EXHIBIT A IRREVOCABLE PROXY AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT A
AGREEMENT, dated as of May 3, 2018 (this “Agreement”), among Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, an individual resident of the State of Florida (“Franklin”), and Berggruen Holdings Ltd., a British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) business company (“BHL”) owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Charitable Trust, a BVI trust.
WHEREAS, BHL beneficially owns (i) 12,028,740 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) of Platform Specialty Products Corporation, a Delaware corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“Platform”) and (ii) 893,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock of Platform (the “Preferred Stock”) that are convertible into the same number of shares of Common Stock at any time at the option of the holder ((i) and (ii) above and any shares of Common Stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable for Common Stock acquired by BHL (or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries) after the date of this Agreement, being referred to collectively as the “Berggruen Shares”).
WHEREAS, BHL has agreed to irrevocably grant to and appoint Franklin, and any individual(s) designated in writing by Franklin, as proxy and attorney-in-fact (with full power of substitution), for and in their name, place, and xxxxx, to vote all of the Berggruen Shares at any meeting of the Platform stockholders or to otherwise consent to any corporate or shareholder action for so long as Franklin serves as director on the Board of Directors of Platform (the “Proxy Term”).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
GRANT OF PROXY
Section 1.1. Irrevocable Proxy. BHL hereby irrevocably and unconditionally, to the fullest extent permitted by law (but only during the Proxy Term), appoints Franklin as its sole and exclusive attorney-in-fact and proxy, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, to vote and exercise during the Proxy Term (but only during the Proxy Term), in a manner Xxxxxxxx xxxxx in his sole and absolute discretion appropriate, all voting, consent and similar rights (to the full extent that BHL would be entitled to so vote and exercise them, and including, without limitation, the power to execute and deliver written consents) at every annual, special or adjourned meeting of holders of any security issued by Platform and in every written consent in lieu of such a meeting, with respect to any and all Berggruen Shares on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. Upon the execution of this Agreement, any and all prior proxies given by BHL with respect to the Berggruen Shares are hereby revoked and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, BHL agrees not to grant during the Proxy Term any subsequent proxies with respect to the Berggruen Shares if and to the extent inconsistent with this Section 1.1.
This Proxy shall continue in full force and effect until the expiration of the Proxy Term and BHL hereby waives any and all right to cancel this Proxy at any time during the time period described herein.
BHL further acknowledges and agrees that, until the expiration of the Proxy Term, the Proxy granted in this Section 1.1 shall extend to any shares of Common Stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable for Common Stock acquired by BHL (or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries) after the date of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 2.1. Amendments. Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed, in the case of an amendment, by each party to this Agreement or in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom the waiver is to be effective.
Section 2.2. Expenses. All costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.
Section 2.3. Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided that no party may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other parties hereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the parties hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any rights, benefits or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
Section 2.4. Governing Law. This Agreement and all other matters related to or arising from this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
Section 2.5. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement shall become effective when each party hereto shall have received counterparts hereof signed by all of the other parties hereto.
Section 2.6. Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provisions is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the fullest extent possible.
Section 2.7. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by facsimile, by electronic mail or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
if to Franklin:
x/x Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, LLC
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
if to BHL:
c/o Berggruen Holdings Inc.
000 X. Xxxxxxxx, #000
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Section 2.8. Interpretation. When reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The word “or” shall not be exclusive. The words “beneficial ownership” and “owned beneficially” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall be deemed to mean “beneficial ownership” as defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting or causing any instrument to be drafted.
Section 2.9. Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement, this being in addition to any other remedy to which such party is entitled at law or in equity.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
| /S/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX |
| Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
| BERGGRUEN HOLDINGS LTD. | ||
| By: | /S/ XXXXXX XXXXXXX | |
| Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Director | |
