Governing Principles 1. The implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding shall in all aspects be governed by the Regulation and subsequent amendments thereof.
2. The objectives of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 shall be pursued in the framework of close co-operation between the Donor States and the Beneficiary State. The Parties agree to apply the highest degree of transparency, accountability and cost efficiency as well as the principles of good governance, partnership and multi-level governance, sustainable development, gender equality and equal opportunities in all implementation phases of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
3. The Beneficiary State shall take proactive steps in order to ensure adherence to these principles at all levels involved in the implementation of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
4. No later than 31/12/2020, the Parties to this Memorandum of Understanding shall review progress in the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding and thereafter agree on reallocations within and between the programmes, where appropriate. The conclusion of this review shall be taken into account by the National Focal Point when submitting the proposal on the reallocation of the reserve referred to in Article 1.11 of the Regulation.
GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS Enforceability of the Agreement
Corporate Governance Matters (a) Holdco and Sorin shall take all actions within their power as may be necessary to cause (i) for a period beginning as of the Cyberonics Merger Effective Time and ending on the date of the first annual meeting of the members of Holdco following the completion of the second full fiscal year of Holdco (such period, the “Initial Period”) the number of directors constituting the Holdco board of directors as of the Effective Times to be nine (9) and (ii) the Holdco board of directors during the Initial Period to be composed as follows: (A) four (4) individuals designated by Cyberonics prior to the Closing Date (each, a “Cyberonics Designee”), (B) four individuals designated by Sorin prior to the Closing Date (each, a “Sorin Designee”) and (C) one (1) director mutually agreed to by Sorin and Cyberonics, who shall meet the independence standards of the NASDAQ applicable to non-controlled domestic U.S. issuers.
(b) Sorin and Holdco shall take all corporate actions as may be necessary to cause, effective as of the Sorin Merger Effective Time and Cyberonics Merger Effective Time, as the case may be: (i) the Chief Executive Officer of Sorin as of immediately prior to the Sorin Merger Effective Time to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Sorin Merger Surviving Company immediately following the Sorin Merger Effective Time until the end of the Initial Period, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer of Cyberonics as of immediately prior to the Cyberonics Merger Effective Time to serve as the Chairman of the Holdco board of directors for the Initial Period, (iii) a Cyberonics Designee to serve as the Chairman of the audit and compensation committees of the Holdco board of directors for the Initial Period, (iv) each committee of the Holdco board of directors to have at least three (3) members and (v) a Sorin Designee to serve as a member of each committee of the Holdco board of directors during the Initial Period.
(c) For as long as the Holdco Shares are listed on the NASDAQ, Holdco shall comply with all NASDAQ corporate governance standards set forth in Rule 5600 of the NASDAQ Stock Market Rules applicable to non-controlled domestic U.S. issuers, regardless of whether Holdco is a foreign private issuer. For as long as the Holdco Shares are listed on the LSE, Holdco shall comply with all Listing Rules and any other Laws applicable to it.
(d) Prior to the Closing Date, Sorin and Holdco shall procure the passing of resolutions of the shareholders of Holdco providing for the reregistration of Holdco as a public limited company.
(e) Subject to applicable Law, Sorin and Cyberonics shall take all requisite action to cause the organizational documents of those entities that will be Subsidiaries of Holdco to be substantially in such form as agreed by Cyberonics and Sorin, effective as of the Cyberonics Merger Effective Time.
(f) As promptly as practicable after the Effective Times, the Sorin Merger Surviving Company shall take all requisite action to cause the composition of the board of directors or other governing body of each of the Subsidiaries of the Sorin Merger Surviving Company to reflect representation by directors designated by Cyberonics immediately prior to the Effective Times, on the one hand, and directors designated by Sorin immediately prior to the Effective Times, on the other hand, that is proportionate to the relative representation of directors designated by such party on the Holdco board of directors as of the Effective Times as provided in Section 5.18(a), unless otherwise mutually agreed by Sorin and Cyberonics.
(g) The Cyberonics Designees, the Sorin Designees and each of their respective successors on the Holdco board of directors during the first three (3) years following the Effective Times are express third-party beneficiaries of Sections 5.18(a) and 5.18(b).
Governing Provisions This Agreement is made under and subject to the provisions of the Plan, and all of the provisions of the Plan are also provisions of this Agreement. If there is a difference or conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. By signing this Agreement, the Grantee confirms that he or she has received a copy of the Plan.
Governance (a) The HSP represents, warrants and covenants that it has established, and will maintain for the period during which this Agreement is in effect, policies and procedures: that set out a code of conduct for, and that identify the ethical responsibilities for all persons at all levels of the HSP’s organization; to ensure the ongoing effective functioning of the HSP; for effective and appropriate decision-making; for effective and prudent risk-management, including the identification and management of potential, actual and perceived conflicts of interest; for the prudent and effective management of the Funding; to monitor and ensure the accurate and timely fulfillment of the HSP’s obligations under this Agreement and compliance with the Enabling Legislation; to enable the preparation, approval and delivery of all Reports; to address complaints about the provision of Services, the management or governance of the HSP; and to deal with such other matters as the HSP considers necessary to ensure that the HSP carries out its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) The HSP represents and warrants that: it has, or will have within 60 Days of the execution of this Agreement, a Performance Agreement with its CEO that ties a reasonable portion of the CEO’s compensation plan to the CEO’s performance; it will take all reasonable care to ensure that its CEO complies with the Performance Agreement; it will enforce the HSP’s rights under the Performance Agreement; and a reasonable portion of any compensation award provided to the CEO during the term of this Agreement will be pursuant to an evaluation of the CEO’s performance under the Performance Agreement and the CEO’s achievement of performance goals and performance improvement targets and in compliance with Applicable Law. “compensation award”, for the purposes of Section 9.3(b)(4) above, means all forms of payment, benefits and perquisites paid or provided, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of a CEO who performs duties and functions that entitle him or her to be paid.
Governance Matters (a) The Company shall cause the Investor Designated Director to be elected or appointed on the Closing Date to the Board of Directors as well as the board of directors of the Bank (the “Bank Board”), subject to satisfaction of all legal and governance requirements regarding service as a member of the Board of Directors and the Bank Board. The Company shall recommend to its shareholders the election of the Investor Designated Director to the Board of Directors at the Company’s annual meeting, subject to satisfaction of all legal and governance requirements regarding service as a director of the Company. If the Investor no longer has the Qualifying Ownership Interest, it shall have no further rights under Sections 3.4(a), 3.4(b), 3.4(c) and 3.4(d) and, in each case, at the written request of the Board of Directors, the Investor shall use all reasonable best efforts to cause the Investor Designated Director to resign from the Board of Directors and the Bank Board as promptly as possible thereafter. The Board of Directors and the Bank Board shall cause the Investor Designated Director to be appointed to the committees of the Board of Directors and the Bank Board, as applicable, identified by the Investor, so long as the Investor Designated Director qualifies to serve on such committees subject to satisfaction of all legal and governance requirements regarding service as a committee member.
(b) For so long as the Investor owns, in the aggregate with its Affiliates, ten percent (10%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (as adjusted from time to time for any reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, or other like changes in the Company’s capitalization) (the “Qualifying Ownership Interest”), the Investor Designated Director shall, subject to applicable Law, be the nominee of the Company and the Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Nominating Committee”) to serve on the Board of Directors and on the Bank Board. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to have the Investor Designated Director elected as director of the Company by the shareholders of the Company and the Company shall solicit proxies for the Investor Designated Director to the same extent as it does for any of its other nominees to the Board of Directors.
(c) For so long as the Investor owns, in the aggregate with its Affiliates, the Qualifying Ownership Interest, the Investor Designated Director shall, subject to applicable Law (including the applicable rules of the NYSE), be appointed to the committees of the Board of Directors and the Bank Board (or any other committees performing similar functions of the foregoing committees) identified by the Investor.
(d) Subject to Section 3.4(a), upon the death, disability, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office of a Designated Investor Director, the Investor shall have the right to designate the replacement for the Investor Designated Director, which replacement shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company and shall satisfy all legal and governance requirements regarding service as a member of the Board of Directors and the Bank Board, as applicable. The Board of Directors shall use its reasonable best efforts to take all action required to fill the vacancy resulting therefrom with such person (including such person, subject to applicable Law, being the Company’s and the Nominating Committee’s nominee to serve on the Board of Directors, calling a special meeting of shareholders to vote on such person, using all reasonable best efforts to have such person elected as director of the Company by the shareholders of the Company and the Company soliciting proxies for such person to the same extent as it does for any of its other nominees to the Board of Directors).
(e) For so long the Investor with its Affiliates owns, in the aggregate with its Affiliates, five percent (5%) or more of the aggregate number of outstanding shares of Common Stock (as adjusted from time to time for any reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, or other like changes in the Company’s capitalization), the Company shall, subject to applicable Law, invite a person designated by the Investor and reasonably acceptable to the Board of Directors (the “Observer”) to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Bank Board (including any meetings of committees thereof which the Investor Designated Director is a member) in a nonvoting observer capacity. If the Investor no longer beneficially owns the minimum number of Common Shares as specified in the first sentence of this Section 3.4(e), the Investor shall have no further rights under this Section 3.4(e). The Investor shall cause the Observer to agree to hold in confidence and trust and to act in a fiduciary manner with respect to all information provided to such Observer and the Company, the Board of Directors, the Bank Board and any committees thereof shall have the right to withhold any information and to exclude the Observer from any meeting or portion thereof (i) if doing so is, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, necessary to protect the attorney-client privilege between the Company and counsel or (ii) if the Board of Directors, the Bank Board or any committee thereof determines in good faith, after consultation with counsel, that fiduciary requirements under applicable Law would make attendance by the Observer inappropriate. The Observer shall have no right to vote on any matters presented to the Board of Directors, the Bank Board or any committee thereof.
(f) The Investor Designated Director shall be entitled to the same compensation, including fees, and the same indemnification and insurance coverage in connection with his or her role as a director as the other members of the Board of Directors or the Bank Board, as applicable, and the Investor Designated Director shall be entitled to reimbursement for documented, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors or the Bank Board, or any committee thereof, to the same extent as the other members of the Board of Directors or the Bank Board, as applicable. The Company shall notify the Investor Designated Director of all regular meetings and special meetings of the Board of Directors or the Bank Board and of all regular and special meetings of any committee of the Board of Directors or the Bank Board of which the Investor Designated Director is a member in accordance with the applicable bylaws. The Company and the Bank shall provide the Investor Designated Director with copies of all notices, minutes, consents and other material that they provide to all other members of their respective boards of directors concurrently as such materials are provided to the other members.
(g) Each of the Company and the Bank acknowledges that the Designated Investor Director may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by the Investor and/or certain of its Affiliates (collectively, the “Investor Indemnitors”). Each of the Company and the Bank hereby agrees (1) that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to the Designated Investor Director are primary and any obligation of the Investor Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by the Designated Investor Director are secondary), and (2) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by the Designated Investor Director and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses and liabilities incurred by the Designated Investor Director, in each case to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement and the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Company and the Bank (and any other agreement regarding indemnification between the Company and/or the Bank, on the one hand, and the Designated Investor Director, on the other hand), without regard to any rights the Designated Investor Director may have against any Investor Indemnitor. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by any Investor Indemnitor on behalf of the Designated Investor Director with respect to any claim for which the Designated Investor Director has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Investor Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Designated Investor Director against the Company. The Company agrees that the Investor Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 3.4(g).
(h) For the purposes of the definition of “Change in Control” under the Benefit Plans, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor Designated Director shall be deemed to be an “Incumbent Director” as defined in the applicable Benefit Plans.
Definitions and Principles of Interpretation The following definitions in clause 1.1 shall be replaced as follows:
Operating Principles During the Term of a Site, Tower Operator shall manage, operate and maintain such Site (including with respect to the entry into, modification, amendment, extension, expiration, termination, structuring and administration of Ground Leases and Collocation Agreements related thereto), (i) in the ordinary course of business, (ii) in compliance with applicable Law in all material respects, (iii) in a manner consistent in all material respects with the manner in which Tower Operator manages, operates and maintains its portfolio of telecommunications tower sites and (iv) in a manner that shall not be less than the general standard of care in the tower industry. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during the Term of a Site, except as expressly permitted by the terms of this Agreement, Tower Operator shall not without the prior written consent of the AT&T Lessors (A) manage, operate or maintain such Site in a manner that would (x) diminish the expected residual value of such Site in any material respect or shorten the expected remaining economic life of such Site, in each case determined as of the expiration of the Term of such Site, or (y) cause such Site or a substantial portion of such Site to become “limited use property” within the meaning of Rev. Proc. 2001-28, 2001-1 C.B. 1156 (except, in the case of this clause (y), as required by applicable Law or any Governmental Authority), (B) structure any related Ground Lease in a manner such that the amounts payable thereunder are above fair market value during any period following or upon the expiration of the Term of such Site (without regard to any amounts payable prior to the expiration of the Term of such Site) or (C) structure any related Collocation Agreement in a manner such that the amounts payable thereunder are structured on an initial lump-sum basis (if such amounts payable are not capital contributions or other upfront payments for capital improvements to a Site related to the use of such Site by the collocator under such Collocation Agreement) or are otherwise less than fair market value during any period following or upon expiration of the Term of such Site (without regard to any amounts payable prior to the expiration of the Term of such Site), in each case unless otherwise expressly authorized by the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Transaction Documents.
Guiding Principles This Agreement shall create a liberal, facilitative, transparent and competitive investment environment in ASEAN by adhering to the following principles:
(a) provide for investment liberalisation, protection, investment promotion and facilitation;
(b) progressive liberalisation of investment with a view towards achieving a free and open investment environment in the region;
(c) benefit investors and their investments based in ASEAN;
(d) maintain and accord preferential treatment among Member States;
(e) no back-tracking of commitments made under the AIA Agreement and the ASEAN IGA;
(f) grant special and differential treatment and other flexibilities to Member States depending on their level of development and sectoral sensitivities;
(g) reciprocal treatment in the enjoyment of concessions among Member States, where appropriate; and
(h) accommodate expansion of scope of this Agreement to cover other sectors in the future.
Law Governing Agreement This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
