GLOBAL GAS CORPORATION INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.14
GLOBAL GAS CORPORATION
INDEMNIFICATION
AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of December 21, 2023, and is between Global Gas Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [_] (“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS, Indemnitee’s service to the Company substantially benefits the Company;
WHEREAS, individuals are reluctant to serve as directors or officers of corporations or in certain other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or indemnification against the risks of claims and actions against them arising out of such service;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The bylaws and certificate of incorporation of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”). The bylaws and certificate of incorporation and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
WHEREAS, Xxxxxxxxxx does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the Company’s governing documents and any insurance as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as a director or officer without additional protection;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to contractually obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee as permitted by applicable law; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and this Agreement shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor shall this Agreement be deemed to limit, diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. However, to the extent that the provisions of this Agreement confer on Indemnitee broader rights to indemnification and advancement of Expenses (as that term is defined below) than are provided for in the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, the provisions of this Agreement shall control.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and the parties do hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
| (a) | “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise. |
| (b) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (c) | “Change in Control” means a transaction other than a bona fide equity financing or series of financings in which any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of a sufficient number of shares of all classes of stock then outstanding of the Company ordinarily entitled to vote in the election of directors, empowering such “person” or “group” to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company, who did not have such power before such transaction. |
| (d) | “Expenses” include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees and costs of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also include: (i) expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or other appeal bond or their equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 11(c) of this Agreement, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member) of such a law firm, selected by Indemnitee that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to indemnification matters) or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
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| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, formal or informal government or self-regulatory agency investigation or inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, in which Indemnitee was, is or is threatened to be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, by reason of any action taken, or failure to act, by Indemnitee or of any action taken, or failure to take action, on the Indemnitee’s part while acting as director or officer of the Company or by reason the Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or any advance of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; provided, however, that the term “Proceeding” shall not include any action, suit or arbitration initiated by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. |
2. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
| (a) | Reference to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement. |
3. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 3 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
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4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. To the extent that Indemnitee is a party to or a participant in and is successful (on the merits or otherwise) in defense of any Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of this Section 4, the term “successful” shall include, but not be limited to, (i) any termination, withdrawal or dismissal (with or without prejudice) of such Proceeding without any express finding of liability or guilt against Indemnitee, (ii) the expiration of 120 days after the making of such Proceeding without the institution of the same and without any promise or payment made to induce a settlement or (iii) the settlement of such Proceeding pursuant to which the Indemnitee pays less than $10,000 irrespective of whether other parties make payments which may be deemed to be on behalf of Indemnitee.
5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. To the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
6. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):
| (a) | for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to (i) any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision or (ii) any insurance policy to the extent paid for the by the Indemnitee or any increase in premiums resulting from the amount paid under such policy; |
| (b) | for an accounting, disgorgement or return of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements); |
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| (c) | for any claim, issue or matter initiated or brought by Indemnitee, except (i) with respect to counterclaims or affirmative defenses or to actions or proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to receive Expenses or indemnification under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company now or hereafter in effect relating to indemnification or (ii) if the Board has approved the initiation or bringing of such claim; |
| (d) | for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act), if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements); |
| (e) | initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law, (iii) otherwise authorized in Section 11(c) of this Agreement or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law; |
| (f) | if prohibited by applicable law; or |
| (g) | for any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have (i) entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or (ii) received a final, unappealable judgment or verdict of guilty or its equivalent in any criminal proceeding. |
7. Advances of Expenses. The Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such advancement shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days, after the receipt by the Company of a written statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditure made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice). Advances shall be unsecured and interest free and made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay such advances. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay any advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. This Section 7 shall not apply to the extent advancement is prohibited by law and shall not apply to any Proceeding for which indemnity is not permitted under this Agreement but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 6(b) or 6(d) of this Agreement prior to a determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
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8. Procedures for Notification and Defense of Claim.
| (a) | Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include, in reasonable detail, a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights, except to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company. |
| (b) | If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a Proceeding pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of the Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all commercially reasonable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. |
| (c) | In the event the Company may be obligated to make any indemnity in connection with a Proceeding, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Xxxxxxxxxx and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee for any fees or expenses of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding. Notwithstanding the Company’s assumption of the defense of any such Proceeding, the Company shall be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel to the extent (i) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee is authorized by the Company, (ii) counsel for the Company or Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense such that Indemnitee needs to be separately represented, (iii) the fees and expenses are non-duplicative and reasonably incurred in connection with Indemnitee’s role in the Proceeding despite the Company’s assumption of the defense, (iv) the Company is not financially or legally able to perform its indemnification obligations or (v) the Company shall not have retained, or shall not continue to retain, such counsel to defend such Proceeding. The Company shall have the right to conduct such defense as it sees fit in its sole discretion. Regardless of any provision in this Agreement, Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in any Proceeding at Indemnitee’s personal expense. The Company shall not be entitled, without the consent of Indemnitee, to assume the defense of any claim brought by or in the right of the Company. |
| (d) | Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation in connection with the Proceeding as may be reasonably appropriate. |
| (e) | The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee for any settlement of any Proceeding (or any part thereof) without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. |
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9. Procedures upon Application for Indemnification; Any Repayment of Advances After Disposition of a Proceeding.
| (a) | The Company shall not settle any Proceeding (or any part thereof) without Indemnitee’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. |
| (b) | To obtain indemnification, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and as is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Proceeding. The Company shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. Any delay in providing the request will not relieve the Company from its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent such failure is prejudicial. |
| (c) | Promptly following the disposition of a Proceeding, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification and to retain any advances given to Indemnitee shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, by majority vote of the directors who are neither parties, nor threatened to be made parties, to any Proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum (in either case, the “Disinterested Directors”) or, if there are no Disinterested Directors, by Independent Counsel. |
| (d) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel, Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board if a Change in Control shall not have occurred or, if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Indemnitee. The Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may within ten (10) days after written notice of such selection, deliver to the Company or the Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a) of this Agreement and the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or the Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Indemnitee or the Company to the selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing). |
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10. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
| (a) | If it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel, as applicable, making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel, as applicable, upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information that is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel, as applicable, shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (b) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel, as applicable, making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification. Neither the failure of the Company nor of the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel, as applicable, to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any advance or indemnification action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company or by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel, as applicable, that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense available to the Company to the advance or indemnification action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct necessary to obtain an advance or indemnification. |
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| (c) | The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere other than to a felony, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Xxxxxxxxxx had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. |
| (d) | For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith to the extent Indemnitee relied in good faith on (i) the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, (ii) information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, (iii) the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or its board of directors or counsel selected by any committee of the board of directors or (iv) information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant, an appraiser, investment banker or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise or its board of directors or any committee of the board of directors. The provisions of this Section 10(c) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement. |
11. Remedies of Indemnitee.
| (a) | Neither the knowledge, actions nor failure to act of any other director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. |
| (b) | Subject to Section 11(f) in the event that (i) a determination is made by the Disinterested Directors (and for the avoidance of doubt, not by Independent Counsel) pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 11(c) of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after the later of the receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification or the final disposition of the Proceeding, (iv) payment of indemnification pursuant to this Agreement is not made (A) within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or (B) with respect to indemnification pursuant to Sections 4, 5 and 11(c) of this Agreement, within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor or (v) the Company or any other person or entity takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 11(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his or her rights under Section 4 of this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration in accordance with this Agreement. |
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| (c) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11, the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (d) | To the extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses that are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to the extent Indemnitee is successful in such action and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than sixty (60) days, after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance such Expenses to Indemnitee. |
| (e) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law. |
| (f) | The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or any advancement of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company only if Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be, in the suit for which indemnification or an advance is being sought. |
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| (g) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding, including any appeal therein. |
12. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amounts incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events and transactions giving rise to such Proceeding and (ii) the relative fault of Indemnitee and the Company (and its other directors, officers, employees and agents) in connection with such events and transactions. The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any action, suit or proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
13. Non-exclusivity. The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors or otherwise. No supplement, modification, alteration, waiver, repeal or amendment of this Agreement or any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such supplement, modification, alteration, waiver, repeal or amendment. To the extent that after the date of this Agreement a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change, subject to the restrictions expressly set forth herein or therein. Except as expressly set forth herein, no right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. Except as expressly set forth herein, the assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
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14. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment for such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
15. Insurance. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, trustees, general partners, managing members, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company or any other Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies to the same extent as the most favorably-insured persons under such policy or policies in a comparable position.
16. Subrogation. In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
| (a) | The Company shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to (a) maintain an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise and (b) to provide that until at least the sixth (6th) anniversary of the date of expiration of the Indemnitee’s period of service with the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. |
17. Duration. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of any other Enterprise, as applicable; or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding, including any appeal, then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement relating thereto.
18. Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns, including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. The indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken while serving in Corporate Status even though Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any Proceeding.
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19. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation of applicable law. The Company’s inability, pursuant to court order or other applicable law, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (ii) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto and (iii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
20. Enforcement. The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company.
21. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and applicable law.
22. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, alteration, waiver, repeal or amendment of this Agreement or any provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties thereto. No supplement, modification, alteration, waiver, repeal or amendment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall adversely affect, limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such supplement, modification, alteration, waiver, repeal or amendment. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall constitute or be deemed a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
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23. Notices. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, sent by facsimile or electronic mail or otherwise delivered by hand, messenger or courier service addressed:
| (a) | if to Indemnitee, to Indemnitee’s address, facsimile number or electronic mail address as shown on the signature page of this Agreement or in the Company’s records, as may be updated in accordance with the provisions hereof; or |
| (b) | if to the Company, to the attention of the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer of the Company at the address as shown on the signature page of this Agreement, or at such other current address as the Company shall have furnished to Indemnitee, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Xxxx Xxxxx at Xxxxxx Xxxxxx LLP at xxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx. |
Each such notice or other communication shall for all purposes of this Agreement be treated as effective or having been given (i) if delivered by hand, messenger or courier service, when delivered (or if sent via a nationally-recognized overnight courier service, freight prepaid, specifying next-business-day delivery, one business day after deposit with the courier), (ii) if sent via mail, at the earlier of its receipt or five (5) days after the same has been deposited in a regularly-maintained receptacle for the deposit of the United States mail, addressed and mailed as aforesaid, or (iii) if sent via facsimile, upon confirmation of facsimile transfer or, if sent via electronic mail, upon confirmation of delivery when directed to the relevant electronic mail address, if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, or if not sent during normal business hours of the recipient, then on the recipient’s next business day.
24. Internal Revenue Code 409A. The Company intends for this Agreement to comply with the indemnification exception under Section 1.409A-1(b)(10) of the regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which provides that indemnification of, or the purchase of an insurance policy providing for payments of, all or part of the expenses incurred or damages paid or payable by Indemnitee with respect to a bona fide claim against Indemnitee or the Company do not provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Code, where such claim is based on actions or failures to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a service provider of the Company. The parties intend that this Agreement be interpreted and construed with such intent.
25. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10(b) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court of Chancery, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, The Corporation Trust Company, Wilmington, Delaware as its agent in the State of Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court of Chancery has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
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26. Counterparts and Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile signature, electronic mail (including, without limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign) or other transmission method, and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement. The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper- based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
27. Captions. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
(signature page follows)
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The parties are signing this Indemnification Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
| GLOBAL GAS CORPORATION | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Address: | ||
| INDEMNITEE: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Address: | ||
[Signature page to Indemnification Agreement]
