Form 6-K - Report of foreign issuer [Rules 13a-16 and 15d-16]

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 6-K

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the month of October 2024.

 

Commission File Number 001-41681

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.

(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

 

Mr. Pui Lung Ho, Chief Executive Officer

5-6/F Wing Tai Factory Building,

3 Tai Yip Street,

Kwun Tong,

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Telephone: [phone]

(Address of principal executive office)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F. Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐

 

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ☐

 

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. furnishes under the cover of Form 6-K the following in connection with the annual general meeting of its shareholders:

 

Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Notice and Proxy Statement for the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.
99.2		Form of Proxy Card
99.3		WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and Hong Kong Sub Plan

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

Date: October 10, 2024	WANG & LEE GROUP, INC.
	By:	/s/ Pui Lung Ho
	Name:	Pui Lung Ho
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.

(Incorporated in the British Virgins Islands with limited liability)

Notice of 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

To Be Held on October 29, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., local time

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the annual general meeting (the “Meeting” or “AGM”) of the shareholders of WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held at Unit B, 11/F, 8 Fui Yiu Kok Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong, on October 29, 2024, at 9:00 p.m., local time. Eligible shareholders, directors, as well as duly appointed proxyholders will be able to attend, participate and vote at the Meeting.

 

The purpose of the Meeting is as follows:

 

1.	RESOLVED: to ratify and approve the appointment of AOGB CPA Limited as auditor of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, and to authorize the board of directors of the Company to fix the remuneration of the auditor (the “Auditor Proposal”);
2.	RESOLVED: to elect the following persons as Directors of the Company, pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Association (the “Election Proposal”):

 

	a.	Pui Lung Ho be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	b.	Olivia Sarah Annabel Marion Serre be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until her successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	c.	Juan Ruiz-Coello be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal; and
	d.	Chun Yip, Edmund Chan be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal.
	e.	Wood Shing Kei Sze be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal.

 

3.	RESOLVED: to approve the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and the Hong Kong Sub-Plan (the “Equity Incentive Plan Proposal”); and
4.	to approve to direct the chairman of the annual general meeting to adjourn the annual general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies if, based upon the tabulated vote at the time of the meeting, there are not sufficient votes to approve the proposals 1 – 3 (the “Adjournment Proposal”).

 

The foregoing items of business are described in the proxy statement accompanying this notice. The board of directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) unanimously recommends that the shareholders vote “FOR” for all the items.

 

 

The Board of Directors of the Company has fixed the close of business New York time on October 3, 2024 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the AGM or any adjourned or postponed meeting thereof.

 

Please refer to the proxy form, which is attached to and made a part of this notice. Holders of record of the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Ordinary Shares”) at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to vote at the AGM and any adjourned or postponed meeting thereof.

 

Management is soliciting proxies. Shareholders who are unable to attend the Meeting or any adjournment thereof and who wish to ensure that their Ordinary Shares will be voted are requested to complete, date and sign the enclosed form of proxy in accordance with the instructions set out in the form of proxy and in the proxy statement accompanying this Notice and vote it (i) online at www.transhare.com, (ii) by fax at 1.727.269.5616, (iii) email at [e-mail], or (iv) by mail to Proxy Team, Transhare Corporation, 17755 US Highway 19 N, Suite 140, Clearwater FL 33764.

 

Holders of record of the Ordinary Shares as of the Record Date are cordially invited to attend the AGM in person. Your vote is important. If you cannot attend the AGM in person, you are urged to complete, sign, date and return the accompanying proxy form as promptly as possible. We must receive the proxy form no later than 48 hours before the time of the AGM to ensure your representation at such meeting.

 

Pursuant to Nasdaq’s Marketplace Rules which permit companies to make available their annual report to shareholders on or through the company’s website, the Company posts its annual reports on the Company’s website. The Company adopted this practice to avoid the considerable expense associated with mailing physical copies of such report to record holders. You may obtain a copy of our annual report to shareholders by visiting the “SEC Filings” heading under the “SEC Filings” section of the Company’s website at https://www.wangnleegroup.com/. If you want to receive a paper or email copy of the Company’s annual report to shareholders, you must request one. There is no charge to you for requesting a copy. Please make your request for a copy to the Investor Relations Contact of the Company, at [e-mail].

 

		WANG & LEE GROUP, INC.
Date:	October 10, 2024	By:	/s/ Pui Lung Ho
			Pui Lung Ho, Chief Executive Officer

 

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.

Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

October 29, 2024

9:00 a.m., local time

 

PROXY STATEMENT

 

The board of directors (the “Board of Directors”) of WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. (the “Company”) is soliciting proxies for the annual general meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting” or “AGM”) of the Company to be held on October 29, 2024 at 9:00 a.m., local time. The Company will hold the Meeting Unit B, 11/F, 8 Fui Yiu Kok Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong, which shareholders will be able to attend in person. Shareholders will have an equal opportunity to participate at the Meeting and engage with the directors, management, and other shareholders of the Company online, regardless of their geographic location.

 

Eligible shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be able to attend, participate and vote at the Meeting in person. Beneficial shareholders who hold their Ordinary Shares (as defined below) through a broker, investment dealer, bank, trust corporation, custodian, nominee, or other intermediary who have not duly appointed themselves as proxyholder will be able to attend as guest, but will not be able to participate in or vote at the Meeting.

 

Only holders of the ordinary shares of the Company ( the “Ordinary Shares”) of record at the close of business on October 3, 2024 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting or at any adjournment thereof. Members holding Ordinary Shares that represent in person or by proxy not less than 50% of the votes of the issued Ordinary Shares carrying the right to vote at the Meeting shall form a quorum.

 

Any shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote on such shareholder’s behalf. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company. Each holder of the Company’s Ordinary Shares shall be entitled to one vote in respect of each Ordinary Share held by such holder on the Record Date.

 

After carefully reading and considering the information contained in this proxy statement, including the annexes, please vote your shares as soon as possible so that your shares will be represented at the Meeting. Please follow the instructions set forth on the proxy card or on the voting instruction form provided by the record holder if your shares are held in the name of your broker or other nominee.

 

PROPOSALS TO BE VOTED ON

 

The purpose of the Meeting is as follows:

 

1.	RESOLVED: to ratify and approve the appointment of AOGB CPA Limited as auditor of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, and to authorize the board of directors of the Company to fix the remuneration of the auditor (the “Auditor Proposal”);

 

 

2.	RESOLVED: to elect the following persons as Directors of the Company, pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Association (the “Election Proposal”):

 

	a.	Pui Lung Ho be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	b.	Olivia Sarah Annabel Marion Serre be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until her successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	c.	Juan Ruiz-Coello be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal; and
	d.	Chun Yip, Edmund Chan be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal.;
	e.	Wood Shing Kei Sze be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal.

 

3.	RESOLVED: to approve the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and the Hong Kong Sub-Plan (the “Equity Incentive Plan Proposal”); and

 

4.

to approve to direct the chairman of the annual general meeting to adjourn the annual general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies if, based upon the tabulated vote at the time of the meeting, there are not sufficient votes to approve the proposals 1 – 3 (the “Adjournment Proposal”).

 

The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” each of the Proposals No. 1 – 3.

 

VOTING PROCEDURE FOR HOLDERS OF ORDINARY SHARES

 

Shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting may do so at the Meeting. Shareholders who are unable to attend the Meeting or any adjournment thereof and who wish to ensure that their Ordinary Shares will be voted are requested to complete, date and sign the enclosed form of proxy in accordance with the instructions set out in the form of proxy and in the proxy statement accompanying this Notice and vote it (i) online at www.transhare.com, (ii) by fax at 1.727.269.5616, (iii) email at [e-mail], or (iv) by mail to Proxy Team, Transhare Corporation, 17755 US Highway 19 N, Suite 140, Clearwater FL 33764.

 

ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

Pursuant to Nasdaq’s Marketplace Rules which permit companies to make available their annual report to shareholders on or through the company’s website, the Company posts its annual reports on the Company’s website. The Company adopted this practice to avoid the considerable expense associated with mailing physical copies of such report to record holders. You may obtain a copy of our annual report to shareholders by visiting the “SEC Filings” heading under the “SEC Filings” section of the Company’s website at https://www.wangnleegroup.com/. If you want to receive a paper or email copy of the Company’s annual report to shareholders, you must request one. There is no charge to you for requesting a copy. Please make your request for a copy to the Investor Relations Contact of the Company, at [e-mail].

 

 

PROPOSAL NO. 1

RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

Our Audit Committee has selected AOGB CPA Limited (“AOGB”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, and has further directed that we submit the selection of the independent registered accounting firm for ratification by our shareholders at the 2024 Annual Meeting. AOGB has audited the Company’s financial statements since 2023. Representatives of AOGB will not be presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting.

 

The selection of our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to be submitted for shareholder approval. Nonetheless, the Board is seeking ratification of its selection of AOGB as a matter of further involving our shareholders in our corporate affairs. If our shareholders do not ratify this selection, the Board will reconsider its selection of AOGB and will either continue to retain the firm or appoint a new independent registered public accounting firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Board may, in its sole discretion, determine to appoint a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in our and our shareholders’ best interests.

 

The Audit Committee reviews and must pre-approve all audit and non-audit services performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, as well as the fees charged by it for such services. In its review of non-audit service fees, the Audit Committee considers, among other things, the possible impact of the performance of such services on the accounting firm’s independence.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Fees

 

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed for audit and other services provided by AOGB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. AOGB has served as our principal accounting firm since 2024.

 

		For the Year Ended December 31,
		2023
Services Rendered
Audit		$	85,000
Audit related services			-
Tax			-
All other fees			-
Total		$	85,000

 

Audit Fees include primarily professional services rendered for the audits of the consolidated financial statements and internal controls over financial reporting, the review of documents filed with the SEC, consents, and financial accounting and reporting consultations.

 

Audit-Related Fees include reviews of the interim financial statements contained in the Company’s Form 6-K.

 

Tax Fees include professional service fees for tax compliance, tax planning, and tax advice. Tax compliance involves preparation of original and amended tax returns and claims for refund. Tax planning and tax advice encompass a diverse range of services, including assistance with tax audits and appeals, tax advice related to employee benefit plans, and requests for rulings or technical advice from taxing authorities.

 

All Other Fees include professional fees associated with the review and consent of SEC filings related to equity issuance for certain officers and former employees.

 

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

 

Our Audit Committee has adopted a procedure for pre-approval of all fees charged by our independent auditors. Under the procedure, the Audit Committee pre-approves all auditing services and the terms of non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm, but only to the extent that the non-audit services are not prohibited under applicable law and the Audit Committee determines that the non-audit services do not impair the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm. Other fees are subject to pre-approval by the Audit Committee, or, in the period between meetings, by a designated member of the Board or Audit Committee. Any such approval by the designated member is disclosed to the entire Board at the next meeting. All fees that were incurred in fiscal year 2023 were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE FOR

THE RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AOGB CPA LIMITED AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2024

 

 

PROPOSAL NO. 2

 

RE-ELECTION OF CURRENT DIRECTORS

 

The Board of Directors currently consists of five members. All five current directors named below will seek re-election at the Meeting.

 

The Company’s corporate governance and nominating committee recommends, and the Board of Directors concurs, that the five current directors be re-elected.

 

Each director to be re-elected will hold office until the next annual general meeting of shareholders or until his/her successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal, in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.

 

DIRECTORS FOR RE-ELECTION

 

Pui Lung Ho, graduated in New Zealand and Hong Kong with a Bachelor Degree of Science, a Bachelor Degree of Engineering in Building Engineering and a Master Degree of Science in Engineering Management. He has over 20 years of experience in the building industry. He joined WANG & LEE CONTRACTING LIMITED in 2000. He is now our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. He specializes in building services installation, energy management and energy-saving planning design.

 

His profession qualifications are below:

 

Professional Regulations		Qualification		Since
The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers		Certified Member		March 1, 2016
HK Institution of Facilities Engineers		Certified Facilities Engineer		March 31, 2017
Engineers Registration Board		Registered Professional Engineer		July 1, 2017
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers		Certified Member		December 21, 2017
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers		Chartered Engineer		March 5, 2018
The Chartered Institution of Plumbing and Heating Engineering		Certified Member		January 14, 2019

 

Through his two decades of work experience with WANG & LEE CONTRACTING LIMITED, Mr. Ho has participated and led the organization through various cycles of growth to the where it stands today. Shored by his education and professional qualifications, Mr. HO has honed his executive leadership and management skills over the years and has surrounded himself with a team of like-minded, competent professionals. His decades long involvement in our industry coupled with his familiarity with the Company and its employees is a unique combination that sets the leadership within this organization apart from its competition.

 

Olivia Sarah Annabel Marion Serre is our independent director. Ms. Serre graduated in France with a Bachelor of Architecture and Interior Design in 2010. She has extensive experience collaborating with reputable architecture firms (Tarlet Architects & Gerzina Architecture, MAKE Creative & Innova Design etc.) involved in commercial, residential, retail and medical projects. Since September 2012, she founded Oli & J, a creative jewelry brand that specialized in the beauty of Australian Gemstones and timeless pieces which has launched into the European market by showcasing at the BIJORHCA International Jewelry Show (Paris, France) and display currently at the iconic Victoria & Albert Museum since 2016 (London, UK). Ms. SERRE currently resides in France.

 

 

Juan Ruiz-Coello is our independent director. Mr. Ruiz-Coello is the director of OJ Studio Pty Ltd with extensive experience in design and build projects, electrical network and fiber optic cable services, solar energy installations, energy efficiency and cryptocurrency infrastructure and systems. Mr. RUIZ-COELLO has been an accredited electrician since 2008 and undertook major design and build projects as a selected contractor for major commercial landmarks including the Queen Victoria Building and Sydney Westfields as well as for jewelry exhibitions and art galleries in Hong Kong, Paris, London and Sydney. He was responsible for domestic and commercial solar installations in Australia and Spain as a contractor and accredited installer for Ecopense Pty Ltd, an international leading expert in the solar and electrical industry. He has designed and developed crypto proof-of-state mining computers to support the Ethereum Cryptocurrency Network to compute the block chain transactions using high powered modified graphics cards and has developed and managed a solar and crypto currency mining rig to work effectively with energy efficient solar array system to make the mining system powered by green energy. He currently resides in Australia.

 

Chun Yip, Edmund Chan is our independent director. Mr. Chan is a Qualified Public Accountant and graduated in Hong Kong with Bachelor of Business Administration (Honors) – Accounting. He worked as a Senior Auditor at RSM Nelson Wheeler, one of the largest CPA firms over 3 years and then as Senior Accountant at Time Watch Investments Limited, a public company for over 7 years. He has over 10 years’ experience in financial and management in listed companies and is appointed as Chairman of our Audit Committee.

 

Wood Shing Kei Sze is our independent director. Mr. Sze has been an independent Director of Troops, Inc., (Symbol: Troo), a NASDAQ listed company, since June 26, 2018. From April 2004 to April 2007, Mr. SZE served as an audit senior in Moore Stephens CPA Limited. From November 2007 to February 2008, Mr. SZE served as a senior accountant at Grant Thornton Hong Kong Limited. Subsequently, Mr. SZE served as financial manager of Global Beverages Asia Limited, Skyworth Digital Holdings Limited, and TAL Apparel Limited since 2008, 2009, and 2013 respectively. From September 2013 to April 2018, Mr. SZE served as the financial controller of the property & facility management services at Synergis Management Services Limited, a subsidiary of Synergis Holdings Limited (02340.HK) which is a Hong Kong listed company engaging in the provision of property and facility management services. Mr. SZE obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accountancy from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2002. Mr. SZE has been a chartered accountant at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants since 2008.

 

“IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that:

 

	(A)	Mr. Pui Lung Ho be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	(B)	Ms. Olivia Sarah Annabel Marion Serre be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until her successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	(C)	Mr. Juan Ruiz-Coello be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal; and
	(D)	Mr. Chun Yip, Edmund Chan be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;
	(E)	Mr. Wood Shing Kei Sze be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE FOR

THE RE-ELECTION OF EACH OF THE CURRENT DIRECTORS NAMED ABOVE

 

 

PROPOSAL NO. 3

 

APPROVAL OF EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN PROPOSAL

 

The Compensation Committee of the Board has recommended that the Company should establish and maintain an equity incentive plan pursuant to which the Company may offer selected officers, directors, employees of and consultants to the Company and its subsidiaries the opportunity to acquire or increase equity ownership in the Company.

 

On October 10, 2024, the Board adopted, subject to shareholders’ approval, the WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and the related Hong Kong Sub-Plan (“Sub-Plan”). The Plan and the Sub-Plan are designed to enable the flexibility to grant equity awards to our key management employees, directors and consultants and to ensure that we can continue to grant equity awards to eligible recipients at levels determined to be appropriate by the Board and/or the Compensation Committee. A copy of the form of the proposed Plan and the Sub-plan is attached as Exhibit 99.3 filed as part of the Form 6-K report containing the proxy statement (which is subject to such reasonable amendments as determined by the Board) and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Summary of Material Features of the Plan

 

The material features of the Plan and Sub-Plan are:

 

	●	Subject to any adjustments as necessary pursuant to Article XV, the aggregate number of Shares reserved and available for grant and issuance under the Plan is 2,264,077;
	●	The Sub-Plan is not intended to provide rights with respect to options to which the Sub-Plan applies in addition to those rights granted under the Plan but it is adopted to satisfy the requirements of applicable Hong Kong laws and regulations;
	●	The award of options (including non-qualified options and incentive share options), share appreciation rights, restricted shares, performance share units, performance shares, unrestricted shares, distribution equivalent rights or other share-based awards granted under the Plan is permitted;
	●	If any shares subject to an award are withheld or applied as payment in connection with the exercise of an award or the withholding or payment of taxes related thereto, will be treated as available again for grant under the Plan. Moreover, the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan may be increased through the Company’s purchase of shares on the open market with the proceeds obtained from the exercise of any options granted under the Plan;
	●	Subject to certain exception as per Article XV of the Plan, share options will not be repriced without shareholders’ approval;
	●	Except for awards previously granted, the Board may alter, amend, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan in whole or in part without the approval of the Company’s shareholders, except if such shareholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may then be listed or quoted, or the Board determines to submit such amendments or alterations to shareholders for approval; and
	●	The term of the Plan will expire, subject to the right of the Board to amend or terminate the Plan at any time (pursuant to Article XV of the Plan), until the earlier of the tenth anniversary of the Plan’s effective date, or the date all shares subject to the Plan will have been purchased or acquired and the restrictions on all restricted shares granted under the Plan will have lapsed.

 

 

Based solely on the $1.59 closing price of our ordinary shares as reported by the Nasdaq Capital Market on October 9, 2024 and the maximum number of shares that would have been available for awards as of such date under the Plan, the maximum aggregate market value of the ordinary shares that could potentially be issued under the Plan is approximately $3,599,883, The ordinary shares underlying any awards that are forfeited, canceled or otherwise terminated, other than by exercise, under the Plan, will be added back to the ordinary shares available for issuance under the Plan. Shares tendered or held back upon exercise of a share option or settlement of an award under the Plan to cover the exercise price or tax withholding will be added back to the ordinary shares available for issuance under the Plan. In addition, ordinary shares repurchased on the open market will be added back to the ordinary shares available for issuance under the Plan.

 

Summary of the Plan

 

The following description of certain features of the Plan is intended to be a summary only. The summary is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.3 filed as part of the Form 6-K.

 

Administration. The Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee.

 

The Committee may delegate any or all of the authority of the Committee with respect to Awards to Grantees.

 

The Compensation Committee has full power to select, from among the individuals eligible for awards, the individuals to whom awards will be granted, to make any combination of awards to participants, and to determine the specific terms and conditions of each award, subject to the provisions of the Plan.

 

Eligibility. Any individual who is an employee (including any officer) of, a non-employee consultant to, or a non-employee director of, the Company or any subsidiary is eligible to participate in the Plan, subject to the discretion of the administrator. However, with respect to the grant of an incentive share option, an eligible person is any employee (including any officer) of the Company or any subsidiary.

 

Hong Kong individuals who meet the criteria under the Plan, including that they are employees (including any officer) of, non-employee consultants to, or non-employee directors of, the Company or any subsidiary is eligible to participate in the Plan may be granted options under Plan as described below.

 

Vesting Schedule. The plan administrator has discretion in making adjustment in the individual vesting schedules and other restrictions applicable to the Awards granted under the Plan. The vesting period is set forth in each Award agreement.

 

Exercise price. The Plan administrator has discretion in determining the price of the Awards, subject to a number of limitations. The Plan administrator has absolute discretion in making adjustments to the exercise price of Options.

 

Payment. The Plan administrator determines the methods by which payments by any recipient of any Awards under the Plan are made.

 

Transfer Restrictions. Except as permitted by the plan administrator, and subject to all the transfer restrictions under the applicable laws and regulations and restrictions set forth in the applicable award agreement, all Awards are not transferable or assignable.

Term of the Options. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, may grant deferred shares and/or restricted share units to a participant, in such amount and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.

 

Term of the Options. It will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless terminated earlier.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMEND

A VOTE FOR

APPROVAL OF

THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN PROPOSAL

 

 

PROPOSAL 4

 

THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL

 

The adjournment proposal, if approved, will request the chairman of the Annual General Meeting (who has agreed to act accordingly) to adjourn the Annual General Meeting to a later date or dates to permit further solicitation of proxies. The adjournment proposal will only be presented to our shareholders in the event, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the Annual General Meeting to approve the proposals 1-3 in this proxy statement. If the adjournment proposal is not approved by our shareholders, the chairman of the meeting has the power to adjourn the Annual General Meeting to a later date in the event, based on the tabulated votes, there are not sufficient votes at the time of the Annual General Meeting to approve the proposals.

 

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE FOR

THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL

 

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

The Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters to be submitted to the Meeting. If any other matters properly come before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy to vote the shares they represent as the Board of Directors may recommend.

 

	By order of the Board of Directors
October 10, 2024	/s/ Pui Lung Ho
	Pui Lung Ho
	Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.

PROXY FOR 2024 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

 

October 29, 2024

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR

THE PROPOSAL AND NOMINEES.

 

Proposal I.

 

RESOLVED: to ratify and approve the appoint of AOGB CPA Limited as auditor of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, and to authorize the board of directors of the Company to fix the remuneration of the auditor.

 

___ FOR

___ AGAINST

___ ABSTAIN

 

Proposal II.

 

RESOLVED: to elect the following persons as Directors of the Company, pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Association

 

2.01 Pui Lung Ho be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;

 

2.02 Olivia Sarah Annabel Marion Serre be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until her successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal;

 

2.03 Juan Ruiz-Coello be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal; and

 

2.04 Chun Yip, Edmund Chan be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal.

 

2.05 Wood Shing Kei Sze be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting or until his successors are duly elected and qualified, subject to earlier death, resignation, or removal.

 

___ FOR

___ AGAINST

___ ABSTAIN

 

Proposal III.

 

RESOLVED: to approve the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and the Hong Kong Sub-Plan.

 

___ FOR

___ AGAINST

___ ABSTAIN

 

Proposal IV.

 

to approve to direct the chairman of the annual general meeting to adjourn the annual general meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary, to permit further solicitation and vote of proxies if, based upon the tabulated vote at the time of the meeting, there are not sufficient votes to approve the proposals I – III.

 

___ FOR

___ AGAINST

___ ABSTAIN

 

 

This Proxy is solicited on behalf of the management of WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.. This Proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned shareholder. If no direction is made, this Proxy will be voted FOR the proposals described above.

 

TO VOTE ONLINE: www.transhare.com click on Vote Your Proxy

Enter Your Control Number:

 

TO VOTE BY EMAIL: Please email your signed proxy card to [e-mail]

 

TO VOTE BY FAX: Please fax this proxy card to 1.727. 269.5616.

 

TO VOTE BY MAIL: Please sign, date and mail to

Proxy Team

Transhare Corporation

17755 US Highway 19 N

Suite 140

Clearwater FL 33764

 

IMPORTANT: Please date this Proxy and sign exactly as your name or names appear hereon. If shares are held jointly, both owners must sign. Executors, administrators, trustees, guardians and others signing in a representative capacity should give their full titles.

 

Signature of Shareholder
Signature of Joint Shareholder
Dated:

 

2

 

 

Exhibit 99.3

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc.

2024 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

Article I

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to benefit WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc., a British Virgin Islands business company (the “Company”) and its shareholders, by assisting the Company and its subsidiaries to attract, retain and provide incentives to key management employees, directors, and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates, and to align the interests of such service providers with those of the Company’s shareholders. Accordingly, the Plan provides for the granting of Non-qualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Unit Awards, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Stock Awards, Performance Unit Awards, Unrestricted Stock Awards, Distribution Equivalent Rights or any combination of the foregoing.

 

Article II

 

DEFINITIONS

 

The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan unless the context otherwise requires:

 

2.1 “Affiliate” shall mean (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

2.2 “Award” shall mean, individually or collectively, any Option, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Performance Stock Award, Performance Unit Award, Stock Appreciation Right, Distribution Equivalent Right or Unrestricted Stock Award.

 

2.3 “Award Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and the Holder with respect to an Award, setting forth the terms and conditions of the Award, as amended.

 

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

 

2.5 “Base Value” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 14.2.

 

2.6 “BVI Statute” means the BVI Business Companies Act (As Revised) of the British Virgin Islands.

 

 

2.7 “Cause” shall mean (i) if the Holder is a party to an employment or service agreement with the Company or an Affiliate which agreement defines “Cause” (or a similar term), “Cause” shall have the same meaning as provided for in such agreement, or (ii) for a Holder who is not a party to such an agreement, “Cause” shall mean termination by the Company or an Affiliate of the employment (or other service relationship) of the Holder by reason of the Holder’s (A) intentional failure to perform reasonably assigned duties, (B) dishonesty or willful misconduct in the performance of the Holder’s duties, (C) involvement in a transaction which is materially adverse to the Company or an Affiliate, (D) breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, (E) willful violation of any law, rule, regulation or court order (other than misdemeanor traffic violations and misdemeanors not involving misuse or misappropriation of money or property), (F) commission of an act of fraud or intentional misappropriation or conversion of any asset or opportunity of the Company or an Affiliate, or (G) material breach of any provision of the Plan or the Holder’s Award Agreement or any other written agreement between the Holder and the Company or an Affiliate, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board, the determination of which shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties.

 

2.8 “Change of Control” shall mean, except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, (i) for a Holder who is a party to an employment or consulting agreement with the Company or an Affiliate which agreement defines “Change of Control” (or a similar term), “Change of Control” shall have the same meaning as provided for in such agreement, or (ii) for a Holder who is not a party to such an agreement, “Change of Control” shall mean the satisfaction of any one or more of the following conditions (and the “Change of Control” shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day that any one or more of the following conditions shall have been satisfied):

 

(a) Any person (as such term is used in paragraphs 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, hereinafter in this definition, “Person”), other than the Company or an Affiliate or an employee benefit plan of the Company or an Affiliate, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;

 

(b) The closing of a merger, consolidation or other business combination (a “Business Combination”) other than a Business Combination in which holders of the Shares immediately prior to the Business Combination have substantially the same proportionate ownership of the common stock or ordinary shares, as applicable, of the surviving corporation immediately after the Business Combination as immediately before;

 

(c) The closing of an agreement for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to any entity that is not an Affiliate;

 

(d) The approval by the holders of Shares of a plan of complete liquidation of the Company, other than a merger of the Company into any subsidiary or a liquidation as a result of which persons who were shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such liquidation have substantially the same proportionate ownership of shares of common stock or ordinary shares, as applicable, of the surviving corporation immediately after such liquidation as immediately before;

 

 

(e) Within any twenty-four (24) month period, the Incumbent Directors shall cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board or the board of directors of any successor to the Company; provided, however, that any director elected to the Board, or nominated for election, by a majority of the Incumbent Directors then still in office, shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director for purposes of this paragraph (e), but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of an individual, entity or “group” other than the Board (including, but not limited to, any such assumption that results from paragraphs (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this definition).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, solely for the purpose of determining the timing of any payments pursuant to any Award constituting a “deferral of compensation” subject to Code Section 409A, a Change of Control shall be limited to a “change in the ownership of the Company,” a “change in the effective control of the Company,” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company” as such terms are defined in Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) of the U.S. Treasury Regulations.

 

2.9 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.

 

2.10 “Committee” shall mean a committee comprised of two (2) or more members of the Board who are selected by the Board as provided in Section 4.1.

 

2.11 “Company” shall have the meaning given to such term in the introductory paragraph, including any successor thereto.

 

2.12 “Consultant” shall mean any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person.

 

2.13 “Director” shall mean a member of the Board or a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate, in either case, who is not an Employee.

 

2.14 “Distribution Equivalent Right” shall mean an Award granted under Article XIII of the Plan which entitles the Holder to receive bookkeeping credits, cash payments and/or Share distributions equal in amount to the distributions that would have been made to the Holder had the Holder held a specified number of Shares during the period the Holder held the Distribution Equivalent Right.

 

 

2.15 “Distribution Equivalent Right Award Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to a Distribution Equivalent Right Award.

 

2.16 “Effective Date” shall mean October 10, 2024.

 

2.17 “Employee” shall mean any employee, including any officer, of the Company or an Affiliate.

 

2.18 “Exchange Act” shall mean the United States of America Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

2.19 “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

 

(a) If the Shares are listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, the per share closing sales price for Shares (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable;

 

(b) If the Shares are regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share will be the mean between the high bid and low asked per share prices for the Shares on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; or

 

(c) In the absence of an established market for the Shares, the Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Committee (acting on the advice of an Independent Third Party, should the Committee elect in its sole discretion to utilize an Independent Third Party for this purpose).

 

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the determination of Fair Market Value in all cases shall be in accordance with the requirements set forth under Section 409A of the Code to the extent necessary for an Award to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A of the Code.

 

2.20 “Family Member” of an individual shall mean any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, 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, any person sharing the Holder’s household (other than a tenant or employee of the Holder), a trust in which such persons have more than fifty percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which such persons (or the Holder) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which such persons (or the Holder) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests.

 

2.21 “Forfeiture” or the term “Forfeit” and any derivations of the same, when used in this Plan in connection with Shares that have been issued to a Holder, shall include, without limitation, the plain English meaning of such term in a commercial context, the meaning given to the term forfeiture under the BVI Statute, the surrender of such Shares by the Holder for no consideration and the redemption, purchase or other acquisition (howsoever described) of such Shares by the Company for a consideration to be determined by the Company at its sole discretion (which, for the avoidance of doubt, can be no consideration), in each case, in accordance with the terms of the BVI Statute and as the context requires. For the avoidance of doubt, any Holder that enters into an Award Agreement with the Company is deemed to provide its consent to the redemption of any such Shares by the Company in accordance with the Award Agreement and/or this Plan.

 

 

2.22 “Holder” shall mean an Employee, Director or Consultant who has been granted an Award or any such individual’s beneficiary, estate or representative, who has acquired such Award in accordance with the terms of the Plan, as applicable.

 

2.23 “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option which is designated by the Committee as an “incentive stock option” and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.24 “Incumbent Director” shall mean, with respect to any period of time specified under the Plan for purposes of determining whether or not a Change of Control has occurred, the individuals who were members of the Board at the beginning of such period.

 

2.25 “Independent Third Party” means an individual or entity independent of the Company having experience in providing investment banking or similar appraisal or valuation services and with expertise generally in the valuation of securities or other property for purposes of this Plan. The Committee may utilize one or more Independent Third Parties.

 

2.26 “Non-qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option which is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.27 “Option” shall mean an Award granted under Article VII of the Plan of an option to purchase Shares and shall include both Incentive Stock Options and Non-qualified Stock Options.

 

2.28 “Option Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to an Option.

 

2.29 “Performance Criteria” shall mean the criteria selected by the Committee for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Holder for a Performance Period.

 

2.30 “Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the written goal or goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria, which may be related to the performance of the Holder, the Company or an Affiliate.

 

2.31 “Performance Period” shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, selected by the Committee, over which the attainment of the Performance Goals shall be measured for purposes of determining a Holder’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Stock Award or a Performance Unit Award.

 

2.32 “Performance Stock Award” or “Performance Stock” shall mean an Award granted under Article XII of the Plan under which, upon the satisfaction of predetermined Performance Goals, Shares are paid to the Holder.

 

2.33 “Performance Stock Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to a Performance Stock Award.

 

 

2.34 “Performance Unit Award” or “Performance Unit” shall mean an Award granted under Article XI of the Plan under which, upon the satisfaction of predetermined Performance Goals, a cash payment shall be made to the Holder, based on the number of Units awarded to the Holder.

 

2.35 “Performance Unit Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to a Performance Unit Award.

 

2.36 “Plan” shall mean this WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time, together with each of the Award Agreements utilized hereunder.

 

2.37 “Restricted Stock Award” and “Restricted Stock” shall mean an Award granted under Article VIII of the Plan of Shares, the transferability of which by the Holder is subject to Restrictions.

 

2.38 “Restricted Stock Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to a Restricted Stock Award.

 

2.39 “Restricted Stock Unit Award” and “RSUs” shall refer to an Award granted under Article X of the Plan under which, upon the satisfaction of predetermined individual service-related vesting requirements, a payment in cash or Shares shall be made to the Holder, based on the number of Units awarded to the Holder.

 

2.40 “Restricted Stock Unit Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to a Restricted Stock Award.

 

2.41 “Restriction Period” shall mean the period of time for which Shares subject to a Restricted Stock Award shall be subject to Restrictions, as set forth in the applicable Restricted Stock Agreement.

 

2.42 “Restrictions” shall mean the forfeiture, transfer and/or other restrictions applicable to Shares awarded to an Employee, Director or Consultant under the Plan pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award and set forth in a Restricted Stock Agreement.

 

2.43 “Rule 16b-3” shall mean Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act, as such may be amended from time to time, and any successor rule, regulation or statute fulfilling the same or a substantially similar function.

 

2.44 “Shares” shall mean the ordinary shares in the Company of no par value each.

 

2.45 “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” shall mean an Award granted under Article XIV of the Plan of a right, granted alone or in connection with a related Option, to receive a payment equal to the increase in value of a specified number of Shares between the date of Award and the date of exercise.

 

2.46 “Stock Appreciation Right Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right.

 

 

2.47 “Tandem Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean a Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with a related Option, the exercise of some or all of which results in termination of the entitlement to purchase some or all of the Shares under the related Option, all as set forth in Article XIV.

 

2.48 “Ten Percent Shareholder” shall mean an Employee who, at the time an Option is granted to him or her, owns shares possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or of any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof (both as defined in Section 424 of the Code), within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code.

 

2.49 “Termination of Service” shall mean a termination of a Holder’s employment with, or status as a Director or Consultant of, the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable, for any reason, including, without limitation, Total and Permanent Disability or death, except as provided in Section 6.4. In the event Termination of Service shall constitute a payment event with respect to any Award subject to Code Section 409A, Termination of Service shall only be deemed to occur upon a “separation from service” as such term is defined under Code Section 409A and applicable authorities.

 

2.50 “Total and Permanent Disability” of an individual shall mean the inability of such individual to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

 

2.51 “Unit” shall mean a bookkeeping unit, which represents such monetary amount as shall be designated by the Committee in each Performance Unit Agreement, or represents one Share for purposes of each Restricted Stock Unit Award.

 

2.52 “Unrestricted Stock Award” shall mean an Award granted under Article IX of the Plan of Shares which are not subject to Restrictions.

 

2.53 “Unrestricted Stock Agreement” shall mean a written agreement between the Company and a Holder with respect to an Unrestricted Stock Award.

 

Article III

 

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN

 

3.1 Effective Date. The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date, provided that the Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months of such date.

 

 

Article IV

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

4.1 Composition of Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall be appointed by the Board. If necessary, in the Board’s discretion, to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or relevant securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service, the Committee shall consist solely of two (2) or more Directors who are each (i) “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 and (ii) “independent” for purposes of any applicable listing requirements; If a member of the Committee shall be eligible to receive an Award under the Plan, such Committee member shall have no authority hereunder with respect to his or her own Award.

 

4.2 Powers. Subject to the other provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the sole authority, in its discretion, to make all determinations under the Plan, including but not limited to (i) determining which Employees, Directors or Consultants shall receive an Award, (ii) the time or times when an Award shall be made (the date of grant of an Award shall be the date on which the Award is awarded by the Committee), (iii) what type of Award shall be granted, (iv) the term of an Award, (v) the date or dates on which an Award vests, (vi) the form of any payment to be made pursuant to an Award, (vii) the terms and conditions of an Award (including the forfeiture of the Award, and/or any financial gain, if the Holder of the Award violates any applicable restrictive covenant thereof), (viii) the Restrictions under a Restricted Stock Award, (ix) the number of Shares which may be issued under an Award, (x) Performance Goals applicable to any Award and certification of the achievement of such goals, and (xi) the waiver of any Restrictions or Performance Goals, subject in all cases to compliance with applicable laws. In making such determinations the Committee may take into account the nature of the services rendered by the respective Employees, Directors and Consultants, their present and potential contribution to the Company’s (or the Affiliate’s) success and such other factors as the Committee in its discretion may deem relevant.

 

4.3 Additional Powers. The Committee shall have such additional powers as are delegated to it under the other provisions of the Plan. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee is authorized to construe the Plan and the respective Award Agreements executed hereunder, to prescribe such rules and regulations relating to the Plan as it may deem advisable to carry out the intent of the Plan, to determine the terms, restrictions and provisions of each Award and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the Plan. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in any Award Agreement in the manner and to the extent the Committee shall deem necessary, appropriate or expedient to carry it into effect. The determinations of the Committee on the matters referred to in this Article IV shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and all Holders.

 

4.4 Committee Action. Subject to compliance with all applicable laws, action by the Committee shall require the consent of a majority of the members of the Committee, expressed either orally at a meeting of the Committee or in writing in the absence of a meeting. No member of the Committee shall have any liability for any good faith action, inaction or determination in connection with the Plan.

 

 

Article V

 

SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN AND LIMITATIONS THEREON

 

5.1 Authorized Shares. The Committee may from time to time grant Awards to one or more Employees, Directors and/or Consultants determined by it to be eligible for participation in the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Article VI. Subject to any adjustments as necessary pursuant to Article XV, the aggregate number of Shares reserved and available for grant and issuance under the Plan is 2,264,077. In the event that (i) any Option or other Award granted hereunder is exercised through the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, or (ii) tax or deduction liabilities arising from such Option or other Award are satisfied by the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, then in each such case the Shares so tendered or withheld shall be added to the Shares available for grant under the Plan on a one-for-one basis. Shares underlying Awards under this Plan that are forfeited, canceled, expire unexercised, or are settled in cash shall also be available again for issuance as Awards under the Plan.

 

5.2 Types of Shares. The Shares to be issued pursuant to the grant or exercise of an Award may consist of authorized but unissued Shares, Shares purchased on the open market or Shares previously issued and outstanding and reacquired by the Company.

 

5.3 Aggregate Incentive Stock Option Limit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 5.1, and subject to Article XV, the aggregate maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options is 2,264,077 Shares.

 

Article VI

 

ELIGIBILITY AND TERMINATION OF SERVICE

 

6.1 Eligibility. Awards made under the Plan may be granted solely to individuals who, at the time of grant, are Employees, Directors or Consultants. An Award may be granted on more than one occasion to the same Employee, Director or Consultant, and, subject to the limitations set forth in the Plan, such Award may include, a Non-qualified Stock Option, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, an Unrestricted Stock Award, a Distribution Equivalent Right Award, a Performance Stock Award, a Performance Unit Award, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right, or any combination thereof, and solely for Employees, an Incentive Stock Option.

 

6.2 Termination of Service. Except to the extent inconsistent with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement and/or the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.4, the following terms and conditions shall apply with respect to a Holder’s Termination of Service with the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable:

 

(a) The Holder’s rights, if any, to exercise any then exercisable Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights shall terminate:

 

(i) If such termination is for a reason other than the Holder’s Total and Permanent Disability or death, ninety (90) days after the date of such Termination of Service;

 

(ii) If such termination is on account of the Holder’s Total and Permanent Disability, one (1) year after the date of such Termination of Service; or

 

(iii) If such termination is on account of the Holder’s death, one (1) year after the date of the Holder’s death.

 

 

Upon such applicable date the Holder (and such Holder’s estate, designated beneficiary or other legal representative) shall forfeit any rights or interests in or with respect to any such Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide for a different time period in the Award Agreement, or may extend the time period, following a Termination of Service, during which the Holder has the right to exercise any vested Non-qualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right, which time period may not extend beyond the expiration date of the Award term.

 

(b) In the event of a Holder’s Termination of Service for any reason prior to the actual or deemed satisfaction and/or lapse of the Restrictions, vesting requirements, terms and conditions applicable to a Restricted Stock Award and/or Restricted Stock Unit Award, such Restricted Stock and/or RSUs shall immediately be canceled, and the Holder (and such Holder’s estate, designated beneficiary or other legal representative) shall forfeit any rights or interests in and with respect to any such Restricted Stock and/or RSUs.

 

6.3 Special Termination Rule. Except to the extent inconsistent with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Article VI, if a Holder’s employment with, or status as a Director of, the Company or an Affiliate shall terminate, and if, within ninety (90) days of such termination, such Holder shall become a Consultant, such Holder’s rights with respect to any Award or portion thereof granted thereto prior to the date of such termination may be preserved, if and to the extent determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, as if such Holder had been a Consultant for the entire period during which such Award or portion thereof had been outstanding. Should the Committee effect such determination with respect to such Holder, for all purposes of the Plan, such Holder shall not be treated as if his or her employment or Director status had terminated until such time as his or her Consultant status shall terminate, in which case his or her Award, as it may have been reduced in connection with the Holder’s becoming a Consultant, shall be treated pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.2, provided, however, that any such Award which is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall, upon the Holder’s no longer being an Employee, automatically convert to a Non-qualified Stock Option. Should a Holder’s status as a Consultant terminate, and if, within ninety (90) days of such termination, such Holder shall become an Employee or a Director, such Holder’s rights with respect to any Award or portion thereof granted thereto prior to the date of such termination may be preserved, if and to the extent determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, as if such Holder had been an Employee or a Director, as applicable, for the entire period during which such Award or portion thereof had been outstanding, and, should the Committee effect such determination with respect to such Holder, for all purposes of the Plan, such Holder shall not be treated as if his or her Consultant status had terminated until such time as his or her employment with the Company or an Affiliate, or his or her Director status, as applicable, shall terminate, in which case his or her Award shall be treated pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.2.

 

6.4 Termination of Service for Cause. Notwithstanding anything in this Article VI or elsewhere in the Plan to the contrary, and unless a Holder’s Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise, in the event of a Holder’s Termination of Service for Cause, all of such Holder’s then outstanding Awards shall expire immediately and be forfeited in their entirety upon such Termination of Service.

 

 

Article VII

 

OPTIONS

7.1 Option Period. The term of each Option shall be as specified in the Option Agreement; provided, however, that except as set forth in Section 7.3, no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of its grant. If the Option would expire at a time when the exercise of the Option would violate applicable securities laws, the expiration date applicable to the Option will be automatically extended to a date that is 30 calendar days following the date such exercise would no longer violate applicable securities laws (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code); provided, that in no event shall such expiration date be extended beyond the expiration of the option period.

 

7.2 Limitations on Exercise of Option. An Option shall be exercisable in whole or in such installments and at such times as specified in the Option Agreement.

 

7.3 Special Limitations on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time the respective Incentive Stock Option is granted) of Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by an individual during any calendar year under all plans of the Company and any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof (both as defined in Section 424 of the Code) which provide for the grant of Incentive Stock Options exceeds One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) (or such other individual limit as may be in effect under the Code on the date of grant), the portion of such Incentive Stock Options that exceeds such threshold shall be treated as Non-qualified Stock Options. The Committee shall determine, in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code, Treasury Regulations and other administrative pronouncements, which of a Holder’s Options, which were intended by the Committee to be Incentive Stock Options when granted to the Holder, will not constitute Incentive Stock Options because of such limitation, and shall notify the Holder of such determination as soon as practicable after such determination. No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to an Employee if, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, such Employee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, unless (i) at the time such Incentive Stock Option is granted the Option price is at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Incentive Stock Option, and (ii) such Incentive Stock Option by its terms is not exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the date of grant. No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted more than ten (10) years from the earlier of the Effective Date or date on which the Plan is approved by the Company’s shareholders. The designation by the Committee of an Option as an Incentive Stock Option shall not guarantee the Holder that the Option will satisfy the applicable requirements for “incentive stock option” status under Section 422 of the Code.

 

 

7.4 Option Agreement. Each Option shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the other provisions of the Plan as the Committee from time to time shall approve, including, but not limited to, provisions intended to qualify an Option as an Incentive Stock Option. An Option Agreement may provide for the payment of the Option price, in whole or in part, by the delivery of a number of Shares (plus cash if necessary) that have been owned by the Holder for at least six (6) months and having a Fair Market Value equal to such Option price, or such other forms or methods as the Committee may determine from time to time, in each case, subject to such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Committee. Each Option Agreement shall, solely to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4, as applicable, specify the effect of Termination of Service on the exercisability of the Option. Moreover, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Non-qualified Stock Option Agreement may provide for a “cashless exercise” of the Option, in whole or in part, by (a) establishing procedures whereby the Holder, by a properly-executed written notice, directs (i) an immediate market sale or margin loan as to all or a part of Shares to which he is entitled to receive upon exercise of the Option, pursuant to an extension of credit by the Company to the Holder of the Option price, (ii) the delivery of the Shares from the Company directly to a brokerage firm and (iii) the delivery of the Option price from sale or margin loan proceeds from the brokerage firm directly to the Company, or (b) reducing the number of Shares to be issued upon exercise of the Option by the number of such Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the Option price (or portion thereof to be so paid) as of the date of the Option’s exercise. An Option Agreement may also include provisions relating to: (i) subject to the provisions hereof, accelerated vesting of Options, including but not limited to, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, (ii) tax matters (including provisions covering any applicable Employee wage withholding requirements) and (iii) any other matters not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan that the Committee shall in its sole discretion determine. The terms and conditions of the respective Option Agreements need not be identical.

 

7.5 Option Price and Payment. The price at which a Share may be purchased upon exercise of an Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that such Option price (i) shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date such Option is granted (or 110% of Fair Market Value for an Incentive Stock Option held by Ten Percent Shareholder, as provided in Section 7.3), and (ii) shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Article XV. The Option or portion thereof may be exercised by delivery of an irrevocable notice of exercise to the Company. The Option price for the Option or portion thereof shall be paid in full in the manner prescribed by the Committee as set forth in the Plan and the applicable Option Agreement, which manner, with the consent of the Committee, may include the withholding of Shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option. Separate share certificates shall be issued by the Company for those Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option and for those Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of a Non-qualified Stock Option.

 

7.6 Shareholder Rights and Privileges. The Holder of an Option shall be entitled to all the privileges and rights of a shareholder of the Company solely with respect to such Shares as have been purchased under the Option and which are registered in the name of the Holder in the register of members of the Company.

 

7.7 Options and Rights in Substitution for Shares or Options Granted by Other Corporations. Options may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for stock options held by individuals employed by entities who become Employees, Directors or Consultants as a result of a merger or consolidation of the employing entity with the Company or any Affiliate, or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of the assets of the employing entity, or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of stock or shares of the employing entity with the result that such employing entity becomes an Affiliate. Any substitute Awards granted under this Plan shall not reduce the number of Shares authorized for grant under the Plan.

 

7.8 Prohibition Against Repricing. Except to the extent (i) approved in advance by holders of a majority of the shares of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (ii) as a result of any Change of Control or any adjustment as provided in Article XV, the Committee shall not have the power or authority to reduce, whether through amendment or otherwise, the exercise price under any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or to grant any new Award or make any payment of cash in substitution for or upon the cancellation of Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights previously granted.

 

 

Article VIII

 

RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

 

8.1 Award. A Restricted Stock Award shall constitute an Award of Shares to the Holder as of the date of the Award which are subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” as defined under Section 83 of the Code during the specified Restriction Period. At the time a Restricted Stock Award is made, the Committee shall establish the Restriction Period applicable to such Award. Each Restricted Stock Award may have a different Restriction Period, in the discretion of the Committee. The Restriction Period applicable to a particular Restricted Stock Award shall not be changed except as permitted by Section 8.2.

 

8.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article VIII, the Company and the Holder shall enter into a Restricted Stock Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated thereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The Company shall cause the Shares to be issued in the name of Holder, by entry on the register of members of the Company, which Shares shall be held by the Company or the stock transfer agent or brokerage service selected by the Company to provide services for the Plan. The Shares shall be restricted from transfer and shall be subject to an appropriate stop-transfer order, and if any certificate is issued, such certificate shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the restrictions applicable to the Shares. After any Shares vest, the Company shall deliver the vested Shares, in book-entry or certificated form in the Company’s sole discretion, registered in the name of Holder or his or her legal representatives, beneficiaries or heirs, as the case may be, less any Shares withheld to pay withholding taxes. The Holder shall have the right to vote Shares subject thereto and to enjoy all other shareholder rights, including the entitlement to receive dividends on the Shares during the Restriction Period. At the time of such Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, prescribe additional terms and conditions or restrictions relating to Restricted Stock Awards, including, but not limited to, rules pertaining to the effect of Termination of Service prior to expiration of the Restriction Period. Such additional terms, conditions or restrictions shall, to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4, as applicable, be set forth in a Restricted Stock Agreement made in conjunction with the Award. Such Restricted Stock Agreement may also include provisions relating to: (i) subject to the provisions hereof, accelerated vesting of Awards, including but not limited to accelerated vesting upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, (ii) tax matters (including provisions covering any applicable Employee wage withholding requirements) and (iii) any other matters not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan that the Committee shall in its sole discretion determine. The terms and conditions of the respective Restricted Stock Agreements need not be identical. All Shares delivered to a Holder as part of a Restricted Stock Award shall be delivered and reported by the Company or the Affiliate, as applicable, to the Holder at the time of vesting.

 

 

8.3 Payment for Restricted Stock. The Committee shall determine the amount and form of any payment from a Holder for Shares received pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award, if any, provided that in the absence of such a determination, a Holder shall not be required to make any payment for Shares received pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award, except to the extent otherwise required by law.

 

Article IX

 

UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

 

9.1 Award. Shares may be awarded (or sold) to Employees, Directors or Consultants under the Plan which are not subject to Restrictions of any kind, in consideration for past services rendered thereby to the Company or an Affiliate or for other valid consideration.

 

9.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article IX, the Company and the Holder shall enter into an Unrestricted Stock Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated hereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate.

 

9.3 Payment for Unrestricted Stock. The Committee shall determine the amount and form of any payment from a Holder for Shares received pursuant to an Unrestricted Stock Award, if any, provided that in the absence of such a determination, a Holder shall not be required to make any payment for Shares received pursuant to an Unrestricted Stock Award, except to the extent otherwise required by law.

 

Article X

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS

 

10.1 Award. A Restricted Stock Unit Award shall constitute a promise to grant Shares (or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of Shares) to the Holder at the end of a specified vesting schedule. At the time a Restricted Stock Unit Award is made, the Committee shall establish the vesting schedule applicable to such Award. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award may have a different vesting schedule, in the discretion of the Committee. A Restricted Stock Unit shall not constitute an equity interest in the Company and shall not entitle the Holder to voting rights, dividends or any other rights associated with ownership of Shares prior to the time the Holder shall receive a distribution of Shares pursuant to Section 10.3.

 

10.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article X, the Company and the Holder shall enter into a Restricted Stock Unit Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated thereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The Restricted Stock Unit Agreement shall set forth the individual service-based vesting requirement which the Holder would be required to satisfy before the Holder would become entitled to distribution pursuant to Section 10.3 and the number of Units awarded to the Holder. Such conditions shall be sufficient to constitute a “substantial risk of forfeiture” as such term is defined under Section 409A of the Code. At the time of such Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, prescribe additional terms and conditions or restrictions relating to Restricted Stock Unit Awards in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, including, but not limited to, rules pertaining to the effect of Termination of Service prior to expiration of the applicable vesting period. The terms and conditions of the respective Restricted Stock Unit Agreements need not be identical.

 

 

10.3 Distributions of Shares. The Holder of a Restricted Stock Unit shall be entitled to receive Shares or a cash payment equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share, or one Share, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee and as set forth in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, for each Restricted Stock Unit subject to such Restricted Stock Unit Award, if the Holder satisfies the applicable vesting requirement. Such distribution shall be made no later than by the fifteenth (15^th) day of the third (3^rd) calendar month next following the end of the calendar year in which the Restricted Stock Unit first becomes vested (i.e., no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture”).

 

Article XI

 

PERFORMANCE UNIT AWARDS

 

11.1 Award. A Performance Unit Award shall constitute an Award under which, upon the satisfaction of predetermined individual and/or Company (and/or Affiliate) Performance Goals based on selected Performance Criteria, a cash payment shall be made to the Holder, based on the number of Units awarded to the Holder. At the time a Performance Unit Award is made, the Committee shall establish the Performance Period and applicable Performance Goals. Each Performance Unit Award may have different Performance Goals, in the discretion of the Committee. A Performance Unit Award shall not constitute an equity interest in the Company and shall not entitle the Holder to voting rights, dividends or any other rights associated with ownership of Shares.

 

11.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article XI, the Company and the Holder shall enter into a Performance Unit Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated thereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The Committee shall set forth in the applicable Performance Unit Agreement the Performance Period, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals which the Holder and/or the Company would be required to satisfy before the Holder would become entitled to payment pursuant to Section 11.3, the number of Units awarded to the Holder and the dollar value or formula assigned to each such Unit. Such payment shall be subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” under Section 409A of the Code. At the time of such Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, prescribe additional terms and conditions or restrictions relating to Performance Unit Awards, including, but not limited to, rules pertaining to the effect of Termination of Service prior to expiration of the applicable performance period. The terms and conditions of the respective Performance Unit Agreements need not be identical.

 

 

11.3 Payments. The Holder of a Performance Unit shall be entitled to receive a cash payment equal to the dollar value assigned to such Unit under the applicable Performance Unit Agreement if the Holder and/or the Company satisfy (or partially satisfy, if applicable under the applicable Performance Unit Agreement) the Performance Goals set forth in such Performance Unit Agreement. All payments shall be made no later than by the fifteenth (15^th) day of the third (3^rd) calendar month next following the end of the Company’s fiscal year to which such performance goals and objectives relate.

 

Article XII

 

PERFORMANCE STOCK AWARDS

 

12.1 Award. A Performance Stock Award shall constitute a promise to grant Shares (or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of Shares) to the Holder at the end of a specified Performance Period subject to achievement of specified Performance Goals. At the time a Performance Stock Award is made, the Committee shall establish the Performance Period and applicable Performance Goals based on selected Performance Criteria. Each Performance Stock Award may have different Performance Goals, in the discretion of the Committee. A Performance Stock Award shall not constitute an equity interest in the Company and shall not entitle the Holder to voting rights, dividends or any other rights associated with ownership of Shares unless and until the Holder shall receive a distribution of Shares pursuant to Section 12.3.

 

12.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article XII, the Company and the Holder shall enter into a Performance Stock Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated thereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The Committee shall set forth in the applicable Performance Stock Agreement the Performance Period, selected Performance Criteria and Performance Goals which the Holder and/or the Company would be required to satisfy before the Holder would become entitled to the receipt of Shares pursuant to such Holder’s Performance Stock Award and the number of Shares subject to such Performance Stock Award. Such distribution shall be subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” under Section 409A of the Code. If such Performance Goals are achieved, the distribution of Shares (or the payment of cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee), shall be made in accordance with Section 12.3, below. At the time of such Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, prescribe additional terms and conditions or restrictions relating to Performance Stock Awards, including, but not limited to, rules pertaining to the effect of the Holder’s Termination of Service prior to the expiration of the applicable performance period. The terms and conditions of the respective Performance Stock Agreements need not be identical.

 

12.3 Distributions of Shares. The Holder of a Performance Stock Award shall be entitled to receive a cash payment equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share, or one Share, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, for each Performance Stock Award subject to such Performance Stock Agreement, if the Holder satisfies the applicable vesting requirement. Such distribution shall be made no later than by the fifteenth (15^th) day of the third (3^rd) calendar month next following the end of the Company’s fiscal year to which such performance goals and objectives relate.

 

 

Article XIII

 

DISTRIBUTION EQUIVALENT RIGHTS

 

13.1 Award. A Distribution Equivalent Right shall entitle the Holder to receive bookkeeping credits, cash payments and/or Share distributions equal in amount to the distributions that would have been made to the Holder had the Holder held a specified number of Shares during the specified period of the Award.

 

13.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article XIII, the Company and the Holder shall enter into a Distribution Equivalent Rights Award Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated thereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The Committee shall set forth in the applicable Distribution Equivalent Rights Award Agreement the terms and conditions, if any, including whether the Holder is to receive credits currently in cash, is to have such credits reinvested (at Fair Market Value determined as of the date of reinvestment) in additional Shares or is to be entitled to choose among such alternatives. Such receipt shall be subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” under Section 409A of the Code and, if such Award becomes vested, the distribution of such cash or Shares shall be made no later than by the fifteenth (15^th) day of the third (3^rd) calendar month next following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the Holder’s interest in the Award vests. Distribution Equivalent Rights Awards may be settled in cash or in Shares, as set forth in the applicable Distribution Equivalent Rights Award Agreement. A Distribution Equivalent Rights Award may, but need not be, awarded in tandem with another Award (other than an Option or a SAR), whereby, if so awarded, such Distribution Equivalent Rights Award shall expire, terminate or be forfeited by the Holder, as applicable, under the same conditions as under such other Award.

 

13.3 Interest Equivalents. The Distribution Equivalent Rights Award Agreement for a Distribution Equivalent Rights Award may provide for the crediting of interest on a Distribution Rights Award to be settled in cash at a future date (but in no event later than by the fifteenth (15^th) day of the third (3^rd) calendar month next following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which such interest is credited and vested), at a rate set forth in the applicable Distribution Equivalent Rights Award Agreement, on the amount of cash payable thereunder.

 

Article XIV

 

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

14.1 Award. A Stock Appreciation Right shall constitute a right, granted alone or in connection with a related Option, to receive a payment equal to the increase in value of a specified number of Shares between the date of Award and the date of exercise.

 

 

14.2 Terms and Conditions. At the time any Award is made under this Article XIV, the Company and the Holder shall enter into a Stock Appreciation Right Agreement setting forth each of the matters contemplated thereby and such other matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The Committee shall set forth in the applicable Stock Appreciation Right Agreement the terms and conditions of the Stock Appreciation Right, including (i) the base value (the “Base Value”) for the Stock Appreciation Right, which shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right, (ii) the number of Shares subject to the Stock Appreciation Right, (iii) the period during which the Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised; provided, however, that no Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of its grant, and (iv) any other special rules and/or requirements which the Committee imposes upon the Stock Appreciation Right. Upon the exercise of some or all of the portion of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Holder shall receive a payment from the Company, in cash or in the form of Shares having an equivalent Fair Market Value or in a combination of both, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, equal to the product of:

 

(a) The excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise, over (ii) the Base Value, multiplied by,

 

(b) The number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.

 

14.3 Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights. If the Committee grants a Stock Appreciation Right which is intended to be a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right, the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall be granted at the same time as the related Option, and the following special rules shall apply:

 

(a) The Base Value shall be equal to or greater than the per Share exercise price under the related Option;

 

(b) The Tandem Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised for all or part of the Shares which are subject to the related Option, but solely upon the surrender by the Holder of the Holder’s right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the related Option, an equivalent portion of the related Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall be canceled);

 

(c) The Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall expire no later than the date of the expiration of the related Option;

 

(d) The value of the payment with respect to the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right may be no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the per Share exercise price under the related Option and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the related Option at the time the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, multiplied by the number of the Shares with respect to which the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right is exercised; and

 

(e) The Tandem Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised solely when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the related Option exceeds the per Share exercise price under the related Option.

 

 

Article XV

 

RECAPITALIZATION OR REORGANIZATION

15.1 Adjustments to Shares. The shares with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan are Shares as presently constituted; provided, however, that if, and whenever, prior to the expiration or distribution to the Holder of Shares underlying an Award theretofore granted, the Company shall effect a division or combination of the Shares, or a bonus issue of Shares or the payment of a Share dividend on Shares without receipt of consideration by the Company, the number of Shares with respect to which such Award may thereafter be exercised or satisfied, as applicable, (i) in the event of an increase in the number of outstanding Shares, shall be proportionately increased, and the purchase price per Share shall be proportionately reduced, and (ii) in the event of a reduction in the number of outstanding Shares, shall be proportionately reduced, and the purchase price per Share shall be proportionately increased. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Article XV, any adjustment made with respect to an Award (x) which is an Incentive Stock Option, shall comply with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code, and in no event shall any adjustment be made which would render any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan to be other than an “incentive stock option” for purposes of Section 422 of the Code, and (y) which is a Non-qualified Stock Option, shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and in no event shall any adjustment be made which would render any Non-qualified Stock Option granted under the Plan to become subject to Section 409A of the Code.

 

15.2 Recapitalization. If the Company recapitalizes or otherwise changes its capital structure, thereafter upon any exercise or satisfaction, as applicable, of a previously granted Award, the Holder shall be entitled to receive (or entitled to purchase, if applicable) under such Award, in lieu of the number of Shares then covered by such Award, the number and class of shares and securities to which the Holder would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the recapitalization if, immediately prior to such recapitalization, the Holder had been the holder of record of the number of Shares then covered by such Award.

 

15.3 Other Events. In the event of changes to the outstanding Shares by reason of an extraordinary cash dividend, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, split-up, spin-off, exchange or other relevant change in capitalization occurring after the date of the grant of any Award and not otherwise provided for under this Article XV, any outstanding Awards and any Award Agreements evidencing such Awards shall be adjusted by the Board in its discretion in such manner as the Board shall deem equitable or appropriate taking into consideration the applicable accounting and tax consequences, as to the number and price of Shares or other consideration subject to such Awards. In the event of any adjustment pursuant to Sections 15.1, 15.2 or this Section 15.3, the aggregate number of Shares available under the Plan pursuant to Section 5.1 may be appropriately adjusted by the Board, the determination of which shall be conclusive. In addition, the Committee may make provision for a cash payment to a Holder or a person who has an outstanding Award.

 

 

15.4 Change of Control. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, at the time an Award is made or at any time prior to, coincident with or after the time of a Change of Control, cause any Award either (i) to be canceled in consideration of a payment in cash or other consideration in amount per share equal to the excess, if any, of the price or implied price per Share in the Change of Control over the per Share exercise, base or purchase price of such Award, which may be paid immediately or over the vesting schedule of the Award; (ii) to be assumed, or new rights substituted therefore, by the surviving corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such surviving corporation following such Change of Control; (iii) accelerate any time periods, or waive any other conditions, relating to the vesting, exercise, payment or distribution of an Award so that any Award to a Holder whose employment has been terminated as a result of a Change of Control may be vested, exercised, paid or distributed in full on or before a date fixed by the Committee; (iv) to be purchased from a Holder whose employment has been terminated as a result of a Change of Control, upon the Holder’s request, for an amount of cash equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise, payment or distribution of such rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable; or (v) terminate any then outstanding Award or make any other adjustment to the Awards then outstanding as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to reflect such transaction or change. The number of Shares subject to any Award shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.

 

15.5 Powers Not Affected. The existence of the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Board or of the shareholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change of the Company’s capital structure or business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of debt or equity securities ahead of or affecting Shares or the rights thereof, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or any part of its assets or business or any other corporate act or proceeding.

 

15.6 No Adjustment for Certain Awards. Except as hereinabove expressly provided, the issuance by the Company of shares of any class or securities convertible into shares of any class, for cash, property, labor or services, upon direct sale, upon the exercise of rights or warrants to subscribe therefor or upon conversion of shares or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other securities, and in any case whether or not for fair value, shall not affect previously granted Awards, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to the number of Shares subject to Awards theretofore granted or the purchase price per Share, if applicable.

 

Article XVI

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN

 

The Plan shall continue in effect, unless sooner terminated pursuant to this Article XVI, until the tenth (10^th) anniversary of the date on which it is adopted by the Board (except as to Awards outstanding on that date). The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided that (i) no amendment to Section 7.8 (repricing prohibitions) shall be made without shareholder approval and (ii) no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares may be listed or quoted); provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Holder or beneficiary (unless such change is required in order to exempt the Plan or any Award from Section 409A of the Code).

 

 

Article XVII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

17.1 No Right to Award. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Company nor any action of the Board or the Committee shall be deemed to give an Employee, Director or Consultant any right to an Award except as may be evidenced by an Award Agreement duly executed on behalf of the Company, and then solely to the extent and on the terms and conditions expressly set forth therein.

 

17.2 No Rights Conferred. Nothing contained in the Plan shall (i) confer upon any Employee any right with respect to continuation of employment with the Company or any Affiliate, (ii) interfere in any way with any right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the employment of an Employee at any time, (iii) confer upon any Director any right with respect to continuation of such Director’s membership on the Board, (iv) interfere in any way with any right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate a Director’s membership on the Board at any time, (v) confer upon any Consultant any right with respect to continuation of his or her consulting engagement with the Company or any Affiliate, or (vi) interfere in any way with any right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate a Consultant’s consulting engagement with the Company or an Affiliate at any time.

 

17.3 Other Laws; No Fractional Shares; Withholding. The Company shall not be obligated by virtue of any provision of the Plan to recognize the exercise of any Award or to otherwise sell or issue Shares in violation of any laws, rules or regulations, and any postponement of the exercise or settlement of any Award under this provision shall not extend the term of such Award. Neither the Company nor its directors or officers shall have any obligation or liability to a Holder with respect to any Award (or Shares issuable thereunder) (i) that shall lapse because of such postponement, or (ii) for any failure to comply with the requirements of any applicable law, rules or regulations, including but not limited to any failure to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of this Code. No fractional Shares shall be delivered, nor shall any cash in lieu of fractional Shares be paid. The Company shall have the right to deduct in cash (whether under this Plan or otherwise) in connection with all Awards any taxes required by law to be withheld and to require any payments required to enable it to satisfy its withholding obligations. In the case of any Award satisfied in the form of Shares, no Shares shall be issued unless and until arrangements satisfactory to the Company shall have been made to satisfy any tax withholding obligations applicable with respect to such Award. Subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may impose, the Company shall have the right to retain, or the Committee may, subject to such terms and conditions as it may establish from time to time, permit Holders to elect to tender, Shares (including Shares issuable in respect of an Award) to satisfy, in whole or in part, the amount required to be withheld.

 

17.4 No Restriction on Corporate Action. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to prevent the Company or any Affiliate from taking any corporate action which is deemed by the Company or such Affiliate to be appropriate or in its best interest, whether or not such action would have an adverse effect on the Plan or any Award made under the Plan. No Employee, Director, Consultant, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any Affiliate as a result of any such action.

 

 

17.5 Restrictions on Transfer. No Award under the Plan or any Award Agreement and no rights or interests herein or therein, shall or may be assigned, transferred, sold, exchanged, encumbered, pledged or otherwise hypothecated or disposed of by a Holder except (i) by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, or (ii) where permitted under applicable tax rules, by gift to any Family Member of the Holder, subject to compliance with applicable laws. An Award may be exercisable during the lifetime of the Holder only by such Holder or by the Holder’s guardian or legal representative unless it has been transferred by gift to a Family Member of the Holder, in which case it shall be exercisable solely by such transferee. Notwithstanding any such transfer, the Holder shall continue to be subject to the withholding requirements provided for under Section 17.3 hereof.

 

17.6 Beneficiary Designations. Each Holder may, from time to time, name a beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be contingent or successive beneficiaries) for purposes of receiving any amount which is payable in connection with an Award under the Plan upon or subsequent to the Holder’s death. Each such beneficiary designation shall serve to revoke all prior beneficiary designations, be in a form prescribed by the Company and be effective solely when filed by the Holder in writing with the Company during the Holder’s lifetime. In the absence of any such written beneficiary designation, for purposes of the Plan, a Holder’s beneficiary shall be the Holder’s estate.

 

17.7 Rule 16b-3. It is intended that the Plan and any Award made to a person subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall meet all of the requirements of Rule 16b-3. If any provision of the Plan or of any such Award would disqualify the Plan or such Award under, or would otherwise not comply with the requirements of, Rule 16b-3, such provision or Award shall be construed or deemed to have been amended as necessary to conform to the requirements of Rule 16b-3.

 

17.8 Clawback Policy. All Awards (including on a retroactive basis) granted under the Plan are subject to the terms of any Company forfeiture, incentive compensation recoupment, clawback or similar policy as it may be in effect from time to time, as well as any similar provisions of applicable laws, as well as any other policy of the Company that may apply to the Awards, such as anti-hedging or pledging policies, as they may be in effect from time to time. In particular, these policies and/or provisions shall include, without limitation, (i) any Company policy established to comply with applicable laws (including, without limitation, Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act), and/or (ii) the rules and regulations of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Shares or other securities are listed or quoted, and these requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into all outstanding Award Agreements.

 

17.9 No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes. The Company shall have no duty or obligation to any Holder to advise such Holder as to the time or manner of exercising any Award. Furthermore, the Company shall have no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such Holder of a pending termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to any person.

 

 

17.10 Section 409A of the Code.

 

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, all Awards made under this Plan are intended to be exempt from or, in the alternative, comply with Section 409A of the Code and the authoritative guidance thereunder, including the exceptions for share rights and short-term deferrals. The Plan shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. Each payment under an Award shall be treated as a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(b) If a Holder is a “specified employee” (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code) at the time of his termination of service, no amount that is nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code and that becomes payable by reason of such termination of service shall be paid to the Holder (or in the event of the Holder’s death, the Holder’s representative or estate) before the earlier of  (x) the first business day after the date that is six months following the date of the Holder’s termination of service, and (y) within 30 days following the date of the Holder’s death. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, a termination of service shall be deemed to occur only if it is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and references in the Plan and any Award Agreement to “termination of service” or similar terms shall mean a “separation from service.” If any Award is or becomes subject to Section 409A of the Code, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise, such Award shall be payable upon the Holder’s “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. If any Award is or becomes subject to Section 409A of the Code and if payment of such Award would be accelerated or otherwise triggered under a Change of Control, then the definition of Change of Control shall be deemed modified, only to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of any additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, to mean a “change in control event” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(c) Any adjustments made pursuant to Article XV to Awards that are subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and any adjustments made pursuant to Article XV to Awards that are not subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment, the Awards either (x) continue not to be subject to Section 409A of the Code or (y) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

17.11 Indemnification. Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred thereby in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which such person may be made a party or may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid thereby in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid thereby in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against such person; provided, however, that such person shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same 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 and shall be independent of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or By-laws, by contract, as a matter of law, or otherwise.

 

 

17.12 Other Benefit Plans. No Award, payment or amount received hereunder shall be taken into account in computing an Employee’s salary or compensation for the purposes of determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, life insurance or other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate, unless such other plan specifically provides for the inclusion of such Award, payment or amount received. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company to establish other plans or to pay compensation to its employees, in cash or property, in a manner which is not expressly authorized under the Plan.

 

17.13 Limits of Liability. Any liability of the Company with respect to an Award shall be based solely upon the contractual obligations created under the Plan and the Award Agreement. None of the Company, any member of the Board nor any member of the Committee shall have any liability to any party for any action taken or not taken, in good faith, in connection with or under the Plan.

 

17.14 Governing Law. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and performed wholly within the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of law provisions thereof.

 

17.15 Subplans. The Board may from time to time establish one or more sub-plans under the Plan for purposes of satisfying applicable blue sky, securities or tax laws of various jurisdictions. The Board shall establish such sub-plans by adopting supplements to the Plan setting forth (i) such limitations on the Committee’s discretion under the Plan as the Board deems necessary or desirable and (ii) such additional terms and conditions not otherwise inconsistent with the Plan as the Board shall deem necessary or desirable. All supplements adopted by the Board shall be deemed to be part of the Plan, but each supplement shall apply only to Holders within the affected jurisdiction and the Company shall not be required to provide copies of any supplement to Holders in any jurisdiction that is not affected.

 

17.16 Notification of Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code. If any Holder, in connection with the acquisition of Shares under an Award, makes the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code, if applicable, the Holder shall notify the Company of the election within ten days of filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

17.17 Paperless Administration. If the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Holder may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

 

17.18 Broker-Assisted Sales. In the event of a broker-assisted sale of Shares in connection with the payment of amounts owed by a Holder under or with respect to the Plan or Awards: (a) any Shares to be sold through the broker-assisted sale will be sold on the day the payment first becomes due, or as soon thereafter as practicable; (b) the Shares may be sold as part of a block trade with other Holders in the Plan in which all participants receive an average price; (c) the applicable Holder will be responsible for all broker’s fees and other costs of sale, and by accepting an Award, each Holder agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any losses, costs, damages, or expenses relating to any such sale; (d) to the extent the Company or its designee receives proceeds of the sale that exceed the amount owed, the Company will pay the excess in cash to the applicable Holder as soon as reasonably practicable; (e) the Company and its designees are under no obligation to arrange for the sale at any particular price; and (f) if the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to satisfy the Holder’s applicable obligation, the Holder may be required to pay immediately upon demand to the Company or its designee an amount in cash sufficient to satisfy any remaining portion of the Holder’s obligation.

 

 

17.19 Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving any Award, each Holder explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section 17.19 by and among the Company and its subsidiaries and Affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Holder’s participation in the Plan. The Company and its subsidiaries and Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Holder, including the Holder’s name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any Shares held in the Company or its subsidiaries and Affiliates; and Award details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company and its subsidiaries and Affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Holder’s participation in the Plan, and the Company and its subsidiaries and Affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Holder’s country, or elsewhere, and the Holder’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients’ country. By accepting an Award, each Holder authorizes the recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Holder’s participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Holder may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Holder will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Holder’s participation in the Plan. A Holder may, at any time, view the Data that the Company holds regarding the Holder, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding the Holder, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Holder or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section 17.19 in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Holder’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Committee’s discretion, the Holder may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Holder refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section 17.19.

 

17.20 Severability of Provisions. If any provision of the Plan is held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such invalid or unenforceable provision had not been included in the Plan.

 

17.21 No Funding. The Plan shall be unfunded. The Company shall not be required to establish any special or separate fund or to make any other segregation of funds or assets to ensure the payment of any Award. Prior to receipt of Shares or a cash distribution pursuant to the terms of an Award, such Award shall represent an unfunded unsecured contractual obligation of the Company and the Holder shall have no greater claim to the Shares underlying such Award or any other assets of the Company or Affiliate than any other unsecured general creditor.

 

17.22 Headings. Headings used throughout the Plan are for convenience only and shall not be given legal significance.

 

 

WANG & LEE GROUP, INC.

2024 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

HONG KONG SUB-PLAN

 

1. Application. This Sub-Plan for Hong Kong participants in the WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (this “Sub-Plan”) sets forth additional terms and conditions applicable to awards granted to Eligible Employees who are (or are deemed to be) resident in Hong Kong for the purpose of payment of taxes or who exercise all of their employment duties in Hong Kong and forms an integral part of the WANG & LEE GROUP, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

 

The Plan and this Sub-Plan are complementary to each other and shall be deemed as one. In any case of contradiction with respect to awards granted to Eligible Employees, whether explicit or implied, between the provisions of this Sub-Plan and the Plan, the provisions set out in the Sub-Plan shall prevail.

 

2. Securities Warning. The grant of the purchase rights and the issuance of shares upon purchase do not constitute a public offer of securities under Hong Kong law and are available only to employees. The Plan, this Sub-Plan, any enrollment forms and other incidental communication materials that the Eligible Employee may receive have not been prepared in accordance with and are not intended to constitute a “prospectus” for a public offering of securities under applicable securities laws in Hong Kong. Furthermore, none of the documents relating to the Plan have been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. Each Eligible Employee is advised to exercise caution in relation to the offer. If an Eligible Employee is in any doubt about any of the contents of the Plan, this Sub-Plan, any enrollment forms and other communication materials, the Eligible Employee should obtain independent professional advice.

 

3. Nature of Scheme. The Company specifically intends that the Plan will not be an occupational retirement scheme for purposes of the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance.

 

4. Governing Law. The validity and enforceability of this Sub-Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to otherwise governing principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent that mandatory provisions of the laws of Hong Kong apply.

 

 

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