EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
This Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of September 5, 2023 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Xilio Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (the “Executive”) (together, the “Parties”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive are party to an offer letter dated March 15, 2023 (the “Existing Offer Letter”), and the Parties now desire to enter into this Agreement to amend and restate the terms and conditions of the Existing Offer Letter as set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Executive has agreed to accept continued employment on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the respective covenants and agreements of the Parties herein contained, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
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(i) conduct by the Executive constituting a material act of misconduct in connection with the performance of the Executive’s duties, including, without limitation, misappropriation of funds or property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates other than the occasional, customary and de minimis use of company property for personal purposes;
(ii) the Executive’s commission of acts satisfying the elements of (A) any felony or (B) a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, deceit, dishonesty or fraud;
(iii) any misconduct by the Executive, regardless of whether or not in the course of the Executive’s employment, that would reasonably be expected to result in material injury or substantial reputational harm to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates if the Executive were to continue to be employed in the same position; for the avoidance of doubt, a violation of the Company’s anti-discrimination or anti-harassment policies shall constitute Cause pursuant to this (iii);
(iv) the Executive’s continued non-performance of the Executive’s duties hereunder (other than by reason of the Executive’s Disability) which has continued for more than 30 days following written notice of such non-performance from the Board;
(v) the Executive’s material breach of any of the provisions contained in this Agreement or the Restrictive Covenants Agreement; or
(vi) the Executive’s failure to reasonably cooperate with a bona fide internal investigation or an investigation by regulatory or law enforcement authorities, after being
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instructed by the Company to cooperate, or the willful destruction or failure to preserve documents or other materials known to be relevant to such investigation or the inducement of others to fail to cooperate or to produce documents or other materials in connection with such investigation.
(i) | a material diminution of the Executive’s Base Salary, other than in connection with, and substantially proportionate to, reductions by the Company of the base salaries of all or substantially all senior management employees of the Company; |
(ii) | a material diminution in the Executive’s role, duties, authority or responsibilities; provided, however, that a reduction in authority, duties or responsibilities primarily by virtue of the Company being acquired and made part of a larger entity (whether as a subsidiary, business unit or otherwise) will not constitute Good Reason; |
(iii) | a material change in the geographic location at which the Executive provides services to the Company, such that there is an increase of at least thirty (30) miles of driving distance to such location from the Executive’s principal residence as of such change; or |
(iv) | any material breach by the Company of this Agreement (to the extent not otherwise covered by this paragraph) or any other written agreement between the Company and the Executive; |
“Good Reason Process” consists of the following steps: (i) the Executive reasonably determines in good faith that a Good Reason Condition has occurred; (ii) the Executive notifies the Company in writing of the first occurrence of the Good Reason Condition within 90 days of the first occurrence of such condition; (iii) the Executive cooperates in good faith with the Company’s efforts, for a period of not less than 30 days following such notice (the “Cure Period”), to remedy the Good Reason Condition; (iv) notwithstanding such efforts, the Good Reason Condition continues to exist; and (v) the Executive terminates employment within 90 days after the end of the Cure Period. If the Company cures the Good Reason Condition during the Cure Period, Good Reason shall be deemed not to have occurred.
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(i) pay the Executive an amount equal to (x) six (6) months (the “Severance Period”) of the Executive’s Base Salary, and (y) the Executive’s Target Bonus for the year in which the Date of Termination occurs, without regard to whether the metrics have been established or achieved for such year (such bonus amount prorated to reflect the period during such year that the Executive was employed prior to the Date of Termination); and
(ii) provided the Executive is eligible for and timely elects to continue receiving group medical insurance pursuant to the “COBRA” law, continue to pay for six (6) months following the Executive’s termination date or until the Executive has secured other employment or is no longer eligible for coverage under COBRA, whichever occurs first, the share of the premium for health coverage that is paid by the Company for active and similarly-situated employees who receive the same type of coverage, unless the Company’s provision of such COBRA payments will violate the nondiscrimination requirements of applicable law, in which case the Company shall convert such payments to payroll payments directly to the Executive for the time period specified above. Such payments, if to the Executive, shall be subject to tax-related deductions and withholdings and paid on the Company’s regular payroll dates. For the avoidance of doubt, the taxable payments described above may be used for any purpose, including, but not limited to, continuation coverage under COBRA (collectively, the benefits set forth in Sections 8(b)(i)-(ii), the “Severance Benefits”).
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(i) pay the Executive an amount equal to (x) nine (9) months (the “Change in Control Severance Period”) of the Executive’s Base Salary (or the Executive’s Base Salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, if higher), and (y) an amount equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of the Executive’s Target Bonus for the year in which the Date of Termination occurs, without regard to whether the metrics have been established or achieved for such year;
(ii) provided the Executive is eligible for and timely elects to continue receiving group medical insurance pursuant to the “COBRA” law, continue to pay for nine (9) months following the Executive’s termination date or until the Executive has secured other employment or is no longer eligible for coverage under COBRA, whichever occurs first, the share of the premium for health coverage that is paid by the Company for active and similarly-situated employees who receive the same type of coverage, unless the Company’s provision of such COBRA payments will violate the nondiscrimination requirements of applicable law, in which case the Company shall convert such payments to payroll payments directly to the Executive for the time period specified above. Such payments, if to the Executive, shall be subject to tax-related deductions and withholdings and paid on the Company’s regular payroll dates. For the avoidance of doubt, the taxable payments described above may be used for any purpose, including, but not limited to, continuation coverage under COBRA; and
(iii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any applicable equity incentive award agreement, stock option agreement or other stock-based award agreement, all equity incentive awards, stock options and other stock-based awards subject to time-based vesting held by the Executive shall be accelerated, such that all then-unvested equity awards that vest based solely on the passage of time immediately vest and become fully exercisable or non-forfeitable as of the Executive’s Date of Termination (collectively, the benefits set forth in Sections 8(c)(i)-(iii) referred to as the “Change in Control Severance Benefits”); provided that, if any equity incentive awards, stock options and other stock-based awards held by the Executive prior to the Effective Date have accelerated vesting terms that are more favorable to the Executive than those set forth in this Section 8(c)(iii), the vesting terms of those equity incentive awards, stock options or other stock-based awards shall apply as opposed to the accelerated vesting terms set forth in this Section 8(c)(iii) solely with respect to such awards.
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(i) “Change in Ownership or Control” shall mean a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company determined in accordance with Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code.
(ii) “Contingent Compensation Payment” shall mean any payment (or benefit) in the nature of compensation that is made or made available (under this Agreement or otherwise) to or for the benefit of a “disqualified individual” (as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code) and that is contingent (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Code) on a Change in Ownership or Control of the Company.
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The provisions of this Section 9 are intended to apply to any and all payments or benefits available to the Executive under this Agreement or any other agreement or plan under which the Executive may receive Contingent Compensation Payments.
To the Executive: At the address set forth in the Executive’s personnel file
To Company:
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Waltham, MA 02451
Attention: Legal Department
Either Party may change the address to which notices are to be delivered by giving notice of such change to the other Party in the manner set forth in this Section 11.
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[Signatures on Page Following]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.
By:/s/ Xxxx Xxxxx
Name:Xxxx Xxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
EXECUTIVE:
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
[Signature Page to Employment Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
Payments Subject to Section 409A
(i) | Each installment of the severance payments due under the Agreement that, in accordance with the dates and terms set forth herein, will in all circumstances, regardless of when the Executive’s separation from service occurs, be paid within the short-term deferral period (as defined under Section 409A) shall be treated as a short-term deferral within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) to the maximum extent permissible under Section 409A and shall be paid on the dates and terms set forth in the Agreement; and |
(ii) | Each installment of the severance payments due under the Agreement that is not described in this Exhibit A, Section 1(c)(i) and that would, absent this subsection, be paid within the six-month period following the Executive’s “separation from service” from the Company shall not be paid until the date that is six months and one day after such separation from service (or, if earlier, the Executive’s death), with any such installments that are required to be delayed being accumulated during the six-month period and paid in a lump sum on the date that is six months and one day following the Executive’s separation from service and any subsequent installments, if any, being paid in accordance with the dates and terms set forth herein; provided, however, that the preceding provisions of this sentence shall not apply to any installment of payments if and to the maximum extent that that such installment is deemed to be paid under a separation pay plan that does not |
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provide for a deferral of compensation by reason of the application of Treasury Regulation 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) (relating to separation pay upon an involuntary separation from service). Any installments that qualify for the exception under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) must be paid no later than the last day of the Executive’s second taxable year following the taxable year in which the separation from service occurs. |
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