Protection of Confidential Information; Non-Competition 4.1. Executive acknowledges that: (1) As a result of his current employment with the Company, Executive will obtain secret and confidential information concerning the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (referred to collectively in this Article 4 as the “Company”), including, without limitations, financial information, designs and other proprietary rights, trade secrets and “know-how,” customers and sources (“Confidential Information”). (2) The Company will suffer substantial damage which will be difficult to compute if, during the period of his employment with the Company or thereafter, Executive should enter a business competitive with the Company or divulge Confidential Information. (3) The provisions of this Agreement are reasonable and necessary for the protection of the business of the Company. 4.2. Executive agrees that he will not at any time, either during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, divulge to any person or entity any Confidential Information obtained or learned by him as a result of his employment with the Company, except (i) in the course of performing his duties hereunder, (ii) to the extent that any such information is in the public domain other than as a result of Executive’s breach of any of his obligations hereunder, (iii) where required to be disclosed by court order, subpoena or other government process or (iv) if such disclosure is made without Executive’s knowing intent to cause material harm to the Company. If Executive shall be required to make disclosure pursuant to the provisions of clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, Executive promptly, but in no event more than 72 hours after learning of such subpoena, court order, or other government process, shall notify, by personal delivery or by electronic means, confirmed by mail, the Company and, at the Company’s expense, Executive shall: (a) take reasonably necessary and lawful steps required by the Company to defend against the enforcement of such subpoena, court order or other government process, and (b) permit the Company to intervene and participate with counsel of its choice in any proceeding relating to the enforcement thereof. 4.3. Upon termination of his employment with the Company, Executive will promptly deliver to the Company all memoranda, notes, records, reports, manuals, drawings, blue-prints and other documents (and all copies thereof) relating to the business of the Company and all property associated therewith, which he may then possess or have under his control; provided, however, that the Executive shall be entitled to retain one copy of such documents for his personal use and records. 4.4. During the period commencing with the start date of employment under this agreement and terminating three years after termination of employment: (A) Executive, without the prior written permission of the Company, shall not, anywhere in the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan, (i) enter into the employ of or render any services to any person, firm or corporation engaged in any business which is directly in competition with the Company’s principal existing business at the time of termination (“Competitive Business”); (ii) engage in any Competitive Business as an individual, partner, shareholder, creditor, director, officer, principal, agent, employee, trustee consultant, advisor or in any other relationship or capacity; (iv) employ, or have or cause any other person or entity to employ, any person who was employed by the Company at the time of termination of Executive’s employment by the Company (other than Executive’s personal secretary and assistant); or (v) solicit, interfere with, or endeavor to entice away from the Company, for the benefit of a Competitive Business, any of its customers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive shall not be precluded from investing and managing the investment of, his or his family’s assets in the securities of any corporation or other business entity which is engaged in a Competitive Business if such securities are traded on a national stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market and if such investment does not result in his beneficially owning, at any time, more than 5% of any class of the publicly-traded equity securities of such Competitive Business; provided, however, that for a period commencing with the start date of employment under this agreement and terminating three years after termination of Executive’s employment (except for investments in a class of securities trading on public markets), Executive shall refer to the Company for consideration (before any other party) any and all opportunities to acquire or purchase, or otherwise make equity or debt investments in, companies primarily involved in a Competitive Business if such opportunities becomes known to Executive while he is the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. If the Company determines not to exploit any opportunity referred to in the foregoing sentence, the Company shall determine what, if anything, should be done with such opportunity. Executive shall not be entitled to any compensation, as a finder or otherwise, if either the Company or Executive introduces such opportunity to other persons, it being understood that all such compensation shall be paid to the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company terminates this Agreement without “cause” or if Executive terminates this Agreement for Good Reason under Section 3.5 hereof, Executive’s obligations under this Section 4.4 shall terminate one month following termination. 4.5. If Executive commits a breach of any of the provisions of Sections 4.2 or 4.4, the Company shall have the right: (1) to have the provisions of this Agreement specifically enforced by any court having equity jurisdiction, it being acknowledged and agreed by Executive that the services being rendered hereunder to the Company are of a special, unique and extraordinary character and that any breach or threatened breach will cause irreparable injury to the Company and that money damages will not provide an adequate remedy to the Company; and (2) to require Executive to account for and pay over to the Company all monetary damages determined by a non-appealable decision by a court of law to have been suffered by the Company as the result of any actions constituting a breach of any of the provisions of Section 4.2 or 4.4, and Executive hereby agrees to account for and pay over such damages to the Company (up to the maximum of all payments made under the Agreement). 4.6. If Executive shall violate any covenant contained in Section 4.4, the duration of such covenant so violated shall be automatically extended for a period of time equal to the period of such violation. 4.7. If any provision of Sections 4.2 or 4.4 is held to be unenforceable because of the scope, duration or area of its applicability, the tribunal making such determination shall not have the power to modify such scope, duration, or area, or all of them and such provision or provisions shall be void ab initio.
Covenant Not to Solicit Employees The Executive agrees not to, directly or indirectly, solicit or employ the services of any officer or employee of the Bank (including an individual who was an officer or employee of the Bank during the one year period following the Executive’s termination) for one year after the Executive’s employment termination.
Confidential Information and Non-Competition 13.1 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that in performing the duties and responsibilities of her employment pursuant to this Agreement, she will occupy a position of high fiduciary trust and confidence with the Corporation, pursuant to which she will develop and acquire wide experience and knowledge with respect to all aspects of the Business carried on by the Corporation and its Related Corporations, and the manner in which such Business is conducted. It is the express intent and agreement of the Executive and the Corporation that such knowledge and experience shall be used solely and exclusively in furtherance of the Business interests of the Corporation and its Related Corporations, and not in any manner detrimental to them. The Executive therefore agrees that, so long as she is engaged by the Corporation pursuant to this Agreement, she shall not engage in any practice or business that competes with the Business of the Corporation or its Related Corporations. It shall not be considered a violation of this Section 13.1 for the Executive to be involved as an investor or shareholder in securities issued by corporations that compete directly or indirectly with the Business, provided that such investment does not constitute more than 5% of the outstanding securities of a business or corporation whose shares trade on a recognized stock exchange. 13.2 The Executive agrees that during the Term, and following the termination of the Executive's employment for any reason, she shall treat confidentially all Confidential Information belonging to the Corporation or its Related Corporations, and shall not use or disclose the Confidential Information to any unauthorized persons, except with the prior express written consent of the Corporation, or otherwise as required by law. 13.3 The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, she will acquire Company Property which is and shall remain the sole and exclusive property of the Corporation. Upon termination of the Executive's employment and this Agreement for any reason, the Executive shall return to the Corporation all Company Property, together with any copies or reproductions thereof, which may have come into the Executive's possession during the course of or pursuant to this Agreement, and shall delete or destroy all computer files on her personal computer which may contain any Confidential Information belonging to the Corporation, or its Related Corporations. 13.4 Notwithstanding the provision of 13.2 and 13.3, the Executive shall be permitted to disclose Confidential Information as required by law, regulation, government body or authority or by court order. 13.5 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Corporation would suffer irreparable harm in the event that any Confidential Information or other knowledge and experience acquired by the Executive in relation to the business of the Corporation were disclosed to a competitor of the Corporation or used for a competitive purpose for a reasonable period of time following the termination of her employment. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that in the event her employment with the Corporation is terminated for Cause by the Corporation, or in the event that the Executive voluntarily resigns her employment with the Corporation, neither she nor any employee or agent of the Executive shall, for a period of three (3) months from the Termination Date: (a) be engaged, either directly or indirectly in any manner including, without limitation, as an officer, director, shareholder, owner, partner, member, joint venturer, employee, independent contractor, consultant, advisor or sales representative, in any business or enterprise which competes with the Business of the Corporation or any Related Corporation, as such business was conducted as of the Termination Date, with the exception that the Executive may be involved as an investor or shareholder in securities issued by corporations that compete directly or indirectly with the Business, provided that such investment does not constitute more than 5% of the outstanding securities of a business or corporation whose shares trade on a recognized stock exchange; (b) solicit, entice or attempt to solicit or entice, either directly or indirectly, any customer or prospective customer of the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date, to become a customer of any business or enterprise which competes with the Corporation or any Related Corporation for any business as such business was conducted by the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date; or (c) solicit or entice, or attempt to solicit or entice, either directly or indirectly, any employee of the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date, to become employed by or connected with any business or enterprise which competes with the Corporation or any Related Corporation for any business as such business was conducted by the Corporation or any Related Corporation as at the Termination Date. The restrictions set out in this Section 13.5 shall apply only within North America or to any business that directly relates to North America. 13.6 The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Corporation will suffer harm in the event that the Executive breaches any of the obligations under this Article 13, and that monetary damages would be difficult to quantify and may be inadequate to compensate the Corporation for such a breach. Accordingly, the Executive agrees that in the event of a breach or a threatened breach by the Executive of any of the provisions of this Article 13, the Corporation shall be entitled to seek, in addition to any other rights, remedies or damages available to the Corporation at law or in equity, an interim and permanent injunction, in order to prevent or restrain any such breach or threatened breach by the Executive. 13.7 The Executive hereby agrees that all restrictions contained in this Article 13 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate proprietary interests of the Corporation, and will not unduly restrict her ability to secure comparable alternative employment following the termination of her employment for any reason. If any covenant or provision of this Article 13 is determined to be void or unenforceable in whole or in part, for any reason, it shall be deemed not to affect or impair the validity of any other covenant or provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect. 13.8 The provisions of this Article 13 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason.
Confidentiality; Non-Disparagement (a) Except to the extent required by law, including SEC disclosure requirements, the Employee agrees that the terms of this Release will be kept confidential by Employee, except that Employee may advise his or her family and confidential advisors. (b) Employee will not at any time knowingly reveal to any person or entity any of the trade secrets or confidential information of the Company or the Company Affiliates or of any third party which the Company is under an obligation to keep confidential (including, but not limited to, trade secrets or confidential information respecting inventions, products, designs, methods, know-how, techniques, systems, processes, software programs, works of authorship, customer lists, projects, plans, and proposals), and Employee shall keep secret all confidential matters relating to the Company or the Company Affiliates and shall not use or attempt to use any such confidential information in any manner which injures or causes loss or may reasonably be calculated to injure or cause loss whether directly or indirectly to the Company or the Company Affiliates. These restrictions contained in this sub-paragraph (b) shall not apply to: (i) information that at the time of disclosure is in the public domain through no fault of Employee; (ii) information received from a third party outside of the Company that was disclosed without a breach of any confidentiality obligation; (iii) information approved for release by written authorization of the Company or the Company Affiliate; or, (iv) information that may be required by law or an order of the court, agency or proceeding to be disclosed; provided, Employee shall provide the Company notice of any such required disclosure once Employee has knowledge of it and will help the Company at the Company’s expense to the extent reasonable to obtain an appropriate protective order. (c) Employee represents that Employee has not taken, used or knowingly permitted to be used any notes, memorandum, reports, lists, records, drawings, sketches, specifications, software programs, data, documentation, or other materials of any nature relating to any matter within the scope of the business of the Company, the Company Affiliates, or their partner companies or concerning any of its dealings or affairs otherwise than for the benefit of the Company or the Company Affiliates. Employee shall not, after his or her termination of employment, use or knowingly permit to be used any such notes, memoranda, reports, lists, records, drawings, sketches, specifications, software programs, data, documentation, or other materials, it being agreed that all of the foregoing shall be and remain the sole and exclusive property of the Company, the Company Affiliate or client of the same, as the case may be, and that immediately upon the effectiveness of Employee’s resignation from employment, Employee shall deliver all of the foregoing, and all copies thereof, to the Company at its main office. (d) In accordance with normal ethical and professional standards, the Company and Employee agree that they shall not in any way engage in any conduct or make any statement that would defame or disparage the other, or make to, or solicit for, the media or others, any comments, statements (whether written or oral), and the like that may be considered to be derogatory or detrimental to the good name or business reputation of either party. It is understood and agreed that the Company’s obligation under this paragraph extends only to the conduct of the Company’s senior officers. The only exception to the foregoing shall be in those circumstances in which Employee or the Company is obligated to provide information in response to an investigation by a duly authorized governmental entity or in connection with legal proceedings.
Confidential Information Noncompetition and Cooperation The terms of the Employee Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation, Confidentiality and Assignment Agreement (the “Restrictive Covenant Agreement”), between the Company and the Employee, attached hereto as Exhibit A, shall continue to be in full force and effect and are incorporated by reference in this Agreement. The Employee hereby reaffirms the terms of the Restrictive Covenant Agreement as material terms of this Agreement.
Confidentiality; Non-Competition (a) Executive agrees that he will not, at any time during or after the Term, make use of or divulge to any other person, firm or corporation any trade or business secret, process, method or means, or any other confidential information concerning the business or policies of the Company, which he may have learned in connection with his employment. For purposes of this Agreement, a "trade or business secret, process, method or means, or any other confidential information" shall mean and include written information reasonably treated as confidential or as a trade secret by the Company. Executive's obligation under this Section 4.3 (a) shall not apply to any information which (i) is known publicly; (ii) is in the public domain or hereafter enters the public domain without the fault of Executive; (iii) is known to Executive prior to his receipt of such information from the Company, as evidenced by written records of Executive or (iv) is hereafter disclosed to Executive by a third party not under an obligation of confidence to the Company. Executive agrees not to remove from the premises of the Company, except as an employee of the Company in pursuit of the business of the Company or except as specifically permitted in writing by the Company, any document or other object containing or reflecting any such confidential information. Executive recognizes that all such documents and objects, whether developed by him or by someone else, will be the sole exclusive property of the Company. Upon termination of his employment hereunder, Executive shall forthwith deliver to the Company all such confidential information, including without limitation all lists of customers, correspondence, accounts, records and any other documents or property made or held by him or under his control in relation to the business or affairs of the Company, and no copy of any such confidential information shall be retained by him. (b) If Executive's employment is terminated for any reason other than for Cause, Executive shall not for a period of one year from the date of such termination, directly or indirectly, whether as an employee, consultant, independent contractor, partner, or joint venturer, (i) perform any services for a competitor which has material operations which directly compete with the Company in the sale of any products sold by the Company at the time of the termination of Executive's employment; (ii) solicit or induce, or in any manner attempt to solicit or induce, any person employed by, or as agent of, the Company to terminate such person's contract of employment or agency, as the case may be, with the Company or (iii) divert, or attempt to divert, any person, concern, or entity from doing business with the Company, nor will he attempt to induce any such person, concern or entity to cease being a customer or supplier of the Company. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Section 4.3(b) shall not prevent Executive from acquiring securities representing not more than 5% of the outstanding voting securities of any publicly held corporation.
Loyalty; Noncompetition (a) During the period of his employment hereunder and except for illnesses, reasonable vacation periods, and reasonable leaves of absence, the Executive shall devote substantially all his full business time, attention, skill, and efforts to the faithful performance of his duties hereunder; provided, however, from time to time, Executive may serve on the boards of directors of, and hold any other offices or positions in, companies or organizations, at the request of the Company or which will not present, in the opinion of the Board, any conflict of interest with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, nor unfavorably affect the performance of Executive’s duties pursuant to this Agreement, nor violate any applicable statute or regulation. “Full business time” is hereby defined as that amount of time usually devoted to like companies by similarly situated executive officers. During the Term of his employment under this Agreement, the Executive shall not engage in any business or activity contrary to the business affairs or interests of the Company. (b) Nothing contained in this Paragraph 7 shall be deemed to prevent or limit the Executive’s right to invest in the capital stock or other securities of any business dissimilar from that of the Company or, solely as a passive or minority investor, in any business.
Non-Solicitation; Non-Disparagement Executive shall not for a period of one (1) year following Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, either on Executive’s own account or jointly with or as a manager, agent, officer, employee, consultant, partner, joint venturer, owner or shareholder or otherwise on behalf of any other person, firm or corporation, directly or indirectly solicit or attempt to solicit away from the Company any of its officers or employees or offer employment to any person who is an officer or employee of the Company; provided, however, that a general advertisement to which an employee of the Company responds shall in no event be deemed to result in a breach of this Section 11(b). Executive also agrees not to harass or disparage the Company or its employees, clients, directors or agents.
Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation; Non-Disparagement (a) The Company shall provide Employee access to Confidential Information for use only during the Employment Period, and Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Company Group will be entrusting Employee, in Employee’s unique and special capacity, with developing the goodwill of the Company Group, and as an express incentive for the Company to enter into this Agreement and employ Employee hereunder, Employee has voluntarily agreed to the covenants set forth in this Section 10. Employee agrees and acknowledges that the limitations and restrictions set forth herein, including geographical and temporal restrictions on certain competitive activities, are reasonable in scope and purpose in all respects, do not interfere with public interests, will not cause Employee undue hardship, and are material and substantial parts of this Agreement intended and necessary to prevent unfair competition and to protect the Company Group’s Confidential Information, goodwill and legitimate business interests. (b) During the Prohibited Period, Employee shall not, without the prior written approval of the Board, directly or indirectly, for Employee or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person or entity of any nature: (i) engage in or participate within the Market Area in competition with any member of the Company Group in any aspect of the Business, including by directly or indirectly: (A) owning, managing, operating, or being an officer or director of, any business that competes with any member of the Company Group in the Market Area, or (B) joining, becoming an employee or consultant of, or otherwise being affiliated with, any person or entity engaged in, or planning to engage in, the Business in the Market Area in competition, or anticipated competition, with any member of the Company Group in any capacity (with respect to this clause (B)) in which Employee’s duties or responsibilities are the same as or similar to the duties or responsibilities that Employee had on behalf of any member of the Company Group; (ii) appropriate any Business Opportunity of, or relating to, any member of the Company Group located in the Market Area; (iii) solicit, canvass, approach, encourage, entice or induce any customer or supplier of any member of the Company Group to cease or lessen such customer’s or supplier’s business with any member of the Company Group; or (iv) solicit, canvass, approach, encourage, entice or induce any employee or contractor of any member of the Company Group to terminate his, her or its employment or engagement with any member of the Company Group. (c) Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to the Company Group as a result of a breach or threatened breach of the covenants set forth in Section 9 and in this Section 10, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that would be caused to the members of the Company Group for which they would have no other adequate remedy, the Company and each other member of the Company Group shall be entitled to enforce the foregoing covenants, in the event of a breach or threatened breach, by injunctions and restraining orders from any court of competent jurisdiction, without the necessity of showing any actual damages or that money damages would not afford an adequate remedy, and without the necessity of posting any bond or other security. The aforementioned equitable relief shall not be the Company’s or any other member of the Company Group’s exclusive remedy for a breach but instead shall be in addition to all other rights and remedies available to the Company and each other member of the Company Group at law and equity. (d) The covenants in this Section 10, and each provision and portion hereof, are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant (or portion thereof) shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant (or portion thereof). Moreover, in the event any arbitrator or court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that the scope, time or territorial restrictions set forth are unreasonable, then it is the intention of the parties that such restrictions be enforced to the fullest extent which such arbitrator or court deems reasonable, and this Agreement shall thereby be reformed. (e) The following terms shall have the following meanings:
Confidentiality/Trade Secrets Executive specifically agrees that Executive will not at any time, whether during or subsequent to the Term, in any fashion, form or manner, except in furtherance of Executive’s duties at the Company or with the specific written consent of the Company, either directly or indirectly use, divulge, disclose or communicate to any person in any manner whatsoever, any confidential information or trade secrets of any kind, nature or description concerning any matters affecting or relating to the business of the Company (the “Proprietary Information”), including (a) all information, design or software programs (including object codes and source codes), techniques, drawings, plans, experimental and research work, inventions, patterns, processes and know-how, whether or not patentable, and whether or not at a commercial stage related to the Company or any subsidiary thereof, (b) buying habits or practices of any of its customers or vendors, (c) the Company’s marketing methods, sales activities, promotion, credit and financial data and related information, (d) the Company’s costs or sources of materials, (e) the prices it obtains or has obtained or at which it sells or has sold its products or services, (f) lists or other written records used in the Company’s business, (g) compensation paid to employees and other terms of employment, or (h) any other confidential information of, about or concerning the business of the Company, its manner of operation, or other confidential data of any kind, nature, or description (excluding any information that is or becomes publicly known or available for use through no fault of Executive or as directed by court order). The Parties hereto stipulate that as between them, Proprietary Information constitutes trade secrets that derive independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to the public or to other persons who can obtain economic value or cause economic harm to the Company from its disclosure or use and that Proprietary Information is the subject of efforts which are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy and of which this Section 8 is an example, and that any breach of this Section 8 shall be a material breach of this Agreement. All Proprietary Information shall be and remain the Company’s sole property.
