Non-Competition Obligations (a) Executive acknowledges and agrees that as an employee and representative of the Company, Executive will be responsible for building and maintaining business relationships and goodwill with current and future operating partners, investors, partners and prospects on a personal level. Executive acknowledges and agrees that this responsibility creates a special relationship of trust and confidence between the Company, Executive and these persons or entities. Executive also acknowledges that this creates a high risk and opportunity for Executive to misappropriate these relationships and the goodwill existing between the Company and such persons. Executive acknowledges and agrees that it is fair and reasonable for the Company to take steps to protect itself from the risk of such misappropriation.
(b) Executive acknowledges and agrees that, in exchange for his agreement in SECTION 2.03(c) below, he will receive substantial, valuable consideration from the Company upon the execution of this Agreement and during the course of this Agreement, including, (i) Confidential Information and access to Confidential Information, (ii) compensation and other benefits and (c) access to the Company’s prospects.
(c) During the Non-Compete Term and provided that the Company has made all severance payments provided for herein (to the extent applicable), Executive will not, directly or indirectly, provide the same or substantially the same services that he provides to the Company to any Business Enterprise in the Market Area (as defined below) without prior written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld. This includes working as an agent, consultant, employee, officer, director, partner or independent contractor or being a shareholder, member, joint venturer or equity owner in, any such Business Enterprise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the foregoing shall not restrict Executive from holding up to 5% of the voting power or equity of one or more Business Enterprises.
(d) For purposes of hereof:
NON-COMPETITION AND NON-DISCLOSURE (a) Upon any termination of Executive's employment hereunder pursuant to Section 4 hereof, Executive agrees not to compete with the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries for a period of one (1) year following such termination in any city, town or county in which the Executive's normal business office is located and the Holding Company or any of its Subsidiaries has an office or has filed an application for regulatory approval to establish an office, determined as of the effective date of such termination, except as agreed to pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board. Executive agrees that during such period and within said cities, towns and counties, Executive shall not work for or advise, consult or otherwise serve with, directly or indirectly, any entity whose business materially competes with the depository, lending or other business activities of the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries. The parties hereto, recognizing that irreparable injury will result to the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries, its business and property in the event of Executive's breach of this Subsection 10(a) agree that in the event of any such breach by Executive, the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries, will be entitled, in addition to any other remedies and damages available, to an injunction to restrain the violation hereof by Executive, Executive's partners, agents, servants, employees and all persons acting for or under the direction of Executive. Executive represents and admits that in the event of the termination of his employment pursuant to Section 7 hereof, Executive's experience and capabilities are such that Executive can obtain employment in a business engaged in other lines and/or of a different nature than the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries, and that the enforcement of a remedy by way of injunction will not prevent Executive from earning a livelihood. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries from pursuing any other remedies available to the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from Executive.
(b) Executive recognizes and acknowledges that the knowledge of the business activities and plans for business activities of the Holding Company and its Subsidiaries as it may exist from time to time, is a valuable, special and unique asset of the business of the Holding Company and its Subsidiaries. Executive will not, during or after the term of his employment, disclose any knowledge of the past, present, planned or considered business activities of the Holding Company and its Subsidiaries thereof to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever unless expressly authorized by the Board of Directors or required by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may disclose any knowledge of banking, financial and/or economic principles, concepts or ideas which are not solely and exclusively derived from the business plans and activities of the Holding Company. In the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Executive of the provisions of this Section, the Holding Company will be entitled to an injunction restraining Executive from disclosing, in whole or in part, the knowledge of the past, present, planned or considered business activities of the Holding Company or its Subsidiaries or from rendering any services to any person, firm, corporation, other entity to whom such knowledge, in whole or in part, has been disclosed or is threatened to be disclosed. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Holding Company from pursuing any other remedies available to the Holding Company for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of damages from Executive.
NON-COMPETITION CLAUSE The parties agree that during the term of employment and for a period of up to 12 months after the expiry of the agreed notice period (such 12-month period referred to as the "Restricted Period"), the Executive shall not be entitled to be employed by, directly or indirectly offer services to, start up, lead, be a board member in, have an ownership interest in, participate in or otherwise in any way engage in any business that directly or indirectly competes with the Company or the Group (the "Non-Competition Clause"). In case of summary dismissal, the Restricted Period commences on the date of the summary dismissal. The Company may at the request of the Executive, or at any other time, decide if and to what extent the Non-Competition Clause shall be invoked. The procedure in connection with such a decision shall comply with the mandatory provisions of Chapter 14 A in the WEA including the Company's obligation to provide the Executive with a written statement in this regards. If the Restricted Period is invoked for a shorter period of time, the Compensation to the Executive (see below) is reduced correspondingly. Should the Employer decide not to invoke the Non-Competition Clause, the Executive will not be entitled to such Compensation. If the Non-Competition Clause is invoked, the Executive shall receive compensation during the Restrictive Period equivalent to 100% of the Executive's annual remuneration up to 8 G ("G" means the Basic Amount in the National Insurance Scheme), and then, if applicable, 70% of the annual remuneration exceeding 8G ("Compensation"). The term "remuneration" is to be understood in line with Chapter 14 A in the WEA. The total amount of Compensation will not exceed 12 G. The Compensation is based on the Executive's remuneration the last 12 months preceding the time of the notice and is paid monthly on the Company's payroll date. The Compensation is not included in the basis for holiday pay or pension, and the Executive is not entitled to any bonus or other supplementary benefits from the Company during the period for payment of the Compensation. The Employer will carry out tax deduction and any other mandatory deductions in accordance with applicable law. The Compensation is paid monthly on the Company's payroll date. Deductions shall be made in the Compensation for any income or other remuneration (or similar) that the Executive receives from the Company or accrues from others in the Restricted Period limited to 50% of the Compensation. The Executive shall provide adequate information about the salary from any new employer during the application of the obligations set out herein. If the Executive does not comply with this requirement, the Company may withhold the Compensation until such information is received.
Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation and Non-Disparagement (a) During the Term, the Executive shall not (1) provide any services, directly or indirectly, to any other business or commercial entity without the consent of the Board or (2) participate in the formation of any business or commercial entity without the consent of the Board; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 5(a) shall be deemed to prohibit the Executive from acquiring, solely as an investment, shares of capital stock (or other interests) of any corporation (or other entity) not exceeding two percent (2%) of such corporation’s (or other entity’s) then-outstanding shares of capital stock (or other interests).
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Company for Cause (as defined in Section 6(c)) or if the Executive terminates this Agreement other than in accordance with Section 7 or 8 hereof, or if the Executive is receiving Severance Payments in accordance with Section 9(c) or payments under Section 9(d), then for a period of one (1) year following the date of termination the Executive shall not (1) provide any services, directly or indirectly, to any other business or commercial entity in the Company’s Field of Interest (as defined in Section 12), (2) solicit any customers or suppliers of the Company, (3) attempt to persuade or encourage customers or suppliers of the Company not to do business with the Company and/or to do business with a competitor of the Company, (4) participate in the formation of any business or commercial entity engaged primarily in the Company’s Field of Interest, or (5) directly or indirectly employ, or seek to employ or secure the services in any capacity of, any person employed at that time by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or otherwise encourage or entice any such person to leave such employment; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 5(b) shall be deemed to prohibit the Executive from acquiring, solely as an investment, shares of capital stock (or other interests) of any corporation (or other entity) in the Company’s Field of Interest not exceeding two percent (2%) of such corporation’s (or other entity’s) then outstanding shares of capital stock (or other interests). This Section 5(b) shall be subject to written waivers, which may be obtained by the Executive from the Company.
(c) At no time during the Term of this Agreement or thereafter will the Executive knowingly make any written or oral untrue statement or any statement that disparages the Company or its Affiliates or will the Company knowingly make any written or oral untrue statement or any statement that disparages the Executive.
(d) If the Executive commits a breach, or threatens to commit a breach, of any of the provisions of this Section 5, the Company shall have the right and remedy to have the provisions of this Agreement, as the case may be, specifically enforced by any court having equity jurisdiction, it being acknowledged and agreed that any such breach or threatened breach will cause irreparable injury to the Company and that money damages will not provide an adequate remedy to the Company.
(e) If any of the covenants contained in this Section 5 or any part hereof or thereof, is hereafter construed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable by a court or regulatory agency or tribunal of competent jurisdiction, such court, agency or tribunal shall have the power, and hereby is directed, to substitute for or limit such provision(s) in order as closely as possible to effectuate the original intent of the parties with respect to such invalid, illegal or unenforceable covenant(s) generally and so to enforce such substituted covenant(s). Subject to the foregoing, the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any one or more of the covenants contained in this Section 5 shall not affect the validity of any other provision hereof, which shall be given full effect without regard to the invalid portions.
(f) If any of the covenants contained in this Section 5, or any part hereof or thereof, is held to be unenforceable because of the duration of such provision, the area covered thereby or the extent thereof, the parties agree that the tribunal making such determination shall have the power, and hereby is directed, to reduce the duration, area and/or extent of such provision and, in its reduced form, such provision shall then be enforceable.
(g) Anything else contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the parties hereto intend to and hereby do confer jurisdiction to enforce the covenants contained in this Section 5 A upon the courts of any state within the geographical scope of such covenants. In the event that the courts of any one or more of such states shall hold any such covenant wholly unenforceable by reason of the breadth of such scope or otherwise, it is the intention of the parties hereto that such determination not bar or in any way affect the Company’s right to the relief provided above in the courts of any other state within the geographical scope of such other covenants, as to breaches of such covenants in such other jurisdictions, the above covenants as they relate to each state being, for this purpose, severable into diverse and independent covenants.
Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Covenants a. The Executive acknowledges that i) he will be employed as a high-level employee in an executive and managerial capacity; ii) his employment with the Company gives him access to confidential and proprietary information concerning the Company; iii) his prior employment with South West gave him access to confidential and proprietary information concerning South West; iv) the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 6 (the "Covenants") are essential to protect the business of the Company and to protect the Company's investment in South West; and v) the Executive is to receive consideration pursuant to this Agreement and the Merger Agreement.
b. During the period of the Executive's employment, the Executive agrees that he will not, on behalf of anyone other than the Company, engage in any managerial, executive, sales, or marketing activities related to any business in which the Company is or becomes engaged during the Executive's employment. The Executive acknowledges the competitive nature of the business and the extensive geographic markets served by the Company. The Executive acknowledges that because of his position with the Company his duties will require him to perform, supervise, or assist in performing work throughout the markets served by the Company. The Executive further acknowledges that because of his position with the Company and the broad scope of his duties, he will be in a position to cause substantial harm to the Company were he to compete in the business of the Company or any other business in which the Company is or becomes engaged during Executive's employment in the Company's markets. Given the broad scope of Executive's duties, he acknowledges that the geographic scope of the covenants in this paragraph shall be limited to the continental United States.
c. Should the Executive (i) be terminated with or without cause following the first 90 days of this Agreement, or (ii) resign from his employment or otherwise terminate this Agreement at any time, he agrees that for a twelve (12) month period following the termination of his employment with the Company, the Executive shall not hire or solicit any employee of the Company employed at the time of his termination, or encourage any such employee to leave such employment.
d. If the Executive commits a material breach of, the Covenants, the Company shall have the rights and remedy (in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other rights and remedies available to the Company at law or in equity) to seek injunctive relief, including permanent injunctions; (ii) to have the Covenants specifically enforced by any court of competent jurisdiction (it being agreed that any breach or threatened breach of the Covenants would cause irreparable injury to the Company and that money damages would not provide an adequate remedy to the Company; and (iii) to cease any severance payments or benefits which the Executive or his eligible dependents may otherwise be due.
e. The Executive agrees that the Covenants are necessary for the reasonable and proper protection of the Company and that the Covenants are reasonable in respect of subject matter, length of time, and geographic scope. The Executive further acknowledges that the Covenants will not unreasonably restrict him from earning a livelihood following the termination of his employment with the Company.
f. If any court of competent jurisdiction determines that the Covenants, or any part thereof, are invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the Covenants shall not thereby be affected and shall be given full effect, without regard to the invalid portions. In such event, the court shall have the power (and the parties hereto request the court) to reduce or modify the duration or scope, or any other unenforceable aspect of such provision, as the case may be, and, in its reduced or modified form, enforce such provision to the maximum extent permissible.
g. The provisions of this Section 6 so far as they relate to the period after the end of the term of this Agreement shall continue to have effect and shall operate as a separate agreement between the Company and the Executive; provided, however, that the provisions of Section 6 (b) shall terminate.
Confidentiality, Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Employee agrees, as a condition to Employee’s employment with the Company, to execute the Company’s standard form of Employee Non-Disclosure, Invention Release and Non-Competition Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Proprietary Information Obligations You acknowledge your continuing obligations under your Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
Non Competition and Non Interference During the period of his employment with the Company or its affiliates and for the one-year period after the termination of his employment with the Company and its affiliates, Employee will not, directly or indirectly:
1. without the express prior written consent of the Board of Directors, own an interest in, manage, operate, join, control, lend money or render financial or other assistance to or participate in or be connected with, as an officer, employee, partner, stockholder, consultant or otherwise, any person that competes with the Company in the field of neurostimulation in a matter covered by a patent assigned to or held by the Company; provided, however, that following Employee's termination of employment with the Company the foregoing restriction shall apply only to those areas where the Company is actually doing business on the date of such termination of employment; provided, further, that Employee may purchase or otherwise acquire for passive investment up to 3% of any class of securities of any such enterprise if such securities are listed on any national or regional securities exchange or have been registered under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
2. whether for Employee's own account or for the account of any other person, (except for the account of the Company and its affiliates), solicit Business from any person known by Employee to be a customer of the Company or its affiliates, whether or not Employee had personal contact with such person during Employee's employment with the Company and its affiliates;
3. whether for Employee's own account or the account of any other person, (i) solicit, employ, or otherwise engage as an employee, independent contractor, or otherwise, any person who is an employee of the Company or an affiliate, or in any manner induce, or attempt to induce, any employee of the Company or its affiliate to terminate his employment with the Company or its affiliate; or (ii) interfere with the Company's or its affiliate's relationship with any person who at any time during the Term, was an employee, contractor, supplier, or customer of the Company or its affiliate; or
4. at any time after the termination of his employment, disparage the Company or its affiliates or any shareholders, directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or any of its affiliates, so long as the Company does not disparage Employee.
Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation During the Executive’s employment with the Bank and for the period that the Executive is entitled to receive severance under Section 4(b), the Executive (i) will not, directly or indirectly, whether as owner, partner, shareholder, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest in any Competing Business (as hereinafter defined); (ii) will refrain from directly or indirectly employing, attempting to employ, recruiting or otherwise soliciting, inducing or influencing any person to leave employment with the Corporations (other than terminations of employment of subordinate employees undertaken in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Bank); and (iii) will refrain from soliciting or encouraging any customer or supplier to terminate or otherwise modify adversely its business relationship with the Corporations. The Executive understands that the restrictions set forth in this Section 7(d) are intended to protect the Corporations’ interest in their Confidential Information and established employee, customer and supplier relationships and goodwill, and agrees that such restrictions are reasonable and appropriate for this purpose. If the Executive chooses not to be bound by the provision of this Section 7(d), then no severance shall be payable under Section 4(b). For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Competing Business” shall mean any financial institution with an office within a 50-mile radius of any office of the Corporations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) the Executive may own up to one percent (1%) of the outstanding stock of a publicly held corporation which constitutes or is affiliated with a Competing Business, and (2) the provision of this Section 7(d) shall not apply if the Executive’s employment is terminated within two (2) years after a Change in Control of either the Bank or the Corporation. A “Change in Control” of either the Bank or the Corporation shall be deemed to occur upon the consummation of (i) any consolidation or merger of the Bank or the Corporation or other transaction where the shareholders of the Bank or the Corporation, immediately prior to the consolidation, merger or other transaction, would not, immediately after the consolidation, merger or other transaction, beneficially own (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, shares representing in the aggregate more than 50 percent of the voting shares of the entity issuing cash or securities in the consolidation, merger or other transaction, or (ii) any sale or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of transactions contemplated by or arranged by any party as a single plan) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Bank or Corporation.
Confidentiality and Non-Competition To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer that could reasonably be expected to materially affect his ability to be and act in his respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
