, and the Award Agreement or agreement related to the Shares covered by an Award in respect thereof, shall be subject to all of the terms, conditions and restrictions which were applicable to the Award or Shares covered by the Award prior to such adjustment.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, each Award, to the extent it has not been previously exercised, will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator. The Administrator will notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction.
(c) Corporate Transactions. In the event of a merger of the Company with or into another corporation or other entity or a Change in Control, each outstanding Award (vested or unvested) will be treated as the Administrator determines (subject to the restriction in the following paragraph), which determination may be made without the consent of any Participant and need not treat all outstanding Awards (or portion thereof) in an identical manner, including, without limitation, that each Award be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation.
If any Award, or any agreement applicable to any Award, provides for accelerated vesting in connection with any termination of Continuous Service Status that occurs on or after a Change in Control, and the successor does not agree to assume the Award, or to substitute an equivalent award or right for the Award, then any acceleration of vesting that would otherwise occur upon such termination of Continuous Service Status shall occur immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the consummation of such Change in Control.
In the event that the successor corporation does not assume or substitute for the Award (or portion thereof), the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, including Shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units and Performance Shares will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met, in all cases, unless specifically provided otherwise under the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Parents, as applicable. In addition, if an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is not assumed or substituted in the event of a merger or Change in Control, the Administrator will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.
For the purposes of this subsection (c), an Award will be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether shares in the capital of the Company, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Ordinary Shares for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely ordinary shares of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the payout of a Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Unit or Performance Share, for each Share subject to such Award, to be solely ordinary shares of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Ordinary Shares in the Change in Control.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15(c) to the contrary, an Award that vests, is earned or paid-out upon the satisfaction of one or more performance goals will not be considered assumed if the Company or its successor modifies any of such performance goals without the Participant’s consent; provided, however, a modification to such performance goals only to reflect the successor corporation’s post-Change in Control corporate structure will not be deemed to invalidate an otherwise valid Award assumption.
(d) Non-Executive Director Awards. With respect to Awards granted to an Non-Executive Director, in the event of a Change in Control, then the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights as to all of the Shares underlying such Award, including those Shares which would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, unless specifically provided otherwise under the applicable Award Agreement, a Company policy applicable to the Participant, or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met.
16. Time of Granting Awards. The date of grant of an Award shall, for all purposes, be the date on which the Board makes the determination granting such Award, or such other date as is determined by the Administrator.
17. Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may at any time amend or terminate the Plan, but no amendment or termination shall be made that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant under any outstanding Award, without his or her consent. In addition, to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws, the Company shall obtain the approval of holders of shares in the capital of the Company with respect to any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.
18. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to the Plan, the Company shall not be obligated, and shall have no liability for failure, to issue or deliver any Shares under the Plan unless such issuance or delivery would comply with Applicable Laws, with such compliance determined by the Company in consultation with its legal counsel. As a condition to the exercise of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right or purchase or receipt of any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, the Company may require the person exercising, purchasing or receiving the applicable Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise, purchase or receipt that the Shares subject to the Award are being exercised, purchased or received only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is advisable or required by Applicable Laws. Shares issued in connection with an Award prior to the date, if ever, on which the Ordinary Shares becomes a Listed Security shall be subject to a right of first refusal in favor of the Company pursuant to which the Participant will be required to offer Shares to the Company before selling or transferring them to any third party on such terms and subject to such conditions as is reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.
19. Beneficiaries. Participant may designate one or more beneficiaries with respect to an Award by timely filing the prescribed form with the Company. A beneficiary designation may be changed by filing the prescribed form with the Company at any time before the Participant’s death. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, if no beneficiary was designated or if no designated beneficiary survives the Participant, then after a Participant’s death any vested Award(s) shall be transferred or distributed to the Participant’s estate or to any person who has the right to acquire the Award by bequest or inheritance.
20. Approval of Holders of Shares in the Capital of the Company. If required by Applicable Laws, continuance of the Plan shall be subject to approval by the holders of shares in the capital of the Company at the general meeting of the Company within 12 months before or after the date the Plan is adopted or, to the extent required by Applicable Laws, any date the Plan is amended. Such approval shall be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.
21. Addenda. The Administrator may approve such addenda to the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for the purpose of granting Awards to Employees or Consultants, which Awards may contain such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom, which may deviate from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan. The terms of any such addenda shall supersede the terms of the Plan to the extent necessary to accommodate such differences but shall not otherwise affect the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose.
22. Approval of the Holders of Shares in the Capital of the Company. The Plan will be subject to approval by the holders of the shares in the capital of the Company at the general meeting of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board. Such approval of the holders of shares in the capital of the Company will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.
23. Clawback. The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments, and/or benefits with respect to an Award will be subject to reduction, cancellation, reacquisition, and/or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any applicable vesting, performance or other conditions and restrictions of an Award. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary under this Plan, an Award granted under the Plan shall be subject to the Company’s clawback policy (if any) as may be established and/or amended from time to time. The Board may require a Participant to cancel or return to and/or reimburse the Company all or a portion of the Award and/or Shares issued under the Award, any amounts paid under the Award, and any payments or proceeds paid or provided upon disposition of the Shares issued under the Award, pursuant to the terms of such Company policy or as necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.
24. Death Acceleration. Upon a Participant’s death, Participant’s outstanding and unvested Awards will accelerate and fully vest; provided that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares covered by Awards that may accelerate and fully vest pursuant to this Section 24 and the shares and other securities covered by Company equity awards issued under other equity plans and arrangements (collectively, the “Eligible Awards”) that may accelerate and vest pursuant to comparable provisions in such other equity plans and arrangements may not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate, as measured on the date of Participant’s death (the “Death Acceleration Limit”). The order in which Eligible Awards will accelerate and vest up to the Death Acceleration Limit will be determined as follows: (a) Eligible Awards will accelerate and apply toward the Death Acceleration Limit based on their class in the following order: (1) Restricted Stock, (2) Restricted Stock Units, and (3) Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, and (b) with respect to Eligible Awards of the same class, awards with an earlier date of grant will accelerate and apply toward the Death Acceleration Limit prior to Eligible Awards with a later date of grant. If two or more Eligible Awards of the same class are granted on the same date, each Eligible Award will accelerate and vest on a pro-rata basis. For the avoidance of doubt, the acceleration described in this Section 24 does not apply to any Eligible Awards with performance-based vesting. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 24 to the contrary, in the event a Participant’s death results from a suicide, the acceleration and vesting described in this Section 24 will be solely at the Company’s discretion and will not occur automatically.
ADDENDUM A
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 STOCK OPTION PLAN
UK COMPANY SHARE OPTION PLAN (CSOP) (THE “PLAN”)
ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF ELASTIC N.V ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018
(A) This Plan forms part of the Elastic N.V. Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan including, without limitation Section 3 (Stock Subject to the Plan).
(B) The purpose of this scheme is to provide benefits to employees and directors in the form of share options, in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
(C) In this Plan the words and expressions defined herein shall have the same meaning when used in the Plan and the provisions of the Elastic N.V. Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan shall apply to the provisions of the Plan except where expressly varied herein.
(D) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Option Agreement, no variation may be made to the terms of an outstanding Option other than as follows:
(i) any variation to the Exercise Price must be carried out in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 4;
(ii) any variation to the number or description of shares subject to the Option must be carried out in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 4 or with the prior written consent of the relevant UK Participant;
(iii) any variation to the restrictions applicable to shares subject to Option must be carried out in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 4 or as a result of amendments to such restrictions generally approved by the Company’s shareholders;
(iv) any variation to the times at which the Option may be exercised, in whole or in part, must be carried out in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 4 or with the prior written consent of the relevant UK Participant;
(v) any variation to the circumstances under which the Option will lapse must be carried out in accordance with paragraph 22 of Schedule 4 or with the prior written consent of the relevant UK Participant;
(E) The mechanisms described in paragraph (D) above in connection with certain changes to the terms of outstanding Options must be applied in a way that is fair and reasonable.
(F) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Option Agreement, no variations whatsoever may be made to any outstanding Options where this would result in the requirements of the paragraphs of Schedule 4 to the Act no longer being met.
(G) Restricted Stock may not be provided under the Plan. All provisions relating to Restricted Stock in the Elastic N.V. Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan shall not apply to the Plan.
(H) For the purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
| | | | | |
| "Act" | the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003; |
| "Appropriate Period" | the relevant period as specified in paragraph 26(3) of Schedule 4;
|
| "Associated Company" | an associated company of the Company within the meaning that expression bears in paragraph 35 of Schedule 4;
|
| | | | | |
| “Control” | the meaning given by section 719 of the Act;
|
| “Date of Grant” | the date on which an Option is, was or is to be granted under the Plan;
|
| “Eligible Employee” | any individual who at the Date of Grant is a director (who is required to work at least 25 hours a week exclusive of meal breaks) or an employee of a Participating Company; |
| "Exercise Price" | the price per Share, as determined by the Administrator, at which an Eligible Employee may acquire Shares upon the exercise of an Option being not less than the Market Value of a Share:
(1) subject to (2) below, on the day the Date of Grant; or
(2) if the Administrator so determines, at such earlier time or times as the Administrator may determine (with previous agreement in writing of HMRC);
but subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 12(a) as applied in this Plan;
|
| “HMRC” | HM Revenue & Customs;
|
"Individual Approved Limit”
| the limit specified from time to time in paragraph 6 of Schedule 4; |
| "London Stock Exchange” | the London Stock Exchange plc or any successor company or body carrying on the business of the London Stock Exchange plc;
|
| "Market Value" | in relation to a Share on any day:
(1) if so long as the Shares are traded on NASDAQ, its last reported sale price and agreed for the purposes of this Plan with the Shares & Assets Valuation of HMRC on or before that day; or
(2) if and so long as the Shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange, its middle market quotation; or
(3) subject to (1) and (2) above, its market value, determined in accordance with Part 8 of the Taxation and Chargeable Gains Act 1992 and agreed for the purposes of this Plan with the Shares & Assets Valuation of HMRC on or before that day;
|
| "Option" | the right to acquire Shares granted in accordance with and subject to the rules of the Plan;
|
| | | | | |
"Ordinary Share Capital"
| the meaning given in section 989 Income Tax Act 2007;
|
| "Original Market Value" | in relation to any Share to be taken into account for the purposes of the limit in Section 4(c)(iii) as applied in this Plan, its Market Value as determined for the purposes of the relevant grant of options;
|
| "Participating Company" | (1) the Company; and
(2) any other company which is under the Control of the Company or is a Subsidiary of the Company;
|
“Plan”
| this UK Company Share Option Plan (CSOP);
|
| “Schedule 4” | Schedule 4 to the Act;
|
| "Share" | a share of the Company's Ordinary Share Capital which complies with the conditions set forth in Part 4 of Schedule 4;
|
| "Subsidiary" | the meaning given by Section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006;
|
| “UK Participant” | a director or employee, or former director or employee, to whom an Option under this Plan has been granted or (where the context so admits or requires) the personal representatives of any such person.
|
(I) Options under this Plan may only be granted to Eligible Employees.
(J) For the purposes of this Plan the following Sections of the Plan shall be amended, modified or deleted as follows:
1. Section 4(b)(i) shall not apply to this Plan.
2. Section 4(b)(iii) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Option provided that any Option granted to an Eligible Employee shall be limited to take effect so that immediately following such grant the aggregate Original Market Value of all Shares over which he or she has been granted option rights under the Plan or any other share option plan approved under Schedule 4 adopted by the Company or an Associated Company, shall not exceed or further exceed the Individual Approved Option Limit;”
3. Section 4(b)(v)shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, if any Option granted hereunder, which terms and conditions include but are not limited to the time or times when Options vest and/or be exercised (which may be based on performance criteria) provided any such terms and conditions are objective and are stated in writing at the Date of Grant.”
4. Section 4(b)(vii) shall not apply to this Plan.
5. Section 4(b)(viii) shall not apply to this Plan.
6. Section 4(b)(ix) shall not apply to this Plan.
7. Section 5(a) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“Options may only be granted to Eligible Employees.”
8. Section 5(b) shall not apply to this Plan.
9. Section 7(b) shall not apply to this Plan.
10. Section 7(c)(i) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Option Agreement, but shall not be less than the Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant or, if the Administrator so determines, at such earlier time or times as the Administrator may determine (with the prior agreement in writing of HMRC).”
11. Section 7(c)(ii) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon the exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Administrator and may consist entirely of (1) cash; (2) check or (3) such other consideration and method of payment that does not affect the approved status under Schedule 4 of the Option.”
12. Section 7(d)(i)(2) shall not apply to this Plan.
13. Section 7(d)(i)(3) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“Minimum Exercise Requirements. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. The Administrator may require that an Option be exercised as to a minimum number of Shares, provided that such requirement is set forth in the applicable Option Agreement and does not prevent a UK Participant from exercising the full number of Shares as to which the Option is exercisable from time to time”.
14. Section 7(d)(i)(4) shall apply to this Plan but with the addition of the following:
“Shares delivered to a UK Participant pursuant to the Plan will rank pari passu in all respects with Shares then in issue.”
15. Section 7(d)(ii) shall apply to this Plan but shall not enable the Administrator to waive or modify provisions regarding termination of Continuous Service Status in relation to an Option which has been granted.
16. Section 7(d)(ii)(3) shall apply to this Plan but modified such that the reference to “12 month(s)” shall be replaced with “6 months”.
17. Section 7(d)(ii)(4) shall apply to this Plan but modified such that Options may only be exercised by the UK Participant’s personal representatives.
18. Section 7(d)(iii)(6) shall not apply to this Plan.
19. Section 8 to 11 shall not apply to this Plan.
20. Section 14(a) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“General. Options may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner. This Section shall not prevent the personal representatives of a deceased UK Participant from exercising the Option in accordance with the Plan and applicable Option Agreement(s)”.
21. Section 15(a) shall apply to this Plan provided that any variation or variations made in accordance with that Section must secure:
(A) that the total market value of the Shares which may be acquired by the exercise of an Option is immediately after the variation or variations substantially the same as what it was immediately before the variation or variations; and
(B) that the total price at which Shares may be acquired on the Exercise of an Option is immediately after the variation or variations substantially the same as what it was immediately before the variation or variations.
22. Section 15(b) shall apply to this Plan but with the words “unless otherwise determined by the Administrator” replaced with the following:
“unless otherwise determined by the Administrator acting fairly and reasonably”.
23. Section 15(c) shall not apply to this Plan and shall be replaced by the following:
“Certain Corporate Transactions.
(i) If as a result of a Corporate Transaction that falls with paragraph 25A of Schedule 4 and the Option is exercisable, then it may, if the Administrator so determines, be exercisable by virtue of this provision during such period as the Administrator may determine provided such period does not exceed any of the periods (as relevant) permitted under paragraph 25A of Schedule 4. In exercising its discretion, the Administrator shall act fairly and reasonably.
“Approved rollover of Options.
(ii) If as a result of a Corporation Transaction that falls within paragraph 26(2) of Schedule 4, a company (the “Acquiring Company”) obtains Control of the Company any UK Participant may at any time within the Appropriate Period, by agreement with the Acquiring Company, release any Option which has not lapsed (the “Old Option”) in consideration for the grant to him of an option (the “New Option”) which (for the purposes of paragraph 27 of Schedule 4) is equivalent to the Old Option but relates to Shares in a different company (whether the Acquiring Company itself or some other company falling within paragraph 16(b) or 16(c) of Schedule 4).
(iii) The New Option shall not be regarded for the purposes of Section 13(d)(i) (as applied to this Plan) unless the conditions set out in paragraph 27(4) of Schedule 4 are satisfied, but so that the provisions of the Plan shall for this purpose be construed as if (A) the New Option were an Option granted under the Plan at the same time as the Old Option; and (B) except for the definitions of “Participating Company” and “Subsidiary”, the reference to “Elastic N.V.” in the definition of
the Company in Section 2 of the Plan were a reference to the different company mentioned in Section 13(d)(i) of the Plan (as applied to this Plan).”
24. Section 15(d) shall not apply to this Plan.
25. Section 19 shall not apply to this Plan.
26. Section 24 shall not apply to options granted prior to 9 December 2021 pursuant to this Plan.
ADDENDUM B
Israeli Addendum
Adopted by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Elastic N.V. on April 28, 2020
to
ELASTIC N.V.
Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan
This Israeli Addendum (the “Addendum”) to the Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) of Elastic N.V. (the “Company”) shall apply only to persons who are, or are deemed to be, residents of the State of Israel for Israeli tax purposes (“Israeli Tax Residents”).
1. GENERAL
1.1. Unless otherwise defined in this Addendum, capitalized terms contained herein shall have the same meanings given to them in the Plan.
1.2. The Administrator in its discretion, may grant Awards to eligible Participants and shall determine whether Awards granted under the Plan to Israeli Tax Residents are intended to be 102 Awards or 3(i) Awards. Each Award granted to an Israeli Tax Resident shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall expressly identify the Award type, and be in such form and contain such provisions, as the Administrator shall from time to time deem appropriate.
1.3. The Plan shall apply to any Awards granted pursuant to this Addendum, provided, that the provisions of this Addendum shall supersede and govern in the case of any inconsistency or conflict, either explicit or implied, arising between the provisions of this Addendum and the Plan.
2. DEFINITIONS.
2.1. “3(i) Award” means any Award granted to any Participant who is not an Employee pursuant to Section 3(i) of the Ordinance.
2.2. “102 Award” means any Award intended to qualify (as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement) and which qualifies under Section 102, provided it is settled only in Shares.
2.3. “102 Capital Gain Track Award” means any 102 Award granted to an Employee pursuant to Section 102(b)(2) or (3) (as applicable) of the Ordinance under the capital gain track.
2.4. “102 Non-Trustee Award” means any Award granted to an Employee pursuant to Section 102(c) of the Ordinance without a Trustee.
2.5. “102 Ordinary Income Track Award” means any 102 Award granted to an Employee pursuant to Section 102(b)(1) of the Ordinance under the ordinary income track.
2.6. “102 Trustee Awards” means, collectively, 102 Capital Gain Track Awards and 102 Ordinary Income Track Awards.
2.7. “Award” means any award of an Option or Restricted Stock Units under the Plan.
2.8. “Controlling Shareholder” has the meaning set forth in Section 32(9) of the Ordinance.
2.9. “Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2 of this Addendum.
2.10. “Employee” means an “employee” within the meaning of Section 102(a) of the Ordinance (which as of the date of the adoption of this Addendum means (i) an individual employed by an Employer, and (ii) an individual who is serving and is engaged personally (and not through an entity) as an “office holder” by an Employer, excluding any Controlling Shareholder), provided such Employee also satisfies the eligibility requirements under the Plan.
2.11. “Employer” means, for purpose of a 102 Trustee Award, an Affiliate, Subsidiary or Parent which is an “employing company” within the meaning and subject to the conditions of Section 102(a) of the Ordinance.
2.12. “ITA” means the Israel Tax Authority.
2.13. “Ordinance” means the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance (New Version), 1961, including the Rules and any other regulations, rules, orders or procedures promulgated thereunder, as may be amended or replaced from time to time.
2.14. “Required Holding Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5.1 of this Addendum.
2.15. “Rules” means the Income Tax Rules (Tax Benefits in Stock Issuance to Employees) 5763-2003.
2.16. “Section 102” means Section 102 of the Ordinance.
2.17. “Trust Agreement” means the agreement to be signed between the Company, an Employer and the Trustee for the purposes of Section 102.
2.18. “Trustee” means the trustee appointed by the Administrator and approved by the ITA to hold certain Awards granted to Israeli Tax Residents and the Shares issued pursuant to such Awards.
2.19. “Withholding Obligations” as defined in Section 5.5 below.
3. 102 AWARDS
3.1. Tracks. Awards granted pursuant to this Section 3 are intended to be granted as either 102 Capital Gain Track Awards or 102 Ordinary Income Track Awards. 102 Trustee Awards shall be granted subject to the special terms and conditions contained in this Section 3 and the general terms and conditions of the Plan and applicable Award Agreement, except to the extent such provisions of the Plan and applicable Award Agreement conflict with the tax laws or regulations applicable to the Israeli Tax Residents.
3.2. Election of Track. Subject to Applicable Laws, the Company may grant only one type of 102 Trustee Award at any given time to all Employees who are to be granted 102 Trustee Awards pursuant to this Addendum, and shall file an election with the ITA regarding the type of 102 Trustee Award it elects to grant before the date of grant of any 102 Trustee Award (the “Election”). Such Election shall also apply to any other securities received by any Employee as a result of holding the 102 Trustee Awards. The Company may change the type of 102 Trustee Award that it elects to grant only after the expiration of at least 12 months from the end of the year in which the first grant was made in accordance with the Election that was in effect at the time of such grant, or as otherwise provided by Applicable Laws. The Election shall not prevent the Company from granting 102 Non-Trustee Awards.
3.3. Eligibility for Awards. Subject to Applicable Laws, 102 Awards may be granted only to Employees. 102 Awards may be granted either with a Trustee or without a Trustee.
3.4. 102 Award Grant Date.
3.4.1. Each 102 Award will be deemed granted on the date determined by the Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan, provided that (i) the Employee signs all documents required by the Company or pursuant to Applicable Laws, and (ii) with respect to any 102 Trustee Award, the Company provides all applicable documents to the Trustee in accordance with the guidelines published by the ITA.
3.4.2. Unless otherwise permitted by the Ordinance, any grants of 102 Trustee Awards that are made on or after the date of the adoption of the Plan and this Addendum or an amendment to the Plan or this Addendum, as the case may be, that may become effective only at the expiration of thirty (30) days after the filing of the Plan and this Addendum or any amendment thereof (as the case may be) with the ITA in accordance with the Ordinance shall be conditional upon the expiration of such 30-day period, and such condition shall be read and is incorporated by reference into any corporate resolutions approving such grants and into any Award Agreement evidencing such grants (whether or not explicitly referring to such condition), and the date of grant shall be at the expiration of such 30-day period, whether or not the date of grant indicated therein corresponds with this Section. In the case of any contradiction, this provision and the date of grant determined pursuant hereto shall supersede and be deemed to amend any date of grant indicated in any corporate resolution or Award Agreement.
3.5. 102 Trustee Awards.
3.5.1. Each 102 Trustee Award, each Ordinary Share issued pursuant to any 102 Trustee Award and any rights granted thereunder, shall be allocated or issued to and registered in the name of the Trustee and shall be held in trust or controlled by the Trustee for the benefit of the Participant for the requisite period prescribed by the Ordinance (the “Required Holding Period”). In the event that the requirements under Section 102 to qualify an Award as a 102 Trustee Award are not met, then the Award may be treated as a 102 Non-Trustee Award or 3(i) Award (as determined by the Company in its discretion), all in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance. After the expiration of the Required Holding Period, the Trustee may release such 102 Trustee Awards and any Shares issued pursuant to such 102 Trustee Awards, provided that (i) the Trustee has received an acknowledgment from the ITA that the Participant has paid any applicable taxes due pursuant to the Ordinance, or (ii) the Trustee and/or the Company and/or the Employer withhold(s) all applicable taxes and compulsory payments due pursuant to the Ordinance arising from the 102 Trustee Awards and/or any Shares issued upon exercise or (if applicable) vesting of such 102 Trustee Awards. The Trustee shall not release any 102 Trustee Awards or Shares issued upon exercise or (if applicable) vesting thereof prior to the payment in full of the Participant’s tax and compulsory payments arising from such 102 Trustee Awards and/or Shares or the withholding referred to in (ii) above.
3.5.2. Each 102 Trustee Award shall be subject to the relevant terms of the Ordinance, the Rules and any determinations, rulings or approvals issued by the ITA, which shall be deemed an integral part of the 102 Trustee Awards and shall prevail over any term contained in the Plan, this Addendum or the applicable Award Agreement that is not consistent therewith. Any provision of the Ordinance, the Rules and any determinations, rulings or approvals by the ITA not expressly specified in the Plan, this Addendum or the applicable Award Agreement that are necessary to receive or maintain any tax benefit pursuant to Section 102 shall be binding on the Participant. Any Participant granted a 102 Trustee Award shall comply with the Ordinance and the terms and conditions of the Trust Agreement entered into between the Company and the Trustee. The Participant shall execute any and all documents that the Company, the Employer and/or the Trustee determine from time to time to be necessary in order to comply with the Ordinance and the Rules.
3.5.3. During the Required Holding Period, the Participant shall not release from trust or sell, assign, transfer or give as collateral, the Shares issuable upon the exercise or (if applicable) vesting of a 102 Trustee Award and/or any securities issued or distributed with respect thereto, until the expiration of the Required Holding Period. Notwithstanding the above, if any such sale, release or other action occurs during the Required Holding Period it may result in adverse tax consequences to the Participant under Section 102 and the Rules, which shall apply to and shall be borne solely by such Participant. Subject to the foregoing, the Trustee may, pursuant to a written request from the Participant, but subject to the terms of the Plan and this Addendum, release and transfer such Shares to a designated third party, provided that both of the following conditions have been fulfilled prior to such release or transfer: (i) payment has been made to the ITA of all taxes and compulsory payments required to be paid upon the release and transfer of the Shares, and confirmation of such payment has been received by the Trustee and the
Company, and (ii) the Trustee has received written confirmation from the Company that all requirements for such release and transfer have been fulfilled according to the terms of the Company’s corporate documents, any agreement governing the Shares, the Plan, this Addendum, the applicable Award Agreement and any Applicable Laws.
3.5.4. If a 102 Trustee Award is exercised or (if applicable) vests, the Shares issued upon such exercise or (if applicable) vesting shall be issued in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of the Participant.
3.5.5. Upon or after receipt of a 102 Trustee Award, if required, the Participant may be required to sign an undertaking to release the Trustee from any liability with respect to any action or decision duly taken and executed in good faith by the Trustee in relation to the Plan, this Addendum, or any 102 Trustee Awards granted to such Participant hereunder.
3.6. 102 Non-Trustee Awards. The foregoing provisions of this Section 3 relating to 102 Trustee Awards shall not apply with respect to 102 Non-Trustee Awards, which shall, however, be subject to the relevant provisions of Section 102 and the applicable Rules. The Administrator may determine, at its discretion, that 102 Non-Trustee Awards, the Shares issuable upon the exercise or (if applicable) vesting of a 102 Non-Trustee Award and/or any securities issued or distributed with respect thereto, shall be allocated or issued to the Trustee, who shall hold such 102 Non-Trustee Award and all accrued rights thereon (if any) in trust for the benefit of the Participant and/or the Company, as the case may be, until the full payment of tax arising from the 102 Non-Trustee Awards, the Shares issuable upon the exercise or (if applicable) vesting of a 102 Non-Trustee Award and/or any securities issued or distributed with respect thereto. The Company, without limitation, may require the Participant to provide the Company with a guarantee or other security, to the satisfaction of each of the Trustee and the Company, with respect to the Participant’s tax obligations.
3.7. Written Participant Undertaking. With respect to any 102 Trustee Award, as required by Section 102 and the Rules, by virtue of the receipt of such Award, the Participant is deemed to have provided, undertaken and confirmed the following written undertaking (and such undertaking is deemed incorporated into any documents signed by the Participant in connection with the grant of such 102 Trustee Award), and which undertaking shall be deemed to apply and relate to all 102 Trustee Awards granted to the Participant, whether under the Plan and this Addendum or other plans maintained by the Company, and whether prior to or after the date hereof:
3.7.1. The Participant shall comply with all terms and conditions set forth in Section 102 with regard to the “Capital Gain Track” or the “Ordinary Income Track”, as applicable, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended from time to time;
3.7.2. The Participant is familiar with, and understands the provisions of, Section 102 in general, and the tax arrangement under the “Capital Gain Track” or the “Ordinary Income Track” in particular, and its tax consequences; the Participant agrees that the 102 Trustee Awards and Shares that may be issued upon exercise or (if applicable) vesting of the 102 Trustee Awards (or otherwise in relation to the Awards), will be held by a Trustee appointed pursuant to Section 102 for at least the duration of the "Holding Period" (as such term is defined in Section 102) under the "Capital Gain Track" or the “Ordinary Income Track”, as applicable. The Participant understands that any release of such 102 Trustee Awards or Shares from trust, or any sale of the Shares prior to the termination of the Holding Period, as defined above, will result in taxation at the marginal tax rate, in addition to deductions of appropriate social security, health tax contributions or other compulsory payments; and
3.7.3. The Participant agrees to the Trust Agreement signed between the Company, the Employer and the Trustee appointed pursuant to Section 102.
4. 3(i) AWARDS
4.1. Awards granted pursuant to this Section 4 are intended to constitute 3(i) Awards and shall be granted subject to the general terms and conditions of the Plan, and applicable Award Agreement, except to the extent such provisions of the Plan and applicable Award Agreement conflict with the tax laws or regulations
applicable to Israeli Tax Residents. In the event of any inconsistency or contradictions between the provisions of this Section 4 and the other terms of the Plan, this Section 4 shall prevail.
4.2. To the extent required by the Ordinance or the ITA or otherwise deemed by the Administrator to be advisable, the 3(i) Awards and/or any shares or other securities issued or distributed with respect thereto granted pursuant to this Plan shall be issued to a Trustee nominated by the Administrator in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance or the terms of a trustee agreement, as applicable. In such event, the Trustee shall hold such Awards and/or other securities issued or distributed with respect thereto in trust, until exercised or (if applicable) vested by the Participant and the full payment of tax arising therefrom, pursuant to the Company’s instructions from time to time as set forth in a trust agreement, which will have been entered into between the Company and the Trustee. If determined by the Administrator in its discretion, and subject to such trustee agreement, the Trustee will also hold the shares issuable upon exercise or (if applicable) vesting of the 3(i) Awards, as long as they are held by the Participant. If determined by the Board or the Committee, and subject to such trust agreement, the Trustee shall be responsible for withholding any taxes to which a Participant may become liable upon issuance of Shares, whether due to the exercise or (if applicable) vesting of Awards.
5. AGREEMENT REGARDING TAXES; DISCLAIMER
5.1. If the Company shall so require, as a condition of exercise or (if applicable) vesting of an Award or the release of Shares by the Trustee, a Participant shall agree that, no later than the date of such occurrence, the Participant will pay to the Company (or the Trustee, as applicable) or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee (if applicable) regarding payment of any applicable taxes and compulsory payments of any kind required by Applicable Laws to be withheld or paid.
5.2. TAX LIABILITY. ALL TAX CONSEQUENCES UNDER ANY APPLICABLE LAW WHICH MAY ARISE FROM THE GRANT OF ANY AWARDS OR THE EXERCISE OR (IF APPLICABLE) VESTING THEREOF, THE SALE OR DISPOSITION OF ANY SHARES GRANTED HEREUNDER OR ISSUED UPON EXERCISE OR (IF APPLICABLE) VESTING OF ANY AWARD, THE ASSUMPTION, SUBSTITUTION, CANCELLATION OR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF AWARDS OR FROM ANY OTHER ACTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE FOREGOING (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY TAXES AND COMPULSORY PAYMENTS, SUCH AS SOCIAL SECURITY OR HEALTH TAX PAYABLE BY THE PARTICIPANT OR THE COMPANY IN CONNECTION THEREWITH) SHALL BE BORNE AND PAID SOLELY BY THE PARTICIPANT, AND THE PARTICIPANT SHALL INDEMNIFY THE COMPANY, ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) AND THE TRUSTEE, AND SHALL HOLD THEM HARMLESS AGAINST AND FROM ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SUCH TAX OR PAYMENT OR ANY PENALTY, INTEREST OR INDEXATION THEREON. EACH PARTICIPANT AGREES TO, AND UNDERTAKES TO COMPLY WITH, ANY RULING, SETTLEMENT, CLOSING AGREEMENT OR OTHER SIMILAR AGREEMENT OR ARRANGEMENT WITH ANY TAX AUTHORITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE FOREGOING WHICH IS APPROVED BY THE COMPANY.
5.3. NO TAX ADVICE. THE PARTICIPANT IS ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH A TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF RECEIVING, EXERCISING, VESTING OR DISPOSING OF AWARDS HEREUNDER. THE COMPANY DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVISE THE PARTICIPANT ON SUCH MATTERS, WHICH SHALL REMAIN SOLELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARTICIPANT.
5.4. TAX TREATMENT. THE COMPANY AND ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) DOES NOT UNDERTAKE OR ASSUME ANY LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY AWARD SHALL QUALIFY WITH ANY PARTICULAR TAX REGIME OR RULES APPLYING TO PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT, OR BENEFIT FROM ANY PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT OR TAX ADVANTAGE OF ANY TYPE AND THE COMPANY AND ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) SHALL BEAR NO LIABILITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH ANY AWARD IS EVENTUALLY TREATED FOR TAX PURPOSES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE AWARD WAS GRANTED OR WAS INTENDED
TO QUALIFY UNDER ANY PARTICULAR TAX REGIME OR TREATMENT. THIS PROVISION SHALL SUPERSEDE ANY DESIGNATION OF AWARDS OR TAX QUALIFICATION INDICATED IN ANY CORPORATE RESOLUTION OR AWARD AGREEMENT, WHICH SHALL AT ALL TIMES BE SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF APPLICABLE LAWS. THE COMPANY AND ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) DO NOT UNDERTAKE AND SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ANY ACTION IN ORDER TO QUALIFY ANY AWARD WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT AND NO INDICATION IN ANY DOCUMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY AWARD IS INTENDED TO QUALIFY FOR ANY TAX TREATMENT SHALL IMPLY SUCH AN UNDERTAKING. NO ASSURANCE IS MADE BY THE COMPANY, ANY OF ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) THAT ANY PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT ON THE DATE OF GRANT WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST OR THAT THE AWARD WILL QUALIFY AT THE TIME OF VESTING, EXERCISE OR DISPOSITION THEREOF WITH ANY PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT. THE COMPANY AND ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) SHALL NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY OR OBLIGATION OF ANY NATURE IN THE EVENT THAT AN AWARD DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT, REGARDLESS WHETHER THE COMPANY OR ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) COULD HAVE TAKEN ANY ACTION TO CAUSE SUCH QUALIFICATION TO BE MET AND SUCH QUALIFICATION REMAINS AT ALL TIMES AND UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE RISK OF THE PARTICIPANT. THE COMPANY AND ITS PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (INCLUDING THE EMPLOYER) DO NOT UNDERTAKE OR ASSUME ANY LIABILITY TO CONTEST A DETERMINATION OR INTERPRETATION (WHETHER WRITTEN OR UNWRITTEN) OF ANY TAX AUTHORITY, INCLUDING IN RESPECT OF THE QUALIFICATION UNDER ANY PARTICULAR TAX REGIME OR RULES APPLYING TO PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT. IF THE AWARDS DO NOT QUALIFY UNDER ANY PARTICULAR TAX TREATMENT IT COULD RESULT IN ADVERSE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THE PARTICIPANT.
5.5. The Company or its Parents, Subsidiaries and Affiliates (including the Employer) may take such action as they may deem necessary or appropriate, in their discretion, for the purpose of or in connection with withholding of any taxes and compulsory payments which the Trustee, the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate (including the Employer) is required by any Applicable Laws to withhold in connection with any Awards, including, without limitations, any income tax, social benefits, social insurance, health tax, pension, payroll tax, fringe benefits, excise tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to the Participant’s participation in the Plan and applicable by law to the Participant (collectively, “Withholding Obligations”). Such actions may include, without limitation, (i) requiring Participants to remit to the Company or the Employer in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy such Withholding Obligations and any other taxes and compulsory payments, payable by the Company or the Employer in connection with the Award or the exercise or (if applicable) vesting thereof; (ii) subject to Applicable Laws, allowing the Participants to surrender Shares, in an amount that at such time, reflects a value that the Administrator determines to be sufficient to satisfy such Withholding Obligations; (iii) withholding Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of an Award at a value which is determined by the Company to be sufficient to satisfy such Withholding Obligations; or (iv) any combination of the foregoing. The Company shall not be obligated to allow the exercise or vesting of any Award by or on behalf of a Participant until all tax consequences arising therefrom are resolved in a manner acceptable to the Company.
5.6. Each Participant shall notify the Company in writing promptly and in any event within ten (10) days after the date on which such Participant first obtains knowledge of any tax bureau inquiry, audit, assertion, determination, investigation, or question relating in any manner to the Awards granted or received hereunder or Shares issued thereunder and shall continuously inform the Company of any developments, proceedings, discussions and negotiations relating to such matter, and shall allow the Company and its representatives to participate in any proceedings and discussions concerning such matters. Upon request, a Participant shall provide to the Company any information or document relating to any matter described in the preceding sentence, which the Company, in its discretion, requires.
5.7. With respect to 102 Non-Trustee Awards, if the Participant ceases to be employed by the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate (including the Employer), the Participant shall extend to the
Company and/or the Employer a security or guarantee for the payment of taxes due at the time of sale of Shares, all in accordance with the provisions of Section 102 and the Rules.
6. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AS A SHAREHOLDER
6.1. In the case of 102 Awards or 3(i) Awards (if such Awards are being held by a Trustee), the Trustee shall have no rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the Shares covered by such Award until the Trustee becomes the record holder for such Shares for the Participant’s benefit, and the Participant shall not be deemed to be a shareholder and shall have no rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the Shares covered by the Award until the date of the release of such Shares from the Trustee to the Participant and the transfer of record ownership of such Shares to the Participant (provided however that the Participant shall be entitled to receive from the Trustee any cash dividend or distribution made on account of the Shares held by the Trustee for such Participant’s benefit, subject to any tax withholding and compulsory payment). No adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities or other property) or distribution of other rights for which the record date is prior to the date on which the Participant or Trustee (as applicable) becomes the record holder of the Shares covered by an Award, except as provided in the Plan.
7. GOVERNING LAW
7.1. This Addendum shall be governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of Delaware; provided, however, that the corporate law aspects of issuance shall be governed by the laws of the Netherlands, and that any mandatory tax matters arising hereunder shall be governed by applicable Israeli laws, rules and regulations (as amended).
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ADDENDUM C
FRENCH ADDENDUM
ADOPTED BY THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF ELASTIC N.V. ON JUNE 1, 2020
to the
ELASTIC N.V.
Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan
1. Introduction
Elastic N.V. (the “Company”) has established the Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”), as approved by shareholders of the Company on September 28, 2018 and as may be subsequently amended from time to time, for the benefit of certain employees and other service providers of the Company or a Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate, including employees of a Subsidiary or Affiliate of which the Company holds directly or indirectly at least 10% of the share capital (a “French Entity”).
The Plan authorizes the Administrator to grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units and Performance Shares. Sections 4(b)(ix) (“Powers of the Administrator”) and 21(“Addenda”) of the Plan authorize the Administrator to approve addenda or to grant Awards to, or to modify the terms of, any outstanding Award Agreement or any agreement related to any Shares covered by an Award held by Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside of the United States with such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom which deviate from the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan to the extent necessary or appropriate to accommodate such differences. Pursuant to the foregoing authority, the Administrator, therefore, intends to establish an addendum to the Plan for the purpose of granting Options that qualify for the specific tax and social security treatment under Sections L. 225-177 to L. 225-186-1 of the French Commercial Code, as amended (“French-qualified Options”), and Restricted Stock Units (including Performance Units) that qualify for the specific tax and social security treatment under Sections L. 225-197-1 to L. 225-197-6 of the French Commercial Code, as amended (“French-qualified RSUs”), to qualifying Participants who are resident in France for French tax purposes and/or subject to the French social security regime (“French Participants”).
The terms of the Plan (to which this addendum is attached) shall, subject to the limitations set forth herein, constitute the rules of the Plan for French Participants (the “French Addendum”). Options and Restricted Stock Units granted to French Participants pursuant to the French Addendum shall be French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs. However, Options and Restricted Stock Units may be granted to French Participants under the Plan and not under the French Addendum, at the Administrator’s discretion.
2. Definitions
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meanings as set forth in the Plan. The terms set forth below shall have the following meanings:
(a) The term “Closed Period” means:
(i) For French-qualified Options, “Closed Periods” shall mean the specific periods set forth in Section L. 225-177 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, during which French-qualified Options cannot be granted, as described in Section 9(a) below, including: (A) the ten (10)
quotation day period preceding the date on which the annual and interim consolidated financial statements or the annual and half-yearly accounts of the Company are made public, and the day of publication; and (B) any period during which the corporate management of the Company possesses confidential information within the meaning of Article 7 of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse (Market Abuse Regulation) and cancelling the Directive 2003/6/UE and Directives 2003/124/CE Parliament and 2004/72/CE of the Commission, until the date on which this information is disclosed to the public, and (C) the twenty (20) quotation day period following a distribution of a dividend (i.e., the ex-dividend date) that offers the right to a dividend or capital increase.
(ii) For French-qualified RSUs, “Closed Periods” shall mean the specific periods set forth by Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code as amended from time to time, during which the sale or transfer of Shares acquired at vesting of French-qualified RSUs cannot be sold or transferred, as described in Section 10(c) below, including: (A) the thirty (30) calendar day period before the announcement of an interim financial report or end-of-year report that the Company is required to make public; and (B) with respect to such persons, any period during which the chief executive officer (directeur général), any deputy chief executive officer (directeur général délégué), or any member of the board of directors (conseil d’administration), the supervisory board (conseil de surveillance) or the executive board (directoire) of the Company, or any Employee possesses knowledge of inside information (within the meaning of Article 7 of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, 2014 on market abuse (Market Abuse Regulation) and cancelling the Directive 2003/6/UE and Directives 2003/124/CE Parliament and 2004/72/CE of the Commission) which has not been disclosed to the public.
If, after adoption of the French Addendum, French law or regulations are amended to modify the definition and/or applicability of Closed Periods to French-qualified Options and/or French-qualified RSUs, such amendments shall apply to any French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs granted under this French Addendum, to the extent permitted or required under French law.
(b) The term “Exercise Price” shall be the per Share price to purchase Shares pursuant to the exercise of an Option.
(c) The term “Qualified Disability” shall mean a Disability that meets the requirements of categories 2 and 3 under Section L. 341-4 of the French Social Security Code, as amended, subject to the fulfillment of related conditions.
(d) The term “Grant Date” shall mean the date on which the Administrator both (i) designates the French Participants, and (ii) specifies the terms and conditions of the French-qualified Options or French-qualified RSUs being granted, such as the number of Shares subject to each Award of French-qualified Options or French-qualified RSUs, the vesting conditions of the French-qualified Options or French-qualified RSUs, the conditions for exercising the French-qualified Options and any restrictions on the sale of Shares subject to the French-qualified Options or French-qualified RSUs.
(e) The term “Vesting Date” shall mean the relevant date on which French-qualified RSUs have met all vesting conditions specified by the Administrator and the French Participant holding such French-qualified RSUs becomes entitled to receive the Shares underlying such French-qualified RSUs for no cash consideration.
3. Eligibility
Notwithstanding any other term of this French Addendum, French-qualified Options and French-Qualified RSUs may be granted only to employees or corporate directors of the French Entities who hold less than ten percent (10%)
of the outstanding Shares of the Company and who otherwise satisfy the eligibility conditions of Section 5(a) (“Recipients of Grants”) of the Plan.
Subject to the paragraph below, any French Participant who, on the Grant Date of an Option and/or Restricted Stock Units, and to the extent required under French law, is employed under the terms and conditions of an employment contract (“contrat de travail”) by a French Entity or who is a corporate officer of a French Entity shall be eligible to receive, at the discretion of the Administrator, French-qualified Options and/or French-qualified RSUs under this French Addendum, provided he or she also satisfies the eligibility conditions of Section 5(a) (“Recipients of Grants”) of the Plan.
French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs may not be issued to corporate officers of French Entities, other than the managing directors (Président du Conseil d’Administration, Directeur Général, Directeur Général Délégué, Membre du Directoire, Gérant de Sociétés par actions) unless the corporate officer is an employee of a French Entity, as defined by French law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permissible under French tax and social security laws, including guidelines and specific tax or social security rulings issued by French tax and social security authorities, any individual who is employed by the Company or a French Entity or another Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company shall be eligible to receive French-qualified Options and/or French-qualified RSUs under the French Addendum (provided that he or she also satisfies the eligibility conditions of Section 5(a) (“Recipients of Grants”) of the Plan) even if the individual is not a French tax resident and/or subject to the French social contribution regime at the Grant Date and such an individual shall be considered, to the extent applicable (as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion), as a French Participant for purposes of this French Addendum.
4. Employment Rights
The adoption of this French Addendum shall not confer upon the French Participant, or any employees of a French Entity, any employment rights and shall not be construed as a part of any employment contracts that a French Entity has with its employees.
5. Delivery of Shares Only
Only Shares and not cash payments may be delivered to any French Participant in settlement of French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs granted under this French Addendum.
6. Non-Transferability
Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary and except in the case of death, French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs cannot be transferred to any third party. In addition, during the lifetime of the French Participant, the French-qualified Options are exercisable only by the French Participant, subject to Sections 9(c)(iii) and 9(d) below; and Shares underlying French-qualified RSUs may be issued by the Company only to the French Participant, subject to Sections 10(b) and 10(g) below.
7. Disqualification of French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs
In the event changes are made to the terms and conditions of the French-qualified Options and/or French-qualified RSUs due to any requirements under applicable laws, or by decision of the Company’s shareholders or the Administrator, the Options and/or Restricted Stock Units granted under this French Addendum may no longer qualify as French-qualified Options and French-qualified RSUs.
If the Options and/or Restricted Stock Units granted under this French Addendum no longer qualify as French-qualified Options and/or French-qualified RSUs, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, determine to lift, shorten or terminate certain restrictions applicable to the vesting or exercisability of such Options, the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units or the sale of the Shares underlying such Options and/or Restricted Stock Units, which
have been imposed under this French Addendum or in the applicable Award Agreement for the purpose of obtaining the specific tax and social security treatment applicable to French-qualified Options and/or French-qualified RSUs. Should the awards no longer be qualified, the French Participant shall be responsible for paying any applicable French tax and social security contributions, to the extent permissible under French law.
8. Amendments
Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator reserves the right to amend or terminate the French Addendum at any time.
9. French-Qualified Options
(a) Closed Periods for French-qualified Options
French-qualified Options may not be granted during a Closed Period to the extent such Closed Periods are applicable to French-qualified Options granted by the Company. If the Company grants Options on a date during an applicable Closed Period, the Grant Date for French Participants shall be the first date following the expiration of the Closed Period, provided the grant of Options on such date is not prohibited under the Plan.
(b) Terms and Conditions of French Qualified Options
(i) Options may be “purchase stock options,” which are rights to acquire Shares repurchased by the Company prior to the date on which the Options become exercisable or “subscription stock options,” which are rights to subscribe for newly-issued Shares.
(ii) The Exercise Price of and number of Shares underlying the Options shall not be modified after the Grant Date, except as provided in Section 9(e) of this French Addendum, or as otherwise authorized by French law. Any other modification permitted under the Plan may result in the Options no longer qualifying as French-qualified Options.
(iii) The French-qualified Options will vest and become exercisable pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan, this French Addendum, and the applicable Award Agreement.
(iv) The Exercise Price per Share payable pursuant to French-qualified Options granted under this French Addendum shall be fixed by the Administrator on the Grant Date. In no event shall the Exercise Price be less than the greatest of:
(A) with respect to purchase stock options: the higher of either 80% of the average of the closing price of the Shares during the 20 quotation day period immediately preceding the Grant Date or 80% of the average of the purchase price paid for such Shares by the Company;
(B) with respect to subscription stock options: 80% of the average of the closing price of such Shares during the 20 quotation day period immediately preceding the Grant Date; and
(C) the minimum Exercise Price permitted under the Plan.
(c) Exercise of French-qualified Options
(i) At the time French-qualified Options are effectively granted, the Administrator shall fix the period, if any, within which the French-qualified Options vest and may be exercised and shall determine any conditions that must be satisfied before the French-qualified Options may be
exercised. Such restriction period for the vesting or the exercise of French-qualified Options shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
(ii) Upon exercise of French-qualified Options, the full Exercise Price shall be paid by the French Participant as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
(iii) In the event of the death of a French Participant, his or her French-qualified Options shall thereafter be immediately vested and exercisable in full under the conditions set forth in Section 9(d) of this French Addendum.
(iv) If a French Participant’s employment is terminated or the French Participant otherwise ceases to provide services to the Company or a French Entity, his or her French-qualified Options will be exercisable according to the provisions of the Award Agreement.
(v) The Shares acquired upon exercise of French-qualified Options shall be fully owned by the French Participant and recorded in an account in his or her name and must be held with the Company or a broker or in such manner as the Company may otherwise determine to ensure compliance with French laws.
(vi) To the extent and as long as applicable to French-qualified Options granted by the Company, a restriction on exercise of the Options shall be imposed in the Award Agreement for any French Participant who qualifies as a managing director of the Company.
(d) Death
In the event of the death of a French Participant while he or she is actively employed by the Company or a French Entity, all French-qualified Options held by such Participant shall become immediately vested and exercisable and may be exercised in full by the French Participant’s heirs or the legal representative of his or her estate for the six (6) month period following the date of the French Participant’s death or such other period as may be required to comply with French law. In the event of the death of a French Participant after termination of active employment with the Company or a French Entity, the French-qualified Options will be treated as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Any French-qualified Options that remain unexercised shall expire six (6) months following the date of the French Participant’s death or after expiration of such other period as may be required to comply with French law. The six (6) month exercise period (or such other period as may be required to comply with French law) will apply without regard to the term of the French-qualified Options as described in Section 9(f) of this French Addendum.
(e) Adjustments – Change in Control
Adjustments to French-qualified Options granted under this French Addendum to preclude the dilution or enlargement of benefits under the French-qualified Options shall be made only in respect of transactions listed under Section L. 225-181 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, and in case of a repurchase of Shares by the Company at a price that is higher than the stock quotation price in the open market, and according to the provisions of Section L. 228-99 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, as well as according to specific decrees. Adjustment to French-qualified Options granted pursuant to this French Addendum other than as described above may cause such Options to no longer qualify for specific tax and social security treatment under French law.
Nevertheless, the Administrator, at its discretion, may decide to make adjustments to French-qualified Options granted pursuant to this French Addendum in the case of a transaction or event, as described in Section 15 (“Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Merger or Certain Other Transactions”) of the Plan, for which adjustments may not be authorized under French law, in which case, such Options may no longer qualify as French-qualified Options and the specific tax and social security treatment may be lost.
(f) Term of French-Qualified Option
French-qualified Options granted pursuant to this French Addendum will expire no later than nine and a half (9.5) years from the Grant Date, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement. The French-qualified Option term will be extended only in the event of the death of a French Participant, but in no event will any French-qualified Option be exercisable beyond six (6) months following the date of the French Participant’s death or such other period as may be required to comply with French law.
10. French-qualified RSUs
(a) Nature of French-qualified RSUs
Each French-qualified RSU represents the right to receive one Share (or, in the case of French-qualified RSUs that are Performance Units under the Plan, a specified number or percentage of Shares subject to the Award), subject to meeting all applicable vesting criteria established by the Administrator and all other applicable terms and conditions under the Plan and applicable Award Agreement. Until the effective issuance of the Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a holder of shares in the capital of the Company shall exist with respect to the Shares subject to Restricted Stock Units, notwithstanding vesting of the Restricted Stock Units.
(b) Vesting of French-Qualified RSUs
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, French-qualified RSUs shall not vest and the Shares underlying French-qualified RSUs shall not be delivered to French Participants prior to the expiration of a minimum one-year period calculated from the Grant Date, or such other period as required to comply with the minimum mandatory vesting period applicable to French-qualified RSUs under Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, or the relevant sections of the French Tax Code or the French Social Security Code, as amended, to benefit from the specific tax and social security regime for French-qualified restricted stock units. However, notwithstanding the vesting requirements described above, in the event of the death of a French Participant, all of his or her outstanding French-qualified RSUs shall become vested under the conditions set forth in Section 10(g) of this French Addendum.
(c) Holding Period for Shares
The sale or transfer of Shares issued pursuant to French-qualified RSUs may not occur prior to the relevant anniversary of the Grant Date specified by the Administrator and in no case prior to the expiration of a minimum two-year period calculated from the Grant Date (or, if later, the date on which the Shares underlying the French-qualified RSUs are issued to the French Participant), or such other period as required to comply with the minimum mandatory holding period applicable to French-qualified RSUs under Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, or the relevant sections of the French Tax Code or the French Social Security Code, as amended, to benefit from the specific tax and social security regime for French-qualified restricted stock units, even if the French Participant is no longer an employee or corporate officer of the Company or a French Entity.
In addition, the Shares issued pursuant to the French-qualified RSUs may not be sold or transferred during a Closed Period, so long as those Closed Periods are applicable to Shares underlying French-qualified RSUs.
(d) Managing Director Restriction
To the extent and as long as applicable to French-qualified RSUs granted by the Company, a specific holding period for the sale or transfer of Shares shall be imposed in the applicable Award Agreement for any French Participant who qualifies as a managing director of the Company.
(e) French Participant’s Account
The Shares issued pursuant to the French-qualified RSUs shall be fully owned by the French Participant and recorded and held in an account in his or her name with the Company or a broker selected by the Company, or in such other manner as the Company may determine, in order to ensure compliance with French laws, including any required holding periods.
(f) Adjustments – Change in Control
In the event of an adjustment due to a corporate transaction or event as set forth in Section 15 (“Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Merger or Certain Other Transactions”) of the Plan, the adjustment to the terms and conditions of the French-qualified RSUs or underlying Shares shall be made in accordance with the Plan and pursuant to applicable French legal and tax rules. Nevertheless, the Administrator, at its discretion, may decide to make adjustments to French-qualified RSUs granted or Shares received pursuant to this French Addendum in the case of a transaction or event for which adjustments may not be authorized under French law, in which case, such Restricted Stock Units may no longer qualify as French-qualified RSUs and the specific tax and social security treatment may be lost.
(g) Death and Disability
In the event of the death of a French Participant, the French-qualified RSUs held by the French Participant at the time of death shall become immediately transferable to the French Participant’s heirs and (i) any time- or service-based vesting conditions will be considered to have been met as of the date of the French Participant’s death, and (ii) the attainment of any performance-based vesting conditions will be determined as set out in the applicable Award Agreement and in accordance with applicable French legal and tax rules. The Company shall issue the underlying Shares to the French Participant’s heirs, at their request, provided the heirs contact the Company within six (6) months following the death of the French Participant or such other period as may be required to comply with French law and subject to part (ii) of the preceding sentence. If the French Participant’s heirs do not request the issuance of the Shares underlying the French-qualified RSUs within six (6) months following the French Participant’s death (or such other period as may be required to comply with French law), the French-qualified RSUs will be forfeited.
In the event a French Participant terminates employment by reason of his or her Qualified Disability, the Administrator, at its discretion, may determine the treatment of any French-qualified RSUs then outstanding but not vested, including that such French-qualified RSUs may be forfeited, may continue to vest on the existing schedule or may vest on an accelerated basis and be settled in Shares as promptly as practicable after vesting, provided that the French Participant provides sufficient evidence of his or her Qualified Disability.
If a French Participant dies or ceases to be employed by the Company or a French Entity by reason of his or her Qualified Disability, the French Participant’s heirs or the French Participant, as applicable, shall not be subject to the restrictions on the sale or transfer of Shares set forth in Section 10(c) above.
11. Interpretation
It is intended that Options and Restricted Stock Units granted under this French Addendum shall qualify for the specific tax and social security treatment applicable to stock options granted under Sections L. 225-177 to L. 225-186-1 and to restricted stock units granted under Sections L. 225-197-1 to L. 225-197-6, respectively, of the French Commercial Code, as amended, and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by French tax law and the French tax administration, but no undertaking is made by the Company to maintain such status.
The terms of the French Addendum shall be interpreted accordingly and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by French tax and social security laws, as well as the French tax and social security administrations and the
relevant guidelines released by the French tax and social security authorities and subject to the fulfillment of legal, tax and reporting obligations.
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the French Addendum and the Plan, the provisions of this French Addendum shall control for any grants of French-qualified Options or French-qualified RSUs made thereunder to French Participants.
12. Adoption
This French Addendum was adopted by the Administrator on June 1, 2020, and became effective as of the same date.
ELASTIC N.V.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 STOCK OPTION PLAN
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Elastic N.V. Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) will have the same defined meanings in this Stock Option Agreement, which includes the Notice of Stock Option Grant (the “Notice of Grant”), the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant, including any special terms and conditions for Participant’s country set forth in the country addendum thereto (the “Country Addendum”), attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Exercise Notice attached hereto as Exhibit B, and all other exhibits and appendices attached hereto (all together, the “Option Agreement”).
NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT
Participant:
Address:
The undersigned Participant has been granted an Option to purchase Ordinary Shares of Elastic N.V. (the “Company”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, as follows:
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| Number of Shares for which the Option is granted: | | |
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| Exercise Price per Share (in U.S. Dollars): | | $ |
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| Total Exercise Price(in U.S. Dollars): | | $ |
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| Type of Option: | | ___ Incentive Stock Option |
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Vesting Schedule:
Subject to accelerated vesting as set forth below or in the Plan, this Option will be exercisable, in whole or in part, in accordance with the following schedule:
[Insert vesting schedule.]
Termination Period:
This Option will be exercisable for three (3) months after Participant’s Continuous Service Status terminates, unless such termination is due to Participant’s death or Disability, in which case this Option will be exercisable for
twelve (12) months after Participant’s Continuous Service Status terminates. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, in no event may this Option be exercised after the Term/Expiration Date as provided above and this Option may be subject to earlier termination as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
For purposes of the Option, Participant’s Continuous Service Status will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or providing services or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Option Agreement (including by reference in the Notice of Grant to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, (i) Participant’s right to vest in the Option under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., Participant’s period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or providing services or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time); and (ii) the period (if any) during which Participant may exercise the Option after such termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status will commence on the date Participant ceases to actively provide services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any. Actively providing services during only a portion of the vesting period prior to a vesting date shall not entitle Participant to vest in a pro-rata portion of the unvested Option that would have vested as of such vesting date, nor will it entitle Participant to any compensation for the lost vesting. The Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of his or her Option grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence).
By Participant’s signature and the signature of the representative of the Company below, Participant and the Company agree that this Option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant and the Country Addendum, attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this document. Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Option Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Option Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and this Option Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and the Option Agreement. Participant further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated below.
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| PARTICIPANT | | ELASTIC N.V. |
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| Signature | | Signature |
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EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK OPTION GRANT
1. Grant of Option.
(a) The Company hereby grants to the individual (“Participant”) named in the Notice of Stock Option Grant of this Option Agreement (the “Notice of Grant”) an option (the “Option”) to purchase the number of Shares set forth in the Notice of Grant, at the exercise price per Share set forth in the Notice of Grant (the “Exercise Price”), subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Option Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by this reference. Subject to Section 19(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail.
(b) For U.S. taxpayers, the Option will be designated as either an Incentive Stock Option (“ISO”) or a Nonstatutory Stock Option (“NSO”). If designated in the Notice of Grant as an ISO, this Option is intended to qualify as an ISO under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). However, if this Option is intended to be an ISO, to the extent that it exceeds the $100,000 rule of Code Section 422(d) it will be treated as an NSO. Further, if for any reason this Option (or portion thereof) will not qualify as an ISO, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option (or portion thereof) shall be regarded as a NSO granted under the Plan. In no event will the Administrator, the Company or any Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary or any of their respective employees or directors have any liability to Participant (or any other person) due to the failure of the Option to qualify for any reason as an ISO.
(c) For non-U.S. taxpayers, the Option will be designated as an NSO.
2. Vesting Schedule. Except as provided in Section 3, the Option awarded by this Option Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting provisions set forth in the Notice of Grant. Shares subject to this Option that are scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain condition will not vest in accordance with any of the provisions of this Option Agreement, unless Participant will have remained in Continuous Service Status from the Date of Grant until the date such vesting occurs, with Continuous Service Status determined as described in the Termination Period section of the Notice of Grant.
3. Administrator Discretion. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Option at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Option will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
4. Exercise of Option.
(a) Right to Exercise. This Option may be exercised only within the term set out in the Notice of Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with the Plan and the terms of this Option Agreement.
(b) Method of Exercise. This Option is exercisable by delivery of an exercise notice (the “Exercise Notice”) in the form attached as Exhibit B to the Notice of Grant or in a manner and pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may determine, which will state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised (the “Exercised Shares”), and such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Exercise Notice will be completed by Participant and delivered to the Company. The Exercise Notice will be accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised Shares and of any Tax Obligations (as defined in Section 6(a)). This Option will be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by the aggregate Exercise Price.
5. Method of Payment. Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price will be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of Participant:
(a) cash in U.S. dollars;
(b) check designated in U.S. dollars;
(c) consideration received by the Company under a formal cashless exercise program adopted by the Company in connection with the Plan; or
(d) if Participant is a U.S. Employee, surrender of other Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Exercised Shares and that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances, or security interests, provided that accepting such Shares, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, will not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company.
6. Tax Obligations.
(a) Responsibility for Taxes. Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, the Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services (the “Service Recipient”), the ultimate liability for any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Option, including, without limitation, (i) all U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, and local taxes (including Participant’s U.S. Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that are required to be withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient or other payment of tax-related items related to Participant’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant, (ii) Participant’s and, to the extent required by the Company (or Service Recipient), the Company’s (or Service Recipient’s) fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting, or exercise of the Option or sale of Shares, and (iii) any other Company (or Service Recipient) taxes the responsibility for which Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Option (or exercise thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder) (collectively, the “Tax Obligations”), is and remains Participant’s responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, actually withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (A) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the Option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (B) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant’s liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (or former Service Recipient, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.
(b) Tax Withholding. When the Option is exercised, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is subject to taxation in the U.S. If Participant is subject to taxation in any other jurisdiction, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes, if any, in such jurisdiction at the time of the taxable event, as determined under local law. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company and/or Service Recipient shall withhold the amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by applicable local law, by (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the amount necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such other amount as the Administrator may determine, if such amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences), (iii) withholding the amount of such Tax Obligations from Participant’s wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Service Recipient, (iv) if Participant is a U.S. Employee, delivering to the Company already vested and owned Shares having a fair market value equal to such Tax Obligations, or
(v) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such other amount as Administrator may determine, if such amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences). To the extent determined appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any Tax Obligations by reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant.
(c) Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares. If the Option granted to Participant herein is an ISO, and if Participant sells or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to the ISO on or before the later of (i) the date two (2) years after the Date of Grant, or (ii) the date one (1) year after the date of exercise, Participant will immediately notify the Company in writing of such disposition. Participant agrees that Participant may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income recognized by Participant.
(d) Code Section 409A. Under Code Section 409A, a stock right (such as the Option) that vests after December 31, 2004 (or that vested on or prior to such date but which was materially modified after October 3, 2004) that was granted with a per share exercise price that is determined by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) to be less than the fair market value of an underlying share on the date of grant (a “discount option”) may be considered “deferred compensation.” A stock right that is a “discount option” may result in (i) income recognition by the recipient of the stock right prior to the exercise of the stock right, (ii) an additional twenty percent (20%) federal income tax, and (iii) potential penalty and interest charges. The “discount option” may also result in additional state income, penalty and interest tax to the recipient of the stock right. Participant acknowledges that the Company cannot and has not guaranteed that the IRS will agree that the per Share exercise price of this Option equals or exceeds the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant in a later examination. Participant agrees that if the IRS determines that the Option was granted with a per Share exercise price that was less than the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant, Participant shall be solely responsible for Participant’s costs related to such a determination.
7. Rights as Shareholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a shareholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until such Shares (which are in book entry form) will have been issued and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). Such issuance will occur by the execution of a deed of issuance to which the Company and Participant are each party, unless the Shares will be delivered into a brokerage account in the name of Participant, in which case the issuance will take place by a deed of issuance with due observance of the relevant requirements that may apply from time to time. After such issuance and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
8. No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF SHARES PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY REMAINING IN CONTINUING SERVICE STATUS, WHICH UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW IS AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS OPTION OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS OPTION AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS AN EMPLOYEE OR CONSULTANT FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S CONTINUOUS SERVICE STATUS, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, WHICH TERMINATION, UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, MAY BE AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
9. Nature of Grant. In accepting the Option, Participant acknowledges, understands and agrees that:
(a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, to the extent permitted by the Plan;
(b) the grant of the Option is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted in the past;
(c) all decisions with respect to future option or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(d) the grant of the Option and Participant’s participation in the Plan shall not create a right to employment, other service relationship, or be interpreted as forming or amending an employment or service contract with the Company, the Service Recipient or any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary, and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company, the Service Recipient or any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary, as applicable, to terminate Participant’s employment or other service relationship, if any;
(e) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(f) the Option and any Shares acquired under the Plan, and the income from and value of same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(g) the Option and Shares acquired under the Plan, and the income from and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for any purpose, including without limitation, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, leave-related payments, holiday pay, holiday top-up, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar mandatory payments;
(h) unless otherwise agreed with the Company or an Affiliate, the Option and the Shares underlying the Option, and the income from and value of same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service Participant may provide as a director of an Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary;
(i) the future value of the Shares underlying the Option is unknown, indeterminable, and cannot be predicted with certainty;
(j) if the underlying Shares do not increase in value, the Option will have no value;
(k) if Participant exercises the Option and acquires Shares, the value of such Shares may increase or decrease, even below the Exercise Price;
(l) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Option or any underlying Shares resulting from (i) the application of any compensation recovery or clawback policy adopted by the Company or required by law, or (ii) the termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status (for any reason whatsoever, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or providing services or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any);
(m) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Option and the benefits evidenced by this Option Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Option or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor to be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(n) neither the Company nor any Service Recipient shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participant’s local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Option or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon exercise.
10. No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding Participant’s participation in the Plan, or Participant’s acquisition
or sale of the underlying Shares. Participant is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding his or her participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.
11. Data Privacy. Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participant’s personal data as described in this Option Agreement and any other Option grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Service Recipient, the Company and any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan.
Participant understands that the Company and the Service Recipient may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participant’s name, home address and telephone number, email address, date of birth, social insurance number (to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws), passport or other identification number (e.g., resident registration number), salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Options or any other entitlement to Shares or equivalent benefits awarded, canceled, purchased, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participant’s favor (“Data”), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to such stock plan service provider(s) as may be selected by the Company (currently E*TRADE Financial Corporate Services, Inc., the brokerage firm engaged by the Company to hold participants’ Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan, and its affiliated companies) to assist with the implementation, administration, and management of the Plan. The recipients of Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and each recipient’s country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participant’s country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company, any stock plan service provider selected by the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker, escrow agent or other third party with whom Participant may elect to deposit any Shares received upon exercise of the Option. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participant’s participation in the Plan. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her employment or service with the Service Recipient will not be affected; the only consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participant’s consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Options or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participant’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant may contact his or her local human resources representative.
Finally, Participant understands that the Company may rely on a different basis for the processing or transfer of Data in the future and/or request that Participant provide another data privacy consent. If applicable, Participant agrees that upon request of the Company or the Service Recipient, Participant will provide an executed acknowledgement or data privacy consent form (or any other agreements or consents) that the Company and/or the Service Recipient may deem necessary to obtain from Participant for the purpose of administering Participant’s participation in the Plan in compliance with the data privacy laws in Participant’s country, either now or in the future. Participant understands and agrees that he or she will not be able to participate in the Plan if he or she fails to provide any such consent or agreement requested by the Company and/or the Service Recipient.
12. Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Option Agreement will be addressed to the Company at Elastic N.V., 800 West El Camino Real, Suite 350, Mountain View, California 94040, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
13. Non-Transferability of Option. This Option may not be transferred in any manner otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of Participant only by Participant.
14. Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Option Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Option Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Option Agreement shall be binding upon Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The rights and obligations of Participant under this Option Agreement may only be assigned with the prior written consent of the Company.
15. Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock. If at any time the Company determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any U.S. or non-U.S. state, federal or local law, including exchange control, tax or other Applicable Law or related regulations, or under the rulings or regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other U.S. or non-U.S. governmental regulatory body, or the clearance, consent or approval of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other U.S. or non-U.S. governmental regulatory authority, is necessary or desirable as a condition to the purchase by, or issuance of Shares, to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such purchase or issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, clearance, consent or approval has been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant understands that the Company is under no obligation to register, qualify or otherwise obtain clearance, consent or other approvals from any governmental authority or any stock exchange. Subject to the terms of the Option Agreement and the Plan, the Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of exercise of the Option as the Administrator may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience.
16. Language. Participant acknowledges and represents that he or she is proficient in the English language or has consulted with an advisor who is sufficiently proficient in English, as to allow Participant to understand the terms of this Option Agreement and any other documents related to the Plan. If Participant has received this Option Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
17. Interpretation. The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Option Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Shares subject to the Option have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. Neither the Administrator nor any person acting on behalf of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Option Agreement.
18. Electronic Delivery and Acceptance. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Option awarded under the Plan or future options that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.
19. Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Option Agreement.
20. Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision in this Option Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Option Agreement.
21. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Option, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Option under the Plan, and has received, read, and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
22. Governing Law and Venue. This Option Agreement will be governed by the laws of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof; provided, however, that the corporate law aspects of issuance shall be governed by the laws of the Netherlands. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under this Option or this Option Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of California, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Santa Clara County, California, or the United States federal courts for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Option is made and/or to be performed.
23. Country Addendum. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Option Agreement, this Option shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in an appendix to this Option Agreement for any country whose laws are applicable to Participant and this Option (as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion) (the “Country Addendum”). Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum, the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes a part of this Option Agreement.
24. Modifications to the Agreement. This Option Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Option Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Option Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Option Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Option Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Code Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A of the Code in connection with the Option.
25. No Waiver. Either party’s failure to enforce any provision or provisions of this Option Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision or provisions, nor prevent that party from thereafter enforcing each and every other provision of this Option Agreement. The rights granted both parties herein are cumulative and shall not constitute a waiver of either party’s right to assert all other legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.
26. Tax Consequences. Participant has reviewed with his or her own tax advisors the U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, and local tax consequences of this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Option Agreement. With respect to such matters, Participant relies solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents, written or oral. Participant understands that Participant (and not the Company) shall be responsible for Participant’s own tax liability that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Option Agreement.
27. Insider Trading/Market Abuse Laws. Participant may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws in applicable jurisdictions, including the United States and, if different, Participant’s country, Participant’s broker’s country and/or the country in which Shares may be listed, if applicable, which may affect Participant’s ability to accept or otherwise acquire, or sell, attempt to sell or otherwise dispose of, Shares or rights to Shares (e.g., the Option) under the Plan or rights linked to the value of Shares (e.g., phantom awards, futures) during such times as Participant is considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws or
regulations in the applicable jurisdiction) or the trade in Shares or the trade in rights to Shares under the Plan. Local insider trading laws and regulations may prohibit the cancellation or amendment of orders Participant placed before possessing inside information. Furthermore, Participant could be prohibited from (1) disclosing the inside information to any third party and (2) “tipping” third parties or otherwise causing them to buy or sell Company securities; “third parties” includes fellow employees or service providers. Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable company insider trading policy. It is Participant’s responsibility to comply with any applicable restrictions and Participant should speak to a personal advisor on this matter.
28. Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Requirements And Exchange Controls. Certain foreign asset and/or foreign account reporting requirements and exchange controls may affect Participant’s ability to acquire or hold Shares purchased under the Plan or cash received from participating in the Plan (including from any dividends paid on or sales proceeds arising from the sale of Shares acquired under the plan) in a brokerage or bank account outside Participant’s country. Participant may be required to report such accounts, assets or transactions to the tax or other authorities in Participant’s country and/or to repatriate sale proceeds or other funds received as a result of participation in the Plan to Participant’s country through a designated bank or broker within a certain time after receipt. It is Participant’s responsibility comply with such regulations, and Participant should consult a personal legal advisor for any details.
Elastic N.V.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 STOCK OPTION PLAN
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
COUNTRY ADDENDUM
Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Plan, the Notice of Stock Option Grant or the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant, as applicable.
Terms and Conditions
This Country Addendum includes additional terms and conditions that govern the Option granted to Participant under the Plan if Participant resides and/or works in one of the countries listed below. If Participant is a citizen or resident of a jurisdiction (or is considered as such for local law purposes) other than the one in which he or she is currently residing and/or working or if Participant relocates to another jurisdiction after receiving the Option, the Company will, in its sole discretion, determine the extent to which the terms and conditions contained herein will be applicable to Participant.
Notifications
This Country Addendum also includes notifications relating to exchange control and certain other issues of which Participant should be aware with respect to his or her participation in the Plan. The information is based on the exchange control, securities and other laws in effect in the respective countries as of [date]. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. As a result, Participant should not rely on the notifications in this Country Addendum as the only source of information relating to the consequences of his or her participation in the Plan because the information may be out of date at the time Participant exercises the Option or sells Shares acquired under the Plan.
In addition, the notifications herein are general in nature and may not apply to Participant’s particular situation, and the Company is not in a position to assure Participant of any particular result. Accordingly, Participant is advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in Participant’s jurisdiction may apply to Participant’s situation.
Finally, if Participant is a citizen or resident of a jurisdiction other than the one(s) in which Participant is currently residing and/or working or if Participant moves to another jurisdiction after the Option is granted, the information contained herein may not be applicable to Participant in the same manner.
EXHIBIT B
ELASTIC N.V.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 STOCK OPTION PLAN
EXERCISE NOTICE
Elastic N.V.
800 West El Camino Real, Suite 350
Mountain View, California 94040
Attention: Stock Administration
Exercise of Option. Effective as of today, ________________, _____, the undersigned (“Subscriber”) hereby elects to purchase ______________ shares (the “Shares”) of the Ordinary Shares of Elastic N.V. (the “Company”) under and pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) and the Stock Option Agreement, dated ________ and including the Notice of Grant, the Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant, and exhibits attached thereto (the “Option Agreement”). The purchase price for the Shares will be $_____________, as required by the Option Agreement. It is understood that the issuance of the Shares requires a resolution of the Company’s general meeting of shareholders. Following such resolution being adopted, the Company shall deliver to Subscriber the Shares to be subscribed for by Subscriber against payment of the subscription price therefor by Subscriber. The Company shall issue the Shares in accordance with the Option Agreement.
Delivery of Payment. Subscriber herewith delivers to the Company the full purchase price of the Shares and any Tax Obligations (as defined in Section 6(a) of the Option Agreement) to be paid in connection with the exercise of the Option.
Representations of Subscriber. Subscriber acknowledges that Subscriber has received, read and understood the Plan and the Option Agreement and agrees to abide by and be bound by their terms and conditions.
Rights as Shareholder. Until the issuance (as evidenced by a notarial deed of issuance executed before a Dutch civil law notary to which deed the Company and the Subscriber are each a party and, following execution of the notarial deed of issuance, the appropriate entry on the Company’s shareholders register) of the Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to the Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Shares so acquired will be issued to Subscriber as soon as practicable after exercise of the Option, subject to the requirements of Section 1. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance, except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan.
Tax Consultation. Subscriber understands that Subscriber may suffer adverse tax consequences as a result of Subscriber’s purchase or disposition of the Shares. Subscriber represents that Subscriber has consulted with any tax consultants Subscriber deems advisable in connection with the purchase or disposition of the Shares and that Subscriber is not relying on the Company for any tax advice.
Entire Agreement; Governing Law. The Plan and Option Agreement are incorporated herein by reference. This Exercise Notice, the Plan and the Option Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Subscriber with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Subscriber’s
interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and Subscriber. This Option Agreement is governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of Delaware; provided that, however, that the corporate law aspects of the issuance shall be governed by the laws of the Netherlands.
Submitted by: Accepted by:
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| SUBSCRIBER | | ELASTIC N.V. |
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ELASTIC N.V.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 STOCK OPTION PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
NOTICE OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Elastic N.V. Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) will have the same defined meanings in this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, which includes the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant (the “Notice of Grant”), the Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant attached hereto as Exhibit A, including any additional terms and conditions for Participant’s country set forth in the country addendum thereto (the “Country Addendum”), and all other exhibits and appendices attached hereto (all together, the “Award Agreement”).
Participant:
Address: «Address»
The undersigned Participant has been granted the right to receive an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, as follows:
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Vesting Schedule:
Subject to any acceleration provisions contained in the Plan or set forth below, the Restricted Stock Units will vest in accordance with the following schedule:
[Insert vesting schedule]
In the event Participant’s Continuous Service Status ceases for any or no reason before Participant vests in the Restricted Stock Units, the Restricted Stock Units and Participant’s right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate.
For purposes of the Restricted Stock Units, Participant’s Continuous Service Status will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or providing services or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Award Agreement (including by reference in the Notice of Grant to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, Participant’s right to vest in the Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., Participant’s period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or providing services or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time). Actively providing services during only a portion of the vesting period prior to a vesting date shall not entitle Participant to vest in a pro-rata portion of the unvested Restricted Stock Units that would have vested as of such vesting date, nor will it entitle Participant to any compensation for the lost vesting. The
Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of the Restricted Stock Units grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence).
By Participant’s signature and the signature of the representative of Elastic N.V. (the “Company”) below, Participant and the Company agree that this Award of Restricted Stock Units is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant and the Country Addendum, attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this document. Participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Award Agreement in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Award Agreement, and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and this Award Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and the Award Agreement. Participant further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated below.
By accepting this Award Agreement, Participant expressly consents to the sale of Shares to cover the Tax Withholding Obligations (as defined in the Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant) arising from the Restricted Stock Units and any associated broker or other fees and agrees and acknowledges that, subject to Applicable Laws, Participant may not satisfy them by any means other than such sale of Shares, unless required to do so by the Administrator or pursuant to the Administrator’s express written consent.
If this Award Agreement is not executed by Participant prior to the date that any Restricted Stock Units subject to this Award Agreement become vested, the Company will deem Participant to have accepted all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement as of such vesting date.
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EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT GRANT
1. Grant of Restricted Stock Units. The Company hereby grants to the individual (the “Participant”) named in the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant that forms part of this Award Agreement (the “Notice of Grant”) under the Plan an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 17 of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan shall prevail.
2. Company’s Obligation to Pay. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive a Share on the date it vests. Unless and until the Restricted Stock Units will have vested in the manner set forth in Section 3 or 4, Participant will have no right to payment of any such Restricted Stock Units. Prior to actual payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units, such Restricted Stock Unit will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable (if at all) only from the general assets of the Company.
3. Vesting Schedule. Except as provided in Section 4, and subject to Section 5, the Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Notice of Grant, subject to Participant remaining in Continuous Service Status through each applicable vesting date, with Continuous Service Status determined as described in the Notice of Grant.
4. Payment after Vesting.
(a) General Rule. Subject to Section 8, any Restricted Stock Units that vest will be paid to Participant (or in the event of Participant’s death, to his or her properly designated beneficiary or estate) in whole Shares. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), such vested Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in whole Shares as soon as practicable after vesting, but in each such case within sixty (60) days following the vesting date. In no event will Participant be permitted, directly or indirectly, to specify the taxable year of payment of any Restricted Stock Units payable under this Award Agreement.
(b) Acceleration.
(i) Discretionary Acceleration. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Restricted Stock Units at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Restricted Stock Units will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator. If Participant is subject to taxation in the U.S., the payment of Shares vesting pursuant to this Section 4(b) shall in all cases be paid at a time or in a manner that is exempt from, or complies with, Section 409A. The prior sentence may be superseded in a future agreement or amendment to this Award Agreement only by direct and specific reference to such sentence.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Award Agreement or any other agreement (whether entered into before, on or after the Date of Grant), if the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Restricted Stock Units is accelerated in connection with the termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status (provided that such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A, as determined by the Company), other than due to Participant’s death, and if (x) Participant is subject to taxation in the U.S. and a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of such termination of Continuous Service Status and (y) the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will result in the imposition of additional tax under Section 409A if paid to Participant on or within the six (6) month period following the termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status, then the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will not be made until the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status, unless Participant dies following the termination of his or her Continuous Service Status, in which case, the Restricted Stock Units will be paid in Shares to Participant’s estate as soon as practicable following his or her death.
(c) Section 409A. It is the intent of this Award Agreement that it and all payments and benefits to U.S. taxpayers hereunder be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the Restricted Stock Units provided under this Award Agreement or Shares issuable thereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or so comply. Each payment payable under this Award Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2). However, in no event will the Company reimburse Participant, or be otherwise responsible for, any taxes or costs that may be imposed on Participant as a result of Section 409A. For purposes of this Award Agreement, “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code, and any final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance thereunder, as each may be amended from time to time.
5. Forfeiture Upon Termination of Continuous Service Status. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, if Participant’s Continuous Service Status ceases for any or no reason, the then-unvested Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will thereupon be forfeited at no cost to the Company and Participant will have no further rights thereunder. The date that Continuous Service Status terminates will be determined as described in the Notice of Grant.
6. Tax Consequences. Participant has reviewed with his or her own tax advisors the U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, and local tax consequences of this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Award Agreement. With respect to such matters, Participant relies solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents, written or oral. Participant understands that Participant (and not the Company) shall be responsible for Participant’s own tax liability that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Award Agreement.
7. Death of Participant. Any distribution or delivery to be made to Participant under this Award Agreement will, if Participant is then deceased, be made to Participant’s designated beneficiary, provided the beneficiary designation is valid under Applicable Laws and permitted by the Company for Participant’s jurisdiction, or if no beneficiary survives Participant, the administrator or executor of Participant’s estate. Any such transferee must furnish the Company with (a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer.
8. Tax Obligations
(a) Responsibility for Taxes. Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, the Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services (the “Service Recipient”), the ultimate liability for any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Restricted Stock Units, including, without limitation, (i) all U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, and local taxes (including Participant’s U.S. Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that are required to be withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient or other payment of tax-related items related to Participant’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant, (ii) Participant’s and, to the extent required by the Company (or Service Recipient), the Company’s (or Service Recipient’s) fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting, or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units or sale of Shares, and (iii) any other Company (or Service Recipient) taxes the responsibility for which Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Restricted Stock Units (or settlement thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder) (collectively, the “Tax Obligations”), is and remains Participant’s responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, actually withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (A) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such settlement and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (B) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units to reduce or eliminate Participant’s liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (or former service recipient, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the
applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.
(b) Tax Withholding and Default Sell-to-Cover Method of Tax Withholding. When Shares are issued as payment for vested Restricted Stock Units, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is subject to taxation in the U.S. If Participant is subject to taxation in any other jurisdiction, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes, if any, in such jurisdiction at the time of the taxable event, as determined under local law. Subject to Section 8(c) and Applicable Laws, the amount of Tax Obligations which the Company determines must be withheld with respect to this Award (“Tax Withholding Obligation”) will be satisfied by Shares being sold on Participant’s behalf at the prevailing market price pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, including through a broker-assisted arrangement (it being understood that the Shares to be sold must have vested pursuant to the terms of this Award Agreement and the Plan) (the “Sell-to-Cover Method”). The proceeds from the Sell-to-Cover Method will be used to satisfy Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligation arising with respect to this Award. In addition to Shares sold to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation, additional Shares will be sold to satisfy any associated broker or other fees. Only whole Shares will be sold through the Sell-to-Cover Method to satisfy any Tax Withholding Obligation and any associated broker or other fees. Any proceeds from the sale of Shares in excess of the Tax Withholding Obligation and any associated broker or other fees generated through the Sell-to-Cover Method will be paid to Participant in accordance with procedures the Company may specify from time to time. By accepting this Award, Participant expressly consents to the sale of Shares to cover the Tax Withholding Obligations (and any associated broker or other fees) through the Sell-to-Cover Method and agrees and acknowledges that, subject to Applicable Laws, Participant may not satisfy them by any means other than such sale of Shares, unless required to do so by the Administrator or pursuant to the Administrator’s express written consent.
(c) Administrator Discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing Sections 8(a) and 8(b), if the Administrator determines it is in the best interests of the Company for Participant to satisfy Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligation by a method other than through the default Sell-to-Cover Method described in Section 8(b), it may permit or require Participant to satisfy Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligation, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by Applicable Laws, by (i) paying cash, (ii) withholding the amount of such Tax Withholding Obligation from Participant’s wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Service Recipient, (iii) if Participant is a U.S. employee, delivering to the Company Shares that Participant owns and that have vested with a fair market value equal to the amount required to be withheld (or such other amount, up to the maximum withholding rate in Participant’s country, determined by the Administrator and provided such other amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences to the Company as determined by the Administrator), (iv) by having the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the amount required to be withheld (or such other amount, up to the maximum withholding rate in Participant’s country, determined by the Administrator and provided such other amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences to the Company as determined by the Administrator), and, unless the Administrator provides otherwise, this will be the default method for satisfying Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligations if Participant has not executed this Award Agreement or otherwise failed to take actions necessary to facilitate the Sell-to-Cover Method prior to the date that any Restricted Stock Units under this Award Agreement become vested, or (v) such other means as the Administrator deems appropriate.
(d) Company’s Obligation to Deliver Shares. For clarification purposes, in no event will the Company issue Participant any Shares unless and until arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator have been made for the payment of Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligation. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of such Tax Withholding Obligations hereunder at the time any applicable Restricted Stock Units otherwise are scheduled to vest pursuant to Sections 3 or 4 or Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligations otherwise become due, Participant will permanently forfeit such Restricted Stock Units to which Participant’s Tax Withholding Obligation relates and any right to receive Shares thereunder and such Restricted Stock Units will be returned to the Company at no cost to the Company. Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares if such Tax Obligations are not delivered at the time they are due.
9. Rights as Shareholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a shareholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder
unless and until such Shares (which are in book entry form) will have been issued and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). Such issuance will occur by the execution of a deed of issuance to which the Company and Participant are each party, unless the Shares will be delivered into a brokerage account in the name of Participant, in which case the issuance will take place by a deed of issuance with due observance of the relevant requirements that may apply from time to time. After such issuance and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
10. No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY REMAINING IN CONTINUOUS SERVICE STATUS, WHICH UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW IS AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AWARD AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS AN EMPLOYEE OR CONSULTANT FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND SHALL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE SERVICE RECIPIENT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S CONTINUOUS SERVICE STATUS, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, WHICH TERMINATION, UNLESS PROVIDED OTHERWISE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, MAY BE AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
11. Grant is Not Transferable. Except to the limited extent provided in Section 7, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby will not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby immediately will become null and void.
12. Nature of Grant. In accepting the grant, Participant acknowledges, understands, and agrees that:
(a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, to the extent permitted by the Plan;
(b) the grant of the Restricted Stock Units is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Restricted Stock Units, or benefits in lieu of Restricted Stock Units, even if Restricted Stock Units have been granted in the past;
(c) all decisions with respect to future Restricted Stock Units or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(d) the grant of the Restricted Stock Units and Participant’s participation in the Plan shall not create a right to employment, other service relationship, or be interpreted as forming or amending an employment or service contract with the Company, the Service Recipient or any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary, and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company, the Service Recipient or any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary, as applicable, to terminate Participant's employment or other service relationship, if any;
(e) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(f) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units, and the income from and value of same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(g) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units, and the income from and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for any purpose, including without
limitation, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, leave-related payments, holiday pay, holiday top-up, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar mandatory payments;
(h) unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Company, the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units, and the income from and value of same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service Participant may provide as a director of an Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary;
(i) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown, indeterminable and cannot be predicted with certainty;
(j) no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Units or any underlying Shares resulting from (i) the application of any compensation recovery or clawback policy adopted by the Company or required by law, or (ii) the termination of Participant’s Continuous Service Status (for any reason whatsoever whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or providing services or the terms of Participant’s employment or service agreement, if any);
(k) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Restricted Stock Units and the benefits evidenced by this Award Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Restricted Stock Units or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(l) neither the Company nor the Service Recipient or any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participant’s local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Restricted Stock Units or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon settlement.
13. No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding Participant’s participation in the Plan, or Participant’s acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. Participant is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding his or her participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.
14. Data Privacy. Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participant’s personal data as described in this Award Agreement and any other Restricted Stock Unit grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Service Recipient, the Company and any other Affiliate, Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participant’s participation in the Plan.
Participant understands that the Company and the Service Recipient may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participant’s name, home address and telephone number, email address, date of birth, social insurance number (to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws), passport or other identification number (e.g., resident registration number), salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Restricted Stock Units or any other entitlement to Shares or equivalent benefits awarded, canceled, purchased, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participant’s favor (“Data”), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to such stock plan service provider(s) as may be selected by the Company (currently E*TRADE Financial Corporate Services, Inc., the brokerage firm engaged by the Company to hold participants’ Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan, and its affiliated companies (collectively, "the Designated Broker")) to assist with the implementation, administration, and management of the Plan. The recipients of Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and each recipient’s country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participant’s country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names
and addresses of any potential recipients of Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company, any stock plan service provider selected by the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing his or her participation in the Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker, escrow agent or other third party with whom Participant may elect to deposit any Shares received upon vesting of the Restricted Stock Units. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participant’s participation in the Plan. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her employment or service with the Service Recipient will not be affected; the only consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participant’s consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Restricted Stock Units or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participant’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant may contact his or her local human resources representative.
Finally, Participant understands that the Company may rely on a different basis for the processing or transfer of Data in the future and/or request that Participant provide another data privacy consent. If applicable, Participant agrees that upon request of the Company or the Service Recipient, Participant will provide an executed acknowledgement or data privacy consent form (or any other agreements or consents) that the Company and/or the Service Recipient may deem necessary to obtain from Participant for the purpose of administering Participant’s participation in the Plan in compliance with the data privacy laws in Participant’s country, either now or in the future. Participant understands and agrees that he or she will not be able to participate in the Plan if he or she fails to provide any such consent or agreement requested by the Company and/or the Service Recipient.
15. Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Award Agreement will be addressed to the Company at Elastic N.V., 800 West El Camino Real, Suite 350, Mountain View, California 94040 or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
16. Electronic Delivery and Participation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan or future Restricted Stock Units that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.
17. No Waiver. Either party’s failure to enforce any provision or provisions of this Award Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision or provisions, nor prevent that party from thereafter enforcing each and every other provision of this Award Agreement. The rights granted both parties herein are cumulative and shall not constitute a waiver of either party’s right to assert all other legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.
18. Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Award Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Award Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Award Agreement shall be binding upon Participant and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The rights and obligations of Participant under this Award Agreement may only be assigned with the prior written consent of the Company.
19. Additional Conditions to Issuance of Shares. If at any time the Company determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any
U.S. or non-U.S. state, federal or local law, including exchange control, tax or other Applicable Laws or related regulations, or under the rulings or regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other U.S. or non-U.S. governmental regulatory body or the clearance, consent or approval of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other U.S. or non-U.S. governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the issuance of Shares to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, clearance, consent or approval has been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant understands that the Company is under no obligation to register, qualify or otherwise obtain clearance, consent or other approvals from any governmental authority or any stock exchange. Subject to the terms of the Award Agreement and the Plan, the Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of vesting of the Restricted Stock Units as the Administrator may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience.
20. Language. Participant acknowledges and represents that he or she is proficient in the English language or has consulted with an advisor who is sufficiently proficient in English, as to allow Participant to understand the terms of this Award Agreement and any other documents related to the Plan. If Participant has received this Award Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
21. Interpretation. The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Award Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Restricted Stock Units have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. Neither the Administrator nor any person acting on behalf of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award Agreement.
22. Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.
23. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan. By accepting this Award, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, and has received, read, and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
24. Modifications to the Award Agreement. This Award Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Award Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Award Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Award Agreement, the Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on Participant’s participation in the Plan, on the Restricted Stock Units and on any Shares acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons, and to require Participant to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing. Further,the Company reserves the right to revise this Award Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A in connection with this Award of Restricted Stock Units.
25. Governing Law; Venue; Severability. This Award Agreement and the Restricted Stock Units are governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of Delaware; provided, however, that the corporate law aspects of issuance shall be governed by the laws of the Netherlands. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under these Restricted Stock Units or this Award Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of California, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Santa Clara County, California, or the United States federal courts for the Northern District of California, and no other
courts, where this Award Agreement is made and/or to be performed. In the event that any provision hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Award Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
26. Entire Agreement. The Plan is incorporated herein by reference. The Plan and this Award Agreement (including the appendices and exhibits referenced herein) constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof, and, subject to Section 24 hereof, may not be modified adversely to Participant’s interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and Participant.
27. Country Addendum. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in an appendix to this Award Agreement for any country whose laws are applicable to Participant and this Award of Restricted Stock Units (as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion) (the “Country Addendum”). Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum, the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes part of this Award Agreement.
28. Insider Trading/Market Abuse Laws. Participant may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws in applicable jurisdictions, including the United States and, if different, Participant’s country, Participant’s broker’s country and/or the country in which Shares may be listed, if applicable, which may affect Participant’s ability to accept or otherwise acquire, or sell, attempt to sell or otherwise dispose of, Shares or rights to Shares (e.g., Restricted Stock Units) under the Plan or rights linked to the value of Shares (e.g., phantom awards, futures) during such times as Participant is considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws or regulations in the applicable jurisdiction) or the trade in Shares or the trade in rights to Shares under the Plan. Local insider trading laws and regulations may prohibit the cancellation or amendment of orders Participant placed before possessing inside information. Furthermore, Participant could be prohibited from (1) disclosing the inside information to any third party and (2) “tipping” third parties or otherwise causing them to buy or sell Company securities; “third parties” includes fellow employees or service providers. Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable company insider trading policy. It is Participant’s responsibility to comply with any applicable restrictions and Participant should speak to a personal advisor on this matter.
29. Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Requirements And Exchange Controls. Certain foreign asset and/or foreign account reporting requirements and exchange controls may affect Participant’s ability to acquire or hold Shares acquired under the Plan or cash received from participating in the Plan (including from any dividends paid on or sales proceeds arising from the sale of Shares acquired under the plan) in a brokerage or bank account outside Participant’s country of residence. Participant may be required to report such accounts, assets or transactions to the tax or other authorities in Participant’s country and/or to repatriate sale proceeds or other funds received as a result of participation in the Plan to Participant’s country through a designated bank or broker within a certain time after receipt. It is Participant’s responsibility to be aware of and comply with such regulations, and Participant should consult a personal legal advisor for any details.
ELASTIC N.V.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 STOCK OPTION PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
COUNTRY ADDENDUM
Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Plan, the Notice of Restricted Stock Unit Grant or the Terms and Conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Grant, as applicable.
Terms and Conditions
This Country Addendum includes additional terms and conditions that govern the Award of Restricted Stock Units granted to Participant under the Plan if Participant resides and/or works in one of the countries listed below. If Participant is a citizen or resident of a jurisdiction (or is considered as such for local law purposes) other than the one(s) in which he or she is currently residing and/or working or if Participant relocates to another jurisdiction after receiving the Award of Restricted Stock Units, the Company will, in its sole discretion, determine the extent to which the terms and conditions contained herein will be applicable to Participant.
Notifications
This Country Addendum also includes notifications relating to exchange control and certain other issues of which Participant should be aware with respect to his or her participation in the Plan. The information is based on the exchange control, securities and other laws in effect in the respective countries listed in this Country Addendum, as of [date]. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. As a result, Participant should not rely on the notifications in this Country Addendum as the only source of information relating to the consequences of his or her participation in the Plan because the information may be out of date at the time Participant vests in the Restricted Stock Units and acquires Shares, or when Participant subsequently sell Shares acquired under the Plan.
In addition, the notifications herein are general in nature and may not apply to Participant’s particular situation, and the Company is not in a position to assure Participant of any particular result. Accordingly, Participant is advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in Participant’s jurisdiction may apply to Participant’s situation.
Finally, if Participant is a citizen or resident of a jurisdiction other than the one(s) in which Participant is currently residing and/or working or if Participant moves to another jurisdiction after receiving the Award of Restricted Stock Units, the information contained herein may not be applicable to Participant in the same manner.